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infraaa · 3 years

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I HAD A FUCKING EXPLOSION THE OTHER DAY—

So if you follow me you know that sometimes I make Royal Chaos content. If you’re also a history geek like me you’d know that most of the heroes from RC if not all are based off of real people.

Six out of eight of the most beautiful people of Chinese history are in the game, being Pan’An, Song Yu, Prince Gao, who is also known as Lanling Wang for the men, and Diaochan, Zhaojun, and Yuhuan for the women.

The other two are missing: Wei Jie and Xi Shi.

But good news for you all because after some digging I found them. And they are SO CUTE! We need to make a petition for RC to put these characters into the game! I can DEFINITELY see the four most beautiful men and women having a connection with one another, like little hubs! 😫 But I know what you’re thinking now, maybe some of you. Royal Chaos shouldn’t take from other games! Oh, but my dearest reader, you do know that some of Royal Chaos’s characters are in different games too, right? It wouldn’t be “taking from,” now if they just stole the concept than yes it would be. It’s not like Sega took Mario and co for the Olympic Games, and Vice versa. It’s kind of like that in a sense. ☺️

So, with no further adieu, I bring to you...

✨Headcanons on what class they’d be in and what they can do, as well as background information!✨

Disclaimer: I’m terribly sorry if I spell any of this wrong, Chinese is not my first language and it’s hard to spell out in English. Also, tw // war and suicide mentions, as well as descriptions of murder and violence, just in case...

This is Xi Shi.

Her clothes actually remind me a lot of Diaochan’s with the colors, as well as the moon in the back, as per history, Diaochan was so beautiful the moon would shy away when being compared to her. Xi Shi on the other hand, was believed to be so beautiful that when fish would see her as they swam by, they would forget how to swim and sink to the bottom of whatever body of water they were swimming in. (Beauty can really kill huh?) Out of the four most beautiful women in ancient China, she was considered to be the first.

Her Background and Biography

Xi Shi was born in 506 BC on the nineteenth of July in China’s Zhejiang Province in a small village called Xi Cun, or “West Village.” Because a lot of people that lived there had “Shi” as a last name, and because she was born in the west, she was referred to as Xi Shi. She was born into a pretty ordinary household. Her father sold firewood for a living and her mother did silkwork. Ever since she was little, she would go out to this river to wash the silk that her mother had made. She lived during the Spring and Autumn Period, and within that time, China wasn’t a “whole country,” it was made up of several kingdoms fighting against each other. Xi Shi is from the state of Yue, which had been vanquished by the state of Wu. After that the Emperor of Yue, Gou Jian, was forced to serve the Emperor of Wu, Fu Chai, for three years. Gou Jian then thought of a plan to defeat the Wu State and take power back. He knew that the Fu Chai was a sucker for pretty women, and he also knew that if Fu Chai was surrounded with beautiful women, he would be too distracted to work for his state. But for this plan to work, Gou Jian needed to find a woman that had stunning beauty that was willing to sacrifice herself for the better of the country. Gou Jian found Xi Shi and he picked her. He then asked his minister, Fan Li, to take Xi Shi to Fu Chai as a tribute gift from Yue. On the way however, she fell in love with him, as he was wise and kind. He reciprocated her feelings in turn. Now, they could have escaped this plan and thwarted it but they were both loyal to their country. So, they made a pledge of their undying love for one another in secret. When she was brought before Fu Chai, he was indeed entranced by her, spending more and more time with her, neglecting his duties. After some time, he realized that he should not have been bewitched by her, as the Yue Stare had become more powerful due to his neglectful behavior. Gou Jian had invaded the state of Wu and forced Fu Chai to commit suicide. When this happened, Xi Shi’s mission was complete. The ending that I choose to believe is that she reunited with Fan Li and she lived on with him after he quit his job as a minister. The other ending is really grim...

Her Class and Quality

Xi Shi could definitely be a scholar, an AOE especially. I can imagine that she could do something similar to that of Diaochan, despite her being a medic. She could impact the opposing formations’ abilities to put damage on the formation shes defending using a debuff, much like Daji can do. I can see her being a Defense Hero and possibly having strength in Control for all these reasons, as well as real history, helping her state in the face of despair. She could be considered as a fabled hero, but could also be an epic hero considering the bloat of the fabled class making up mostly half of the hero cast as a whole.

Her Possible Abilities

Chant of Heroism

She can attack anywhere from 4 to 8 times descending on CRIT, dealing 60%+164 DMG to a random front enemy with each hit, lasting one round. Until three layers are tagged, the enemy will lose anywhere from 15 to 25 HP, decreasing DEF by 4%.

Promising Honor

50:50 chance of tagging a back or front target. Allies then force attention to the front if the tag is in the back, dealing 5% more damage. This tag cannot be dispelled for two rounds.

Her Preferred Gems and Treasure

Gems: DEF, ATK, ACC

Treasure: Primarily something with a DEF bonus, so the lamps, each one activating her Destiny ability. However, any other treasure that offers an ATK or RES bonus is also good.

Her Occupation

I can imagine her working in the Ministry of Defense as a General, much like Wen Ruyan. For her other occupation, she could be a poet of some kind, probably a primary or mid poet, something like that, or she could be a primary chess sage.

Hero Compatibility

She could work with other scholars that can do some damage, namely Song Yu and Ying Zheng. She could also work with medics depending on their skill set. Diaochan would be a prime choice.

~~~~

The guy on the right is Wei Jie.

Look at that cat! (´⊙ω⊙`) But for real, this poor guy. He reminds me of the “gentle giant” archetype. Not just because of his looks, no, he’s actually ill with some kind of disease. (I have a head canon that it’s AIDS/HIV, but I don’t have a lot of evidence to support that right now. All I know is that his immune system is very weak to infection and he has respiratory problems and it’s just that he’s very weak overall...) Despite his health however, he’s actually compared to Jade, being like a jade doll. Jade is very valuable in China and is considered to be a very precious stone, especially in the eyes of aristocrats and royalty. Out of the four most handsome men in ancient China, he was considered as the fourth.

His Background and Biography

(I had to use multiple resources for this, I couldn’t find a lot of information on him, so I had to get creative. Sorry!)

Wei Jie, like Pan’An, also lived during the Xi Jin (Western Jin) Dynasty. He was born into a very wealthy household, and was recognized for his beauty alone at the age of five. His uncle, who also had extraordinary good looks, said that walking with his nephew was like “having a gleaming pearl at my side.” He had fans from far and wide, causing chaos and the forming of something along the lines of a twisted harem to form under his shadow. When Wei Jie grew up, this only got worse. Hoards of women would literally block the streets and chase after him because they all wanted him so badly, which this caused a lot of backlash onto his family. Because his family was aristocratic, they had to keep a sensible reputation. People were jealous of the Wei family because of the immense wealth and beauty that they all possessed. Luckily, Wei Jie couldn’t go out that often, as he doesn’t have a strong body, and has been ill since his infancy. He wasn’t allowed to go out during his childhood because of the fear that whatever ailment he had could spread. Because of this belief and the immense jealousy that others had, most of his family, with the exception of his father, fifth uncle, and cousin, were all murdered quite brutally. This lead him to be the young master of the Wei Manor. This pattern of not going out a lot and things continued on for some time. He would go out on occasion if he really needed something, and he didn’t necessarily like all the attention he brought to himself unknowingly. He grew easily overwhelmed by it and constantly sought to get away from the large groups of people that swarmed him. This anxiety and stress of attention exhausted him, and he actually passed from all that exhaustion. He was “watched to death,” as people said. Poor guy... he just wanted to be alone... let us introverts be!

His Class and Quality

Oh, he’s a medic, for sure. I know also that he was an imperial physician in the game I found him from, but he only worked on commission, if that makes sense, like if people actually wanted to be treated by him. He would kind of be like a better version of Shizhen. Very agile and quick, but also the more you get to him, his attack rate can slowly increase. I can see him being some kind of control hero. Back Support too, that would make sense. So control + support. He would be in Fabled Class, definitely. Props to him!

His Possible Abilities

Jade Solstice

Chanting a medical spell from his calabash gourd, he can stun a front line enemy for one round, lowering 20 rage. If a critical is achieved, they will turn chaotic and attack other members of their formation for one round, taking away 15% of the enemies overall DEF and then giving it to his other formation members.

Internal Grace

Shielding himself using the gourd’s energy, he gains 10% RES. Any rage prompted attack he makes will grant him 2% more ATK bonus points for one round, increasing the formation’s overall CRIT by 10%. This can be layered twice and cannot be dispelled or immune to.

His Preferred Gems and Treasure

Gems: HP, CRIT, ATK

Treasure: To increase damage while keeping DEF, use the stamps. However, any CRIT or ATK bonus treasure is good too, just as long as it buffs his accuracy as well!

His Occupation

This is where it got tricky. I would assume he would work alongside Pan’An in the Ministry of Rites where they would compose poems together. It’s just that since he can’t actually go out too much that’s where it gets a little complicated. He could probably act as some kind of moderator or something along those lines, something where he wouldn’t have to deal with people that much.

Hero Compatibility

He would need strong tanks to help him out. Prince Gao, Prince Jing, or even Xiang Yu would be good for him. He would also want heroes that would boost his abilities even more, gotta have that support, you know? Wu Zetian, Yuhuan, or Pan’An would be good choices.

~~~~

Now for the final part...

✨Connections✨

Xi Shi

I think they’re’s already a connection that has Zhaojun, Diaochan, and Yuhuan in it. I would take that and add Xi Shi into the connection, but also bring her attributes to the table, in summary. What I mean by that is take her attributes and summarize them into one. So her strongest asset would be the fact that she could be an AOE with a control bonus. She could add ACC and DEF to the table to help with your formation if activated.

Wei Jie

Just like the ladies, I know there’s already a connection with Pan’An, Song Yu, and Prince Gao in it. Same deal, take it, put him in it, and add his summarized ability. He could be a Medic with strength in CRIT. So, he could bring CRIT to the table, obviously, as well as extra ATK buffs if activated.

~~~~

To conclude, *coughs as if to clear throat* Xi Shi, Wei Jie. We need to add them. The quartets aren’t filled up yet. Wouldn’t it be a surprise for them to finally come together in gorgeous matrimony as the queens they are? All heroes are queens. Plain and simple, not matter how awful their skill sets may be at times. (We see you, Shizhen. You matter, even though his skill set isn’t the best he’s still kinda great 😅)

#royal chaos headcanons #royal chaos #fabled hero headcanons #headcanons #royal chaos theories #infrawrites #tw //

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iliveiloveiwrite · 4 years

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At first I thought it was infatuation

A/N: So here’s part 2 to Leave me reckless, off the map! I didn’t actually think I would be writing a part 2, I didn’t think anyone would want it but you do! So that’s great! I hope you all like it. Please listen to the song You Send Me by Sam Cooke, I feel it sums up Sirius’ feelings through this. Also, I firmly reject the fact that Sirius died in Order of The Phoenix - for creative license but also my own heart bc no thank you.

Title: Sam Cooke - You Send Me

Summary: The time away brings confessions from Sirius.

Pairing: Sirius Black x Reader, Remus Lupin x Reader

Warnings: angst? Swearing.

Word count: 1777

Ravenscar is located on the East Coast. Your family had had a country house there for as long as you can remember. Your fondest memories before you arrived at Hogwarts and met the Marauders was spending your summers with your great aunt there; taking trips into Scarborough, walking up and down the coast.

Breathing in the sea air, you feel more yourself than you have in weeks. The long walk to the beach below Ravenscar helps to clear your head. It had been a few days since you left Grimmauld Place – you felt guilt for simply just walking out, but you couldn’t stay there. It was not the environment that you could live in; you simply couldn’t take watching him be so happy with a woman that wasn’t you. Your head was clear though; you were coming to realisations.

Sirius turns up on your third day there. You open the door to him, and your heart drops to the floor.

“What’s happened?” You ask, letting him enter the house.

“What makes you think something’s happened?”

“You’ve casually shown up on my door without warning. I can’t help but be worried, we’re in the middle of a war, Sirius.”

“You’re right, we are. But you’re taking some time out. Nothing’s happened, everyone’s fine. Harry was a bit put out when I told him he couldn’t come with me but other than that, everyone is okay.”

“I’m glad. I feel so guilty for taking some time, but I need to get my head sorted. I can’t go on a mission for Dumbledore in the place I am mentally, it would get me and whoever I’m with hurt.”

“I love you; you know.”

The confession blindsides you. He’s sitting on your couch, picking at one of the ancient cushions you never replaced after your aunt had passed away. He told himself he wasn’t going to immediately drop it on you – that he loves you. He has since Fifth Year; you were smart, so smart, and principled. You stood up for what you believed in. You gelled instantly with the Marauders and Lily and to be frank, he fell arse over tea kettle in love with you. He kept his sanity in Azkaban because of two things: his innocence, and you. He knew of your feelings for Remus, so he kept silent. Even after he escaped, but once Remus told him he was getting married, Sirius saw no reason to keep quiet anymore.

“You love me?” You ask, breathlessly.

He nods, “I have since Fifth Year.”

You sit down, “Since Fifth Year?”

He nods again.

“Why didn’t you ever say something Sirius?”

“You were in love with Remus. It broke my heart nearly every day I saw you look at him, I prayed that you would look at me like that,” He chuckles, “I’m turning more sentimental the older I get. I love you though, wholly and completely. I never wavered. There were only two things that got me through Azkaban – my innocence and you.”

“Oh Sirius, I never knew.”

Sirius walks over to you, kneels in front of you, takes your hand in his as he did not even a week ago when he was patching you up. “How were you to know? I was pretty good at covering my emotions back then.”

You clasp his hand tightly, running your thumb over the many tattoos that grace his fingers, “I wish you had told me.”

“Would it have made any difference if I had?”

Your silent at that, you aren’t entirely sure. “No,” You say slowly, “I don’t think it would have back then. I was pretty blind. I’ve had time to think now though, time to clear my head.”

He stands up, he makes to walk away while saying, “Don’t play with me now, (Y/N). That isn’t fair.”

You stand too, grabbing his hand again to pull him back to you. Your face to face now, “I’m not playing with you, Sirius. It’s only been a few days, but you’ll be amazed at what the Yorkshire air can do. It can make you see sense. My love for Remus would have always remained one-sided and I would have remained miserable for the rest of my life. I deserve better than that.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying kiss me, Sirius”

He hesitates for a single moment; unsure as to whether you’re kidding. He places his hands on your hips and pulls you closer to him. He dips his head, ready to kiss you, but he stops at the last minute. “You’re sure?”

You nod, your arms wrapping around his neck, “I’m sure, Sirius. Kiss me, please”

So he does. He has been in love with you since he was sixteen years old and planning for his future. He’s loved you when you told him you were in love with his best friend. He was in love with you through his entire incarceration. And he’s in love with you now, as you melt into his kiss and mould yourself to his body. You fit together seamlessly. He has dreamed of this day since he was sixteen. If this was to be his last day on earth, he would thank every god and every deity for letting him have this moment before he was taken.

In the end, it is you who pulls away. But it is only to whisper, “Stay the night, Sirius.”

You’re in his arms, breathless. The only thing you want in this entire world, is for him to stay the night, to stay with you for the rest of eternity if possible.

He presses a scorching kiss to your lips. Thrilled at the fact that he can do that now, freely. “Of course, I’d like nothing better.”

Morning comes, and you’re wrapped tightly in Sirius’ arms. The night previous seems like a fever dream: his hands, his mouth. He stirs next you, pulls you even closer, presses a kiss to your exposed neck.

“Good morning,” He whispers, somewhat scared to break the moment. As if you’ll come to your senses and regret your decision.

You turn in his arms, drawing him into a long kiss. You both melt into each other, you only realising now how well you fit together.

“I’m sorry.” You murmur.

“Whatever for?” He shifts so he’s above you now, his arms on either side of your head.

“For taking so long. For not seeing your feelings, for not taking them into account. For being so blind.”

He kisses you silent, presses you further into the mattress. “Don’t be. We have now. We have all the time in the world for a whole life.”

You hum, “I really like the sound of that.”

“It’s my turn to apologise now though, love”

“What for?”

“I have to leave later today.”

You sit up, “Why? How come?”

Sirius places kisses along your bare shoulder, “Dumbledore has a mission for me. This isn’t a one-night stand. No, we are going to have a life together. I’ve waited this long; I won’t wait any longer. I have the girl of my dreams, as cheesy as it is to say.”

“Okay,” You nod, “You set off today, I’ll follow on behind. I’m ready to start this life you talk about, Black, so please be safe whatever you are doing.”

He laughs as he pulls you back into the duvet cover. A life together sounds like pure heaven, you think, as Sirius’ lips start to trail down your stomach.

Returning to London, to Grimmauld Place, you’re pulled into an empty room by Remus. You barely have time to greet Sirius, you could hear him in the kitchen – recounting tales of the Marauders to Harry and Ron.

It doesn’t take long for you to notice the gold ring on Remus’ left hand.

“Where were you?” Remus asks.

“I’m sure Sirius told you, Remus.”

“He didn’t actually.”

“I went home.”

“Why?”

“I needed to rest. The knife wound affected me more than I thought.”

“I don’t believe you.”

You reel back, looking at him in shock. “I’m sorry?!”

“I don’t believe you.” He states bluntly.

“You don’t have to. That’s what happened though.”

“You didn’t say goodbye.”

“I didn’t have to.”

“What happened?”

“I couldn’t stay here anymore; I just needed some time away.”

“But why?” He pleads, “Why couldn’t you stay here? What changed… oh”

“What? What have you figured out Remus?”

“The night you left, I told you about my getting married.”

“It was. I don’t think you understood how hard it was for me to hear that.”

“It was hard for you to hear I was getting married?”

“Remus! You aren’t usually so obtuse! Of course it was. I have been in love with you since our Third Year of Hogwarts. It was in Sixth Year when I realised it wasn’t some passing fancy. It was when James and Lily died that I realised you were never going to love me back. But for all these years, I have stood by your side, hoping and waiting. I have sat through full moon after full moon, and I kept hoping that one day you’ll see me in that light. But it never happened. It turned into self-hatred after a while because I couldn’t believe how stupid I had been.

The thing is, you came in and you told you had found someone you love that much; you would marry her. And you were so happy. Why should I be the one to stand in the way of that? Should I have declared my undying love then? Absolutely not, it would have made me even more the fool. I would have destroyed any semblance of a relationship we have ever had.

Don’t get me wrong. I am so happy for you, Remus. If there is anyone who deserves a happy life, it is you. But you do not, for one second, get to make me feel shitty for having to step away for a while.”

“You love me?”

“Not anymore. I love you as a friend, of course I do. But romantically? Not anymore.”

“Not anymore?”

“Nope. I was away for a few days, but it cleared my mind.”

“You’re truly happy for me?”

You walk over to Remus, place a hand on his cheek and brush your thumb across the scar there. “I truly am. I don’t want anything else for you but happiness and love.”

He nods, placing his hand over yours. “I wish the same for you too, you know.”

“I know.” You leave Remus behind. Your friendship would remain, and for that you were grateful. But you had someone else now. And he was waiting for you in the kitchen.

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thebibliomancer · 4 years

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Essential Avengers: Avengers #208: Eve of Destruction!

June, 1981

“From eons past comes the world’s most savage warrior... THE BERSERKER LIVES AGAIN!”

So this is the Berserker!

Hm. He looks somewhat less impressive as some Roman looking dude as opposed to a shambling vaguely human shape of rock and undying fury.

But I’ll give him a chance to impress in the actual book.

So last time: Wonder Man was working on a cowboy movie, badly, when he got the Avengers call that it was Avengers time. A new island had appeared in the middle of the Mediterranean and the only inhabitant, the Shadow Lord, made the US navy look like fool chumps. The Shadow Lord captured Wonder Man’s publicist Rachel Palmer and explained his whole backstory to her.

That his people the Earth Lords moved to an island, mastered the four elements, and became very concerned with an immortal Berserker so hit him in the face with a volcano. But since it was a dick move to wipe out several towns to get one guy, the Earth Lords disbanded except for Shadow Lord who had to stand watch for two thousand years in case the Berserker came back. And then the Berserker came back.

Instead of fighting the Berserker, Shadow Lord ends up fighting the Avengers a lot and then they beat up his city and then he dies. He wasted his entire life but he feels pretty okay with leaving his responsibilities to them.

This time: world’s oldest man causes problems on purpose.

He’s spry though.

And apparently between issues he chipped off all the rock, found a shield and spear, and also murdered an entire regiment. He’s been very productive between issues.

But he’s got more murder to do because he’s got to show off his sick skills before the Avengers show up so that its more impressive when they survive his sick skills, unlike all these poor dead Italian army people.

So he’s being attack by tanks and planes. And that just makes him scoff at the cowards attacking him with projectiles. Scoff in English.

I don’t know how he knows modern English. The Shadow Lord explicitly learned English out of Rachel Palmer’s brain to explain how he could speak it and then next issue, a guy that’s been buried under rock for two thousand years just pops out speaking English.

If both of them had spoken English with no explanation, I wouldn’t have even noticed. Comics be like that. Aliens speak English.

Anyway, his shield has an aura that turns metal to dust before it even strikes it. So he blocks a cannon shell without much fuss. And the plane on a strafing run gets his spear, which flies up and slices it in two. And then he pulls out what he calls a Cerellian power-sword and swings it, releasing a searing beam of energy which rips open the ground a hundred yards away to bury some tanks.

So he was buried in lava while carrying some sweet gear, apparently.

And it is very sweet gear. But the man himself was described as dangerous and dammit I don’t see it yet.

We pivot sharply over to the Avengers on Shadow Lord Island where the Shadow Lord again tells the Avengers to carry on his mission and gives Rachel his necklace before dying again.

And then, because Rachel got the exposition last time but no main characters did, she recaps his deal. Including the part that the Avengers already know, like how they beat him.

This is some clunky exposition but I’m the one who always complains when comics don’t establish enough context for me when I’m picking up random issues in the middle of a story.

Captain America asks Rachel, since she’s the new expositor, who the Berserker is but she decides that can wait. Its much more important to hold a funeral for the Shadow Lord.

And perhaps its the mistimed insistence on due to the dead when they can bury an ancient Avatar after stopping an ostensible threat to the world that explains why the Avengers give the funeral their full passive-aggressive 110%.

So on an island that’s soon to collapse into the sea, Wonder Man finds a rock to use as a headstone, Iron Man digs a grave with his repulsors, Vision carves several slabs of rock, Jocasta fuses them into a coffin, Beast carries the coffin over to the dead Shadow Lord, Captain America puts him in the box, Wasp carves an inscription on the headstone, and Scarlet Witch uses her power to change the probability that the grave won’t fill itself in. Which I find the most passive-aggressive move of all, for some reason.

And then the Avengers all gather around and bid farewell to a man that they accidentally killed.

Only after they’ve done all this does Rachel decide to tell them-

Nope.

After all of that, she says “I could tell you but it will be much clearer if you see it for yourselves... in the pool of memories.”

Ffs, Rachel.

So she takes them to the pool of memories, which was apparently something Shadow Lord showed her how to use off-panel.

Geez, the best stuff keeps happening off-panel.

And luckily, when the Avengers leveled the city, they didn’t quite manage to break the pool of memories. Which isn’t a pool. Its a fancy bowl of water.

There’s no reason why it couldn’t have been a pool, artist Gene Colan.

Or: once it was drawn as a bowl why didn’t you change it to something accurate but still with a cool sounding name? Vessel of Memories. Or Font of Memories. Bam, its a bowl with water in it, intrigue!

Anyway, Rachel dips a finger into the memory water which is definitely not pensieve because it predates it by nearly twenty years. This causes a flashback to queue up in the water and for it to start monologuing directly into the Avengers’ heads.

“What follows was culled from the memories of the Berserker himself. Listen carefully. The fate of the world may depend on it.”

So. Wait.

I know its called the Pool of Memories and I know that the Earth Lords were magic enough to remotely erupt a mountain. But does the Pool of Memories contain all memories in the world? Because that’s fairly impressive and just a bit creepy! Or does it just contain the Berserker’s memories since the Earth Lords were stalking him a little bit? How did they get the memories? Its going to turn out that the memories in the Pool of Memories way predate the Earth Lords so how the heck does this all work??

Come back to life, Shadow Lord, and explain your Font of Exposition!

Anyway.

SO! The Berserker goes back to prehistoric cave man times.

He was the sole survivor of a war party against another tribe and he had to run from them and was cornered near the “Cave of Glowing Walls.” Which is a cave. Which had glowing walls.

None who entered had ever returned but between the being beaten to death by clubs that you know and the death you don’t, Pre-Berserker picked the unknown.

“His pursuers laughed at his folly as he went into the cave. Inside, he saw the walls themselves emitting a horrible, unearthly light -- and the reamins of all those who had preceded him.”

“Within moments he too was felled by the lethal glow. He felt the life draining from him. But he did not die there. He was different from the others. Slowly, tortuously, he crawled to safety.”

“His nearly lifeless body tumbled down the rocky slope outside the cave... only to arise hours later, now surging with incredible power -- power bestowed upon him inside the cave of glowing walls!"

Okay. So. At this point I have to ask.

Is this just Vandal Savage? Is this one of those serial number filed off things so the Avengers can fight Vandal Savage?

Anyway, Pre-Berserker brushed himself up, marched right back to that enemy tribe, and killed the entire thing. For the cave also filled him with an unquenchable fury.

An unquenchable, undying fury.

Because he stopped aging.

And because he was always being extremely pissed and killing, people started calling him the Berserker.

And one day, much, much later, he was doing his favorite activity of killing in the city of Sumer when he caught the eye of a nobleman who thought to offer him money for him to kill specific people.

This turned the Berserker’s life around. It had never occurred to him that killing people was a career.

From that point on, he had direction to his life. He wandered the world as a mercenary and apparently was there and shaped history.

He helped set up the dynasties of the pharaohs. Helped with Alexander the Great’s conquests. But it gets even more bonkers.

His reputation became so great that actual factual aliens from another world showed up to hire him.

“At first he cringed in superstitious fear before these alien creatures... But once in battle he discovered that he enjoyed killing foes there as much as back on Earth... a feeling that would be oft-repeated as his exploits took him to scores of other worlds. The destinies of empires -- of entire planetary systems were decided by who hired him first.”

Been there, shaped history. IN SPAAAAAAAAACE.

And his space jobs paid him in sweet gear. And now we know where he got his sweet gear.

What I don’t understand is why he went back to Earth at all?

Yes, he probably could have conquered the Earth with all his sweet space gear. Maybe probably. Marvel’s kitchen sink goes back a long way. Turns out there was a Ghost Rider who ghost rode a flaming mammoth.

But either way, the guy didn’t have the ambition to do that. He was perfectly happy as long as someone paid him to murder people. Preferably in sweet gear that helped him more efficiently murder people.

He comes back to Earth and joins the Roman legions but why? He got to travel planet to planet to different battlefields and shape empires that spanned star systems. Shouldn’t Earth feel kind of small after that?

But he has to be on Earth and joining the Roman legions otherwise how could the Earth Lords get wind of him and scheme to hit him in the face with a volcano.

That was established last time so now we need him to reach that point. Even though the newly established intermediate points make that endpoint suddenly weird.

But it be like that sometimes.

The Font of Exposition runs out of backstory just as the city runs out of ‘still existing.’

So the Avengers and Rachel rush into the Quinjet and fly away just as the city falls apart into the sea.

Gosh, I’m sure glad we spent time doing an elaborate funeral for Shadow Lord when his grave is now spilling into the ocean.

Rachel gets frustrated that all the evidence for this scoop that she rushed into danger for just sank and that she’s going to be a publicist for bad movies forever.

Simon “Wonder” Williams counters with ‘hey at least you’ll still have a job’ considering he bailed on filming to go do superhero stuff.

And indeed we see Merriwether T. Fenniwell, telegram man, delivering a telegram to Avengers Mansion.

“Mr. Williams.

Due to unexplained absence from set of Guns of the Gunman you have been replaced. Find yourself another job and another agent.

Sid Sterling

Star-Maker”

Your mistake there was not telling anyone you were going and why, Simon. You possibly would have been fired anyway. But you only have yourself to blame for not even making an attempt. Geez.

Anyway, don’t feel too bad for Simon. Back on the Quinjet he’s apologizing for being rude to Rachel on the set, saying he was just frustrated with his own lousy acting.

And Rachel slips her hotel key into his pocket and tells him to make it up to her by coming by for dinner.

The original plan was to drop Rachel off at the film set before going to look for the Berserker but whoops, they find him first.

“The Avengers gaze in awe at the scene of carnage and devastation below them -- a scene reminiscent of war or natural disaster. But this bloody tableau was crafted by no clash of armies nor by earthquake or flood. It was created by... the Beserker!”

When they find him he seems to be digging a hole in the ground with his super space spear.

Logically, Beast and Iron Man knock him into the hole.

That’s the smart move, right?

No.

The Berserker had been digging up a space chariot pulled by space robot horses. And I like to think that the Avengers knocked him right into it.

I do wonder about how the chariot ended up buried and how the Berserker found it so quick. I’m not worried about how it still functions perfectly after two thousand years. It be like that in comics.

Anyway, the space chariot has more to recommend it than just not having to feed or maintain it for two thousand years. Its also got a demon mouth carved in the back that leaves a trail of fire as the chariot flies. Yeah, also its a flying chariot.

And its not mundane hot fire. Its force field space cold fire. Uh, so basically think the tron light cycle walls.

Because the Berserker flies circles around the Avengers to enclose them in a cage of non-burning fire.

The fire does still consume oxygen and apparently the fire cage is air tight so its going to burn up all the oxygen inside and asphyxiate the Avengers.

Well, Vision and Jocasta will be fine. Oh, and Iron Man. He has his own built-in respiration system. But the rest will die and that’s a bummer.

THANKFULLY IRON MAN IS WONDERFULLY AND BIZARRELY PREPARED FOR THIS EXACT SCENARIO.

If this specific ability ever comes up again, I’m going to lose my shit because its so specifically tailored to this plot. I love Iron Man’s ridiculous swiss-army armor sometimes.

So you know his shoulders? Those things on top of his arms? Kind of a raised area on his armor?

Those are apparently epaulets and they’re ‘break shoulder in case of asphyxiation emergency.’ He rips them right off to pull out two emergency oxygen cylinders.

The idea is that the breathing Avengers will pass the two cylinders around judiciously and hopefully they’ll last long enough between everyone that the fire cage will burn itself out.

Which does happen. Good job, Iron Man.

Meanwhile, Berserker has scooped up Rachel because “this woman is but a reward that is a great warrior’s due.” Yeah, he’s that kind of immortal guy from prehistoric times. And also he’s been under rock for two thousand years.

Rachel protests being damseled, which honestly two times in as many issues isn’t great, but Berserker is like ‘hush i’m working’ and then he blows up St. Giovanna’s Cathedral, just because he can. And then he blows up a town, off-panel, to reveal a secret city that Caesar built to honor him.

Geez. How much stuff does he have buried around here?

The Berserker lands his space chariot and decides that two thousand year is a long enough vacation so he needs to get back to his work because if you love what you do, truly you’ll never work a day in your immortality.

Berserker: “The instruments of war may change over the centuries, but the nature of man never does! I shall easily sell my services -- as always -- the the highest bidders. Then will the land be once again awash with the blood of millions that will fall under my sword... and once again the planet -- nay the entire universe -- will know and fear the greatest warrior that ever lived!”

Like I said, he loves what he does. And is probably the best at what he does and it ain’t pretty?

He also tells Rachel to go inside this building that's been buried underground for two thousand years and put on some proper raiment.

I gave the space chariot a pass. It’s from space. But Rachel finds and puts on a dress that should have decayed a very long time ago. Is it a space dress? Its probably a space dress.

But the space dress decolletage prompts the Berserker to notice and recognize the necklace Shadow Lord gave Rachel.

When Rachel tells him how she came about them, Berserker is like ‘lol eat shit the Earth Lords, mine now’ and steals the necklace from Rachel to wear for himself.

And then the Avengers show up for some more action sequences.

Or, lets be honest, more chances for the Berserker to show off his sweet space gear.

He blows up the ground beneath the Avengers’ feet with his power sword, sending several tumbling into the Earth.

When Iron Man rays him with a repulsor, the Berserker smirkingly no-sells it, informing Iron Man that his fancy armor is actually fancy space armor.

Berserker: “Ha! The tyrants of Aturak IV built this armor to withstand a proton cannon. ... Surely it can handle the bite of a mosquito!”

Geez, not just repulsors, he’s also proofed against Iron Man’s mightiest weapon?

And then he follows it up by throwing a dagger at Vision. Vision scoffs that he’ll just go intangible and let the blade pass through. But, of course, its a space dagger, from the Arkossian system.

It sticks in intangible Vision and starts draining his energy.

For not knowing anything about the Avengers, he’s doing a good job at making them all look like chumps, with sweet space gear that seems selected to thwart them.

And that’s part of writing a credible threat, I suppose. Having said threat able to pose a decent challenge. But playground style ‘I do this’ ‘Nuh uh, my guy is immune’ doesn’t always make enthralling fight scene.

Anyway, speaking of selectively thwarted, Iron Man finds himself magnetized to Berserker’s shield. And whatever metal approaches Berserker’s shield must yield.

It has that metal disintegrating aura and apparently magnets.

Iron Man manages to pull away somehow, but the shield short-circuits one of his power pods (those roundy things on his hips) which knocks the armored Avenger unconscious.

And then! To add insult to injury! Berserker’s shield magnetically steals from his pocket the hotel key Rachel gave Wonder Man and disintegrates it. Guess Wonder Man isn’t getting lucky tonight.

But he is having an idea. One of those epiphany ideas where an unrelated but thematically similar or adjacent happenstance or utterance makes you figure out the whole thing.

A key happening reminds him of how the Shadow Lord could unlock a Shadow World and would not that imply a key?

So while Wasp does Berserker the first injury this whole fight by zapping him in the face (and then getting swatted, alas) Wonder Man grabs for the necklace Berserker took from Rachel.

Wonder Man tries to figure out how the pyramidal amulets on the necklace fit together but gets sword smacked by Berserker who doesn’t appreciate someone tugging on his new bling.

But the Avengers pull off some good teamwork combo attack.

Wanda uses her powers to make the probability that some columns will fall over be 100%. Captain America throws his mighty shield and the Berserker yields right into the path of the falling column. And Jocasta melts the falling column to try to cover him in molten rock, which is the one thing they know works.

But I suppose that a mere falling melting column doesn’t compare to an entire volcano or maybe he spent those 2,000 years thinking of exactly what to do in this situation. Because Berserker swings his sword above his head, diverting the molten rock away from him.

And then Berserker drags Jocasta into his metal disintegrating shield for trying to give him a hot shower.

He’s apparently familiar with or at least not too surprised at the concept of robots. He’s been to space, after all.

He also decides that rather than hold her against the shield until she completely disintegrates, that he’ll dunk her in the molten rock she had tried to use on him.

Beast finally climbs out of the hole that I assume he’s been in this whole time and tries to tackle Berserker but the guy just slams Beast into Scarlet Witch.

And now its just Captain America vs Berserker. Which of course means that Captain America is going to make a Thing of it.

Captain America: “Alright mister -- it’s just you and me now. And so long as one Avenger stands -- we’re not defeated.”

He kicks the energy space power sword out of Berserker’s grasp to Berserker’s surprise but Cap notes to himself that doing so sent a shock from the sword through his boot. Guess his soles aren’t rubber.

And since Cap got to say a cool thing, so does Berserker. Although substitute ‘cool’ for ‘kinda hurtful.’

Berserker: “Bah! A weapon is only need to battle a true warrior -- you are certainly less than that!”

And then Berserker slams his shield into Cap’s head, knocking him out. How ironic. He who lived by the shield was knocked out by the shield. Really makes you think.

Now all the Avengers lie sprawled unconscious at Berserker’s feet. And now that they’re unconscious, he can actually walk back some of the smack talk.

Berserker: “In truth, they were fine warriors but even they were nothing next to my power!”

I had been wondering. I wouldn’t think that he’d have fought many people like the Avengers in the past times. Maybe IN SPACE. You got the Kree and the Shi’ar up there.

Anyway, when I said that all the Avengers lie sprawled unconscious, I spoke in error.

Wasp was only stunned and now she’s been overlooked what with all the full-sized people lying about.

Her strategy now that she’s alone on the battlefield with the guy is... she flies up to him and zaps him in the face.

You did that last time, Wasp! And like last time, he just whaps you out of the air! With his hand this time, not a space energy power sword. But then he decides to step on you, deciding that she’ll be the first of the Avengers to die.

Yeah, he doesn’t seem much for the ‘they were honorable foes, I’ll let them go so I can fight them again.’

However, now Wonder Man is up and he rushes Berserker to grab at the necklace again.

Berserker unveils one more sweet space gear. He grabs Wonder Man’s wrists and uses his gauntlets to sap his strength. So even though Wonder Man has super strength (that whole thing about how he punches as hard as Thor’s hammer hits), he’s getting weaker and Berserker is getting stronger.

But in a very comic booky way, he summons up all his remaining strength for one last effort.

Wonder Man breaks Berserker’s grip and grabs the necklace. This time he manages to make the pyramid go into the other pyramid, pulling the wearer -- Berserker -- into the Shadow World.

Wasp recovers one more time and since she half knows whats going on, decides to make it so that the trip is one way.

She blasts the necklace, shattering the pyramids so that it can’t be used again.

Berserker: “I’m disappearing... this cannot be... the Berserker cannot be beaten...”

And then he’s gone. Never to darken Earth’s doorstep again. Trapped forever alone in an empty the shadow realm.

Yeah, this was his only appearance. Kind of a shame. I don’t think he’s a unique villain but he was fun. Being a long-ago sealed evil that doesn’t even really want to take over the world, just get paid, gets bonus points from me. Its less generic, anyway. Plus, he had an absurd arsenal and his limited ambition means he’d have been great muscle for another villain.

Not sure I buy him as a threat to the whole world but he’ll do a lot of damage on the way.

Both him and the Shadow Lord were almost too interesting to be one and dones.

Anyway. I can’t get over what Wasp says when Wonder Man congratulates her for figuring out his plan to trap the Berserker.

Wasp: “I’m glad I helped... but I’ll never forgive myself for destroying such a beautiful piece of jewelry.”

Sure, Jan.

Anyway, when the rest of the Avengers wake up, Wonder Man explains it all. How he figured out that the necklace was a key from what the Shadow Lord said when he gave it to Rachel and that the Shadow Lord entered the dimension at sunrise so logically the gate could only be reopened at sunset (???? how did he figure this out? And also what? And why?).

Since he apparently had to run out the clock, he used his unholy ... ACTING TALENT to take a dive when Berserker clocked him and then pretended to be knocked out while the rest of the team got the shit beaten out of them and almost died. “Luckily for us all, it worked.”

Wonder Man: “Too bad Mr. Bertolini wasn’t here to see it. It was the best acting I ever did!”

Rachel: “You sure had me fooled, Simon. Maybe there’s hope for you yet.”

Oh. So. I guess the scene at the movie set was to set up this... character arc? For Wonder Man. That he’d learn to do an acting and use it to resolve the conflict.

The dramatic irony though is that his ass is fired off that movie for leaving to go on this journey of self-discovery slash fighting some ancient dudes.

Oof.

Follow @essential-avengers if you think acting is just as important as lasers in being a superhero. Or for other reasons. I’m not picky. Like, reblog, comment. These are also actions. That are important to being a superhero. Maybe.

#Avengers #essential avengers #Wonder Man #Wasp #the Berserker #Jocasta #Iron Man #essential marvel liveblogging #Captain America #Scarlet Witch #the Vision #Beast #what a servicable two parter this was

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honourablejester · 4 years

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D&D Wuxia

So. While on lockdown, I’ve been tinkering randomly with d&d character concepts, mostly out of boredom (I’ve also been playing lots of minecraft). For fun, I decided I’d come up with at least one character concept per d&d race. We’ll see how that goes. But! I’d hit aasimar, and honestly I was struggling? It’s not a race that immediately appeals to me (despite cleric being my instinctive favourite class). I was rooting around for ideas, and two things converged. One, I’ve also been watching cdramas (Story of Yanxi Palace) on and off, and two, I had something vaguely like an aasimar character for a completely different story (actually angel offspring, but sort of close enough), so I borrowed elements of both, and …

Accidentally came up with a vaguely wuxia inspired party?

Sikou Jia, Aasimar Courtier Lore Bard, 64 years old. An auspicious child blessed by the gods, but cursed with greedy parents, he was sold to the Court of the Silver Emperor as a young boy, and spent more than thirty years as a courtier and court functionary. At first he saw this as an opportunity, to bring the visions of his celestial guide (Karuna, neutral good deva) directly to the highest levels, but over time he realised that the machinations of the court poisoned all his efforts, often deliberately. He fell into despair and anger, especially as he suffered mistreatment, and came perilously close to Falling as well, before fate (or divine providence) intervened and he was blessed with a daughter by a lover, who used him cruelly, but gave him the single greatest gift of his life. With a child to consider, he finally mustered his courage and escaped the city altogether, taking his daughter with him. They ran away to the White Mountains, where he (and his daughter as she grew to adulthood) slowly formed an alliance from the scattered bandit clans and misfits of the mountains to be a force for good, as his devic guide wished.

Sikou Lan, Human Outlander Hunter Ranger, 26 years old. (Assuming aasimar kids revert to the base race). Jia’s daughter, gifted to entirely him by her mother when she failed to prove equally blessed. Raised in the wilds of the White Mountains by her slightly paranoid but fiercely devoted father, and taught by the various virtuous(-ish) bandits of his alliance. Fiercely independent, she grew increasingly disdainful of ‘civilisation’ as she grew older and learned more of her father’s and other people’s histories. She was scarred deeply by an encounter with a spectre as young child and by the increasingly haunted nature of the White Mountains (favoured enemy: undead). While she approves of her father’s divine mission, and willingly joins him on it, she sees it as particularly to protect those like themselves, outcasts from the great nations, often in need of protection from those nations. She did get a little bit of her father’s blessed nature, in the form of luck.

Liu Ling, Wood Elf Hermit Open Hand Monk, 247 years old. Tormented in her youth by what she felt were loose passions and a lack of clarity, she found solace in the teachings of a great teacher (Xu Xinyi) at Tenshi Peak Hermitage. Though her teacher eventually moved on, Liu Ling remained in the White Mountains to pursue solitary contemplation and inner clarity. As the years and decades went on, though, she became increasingly aware of disturbances in the White Mountains and further south, into the lowlands around the Silver City. The dead rested unquietly, and unclean things walked the forests. She slowly realised that some dark force was rising in the nation, and that it seemed to be heading for the Silver Court. She viewed the coming of Sikou Jia to the White Mountains as an omen that the time had finally come to do something about this dark secret she’s been tracking, and went to join him. Without necessarily telling him any of that, because she’s been alone for years and was never a naturally confiding sort of person.

Hu Yin, Tiefling Criminal Ancients Paladin, 34 years old. Outcast from a young age because his black eyes and ox horns announced him as a demon, an embittered Yin turned to banditry to survive. Waylaying travellers on the road and frightening them with his strength and demonic features, he made quite a name for himself as the Ox Demon of the White Mountains. This all changed when he met (attempted to rob) a mountain priestess and forest giant named Guan Qiu, who promptly subdued him. Expecting to die, and oddly cheerful about it, he asked her for a last meal. Amused, she obliged, and over some years the pair grew very close. She taught him about the Old Faith of her people, and gradually Yin felt a change of heart. He regretted his career as a bandit, and wanted to do something good with his life, so he became a warrior of the bright places to honour his friend. Eventually, he heard of the White Mountain Alliance and Sikou Jia, and became curious about the blessed man, in light of his own heritage. He decided he wanted to meet him. Guan Qiu was wary and thought him an idiot, since a demon seeking out a blessed man would only end in tears. Nonetheless, she accompanied him, and while the introductions didn’t go well, everyone survived to get to know each other, despite fears that he’d come to try to kill and/or eat Jia.

Guan Qiu, Firbolg Sage Mountain Druid, 313 years old. Nearly two centuries ago, Guan Qiu’s clan was destroyed by a great beast, leaving her to make her way alone among the high peaks of the White Mountains. For a time, she fell into a great despair, but patience and stubbornness won out, as well as the solace of the Old Faith. She decided after a time to devote herself to study, of magic and nature and her mountains. She travelled the length and breadth of them in this cause, consulting with other priests of the old faith, and spending time cloistered in the great monasteries of the Mountains, such as Tenshi Peak. She made a reputation for herself as a respected sage, the Wise Giantess of the Mountains. Over time, she also grew concerned over the darkening of the Mountains, though she focused mostly on healing what symptoms she could as they came up. Eventually, she met Hu Yin, and became very fond of him as a friend and almost son. When he decided to join the White Mountain Alliance to further make up for his past misdeeds, she joined them alongside him, partly because it was a good cause and she wanted to help, but also partly so as not to lose a loved one again.

I’m guessing campaign-wise that Jia’s birth was in fact an omen about the great evil building in the land, and that said great evil is probably undead/undying, and that Jia came extremely close to being a very short-lived plaything for it if he hadn’t gotten out of the Silver City when he did.

Other thoughts:

Tieflings and Aasimar play amusingly together lore-wise, especially given a wuxia-ish demon/holy man element

Tiefling virtue names and Chinese courtesy names gloss interestingly, but I don’t have near enough confidence with them to come up with a good courtesy name for Hu Yin to have taken

I like ancient mountain ladies, apparently

Despite none of them being directly built for it, the party was doing quite well on stealth with high dex until Hu Yin happened. The criminal stealth proficiency just barely lifted him out of negative numbers. He’s, ah. He’s not a stealthy boy. I feel like this is at least half the reason Guan Qiu despairs of him (she’s actually nearly as bad, except magic)

I had fun giving Jia all the face skills, followed by Hu Yin, realising that if they ever actually have to go to the Silver City the only diplomatic characters the group has are a demonic ex-bandit and an escaped slave/courtier who is really memorable and likely being actively sought by the big bad

The ladies, meanwhile, are all significantly more likely to just shoot the Emperor in the face. Also the big bad, if they happen to be in the same vicinity. Or, at least, Lan and Ling would. Qiu is possibly gentle enough to want actual provocation first

I decided to give them all names in the same language because three are human based/raised, one is probably giving the local Common translation of her name, and the last doesn’t generally bother with names unless other people want one and she’s mostly been around humans and/or elves

I’m cherry-picking name meaning lists for the names, by the way. Apologies if they’re not quite right. Sikou is the surname I’m least confident of, because it’s apparently a fairly specific title in origin (Minister of Justice), but I read a translation somewhere that translated it as ‘Minister of Bandits’ and it tickled me too much to give up

Also, lockdown leaves you with entirely too much time on your hands, and oddly not a lot of motivation to do much with it

#dnd #d&d #wuxia #character concept #aasimar #tiefling #firbolg #wood elf #human #i have too much time and not enough brain power

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une-nuit-pour-se-souvenir · 5 years

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THE SAME STORY (1-1)

S02E10 - VALAR MORGHULIS (DANERYS)

In S02E10 - Valar Morghulis, Danerys Targaryan goes to the House of the Undying and sees a bunch of riddles and visions. In the books, the equivalent chapter is explicit that these are foreshadowing for Danerys’ future, but in the show, this is more nuanced.

It’s been said that both books and show are different stories, but there are some major common stories including the endgame. What I propose here is an analysis of what is common between them, in specific the recurrent thematic in four major events.

A CLASH OF KINGS #47 - Danerys # 4: Danerys visits the House of the Undying and sees some visions that foreshadow her future.

SPINOFF #2: Melisandre’s visions.

S02E10 - Valar Morghulis: Danerys visits the House of the Undying and sees some visions that foreshadow her future.

SPINOFF #1: Arya Stark will kill Danerys with Bran’s help.

S04E02 - The Lion and the Rose and S06E06 - Blood of my Blood: Bran Stark has his first cluster of prophetic visions.

Once these four major events are dismantled and distilled, there are five themes in common between them.

The War on Westeros.

The Red Wedding.

The Red Door (or Home, or Waking the Dragon)

The Burning of King’s Landing.

The Rightful Heir to the Iron Throne.

In this first post, the focus will be S02E10 - Valar Morghulis when Danerys visits the House of the Undying.

THE HOUSE OF UNDYING

Danerys Targaryan and her bodyguards Jorah Mormont and Kovarro arrive at House of the Undying. Kovarro is wary of the place since he’s superstitious and believes this is a house of ghosts while Jorah is wary since he believes Pyat Pree is a dangerous warlock with powerful magic. Danerys is dismissive of their worries, even challenging these supernatural beings head on and presses forward.

Danerys believes herself special for many reasons, she’s a megalomaniac so it’s in her nature to put on airs. One of these reasons is that Danerys believes to have very strong magic because she hatched the dragons and survived Drogo’s funeral pyre. In consequence, Danerys believes herself not easily defeated by other “magicians” and feels somewhat invulnerable to their magic. This is why Danerys goes to the House of the Undying in the first place and why she’s not scared by Kovarro’s superstitions or Jorah’s warnings.

This is best shown on two occasions. [1] In S02E06 - The Old Gods and the New, where Danerys tells the Spice King that she dreamed those events would happen and she fulfilled them, such she’s no ordinary woman because her dreams come true. [2] In S02E08 - The Prince of Winterfell, where Danerys dismisses Jorah’s concerns of Pyat Pree’s magic because of these events as well, she hatched the dragons and survive the fire, when another “magician” Mirri Maz Duur didn’t.

Danerys comes closer to the tower and asks if it’s a riddle, then goes around looking for an entrance. Jorah follows her but soon loses sight of her, only finding Kovarro upon completing a full turn. Danerys has been magically separated from Kovarro and Jorah, she’s already inside the House of Undying.

In the books, the House of the Undying is an ancient grey ruin with no windows or towers and it’s explicit whatever Danerys hears and sees inside is supposed to foreshadow her future. In the show, the House of the Undying is a slender tall tower and it’s not explicit whatever Danerys hears and sees inside is for. While it may seem like there are irreconcilable differences in these designs, their thematic value is exactly the same. [1] In the show, Danerys asks out loud if it’s a riddle outside and walks through “visions” that have not yet happened inside. [2] In the show, the House of Undying is designed and camera-shot to look like the Burned Tower of Winterfell, which is narratively connected with prophecy since this is what allowed Bran Stark to become Three-Eyed Raven. [3] In the books, the Qarth warlocks are narrative parallels to the greenseers and Three-Eyed Raven, such [2] is meant to reference the House of Undying’s prophetic nature without spending much time on that narrative parallel through backstory.

[3] As a side-note, this parallel between the Qarth warlocks and greenseers is mentioned in a conversation between Bran and Luwin, moreover have same concept matrix as well. They both have magic abilities that are characterised as “truth and wisdom”, consisting into seeing the past and the future in allegorical visions, the warlocks with their tripping and greenseers through green dreams. They have big issues with these visions being difficult to interpret and that they become less human the more they indulge in them, the warlocks turn into blue corpses and Brynden Rivers is merging with the Heart Tree. They have types of “food” that enhance the prophetic abilities and taste the “same”, the warlocks have Shade of the Evening made of black-barked trees and greenseers have “weirwood paste” made of weirwood sap and seeds.

Since the House of Undying is connected to prophesy, this suggests that every audiovisual cue in these scenes should be at least considered as a candidate for foreshadowing. Moreover, Danerys is dismissive of Kovarro’s supervision about ghosts and of Jorah’s fears about warlocks, bragging that she’s not afraid of magic tricks and taunting whether her enemies are scared of a little girl, is classic Tempting Fate trope. It highly suggests that Danerys’ future will have these threats but seriously and they will be her downfall. This is especially fitting since Danerys feels arrogant about her own magic being superior to everyone else’s, so what better way then to bring her downfall than in extremes, either a complete mundane death or an extremely magical one? Why not both? All it’s left to figure out is what these represent (Arya Stark and Bran Stark).

Danerys is inside the House of the Undying. She picks up a torch to light the way and she looks around, noticing that she can go either downstairs or upstairs. After she brags about not being afraid of warlock’s magic tricks (Bran Stark) and taunts that they’re scared of little girls (Arya Stark), she hears the dragons screeching and goes upstairs after them.

In the books, Danerys must drink Shade of the Evening before entering and follow certain rules while inside, she must always go right and she must always go up. She also takes Drogon inside, who “interacts” with their surroundings and urges her along, even saving her from traps twice and helping her chose correctly. This is an allegory for Danerys climbing to power by embracing the Targaryan power-hungry ambitions, she always makes the right choice and she always goes up, when in doubt or trapped Drogon chooses for her. In other words, Danerys’ character is all about her “dragon side” and moves due to it.

In the show, Danerys doesn’t do drugs nor has any rules while inside. So much like the House of the Undying design, it may seem like there are irreconcilable differences between the character journeys, but their thematic value is exactly the same. [1] The torch and the dragons’ screeches show Danerys where she must go through light and sound. [2] The torch “interacts” with the surroundings notably at least once and the dragons at the end save Danerys from Pyat Pree. [3] Danerys chooses going up the tower instead of going down after hearing the dragons’ screeches, representative of Danerys climbing to power and her character being moved by her “dragon side”.

THE GIFT OF DEATH

Danerys is still going up the stairs but finally comes upon a door. She lingers for a bit before reaching for the handle and opening it.

Danerys goes in through a door which is visually similar to the double-doors of the House of Black and White. This is unlikely to be a coincidence because this is a shared thematic between books and show. In both cases, Danerys goes up a flight of stairs and comes upon a double-door that resembles the ones from the House of Black and White and after some fun shenanigans, she’s informed (again) of her ultimate fate through allegorical visions (this is an explanation of other visions she saw before) and then gets trapped so the warlocks can suck “her” magic and she has to be saved by the dragons. It does follow the show’s script, as Danerys is informed of her ultimate fate and then gets trapped by a warlock so he can suck “her” magic and she has to be saved by the dragons.

The House of Black and White is the headquarters of the Faceless Men in Braavos. They’re a religious assassin cult that believes in the God of Death and that death itself is a merciful end to suffering, for a price they will grant the “gift” of death to anyone in the world no matter who it is. Furthermore, they disguise themselves and their intentions so they can fulfill their missions. This suggests that whatever Danerys sees inside this chamber foreshadows that Danerys will be tricked by others and that these events will lead to her death, mayhaps the Faceless Men (Arya Stark) will have a major role in it.

Danerys enters a cylindrical stone vault chamber with six doors leading out. She looks around and notices [1] a grill on the floor next to [2] a plinth in the middle of the room.

The camera-work frames Danerys looking down at the grill in a tilted up-shot angle, a cinematic technique that creates a jarring “off-centre” feel, to portray some psychological meltdown and eerie tension. It’s typically used to depict madness or evilness, disorientation or uneasiness, to suggest that something dreadful will happen in the future. This suggests that Danerys’ death and/or the events that will lead up to it should be very disturbing

This framing is repeated in S03E04 - And Now His Watch Has Ended. Joffrey happily rants to Margaery about the gruesome death of several Targaryans’, this shot is used while he talks about Rhaenyra Targaryan and the [A] Dance of Dragons. This was a deadly conflict between two Targaryans over the Iron Throne, such this suggests a second Dance of Dragons where one of the sides is Danerys. The other side is unknown at this point in the story, but at the end of season 6, it’s revealed (Bran Stark) that this is Jon Snow.

The camera-work is deliberate in focusing the plinth. After Danerys sees the grill and looks around some more, it goes from not showing anything to sliding out and showing the empty top. It visually resembles the Heart of Winter, there even are parts of it that are filmed similarly. Moreover, this stone plinth is where Danerys finds the dragons later after she wandered through visions. Therefore, it thematically resembles the Heart of Winter as well, since the elemental representative of fire/ice finds the fire/ice creature sacrifice in the middle.

This duality between ice and fire is telling on its own, because it frames a so-called hero to what’s perceived as an enemy. In other words, if the Night King is a threat to humanity and Danerys is framed visually and thematically as the “same”, what does that make her? Obviously, the answer is Danerys is a threat to humanity as well. Furthermore, this duality is evocative of the franchise’s name, [B] A Song of Ice and Fire, which is based on a poem by Robert Frost that characterises both fire and ice as equally destructive. This gives credence that both fire and ice are equal threats to humanity.

Danerys hesitates before choosing a door, but then once she does she opens it and goes through with it.

Danerys entered through a door with a pattern that roughly resembles a 3×3 grid with noughts on it, while leaves through another door that also resembles a 3×3 grid with crosses on it. This visually resembles the child’s game “noughts and crosses”, where two adversaries attempt to place their own symbol thrice in a row to win it, but whose optimal strategy leads to a draw. It’s true that such a thing would foreshadow a Dance of Dragons where neither party wins, but I very much doubt this is what they meant to represent.

This is the only thing I don’t have an explanation for. I cannot remember an instance where a “shuriken” shape was used anywhere. I admit I never looked for it and I’ve only watched this series thrice (twice casually a long time ago and once properly recently). The House of Black and White door is more subtle yet I immediately remember it and this is a more attention-grabbing pattern.

Of course it could mean nothing, but I doubt it since everything else references something else. Maybe it has not yet appeared and will only show up when Danerys’ death arrives. Maybe it’s only meant as the general symbol for a ✖ to mean the end. Maybe it’s a stylised massive dragonglass bodkin arrow tip seen from the top, this is my favourite for several reasons.

[A] A SNOW THRONE AND A BLASTED RUIN

Danerys enters the Iron Throne room in King’s Landing through a side-door. The first thing is a stained-glass window with a blue flower on it.

Danerys enters the Iron Throne through a side door and not the front door, suggesting from the beginning that Danerys being in the throne room isn’t “correct” in some way. In hindsight, this entrance foreshadows that [1] Danerys isn’t the rightful heir to the Iron Throne, but [2] Danerys will attempt to claim it through ignoble means. [A] This vision represents The Dance of Dragons.

[A1] The Rightful Heir to the Iron Throne

The stained-glass window with a blue flower on it symbolises that Jon Snow is the son of Rhaegar Targaryan and Lyanna Stark, he chooses her as Queen of Love and Beauty at the Tourney of Harrenhal with a crown of winter roses, the flowers that she loved. In the books, Danerys sees this very same imagery in the House of the Undying but with different symbolism: “a blue flower grew from a chink on a wall of ice”. In both cases, there’s the blue flower placed on a narrow slit that allows light (chink and narrow window) on an “icy wall” (a wall of ice and the cold blue light filter that characterises scenes at the Wall).

The camera-work makes Danerys’ torch pass exactly over the flower. Since this torch represents the dragons and lighting stuff on fire, this suggests that she’ll either burn Jon and/or Winterfell (my personal conviction is that it’s going to be both) once she finds out about Jon being the rightful heir to the Iron Throne (how you like them apples for “bride of fire”). Since Danerys can control the dragons, the natural conclusion is that she’ll use them for it. Since the cold blue filter associated with the Wall and Beyond the Wall, as well as with Winterfell under the Long Night, is used for this scene, this suggests that Danerys will learn the secret of Jon’s real parentage and claim to the Iron Throne at either the Wall, beyond the Wall, or Winterfell during the Long Night.

[CONFIRMED] (8x2): Jon tells Danerys that he’s Rhaegar’s son in the Crypts of Winterfell just before the Battle against the Army of the Dead and she responds that he’s the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. (8x3): Drogon attacks Jon & Rhaegal in the middle of the Battle against the Army of the Dead, it’s ambiguous whether it was deliberate or accidental (it already had looked at Jon sketchily before) but it foreshadows their future conflict as well.

Danerys walks into the centre of the room, while snow is falling all over the place, even the Iron Throne is covered in it. This foreshadows that Jon Snow is the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. Jon is Rhaegar’s legitimate son and Ned Stark claimed him as his bastard so his surname is Snow, therefore this room belongs to him by birthright through the Targaryan line of succession. This also means that Danerys’ own claim to the Iron Throne, something she’s convinced it belongs to her, comes only after his claim. If she tries to claim it over him, this makes her a usurper and this goes well with Danerys entering by a side-door.

The camera-work is the “same” as Bran’s first cluster of prophetic visions, meaning Jon’s parentage will be public due to Bran as the Three-Eyed Raven, either directly or indirectly. Since Bran was the one that found out about it, he’ll always be the “primary” source of information no matter who tells her.

[CONFIRMED] (8x1) Bran instructs Sam to tell Jon the truth about his parents. (8x2) Jon tells Danerys that he is Rhaegar’s, moreover mentions Bran is the source of this information since he saw it in his visions and that he’s legitimate because there are paper documents that prove it. Danerys recognises that Jon is the Targaryan heir (therefore rightful heir to the Iron Throne over her).

[A2] The Burning of King’s Landing

Danerys walks into the centre of the room and places the torch on the ground, then looks up to see that the ceiling utterly destroyed by an unknown attack. This foreshadows that in consequence of Danerys finding out about Jon being the rightful heir to the Iron Throne, she’ll destroy King’s Landing through fire and since she can control dragons, the natural conclusion is that she destroys it with dragonfire.

The camera-work script is very specific, Danerys places the torch on the ground, which is suspect by itself because why would anyone even do this when the torch may be needed to light the way, only then she looks up to see the ceiling destruction, which means that she’ll light the city on fire herself and that it won’t be an accident like I’ve some ridiculous stans say. It may also suggest that she loses a dragon in the attempt since she loses the torch.

While Danerys burning King’s Landing by using the dragons is a natural conclusion, the visuals confirm it as well. The destruction looks like the typical image of buildings’ ceilings after air bomb raids and the subsequent fires. Since dragons are the only thing that can possibly do an aerial attack in ASOIAF / GOT, this destruction will be a consequence of the flying lizards.

In specific, the setting that both Danerys and Bran see, the room with the light coming from the ceiling holes, is a very common obsession subject that war-time photographers have. There are many photos of air bomb raided “old” buildings where one or another person will be looking at the wreckage. It’s meant to symbolise the destruction of heritage by the subject photographed since it’s usually a soldier from the faction that bombed it. Below I enclose some examples, it’s a very recognisable theme in war-time photography

Additionally, this is consistent imagery associated with Valyria and Targaryan destruction of fire and blood, as both Valyria which was burned by volcanos erupting due to their greed and Harrenhal which was burned by dragonfire, have the same kind of look. In specific, I remember reading that book purists were dismayed at how Harrenhal looks like in the show, since they expected something else that would fit their grandiose delusions that dragons are fun, but instead it’s something characterised as a “blasted ruin” by Tywin Lannister. I actually have never seen such a visual comparison being made before, but this is why it gives off an eerie feeling, it’s the fictional shadow of real horrific events where real people died.

Danerys approaches the Iron Throne and she comes close to touching it but stops when she hears the dragons screech, so she leaves after them instead. This foreshadows that in consequence of Danerys burning King’s Landing she’ll come close to claiming the Iron Throne, but she won’t succeed and she’ll go elsewhere, perhaps because of the dragons.

The framing here has three important details. [1] The camera-work focuses on the torches still burning on the background both as Danerys approaches the Iron Throne and as she leaves, which means that both will happen _after _she burns King’s Landing (this vision isn’t about her choosing to go North over the Iron Throne at the end of season 7, as I’ve seen some of her stans defending). [2] The music while Danerys approaches the Iron Throne and lingers is very sinister music with clear Targaryan motifs, which frames Danerys’ coming close to claiming the Iron Throne and a Targaryan restoration as a very negative thing. [3] Danerys is shrouded in shadow as she leaves, which frames this whole shtick as negative.

[THE SAME STORY] The War on Westeros (Battle of Fire)

In S03E04 - And Now His Watch Has Ended, the Lannisters and the Tyrells are touring the Sept of Baelor, preparing for the upcoming wedding between their houses. While Cersei and Oleanna have a power struggle squabble, Joffrey happily rants to Margaery about the gruesome death of several Targaryans’. In specific, the camera-work frames Joffrey and Margaery in the exact same way as the aforementioned Danerys’ scene, while he speaks about Rhaenyra Targaryan and how she died in the aftermath of the Dance of Dragons. At the very least, this foreshadows another deadly conflict between two Targaryans which will involve Danerys and we know who the other one is because there’s only two left, Jon Snow. At the very most, this may suggest Danerys’ fate will be similar to Rhanerya and/or any of the Targaryans that Joffrey talks about.

RHAENYRA TARGARYAN - Dance of Dragons

JOFFREY: Rhaenyra Targaryen was murdered by her brother, or rather his dragon. It ate her while her son watched. What’s left of her is buried in the crypts right down there.

In S04E01 - Two Swords, there is foreshadowing that Danerys may be eaten by a dragon in the aftermath of a Targaryan conflict. Danerys is hanging out with the dragons at the cliffside before marching onto Meereen, she sees Rhaegal and Viserion flying through the air squabbling over food while she pets Drogon. When the food drops nearby, Drogon loses interest in Danerys’ petting and joins the squabble with his brothers. Danerys attempts to calm Drogon down as if he was a cute house dog instead of a dangerous wild animal, but he snaps back at her. If Danerys hadn’t moved out of the way, Drogon would’ve snapped her head off just like that. The other two dragons take this chance to seize the food and run away from their bigger brother, but Drogon goes after them. Danerys is shaken over Drogon’s aggression towards her and Jorah tells her that dragons can’t be tamed not even by their mother.

This is an allegory for the Dance of Dragons and the Targaryans in general. The dragons are food-hungry and hostile, even against their own brood (they even move as if dancing and they attack their own mother), and they cannot be tamed. Furthermore, it portrays dragons as solitary animals (most reptiles are like this), characterised by territorial behaviour where they don’t get along with others of their kind (the contrast are pack animals). Likewise, Targaryans are power-hungry and violent, even against their own family (their worst conflict was the Dance of Dragons), and Targaryans can’t change their nature. They don’t share power and don’t get along with others, always in conflict either amongst them or against others. Danerys believes herself to be Targaryan special and she too is framed as a solitary figure, therefore she’s covered by this allegory. In the show, the dragons don’t have much of a personality nor are thematically linked to anything. and they choose to focus on Drogon while the other two are just afterthoughts (I have my suspicions as to why: X, X). In the books, the dragons do have personalities and they’re thematically connected to a few subjects that pander to the names they have.

Drogon is named after Danerys’ dead husband Drogo, a violent dothraki. In consequence, this is the most aggressive and dangerous of the three dragons, representing Danerys as khaleesi (together they are “Rhaego”, the Stallion that Mounts the World). This matches with Danerys embracing the words of her house, fire and blood, which really mean conflict and suffering. Consequently, Drogon is the dragon that Danerys identifies with the most and he becomes her personal mount later on. In the books, Drogon often seeks Danerys touch and protects her, so while they “fought” in the Daznak’s Pit and she was naturally scared of him at that moment, they are well bonded and he eventually “submits” to her (he doesn’t submit at all, he allows her to do whatever). So if Danerys is harmed or even eaten by a dragon, it’s unlikely that Drogon would be the one that does it (unless he’s controlled). Still, this show’s scene establishes well that even Drogon would go against Danerys if she does something he doesn’t like, implying that the other two may do the same or do even worse.

Viserion is named after Danerys’ brother Viserys, who was crazy and spiteful, but otherwise cowardly and ineffective. In consequence, Drogon is the least aggressive and dangerous of the three, the most “friendly” since he’s social towards humans and the “least” confrontational, as he often runs away from threats instead of attacking. Not only is Viserion’s first instinct to shy away from confrontation but he’s often written as simply leaving Danerys. So if Danerys is harmed or even eaten by a dragon, it’s unlikely that Viserion would be the one that does it (unless he’s controlled). In the show, Viserion is killed by the Night King at the end of season 7, but he rises again as a “White Walker” (the Night King touches him like he touches Craster’s baby and his eyes turn rayed blue, instead of the process of animating wights which is just to raise his arms). It’s true that under the Night King’s control Viserion would be more likely to harm or eat Danerys, but that’s thematically weak (unless it would be Viserys revenge).

Rhaegal is named after Danerys’ brother Rhaegar, who along with his children was the last acknowledged heir to the Iron Throne, who stupidly went to war for a woman. In consequence, Rhaegal is aggressive enough but not the worst of them, moreover he comes linked to rightful heir to the Iron Throne as well as a warring conflict involving Targaryans. What’s more important is that Danerys and Rhaegal have a borderline antagonist relationship. On one hand, Rhaegal hurts Danerys with his claws on her shoulder, he doesn’t like how “she” smells, he doesn’t like to be touched by her as he bits her hand and raises his wings in warning, he reacts badly to her presence while a captive roaring and belching fire in her direction. On the other hand, Danerys hits him once when he wishes to eat more, that she considers being greedy since he wants more than what he should be “allowed”. If Danerys is harmed or eaten by a dragon in the aftermath of a Targaryan conflict, then Rhaegal is the most likely to do it.

(AERION + AERYS) TARGARYAN - The Burning of King’s Landing

JOFFREY: Over there in that urn, the ashes of Aerion Targaryen. Aerion Brightflame they called him. He thought drinking wildfire would turn him into a dragon. He was wrong. And, of course, there’s the Mad King, killed by my uncle. Would you like to see where the last Targaryens are buried?

In S02E04 - Garden of Bones, Danerys found out about Qarth after journeying through the Red Waste and then goes there, but she isn’t allowed to enter at first unless the Thirteen see the dragons. She threatens that once the dragons are grown, she will take what was “stolen” from her with fire and blood and she will destroy those that have wronged her, together they will lay waste to armies and burn cities to the ground, so if Qarth doesn’t allow them in then they’ll burn first. These two scenes are followed by Arya arriving at Harrenhal, a castle which was burned to the ground by Aegon Targaryan due to not being allowed in, and witnessing the horrible consequences of war.

In S02E05 - The Ghost of Harrenhal, there is foreshadowing that Danerys will burn King’s Landing with dragonfire and wildfire alike. Tyrion and Bronn talk to a pyromancer about the properties of wildfire. Bronn isn’t convinced about the effectiveness of wildfire in battle because he believes that with just one mistake and the whole city catches on fire. However, Tyrion is tempted and instructs the pyromancer to make wildfire for him from then on instead of for Cersei. This scene is followed by Danerys in Qarth teaching Drogon (this specific dragon) how to breathe fire and burn things on command.

In S03E05 - Kissed by Fire, there is foreshadowing that since Danerys believes that her magic is the strongest due to already having survived Drogo’s funeral pyre, she’d think the same when she decides to burn King’s Landing. Jaime explains to Brienne that Aerys thought that burning King’s Landing was a great idea since he believed he could survive the fire by transforming into a dragon that would turn his enemies to ash. In the books, Jaime mentions that Aerys meant to transform the city into a funeral pyre and that like Aerion Brightflame, he’d simply transform into a dragon. Danerys too is under the delusion that she’s either fireproof or that her magic would allow her to survive unscathed, even though the author has said no to either, so the very least she’d have the same belief as Aerion and Aerys that she wouldn’t die by dragonfire or wildfire.

THE PRICE OF GREATNESS

JOFFREY: My father didn’t want them here. He was going to have their bodies burned and thrown in the Blackwater, but the High Septon convinced him otherwise. MARGAERY: I’m glad he did. I’m sorry, Your Grace. I know they did terrible things at the end, but their ancestors built this. Sometimes severity is the price we pay for greatness.

Margaery mentions that severity is a price for greatness and Danerys may be delusional enough to believe that burning King’s Landing is the price to pay for greatness as well. In ACOK # 26 Danerys #2, this is exactly Danerys’ state of mind. She doesn’t want to reduce King’s Landing to a black ruin and she wants to make a beautiful kingdom, where the people look at her the way they looked at her father (if that’s not foreshadowing I don’t know what is) but first she must conquer it and if that means being destroyed by the dothraki then so be it. In _S05E09 - The Dance of Dragons _(again, if that’s not foreshadowing…) this talk was adapted loosely, Danerys tells Hizdhar that she’d turn a city to ashes if she thought that was necessary, that it won’t matter how many people die since they’d die for what she believes are good reasons.

The camera-work for Margaery’s comment is also the tilted angle shot meant to suggest something bad, they’re in the Sept of Baelor that Cersei later blows up with wildfire. Furthermore, Danerys would both be destroying King’s Landing which her ancestors built, erasing the symbol of the Targaryans’ tyrannical reign. If the Iron Thrones goes with it Danerys would even unwittingly fulfil the dumb promise of breaking the wheel because that’s exactly what that stupid ugly chair represents, the great houses in power playing the game of thrones so they can sit on it. Moreover, the Targaryans’ reign begun with fire and blood and ends with fire and blood, as a result of their own power-hungry ambitions, which also parallels the fall of Old Valyria.

IN CONCLUSION…

On one hand, Joffrey’s words that Rhaenyra was killed by her brother’s dragon, eating her while her son watched can be fulfilled. Danerys would be eaten by Rhaegal literally or metaphorical. In the former case, Danerys would be eaten by Rhaegal, which is her brother’s dragon as she named him after Rhaegar, while her son watches since she considers the dragons her children. While I would love this, what’s likelier is that this is meant metaphorically. The eating is simply defeated in battle, therefore Danerys will be defeated in battle by Jon Snow, since he’s her brother’s dragon (or even killed by Arya), while Rhaegal and/or Drogon watches since she considers the dragons her children.

On the other hand, Joffrey’s words that Aerion and Aerys thought they couldn’t be killed by wildfire but then being wrong can also be fulfilled. If Danerys’ loses the war, she may feel the same as her father did, that she’d rather burn King’s Landing that let it fall to the traitors. Furthermore, since Danerys is under the delusion she’s special and fireproof since she hatched the dragons in Drogo’s funeral pyre, she may believe in something similar to how Aerion and Aerys felt, that they could be reborn into a dragon if they make King’s Landing into the greatest funeral pyre of them all. Danerys may really die by burning in the explosion and her remains shall be “buried” in King’s Landing like Rhaenyra and her ashes strewn across Blackwater Bay like Robert wished to do. Or Danerys may even be right and survive, she’d live as an eldritch abomination and be killed shortly after by Arya Stark with Bran Stark’s help.

[B] DRAGON IS FIRE MADE FLESH AND FIRE IS POWER

Danerys goes through the gate to come beyond the Wall, during heavy snowstorm. She sees something in the distance and walks there.

Danerys walking out of the Wall’s gate is cinematically framed the same way as the rangers leaving for beyond the Wall in the very first scene of the show, in S01E01 - Winter is Coming. This foreshadows that Danerys will go North to fight the Night King and the Others, since that’s what Waymar Royce, Gared and Will encountered in their equivalent scene (this is confirmed at the end of season 7, Danerys goes North “convinced” by Jon Snow). [B] In hindsight, this represents the Song of Ice and Fire.

The camera-work makes Danerys look very “white” and along the fate of the Night’s Watch group foreshadows that she’ll lose badly against the Night King and the White Walkers. She’ll lose about 2/3 of her forces, since both Waymar and Gared died as well, and she’ll run away from the confrontation, just as Will got away (then Arya / Bran will pass the sentence and will swing the sword) If this is true, it’s worth noticing that 2/3 of the Night’s Watch brothers match with the dragons’ fates (Waymar = Viserion, Will = Drogon), that may suggest that Rhaegal’s fate might be to die in this war.

[CONFIRMED] (8x1): Jon bonded with Rhaegal, therefore Danerys lost this dragon (it didn’t die, but changed allegiance). (8x3) Danerys and her forces were reket by the Night King and unlimited company, she lost a good chunk of her Unsullied and the entirety of the Dothraki fighting in the Battle againt the Army of the Dead (actually, well above 2/3).

[B1] The War on Westeros (Battle of Ice)

Danerys comes closer to whatever she saw in the distance, it’s a tent and once she enters it, she finds Drogo and Rhaego inside.

The design of this tent matches with the one she shared with Drogo throughout season 1. In the show, this tent represents Danerys’ “journey” of hatching the dragons, because [1] the entirety of it happens inside of it except for [2] the hatching proper. [1] In S01E02 - The Kingsroad, Danerys is having "harsh sex” with Drogo, so she takes comfort in starting at the eggs. Later, Doreah tells Danerys the story about the sun coming too close to the moon, making it crack from the heat and from it came the dragons (pregnancy and birth allegory). In S01E03 - Lord Snow, Danerys finds out she’s pregnant and later tells Drogo about it. In S01E06 - A Golden Crown, Danerys tries to hatch the eggs over a brazier. In S01E09 - Baelor, Danerys unwittingly sacrifices Rhaego and in S01E10 - Fire and Blood, Danerys mercy kills Drogo and [2] hatches the dragons in the funeral pyre by using three lives in return.

Danerys “magic” is actually bloodmagic, she hatched the dragons and survived the funeral pyre (as well as Vaes Dothrak), because she killed people in return. However, the Night King and the White Walkers magic is also bloodmagic, they create more White Walkers by using human sacrifices. This vision is a direct parallel between Danerys + dragons and the Night King + White Walkers, they both sacrifice human lives to create ice/fire elemental creatures through evil bloodmagic. Danerys + dragons is represented by the dothraki tent and both Drogo and Rhaego, while the Night King + White Walker is represented by it being beyond the Wall during a heavy snowstorm, characteristic of the Night Lands and the Long Night. Therefore, if Danerys + dragons are saviours then so are the Night King + White Walkers… or the contrary, if the Night KIng + White Walkers are a threat to humanity then so are Danerys + dragons.

This parallel between Danerys + dragons and the Night King + White Walkers is reflected in the visual coding of both creation ceremonies as well. [1] Drogo’s funeral pyre where Danerys hatches the dragons with bloodmagic resembles the Heart of Winter where the Night King’s converts Craster’s sons into White Walkers with bloodmagic. The colour-coding and the elemental pairing of a red fire-themed ceremony versus a blue ice-themed ceremony, the steps are even the same since both Danerys and the Night King walk towards the centre where the sacrifices are. [2] It’s repeated in this vision, since the House of Undying’s stone vault chamber where Danerys finds the dragons visually resembles the Heart of Winter where the Night King finds Craster’s son, they both have the same number of “doors” and a plinth with the fire/ice creature in the middle. [3] It’s repeated later in Bran’s prophetic visions, which always couple Danerys hatching the dragons with the Night King hatching creating the White Walkers.

[B2] Wake the Dragon - Mother of Dragons

Danerys has some dumb talk with Drogo which I have no patience for. She’s tempted to stay with them but she hears the dragons screeches, so she leaves them behind. She returns to the stone vault chamber where she finds the dragons upon the plinth.

This foreshadows that in consequence of the war against Night King and the White Walkers, Danerys will be forced to choose between the people (mother of people) and the dragons (mother of dragons), and she’ll choose the dragons. This duality between mother of people and mother of dragons is something intrinsic to her character story arc and it’s narratively forbidden for Danerys to be both since dragons are destructive forces. Since Danerys’ story arc is very repetitive, this is a choice that she does several times, but the major ones are made during _AGOT _/ season 1 and ASOS-ADWD / season 3-4-5, with Danerys always choosing the dragons. It’s best illustrated when Danerys decides to be the mother of people by chaining the dragons because Drogon burned a child named Hazzeah, but later Danerys decides to be the mother of dragons and let them roam free, she forgets the child’s name and embraces the Targaryan legacy of fire and blood. She’s fated to make that choice once more, but this time there won’t be narrative mercy, and she’ll be outed as a threat to humanity as much as the Night King + White Walkers were.

In the show, the House of the Undying frames this conflict as a redux of season 1. Danerys as the mother of the people is represented by Drogon and Rhaego, which she rejects by leaving both behind, much like she sacrificed these two for power in this very same tent so long ago. Danerys as the mother of dragons is represented by the dragons screeches which is the reason why she steps outside the tent to return to the stone vault chamber where she finds them atop the stone plinth, much like she lighted the funeral pyre where she hatched the eggs and found the dragons. Just in this case, because of how allegorical it is, I’ll mention the books’ counterpart as a complement)

In the books, Danerys also sees this "summary” in the final segment of House of Undying visions, as a redux of AGOT endgame (”Shadows whirled and danced inside a tent, boneless and terrible. A little girl ran barefoot toward a big house with a red door. Mirri Maz Duur shrieked in the flames, a dragon bursting from her brow.”). It’s followed by a premonition of TWOW endgame (the wine-seller, the white lion, the crones) and the ADOS endgame (the slaves, the undying, and the dragon). The last one is especially spiffy, the slaves are representative of Danerys as “mhysa” or the mother of people (in the show, Drogo and Rhaego) and the dragon (it’s not even named) rejecting such a thing and setting everything on fire are representative of Danerys as mother of dragons, plus the slaves being UNDEAD BLUE CREATURES foreshadow the Others and Danerys running away from them foreshadows her leaving the fight.

The framing here has three important details. [1] Danerys literally leaves a lover and a family behind, which suggests that stupid fake romance she has with Jon Snow won’t be enough to sway her and/or them being family won’t sway her either. [2] The camera-work is the same as the one when Danerys leaves the destroyed Iron Throne room covered in snow, she’s shrouded in shadow, which frames this decision as very negative.

[HOLD] (8x3), Danerys flees the fight even if she comes back later, foreshadowing she’ll most likely do it again.

[THE SAME STORY] Wake the Dragon - You knew the price.

Danerys may say she loves the dragons all she wants and I even believe that she’s crazy enough to believe that in part, but the reality is that_** the dragons are the power that allows her power-hungry warmonging to be fulfilled**_. In S01E07 - You Win or You Die, Danerys attempts to convince Drogo to invade Westeros, she even betrays her real intentions by saying the Iron Throne is a chair that a QUEEN can sit on. Later, Danerys asks Jorah to help her convince Drogo because her brother was the rightful heir to the Iron Throne (her brother is dead, so she disguises it better here, but she means herself), to which Jorah says that Aegon had no right to anything and he seized the Seven Kingdoms because he could, to which she answers and because he had dragons.

In S02E09 - Baelor, Danerys being power-hungry and obsessed with the Iron Throne is the reason why she was “tricked” by Mirri Maz Duur into sacrificing Rhaego (really, it’s not her fault, she warned not to enter the tent). When Jorah realised that Drogo was going to die, he told Danerys specifically that they should run away because once he croaked for good, the dothraki would fight amongst themselves and whoever won would kill Rhaego. Even though Danerys knows this, she’s very adamant that she won’t leave Drogo, because he’s her ticket to reclaiming the Iron Throne (this is more obvious in the books). Even back then, Danerys already put her power-hungry ambitions (mother of dragons) over the safety of her child (mother of people), this will not change after spending so long obsessing about it and coming so close to obtaining it.

Danerys’ storyline is really very repetitive, this comes up again and again and again. In S02E05 - The Ghost of Harrenhal, Quaithe highlights that dragons are power. Later, Danerys says she wants the Seven Kingdoms and after some bad feinting by mentioning the dothraki (mother of people), she admits wanting the Seven Kingdoms because they belong to her and Xaro classifies her as an ambitious conqueror (mother of dragons). In S02E06 - The Old Gods and the New, Danerys tells the Spice King that she’ll take what is hers with fire and blood. Later, Danerys complains about being snubbed while Xaro advises her that climbing to power isn’t pure and honourable. In S02E07 - A Man Without Honour, Danerys says the dragons are the most valuable thing in the world. Together, this foreshadows the same as season 1, Danerys wants the Seven Kingdoms since they belong to her and she’ll do it in ignoble ways.

[THE SAME STORY] Wake the Dragon - Azor Ahai

THOROS OF MYR: "Man once again faces the war for the dawn, which has been waged since time began. On one side is the Lord of Light, the Heart of Fire, the God of Flame and Shadow. Against him stands the Great Other, whose name may not be spoken. The Lord of Darkness, the Soul of Ice, the God of Night and Terror.”

Histories & Lore - The Lord of Light

This bloodmagic shtick is also explored through Stannis when he’s pandering to Melisandre and the R’hllor cult, where he gave in to dreadful demands more and more. Stannis started “little” by sacrificing Renly’s life when his little brother tried to usurp him, then wanted to sacrifice his bastard nephew’s life but was denied since Davos freed him, then sacrificed some “traitor” bannermen and some of his wife’s relatives. However, the culmination of Stannis’ storyline was being convinced by Melisandre that he needed to sacrifice his dear daughter Shireen to win the war against the Boltons, which was necessary for the war against the Army of the Dead. Stannis is motivated by unrelenting duty while Danerys is motivated by obsessive ambition, but they share fire bloodmagic thematic through the concept of Azor Ahai.

There is a dualistic religion opposing R’hllor, or Lord of Light, which is a deity of fire and light, and the Great Other, which is a deity of cold and darkness. The followers of the former believe that Azor Ahai is a prophetised saviour that shall combat the latter’s champion. It’s a natural conclusion to associate the former with fire magic, represented by Danerys and the dragons, and the latter is ice magic, represented by Night King and Others. Therefore this the eponymous “A song of Ice and Fire” allowed with bloodmagic being portrayed as bad as well as Stannis pandering to Melisandre being framed as horrific and tragic, cinches the deal for sure. Neither R’hllor or the Great Other is either “good” or “evil”, they are destructive against humanity and that’s all.

THOROS OF MYR: According to prophecy, our champion will be reborn to wake dragons from stone and reforge the great sword Lightbringer that defeated the darkness those thousands of years ago. If the old tales are true, a terrible weapon forged with a loving wife’s heart. Part of me thinks man was well rid of it, but great power requires great sacrifice. That much at least the Lord of Light is clear on.

Histories & Lore - The Lord of Light

Melisandre convinces Stannis that he’s Azor Ahai and he “fulfils some of the requirements in a fake way,. However, it’s Danerys who is Azor Ahai as she fulfils all them in a real way. She was reborn in Drogo’s funeral pyre as the mother dragons, she hatched the dragons out of stone eggs and later become Drogon’s personal mount when he was the dragon whose life she paid with her husband’s life sacrifice. She did this when the long summer ended and autumn began, as the dead started raising in the north and winter crept from beyond the Wall. Azor Ahai is no hero, he’s simply the champion chosen by R’hllor and the Night King as the champion chosen by the Great Other. Furthermore, Stannis while pandering to Melisandre portrayed Azor Ahai as a dreadful figure, even Thoros of Myr narrating the story of his religion characterises Lightbringer (the dragons) as a terrible weapon. Therefore Danerys and the dragons are as much saviour as the Night King and the White Walkers, which is to say they’re not saviours but awful things that humanity must fight to survive (ETA: partly confirmed in 8x3, Danerys and the dragons were useless in the Battle against the Army of the Dead).

WELCOME HOME, DANERYS STORMBORN

Danerys returns to the stone vault chamber and sees the dragons over the stone plinth this time around, they call for her and she approaches them. Suddenly Pyat Pree shows up and explains that magic returned to the world because the dragons were reborn, then reveals that his objective is to trap Danerys to keep magic alive.

This is pretty straightforward, though an exaggeration. There was still magic in the world before the dragons hatched, it’s just that it’s so little it’s borderline negligible. However, magic received a massive boost when dragons returned and like Pyat Pree explains, they get stronger by being close to Danerys and this means magic also gets stronger. This brings a pertinent question since the Night King and the White Walkers are also magic, either they have become stronger because of the [1] dragons’ magic or [2] fight the dragons’ magic. Moreover, what would happen to the Night King and the White Walkers if the dragons simply disappeared? This may foreshadow that Danerys may be forced to choose between protecting humanity by destroying the dragons or protecting the dragons by ETA: abandoning the fight in the North abandoning her “saviour” façade.

Pyat Pree shackles Danerys in hopes of trapping her in the House of Undying forever and declares that as her home now. Danerys says that her home is across the Narrow Sea where the people are waiting for her. She then orders the dragons to burn Pyat Pree and she’s freed.

This is supposed to be good dialogue, but it’s actually quite “bad”. Pyat Pree’s welcoming her home and Danerys being in ecstasy while burning him is literally chewing the scenery there. [1] It’s a forced reference because nobody would even say that in such a scenario. [2] The concept of home (in the books, also the house with the red door) is pretty major in Danerys POV, she wishes to go home and talks about the red door a lot. [3] It actually makes no sense as Danerys knows that there are no people waiting for her, she has even said it. [4] Danerys looks really extra, like she’s going through some transcending nonsense. > Regardless and together this foreshadows is that Danerys shall come home (King’s Landing)… and burn it in odd ecstasy.

[THE SAME STORY] Home

In the show, ‘home’ is used in Danerys scenes for dialogue that is always quite consistent in five major themes: [1] the conquering Westeros with dragons and dothraki, [2] a betrayal that she’ll seek vengeance for, [3] embracing Targaryan legacy of violence, [4] attacking King’s Landing with fire, [5] the usurping of the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. These basically fit with the five major themes that Danerys’ visions at the House of the Undying as well as Bran’s prophetic visions allude to.

[1&5] Home is conquering Westeros with dragons and ETA: dothraki the Stallion that Mounts the World (Danerys + Drogo = Rhaego = Danerys + Drogon), as well as usurping the rightful heir to the Iron Throne.

In S01E01 - Winter is Coming, Danerys tells Viserys she doesn’t want to marry Drogo and that she wants to go home, but Viserys tells her that they can only go home with her future husband’s army. In S01E04 - Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things, Danerys says that despite Viserys being the rightful heir, he doesn’t have the capacity to take them home, one of the reasons why she feels justifyed in usurping him. In S01E07 - You Win or You Die, Danerys tries to convince Drogo to invade Westeros and seize the throne for their child, then reveals her true intentions by saying she wants to be the one to sit on it. Later, Danerys asks Jorah to convince Drogo to ride to Westeros, that Viserys was the rightful heir therefore she’s that now, but Jorah counters that Aegon had no right to the Seven Kingdoms and that he seized them because he could, then she says because he had dragons and Jorah says that they help yes. In S0205 - The Ghost of Harrenhal, Danerys says she wants the Seven Kingdoms because she promised her khalasar that she’d find them a safe home, Xaros mocks her and she admits she wants the Seven Kingdoms because they’re hers, to which he classifies her as an ambitious conqueror.

[2] Home is a betrayal of some sort that Danerys will feel justified in avenging with extreme violence.

In S01E07 - You Win or You Die, a wine seller offers special wine to Danerys and assures her that many pray for her return, to which she answers she hopes one day to return the “kindness” (if that’s not foreshadowing, I don’t know what is), but this is actually an assassination attempt. In S06E09 - The Battle of Bastards, Razdhal makes an off-coment about Danerys could have left for home with a fleet of ships, but choose wrongly. These may feel like sketchy, but in the books ’home’ frequently comes along betrayal and ships (and not just to sail to Westeros), so I’m including it. It’s also worth mentioning that Danerys usurping Viserys as the rightful heir to the Iron Throne also fits here, she betrayed him as well (at least, her hallucinations seem to think so).

[3] Home is being the mother of dragons over the mother of people, therefore embracing the Targaryan legacy of fire and blood.

In S05E10 - Mother’s Mercy, Danerys is with Drogon in the Dothraki sea, she attempts to make him fly them back to Meereen her people need her, but he refuses to do it and throws her off. This encompasses Danerys’ character conflict well, there’s the mother of dragons, represented by Drogon who flied away from Mereen, and the mother of people, represented by Danerys as queen who believes the people need her who wishes to fly back to Meereen. Since the “mother of dragons” side (Drogon) doesn’t care about the people, it rejects the “mother of people (Danerys as queen). This is so unsubtle, Danerys climbs the wrong way and sits backwards, so the mother counterparts are literally facing completely opposite directions.

[4] Home is burning King’s Landing.

In S06E09 - The Battle of Bastards, Danerys promises to crucify every master, burn their fleets and kill every soldier, and turn their cities to the dirt. Tyrion "dissuades” her by revealing that her father Aerys would have burned King’s Landing with wildfire if Jaime hadn’t stopped him. In S07E02 - Stormborn, Danerys says that Dragonstone doesn’t feel like home and wishes to leave. They discuss battle plans and Danerys says that if Viserys had dragons he’d already gone to King’s Landing and burn it to the ground (doubtful), but Tyrion dissuades her by reminding her that she doesn’t want to be like her father the Queen of Ashes. In S07E04 - The Spoils of War, Danerys is informed that she has lost every battle and she threatens to take her three dragons to burn King’s Landing. She’s only dissuaded by Jon telling her that arsonist lizards aren’t his type this would make her worse the same as Cersei Lannister.

[THE SAME STORY] Home in the books.

In the books, this is even more obvious, because every time Danerys mentions and/or thinks of home, she thinks along the other subjects as well In the show, special care has been made into establishing [1] [4] [5] but not really [2] [3] which are waaay more pronounced in the books (including that “odd” insistence with ships > which foreshadow a final alliance with Euron Greyjoy). I’ve selected the most straighforward from each book, but I can assure you every single one fits. It’s quite fun finding them all, especially the ones with flowery language.

“What do you pray for, Ser Jorah?” she asked him. “Home,” he said. His voice was thick with longing. “I pray for home too,” she told him, believing it. Ser Jorah laughed. “Look around you then, Khaleesi.” But it was not the plains Dany saw then. It was King’s Landing and the great Red Keep that Aegon the Conqueror had built. It was Dragonstone where she had been born. In her mind’s eye they burned with a thousand lights, a fire blazing in every window. In her mind’s eye, all the doors were red.

---- AGOT #23 Danerys #3

The thought of home disquieted her. If her sun-and-stars had lived, he would have led his khalasar across the poison water and swept away her enemies, but his strength had left the world. Her bloodriders remained, sworn to her for life and skilled in slaughter, but only in the ways of the horselords. The Dothraki sacked cities and plundered kingdoms, they did not rule them. Dany had no wish to reduce King’s Landing to a blackened ruin full of unquiet ghosts. She had supped enough on tears. I want to make my kingdom beautiful, to fill it with fat men and pretty maids and laughing children. I want my people to smile when they see me ride by, the way Viserys said they smiled for my father.

---- ACOK #23 Danerys #3

“My city,” said Dany. “I was looking for a house with a red door, but by night all the doors are black.” “A red door?” Missandei was puzzled. “What house is this?” “No house. It does not matter.” Dany took the younger girl by the hand. “Never lie to me, Missandei. Never betray me.”

---- ASOS #71 Danerys #6

It was good counsel. "Yes, make it so.” Westeros. Home. But if she left, what would happen to her city? Meereen was never your city, her brother’s voice seemed to whisper. Your cities are across the sea. Your Seven Kingdoms, where your enemies await you. You were born to serve them blood and fire.

---- ADWD #16 Danerys #3

#anti daenerys #anti daenerys targaryen #anti targaryen #anti house targaryen

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mrneighbourlove · 5 years

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Monsters: Ch 1. Where Monsters lie, Innocence Dies

Ralnor had been in his office all day. There was much work to be done. Though, occasionally, there was muffled whispering. Some of the staff thought that the second crown prince was talking to himself. Others wondered if his office was haunted by an old ghost. His spies, however, knew exactly what it was; the monster in the walls. A story floated around in the circle of Ralnor's spies, saying he sent a group to the old tunnels to find more information about a supposed creature sneaking around in the underground catacombs. When the scouts did not return, all that was found of them were dismembered body parts. Supposedly, the prince was the only one who could see or speak to this horrible fiend in the dark. Somehow, he managed to appeal to this monster's better nature... or maybe he was feeding it his enemies. Either way, the spies never dared to say a word against their master.

Miranda finally grew close enough to the spies to listen to stories they shared. A story of a monster in the walls, she didn’t think anything of it, until one day, on a return trip to the castle, she smelled something coming from a sewer grate. Investigating she came across a decayed corpse of someone wearing a Hylian emblem. What really creeped her out, was what she thought she heard a growl coming from deep in the darkened sewage tunnels. Running back to her boss, she did not have the experience yet to not speak her mind about the rumours. “My Prince. There’s something I wish to discuss with you.”

"... did I not ask you to knock before entering my office?" Ralnor did not even look up from his paperwork, continuing to write with his quill. The whispering disappeared as soon as the girl stepped foot in the room. He would have to remind Klinge yet again to discipline the kid. She had to learn there was a proper way to address a situation. "What is so urgent that you must interrupt my work, Miranda?"

“I’m sorry my lord.” Miranda gave a bow. She did her best to adjust to all of Ralnor’s rules. “I heard rumours about a monster under Hyrule. I didn’t think anything of it, but I discovered a corpse of a soldier coming from the sewage system. I think there’s a threat to the security of the people my lord. If the rumours are true, this has been going on for a while. The corpse I discovered had unique bite marks, nothing like any normal animal. I have reason to believe that this is either a very rabid creature, or something far more dangerous, like a real monster.”

"You really believe that story of a monster in the underground?" Ralnor chuckled at Miranda's words, brushing off her worries. He had to save face. No one could know about the creature in the catacombs. "Listen, if you're such a child to believe in fairy tales, then perhaps you'd be better suited to be a babysitter than a scout." The second prince glanced up from his paperwork, only once to look at Miranda. "A decomposed body may look like he has unknown bite marks due to the rats chewing on the flesh. I wouldn't be surprised if this supposed 'monster' of yours is perhaps a disposed exotic pet, like a crocodile."

"I-I'm not a child sir!" Her long ears drooped like a puppy who had been scolded. "Regardless of why or how it happened, there's a dead body of a soldier of this nation found in the sewers. I doubt he just got there for exploration’s sakes and eaten by some swamp dragon. We should investigate it further, to prevent anyone else from getting hurt!"

"My men know better than to wander around in the catacombs." Ralnor stated as he dripped wax onto a letter and then stamped it with his seal. "Whatever reason he was down there for, he obviously did not listen to me nor cared about the danger of the old traps. Those tunnels are as old as Hyrule itself and full of peril. The men know not to venture down there and I don't want you going in there either. That is final."

Miranda was about to say something, but stopped herself. Her ears continued to droop. “Yes sir...”

"Now, run along and remember to knock next time." Ralnor reminded the young girl. As she started to exit his office, he said, "And I better not hear of you in those tunnels. I want you alive and well."

“But you said nothing was down there.”

"There's nothing but traps, and I won't have you fall into one because of your insatiable curiosity."

“Ok.” Her ears shot back up and she hopped back to the Prince when she remembered her second objective for entering his office. She handed him a journal containing private dark thoughts of a tutor and bowed. “My last mission my lord. Turns out there was indeed a plot to blackmail your youngest sister.”

"I figured as much." Ralnor's hunches were almost always correct. "And you took care of the problem?"

“I don’t hurt people sir. Just ‘borrow’ all the evidence you need.”

"Very well. I'll see to it that the problem is fixed." Ralnor then instructed her. "Go train with Klinge."

“Yes sir. Thank you sir.” She bowed again and bounded off, not picking up any other presence near by.

Later on in the evening, the servants were avoiding Ralnor's office. Once more, all of the maids swore there was whispering. Perhaps his office really was haunted. After a long night finishing up work, the second prince strolled through the hallway with a book in his hand about ancient poisons.

Miranda couldn’t shake the feeling in her heart about something being terribly wrong. If Ralnor wouldn’t do anything about it, than perhaps Klinge would.

“Klinge! I have news to report!”

Klinge was in his office looking at the clock tic by. Every second going by another reminder of his life never able to end. The Dark Elf barely broke him out of his trance. “Yes Miranda?”

“I found a body in the sewers of Hyrule! I heard rumours of a monster in the underground of Hyrule, so I believe something is incredibly off about this.”

Klinge sighed softly. “So you believe any rumours about a monster now?”

“I know, I know. It’s exactly what Ralnor said, and he was incredibly shady about the subject. He didn’t care that a soldier of Hyrule was ripped apart! I know it was no crocodile.” The Dark Elf slammed her hand on the table. “I know about the rumours that come from Ralnor’s office. I also know there’s major hush-hush with the thieving society around a group that “shall not be named” in Hyrule! My gut is telling me there’s a great danger in Hyrule!”

Klinge pauses to consider it. He too had heard the rumours, but never found the evidence for it. It did make him curious though. And a body of one of his men had to be taken seriously. “Very well Miranda. At the least, we shall recover this body you found.”

Miranda’s eats shot up through her white hair in excitement at being taken seriously. “Thank you sir! I’ll take you there right away!”

Little did the two know that Ralnor had eyes and ears everywhere. There could be no trouble for the underground. What this world knew of monsters had to be limited. When Klinge and Miranda arrived to the body site, there was evidence of blood and decayed flesh... but no corpse.

Miranda was nearly distraught. “It was here!”

Klinge took note of the blood, and stain that dragged backwards into the tunnel. “I believe you.”

Picking up a piece of wood, he turned it in a makeshift torch and handed it to Miranda. “Follow me.”

He stepped into the sewer and started to investigate the blood trail.

The sewer went deep into the heart of Hyrule, yet connected to it was plenty of routes into the catacombs. It was a death maze without a map. Some of the tunnels had caved in over the years and others promised a grisly end with the remains of bones. It was an eerie feeling like the two of them were being watched. Not even rats dared to dwell in this place.

Miranda felt a chill run up her spine. This place felt old, but no longer empty. Klinge however felt nothing for this place. It was just another maze. “Interesting. Anything could be hiding in here.”

Miranda didn’t like the implication of that. Her mother always told her stories of boogeymen hiding in the dark to make her behave as a child. “But you think something is in here?”

“Catacombs this large are like a labyrinth. And labyrinths always hold something...”

Klinge walked to the walls, reading very old Hylian inscriptions.

The text on the concrete wall spoke of how the catacombs used to be a burial ground for the common wealth. The farmland was too precious to sacrifice as a graveyard, so the people were buried here to save space. It warned not to disturb the dead or trespass on their grounds. Promises of demise would greet those who did not respect the wishes of those who had already passed on into the next realm. As the two journeyed deeper into the catacombs, bones started to make up the walls....

The undead warrior glared at the signs. He knew no demise worse than the fate of his undying existence. The dead had no thoughts or messages to give. Miranda really do not like all the skulls that made up the walls. "Klinge. I don't like this place."

"If you see any Statlfos or Redead, stay close and remember your training."

"Klinge, what if we enter the Shadow Temple."

"That's near Kakariko Village. Nowhere near here."

"But-"

"Hush. Keep your ears and eyes open, and your mouth shut."

The Dark Elf did as she was told. Both continued down further and further.

The shadows moved without warning. Water dripped from the ceiling, causing a faint echo throughout the tunnels here and there. Though there were some unsettling signs. More corpses littered the tunnels like the one before, but different signs of death. One unfortunate soul was wrapped in what looked like spider webbing, drained of blood. Another had a hole the size of a melon in his chest, as if something huge had pierced him. Perhaps the grossest was a corpse that had been partly digested and then regurgitated. Bones were scattered across the floor in all directions.

It was too much for the Dark Elf, and she threw up. She could steal from men, make jokes at Bokoblins and criminals screaming for her death, and even swing a punch at some creep. That was fun. That was adventure. This was no adventure. This death all around her clashed against her more innocent viewpoint of the world. Klinge examined the bodies closely. “Take our your camera and capture the evidence. Now.”

Miranda took out her pictograph box and started to take pictures of the corpses. It only held black and white photos, but they were clear enough, the flash going off for each photo taken. Klinge could have sworn he’d seen signs of these attacks before. Did a Gohma spider lay the web? It was a monster big and terrible enough to do the kind of damage to the first two corpses, however, the third corpse didn’t fit its M.O.

The first flash from the camera revealed a tail, slinking back into darkness, fading as the light did. The second flash displayed a pair of red eyes observing from the shadows, narrowed and angry. The third flash sealed Miranda's fate as a figure emerged from the blackness too quick for the eye to see. Clawed hands snatched the elf, unseen to both Miranda and Klinge.

Miranda let out a scream as she was taken, dropping the camera. Her mind raced to her sick mother and how stupid she was for coming here.

Klinge wiped around, his mind racing at this sudden attack. “Miranda!”

Grabbing the torch he ran after her, frantic to find her. “Miranda! Hold on!!!”

As Klinge ran through the tunnels, it was like a rat trying to find its way out of an endless maze with no exit. A dark laugh echoed and taunted him from all directions. Miranda was still alive... for now. She was still screaming and perhaps now, crying too. When the commander ran into a connector, there was a small streams of light from lit torches hanging on the side of the walls. Five options of a path awaited him.... yet Miranda's dagger fell from above to the floor with a clatter, causing the undead to look upward.

A monster was hanging from the ceiling.

Those coils seemed to have no end from what little light the fire provided. The tiny elf was wrapped from neck to ankle with black scales, still moving along her skin. The expression on her face was one of shock and absolute terror. One hand emerged from the shadows and then another, placed expertly on the stones. Then the face of horror slowly crept from the darkness with a demented grin and flickering tongue. Indeed there was a monster beneath Hyrule.

"Come to slay old Bonegrinder?" The creature actually laughed, highly amused as a single claw traced over Miranda's cheek. "Or does he have two new playthings? He so does love to play, you see, chase and chase and chase until he gets them and they scream, so lovely, yes, the screams..."

Miranda’s tears would not stop falling from her face. Her mouth quivered in terror. “P-please. N-no.”

Klinge studied this thing that slivered from the darkness. It had the body of a serpent, and an upper body of a humanoid. It was indeed a monster. But so was Klinge, and the Undead would not be intimidated for the sake of Miranda.

He summoned his bow and arrow, taking aim. “Return. My apprentice. Now.”

"Oh, this your pet? Pity, pity." Bonegrinder's huge body moved freely about the columns holding up the ceiling. The monster did not even seem worried about a weapon. "Don't you know, you're supposed to keep pets on a leash? Otherwise, if it goes out into the wild, it just might get..." He flicked his tongue again, that mouth full of jagged teeth so close to Miranda's face. "Eaten."

“I am Klinge. Blade of the Gerudo. The Slayer. Identify yourself.”

Miranda gave a light scream. “No, no, no, no! Klinge, please help me. I-I want my mom.”

Klinge looked her in the eye, the first time in years he tapped his bow in worry. “Everything is going to be ok Miranda. You’ll see her soon.”

"Oooh, the undead one, the tool of the royals, the gloomy, ever depressed, hollow shell of a man who wishes nothing more than to depart from this realm... but can't." The monster chuckled darkly as Klinge kept the arrow raised and ready to fire. "Yes, yes, Bonegrinder knows all about you, he can feel your surprise. Let's see, what else does he know? Oh yes, he knows you fought with Zelda all those years ago, and... right..." His upper half twisted upside down, a lopsided callous grin on his face. "You let her kill your wife. No wonder you blame the queen, when you really should blame yourself." He shook a clawed finger at the commander. "And now, you're letting this little pet come in here? Where danger lurks around every corner? Tsk, you must not care at all what happens to her." The snake man's jaw unhinged, his mouth impossibly large. "Maybe she'll be a good snack, resting in Bonegrinder's belly until he tires of her."

Miranda screamed aloud, hollering at the top of her lungs for safety and her mother. Klinge felt his dark side rise within him. This abomination was old enough or clever enough to know about his life. Worse, it mocked him. It mocked every fibre that made Klinge what he was. The Undead warrior made a promise that he would destroy this thing. But first, he would save Miranda. This snake was close enough for Klinge’s magic to work. Hopefully she wouldn’t suffer.

In his wrath, he was completely silent. Raising a fist, he clenched it and pulled back, energy spears generating from behind the snake to pierce his tail and mouth. If the gods listened, he prayed they’d allowed him to catch Miranda safely.

The spears did indeed pierce the snake, causing him to drop Miranda. The elf was not totally unharmed, broken bones and bruises from Bonegrinder's coils squeezing her so tightly during the struggle. Though, the attack did not kill the monster. No, it merely made him... laugh? It was a maniacal laugh, one devoid of sanity. Slithering down from the ceiling, the fiend removed the spear from his mouth, a gaping hole there. Creepily, the skin started to patch itself back together, as if the wound had never been there in the first place.

"Oh, you stupid tool..." Bonegrinder's jaw locked back into place with a malicious smile. Those red eyes leered at him as his tail started to snuff out the torches. "You know that you cannot kill what is already... dead."

Klinge caught Miranda with one arm, the Dark Elf falling unconscious after being released. This thing was like him? Then let it see the light. He threw up a wall of dark fire at Bonegrinder. With great intensity, he ran off with Miranda back to the surface. He couldn’t fight with her here. So instead he would retreat.

Bonegrinder did not pursue the two intruders in the catacombs. No, the undead commander would report back to the second prince. There was no need for concern, everything would play in his favor. After all, the prince would not deny him. Ralnor was smart enough to know not to cross a monster. Licking the outside of his jaws, he murmured to himself, "Run, run, undead... run away back to your master."

Klinge promised he’d be back. Arriving at the castle, he dropped Miranda on Doctor Boveir’s operation table. “She needs a physical examination and mental care when she wakes up.”

"Good goddesses, Klinge, what happened to her?" Doctor Boveir took a look over the tiny elf's body and winced aloud. "She has multiple fractures. I'm going to call in a Dusa to help me... what happened?"

“Fix her.”

Doctor Boveir frowned and decided not to ask further questions. He first administered a light sedative to keep Miranda asleep, because she would be in a high level of discomfort after setting the bones. Once the on call Dusa arrived, the two set to work about healing the dark elf.

Klinge walked to his office. Miranda would be safe while with the doctors. Sitting at his desk he let his anger fester deep inside him. The silence made him more angry.

It was not long before Ralnor knocked on Klinge's office door. The second prince heard from his spies that the commander and the dark elf traveled down to the catacombs. He had strictly ordered for no one to be down there for any reason.

“Come in Prince.” Klinge didn’t even need to see who was behind the door to know who was coming.

Ralnor opened the door and then shut it behind him with an angry slam.

"I explicitly ordered that no one went into the catacombs, Klinge. That includes you."

“You think you have power over me?” Klinge squeezes his fists together as he held both elbows on his table. “Tell me. What was that thing I discovered.”

"I am your prince, the least I demand from you is respect! You have free reign on whatever you wish to do, who you want to kill, what you say to others, I don't stop you, but when I give an order, I have good reason for it to be followed!" Ralnor snapped harshly at the commander. "... what do you think you discovered?"

“I investigated the death of one of my men. I don’t allow my soldiers to be discarded like one of your spies Ralnor! I followed a trail to the catacombs. I found a monster by the name of Bonegrinder.” When he saw a visible reaction from Ralnor at that name, Klinge nearly exploded in anger, rising from his chair to walk around his desk and face Ralnor. “What do you know about it? Because you do know something about it. You are going to reveal what you know to me, now boy.”

"One of your men who defied my orders, defied your orders. No better than a traitor." Ralnor had grown cold and callous as he aged. It seemed like his best kept secret was now at risk of being known. Klinge and Miranda had traveled deep enough into the monster's territory to encounter him. "... thanks to you crossing into his domain, I fear now what I'll have to do to appease him." The second prince took a deep breath and tried to tame his ire. "Bonegrinder is an ancient monster from the lands of Omisha; an Anagari."

“My men? Are you speaking of a dead man, or Miranda? And what do you mean appease?”

"Whoever traveled down into those catacombs defied my orders, and thus is no longer my concern." Ralnor then snorted. "Miranda insisted on pursuing the evidence she found when I told her not to do so. She's next in line for insubordination. I'll deal with her later." The prince then explained to Klinge with a dry laugh. "Appease? Did you not see him, Klinge? Or did he move too fast for you do to so? That creature lurks in the underground catacombs and is the hidden head of crime. Anyone who displeases him is eaten. Thieves, black market items, drugs, prostitution, all of that? He rules." He frowned at the commander. "He's older than he looks too. Way older."

Klinge slapped Ralnor across the face. He was completely livid with his nephew. “Your actions disgust me Ralnor. You will not dare lay a hand on Miranda. That girl only did what she thought was the noble thing, and followed my orders to pursue it further. And now she has suffered enough for that. You have not only thrown away your honour by lying in bed with a monster, but a kingpin? What would your brother think? Your wife. Your father .... or your children.” Klinge clenched his fist, reeling in the fact he wanted to beat the life out of the prince. “You allow this thing to fester in Hyrule, to control you, to make you number 2. It seems that’s the place you feel suited to isn’t it. Now tell me, before I spill your secrets out to them all, why you allow that thing to ensnare you.”

Ralnor grunted when Klinge slapped him but stood his ground. This was nothing he had not suffered through before. The blow to the face caused his lip to bust and a trickle of blood to run down his chin.

"... because he can't be killed." Ralnor said lowly, a dark glare on his face. "And I won't risk the lives of my family for an idiot commander and dimwitted dark elf who don't realize exactly how dire this situation is." The prince would do whatever was necessary to ensure the safety of those he cared for, no matter what the price. "It's better to placate a monster than to risk it's ire. I learned that from you."

"Heheheheh..." A voice snickered from inside the walls. "Little prince, did you send this undead twig after Bonegrinder? Oh, he had fun watching the elf scream and the festered pile of flesh twitch from her cries. Won't you send more? You know old Bonegrinder so enjoys the... snacks... that dare to cross into his home."

If looks could kill, Klinge would already be in the next realm.

"... even if I say no, you're still angry." Ralnor spoke in a soft voice. "I gave orders to my men not to cross into the catacombs. You heard me doing so."

"Can't you keep your dogs on a leash? Better yet, why don't you just use dark magic to keep this tool in order?" Bonegrinder inquired, his voice coming from a different direction this time. "It would be easy, Bonegrinder could show you."

Klinge looked down at Ralnor, and the Prince felt an aura from him he never felt before. This wasn’t simple anger, or disappointment. This was something far more dark inside Klinge. “Get. Out.”

That warning could have been for either one of them.

"Hehehe, did old Bonegrinder touch a nerve, corpse?" The snake monster chuckled from inside the walls. "He will be watching you. Nothing you can hide from him."

Ralnor wiped the blood off his chin and turned on his heel. Exiting the office, the second prince walked to his bedroom to check on his wife. With a relieved sigh, he found Cass fast asleep with little Ukuri in her bassinet. It was late but sleep would not come to him, he knew this. Taking his sleeping daughter into his arms, Ralnor sat against a stack of pillows on the bed and silently kept watch.

Klinge went to the darkest reaches of his mind. This thing had festered itself too deeply in the lives of Ralnor and the family to be kept alive. It kept had insulted him too far to be allowed to live. And it claimed to be unkillable. Klinge decided that this was his final challenge. He would slay Bonegrinder. Or it would consume him. Klinge cracked his knuckles as he got to work writing out his plan. “Oh he may try.”

#New Crossover #ridersoftheapocalypse #Klinge #ralnor #Miranda #Bonegrinder #Monsters #Legend of Zelda #For #figmentforms #s-kinnaly #More to come.

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casuallydeliciousphilosopher · 6 years

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5,7,8,20 for the ask meme :D

@m0urningd0ves I’m so sorry I’ve made you wait for days! :O Life is crazy…I have too many projects. I’m going crazy.

#5: Books or authors that influenced your style the most.

Dear God, I hate to admit this…but I was one of those kids growing up…you know the ones…the ones that read every single fucking Warriors book that Erin Hunter published…lol. But I think ‘her’ style did kinda wear off on me a little bit, and by a little bit, I mean a lot. I also read a lot of the classics surprisingly, White Fang, Call of the Wild, Wizard of Oz, Oliver Twist. So I would say it was a mixture of that. Honestly, I have a hard time remembering exactly what I read back then, repressed memories are both a blessing and a curse.

#7: Favorite author.

Of all time? Currently? Both? Honestly, I don’t have a singular favorite. If I like their writing, they’re on my list of people who I enjoy. I adore Victoria Aveyard, Ellen Hopkins, Dean Koontz, Danielle Vega, Suzanne Collins and Veronica Roth, just to name a few. I’m sure I could pull up a lot more names, but I don’t feel like scouring my bookshelves at the moment.

#8: Favorite trope to write.

Ohhh. This is a hard one. I really enjoy enemies to friends to lovers, or just friends to lovers, and fake married. But overall, probably slow burn. I don’t think I’ve ever not written a slow burn lol.

#20: Post a snippet of a WIP you’re working on.

Well Tad, you’re just getting all the Red Queen AU snippets today, aren’t you???

The crisp bite of the night air nipped at the back of Chloe’s neck and the tips of her ears as she carefully picked her way through the overgrown grass; the pale moonlight easily illuminating the brooding figure that was sprawled out on the husk of a fallen tree. The closer Chloe got the more details she noticed, the almost defensive way his arms were crossed over his chest, the misty puffs of breath that escaped his parted lips only to be dragged away by the soft breeze, the way his dark eyes stared up into the inky abyss of the night sky.

“Hey,” Chloe greeted him quietly as she drew nearer, immediately pulling the full force of his gaze from the heavens as his eyes settled on her.

“I thought you would be asleep,” Lucifer murmured, his voice soft against the echoing chirps of crickets and the occasional cry of a coyote in the surrounding forest.

“I could say the same about you,” Chloe replied as she came to a stop, crossing her arms over her chest in an attempt to stave off the cold as best she could.

“I don’t need as much sleep as you humans do.” The explanation was simple, concise, and yet it threw her off balance for a moment. It was so easy to forget that the man lying before her wasn’t human, that he was ancient, that he was a God in comparison to her.

In the beginning, she’d always labeled his oddities as quirks, but now that she knew the truth they all made so much sense. He never chased after a target because he had no need to, he had an eternity to pursue his prey, there was no way he could lose the hunt. He always ran a fever not because he was hot-blooded, or because he had a light flu, but because he was an eternal flame, an undying beacon of light.

When a small gust of wind picked up it cut through her sweater with ease, making her shiver and effectively pulling her thoughts away from just how otherworldly the man before her truly was. “So, may I?” Chloe questioned as she gestured to the fallen tree that Lucifer was currently sprawled across. He let out a rough huff of breath, pretending at annoyance as he sat up, scooting towards the far end of the tree to make room for her; Chloe rolled her eyes at the elaborate show, he was such a damn drama king. “The stars are beautiful tonight,” Chloe stated as she sat down, silently relishing in the way Lucifer’s residual warmth radiated from the seat beneath her.

Lucifer let out a breath at the words, his eyes lifting to the heavens as he stared up at the small blots of light that stood out against the nothingness. A small, melancholy smile twisted his lips as he spoke, “That they are.” The whispered words were reverent, adoring, each syllable was practically worship in its own right. It made Chloe’s breath catch in her throat, the sight of such a powerful, ancient creature staring up at the sky with such a holy longing, as though the stars were the ancient Gods that breathed life into him back during the beginning of time.

“Lucifer,” Chloe murmured, loath to break the tranquil serenity of the quiet, but too focused on her original mission to allow the task to get pushed to the backburner. He glanced over at her at the sound of his name, and damn her traitorous heart for stuttering in her chest when he looked at her that way, the same way he stared up at the stars, except perhaps with more warmth than he gave them. “I have some questions for you.”

Is that good enough for you Tad??? There’s more too it, but that is part of the snippet I’m planning on throwing your way soon-ish lol. ;) Thanks for the questions!

If anyone else wants to shoot me some, here’s the list :)

#personal #tumblr games #fanfiction asks #writer asks #m0urningd0ves #Red Queen AU

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ptw30 · 7 years

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Ficlet: "Cloak and Bayard Meeting"

A/N: @kingkoganes posted earlier this week about how/if the team knew Shiro left the Black Lion and leadership to Keith. In S3E1, everyone seemed to know Shiro made Keith his second-in-command, so King got me thinking - how did the team know about Shiro and Keith’s private conversations?

So here we go! (Thanks for the musing, King!)

Takes place sometime between S2E11 “Stayin’ Alive” and S2E12 “The Best Laid Plans.”

—

“So…yeah, thanks for the invite, Shiro, but why am I here?”

They were gathered in the observation deck at the top of the ship, where Shiro usually spent time when not with the team. He made notes on constellations, learned the Altean language, and mapped out battle strategies - all from this deck. But it was always open for the paladins - no matter what, Shiro wanted the team to come to him in their time of need.

So it warmed Lance to be welcomed to the deck to help Shiro for a change, but why would Shiro want him for a cloak and bayard meeting with Allura and Coran? Wouldn’t Shiro invite Keith?

Shiro ignored his question, instead slotting his fingers together between his parted knees, head dipped below his shoulders.

“We need to discuss the klanmurel in the room.”

Allura tapped her nails upon her knees. “Yes, well, while I feel that a Galra Paladin is not…conducive to our mission, it is far too late in our plans to -”

Shiro cut her off, “I’ve already informed Keith that if anything were to happen to me, I would want him to lead Voltron.”

Lance reeled. How the quiznak did he get invited to this meeting?

Allura immediately straightened, eyes growing dark. “What!”

“I understand your disdain for all things Galra, but I’ve known Keith for a long time. He’s like my little brother. I trust him implicitly, and nothing you can say will change that.”

Lance’s mind went blank as Shiro’s words injected a heavy dose of shock into his gut. Hurt crept up a few moments later, though he quickly batted that away. Keith lived attached to Shiro’s hip, hero-worship and true affection blending with a protective instinct to create a strong, everlasting bond. Lance had only begun to forge such unyielding connections with the duo, so it made sense that Shiro would pick Keith to lead the team.

Plus, Keith never quit in battle, and if he could ever cool his jets, nothing would be able to stop him. He was the perfect choice to succeed Shiro.

But something overwhelmed Lance almost a second later.

Absolutely, unfathomable horror.

Allura huffed, “I know you are fond of Keith, but I urge you to reconsider. In the event that are you are no longer able to fly the Black Lion - ”

“Keith’s Galra heritage has nothing to do with his ability to - ”

How could they even discuss this so calmly? And how could they ignore the most important point? The words flew from his mouth quicker than Lance could stop them.

“What the hell, Shiro? Nothing is going to happen to you!”

Allura looked startled. Coran appeared sympathetic, but Shiro reached out to pat Lance’s knee in what he probably thought to be a soothing gesture.

“Lance, thank you. I’m touched by your concern, but now isn’t the time to ignore the obvious.”

“What’s obvious? You’re our best fighter! You were the Champion!” A fierce panic seized Lance’s entire being at the simple thought of something happening to Shiro. “You’re - You’re our leader.”

“And as leader,” Coran interjected, somberness reigning in his voice, “it is customary for one to choose a second-in-command in the unfortunate event of - ”

“He’s not going anywhere, Coran!”

Shiro came to kneel before Lance, a hand upon each shoulder in a warm embrace. “I am the pilot of the Black Lion. Zarkon’s lion.”

“Your lion.”

Shiro’s tender, gracious smile broke Lance’s heart. “Thank you, Lance. You have no idea how much your confidence means to me, but - ” And Lance was left breathless by the sudden collapse of the usual reserved leader. Before him knelt not the infallible Black Paladin, but Shiro, their concerned and very human big brother.

“ - but Zarkon is gunning for me. And this plan we’ve worked out with the Blade of Marmora puts me right in Zarkon’s path. If anything goes wrong, I need to know you all will be all right.”

Why was Shiro telling him this? “And if something happens, what? You expect Keith to just take over as Black?”

Shiro nodded. “And help finish what we started.”

Rage tightened Lance’s fists on his knees. “Seriously? You’re that cruel? You’ll make him do what you couldn’t.”

The pride in Shiro’s eyes was limitless. “He is so strong, Lance. You all are. You have no idea all of you can accomplish. I’m in awe daily of your talents and perseverance. I have no doubts that with the right push, you can go on in the event of - ”

“Stop,” Lance pleaded, “why are you telling me this? Why not Keith?”

Shiro faltered again. His hands shook on Lance’s shoulders. “In the Blade of Marmora headquarters, Keith went through…trials. He had to face his greatest fear.” This was private, between Keith and Shiro. Shiro shouldn’t be telling him this. Why was he telling Lance this? But he did, voice gutted with emotion. “It’s losing me, Lance. He’s afraid of losing me.”

Shit.

“I’ve already spoken to him about this, but I can’t - I can’t do that to him again.”

“So why are you telling me?”

Shiro’s glistened softened. “Keith may become the decisive head of Voltron, but you are its heart, Lance. You always support us and guide us, and encourage us in ways I can’t even begin to describe.”

Wait. What? “Are we talking about the same person?”

Shiro laughed, though it was humorless and sad. “If something happens to me, Keith will be a capable strategist, but he will be reckless. He’ll need someone to ground him, someone to match his fierce nature with undying empathy. That’s you, Lance.”

Him?

“You and Keith compliment each other so well. I have no doubt that with Keith’s unyielding drive and your endless heart, Voltron will be unstoppable.”

Lance gripped Shiro’s forearms, tears wetting his heated cheeks. “We’re unstoppable because we have you.”

Shiro closed his eyes and pressed his face against Lance’s shoulder. “Promise me you’ll look after them, Lance. Please.”

Lance couldn’t give Shiro an easy out. He couldn’t. “Be here to protect us yourself.”

Shiro’s fingers tightened in Lance’s shirt. “Lance, please…“

Ancients, Shiro begged him.

Lance never could deny any of his family anything they wished, especially solace. And Shiro was always so strong for them. He’d be strong for Shiro.

“I promise.”

#vld season 3 #voltron: legendary defender #lance #shiro #keith #allura #coran #spoilers #ptw30 pens #dev@sdcc

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recentanimenews · 5 years

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CR Features Argues About Best Girl of 2018

*Anime Awards voting starts this Friday and WE'RE SUPER EXCITED! However we have gotten so loud with our individual opinions on who we think should win that we’ve been told to duke it out via written words instead of continually disrupting our coworkers (sorry fam).

We’ll hit each category by the time we hit the evening of Anime Awards! Today’s piece gets down to the nitty gritty of Best Protagonist, Best Antagonist, Best Boy, and Best Girl. *Let’s down to business!

Best Protagonist

Retsuko of Aggretsuko

The lady red panda’s life is starkly relatable in some way to everyone. She stresses the necessity of staying true to oneself and taking care of said self by any means necessary. Whether it’s with death metal in a karaoke bar or yoga with the girls despite being an awkward human, decompressing is highly important and she shows that through example.

-Ricky Soberano

Sakata Gintoki of Gintama

Who better to lead the charge than everyone’s favorite lazy-ass, strawberry-milk-loving samurai? Even with war tearing Edo apart, Gintoki has stayed the same lovable jerk--he may have to grit his teeth a little more, he may have to take a harsher beating, but he’s still the same idiot we all cheer for, even when he’s being total slothful garbage.

-Nate Ming

Saichi Sugimoto of Golden Kamuy

Sugimoto is a breath of fresh air for protagonists; he’s vulnerable, but strong, determined, funny, and absolutely devoted to helping other people. I thought he would be a ruthless killer at first, and while he can be, Sugimoto’s relationship with Asirpa has really changed him as their journey went on. Watching Sugimoto change from the somewhat lost and aimless “I just need money” to “I am going to help you, Asirpa” has been amazing, and Sugimoto’s strong personality that grows and develops over time is one of the reasons that hooked me into Golden Kamuy, so him being my pick is a no-brainer!

-Nicole Mejias

Chise Hatori of The Ancient Magus’ Bride

In a year full of super powered heroes with abilities that could level mountains, my favorite protagonist is a bit more modest in her abilities. Chise Hatori does possess powerful magical abilities, but it’s something else that sets her apart--her empathy. All of the outlandish abilities in the world wouldn’t have helped her in her journey if she wasn’t able to feel the experiences of those around her so deeply. The Ancient Magus’ Bride told the story of Chise slowly learning to love herself, and it was only through her ability to love others that this was made possible. And that, for my money, is the most heroic character arc of 2018.

-Cayla Coats

Shirase Kobuchizawa of A Place Further Than The Universe

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Although starring an ensemble cast, it’s hard for me to think of any of the girls in A Place Further than the Universe as a lead besides Shirase. She’s the reason the girls end up on the expedition and, although they all tag along to experience their own self discoveries, it’s Shirase’s story about getting closure. Her shy personality that gets subsumed by stubborn determination in the face of doubters is extremely relatable.

-Peter Fobian

Best Antagonist

Vetto of Black Clover

Vetto was the most infuriating opponent that came out of the Eye of the Midnight Sun. He was a monstrously murderous sadist that made every person surpass their limits but not before making sure everyone experienced a personalized version of despair. The slam to Kahono’s throat was what solidified the anger that still makes my blood boil.

-Ricky Soberano

Lt. Tokushirou Tsurumi of Golden Kamuy

Tsurumi’s not someone you love to hate, which is strange for someone who is arguably Golden Kamuy’s deadliest and most important antagonist. In fact, we all kinda like him, warts and all, which makes him that much more memorable… and that much scarier when he shows us what he’s capable of.

-Nate Ming

Viruses, Parasites, Bacteria and Cancer Cells of Cells At Work

Cells at Work was a charming and amazing show that I really learned a lot from in terms of how the body works in terms of fighting off disease and infection, but a large part of that was the unique ways that the show depicted all of those threats. Each one felt wholly unique and easily identifiable, given traits that fit their natural actions and behaviors, and it made me realize that there are some amazing battles going on inside of my body every day!

-Nicole Mejias

Joseph Cartaphilus of The Ancient Magus’ Bride

My protagonist and antagonist picks are sort of a 2-for-1 deal. Joseph is by far the scariest, most cruel presence in his series, but he is also the most tragic. Condemned to an eternity of suffering because of some misplaced kindness, simply existing for Joseph is unimaginably painful. He exists as a darker version of the traumatized Chise, someone who was transformed into a monster through immense suffering. The conclusion of the series resolves not in a fight to the death, but a surprising moment of tender kindness from Chise--making Joseph the perfect counterpoint to our heroine.

-Cayla Coats

Ladros of Black Clover

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The best villains are always the ones with personality and Ladros has an excess. The magically deranged general of the Diamond kingdom made a huge impact in just a few episodes with his unexpected reactions and schoolyard bullying tactics with a huge voice performance from Takeshi Kusao. Within half an episode I went from thinking he was a jobber to falling in love when he screamed “MILLION LASER!”

-Peter Fobian

Best Boy

Goblin Slayer of Goblin Slayer

Say whatever you want about the single tracked mind of the slayer of goblins: He’s motivated, supremely focused, and skilled. His mission in life to kill beings that not only rape and murder women but utilize women as playthings is admirable and justified. He provides comfort to goblin survivors and we may not know what his face looks like but we know what practically everything else looks like and I’ll take that.

-Ricky Soberano

Honda-san of Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san

Retail is a special kind of hell, staffed by a special, hard-as-nails kind of people. Honda-san is a refreshing retail lead in that he doesn’t hate his job--in fact, he loves it! By loving his customers and wanting to help them find the same joy in books that he does, Honda reminds me of the best parts of working in a bookstore… and a handful of the worst when everything’s on fire.

-Nate Ming

Gobta of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime

Okay, so hear me out here. Despite his appearance that didn’t even change when he was given his name, this little goblin seems to be indestructible! Strung up upside down and forgotten in prison? No problem, just summon a tempest wolf and rejoin your party. Be subjected to poisonous cooking? Dude gained the Poison Resist skill to survive, which earns the envy of Rimuru! To add to this, Ranga has unending faith in Gobta due to his quick-witted battling abilities. Gobta is certainly an irreplaceable asset to Rimuru’s group, so don’t make the mistake of underestimating him!

-Nicole Mejias

All Might of My Hero Academia

Deku’s great, but the end of the first cour of My Hero Academia Season 3, All Might absolutely stole the Best Boy throne from him. All Might threw himself into danger in order to protect the world and his body was left permanently stuck in his withered form. This was powerful stuff, but what sealed the deal for me was the beach scene pictured above--All Might punches Deku for his recklessness and then embraces him, dedicating himself to training and raising the young hero into someone truly amazing. He’s just SO GOOD.

-Cayla Coats

Rei Kiriyama of March comes in like a lion

I’ll say it again. Every year we get a March comes in like a lion, Rei Kiriyama is automatically best boy. He’s just a nice kid trying to get by despite some pretty unfortunate circumstances. He’s kind, thoughtful, and the way he experiences the world around him hints at an artistic mind that might never get the chance to express itself. He’s compassionate even to those who are cruel and preoccupies himself with finding ways to pay back the generosity he’s been offered. Rei Kiriyama for president.

-Peter Fobian

Best Girl

Mai Sakurajima of Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai

Mai-san isn’t just a gorgeous, intelligent bunny girl senpai that works as a beloved actress. She also keeps her rascal, Sakuta, in check. Not only that, she’s incredibly mature, understanding, and trusting despite Sakuta’s life being constantly thrown in a loop by cute girls to the point that she didn’t object to Sakuta dating another girl. She makes Sakuta work for it but she can also be shy under that poker face.

-Ricky Soberano

Hina Kawamoto of March comes in like a lion

Probably the most criminally underwatched show this year, March comes in like a lion went right for the throat with an intense story arc dealing with bullying at Hina’s middle school. The complicit cowardice of Hina’s teacher and the professional frustration of her substitute teacher play against the casual callousness of the bully and Hina’s undying fire. She did absolutely nothing wrong--and if she just makes it to graduation, she wins.

-Nate Ming

Asirpa of Golden Kamuy

For me, there’s no argument that Asirpa is the best girl of 2018. She’s equal share protagonist with Sugimoto, but more importantly she’s a BADASS! Hungry? No problem, Asirpa knows how to hunt everything and cook it up. In danger? Her accuracy with a bow knows no equal. Need to track someone? She’s got it covered. There’s always talk about ‘strong female characters,’ and honestly I can’t think of many as good as Asirpa when it comes to anime. Asirpa holds her head tall and stands shoulders above the rest!

-Nicole Mejias

Lily Hoshikawa of ZOMBIE LAND SAGA

Lily is a spot of sunshine in Franchouchou, always beaming with a positive and infectious energy! The zombie idol group is comprised of plenty of eccentric and lovable personas, but Lily struck a rather personal chord with me--we’re both girls that used to be boys. It’s rare to find a trans character in any sort of media, rarer still to find one created with the amount of respect and love that was put into Lily. She’s the shining star of 2018.

-Cayla Coats

Nagisa Aragaki of HANEBADO!

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Nagisa literally stole the show in HANEBADO! Despite the subtitle of “Hanesaki’s play” and the focus on the forlorn badminton player, Nagisa got some great moments as she quietly worked on her own game in the background. The result was a redemption story surpassing that of the main character. Nagisa rose up to defeat the opponent who had previously shut her out so completely she’d almost quit the game. Seeing her triumph was a series-making moment for me.

-Peter Fobian

Anddd that's all folks! Check back in to see us argue about who else we think should win the rest of the Anime Awards categories. Don’t forget to vote for your favorites starting on 1/11!

Do you have a super intense devotion to a 2018 show or character or want your opinions shared to the world about Anime Awards? Send us an op-ed in written or video form. The nitty gritty details are in here and you may get published in a future article!

Who do you think should win: Best Protagonist, Best Antagonist, Best Boy, and Best Girl? Tell us in the comments below!

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Ricky Soberano is a Features Editor, Script Writer, and Editorial Programming Coordinator for Crunchyroll. She’s the former Managing Editor of Brooklyn Magazine. You can follow her on Twitter @ramenslayricky.

By: [email protected]

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