#you are your own person with your own agency and volition

[cyber-punk-rock]

And So It Goes // Billy Joel

[paigemathews]

@fullybeautifultheorist replied to your post “I know I have some drafts that at least mention...”:

Tbh the fact that Cole was possessed doesn't really change much. Cole was egoistical and obsessed murderer in season 3 as well as in season 5. There is literally no meaningful change in his behavior during all 3 season. And even un season 7 he is playing peeping Tom

​Hmm, honestly, I see your point, but I think I would disagree. I’m not a fan of Cole’s, by any means, but I think knowing that he did not purposefully become the Source of All Evil and he wasn’t in full control would change things for at least Phoebe. I don’t want to whitewash his sins, because there are many but there is at least some kind of inherent tragedy in his loss of agency and autonomy after he tried to redeem himself. He really was trying to become good, even if it was for flawed reasons. I also think that it could bring either more pain or comfort to Phoebe and the sisters, because on one hand, they hadn’t been tricked so badly that Cole had never actually changed sides but on the other, they’d still been manipulated enough that they thought he never did if that makes sense.

[ryin-silverfish]

I really like Azure Lion as a character. Yeah, you can stop following me now. /j

But no, seriously, I like how LMK has adapted this particular character, given him way more potential complexity than his novel counterpart——not that it's a high bar, the LCR trio of JTTW are just demon warlords living in a literal human slaughterhouse.

Which is why I deeply dislike the take that "Oh, Azure manipulated SWK into fighting the JE! He's just using him like a pawn!" Like, wow, way to completely butcher two characters' personality and agency in one go.

Such takes reduce SWK to some innocent kid, when he is at most an impulsive, daring teenager who haven't met a single real obstacle so far——he robbed the dragon kings blind, and they couldn't do a thing! He struck his name and all his monkeys' names off the Book of Life and Death! What couldn't he do?

And Azure's failing isn't him telling a toddler: "You know what? Driving your tricycle into oncoming traffic will be real fun, trust me kiddo." It's letting his friend go way over the speed limit and not telling him that he should maybe, y'know, slow down, bc he'd seen his epic driving skills, SWK's the bestest driver he ever met, surely nothing would happen!

(And also, no one in that car is sober, except Macaque.)

What I'm getting at here is, even without Azure, SWK is not gonna be content with sitting on his mountain, eating peaches forever. Hell, he sure doesn't in the novel, where his demon king brothers are little more than namedropped NPCs.

He is always gonna want more, chase after greater destinies, drown out that existential ennui and fear of death at the back of his mind with bigger and bigger power-ups and the laughters of his companions.

He told himself he would be content after getting this one thing he wanted. That he could stop at any time. But alas, like any ADHDer, he will not stop at this one exciting thing, and sooner or later, the boredom sets in, and he gets ideas and impulsively leaps into making them reality.

That is the Mind Monkey at his worst: being a whirlwind of chaos, while unknowingly enslaved to his own chaotic mind.

(In the book, this is Wu Cheng'en's reminder to the reader that, even though you shouldn't keep your heart constantly under lock and keys, Neo-Confucian style, the other extreme——letting it go completely wild, disregarding all external rules and consequences, can be equally disastrous.)

And when that car was driven through the Celestial Palace's front door, off a bridge, and straight into a ditch, it was him in the driver's seat, steering the wheels the whole time.

Everyone else in that car failed terribly as friends when they didn't voice any objections, or try to get him off the driver's seat, or realize that cheering and egging him on is an awful idea, however genuine their blind trust was.

Like, they are certainly not helping, and made the situation much, much worse. If you let your buddy drive while under influence and hand him more beers in the car, even if you are also drunk out of your mind and aren't actively trying to get him into a traffic accident, you are a shitty, irresponsible friend.

But the thing is? SWK is still responsible for the consequences of his decisions. He could have stopped, by his own volition, and no one was holding a gun to his head and forcing him to drive. He, too, wanted this.

That, to me, makes a much more interesting narrative than "Poor innocent baby SWK was puppeted into becoming the Great Sage in Heaven by shady blue cat, how awful!"

Oh, and since I'm feeling particularly salty today, I'll also ask some last questions: is SWK so weak-willed and devoid of self-agency to you that he couldn't even OWE his most famous title, the Great Sage in Heaven, 100%, without being manipulated into it?

Is SWK so immature and unintelligent to you that he is incapable of being a genuine idealist or rebel, that he cannot agree, out of the depth of his heart, that the Celestial Realm sucks balls and needs better management?

TL;DR: Havoc! Era Azure Lion isn't some cult leader brainwashing this kid into becoming his figurehead. He's the dumbass who's too busy staring at his teenage crush to care about the blaring police sirens.

Also, I had a bit of an epiphany after writing this: why am I so annoyed by people reading Azure's idealization of SWK as him intentionally manipulating and love-bombing him? Because it is a very western and modern reading.

For someone with traditional Confucian beliefs, it is perfectly normal——it is what you are supposed to feel, as a liege who has found your just and virtuous lord.

If Romance of the Three Kingdoms existed back then, he would probably describe himself as the Guan Yu to SWK's Liu Bei, however wonky the analogy was.

(Gosh, now I want a "Four Classics read each other" crossover.)

I'm not saying it is healthy or wise. But under this context, putting your lord on a pedestral was normalized, and even encouraged, as the virtue of a righteous gentleman. It was the sort of ideals romanticized culture-wide. NOT having such beliefs would probably make you look weird.

And since the Celestial Realm in the novel is a parody of Confucian hierarchy in a Daoist trenchcoat, it was really no surprise that an idealistic ex-celestial soldier would hold the same beliefs.

To torture the analogy further, the problem is that he was trying to be the Guan Yu to SWK's Liu Bei, when the Brotherhood had more in common with the Bandits of the Marsh, down to their giant downer ending.

[k3n-dyll]

hii i hope you're having a good day! I saw some of your posts about the twitter discourse about sevika and the brothels in arcane...im not looking to argue or anything, just genuinely wanted to understand your perspective on it a little bit better the context of show kind of leads us to believe that zaun is deeply economically impoverished right. wouldn't that mean that most of the people in the brothels are there not through their own volition but because of the economic circumstances that they were handed? i personally think those situations are inherently coercive, regardless of how you spin the agency question. if you don't really have the choice to say safely say no, is that really a choice at all? of course the same logic applies to any kind labour under capitalism i guess, but coercion when it comes to sex is treated with a different degree of gravity (for good reason; we all know what coercive sex is called) irrespective of the presence/absence of some kind of organized trafficking business, the economic deprivation in the undercity kind of muddy the lines, at least in my eyes.

I recently saw a post that pretty much summed up my feelings on the topic which is that I think there are conversations to be had about sex work in media and how it's portrayed specifically regarding coercion and exploitation and how they intersect within those depictions, however, I also personally think that putting the label of 'rapist' on Sevika is an oversimplification of both Sevika's character and the world she exists in as a whole. A lot of the justifications for branding her with this label are extremely anti sex work(er) and uncomfortable to me as someone that has personal irl experience with both sex work and SA. There's a heavy lack of textual context on the sex work industry in both Zaun and Piltover and calling Sevika (or anyone that goes to the brothels in Arcane to buy services, really) a rapist detracts from actual nuanced conversation and critique on the matter.

I also feel that we have enough understanding of Sevika as a character in general (someone that, while morally grey for sure, is never depicted as a person that abuses power for her own personal pleasure) that using the term 'rapist' to describe her feels wholly unsupported by the show (both in implication and in what we're shown explicitly), and again a very harsh and reductionist way of viewing her character that flattens her in a way that discourages healthy debate and discussion on the topic.

I also want to point out that in a world where misogyny and the patriarchy don't play a factor in its inner workings (at least that we're shown), there is a huge possibility that sex work within the Arcane universe differs from our world in a lot of ways, because let's be honest, a lot of the reasons why sex work in the real world is so awful (industry wise) is largely in part because of those systemic issues. You can feel the way you feel about it, obviously, and I'm not completely dismissing concerns/healthy debate on coercion and exploitation - my opinion and thoughts on the matter aren't the end all be all. Still, I'm personally against using such a label to describe such a complex character and the world surrounding her.

[itsabouttimex2]

Monkie Kid Villain Fates

A more in-depth look (especially for Macaque) down below!

(I know I’ve been posting a lot of content that’s outside my usual, and I hope no one minds too much! I’m cleansing my palate to prep for Season Five, which I am very excited to write for. ((Especially for Li Jing and Nuwa!!!)) So here’s a slew of my thoughts on the villains, and which one is my least favorite!)

(Spoilers: his name is written in purple above.)

Disclaimer 1: I am not counting instances of “throwing your lot in with the heroes when the world is at stake” as redeeming moments. If you only do something because it personally benefits you at the moment, it’s not exactly selfless.

Disclaimer 2: Redemption means three things-

1. The character acknowledges their wrongdoings.

2. The character works to become a better person.

3. The character makes amends/reparations for the harm they’ve done, without the threat of death hanging overhead. Good must be done of one’s own will and volition.

Disclaimer 3: A character not being redeemed doesn’t make them a bad character. In fact, some characters work better without redemption. (Like the Lady Bone Demon.) I just wanted to make a villain tier list and talk on some of the people it contained.

Red Son: Decently humanizing interactions with Mei, but ultimately uncaring of all the damage and harm that he’s caused, especially in regards to potential deaths during his attacks on the city. Unfortunately, the first example of “pretty much unrepentant but universally-forgiven”. (Fix: Have him interact with people harmed by his villainy, and resolve to help them- even if only by repairing their destroyed vehicles. Something small enough to be reasonably in line with his pride and arrogance, but enough to show that he’s become a better person.)

——————

Macaque: The worst villain here. Utterly unrepentant and shameless, outwardly cruel and violent… but still got a “you’re not a bad guy” speech before actually showing that he wasn’t a bad guy. Despite being able to skip fights with his shadow portals, he intentionally stuck around to raze the Dragon Palace of the East Sea to the ground. (AO GUANG AND HIS PEOPLE’S STATUS ARE STILL UNKNOWN) This still hasn’t been addressed in canon, not even by Mei, who was related to those who lived there. Instead, she has a team-up with him, never addressing the still unknown fate of her uncle. Never apologizes, never makes amends, never tries to repair the damage he’s done… but allowed to stick around all the same. Where characters like Azure or LBD do what they do because they truly believe in their causes, Macaque is just having fun hurting people. Again, given his ability to shadow-portal, he doesn’t even have the “I’m trying to save my own life” excuse. He could’ve just skipped the torment and violence, but explicitly chose not to, and is always happy to inflict harm- even bragging about what he did to the Dragon Palace.

Also, I don’t give a single shit that Peng “bullied” him. It doesn’t make Macaque more sympathetic, it makes him less. He knows what it’s like to be insulted and berated for your nature, then (unhesitatingly and gleefully) does the same to MK, who may well be a child?

Yeah, no. Then, his “awesome” team-up with Mei only serves to rip agency and nuance from her character, turning this caring and energetic warrior into an amnesiac that doesn’t care about her family for the sake of “Boo-hoo, Peng hit me once to protect someone they care about!” So, Mei holds grudges, right? That would make her a more interesting character! But no! No, no, no! That’s just for Peng! Her grudge isn’t against the man who essentially attempted genocide on her people and razed an ancestral palace full of innocent people to the ground, no!

OF COURSE NOT, SILLY!!

Because then Macaque’s actions would have something called “consequences”, and the writers just won’t allow it! Because he’s just a murderous, violent, manipulative, cruel, spiteful, villain! How dare we expect any actual comeuppance for his crimes? No, we can’t have that!

Oh, and how does he help MK in the fourth season? How about he outright tells (great storytelling, btw) MK about how delusional Azure Lion is- a character with which he has no tie with beyond a tenuous past oath and no actual interactions. This moment could have easily been given to, you know, Wukong! Or Yellowtusk, if they were going the full redemption arc route for him, but no!

We have to pretend that Macaque’s input on a character he has no interactions with is important! Oh, and they let him play mentor to MK, who he has: manipulated, betrayed, violently assaulted, stole the powers of, berated, and attempted to kill.

Does MK care about any of this?

OF COURSE NOT!

But MK is absolutely furious and heartbroken at Azure for doing maybe half of those things, and with an honestly noble reason to boot.

Ugh.

I think it’s only made worse by the fact that people get so mad when there’s any criticism of Macaque “redemption arc”. Throwing actual fits and constantly arguing when someone dares to say “everyone allowing Macaque (and many other villains) to get away with the worst of his actions and not holding him accountable for being a genuinely dangerous, unrepentant and violent criminal is bad and makes the “heroic” characters around him look worse.”

And you can’t use the “well, he didn’t get a redemption arc!” The writers didn’t try to redeem him!” defense.

Because, yes. Yes they did.

We are supposed to think this guy is better now. The series wants you to think of him as redeemed.

MK leaves him handmade food and a drawing. His “you’re not a bad guy” speech is supposed to be taken as truth. Wukong is making amends with him (sharing smiles and offering food) and no one has any personal problems on the guy sticking around (which makes them all seem blander, given that at least one of his victims should be upset), which is portrayed in a positive light.

This is portrayed as good.

THE WRITERS CONSIDER MACAQUE AS DESERVING AND WORTHY OF THIS. THEY THINK HE HAS EARNED IT.

So yes- he is supposed to be “redeemed”.

But he isn’t. He really, really, isn’t.

(Fix: God, where do we start? Some remorse? An apology? Have every character not forgive him immediately? Have Mei not forget about the razing of an ancestral palace? Have Pigsy threaten to kill him if he tries to hurt MK again? Have Tang refuse to interact with him? Anything would have been nice.)

——————

Jin and Yin: No redemption arc at all. Essentially forgotten about by the show. They show up with the Scorpion Queen, but don’t have a satisfying send-off. It’s just a little funny scene. (Potential fix: more interactions with them as stagehands, working for the community. Why make them neutral only to shift immediately back to evil? It could’ve been nice to see them integrate into society instead of being turned evil again and written out of the story with little fanfare.)

——————

Demon Bull King: Same as Red Son, but without the humanizing interactions with a heroic character. Bonus points for putting his life in danger to save Wukong and MK, despite gaining nothing for doing so. Unfortunately, aside from that, another “pretty much unrepentant but universally-forgiven” character. (Potential fix: Would’ve been nice to have more positive interactions between him and Wukong. Maybe talk about how hard it is to open up and be soft when they dedicated so much of their lives to being strong? Chat about his struggles adjusting to the modern era? Have him show clear remorse for mistreating his extremely loyal son?)

——————

Princess Iron Fan: Not much to say. Same as her husband, same solution. Really wish she had gotten some more screen time outside of her family. (Fix: Maybe flesh out her bond with Jin and Yin? I know it was supposed to be a funny “noodle incident”, but learning about their past could’ve been nice- maybe we could’ve gotten a scene of her with little Red Son to humanize her a bit?)

——————

As it says on the tin. I’ll do this all in one quick chunk.

Nothing much to say here- but it would’ve been nice to have one of the spiders survive and redeem themselves, especially since that it was teased for Huntsman.

I wish Goliath (not even his real name btw) hadn’t been such a nothing character. Like, we really don’t learn a single thing about him.

I pity the Ink Curse. Created to be a tool of torture, never allowed to love or be loved. Poor thing.

——————

Mayor: One of Season Four’s biggest flaws is that it could really feel disconnected from the previous three, which all felt very tightly interwoven. Example one: Mei “no longer *wielding* the Samadhi Fire”, when it had previously been established that she fused with it. Example two: The mayor’s fate is never addressed, despite being such a prominent enemy. (Fix: Just… tell us what happened to him. Is he in jail? Did he escape justice? Did someone just… murder him? I don’t care if “it’s being saved for Season Five”. It’s weird to just forget about someone so dangerous in universe.)

——————

Kui Mulang: Presumably either dead or returned to the Celestial Realm for punishment. Unlikely that we’ll receive further information on him.

——————

Peng: Probable that we’ll receive an update on their status in Season Five. Very interesting character with a few humanizing moments (being close to Yellowtusk and Azure, being upset when Monkey King was trapped in the scroll) that keep them from being irredeemable. Actually a better person than Macaque, given that they never remorselessly razed a palace of innocent people to the ground. Or tried to murder an innocent kid who wasn’t involved with their fight at all. Or held a young lady’s life hostage and threatened to murder her. But they’re sort of mean, so I guess people consider them irredeemable? Super weird.

Like, Peng is an asshole, sure. They clearly aren’t in this fight out of the goodness of their heart. But the awful way they get treated in the fandom is insane, especially with the babying treatment that other villainous characters (like Macaque, the Mayor, and Red Son) get.

——————

Azure Lion: Macaque, but better written! Letting MK be angry at a person who: manipulated, lied to, and betrayed him? Not having his misdeeds be forgotten and glossed over? People actually being upset at what he’s done further than a few minutes after he’s done it? Incredible character! This is what I’ve wanted from Monkie Kid for so long! Ultimately, Azure accepts his failures and sacrifices himself- a punishment for hurting innocent people and wreaking havoc? A villain acknowledging their misdeeds and making up for them? God, I love Azure so much!

Probably my favorite character!

——————

Yellowtusk: I love this grandpa so much, for mostly the same reasons as Azure. His crimes aren’t immediately forgotten! Everyone doesn’t immediately forgive him! And he has to head back to the Celestial Realm for actual consequences?! Damn, this is what I’ve wanted from LMK villains for so long! Real redemption arcs, my beloved.

Also, this proves that the writers do know that people who commit crimes should be held accountable and punished for it? Can you give some of that to the others, please?

——————

Scorpion Queen: Another character I don’t have much to say about. She acknowledges her mistakes, ceases her villainy, and seems to have made genuine friends in Jin and Yin. Given the very little harm she caused, redemption was never going to be outside of her reach- but I’m happy for her anyhow.

——————

Finishing Points

1: I do not “hate” any of these characters. Though I definitely dislike how some are written, each one is lovable and enjoyable in their own way. I enjoy writing for all of them, and will continue to do so. I just wanted to take a break from fanfiction and talk about my perspective on some villains.

2: What do I mean by “punishment”?

Essentially, a consequence delivered to the character on account of their villainy. Someone tripping and eating dirt isn’t a “punishment”, unless they’re being shoved down by an old victim. Losing a fight isn’t “punishment”, it’s a matter of self-defense. Additionally, the punishment has to be actively performed as a consequence of misdoings- tripping and breaking an arm after doing evil things isn’t a punishment, but having a victim of the villain actively choose to break their arm is.

3: This is not an attack on you or your “fave”. This is not me saying that the show is bad. This is not me saying that I could do better. This is not me saying that you shouldn’t like these characters. This is not me trying to change your mind. This is not me saying you should feel the way I do. These are just my personal thoughts on the villains listed, and some of the “flaws” that I personally have with their portrayals and depictions.

[neuroncryptid]

In 40k, there is a thematic throughline that I am very fond of. It is the idea that no matter the person, no matter the faction, there truly is no agency. Everyone is tied in irrevocable ways to the narrative. Even when you take out the meta level of that, it's present.

Take the Imperium for example. Everything they do is a mockery, a simulacrum of that which came before it. They are an empire not in decline but in constant regurgitation. How can you collapse when your birth and death is repeated over and over and over ad nauseam. The Horus Heresy -> the Age of Apostasy -> the Badab War -> the 13th Black Crusade. The aeldari -> the Imperium -> the T'au Empire. The same story told repeatedly. The names change. The exact details change. The substance isn't the same either but its reminiscent. It is a memory that refuses the die. It's the story you can't stop rewriting.

But what about the Necrons? They have the large setting defining war but its what comes from it. There was no "the dark gods (read audience) require it." The Necrons are the active faction and yet in there lies the tragedy. Unlike the Emperor who's hand was forced into choosing undeath the Necrons did so willingly and everything that has followed is nothing if not of their own volition.

Your Overlord. Yes, your little model on the table leading your army. He chose to be there. He has immortality, time is not an enemy to attempt to escape but simply something you have an infinite amount of. Your Overlord can spend his time doing anything and his has chosen to reclaim former glory as the facsimile of a person. Glory, empire, it is all should be meaningless to someone who can simply just exist perpetually. But its not.

The Necron existence is defined by regret. Every choice is a something to hate yourself for. How could you walk into the furnaces of biotransference? How could you go to into endless sleep and let everything around you corrode? How could you spend your time being so.. useless?

I love the Necrons because they carry with them a dread I can not help but relate to. They are gifted with just enough agency to be unable to blame anyone but themselves.

[redsixwing]

Mohg for character opinions?

The last of my batch of asks for the character meme! Thank you, this was fun.

How I feel about this character

I've thought since encountering the Bloody Fingers for the first time that - despite how the goal of "kill a bunch of people to raise a new god" looks - Mohg is actually one of the more successful demigods in leading a new organization toward the future.

hear me out.

He's got a faith that is outside the Golden Order, and yet the Greater Will seems to have no particular interest in slapping him down. YOU do that of your own volition, either because Gideon told you to or because you're curious (or you don't).

He's got loyal followers who aren't necessarily gunning for his death. Unlike Radahn, Rykard, and Godrick, none of his followers intentionally set you up to confront him. He isn't trapped in a state of passivity like Rennala, Ranni, Radagon, or Malenia* or completely gone like Marika, Godfrey, or Miquella.

He's a leader of his own people, at least some of whom have come a very long way to find him (Okina, for instance). The person he's most directly comparable to is Morgott, his twin. The Veiled King is the main mover and shaker aboveground, just as Mohg is in his own organization.

That makes complete sense if the Omen Twins were raised by Godfrey for a time, and Godfrey - whose own knights used Crucible power to do his bidding - may not have seen them as inherently twisted, as their mother did. These two have the skills to rule. Mohg appears to have been at least partially successful in doing so.

SOTE MUSING AHEAD. SKIP TO ----- TO AVOID SPOILERS.

Now that we know Miquella likes to mindwhammy people into obeying him, I have to wonder how much of that skill got nerfed by a charm. How much more could Mohg have done if he weren't used as a pawn by an Empyrean? ---------------

*From continues to have a pattern of not permitting its woman antagonists to have agency, but that's not what this is about.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Once again, I don't have an answer here. I think Varré wants to have his Lord's love; I don't think Mohg feels that way about him.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Sir Ansbach :) I think they were good friends. There's a lot of room for Lord and Knight tropes to be in play, with the devilish twist of "yeah they're both completely in it for your blood."

Also my Tarnished LET THEM BE FRIENDS who keeps saying that.

My unpopular opinion about this character

*parades around with Varré's "Apologize to my Lord" sign*

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

There should be a Mending Rune of Blood that lets you restore carnal, craving life to the Golden Order alongside Destined Death.

[anxious-witch]

Part two of how Dead Boy Detectives shows different ways of love/lust/devotion throughout the characters' rs.

Part one

This part is gonna focus on Edwin/Monty and part three is gonna be about Crystal/Niko(bc I can't shut up, apparently)

So before I delve into Edwin/Monty dynamic, let's just take a look at Monty as a character in his own right.

He is quite literally a crow turned human and then turned back to the crow again. There is this tumblr post that describes the concept of madness in terms of eldritch horror. Basic idea is that madness is when you are an ant, but then for a moment, you can comprehend things as a human would, just to have it taken away again. You have a memory of understanding things far beyond your comprehension, but you can't understand them anymore. That is true madness.

And Monty experiences that, both with being overwhelmed with human emotions and it clearly taking a toll on him in the short period that he is human, and then gets turned into a crow again. Clearly there is still some recollection and understanding he possess, due to the fact he helps Charles, but we'll never really know.

Either way, the bits and pieces we see of Monty's life as a human, we can safely say he has very little to no agency of his own. He was created to fulfill a goal-to lead Charles and Edwin into a trap.

I am not usually a big fan of characters who were "born yesterday" experiencing romance and defining themselves through it, but I think DBD carried out that trope in such a beautiful and unique way. We can't know for certain, but based on Esther's reaction to seeing Monty flirt with Edwin, I think we can conclude she didn't give him direct instructions on how to get their trust. Which meant that Monty choose to pursue Edwin on his own volition.

It was at least a bit out of practicality, I'm sure, since Charles and Crystal had their thing going on, but there was also something that drew Monty to Edwin. I think what's so special in their relationship is that Monty seems surprised Edwin reciprocates his attempts-until the kiss that is. Edwin may scoff at astrology, but then he intently listens to Monty explaining his chart to him. He recommends a book to him, and discusses it with him. He even agrees to go on a night stroll with him!

I don't fully blame Monty for reading Edwin wrong. Up until that point, Edwin seemed very open to his advances. It's easy to us, as the viewer to know Edwin's focus is elsewhere, and that he sees what he and Monty have as friendship.

Anyway, I am derailing my point. What I think is done brilliantly is that the very few choices Monty is allowed to make are centered around Edwin, but they also tells us a hell lot about Monty himself! Monty sees love as a way of understanding a person. That's why he makes Edwin's chart, and whenever you believe in astrology or not, he clearly does. And he thinks he knows Edwin. Edwin is determined, stubborn, protective, but also kind and thoughtful.

Which is why it's such a blow when he completely misreads Edwin's feels during the swingset scene! Monty's idea of love, as naive as it, is shattered. Because it turns out he doesn't know Edwin at all. The whole meeting in the woods, where the Cat King appears only crushes him further, but he felt betrayed even before that.

"Charles is the one you have feelings for. It is so obvious!" Sounds quite a lot like someone who didn't find it obvious up until it was too late to take his actions back. Because it turns out you cannot know a person so quickly. They are much more complex. Too complex, for someone who is only few weeks human, like Monty is.

But then, Edwin admits that he still cared for him. That Monty was his first kiss and despite Edwin not reciprocating his feelings, he is still his friend and that still matters to him greatly. Because there is a more than one way to love and care for someone. Which, by the Monty's reaction, he didn't realize up until that moment.

Immediately upon realizing it, what does Monty do? He turns everything around. Yes, the Cat King stops him and exposes his secret so his attempt is moot, but let's not forget the fact that Monty was about to throw away everything for Edwin in that moment. His whole history with Esther, the threat of her possible vengeance, everything he is up until that point. All because Edwin cares for him. Genuinly, truly confirms he cares for him.

I think that's what makes it so powerful. It isn't romantic love that sways Monty. No, it's the thought of genuine care despite Monty's wrong assesmwnt of Edwin's feelings that changes him.

All Monty wanted was to be cared for. Whatever consideration Esther has for him seems more of the consideration someone has for a useful tool at her disposal. But not Edwin. Edwin cares.

It tells us a lot about Edwin too! Edwin, who says "I am not good with people", Edwin, who protested at Crystal joining the agency because she alive, Edwin, who insisted the living are messy. Yet, up until it's revealed Monty betrayed him, he clearly cares so much, taking his case despite it clearly not being top priority. Because he wants to be Monty's friend, even if he can't love him back.

I also think that, if it wasn't for Monty bringing up Charles and making Edwin feel defensive, Edwin would have forgiven him right then and there. I mean like, just look at his face when he asks Monty if he was just pretending to be his friend and Monty says: "At first, yes! But then, no."

Edwin sympathizes. Edwin forgives Simon for killing him and dooming him to Hell. I don't believe for one second he wouldn't be able to forgive Monty if he knew even a fraction of what he endured by Esther. About how little choice he had in the entire matter.

It's really unfortunate they don't get more scenes together because I feel like they changed each other sm in only a matter of days? Weeks? That they had together. Edwin learned to be more open towards things that are not purely rational, ie astrology, and more importantly, he was learning how to open up, and share his interests with people who aren't Charles. As much as I love Charles, he clearly isn't as interested in reading and literature as Edwin is and that's okay! But Edwin had someone to express that side of himself with, who could reciprocate and open new things for Edwin.

I actually do believe that, under different circumstances and with more time, Edwin could have returned Monty's feelings. Which makes the whole thing more tragic, but alas.

Another interesting thing that occurred to me is that both Monty and the Cat King die by the hands of Esther and her cane when they admit to their love for Edwin. Which, I think, once again symbolizes how those feelings are just too big for the state they are currently in. For the Cat King, that love tirns him more mature and somber. For Monty, it's too overwhelming, and he turns back to his old state, unable to handle them. And yet-even in that form, he cannot deny them, not when Edwin is screaming and he has a chance to help Charles free him. Because as much as we try to go back to how we were before, love, even through heartbreak, changes us.

And Simon-Simon also changes forms after accepting his love for Edwin. He quite literally earns his redemption after it. And Charles? Well, Charles comes out of hell, his shirt back to bright red, because Edwin's love uplifted him sm.

Edwin Payne, truly the man that inspires devotion in everyone he meets

[codenamesazanka]

what was the point of the i engineered your life reveal? it didn't have a resolution, and won't get one if shigaraki and afo are both dead now. not only that, shigaraki never got shattered in the first place? he didn't come back out of his own volition or reclaim his agency by himself?? it didn't change anything about deku's relationship with shigaraki. so what did it do other than to provide horikoshi with an easy way to kill shigaraki off.

Yeah, it does feel like an easy way to get rid of Shigaraki. Tenko got saved, but he came out of it still declaring he wants to be stay a Villain; he wants to be a Hero to the Villains. That will involve, yeah, destroying stuff again; that will involve making trouble for the heroes; that will involve helping people that society has decided should not be helped, should not be saved, so put that back where you found it.

How's Deku going to deal with that? How is he going to face off against a Shigaraki that isn't fueled by hatred and angry this time, but rather by a sort of heroism and love for his friends? Lucky for him, he doesn't have to! AFO came and shattered Shigaraki. Got rid of that annoying conviction too. No confrontation for Deku! No re-examining his values and beliefs and assumptions! Now he's only got AFO to punch into pulp.

I guess there's also the excitement of the 'twist'. Hot Dog! wasn't Horikoshi-sensei so clever? Isn't it great how shocking this was? Or people can pat themselves on the back for predicting it. Those are fun emotions for readers.

But yeah. What was the resolution? Shigaraki didn't come back via his own will or connections that tether him to the world or a journey of self-discovery or whatever. He didn't gain new insight and feelings towards his dad or family or personal history or beliefs or motivation or the future as informed by the past. He got shattered; but it's mentioned off-handed that Nana kept him together off-screen with no new insight or development to their fraught grandson-grandmother relationship; and now he can come back to help kill AFO for revenge, I guess. Is that reclaiming his agency? Idk. he dies right after because his body has been punched to pieces by Deku so he never gets to actually exercise any agency in the real world. Bummer.

And as you mentioned, love how Deku has no reaction to this. He just learned that the kid he just saved from tears and guilt and bloodshed over his dangerous quirk was actually give that quirk for a nefarious plot by AFO. Should he go back and revise any of his saving words? idk. Deku just found out that Tenko was literally conceived to be a vessel, that kid can be considered as someone who 'never had a chance'. Should that affect his approach to stopping Shigaraki? idk again. Not relevant to Deku's dynamic with Shigaraki.

Apparently not all that relevant to Shigaraki's character development moving forward either.

It really does feel like a way to get rid of the interesting, challenging villain to make way for the easily punchable, dismissible evil villain. Fight ended in three chapters and Deku never had to think or reflect or introspect much! good for him. Convenient this will also destroy Shigaraki's body so that's over and done too. Good work everyone. Horikoshi-sensei can finally go on vacation. I don't blame him for this, he deserves a vacation. I sympathize that he wanted the story to end. But man, my disappoint is quite immense.

[teaveetamer]

The Edelgard discourse really is a never ending nightmare, that's incredible how someone can fight over how" you misunderstood a character" because they like her so "she has to be clean", in a game designed for 12 year old little boys. Man, it's like the MHA fandom fighting to death over ships in a manga designed for teenagers

I think the thing that baffles me—the thing that has always baffled me—about this discussion is just how much of a no-win situation it is to try and discuss any interpretation of Edelgard besides the one they obviously want you to have.

It's always like:

Them: Guys Edelgard is such an amazing, complex, morally grey character! Me: Yeah, but I really didn't like how she sided with the Agarthans and continued working with them even after she found out about the fact that they were doing human experimentations. I don't think that was worth the cost. Them: Wait no you're wrong she never did that and even if she did she totally had to because they were forcing her. If she had it her way she would never do anything bad ever we swear.

Like? That doesn't make her a morally complex character? In either scenario? If she would never do anything bad ever then she's not morally complex she's literally an angel. If she only did bad things because she was forced to, not of her own volition, then that strips her of the agency that would be required to make her morally complex.

And the absolute irony of parading out "she's morally grey" as a conversation ender or to get you to stop talking about the bad things she's done. "Morally grey" should not be the end of the conversation. It's the start. Things that are "morally grey" are inherently things that can be argued about, because the entire point is that it is not clear-cut as to what is the correct decision.

Look at the classic Trolly Problem. For the five people in the audience who are unfamiliar:

If you do nothing, five people will die. If you divert the train then one person will die. How you answer will depend on your own morals and values, and there's not really a right answer. Someone is going to die no matter what you do, and that's horrible.

You could argue that diverting the train is the correct thing to do, because you would have overall less loss of life (one death vs. five).

You could also argue that not diverting the train is the correct thing to do, because flipping the switch is an action on your part. You, specifically you, killed the one person because you are the one who made the decision to flip the switch.

When it's laid out like this, many people choose to flip the switch. However, there are variations on the Trolly Problem. If, for example, the choice was between doing nothing and physically shoving one person onto the tracks to stop the train, the number of people who are willing to sacrifice one person for the sake of five drops pretty significantly. Being closer to the consequences of their actions (it's much easier to justify choosing to kill someone when it's just flipping a switch vs. physically shoving them onto the track) weighs on their conscience more heavily.

But if you were the person being shoved? There's nothing morally complex about your role in things. You didn't decide to stop the train yourself.

That's how conversation around the moral complexity of Edelgard feels. Her stans want to insist that she's simultaneously morally complex while also not believing that it's possible to hold an honest, good faith opinion that she's anything other than completely, 100% correct to do what she does. She's supposed to be complex while also being the body being shoved onto the tracks by powers greater than she. They treat every conversation like it's a foregone conclusion that Edelgard is the body, so they can't comprehend why you might want to talk about complexity.

And just as a side note because I know someone is going to send this post around or screencap it or something and say "look at Vee, she's such a fucking idiot for not getting that Edelgard is pulling the switch in her metaphor! Fodlan was going to be ruined without her!"

I would actually argue that Edelgard's action might have done more harm than her inaction would have. Dimitri and Claude were already reform-minded people who had plans to institute changes in their countries as soon as they were old enough to succeed their positions. Dimitri openly defines his positions on crests (they are powerful and useful tools, but ultimately he believes people without them have their own unique abilities that should be elevated as well) and states his intent to exonerate the people of Duscur and provide reparations to them for what Faerghus did. Claude talks numerous times about his desire to tear down the barriers between Fodlan and Almyra and foster understanding and mutual trust between them. Rhea had always intended to step away from the Church of Serios once she'd revived Sothis, and she wanted to pass that responsibility to Byleth when the war began. Crests were already dying out anyway, and Hanneman was already working on tools that would narrow the gap between crested and non-crested people. If she had done absolutely nothing it is incredibly likely that Fodlan would have taken the course of reform anyway, just without one country being in charge of the entire continent. Nothing about the war actually changed either Dimitri or Claude's perspectives on anything, and in fact at the end of AM and VW they go on to do... basically exactly what they said they were going to do from chapter 5.

Her war actually delayed major reforms in Faerghus and Leicester, because Dimitri and Claude had to put all of their energy toward fighting the war (and in Dimitri's case, surviving on the streets) instead of focusing on reforms.

[brighteststar707]

either 20 or 24 with seven? i loveeee awkward and blushy saeyoung <3

can’t wait to see what you come up with for these prompts— you always come up with the most interesting scenarios and your descriptions are just so immersive :’)

Hi, sorry for the delays on this fic! I thought I'd pick prompt 20 and write my own version of the iconic 'hearing your voice...' phone call! That's some clumsy flirting if I ever did see it hehe

Thank you for the request! I hope you enjoy (and happy holidays <3)

Clumsy Attempts at Flirting

✦707 x Gn!Reader ✦ Words: 1054

There is a disturbance in Seven's head. Perhaps some faulty connection or something finally knocked loose during his last field mission, he's not sure.

He finds himself in the backseat in his own mind. He has no control over his racing thoughts and plans, much less the ability to focus on the demanding tasks ahead of him. Every time he tries, it's like his brain disconnects and leaves him with nothing but static. He tries to focus on agency work but finds his hands working on a robot prototype instead. He takes his car out for a drive to clear his head and finds no reprieve in even that.

It's embarrassing for him to admit this, but you're the only person keeping him somewhat sane at the moment. He finds himself opening chatrooms just to talk to you for a few minutes. Your voice manages to cut through all the noise the way nothing else can and it soothes him for short periods of time.

There is a sneaking suspicion in his mind that you're the one who's causing all this chaos to begin with, but that idea brings him no relief. If you really have unsettled him so, there is no solution he can imagine that would bring back his focus.

Either way, he likes to talk to you often just to keep the buzzing at bay. He knows that it's a temporary solution to a problem he suspects runs much deeper and is harder to solve. There is no place for you in his world. He'd like nothing more than to keep you as far away from it as possible, for you to never have to know of the terrible things he has done just to survive.

(If only that didn't mean having to keep himself away from you too - but he really doesn't have the time for fanciful thoughts like that.)

He tries other remedies. He tries to sleep, goes for longer drives, drinks energy drinks to keep him going. He even builds you another robot, hoping that if he indulges in one of his passing ideas it will keep the others at bay to no avail. The only thing that helps him focus is hearing from you.

You send him little texts throughout the day (as if you can tell how heavily he relies on them) and appear often in the chatrooms. With each passing day, he grows more and more distracted and, consequently, more desperate for any form of connection with you. His subconscious is occupied with nothing but the memory of you. Echoes of your voice, the sweet sing-song way you always seem to say his name (as if it makes you happy just to hear from him). It bounces around in his head at the most inopportune moments.

Less pleasant are the fears for your safety. Your voice in his mind twists into something awful, terrified, calling for him to help you. But you are, as always, somewhere he cannot reach. He finds himself occupied with all the different ways that things can go wrong - on top of all his other fears.

He closes his eyes and sees your face, his fingers type your name through lines of code of their own volition. It's getting dangerous.

He imagines it's that sense of desperation that causes him to type out your number one day (he doesn't even remember memorising it). He only notices what he has done when he hears your voice on the other end.

“Oh…you picked up! I just wanted to hear your voice while working, I must have called you without thinking. I… was worried I was going to forget what it sounded like.” God, he doesn't know what he's saying.

Somehow, you reward him with a laugh. His head spins.

“I didn’t wake you up, did I?” He continues. He isn’t sure what to do if you say yes.

He can hear the sound of your voice on the other end and it sends a jolt of electricity through him (better than even Dr. Pepper could do) but all he can grasp is you telling him something about being responsible for what he’s done. His heart jumps in his chest. You're teasing him, and he probably deserves it, but he can barely take it at the moment without turning into a blushing stuttering mess.

He starts to babble – about what, he can’t remember – just to fill the empty air so you don’t hang up. He wants this conversation to go on for a bit longer, just to keep hearing you talk. Pity it seems to have come at the cost of his filter. He finds himself talking about a dream he had a few hours ago.

Since meeting you, he has revealed so much about himself that he wouldn’t think of telling other people. He hears his voice saying things he has never dared to say out loud before.

“Something really strange happened when I was calling you before… My hands were just pressing your number automatically… It was like I was in a trance. I thought about hanging up, but I’m glad I didn’t.”

“I’m glad you didn’t too.” You sound genuine. Warm and so welcoming, he could just curl up and....

“Hah… hearing your voice… makes me want to take you to the space station.”

Why did he say that? It’s official, something is wrong with him. He feels the heat rising through his body and he feels like he’s about to catch on fire.

Before you can say anything, he blurts out, “Oh, I have lots of work to do so I need to hang up… Um… thanks for talking to me!”

He hangs up, buries his face in his hands and groans. You’re never going to talk to him again, and he’s certainly never going to get any work done anytime soon.

Still, despite his embarrassment, the memory of your laughing echoes through his head. It sends shivers through him despite still feeling so hot. He wants to - no, he has to - hear it again.

He keeps his face firmly planted in his hands (the skin of his cheeks is so hot, he idly worries that he's got a fever). He has no idea what he's going to do with himself.

He wants to call you.

[bestworstcase]

grimm are manifestations of anonymity.

the narrative overtly uses the grimm as a symbol for the persecution of faunus, and there is a heavily implied cultural perception that faunus are grimm-adjacent. salem herself is effectively a grimm faunus and implicitly identifies herself as such (she's "your grace," and so is ghira).

when ruby sees the face of the man in the hound, she sees only his silver eye and jumps to a conclusion about her mother. "that's what happened to mom. when i saw its eyes, i knew." note her use of "its" rather than "his"—he's merely an extension of summer rose in ruby's mind, a horrifying revelation of what happened to her mother.

(he's anonymous.)

but!

before that happens, the narrative takes the time to provide the audience with more information. the hound is not what happened to summer rose; he's the unique experiment.

he is also involved in the paradigm-shifting power struggle between salem and cinder, being prominent in both their confrontation in 8.4 and salem's conciliatory move in 8.6. ruby imagines a connection between him and her mother because of his eyes, but the narrative invites us to associate him with cinder: salem makes the hound in cinder's absence and then involves him in both her cruelty and her concession, and there's an obvious line to draw between the hound and cinder's arm, and also their… eye situations:

and he's a faunus.

salem was human until she was transformed by submersion in magical waters—first the fountain of life, then the pool of grimm. the faunus creation myth is humans transformed by submersion in magical waters, and:

But the small group remaining on the boat were too horrified or afraid to take the leap of faith. “What kind of monster are you?” they shouted at the God of Animals.

the mythical transformation is perceived as horrifying and monstrous by the humans who choose to remain as they are. while we don't know how salem created the hound, it probably did involve submersion in grimm liquid and with him being a faunus the rhyming with the faunus creation myth is… obvious, and that raises an important question: did salem do this to him, or did he take a leap of faith?

(embedding him in the conflict between salem and cinder also casts that same question onto cinder, by association.)

the hound is important—as himself, not as an anonymous proxy for summer rose. ruby's assumption is founded on his anonymity, but… how will the reveal that summer joined salem of her own volition recontextualize the existence of the hound? if he isn't what ruby thinks he is, then what is he?

broadly speaking, there are two possibilities:

it is what it looks like, and the hound was a person salem captured, mutilated, and twisted into the core of a monstrous grimm. her villain->hero arc will have to reckon with who he was and why she did this to him in proportion with the horror portrayed in V8.

it isn't what it looks like, and the person who became the hound had at least some agency—he worked for salem and died and she reanimated him as a grimm, or he outright volunteered for some reason, or the experiment went in the reverse order of what we've presumed and she made a person out of a grimm, or something. her villain->hero arc will necessarily have to involve an explanation.

which is more likely?

on the one hand, this story is not shy about affording sympathy and the opportunity to change to villains who have done reprehensible things—hi, neo. so the gathering momentum toward salem having a villain->hero arc does not preclude the hound having been tortured and subjugated, and there is potential for dovetailing with what salem has done to cinder and oscar as moral challenges she'll have to confront.

on the other… there is set up for salem to be rather less malevolent than ozma would have people believe; she didn't kill summer, her war only properly began about fourteen years ago, and she's not about annihilation. what she wants is change—freedom. the narrative has also not been especially subtle about the grimm being more than soulless evil monsters. the hound being like salem, a person who chose to become grimm, rather than her victim, fits that pattern.

there is also a connecting thread between the white fang's grimm masks ("humans wanted to make monsters of us, so we chose to don the faces of monsters") and the shallow sea and the hound and salem's implicit associations with the faunus; the grimm masks are a symbol, the hound was a faunus, and salem attracts deeply traumatized, broken, desperate people.

his physical state—all the massive scarring and decay—make torture and subjugation the more intuitive possibility, but… thematically… the shallow sea, the pool of grimm, faunus choosing to don the faces of monsters, masks, anonymity. i keep trying to argue myself out of the choice idea and i can't because it clicks together too well. he has something ascension-adjacent going on—i definitely think salem resurrected him—and the main question i have right now is to what degree salem might have corrupted it.

[corvidcrybaby]

Say, after reading your last commentary on Integra, now I need your POV on something I've been wondering.

What do you think will happen to Hellsing once Integra dies? To Alucard and Seras? Integra has expressed no interest in having children, and since she wants to avoid becoming a vampire, we know she won't be alive forever. Does she have a plan for that?

Hi! Omg so sorry to take so long to get to answering this, life has been insane on my end.

To answer your question, I'd wager there's a plan in place. Whether it pans out according to Integra's expectations or not is what remains to be seen. Integra mentions that the Organization will be passed over to the general military once she passes, and the Crown will thus assume direct control of the agency and its vampires. I'm willing to bet good money that the sigils that bind Alucard and Seras could potentially be transferred. If they are, then they'll keep up their job as the UK's resident vampire pest control until something extreme happens to break that bond of servitude. The nature of these sigils is unfortunately never explored fully, nor how they work, which leaves us with naught but speculation. However, this is my educated guess at how they probably work.

On the other hand, let's entertain the more interesting prospect of if those sigils are less malleable than we think, and it becomes impossible to bend Alucard and Seras to the will of someone else. From there? If the British military effectively has to try to keep these two under control through... What, good will? Threat of force? Both ideas are ultimately laughable. If that is the case, then I think Alucard is going to assess the inheritor's character and convictions. If he finds Integra's replacement to be unworthy, and there are no magic spells forcing him to play nice, then I think he probably peaces out to take a nice long nap. I think he probably goes into hibernation after Integra's passing - which, mind you, I think he'll be destitute following. It would be hard to read from him, but he holds Integra in high esteem, and went out of his way to return to her after Schroödinger-gate. That shows a high degree of loyalty, and I think Alucard would be laying low for a minute. After he wakes up, however, is when I suspect he might piss off into the unknown, wandering around the world - perhaps in search of interesting people to meddle with the lives of, secretly hoping he'll find the next Anderson, the next Integra, et cetera. I suspect he'll probably go right back to eating people, though. I'd put money on him perhaps being a bit more Punisher-esque on the humans he kills for food than before, since he has hinted at the idea of humans rubbing off on him in the series before. So less the kind of guy who devours the most innocent and defenseless people imaginable, and more likely he interferes with mortal affairs that he can justify to himself are morally bankrupt so he has a steady supply of enemies to destroy and humans to feed on. I don't see him turning all of England into a necrotizing wasteland with him at the head. I think that would beneath his interest by now. I think harassing and stalking people he deems unique or entertaining would occupy much of his time post-hibernation.

Seras, however, is interesting. I suspect Seras would stick around at Hellsing of her own volition, and would continue aiding Britain in its cause to protect people and slay undead monsters. That's what she became the person she is while doing, and I think with or without Alucard, she'll keep on generally being a goody two-shoes. But I think even she would grow weary of it eventually. With Integra gone, I think it becomes less and less like the home Seras "grew up" in - and if the new commanders are inept, then I think eventually Seras would reach a breaking point where she too, might go rogue. She might tag along with Alucard for a while, and I'd wager they keep regular contact and check in with one another on a semi-frequent basis (which, for vampires, might mean catching up once a decade or some shit). Seras is her own independent person, especially after accepting her vampirism and drinking blood to become autonomous as Alucard always urged her to be. But just as that's true, I feel their relationship was always one of Seras, despite everything, wanting to remain by Alucard's side. Their relationship would no doubt shift, and I suspect they might grow more reserved with one another, but I think they might find a new kind of emotional intimacy with one another - not romantic (I like Aluseras from time to time but this is my baseline read), to be clear, but I think Seras has the vampire equivalent of her late-twenties-development after Teggy passes. And from there? Anybody's game, but I think she keeps on bumping off rogue vampires - although I think with time, it might become more territorial than altruistic in how she carries herself. Less general heroics talk and more like, a vigilante warden type of dealio. She might come to see Britain as HER TERRITORY which would spell doom for any foreign vampires thinking they can feed on "her" humans. I think time as a vampire makes everybody go a little dark, but this is still pretty tame. It's Seras, after all. She'll flay you to ribbons but only if you really, REALLY press her.

Thanks so much for the ask!!!

[terresdebrume]

Messrs Payne and Rowland's Adventuring Agency pt 13

Written to wind down after a (good!) 4h call with a friend :D

By the time they reach the coast, the sun is sinking towards the horizon, painting everything in bright shades of oranges and pink that make Crystal smile. She ties her horse to a tree and goes to stand next to Charles and Mr. Payne, idly thinking they're going to need some light and jumping when the palm of her hand starts shining.

"Oh, brilliant!" Charles says, grinning even as Mr. Payne rolls his eyes.

"You've seen me do this countless times," he says, touching his fingers to the clasp holding his robes closed at the collar to make it shine a brilliant white. "Now, the tide is coming in, which means the top entrance will be our best bet. Look for a chasm in the ground, but be careful, I was told it is easy to miss. We wouldn't want—"

Crystal is only half listening to him, eyes idly tracking Charles as he strides confidently away from them with a spring in his steps and his eyes on the ground... Which also makes her the first to see Charles slip down and disappear.

"Mr. Rowland!" Edwin exclaims when Crystal's surprised yelp catches his attention.

He looks abruptly pale in the light from his brooch, and when Crystal sends an arm out in front of him to make sure he doesn't end up the same way as his colleague, he glares at her in a way that almost makes her wonder if he's going to hex her.

"It won't help if we fall down too," she says, grateful to see Mr. Payne take a breath and sigh.

"You are correct. Let's look carefully."

Keeping their light sources high, they carefully make their way to a wide, fairly narrow chasm in the ground. It's wide enough to let a person through, but no so wide that it'd be difficult to jump over it. Not, the thinks, the kind of thing a playing child would worry too much about. Hell, if her parents hadn't said she went to play alone that day, Crystal would imagine her challenging her friends to see who'll have the guts to make the jump.

"Charles?" She calls out cautiously.

"Mr. Rowland! Are you well?"

A grunt comes from the bottom, and both Crystal and Mr. Payne sag with relief.

"Mr. Rowland?"

"Mr. Payne," Charles replies, sounding more like they're meeting in the streets than someone who just took a fall of however many feet. "Do try not to fall down. This think is at least sixty feet deep."

"Do you see a sign of young Rebecca anywhere?"

"It's too dark, I can't see anything. Let me get to the drift globes."

"Please do put on your ring as well," Mr. Payne says as he pulls a string of copper wire out of his pocket. "I would rather avoid shouting too much when we have no idea what took Miss Aspen here."

"You think it could be a creature?" Crystal asks, looking around. "I haven't seen anything big enough to want to go toe to toe with a kid."

"Not on the surface," Mr. Payne admits with a pinched expression, "and it is entirely possible Miss Aspen went wherever she is now of her own volition... But there are some seas creatures that do not turn their noses up at human meat."

Crystal grimaces, but before she has time to voice her disgust at the thought, Mr. Payne pauses.

"Mr. Rowland says there is no sign of her or another body where he is," he says, "but the tide is coming in. Come, young Crystal. We need to find a point of entry that can also be used as an exit."

"What about Charles?"

"He will go look for Miss Aspen, of course." Mr. Payne points down into the chasm and, speaking into his copper wire, says: "Do be careful, Mr. Rowland."

And then he takes Crystal further towards the coast.

[dangermousie]

By now this drama has departed so wildly from the novel that I’d call it at most inspired by the source material. Because of that, it has narratively started becoming rather a mess (and that is why ultimately, I don’t cry into my pillow over not ever getting to see HYX btw. I love 2ha and they’d have to pretzel it to make it into a drama and that would drive me nuts.) 

BUT! Despite the mess (and I find it’s a rare cdrama that does not get messy near the end tbh), it has two awesome things going for it: (1) LYX’s exquisite portrayal of suffering and (2) it is SUCH an interesting premise, if wildly different from the novel - demon god not only built himself a meat suit per specs, he has also predestined said meat suit’s whole life, down to all the betrayals and suffering - and specific, not general “his life will suck.” Thus any seeking of happiness, any defiance on part of TTJ becomes an act of determined insanity of the best sort - despite literal Divine (demonic) telling him this is how his life is and how it controls that life (and with evidence for the same) and despite making any person feel helpless and meaningless to know all his emotions and actions were predetermined and written out to tenderize the meat for best consumption, so to speak, that he is a puppet, a marionette, that his volition is illusory and free will nonexistent - Tantai Jin looks at all of this and goes NO. I have agency. I will do what I want even if all that happened before was a play for my benefit with my strings being yanked. Even if there is no reward, because free will is its own reward. His life prepared him for hopeless fights (And in a way, the cultivators and the world are so awful ironically demon god being worse to TTJ is the best thing in their favor - to give in to demon god would be agreeing to the wishes of your greatest torturer, the conductor of your misery.) 

With demon god as the writer and TTJ the character whose strings he yanks and whose wings he pulls off, and TTJ’s utter refusal to give in, despite the absolute ruler of his life saying he should, this reminds me of Extraordinary You, my favorite drama of all time, very different in plot and setting, but with that same idea - creations refusing their creator and establishing free will on the margins, whatever the cost. 

God, the way his life is ashes in front of him and he still fights.

I honestly think the only way he doesn’t break under this ocean of horror is because his life has been so awful he’s built up a tolerance. (The concept of universe out to get you reminds me of Mistakenly Saving the Villain and the divinity being either absent or uncaring horror and the world cannibalizing itself but the main choosing to go “I will still choose good” despite the futility or the horrors thrown at him, makes me think of Wu Chang Jie. Both are huge faves.)

Fuck you, demon god!

Of course not. Gotta give him some happiness to not make him permanently numb because those permanently numb cannot emotionally be flayed.

Honestly, how does he not break?

The poor man. All I want is therapy for him and some cookies.

But honestly, give LYX all the awards, he is SO good!

[beevean]

I don't even like Surge, but I did find it annoying whenever this happened

Surge: I literally have no choice but to hate you. Every fiber of my being was rewired for the sole purpose of hunting you down. It's not that I WANT to. It's that I HAVE to....

Sonic: Oh my gosh sister just chill out and get with the vibe!!

Surge: :/

Gee Sonic, thanks for adding pretty much nothing to the topic at hand

Oh, I fucking wish that was all Sonic said.

Sonic is calling Surge's pain a "schtick", something fake and affected, a gimmick. He's saying that Surge isn't special, her pain isn't special, she's just one of many that Sonic looks down on.

This panel has been dissected so thoroughly I could write an academic essay over it, but I just want to point to two parts:

1) "I've made peace with enough enemies to know there is a better way" this is a blatant lie because the only enemy Sonic has made peace with is Blaze, everyone else reformed out of their own volition or thanks to Amy's influence. But you can chalk this up to Flynn not playing the games: what matters is the implication that Sonic is expecting that Surge will automatically "make peace" as well, something that he reiterates in #56:

In an arc that is all about how Sonic has Strong Principles about Giving People Freedom, he's depriving Surge of any agency, expecting her to behave in a certain way.

2) "So I'm willing to chalk this up to 'a rocky start' and let us have a do-over, if you will" you will never convince me that this doesn't sound conceited as hell. He's literally talking down to her, acting patronizing and as if he has any authority ("I'm willing"? Oh thank you, how generous of you, Your Fucking Highness).

Do I need to explain how gross this sentiment is? I don't think so.

Anyway IDW Sonic is a vile person and I want to slam his stupid smug grin into the ground like Lanolin did to Whisper 💖