#but then he just turns slimy after getting Genie | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

yan-twst · 4 years

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OMG 1000 is a big number cONGRATULATIONS ! mmmM i was thinking, maybe yandere!scarabia & octavinelle with a genie! s/o ? they have the lamp like in aladdin :o

warnings: general yandere content, implied violence (in floyd’s part)

kalim al-asim

there’s been tales of genies in lamps for years in the land hot sands- there’s plenty of myths and stories he grew up hearing. of course, the chance of actually finding such an artifact were slim, nearing to impossible

so stumbling into a lamp and accidentally unleashing a genie was needless to say, a huge shock. of course, with his happy and cheery attitude, he didn’t waste any time in befriending the genie- honestly, his three wishes are pushed to the back of his mind

at first, he’s eager to show this genie the outside world. how long has it been since they saw the world? have they ever been in a huge feast? kalim says he wants to show them the world- although it’s quite clear to everyone else he’s enjoying their company a bit too much

a human courting a genie is just... unheard of. kalim’s genie is confused, but oh, he’s so sweet! they really can’t sense any dark intentions from him; and he doesn’t, really. the twisted love that blooms in his heart isn’t a bad intention, it’s simply how he loves

kalim takes full advantage of the fact his darling has been stuck to his side since they were awakened, even without he himself realizing it. they trust him; his affection seems to be so pure they can’t help but return it, he’s gifting them jewelry and silk despite them being the genie, he doesn’t even mention his wishes...

... which is how it’s just so easy to be slowly entrapped by him. oh, genies are cunning and smart: genies are supposed to outsmart greedy humans, to twist their wishes around and make them suffer by their own words. but kalim isn’t greedy, he isn’t one of those slimy creeps who try to use a genie to cheat and win at life... and so his gentle and cheery demeanor is what it takes to slowly isolate and drive his darling into a corner

when they realize what he’s doing- keeping their lamp away from them, keeping them quite literally locked in like some sort of housepet- they panic. they should be in control here. they have to give him his wishes so they can leave. but nothing can compare to the look of hurt in kalim’s face when his genie finally tells him to just go and make his wishes

“if i make three wishes, won’t you leave...? i don’t want you to leave.” kalim is serious when he says this. he doesn’t care what he could wish for (he has wealth, he has friends, he’s happy). all he wants is them. he wants them, he wants to love them; he’s become hopelessly attached

it’s a tricky situation. kalim’s hidden their lamp god knows where, claiming it’s “to keep it safe”, he’s blocked off all escape routes, and they’re technically still his, he is their master until all his wishes are completed. he keeps acting as if nothing’s weird- he almost treats them as if they were just a human lover, happily talking about the future he’ll share with them

there’s still hope, right...? kalim’s genie can only hold onto the hope that as years pass, greed will corrupt the heir and he’ll give in and cash in his wishes, and that’ll free them. of course he won’t, he isn’t the sort of person who’d do that- they... know him well enough now, to be able to know he’s just not the kind of man who’d be so easily swayed.

perhaps it’s better this way. they’re not human, but kalim seems to be trying to ignore that. if they press too much- if they try to tell him it’s just not how things should be, genies aren’t supposed to be kept around like this- it’s not going to accomplish anything. kalim may be gentle, but he’s possessive. if anything, they might get him to use up one single wish; and he’ll wish for them to stay with him forever, as his lover for the rest of his life.

jamil viper

like kalim, he’s grown up hearing stories about genies in lamps found in the land of hot sands. he also knows how cunning and sharp genies are in the stories; how wishes are turned around, how they make it so someone’s dearest wish backfires

so of course, when he accidentally unleashes a genie when cleaning what he thought was just an oil lamp forgotten in a corner of the treasury, jamil knows better than to immediately give in to his impulse of using his wishes

jamil may even taunt the genie- do they think he’s just going to foolishly make a wish and let them twist his own words against him? he also relishes on how the genie refers to him as a master; it’s... truly a nice change for once

he’s quite shocked that the genie isn’t like those described in myths. they aren’t an old or ghostly looking figure; especially once they’re entirely out of the lamp, they actually look just like any other human. if it weren’t for the slightly outdated jewelry, they wouldn’t look too out of place... they’re quite pretty, really...

jamil tells himself he’s keeping them around because he wants to “think out his wishes properly”. and it is true, he wants to make sure his three wishes are all perfect, but... he cannot deny how nice it is to have someone who’s objectively his. he is the superior here, he’s the master

is it... can he be in love with a genie? they do look so human; they’re so cute with how they try to pressure him into making his wishes, all the while trying to be respectful to their master. he adores how they squirm when he threatens to lock away or destroy their lamp if they keep telling him to hurry and make his wishes, how they’re always so grateful when he brings them food despite them not needing it

finally, jamil has his wishes done. it takes months of pondering; they have to be perfectly worded, he can’t have his darling little genie tricking him, can he? boiled down, his wishes are quite simple: he wants the viper family to be released from servitude to the al-asim family, he wants to be powerful and independent in the future, and...

oh, and he wants to own them and keep them by his side forever. he makes it quite clear- they’re going to be his lover, they’ll be nice and obedient, and do as he acts. after all, he’ll make sure to remember them that he’s still their master; not being allowed to leave despite the wishes being done, being kept in his room as some sort of housepet

azul ashengrotto

a genie in a lamp, a nearly divine creature who can grant any wish... when he was younger, that would have been azul’s dearest wish; however, now that he’s older, he takes more pride in the fact he got where he is with his own work

so finding a magic lamp all of a sudden is... jarring. he’s long past the days he’d wish for a genie or some divine intervention to make his wishes come true, to not be mocked or bullied; so when he’s asked to make three wishes... he doesn’t know

instead, he sees an opportunity. not only are genies a rare find, but this particular genie is just so beautiful; he’s careful with his words. while he thinks of his wishes, won’t they stick around? perhaps help around the lounge? it would be quite an unique experience, wouldn’t it?

he keeps the lamp locked away, trying to distract them from the fact. he’s advertising their appearance, flaunting the “real genie working in the lounge”, showing them off in the clothes and jewelry they came with when they came out the lamp

it’s easy for azul to become obsessed with them. they can grant any wish to anyone, but they’re his, he controls them now. If he has them, nobody else does. It’s his business to make deals to make people’s wishes come true- it wouldn’t be good for him to let them go, right...?

his smooth talking is good enough to be able to make requests and convince them to do as he pleases without it quite counting as a wish. it flusters and stresses them out, but to azul, he doesn’t mind

he becomes possessive over them; to the point he’ll attempt to use ‘it’s a deal’ on their ability to grant wishes. they don’t need that; they have him!

he doesn’t want them to be able to go, to be able to leave him. his wanting to keep them around for business reasons slowly becomes him craving their attention and approval. he’ll only ever use one wish: they cannot leave him, ever.

jade leech

oho, a genie? what a curious happenstance. jade seems to take the situation with his usual calm and tempered attitude

perhaps he’s so gentlemanly and perfect, that when the genie first looks at him, there’s no way for them to imagine the way this gentle-faced man will make things go

at first, jade acts innocent. so they’re a genie? how interesting- so they can grant wishes? oh, three wishes then? what are the terms? the conditions? of course he already knows the answers- myths and stories about genies are common- but it’s clear it’s working. he can tell the genie seems to be happy to explain, maybe even charmed by his ‘naivety’

jade plays his cards slowly. he’ll figure out what his genie knows and doesn’t, how long they’ve been stuck inside the lamp; oh, it must have been so lonely there! he takes his time acting like the sweetest gentleman to them, lowering their guard

and then he makes his first wish

they aren’t allowed to leave or disobey him, ever

the panic is almost immediate when he says this. he’s been a perfect gentleman, a kind master- so why now does he make this wish all of a sudden-?

once he’s made sure that he’s got them where he wants them, jade indulges in his lover. yes, they’re his lover now; it’s not like they have much choice

if they disobey, then he has no trouble shoving them back into the lamp- perhaps he’ll do so when he can’t keep his eye on them, taunting them and making them suffer

they’ve gotten so used to being around jade, of living in the world, being left back in the lamp is suddenly jarring. it’s so lonely, so cold; even though they should be furious at him, they cannot help but suddenly feel calm when he lets them out, when they’re in another being’s presence once again, even if it’s the man forcing them to play the part of his lover

floyd leech

waaah, what’s this? a genie? why’re they hiding in a lamp, like a hermit crab? that’s quite funny, isn’t it?

floyd’s first instinct is to just squish ‘em in a hug. little hermit crab is just sooo cute! why were they hiding in there, all alone?

when a very flustered genie explains they’re actually supposed to grant him three wishes and not, uh, be hugged around, floyd isn’t particularly surprised

three wishes, huh? hmm, sounds interesting

he’ll blow his first two wishes in random, useless things. maybe he’ll wish to run into riddle just to tease him, or maybe he’ll wish the cafeteria will serve his favourite food

... but he doesn’t want to make his last wish

floyd doesn’t stop hugging and being handsy with his genie- or as he calls them, his hermit crab- he can’t let go of them! they’re the perfect little plaything!

and suddenly he just refuses to make the last wish and let them go. they try to ask nicely; doesn’t he have another wish? he can ask for anything, they’ll make it come true!

and suddenly floyd holds them by the neck, eyes darkened- why do they want to leave him so badly? why does his hermit crab want to disappear from his life? don’t they know once he makes his third wish they’ll be gone? do they think he’ll let them?

floyd can be violent in impulse, and it’s clear that they have to tread carefully. trying to press him into making another wish, into freedom, is a ticket to having their ribs painfully crushed in his embrace

stuck as his plaything- a powerful genie, capable of making any wish come true- except the wish for their own wish of freedom

#yandere twst #yandere twisted wonderland #kalim al asim #jamil viper #azul ashengrotto #jade leech #floyd leech #yandere tw

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olivyh · 3 years

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Into Wonderland Chapter Four: Scarabia Part Three

"Where did you two go?" A familiar voice knocks them out if their sleepy haze.

"Huh?" They look around for the source of the voice and notice Jamil sitting near the door, glaring at them angrily. They freeze.

"I asked where you went." He repeats, voice laced with venom.

"A carpet ride, we went... everywhere?" They struggle to come up with a specific place.

"Listen, I understand that this-" He motions towards the genies, who are still fast asleep on the couch. "Is technically my doing. I should have never put you into that cave. However, I have a job I need to do." Mc gulps and shuffles their feet, prepared for a long lecture. They watch the boy run his hands through his long hair in an act of frustration, taking deep breaths to calm himself. They notice that the braids are long gone and it's out of it's normal ponytail, cascading over his shoulders. He returns to his normal stoic voice and face.

"I can't risk Kalim getting hurt, and you are making it harder for me to protect him. He was unmanageable enough as is, and I was hoping that he'd just accept everything that he must do, so that I can do what I must do." He closes in on them and they stagger backwards, towards the railing. They realize that he's ranting, expression becoming more and more frantic and emotional than before. They wince as the small of their back touches the balcony and the boy is hovering over them, still quietly ranting. His face hovers inches above theirs as they wince, leaning further back over the railing.

"So please, just..." He pauses, sighing and taling a step back. "I'm sorry. I don't know what you should do." He sits up on the railing, once again running his hands through his hair. A nervous habit, Mc mentally notes.

"I'm sorry. You're under a lot of pressure, I can tell. I... really have been making things worse, huh?" Guilt rises in their chest as they meet the boy's tired, steel colored eyes. He looks away, shaking his head.

"He was going to cause trouble one way or another," He sighs. "I suppose it's my own wrongdoing."

Mc pauses and walks back into the room, feeling the boy's eyes burning holes into the back of their head. They pull the lamp out from under the bed and walk back over, holding it out to the boy. He takes a breath and he gingerly holds it between his palms, looking between the glittering lamp and the person in front of him.

"What do I do with it?" He whispers after a while, raising an eyebrow. Mc rolls their eyes and waves their hands in the air.

"Rub it and make a wish!"

"A wish like...?" He pauses, thinking for a second before sighing and muttering, thumb still stroking the tarnished side of the lamp.

"I wish... " He looks up at Mc, as if worried they were going ti say something about his wish. They shake their head and motion for him to continue. "I wish I had the power to never be worried about anything again-" He gingerly rubs his thumb against the side and the three mer emerge from the spout. Mc turns and finds them missing from their spot on the couch, before realizing that the lamp but be some sort of reset spot for them...

"Gotcha!" Floyd chirps in the now smoke filled room. He snaps and instantly the intricate and expensive clothes that Kalim was wearing moments before was now on Jamil, replacing his servants' clothing. His dark eyes widen and he runs his hand along the hem of the shirt.

Mc notices that the room around then had changed, no longer extravagant and crowded with small trinkets, instead replaced with endless shelves of books and maps. The sun soon rises over the horizon and Mc gulps, the sinking feeling in their stomach- the one they've grown to know so well- returning full force.

"I made you the sultan!" Floyd laughs, emerging from the lamp.

"You... what?" Jamil stammers, looking around the room.

"Oh, you know, changed up things here and there-" The eel waves his arms around, pouting when he sees the confused faves of the humans.

"Why do you keep giving him the power to grant the wishes? Don't you three take turns?" Mc turns to the other eel and the octopus.

"Actually- we all thought about doing the same thing," Azul admits. "It would be rather unfortunate if someone discovered our little secret due to waking up to a completely new sultan-"

Jamil is silent in the corner and Mc turns to him, seeing a gleeful expression on his face. "I-I'm free-" He laughs. For a moment, Mc thinks they can see tears well up in his eyes before he blinks them away. "I'm finally-"

"When's our turn?" Floyd huffs. "Yo- as our new master you have to free us after your next wish-"

"I- what?" Jamil stutters. "I can't possibly-" His eyes widen and he grins, this time more maliciously. "Make me a genie then! You can be free and I can figure out how to undo everything Kalim's family had done!"

"Pardon me, but they're technically your family now." Jade interrupts. Jamil sighs before reaching for the lamp. Mc grabs it before he can get to it.

"Jamil, please-" They beg as they take hold onto his arm. He flinches and looks up at them, eyes wide and hopeful for the first time since they'd met. "This can't turn out well. I know it won't."

"Master Jamil?" A familiar voice chirps from the hallway followed by a knock. They all stare in awe as Kalim pushes open the door. "Oh, good morning Master Mc!"

"...what?!" Mc screeches. Floyd bursts into rambunctious laughter behind them, clutching his stomach. Jade snickers behind him and Azul sighs.

"Yeah why are they...?" Jamil turns to Floyd, who coughs between laughs and wipes his eyes.

"You were soooo annoyed at me last time and I wanted to see your stupid pouty little face again-" The teal haired boy wheezes.

"Last time...?" Mc looks down to see a simple golden band decorating their ring finger. "Floyd, you slimy bastard!" They curse. He breaks into laughter again. Azul places a comforting hand on their shoulder.

"I am so sorry about him-" He sighs.

"Kalim, leave-" Jamil announces suddenly, making the white haired boy squeak and rush out of the room. Mc feels their heart ache for the poor boy and anxiety well in their chest as they turn to Jamil.

"This isn't because of..." He motions to the ring. "I swear." He turns to the mer, holding the lamp out. "I wish to become all powerful."

Jade steps forward, placing a hand over his heart. "Your wish is our command," He shoots an apologetic look to Mc before electricity crackles at his fingertips. His clothes grow longer and darker as the air around them turns cold. Wind casts sand into their eyes as they squint against the shadow that takes over the boy. To their surprise, the three mer stand protectively in front of them.

His long ponytail falls loose and his hair turns into thick, inky snakes that hiss and snap at the four who stand in the corner.

"Do something!" Mc yelps as a vase is thrown across the room.

"I'm afraid we can't," Azul turns to them, eyebrows knitted. "He's our master now. With his power..."

"We're equals." Jade finishes. Floyd stands silently, glaring at the brunette as his transformation seems to finish. His laughter echoes through the room and sends a chill down Mc's spine. The door across the room slowly creaks open, attracting everyone except Jamil's attention.

"J-Jamil?" Kalim's small voice breaks through the chaos. "What...?" His eyes turn to Mc and they can see the fear that swirls within them. Jamil turns back to him, snarling.

"Kalim run!" Mc shouts, rushing towards Jamil and launching themselves at him. They tumble to the floor, scrambling off the dazed boy and reaching for the lamp.

"Mc!" Kalim runs at them, grabbing their arm and yanking them up. Jamil fumes behind them and they scramble to get back onto their feet, accidentally knocking Kalim over in the process.

"Kalim... you need to leave!" They shout. "Now! You're in danger!"

"But Jamil!"

"He's the danger!" They shove the boy out of the way as the wind knocks them off their feet and they choke on the sand that fills their mouth. Kalim coughs next to them. Jamil's laughter bounces off the walls and the two humans shrink against the wall, Kalim shaking until arms struggle to hold him up. Mc grabs his arm and tries to console him as the taller boy approaches faster and faster, soon towering over them.

His snakes snap and bite just centimeters away from their face and they wince, shrinking farther into themselves.

"J-Jamil?" Kalim whispers, slowly unfurling himself from his guarded position. "What happened? Why are you being like this?!" He starts to yell, frenzied and shaking. This makes the other boy angrier as he scowls down at the boy.

"Do you have no idea what you put me through?" He snarls.

"This isn't the same Kalim!" Mc yells.

"Put... you through?" Kalim echoes.

"Just wish everything back to normal and you can actually talk this through with the real him!" Mc shuffles in front of the white haired boy and pushes him behind them. "You're being unreasonable!"

"Unreasonable...?" Jamil's face breaks out into a wide grin. "Unreasonable! How unreasonable is it to want to do as I want when I want? How unreasonable is it to want to be free and not stuck under that idiot my whole life?!" He shouts. Mc winces and they shuffle back.

"Jamil please-" The hope that nestled in their heart begins to fade as they realize that the boy was too far gone, too wrapped up in the rage that had built up over the years of being Kalim's servant.

"My whole life!" He yells again, voice breaking. "I've never been good enough! My whole fucking life!" Mc can see the cracks start to appear in the crazed look in the boy's eyes.

"Do you know how suffocating it is?" His hands shake and the snakes fall to his side, lifeless. "I hate it! I hate him!" He shouts again, the walls shaking.

"I-I..." He slouches. "I'm tired." His voice cracks and inky tears slip down his face. "I'm so, so tired..." He falls to the ground, staring blankly ahead of him as sobs escape his throat.

Mc kneels in front of him, shaking his shoulder and trying to get him to look up at them. His eyes stay glued to the ground as he hiccups and sobs. His appearance goes back to normal and Mc steps away from him, giving him a moment to get everything out. They grab the lamp and rub the side.

"I wish everything would go back to normal,"

In an instant the room is back to the way it was, expensive tapestries replacing the maps and bookshelves, and treasures littering the floor around them. Kalim, still in shock, sits in his normal clothes, staring at Jamil with his jaw dropped.

Mc reaches for Jamil again and this time, he lifts his head to meet their eyes. "We both have a wish left," None of this seems to process in the boys head as they continue. "You can either wish to be free, or talk with Kalim. I'm sure he'd do everything in his power to set you free himself." The boy gulps and nods. Mc takes his hand and helps him to stand next to them.

Mc feels a familiar ache as they feel this story come to a close, but they also feel the unease of not knowing how they were going to get to the next one. They grab the lamp and raise their hand to it, before another hand stops them.

"Can I make one?" Kalim whispers, a soft smile on his face. Mc pauses and nods, handing it to the boy.

"Mc-" Azul approaches them, placing a hand on their shoulder while Kalim thinks in what he wants to wish for. "Please don't forget to set us free-"

"Yeah, I really, really don't want to spend another millennia with his tentacles in my face-" Floyd huffs. Mc nods.

"That was the plan."

"I wish-" Kalim rubs the lamp. "I wish Jamil could be happy-"

The brunette jumps a bit. "I-"

"I'm sorry." Kalim cuts him off. "I... had no idea what I put you through."

"You two can settle that on your own." Floyd huffs. "We're genies, not therapists."

"Besides, we believe that's something you two can figure out on your own," Azul smiles.

"Not like you're scamming them or anything..." Mc mutters.

"I'd never!" The silver haired man says in mock offense, clasping a hand to his chest.

"Then... I wish to set Jamil free, no strings attached, no extra work to figure out, none of that. Completely free," He smiles sadly.

Jamil smiles and nods. "Thank you." His servant's clothes are replaced with ordinary citizen's clothes, and with that everyone knew that he wouldn't be obligated to stay there any longer than he had to.

"Oo! Me next! Me next!" Floyd hops around.

"One more! Please!" Kalim pleads. Floyd groans and rolls his eyes.

"This is terrible!" He complains.

"I wish Mc could go home. Their actual home," They freeze and smile, swallowing the lump that forms in their throat. They look down to see their feet turn into sand that's swirled around by the gusts of wind that fly through the window.

"Thank you for everything," Jamil finally speaks up. More and more of them dissolve as they smile down sadly at Grim, who paws at where their calves would be.

"Can you... take care of him for me?" They ask. Kalim nods enthusiastically, picking up the fire cat haphazardly and swinging him around. The cat yowls and scratches at the boy, who laughs loudly and coos at him.

"He's in good hands!" He chirps.

They grab the lamp from Kalim and rub it aggressively, racing the clock as the sand gets to their waist and eats up. "I wish to set the genies that live here free!"

The three mer- genies- well, now humans, smile at them, offering their thanks in their own way. Floyd launches himself at them and gives them a bone crushing hug, making them gasp for air.

"Thank you!" He chirps.

"Okay, okay, please, can't breathe-" They choke out. Jade pulls his brother off them and nods at them, while Azul bows next to him. They look over to Kalim and Jamil, who smile at them. They bite their lip as tears pool in their eyes.

I'm probably never going to see them again- They think, tears rolling down their face as the sand eats away their mouth.

"Don't forget about us, okay?" Kalim laughs, messy tears streaking his own face. They nod with what little they have left, and the world goes dark once more.

Also is anyone else irrationally scared of the desert? like i know its the same sand physics as the beach but im still afraid that I'm going to sink through the sand and never come back

watching aladdin as a kid when the lion cave just like ate him scarred me bc of the sand lmao

And i love the scarabia duo sm like jamils overblot made the most sense to me out of all of them and their whole dynamic and backstory genuinely made me bawl the first time i played through it lmao

#twisted wonderland scenarios #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland fanfic #jamil viper #kalim al asim #jade leech #floyd leech #azul ashengrotto

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wonderfulworldofmichaelford · 5 years

Text

Psycho Analysis: Jafar

(WARNING! This analysis contains SPOILERS!)

So, Aladdin is one of the most beloved Movies of the Disney Renaissance, and rightfully so. It has some of the most fun and wonderful songs, it has a cool protagonist who undergoes a great deal of character development, it has Iago voiced by Gilbert Gottfried, and most importantly it has Genie, one of Disney’s greatest creations and the big blue heart of the film.

The movie also has Jafar.

Jafar is… odd. For the first two acts of the movie, Jafar is little more than a devil in plain sight for the audience and a character who does nothing but remind us the film has a villain; frankly, for most of the film he’s just underwhelming. But then he gets the lamp, and oh boy all bets are off. With Jafar, it’s really important to ask yourself: Can an incredibly awesome finale make up for an underwhelming showing early on?

Actor: Jonathan Freeman has consistently portrayed Jafar in all of his appearances, which include the movie, the sequel, the video game Nasira’s Revenge, that one weird and anachronistic episode of Hercules, all his appearances on House of Mouse, and of course every time Jafar has shown up in Kingdom Hearts. Quite frankly, Freeman is incredible. Jafar has just the perfect sleazy, oily voice, and when it’s time for him to start cackling or shouting like a madman, Freeman sure delivers. Still, one can’t help but wonder how much more incredible Jafar would have been if Patrick Stewart hadn’t turned down playing him...

Motivation/Goals: Jafar is a bit of a simple villain. He wants the lamp so that he can have power and respect and… that’s it, really. Jafar in this film is bit weakly defined from a motivation standpoint, and this is something the live-action film I think did better with its take on Jafar; the Jafar there had a clear, complex motive as opposed to animated Jafar, who is rather simplistic and cartoonish.

However, the animated Jafar upon getting the lamp definitely is the better Jafar, as he just settles in to constantly escalating his power, going from a mere sultan to the most powerful sorcerer alive and then finally to being the most powerful being in the universe: a genie. From there, he becomes motivated by revenge, as Return of Jafar shows, which is a rather simple motive again and is a bit less impressive. Frankly, Jafar’s best showing when it came to goals was in the final act of the original animated movie, where he just constantly felt the need to be the coolest guy in the room.

Personality: Jafar’s personality for the first two acts is, frankly, nonexistent. He’s just your usual slimy vizier with little going for him in the way of interesting villainy; he’s no Ursula or Frollo, that’s for sure… at least, not until the third act. Once Jafar goes mad with power, he becomes an all-you-can-eat ham buffet, shouting all of his lines in the most wonderfully over-the-top and dramatic fashion, zapping spells left and right, and spouting terrible puns.. Frankly, this Power-mad lunatic makes up for the boring, scummy vizier we’ve had to sit with for most of the film, and shows that Jafar really is at his best when he’s extra. In fact, this is something animated Jafar will always have over his live-action counterpart, as that Jafar never really rose to the occasion and just stayed at adequate villainy levels throughout, never truly rising to the levels of the egomaniacal wizard on a power trip the original film gave us.

Final Fate: In the original film, Jafar is defeated by being outwitted rather than by brute force, something I find very compelling: Aladdin goads him into becoming a genie with his final wish, causing him to become bound to a lamp. It’s such an awesome, brilliant moment for Aladdin. Genie then does his part and flicks the imprisoned Jafar and Iago into the Cave of Wonders.

Of course, Jafar gets out for the poorly disguised pilot to Aladdin’s TV series, but by movie’s end a battered Iago kicks his lamp into molten lava, causing Jafar to painfully die once and for all, and maybe or maybe not encounter Hades on the way to the afterlife.

Best Scene: Obviously when he transforms into a big snake in the finale.

Best Quote: Aladdin asks Jafar what he’s doing when he takes the lamp instead of helping him off the collapsing cliff. Jafar pulls out a dagger and utters this immortal line in response: “Giving you your reward - your eternal reward!” Not many lines can claim they inspired a TF2 weapon.

Final Thoughts & Score: Jafar is a villain I feel generally has way too much praise heaped on him. He’s certainly not a bad villain, far from it, but I think people tend to ignore that for most of his screentime he is just incredibly boring and almost takes you out of the plot with how obviously sinister he is. Again, the live-action remake did this aspect so much better, as that Jafar seemed like someone who it would not be entirely unreasonable to trust. This Jafar, the original, is a snake from day one.

But then When Jafar finally gets a taste of power, we get to see him as he truly should be. Jafar just really gets great in the final act, and while some might say “too little, too late,” I’d almost certainly say that this Jafar more than makes up for his earlier showings, and thankfully even in the sequel and outside appearances like Kingdom Hearts Jafar manages to keep pace with how he is in the final act – most likely because in both of the mentioned cases he’s not really pretending to be a good guy. And I think that’s the core of why Jafar just doesn’t work for most of the movie – he is trying to be a twist villain for the characters in the film, but everything about him on a meta level indicates he’s a villain, making the audience feel like everyone around him is an idiot, hypnosis staff or no.

So even after all of that, I think I’d still give Jafar a 7/10. I definitely think all his shenanigans at the end make up for how lackluster he was earlier, and even earlier he had his moments such as when he betrays Aladdin and tries to give him his “eternal reward” or pretty much any scene in which he banters with Iago. I’d definitely say Jafar leans more towards an 8 than a 6 if that makes you feel any better.

Ultimately, as enjoyable as Jafar can be in his appearances, I think character-wise he’s overshadowed by a lot of the other Renaissance villains, such as Ursula, Hades, Gaston, and Frollo. In fact, I think Frollo did what Jafar tried to do a lot better – while Frollo is obviously evil to us, he’s also obviously evil to everyone in the movie except himself. Still, there’s nothing wrong with being a lower-mid-tier Renaissance villain, because it still makes you cooler than most animated villains. And if nothing else, Jafar is really cool.

UPDATE: After reviewing the remake Jafar, I am bumping This Jafar’s score up to an 8/10. Read that Psycho Analysis for the reasons why.

#Psycho Analysis #Jafar #Aladdin #Disney

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vincent-frankenstein · 5 years

Text

Shatter

Chapter Eleven: Sunrise, Sunset

Summary: Logic is a storm. He’s a furious fire, raging deep inside; thunder strong enough to tear the mindscape to pieces, lightning bright enough to take control. And the storm grows with each time he’s ignored or disregarded, each time his so-called “family” pushes him aside. This is a golden opportunity — how could Rage not take it?

When lightning strikes, Deceit is left to pick up the shattered pieces left behind. The light sides are the only ones who can stop Logic and take Rage off his throne, the only ones who can save Thomas. Deceit just has to fix the damage Logic wrought. He just has to bring back the light.

(And maybe, maybe fall in love with them in the process.)

Warnings: violence, manipulation, blood, corruption, sympathetic deceit, villain logan, swearing, dark side ocs, basically just logan and rage being ASSHOLES and hurting everyone including thomas

Pairings: eventual DAMP (starting with Roceit, then Moceit, and finally Anxceit)

{ Read on AO3 | Prologue | Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Interlude | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight | Chapter Nine | Chapter Ten }

@dante1138 @unlikelynightmareconnoisseur @dealings-ofthe-raven @nerdypandastuff @sammy-the-eye @spirits-in-my-thoughts @c0re0psis @just-a-baby-bee-witchblr @theultimatemomfriend @brownie-aunt (lmk if u wanna be added to/removed from the taglist!)

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“What’s your favorite Disney movie?”

Deceit stood by the window, twirling a shard of broken glass between his fingers as he looked out on the frozen kingdom below. The question slipped out before he could stop himself, but he couldn’t help but hope that it would prompt something, some form of conversation, something other than the silence they’d been trapped in since Roman woke up.

“What?” Roman asked, voice hoarse. He was still curled up on the bed, his eyes closed, his face streaked with dry tears.

“Come now. You are the mindscape’s resident Disney nerd, right?” Deceit turned, leaning back against the windowsill. “Which is your favorite?”

“I don’t know. The broken passion from the night before had died out, replaced with a dry, grating self-loathing. It was a far cry from the excitement Deceit had expected the topic of Disney to elicit, which disappointed him a little. If even Disney couldn’t prince back some semblance of the man Roman used to be, what could?”

He sighed. “I’m not partial to Aladdin,” he continued, if only to have something to do. Roman opened his eyes, shooting Deceit a moment’s glance. His brow furrowed.

“Figures you would, Jafar,” he muttered, and Deceit rolled his eyes, a tiny glimmer of hope building in his chest. It was a weak nickname, no wordplay involved or anything, but it was a start. He could even ignore the villainous comparison — the completely accurate villainous comparison.

“While I do adore Jafar’s slimy aesthetic,” he began, lowering himself gently into the armchair and wincing when his leg twinged in protest, “he’s not the only reason I enjoy the movie. The plot is based around lie after lie after lie! Our dear protagonist is just as, ah, ‘slimy’ as I am.”

“No, he’s not!” Roman burst out. He froze, the flare of passion dying on his tongue, and shifted to sit against the headboard, drawing his knees up to his chest. “Aladdin lied for a good cause,” he said, and his voice was still hollow, but it was the first full sentence he’d said in quite a while that didn’t involve insulting himself, so. Progress.

“Wow, so lying can be used for good? Fascinating,” Deceit deadpanned.

“That’s not what I —” Roman rolled his eyes, a heavy sigh falling from his lips. “He lied for love.”

“Well, can’t relate there,” Deceit said smoothly, shifting to lay sideways across the chair. He looked at Roman upside-down, an easy smirk falling into place on his face. He didn’t have to be himself after all — all he had to do was take a page out of good ol’ Virgil’s book. Nothing got Roman more heated than disagreeing with him on his precious Disney movies, after all. “‘Pure’ as his intentions might have been, you cannot deny that the movie is based around lies.”

“It’s — it’s based around being yourself!” Roman said. “Despite what others may think of you! It’s about how t-there’s worth in everyone, even a ‘diamond in the rough!’”

Deceit raised an eyebrow, lifting a hand to cover his mouth in shock. “Really?” he gasped, voice thick with mock-surprise. “Everyone has worth? Even if some people don’t think so? Wow, I wonder if a moral like that could be applied to the situation at hand?”

Roman inhaled sharply, whatever retort he’d been planning dying on his tongue. He glared at a spot on the bed, face darkening, and victory blossomed in Deceit’s chest — but then he sighed, the anger fading from his face. “That doesn’t apply here,” he said. “I don’t count as a ‘someone.’ I’m not even an individual.”

Deceit fought the urge to scream. They had actually been getting somewhere! Leave it to Insecurity to bring them back to square one. “If a fictional character can count as an individual enough for you to debate his self-worth, so can you.”

Roman laughed humorlessly. “Bold of you to assume I have self-worth.”

Deceit sighed. “Roman —”

“You wanna know the difference between me and Aladdin?” Roman cut him off, throwing his arms out to the sides. “He has redeeming qualities!”

“Really,” Deceit deadpanned. “You’re saying the man who lied to practically everyone he met, stole on a regular basis, hurt the genie, manipulated the woman he ‘loved’ and put the entire city of Agrabah and possibly the whole world in danger has more redeeming qualities than you? That’s a laugh and a half.”

“He owned up to it!” Roman cried. “He made mistakes, sure, but he worked to redeem himself! He fixed the mess he’d made! I’ve never —”

“Yes you have!” Deceit yelled. He cleared his throat, taking a deep breath. “You’re telling me you’ve never made amends for your past mistakes? You’ve never attempted to, say, apologize to and include a certain ostracized side after you realized the way you were treating him was wrong? You’ve never worked to redeem yourself in the eyes of those you care about?”

Roman opened and closed his mouth again and again, fighting to respond. Deceit pushed on before he could. “It is in my nature to know the difference between lies and truth,” he said, with a pointed stare. “You have worth. That is not a lie.”

In the sunset’s glow, the tears gathering at the corners of Roman’s eyes seemed to sparkle. Deceit opened his mouth to say more, and then froze, his eyes widening. He whirled around, a grin growing on his face, hope blossoming in his chest.

The sun was setting.

“...Deceit?” Roman managed, voice thick and broken, and Deceit couldn’t bring himself to respond. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the sight before him. The wind was blowing, the trees were moving, clouds glided slowly through the sky — and the sun was setting. Time had jerked back into motion, which meant the Imagination realm was regaining some semblance of normalcy, which meant he was getting through to Roman, which meant —

“What’s going on?” Roman joined him at the window, eyebrows furrowing as he looked out at the kingdom he’d created. Deceit laughed before he could stop himself, relief coursing through the noise.

“Time is working again,” he said, voice just above a whisper. “It’s working! You’re — you’re listening to me!”

“What?” Roman stepped back, shaking his head. “No, I’m not!”

“You are! I’m so proud of you!” He froze, blinking. In his excitement at the prospect of getting closer to his end-goal, it had just… slipped out. A genuine compliment. It tasted strange on his tongue. Roman gasped softly, a million emotions crossing his face at once.

“Y-You —” He held his sash, not meeting Deceit’s gaze. “You shouldn’t be.”

He sat back on the bed, drawing his knees back up to his chest, and dread settled in Deceit’s stomach. What if time stopped working again? He watched the outside carefully, eyes narrowed, but the trees still rustled in the wind and the sun still set, painting the gray sky in shades of monochrome.

“And yet, I am,” Deceit said, the bitter taste of truth clogging his throat. He sank into the armchair, never tearing his eyes from the setting sun. “Funny how that works.”

Roman didn’t respond. Silence fell over the tower, and for a moment, Deceit thought that that would be the end of their conversation, and resigned himself to more empty quiet. But then Roman cleared his throat.

“What is your opinion on… Lilo and Stitch?” he asked.

An easy grin fell onto Deceit’s face. “Ah, Stitch. The epitome of chaotic evil bastardry. I’m not a fan.”

“Are you kidding? Stitch is totally chaotic neutral!”

#shatter fic #shatter #roman sanders #deceit sanders #ts deceit #sympathetic deceit #roceit #sanders sides #thomas sanders #celeste's portfolio #deceit is quickly becoming my favorite to write help

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bealg23-blog · 7 years

Text

What’s In The Bag? (Part 1)

Summary: Sam finally finds out what’s in Amarus’ bag.

Characters: Amarus, Sam, Dean, Amber Ashley

Warnings:Language

Word Count: 1697

A/N: My first attempt at writing a story please let me know what you think.

Part 1

Ok, so how should I begin this? I have been around for a very long time and I have seen a great deal of many things come and go. I am, at heart, old fashioned. Some may even say eccentric.... er.. nevermind I'm getting side tracked. I tend to do that quite often, or at least that's what I'm told. I think most people just don't pay attention.

I've been told that I need to write a story about myself and how I've come to be in the current predicament that has been bestowed upon me. Personally, I think it's just the story of my life as it were, but then again, that's what I'm doing isn't it? Plugging away at these terribly small buttons or keys or, whatever. Why are they called keys anyway? They don't unlock anything. Or maybe they unlock everything. Never really thought of it that way. I fear that I'm losing your interest with my drabble but, I implore you to bear with me, for behind all the, some might say, silly, pointless, and often times randomness that is my entire existence there is an absolutely brilliant story full of mystery, suspense, love, loss, yada, yada, yada.

"Amarus, this sucks!" Sam stated as he painfully tries to make it through the about me portion of Amarus's newly formed social media account.

“Sam aren’t you the one who suggested that I should do all of this in the first place?” Amarus stated with a puzzled expression on his face.

“Yeah but….” Sam started before being interrupted by Amarus’s pointer finger pressing on his lips.

“Great! Then there's no reason why I shouldn't post this then.” He replied with a smirk on his face.

“Heya Sammy, Amorous.” Dean greets the two, walking through the door of the motel they’re currently residing in with a little pep in his step and a beautiful young lady accompanying him.

“Dude, you said that you were going out for a bit to track down leads on the Muskgraves estate.” Sam responds, grasping at the chance to get away from Amarus.

“What? I tracked down a few leads. As a matter of fact that’s where I met….. Amber right?” Dean turns to the girl with both fingers pointing at her.

“It’s Ashley” she replied with a scowl on her face.

“We had lunch together and as it turns out, Amber…”

“Ashley” she interjected.

“Ashley happens to be a tour guide at the Muskgraves estate.” Dean answers with a smirk on his face.

“Dean it’s almost midnight…” Sam begins to state the obvious.

“Yeah.” Dean answers with a grin on his face as Ashley begins to blush and hides her face with her hands.

“You said that you and Amber… I mean Ashley, sorry, we're having lunch together.” Sam continues.

“Sam, my dear boy. Dean is trying to hide that fact that he tracked down leads for about a hour or so which lead him to the closest watering hole, met….. Ashley, and they spent the remaining, oh I would venture to say, ten hours or so conversing amongst each other about how she just got dismissed by her significant other and drowning her sorrows in pints all the while Deanna here has been filling her head with flights of fancy leading her to believe that he is truly in fact God’s gift to women. Ah, lest I forget….” Amarus begins to rifle through his bag. “I went to the apothecary...er, pharmacy, and got the medicine that you requested.” Amarus pulls out a pill bottle from his bag with Valtrex written on it. ”The man behind the counter assured me that the nasty business should clear up in a few days oh, and Deanna? A personal suggestion…be more mindful in the future of where you're poking your popsicle my dear boy.” Amarus ends his rant with a childlike grin on his face. At which point Ashley begins to make her way to the door with a disgusted look on her face.

“Thanks, Douchebag!” Dean responds, quickly trying to catch up with the young tour guide.

“It was my pleasure Deanna.” Amarus replies as Sam hides his face with his hands.

“You take great pleasure in making his life hell, don't you?” Sam states, looking out the window at Dean pleading Ashley to stay. “You know she's probably our only shot at getting in there.” Sam states with a sigh.

“I could get in there.” Amarus responds rifling through his bag.

“What are you looking for now?” Sam states watching comically.

“My laptop!” Amarus responds perplexed.

“Well did you check the library?” Sam jabs, knowing that Amarus take great pride in the boasting of his bag of wonders.

“This is not the time for jokes or puns about my awesomely astounding bag. How would you know anyway you've haven't even seen my library or even asked about it. You know, I could have a moldy tomb or something in there. To be frankly honest, I don't even know what's in there.” Amarus responds harshly.

“There's a kraken in there.” Sam quips, at which point Amarus scoffs and disappears, his bag falling to the floor. Sam began to chuckle a bit knowing that he can so easily get under Amarus's skin when others cannot. Sam turns back to the window to continue watching Dean and Ashley and pauses for a moment looking at Amarus’s bag. A smirk grows on his face as he reaches for the tarnished buckle. “Finally” He whispers to himself reaching for the buckle.

“Holy fucking mother of what the fuck!” Sam screams trying to pull away from the bag but is being held in place by a giant tentacle. “What the hell? Dean?! Amarus?!” Sam yells for assistance as the slimy tentacle draws him towards the bag. The whole world begins to go dark the closer to the bag Sam gets drawn before there's just a void of nothingness. As Sam comes to he's puzzled by his surroundings. In front of him is a desk with one lone chair and some dusty scrolls and a few well worn books.

“Wha… where am I?” Sam asks himself, taking in the surroundings.

“Oh, my dear boy, why did you have to touch my bag?” Amarus states holding his head in his hands.

“Where am I?” Sam asked looking around puzzled.

“My library.” Amarus responds.

“How did I..” Sam started.

“You touched my bag without my permission.” Amarus cut him off clearly upset. “I only had one request when we met: Do not touch my bag unless you ask first.”

“Amarus seriously, where am I?” Sam asked gathering his wits.

“Sam you touched my bag. So my kraken did what it does best.”

“Transports people inside? That's kinda pointless Amarus.” Sam cut him off in a smart tone.

“No, the kraken was going to eat you. Thankfully, I decided that…. that wouldn't be the best of options for anyone.” Amarus responded with a smirk on his face.

“Your library?” Sam asked again.

“Yeah, books, tables, display cases, what did you think it was?” Amarus asked comically thoroughly enjoying Sams bewilderment.

“All of this is in your bag?” Sam asks starting to grasp the reality of his situation.

“Of course, where else would you keep things?” Amarus asked with a now serious tone.

“You know what…… nevermind. How do I get out of here? We don't have time for this. We have the Muskgraves case and Dean's dealing with Amb…”

“Ashley” Amarus interjects.

“Whatever, we have more pressing issues.” Sam continues.

“Pressing issues? The issue at hand here is that you're in my library.” Amarus responds now with his eyes skittering around the room.

“Amarus we have to go like right now.” Sam states not knowing exactly where to look. “Come on just zap me out of here.” Sam begins getting quickly frustrated with his predicament.

“Oh, of course! Just zap you out like I'm some magical genie that can do that.” Amarus answers walking off clearly very frustrated.

“Amarus, oh come on really? I didn’t mean it like that.” Sam replies watching Amarus continue down the hall. “How do I get out of here?” Sam asks himself aloud.

“Hey Sam,” Sam nearly jumps out of his skin after hearing the whisper from behind him only to find Amarus standing behind him pointing at a ladder. “Hey Sam” Amarus goads.

“Don’t you dare.” Sam warns.

“Need a ladder?” Amarus replies, laughing hysterically while starting back down the hall. Sam groans a bit at the terrible joke that he saw coming from a mile away and then oddly enough looks at the ladder, clearly seeing that he would need two or three of the 15 foot ladders to even reach the ceiling of the vast room. So he decides to look for a better solution.

Amarus’s library was a vast rotunda with several halls branching out with a massive tank in the center to house his kraken. While deciding which hall to start down first, Sam notices a bust on the desk with the lone chair.

“What is that?” Sam asks himself noticing a familiar pendant upon the bust. He quickly goes over to the bust and eyes the necklace upon the bust and quickly realising that it was the Samulet. “You’re not supposed to be here.” Sam says to himself while carefully removing it from the bust and placing it in his jacket pocket. “Well I’m not going to get anywhere just standing around.” Sam says to himself looking upon the several different halls that made up the library.

“Hall of the Winchesters?” Sam asks himself, beginning to head toward the hall when Amarus pops back up in front of him this time.

“Of all the halls in my vast library how did I know you were going to choose this one?” He states excitedly. Sam stares at Amarus suspiciously.

“Amarus, I’m a Winchester. If anyone would be allowed to enter the hall of Winchesters, it would be a Winchester, wouldn’t it?” Sam asks.

“Now’s not the time to be rational, Samuel.” Amarus quips with a smirk on his face. “Wanna go inside?” Amarus asks pulling the door open.

Tags:

@sofreddie

@winsister91

#sam winchester #spn fanfic #dean winchester

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newsnigeria · 5 years

Text

Check out New Post published on Ọmọ Oòduà

New Post has been published on http://ooduarere.com/news-from-nigeria/world-news/abc-of-modern-empire/

ABC of Modern Empire

by Naresh Jotwani for Ooduarere.com

This post attempts to dig a little deeper into the dynamics of ‘the empire’ and ‘the resistance’. In particular, we examine the specific psychological drives at work. Surely the Ooduarere community understands these issues very well, but another honest perspective can still add value.

Then there is the somewhat distracting effect of naming specific individuals or groups, when our interest is in specific human traits. Suppose someone says to me, ‘My neighbour Bob is a very greedy person’. Then my mind turns naturally to Bob, rather than to greed. Our talk veers to Bob, or to other greedy persons – but not to greed. After all, Bob is the subject of that sentence, not greed.

Our subject here, however, is greed and rapacity – not any specific individual or group. No effort will be wasted to identify specific individuals or groups who are consumed by greed or rapacity. Suffice it to say that, at any given time, there are plenty such among Homo Sapiens. The point is that a mind consumed by greed is diminished, its powers of discrimination being totally enslaved to greed. So it serves no purpose to even attach a name to such a mind!

Also, terms such as ‘capitalism’, ‘free markets’ et cetera usually mean different things to different people. But if we speak in terms of the basic human drives at work, greater clarity may well emerge from the ensuing discussion.

***

War is said to be the continuation of diplomacy by other means. But then what is the deeper goal of diplomacy – behind the publicly traded and often misleading verbiage?

We look for an answer based solely on observed human nature – without any fig-leaf of ‘cover story’ based on ideology, history, economic theory, political theory or other blah blah blah.

History shows that human nature has the potential to be both sublime and ugly almost beyond belief. Sages have said that the two evil genies of greed and lust, once they are ‘out of the bottle’, are inimical to the development of discrimination and wisdom – and therefore to the attainment of durable peace. In recent centuries, it is the first of these two evil genies which seems to have dominated global diplomacy.

[Unlike in the time of Henry VIII, today the second evil genie does not have much direct effect on how ‘the empire’ behaves. ‘Trophy wives’ and other discreet service channels exist for those with the moolah, and awkward matters are easily hushed up. Even then, a mind consumed by the second evil genie is incapable of sound and rational decisions. So this genie must also have a strong indirect effect on how ‘the empire’ behaves – for example, by exposing decision-makers to blackmail. But such shadowy matters are necessarily speculative, and are therefore left out of further discussion here.]

So we narrow our focus to greed, to which we must add rapacity – since historically rapacity has driven many a wannabe ‘world conqueror’. A rapacious person need not be greedy; he or she may well enjoy throwing around or sharing the loot; conversely, a fearful greedy person may not be outwardly rapacious.

***

It is time now to turn our attention to the modern – or ‘high tech’ – instruments of greed and rapacity. Clearly, financial power is the preferred instrument of sophisticated ‘raiders’ today.

So what exactly is financial power? How come person X has it but not person Y?

To get to the answer, we consider an example of financial power at work. Our cast of characters here is: banker B, company C, hedge fund manager M.

M decides to ‘make a hit’ on C, not too different from a mob hit. With money borrowed from B, M short-sells C and hammers down its price, making it difficult for C to raise capital. Perhaps M also arranges some bad publicity for C. Then, again with borrowed money, M executes a hostile takeover of C at its lowered price. Under the new ‘efficient management’, M strips C of its assets, leaving it crippled by debt and on the verge of bankruptcy. M – or another hedge fund manager – then makes more money from C’s bankruptcy.

Huge profits and commissions are made by B and M, with no mercy shown to anyone formerly making a decent living from C. The whole episode is not unlike a pack of wolves attacking a prey.

To create another example of financial power, we only have to make C into a country. B and M now merge into a gang of banks, hedge funds and diplomats; the gang is backed up by threats of military power, and joined by readily available disgruntled elements within the target C.

To raiders and marauders, there is no fundamental difference between a company and a country; they are just two types of prey.

So what do these examples tell us about the make-up of financial power?

We learn that its main elements are: Easy access to finance, sharp eye for juicy and vulnerable prey, contempt for the prey, single-minded focus, skill in financial number-crunching, tight networking, secrecy, shamelessness, and mastery over the legal system.

Sadly, these qualities define the new standard of human excellence and achievement. Self-proclaimed ‘top business schools’ churn out wannabe raiders and marauders by the thousand.

The thrust of ‘the empire’ today comes from such financial raiders and marauders – not the brave and valiant armies we read about in history. Evidently there is no unified command structure among these raiders and marauders; and of course no higher vision either guides them or binds them together.

It should be a no-brainer that a society relying on such unmanly and slimy tactics cannot attain lasting happiness – but of course a brain consumed by greed would not get that.

Physical and political power today is an essential backup to financial marauders, somewhat like lawyers and bouncers employed by casino owners. Taxpayers pay for that backup – in money and in broken lives – while the ultra-rich live behind layers of security.

Bad enough as that sounds, it gets even worse!

Even while availing full protection of law and the armed forces, the ultra-rich do not pay taxes in any country. Instead, they ‘invest’ in government debt. The difference is this: Taxes are paid out to the common pool, whereas a creditor retains legal claim over the principal and interest. Also, sovereign debt instruments are safe and readily marketable; default is highly unlikely, since taxpayers can be forced to pay.

Evidently, the 1% would rather ‘own’ everything around them than be fellow-citizens of the 99%. That they share the planet with the other 99% is a fact they would rather not face up to, while operating without emotional or cultural bonds with any community on the planet.

***

This is how ‘the empire’ is attempting to expand – through financial and legal shenanigans, supplemented by military force against weaker opponents. It is not true to say that ‘All options are on the table’; the option of peaceful coexistence is absent.

But the seemingly headless ‘empire’ does face a dilemma – ‘expand or bust’.

This is a deadly dilemma to face, and the strain has lately been showing. The incredible scale of ‘quantitative easing’ seen recently is a sign of desperation.

Both psychological and financial reasons underlie the ‘expand or bust’ dilemma.

Psychologically, a paranoiac wannabe conqueror – a bully, in simple words – cannot stand any sign of autonomy in potential prey, viewing that as an existential threat. After all is said and done, truth remains an existential threat to untruth. Further, a bully cannot afford to lose face among peers and potential victims; that is bad for future business. So the option of making a wise course correction is necessarily ‘off the table’.

Financially, ‘expand or bust’ arises from the fact that today’s financial shenanigans are Ponzi schemes. With artificial fiat money created in HUGE quantities, and asset bubbles forming as a result, a ‘musical chairs’ game of bad money chasing sound assets is in progress. Everyone wants genuine assets in exchange for phony ones, and is desperate not to be left behind – creating, in effect, a ‘free-for-all in deception’ as a basis for ‘progress’!

Victory achieved through deception is necessarily short-lived. And, after every defeat, the marauders have no choice but to double down. Therefore, in either case, there is no lasting benefit for these ‘one-trick ponies’. Indeed, the only way any individual can justify playing this game on that side is with the aim of bailing out before ‘all hell breaks loose’.

Underneath the greed and the rapacity, therefore, there is insecurity. Indeed there should be, since the model is not sustainable in longer term. The planet will not support ever-growing Ponzi schemes; and in adversity the marauders will turn on one another.

It helps to recall that much of history is driven by delusion.

***

If this is ‘the empire’, then what is ‘the resistance’?

Clearly ‘the resistance’ comprises those who resist the raiders and marauders in one way or another. There may be several different motives behind the resistance, for example:

(a) Ongoing defense: A society is actively defending itself against ongoing attack.

(b) Proactive defense: A society has the time to implement suitable defenses.

(d) Compassion: That is, ‘We cannot stand by while communities are being destroyed’.

We must remove (a) from this discussion, since an ongoing battle cannot be captured in the abstract language of such a discussion. We can only wish that the righteous defenders have the strength and wisdom to overcome the threat to their way of life.

As for (b), (c) and (d), what are some of the options available?

One powerful option is so-called ‘soft power’ – that is, spreading honest explanations through the internet and other media. This is akin to immunizing minds against deception. People should not think that non-predatory mechanisms of commerce cannot be devised.

Institutional, commercial and legal mechanisms must be designed to resist hostile takeovers and avoid debt-traps. Of course these mechanisms may be criticized as being against ‘free and open trade’. Such self-serving propaganda must be countered firmly, and proper models of fair and beneficial commerce established.

A hostile takeover is possible only if the relevant laws make it possible. The model of ‘publicly traded joint-stock company’ seems devised for financial skullduggery. A ‘cooperative society’ works on the basis of ‘one member-one share-one vote’, enabling grassroots control.

Every society needs effective defense mechanisms against hostile raids and debt-traps. For this, it is imperative for it to be economically competitive. That is the challenge of the times.

The so-called ‘finance capitals’ of the world must be exposed clearly for what they are: capitals of phony money and shameless financial skullduggery. These ‘phony money capitals’ have no organic ties even to the society in which they function and flourish.

SWOT analysis is needed within a society, and also on the adversary – so that proper economic strategies can be devised. This is what successful football managers do for every match!

***

It is time now for a simple question. The answer is based on common sense, and as such it should be obvious to anyone without too many university degrees or think-tank experience:

Who protests the most in the village square about his or her impeccable pedigree and character?

Now look around the ‘global village’ and see who is protesting the most.