Ohhhhhh brother...... I had a fuckin dream focused on Petrus version if he survived to the times of DS3, and I just hate how much context I need to explain for the dream, so I'll just keep it as is lol. But it was weirdly satisfying to see o_o"

Well, his personality didn't really change (can't have a corruption arc if you are already corrupted xd), though he finally realized he was a shit fighter and resorted for magic and more intellectial work to put it simple. Gave me very strong secretary vibes actually sdkdjhf But there were many books in his """office""" (ha, of course he'd end up being a nerd, with THAT hairstyle!) And was the type to snitch on his coworkers if they as much as breathe with not enough loyalty + abuse his subordinates because of course.

Also, the way I've even met him was discovering some secret hideaway place where some uh... really bad and corrupting/brainwashing things were happening with kidnapped women, and I was playing detective (I am the same person even in my dreams lol) and found them, but could not go inside (too dangerous), and that was where he appeared near me and offered to either go in there and "join" or let him hide me in his room for the time being 🤦‍♂️ Naturally, didn't seem like he actually wanted to help me, more like turning me in and getting the "oh good you caught the intruder, you can keep her then" 🤦‍♂️ It is a long story ok? With a lot of creepy vibes and a lot of sly bitch. ....also, iirc his boss was Sulyvahn?? Not a far stretch actually all things considered sdfjhfsdh

Lol I hope this guy never changes xD

i never say this, especially for a slice of life kdrama, but samdalri is really set up to have a season 2. it doesnt even have to be a full 16 episodes—12 is honestly enough, maybe even 8 or 10 :0

there is so much potential to explore the side characters, but also to show how samdal supports yongpil and his dreams when he supported her throughout this entire show (i like the idea of yongpil being like “samdal is my dream” BUT THAT IS BESIDES THE POINT LOL). there has been complaints about how it almost seems like yongpil is too in love with samdal, but in the context of the story where samdal’s career and life pretty much falls apart, it makes sense for him to be the major support in the plot to complete her character arc of finding herself again. so i think it would be really nice to see it reversed and samdal supporting him in the hypothetical second season.

that also means we get to explore the side relationships that they teased throughout the whole show. i like that we really focused on samdal and yongpil and didnt give more than necessary screentime to the side characters (as many other kdramas do and it ends up being filler that no one cares about), but it almost seems like we didnt get ENOUGH.

our favorite haedal x dolphin boy NEEDS more screentime, and i really want them to explore more of the relationship of a family unit with hayul if they end up dating. also just haedal and training to become a haenyo—i wonder why they gave us that information so late, as well as hayul wanting to be a swimmer! that is such a good plotline on its own!! because then we also get to explore the relationship of ko mija passing on her beloved career to a daughter, and i think that is super intriguing.

i know jindal and her ex are somewhat comedic relief, but they also need to have a proper resolution? because he seems to really care for her, and it would be nice seeing him become someone she can rely on and eventually fall back in love with. i’m not sure which route would be better: him leaving his rich life or him completely inheriting the company, but both have a lot of potential. i think it would have to focus more on his character development rather than jindal’s, but i don’t mind seeing how their relationship plays out because it’s such an interesting dynamic and kind of unfortunate for them the way they broke up if they really loved each other. in fact, there’s also the minor relationship between him and jindal’s dad if his own relationship with his father isn’t the greatest

and i cannot belieVEE they introduced us to gyeongtae and eunbi AN EPISODE BEFORE THE FINALE?! AND THEN DROPPING THE “it’s been twenty years since his first love” LIKE HELLO?! THE POTENTIAL?! once again, another ship for comedic purposes, but it’s almost kind of sweet and i want to see more!! especially the classic “i wasn’t loved for me, but i can be myself around you and you don’t mind it” type of trope!! it’s very city girl x country boy too HAHA

i also just want to see more of eunu and see him and his wife and daughters!!! LET ME SEE HIM AS A DAD BUT ALSO LET THE OTHER CHARACTERS INTERACT WITH HIS KIDS!!! and imagine A LEGITIMATE CHA EUNWOO CAMEO that would be so FUN!!! especially if his daughter has a crush on him HAH

there is so much potential to expand on these characters for a couple more episodes and i really think they deserve it :’)

Daroach and Magolor dynamic interpretation

This is a dynamic I have a lot of thoughts on, believe it or not! There's a lot of fun and rather comedic interactions that I headcanon between these two. In my general Magolor headcanons post, I did briefly summarize the dynamic I have for these two, but I actually have a lot more thoughts than just that. Here, I'll go into far greater detail into what the friendship for these two is like!

In my headcanon universe, this is the closest friendship that a wave 2 dream friend has with a wave 3 dream friend!

These two first met during Star Allies. Upon first impression, they had a mutual feeling of "Oh hey, he's quite slick and cool!" and there was even one moment moment where they fought alongside one another while fighting the Jambastion cult.

During their rare moment of tagging right alongside each other, they even did some minor tomfoolery together. But aside from that, there wasn't too much else going on between these two during Star Allies, since they mostly stuck with different companions. For the majority of the time during split-ups, they mostly stuck with their respective waves, meaning that Magolor usually stuck with his fellow wave 3 companions and Daroach mostly stuck with the other members of wave 2.

It was after Star Allies, however, when the dynamic between these two really started becoming more and more interesting. They'd start doing tomfoolery together more often, but one huge aspect of this dynamic is how these two have a friendly rivalry of stealing from each other and constantly trying to 'own' the other. They've pretty much made a game out of it. It's enriching for the both of them.

It started when Daroach stole several display figurines from the Lor Starcutter. At first, Magolor was pissed when this happened. He pursued Daroach on a wild goose chase to retrieve the stolen figurines, and fortunately he succeeded.

After this first theft was stopped, Daroach admitted that it was fun and thrilling to have attempted theft from the Lor. He was laughing while giving the figurines back to Magolor. And although Magolor was pissed when this first theft happened, he then began to feel smug about how he'd be dealing with this rat from here on out.

As he knew that Daroach would inevitably attempt to steal from him more times, Magolor comes up with the genius idea to start stealing back. It now goes both ways, hahahahahahahaha!

Magolor eventually discovers the squeak squad's hideout. Oh, did it make him feel delightfully devious. When he laid his eyes on that treasure, he gleefully attempted to snatch some of it. It caused an uproar from the other squeaks, as Storo, Spinni, Doc, and many of their mini squeak minions all chased after him for it.

Daroach, however, became impressed when he found out that Magolor started stealing from him back. Magolor earned more and more of his respect because of it. It made them both excited to realize that they may kickstart this game of constantly stealing from each other. They both became ready for it!

They've become pretty good friends because of it.

Daroach told his squad to not freak out the next time Magolor attempts to steal their treasure, because he enjoys this mutual theft, and even encouraged his squad to participate in this game.

And so at this point, their game of attempting robbery on one another occurs. They absolutely do end up irritating and pissing each other off at times during this game, but overall they both really enjoy doing this. They have a blast trying to outsmart each other for no real reason other than to have fun doing it, as it's enriching. Commonly, they attempt to pull fast ones on each other.

There's definitely many moments where one of them is like "How'd he get me this time? That son of a gun! I'll really show him!"

One time, Daroach stole gem apples from Magolor, thinking they were edible as he was going to have them as snacks for later. Turns out... it wasn't very smart to have made that move. Magolor saw the theft happen in his very eyes, and then snapped his fingers, making the gem apples blow up in Daroach's face and showing that they're not edible. It made Magolor laugh his bum off when this happened, and there was a point later in time he'd offer gem apple 'snacks' to Daroach, but the rat was smart enough to not fall for it again.

Sometimes, they'll try to bait each other in committing robbery. One time when Magolor tried to steal treasure from the squeaks' hideout, the squeaks were actually prepared for it, as Storo then ambushed and pounced onto Magolor to thwart his theft attempt. But there were other times where Magolor actually manages to outsmart and outmaneuver the entire squad, as it made him so delightfully smug when those occasions happened.

Daroach hasn't stopped attempting robberies on the Lor Starcutter, but there's times where Magolor prepares himself for when that happens. One time, he even set up a 'mouse trap' that made Daroach embarrassingly fail at trying to steal from the Lor.

There were moments where Magolor even playfully snatched Daroach's hat off his head. Daroach laughs when this happens as he'll snag his hat right back. He admires Magolor's cheekiness.

Daroach's biggest feat during this mutual theft game was stealing an entire gold statue from Merry Magoland. That had Magolor absolutely losing it for a while, but he eventually managed to get that statue back and he stole more treasure from the squeaks' hideout than usual after that. The statue that Daroach stole was the one of himself, btw.

Sometimes, Marx may get involved in this robbery game that Magolor and Daroach have with each other. Every so often, Marx comes to visit Magolor with the intention of hanging out, only to then find out that he's currently in a theft game with Daroach. One of them will ask Marx for his assistance against the other. He may even play both sides!

Marx sometimes assists one of them, although it's mostly Magolor that he assists due to being besties with him of course. But there's also times that he plays both sides, basically making their theft games more chaotic and more fun. Marx loves it when their thefts happen, because he also finds it enriching to get involved.

Daroach, Magolor and Marx are sometimes a trio. Daroach is quite chill and likes mischief himself, so he likes Marx. Sometimes, the three of them will often hang out together, whether it's at Magolor's place around the Lor Starcutter, or the squeaks will even invite both Magolor and Marx to hang out with them near their hideout. Both of them as well as Daroach form a 'trio of trolls', where they all may do some tomfoolery together, or they might prank each other.

Daroach and Magolor will sometimes hang out when neither of them have enough energy to rob each other. They may tell each other jokes, as they have a similar sense of humor.

They've talked to each other about being possessed by evil artifacts, with Daroach of course having been possessed by Dark Nebula and Magolor having been possessed by the Master Crown.

Speaking of being possessed by evil artifacts, when Daroach saw the Dark Daroach and Dark Nebula masks in Merry Magoland, he was amused to see them. But he also found it to be hilariously ironic that he didn't see a mask depicting MAGOLOR'S time under the possession of an evil artifact! For clarity, there does exist 2 masks of Magolor with the Master Crown, but they're both the first phase where he wasn't possessed yet. Neither mask depict him in his final form where the Master Crown actually possesses him, removing his scarf and giving him the third Dark Matter-like eyeball.

I think that's basically what I got for the dynamic between these two! I'm proud of this dynamic, as it's definitely by far my favorite dynamic between a wave 2 dream friend and a wave 3 dream friend, and like I said at around the start, it's the closest friendship that a W2 friend has a with a W3 friend. In my verse, Adeleine, Ribbon and Dark Meta Knight aren't really close with anyone in Wave 3 to be honest.

In short, Magolor and Daroach love to steal from each other, and are friends with each other because of it, as they have respect for one another for their slyness and their boldness to steal from each other. They're also, of course, mischief-loving lads that like to troll around together when they're both a bit too tired to commit robberies!

Copia. #64

The Main Character ⸸ Papa Emeritus IV

i. so, god forbid i'm seen just as an average human being

Copia was always special. Unique.

According to many, it was bad. He was called weird for being quiet. For making silly noises while talking. For befriending rats.

According to one person who watched him from the shadows since the day he was born, it was good. Wonderful. Marvelous, even.

And so, the weird man would keep observing him, always seeming to tilt the odds in his favor just enough to make it seem accidental. Opening up potential ways for him to rise in the Ministry. Opening a path for him to become Cardinal. Making sure the odd child was always made important in one way or another.

Copia provided entertainment for the mysterious man since the moment of his birth. And that alone paced him above most people in the Ministry,

~

ii. judge me by what my cover shows, author becomes beyond approach

Despite how awkward he really was, the face paint made him feel way more confident than he would ever dream of being. He was always shy, trying his best while at the same time avoiding getting too much attention... until Sister Imperator decided to make him the new face of Ghost.

He did everything he could. He researched the way Papa Emeritus III would move and act on stage. He tried matching his behavioral patterns. His choreography. Everything.

Hell, he even got plastic surgery to look more handsome. He knew the people had expectations. And he tried to meet them. He really did.

And people loved him. People loved Papa Emeritus IV, even if more often than not, he was just an act.

~

iii. we all do what we need to to get through (it's nothing new) but i ain't done a fucking thing to you

He knew he shouldn't be upset about this. That he was most likely going to be killed, just like the previous Papas. It was how the Ministry worked, he knew that.

He should've expected it from the start. That his day would come too.

But it just wasn't fucking fair. He did everything he was told. Everything he was expected to, and so much more. He was the reason so many people started liking the band. He was the reason they were where they were, and now they wanted to kill him like he was... nobody?

No. He did nothing to deserve that. He would not let that happen.

No matter the cost.

~

iv. i'm the gap between the tragedy and comedy don't come at me i'm the main character and you have to like me

Copia was such a fascinating character.

Despite just how comedic it was how he came to be, his life was truly tragic. Not knowing his parents were so close to him. Growing up as the weird kid, both because he was trans and because of his odd habits.

But it was also what made him so, so unique. So interesting. So fun. So pathetically likable. People loved him.

And Copia knew that. He was loved. People loved him. He wanted to be loved.

And it made sense. If people loved him, he should be kept forever.

And much to the mysterious man's entertainment, the need to stay alive and stay loved drove Papa Emeritus IV mad. Drove him to an obsession.

In his mind, Copia was the best thing that happened to the Ministry in centuries. He was the one people loved. He was the star.

And he would continue being the star. Even if people changed their minds and stopped caring about him.

He was the star. People had to love him.

Written by Nosferatu.

Taglist: @charlie-is-a-menace @copias-fluffy-asscheeks @randodummy @tuttifuckinfruttifriday @calliedion-dungeon @randominstake @callmeicaro @dio-niisio @firefirevampire @mybotanicaldemise @emo-mess @natoncesaid @sirlsplayland @thatoddboy @lightbluuestars @igodownjustlikeholymary @strawberriiblossoms @choco-meow69

WIP Wednesday

Tagged by the always wonderful @prince-buck-diaz before it was even Wednesday for me.

You all know what time it is...NFL Buck! Honest to god I'm not really that close to being done. I keep adding to my notes on what I want to include and now I'm think of doing a paragraph or two for each game day/week, except for opening day because boy do I have plans for that (hint: Madney!) There is so much I want to do for this fic. So thank you all for the continued support and interest. I hope I do it justice. And to help tide you all over for a bit longer, here is another bit that is both comedic and solemn. Enjoy!

“Chimney basically outed me to the team today. So now they all know I’m gay and have a boyfriend.” Eddie tells Buck when he slides into the bed, gently nudging their black coat retriever mix Jade from her resting place next to the man who first bought her home.  She huffs in displeasure and leaps down, padding out of their bedroom, most likely heading to Christopher’s room. His boyfriend quirks an eyebrow, “Outed you? Have you even been trying to hide it? I thought we agreed-“ Eddie groans, “I know what we agreed too, and I wasn’t hiding that I’m gay, but I’m not going around saying, ‘Hi I’m Eddie Diaz from Houston and I only like dick.’” Buck chokes on a laugh, but lets him continue, “I’ve been calling you my partner, no gender attached.  But then there were these girls at this awful country bar and they were being very persistent-“ “And you got annoyed, so you pulled the gay card.” He snorts, “Told them I have a boyfriend and I guess the team overheard, or my voice just carries really well, I don’t know. But anyways we get in the truck and Chimney just blurts out, ‘You’re gay?’ and it was all downhill from there.” Buck is shaking the bed with how hard he’s laughing, “Oh my god, Eddie! He didn’t out you, you did that yourself!” He groans again, burying his face in his hands in embarrassment, “It was such a mess! Hen and Ravi, we’re trying to defend me, and then I snapped at all of them about privacy and then my Captain is giving me an open invitation to team gatherings outside of work, while also inviting you and Christopher. He even tried to show his support by casually mentioning his wife’s ex-husband and his male fiancé. Like what is with straight people name dropping any gay person they know when someone comes out to them. I was nice about it and all. Even said I would come by with Christopher some time, then lied my ass off about the whole group thing not being your scene.  Which is ironic really considering you are literally apart of a large ass group for a job.” His partner has gone quiet beside him, the air around becoming solemn.  Eddie unburied his face and looked over to find Buck wringing his hands together, despondent, and guilty. Eddie’s heart clenched because he knew why. Buck hated how many lies they had to tell, that had Christopher and Maddie and everyone else who knew their secret had to tell, just so he could continue to play out his dream. And it was because of all the secrets and lies that they were all left out on different parts of each other’s lives.

Tagging (no pressure and apologies for extra tags): @elvensorceress @thewolvesof1998 @bekkachaos @transbuck @cowboy-buddie @shortsighted-owl @ebdaydreamer @hippolotamus @911onabc @911-on-abc @alyxmastershipper @thekristen999 @lizzybizzyzzz @monsterrae1 @prostheticknowledge

Hughes brothers for the character ask meme?

im going to be real my first impression of quinn was from noted quinn scholar tanya txstars talking abt him. i dont even know what the first little bit was about because i was like “yeah everyone i follow just has that one guy they’re obsessed with” and then i actually saw photos of quinn and then started to Get It.

jack was the more famous of the three from the getgo. I knew he was a devil but didn’t know which one was jack and which one was nico for a while so there is that

and i’m like 90% sure my first thoughts on luke were THERE’S A THIRD ONE???

IMPRESSION NOW

Quinn: he is my scrungly. More than the generic fact that i find him hot in a wetpathetic roadside cat kind of way and that i am impressed and delighted by his skating and his ice time, I do really genuinely like him. He comes across as somehow both an idiot well-meaning jock and as an honestly intelligent man; maybe he’s just an airhead stoner. He’s the eldest daughter of our dreams. He should absolutely be the next captain of the Canucks. He’s level-headed and stands up for his teammates off the ice (talking openly about how he thinks they mishandled an injury!?) and is just… an ideal man. He’s also definitely got ghosts after him.

Jack: NIGHTMARE CHILD. I probably first started to hear his name from all the xreader writers who wanted to take him to prom, but once you actually start looking at and seeing him beyond the Boy Band Fluff, he’s… kind of a greasy sharp-toothed demon child? I do like him -- quite a good deal, to be honest, but the instant he let sweat slick his hair back and the playoffs knocked a tooth out he immediately became Interesting to me, as opposed to just some mouse.

Luke: Luke’s relative lack of screentime means my impression is a lot less nuanced than the other two: he both terrifies and excites me. Terrifies because the Devils are in my conference so i’ll have to see him three times a year… and excites because Quinn, Ellen, and Jack all say that he’s the best of the three of them. Can you BELIEVE how good that would make him. Quinn’s one of the best offensive defencemen on the planet (and pretty good defensively, despite what you might think!) and still has a few years before his peak, Jack’s a hundred-point forward at 21, and Luke is BETTER THAN BOTH OF THEM. 

FAVOURITE MOMENT

Quinn: the “taking his ESL teammates out to the movies” is endlessly charming to me… even if he picked rather a terrible movie to show to his esl teammates. also pretending to be a really bad driver at petey. Older brother supreme

Jack: either aforementioned tooth loss or any of his comedic falling-overs. Third place goes to snarking to the media… that boy wants nothing to do w any of it. If he was in toronto they’d have ripped him jaw to tailbone

Luke: overtime gwg w jack assist!!!!!!

IDEA FOR STORY

Quinn: what if i told u im partway through a quinnfic as we speak… he is dealing with the horrors surprisingly well all things considered

Jack: i am not of the opinion that he should get like. romcom fluff. he is as of yet not that type of girl. Get his ass to the mobster movie/wizard maze/indiscriminate pwp. Send him to something violent and a little bit horny and way too complicated for his little brain full of titty magazine and bits of lint. Bamboozle him and cover him in blood and let him top badly. many people are saying this

Luke: until such time as we see Character Traits from him (im not a umich girly dont tell me anything you’ve seen from there) i am content to let him remain for now a background character. he’s big and he has jack’s nose and quinn’s eyebags and he’s the baby. That’s enough

UNPOPULAR OPINION

Quinn: i am a quinn will become a leaf eventually truther. not that every born leafsfan will become a leaf at some point in their career but he will. Not because he hates it in vancouver because im pretty sure he doesn’t… just that there’s destinies out there u can’t escape. Im also a quinn will become a devil eventually anti. he’s not going to do that he likes offseason brother time and offseason brother time only

Jack: the beard is a good look on him

Luke: tall people shouldn’t have older siblings it’s wrong

FAV RELATIONSHIP

Quinn: quinnpetey kissa time. petey’s cringe little gay romanticism is now going to lead him away from brock to A Person With A Sustainable Future As a Canuck… quinn is going to let petey infringe on his space and his feelings and his bedsheets. they will hold hands through the horrors (vancouver canuckdom)

Jack: now hear me out i want us to explore whatever freudian attraction he had to pk subban. nico is cool and all but there’s more out here

Luke: not in an incestfic way but i do love his relationships w his brothers… siblings i do not understand them

FAV HEADCANON

Quinn: there was once a canucks raffle, where you could win bags each of the canucks had chosen stuff for… most of it was kind of generic. wine, a trip somewhere nice in the city, sometimes you’d get a sweater or a record or something. quinn chose cast iron pans and a cookbook. he wants to know how to cook well, he drives a reasonable car instead of petey’s fancy sports cars, he gets esl teammates to repeat his meaning back to him so he knows they understand. he’s grounded in a way few hockeys are and this is part character analysis from what we know and part extrapolation but that’s SO fascinating to me. i think he also knows stuff like how to sew on a button and clean an oven and tie a tourniquet.

Jack: could do sweet tricks on the trampoline

Luke: i dont think he’s going to take after either of his brothers in the personality department… he cares too much he’s going to suck up to the media way more when they want him. He’s avoiding that for now by being shy but he very much did puke into that garbage can at the frozen four he CARES

I don’t think anyone understands just how much I want origin stories of everyone else in Mystreet like they all have really interesting backgrounds that are just tossed to the side of the main plot points (lol abt to be a really long threat again sorry)

Aaron- Didn’t actually get character lore OR a personality until S3 but like I want MORE because tbh I feel like his parents gave him a lot more trauma than what’s shown in the series, and even the stuff IN the actual seasons (the emotional neglect, his military schooling, the tense relationship w/Melissa etc;) are fixed and shoved off like no he might ACTUALLY need therapy bruh PLEASE

Katelyn- I think she was (?) in therapy in the beginning for her anger issues and the loss of her mother but like it was kind of forgotten about tbh. I think she needs more positive moments in the series honestly bc in the later seasons we’re shown she’s partially abusive towards Travis the first time they went out, and ends up being written off as prejudice towards werewolves bc of past experiences??? Naw the Katelyn I know would never do that. AND HER DREAMS OF WORKING IN THEATRE TOO HELLO??? Also, her mom quite literally used her in the Forever Potion experiments as a child?? I feel like that’s important to her character too :/

The Ro’meave Brothers- I don’t actually know where to start tbh because I feel like ALL THREE of them could use some kind of character depth aside from Dumb Blonde, Emo One, and the Forgotten One. Especially Vylad, probably having to witness this entire Lycan situation grow from an outsiders perspective with no contact from his family in forever. It’s shown that Zane is immensely interested in the family business too like hello??? Garroth himself is kind of just written off as a comedic effect most of the time, but he quite literally has no other goals (possibly because he KNOWS he’s going to inherit the business one day whether he cares to or not).

Laurance- He’s not really a character anymore, but from what we’ve actually SEEN in Mystreet he had enough development to become something outside of a potential love interest for Aphmau. He has a fondness for cooking and was seen to be EXCEPTIONAL at it, and I think he still carried an interest in baseball (or idk it was SOME sport asdfghjk the point is he was good). And he was also shown to still help out his family here and there (babysitting Caleb, his baby brother, in numerous episodes). Idk, I feel like there were so many pieces of Laurance that could’ve been explored and touched upon and we hardly got anything. Also… Garrance. Quite literally hate to be that person but it was literally the biggest piece of queerbaiting I’ve ever seen fr I wish it was explored as much as Aarmau was :( (willing to bet the popularity had something to do with what I call the ‘Heartstopper’ treatment but that’s just me tho)

Nana (KC)- The most under appreciated character in-universe I actually had to go and make a separate post about this LOLOL expect it in like five minutes from now bc I just save everything in my drafts.

Travis- Lol no surprise here but him too dude honestly I have no idea where to start with him atm, his entire family’s lore needs a full in depth analysis on themselves because Aphmau’s series just BARELY touches the surface of Travis’s character

Dante/Gene- Honestly BOTH of them were done so dirty I find it funny how no one ever talks abt it because they’re so beautiful to me. Gene already had his redemption arc so I can kind of see why they just tossed him aside but Dante literally had nothing tbh. He had a messy relationship with KC in PDH and then made that same mistake in LLP. Okay, cool, give us more of that. Let him learn from his mistakes and be self aware now. Or better yet let him grow without tossing love interests into the formula in order for it to happen!! Seems like his family life is pretty good though, worst thing abt him was the peanut allergy.

Lucinda- Queen actually has very little to no background that actually centers around her. We know she had a really bad relationship with Ivan but like I’m pretty sure that’s it.

hi little random but i really like ur asoiaf analyses and opinions (even if i disagree) and think they’re all well thought through, even the comedic ones (maybe esp those actually) and so i was wondering ur opinion on my baby girl sansa

sansa chapters are some of my favorites to read! she is such a fascinating character. Sansa internalizes soooo much from everything she goes through and even though she’s completely on her own she manages not to lose to the many characters trying to tell her who she is. It reads like a combo of the ned chapters being about trauma (and repression) and the catelyn chapters being about slowly becoming disillusioned with the world around her and it’s such an interesting perspective.

I think in the same way that a lot of character arcs in asoiaf are about trying to reconcile two conflicting ideas (and/or creating false binaries), Sansa has to reconcile the life she’d dreamed for herself she from the songs with the idea that the truth is the worst possible reality where the monsters win. Life isn’t a song, but it doesn’t have to be hell blood death chess either, there’s a third option (a kinder way!!) and I think Sansa’s still holding onto that as she’s starting to make moves of her own in the Vale. The Alayne plot is so cool and i am so ready for more of it. I think her arc will ultimately come around not to her dismissing kindness and empathy as naive but instead trying to create a better and kinder world. reconciling power and kindness!!! life can be a little bit of a song as a treat!!

TAYLOR READS 2024: MORT BY TERRY PRATCHETT

Title: Mort (Discworld) (1987)

Author: Terry Pratchett

Genre/Tags: Fantasy, Comedy, Third-Person

Rating: 7/10

Date Began: 1/6/2024

Date Finished: 2/4/2024

Mort, a young man with no clear direction in life, becomes apprenticed to Death himself. While learning the so-called trade, Mort makes a mistake which threatens to rewrite the course of history.

I INVITE YOU INTO MY HOME, he said, I TRAIN YOU, I FEED YOU, I CLOTHE YOU, I GIVE YOU OPPORTUNITIES YOU COULD NOT DREAM OF, AND THUS YOU REPAY ME. YOU SEDUCE MY DAUGHTER FROM ME, YOU NEGLECT THE DUTY, YOU MAKE RIPPLES IN REALITY THAT WILL TAKE A CENTURY TO HEAL. YOUR ILL-TIMED ACTIONS HAVE DOOMED YOUR COMRADES TO OBLIVION. THE GODS WILL DEMAND NOTHING LESS. ALL IN ALL, BOY, NOT A GOOD START TO YOUR FIRST JOB.

For live reading notes, check the reblogs (contains unmarked spoilers).

Content warnings and review (spoiler-free and spoiler versions) under the cut.

Content Warnings: Mentioned -- Suicide, animal abuse. Depicted -- Death (i mean. yeah), animal death, sexual humor, suicidal ideation, fatphobia (kinda).

**SPOILER-FREE REVIEW**

Before I dive into the review, I want to acknowledge that despite several criticisms, I did enjoy reading Mort. It certainly has issues that keep me from rating it higher, but I still recommend it as a fun read despite these flaws.

A major reason for this is the prose. It's difficult to express just how clever Pratchett was as a writer. He has a unique way of presenting scenes and situations which consistently feels fresh and original. Whether it's clever wordplay or a unique spin on tired cliches, he's always catching me off guard in the best way. Saying someone's voice "could have kept milk fresh for a month" instead of "was icy" is one among hundreds of delightful examples. And while there's plenty of witticisms, they feel genuine rather than cynically scripted to appeal to as many people as possible.

Pratchett also doesn't shy away from serious topics despite the general comedic tone, and this contrast makes the grounded parts of the writing all the more poignant. His fantastic style is so omnipresent in his work that to explore it in detail would devour the rest of the review. Even when taking notes while reading I'd have to be selective on WHICH great phrases I wrote down lest I only spend time on them to the exclusion of all else.

One specific thing I like about Pratchett's writing is how specific jokes recur throughout the story but often in ways one doesn't expect. There's a running bit in Mort where characters will call him "boy" or "lad" and he tiredly corrects them with "Mort". As a reader I fully expected him to eventually get fed up and chew someone out for failing to use his name. And… he does! But later the joke is subverted again in a (spoilerific) way I DIDN’T expect, which caught me completely off guard. Setups and payoffs like that are delightful.

**SPOILER REVIEW**

My biggest struggle with Mort is that I found it difficult to care about the plot until the end. There are two things working against Mort's story that made me feel this way.

The first is the main conflict's inciting incident: Mort commits a selfish act and saves the life of a princess who was supposed to die. In doing so, Mort warps reality and the fabric of history itself. The problem is, the only reason he saves Princess Keli is because of a superficial crush on her just from seeing her for a few seconds. The two barely interact before he saves her, and when they do later, there's not any chemistry to make this decision interesting. And yes, I'm aware that this was probably intentional: Mort did something foolish and impulsive and has to deal with the consequences. The problem is that since the rest of the plot hinges on his choice to intervene, and the context around that choice is so lackluster, it brings the entire plot down. I found myself wondering why Mort bothers to keep up the ruse and lie directly to Death when his reason for doing so is so vague and uninteresting. The personal stakes just felt nonexistent to me.

The second issue is how the story is structured. Rather than closely following a standard plot progression, Mort is more like a series of vignettes and scenes loosely tied together. There's nothing wrong with that in and of itself; I'd argue Guards! Guards! follows a similar style, and I'm willing to bet much of Pratchett's work does. The problem is when this lack of focus combines with a weak core conflict. Reality being split and history diverging should be compelling, yet I wondered why I should care at all. The main thing that kept me reading was the clever writing and setups in these scenes. So I found the book fun to read but the story mediocre.

To Mort's credit, the stakes get more personal and involved toward the end. I finally found the story and characters compelling when Mort started to become more like Death. It's jarring when his dialogue intermittently switches to Death's unique typeface. This is probably the only time I've had a font choice genuinely catch me off guard-- unexpected Death dialogue is surprising in other Discworld books, but here it serves a different function because it's NOT actually Death speaking. The true love interest Ysabell also gets a lot of characterization toward the end, which is a shame because she's a great character who should have had plot involvement sooner.

Speaking of characters near the end, it seems like Pratchett suddenly realized the book needed a villain in the third act, so randomly assigned the role to side character Albert. So he's evil for a few dozen pages after showing no indication of this before, then the whole incident with him is resolved by Death with zero problems. It's super weird-- in fact, you could probably cut Albert out of the story entirely and nothing would change. Perhaps I'm missing something but I really didn't see the point of this. There is some context suggesting he is an historical figure referenced in other Discworld novels, so maybe it's more interesting if you've read those. However, having only read Guards! Guards!, this obviously fell flat for me. While inter-book references are fun (I was delighted to see The Librarian, for example), I don't think key components of the plot should rely on them, assuming that is the case here.

On the positive side, there are some small details I loved. One is how Pratchett uses the phrase "There is no justice. There is just me," to refer to Death. Because the moment I read it I wondered when we would hear "there is just us" instead, since the pun speaks for itself. So when we DID get that line during an emotional moment of the story I was cheering and hollering and punching the air and shit. It's one of those predictable things that is nevertheless extremely satisfying as a reader.

Another great detail is that every person has a literal book that describes their life until they die, which is constantly being written. While this is true metaphorically, it's a literal thing in Death's domain. Mort the novel closes with Mort the character seeing his own book and reading from it, and this becomes the narration for the last page or so. It's a clever payoff to a mechanic introduced in the novel.

A last thing to note is that there are still some loose ends. This isn't necessarily a criticism since there is a chance they are addressed in future books, but I'm mentioning them for my own benefit. In one early scene, Mort bungles his job so badly that a witch named Goodie Hamstring successfully manipulates him and escapes dying entirely. Considering the emphasis on this scene and the ominous tone, it isn't addressed at all by the end of the book, so it is possible this character shows up elsewhere.

Something not fully explored is the theme of reality. When Mort rescues Princess Keli, he creates a paradox where multiple realities exist, and one has to dominate over the other, which serves as part of the main conflict. Death's realm is not real despite being a major location in the story-- something that's true in a meta sense (Mort being a work of fiction) but also in the context of the story. Then there's implications throughout the book that Mort becomes "more real" the more he behaves like Death. While Death is the final reality of life, obviously, this is presented more in a mechanical way than a philosophical one. At the end of the story Death gives Mort a pearl of reality that Mort created due to the events of the novel, stating that it can be the beginning of a new universe whenever Discworld finally dies. This is… quite the detail to drop at the end. I feel like reality is explored as an in-universe mechanic rather than a metaphorical theme in the story, which is why it doesn't feel conclusive by the end. It makes me wonder, again, if this is going to come up in a later Discworld novel.

**CONCLUSION**

Overall while I had some issues with Mort as a story, as a reading experience I really enjoyed it. I might delve into more of the City Watch storyline next, since I had a great time with Guards! Guards! and want more of those characters.

There's been a lot of thought given towards what FPK dreams about that I suddenly considered: what about the others? Holly doesn't really dream, and neither does Grimm, but what about Hornet?

My personal thought is that she is one of those people who have the most vivid, yet bizarre and disturbing dreams that have little to do with her life, because her life flipped around so often and so heavily that the only way her brain can make sense of it all is by dreaming of Herrah building a gazebo with Zote out of bricks that scream in her father's voice

ooooh i like that idea very much. yeah i could absolutely see that, she struggles to process things properly, and seeing that reflected in her dreams would be very interesting. and the anger, she has so much built-up anger - at the world for being so cruel, at the radiance for bringing destruction to everything, at her father for disappearing without a word, and at herself for not doing enough to help. her dreams would often be quite violent, and i imagine some of them she would rather keep to herself. which, naturally, doesn't help if you're trying to process your trauma

grimm would certainly try to help her with her nightmares. i mentioned it in the summary that's still under works, but i imagine his original role in the dream realm, prior to his banishment, was to watch over the mortals' nightmares and help them overcome their fears, before his power weakened and he decided to feed on the nightmare essence to sustain himself instead. it's much more selfish, he's almost like a parasite, entering nightmares and feeding on the fear that fuels them. but it's hard to blame him, with his weakened power he's only able to enter individual nightmares, so he wouldn't be able to fulfill his purpose even if he tried. what he can do, however, is hell his loved ones deal with their nightmares. of course fpk comes to mind first, but he would try his hardest to help the others too. i do believe he still feels some connection to his original purpose, he's not completely selfish, and so he's more than happy to fulfill it with those closest to him

would hornet want him to help her, though? she always bottles up her feelings, and reacts with annoyance to his attempts at help. but deep down, she really doesn't know what to do, and while she rarely makes it clear, she does appreciate that he's trying to offer her some guidance. i believe that, as the time goes, she becomes a lot more open about her problems whenever she talks to him. it's difficult for her to do that with her father, as a lot of her worries and fears concern him, and she realizes how much he already deals with by himself. but grimm has a much better hold of his own struggles, so he's able to give her advice that isn't as emotionally driven as what she would hear from fpk. so if there's anyone she could talk to, it's him

i love thinking about their relationship, there's a lot of comedic potential with their "friends who joke around and mess with each other, who are also dad and daughter but she would rather dive into the abyss than admit it" dynamic, yes. but at the same time, it offers many chances for a lot of personal growth for both of them. in hornet's case, it would directly connect to her anger issues. it's something grimm has also struggled with in the past, he's no stranger to violent outburtsts of anger. but unlike hornet, he's much better at controlling it, so it's difficult to even tell how much rage there is in his heart. and it's thanks to him that horne learns to have better hold of her anger. it's still there, and it's likely never going to go away, but she can still learn to find outlets that don't harm others

i'm realizing now that i drifted quite far away from the original topic, but it does still connect to her dreams. like i said, a lot of them are fueled by her inner anger, and with all the other complicated emotions she experiences, it's not a surprise that her dreams would end up quite surreal and disturbing. she would have no idea how to process them, i mean, how do you even begin? and i think it's by helping her decipher those dreams that grimm teaches her more about her anger and how to control it

i don't know, i just really like the mental image of hornet experiencing a really bizarre or disturbing dream, and then approaching grimm to talk about it and hopefully make some sense of it. i love him being a father to her, even if she struggles to accept that she sees him as such

Best Underrated Anime Group B Round 2: #B6 vs #B4

#B6: High school drama in a countryside farming school

#B4: Human falls in love with an android

Details and poll under the cut!

(This poll has been reposted because the previous post contained errors.)

#B6: Silver Spoon (Gin no Saji)

Summary:

Yuugo Hachiken is studious, hard-working, and tired of trying to live up to expectations he just cannot meet. With the ushering in of a brand new school year, he decides to enroll in Ooezo Agricultural High School, a boarding school located in the Hokkaido countryside, as a means to escape from the stress brought upon by his parents. Initially convinced that he would do well at this institution, Hachiken is quickly proven wrong by his talented classmates, individuals who have been living on farms their entire lives and know just about everything when it comes to food, vegetables, and even the physiology of livestock! Whether it be waking up at five in the morning for strenuous labor or to take care of farm animals, Hachiken is a complete amateur when it comes to the harsh agricultural life. Gin no Saji follows the comedic story of a young student as he tries to fit into a completely new environment, meeting many unique people along the way. As he struggles to appreciate his surroundings, Hachiken hopes to discover his dreams, so that he may lead a fulfilling life on his own terms.

Propaganda:

This show provides an honest look at the ups and downs of farm life, with both the hard work it takes and the satisfaction it provides. The cast is varied and likeable, with every character having more to them than meets the eye. I loved watching the main character's development from an insecure city kid to a confident, well rounded young man.

The information about farming and agriculture is also detailed and interesting - the series creator grew up on a farm and you can tell.

Trigger Warnings: Animal Cruelty/Death. It’s a show about the farming industry, and there’s an arc about the characters coming to terms with animals they’ve grown attached to.

#B4: Plastic Memories

Summary:

Eighteen-year-old Tsukasa Mizugaki has failed his college entrance exams, but after pulling some strings, he manages to land a job at the Sion Artificial Intelligence Corporation. SAI Corp is responsible for the creation of “Giftias”—highly advanced androids which are almost indiscernible from normal humans. However, unlike humans, Giftias have a maximum lifespan of 81,920 hours, or around nine years and four months. Terminal Service One, the station Tsukasa was assigned to, is responsible for collecting Giftias that have met their expiration date, before they lose their memories and become hostile.

Promptly after joining Terminal Service One, Tsukasa is partnered with a beautiful Giftia named Isla. She is a Terminal Service veteran and considered the best in Giftia retrievals, contrary to her petite figure and placid nature. Time is fleeting though, and Tsukasa must come to terms with his feelings for Isla before her time is up. No matter how much someone desires it, nothing lasts forever.

Propaganda 1:

This anime is a heart-wrenching masterpiece. It is slow, tender, and incredibly cathartic. The art is beautiful, and the story is enchanting. Of all the random anime I watched in middle school, this one really stuck with me.

Propaganda 2:

My brother and I watched it together. He ugly sobbed at it so hard, he had to go stand outside and weep down the phone to someone and my mom thought that he’d received news of someone’s actual death. He was okay, though, I promise

Trigger Warnings: [Not Stated]

When reblogging and adding your own propaganda, please tag me @best-underrated-anime so that I’ll be sure to see it.

If you want to criticize one of the shows above to give the one you’re rooting for an advantage, then do so constructively. I do not tolerate groundless hate or slander on this blog. If I catch you doing such a thing in the notes, be it in the tags or reblogs, I will block you.

Know one of the shows above and not satisfied with how they’re presented in this tournament? Just fill up this form, where you can submit revisions for taglines, propaganda, trigger warnings, and/or video.

Neverending Story Theory:

Despite it being used as a comedic reference in season 4, the Neverending Story is used twice in the series so far and almost links with some of the storyline quite closely. The main character, Bastian, has been a victim of bullying and to avoid all of these personal issues that he has he escapes into a fantasy world.

Will is also described in the original script to have lots of personal issues relating to his identity and sensitivity. We can see clearly from season 1 too that Will has been bullied frequently in the past, which we can see clearly from Troy and when Mike confronts him. Many times Will feels like he doesn’t seem to fit in properly but Mike allows him to feel more secure and valued. Other than Mike, Will escapes through the fantasy of D and D, which we also know that Mike does to avoid reality. This therefore is similar to the Neverending Story and so it is intriguing that the Duffers even included the song in a main scene in the finale of season 3. They either are using this and D and D to foreshadow events in the story, or it means that things are becoming real as a result of some power, possibly Will. We see how he can create drawings and almost predictions in some circumstances and therefore, it is plausible that Will is almost creating this Neverending Story due to his personal trauma. Maybe Mike is the key to ending that story? So if that would be the case let’s look at some of the lyrics for the song which is used in Stranger Things.

A first line I want to mention is “rhymes that keep their secrets”, is used when the camera pans onto Will. What secrets is he keeping? The most obvious one is that he has romantic feelings for Mike, which seems to be a foundation of Wills character arc and story. But check the next part out “will unfold behind the clouds, and there upon a rainbow, is the answer to a Neverending Story”. So Wills secret will indeed unfold and be told and when it does, him saying his truth could be the answer to the story, given that Mike gives a positive response. This world of trauma that he has potentially created can be beaten with positive emotions of love, happiness and safety. Also interesting the use of “on a rainbow” which we know can relate to lgbt.

Lastly, I want to talk about Will potentially having alot of power and being instrumental, therefore, in how the story unfolds. “Fly a fantasy, dream a dream, and what you see will be”, sounds very much like D and D. All through the seasons, many of the campaigns foreshadow events that unfold throughout the season. This could just simply be cool foreshadowing, but it could be much deeper. Many of the monsters could simply be metaphoric for trauma and therefore trauma that Will has faced. What if Vecna represents the fear that he has from Lonnie and his past? We know the Duffers said the mindflayer monster form in season 3 represented puberty and the troubles and negative side of this.

My previous post outlined how I believed Will could have hidden powers that he isn’t aware of and that he could potentially be very powerful. We also know that love is used to beat Vecna, not once, but twice. Once with happy memories with Max and twice in the lab. Therefore, Mikes love could be the answer to solve the story and to beat the trauma that Will has faced in the past? Totally possible I’m going crazy too, but it is worth considering the importance of this. A last thing to note, therefore, is that the answer to everything is Will needs to speak his truth and to finally face his demons (quite literally). But he has to receive the power to do this from Mike.

what music fits the people you write for?

I have a lot of people that I write for, so for this ask I'll just answer for the Hermits :> (hope you don't mind anon!)

Grian... well, it's kind of hard to articulate the vibes that he gives me. Barely restrained chaos in the form of an unassuming Gremlin? Comedic relief that turns out to be the villain all along? The Fall by half●alive

Mumbo Jumbo... he's just a guy! A guy that wouldn't hesitate to murder, and would do it with a cheerful smile on his face, but a guy all the same! He does give me more nostalgic energy- a Walkman whose songs are almost crunchy in quality because of how many times they've been copied over. Chapstick by COIN

Scar... will inevitably scam you out of something. He’s not actually all that malicious, more like a cartoon villain than anything else, but he’s legitimately good at manipulating people. He has a kind of goofy charisma, an ambition for power and an involvement in things- a talent for living that is more often than not underestimated. Mamma Mia by Austin Webber

Xisuma... is a star burning from a million light years away, whose impression upon our worlds is a pinprick of light in the night sky. He’s ever-present, constant and steady... comforting, to some. For all that he is, though- a leader, a protector, a friend- you could never remove the memory of mystery from his being. Overthinker by INZO

Etho... he’s the ghost of the server. He has an undeniable talent for everything he deigns to put his mind to, as well as the time spent to perfect the skills under his belt, but at the same time he’s not in a rush to show them off. Where other people might train their entire lives just to stand before a cheering crowd, he is proving his worth to nobody other than himself. Wasteland, Baby! by Hozier

Tango... is an interesting mix of one of the most tenacious and talented builders in the server, as well as a littol guy who delights in destruction and hijinks. I mean- he built Decked Out, there’s nothing more I can say for this man other than that he has a kind of mental illness (/j) that would make gods weep. Crazy = Genius by Panic! At The Disco

Impulse... can and will convince everyone that he’s human when, in reality, he’s probably one of the furthest things from it. He just... something about him makes him capable of going to lengths few could even dream of, whether it’s grinding materials or moving his entire goddamn base up by a block. He behaves the most “normally” out of most of the Hermits, but he’s really Not. Adventure Is Out There by AJR

Rendog... is a theater kid who was given the ability to fight God and win, plain and simple. He’s dramatic, he’s stubborn with the stories he wants to tell, and he’s filled with a simple zest for life. It’s only an even bigger bonus that he gets to be able to make his friends laugh with the characters he creates, and what more could a dog want, really? Best Friend by Rex Orange County

DocM77... has no qualms about breaking the fabric of reality itself, not because he actually is a villain, but because, to him, it’s a normal Tuesday afternoon. He’s not a mean or a malicious person- hell, he’s really only antagonistic for the bit! It’s just become second nature for him to play the villain because it’s funny, so why stop? Supermassive Black Hole by Muse

Bdubs... he’s feral, he’s climbing on the walls, he’s going to descend into hell only to come back with a smoothie and one of those tropical shirts that dads wear like he was on vacation. He’s both someone that is hard to take seriously, and a cosmic horror that would melt your mind to fully comprehend. He can and has cried during an argument because he has that many Feelings. Under My Skin by Jukebox The Ghost

NO SAY YOUR DRAGON PIECE I WANNA HEAR

AAAAAAA!!! I REALLY WAS JUST GONNA GET SAPPY FOR A MOMENT IS ALL BUT FUCK IT NOW IM GOING!!!!

truly didn't think anyone wanted to see my bullshitting in the tags but uh here we go

LONG POST AHEAD (SPIN WENT FUCKING BRRR)

[below the cut is me being very sappy about my love for dragons]

Intro 

Okay so I know you might mean about got/hotd (and i will get there) but I very much adore dragons and just need to scream about them for a sec.

Ever since I was little, I always had a huge affinity for dragons. I don't know what exactly drew me in but it probably had something to do with their amazing designs, colors, and personalities they got to have. I own like several different dragon books (4-7) because that's how obsessed I was as a kid. I wanted to know anything and everything about them, not realizing dragons have such a vast lore and change between depictions-- but little me did not give a fucking shit. I collected a book that went through like the basic overview of dragons, I got another book (drawing book) that went through different types of dragons, and a few more that I can't remember off the top of my head. Anything remotely dragon related I wanted because I was that kid. Not to mention the vast amount of drawings and writings I did about dragons. I made oc dragons, backstories, came up with a different language — I’m pretty sure I even talked about dragons in my school work. I was obsessed man (still am).

Now I watched a lot of different shows/movies/games even that had some dragon in it-- and it would instantly become my favorite thing from it. So obliviously , I grew attachments to a lot of them but here a just a handful who mean the most to me, the dragon kid--

Mulan - Mushu

I will never not love this funky lil man, okay? Like who the fuck doesn’t want a little pocket sized dragon to follow you around?

He's giddy, exuberant, and most importantly funny. Honestly, why I probably love Mulan so much is for him alone. I know I wished, for like the longest time, to have a lil dragon who would follow me around everywhere/talk to me— that was the dream for me. Although the boosts himself up to sound all big and bad dragon, he really comes across as friendly which I enjoyed a lot. He’s comedic but in the end proves that’s he’s truly has a big heart. Most book depreciations I had read had always either made the dragon big and scary or like all-knowing and untouchable. For me, as a kid, Mushu was a little hilarious red dragon that could keep me company, give me advice (albeit maybe a little bad), or just chill in my company. He was the almost ideal dragon in my brain I wanted to bond with and take on grand adventures.

Spirited Away - Haku/Kohaku

Now, I preface this with I have Spirited Away in DVD— and would put that disk in religiously; that was my movie.

I love Spirited Away (one of the first anime movies I ever watched) for all the incredible character designs and to the sheer magnitude of the fantastical setting it take places. As a kid, I wanted to explore those strange worlds between and see all different types of people, creatures and just experience fantasy. Like, yeah is it pretty fucked up watching your parents turn into pigs-- but holy shit, yall see No-Face???? My fucking beloved right there; I adored them immediately when I watched that movie. like their design, although “basic” is very fucking cool and they’re such an amazing fucking character, even without having to say much. Absorbing creatures and using their voices to speak but also gaining their personality-- there is so many layers to No-Face, it’s impossible not be intrigued and infatuated with them. (

I say all this  (not cause i was drawn off subject) to say--

Of course was also drawn to Haku. Yes, kid me had a big fucking crush on him(i mean truly who didn’t have a crush on hm bro); he fits my lovely lil blorbo niche perfectly. The stoic yet observant character was very interesting to me and I wanted to know more about him upon immediately seeing him. Then there was his dragon form, which is one of my favorites till this day; the white and green fur is iconic. He’s a bit more feral in that form but he’s not feral for no reason. His name has been stolen from him, forgotten so he acts accordingly; untrusting, aloof, and callous until Chihiro saves him from Yubaba’s control. Once gets his real name again, he’s free again and he does what he is meant to do. The reveal of him being a river spirit, and the way in which his dragon moves, smooth and flowing like water-- it’s simply perfect!!! 

HTTYD - Toothless

Now I wasn’t the biggest biggest fan of How To Train Your Dragon (I say having seen the 2nd movie in theater), I did enjoy the seeing all the varied types of dragons in the show, especially Toothless. First off, Night Fury is a hard name for a species of dragon. The concept of a disabled dragon was something I’ve never seen before, and it was very cool to see a dragon adapt to having an artificial limb. Then there was also the retractable teeth, which I thought was fucking cool too. Toothless’s curious, cat-like, personality was very nice to see and I enjoy the little goober. 

Hobbit Trilogy - Smaug

I know The Hobbit  trilogy gets a lot of shit but I can’t help but to like it for a bunch of different reasons. One of those being Smaug. Look I know every other dragon on this list has been actually either sweet or they’re not really mean but I just had to like this motherfucker. 

Foremost I absolutely adore his design, I think he also has another great and amazing dragon design. The sheer eyes scene at the end of ‘An Unexpected Journey”, had lil ol kid me wiggling in my fucking seat. He’s so fucking big (even though he’s one of the smaller ones in the universe) and seeing how easily he tore about Laketown in meer seconds was terrifying-- but also super cool. His look and movements are very fucking creepy too. The way he shifts around when talking to Bilbo when he first discovers him, it’s very clear it is a predator stalking his prey. He knows he’s intimidating and uses that to his advantage; keeping his movements slow so his “victims” can get the idea that he is this massive, undefeatable being. He’s proper and respectable, his ego and pride getting the best of him because he knows there’s nothing they can do to hurt him; they can’t possibly kill him. Then when he’s finally angered, his stature changes and he begins using his body like the weapon it’s designed to be. He’s agitated and swats with his tail and tries biting a whole lot more because at this point he doesn’t give a fuck. 

Smaug is such a douche of a dragon too, he embodies the typical dragon instincts (wanting his big ol pile of dwarf gold) whilst being a snarky bitch about it. He’s both archetypes of dragons in one, all knowing and an asshole, who doesn’t care who the fuck he’s got to hurt to get to his fucking gold. He toys with Bilbo, simultaneously warning him of Thorin’s downfall but also making him fear the things to come. Then when he finally sees Thorin again, he eggs him on-- knowing how easily he gets under his skin, knowing that really he can’t do anything to hurt him; he does the same thing with Bard. He uses his words to pick and pry at people’s head because he’s got a superiority complex; he is a high being, why should he listen to anyone else? I love how strong his ego was, how much he really gave no shit about anyone else and how even visceral his death was-- like watching a flame finally die out. 

GOT/HOTD - Rhaegal, Viserion, Drogon, Syrax, Caraxes (spoilers btw)

What you’ve all been waiting for!!! So funnily enough, I did come into the GOT scene pretty late (around s6-ish) and I really enjoyed lots of things about the series-- especially the dragons. 

I adore the design of these boys so much-- they huge, different colors, spiky and look like they can (and very much will) turn your ass to dust. But at the same time we can see their thoughts and emotions through their eyes, how they process the words from Dany or the emotions from others. I truly think they have a level of empathy, besides with Dany, and their little softening expressions as they recognize those emotions and then go about doing their dragon business. 

The depiction of dragons in GOT is really one of my favorite, because just like humans they have bonds, whether it’s between their rider or even each other. Rhaegal, Viserion, and Drogon being Dany’s children was so sweet to me because even through the struggles they recognized her as their rider, their mother and wanted to protect her and they also see each other as family. They’re a unit! It did hurt badly seeing their reactions to Viserion’s death and then Drogon’s was painful because their own little family fell right a part through their fingers. We see how badly Dany takes it but also Drogon who loses his brother’s and his mother in the process. He’s hurting just as bad but there is no comfort as he still wants to follow his mom to the end, and there’s no sympathies for him from anyone. I like to think him burning the throne was a way for him to process his ever growing grief, destroying the thing that had destroyed the only family he had ever known. 

Okay so with HOTD I am very happy to see dragons back again, like bro I missed them so much.

I love the relationship that Syrax and Rhaenyra have, it’s so sweet and perfectly mimics how Dany was with her children. It’s very clear the dedication the two of them have between each other and she easily picks up on Rhaenyra’s emotions. I love Syrax’s color, although there is something about her face shape that I don’t really like, she’s a beautiful dragon. 

Then there’s Caraxes (i apologize for the bias that is about to come out). I fucking adore Caraxes, his design is literally everything, like god he’s so fucking badass. The blood red color, the horns; truly a magnificent dragon indeed. I read somewhere that he’s deformed which is why the way he looks like how he does and also sound like that and I still think its amazing. He works with his elongated body, using his long neck like he’s a snake. He’s so fucking beautiful, I adore him. 

It’s very clear he’s got the same strong bond with Daemon and he’s clearly very protective of him. Perhaps they bond in a way because they both feel out of place in the family (dragon lineage for Caraxes) because they’re so different from everyone else. 

In conclusion - i think got/hotd dragons and their riders should go off  and chill on beaches and be happy because they deserve it. 

Closing

Now if you made it this far (or just scrolled all the way down), I congratulate you; you made it through me losing my entire fucking mind. Truly I haven’t had a big time to talk about dragons like this in a while or in such detail and if you read I hope you enjoyed my thoughts. There are so many cool and interesting things about these creatures and I always and happy to see all different sorts of approaches to them. Anyways ramble over.

PLEASE! vil and rook character analysis. If you want !! I would love to hear your thoughts! Love your art btw!

hello anon!!!! <|:]

i don't think my thoughts on vil would be much different than many other twst players? despite certain wasted potential and sloppy writing made by the creators, i definitely believe he has one of the best personalities and the best developments. and also despite the fact that vil is largely mischaracterized by the fandom, he's also loved by many like me who have already written many comprehensive essays about his given complexity. if you'd still want me to analyze the content about vil's character and share my own thoughts about him then i sure can! but it'd likely just be a reiteration of what others have said. however if you would like to know what i think about more subjective and niche areas of his personality, where in my own inference and deduction comes into play (basically headcanons), then please ask away!!

i feel this is also applicable for rook, and more so; because of his enigmatic personality some players have come up with rather unique takes on him to fill in the gaps so i dont feel what i say would differ much from the interpretations of his existing material nor that much interesting compared to how some view him.

despite all that, if you're still interested in what i have to say about them then please bear with me because id have to come up with a comprehensive template/structure that allows me to go balls to the walls insanium in tha cranium about them to the fullest!!

also, thank you so much! i just got out of a 2 year long art block so my skill is a little rusty. however i have a dream and it's to be the brain eating amoeba in your backyard pool and by God i will become it. im not the funniest jester in the royal court who sits in the kings lap and feeds him sherry wine because i tickle his pickle like no one else but i also need to run twst characters through the fuck-it-upinator. whether comedic, or homosexual, or deeply and emotionally ravaging and symbolic, it doesn't matter because you will suffer my visions by proxy xx

Megamind is hot, sue me

Megamind (the character, not the movie) is an acquired taste that gets better with each self-indulgent hyperfocus imbibing that I partake in. He’s hot, not only because he’s definitely queer coded and he doesn’t really appeal to the male gaze that renders most superheroes into muscular, honorable, overpowered men that real life men can project their power fantasies onto if they so choose, but because he’s just a good, intelligent, goofy person with integrity, despite his very apparent flaws. But that’s what makes him three-dimensional, real, and oh-so sympathetic. He jumps off the screen and the script like a living, nuanced person, thanks to the god-like abilities of the director, the screenwriter, and the impromptu comedic genius and effusive voice of Will Ferrell. 

When I first watched the movie at some point after it recently came out as a child, it passed through my memory much like flour falls through a sieve and the fine remnants got lodged so deep in the fever dream static layer of my subconsciousness that even Sigmund Freud would have trouble teasing it out. 

I’m still not even quite sure I actually did watch it when it first came out, because Despicable Me unfortunately overshadowed it and that movie got all the hype at the time. Megamind was far ahead of its time because it was so clever and the superhero genre that it was parodying had yet to peak. 

Then I found it as an adult, and my world was changed forever. The fever dream was real. I fell in love with it and it has officially taken its honorable place as my primary special interest. I have watched it probably ~10 times now and I will watch it many more times. It is my comfort movie. I adore it because it’s so goddamn well-rounded in pretty much every sense and every detail is accounted for, which is utterly delectable for an obsessive autistic brain like mine that constantly looks for patterns and connections.

Anyway, Megamind is hot, and he gets hotter the more you indulge in said hyperfixation on the movie. He’s very charismatic, he is endearing and constantly expresses care and concern towards Roxanne even when they’re flirting and brimming over the top with palpable chemistry while he’s showing off his menagerie of dangerous, albeit cliche, weapons of villainy acquired from Romania. And don’t even get me started on all the preening he does in vain attempts to impress Roxanne, the woman he’s been attracted to for longer than he’d like to admit (or even know himself, since he’s the only member of his species on a planet not native to him that’s in a completely different quadrant of space, and doesn’t really know anything about his species’ mating/courting rituals as a result). 

It’s so sweet and fun and his face expressions become totally lascivious and arrogant and soft when Roxanne is involved. My favorite is when Roxanne called him while he was in his lair while he was wearing a shower cap and goggles, and he asked, “What on earth is that?” and Minion replied, “It seems to be emanating from there, sir.” I love when he answers with, “Ollo?” and Minion corrects him, and then when he realizes it’s Roxanne he takes off his goggles as if she can see him, and calls her cute. 

I could go on forever. I love this movie and I’m a Megamind simp and I’m not ashamed of that shit.