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raayllum · 2 years

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Somewhat found the meta spoons which is to say S4′s Rayllum arc is pretty brilliant, imo, because

S4 is about Callum realizing that loving Rayla is going to Hurt, and keep Hurting him, and he Chooses to Accept that and Love her Anyway

In 4x01, we see that Callum is keeping a closed lid on some of his feelings, not wanting to admit that he loves her out loud to Ezran because he’s worried that she’ll never come back, and that he doesn’t even know if she’s alive. We see this in his initial reaction to her; he doesn’t want to talk, he doesn’t want to blow up at her (similarly to how he behaved in 2x03 following the Harrow fallout) but he also doesn’t want her to go. So they sit in the hurt all night, softened by the fact that she asks/offers to Stay arguably for the first time.

Then over the course of the season, they fall into their old patterns, both good and bad. They’re good at working together, keeping the other person grounded. Rayla keeps him upright; Callum refuses to let her spiral when she starts to blame herself.

When she offers to go off on her own or goes to hunt down Viren, repeating the exact same patterns that took her away from him in the first place.

And I think the final moment isn’t him approving of Rayla’s self sacrificial tendencies - he’ll always prefer to have her home safe with him, or at least by her side - but him accepting that this is a part of her he cannot change or comfort away. He couldn’t two years ago and he can’t do it now, either. It’s very reminiscent of Ethari’s quote about Runaan in Bloodmoon Huntress:

Ethari: Each time Runaan leaves, it is with the weight of knowing that he may not come back. That to fulfil his duty, he may need to sacrifice everything. Himself, and all that we have here.

Rayla: But how can you forgive him for putting himself in such danger? How can you be okay with that?

Ethari: It hurts. Sometimes for much longer than I’d like. But there’s nothing to forgive him for. I’ve known since we met that this is Runaan’s calling, that nothing will deter him from fulfilling his duty. It is a necessary part of loving him — understanding his deep devotion to his people.

We know that Callum still loves her. We know that he wants to forgive her, and more than that, he wishes he could, easily. He wishes it could be easy.

But as Ezran says earlier in the season, we have to hold the love and the pain in our hearts at the same time. Callum has been struggling to do so. He doesn’t want to be hurt again, and loving Rayla hurts. In S4, he hopes that maybe it won’t, if he can forgive her, if they’ve both changed. But it’s clear by 4x09 that he hasn’t, as he stares worriedly at the gates while the others just look happy, because he’s thinking of her:

Because she brings him down to his knees all over again.

Loving Rayla, until she chooses to break her own cycles, until she chooses to be more measured than Runaan, is always going to hurt him. He can’t change that for her. He can either accept her wholly, unconditionally, as she is right now (not who she may or may not become), or he can walk away.

Callum chooses to run to her

and to love her, pain and all, anyway.

#rayllum #tdp meta #tdp #the dragon prince #first meta of a new season feels good feels right #analysis #analysis series #parallels #multi #s4 #s4 spoilers #tdp spoilers #destruction and salvation y'all

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thechosenanubis · 1 year

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Me while writing " My destruction & my salvation":

* Takes Nina and Eddie and puts them under the microscope.*

"How much pain can I inflict on these two?"

click more for spoilers

the answer is YES.

#chosirian #nina & eddie #nina x eddie #Selikor personal tag #house of anubis fanfiction #yes this is about 'my destruction and my salvation' fic #i'm still working on it but the progress is kind of slow at the moment since rl keeps getting in the way😑#that fic is literally the opposite of a fix-it #and that is a threat #y'all aren't ready for when i'll publish their part of the story #but i want to write everything down before publishing the first chapter because i need to /foreshadow/ some stuff 👀👀#so the story won't be updated for some time

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ohnoitstbskyen · 8 months

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youtube

... y'all know Lae'zel is acting scared, right?

Video transcription: I've seen a lot of comments on my short about Lae'zel dismissing her entire character because she's mean and… I'm just checking in here… you guys know she's scared, right? She's terrified. She was kidnapped by the worst monster she knows, infected with the most horrifying death anyone in her culture can have, and then stranded on a hostile world, alone, with nothing to guide her except the dogmatic military cult indoctrination of a cruel lich demigod, telling her that her only hope of salvation is to follow Gith doctrine with total unyielding faith. And still she tries to save you. When she keeps insisting that you must get to the Githyanki crèche, it's our only hope, she's trying to guide you towards the only salvation she knows from the parasite, so she can share it with you. And Gith... aren't supposed to do that, saving an outsider is not part of the doctrine, she's breaking the rules trying to do right by you. None of that means she's not being an asshole, she's rude, dogmatic and unpleasant. But everything she does comes from a genuine, very misguided and abrasive, desire to do the right thing. It doesn't make her behaviour okay, but there is more to her character than just "being the mean one."

To expand on this a bit more than I can in a 60 second short, people acting from fear and from their damage is a major theme among the Baldur's Gate 3 companions.

Lae'zel is terrified and falling back on the only thing she believes will give her back some control over her situation, which is the dogma of the military cult she's in. Shadowheart is much the same, amnesiac and grasping on to the only solid thing she knows, which is her faith, which preaches deception, loss and duplicity as the only certain factors in life.

Gale is an inveterate people-pleaser desperately dependent on other people to help him feed his magic addiction, with his overtly affable exterior hiding a rolling boulder of guilt, ambition, greed, arrogance and legitimate hurt. Asterion is... well, no way to really lay out his deal without spoiling, but the boy has been through it and his self-destructive, hedonistic and selfish impulses are all coping mechanism and self-defense all the time.

None of that make their shitty behaviours okay, but in a fictional story, those kinds of flaws and toxic behaviours are what make for interesting stories and characters. I don't blame anyone for finding Lae'zel unpleasant and abrasive, but I do get a bit Old Man Yells At Cloud about people who casually brag about shoving her off a cliff-side, or murdering her because "she was a bitch" or whatever.

Like... being unable to face discomfort in your media is not a virtue, and lashing out reactively against fiction that doesn't validate your power fantasy isn't a flex.

Of course, I saw a lot of those reactions in YouTube comments and on social media, so my sample is biased by those algorithms, but still. A lot of people seem aggressively proud that they never engaged with her story because the terrified indoctrinated child-soldier wasn't immediately nice to them and I can't explain it but something about that reaction feels puritan to me.

#tbskyen #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #laezel #lae'zel #Youtube

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overandunderland · 3 months

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"Look at the color of his skin Clawfang, dark and rich! You know what they say about the taste of those from above?"

Owen's mind reeled, not just at the danger he faced but also at the Rat's casual bigotry. It was absurd and terrifying all at once, a nightmare conversation he never could have imagined.

"True, Snarltooth. A rare delicacy this one." Clawfang agreed–his yellow teeth bared in a grotesque grin.

"–We should eat quickly though, can't risk more of his kind coming after us."

Greetings Overlanders!

What's up y'all, W.P.P here, (He/Him) and I'm currently looking for Beta Readers/Editors/Fans of The Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins. To read/engage with and possibly even shoot some feedback on My Fan Novel/Fic.

It's a canon compliant Sequel-Boot of sorts and follows after Code Of Claw.

Ok, pretty cover but what is it about?

Three years (gotta get our boys in that Classic High school setting huh?) After The War of Bane. Fragile peace exists in the Underland. But as is The Underland, one knows peace never lasts. Especially built on deception. When a conspiracy is exposed and the ghosts of beliefs thought lost to Time pervert the ideas of coexistince. Prophecy calls yet again for its Salvation. When you ignore and attempt to reject fate, it tends to mess back. Now, calling for The Seeker. A being who's destiny is forever tied to Bartholomew's hand of war and tribulation, to return The Warrior to The Underland, to save the realm together. However, there maybe key players, manipulating destiny from the shadows. One that will change Gregor's entire view of Prophecy, Regalia and Owen's life forever.

Woah, OC Alert 🚨 Who's Owen?

Here comes the ✨Boy✨ 🎹

Meet you: Owen. "The Seeker"

15 year old Bronx native. A boxer, thanks to his dad. And quite the cook, thanks to his mother. It was their deaths, and the way the police handled them, that killed any respect for authority the boy had left. Owen is a resilient and resourceful teenager thrust into the extraordinary world of the Underland, where he faces trials that challenge his courage and determination. Despite his initial reluctance, Owen demonstrates a strong sense of compassion for others and a willingness to confront his fears head-on, although it takes him A MINUTE to get there. He possesses a sharp wit and a penchant for sarcasm, which often serves as a coping mechanism in the face of adversity. He's also 🏳️‍🌈 Queer 🏳️‍🌈.

let's talk Virtues and Vices?

Determination: Owen demonstrates a strong sense of determination, as evidenced by his resolve to survive and navigate the challenges presented to him in the Underland.

Courage: Despite facing daunting and unfamiliar situations, Owen exhibits courage by confronting his fears and taking action to protect himself and others. Albeit not without some coercing.

Compassion: Owen shows compassion towards others, such as when he expresses concern for the citizens of Regalia and reflects on the consequences of his actions on innocent lives.

Adaptability: Owen demonstrates adaptability by adjusting to his surroundings and learning to navigate the unfamiliar environment of the Underland.

And his vices?

Impulsiveness: Owen's impulsiveness is hinted at through his sarcastic remarks and tendency to act without fully considering the consequences of his actions. This impulsiveness could potentially lead him into trouble or exacerbate conflicts. It is this that sets off the entire Prophecy to begin with.

Self-Doubt: At times, Owen exhibits self-doubt, particularly when he questions his ability to fulfill the expectations placed upon him or doubts his capacity to make a difference in the face of overwhelming challenges.

Guilt: Owen struggles with feelings of guilt, especially regarding the unintended consequences of his actions, such as the destruction of the Prophecy of Time in the Underland. The source of his guilt extends from not being in the car when his parents died. Survivors guilt.

Owen definitely suffers from bouts of Imposter Syndrome and feelings of inadequacy, especially when comparing his experiences to Gregor's.

Oh God, it's not OC X Canon, is it?

Hey now! I'm not throwing any shade at OC X Canon shippers, I have a few ships in other fandoms that are essentially that. But no, Gregor & Luxa's Relationship while will be rocky in it's rekindling, are endgame. Also Gregor isn't remotely Owens type. No, Owen will have his own Underlander romantic interest. In fact, Meet you:

Aiden: Luxa's personal guard, Archer, confidant, and best friend.

16, (what the hell are they feeding them nowadays down there, he's a brick house.) Aiden is Queen Luxa's personal body guard and closest friend. During the years after The War of Bane. When he discovers his family had planned a coup d'etat against the royal family, including catching his father about to kill Luxa, he draws his bow, taking his life and testifying against his family's quest for power. He's jailed for a time before Lord Vikus takes him in admiring his loyalty to the current crown and grooms him to protect Luxa, and to be there for her for when he eventually passes. He's arrogant, showboaty at times, and abrasive, especially when it comes to The Overland Boys. More specifically "The Mouthy Imp" known to him as Owen. He and Luxa are fairly close, to where rumors amongst Regalian council, and teen girls, are suggesting they are to be wed. Yeah, good luck with that ladies. 💅🏽

Oh so he's like Henry?

Some pretty decent comparisons and contrasting elements can be made between the two of them.

Both of them are/Were close to Luxa

Both of them can be described as Arrogant.

Both of them technically betrayed their families and believed they did so for a good reason.

Where as Henry was desperate for power, Aidens only motivation is to maintain peace for the Royal family and the Kingdom Of Regalia.

Personally, I don't believe Henry came up with his idea of Allying with King Gorger on his own. Nor do I think he's the only one after him who thinks that way. Listening to the Return to Regalia Podcast has helped provide some really dope questions about the landscape, geopolitical or otherwise, that are like alluded to, but never really expanded upon. That I wanna use this book to answer. Oona and the Gang have been a godsend for fic writers who are fans of the series.

If *insert character* isn't in it, I'm not reading it. 🤬

Guys, Of course Ripred is gonna be in the bo- Look, it's Canon Compliant alright 😅. Ive been listening to the series on Audiobook on loop for the last few weeks as I've been writing. I want to make sure I'm not misunderstanding each characters voices, and how they think and speak. Remembering who was where when this or that happened. But Let's discuss some returning characters!

Boots: Now 6 years old, Boots has become quite the little person! Her affinity for taking animals hasnt gone anywhere, her most recent hyper fixation being a show about Australian talking dogs. A show Gregor has to admit, has it's moments.

Temp: The gangs back together! Thanks to his association with The Princess, Temp has become highly regarded amongst Crawlers. You and Boots will love the Set piece the Crawlers built in her honor.

Hazard: Now as old as Gregor was when he first arrived, The Halflander has been elevated to a role of diplomacy and interpretor liaison for dialogue between Underland Inhabitants. He carries a sword, for defensive combat. A sign of unavoidable circumstances, even with his fathers dying wish. A rebellious streak may in fact land him in potentially fatal trouble.

Howard:Luxa's Cousin and medical prodigy, makes him one of the most skilled Healers of all in Regalia. He's made it a personal mission to learn to Heal every species known to them in the Underland. As of late, he finds himself frequenting visits and courting with one of Regalias nanny's in the Nursery.

Dulcet: Dulcet is one of the nannies that works in Regalia's palace. She was the one that took care of Gregor's sister, Boots whenever they came to the Underland. She was one of Gregor's favorite Regalians. Sweet but embarrasses easily. Nowadays, especially around a certain Regalian healer. She isn't too sure, but he's been quite sweet to her as of late.

Mareth: Mareth has a good heart. He never stopped caring for those under his protection, and even for those that weren't. After his leg was removed, he still maintains his humor and kindness. He'll stick knock you out if you wild out too much. He and Perdita saw Aiden's training through in it's entirety. He's moved emotionally to see Gregor Return, however bittersweet it may be. Designated to be a bit more hands off, he still finds time to train the young soldiers of Regalia. His improved prosthetic affords much more mobility since his last interaction with Gregor.

Luxa: Hardened by her assassination attempt, the loss of her family and Gregor. Luxa is finally approaching the full cusps of uncontested power in Regalia. Her actions such as memorializing a controversial figure, as well as her Bond with Ripred has caused much dissenting opinions amongst factions of power in Regalia. There is a particular fear from her grandfather that she may be doomed to repeat history. Will Gregors return, spawn a change in Luxa? And is it safe to even find out?

The rest of Gregor's Family also make an appearance! Lizzie, Grace and Gregor's Dad. (Going with Dr.Elliot/Eli for short) all come back and influence the story in some Capacity.

Why is Gregor White/White Passing?

Gonna level with y'all, I didn't really know about Tumblr like that. I'm a mixed race poc myself, and definitely lack Eurocentric features. I just was honestly basing his look off of what I've seen in the covers and alt editions of the series. Hell, Homie is even BLONDE in the Russian edition. Me and my partner also are a little too far into the story to match him up with the Headcanon of Tumblr. That being said, I do love POC Gregor, and will be maintaining that his dad is a person of color as well. Just have Gregor as yt passing presenting. It could also provide a bit of conflict between He and Owen. As Gregor's first descent is a lot more welcoming, Than what Owen goes through his first time down, starting from his initial fall.

So do The Warrior & The Seeker immediately hit it off?

Yeaaaaahhhhhhh-no. Wouldn't be much of a story if the two became immediate besties. I couldn't imagine being too thrilled with the guy who's fault it is that you're even in this mess at all. Now who exactly I mean by that is what makes it fun. They need each other to make it through the quest. Over time however, they learn about each other, and how they can truly help one another. Eventually becoming close as their journey reaches its end and inklings of a new ones raises it's head. That being said, when he learns of Gregor and Luxa's relationship, or their past together. Is full team Gregor and Luxa. With Owens dating pool being non existent above and below (so he thinks) ground. He becomes invested in the possibility of Love blossoming at all, mostly to see Luxa pull the stick from out- know what, it's better to read it.

But the video though, what's that about?

For Nostalgia sake, as well as Accessibility reasons, I've been screening several actors and VA actors who would be down to do an audiobook! So it will be releasing as audiobook as well!

Hobbies aren't cheap but I love the series so much that I don't see why not 🤷🏽. I fell in love with the audiobooks so it'd be pretty cool to see it again.

In the same manner as Star Wars novels, where not every book is written by the same author-

I want readers to feel as if the baton was passed from Suzanne to yours truly 😅.

So Overlanders! Fans! If you're looking to beta read, I'm looking for Beta Readers ✨

Hope to hear from you all!

Fly you high! 🦇

Breezy Edit: Hey y'all, it's Breezy again, Just want to let y'all know, according to some of y'all what we're looking for are "alpha" readers. But beta readers still apply 🫰🏽💙

#gregor the overlander #the underland chronicles #return to regalia #ripred the gnawer #ripred the rat #ares the flier #fanfic #underland #Gregor #suzanne collins

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mangopossum · 7 months

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So I'm finally caught up (mostly) on the newest update of Burrows, and the newest side story brings some pretty heavy revelations about Grey and co's past. But also, some very interesting insights!

Namely, that Grey's childhood friend group and the game's route characters seem to be direct foils of each other. Or rather, foil may be a bit premature, but at the very least they seem to be intentional parallels of each other.

Sam and Gabe's passivity and struggles with bullying from their so called friends. Etienne and Ken's themes of struggling with accepting their sexuality, and their violent/criminal proclivities. Charles and Mark's dysfunctional relationships with their siblings (to say the least) and themes of child sexual abuse. Jules and Hiro's gender queerness and feelings of being trapped. Mr. Isringhausen and Virgil's roles as instigators of the plot. Maybe that has to do with why Grey seemed to feel such nostalgic familiarity with the Burrows gang in the Golden Place?

Oddly enough, that leaves Simone and Grey, who to my mind don't seem particularly thematically related. I suppose she does dive in headfirst in search of Grey in Mark's route, as opposed to Grey being forced into whatever purgatorial simulation Virgil's got cooked up, but then, so does Jules. Maybe things will become clearer in that respect as the plot progresses.

Speaking of plot, what's up with. Everything! With the overarching themes of death, the afterlife, redemption/salvation, and at least two psychopomps from different cultures (Baron Samedi from Haitian and Louisiana Vodou and The Todd (Der Tod?–Death–the grim reaper)) playing plot significant roles and seemingly communicating with Virgil, the implication seems to be that Grey and the gang are pieces in a game that the psychopomps are playing, and the board is purgatory. Then there's whatever's going on with Grey's grandmother and what seems to be something to do with Irish folklore and/or some kind of Tolkeinesque high fantasy that manifests in Grey's dreams. It's unclear if he's aware of that and is choosing not to acknowledge it, or if it's only on a subconscious level.

Also! What's up with the "side characters" in each route! In Echo, their equivalents all served as foils or barometers to Chase and the route characters. Here, they do the same, but also appear to have deeper significance and involvement in the plot, which is frankly concerning because are they personally in danger from Virgil???

And this doesn't even address the apparent time travel and how all the routes seem to follow different genres' rules! So yeah, I'm VERY interested in seeing where this VN goes! If y'all take anything away from this VN, it should be this: never trust a rabbit! All herbivores hold Mischief in their hearts, but rabbits, like vegans, are uniquely fundamentally evil and destructive! (Jackalopes are an exception for they are carnivorous and therefore my plants are safe from them UωU)

#Burrows VN

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delightfullydanisworld · 4 months

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Pascal's Wager

I think most people tend to disregard and despise the existence of Jesus solely for the reason that a god who claimed to be the source of love, joy, and peace would create a world that enables violence, pain, and sorrow which is the antonym of everything He said He is.

Why did he create a fallen world?

First of all, it was not His intention to cause the downfall of humanity.

It was when Adam and Eve succumb to temptation and abused the free will which He willingly bestowed upon them as a manifestation of His love.

His creation was meant to be a beautiful masterpiece, free from any kind of suffering.

It has always been humanity's wrong choices that led to the destruction and decadence of the world.

Since it is always proven that it's easier to obey our whims than to follow what God has laid out for us.

Yet, even if humanity disrupted the supposedly perfect flow of His plan of creation, He even crafted another well-thought-out plan to redeem us and give us a brand new chance to avoid eternal damnation.

He sent His only son, the Prince of Heaven, to live and suffer as a human being, to be an example, and to offer salvation for us to escape eternal death.

If that is not an embodiment of true love, I don't know what is.

Like imagine being at the mercy of someone because you have wronged them in the worst possible way, yet they chose to forgive you and even offer you something nice to showcase their kindness.

What kind of person does that??

Only God can.

I have been fascinated with one particular philosophical argument I learned from my Philosophy class in college which is called Pascal's Wager formulated by a mathematician named Blaise Pascal.

In layman's term Pascal's Wager simply means that the reward and punishment of believing in God outweighs the reward and punishment a person gets when he/she would not believe in God's existence.

If God did exists, everyone who believes in Him will receive eternal glory and if God did not exist, they will lose nothing rather still gain something good for being good.

On the other hand, if you were one of the unbelievers and God did truly exists, you would infinitely suffer.

I know this isn't enough to convince people to believe. Well I am not here to convince anyone. Rather I am here to defend why we shouldn't take it all out on God when we deal with life's burdens and "cross".

If God did not love humanity, He would have just allowed us to live this life of suffering w/out purpose and direction and die w/out concrete destination. If y'all would rather believe in reincarnation, it's even worse. Living then dying then living again to suffer like a never-ending loop.

But since He is indeed the epitome of love and grace, He might have placed us in this fallen world BUT if we choose to believe in Him, we will get to live a purpose-filled life. We get to accomplish grand things for the expansion of His Kingdom and for ourselves as well. And dying will no longer be a loss to us rather it is a victory as it is our pathway to eternal glory and joy.

The fact that He also prepared a place for us in heaven where pain and sorrow no longer breathes in, is the cherry on top of our purpose-driven life both in earth and in heaven.

This is why I would rather believe, suffer here, and maybe even get laughed at or mocked for my faith.

But, at the end of the day, I know everything is temporary and a life greater than what I have now awaits me beyond the clouds and the stars.

#faith #God #pascal's wager #diaryentry #love #grace #purposedrivenlife #Heavenisreal

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obnoxiousselfdiagnosedneurosis · 5 years

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...

#Why do I have to keep seeing that ''he was my salvation/I was his destruction'' s/n/s post even on this site #can y'all at least tag it or smth #I come here so the filters can catch when I'm forced to endure it constantly on FB #*sighs in ''you know what I can't do anything about so why do I bother do what y'all want I'm just tired''*

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tiaopadeiro · 2 years

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True love will find you in the end; short story (spydoc)

True love will find you in the end, when your pieces fall apart over the ground and your heart will be broken. I know, you know and all the stars keep this secret in their warm hearts. You, sweet and cruel creature, will find the only person in the universe who is like you, bones and flesh, thoughts and blood. She will come to you as a saint, your salvation into her hands. You, sweet and cruel creature, is a devotee of all her desires, falling and falling and falling into her arms, her fings will caress your hair, your soul and all your fool existence.

True , she will become your throne, made of dust and bones. You, sweet creature, are capable of remembering the days y'all were kids, soul’s friends, pure like crystalline water. This thought passes through your head, you can remember the touch of your friend’s hand, when he used to guide you on the streets of the red city. Y'all used to think that will never be capable of growing, growing up it’s a sad and hard process. Adults are egoist, they are incapable of dealing with their choices.

Love , you became a villain for her, nevertheless she is not a heroine, she is as villain as you. But, there is a secret that you keep to yourself and, probably, she does too. You, sweet creature, are hoping she remembers the days y'all were young and untamable, your lips kissing her forehead, then her eyes, her cheeks and side of her mouth until your tongue tasted hers, it was like fire burning your lungs and your head and all your body. Intense, like coffee. Wild, like volcanoes. Deep as ocean.

Will you become lovers again? Will you become friends again? Will you be Hades for her? Will she be Persephone for you? You, cruel creature, looked into her eyes, while y’all walked through destruction, it was the end of the world, your cataclysm. She would do the same, she is not better than you, she is merciless and vengeful. She is not, definitely, better than you. She wears a mask of a friend, with a lovely smile on her face, a heroine for the others and a criminal for your. She is a killer as you. She's a rebel as you. She failed as you. Nevertheless, she loves to be adored and different from you, she is loved, despite of, sometimes, being incapable to hide her worst side.

Find your hate, your courage, your fate.

You were for her a captured queen at the end of a chess game, guarded as a minotaur, you played her game, you loved and adored and devoteed her once more. She fell into your arms, finding something to fill the whole inside one of her hearts and you, creature, obeyed her, kissing her neck and then her chin, sucking her lips slowly in agony and sadness. She was your lady Macbeth, the serpent inside her skull, you were losing your mind and your dignity. You lost yourself. You lost your hate. You lost your fate.

In displeasure, you’ve been dreaming with her perfume, her presence is so real, you can feel her touch your skin softless like bird feathers walking through your skin, shivering your skin hair. You, sweet and cruel creature, cried, thinking about her arms around you and the smell of her hair. There’s tears in your eyes, because the last time you saw her, she was broken, lost and angry. You wish to kiss her one more time and once again and more until the end of time, until the death of all stars, until the universe collapses.

The truth inside your mind, you’ve been thinking about how one day your hearts beated furiously, while you felt her taste of honey, her warm body and her whispers calling your name. That was the old days, ending as candles burning down. You know, sweet and cruel creature, she is capable of feeling as you, she is haunted with all the past ghosts, she hears your voice cut the silence and your breath in her neck and she cries and ponders about the time y’all lost. It’s a paradox.

End less, y’all died one thousand times, your fates are doomed to cross over, it’s a punishment to live more than gods. Y'all are inside a labyrinth, always come back to each other she is your oldest friend, lover and hater.

- Sebastian

#spydoc #thoschei #the master #the doctor #13th doctor #thirteenth doctor #spymaster #dhawan!master #doctor who #au #my fanfics

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soundlessdragon · 3 years

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Getting written off by one of my long-time friends because I am a Christian who believes the Bible is God's Word, whereas she is a Christian who wants to believe it isn't because it says things she doesn't like (:

And I've tried to be so so gentle but still speak the truth... and rereading what I told her shows me I was still erring on the side of timid and worldly. (I very much struggle with speaking the truth in love, and constantly have the tendancy to swing wildly between not saying anything that could be remotely controversial because I want everybody to like me, and then swinging to arguing with the intent of trying to win and be right instead of with love. Ugh ... pray for me y'all)

But since I'm posting on my blog here and not in the middle of a personal conversation, here are two things: if you don't follow Christ you aren't a Christian, it's in the name fam; and if you want to build your spirituality on what you feel is good then you aren't worshipping God, you're worshipping yourself. If you find yourself in that situation, examine your salvation with urgency because worship of self will only lead to sorrow and destruction, and you need to be thinking about eternity. Repent, God waits for you with open arms and a love so deep that no earthly experience could ever compare to it! ♡

#christianity #personal #ex best friend

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starside-selfships · 3 years

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Replication (Star-4 x Atraks-1)

Crypt AI: Clarity Control breached. A single unregistered Exo and a single life form of unknown biology detected in the Crypt Laboratory. Status: Disastrous. Notice: Vacate the premises immediately. This will be your only warning.

Star-4: Not today. We have a mission to finish.

Featuring cameos from the fireteams of @nevermore-selfship, @cozyships, and yours truly! Small spoilers from the DSC raid!

Our fireteam has just triggered Atraks-1's encounter within the Deep Stone Crypt and half of the Guardians were already on their way upstairs to the space station, known as Morning Star, to eliminated the Servitors blocking from using our terminals, as that was the only way we were to be able to beat Atraks and her replications upstairs and downstairs. Calling it upstairs and downstairs was easier for our fireteam and we rolled with it. As Xerna killed the specific Vandal, she became the Operator and hopped into the pod, ascending towards the Morning Star, the game was to begin. I wasn't sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing, but I was certain that I was the only Guardian on the fireteam who knew Atraks, but also knew her personally. I've introduced myself to the House of Salvation previously and have grown to love the Kell and her commanders, due to my fixation on the Eliksni that grew on me after the Red War. Unfortunately, it couldn't be all that safe and I sometimes regret fighting Eramis, seeing her become frozen in Stasis after our encounter. Maybe, in another timeline, we could've been associates. In another, I join the House. For now, a job was needed to be done. Me, Rabbit, and Xerna were on "base team" while Angel, Finn, and Enoch were on "space team". Enoch and I were the dedicated "Scanners" on space and base respectively while Xerna was "Operator" for space team. Minutes into the encounter, base team and I eliminate our set of Servitors and inform space team that we've done so, and therefore, it triggers a new voice through my comms. "Ah, the Guardian. Star-4." It was the voice of Atraks. She recognized me. She's familiar of my time spent with House Salvation. The death threats that the Kell sent my way, but fortunately, they always went into one ear and out the other. With me being one of the dedicated Scanners, I had a set task and I didn't want to be the reason that we failed to journey further into the crypt. Switching quickly to a private communication channel temporarily to speak with the Eliksni Exo, and to not mix the comms with my teammates, I continued to act relaxed, waiting by the terminal for Atraks' Extinction Protocol to begin. "Hey, Atraks. Lovely seeing you again." I replied, focusing on the Shanks and Vandals trying to fire at me. "Eramis informed me about you. Told me much about you. I won't harm you. But the others..." She said with a chitter. At first, I was relieved, but then that content feeling subsided and was replaced with fear.

After many rounds of endurance, lots of switching back and forth of communicating with my fireteam and the Eliksni Exo we were combataning, who was attempting to flirt with me and distract me from my goal, we were doing damage towards Atraks, despite my inner request to not do so, but my fireteam needed me and I didn't plan on letting them down anytime soon. "I will be seeing you soon, Star-4," she replied, activating her final Extinction Protocol, therefore, requiring everyone from base team to rush towards the pods and head towards the Morning Star as fast as possible. I passed Scanner upstairs for Enoch and yelled at Rabbit and Xerna to get to the pods ASAP. "Or should I say...Elijah?" Atraks finished with a chuckle, her replicants disappearing from downstairs. Technology after the Golden Age was definitely something else. Fear struck my body as she said my name, the title of the individual I was in my past life. The past life I knew nothing about. How did she know my name? Rushing towards Morning Star by getting into the pod, I concentrated on finishing the encounter, following my Guardian teammates and waiting for Enoch to pinpoint the correct replication of Atraks. Whipping out the Lament and impatiently waiting for him to choose the right one. There was very little time as Atraks was halfway through her protocol and upon completion, wiping the team. "On me, on me!" The five Guardians pushed onto Enoch's position and began shooting and slashing the replication, successfully eliminating Atraks, or so I thought. "Multiple hostile intruders detected within the orbital platform. Orbital confinement protocol initiating. Status: Pathway to nuclear cores obscured. You have no warnings left. Nuclear descent protocol: Initiated." The doors were open and our next job was to prevent the destruction of Europa. A fireteam of six trying to stop Europa from, simply, blowing the hell up. What could go wrong?

Me, however, I wasn't done with this room just yet. "This way!" Xerna called out, everyone following suit to the open door while I remained, watching Europa behind glass, looking down out at Europa, miles away. "How high are we?" I thought to myself, seeing how beautiful space was, the stars dancing along the sky and around Europa, followed by a Fallen Ketch or two. "Eli, you coming?" My Hunter friend, Angel, questioned, the rest of the team heading towards the next encounter, most likely to take care of Taniks. "Y'all go ahead without me, I'll catch up. Just...just give me a sec, yeah?" After convincing the rest of the fireteam to move forward, I remained and waited until the rest of the Guardians were out of the room, standing in place for a few seconds and admiring the view before finally hearing the familiar sound of Atraks-1's replication. Fear struck me once again and I turned around, spotting it, sitting in the corner of the room, a heavy feeling surging in my circuits. Making my way towards the back of the room, eyeing the replication, I began reaching towards it and hearing Atraks' voice emit from it as well. In case shit went sideways, I had ricochet bullets to hit the replication off of my head if need be. Fortunately for me, that wasn't the case. Touching the replication spawned Atraks and in front of me was the Baron of House Salvation herself, standing at an incredible 12 feet. Maybe Kells and Barons were always this tall as I recall a long time ago that Skolas, Wolf Kell, or self-proclaimed Kell of the House of Wolves, was around the same height, but to be honest, seeing one right in front of you, standing inches away from your face, not attacking but instead watching and examining you, it made my circuits' temperature rise, causing my Exo self to feel warm. I may have been Exo, just like Atraks, but I still had Human attributes. I informed my Ghost, Comet, to keep quiet as much as possible and to ignore the current interaction I was to have with Atraks because if I was trusting my instincts, I knew where this would be leading. "Elijah. We finally meet again." She greeted me, her bright pink eyes shining down on me, a soft chitter filling my ears. Weapons away, I raised my hands in an act of non-hostility, showing that I meant no harm towards the Exo Eliksni in any way, shape, or fashion. "Yeah, didn't think I would be seeing you again honestly," I replied the nervousness slowly fading away, replaced with confidence. "Your team isn't with you?" She questioned and therefore, I informed her that I would join them, needing to take care of this first. "This won't take long, right?" Atraks' chitters clouded my head. No answer. My confidence disappeared.

#star's notebook #destiny #destiny 2 #atraks-1 #deep stone crypt #dsc raid #star-4 #s/i tag #friend's ocs #friend's s/i #THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SHORT STORY #BUT NAH THIS TURNED INTO A DAMN FIC #OH MY GOD IM PROUD OF THIS #ALSO CLOVIS BRAY EFF YOU

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eazyaustin3 · 2 years

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DBZ: Return of the Saiyans (Fanfic) | Chapter 16: Court in Session

The king's court now takes place to decide the fate of Frieza and the rest of his men who were a part of the holocaust that killed almost every saiyan. The king slams his gavel down on the table 3 times and he is about to speak.

King: Lord Frieza… approximately 1 week ago you committed the most heinous crime. You destroyed our entire planet with the help of your silly group over there. About 3 hours later after the planet had vanished, Raditz, Grand Vizier Nappa, and my dear son were all on a detour to the planet Namek to resurrect the saiyan race. Shortly thereafter, the planet and all of its people have been revived. I brought you here to give you your final fate, which you will never forget.

*The crowd shouts vulgar and obscene things at the group who look out into the crowd throwing junk at them. The king slams his gavel down a few times more to silence the court*

King: I WILL HAVE ORDER IN MY COURT!!! Now… let's begin with the elephant in the room. What went through your mind when you blew up our planet? What was your motif?

Frieza: *smiles* It's simple your majesty. You and your armies are getting far too powerful for your own good. And we can't have all the power to ourselves now do we?

King: I will have you know Lord Frieza, that we are a very proud race in what we do. We are warriors! We were BORN to fight. We were BORN to conquer all! Planet broking is what sustains our existence to this day and it is a very profitable business at that! Who are you to say what our planet does and how our government chooses to run??

Frieza: You are all nothing but a bunch of savage space pirates! The only one worthy of being with such power is your precious prince over there. We all know how much he wants to be the strongest saiyan. Tell them all what you told me, Vegeta!

*The crowd shouts at the rebellious group, Vegeta stares on into the crowd with a stoic expression. The king becomes infuriated*

King: As much as my son wants this whole thing to be about him, it's not! We all have different power levels and I rank them accordingly. Vegeta is just as powerful as I am as he should be! He is my blood! Unless you want him to test his strength on you!

Frieza: Oh your majesty, you know I wouldn't ask for anything more… but that would be gutless on his part.

King: What exactly are you insinuating? How in the hell is that gutless?

Frieza: *smiles* Because suicide is the coward's way out…

*The crowd shouts some more. Vegeta grits his teeth, clenches his fist and walks forward to try to fight Frieza for himself, but Bardock stops him*

King: You have broken our treaty and betrayed the entire saiyan race! You promised us salvation and you give us destruction? Is that your idea of salvation??

Frieza: There is no such thing as salvation… at least not for the saiyans. How can you want salvation when you are all nothing but murdering psychopaths who profit off the deaths of millions of races each day?

King: Let's see what your pitiful little band has to say for themselves. Since you like to talk all so much!

Fasha: Sounds like someone else I know… *Looks over to Shugesh smirking playfully*

Shugesh: *Face turns beet red and facepalms*

*The Ginyus, Zarbon and Dodoria all stand up looking across the giant hall of angry rioting saiyans who want them out of their planet*

Zarbon: Your majesty, if I may… There are plenty other ways to make profit… say, trading crops is a great start…

King: Do we look like farmers to you, Zarbon?

Dodoria: Well y'all don't make good food, I'll tell you that much!

*The king stands up, shouts and gives a galick gun to Dodoria. Frieza and his teammates watch him fly across the hall in shock as his body flips after every bounce, his skin partially scorched with the intense heat of the galick gun, the crowd shouts and cheers. The royal guards carry him out of the hall as he groans loudly*

King: As you were saying, Zarbon? *scrunches his eyebrows and squints at him*

Zarbon: I… uh… well…

King: How typical. Let this be a lesson to everyone in this hall, especially you wicked perpetrators! *points to Frieza, Zarbon and the Ginyus* Whoever dares challenge the king of all saiyans shall feel my wrath! Has the jury reached their verdict?

*The jury of 10 other distinct races turn to the king, one of them, a young saiyan stands up*

Saiyan: We have, your highness. The jury finds Frieza and the Force, guilty as charged.

King: So be it. Before I commence with the punishment for you all, I would like for Lord Frieza to walk my direction and bow down to me.

*Frieza gets up and walks towards King Vegeta with heavy shackles. He stands face to face with the king, staring with cold eyes*

King: I hereby declare that the treaty is now void. You have betrayed the saiyan race, you disgraced your team. But most of all, you have disgraced yourself. We are no longer partners in an alliance, meaning you are now beneath me. You shall BOW before the king!

*Just then a blast of energy shoots across the hall to hit King Vegeta in the chest, missing his vital organs by mere inches, but knocks him down. The crowd screams in horror as they look at the entrance to see a silhouette similar to Frieza's. Frieza looks behind him in utter disbelief. He cannot believe his eyes*

#akira toriyama #dbz #dragon ball #anime #toei animation #vegeta #saiyan #super saiyan #frieza #dbz fanfiction

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changingourdestiny · 3 years

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About Rae

Thanks to @pretty-meekish for making this template! I’ll be doing these for all of the fanmade characters.

Guardians name: Raegalia Drakyx

Age: 6

Race: Paralian

Call signs/alias: Stasis Vanguard Rae

Pronouns: She/Her

Class: Warlock

Preferred subclass(es): Dawnblade and Shadebinder

Ghost's name: Ghost/Little Light

Their Vanguard: Ikora Rey

Fireteam name: Paralight

Fireteam teammates: Blaze, Adam, Marcia, Tif, Crow

Favorite legendary weapon: Misfit

Favorite exotic weapon: Lumina

Favorite exotic armor: Sunbracers

Favorite ornament armor set: Northlight Set

Favorite weapon ornament: Shot Through the Heart (The Vow)

What stats do they focus on: Intellect and Discipline

Are they offense, defense, or support: Offense and support

Do they prefer being close, mid, or long range: Mid and long range

Do they lean more "Element of Surprise" or "Upfront and Aggressive": Element of Surprise

Strikes, Gambit, or Crucible: Strikes and Crucible.

Who was their mentor(if they had one. If it is a character you created, tell us about them!): Ikora Rey

Who are they mentoring(if they are. If it is a character you created, tell us about them!): The Crow

What ship do they have: A plum and gold Talon Blue she nicknamed Skylance

What is their Sparrow: A plum Wayfarer Zero with a gold trim nicknamed Dragon’s Reign

Favorite Ghost shell: Last City Shell

Favorite shader: Amethyst Bloom

Favorite color: Plum/pink

Favorite food: Tonkotsu ramen

Favorite piece of Pre-Collapse tech(if they've seen any): Video game consoles

Favorite Pre-Collapse music(if they've heard any): Video game OSTs

Favorite place in The Last City(if it's a place you created, give a little description!): The Bazaar

Favorite NPC(s): Cayde-6

Favorite patrol location: The Cosmodrome

5 things your Guardian likes(can be anything): - Ghost - The Dawning - Spending time with Cayde - Learning about Paralian history - Going a day without a disaster occurring or her Fireteam giving her a nervous breakdown

Least favorite food: Anything sour

Least favorite shader: Anything neon

Least favorite patrol location: The Moon

Least favorite Pre-Collapse tech(if they've seen any): None

Least favorite NPC(s): The Spider

Least favorite weapon ornament: Lucid Melody (Lumina)

Least favorite ornament armor set: Virtuous Set

Least favorite legendary weapon: Trust

Least favorite exotic weapon: Thorn

Least favorite exotic armor: Verity’s Brow

5 things your Guardian dislikes(this can be anything): - Getting overly stressed - Hive - Not being listened to - Being lied to - Feeling powerless

Your Guardian has to rest. What is their living space like: A fairly neat apartment aside from a few books and report papers scattered across a desk. Overall, very cozy.

Does your Guardian have any casual wear?(Y'all remember Polyvore? The website URSTYLE works very similar if that helps!):

What hobbies and/or skills does you Guardian have: Sketching

What would your Guardian's lore book be called: Walking the Line

Where was your Guardian reborn?(If you created the location, give us a little description!): The Cosmodrome

What were they wearing when they were reborn: Brown and gold robes with matching boots and metal plating

What was their reaction to being reborn: Confusion with a bit of fear

What was their reaction to their first rez: Confusion has been doubled but with an odd sense of relief

After being reborn, did they meet friendlies first or hostiles: Technically friendlies since she met Ghost first. But after that she encountered Fallen, so hostiles.

Who was the first other Guardian they met?(Same thing! If you made them, give a little description!): Cayde-6. He helped her up after she tripped down the stairs when first entering the Hall of Guardians.

Did your Guardian get reborn with, or find, any indication of their past life? If so what do they have/found: She had a journal written in strange glyphs except for the last page which was in English and briefly described who she was and what she was doing before her death

How did your Guardian get their name(if they didn't rez with past life momentos): Her name was engraved on the front of her journal: Raegalia Drakyx. She came up with Rae as a nickname

Going back to your Guardian's lore book, what would be some some quotes or passages from their book: “I find myself constantly thinking about this one line I tend to hear over and over. I first heard it from Uldren. ‘The line between Light and Dark is so very thin’. He asked me what side I was on. I finally have an answer now. I walk that line.”

Does your Guardian have a significant other: Cayde-6

Did your Guardian go explore first before going to The Last City? If so, where to: Nope. She and Ghost found a jumpship and went straight to the city

What was their reaction to first seeing The Last City: Awestruck. She thought the City was the most beautiful place she had ever seen

Is your Guardian a part of a clan: No

If your Guardian would have a quote as a flavor text for a weapon and/or piece of armor, what would they be: “Don’t view your power as a means of destruction. See it as a means of preserving life.”

If your Guardian has had any interactions with any civilians (The Last City/The Farm), Eliksni, Cabal, Vex, Hive, Taken, Scorn, Rouge Lightbearers, or Iron Lords/War Lords(if your Guardian is an Old Light) tell us about it!: Her first strange interaction was with Marcia in the Cosmodrome while prepping to enter the Black Garden. Back then, Marcia ran a group of rogue Lightbearers called the Umbrialyx and a few of them had been causing trouble for other Guardians. Marcia was the first rogue lightbearer Rae had ever met.

Does your Guardian have any unconventional allies or connections(By Vanguard standards): Rae and Fireteam Paralight are allies with the House of Light after she saved Mithrax from a Hive Knight on Titan and then met Tif, a human Titan who was also a Captain of House Light, a few years later when helping them secure a generator

How does your Guardian feel about themselves or others using Stasis: Rae understands the risks of using Stasis, which is why she suggested to Zavala that instead of outlawing Stasis, have her teach Guardians how to use it properly without risking corruption

Did they run The Last Wish raid? How did they react to seeing a live Ahamkara a.k.a Riven: Awe. She had heard of them beforehand and now to see one in person, she almost didn’t want to kill it.

Did they run The Deep Stone Crypt raid? How did they react to the Crypt and seeing Exo Eliskni: Disappointment. She had really hoped that no one would continue Clovis’s awful experiments. Seeing the Exo Eliksni just made her hate the House of Salvation even more.

Is your Guardian from D1? How did they react to seeing Taniks alive once again: Here’s a direct quote! “....TRAVELLER....D A M N I T ! ! !”

Where did they go and what did they do during The Red War: Rae fell from Ghaul’s ship after losing her Light, gaining the scar over her eye in the process. A few months later, she regained her Light via the shard of the Traveler and led the revolt against Ghaul after reuniting the Vanguard.

Here are some characters that are either polarizing or have created a strong enough mass emotion within the community. What opinion does your Guardian hold on each of them(These are only a handful of characters!)>>>

Osiris, First Warlock Vanguard, originally exiled: Rae looks up to Osiris and admires his dedication to his work and beliefs. She definitely sees the similarities between him and Ikora. Despite the light ribbing she tends to give him (he calls him grumpy Tower grandpa), she respects him. Though she does wish he would ask Saint on a date already. “You broke time to save him, for Traveler’s sake, at least bring him out for dinner!”

Eris Morn, Bane of the Swarm: The first person she met when she arrived in the Tower. Rae respects Eris’s wisdom and knowledge as well as her determination. Though Rae does wish she’d tone down the Vanguard roasts a bit (her self-confidence is bad enough as it is).

Cayde-6, Sixth Hunter Vanguard: Rae loves Cayde with every ounce of her being and more. She’s had a crush on him since working with him during Oryx’s invasion but never acted upon it, despite her teammates constant teasing. Seeing him die in front of her tore her apart. Thankfully she able to save him thanks to her Paralian heritage, and confessed to him after she returned from the Reef. The two have been near inseparable since. Cayde’s nickname for her in Sunrae while her nickname for him is Wildcard.

Ikora Rey, Second Warlock Vanguard: Rae looks up to Ikora the most. She’s trained under Ikora since she was a Kinderguardian and has flourished since. A lot of Guardians who know Rae say she is a mini-Ikora, from her witty comebacks, to her terrifying demeanor when angered.

Commander Zavala, Second Titan Vanguard: Rae respects Zavala as a fellow Vanguard, commander, and friend, but she’s not shy to speak up if she feels that something isn’t right...or to go behind his back to do an unorthodox mission.

Saint-14, legendary Titan, First Titan Vanguard: If Osiris is the grumpy grandpa, Saint’s the fun grandpa. Rae enjoys Saint’s company and finds he brings an air of liveliness to the Tower since his return.

Lord Saladin, Iron Banner handler, One of the last remaining Iron Lords: Rae respects Saladin but wishes that, while she agrees it isn’t always the answer, he would give diplomacy a chance instead of assuming every enemy has to be killed.

Lord Shaxx, Crucible handler, Hero of Twilight Gap, living megaphone: Like Saint, Rae enjoys Shaxx’s company and hearing stories of Ikora’s Crucible days. Rae frequents the Crucible in hopes of one day beating Ikora’s kill streak record and Shaxx supports her endeavors (when Ikora isn’t listening of course). Though he does have a bet with Cayde as to who’d win in a 1v1 fight. Shaxx’s glimmer is on Ikora but only because Cayde already called dibs on Rae.

The Crow, New Light, Ex-Enforcer to The Spider: Despite the initial shock of seeing him again, Rae quickly warmed up to Crow and began helping him train his Light. She was more than happy to hear that he wanted to be a Guardian. He honestly reminded her of her Kinderguardian self: unsure, curious, and wanting to help.

The Spider, The Shore's Only Law, founder of "House" Spider: Rae trust’s Spider less than Drifter, and that’s saying something! She was wary of him during her first visit to the Tangled Shore, but after finding out what he did to Glint to keep Crow in the Reef, she was ready to risk the consequences and go ham on him. Rae is usually quite patient but Spider has tested those limits too many times.

Uldren Sov, Prince of the Reef, Master of Crows: Rae and Uldren didn’t like each other at all from the moment they met. But after Blaze regained the memories of her past life with Uldren, they agreed to tolerate each other for her sake. When he killed Cayde, Rae was ready to go to war with the Reef. She wanted to be the one to end him so badly but when he requested Blaze be the last one he saw, she put her hatred aside to grant his request, allowing Blaze to be the one to end him.

Mara Sov, Queen of the Reef, Queen of the Awoken, Ex-Kell of Wolves: Rae has mixed feelings about Mara. She has a certain level of respect for the Awoken queen but doesn’t agree with most of her ruling methods and, while she’ll never say it aloud, Rae sees her as a coward.

Variks, the Loyal, founder of House Judgement: When Variks isn’t trying to get his hands on Ghost or her ship, Rae respects Variks. While she does recognise that Variks had a hand in the Prison of Elders incident, she doesn’t hold him directly accountable for Cayde’s death.

Mithrax, the Forsaken, Kell of Light, founder of House Light: Rae views Mithrax as a powerful ally and friend. They have a mutual respect for each other and have helped each other on a couple of occasions.

The Exo Stranger/Elizabeth "Elsie" Bray, Granddaughter of Clovis I and Sister to Ana Bray: While Rae doesn’t know much about Elsie, she does trust her. She was the one who pointed Rae and her Fireteam towards the Black Garden and thus put them on their path to becoming one of the most well-known Fireteams in the Tower. Elsie was also the one who helped teach Rae how to use Stasis.

Eramis, of House Salvation, Kell of Darkness: Rae initially wanted to resolve the conflict with House Salvation peacefully but Eramis proved unwilling to listen and was the first to actually break the limit on Rae’s patience, the latter killing Eramis with no mercy.

Empress Caiatl of the Cabal Imperial Empire: While she finds Caiatl aggravating with her views and methods of ruling, Rae is relieved that she’s not as creepy as her father.

Taniks the Scarred, the Perfected, the Abomination, the Shadow Thief: “DIE ALREADY!!!”

The Darkness is fast approaching. How is your Guardian handling it: Rae is becoming more anxious about the Darkness’s arrival and is having self-doubts, but is keeping a brave face for everyone else’s sake.

And finally, does your Guardian have any advice for any New Lights: Be yourself, do what you think is right, and never give up!

#Changing our Destiny #rae drakyx #character profile #destiny 2

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thewillowbends · 6 years

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Thoughts on TLJ - SPOILERS

Now for some spoilery content! Now that I've had a sleepless night going over some of my feelings about it, I can shuffle through what I did and didn't like.

- - - - -

TLJ Positivity:

-I liked the trajectory of Rey's whole storyline. I had hedged my bets between two concepts - Rey as Anakin reborn (which, admittedly, I preferred because I'm an indulgent prequel junkie) or that she was a nobody, representing an entirely new generation to whom the Skywalker legacy was being handed to. The wound up being the latter, but I'm not as disappointed as I expected. While I have...many, many issues with some of the characterization in this film, hers felt like it progressed the most naturally. This idea of legacies and prophecies going the way of the past, of letting a new generation start fresh but not at the expense of destroying it, of letting the PEOPLE take ahold of their destiny instead of the burden falling on a few "chosen ones" is not something I feel is necessarily a bad moral lesson for the audience nor fundamentally detrimental to the movies' previous material.

Note: I'm still writing that Rey-as-Anakin fic. YOU CAN'T STOP ME DISNEY.

-Adam Driver has a really nice gym routine. So does John Boyega.

-Kelly Marie Tran is adorable, guys. She is literally the cutest.

-A film could never hurt for more POC and they could definitely use in the main cast, but I will say that the newer movies definitely feel more "casually diverse." There are POC in the Rebellion, POC in villains, POC in the civilian culture, POC in the main cast. It doesn't feel forced. They're just THERE, which is how it should be.

-Adam Driver is also really good in this movie. Considering we're not getting as extensive a backstory as most of us wished for Ben, he still does a remarkable job making the character engaging through his performance. They essentially give him Vader's original plotline in ESB/ROTJ before the "Vader as Anakin" storyline came into fruition. So he's sort of Vader's heir in a new and more devastating way. Kylo isn't emotionally stable or enough of a visionary to really be the driving force of an empire, so it'll be interesting to see how that tension between Hux and Kylo works itself out in the last film.

- @ahollowyear - I got a real kick out of how much of the actual storyline you accurately predicted vis a vis Kylo and Rey. You wrote that fanfic, what, a year before the details of TLJ even started coming out?

-I am deeply relieved that we avoided the reductive light/dark balance the trailers teased at. The dark side is still what imbalances the Force - it inevitably exists but is not necessary for balance. Also, that the main cast's discussion of ~character complexity~ was not that open ended, since the film's protagonists actively reject more of the nihilistic viewpoints being thrown by side characters.

-Carrie Fisher is always and forever the queen. <3

-I liked the final scenes with Luke. I really liked the choice of a binary sunset to bookend Luke's story. Genreally, I'm not a huge fan of ALL POWERFUL JEDI, but I can deal with astral projected battles from a Skywalker because Skywalkers are special. But he went out in a way that I found meaningful and touching.

TLJ Negativity:

WHERE THE HELL ARE RIAN JOHNSON'S EDITORS IN THIS MOVIE.

Seriously, what was going on with the writing process here? Why is the plot all over the damn place? (Answer: Because they didn't plot out this arcs in advance and it shows.) Why do we spend 30-40 mintues on a casino sidequest that literally has NO ACTUAL EFFECT ON THE GODDAMN PLOT. What are characters like Benicio del Toro's and Laura Dern even doing in this film? We literally are trying to balance nearly two casts (OT/ST) worth of character development, the last thing you want or need is unnecessary characters distracting from the main development or wasted scenery. And that's what literally the entire middle chunk of Rose and Finn's plotline - wasted action.

There are so many good ideas struggling to be communicated in the absolute muddled mess that is the middle of the movie. We have a storyline about light and dark being natural opposite but neither being an inevitability outside of our personal choices. We have the theme of the natural order of things, life begetting death begetting life, and the idea of legacies carrying us through strife so that we can become the heroes of our own making instead of relying on others to save us. There's commentary about the significance of failures, how sometimes they're more important than victories because of what they reveal to us about ourselves and each other, and how we come to terms with them when they can't be easily remedied. The casino is clearly meant to be a commentary about exploitative capitalism and the way the evil of fascism destroys culture and people from the top down. All of these are great ideas, but you need to have that effectively communicated to your audience, and you need to communicate it meaningfully.

And the characters. THE CHARACTERS. The chaaaaaaaaaaaaraaaaacters.

Rey and Kylo I'm fine with. Their development doesn't bother me. I can even deal with Rose, though I wish her purpose in the plot wasn't so hamfisted.

But Finn and Poe? Why did it feel like their character arcs literally rebooted for this film? Poe is clearly inteded to be a kind of surrogate son to Leia ("mother of the rebellion"), serving as a foil to Ben, so I get why there's a general parallel there in the two progressing toward leadership roles - one who violently grasps at power, while the other faces some hard lessons about the reality and sacrifice of command as opposed to heroics. I feel like that's a natural progression of what we saw in their relationship in TFA, but it still feels like a step back because the level of experience and confidence we saw in him in TFA doesn't mirror how Leia views him in TLJ. If anything, he should have been growing into the position of command so that Leia can effectively and believably pass that legacy on to him. Instead, what we get is a plotline that suggests to us that Poe isn't really ready for him, which is...regressive? Like, all of these character should have been going through these changes at the start of the film, not ending on them.

(This being said, what the hell is wrong with Admiral Holdo that she can't understand the value of basic communication? Like, she's meant as a lesson to the audience about mistaking reckless action for heroism, but it's hard not to agree with Poe when she's literally telling NOBODY UNDER HER NOTHING. How easily could all of that drama been avoided if she's just said what the actual plan was instead of creating so much fear and uncertainty on the bridge?)

(I totally ship Leia/Holdo though.)

And Finn. Oh my God, I feel so bad for John Boyega. What a waste of his charisma and talent. Most of TFA is Finn going from a deserter seeking *individual* salvation from the First Order and recognizing by the end the responsibility one has in the stand against evil. So he basically...rehashes that entire character development here? Wouldn't it have made more sense to see him struggling with his reputation as a hero in the Rebellion and then coming to terms with his new role? Let him wrestle with the existentialist uncertainty of being able to make his own choices! Explore the trauma of his experiences in the army by having him struggle with his fear and uncertainty while infiltrating the First Order - use it to emphasize the contradictions of his experiences with the freedom of his new life.

If you wanted to interject some moral ambiguity, why not have him address the issue that the New Order's army is essentially a SLAVE army? Wouldn't that scene with Phasma held much greater power if he'd tried to appeal to his fellow soldiers about the destruction the New Order has wrought on their lives, about the potential they could have if they rose up against them? If you're going to have Benicio del Toro nihilistically declaring that the war is endless and therefore moral standpoints are meaningless, why not have Finn reject that meaningfully to both the audience outside the movie and within it? Legit y'all, my ideal ending for this man is to take his place in helping rebuild a newer, better system for all of them - and what better way than by helping to rehabilitate his fellow child soldiers?

Just ugh, out of everything that bothers me in the movie, Finn is the character that leaves the worst taste in my mouth. He was my favorite in TFA, and his character development should be progressing beyond this point by now.

Also: GOD HELP ME if they kill off Leia in episode III. It would be beyond heartless and irresponsible given the overall thematic trend of the movies. The character who tells us dejectedly that she "went out fighting" is arguably the one who should live to pass the legacy on and die peacefully.

TLJ neutrality:

-I am on the fence regarding Luke's characterization, leaning towards finding it less problematic than others might. He's pretty clearly suffering from severe depression, which can take a person to some pretty dark places. Most of my struggles with his characterization center around his confrontation of Ben. Do I feel that Luke is somebody who would pull the blade on his nephew? Part of me violently rejects that, but there's another part that considers it from the perspective of somebody dealing with the horror of thinking he created another Vader, of knowing what Ben could become, of the Force showing him a horrific future...and giving into that temptation the dark side presents in thinking our choices are already made. I can dig the idea that part of nefariousness of the dark is in undermining our belief in full agency. Could I believeably see him, in a moment of weakness, pulling his lightsaber? I'm vacillating on the issue. Ben Solo isn't all that particularly different from Jason in the old EU, and Luke toed the line of darkness dealing with his fall, too.

-I'd really like more EU exposition as to what exactly what down with Snoke and Ben when he was a child. How was he already THAT damaged by the time of Luke's confrontation with him? What was going on that Luke was either blind to or struggling to care for him without Leia and Han's help?

-I go between feeling like Leia was well used here to feeling like she could have done so much more, that we could have seen more emotional strife with her where Ben and Luke are concerned. Instead, we knock her out partway through the movie, which is such a shame because we no longer have the option of the third movie to be her swan song. Carrie Fisher was wonderful here, but I struggle with whether I feel like this story gave her the send off she deserved.

-The twins reunion. It was touching and memorable, don't get me wrong, but it's sad to think that's the end of it. I figured something like that was coming, but STILL. God, Skywalker/Organa life depresses me.

-Speaking of, I'm a total idiot because it took me entirely too long to catch on to what was going on the astral projection scene. Hurr hurr, I said, when did Luke build a new lightsaber? And get sweet clothes? And did he lift the X-wing out of the water to get there? omfg, all of the hints were there, I'm just ridiculous.

-Yes, the scene with Leia saving herself with the Force is pretty cool. Not sure if I feel it toes into ridiculous territory, though.

-SWEAR TO GOD DISNEY, if you give me a love triangle in the third film with girl fighting over Finn, I will flip my shit.

TLJ LOLs:

This movie practically made Rey and Ben canon, and I had a tremendously unkind moment of smug amusement at how the more obnoxious antis were going to react to this film. The histrionic discourse is the thing of legends, let me tell you.

#star wars #the last jedi spoilers #tlj spoilers #the last jedi #spoilers #this is more positive twelve hours later because i was really pissed about that casino scene #this is nothing more infuriating than writing that serves no purpose to the plot #I just started an English degree #and I know this #i don't actually care if people dislike rey and kylo together #i just find anti-shipping to be one of the most worthwhile and ridiculous endeavors ever

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