12, 13, 14?

---

12.

Mmm don't think I've shared this HC here before: Zelda I Zelda is about the same age as Link, but Zelda II Zelda is 10-20 years older (and for the avoidance of doubt: NOT romantically involved with Link). This comes down to the fact that of all the things AoL!Link (or Hyrule) could have used his wish on, Impa told him to awaken Zelda. Not to save the land, not to stop the Cult of Ganon, just to wake a legendary princess from long, long ago from her magical slumber. And maybe I'm reading into a simplistic Sleeping Beauty-ish plot a bit too much, but there must have been a reason for that, right? Preferably a reason beyond "16-year-old Link marries the 16-year old Zelda who literally just woke up, thus becoming King of Hyrule and fixing everything somehow".

So no: let's instead say that sleeping beauty Zelda, as the rightful successor of the king before her (which is I think canon? Or at least implied?) is the last great ruler of Hyrule who happens to be a tactical genius and received the power/knowledge to control the Palace Guardians that the king before her created. Or something along those lines. Give her some agency. And some life experience. Also that ending scene can be a totally platonic hug if you want it to be. There, I said it.

(Obvious disclaimer: ship and let ship, it's ok if your HC is different to mine.)

13.

ZORA. They're the coolest Zelda race imo. Especially the N64 Majora's Mask version. Swimming would be so much more fun if you could do graceful dolphin dives and also produce magical electricity, then pause to play underwater bone guitar while laying eggs and presumably not having periods. Fish life for me.

14.

Gonna be honest: I'm a fake fan who loves LU fanon (and LoZ canon) way more than the actual comic. But from what I recall, I don't think they've actually fought anything that's talked back yet? That'd be fun.

Not that fights with unintelligent monsters are bad per se, but the Zelda series has a lot of talkative baddies. Ganondorf, obviously, but also Ghirahim, Master Kohga, Veran, Onox, Vaati, Vire, Yuga, Blind, Zant, King Bulblin, Twinrova and more. Volga, Wizzro and Cia from Hyrule Warriors. Sohga from Age of Calamity. And all the sassy Nightmares from Link's Awakening, of course. Hell, wheel out the Moblin King and his cronies.

Idk. If the queer-coded monster isn't snapping out clever quips while they transform into a giant blobby turtle and/or bumblebee, what is even the point?

Thanks for the ask!! 💜

“Against all odds, Milo Murphy approached him a few hours later.”

Some storyboard compositions for a scene from @fisforfreakyme’s “Everything as it should be.” 2017 has been a roller coaster of a year, and I wanted to end it by sharing a project that carries a lot of happy memories for me.

(I need to draw Milo more often; he’s a ray of sunshine and I love him.)

Alice and the Cheshire Cat - Aro Volturi F!Reader!Telekinetic/Telepathic

This was a bad idea.

Such a bad idea, why in the hell did you let your idiot friends make you follow that damn tourist trap-- emphasis on trap!

Grinding your teeth you glared about the halls of the spectacularly built Italian architecture as the woman who was named Heidi guided the flock of people further-- deeper into the depths.

Your stomach churned.

Something wasn't right.

You glance at your moronic friends-- they aren't even really friends, they're people your mother has sent you with so she can get her fill on whatever hunk she sunk her claws into. They babble on and on senselessly and make you want to clap your hands over your ears. You're not going to die like this.

Fuck that shit.

"Y/N! Look! Omgosh it's so ROMANTIC." Tiffany gushes and giggles with her cronies and gives you a side eye. You're the odd one out-- always has been as she loops her arm through her boy-toy's and saunters further in. But you hang back. Allow yourself to view the entire room and sense the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

Suddenly you're shoving your way forward to the girl named Heidi. And stay at the front of the pack. She eyes you curiously. Her head tilting but that smile on her face doesn't wane. I know what you're doing. You think with a glare in your thoughts and shove them into the person in front of you.

She pauses stunned.

You always were one for surprises.

I won't go down easily. I haven't survived what I have to be taken down by you.

The woman's eyes sharpen considerably as the group is led, with you leading head held high to meet your potential executioner. Your sandals click on the floor, you rather thought your outfit of choice was fitting today, a sundress, white and yellow with flowing skirts and long billowing sleeves.

How utterly Gothic Horror.

You didn't know what was going to happen. Didn't know who you were facing, but just knew this would be your last moments in this world.

If only your mother was here to share it.

Your eyes sting at that, the pain from your past coming forward as you shakily take a breath to still your heart beat as best you can. People are moving around the giant domed circle of a room. Vaulted ceilings so beautiful one might weep.

"Ah, our guests are here." A voice calls sounding gleefully mad. Your eyes snap up to the dais, you are just below the first step and your eyebrows draw down sharp and you glare, the three men before you are quite beautiful.

No scratch that.

They ARE and they are terrifying to behold. The one to the left of the center throne eyes you suddenly shifting from whatever stupor he was in, eyes half hooded and radiating pain and sorrow, you almost felt sorry for him aside from the blood red eyes. Dark brown hair cascading to his shoulders, a long face and deep set eyes with high cheekbones.

The one to the right looked gleeful, blond hair, a sinister smile, and a sneer all in one. Avoid at all costs your mind tells you.

And the one in the center-- staring right at you as you peruse your surroundings. He has a frown, ever so slight, his brow furrowed. And then a gleeful smile crosses his face, gaze glittering like rubies.

God fucking damn it you were in a vampire den.

You knew such things existed but kept your mouth shut and your head down.

Well. Might as well get a jab in before they eat you. You meet the man's stare and glare at him, setting your face to one of complete indifference causing him to tilt his head and smirk.

Your Heidi led me down the rabbit hole. And I see you're the Mad Hatter. You send his way across a whisper of thought. Am I to be your Alice or is this where you are given a choice to drink me?

The man's eyes widen only just a moment, you see a shift to your left, a curious expression coming from the taller and sorrowful looking individual.

The one before you clasps his hands together and tries to puzzle you out.

It feels like forever.

Are you going to drain me now or do I get a fighting chance? You feel the pull, the anger within you, that snapping of an elastic band holding all your sorrow and rage and you focus, jerking the vampire in front of you by the lapels of his suit a couple inches.

The raven haired man blinks, and a maniacal grin appears "Magnifico......" he steps down the stairs one at a time, as chaos erupts around you, blood splattering, throats tearing, screams of your friends behind you.

He reaches, offering his hand, and stupidly you take it.

Or is it stupid. You're drawn in despite the calamity around you to those ruby eyes and soft curious look on his face, almost child like wonder as he whisks through your memories at lightning speed. He frowns, at the memories of being alone, the abuse, the torment, learning of your gifts and being tortured for them.

You were the Devils child. Evil incarnate and had to repent for your sins. In fact your mother was sending you to a convent in Italy.

The man's smile grew wide, and you realized this was no Mad Hatter but the Cheshire Cat. Is this where you tell me which road I take?

His whisper through your connection in your mind echos through the never ending rage you carry. "You may call me Aro."

"And is this where you devour me?" Your voice despite yourself shakes.

A smoldering look engulfs you with those red eyes as he leans down to the shell of your ear. "in more than one way Cara Mia."

You had seen enough of Morticia Adams and Gomez to know what that meant.

This thought as he kisses the back of your knuckles makes him giggle a bit like a maniac. "I've waited a long time for you. Tell me. How would you like me to extract justice for you?"

You exhale deeply as he engulfs you in an embrace, "oh please....I think I would like that very much."

"Bene." The word is like the gavel of a judge.

And suddenly, all seems right with the world as you feel a bite and burning sear your entire being.

eclipse lake - s2e9 - thoughts

I loved this episode for a lot of reasons, and especially because we got to see our lovely characters when Luz wasn’t with them. It’s so clear how they’ve all changed, and I’m glad we’re getting to know them as separate people. What I loved most was that we learned about Amity and Hunter both through how they interacted with each other. There was a specific moment that hit for me which I’ll get to.

Here, the big conflict for Amity and Hunter both is needing to prove that they are worthy of their existence. They both have a use, as they were raised to, and if they don’t have that use, then what good are they?

Let’s talk about Amity first. This season is all about Amity breaking free from what she was raised to do and be - she is just learning how to be her own person instead of the person her parents want her to be. We see this explicitly when she stands up to Odalia in Escaping Expulsion, and again when she dyes her hair pink/purple. She’s coming into her own, and she’s a little uncomfortable - if she’s not living for her parents, for their legacy and reputation, then who is she living for? And because she’s started going out with Luz, she feels this duty to prove her worth to her as her girlfriend. So she really wants to succeed because she wants to help Luz, but she also really wants this for herself, to feel worthy of a place in Luz’s life. While I loved the yearning and crushing content, I’m glad we’re getting to know her now.

We see the Emperor’s Coven at the Eclipse Lake mineshaft with all their cronies as well as their Abomatons. The Abomatons are quite literally soldiers created by her parents who now have been enlisted into the Emperor’s army. Earlier in season 1, we learn that the Emperor’s Coven is intended to be her future, what with Lilith being her mentor and all. She, too, was a soldier raised by her parents to eventually end up in the Emperor’s Coven, to be one of the Emperor’s pawns. We don’t really know where she stands what that anymore, but we can infer pretty easily she’s not really set on the Emperor’s Coven anymore, since it isn’t actually what she wants, but what she was taught to want. In this episode, she quite literally has to fight not only the Coven witches but the Abomatons as well - she’s fighting against everything she was taught to be. This act of helping Luz and attacking the Emperor’s Coven is a rebellion against her upbringing and her wanting to forge a new path for herself.

This brings us to Hunter, who had little to no choice in his upbringing. He was enlisted into the Emperor’s Coven and doesn’t really have the option to leave. We learned this in Hunting Palismen, and it’s implied that he wishes he had to option to forge his own future as well. This episode explicitly shows just how similar Amity and Hunter are - they didn’t get to figure out who they were, and they both feel this need to prove their worth at any and all times. Hunter faces the same calamity as Amity - he’s worried about losing his spot next to the Emperor, and fears that he’s not proved his worth, and as such, he needs to do something to prove he deserves the place he has.

I love seeing Amity and Hunter together because we see the different sides of childhood abuse. We see now that Amity is healing - she’s got friends in her life that love her for her, and who encourage her to find herself and will support her. We see that Hunter is struggling - he has nobody in the Emperor’s Coven who can genuinely support him, except for his little red cardinal (who I shall refer to as Rascal for now). Rascal is so important because Hunter is a powerless witch - Hunter doesn’t feel like Rascal should have chosen him, and should’ve chosen someone else, someone better. We see just how much Amity has grown from the way she treats Hunter - she is kind to him when they are at the empty Eclipse Lake, telling him about her own journey to find herself and about her support system. She has no reason to trust him, and yet we see that she is trying to be better, to be kind, just the way Luz is.

Hunter has his task set out for him - he needs to prove his worth to Emperor Belos, and therefore he needs to get Titan’s blood in order to do that. The idea of the support system is enticing - he wants it for himself, but right now, he feels this duty to Emperor Belos that he can’t disobey. It’s scary, leaving the comfort of familiarity, and he has nothing outside of the Coven and Belos (and now Rascal). That’s something for him to think on, but that’s a back burner thought. That’s when he sees the portal key.

The portal key. It’s around Amity’s neck the whole time - it’s filled with the Titan’s blood which is what they were after in the first place, and perhaps it’s the only remaining amount of Titan’s blood in the Boiling Isles. It’s clever that our crew only learn about the blood being in the key through Hunter - it’s a way to force them to interact, and a way to show off the dichotomy that is Amity and Hunter. Storytelling genius aside, what happens with the key and the blood is so, so important. Amity grabs the key, and it’s only when Hunter threatens Luz that Amity squeezes the key, breaking it. She’s a smart girl - she knew exactly what she was doing when she broke it. She knows she needs to give the blood to Hunter because she doesn’t want him coming after Luz and hurting her in any way, but there’s another layer to this: she understands Hunter’s situation better than anyone, and sympathizes. She doesn’t want him to get punished, because she understands the consequences and the shame of failing a task that was supposed to prove your worth. So she compromises - Luz needs the Titan’s blood to make the portal to get back home, but Hunter needs it too so he can live to see another day, to feel safe for a little while and make up for his past failure - she takes as much blood as she can in her glove, but she leaves some behind in the key for Hunter. While she was mostly giving him some of the blood so that he wouldn’t attack Luz, she was also doing it out of kindness and sympathy as well, which shows us just how much she’s grown since she’s met Luz.

And then we see the frames where Hunter looks at the broken key with blood dripping out of it. Now we as the audience know that Hunter knows and understands what Amity’s done. It’s true, she wasn’t willing to risk Luz’s safety, but she also could’ve absolutely destroyed Hunter if she wanted to. (This is a kids’ show so obviously that wouldn’t have happened, but she had him at knifepoint, and totally could’ve threatened him with his own demise.) Hunter seeing the broken key lets him know not only that Amity is incredibly smart and also that she won’t give up that easily. Even more importantly, he knows that even though they’re on opposite sides, she recognizes his humanity and personhood, and understands that he’s in a bad place and this can help him be safe. (They’re obviously not thinking long term. No one really knows what Belos is trying to do.) Her recognition of his personhood is likely going to be a step towards what I believe will be a growth arc of some kind, one where he breaks free from the Coven and learns to be his own self.

I’m excited to see how the rest of this will play out. We’re getting so much more depth on these characters, and I’m curious to see what story Dana Terrace wants to tell.

The Deathly Tragedy of American Exceptionalism

No other nation has endured as much death from Covid-19 nor nearly as a high a death rate as has the United States.

With 4.25 percent of the world population, America has the tragic distinction of accounting for about 30 percent of pandemic deaths so far.

And it is the only advanced nation where the death rate is still climbing. Three thousand deaths per day are anticipated by June 1st.

No other nation has loosened lockdowns and other social-distancing measures while deaths are increasing, as the U.S. is now doing.

No other advanced nation was as unprepared for the pandemic as was the U.S.

We now know Donald Trump and his administration were told by public health experts in mid-January that immediate action was required to stop the spread of Covid-19. But according to Dr Anthony Fauci, “there was a lot of pushback”. Trump didn’t act until March 16.

Epidemiologists estimate 90 percent of the deaths in the U.S. from the first wave of Covid-19 might have been prevented had social distancing policies been put into effect two weeks earlier, on March 2.

No nation other than the U.S. has left it to subordinate units of government – states and cities – to buy ventilators and personal protective equipment. In no other nation have such sub-governments been forced to bid against each another.

In no other nation have experts in public health and emergency preparedness been pushed aside and replaced by political cronies like Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who in turn has been advised by Trump donors and Fox News celebrities.

In no other advanced nation has Covid-19 forced so many average citizens into poverty so quickly. The Urban Institute reports that more than 30 percent of American adults have had to reduce their spending on food.

Elsewhere around the world, governments are providing generous income support. Not in the U.S.

At best, Americans have received one-time checks for $1,200, about a week’s worth of rent, groceries and utilities. Few are collecting unemployment benefits because unemployment offices are overwhelmed with claims.

Congress’s “payroll protection plan” has been a mess. Because funds have been distributed through financial institutions, banks have raked off money for themselves and rewarded their favored customers. Of the $350 billion originally intended for small businesses, $243.4 million has gone to large publicly held companies.

Meanwhile, the Treasury and the Fed are bailing out big corporations from the debts they accumulated in recent years to buy back their shares of stock.

Why is America so different from other advanced nations facing the same coronavirus threat? Why has everything gone so tragically wrong?

Some of it is due to Trump and his hapless and corrupt collection of grifters, buffoons, sycophants, lobbyists and relatives.

But there are also deeper roots.

The coronavirus has been especially potent in the U.S. because America is the only industrialized nation lacking universal healthcare. Many families have been reluctant to see doctors or check into emergency rooms for fear of racking up large bills.

America is also the only one of 22 advanced nations failing to give all workers some form of paid sick leave. As a result, many American workers have remained on the job when they should have been home.

Adding to this is the skimpiness of unemployment benefits in America – providing less support in the first year of unemployment than those in any other advanced country.

American workplaces are also more dangerous. Even before Covid-19 ripped through meatpackers and warehouses, fatality rates were higher among American workers than European.

Even before the pandemic robbed Americans of their jobs and incomes, average wage growth in the U.S. had lagged behind average wage growth in most other advanced countries. Since 1980, American workers’ share of total national income has declined more than in any other rich nation.

In other nations, unions have long pushed for safer working conditions and higher wages. But American workers are far less unionized than workers in other advanced economies. Only 6.4% of private-sector workers in America belong to a union, compared to more than 26% in Canada, 37% in Italy, 67% in Sweden, and 25% in Britain.

So who and what’s to blame for the worst avoidable loss of life in American history?

Partly, Donald Trump’s malfeasance.

But the calamity is also due to America’s longer-term failure to provide its people the basic support they need.

WRONG MESSIAH WRONG PEOPLE Acts 1:1-14 Israel is run by gentiles who are not Israelite by blood. They call themselves Jews by declaration not by lineage. Jews are in the midst of casting out God's chosen people from Israel for fear of the prophetic word that states these Edomite gentiles, along with an admixture of the people of Alkebulan’s (Israel), whose DNA the Father anointed has blessed them will bow down, and worship at our feet. They fear the truth knowing we’ve determined the lies they’ve told us were intended to hide our identity from us, and the world out of hatred. The Jewish holocaust lasted for 4yrs whereas the curses of Deuteronomy have lasted 400yrs, and counting. No other tribe of people has suffered like the Israelites according to the curses, and accounts in Deuteronomy 28 save a peculiar people. And it shall come to pass, that as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone. This is why I don't worship other religious faiths or religions. I'm cautious when it comes to Christianity knowing the deviltry of man, and the depths he will go, and has in order to maintain his stranglehold on us as a people. What allows a person to never be held accountable for their sins on Earth, but makes a race or tribe of people the burden bearer for all of Earth's iniquity? The devil is an accuser whose minions are fearful of the word manifesting in this generation. What we see on display isn't just a show of rebellion, but a fear of an arrogant people losing their position in the Earth which was only meant to be temporary, but in truth it wasn't meant to be at all. If 5 Black males congregate on a street corner it puts fear, spite, and hatred in the hearts of the so-called fragile psyche of those who want to control us. They call the Police in the hope of getting innocent people arrested or murdered. But 200 members of the proud boys can march through Urban Philadelphia in a show of defiance with Police protection, and nobody confronts them except a different breed of Black, Brown, and white people who are not like their fathers of old who relish in the thought of sending Jethro back to the woods with the rest of the hood boogers. The Jewish cabal worships Satan in the literal sense. They are the Devils cronies who know their time is up. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. They understand that the God of our fathers isn't playing games. If you ascribe this to my person as I’ve done in theory, how can God's 2 faithful witnesses see the Son of God and His Father if their hearts hadn't been tried like some of you? Revelation 11:3-13 3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. 6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. 7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9 And they of the

people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. 11 And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. 12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. 13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. The God of Israel has decreed this. The Jews in Israel will suffer a harsh penalty for their crimes against the Nigerian, Igbo Israelites, the Ethiopian Beta Israelites, the Ugandan Abayudaya, and other sects of Israelite people including the American tribal people of Ghana Africa (Judah), Gad (Native American), Reuben (Aboriginal Australian), and Issachar (Mexican South American descendants.) They are deporting the Yisraelites in Alkebulan out of Yisrael as though this can inundate God's plan. You’re bringing God to a higher and greater glory, fulfilling the promises He made to His people in this day for this generation. Joshua 24:13 13 And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and olive yards which ye planted not do ye eat. It’s a shame to construct a global economy only to be denied the American dream; it's a nightmare. For those that cater to the State of Israel like some Congressmen, and women who are Edomite Jews that are not willing to put in place a reparations plan for the ADOS, FBA, and all indigenous people of North America based on the Western Nations financing of the temporary inhabitants of Israel is an injustice to humanity. Our oppressor isn’t going to give up his throne or authority willingly, he’s drunk with it. Look to God to deliver us not man, especially those who historically have shown their extreme distaste and revulsion for us. God tells us: If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. God foreknew, He's all knowing, and all seeing. If one of them were to cosign a reparations bill for Black people they would’ve been found dead inside their congressional office within days or maybe hours. When your own people who look as you do, but think according to their massa’s will, in order to live a season of sin with the wicked advocating for the gentiles who live off our promised inheritance, and this nonphysical, hidden, unseen, but shrewd, devious bit of craft called white privilege, that Black people who believe in Yeshua spiritually call favor with God. What this microwave generation has asserted, and addressed as privilege in actuality is sinister, and diabolical. It's a Janus-like, double minded, spirit of torment that has caused a lot of agony to a people they refuse to relinquish that will bring a harsh judgment to them and the Earth, and yes, I’m paying my price. The people of Canaan were destroyed after having knowledge of the true living God. The Father isn't one who relishes in the spilling of innocent blood. He will always send you a warning before calamity comes to your doorstep. He's been doing it for the last 2,000 years. Like the Egyptians they refused to believe in the God the Israelites praised, and worshipped thinking He finds favor in them who shed innocent blood. This is the situation we find the Earth in once more with the Israelites who this time are being forced out of their homeland waiting for a deliverer. The people that lived in Canaan were not ignorant of

the God of Israel. Many times the impression is given that God ordered the Israelites to swoop in and destroy innocent people. But these people were neither innocent nor ignorant. They had heard about the God of Israel; it was they who rejected Him. When the 2 spies were sent to spy out the Land of Promise they were told by Rahab the prostitute: Joshua 2:9-11 9 And she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. 10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. 11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. They had heard of the true God but had rejected Him. Consequently, their entire society acted in a sinful way. The Apostle Paul spoke of these people: Though they knew God they refused to believe let alone acknowledge Him as the true living God. The Father let their minds become reprobate following their flesh. What comes good of the flesh people? Nothing. They were shapen in iniquity, and in sin did their mothers conceive them. Israel is the biggest Nation on Earth that supports the Trans community being led by a morbidly, corrupted government overrun with rampant homosexuality, and like Amerikkka they endorse pedophilia. Of all the Nations on the Earth, Israel ranks number one in unnatural sex, and relations more so than the United States of Amerikkka, and Amerikkka’s European counterparts. When Jews here in the states get arrested for unlawful sexual acts committed against children those who have convenient connections are able to seek refuge, and fly to Israel fleeing prosecution. Oftentimes this is warranted, by US gov’t protection agencies who assist them in their transition back to Israel. Larry Nassar whose last name is Jewish, but they claim him not. The faith he was raised in makes him a Catholic which reeks of corruption, and entitlement that exceeds the realm of sexually deviant malfeasance executed by this religious sect that historically has gotten away with the most egregious sins committed against God's innocent ones. The FBIs handling of his high profile case was a case study in buffoonery, and an insane margin of flexibility that cannot be explained to a person of a simple mind. Hopefully this gov’t will learn which is doubtful. Pray that the payoff of a high monetary lawsuit will make the US government look at this flawed system, and send Goober Pyle back to law school or a police precinct to learn how to do his job. This is not privilege, it’s sin. Romans 1:21-25 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. The inhabitants of Canaan were neither ignorant nor innocent victims of an angry God. They were committing these terrible sins being fully aware of the true and living God. Because they rejected Him, God judged them harshly. How do you explain the people of Israel, Amerikkka, Europe, and the rest of the West in this day and time? You can't without condemning them, and the rest of humanity which the Father had all authority to do. Instead, He sent His Son to die for Yisrael whom we rejected giving the

gentiles a pathway to His Kindome. Why do you refuse to accept His truth? Forgiving a jackass is like storing wine in old wineskins or plastic garbage bags. The messenger has made your hearts cold, and bitter towards the Father, and His Son Yeshua? Learn from us, and prepare for a New World in its natural order of things because this right here ain't it. Good evening people, Elohim 9/25/2021

Nag-aalab

oust the tyrant of the east

he and his cronies are cysts

he asks for emergency power

but in times of calamities, he is nowhere

oust the misogynistic old man

we know that collectively we can

oust the deranged dictator

we have to do this for the people

it is not for any political color

we are our own savior (context: from the idea that we have to gain understanding of our current situation and actively seek to change and save ourselves from the oppressors)

the more I hear about this Lan guy the more I sound like a dern Dalek. EXTERMINATE. DESTROY. DELETE. do I feel bad for it? kinda sorta. will I apologize for it? absolutely not.

(( Yeah, Lan’s not a good guy and his methods towards reaching his goal grow sketchier and sketchier by the day. Never forget that this guy’s original reasoning behind his actions was that he wanted to protect Hyrule from threats like Calamity Ganon such as viruses. Which arguably can be even worse for their game then the programmed virus-like final boss sealed in the castle. 

The difference between him and Impa though is the lengths he’s willing to go; such as code tampering, kidnapping, attempted and outright murder, treason, and so much more. All the while lying to the face of his people’s leader (Impa) about all the sketchy stuff he and his cronies have been up to while she’s sitting in her hut. Surrounded by them, being fed lie after lie to keep her afraid so she continues to place her misguided trust in them. Thus ensuring that the Footsoldiers that are legitimately loyal to her continue to follow orders under the pretense that what they are doing is what is necessary. When it is not, it never has.

At this point in the thread it is difficult for people who really know about her to deny that Sparkler has no intensions of harming Hyrule. Especially those who have been in the vault, (Lan who’s up to trouble, Purah who has mysteriously vanished, Robbie who hasn’t been seen since the beginning of the thread, Zelda who had her memories tampered with), and have seen that no virus has infected any of the codes in there. Which begs the question of why Lan is still pushing so hard to destroy the virus, recapture Irene, and regain access to the vault? ))

Headlines

Americans hit hard by layoffs worry about homelessness (Yahoo Money) With unemployment claims at historic highs as the pandemic grounds the economy to a halt, many Americans are struggling with diminished savings, unpaid bills, and worries over homelessness, according to a new study from Varo Money shared exclusively with Yahoo Money. One in 4 renters who lost a job or income due to the COVID-19 outbreak worry they could become homeless, while 1 in 7 homeowners with a mortgage said the same, the survey of 1,234 lower and middle-class Americans earning up to $75,000 found. Among the renters who have lost their income, 2 in 5 expect to make their rent for a maximum of three to four weeks and 1 in 4 expect to be able to afford their rent for one to two months. “Many of these people actually fear if they will be able to cover the rent, and homelessness is becoming a real issue,” Varo Money’s CEO Colin Walsh told Yahoo Money. “We’re talking about people that do not have emergency savings, they really don’t have any backstop.”

Reopening Has Begun. No One Is Sure What Happens Next. (NYT) Politicians and public health experts have sparred for weeks over when, and under what circumstances, to allow businesses to reopen and Americans to emerge from their homes. But another question could prove just as thorny—how? It isn’t clear what, exactly, it means to gradually restart a system with as many interlocking pieces as the U.S. economy. How can one factory reopen when its suppliers remain shuttered? How can parents return to work when schools are still closed? How can older people return when there is still no effective treatment or vaccine? What is the government’s role in helping private businesses that may initially need to operate at a fraction of their normal capacity? “We live in an economy where there are lots of interconnections between different sectors,” said Joseph S. Vavra, an economist at the University of Chicago. “Saying you want to reopen gradually is more easily said than done.”

Advertising adjusts for a new reality: Sweatpants for staying home and toilet paper that cares (Washington Post) “Just stay home” seems like an unusual sell from a hotel-booking service, but these are unusual times. Companies large and small are figuring out how to make ads that don’t seem insensitive or as if they’re from a different time, when people took beach vacations, ate in restaurants and wore shoes. On television, brands are switching to reassuring platitudes, telling viewers, “We’re in this together,” or in the touching words of one toilet paper company, “Together, we’ll keep America rolling.” On social media sites like Instagram, more advertisements are targeting those shut in, with extremely to-the-point messages shilling sweatpants, wine and food delivery, DIY hair dye kits, and home-office gadgets.

Foreign Students Stranded by Coronavirus (NYT) When universities abruptly shut down last month because of the coronavirus pandemic, many students returned to their parents’ homes, distraught over having to give up their social lives and vital on-campus networking opportunities. Graduating seniors lost the chance to cross anything but a virtual commencement stage. But the campus closures have created much greater calamity in the lives of the more than a million international students who left their home countries to study in the United States. Many had been living in college dorms and were left to try to find new housing, far from home in a country under lockdown. A substantial number of international students are also watching their financial lives fall apart: Visa restrictions prevent them from working off campuses, which are now closed. And while some come from families wealthy enough to pay for their housing or whisk them home, many others had already been struggling to cobble together tuition fees that tend to be much higher than those paid by Americans. As their bank accounts dwindle, some international students say they have had to turn to food banks for help. Others are couch surfing in the family homes of their friends but don’t know how long they will be welcome.

Skip college this fall? (Miami Herald) With time growing short and the future uncertain, many high school students are considering skipping college in the fall. The coronavirus pandemic has left many universities uncertain whether they’ll be able to welcome students to campus after summer, and many students don’t want to pay for top-flight universities if they can’t get the full in-person experience. Some say they may skip a year. Some may opt for cheaper alternatives like community colleges. Either way, the coronavirus could leave its mark on higher education long after the pandemic fades.

US senator Lindsey Graham believes Kim Jong Un ‘dead or incapacitated’ (The Independent) US senator Lindsey Graham said he believes North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un is “dead or incapacitated” following unconfirmed reports of his demise. Rumours of Kim Jong Un’s death have swirled since he missed the commemoration of the 108th birthday of his grandfather, North Korea founder Kim Il Sung, ten days ago. North Korean authorities have said nothing to counter media reports that Mr Kim is unwell, prompting concerns about who is next in line to run a nuclear-armed country that has been ruled by the same family for seven decades. South Korean and US officials have repeatedly indicated that there have been no unusual signs that could indicate health problems for Kim. A US official told Reuters the latest rumors about Kim’s health had not changed the US assessment of the information as “speculation.”

A pandemic of corruption mars the coronavirus response (Washington Post) When officials in his home state began giving food boxes to families hit by Colombia’s coronavirus lockdown, lawmaker Ricardo Quintero was struck by the exorbitant prices being paid to the vendors. So he armed himself with pictures of the coffee, pasta and other goods and went down to his local grocery store. There, he bought the same products for roughly half the supposedly bulk-rate prices being paid by the government of Cesar state. The comparison shopping prompted one of what is now 14 coronavirus-related criminal probes in Colombia. The South American country is one of many around the world now seeing a surge in corruption allegations. Countries large and small are shelling out trillions of dollars to combat both the coronavirus outbreak and its brutal economic fallout in what analysts are calling the largest financial response ever to a single global crisis. As governments race to source everything from food aid to face masks, they are prioritizing speed over transparency, dropping competitive bidding and other safeguards to keep pace with the pandemic. Most have no choice. Given the speed of the still unfolding crisis, it’s either buy quickly or put millions at risk. But concern is rising about the percentage of the taxpayer dollars—and euros and yen and pesos and more—lining the pockets of corrupt bureaucrats, crony contractors and crime syndicates.

UK PM Boris Johnson returns to face growing virus divisions (AP) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is returning to work after recovering from a coronavirus infection that put him in intensive care, with his government facing growing criticism over the deaths and disruption the virus has caused. Johnson’s office said he would be back at his desk in 10 Downing St. on Monday, two weeks after he was released from a London hospital. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who has been standing in for the prime minister, said Sunday that Johnson was “raring to go.” Britain has recorded more than 20,000 deaths among people hospitalized with COVID-19, the fifth country in the world to reach that total. Thousands more are thought to have died in nursing homes.

Kids in Spain relish outdoor hour as virus lockdowns ease (AP) Shrieks of joy rang out Sunday in the streets of Spain as children were allowed to leave their homes for the first time in six weeks, while people in Italy and France were eager to hear their leaders’ plans for easing some of the world’s strictest coronavirus lockdowns. The sound of children shouting and the rattle of bikes on the pavement after the 44-day seclusion of Spain’s youngest citizens offered a first taste of a gradual return to normal life in the country that has the second-highest number of confirmed infections behind the United States. “This is wonderful! I can’t believe it has been six weeks,” Susana Sabaté, a mother of 3-year-old twin boys, said in Barcelona. “My boys are very active. Today when they saw the front door and we gave them their scooters, they were thrilled.”

Japan challenged in working from home amid pandemic (AP) When the Japanese government declared an emergency to curb the spread of the coronavirus earlier this month and asked people to work from home, crowds rushed to electronics stores. So much for social distancing. Many Japanese lack the basic tools needed to work from home. Contrary to the ultramodern image of Japan Inc. with its robots, design finesse and gadgetry galore, in many respects the country is technologically challenged. But the bigger obstacle is Japanese corporate culture, experts say. Offices still often rely on faxes instead of email. Many homes lack high-speed internet connections, and documents often must be stamped in-person with carved seals called “hanko,” which serve as signatures. So many Japanese really cannot work remotely, at least not all the time. A survey by YouGov, a British market researcher, found only 18% of those recently surveyed were able to avoid commuting to school or work, even though a relatively high 80% of people in Japan are afraid of catching the virus.

Netanyahu ‘confident’ US will support West Bank annexation (AP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he is “confident” he will be able to annex large parts of the occupied West Bank this summer, with support from the U.S. Netanyahu says President Donald Trump’s Mideast plan envisions turning over Israel’s dozens of settlements, as well as the strategic Jordan Valley, to Israeli control.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #46-47 APRIL - MAY 1992 BY MICHAEL DOONEY AND KEITH AIKEN

SYNOPSIS (FROM TURTLEPEDIA)

This issue begins in Japan, circa 1373. We see a lone figure traversing the plains, a huge Samurai. The imposing warrior enters a village and is quickly granted permission to see the lord within. We soon see that the Samurai is a monstrous lizard-man named Chote. He is greeted coldly by his master, an equally large fellow decked out in Samurai armor and a horned mask. The lord demands to know why the lizard is so tardy. Chote explains that he was beset by Oraga's men and held up. The reptilian warrior also tells his master that Oraga has many allies, but his mind is in constant turmoil. The Samurai Lord laughs with this news, congratulating himself for his successful magic. The Master muses that while his magic is weak, he will use every last bit of it to wrest the secret's from Oraga's mind.

"If I fail," he begins, "I'll be trapped in the primitive country. But if I win, I'll finally be free! And I'll wipe the Gosei Samurai from the face of the earth!"

Cut to present day Massachusetts. Donatello and Raphael are playing Scrabble, but Don's patient and thoughtful playing is annoying Raph (of course). Soon enough problems arrive as Master Splinter, Leo and Mike discover the body of Hattori, the man that was featured in TMNT #9, collapsed in their living room. Raph is enraged at Mike for letting Hattori slip by him, but Leo reminds the temperamental terrapin that Hattori has the skill and knowledge of generations worth of Gosei Samurai within him, thus he could have evaded any of them. Raph is doubtful of this theory. The guys sit their friend in a chair and he soon regains consciousness. As Hattori gathers his wits, he explains that the Gosei Legacy he received has unhinged his mind. Splinter acknowledges that the man's grandfather feared that he would not be ready to handle the transference of the Gosei Spirit, but they'd had no choice but to bestow it upon Hattori. Master Splinter then probes the fellow's mind to see what is troubling him, and discovers the Samurai Lord - who has somehow managed to change history. The Sensei states that while he doesn't know what this evil presence has planned, he does know that the only solution lies in visiting the source, back in feudal Japan.

As the TMNT ponder how they can travel back in time to help their friend, Renet shows up. The Time Mistress explains that the deeds being done by the Samurai Lord of the past are affecting Hattori now. The chipper time hopper then explains that she'll take the Turtles back in time to fix the temporal mess that's being created. Splinter states that he'll stay behind to take care of Hattori, and the Green Team and Renet head back in time.

As soon as they arrive, the TMNT find themselves near a barbaric battle, as Chote slaughters some of the Gosei Samurai. Raphael instantly enters the fray and his brothers rush to assist him, turning the tide of the fight. Chote flees and the Samurai leader, Toraga, confronts the Turtles, demanding to know what sort of magical beasts they are. Leonardo explains that they are not magical, but ninjas. This news does not please Toraga, but he thanks the TMNT for their help. Leo tells Toraga that the Turtles have been sent by their Sensei to help the Gosei master, but the Samurai captain states that it may already be too late.

Later, Chote is back at the Samurai Lord's village, and he beseeches his master to flee before the Gosei discover his location. Chote then tells his leader of the four Turtles and their golden haired companion. This news enrages the magician and he strikes his reptilian servant, commanding him to bring back the TMNT and Renet to him... alive.

After defeating Chote in battle, the Turtles notice that Renet has disappeared. Mito, captain of the Gosei Samurai, tells the TMNT that he and his men have no time to waste helping the Turtles locate the woman as they must return to their master Oraga, who is being mentally attacked by his sorcerer adversary. The warrior is quite rude to the Turtle dudes, which of course enrages Raphael and a fight nearly erupts. Leonardo manages to cool everyone down and the TMNT go with Mito, hoping that Renet "knows what she's doing."

Unfortunately, Renet doesn't know what's she's doing, and the Time Mistress is quickly captured by Chote. Luckily, Renet is able to tell the Time Scepter to disappear before the evil reptile can get his claws on it. The rhyming, arcane rod vows to return later before it teleports away.

Meanwhile, Master Splinter keeps watch over Hattori as he tosses and turns in his sleep.

Back in the past, the Turtles arrive at Oraga's stronghold, where they wait impatiently for an audience with the Shogun. After several long hours, Mito announces that Oraga will meet the Turtles in the morning. The guys are not happy about the delay.

Chote takes Renet back to his master's dwelling. The magician is pleased that the woman has been captured, but quite angry that the Time Scepter is missing. The sorcerer decrees that the wand will be his in time.

The next morning, the Turtles finally meet Oraga, who tells the TMNT that the mysterious sorcerer seeks his clans extensive knowledge of mystical things - thus the attacks on the Shogun's mind. Just as the master finishes his explanation, his mind is once again besieged and he collapses. The Turtles ask for men to assault the sorcerer's keep, but they are refused, as Oraga must be the one to approve this strategy. Raphael grows more and more impatient, but the Green Team resolves to wait for Oraga to recover.

Elsewhere, the sorcerer confronts Renet and demands the scepter. The Time Mistress tells him to buzz off. Renet is astonished when the magician calls her by name...

Days pass as the Turtles await Oraga's recovery. Raph spends his time training with two Ronin (masterless Samurai), who are eager to learn Raph's moves. Leonardo announces that Mito still refuses to let anyone see Master Oraga and Mike and Don decide that it's time to take matters into their own hands. When the guys ask Raph if he's heard their plan, the hot headed terrapin announces that they should leave the next day, as he's busy training with the Ronin.

The next morning, the Turtles arise only to find that Raph has already left. The guys head out to catch up with their impetuous brother. We soon see that Raph is accompanied by the two men that he's been training, Sato and Oshi. The trio discover that the sorcerer has burned down his stronghold and moved on. Sato discovers tracks and Raph scrawls an arrow in the ground for Leonardo to follow, before the men head to the caves in search of the evil wizard.

Meanwhile, in the caves, the sorcerer is castigating Chote for choosing this place as a hideout. The lizard explains that it is a more defensible position. The wizard claims that once he has the Scepter of Time again, no one will be a threat. Renet notes that he said "again" and then asks Chote why he's serving a creep like this wizard. The reptile explains that he is Samurai, and duty-bound to do so.

Raph and his cronies arrive at the cave entrance and head into its murky depths. Chote smells them almost immediately, and his master orders him to attack while he awaits the Scepter's return. A battle erupts, Sato and Oshi are quickly dispatched by the tough lizard man. As Raph fights, Leo, Mike and Don arrive and help their brother finish Chote. As the TMNT celebrate their victory, the sorcerer arrives, Time Scepter in Hand. After making a dramatic threat, the wizard reveals himself to be none other than Savanti Romero, the demonic sorcerer who the TMNT defeated in Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #7. Savanti explains that rather than being destroyed by an energy blast, he was merely placed in a temporary stasis. When he awoke, he began to make his plans for revenge - plans that included destroying the Gosei clan. Donatello realizes that it's the Turtles' own fault for this calamity, as it was their efforts that had trapped Romero in Feudal Japan. Savanti announces that it's time for the Turtles to die, and he brandishes the Time Scepter. Just then Renet arrives and tells Romero to deal with her, not her friends. The wizard is all too eager to oblige the Time Mistress and uses the Scepter to shoot a bolt of energy at the woman. Renet raises her arm and the blast reflects harmlessly off of her hand, right back into Savanti Romero's chest - dissolving the villain. The Time Scepter than floats back to Renet and she reveals that she and the wand have worked out a lot of their own tricks, this being but one of them. Together they form a great team - just like the Turtles.

Chote awakens and Renet tells him that this time is not meant for him, but she will send him to a place where he can begin a new life. The lizard is grateful for the opportunity, and Renet uses the Scepter to send him on his way. The Time Mistress then gives the Turtles a hug goodbye and ships them back to their own place and time. Upon their arrival, Master splinter explains that Hattori has fully recovered.

We discover that Savanti Romero was sent backwards in time, unknown millions of years, to live among the dinosaurs. Chote was sent to another galaxy, where fantastic creatures roam a futuristic landscape.

Back in Feudal Japan, we see Sato and Oshi leaving the cave where they were knocked unconscious. As the two men walk, Oshi announces that Raphael's teachings have given their lives new meaning. The two of them must now learn all that they can about the secret arts of Ninja.

"We must never again mention the strange shelled creatures," Oshi begins, "In time, others will join us and we will become a force to be reckoned with. So just as every journey begins with a single step... we shall call ourselves The Foot."

REVIEW

I usually do not enjoy Renet stories. Still not enjoying them. Not sure what it is. Probably because I always felt she was there as eye candy and never really bought into her character. But it’s probably just me.

The other reason why I usually have problems with these stories is that she has a certain amount of control over history, and she should never be caught in these situations.

In any case, the twist at the end, with the Turtles creating the Foot Clan was interesting. The explanation doesn’t make much sense though, I would have preferred some nod at the turtles feet at least.

Also, the villain was kind of obvious (those horns were a dead giveaway).

Nevertheless, the issues look gorgeous.

I give the story a score of 8.

“what’s the matter, ashe?! can’t stand the competition?”

he calls out from behind cover, reloading his revolver - he didn’t use speedloaders, didn’t want to waste them. he peeks out from behind the rock, gauging the distance between the payload, himself, and ashe.

“peaceful and stress free ain’t your thing! we both know that! c’mon, why can’t we just talk about this, huh?” / @veiliisms. from.

              can’t stand the competition?

              deadlock scoffs, peering through an amber sight; he’s still ridiculous, that much is obvious, but she still can’t fathom the idea of it being any other way. he is as much a joke as he is a nuisance for calamity — &. she hates every moment of it.

               his shape comes into view for the smallest moment, &. ashe pulls the trigger, sending a round meant to miss, but to serve as a warning.

               “gotta be honest, afton, talkin’ never was yer strong suite — whatcha wanna talk about, the weather? distract me long enough for yer cronies to get off with my payload?!”

PLEASE POST IT.

NowPresenting: “Milo and Cavendish as Calamity Cronies” and Other Things I Need toExplain

This one’s for you, anon. You know whoyou are. (And I… don’t know who youare, unfortunately. You’re welcome in my ask box anytime, though.)

Thank you to Romina (@fisforfreakyme)for being the guinea pig for the first draft of this beast. You’re a saint.

The post that prompted this ask is here.

I’ve been pondering parallels betweenMilo and Cavendish for a while, because even though the show clearly isn’tsetting Cavendish up as the big bad, he’s still a bang-up antagonist, in largepart because of how he represents an alternate take (an “alternate future” inthe most absolutely figurative and deliciously ironic sense) on a characterwidely regarded as the embodiment of bungling things up—a character most peoplewould prefer “help by not helping.”

Cavendishand Milo both run into a lot of misfortune andthings-not-going-the-way-they’re-supposed-to. Milo’s bad luck is more dramatic(and sometimes ends up being the *cause* of Cavendish’s misfortune) but likeDakota says in “We’re Going to the Zoo,” they don’t really need Milo around toundermine their efforts. Half the time it’s Cavendish tripping over his own twofeet and botching things up himself.

Anoverarching theme in the show is how to react to bad circumstances. We’re givencharacters that fall all over the “healthily dealing with misfortune” spectrum,ranging from “shrug with a side of snark” to “snark with a side of neuroses” to“Everyone panic! I’ll start!” Cav and Milo embody totally opposite ends ofthis spectrum. Milo has learned to adapt to the chaos and at times is even ableto harness Murphy’s Law as an asset rather than a curse. Cavendish’s defaultresponse, in contrast, is to blame someone else for his woes and get angry/sulkyabout them.

This,more than any fuzzy notions of relative likeability, is what makes Milo thehero. This is the reason the show is called MiloMurphy’s Law and not The BalthazarCavendish Files.

Milohas been dealt what most people would call a bad lot in life—every day bringsone absurd disaster after another, ranging from mild inconvenience to actualphysical injury. He has to work exponentially harder than his peers just to getthe same results on assignments. Murphy’s Law causes absences from school andthen makes it nigh-impossible for him even to deliver a doctor’s note excusingthe absences. At first glance his life seems like a series of Sisyphean labors,rolling a boulder up a hill only for it to tumble back down again. But in thevery first episode, when Zack confronts Milo about Murphy’s Law, we see thatMilo doesn’t view his life in that light at all.

“I just can’t handle all of… this.”

“All of what?”

“This cyclone of calamity that follows youeverywhere you go! How do you live like this?”

“How do you live like *that*?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean… you wanna live like those otherkids? They took a bus to school today. A bus! Does that seem like more fun toyou?”

Murphy’sLaw has forced Milo to grow up quickly, something which could easily be missedbehind the optimism and credulity. Despite having a lot of reasons to getdiscouraged or to resent Murphy’s Law, he does the exact opposite: he embracesthe “curse” as an opportunity. He has objectively less control over his lifethan most people do (most people, for instance, can wait at the bus stop in themorning without needing to factor in the possibility that a concrete drainage pipewill come rolling through and chase them down a hill), and yet he is constantlytaking responsibility: for his friends’ safety (and grades, and happiness, andeverything else), his sister’s movie-going experience, Amanda’s enjoymenthours… Murphy’s Law isn’t an excuse for Milo; it’s the very thing drivinghim. He’s gotten so good at making lemonade from his life’s never-ending supplyof lemons that most of the time he reallyis having more fun than everyone else.

You wanna live like those other kids?

Cavendishtransparently envies his coworkers, and it’s not difficult to understand why. Theirlives are glamorous and full of expensive creature comforts. The thingsCavendish strives for and consistently fails to achieve—respect, recognition,prestige—are awarded to them seemingly without effort.

They took a limousine to the past. Does thatseem like more fun to you?

Thetrajectory of Cavendish’s character arc is difficult to plot because he embodiesso many contradictions. He’s not a villain—muddy as his motives might be, Ibelieve his world-saving ambitions are birthed out of at least a seed ofgenuine altruism—but he’s also a long way from becoming a hero. He’s vain,petty, and quick to point fingers. More than anything, he’s held back bythe fact that his ego won’t allow him to grapple with the fact that he’sself-sabotaging. The narrative isn’t going to start taking Cavendish seriouslyuntil he can stop taking himself so seriously. But there’s more to Cavendish’sego than just taking himself too seriously: he’s driven—controlled—by a deeplyinsecure need for everyone else totake him seriously.

Forthe longest time, I was framing the question from the perspective of what itwould take for him to become the sort of person who warrants the kind ofvalidation he craves. But then I had a thought: what if Cavendish at his best isn’t the sort of person who warrantsthe kind of validation he craves? What if, in a weird upside-down way, it’s theexact opposite?

Rememberhow Milo introduces himself to Zack in Episode 1: “I’ve got a bit of areputation.” People know him as a jinx, a trouble-bringer if not atrouble-maker. Melissa and Zack know him well enough to see how distorted thatpicture is, but most people are reluctant to get that close.

Here’sthe thing. The show gives us moments where the people around Milo are able tosee and appreciate his capabilities. But Milo at his best isn’t ever going tobe the sort of person that Elliot or Bradley is going to appreciate, at least,not until their perspective on him changes. Milo is the one with the undistortedview, the one who can see himself and his condition clearly. (Remind me to talksometime about the symbolism of characters with glasses in this show.)

Cavendish,likewise, has “a bit of a reputation,” and it’s driving him crazy. Right nowBlock isn’t taking Cavendish seriously—he’s just the paranoid, bumbling idiotwho can’t complete a simple mission. Heck, nobody at the Bureau takes Cavendishseriously. And Cavendish hates it. But my long-shot theory is that what heviews as the biggest obstacle to his success could actually turn out to be hisgreatest asset.

Thistheory rests on the assumption that the Bureau is not actually a sacred fountof truth and justice with noble aims for the destiny of humanity, but if we’rebeing honest all my heart really needs is to see Mr. Block get his comeuppancefor being so delightfully detestable.

Anyway.I want to eventually seeCavendish taking himself less seriously, but not because I’m desperate to seehim become soft or huggable or even an especially nice person. I want to see Cavendishtaking himself less seriously because I can’t imagine a Cavendish more terrifyingthan one who knows he can takeadvantageof the fact that no one takes him seriously.

To Block, Cavendish is aninconvenience and a dolt, but not a threat. Cavendish is a bugbear for theBureau, sure, but not because he’s doingit on purpose. And Block takes that for granted, because it’s obvious toanyone in a five-mile radius just how badly Cavendish needs the Bureau’s validation.

I want Block to question Cavendish’scompetence. His sanity. Absolutely everything except for his loyalty. And Iwant it to come back to bite him hard. Because I’m not sure that even a massivewell-oiled government agency from the future is equipped to handle both Miloand Cavendish leaning full-tilt into their respective statuses as Magnets forDisaster.

A Cold Wind

Happy Starlight!

I’ve had this percolating in my mind for a while, until finally it burst forth after finishing the Realm Reborn content heading into Heavensward. To be fair, I could have probably posted it at a better time of year but hey. I can’t predict when this stuff hits my brain.

Anyhoo, spoilers for pre-HW, post-ARR stuff.

The wind is bitterly cold today. To be fair, the wind is bitterly cold every day. Even in those brief moments when the snowfall ceases, the clouds clear, and the warm sun shines brightly upon the lands of Coerthas, it is still bitterly cold. Perhaps one day, it will no longer be so.

But today is not that day.

I do not know how long it has been since we came to Coerthas in search of refuge and succor. It may have been moons, yet I still recall the events that brought us to Camp Dragonhead as vividly as though it happened yesterday. Since then, we three have sat- myself, Alphinaud Leveilleur, and Tataru Taru- waiting for word to return from Ishgard in regards to our petition for asylum. In all that time, one would think that I would have grown accustomed to the cold. In a sense, I suppose that I have.

No, mayhap it is less that I have grown accustomed, and more that I have become numb to it. There is a part of me that hates that. Another part of me accepts it wholly, as numbness is easier to deal with than the pain, despair, and rage threatening to lash out at every passerby.

When those things start to bubble to the surface, I wander the central highlands. From Camp Dragonhead, past the Gates of Judgement, out to Whitebrim; from there, heading south through Daniffen Pass, down near the Aurum Vale, and the path toward Mor Dhona through the Hall of the Seven Echoes, but there I pause.

I dare not go further south. I want to, gods, how I want to, but I know that engaging the Crystal Braves occupying Revenant's Toll would only exacerbate the situation. Nor would it do anything to clear my name, or the names of the Scions.

Much like the cold, I should have been accustomed to loss by now, yet I still feel these losses so keenly. That seems to be the legacy of the Scions, loss. How many did we lose the first time, after Louisoix? When I had first joined, I was but one of four new recruits. By the time I had grown strong enough to challenge Titan, we had grown by leaps and bounds. From all walks of life they came, ready and willing to put their knowledge, their skills, their strength to the cause of preserving Eorzea's future, and to defend the realm against the threat of the primals and the Garlean Empire.

I still remember the cold chill that ran down my spine, the smell of blood and death that permeated around the Waking Sands the moment I opened those doors. What I saw from the sylph Noraxia made my blood run cold. In but mere moments, our numbers were decimated. The Empire's attack was swift, brutal, and without mercy. Just like that, we were back down to but a handful of dedicated souls, the rest left to molder and rot alongside the long-silent bones of those who perished in the Calamity, with naught even a stone to mark their place. None apart from we who survived would know how much they gave for this realm to see a brighter tomorrow.

We lost so many that day, but we still built ourselves back up. We defeated the Empire's ultimate weapon and stopped their war machine dead in its tracks. Primals arose, stronger than those that came before, and we felled them. We found a way to permanently destroy Ascian souls, at the cost of our comrade Moenbryda. We spearheaded the defense of Ishgard against the Dravanian Horde. But then in the moment we take time to celebrate our victories, it happened again. Our comrades were set upon in the streets and the markets. We were betrayed by our allies. One by one, the Archons fell.

Yda.

Papalymo.

Y'shtola.

Thancred.

Minfilia.

In the end, once more, only a handful of dedicated souls were left. Before, we were the saviors of Eorzea, and protectors of the realm. Now, we are known as little more than scheming assassins.

I can feel that rage burning, building up again. This wandering is not working, and it only seems to drive home that I am not as numb to this as I would like to be. Onward. My path takes me from the Hall of the Seven Echoes heading east, toward the Observatorium. Or to use its full title, the First Dicasterial Observatorium of Aetherial and Astrological Phenomena.

By the Twelve, I think the Ishgardians enjoy their puffed up titles just a little too much.

Just south of the Darkhold, the path splits, with one trail heading toward the Observatorium, and the other heading toward the North Shroud, and I stop myself.

There are a few moments of hesitation before I resign myself to my path and continue east.

No. Not today.

A few times during this exile, I have had a mind to glamour myself, return to Gridania, get as much information as I could from Mother Miounne. She, Momodi, and Baderon, they have good heads on their shoulders. I know they could never have believed the accusations. But I also know that I cannot risk drawing them into this. All it would take was the wrong person seeing the wrong thing and the heads of the Adventurers' Guild would be thrown in gaol for 'aiding and abetting' a known fugitive or whatever godsforsaken charges the Monetarists and their lackeys would dream up. I can only imagine what ridiculous charges they leveled against Alphinaud to arrest him to begin with. Had it not been for Vice-Marshal Tarupin's assistance, he would have still been languishing in a cell in Ul'dah.

The little lordling is still recovering from his bout of melancholy and self-pity. As we fled Ul'dah, Alphinaud gave in to despair, blaming himself for everything that had happened. At the time, I said nothing. No words of comfort, but also no words to confirm or deny his beliefs. I simply sat back and allowed the self-flagellation to continue. Secretly, I agreed with him. I am ashamed to admit, but there was a part of me that was satisfied. Not with the loss of our comrades, of course, but to see the great Alphinaud Leveilleur taken down a peg.

The grandson of the Archon Louisoix has rarely ever been at a loss for words, to an almost irritating degree. I wouldn't have thought much of him, sitting across from me on my entrance into Eorzea, silent, sitting aside his sister Alisaie. I would think even less of him the next times I would encounter him, which was during the memorial services for those who perished during the Calamity. They approached me unbidden, because clearly there was not enough room for him to stand elsewhere, suffering his snide remarks in regards to the city-states, their leaders, and their grand companies.

This happened not once, not twice, but thrice.

Given the circumstances, however, I cannot say that I blame him for his cynicism. The city-states of Eorzea must have done very little to instill any sort of reassurance for his grandsire's sacrifice. Even so, Alphinaud's arrogance and self-assuredness was a bewildering thing. Do not misunderstand, I admire his diplomacy, even when he can be lacking tact, and he has a way with words I wish I could emulate. I say it was bewildering because he truly seemed to think he, himself, could single-handedly save the realm. I do not doubt his sincerity, but I also wholeheartedly believe that he was blinded by his potential glory, as the leader of the world-saving, all-conquering Crystal Braves.

Ah, the Crystal Braves. There goes that rage bubbling up again. Time to start heading northward, from the Observatorium back up toward Camp Dragonhead.

Truly, as much as Alphinaud blames himself, I cannot overlook my own involvement. After all, he tasked me with recruiting several of the men and women of the Crystal Braves in the first place. Hells, it was my recommendation that brought that damnable Laurentius into the fold to begin with. I should have known better. But no. No, I had to be the one to give second chances. I wanted to believe that he had turned a new leaf, that he truly did want to start over.

On the other hand, I suppose I should not have been surprised by Yuyuhase's involvement in the mutiny. Even from the beginning, he seemed far too preoccupied with the acquisition of coin. I chalked it up to living in Ul'dah, where the pursuit of the Almighty Gil is a way of life, no matter who you have to step on to reach it.

Then there is Ilberd. What is there to say about Ilberd? He had us all fooled. I believed him to be of great moral character, loyal to a fault, and a man worthy of leading the Crystal Braves. He kept his hatred of General Raubahn more secret than he did his loyalty to his Monetarist paymasters. That a man should speak of Ala Mhigo so, but have no qualms about killing a youth like Wilred, who fought for the same as he, bespeaks a coldness in him that would freeze each of the seven hells. He claimed to have been the one to assassinate Nanamo Ul Namo, but I have my doubts, as sharpened steel seems more his style, not poison.

The price you pay for wanting to do better. I cannot begin to imagine what might have ensued had the Sultana enacted her plans. But even as much chaos as the dissolution of Ul'dah's government would have brought about, surely her death will have done much the same.

That Teledji Adeledji would resort to outright assassination, even I would not have guessed. That, I think, has been what disturbs what little sleep I have had since that day - the look of pure terror on Nanamo's face before she collapsed, and I being completely unable to do anything about it. She was right in front of me, and I could not do anything to save her before Teledji and his cronies had me arrested. Being carted out in chains by Ilberd in front of the assembled guests was certainly far from my proudest moment.

I arrive at the gates of Camp Dragonhead and consider my next move. Briefly, I think about moving further north, toward the remnants of the Steel Vigil, where some of the highest concentration of dragons and Dravanians can be found. Instead, I take the path west, retreading my original path, heading toward the Gates of Judgement once more.

That is something I have to keep reminding myself. Try as I might, no matter what lofty titles others may foist upon me, I cannot save everyone. Though I keep trying, it is impossible. I still do not know how it managed to get to this point. I never even wanted this job. I was never supposed to be this. How I ever ended up as Hydaelyn's chosen is as much of a mystery to me as it is to most everyone else. A glorified sellsword, content to take whatever job is asked of them with a silent nod, going from killing pests around the city to vanquishing shadowless demons and stopping an Imperial invasion.

But I have either gone deaf to Her word or Hydaelyn does not speak to me any longer.

No, the only one who speaks now is Midgardsormr, the Father of Dragonkind, who stripped me of the blessing She gave me. As I stand before the entrance to the Gates of Judgement, far enough outside to be out of eyesight of the guards inside, I feel his presence, just over my right shoulder. I keep my gaze focused ahead, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a glance.

"Heh… heh… heh… thou thinkest sanctuary lieth beyond?" His tone is almost mocking, derisive at the mortal's naivete.

It galls me to admit the truth in the intent behind his words. In the time I spent out in Coerthas searching for the Enterprise, I met some good people and worked with them a number of times in the intervening moons, as the Scions moved into Mor Dhona and Revenant's Toll. But I have never been to the city proper, nor delved into its politics. I have heard bits and pieces from what little Lord Haurchefant has told me, and what few conversations I've had with Ser Aymeric prior to the bloody banquet. As closed off as the nation has been for years, it may either be a path to salvation or to perdition.

It takes no prompting of any kind to be treated to Midgardsormr's belief, before he disappears once again.

"Delusion... Despair… Death… thou shalt find naught else here."

With that, I am alone as the wind whips around me, and the snow begins to pick up. I take a few steps back and turn, heading back east toward Camp Dragonhead. Enough is enough. I am denied the numbness I sought, such as the chill that begins to wrack my body, and I am all but certain to receive a chiding, both from Tataru and Lord Haurchefant.

The wind is bitterly cold today. To be fair, the wind is bitterly cold every day. Even in those brief moments when the snowfall ceases, the clouds clear, and the warm sun shines brightly upon the lands of Coerthas, it is still bitterly cold. Perhaps one day, it will no longer be so. Perhaps one day, I will not have need of it to try and numb myself to the world.

But today is not that day.

The Three Governments of Spyro the Dragon

 Today, I have something really interesting that I feel would be worth talking about. Now I remember recently reading a post titled “’Kirby Super Star’ is a Marxist critique of the Soviet Union,” which delves into the titular 1996 SNES video game so deeply and somehow matches it up with certain pieces of USSR history (Reddit). After viewing this, I began to think, “I know a few other games that I could analyze like this guy did with Kirby.” Yes, I was motivated so much by this blog that I had a hunch to work on my own research chat.

Now the games I am about to talk about are the first three games in the Spyro the Dragon series first released for the PlayStation from 1998 to 2000, titled Spyro the Dragon, Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage, and Spyro: Year of The Dragon (Additionally, all three titles recently received a remake collectively titled “Spyro Reignited Trilogy,” which makes this document relevant as of 2019). With a little research, I was able to pair those games with a government that best defined them in a nutshell. Of course, not all real-life elements of these governments may actually match up with how any of the fictional societies depicted operate, but I’ve tried my hardest to make sure the details match up strongly enough that they can be talked about.

 *If you haven’t played the games yet and don’t want to be spoiled, then don’t bother reading!

  Spyro the Dragon: Confederation (Left)

 I want to start this discussion by saying something unique about this first third of the review: unlike the latter two titles, Spyro the Dragon seems to promote the idea of its featured form of government rather than point out the significant flaws and ensure the audience doesn’t sympathize with the concept at hand. First off, I want to give you folks a good look at how the populace of the Dragon Worlds goes about their lives and organizes themselves socially speaking. For those of you don’t already know enough about the game’s context, there are five socially-unique sectors that each owe something important to the well-being of the larger society. The Artisans represent the working class, the Peace Keepers are equivalent to a military system, the Magic Crafters are most likely representative of the business owners and upper class (As noted by the sheer presence of overly-elegant architecture in their specific area), the Beast Makers represent those who work in health, medical, biological, and other science-related fields, while the Dream Weavers can be considered a spiritually-grounded group of dragons who are experts in the field of meditation. Then there’s the extra sixth sector known as Gnasty’s World (Residence of main antagonist Gnasty Gnorc, who holds no true political power under any circumstance; therefore, I will leave him out of the equation), which I’ll just shoehorn into the sanitation sector, even though it would still easily be associated with the working class (Artisans). 

With the exception of Gnasty’s World, these groups all serve an equally vital role in establishing the economic stability and societal foundation of the Dragon Worlds, in the form of a confederation. Now if you folks are wondering what that’s supposed to mean, here’s the definition; “an organization which consists of a number of parties or groups united in an alliance or league.” For a historical example, the United States operated in this manner under the Articles of Confederation of 1777, which was ratified in 1781 and formed a society whose power lay mostly in the hands of the member states. Up until 1789, these states could establish laws without having to worry about a federal government trampling over those laws since the existing equivalent had far less political power than the one present (Reference.com).

Revisiting my view from the previous paragraph, it can be noted that each of the first five sectors can be viewed as separate, autonomous states that, in spite of their different approaches to solving daily situations, hold a common view of some sort that unites them into a larger entity. While it’s not known in canon if the sectors that dragons live in have ever come into conflict with each other at any point, I will bring up some backstory later on that may be worth identifying.

  Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage: Empire (Middle)

 Now looking at the titular villain and his path to wretchedness, picture him as this small, colonial society. From what we’re aware of based on the context provided in-game, Ripto and his cronies have no idea that Avalar (The main setting of this sophomore title) even exists at first. Now keep in mind that since Ripto despises dragons, he’s picky about where he wants to expand his influence. But anyway, once he finds himself in this dragon-free dimension, it becomes the perfect opportunity for Ripto to slowly nibble away at the land until there is no more for him to take over, aka, colonize. Of course, once Spyro shows up, the horned, red midget becomes rather peeved, prompting him and his goons to actually begin setting up the framework for his proposed kingdom. 

Throughout the events of the game, Ripto not only uses his magic to spread his negative influence across the dimension (AKA: Cause various beasts and baddies to run amok and result in calamity), but we are also shown the blue banners of Avalar being rolled back in favor of emblems donning the antagonist’s mug, THRICE. According to my searches, an empire is defined as, “an extensive group of states or countries under a single supreme authority, formerly especially an emperor or empress.” In this case, Ripto can easily be seen as emperor because at his highest position, he holds control over not just his two reptilian brutes (Who serve as a metaphor for his “kingdom” at its most basic), but also numerous realms scattered throughout Avalar, each serving as their own formerly independent municipalities until he enters the picture. 

Now here’s another point: even with Spyro around, Ripto still feels the need to settle in Avalar because there are no dragons around other than Spyro himself currently present to scare him away, which thereby gives him access to a shipload of land and resources. When it came to real-life empires, they were strategic regarding which areas to conquer. For example, the Roman Empire wouldn’t go east into modern-day Germany because the cost of conquest in that area was far above the monetary worth earned from the extractable resources available in that region (The Daily Reckoning). 

Moving on, the western half eventually collapsed primarily due to internal conflicts over power that left them exposed to outsiders (The eastern half, dubbed “The Byzantine Empire,” managed to survive until 1453, when it fell to Turkish invaders as a result of their victory in the Byzantine-Ottoman wars). In-game, the biggest reason Ripto is defeated is because he overlooks the possibility of Spyro collecting Avalar’s sacred talismans and orbs, which collectively allow the young dragon to pass through the barriers that separate both parties.

  Spyro: Year of The Dragon: Totalitarian State (Right)

 Jumping ship to the final third of the original Spyro trilogy, we now examine the Forgotten Realms and its central government in the form of the despotic, blue crocodilian-esque Sorceress. Now the previous two games sugarcoated their subject matter immensely (Though the second game still views the concept of an empire as a detrimental idea), but this time the game doesn’t make things look as rosy. First and foremost, The Sorceress displays a position of superiority around anyone in her vicinity, and in an overly aggressive manner most of the time. Already, we’re seeing her being established as a straw tyrant; alas, there is still so much more to discuss regarding the Forgotten Realms operating as a political body that blatantly abides by the guidelines of totalitarianism. Now where do we begin on this topic?

My first point of conversation in this segment is that unlike Gnasty Gnorc or Ripto in the previous two games (Now although the latter does become “ruler” near the end of his respective game, he doesn’t spend nearly enough time to be officially considered a grand-high patriarch by any of the residents of Avalar), The Sorceress is a formally-recognized monarch, is referred to as such by the inhabitants of the Forgotten Realms, and to make matters much worse, has been ruling this same exact dimension, in the same throne for AT LEAST 1000 YEARS. Not only that, but at one point, the dragons currently living dwelling in the Dragon Realms once lived in the Forgotten Realms. But when they left, they took their magic with them and as the centuries passed, magic began to drain and caused their fancy-schmancy portals to stop working. We’re convinced to think that the reason The Sorceress has become so wary of Spyro’s presence is because he will disrupt her plans to gather the eggs they had stolen from the dragons; she is supposedly gathering them in order allow this upcoming generation of winged reptiles to bring magic back to the dimension she rules over.

I will bring up that part about the dragons and the eggs again, but there is an important detail that points further to establishing The Sorceress as an antagonist known for taking full advantage of her position over everyone around her and therefore preventing anyone from reasoning with her other than Spyro and a slew of animal friends she had recently imprisoned. A little more than a quarter way into the game, Spyro finds himself in a realm known as Enchanted Towers; it is here that he discovers that a slew of lavender-skinned counterculture humanoids had been tasked with erecting a statue built in their highness’ likeness.

There’s just so much to talk about regarding what the statue situation represents, but first let me define what this government is. Totalitarianism is described as being, “a system of government that is centralized and dictatorial and requires complete subservience to the state.” The aforementioned statue in Enchanted Towers is probably one of the biggest pieces of evidence pointing to the Forgotten Realms operating under that kind of system. To start, the Sorceress displays unrivaled power in the world she inhabits and no one dare beg to differ with her on that matter. This is clearly evidenced by the fact that the citizens of Enchanted Towers mention that they certainly did not enjoy creating this tremendous work of art (Though they agree that it looks prettier than the actual character herself, further driving the sense of rebellion in), but they completely understand that going against what The Sorceress is telling them to do is like flirting with death.

You, the reader, have to realize that this is a form of government where there isn’t a legislative or judicial system to limit executive power. Heck, that’s not even getting into the fact that the denizens of the Forgotten Realms have neither a right to free speech nor the freedom to vote in elections, as far I’m aware. It’s certainly no fun living in a society where one person holds all the social and political power and you’re not that one person, nothing delightful about that (And there’s nothing anyone can do to change the fact unless someone successfully uses force to overthrow the one in power so they wouldn’t be able to enforce their laws any longer).

Before getting to the climax of this essay, it’s that time I bring up a real example. Although I’d be talking about a dictatorship along the lines of Nazi Germany, I’ve decided to take a more interesting example from further back in history. The Qin Dynasty, an empire to which China borrows its name from, relied on an authoritarian set of regulations that would become hugely influential to every Chinese-based dynasty that followed. Although it only lasted from 221 to 207 BC, there’s still some valuable information to extract from this chapter of human history. It also makes sense for me to select this example because the game’s title, Year of The Dragon, references a specific birth year on the Chinese Zodiac (Speaking of which, the year the game itself originally released just happened to land on a dragon year, which only happens once every twelve years).

Now allow me to continue with the example. Under the commissioning of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the very first leader of a unified China, came a standardized system of writing and a strictly-guided formula for measuring the width, weight, and length of highways. Huang also oversaw construction of what would become the first section of The Great Wall of China and eventually went on to abolish the feudal system that flourished during the Zhou Dynasty decades earlier (In which landowners owed allegiance to the emperor as a result of kinship rather than fulfilling legal obligations). In addition, he commissioned the burning of almost all of the books currently available in that region at the time, only sparing those that provided information on topics like medicine and issued gigantic tax levies in an effort to pay for his military and construction expenses. This matrix of catastrophes led to a rebellion following Qin Shi Huang’s death in 210 BC, which went on to ultimately knock the Qin Dynasty out of power and make room for the Han Dynasty roughly 3-4 years later (Britannica).

Now what I’ll be explaining next is going to be extremely horrifying in hindsight, so grab your popcorn and hold your breath. While exploring Evening Lake, the third home world of the game, Spyro’s close friend Hunter winds up in a subterranean trap set up by The Sorceress that was meant for Spyro himself to prevent him from collecting any more of the dragon eggs that she desperately wanted to remain untouched. He is then approached by her servant, a magician-in-training named Bianca (To whom he has a developed a liking for over the course of the synopsis), who comes to tell the caged cheetah that the reason the dragons left so many years ago was because it had to do with their wonderful wings. As they began to realize that the obese blue saurian autocrat wanted to clip them off to give her immortality, they had no choice but to find solace in another reality. Linking this information to Spyro 1, we can now go back to viewing the example of confederation as the United States during the era of the Articles of Confederation, trying to recuperate from their religious tension with the monarchy of England and emigrating from there before ultimately deciding to settle in North America and establish a self-governed nation over the course of several decades. In the Spyro continuity, the dragons succeeded in building an autonomous series of societies in the then-vacant Dragon Realms following their disastrous affair with The Sorceress, where they then proceeded to push aside Gnasty Gnorc to the wastelands at some point later in time so they would have enough room to properly establish their footing in this uncharted land.

But sadly, that is not the end of the suspense; when Bianca returns to her master’s throne room, she discovers a dreadful truth she hadn’t been aware of until now. Ever since her henchmen brought the yet-to-hatch eggs back from the Dragon Worlds, The Sorceress hoarded them not because she wanted them to return their magic to the Forgotten Realms once they did hatch, but because she wanted to KILL THEM FOR THEIR WINGS LIKE SHE ATTEMPTED TO DO WITH THE ADULT DRAGONS BEFORE THEY LEFT. What she’s basically telling us is that she plans on committing an act of GENOCIDE ON AN ENTIRE GENERATION OF NEWBORNS in a similar manner to how Hitler promoted the large-scale massacre on an enormous number of Jews during the Holocaust.

With not a pinch of sympathy for anyone but herself by this point, the malevolent indigo monarch has become nothing short of a filthy caricature for the horrors of tyranny and dictatorship. By the way, she didn’t have to kill the newborns at all for that to happen, she just felt the need to do so JUST BECAUSE SHE DIDN’T WANT TO SEE THEM SQUIRMING AROUND IN HER QUARTERS. Prompting a drastic change of heart, Bianca decides to cease working for her master, opting to rescue Hunter from the trap her former supervisor had set up in Evening Lake. Fed up with the treason her lackey recently committed, The Sorceress decides to create an absurdly powerful, bat-winged monster intended to annihilate practically everyone in her opposition (Simply put, that means almost the entire population of the world she governs, plus Spyro and some of the friends he bought along).

Even though Spyro manages to eradicate The Sorceress for good, (Much to the satisfaction of the Forgotten Realms inhabitants) the atrocious myriad of actions she takes during that one game position her as an antagonist who is regarded as a dark villain for a normally light-hearted sugar bowl series like Spyro, thereby leaving an indelible mark on the narrative of that franchise’s continuity. Serving as a harsh critique for the concept of autocracy and its consequences on the people, Spyro: Year of The Dragon uses a surprisingly pathos-inducing series of events that favors a call to action for executive reform, appealing to the wants and needs of the governed rather than the desires and aspirations of the government itself.

  Sources:

 Kirby Super Star: https://www.reddit.com/r/FanTheories/comments/39dbqi/kirby_super_star_is_a_marxist_critique_of_the/

 Confederacy: https://www.reference.com/government-politics/examples-confederate-government-230a5f967d7f24fa

 Empire: https://dailyreckoning.com/how-empires-really-work/

 Totalitarian State: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Qin-dynasty

https://www.reference.com/history/feudalism-ancient-china-8ddd0bf737a29fc5

2022 Philippine Presidential Elections

My vote is for Leni.

But the front runner is her opponent Bongbong Marcos, son of the late dictator, Ferdinand Marcos. 

His father has caused so much death and debt for the Philippines, violating human rights and freedom of speech. Martial law was declared, media was controlled and the military was in so much power that ordinary people were red tagged and violated when they had nothing better to do. He may have provided architectures and hospitals, but that is his job as a man running a country and under all that “good” he has done is the debt building up. He should be for the people and not for personal gain.

Some people say they lived differently, quiet and peaceful in far flung areas, unaffected by the chaos others experienced since, again media was controlled and technology wasn’t as evolved. News was always good but the poor were getting poorer and the rich, getting richer as Marco’s cronies. (Just the tip of the iceberg)

I have never understood the people who voted for Marco’s son. They have no concrete reason except that it is their opinion, or that their families lived a peaceful life, calling his regime the “Golden Era”. I’m sorry to say that not all families lived as yours did. Think about those who were innocent, captured and killed by simply walking to their jobs. Think about the children starving in the rural provinces. They cannot alter history because it is written in the books and the lives of those who were scarred. Think about the wealth they had when they were in power, no problems except which shop to splurge on, where to travel, who to meet. Where is the sympathy for the poor? Where is the love for your countrymen? 

I think about those who will suffer under this new government, filled with corrupt and convicted felons, sitting again with endless power. 

The fishermen, farmers, domestic helpers, as well as, hard workers whose salary is not enough to feed them 3 times a day. I think about those who are sick with no one to turn to. The victims of natural calamities. Who will they go to for help? Who will respond to them in a heart beat? 

Since Leni won’t be in the OVP anymore, the people who messaged her asking for help on operations, hospital bills, relief goods. Who will they run to now? 

I hope and pray that the new administration will continue her job if not the same, then, better. That they may respond to their pleas of help as fast as she did, provide financial aid for the sick as she did, travel to remote islands as she did, help the fishermen and farmers as they did. 

I have so many questions because bongbong did not provide a concrete plan or a reasonable platform for the Philippines. Cheers to six years filled with surprises! 

Guess who made a Cuphead OC! (It was me.)

Meet Calamity Cassidy. Bank robber extraordinaire. Known across Inkwell Isle for her fiendish acts of burglary and dead aim with firearms. Along with her gang, the Catastrophe Crew (Composed of her and her three anthropomorphic bullet cronies, known only as Disaster, Hazard, and Mishap), she's become the scourge of banks and well-to-do businesses across the isles. Her mugshot has graced the front page of the paper countless times. Her crimes play a large role in why many Inkwell residents no longer keep their money in the banks. This paranoia has even lead to conspiracies popping up that she has ties to the Devil's Casino (which she doesn't, though she still loves hearing all the crazy theories people come up with). Unbeknownst to the general public, her and her gang have a cozy little hideout tucked away somewhere on Inkwell Isle III. In her downtime, she enjoys unwinding by taking trips to the fair or the pictures, always wearing a disguise and acting under the assumed name of "Etta McCoy".

More art and info to come later probably.