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#if you don't connect with the character then the story is... there
sunderwight · 21 hours
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Scenario where PIDW Bingge had something like the fucked up baby dimension from Fire Emblem: Fates for handling his kids.
For those who haven't played enough Fire Emblem games: in Fates you can hook up various characters who will, once they've bonded sufficiently, get married and have children. Because there is a dangerous war on and nobody has time for childcare, these babies get sent to various pocket dimensions where time moves differently, where they are raised by servants. They then reappear in the story as adults (mostly) who are also just like, barely younger than their own parents. This is of course hilariously fucked up, for even more reasons than what a simple overview can convey, and it's also just kind of shrugged off by the narrative despite the many, many bewildering implications involved.
So I'm imagining Airplane stealing this whole concept and sitting down to write about Bingge sending all of his children away in order to protect them from his enemies or whatever other excuse, creating special nursery dimensions with Xin Mo only to not really spend any time with his offspring at all, resulting in a lot of them growing up extra fast and reentering the story as adults at wildly unpredictable intervals (i.e. whenever Airplane feels like it without having to remember the timelines involved because *waves hand* time passes differently in the different dimensions too). For the daughters, this just gets them married off into alliances (if they're even mentioned at all, because Airplane doesn't want to write incest and there's basically only one reason female characters get mentioned in this story), but for the sons, this usually has them showing up as upstart challengers to their father's throne. With a conclusion, generally, of them getting their asses kicked and then being sent back to their pocket dimensions with their tails between their legs (Binghe killing his own kids would be too reprehensible, after all). Sometimes (rarely) they become loyal generals. One or two have died to fuel revenge arcs. The protagonist halo extends only limited benefits to his kids.
Anyway, Shen Yuan of course reads all of this and absolutely hates it. What do you mean Binghe doesn't even raise his own kids?! What do you mean even their mothers don't?! Shen Yuan understands that Luo Binghe is an important guy with important things to do, but handling it this way makes it impossible to even consistently visit his children on their birthdays! They'd be having birthdays every day because they're all on freaking Narnia time! And of course his sons keep growing up and trying to overthrow him, surely Binghe himself should appreciate that under these conditions, his children are going to see the servants raising them as parents more than some distant emperor they've never met...? Not to mention, if time moves quickly in these dimensions, theoretically Binghe could just stay there with his kids himself and not have to worry too much about things changing in his realm, because only a few months would pass there! He could have it both -- spend plenty of time with his kids and not worry about neglecting his responsibilities! So why doesn't he do that?!
The answer (never actually provided by Airplane) is that Bingge doesn't really feel a strong connection to his children, and because of his reverence for his adoptive mother, he thinks that giving them peaceful lives with simple people to raise and love them is the kindest thing he can do for them. If he could have had an idyllic childhood with his mother in a place where nothing could harm him, he would have never sought power at all.
But of course, Binghe's kids aren't thinking "oh gosh yeah my humble childhood in a magic dimension was much better than starving on the streets!" because that wasn't ever going to be their fate in the first place. Instead they all develop varying complexes about being sent away by their impossibly remote father and his giant harem.
Possible fic ideas involving this setup:
-Bingyuan where Shen Yuan transmigrates into the intended tutor of one Luo Binghe's most troublesome sons. SY arrives in the baby dimension and immediately bonds with the little Luo, gets really mad about the whole situation all over again, and when Bingge shows up for a rare visit, rips him a new asshole about it. Romcom shenanigans ensue.
-Scenario where SV's Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe decide they're ready to adopt, and SQQ figures out a back door into PIDW Binghe's baby dimensions and just sort of, ehm, borrows some of the children he knows had really bad times in the novel (not all of the idyllic upbringings worked out, there were instances of the dimensions being attacked and the servants there being killed and etc). Bingge eventually finds out. Dramatics ensue.
-When PIDW Binghe tries to summon a Shen Yuan of his own to the PIDW world using Xin Mo, it accidentally creates some stability issues with the baby dimensions. Shen Yuan get teleported in and out of these dimensions instead, bonding with the kids there to various degrees, only to be swept away every time Bingge tries to use Xin Mo to find him again. A handful of years later, a bunch of new Heavenly Demon scions emerge as adults with the Luo family's Shizun Complex in full swing, right around the same time that Bingge finally captures Shen Yuan. Hijinks ensue.
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you know i've been thinking about the consequences of malleus's actions in book 7 and i realized how much he's fucked everyone over including his grandma. bc like other than the fact that he ob'd (which literally has NEGATIVE connotations one of which being is idk ""UNSTABLE"" which isnt necessarily a good look for a crown prince is all im saying) he's literally causing terrorism (??? can you call it that idk how else to call it) which is going to setback his grandma's efforts (and lilia's and baul's, and every supporter of his and his family) in keeping peace in their kingdom and the favor of the humans towards the fae. Like. i feel so bad for grandmother draconia rn i can only imagine the stress and pressure she's under.
Then theres also aside from PHYSCIALLY compromising everyone's healths in sage island (BECAUSE THE MAJORITY ARE HUMANS OR AT LEAST THEY DONT LIVE AS LONG AS THE FAE). He's also fucked everyone mentally twice over!!!! By booting them straight into a world where none of their problems exist. Now that wouldnt sound bad if it weren't for the fact that dreams have to end, and life isnt kind. It rarely ever is, and i can only imagine how distraught i would be if i were to say, hypothetically lost someone a year before and the wound is so fresh and raw and, in my dreams, they never died and everything is okay, then i wake up and realize that it was just that. A dream, they are still gone and i wish i never woke up which would be a LITERAL DEATH SENTENCE. This isnt just an event that takes place in NRC either BUT THE WHOLE ISLAND and that domain is GROWING, GROWING. I can't imagine just how many would be so emotionally ruined after this. Like.....
If Malleus does not suffer the consequences of his actions istg i will be so pissed, at least REMOVE HIM FROM THE PREMISE OR SOMETHING GODDDDDDD this cannot be remedied with a slap on the hand!!!!!
(Note: Sorry for the long rant. I felt the need to get this out of my chest bc i dont mind malleus's archetype actually nor do i actually hate him, bc i enjoy him interacting w other characters a lot (my fave ever vigenette is him giving deuce the equivalent of minecraft diamon for fixing a retrobit gaming toy) BUT GOD DOES HE MAKE MY BLOOD BOIL)
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Yeah, I do feel like the scale of Malleus's actions cannot be understated. I know it's kind of a fandom joke that the OB boys are left off with a slap on the wrist + maybe some social ramifications at school, but this is the ONE time in the main story where things are getting super big and the effects could be cripplingly long-lasting.
I don't know if TWST will seriously address the consequences after book 7, but I sure hope they do!! There is a lot of interesting ground to cover (many points which this anon has already brought up) in a follow-up main story arc or the next book.
For example:
Malleus obviously has to regain the trust of his peers and staff. He didn’t really have it before but now has to work twice as hard to make connections since he just took a drastic action that confirmed the rumors some were already spreading about how he’s a monster.
He’s the sole heir to the throne and has just betrayed the trust of the people of Briar Valley. How are they feeling about him now? Do they still trust him to lead them?
How does this impact their relations with other countries (since Malleus himself stresses how he represents Briar Valley)? This is a problem visible on a global scale, and surely this would damage their rep with other nations, particularly the predominantly human ones. It’s setting back what is hundreds of years of trying to fix the broken trust between their races.
Malleus’s UM potentially puts his victims in physical harm; in book 7, Ortho suggests that since everyone is sleeping, their bodies are not getting the food or water they need. As a result, they may physically waste away and then perish. (We have seen that there are sleep blessings that keep people sleeping for hundreds of years without detriment to the blessed though, such as the one cast on Silver—so we cannot be entirely sure if Ortho’s theory is correct or not.)
There is the possibility that Malleus’s dreams may traumatize or retraumatize his victims, particularly those with deep rooted troubles. An example of this is Idia, who had suffered the loss of his brother when he was like… 8 years old??? But then in his dream, Idia is living a happy false reality that Ortho never died. When he finally comes to this realization, he has to relive the trauma of the discovery all over again and breaks down sobbing. We also see in the most recent book 7 update that Vil had to face the evilest aspects of himself and a dark reality; Rook became very emotional upon waking himself. Admittedly, Idia and co. coped with it well enough—this is proof of their character development and the strength of the new friendships they’ve formed. However, all the people on Sage’s Island/Twisted Wonderland may not react so positively or be so accepting of their cruel realities.
Again, just the overall moral dilemma of one person robbing all of Sage’s Island (and soon all of Twisted Wonderland) of their autonomy.
Potential extra work for STYX and whichever countries Malleus’s magic manages to spread to (repairing any physical damage caused by the thorns + mental damage done to those that fell asleep). That’s money, time, and resources that aren’t going toward other everyday endeavors.
How will Malleus himself mentally and emotionally cope with what he has done? Is he going to show remorse and shame? How does he plan on rectifying his actions, if at all?
Will this change how his dorm members + family view him? For example, will Sebek become disillusioned with his liege/realize Malleus is not as perfect as he seems? Will Maleficia blame herself for not being there for Malleus? Will Lilia feel guilty for not teaching Malleus right from wrong? Etc, etc, etc.
I’d honestly love to read all of these! 🤔 It would add a lot to the lore and history of Twisted Wonderland, as well as serve as motivators for Malleus to change, “be better”, and actually earn the respect he’s so used to being handed by default. This would be huge for him, especially seeing as he has not really faced significant backlash or consequences for any other missteps he was responsible for or involved in. (I know I bring this one up a lot, but Endless Halloween Night is one such major example.)
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aaronsinferno · 1 day
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'buck and tommy only had a one episode build up' no if they had a one episode build up that would be fine, tk and carlos were fucking within like an hour of meeting and i have no issue with that because they have an actually palpable instant attraction and connection rather than being thrown together randomly for shock value, their relationship actually developed really well after that, they're both very well developed characters, neither of them is significantly more invested in the relationship and their makeout scenes don't look like somebody frenching their dad lmao.
Regardless, the attraction between the two is real. They’re in a non speculative and canonically proven romantic relationship that’s been said to be healthy and will come off as a romcom. Just wanted to get that out of the way before I got into anything.
Evan and Tommy weren’t a slow burn. They didn’t see each other across a room and go “I’m gonna take you home later” or anything similar to that. It was just one guy unaware of his attraction towards another until the other guy in question made the first move. (Which was bold asf btw)
There’s no one way to jumpstart a relationship. Sometimes it’s taking a leap of faith and acknowledging your feelings in whatever way you can.
The kiss was always going to be shocking hence the uproar of homophobic outrage afterwards. If Evan, for whatever reason, kissed who you wanted him to kiss then I’m positively sure you’d still be pretty surprised that the kiss actually happened. A scenario that will live and die on the internet btw.
And you’re right to imply that Tommy isn’t a fully developed character. There’s still so much we don’t know about him. I’m assuming that if the writers want him around more, then not only will they build onto his character and background, but they’ll also build on his and Evan’s relationship.
I’m assuming the dad thing is you making fun of Lou’s age. I don’t have a problem with it. Unfortunately for you, though, neither does Evan. We’ve seen papa Buckley before, and I hate to say it, but Tommy doesn’t give that at all.
And I love Tk and Carlos, but using characters who have been sure and open about their sexuality since before their series began as a “gotcha” moment for Evan and Tommy is a bit odd. They know what they want and have experience identifying partners and forming relationships. Evan just came to realize that he’s bisexual. It’s new to him so it’s understandable if he’s not making moves like TK.
It’s a show. Let things fall into place. The story is still being told. Exhale.
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thekidthesuperkid · 2 days
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No but actually I love how central Crystal is to the story. She's the only reason the group ever goes to Port Townsend and therefore the only reason most of the plot even happens.
Even if you're just watching the show with shipping goggles (a lot of people let's be honest) you still can't extract Crystal from the story. She's the only reason Charles and Edwin go to Port Townsend, but also her arrival into the boys' dynamic shakes it up enough for it to start changing. She's the one who finds out about Charles' dad and then pushes Edwin to figure out what Charles has been hiding from him. She's also the one who pushes Charles to recognize his own repressed emotions and to deal with them. She's central to Charles' character arc over the show, and even though she's not as central to Edwin's character arc, she's still a catalyst. Niko, the Cat King, and Monty are more directly important to Edwin's arc, but Edwin and Charles never would have met and helped Niko if it hadn't been for Crystal (Niko likely would have just died from the sprites alone and this is deeply sad to think about), and Edwin also would never have met either the Cat King or Monty without being in Port Townsend. (Monty probably would have never become human.) Maybe if things had been different Edwin still would have been dragged back to Hell, but Charles would have had to find a different way to rescue him. The Night Nurse was only there to open the door to Hell because Charles and Edwin were stuck in Port Townsend long enough for her to track them down, and on top of that she was only able to track them down because of their connections to living humans (Jenny) through Crystal. And then Edwin's confession on the staircase was only really possible because of the realizations about himself that he had beforehand because of the influences of Monty and Niko and the Cat King. Crystal called Edwin and Charles a dead married couple on acid and that basically what they were: they had been together for so long with just each other, and they were so familiar with each other that their dynamic had become habit and they were taking for granted the things they thought they knew about each other...Charles is the happy one and isn't haunted by his past the way that Edwin is, Edwin isn't interested in romance and connecting with living people, etc. Crystal, and then Niko and their other friends as well, showed up and brought in a new perspective on their relationship and their lives and their problems, which allowed them to develop their relationship in new areas.
Independently of the boys' relationship though, Crystal's story is really done so satisfyingly. Her character arc of figuring out who she is is unfinished, but already it's cool how the story builds the contrast of who she is now versus who she was before her memories were stolen, where one of the biggest differences between the two versions of herself is whether she has people in her corner who truly care about her and support her, and whether she has people she cares about in return. She's also the only one able to defeat Esther in the end. The Elemental would have just swallowed Charles and Edwin without her, and summoning Lillith was something only she could do. And it's really cool how her role in the story creates a theme of connection to other people being vital. She forces Edwin and Charles (mainly Edwin) to interact more with living people, through getting them to take cases for living people and by being a way to get information from the living more easily, which ends up causing some bad things for them but also causes a lot of good things too. Like she brings in Niko, who is the reason Charles and Edwin don't get separated after returning from Hell. And even her powers rely on being able to connect with her roots and her heritage and her self. The way that ties into themes of identity are very interesting as well.
TLDR: I really like way the story used Crystal and I'm excited to see where her story goes if there's a season 2.
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cripplecharacters · 3 hours
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Does Your Scarred Character Have to Hate Themself?
[large text: Does Your Scarred Character Have to Hate Themself?]
(TLDR: no. literally no.)
A frequent topic that shows up around facial differences is the self-hatred, self-disgust, self-insert-negative-emotion that we must surely experience. I want to ask* writers without FDs - why? Why do you feel about us in such a way that that's the most common way of depicting us?
*- rhetorical question. I promise I know the answers, but I'm not sure if writers do.
It's frankly worrying to me. Is it really that common to assume that disabled people have this internal, never-ending hatred for themselves? The overwhelming majority of us don't. We hate inaccessibility, when people stare, or some symptoms when they get in the way, or how expensive being disabled is, but I find the concept of us being so completely disturbed by our own disabilities extremely strange. It’s “tragedy porn” intersecting “most basic ableism”.
“But trauma!”
[large text: “But trauma!”]
Trauma of what! People with facial differences don't have some sort of default trauma that we come with like it’s a factory setting. We are a group of people with tens of thousands of stories and experiences!
“Trauma of experiencing ableism/disfiguremisia” - that's better, at least this means something. If you're writing a story about this, please get a sensitivity reader with a facial difference. You can assume how we feel all you want, but in my experience these assumptions are often bizarre and unrealistic. Or just end up writing the same “disability so sad” sob story that everyone has seen a billion times. If you want to write about disfiguremisia, you need to understand the nuance and have more than just the basic level knowledge (which 99% of people don’t have either). If you can’t do that, don’t write about it. Simple as that.
“Trauma of the accident” - thankfully, the accident is an event and a facial difference is a disability. If you want to connect these two like they're one and the same, you're almost surely going to demonize disability. People with traumatic spinal cord injuries, acquired amputees, people with TBI, people with acquired facial differences - we participate in our communities, we have hobbies, we date, we play with our dogs. Disability isn't a death sentence. Media who make it feel like it is certainly don't help people who do suddenly become disabled, don't you think?
Here's a post by @blindbeta about blind characters becoming blind through trauma that’s better made than anything I could hope to write here. I heavily recommend giving it a read.
And, I can't stress this enough - most of us didn't have “the accident”, most of us are born like this! "Traumatic scars" isn't the only facial difference that exists, far from it, it's only one of thousands. It's 99% of our representation and "representation". If you want to make a character with FD - please consider that we aren't a monolith. Just like not all physical disabilities are "wheelchair user with paralysis", not all facial differences are "traumatic scar with somehow no nerve damage".
The overrepresentation of it is incredibly telling, and sometimes - or very frequently - feels like the writer doesn’t actually even want to deal with us. They want to use our disability as a way to cheap drama, moral metaphors, tragic backstories. Not to represent us as living people who are much more similar to you than you apparently think.
Now, I do have enough awareness to know that that's a big part of the appeal. “Horrific Thing #2456 happens” and boom, instant drama! Of course, it's a reasonable response that they would hide their disability for years, avoid talking about it in any way, and magically change their personality to be mean and reclusive, or at least be constantly soooo sad about how much it sucks to be disabled, right?
Do I really need to say that having your character becoming disabled be the worst thing ever is ableism 101? We have been talking about this for so long at this point. Writing about the process of adapting to a specific disability is better left to people who have actual experience in it.
To give an example that will hopefully resonate more with Tumblr users, I will use the fact that I'm also gay. It's not perfect by any means but probably much more familiar territory.
Imagine, let's say, a character. He's gay. The story he's in is supposedly progressive, certainly not trying to be homophobic. The character has experienced an incident, maybe an act of aggression or a hate crime, that happened because he’s gay, which was traumatic. Happens IRL, sure. So of course the character starts hating being gay. He talks about how gross and disgusting it is, he never lets anyone know that he could be “one of them”, certainly not take a stance against homophobia. You can't mention him without mentioning the accident, they're seemingly fused together. No gay love, joy, even basic happiness, he would actually choose to be straight in a heartbeat if given the option to and complains that he can't. This is shown as a neutral, obvious thing that a gay man would do, no one comments on it. He stays like this the whole time, unless there’s a plot twist in the last 10 pages where the world is now magically perfect ("we fixed discrimination, yay!"). This is the only LGBT character in the story.
Keep in mind that there are people similar to this in real life, living with extreme internalized homophobia.
Is this, in your opinion, realistic and thoughtful representation? How does it feel when written by a cishet writer, versus a gay writer who is recalling his experiences? Do you think that it's reasonable for the majority of media representation to be like this, or very close to it? How would it affect younger gay people who might already be uncomfortable with being queer? Are gay men the target audience, or are they not even considered as a group of people who read books? Is this helping or damaging the general public's idea of how it is to be gay? Why or why not?
The Masterpiece
[large text: The Masterpiece]
From 13 to 19 of May, we are celebrating Face Equality week (what a coincidence!). It’s important to me in general - and I wish it was more important to abled people, but I digress - especially its theme for this year.
“My Face is a Masterpiece”
Great statement, it represents the community well, I do enjoy how bold it is. Very cool stuff, I love the work our advocates are doing!
But why do I bring this up?
Well, to very non-subtly show that we aren’t a self-hating group of people. We are a community, a community saying “our faces are beautiful, look!”, we are saying “treat us equally, and do it now!”. Our activism isn’t about self-disgust. It’s about fighting your-disgust. 
Why can’t writers keep up? Why are you still stuck decades behind?
Is this the only reason I bring it up?
The Call to Celebration
[large text: The Call to Celebration]
FEI, the org behind organizing it, asks a very simple question (emphasis mine):
“Why do we so often see stories about facial difference as a ‘tragedy’, when they should be about triumph?” “Calling all artists, allies, creatives, galleries.  You can rewrite the story to bring about #FaceEquality and celebrate the unique artistry found in every face. Your participation this #FaceEqualityWeek will help to tell the real story, that there is a masterpiece in every face.”
Here. We are calling for you to stop. Directly from the biggest international advocacy alliance group that's out there. If you create, this is for you.
The last argument to not have your character with a facial difference hate themselves? Because we don’t want this. We are tired and frustrated. For me personally, I’m also offended by this kind of assumption. We aren’t tragedies or cheap entertainment for abled people to pity or be horrified by. We are people, and if you can’t internalize that, you have no reason to write about us.
For once, celebrate us. Happy Face Equality Week!
mod Sasza
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sleeplesssmoll · 3 days
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Character Analysis: Vertin's Deceptive Side
I don't see this trait of her's mentioned much but it is prevalent throughout the story so I think its worth looking at.
Vertin isn't a stranger to deception and lies.
Vertin convinces people to follow her by connecting with them and being honest about her capabilities/motives. Every arcanist we've met follow her knowing exactly what they're getting into.
However, she isn't above lying and tricking people as an end to a means.
She lied to Sonetto in the opening to hide her agenda (secretly recruiting Regulus). She also lied to Tommy to track down Regulus by saying they were “friends” and even used Regulus's records as “proof”. Later, she and Regulus improv together when Sonetto is summoned by the wheel and tries to take Regulus away.
She tried to cover for A Knight in Oliver's story. Oliver seems to have known her for a bit at this point and catches on because it's odd for Vertin to suggest something that she knows directly conflicts with his values.
She lied to Arcana, which makes sense but imagine Sonetto being in this position. She is incapable of lying compared to Vertin. The Timekeeper is able to lie on the spot while Sonetto freezes up when faced with difficult questions.
As a child, Smoltin was going to lie to the teacher to pin the blame (for the note she wrote) on her bullies after they tried to blackmail her. This is an interesting one because it shows she thinks ahead, like with Regulus's records, and manipulates a situation in her favor. It's deeper than a simple lie.
While these are instances driven by a reason, these examples show how comfortable she is with telling lies and she could deceive people if she wanted to. It's a trait she most likely developed in order to deal with the Foundation. Deception is an important tool in a trouble-maker's toolkit.
Aside from that, remember when they told her to be open and honest about questions she had and then threw her in the guard house?
Or how about when she was open with Sonetto about her love for the outside world only to be harshly shut down?
She was brutalized and shot as a child when she tried to be open and direct in a peaceful protest, hoping to be heard during the Parade Ceremony.
She met with Madam Z for help with a plan to help her crew because she didn't want them to end up like her childhood friends. Then the Foundation decided to break her legs and subdue her in a coma. Mind you, she went through the proper channels and was still punished for it.
It makes you wonder why Vertin doesn't lie more often.
On that note, we're lucky that Vertin is a nice person at heart. If she followed Manus or the Foundation's ways, she could use her natural talent at connecting with people to manipulate them into joining her cause. Instead, our Vertin chooses to be transparent…for important things anyway.
Vertin's able to stand on the same field as Constantine and Arcana not because she's authentic, though that certainly helps. It's because she knows how to appeal to people's desires.
Knowing what someone wants means knowing what their motives are. You know what drives them to act. It's a very powerful skill in the art of persuasion/manipulation. 
On one hand you can say Vertin has the power to see into people's hearts. On the other, you can claim she knows how to pick people's brains.
Regardless, it's a talent she has that would be useful to both Arcana and Constantine aside from her Storm Immunity.
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genevawren38 · 1 day
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A little post about our beloved QSMP eggs and what they taught me.
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Starting off with Chayanne, our little warrior. Your strength through agony was always something to be admired, your dedication to providing to your family through delicious food is something I will always remember. You fought so hard, little leader, I'll miss you always.
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Lullah, lovely musician and stealer of hearts Lullah. You are such a bright star, you formed bonds of love and won over the harshest souls instantly. You taught love for both yourself and others, you gave us a deep and intriciate character we will always think of fondly.
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Everyone who has followed me for a while knows the Death Family was probably the one I spoke about the most (besides Hideduo). They were always near each other which is something I will remember fondly. They had their troubles but they always talked them out. I'll miss you most.
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Ramon, oh my sweet Ramon. You were a late addition to my attention, but I'm so glad I found you, even for the short time I did. Your dedication in protecting your siblings spoke beyond what words can say about your character. I will always remember your excitement and curiosity.
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Richas; chaotic, excitable, hyper, and a dear wild child. You made everyone laugh with your antics, it was never a boring time from the moment we saw your cow head to the moment you sped off. You captured so much life and projected it to those you cared about, one of us forever.
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Leo <3 My darling, my dear, I never spoke about you much but I love each and every time you came on screen. Your bright and loud personality is a delight, teaching many how wonderful it is to be exactly you. I've heard her admin is a streamer, you should go follow!
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Sunny, oh my goodness Sunny. Another huge persona who taught me so much about loving myself and presenting exactly as me. I hope you know how many people you have touched by being you so perfectly. I can not picture any other parent than Tubbo for you, you are adorable together.
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Empanada, our time together was too short, but I will forever treasure it. You played such a clever and observant character, very intune with others emotions and able to comfort anyone in their times of trouble. You made people think and learn, an incredible gift to everyone.
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Pepito, oh my goodness with you, I think Richas met their rival with sheer energy and excitement.
My little BOLAS eggo, you swept in and easily made everyone want to protect you.
You teach many whimsy, kindness, and stepping out of your comfort zone. You make so many smile 😃
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Dapper and Pomme...I can not even separate you in this post. I wasn't able to catch much content surrounding you but I always appreciated how much I saw both your influence in your siblings. Dapper, you always kept your dad on his toes. Pomme, I adore your capacity to love all.
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Trump, Tilin, Juana, Bobby.
Time was tragically short together, barely a breath on the long cycle of emotions this story drove us through.
I can say with certainty you will never be forgotten, your influence touched many even if you were only with us for a matter of days. 💕
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I unfortunately do not have any screenshots of Chunsik, a similar sentiment to the Egg Island three, as I don't feel we have enough time together, but I'll think of you fondly. I wish you had more time to wow us, I'm not even sure if we will see you again but I wish you the best.
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I am a changed person after becoming interested in this content and this server, and that's a positive thing. I only feel sorrow because I love it so deeply. You inspired me to keep creating and connecting with new people. I'll miss what we had forever, thank you for everything.
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aleyah-lavelle · 2 days
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Skateboard 3
Wind breaker
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fem bodied reader | smut | action | pwp | jayjo/fml | vinny/fml | wooin/fml | joker/fml | owen/fml | enemies to lovers | angsty | the other woman (?) | reverse harem | fluff | all characters featured are 18+
author's note: the sexual tension between the fml and the sabbath plss 🥹
✧˖° — windbreaker men
✧˖° — mdni, smut, description of not safe for work content.
✧˖° — this is a story not one shot.
"What do you need from me again?" I said with annoyance.
Just as I expected, the Sabbath Crew was still here. Even after my conversation with Jay earlier about the assignment we were going to do together, they waited for me to finish. Joker was leaning against the car while Wooin stood beside him. Vinny and Grim were at the back of the car, seemingly indifferent to my presence.
Vinny and I made eye contact, so I gave him a sharp look in return. His gaze remained cold, so I looked away.
"Are you seriously considering joining that useless team?" Wooin asked irritably, hands tucked in his pockets. I crossed my arms in response.
"I don't see why you're so bothered about it," I retorted.
Since the day I arrived in Korea, Wooin was the first person I met here. He approached me first and shockingly, he already knew my name. That's why we ended up in a situation where I was going to sell my bike to him because he said he wanted to see it when we met again.
Wooin approached me with a swagger.  "I offered you a spot in our crew, but you turned it down. You'd rather side with Hummingbird?"
"They don't even compare to the Monsters," Joker muttered.
"I-I'm not really going to join," I looked at Vinny. "I just challenged Jay because I was bored. I already told you, I'm done with biking—"
"Do you think anyone will buy that lame excuse?" Vinny cut in, moving closer. "After all Wooin did for you, this is how you repay him?"
His words left me bewildered.
"Vinny," Grim scolded. I became even more confused.
"Your family owes some money to Sangho, right?" Wooin smirked evilly.
My face drained of color at the mention of that name, a figure my family had been evading for a long while. Fear was written all over me, but I struggled to maintain composure. How did they find out? Are they connected to him somehow? What kind of mess have I landed myself in now?
"H-How..."
"I've already settled it, Demitra," he murmured, drawing closer. "Just join us. Simple, isn't it?" He grinned, locking eyes with me. My heart raced, and I found myself fixated on his lips. Swallowing hard, I tried to snap out of it.
What's happening to me? I should be afraid of this man. Demitra, wake up! No matter how attractive these guys are, you shouldn't be easily swayed.
"Why? Why are you doing this?" I whispered.
"We know who you are, Demitra. The Famous Biking Princess of the Underground," Wooin continued, causing my face to pale even more as I stepped back.
"Korea's underground is better than your own country. Why not give it a try?" Wooin brushed aside a strand of hair blocking my face, tucking it behind my ear.
"You did a background check on me. What the heck?" I retorted, a mix of anger and disbelief in my voice.
He laughed. "You and Joker would definitely get along. He's into underground cage fights too," He gestured towards Joker, who was also watching me intently.
I was too angry to speak. I can't believe these guys. I don't know what they want from me, but there's one thing I need to worry about. They found out my identity that I've been avoiding for so long. Yes, they are not the only ones to become addicted to bikes; I did too. That's how I earned the title of Bike Princess in the underground because I used to take on challenges there. I raced against others for money, and obviously, I always won, which made my name famous back then.
But that's all in the past. I want to forget about it because my life wasn't great while I was in the underground. While I enjoyed spending my money, it came at the cost of my parents' suffering. I was immature back then, unaware that my parents owed a huge debt to a man named Sangho.
I shifted my gaze to Wooin. This man paid my parents' debt just like that. It was so simple for him.
I lowered my head, realizing I had no reason to be upset with someone who had helped me.
"Why do you want me to join your group when it's clear that some of your members don't agree?" I glanced at Vinny, who appeared affected by my words.
"I don't want you because you'll only make things worse for us," Vinny stated bluntly. "Some of them are getting too fixated on you."
Wooin and Joker both turned to look at Vinny almost at the same time. Their intense gazes made me feel flustered. My heart raced, and I could feel my cheeks heating up. Why would they be obsessed with someone like me?
"Hey," Joker warned Vinny.
"Shut up, you're into this too. Damn it," Vinny cursed.
"I-I'm sorry..." I bowed my head. They fell silent. "But I can't join your crew, not after what happened to me in the underground." My voice trembled, recalling the dark past. I felt the intense gazes of Wooin and Joker.
"But I'll do whatever you ask..." I tilted my head to meet Wooin's eyes directly. His gaze darkened, but he maintained a playful grin "In exchange for your help."
He nodded. "Get her in the car. We'll talk in a club. We'll discuss what happened to you back then--"
I interrupted Wooin. "I can't talk about that," I said abruptly. He furrowed his brow, waiting for more. "I know you have ties to Sangho."
"What has he done now?" Vinny asked impatiently.
Avoiding eye contact, I noticed Joker taking the skateboard from my hands. I looked up at him, finding his face void of emotion.
"Did he touch you?" he whispered. I quickly shook my head and hesitantly glanced at Wooin. They all watched me intensely, as if I were prey. Their looks stirred something within me. Joker and I weren't close—hell, he was practically a stranger to me. But the way he acted made it seem like we were close to each other.
"No," I replied. "But I've made some enemies in the underground. I had to escape because I knew they would kill me. I ran into dangerous people while racing. I believe they were also associated with Sangho." Heat rose in my eyes as I spoke.
Joker tensed up visibly. Grim shook his head and opened the car door. Vinny, on the other hand, seemed skeptical. Wooin's eyes held a hint of amusement.
"No one's going to touch you," Wooin approached me and gently held my neck down to my collarbone. "I've already taken responsibility for you. No one has the right to harm you; you belong to us now, whether you like it or not," he whispered huskily.
I met his gaze, and we locked eyes for a long moment. Why was someone like him helping me? Was it because of my biking skills? My breath quickened as I glanced down at his lips.
"Let's go. Stop teasing the girl, Wooin," Grim's voice broke the moment from the car.
"She's teasing me too, can't you see the look on her face?" Wooin replied playfully. Vinny shook his head and rode off on his bike. I parted my lips and lowered my gaze to my feet.
Vinny's discomfort had a strong impact on me, and I couldn't focus on what Wooin was saying. I knew he still held some resentment towards me. If he didn't want me to join their group, I wouldn't do it just for him. I didn't want to be part of their crew if Vinny wasn't comfortable with me being there.
"Don't worry, Demitra. Vinny will come around to liking you soon. Your beauty is irresistible," Wooin said, his tone playful and uncertain.
"I cannot join your crew, even if you say no one will hurt me. Vinny doesn't want me to be part of the Sabbath, and I don't want to upset him further,"
Wooin's expression suddenly changed, and Joker also looked at him. "And now he's making me furious. I will fucking kill him--"
"I'll go talk to him," Joker assured his friend. "I'll handle it."
"I don't believe it, you might just end up punching him," Grim said from inside the car.
"My decision is final," I said formally. "I will help you the best I can. You can ask me anything. I can also share my knowledge when it comes to racing," Wooin still looked frustrated.
"I still don't like this. We want you in our crew, can't you see that?" Wooin whispered. "If only I could mark you as ours. I want to protect you from those Hummingbird losers."
Wooin's words caught me off guard. I glanced at Joker to gauge his reaction, and both he and Grim seemed serious.
"This is nonsense. Why would a famous crew want me?"
"You might be surprised if I tell you," Wooin licked his lips, showing off his long and sharp tongue. "Let's just say I get turned on by watching videos of you racing. Damn, how can you be so good?"
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kanohivolitakk · 16 hours
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I don't know if I ever said this before, but one of my most steadfast believes with Bionicle is that you cannot put into traditional categories of "objectively good" or "objectively bad". Not just because Bionicle itself is all over the place qualitywise with very high peaks and abysmally low lowpoints, but also because of what Bionicle fundamentally is. A toyline.
Sure, there have been a lot of toylines that have their own stories just look at Transformers or Masters of The Universe instance. But a core difference between those and Bionicle is that most storydriven toylines have the story and toys be fundamentally separate. Even if the toys were made first and the story just exists to sell toys, the story still exists as a separate entity with little connection to the toys. The toys mainly exist as to be memorabilia of characters the kids can recreate the plot with rather than having a concrete purpose.
Meanwhile with Bionicle it being a toyline is a large part of its identity largely thanks to it being a Lego product. Legos entire brand is all about creativity, to let kids come up with their own ideas with imagination as the only limit. Sure, they do have themed sets but the themes have always been more of a suggestion than a demand. And this mindset applies to Bionicle as well. Bionicle is ultimately a creative sandbox, a springboard that gives the base concept and set up kids can build their own adventures around.
And heck this translates to not just kids but even teens and adults. As the audience got older they got to affect the story more what with those MOC contests, story contests and what not. Not to mention, a lot of the canonization Greg got critiqued for were less his ideas and more kids headcanons he just gave a seal of approval (because lbr at some point we fans clearly cared more about the worldbuilding than Greg ever did). And then there's all the stuff we are now doing as community, with all our fanfics, projects and headcanons to expand on or play with this world and characters we all love so much.
Because sandboxyness and creativity is a major aspect of Bionicle's identity, it cannot be judged as a traditional story. Trying to judge Bionicle as a traditional story that has a "set" beginning, middle and end removes a huge aspect of what makes Bionicle work as is. Yes, you can (and should) critique the "canonical" story, but judging Bionicle from that alone isn't smart. It'd be missing the forest for the trees essentially.
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wishjacked · 2 days
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Happy #WebcomicDay!! :D
This year we're celebrating the process of making pages... so below the cut I've got a bunch of pictures sharing how I go about making pages of my evil post-apocalyptic workplace sitcom, Cargo!! :D
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So! My process!!
Writing-> I think sometimes there's pressure to "write" your comic a certain way, I see people talking about script format and stuff a lot. That really doesn't work for me, though! I write my "first draft" script in short scenes on scrap paper, in whatever order they come to me. Sometimes a scene will just be one or two lines, and then a little description of what I want to happen in the rest of the scene.
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Later I type the scene up, and write the "connective tissue" that fits between the disjointed scenes so they all flow together like they ought. I don't do page breaks or even character tag or action notes hahahaha I like it to be as BASIC as POSSIBLE so it's easy to edit. And since I'm the person drawing it I can almost always remember who's supposed to be saying what lmao
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I edit a lot, but the most major editing is also probably the last bit... when I letter my pages usually I realize "they would never say that" and so I end up rephrasing everything. My art brain is sometimes waaaaay better at phrasing hahaha. Like you can see in the finished page for this script I rewrote like basically all of it, and actually went back to the original "sketch" script in a lot of places.
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Thumbnailing-> my thumbs are really big, I draw them with markers on printer paper and keep them in a binder!! I like to thumb scenes in batches and I also usually write my dialogue on them, just so I can read through them before (and while) I draw to get a feel for how the pacing works. :)
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Sketching-> OH sketching is also really hard for me! I don't have a good visual imagination so it's really important for me to make sure I have good references. Last year I was especially focusing on setting.
My comic is set in Florida. I'm lucky in that I used to live there and still go back to visit sometimes, so sometimes I can gather my own reference images! But more often I start on Google Maps or Zillow, trying to find buildings that have interesting features or the right kind of "look" for what I want. I'll also look up other interesting elements, my comic is set in a post-apocalypse and I'll research home gardening and things like that which people would probably have.
For example, in this set in chapter 7, I used Google Maps images, photo references of indoor hydroponic gardening, and like, 90's-00's hacker computer setups haha. Also my BFF Roomstyler.com, where you can make 3d house interiors haha!!
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Lineart-> I LOVE lineart it is my favorite!!!! I sketch and ink two pages at a time, and it usually takes somewhere between 10-12 hours to do both steps.
I actually think my art looks best when it's just lineart... but I think my STORY is better with color, like it makes it clearer and easier to read and it has a better atmosphere HAHA.
Colors-> I think it usually takes me 4-6 hours to do 2 pages (I haven't timed myself as consistently as I time my lineart and sketching). I have a big file with small copies of my previous pages that I color drop from, and my characters are all flats only. The limited palette that I use is also really handy, it streamlines coloring a LOT.
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Finishing Touches-> aka I steal mercilessly from my one true love, my internet home, the beautiful and blessed Wikimedia Commons
I put lots of overlay layers on my art! I like textures so having some strange little textures or pictures on things makes my art feel a lot more finished to me.
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And finally my very most favorite ✨finishing touch✨ is the bright colored/patterned gutters that I use. Here are some of my favorites that I've made and used in the past!
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And that's all!! I hope you guys have a very happy Webcomics Day and find lots and lots of wonderful new things to read!!!
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dcxdpdabbles · 3 days
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Hi!! I love your writing. And every idea you have is so well done, i admire you. Do you have any tips for writing?
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Thank you so much! I'm glad my writing and random rambles entertain you. It's always so lovely to realize people generally like how I write!
Tips: Pick a POV you understand.
It's always been easier for me to pick one character and tell the story from their POV. The best way to do that is to try to think how a character would naturally think compared to the characters they interact with.
For example, Dick- He's much more emotionally aware than his family only because he is often times trying to mentally calm himself down. He tends to have severe anger issues- not that he flies off the handle quickly, but more like when he gets mad, he gets dangerous.
He doesn't like that part of himself, so he's always trying to control his emotions. Dick just happens to be a really emotional guy.
That's why his thoughts tend to be more about observations of people's behavior, compared to Tim, who is always mentally connecting facts and thinking objectively about observations. Tim will more likely notice things like what someone is wearing, how likely that person is to be in the area they are spotted in, and how he can use this information to his advantage.
That doesn't mean either they are dumb or dense; they just tend to notice different things in different order.
This helps you know when to make key plot points appear and when to announce them to the audience in a more natural setting. Foreshadowing, too- You can drop it in an observation like Dick noticing Danny's face brightens when talking about ghosts or Tim noticing Danny never pays attention to how cold it is by never wearing warm clothes. It's not enough to make a leap that Danny is a ghost, but little things like that can add up until the Character has an A-ha! Moment.
It makes it easier for you to make the characters feel different and not just copies of each other.
Also, when describing what your character is noticing, you need to start off with one thing and build your way out. When you walk into a park, you don't usually take the whole place in at once- bombarding your brain with everything.
You usually launch onto something- say the big tree in the middle- and pan your eyes around the park, taking notice of other things after that. The children are playing, the birds are singing, the cars are passing by, etc. As the character moves around the setting, write what they see one by one with actions in between, so it's not a wall of description.
That is if you like a wall of description. It's some people's writing style, and each their own! Writing is a form of art, and all art is self-expression. There is no right or wrong way to go, so enjoy yourself too! Technical skills are built on, but passion is fundamental and you can't have passion without enjoyment.
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beesmygod · 2 days
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today is webcomics day. i am bea and i make "A Ghost Story" - part 3: sketch 1
ed note from the future: this got long. its going mostly under a readmore for everyone's sake. and i didnt even finish sketching, just trying to explain what is going through my mind while trying to sketch. look, if i write down my process in exhausting detail people will realize im completely insane. this is a net benefit to anyone trying to interact with me in the future who thinks i can be reasoned with. community service. thank you for allowing me to post this shit lol
hmmm. giving up on the first few panels for right now. here's what i'm thinking about as i sketch this:
too many of my panels were talking heads or constantly relied on one point perspective. i have been trying to work against this for a while with mixed results. sometimes the result is so bad i have to scrap what i did and start over but sometimes it's "good enough for TV"* and i hit publish on it. no risks, no reward after all. can't get better if you don't try.
in this first panel, i have two people having a back and forth conversation through a weird magic hole in the floor/wall. maxine is laying on a couch with hole right above her head. homestar runner will demonstrate what i mean:
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however, there are logistical problems with maxine that homestar runner doesnt have. maxine's right shoulder is dislocated, so she can't lay on that side, or any side that would put pressure on the joint. im realizing i don't actually know what position would be most comfortable in her situation or how she would instinctually arrange her body to avoid pain. i start looking up videos from physical therapists on how they recommend patients sleep for some ideas.
also i start looking up what women look like sleeping on couches. how does the human body fold up. because this isn't it.
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anyway, this was my first effort with the first panels.
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for reference, the last page ends like this:
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the top left of the sketch would have been the hopi clown back on the shelf with the "camera" tilting above it to reveal maxine. while this keeps the relevant object from the previous page in frame as a piece of connective tissue between updates....i'm struggling to fit the second character in. the one talking from the hole. maybe there's still hope for this? it's not terrible. initially i nuked it but maybe i can make this work.
fuck! she needs a pillow or two to make this work. this video is right, that DOES look naturally comfortable compared to the standard fetal position that would pull the affected shoulder inward. i didn't draw any pillows into the stupid establishing shot of the office bc its not the kind of couch you are expected to sleep on!!! this is a man's business office!!! i thought i was so smart!!
basically every couch comes with decorative pillows though, and the shot of the room didn't include the wall the "camera" was up against. my 2-point perspective failure might have paid off here lol. if i can establish that the second character is talking through the hole, he can use his rayman hands to reach across the room and get the pillow for her. it can be part of his personal campaign to show maxine he means her no immediate harm. the pillows were just out of frame. lurking. ok let's try it again. uhhhh after i eat some lunch
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*my friend kelly had an anecdote from working in animation that im going to retell badly from memory. her boss would take the work she labored over to meet by deadline and would laugh at it, saying "ah, its terrible! but good enough for TV". and while extremely mean, he had a salient point: it never has to be perfect. it just needs to be good enough to be seen. sometimes i seriously think about this anecdote when im dissatisfied with my own art. it's bad. but it's good enough for tv.
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parrotscopes · 3 days
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Dead Boy Detectives is so important to me, all the characters feel so much more genuine and unique and fleshed out in just a few episode than those of some other shows that were given more time.
Every side character is important and even if you don't see them for long, you get to know them so well and intimately that they feel real!!! They don't feel like cardboard cutouts to move the story along, they feel like real people and leave me wanting to see more of them.
Dead Boy Detectives not only does this for individual characters, but for their relationships too, Edwin and Crystal's dynamic is one of my favorites, this incredible bond and trust over being fiercely protective of those you love that started out as outright dislike if not reluctant acquaintance, as they help eachother through challenges and bond over Charles
Specially that, even though Edwin at first is jealous of Crystal and Charles being so close, he quickly gets over it and begins seeing her as her own person and even though they butt heads, they connect over common ground, and challenging eachother to be their best versions.
Anyway go watch dead boy detectives
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randomnameless · 10 months
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To be fair, AM is Dimitri's story, his trauma and his relationships with rest of the Blue Lions, Byleth and Supreme Leader. So as much as it sucks that it doesn't get addressed, the Nabatean vs Agarthan doesn't really have much to do with Dimitri. It's why you can defeat one of the big Agarthan generals in the final map without any fanfare or acknowledgement from Dimitri's end.
With SS/CF, Supreme Leader is working with the Agarthans so the Nabateans vs Agarthans conflict comes into play there and for Claude, well he wanted to learn about Fodlan's secrets so it's believable for him to also gain knowledge about the Nabatean vs Agarthan conflict in VW.
Yep, that's why AM is so frustrating.
You are teased with Idunn, Jahn and the subsequent worldbuilding, but in the end, you only get rid of Marquis Laus/Zephiel and call it a day.
And while AM is a good character driven story, in a nutshell - Dimitri learns what it means to be a Lord, for the others, but also for himself - but ultimately not one I am terribly invested in.
It had a good concept of "Lord falls then rises up" but with Hresvelg Grey galore (Flamey ? Who is Flamey?) and the "told but not seen" maxim, the story just imo ends in a "nice" box, without anything else.
I disagree about the conflict between Agarthans and Nabateans being developped in SS/CF and VW because, hey, bar Thales going all "stupid pointy ears you banished us to oblivion so I'll suicide us all to get rid of you!" it's just... there.
We know there is some backstory between the two factions, but it ends up before it starts.
SS/VW receives an infodump (yay!) from Rhea but that's it. We don't understand the crux of said conflict, just see some of its consequences, don't push Camp A against Camp B and see what comes of it, no, it's just Camp C (Billy is Sothis's host, but never knows what everything is about) getting rid of Agarthans. Was Rhea there during the initial war, what have the mole people done to the world to make Sothis angry, did Sothis really erase all humanity like they claim, who are the "humans" living on the surface, is Fodlan really a post apocalyptic world -
The routes will never answer - at best the DLC added a book from the agarthan POV more or less confirming parts of Rhea's infodump, but that's it.
Tru Piss isn't interested with Fodlan's lore and answers - we're just following Supreme Leader as the world burns, so it's the only case where I can buy the "let's not focus too much on the Agarthans vs Nabateans conflict".
And ultimately, this underlaying conflict imo sort of contradicts the good endings/visions we end up with VW/AM
VW's ends prejudice/borders so everyone should be able to live together despite their differences?
Sothis landed on Fodlan, shared tech with Fodlan people, who used said tech to try to kill her, she retaliated and it culminated with the genocide of her children.
How can you coexist with people who are different from you if said people want to slaughter you?
AM is, as you said, mainly Dimitri's story, but I think it is summed up with thos lines :
If we could just accept each other and make mutual concessions, one step at a time... Perhaps... Who knows if that's even possible. Everyone has something that is unacceptable within them. I certainly do, and I'd wager you do as well. I wonder which is best, Professor... To cut away that which is unacceptable, or to find a way to accept it anyway...
It's the same story, what if some people want to accept each other and are ready to make concessions, but the other people don't want to make concessions, and use chainsaws to vivisect the first group?
Dimitri's journey is to reject the "cut away that which is unacceptable", as he tries to offer his hand to Supreme Leader (and she ignores it). But with Agarthans and Nabateans, how could this work? To Thales'n'pals, a good Nabatean is a relic dead Nabatean, and for what it's worth, Nopes heavily suggests Rhea knew since day 1 Barney had some "agarthan presence" but still welcomed them, so Nabateans reach their hand out, and the only Agarthans we see pull the chainsaws.
Should Nabateans still reach their hand out and accept Agartha's prejudice - the same prejudice that led to their genocide ?
Or in that specific case - because fantasy life isn't real life and you can't really make concessions with people who want to get rid of a race on this specific topic - the "earl grey" is flushed down the toilet and the "a good pointy ears is a relic" faction is cut away?
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ignitesthestxrs · 6 months
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there's something about the way people talk about john gaius (incl the way the author writes him) that is like. so absent of any connection to te ao māori that it's really discomforting. like even in posts that acknowledge him as not being white, they still talk about him like a white, american leftist guy in a way that makes it clear people just AREN'T perceiving him as a māori man from aotearoa.
and it's just really serves to hammer home how powerful and pervasive whiteness and american hegemony is. because TLT is probably the single most Kiwi series in years to explode on the global stage, and all the things i find fraught about it as a pākehā woman reading a series by a pākehā author are illegible to a greater fandom of americans discoursing about whether or not memes are a valid way of portraying queer love.
idk the part of my brain that lights up every time i see a capital Z printed somewhere because of the New Zealand Mentioned??? instinct will always be proud of these books and muir. but i find myself caught in this midpoint of excitement and validation over my culture finding a place on the global stage, frustration at how kiwi humour and means of conveying emotion is misinterpreted or declared facile by an international audience, frustrated also by how that international audience runs the characters in this book through a filter of american whiteness before it bothers to interpret them, and ESPECIALLY frustrated by how muir has done a pretty middling job of portraying te ao māori and the māoriness of her characters, but tht conversation doesn't circulate in the same way* because a big part of the audience doesn't even realise the conversation is there to be had.
which is not to say that muir has done a huge glaring racism that non-kiwis haven't noticed or anything, but rather that there are very definitely things that she has done well, things that she has done poorly, things that she didn't think about in the first book that she has tacked on or expanded upon in the later books, that are all worthy of discussion and critique that can't happen when the popular posts that float past my dash are about how this indigenous man is 'guy who won't shut up about having gone to oxford'
*to be clear here, i'm not saying these conversations have never happened, just that in terms of like, ambient posts that float round my very dykey dash, the discussions and meta that circulate on this the lesbian social media, are overwhelmingly stripped of any connection to aotearoa in general, let alone te ao māori in specific. and because of the nature of american internet hegemony this just,,,isn't noticed, because how does a fish know it's in the ocean u know? i have seen discussions along these lines come up, and it's there if i specifically go looking for it, but it's not present in the bulk of tlt content that has its own circulatory life and i jut find that grim and a part of why the fandom is difficult to engage with.
#tlt#the locked tomb#i don't really have an answer lmao this is more#an expression of frustration and discomfort#over the way posts about john gaius seem to have very little connection to the background muir actually gave him#like you cant describe him as an educated leftist bisexual man#without INCLUDING that he is māori#that has an impact! that has weight and importance!#that is a background to every decision he makes#from the meat wall to the nuke to his relationship with the earth#and it also has weight and importance in the decisions that muir makes in writing him#it is not a neutral decision that he's known as john gaius lmao#it's not a neutral decision that the empire is explicitly of roman/latin extraction#it's not even neutral that this is a book about necromancy#it's certainly not a neutral fucking decision that john was at one point a māori man living in the bush#when the nz govt decided to send cops in#like that is a thing that happens here! that is a reference to nz cultural and political events that informs john's character and actions#and with the nature of who john is in the story#informs the narrative as a whole#and i think the tiresome part of this experience is that#in general#americans are not well positioned to understand that something might be being written from outside their experience as a default#like obviously many many americans in online leftist & queer spaces are willing to learn and take on new information#but so much of the conversation starts from a place of having to explain that forests exist to fish
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epicfirestormer · 16 days
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I'm so incredibly Normal about these two games.
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