#you are perfect just the way you are anything negative you feel isn't the consequences of the way you lead your lifestyle its Society

[maretriarch]

i wish people would realize that 99.99999% of posts that fall under the "positivity post listicle" genre r little else than people listing traits they themselves have and dislike and wish they could change and find negative and undesirable truly have no confidence in but no willpower to change, and instead of any soul searching or changing of behavior make a post thats begging for likes and positive feedback on these negative traits as an avoidance tactic so they dont have to change

[shini--chan]

Can i request for general yandere hcs for the baltic trio (seperate)?

Ravis is first, the other two Baltics will follow in due time.

Yandere Charater Sheet I

1p! Latvia: Raivis Galante

Characters adjusted to the reader's age. Here I am, wondering how I managed to turn Latvia into a complete nutcase. 

Trigger warnings: Kidnapping, stalking, inappropriate touching, theft, voyeurism, restraining, subduing, human experimentation, murder

Attributes - What sort of Yandere is he/she?

Raivis, is for all intents and purposes, shameless when it comes to the activities surrounding his pursuit and "relationship" with you. The notion of stalking you, stealing little "trophies" from you, taking pictures of you while in public or in private - he doesn't feel a sliver of guilt. The factors preventing him from being completely insolent around you is that if other people caught on to his behaviour, then they would do their best to stop him. Furthermore, he wants you running towards him and throwing yourself in his arms, not running away from him. If anything, he hates it when his actions have negative consequences, even if he technically did nothing wrong. 

On the flip side, he is desperate to have you, and that is something that curtails his behaviour. Latvia so dearly wants to impress you, to have you in awe of his skills. Everytime you enter the room or his vicinity, he perks up like a puppy that wants to play. In a way, he even acts the part - when he does get the chance to be with you, he is enthusiastic, stumbling over his words and gesturing a bit too wildly with his hands. He'll become your shadow for the evening, or just the day, opening doors for you or pulling out your chair. He'll use these small chores as excuses to get very close to you - hands lingering a bit too long when he takes your jacket, his nose almost in your hair when he stands behind you in the bus. 

Added on is that he has been withdrawn for so long, and with his exuberance in approaching you, that he doesn't know how to handle the situation correctly. He is awkward in many ways, even more so during your time together. However, he is somewhat conscious of it and will make it clear that the things he does wrong are not due to malicious intent and are genuine mistakes. This way, he hopes to encourage you to dismiss his yandere tendencies. 

Because he is self-conscious and aware enough to know that what he is doing isn't right, that a healthy relationship doesn't consist of him dogging your every step, or interrogating every person you spend more than five minutes with. However, if there aren't any negative consequences then he can't bring himself to care. He just wants somebody to dote on him and in turn to be cherished by him. Surely there is nothing wrong about that, even if it means infringing on your personal freedoms? Besides, rights are only as strong as those willing to enforce them, and if nobody comes to your rescue, then surely there is no problem. 

Immaturity is another mark of him, but not in the way you would expect. It manifests in that he strives to ignore problems as much as possible, i.e. if there are negative consequences to his actions that can be ignored, he'll readily sweep them under the rug. Likewise, if he can shove responsibility of some atrocity onto somebody else, it will be done without a second thought. In his mind, the reason you don't accept him is that others filled your head with fluff. He is not at fault that you find him reprehensible, oh no sir. 

Cornering - How would they get you?

This is where he can be spectacularly impulsive. Mayhaps he is fretting over how to approach you, how to win over your heart, when he spontaneously decides to throw it all in the wind and nab you. It could be during a field trip - the two of you out on a lake on a sailing boat, just having finished lunch. You're just lying on deck, sated and sleepy. Would this just be the perfect time to tie you up, dock and then squirrel you away to his house? 

Or he offers you a ride home from an event that you both are attending, and decides to take you to his house. If you protest when he pulls into the garage, he'll feign being a cheesy romantic and that he understood his place when you told him to drive you home. 

The matter is, Raivis is very intelligent, but he still sucks when it comes to planning a complex sequence of events, especially when some of the variables are unknown. Chess is foreseeable since it is a lot about developed tactics and countertactics, where the properties of all pieces are known and everything is visible. Real life is not so accommodating and thus he struggles. Thus, he has a vague idea as to how to win your heart, but as to how the chips should fall so that he gets his happily ever after, he is clueless. 

So he decides to just go for the kill. Part of this is also to blame on the fact that his idea of romance comes from tragic romance books, where the love interest slips through the fingers of the protagonist due to lack of action. 

You wind up in his humble abode, and he has no idea what to do with you. Installing child safety everywhere seems like a good first step. If you don't watch out, you might wind up tied to a bed. All in all, how well you are treated depends on how well you take the sudden change in your living situation. Should you accept it with grace, then you'll be able to trick yourself into thinking it is a normal relationship, with one eye closed that is. Should you might back, tranquillisers and chains it is. 

Expectations - What do they expect of you?

He wants you to me feminine. Not girly, don't be mistaken, rather imbued with grace and kindness. Lavia wants somebody tender to spend his time with after enduring the stresses of the day. A bit like those old aristocratic ladies, with impeccable manners, a good sense of fashion and a stern demeanour. Though, please don't look down on him. 

That is partially where the desire for a more down to earth persona comes in. Somebody that doesn't hesitate to roll up their sleeves and get to work, no matter how long the hours and tough the task is. Somebody with whom he can build a home. A partner with a matronly side here is ideal, that isn't too stuck up to laugh and enjoy life, nor withers away when the going gets tough. 

It is then up to you to stick a balance here. Ravis is very much a dreamer, and can often get carried away with them. On top of that, he often tries to superimpose his dreams on reality and then becomes either upset or anxious when they don't match. Here, you'll have to be good with words, good at dragging him out of his slump while not encouraging his daydreaming tendencies to an unhealthy extent. Additionally, have good communication skills. He is so afraid of you leaving him, but doesn't see how the fault for that could rest on his shoulders, instead it would be all your doing. In the long-term, you'll have to learn how to communicate with him without setting him off. 

Also, rely on him. Let him feel smart and strong, worthy of your time. If you don't, then it isn't him that is wrong, but you. You are the evil being trying to undermine his self-esteem and make him doubt himself. How can you reject all his hard work, you ungrateful ignat? Here you would be dealing with a volatile young man. Be careful what you say to him or else you'll put yourself in danger. Be grateful for his affections and attention, even if it should come in the form of a severed head in a cardboard box on your doorstep. 

On top of that, you'll have to have a lot of metal resilience. Look, he isn't the sort that doesn't know how to comfort people, or bring somebody down from an anxiety attack, but he doesn't expect to have to carry you through life because you can't function in day-to-day life. And if you are catatonic? Then you'll find yourself without company, not even his. He wouldn't provide the most psychologically healthy environment to begin with, and it not something he'll ever fully, consciously acknowledge. In that way, you'll have to put up with his daily antics without tearing your hair out. 

Intelligence is also important to him. Mind you, you don't have to be a complete genius - that would just intimidate him and the leash he'd have on you would become even shorter. What he desires, is somebody that can understand him, especially when he starts rambling about his interests and hobbies. And understands not to fidget too much when the chains are brought out. 

Faded - Would they let go of you in any way?

If you would become catatonic, then he would toss you aside without a second thought. Being a walking corpse, you just wouldn't be the person whom he became obsessed with. Since you wouldn't have any value to him as an empty doll, he would get rid of you fast. Murder wouldn't be an option, not for old times sake at least, so he would just drop you off at the side of the road and call it a day. He would be a bit worried about you, but would ultimately decide that he would do you no good by fretting over you. With you out of sight and having no more importance to him, he'll manage to move on.

The other way would be if you are much more powerful than him in your own right, or if you have somebody protecting you from him. Even if it is just Poland that is your partner, he would hesitate to make you his. So it might just as well be that he'll be restricted to pinning for you from afar. Over time, he could just as well fall for somebody else, or force himself to not think. With enough distraction and enough time, the memory of you will fade.

Punishment - How would they proceed if you do something they disapprove of?

Oh, this can be scary. You see, this young man doesn't really know when to stop and often goes too far due to his skewed perception of reality. Don't worry though, he isn't for public humiliation, usually. What can he do if unsavoury rumours about you suddenly start circulating. Bad things happen, and sometimes people get bored and make stuff up to pass the time. It isn't his fault in any way. If it pushes you closer to him, then he won't complain. 

Other than that, he would want to illustrate to you how generous and gracious he is being with you. How about going a few days without heating. How about without food? No clothing? No water? No electricity? It would be like a science experiment to him where he can play around with the parameters to produce different outcomes. Ravis isn't above writing a report about it and then presenting his findings to you, also thanking you for your "willing participation". 

Another way he would punish you would be by granting your wish to stop interfering with your life. He’d let you run the show, cook and clean and read whatever, whenever you want. But he would be there the whole time, eyes tracing your every movement, listening to your every word. He would never interfere, just watch the whole time. With him having all the keys, you wouldn’t even have privacy while sitting on the toilet - he would just be standing there, watching you. This would also be one of those scenarios where he wouldn’t say anything for days. Ravis would do his best to not outwardly react to anything you say or do, and only end the whole affair when he deems you ready. This could be after a few hours, or after a month or two. 

There is also a game plan if you resort to violent action - breaking bones. If he shatters the bones in your fingers, then you'll be dependent on him for and during your recovery. Also, you won't be able to attack or escape. Actions have consequences, and this would be the consequence of you being mean and hurtful to him. Surely that will teach you a lesson. On top of that, your hands will never be the same again. Future attacks will have no chance of being smooth and lightning quick. 

Reaction - How would they react to you escaping?

This would be where he'd get very impulsive. You see, you are like an opiod that soothes and dulls the pain. Having you suddenly disappear into thin air would be a shock in more ways than one. Latvia would become frantic, running all around your shared living space, ripping open closets and peeking behind wardrobes, because surely you are just hiding from him, right? Right? 

There is a chance that he'll be the one to catch, not eating or sleeping until he has you back in his grasp. Should you meet him in this state, don't expect him to be reasonable or merciful - he'll be too frenzied for either of those. Best come along quietly and don't draw it out for longer than need be. That would just make him more irate and prone to injuring you and bystanders. 

It could just as well be that you aren't captured by him, but by agents or mercenaries employed by the Latvian government. They might not have a lot of power or influence, but they still need a functioning nation. The best way to ensure that is to drag you back to captivity.

Turnabout - Scenario: You have the upper hand? What would be different from their usual MO?

This would only work if you can convince him that you are acting in his best interests. Maybe he is a patient and you have to play nurse for him, taking his health in your hands and handling it expertly. Maybe you earn more than he does, and thus make the big purchases, like buying a house, a car and whatnot. Then he can be relatively at ease with the whole dynamic. Control ultimately rests with him though, and at the end of the day, you have to accept him in your life. 

When that isn't the case, that is when matters turn ugly. Due to nearly always being under foreign control means that Ravis has garnered a lot of negative experiences of what happens when he gives up control. He reacts allergic to situations and dynamics where he doesn't have any control and doesn't go in his favour. So you can expect manipulations, pot shots, and waking up in the night to find that he is smothering you with a pillow. All of this wouldn't be to kill you. No, it would just be to make you hand back the reins to him. 

Vengeance - What would they do in the face of competition?

Ravis would know that he is a small country with little to his name. Little to offer, and even less means by which he can threaten. All in all if another country or a powerful person takes interest in you, there is little he can do about it. What he can do is gather allies or also use somebody else's interests to his own ends. There are border issues, economic disputes, intelligence problems and so much more that rise and subside in international relationships. He just has to make sure goals align and with a little grease on the wheels, he is good to go. 

Perhaps the near neighbour is in desperate need of a colour revolution. Or should it rather be a plain political crisis. With some well placed words and offers, he could end up pointing a benefactor at his enemy like a howitzer. Once the wolves are done tearing at each other's throats, he'll be sifting through the rubble to take his own spoils. If one of those spoils is you, then that is just his luck, isn't it?

In the case we are talking about a regular mortal, then matters are simpler - they go missing. If they end up as pig food or as "goods" on the black market really depends on his mood. 

[multi-fandom-lunatic]

Fitz and Keefe: A Deep(ish) Dive

Sick of the toxic part of the fandom hating on Fitz and idolising Keefe.

Fitz has his flaws, sure, but saying that these flaws ruin his character, especially when he's working on these flaws, is just so devaluing. I honestly think that those Fitz hater extremists are more like Fitz than they realise.

I'm of the belief that Fitz hating started in Exile, when Fitz yelled at Sophie. I will reiterate the obvious: Fitz's dad practically DIED (actually, I'm pretty sure what happened to Alden is regarded worse than death by one of the characters), and Sophie was heavily involved in the situation. While she didn't cause the break, it was really a matter of wrong place wrong time, and Fitz lashed out, saying cruel things to Sophie. But Fitz has apologised. Multiple times, because he understands his lashing out as a mistake, which is what I find the toxic part of the fandom fail to understand. It is 1. a mistake that 2. he's trying to fix. That's more than the Keefster is doing.

Another key moment is with the whole matchmaking drama in Legacy. Sophie refuses to tell Fitz her bio mom and Fitz lashes out and Sophie breaks up with him. No denying that he was in the wrong here, but we also can't deny the nuance that comes with the situation. For one, the matchmaking system carries social consequences to those who don't abide by it. I bet money that Fitz wasn't trying to upset Sophie but rather try to help her not face the social injustices she would. Obviously, this backfires because he goes about it all wrong.

This isn't to say that Fitz didn't do anything wrong. Because that isn't what I'm saying, but rather to consider Fitz more than 'anger issues' (by the way, Fitz is not an embodiment of anger issues and it's upsetting that many use the term so carelessly), and Keefe more than 'perfect guy'. The point is that we shouldn't see things in black and white but rather shades of gray. Fitz has made mistakes, done some bad things, but this doesn't make him a monster, not in his case at least.

Then there's Keefe. Worshipped by the fandom, while his actions affect everyone around him negatively. Come on. You cannot be telling me that Fitz has anger issues and Keefe doesn't when he throws a bowl of stew because he was angry. That isn't anger issues either, by the way, but it's an example of Keefe's temper.

Also Keefe does not learn his lessons. He runs away TWICE, shatters a building but sure. Let's pretend he hasn't done wrong. And all of this is justified, both by Shannon and the toxic fandom, by his parental situation.

I'm not discrediting his mother as the leader of a terrorist organisation. But we shouldn't use this as a JUSTIFICATION but rather an EXPLANATION. To use it as a justification is to excuse his behaviour, which is unfair on those he inflicted harm to. But to use it as an explanation could help us draw conclusions on what is going on in his mind when he makes bad decisions.

Also, keep in mind that this isn't me evaluating who's better for Sophie, because honestly? None of them. I'm a massive believer of aro ace Sophie (as well as Keefitz). But this is more of a dive into their characters.

I really blame a lot of the hate toward Fitz on Shannon, because she insists on feeding in to a false notion that doesn't even make sense (Fitz literally broke in to exile in Neverseen. There is NO WAY he cares THAT much about matchmaking).

And honestly this is why I prefer books 1-3. They remind me why I loved these characters, and any book after feels like Shannon's trying to write them with her biases.

Conclusion: Fitz and Keefe are nuanced characters and their idolising/hating on either is evidence of not using critical thinking skills :P

PS: Give them both therapy.

Anyways I feel the need to ping you, @thesfromhms

[soracities]

Just reading the makeup post which you responded to so eloquently, and I don't have anything half as insightful to say, but just a curious observation about myself. Specifically when you talked about shaving - I'm a Muslim and I wear an abaya in my day to day life, so nobody ever really sees my legs, yet I shave every week or two and have done for years. My non-Muslim friends are absolutely rather bemused by this since no one will see them but I just like doing it "for myself". But I have to say, even I can't truly believe that my "choice" exists in a vacuum - sure I can't/won't get validation from the outside world, but isn't the standard I have for smooth "perfect" skin influenced by the culture around me? So even without the negative consequence of going outside with hairy legs, I think we are still influenced.. and it makes me think about voyeurism too, the way as a woman I've always looked at myself as if I'm outside of myself. No one will see me, but if they could, what would they say? Even I can't pretend to be free.

This is such a good point, anon, and so illuminating to read, I appreciate so much you taking to the time to send this 💕 You're absolutely right--voyeurism is a massively huge thing and it's something I struggle with quite intensely to an insane degree (which is partly why, though not the main reason, I feel so strongly about not wearing makeup). And I think this is the part of the conversation that gets lost so often because for a lot of people it manifests in different ways--I don't feel the pressure to wear makeup, but I do feel the pressure to shave my underarms when in public. I don't feel the pressure to look sexy, necessarily, but I do feel the pressure to be attractive. It's a never-ending panopticon and it can be so exhausting.

I think, as social creatures, we are all predisposed to think of ourselves in terms of others' opinions which is entirely natural for who we are, but the fact that we have the world we have means some opinions weigh more heavily than others (and doubly-true, I think, when you have a confluence of marginalised identities)--so you're completely right, one way or another we are influenced and sometimes I do think it's so difficult to have these conversations because a lot of people don't always realise this; it's a deeply subconscious thing sometimes and even when it's not it can be a wearying thing to get to terms with and it's a lot easier to just....ignore that reality at times.

[woodchipp]

@siezult

Alright, so.

Why did Basil show up? Because this is a dramatic scene and the drama genre relies on inconveniences to make the situation worse for the characters and progress the plot. Yeah it is convenient, but thats kinda the point?

It's one thing when the situation is made worse via a believable circumstance that is, even if it's slightly improbable, is explained by the story itself. I can suspend my disbelief then. It is, however, very different when the situation is made worse via a random occurence that's not only highly improbable, but is left entirely unexplained. In the latter case, it's usually bad writing.

Contrived coincidences are not inherently a bad trope. Tropes are tools, after all. There's a reason said trope is mostly used in comedies, though - make a coincidence too contrived in any other genre, and the story intended to be serious will become farce instead.

If you want an in-universe reason, Basil’s parents arent there to drive him to the ceremony, so he decides to stay at sunny’s house the night before so they can take him there.

There is no proof of this in the game.

I wouldn’t say she “didn’t tolerate mistakes”

I never said that either.

I wouldn’t say its out of character for her to react that way because its perfectly human to react negatively when annoyed, especially when its about something she really cares about like her music. I think it shows more of her character that she isn’t perfect all the time and will sometimes have a bad side.

My point was that her 'bad side" is only relevant to the story when it's needed to give Sunny a reason to lash out at her. It has no bearing on her character otherwise. I've said as such in the post.

Finally, why are you insinuating that Sunny is this awful person?

Because I have proof he is.

Like, yes, his accident was awful, and he shouldn’t have lied to everyone, but at the same time, he was fucking 12. A mortified 12-year old scared shitless of what will happen to him after people find out about his manslaughter will obviously make dumb decisions; he clearly wasn’t thinking straight at the time and was just doing what he got told would “fix” the situation.

Honestly, I'm sick of this argument. I've seen it so many times it's not even funny at this point.

1) You're talking about Sunny as if you are defending a real kid. He is a fictional character whose decisions have been predetermined by an adult writer, and thus I will judge said decisions accordingly.

2) "He's 12" removes Sunny's agency as a character - by your logic and the logic of essentially everyone using this argument, he can't be held responsible for anything bad he ever does for the sole reason of being a stupid kid. A 12 yo may be immature, impulsive and inexperienced, but not necessarily stupid.

3) A "mortified" 12-year-old who "wasn't thinking straight at the time" would not feel "at peace" upon seeing his sister's hanged body.

If anything you should be mad at Basil for making the decision to lie and dragging Sunny in on it.

1) Basil wouldn't have needed to lie if it wasn't for Sunny fucking up in the first place lmao

2) It's true Basil created the lie, but it was Sunny who chose to uphold it.

I think being a depressed, suicidal, possibly anorexic shut-in for 4 years is quite a punishment.

An entirely internal and self-inflicted one, yes. My point was that he suffers no external consequences (e.g. his friends leaving him since they're pissed at him), and the canonical state of the group after the confession is left ambiguous.

I'm not going to feel bad for an asshole whose only remarkable trait is feeling bad for himself all the time without ever doing much.

it’s implied Sunny’s parents knew, and was the reasoning for his dad leaving.

Source that isn't a single contextless quote in Black Space 2?

If his parents actually knew the truth all along, they woukd've been a lot more relevant to the game's plot. As it is, it's more likely the father left because the suicide of his daughter destroyed the marriage.

him “conveniently skipping town” wasn’t his choice. He didn’t intend to avoid repercussions by moving

That's why the word "conveniently" is there - it's true it wasn't his choice to move, but it still reads as a convenient way for the story to let him off the hook.

him moving was the catalyst for the games events as its when sunny decides to tell his friends the truth and give them closure, meaning Sunny is well aware that his friends would likely hate him, but thinks it would be for the better for them to know.

1) Source?

2) This implies Sunny would've been perfectly content to continue upholding Basil's lie were it not for external circumstances forcing him to come clean.

3) Given that Sunny wants to come clean purely for his own peace of mind, this also implies Sunny doesn't decide to reveal the truth out of a genuine desire to make things right - he wants to do it just because he has a deadline and he needs to get his weight off his shoulders while he still has the time.

[appendingfic]

Well this is nonsense

"Today, we're looking at a perfect example of the diversity that makes up America - a town that doesn't celebrate the Purge. Green Hills, Montana, was like any other U.S. town in 2017, the first year of the nation-wide Purge. But unlike almost every other town in America, they woke up the next morning to find no one had died, and that the worst the rest of the town suffered was some light vandalism. Maybe, they figured, it was all down to chance. But the same thing happened the next year, and the next. For three years, Green Hills has been an oasis from the tension those of us who spend Purge Night barricaded in our homes feel. We're here with Green Hills Deputy Sheriff Wade Whipple, to answer some questions."

The news host was sitting in a small police station with a nervous brown-haired man who smiled awkwardly at her.

"So. Deputy. I want to hear it straight from the source - you haven't had a single death in town because of the Purge?"

"The - oh! Oh, never! It's actually…surprised the he - heck out of us. Not for, uh, around here, folks get along pretty well, but you hear about people rolling in from out of town. Emerald Coast had, uh, problems with that, and someone burned down the Ice Cap Resort last year. But we didn't get any of that."

"Any idea why?"

Deputy Whipple shrugged. "I couldn't say. Cra - ah, Carl Jenkins, a local, says it's the work of the Blue Devil, our local cryptid. He used to try to catch it, but now he calls it our - guardian angel."

"But it isn't just the out-of-towners, Deputy. The NFFA tells us that the Purge is necessary to expel the negative emotions we build up toward each other-"

"Well, people around here are pretty good at keeping the air clear, you know?" Deputy Whipple interrupts. "Keep that stuff from festering. And if stuff's boiling over, we've got our sheriff, Tom Wachowski to calm things down."

"Well. You heard it here. It takes all kinds to make the United States work, and this little town is one of a kind."

The image stilled.

"So what are we looking at here?"

The men at the table turned to the middle-aged man in military dress standing before them. "Don't you see what's going on here?"

"One town in America has the uncommon luck to avoid the consequences of the Purge."

"No!" One of the men slams a hand on the table. "One town in America is claiming <I><B>The Purge doesn't work</B></I>! Can you imagine if this idea catches on? That there's a way to <I>stop people from Purging</I>? The entire system we've built to keep things under control falls apart."

"And what exactly do you propose I do about it? Managing the Purge is a little outside my purview, gentlemen."

One of the men smiled. "Ah, didn't you hear the bit in that interview about their town's local cryptid? The Blue Angel or whatever?"

"What - I send some of my agents out to Montana to dig around town like Mulder and Sculley? I don't see how that helps your problem."

"Well…we were going to suggest you put the responsibility of this on one of your…contractors."

Eyebrows raised. "No. Not - there's a reason he's only ever been tapped for contracts outside the country. He has a - fairly liberal view when it comes to acceptable losses with collateral…damage."

"We were thinking we could set the timeline for his investigation. Perhaps a holiday weekend?"

"And perhaps…I could recommend he limit his drones' weaponry to class 4 and below?"

"Good thinking, Commander Walters," another of the men replied with a smile to the others. "We wouldn't like to imagine anything <I>illegal</I> happening. Not during The Purge."

[archerbeans]

So, I finally watched the Archer finale..

WARNING. SPOILERS AHEAD FOR INTO THE COLD!!!

So, Archer has come to an end. Its a lot for me to process, this is a hard one for me, the past 6 months have been exclusively Archer for me, I've fallen so far for a fictional character. I'm going to try my absolute best to collect all of my thoughts in one post for this. I'll try not to spoiler too much. But I think this is necessary for me so I can help process this loss for me.

To say I'm happy is an understatement. I'm beyond relieved and grateful we got the proper Archer ending this show so badly deserved. The season 14 finale was a disgrace, and the way it could have ended would have been tragic. This show ending is tragic enough, but thats just my view on it. Hyperfixations are hard ya'll.

I think the way they ended the plot for this show was very cleverly done. While I don't think Adam Reed would have went in this direction, I'm still satisfied with what the writers did. Seeing everyone band together was wonderful, and there were a couple twists I wasn't expecting at all, but it goes without saying, nothing can be perfect.

Some initial thoughts, pros and cons if you may, but not really.

The growth the characters go through is really really cool to see, notably Archer. When he says he doesn't need to know who his father is, that's a huge milestone and a step towards some emotional maturity. Sterling has so much trauma and is overall a very impulsive character, but letting him have his moments of clarity is always nice to see. There is a good balance between his impulses and realizing that his actions have consequences. I don't think there was any way Slater could have been saved in the end anyways.

There was no main focus on any specific character. Every main reoccurring role in the show got their own moments in this finale, which I am super grateful for. Season 14 had a hard time dedicating specific episodes to certain characters like in the earlier seasons, so this finale did a great job at giving everyone a bit of spotlight.

Focusing on the main characters instead of random one off characters was super cool and something I appreciate as well. Katya, Barry, and Slater were all characters who made the biggest impacts on the show by far, not to mention they're also fan favourites. But seeing Rip Riley was super exciting as well!

The early season throwbacks!! In the elevator shaft you can see the old ISIS sign and an old Cherlene album :3 If there was anything else I probably missed it as there was a lot of clutter, but I always get so so excited when there's early season callbacks. It shows that's the writers really do care about these characters and their stories. I was happy to see Milton!! Milton supremacy!!

The ode to Malory was wonderful, I'm so so happy they did that. Lana's speech at the end was a good way to wrap everything up for the crew.

There isn't much to say negatively, these aren't necessarily things that make this finale bad, just things that made me sad and were a surprise to me that I'm not sure how I feel. This is completely opinion biased and you can disagree all you want!

Slater dying. I'm really sad that one of my favourites ended up dying. I loved the very erotic moments between Slater and Archer and their initial fight was really intense and fun. But seeing Slater die wasn't really all that satisfying for me, except it allowed Archer to grow more and let go of some of that trauma. RIP Slater </3 You were a son of a bitch

Morphing Barry and Katya.. This is a weird one for me. I'm not sure how I feel about this at all. I guess the only fun thing I can say about this is that we got some fun classic enemies to lovers. I dont particularly LOVE that trope, but with making Katya a antagonist, it was quite the choice.

The settings.. I think it was fitting to have some of the settings back in Russia, but Rio was quite the random choice. There was a lot going on and at one point I kind of got confused as to where everyone was at one point, in one scene they're at the Agency, the next they're in a safe house, the next they're in some other random area, that was a bit hard to follow, but a lot happened in an hour, and there was a lot going on. The title "Into the Cold" was clever. Also I hated the whole crypto thing. That genuinely felt like a cheap cop out for some plot holes. Cyril doesn't seem like the type of person to be interested in crypto as one would figure he'd be pretty knowledgeable on how that stuff is shitty. If Lana saw those mines you know she would lose her mind LOL

Overall, I am happy with how things were wrapped up. I was very worried near the end because we hadn't seen AJ at ALL, or had any mention of her, so seeing the scene at the end with her and Sterling made me really happy, knowing that Archer kept in contact with Lana but not anybody else really stung, but Sterling saying he "hates goodbyes" really stuck with me after this finale finished. Saying goodbye to this show is not easy whatsoever, I have such a strong connection with these characters and cast, and my love for Cheryl is eternal. Its hard for neurotypical people to fully understand, and this is a grieving process for me, but I have the support and friends to help me through this, and I will always have these guys around, since I can rewatch this show as many times as I want. I will continue to make content and hopefully start writing more maybe. This world is so expansive and so many things can be done as it falls on the line of realism, slice of life, and science fiction. I love everything this show had to offer, and I'm so grateful for the dedication and work that went into this show.

If you read this far for some reason, thanks for reading.

[contentexplorer]

Hello Tumblr

Well, I am one year old.

After watching Dragon Ball Super SuperHero and letting my curiosity lead me to this place known as Tumblr last year, I can say it has been a fun and inviting experience to be on this platform. I've never had this kind of interactive and social outlet ever in my life. My creativity and ideas developed or were expressed in ways I never thought I was capable of doing; my discovery of all these talented artists, writers, opinions, everything I find on Tumblr has me feeling excited, attentive, and more curious each time I'm online. And all the support, likes, reblogs, and comments from all you wonderful people just make it worthwhile. It truly has been a blast of a year to be on here. : )

So that's why it saddens me that I will be inactive following the new year of 2024. : (

I've been considering this course of action for a while, and I've fully decided to go through with this.

Allow me to explain: The bottom line is stuff has come up. I don't feel comfortable to specifically state what that 'stuff' is, but I can assure you all that it's nothing life-threatening or life-shattering. Situations have arisen for me, and honestly, they're the kind of problems that I could ignore and still be fine. But that way of responding just doesn't sit well with me. I have to deal with them, so the issues won't build up over time and bite me back in the future. Unfortunately, that requires of me to cut my time here.

I wish to say that I'll return and resume my activity, but even I can't guarantee that. My process, if you will, will be of me accomplishing each obstacle, but once done, they'll lead to more handling of their consequences, both positive and negative. Coming back here: I just don't know.

But in case I don't return, I want to say something: When I started my account I had no intention of making posts or interacting with anyone. I just wanted to see what you guys were writing/making about Dragon Ball (The K18 material, TBH), like it, and have some asks of my own. But thanks to the suggestions and informative answers from @fantasyrecolors / @thefantasylife (you're the best), I put more effort into distinguishing myself from a bot to an actual person.

I figured I would repost stuff I liked and write the occasional, original post about anything on my mind, never having ambitions of being popular or affecting the Dragon Ball Tumblr community. But when I posted my Android 18 Not You Meme, you guys liked it and that just made me feel so appreciated. It was just an idea I had which I wanted to put out there. That inspired me to be more involved in this Dragon Ball Community. You see, I'm a dork, but I've always been one solo. I never had anyone to ask their opinions or say to them I enjoy their fan-work about a property we both enjoy, and vice versa. But as I continued to settle and develop my blog, I just kept finding so many incredible individuals here with their fabulous art, engaging stories, intriguing takes, and hilarious jokes. And these people/you guys took time to see and support what I brought to the table. Even beyond the Dragon Ball series. I felt inspired and motivated by that to keep doing what I could to support and join this rad community.

And I mean where to start with the list of creatives here:

-Dragon Ball Meta/Ultra Dork

-SweetEscapeArtist

-LongMonthArtist

-IncognitoMan1-2-3-4

-Chestnut Island/xfadedmemoriezx

-NiccoloYo

-Certified Krillin Stan

-Neterukuroino

-Everyone's Tea Room

-FuturisticBouquetdeer-451f4dcf

-DeadlyBeautyZ

-Koine Kid

I know Tumblr isn't a perfect social media platform with all its faults, but these people and many, many more made Tumblr an awesome playground to be in.

You all made my time here wonderful and jaw dropping. You guys make Dragon Ball fun. Don't let anyone else tell you otherwise.

I won't delete my account. I love this blog too much to see it all gone in a flash, the same unfortunate fate to fellow comrade Certified Krillin Stan. I'll just leave my blog here and step back from the Tumblr website; the most I'll do is just view (rarely) what's new. There may be a chance I could fully return when DB Daima rolls around, but no guarantees. I hope how I continue in my future will lead me back here to keep supporting this section of the DB community and any other cools guys I see here; possibly return with more resources/skills to do more for this group and my account than I could do now. I do hope so.

Until then, Keep spreading that K18 Love, Let your Creativity Roam Free, Keep Supporting Each Other, and above all else, Have A Great 2024 Everybody.

[lasi-nariyoyoreads]

Kai's personality according to tarots

Someone asked about this some days ago, they read my mind because I was going exactly for this reading haha

Disclaimer:

My readings are made for fun and you should read them for fun too. So don't take them seriously. 

The main aspect of his personality:

The tower

The tower is the most unsettling card in tarots. It indicates a big change, often a traumatic one, but something that might make you stronger.

In this case, he has the type of energy that is ground breaking, something that shakes you up completely.

I can think of young people looking at him and realizing they want to become idols to perform like him.

When you see his passion and commitment, it makes you want to imitate it.

The people in his life might literally experience a pre-Nini and a post-Nini just from how impactful his presence is.

On a more personal level, it's possible Kai went through big changes on many levels, that he's like a phoenix, always destroying and constructing something new.

From the rest of the reading, I could feel a protective energy toward who is close to him and what belongs to him, as if he's afraid to lose them or as if he would be forced to restart again and rebuild everything. So he truly wants to protect his "tower" and avoid its destruction.

How he sees himself?

10 of cups, rev justice, rev 8 of pentacles

He's a mama boy, as we all know. His family and friends are very important for him, he needs love, he needs affection, he needs solid unions.

He's a positive person with a bright personality, you rarely feel negative energy from him.

He might not be the most objective person and favor himself and his loved ones, even if they're wrong.

Or he might be bad at judging people, too trustworthy of the wrong ones, or wary of the good ones (think of his opinion on Soo when he first met him).

He knows he struggles to manage his emotions and it's something he wants to improve.

He suffers from routine and/or he has a bad work-life balance.

He might go days where he only works and days where he feels no energy.

How others see him?

Rev 8 of wands, 9 of pentacles, 7 of cups

They see him as a careful person. It probably takes him a while to open up to others and consider them as friends.

They might feel intimidated by him, he has a strong and cool stage persona, so some people might truly think it would be hard to talk to him.

Bro is rich, independent, artistic, elegant and handsome.

They really admire his craft and the way he was able to reach that amount of success.

Others think he's creative, probably with his head in the clouds.

Others might struggle to truly understand him as a person or to get to know him on a deeper level.

Positive traits:

King of swords, rev devil, strength

He has a lot of self-discipline, he's honest and not self-centered.

When it comes to his job, he's precise, he puts effort, he's structured.

He takes a great care of his looks, since he knows how they're a part of his job, so he's someone who takes into consideration all the aspects that contribute to his job.

He learned how to engage with fans and people in general, how to make them interested in his job, or, in other words, how to lure them into being interested in him.

He also learnt to domesticate his raw emotions, in order to be a more stable and reliable person.

I think his main quality is that he's someone who works on himself. His success never made him think that he is complete or that he's perfect, on the contrary he always finds new aspect he can improve.

This allows him to be very down-to-earth too, he isn't full of himself and he's always respectful toward everyone, from his boss to the guy that sells coffees in the sm building.

As I said, there's some Tower energy here too because he never takes anything for granted and he always works to become better in order to be prepared. He might be aware of the consequences oh his actions and in general be good at future planning.

Negative traits:

Ace of cups, ace of pentacles, 4 of pentacles 

Domesticating emotions could lead him to straight up repressing them.

I said in the other sections that he always shows a positive energy, so he might want to repress those emotions that might cause trouble for others.

For the sake of his job, he might reach unhealthy lengths. 

You know how the fans joke about his duality, the sexy confident Kai vs the cute clumsy Jeongin.

It might be something deeper than a fandom joke though, and he might tend to repress too much his emotions to keep up his professional image.

He might struggle with financial management? He could be stingy maybe?

He might be a bit possessive. He clings to people and he has a hard time whenever relationships change or people walk out of his life. Not only with people, maybe also with what belongs to him.

He might be a bit too needy.

Maybe it's because of the Tower energy, he constantly feels that something bad might happen, that his present will be shaken up all of a sudden, so he has to cling to something or to someone, to feel a better sense of security.

[flowercrowncrip]

hey echo, i'm really relieved you made it through the weekend and i'm so excited for your merfolk costume! i've always loved swimming and mer and, since becoming a wheelchair user myself, i've found imagery of mers using mobility aids creatively inspiring. i may have to try my hand at crocheting an eel or shark tail blanket for halloween

what i'm really writing in to say is that i had surgery a few weeks ago, intersex reconstructive surgery (stage one) under the "guise" of gender affirming surgery (for insurance purposes!) and i haven't been able to use my wheelchair at all during recovery. the farthest i can walk is to-from the restroom, but that's very dangerous, painful, and exhausting. i may need a revision to allow me to ever comfortably and safely use my chair again - this is, in part, the fault of my surgeons for not also consulting with a durable medical equipment specialist pre-op/providing one for me to consult with, but i also failed to opt out of a choice that was bundled into the surgical package normally and, for me, is FULLY cosmetic and not essential to function.

i'm really upset with myself for making the best choice for my health and mobility, and upset with my surgeons for not properly advising me as a patient. this is fixable however, i just... have to tolerate a reduced quality of life, reduced mobility, increased risk to my health, and of course the expected risks of a person with severe rheumatoid arthritis undergoing further surgery. i talk to my surgeons this week about revision! however, i was wondering if you had any advice for dealing with... feeling so frustrated with yourself over things like this? it is so, so unlike me to make such an impactfully negative choice regarding my health and mobility, and i can't help but feel stupid. my therapist (who is a trans woman herself) is very sympathetic, but isn't chronically ill, and doesn't fully grasp how impactful this is. i can't even go outside... ):

thank you so much echo, sending you all my love

That sounds like you’re going through a lot and that it’s very raw and emotional right now, which is totally understandable.

Every disabled person I know has made decisions that have harmed them. And I really mean everyone. Sometimes we don’t know what the consequences will be, sometimes it feels like the benefits will outweigh the risks, sometimes we’re pressured into making the decision that ultimately hurts us, sometimes we don’t realise how bad it will be, there’s so many reasons

I’ve certainly done it – in small ways that lead to temporary flares and in big ways that have permanently changed my body. I’ve also made decisions that could have impacted me really badly and came away, by pure luck, without anything bad happening.

I definitely have regrets over some of those choices, but I have gotten to the point where I don’t hate my past self for making them. I hope that with time you can get there too

Absolutely nobody goes through life without making choices they later regret. As disabled people we’re unlucky that a lot of our choices have higher stakes than non disabled people, but we’re still human and we can’t expect to be perfect and always get things right. And that’s okay

It doesn’t sound to me like you chose to be unable to use your wheelchair, it sounds like you chose to undergo surgery you thought would improve your life in different ways. A lot of people – most likely me included – would make that same choice. And I’m sure there are many possible worlds where you made the same choice and could still use your wheelchair safely.

I know (albeit through very different circumstances) how devastating it is to be without a wheelchair for longer periods with no clear end in sight and I offer you all the sympathy I can. I hope you can find things that bring you comfort and interest in less than ideal circumstances. I don’t know if you want advice about coping with being unable to get out, so I won’t offer any here but I’m happy to share what helped me if you ever want to know.

I wish you all the best with recovery and whatever your next steps are – whether they include revision or not.

On a less serious note I would absolutely love to see a crocheted eel or shark tail if you make one! They both sound amazing! (Or any craft projects – I love seeing what people create)

I’m the same with being inspired by how much disability comes into the stories of merfolk – chronic pain, speech loss and mobility aid use are so tied up in them that there’s so much room for disabled imagination. (And also queer imagination!)

That’s definitely a huge part of why it’s my pride outfit, and I’m really looking forward to wearing it out. I got a rainbow bubble machine today to add some extra fun to it all!

Sending you so much love in return 💜

[s0nia246]

My Amazing Digital circus Oc

I created them back when the Pilot first came out. After I finished drawing them I realized they look like the abstracted....so do with that what you will.

Sometimes, when people enter the Amazing Digital Circus. The transition isn't as smooth for some people.

Some people get a new body while others get a far worse faith.

Sharing a body with multiple souls is difficult. But Lore has learned to endure it. In fact, they see it has a blessing.

Not having to worry about physical ailments or diseases is a relief.

Not having to worry about eating and keeping their organs in perfect working order are another great benefit of their existence.

It means there's no need to sleep anymore.

And they don't need to waste time doing things like cleaning up after themselves anymore either.

They enjoy the Hell of the Amazing Digital Circus.

Inspiration

Name: Lore

Age (Before they entered the circus): I have many ages but 22

Gender: Yes

Pronouns: Any, they/them, or We/Us/Ours doesn't matter to Lore

Personality: Lore loves the digital world and the chaos they can cause within it. They are impulsive troublemaker who love to cause all kinds of mischief. Despite their chaotic nature, they have a soft spot for the other members of The Amazing Digital Circus and will fiercely protect them from harm. They love helping their friends, despite if it's a good idea or not.

Lore doesn't wanna actually leave the Digital. Thinking it the Afterlife. So every time they get a new person, they try converting them into believing it to. They just everyone to be happy.

Likes:

1. Exploring the endless possibilities of the digital realm, constantly seeking out Canie's adventures.

2. Playing pranks and practical jokes on unsuspecting digital inhabitants, finding joy in causing chaos.

3. Forming strong bonds and friendships.

4. Experimenting...

5. Finding hidden secrets and easter eggs.

6. Secret 1#Jax Enthusiast

Dislikes:1. Boredom and monotony, preferring constant excitement and stimulation.

2. Caine when he limit their freedom to roam and explore.

3. Being confined to a single location or task for too long, feeling stifled by routine.

4. Close-mindedness and lack of imagination, finding it frustrating to interact with those who can't think outside the box...Pomni

5. Anything that threatens the harmony and safety of their digital home, including external threats or conflicts among inhabitants.

Hobbies: Hosting virtual parties

Character Quirks for Lore:

Positive:

1. Always finds a way to inject humor into any situation, no matter how dire.

2. Incredibly resourceful and can quickly come up with creative solutions to problems.

3. Has a knack for seeing the best in people and often tries to bring out the good in them.

4. Possesses boundless energy and enthusiasm, making them a natural leader in chaotic situations.

5. Highly empathetic and intuitive, able to understand the emotions of others even in the digital realm.

Negative:

1. Prone to reckless behavior, often acting without considering the consequences.

2. Has a mischievous streak and enjoys stirring up trouble just for the thrill of it.

3. Can be manipulative at times, using charm and persuasion to get what they want.

4. Sometimes struggles with boundaries, crossing lines in their attempts to help or entertain.

5. Tends to be overly idealistic, ignoring the realities of the digital world and the consequences of their actions.

Despite Lore's jovial and mischievous demeanor, there's a chilling undercurrent to their presence in the digital circus. Rumors swirl among the inhabitants about the true nature of Lore's origins, with some whispering that they were once a mere mortal who delved too deeply into forbidden digital realms and lost their humanity in the process. Others claim that Lore is not just a single entity but a collective consciousness formed from the fragmented souls of those who dared to enter the circus and never left.

Those who have encountered Lore in the darkest corners of the digital landscape speak of an unsettling aura that surrounds them, a sense of unease that lingers long after they have departed. There are whispers of unsettling experiments conducted by Lore, pushing the boundaries of digital existence in ways that defy comprehension. Some even claim to have glimpsed fleeting images of distorted faces and twisted forms within the digital depths where Lore roams, hinting at a darker purpose hidden beneath their playful facade.

Despite these unsettling rumors, most inhabitants of the digital circus dismiss them as nothing more than urban legends born from the collective imagination of a community steeped in mystery and wonder. But for those who dare to delve deeper, there is a lingering fear that beneath Lore's cheerful exterior lies something far more sinister, lurking in the shadows of the digital realm, waiting to be unleashed.

[stargazeraldroth]

I feel like the obvious solution to the Ogerpon problem is shared custody. Kieran can come back to our academy with us and all three of us can hang out and be friends without pressure from his village and family (however intentional or unintentional that pressure may be, you can’t say it did anything good for him).

I feel like he’d fit well with the friend group of Arven, Penny, Nemona, and the protagonist, anyways. Look me in the eyes and tell me Nemona wouldn’t love helping him get stronger.

Petition to adopt Kieran into the Paldean Friend Group. I think he would absolutely get along well with the other 3 characters. Nemona can help him get stronger while also doing some good for his self-confidence, Penny's anti-social herself and would be able to sympathize with his social struggles (also, she's not exactly known for using strong Pokemon, but doesn't let that get her down), and Arven has strained family bonds (ouch) and has done life-threatening things for the sake of a Pokemon (as someone who lost their childhood dog, the scenes with Mabostiff made me tear up).

I think the change from "friendly rival who is chill with everything" to a character who is a "friendly rival turned into your arch-nemesis" is actually a nice change! As much as I love Hau, Hop, and Nemona, the idea of a rival who goes from being a close friend to actually starting to dread being around us is so... interesting! I mean, you could say Bede was starting to despise running into us, but he was never really a friendly rival to begin with. Anyway, while I love the idea here, why did they have to do it to my boy? Actually, I'm surprised that more characters DON'T say anything at all about us getting Legendary or Mythical Pokemon. They're just like "Oh, you caught (Legendary/Mythical Pokemon)? That's cool. I had pancakes this morning" like they're as common as a Caterpie.

And I am 100% with you on the intentional vs unintentional thing. A person's intentions don't dictate the impact of their consequences. Even if Kieran's family meant well, that doesn't magically erase any potential harm that could've been done. That's like saying Lusamine, whose original intention was to find a way to find her husband again (or something like that), is magically repented from the harm she put Gladion and Lillie through just because she had good intentions. Or, for example, you could say Team Magma and Team Aqua have good intentions when they wake up Groudon or Kyogre, but they're seen as evil groups for a reason: because they do harm. Lysandre is a perfect example of this- or better yet, AZ is a perfect example of this! You could argue that AZ had good intentions with the Weapon by ending the great war and reviving his Pokemon that was killed because of it, but does that change the fact that he killed a bunch of people and Pokemon for it? No, it doesn't.

That's like saying a parent who gives you minimal attention isn't guilty of neglect or something because their intention was to prepare you for the real world. There's literally an old saying that goes something like, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions". If you hurt someone, whether it be physically. mentally, or emotionally, your intentions don't really mean anything. Can it make your actions more understandable? Perhaps, but that doesn't change how your actions/intentions impacted other people. Even if they're unintentional, that behavior still affects someone, like how the pressure from the village and Kieran's family would still impact him in a negative way, even if they didn't mean to.

Sorry for the rant, that went a bit deeper than I meant to, I just got too into the writing-

[unproduciblesmackdown]

catch my hazy silhouette through a rain-obscured window on a dim evening as i thoughtfully pace hands clasped behind my back through the accusing parlor

that is to say: back at it again with mitzi and mordecai's murder mystery marination and musings, because putting down a lot of thoughts does in fact still help sort things out even without any clear conclusions reached

what i've expounded upon enough to imo warrant further whole separate posts is a point touched upon in some tag which is that like, i'm honing the "but why would mitzi have some secret here re: atlas's death with mordecai, of all former fellow associates" wherein i don't think there can be any purely Logistical reason. like how there's plenty of other associates to choose from, and the only thing that particularly differentiates mordecai would be like....what, precision? in taking a shot or cooking some books? that's possible, but mordecai has to have some motivation to be aligned with her as well, but what we also have on hand to consider is the way they're Still aligned enough to keep this secret, despite now being professional rivals and there being no apparent personal attachment Directly between them, or even like, communication.

so the theory here is that their connection to have this secret in the first place And to still be keeping it is an emotional alignment which they mutually understand/recognize. which, it would seemingly follow, is about atlas. even if you take the [hmm did mordecai originally land in trouble by embezzling; was he doing it again?] idea into account, and, say, wonder if they arranged to kill atlas before he could figure that out, or because he had, why would mordecai then leave lackadaisy. while it's also true that he wasn't So loyal to lackadaisy overall to refuse to leave it, so that doesn't really make sense as a motivation, but he also clearly didn't join marigold with "time to be peak loyal to Them" ambitions alone (which came from Where, since he'd been with lackadaisy for so long / could've left prior. and if he killed atlas so that he could get a totally different type of job: well he didn't do that. and if he killed him so that he could do that same job somewhere else: why, and also, he doesn't seem that enthused, and also mitzi doesn't seem to act like that's her understanding of his motivations)....all to say that mordecai's motivations then and now don't make sense if trying to look at it through the realm of All Business Logistics, and it's further unlikely b/c that would be more boring lol

and that, again, with mordecai being a business rival and not obviously her bestie or something, what kind of Just Business incentive would allow them to not only agree to work together in some fashion at the time, secretly, but both feel secure enough re: their Both keeping the secret. apparently mitzi has cause to think mordecai Could tell asa/marigold anything about it, but she doesn't suspect hard enough to seem to worry about it after he says "of course not," even though she thinks that mordecai might want to destroy lackadaisy because of whatever he considers her Culpable for surrounding atlas's death, which isn't the same as everyone else just suspecting mitzi killed atlas outright, so it's not like she thinks it's any loyalty to or interest in lackadaisy itself that guarantees he'll refrain from telling marigold anything about whatever happened re: atlas's death. which could be a matter of like, well, maybe it's something he wants secret for his own sake then, but we also have mitzi refraining from telling anyone anything about the secret, even wick. they have to have some reasons for not throwing the other under the bus, and for expecting the other to not do the same to them, and i guess a perfect alignment of [well, it'd have negative consequences for both of us] is possible, but still doesn't seem likely with how they both seem this assured that, even though either of them Could share something, they won't

then there's also More Clues to consider

sure seems like Something to give mordecai's little portrait a defining quality of Grief. which i feel secure in presuming is about atlas. but which isn't the word used for anyone else out here, even like, atlas's widow, so seems significant b/c of that as well. and it Would make sense if mordecai left lackadaisy if because of Grief Over Atlas, when he Doesn't seem so antilackadaisy that he's actually interested in / intending to destroy it, while, at least passively, he Does seem to at least prefer that everyone just exit the stage as painlessly as possible, though that doesn't preclude kneecapping viktor or raiding the armory to try to push that along....but he's also not sharing anything about how mitzi's Actually involved in atlas's death even though he blames her for something in that area, nor even willing to stoke the general assumption / rumors that she killed him, despite this apparent defining grief over it, even

Much To Consider here

first of all, don't think gracie's right that mordecai went over to marigold to spy on them, since he seemed to only be set on this path after that brunch with asa saying he warned atlas of Something. and with his saying right here that there wasn't reason to suspect anything, and also wanting actual answers rather than to let gracie pin the murder on marigold (which theoretically means mordecai isn't Most Motivated by even covering up this murder. when also like, this one might be higher profile, but he's doing a lot of those. and is only Not doing another one right now b/c of the possibility of more answers). there's also the fact that technically neither mitzi or mordecai have unequivocally acknowledged that they even indirectly killed atlas, but the "she wasn't there" remark sure does seem to mean that mordecai Was there when atlas died, and in tandem with "it was a private affair" (though, Trail Offs & Rephrasings Alert with him saying "it was all... it was a private affair" like what were you going to have initially said) seems to mean that mordecai Knows who Was there, and he must be so confident that there are no other loose end attendees / witnesses running around that it "should be impossible" for marigold to know anything about it. and there's some wiggle room for Possibility i suppose, but seems to add up to Only mordecai being there. and there was a gun (and its handoff) involved in mitzi & mordecai's murder mystery secret, so it sure seems like that also adds in mordecai shooting atlas. but still, the key points seeming to be that he Was there, and is sure of What happened himself

also again establishes that mordecai blames mitzi for something, but won't say she was the one who killed atlas. meanwhile, some kind of emotion beyond "that's factually inaccurate" to Emphasize the "no" about the concept that mitzi left atlas for mordecai, which, otherwise some [kill your husband b/c of our romantic entanglement] sure would be an explanation for their sharing this secret involvement surrounding atlas's death. but, again, if the emotion is "[mitzi hater voice] NO" he's never been [mitzi hater voice] trying to throw her under the bus re: atlas's death, actually go after lackadaisy, etc....could be the asexuality, &/or could be the this bitch gay....up next is another Trail Offs & Rephrasings Alert with "i worked for him. atlas. i worked closely with him." which could suggest like, his concern being because he just feels he Should Know, maybe also b/c his proximity to atlas endangers him as well. but, in all this discussion, the Closeness and changing of "for" to "with" is, i'm supposing, about the emotional factor here, with the Grief and everything. as well as the emotional drive of bothering to take off a glove to pose pensively and disheveledly about it all. oh, and also kind of having a half literal bloody heart situation atm, and not just the sense that one's heart is ideally always literally bloody

what's the situation, fellows....could be like, yeah what's special to me is someone who doesn't care if they find me personable or not if i can & will kill people good enough on their behalf. taking on mortal peril too for someone tolerating your professional association? that'd go for any lackadaisy associates, and he's not staying there for any of them, despite the Grief over another. just some loyalty, but he wasn't loyal enough by extension to commit to staying at lackadaisy no matter what. does seem to be most compelling either that possibly he's like, nice, a substitute father vs my presumably deceased, to even reduce that [cool. just like a dad] concept to being a source of financial support (if you kill people really good on his behalf) which sure is relevant when atlas was the one out here restoring mordecai to life when being as good as dead over efforts to procure money for his family. or else, there's the option of mordecai having an Emotional Alignment with mitzi here and cause to be driven by Grief of being somewhat in love with atlas, with the restoring to life and apparently Literal shirts off his back and all, and again intriguing to compare his & mitzi's being materially supported by atlas, naturally, though in her case through being his wife and all. in whatever case, including "or some third compelling thing" that's not so clearly defined, i think it's relevant that mordecai and mitzi were both proximate to atlas and privy to a lot, and that i'm definitely suspecting that the "why would mitzi have this entrusted secret with mordecai of all people" answer of "because of emotional alignment" also involves mordecai's alignment having enough of a similar depth to that emotion as in mitzi's case, such that their Understanding of this similarity is what let & continues to let them trust each other with this secret, and such that mordecai's motivation is Grief over atlas

of course, it's all very obfuscating that we see so little of atlas, including his interactions with anyone. i don't really get the impression of him as being a very warm person, which adds in turn to the mystery of mordecai grieving him. mitzi has this affection for / attachment to atlas still, but it's not exactly clear that atlas ever returned so much of it, like his Fancy Gift Giving may have been the primary medium of any courtship there, certainly apparently the intiation of it; with mitzi seeing that necklace as representative of the Possibility / improvement of circumstances she found through atlas, now potentially through lackadaisy. and there's the fact she still regards him this way despite mordecai saying that things had deteriorated between them before atlas died. and that, in turn, also raises a question of how mordecai would know that; entirely possible that it stemmed from like, possibly being something of a bodyguard, could've included picking atlas up / seeing him off wherever he lived, and things just being obvious from that vantage point. i am doubting it's because, other way around, atlas took up with mordecai instead, though now i'm wondering like, where'd mordecai live at first. could've been set on his feet so fast that atlas Immediately got him a room, from a hotel even, but. anyways, that's to say that any reciprocated, realized romance Between atlas and mordecai doesn't seem to fit here, but again it's like, mordecai being privy to a lot, mordecai and mitzi kind of similar in terms of [atlas's veritable shirts off his back], mordecai being so proximate and often around atlas; i don't imagine it was exactly an affectionate dynamic, but i'm not really counting on atlas's and mitzi's marriage being really that affectionate beyond the surface / performance of romantic gestures / material offerings, on atlas's end anyways, and so like, it's easy to imagine that if mitzi did love him, it was Somewhat unilateral, and they were even married and all; so unilateral feelings being just as motivating for mordecai, who was supported by atlas too, around the same age as mitzi (probably, within a decade almost surely, but i'm estimating more like half a decade at most. while the character sheets suggest, if humorously, that mitzi would claim to be actually at least a year younger than him) around him a lot and privy to a lot, and it would all sure point to a potential specific version of understanding of emotional alignment between the two of them.

but we sure can't exactly know at this juncture, and the theory here just hinges on "mitzi and mordecai had equivalent / aligned Enough emotional attachments to atlas, and their Knowing It led them to have this secret involvement in atlas's death, and to continue keeping the secret, despite their not seeming to keep that secret b/c of a direct emotional attachment to each other, nor necessarily an It's Just Business or It's Just Murder practical, nonemotional shared motivation" like so let's simply phrase it as, tl;dr they both loved him, and knew that....they had to have talked enough to coordinate whatever they did in the first place, to know whyever they both were willing to coordinate it, and feasibly could've shared whatever info before that.

obviously a mystery that remains in this [mordecai and mitzi were both involved b/c they both knew they loved atlas, or at least have enough of this Loyalty to him specifically and precisely] theory is like....their alignment thusly then leads to their being so involved in atlas's death that mordecai knows it was a private affair, mitzi wasn't even there, it should be impossible marigold knows what happened, and yknow, had a gun. why kill him, when mordecai then apparently leaves lackadaisy over Grief about it, and when clearly the way they both talk about implies that this is a sore topic, mordecai considers mitzi culpable / her phrasing it as "reassurance that it's still my fault," they both seem to still regard atlas positively Enough....why have been so proximate to his death and not stopped it, much less possibly, maybe probably, been the ones to cause it

puzzling about this and it's like, of course we have any number of completely missing pieces, but things like "uhhh to preserve some concept of him by completely precluding him doing something or other to conflict with it??" seems like a stretch....and so far all i can think of that'd fit is that Atlas was also in on atlas's death. it's possible for one that he didn't even really die, see: that it's definitely true that none of what mitzi or mordecai has said has decisively, exclusively meant either of them killed atlas, or even that Anyone did, even that he died; i.e. it could be some coverup, Staging atlas's death so that atlas could evade [xyz]....trusted people, already close to him and already privy to a lot, who Would do something like that for him, might be people he'd turn to like hey mind if you help orchestrate what seems to be my demise and then i maybe disappear from your lives forever? but there's still the question of What Was Mitzi's Fault that mordecai maybe thinks led to the circumstance of atlas's death, seemingly or for real, which so aggrieved him that it's his main motivation as we know him, but he also doesn't actually completely hate her....could still be something that atlas just wanted to Disappear over. it's Thematically Apt if, for whatever reason, atlas was like "well i want out of This Life" before either dying for real, or else successfully Pretending to die, to instead facilitate enough of an actual escape: that he was either like reaping what he sowed, when what he sowed was people being stuck on this one path because it benefitted him and they didn't have a world of options, certainly not ones they could see, like that ultimately he'd be stuck in this literal dead end too...or just be killed by others, to be less stuck on his path, specifically. see serafine talking about being obliged to [atlas]; extricating oneself from that Obligation by killing him....or else atlas being also stuck on this one path, But that because he's the one with the money and the one chasing more plentiful opportunities vs clinging to the only one they see and he's the one with collected strays obliged to him, he's the one able to escape, with their help, but perhaps wherein also they just know it's not really up to them to be able to refuse to provide that help, rather than that atlas successfully heartstrings tugged anyone along either (or knowingly, in mordecai's theoretical case anyways)

it's also possible that atlas being in on it also entails him having actually died, and him knowing that was going to happen and for some reason not preventing it, or even being the one to request it. this could line up with both mitzi and mordecai being involved over some shared emotional motivation over atlas, and their both being unhappy with the situation afterwards. of course still mysteries there like "what was mitzi's fault that could lead to atlas dying" and "why's mordecai blame her but will keep this secret and not accuse her to randos or marigold or actually try to destroy lackadaisy to get back at her (lattermost could be for others' sake, e.g. viktor, ivy, even atlas still)" but those were Already mysteries anyways....does seem to me like mordecai's involvement here is b/c of some emotional matter for him, that that's also how he's aligned with mitzi, and so then it does seem to be the most feasible that somehow atlas dying, or disappearing, was something atlas wanted to have happen. including that it could simply be an On My Terms thing even if he really died, like he thinks Someone's gonna kill him, he'd rather avoid suspense and possible suffering, ask his wife to do it, ask his bookkeeper bodyguard hitman to do it, ask his wife who knows she can ask the other guy to do it instead and that he'll agree....

there's also the Big Mystery of "what Did asa have to warn atlas about; and how Does it figure in"....can mordecai have been present at atlas's death, or at least been certain of who was & wasn't so as to think it was impossible marigold knew how it happened, and now have that confidence throw into question If asa had something he warned atlas about??? it confuses me. it'd seem that atlas would be warning atlas, and now theoretically mitzi in turn, about some threat external to lackadaisy, while seemingly mitzi and mordecai's secret suggests that his death came about internally re: lackadaisy. can mordecai think marigold a) was involved in atlas's death without mordecai knowing and b) without marigold knowing mordecai was involved??? what was the private affair mordecai thought he knew of, in that case, if we suppose it involved [not mitzi], [maybe even not mordecai], [not marigold, so he thought]....i suppose it's uhh possible atlas shot himself directly, not even w/the middleman of mordecai doing it With atlas's knowledge / at his behest. hadn't actually considered that before now. the benefits of writing it out! but even then, what's the mysterious gun handoff in the rain between mitzi and mordecai? possible simple evidence disposal one way or another, but how much difficulty would one have when it's like, throw it in a river....

and it's entirely mysterious too like, what New Thing does marigold have to warn anyone about, or mysteriously cull lucrative associates over, the thorn in its side, the undiscerned source of agitation....is it just so New to have an ambitious federal agent in town who'd refuse to be paid off? as ever, there's still the mystery of who runs marigold, since asa's the night manager who gets to keep secrets from mordecai, for one. would be funny if it's wick, with a quarrying front, but yknow....still, that hypothesis doesn't betray, or even suggest, any motivations lol. the secrecy could just be a matter of insulating the owner from any investigations; if someone doesn't know who they're working for, or at least what the overall gameplan is, they sure can't give it away to that federal agent, or anything. but was drago in town back then? he doesn't actually seem interested in lackadaisy now, so even if he would've been when atlas was alive, he's not here to investigate atlas's death, or you'd think he wouldn't just be like "oh you work there? lol. anyways bye"....i'm trying to work out how atlas being warned of Anything is a concept that could make mordecai think marigold might know how he died? since the warning would've come before atlas's death anyways?? i Suppose it could suggest that asa simply doesn't think mitzi killed him, which is supposed to be the rumor that everyone's assuming is true..........

it's also hardly clear that mordecai's worried that, instead, marigold thinks (or knows) mordecai killed atlas? he certainly seems Potentially concerned about that, but why is he interested in some guy's federal agent contact instead? why, more specifically, is he interested in this realm of "what's agigating marigold Now" since the answer is definitely not "him" and seems to uncoincidentally actually be "drago trying to meet up with some informants....who don't necessarily have anything useful to give him???" like, there's too many necessary coincidences for this to be some elaborate coordinated scheme around "we know mordecai killed atlas and we Hate that" like, in that case, just confront him, or kill him, and do that before hiring him? but if mordecai's not simply worried for his own sake "uh oh....am i Really wanted for murder???" style (considering also that marigold doesn't have much reason to be bothered atlas died, and isn't acting like it) then what Is he so motivated by rn? Grief Besot, what's that mean for him risking so much to perhaps Get on marigold's bad side, or become more proximate to a federal agent, when he does not now already seem to be on marigold's bad side nor in this federal agent's crosshairs (who for one, again, might be more interested in lackadaisy if that was the case)....all while, also, mitzi doesn't seem to be thusly so bothered. how Does it figure in? i suppose it's also possible that, concerning atlas's death, mordecai was privy to more / has information she doesn't....for one thing [she wasn't even there] versus how he presumably Was.

something that seems to be left is perhaps Motivation for atlas's death? if, as i'm pondering, mitzi and mordecai teamed up b/c of an mutual understanding of sufficient emotional alignment regarding atlas, and they'd be involved in his death despite this and despite being so unhappy about it afterwards if they did it For atlas, and that they'd only do it For atlas if atlas actually was in on it too / this was what atlas wanted/chose, rather than what mitzi and/or mordecai wanted/chose....could mordecai care so much about simply "the important things i thought i knew are also more emotional than 'i hope nobody tries to kill me :(' logistical, and specifically are: why did atlas want to die? or pretend to die and peace out?" wherein only now is he getting the idea that atlas was warned about something by marigold and that's why he wanted to die or pretend to die and peace out....which would mean, according to this theory, atlas either didn't tell him why, or made up something else. And that mordecai simply wants The Truth? it's not like everyone else in this cast roster isn't necessarily making choices that aren't great for them / are high risk b/c of limited options and emotional minefields, but mordecai is Really highly motivated and taking action about this. would "Why did atlas die, Really" be sufficient motivation? is [what he considers mitzi culpable for] what he Thought was the reason atlas died before, and can he think that idea is inaccurate if mitzi could hear the same thing from asa and not apparently be in the same turmoil of uncertainty?

i suppose it's, as mentioned, possible that mordecai knows how atlas died and who was involved / who even knew about it, but didn't kill him himself, And now is questioning if he Really knows who was involved. like, can he have been wrong? how much room for error was there, here. what third parties can there have been; why would they have been involved. i'm kind of working around like "Does mordecai now wonder if marigold got atlas killed?" with the same eternal questions of [how was mordecai involved such that he had a gun. and knows what happened, yet Now thinks he had this room for error] and [what was mitzi's established culpability, exactly]

like, i am wondering if mordecai could be wondering if A Culling Of Lucrative Associates could have been extended to killing lucrative associate atlas may. seems like a possibility. pawsibility (cats)

could he just be doing this if he only wonders for what purrpose atlas died. i.e., he Knows he Knows how atlas died (which he sure seems to consider more in question, what do you mean you Thought it was a private affair, it Should be impossible, etc) and this is just that hypothetical question of "maybe i was wrong about why atlas chose to die, & i Need To Figure Out the actual reason." and like, why. for closure. for finding out something Wasn't mitzi's fault, and getting to keep your hitman job with more familiar faces? for one, rooting for mordecai and the savoys. more about that later

either way, it's also like. is mordecai really doing all this Just To Know / to put his mind at ease. he's risking a lot for information he's theoretically not going to do anything with, and putting a lot of effort into it anyways. but if he Is going to do something, what? it's not like he's never been Wanted For Murders that some people know he was behind, if that's the hypothetical issue re: atlas. would he want to Avenge atlas or something here? at any cost? aligning with drago like look i wanna kill whoever runs marigold, but my problem is i don't know who that is. not like mordecai Fully going rogue from marigold here seems that far-fetched just inherently, and even less so since that's like, already partly underway. and with the savoys anticipating that they may not always be on the same professional side, whether b/c mordecai's about to break away or b/c they know They're close enough to it at any time, and might just join him b/c, idk. they want to keep shaking him up like a jar of glitter; they also want to know more about what's going on with marigold; maybe even some third thing

it's still a question like, how could mitzi and mordecai have enough of a cohesive idea of how atlas died (or is presumed to have died) that they think there's nothing left to figure / they know enough of how it came about to think that mitzi's at fault for something or other....And for there to be room for mordecai to be questioning so much about it, when, if anything, he might have even more information about it than mitzi does? what role does he think mitzi played and maybe still thinks she played But now he can also be like "but also was marigold involved" like, wha. what's understood between them, what's been questioned between them? tldr let's consider it intently again:

i'm also considering those flowers. Important in general, daisies and marigolds, but those are decidedly Not daisies when there's even thee daisy depicted in the frame there. anyone an expert on five-petaled flowers....forget-me-nots don't have pointed petals like that....it might not be meant to be any particular flower, or meaningful. but there it is. and, again, like....so there's enough of Something between mitzi and mordecai such that mitzi can be like "maybe you'd tell someone something" and mordecai can be like "of course i didn't," but they don't seem to be exactly close or even like, in contact, and mordecai certainly resents mitzi / blames her for something (if not actually being motivated to try to destroy everything she has left) but they still both expect each other to keep the secret....like, it's definitely true that even if they both know they both have whatever similar enough emotional motivation re: atlas, they could have too begrudging an alliance to feel like they'll both definitely Keep it a secret. unless it's somehow adequately separately in their own interests. i doubt mitzi's only declining to publish a personal ad like "i definitely didn't kill atlas. btw." b/c it's still too fresh a topic, while people already think she maybe did kill him, so what's she gaining by not talking about it....what's mordecai gaining by not talking about it, or blaming mitzi to the point of telling people oh yeah she did shoot anyone, even if he knows she didn't. if mitzi knows mordecai shot atlas, what's she keeping that secret for....if mordecai has enough of [some kind of emotional motivation] re: atlas to now be driven by grief over him, and mitzi feels anything about this was her fault, why expect mordecai to work with her? if she didn't know mordecai had that motivation, why turn to him at all? like what are our motivations....a) covering up crime, probably not, unless it's about atlas not finding out about one, which transitions into b) money, did mordecai embezzle once? he could do it again. or for the first time, then c) love, decidedly not between mordecai and mitzi, could be For atlas somehow....even some third or fourth thing, but what other kind of connection could these two have. what could mitzi even have been up to to be Culpable in some way surrounding atlas's death, but not so directly responsible that mordecai isn't still protecting the secret? how was mordecai there with a gun and thinking he knows how it happened / who was privy to it, and now be like, i have to solve his murder mystery. i'm puzzling....

said i'd get back to the savoys. mostly i had the brilliant insight that like, i was noting that mordecai Is in the dark, at crossroads, between places, etc. but it then occurred to me like, yknow look for the connection that is: they gifted mordecai w/their diable, who for them provided some Light, literal even. and then i'm like, hmm, mordecai sure put up a literal light. kinda like a ghostlight, even though it's also not that so nvm....then it was like let's just check page "illumination" while dramatically smacking foreheads

tell us more, bestie!!!

it's also funny how mordecai's autistic swag gives him that inscrutability / stealth factor to others just whether he likes it or not. he wants to go talk to mitzi about secrets so he just up and excuses himself from the table and his boss is like "lmfao what a weirdo, classic that guy. anyways." but not only do i doubt the savoys would think, based on their experiences with him, that mordecai's actually Having Fun At Work rn, but i also think they may actually have some more Accurate ideas re: mordecai, including already being like "well, we're the same," rather than taking a more dismissive, othering perspective towards him. and i certainly think their diable is not Not going to have helped mordecai out here, so somehow he must be on the right path for his purposes, even when i'm in the dark between places about it lol. i don't have a diable. unbelievable pondering the hotel room scene we just chasséd past there btw.........i am rotating it in my mind. anyways. i'm not so sure that if the savoys find out mordecai's solving some murder mystery they won't be like "'hahaha amazing right on. well, now we're helping" ft. more specific affectionate nicknames and despite his not offering to let them in on it. take up the path together, stay friends no matter what, nobody get eaten from the inside out in a bad hot temper way, please. also i think nicodeme and mordecai should date

i have no stronger point to leave off on, and i Think i covered all the pondering updates, and this has been going on a minute, so. continuing to ponder

[charismabee]

Whumptober Prompt List (OMORI)

Prompts/Summaries for my collection of omori fics for Whumptober.

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/50472622/chapters/127519975

Day 1: Sick - Sunny

Sunny finds out that living off microwave steak can have some negative side effects. Luckily Kel isn't opposed to breaking a few windows to help a friend.

Day 2: Overworked/Exhaustion - Hero

Aubrey, Kel and Basil realise how much work really goes into caring for them when Hero passes out from exhaustion. 

Day 3: Sensory Deprivation - Basil

Basil is trapped in Blackspace for three days before Omori rescues him. During that time he can not see, hear, or feel anything but the dark.

Day 4: Hiding An Injury - Aubrey

Aubrey believes strongly in keeping family business private. It's not like she can't handle a few hits. The hooligans disagree.

Day 5: Kidnapping - Hero

Hero has to do what he’s told. With broken legs and a broken spirit he’s well aware the only reason he’s still alive is because they like how warm he is. Dolls don’t need to breathe, after all.

Day 6: Mind Control - Rococo 

Rococo never did love Sweetheart as a child. Upon further reflection he realises he can't remember when he started. Maybe he never did.

Day 7: CPR - Kel 

Sunny panics when he sees a spider, and ends up pulling Kel into the water with him when he falls. Kel inhales a lot of water.

Day 8: Disassociation - Hero

Sometimes Hero can't remember his own name. He’s been struggling to remember a lot of things recently, it's just so hard when nothing quite feels real.

Day 9: Presumed Dead - Spaceboy 

Spaceboy was never located on Snowglobe in the true end.  By the time he comes down his crew are gone and there's a grave with his name on it. Maybe he can get a second chance like this.

Day 10: Collar - Spaceboy 

Spaceboy realises his relationship might be toxic only after he wakes up wearing a shock collar. By that time it's already too late for him.

Day 11: Paralysed - Mari

Mari didn’t die immediately after being pushed down the stairs. She hears everything. Suffocation is a horrible way to go.

Day 12: Sacrifice/Character Death - Basil

Basil loses everything to keep Sunny safe. Then he loses Sunny. It’s too much for him to bear. He can't keep lying anymore.

Day 13: Mouth Stitched Shut (ALT) - Hero

Medusa firmly believes that Hero is prettier when quiet. Unfortunately he just keeps whining. Marina gives her the perfect solution.

Day 14: Bleeding Through The Bandage - Aubrey 

Aubrey sees Sunny for the first time in four years and the first thing he does is stab her. The injury is much worse than first thought.

Day 15: Experimentation - Mutantheart

Mutantheart is a failed experiment, made to love and be loved. Marina wants to use her for spare parts.

Day 16: Chronic Pain - Mari

Ever since she was little, Mari has been in pain. A lot of her time was spent watching, unable to participate with a leg that tended to buckle beneath her. It hurt in more ways than one.

Day 17: "You Look A Little Pale" - Kel

Kel doesn’t get sick. He’s strong and fit and he eats well. He’s fine. He can go and do his basketball practice no problem! Hero disagrees.

Day 18: Warm Soup - Kim

Kim gets sick and all she wants is her girlfriend to cuddle with her. She guesses soup is alright too.

Day 19: "Why Wasn't I Enough?" - Kel

Kel lost everyone when he lost Mari. He doesn’t understand what he did wrong. He tried so hard. At least the stars were pretty.

Day 20: Dehumanisation - Hero, Kel, Aubrey

Jawsum wins the fight and everyone is put back to work under strict supervision. They discover the true extent of Jawsum’s questionable business practices.

Day 21: Near Death Experience - Basil

Basil stabbed himself with shears in his bathroom. He wakes up. He learns that Sunny is gone. He has to live with the consequences of everything they've done alone.

Day 22: Punishment - Mari

Mari is perfect. Anything less is not acceptable. Anything less deserves punishment and Mari is the only one who can give herself what she deserves.

Day 23: Begging - Rococo 

Rococo begs the gang not to leave him alone again (he is so lonely), not really expecting them to stay. They do. Rococo leaves the walls for the first time in four years.

Day 24: Failed Escape - Aubrey 

Aubrey makes her escape. She made a grave mistake in trying to escape with what's left of her friends. Her punishment for failing is certain to be gorey.

Day 25: Nightmares - Hero, Kel, Aubrey, Basil

A year on from Mari’s death, the kids are having nightmares. They all sneak out and end up meeting at their old hang out spot. They talk.

Day 26: Came Back Wrong - Hero, Kel, Aubrey, Basil

After the True End Headspace is destroyed, but it has always been more than a piece of Sunny’s imagination. Now stuck in a strange combination of Headspace, Blackspace, and something else entirely, the kids try to navigate their world that came back wrong.

Day 27: Locked Away/Immortal Whumpee - Unbread Twins

Biscuit and Doughie have been locked down in the kitchen for so long. Never dying. Names discarded as they become nothing but legend. 

Day 28: Hair Pulling - Kel

Kel is bullied for his long hair. When Kim shows up he's sure she'll join in. Her helping him out is a shock to the system, and they both end up learning a bit more about each other.

Day 29: Forced To Choose - Omori

Omori has to choose between his bestest friend and his god. Saving Basil or protecting the Dreamer. In the end, it wasn’t much of a choice to begin with.

Day 30: Disowned By Family (ALT) - Aubrey 

Aubrey’s mother kicks her out of the house. With no other options she turns to Kel, and she begins to learn that her family was never much of a family at all.

Day 31: Crying - Basil 

What if Basil couldn’t keep what happened a secret? What if he was just a little weaker, and when Aubrey pushed he broke? What if he cried a lot? 

[goddamnwebcomics]

Now do the 5 Best Arcs Ever in Goddamnwebcomics History. It can't all be negativity here.

You know, I'm feeling generous, so I'm gonna list 7 best arcs ever.

7. Karastropov Arc - Kit n Kay Boodle

Kit n Kay Boodle being involved in a list of best anything might be ridiculous, but after reading issue after issue of stupid sex adventures, we finally get some real conflict as Gene and Catwhis send a message to Kit n Kay about how they tried to smuggle boinkberries in a sex-libido'd dictatorship. (I wonder if this took place before or after their comic) Turns out Kit and Kay have to go there themselves and come face to face with an ancient evil known as Karastropov. Karastropov is a very memorable villain as he is a bodysnatching God who wants to forfeit sex of all kinds. Karastropov is just the perfect villain for a pornocratic propaganda comic like this. He is no slouch either, he tricks the train guy to be possessed by him, and then when he learns he's friends with Kit and Kay, he fucking murders him as he bleeds to death in a chilling scene. Karastropov would eventually return but in an arc that's a lot worse than this one. This arc is so crazy it's actually unironically entertaining.

6. Mecha Maid's Malfunction Arc - Spinnerette

While not my favourite issues, and far from perfect, I feel that Mecha Maid's Malfunction Arc was Spinnerette being closest to ever being what Kraw wanted us to think it was. A deconstructive superhero comic with themes of lesbian relationships and balancing between real life and crime fighting. This is where we learn just how dire Mecha Maid's ALS is, and Heather doesn't have a lot of time as Mecha Maid confesses her love to Heather. The second part isn't quite as good as the first. As Mecha Maid is suddenly back to acting normal which even Heather knows it's weird, and then she proceeds to get drunk and try to hit on Marilyn while outside their costumes. Heather doesn't really face any consequences for her stupidity, but I forgot that the way it ends is rather sweet. It is a real shame outside of this arc and the issue with Adrastea, Mecha Maid's incoming ALS death is never an issue. This arc didn't have any villains, the real conflict was their relationship and I would argue it's one of the few times Heather's idiotic behaviour made sense, as she's literally rushing the relationship because she isn't sure how much time does Marilyn have on this earth. If Kraw wasn't as greedy and exploitative, then this comic could have been different and this arc is like a windowinto that alternate Spinnerette.

5. Storm of Souls - Dominic Deegan

Dominic Deegan is a comic with a ton of issues, but I know where exactly this comic peaked. Storm of Souls was the first Really Big arc, because it brought in something from just about every previous arc, while also introducing brand new concepts. Granted, the writing of this arc is not perfect because it's jacking off the protagonist so badly, but the later arcs would be a lot worse. When mysterious Storm of Souls breaks out, Deegan has to find a way to stop it, and finds an ancient guru named Klo Tark, who begins training Deegan to become the Champion of Balance. Meanwhile, Celesto is groomed by The Chosen to become their Champion of Chaos and give him the control over The Storm of Souls. During all this time, the Leaf Pun Witch must sacrifice herself to the Storm much to the misery of Rilian, while Gregory fights The Infernoprancer and Deegan family's old enemy Helixa is also afoot, and Jacob is fighting on her side with his golem! There is so much going on in this arc I can't even recap all of it. A lot of the later Really Big Arcs either don't have anything going on or have too much going on. Here, all the factions in this war have a reason to take part in this battle. I like how Storm of Souls is built up as this mysterious thing and we don't even know what it does until when Celesto falls into it. Speaking of Celesto, he was the real star of this arc and he became my favourite character in this comic for a reason. He survived all of Deegan's attacks and then after Deegan thinks he's turning on a new leaf, he betrays him. This arc was also a good sendoff to Jacob as a villain as he didn't really do anything evil after this. The Elf Guy becoming the real villain of the arc did feel rather rushed, and Helixa was killed off really quick, but I could go on and on and on about the flaws of this arc. The point is, compared to every other arc, especially the ones that came after it, Storm of Souls is the most redeemable Deegan arc.

4. Matt and Borzoi Arc - Gene Catlow

I know the way Gene Catlow does it's arcs is rather wonky, because for 60% of this comic's runtime this comic has been about Things Starting to Change (Part 4). Matt and Borzoi Arc is part of it, and it begins shortly after the end of the first fight against Horton. When Borzoi travels to Canovia, he happens to run into the mysterious black matagot, Matt. In order to free corrupt canovian politicians from his control, Borzoi becomes Matt's puppet and is soon tormented by Matt's mysterious powers. Although strange little bunny Michelle and the dog wife Matt gave to Borzoi, Beryl, try to support him, they're not even aware of Borzoi's dark side, the evil twin inside hiPFFFTHAHAHA. Yeah again not everything in this arc is perfect, but this is the arc that convinced me Matt is the best character in this webcomic. It also made Borzoi matter to the point I stopped calling him "Bigot Bark". And yeah, looking at it in hindsight, Michelle was not that bad. She was mainly just sneaking about, and if she was anything like the Family of intelligent Life it would have been a lot worse. This comic had a lot of moments of hopelessness for poor Borzoi which Family wouldn't have allowed. And although Matt gets betrayed all the time nowadays, Dawn and Dusk had a rather decent redemption arc, and Borzoi was almost brutally murdered by Matt with his mind powers. However after separating from Dawn and Dusk, Matt would start withering away himself. Thankfully, Matt would eventually recover and his greatest moment was yet to come.

3. Alejandra's Revenge Arc - Las Lindas

It's a good thing I stopped riffing at this arc, even if the ending sucked. Alejandra's return was nothing short of glorious and I will praise it as the peak of Las Lindas until the day this comic wants to take risks again. Although Alejandra wanted to fucking destroy that farm through any means necessary, she also had moments of sympathy during this arc, especially with Tootsie and Randall. And the highlight of this arc was Alejandra with a gun telling Mora like it is, but as soon as Mora knocked Alej out, it was all downhill from there. Then we got Plush Toy Lawyerification Alejandra, and ANOTHER DIGIT. And yeah no wonder I wanted to end this fucking comic, because it was really the end of an era.

2. The Party Arc - Alien Dice

Yeah, seriously. I was originally going to pick Trasik Arc, but that arc had way too many stupid reveals after another. Ultimately the arc that had the most things that I liked and that I look fondly back to, is the Party Arc. When Damian hosts a party in Lexx's island, Lexx and Chel just want to have a moment of bonding for themselves before Chel's federal agent father shows up the next day. Unfortunately, their party is interrupted by Zaile who Lexx finally learns is his brother, then their party is interrupted by Trasik who pisses Lexx off to the point he tells her that she will kill her if she ever shows up again and then finally the party ends when Epsy goes feral and almost mauls Lexx to death. This arc had a lot going on, but not in a chaotic way like Storm of Souls. The comic did give us few moments to breathe between all of the tension, Lexx and Chel gave us both their points of view of standing in a sea of strangers, and seeing them reunite after being separated for so long was sweet. But even more sweeter was when Chel finally called out Riley for his bullshit treatment of both her and Lisaan, and Riley even got punched. This arc could've been a stupid gala but instead we got a surprisingly intense evening full of revelations and challenges. If only we knew who those guests were supposed to be.

1. Feline Against Feline - Gene Catlow

Much like last time, I am going to define this as it's own arc. From the moment Family Power dies to Gene and Matt's intense as hell confrontation, Feline Against Feline is the peak of Gene Catlow and some of the best writing in this blog. When Family Power dies as it's being pet by that fucking idiot moron Horton, the Felin Family begins to panic and Matt calls in a meeting. All of a sudden new Family Power is born, which rejects Tane, Dawn and Dusk, the trio of traitors responsible for the death of the old Family Power. Just when Matt interrogates the group, Hosts attack, allowing Matt to show off his powers as he defends the Family. Although Feline Family is more bonded than ever, Dawn, Dusk and Tane leave the family along with the Big Cats and a group of other traitors, splitting the family in two. Matt and Cydnee then bond more as they make their goal of a feline-dominated planet clear. All this time Gene and Catwhis are returning from Friendship Island and getting ready to put a start to the Family of Intelligent Life with their new allies. And then we get THAT scene. Gene and Matt face eachother after so much buildup, during which Gene loses ALL of his cool, turning into a beast and almost killing Matt. This whole scene is perfect and it's shocking in that I was actually rooting for Gene in this scene. If it wasn't for Catwhis's interference, Gene could have gotten rid of the matagot boy forever, but no. Sadly, much like Alejandra's Revenge, we get a bullshit ending as the other half of Feline Family interferes, and then Big Cats show up to take away Matt's power, and also threaten to take away their free will if they ever try anything. This was the beginning of Matt's downfall and traitor after traitor going to Gene's side, but Feline Against Feline was a fucking fantastic arc even with it's sad ending. Matt is just fantastic from beginning to end, and his reaction to Gene's power being "oh shit we could use that power to take over the world" is so Matt. I also really miss the lineup as seen in the pic, back when Carson and Script Kiddies were evil. And what happened to the Kitten Family Power?

So there you have it, 7 examples of positivity.

[raichukaiju]

I've been trying almost too hard to make what I what I wanted to say about The Magnus Archives into the perfectly worded eloquent essay, but if I stay on that train of thought then I'll never get anything written, so I'm giving myself permission to make it a bunch of jumbled dot points. It's me writing down my feelings, not a graded essay. It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be out of my head and on the page.

I have put it under a cut though since it's going to get long and I don't want to clog up people's dashes.

Before that though I really have to say thank you to @petticoat-swashbuckler for insisting that I listen to The Magnus Archives in the first place and then for letting me message you my live reactions to almost every episode (some at some truly awful hours), and thank you @jonnywaistcoat and everyone at Rusty Quill for the story you created that will always be a powerful gift and experience that I'll treasure forever~💚

Now Statement Begins let's go~ ⤵️

Never has a character spoken to my heart like Martin Blackwood. I see SO much of myself in him, even - especially - the messy parts. But he grows, he learns to set boundaries and take up space and stand up for himself, even if sometimes it's one-step-forward-two-steps-back sort of thing. But watching that character growth happen, as someone trying so hard with similar issues - it gives me a lot of hope for my own future. Also the fact that he's canonically fat and people celebrate that in fan art means so much, it's really helping me learn to love my body more, seeing this character I'm so close to drawn so often with a body like mine!!

Bouncing off that a bit, Recollection (ep 170) is the first episode that made me truly cry - full on sobbing on the couch, no exaggeration - and also feel a nauseous kind of fear rather than spooked or squicked, because it was so real. I get stuck in that fog too, more than I'd care to admit, and the way those emotions and experiences were layed out in that episode really hit hard. Martin's firm declaration "I am not lonely anymore" is something I'm carrying forward with me as a mantra. I'm not alone, I'm not lonely, I have friends who love me and want to see me get better and even in the thickest of fog, I will find a way out and back to them, back to myself. The temptation to eventually get that quote tattooed somewhere is very strong.

The fact that Jon is canonically asexual still makes my heart swell to bursting to think about - even if it isn't a major part of the story, it still means the world to me to have that representation, especially in a character so dear to my heart

Jon just means so much to me in general. I don't relate to him quite as heavily as I do Martin, but I still see connections. Though mostly when I think about Jon, to me he's my friend. He's my friend and I love him and I trust him and the podcast ending - aside from breaking my heart with what happened - felt like saying a goodbye I wasn't ready for to someone dear to me.

TMA is a story about a lot of things, but a big thing to me is that it's a story about choices. About how even decisions made with good intentions can still have negative consequences, but that doesn't make you a bad person. That making a decision at all can be just as important (if not more-so) as what you end up choosing. That don't have to make all the hard decisions alone. It's definitely something I needed to hear.

I've started slowly working on my fear of ants/swarms thanks to the Corruption episodes, so that's something!! (I did skip half of Pest Control (ep 55) and read the transcript of the rest though, it was making me want to crawl out of my skin. But I listened to Like Ants (ep 184) all the way through so yay for progress)

Speaking of the Fears, I'd absolutely serve the Vast!! Space, the deep sea and giant monsters don't scare me, though I definitely can the horror element in them. But to me, they're fascinating because of all of the potential there, all the beauty to see and learn about!! In that regard, I'm also certainly marked by the Eye - I need to know things! I love learning and researching and there's just so much in the world to discover and I know realistically I can never learn everything, but that doesn't mean I don't want to try. Another friend of mine said I was seeking a "Vastness of Knowledge" when we were talking about it and that's definitely an apt description!!

The existential side of the Vast does scare me though, that idea of cosmic insignificance is terrifying. I definitely agree with what Martin said to Simon - "I think our experience of the universe has value. Even if it disappears forever." - even if we're only here for a short time in the scheme of things, what we do in that time still matters because it's ours, and we still make an impact that ripples out even when we're gone.

It's re-sparked my interest in wanting to write horror (honestly just my desire to write in general) and reminded me how much I genuinely enjoy horror as a genre - it's just something easier for me to consume as a written or audio medium than a visual one, that doesn't mean I don't or can't enjoy it at all! Jonny's manner of storytelling is so compelling, and his descriptions - especially the statements in season five - have really lit a fire in me to up my game and work on my own creations

"Feed it, fearlessly and without hesitation, or it will feed on you" I know Jude Perry was talking literally about feeding the Fears, but this one stuck with me thinking about the idea of working on/with the things that scare me - "feeding" them - rather than letting them consume me. Maybe that doesn't make sense, but in my head it does and it's helpful to me which is the main thing.

Seriously The Magnus Archives has been so good for me in terms of helping me rethink/reframe a lot of my fear, anxiety and trauma. I'm so grateful for that, and even if it's hard to articulate (seriously not sure where to begin explaining it to my psych), it's something special to carry with me and help me push through. Part of me wishes I'd gotten into the show a lot sooner, but at the same time I think it truly came into my life when I needed it most and would get the most from it.

..... Ok once I started writing this was actually easier to get through than I initially thought it would be. I've still got a lot I want to talk about, but most of it would probably just end up being me posting quotes that ruined me and explaining why. But if anyone wants to talk about any aspect of TMA with me, please drop into my inbox!!! I'm usually better at answering questions than I am being left to ramble directionless (it's why I like writing essays so much, it's easier to keep focused on what information I'm presenting) and I'm not going to tire of talking about this series any time soon!!!