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0daylighthours0 · 1 month

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(part 2) A Deep Dive into Milkvan and Byler's Development: If Milkvan's Destined Endgame, Why's it Written Like This???

The decision to confirm Will to be in love with MIKE is wild, and I'll tell you why.

When you add a third party to a t.v show relationship, if the first relationship isn't perfect, people gunna start rooting for the third party. Take Stancy for instance.

Throughout s2, we got the vibes that Jonathan held feelings for Nancy. This was clear. But Nancy was still with Steve. This means, in order for us not to sympathize more for Jonathan, Nancy and Steve gotta be ✧ tight ✧. I mean, their issues must be kept at a low, and at the end of the day it's gotta be clearer to us that Nancy does in fact love Steve. Welp, that wasn’t the case. Stancy's relationship ✧ struggled ✧, justifying intimate moments between Nancy and Jonathan - making us feel as if he'd be better for her after all. A smart writing choice, as Duffers intended Jancy as season 2's endgame pairing.

Now, I'd like to point out the foreshadowing of this development.

Come the wrapping up of s1, and it seemed Nancy had retreated back to Steve.

They'd clearly reconciled and - to an outsider - all would appear to be going smoothly. But us as the audience know that not to be the case.

One reason? Well, she'd just shared a suggesting moment with Jonathan.

So our minds weren't on Steve and this show of his with Nancy. Rather, we read into Nancy's slight discomfort, and wondered if perhaps she'd prefer being with Jonathan instead.

This was of course intentional. I'd like to briefly bring to attention the similarities in these moments to ones at the end of s3 - between Mike and Will, and then Mike and El.

Here a conclusion to milkvan's seasonal drama is made, them seemingly staying together, parting on good terms. Hm. And milkvan's moment is.. kinda like stancy's. They got back together because, well, El said she loves Mike. And Steve loves Nancy. And Mike loves El right? The way Nancy loved Steve- But just, coincidentally, we have byler's reconciliation too.

This came before the guy's makeup with El, because, why? This was quite the interesting decision mates. It means that whilst he spends that moment with his girlfriend, our minds are fresh off of Will. People might read into the way he's acting in contrast, just maybe, the way they did during stancy. And people did. That's a bit of a fumble on the writers' part, if you ask me. I know you're trying to let us know that Mike's now on good terms with both members, and his and El's goodbye needs to be the dramatic finishing of the season, but, man, did byler even have to make up at all here you guys? I mean this miscommunication of theirs lasts through to s4 (just like janc-). Why not sort their good terms out later or earlier on, so that we have more mindspace here to focus solely on milkvan, our main main? Or at least, why not just have Mike apologize to Will and be done with it? He could even apologize alongside Lucas, making the moment less personal. And Will could simply forgive him, give a dudely pat it out, and that's it. We wash our hands.

But nah. There's this electricity in the air. The swelling music, the prolonged looks, this doesn't.. seem like a simple make up. It's startlingly short, making us feel as if there have been things left unsaid. And that line,

".. Not possible."

It's so... implying. What do you mean? Why are you looking at eachother like that? What am I meant to get from this scene?

And it isn't a closing reconciliation either, they haven't properly ended their season's drama. I mean no one even apologized for the argument, we're just sort of left with this. Left with the hint of a story that might be further explored - their moment coming off more as anticipation for what's to come than a conclusion. Maybe just a bit like Jonathan and Nancy s1.

But so what? That does not have to mean anything romantic between them is to be told. After all, El just expressed to Mike that she loves him. This means that these sweethearts are practically fortold as endgame, right?

Alright I'll stop stalling.

Season 4.

So. Will is in love with Mike now. Huh. Well, I don't recommend this. As I said, you risk people rooting for Will beyond their hopes for Mike and El as a couple. If this is a plotline you desire, it has to be navigated with precision. So this means that milkvan must be on their A game. Struggle between them has got to be handled delicately. As we see in stancy, and as we saw in s3, just making up at the end of it all isn't good enough. You can risk this mistake once, but we must like these guys together throughout season 4, more than we sorrow for Will. Infact, Will's feelings must not be made too big of a deal. Mike and El are going to stay together, so we should feel a bit sorry for him, but not gather any hope that things will actually work out to his favour.

Like Dustin in s2. He sprouted small feelings for Max, and so did Lucas. Lumax were the endgame, so Dustin's feelings were craftly navigated and not made more important than Max and Lucas' bond. We don't really feel that Dustin is in love with Max, moreso that he likes her and has some moments of jealousy aimed at Lucas. Noone really wanted him with her more than they rooted for Lumax, though we did sympathize for him and feel bad for him regardless.

So yeah, this can easily be written out for Will too. If his story's purpose is meant for the exploration of a gay kid navigating a still homoph#bic time, then there's a lot that can be done without even having to spare much screen time between him and Mike. Focus on his fear of judgement from Jonathan moreso maybe, or have Argyle say something - it can be whatever, mention something homoph#bic, mention something not homoph#bic and give Will hope, whatever - which sets off a thought or idea for Will that prepares his arc for the season.

Back to Mike and El - so we want a 'scared to say "I love you"' subplot. That's good, that good. Fleshes out Mike, plays into El's fears. Shouldn't be too hard.

There's already a mild problem though. This plot is playing out twice at once. We have our boy Will hosting this same fear of rejection by Mike - at least that's how things have been shot. His dread is portrayed through his restraint and timidity in revealing his painting to Mike. Will's painting is basically his version of a confession - the guy too selfless, shy and afraid to express his love outright.

So playing out this storyline at the double is.. a choice. I mean, Mike telling El he loves her is a big deal for the milkvans, shouldn't this romance dominate as much screen time as possible in order to be fully pumped up without any sidetracks to other insignificant in comparison feelings? S3 was already quite clumsy, why not have Mike and El's activities soak in all viewers' engrossment without any departures? Maybe spend a bit of time demonstrating how likeable and wholesome they actually are together. Now that we have Will's affection ontop it all, what's important is that Mike and El's camera time spent matters. They can be angsty, they can withhold some misunderstandings, but they still have to be a good. couple.

Oh yeah, also, Mike should blatantly display feelings for El and El only - duh.

huh ?

huh ? ? ?

#part 3 is on its way 💪#anti milkvan #anti mileven #byler #byeler #stranger things #stranger things byler #stranger things 4 #mike wheeler #will byers #byler is endgame #byler endgame #byler is real #byler is canon #byler analysis #byler proof #byler rights #byler tumblr #byler nation

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privateolives · 2 months

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Maybe I missed it, but there's a bit of foreshadowing in Laios' nightmare that I don't see mentioned often. Namely, on these two pages:

I was reading this again, and I noticed that this monster has got to be Laios' "perfect monster" that he would later transform into, sans the wolf head that he adds later.

What struck me about this moment is a) he uses this made-up monster to literally squash the haunting memories of his dissappointed parents and all the negative human interactions that came before them in this moment. It's an early hint at the infamous moment later in the story, where the winged lion reads him like a book:

That insight completely reframed what he's doing in the dream. He's using his interests and fantasies to quite literally crush his negative feelings about humans and the terrible ways they've made him feel.

Not only that, but the moment he's dispelled it, Laios immediately rips his own human appearance to shreds, becoming a different form. Reading it for the first time, I assumed that he used his knowledge in order to think up a convenient way to change scenes and track down who he was looking for; using his insight in a utalitarian way inside the dream world.

However, what about now, that we know that Laios really wants to become a monster himself?

With the later context, it reads far more like he takes this route because within the dreamscape, he can shed the form he hates to become something more comfortable in order to do what he needs to.

It also made me think though, the fact he became the canine, instead of the monster... what does it mean? It could be utility sure, but it makes me think of something else, first.

Laios famously does an amazing impression of a dog, and demonstrates this at one point in order to scare a shapeshiter. It is convincing enough to scare the monster and have both Chilchuck and Senshi clock what he's impersonating immediately. Notably, he mentions that they "taught him how to hunt" which is kind of unusual for a dog to do. However, knowing Laios' intersts, it makes sense for him to have extensively studied their behaviors.

Perhaps the canine form is chosen in the dream because behaving like a dog is something he is simply so comfortable with doing it comes natural to him to take the shape. And perhaps it is so, because long before he chased down the monsters in the dungeon, he found a safe haven away from the humanity he hated with the dogs, and longed to be like them, much like he wants to be a monster now. But that's just my speculation.

Either way, I think that's a cool little moment foreshadowing some of Laios' true feelings about humanity at large and how he's coped by being mistreated by other people from a young age.

Possible disproval of this theory of course, with Laios reaction to Marcille's retelling of the dream at the end of the chapter:

Though, the objection he gives on the page is that he was a white WOLF, not a dog, rather than objecting to not being seen as a person during the chase in the dream.

#Dungeon Meshi #Delicious in dungeon #Dungeon Meshi spoilers #Delicious in Dungeon spoilers #Some mild theorizing on my part.#This chapter has so much character psychology foreshadowing #With Marcille's being addressed directly in the text in the later chapter's.#I've seen people talk about how the dream hints at Laios' abuse at the hand of humans #but I didn't find anything discussing these other details and I thought they were neat

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chernabogs · 9 months

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Deepwaters

Inc: Lilia, Malleus, Silver, & Sebek Warnings: Brief mention of blood, implementations of death, mild existential questioning. Some chapter 7 spoilers may be seen, but they're quite subtle (nothing major) WC: 3.1k Summary: 4 brief snapshots to the poem 'What are Heavy?' by Christina Rosseti centred on youth, the ocean, and the consequences of memories. (done for the @briarvalleyarchives 'Summer Shorelines' event :) )

LILIA.

What are heavy? Sea-sand and sorrow;

“I reckon you would not be able to swim past the rock crevice there.”

A girl's voice holds pride as she stands on the beach, her hands on her hips and her lips curled into a cocky smile. Before her are two boys—one, who looks irate with her words, and another, who looks as though he wishes to sink into the dusty white sands. The irate boy gives a snort in response before looking out to the waters.

The ocean is wine red with the setting of the sun and the waves hit the shore like hands grasping forward. The horizon is but a jagged line, as though it’s a starving mouth waiting to see who it will bite.

“I reckon you want us dead,” the irate boy counters. “If you want to challenge us, Mallenoa, then perhaps you should try it first.”

Mallenoa’s cocky grin falters for just a moment before she huffs and crosses her arms over her chest. In the distance farther up the shoreline, a few guards can be spotted observing the trio as they stand there.

“I have already proven myself capable of swimming there, Lilia. You and Revan were the ones too cowardly to follow along.” Mallenoa points to the rock crevice again. It’s a few yards out from the shore—not a grand length—but the sea is growing unsteady as night makes her rapid descent. “I dare you.”

“It will be getting cold soon. Would it not be better if we just wait until tomorrow?” Revan starts to protest, his wiry voice like wind passing through reeds, but his comments fall on deaf ears as Lilia turns sharply to stare out at the water's beyond. His gaze skims over the toiling surface, watching as the waves leave foam to sink back into their embrace, before he snorts and begins walking forward.

“No coward's soul is mine!” Is all he calls over his shoulder in return. He wouldn’t be called cowardly by the likes of Mallenoa, simply because he knew her to be the one to never live it down. He could hear Revan’s worried voice calling for him to stop, but these words die as the roar of the waves grows louder and his feet plunge into their icy depths.

For a moment, he looks down and watches as the red waters swirl around him. In his youth, he remains unaware of the foreshadowing this image holds; he knows little of the red waters he will come to wade through in his future, or of the rivers he will craft with his own hands in the name of Queen and Country. He knows not of how he will drown in salt and copper and steel for a purpose that will fail in the end anyway. He knows not of the clock running out on his halcyon days.

For now, he is just a boy, too arrogant to say no to a friend.

The sand weighs him down as he moves deeper into the ocean. The waters embrace his legs, and then his waist, and then he’s falling forward into the abyss below. He moves like he’s always belonged in this darkness; the sensation of the tide rippling across his skin and the sight of the dying light reflecting on the surface above is so calming that he almost forgets to break through. His breath escapes in a flurry of bubbles before he breaches and inhales sharply, looking back to his friends on the shore beyond.

Mallenoa is laughing in delight. The childish innocence of joy darkens her cheeks, and he can still see this in the orange light as she watches him with adoration and pride. Revan stands by her side, his hand grasping her sleeve as anxiety is painted on his features. It is how it’s always been; one bravely diving into the dark, and the other trailing behind her, like a comet and her tail in the depths of space.

Lilia exhales softly and looks around. The water is still now, like his presence has soothed it, and his body rises and falls slowly. Seagulls cry out from somewhere beyond, perhaps on the rock crevice he’s meant to reach. He pushes back his hair and looks towards his friends once more. The sun is setting further, and they’re beginning to look like nothing but two dark silhouettes on the distant shore.

It feels isolating, in the middle of these waters, all alone.

Lilia begins to swim.

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MALLEUS.

What are brief? Today and tomorrow;

“Prince Malleus, do not stray too far out!” He hears the nanny call from somewhere back on the shore as he hurries down the wooden steps of the pier. There is no one else on this beach except him, his nanny, and Lilia, who has volunteered to accompany the restless boy lest he become too much for the nanny to handle. They had cleared any other attendees of the beach for just this one day—for one day is all the Queen would grant the prince’s guardians when it came to taking him out of the security that was Black Scale Palace.

The sound of his small feet hitting the sand is like a hiss, and he can feel the heat on his bare feet, his shoes having been discarded as soon as they arrived. He looks up and squints against the brightness; it’s rare for the sun to come out in the Valley, but summer days often bring on a drought, and so week-long periods of nothing but light are not unheard of.

This heat lasts only a moment before something hides him in shade again. When he looks over, he sees Lilia holding a parasol above them, a bemused expression on his face.

“Goodness, are you sure you’re a dragon and not a sea serpent? You seem quite eager to get in those waters,” he teases as he fusses over a strand of Malleus’ hair. The young prince swats his hand away with a pout.

“I am a dragon,” he grumbles back, before rushing forward again, all previous slights now forgotten in his eagerness to reach the clear blue waters. Lilia follows closely behind while the nanny hurries after them, holding a basket with lunch in one hand and the prince's shoes in another.

Malleus had read a great deal about the sea. Of the creatures that reside within it, of the folklore and mythology it holds, of the vastness and the grandeur. He has not, however, read about just how cold the sea can be, and so when he jumps both feet into the water at once, he lasts all of two seconds before he’s shrieking and running back to Lilia. His hands grasp his guardians arm and he seems downright offended as he looks back to the water.

“It’s so cold!” He cries, stomping his feet in the sand as though to warm them back up again. Lilia can’t help but laugh at the sight of the young dragon clinging to his arm—the poor boy looks shattered. He moves his hand to hold Malleus’ and clicks his tongue teasingly.

“My, did you expect it to feel like a hot bath, little prince?” He laughs as his other hand adjusts the parasol. “Come. I’ll show you the proper way to wade into the ocean.”

Malleus looks prepared to protest, but Lilia hears none of it as he holds the boy's small hand in his own, guiding him forward until they are at the water's edge once more. The waves are a baby blue colour, and they glimmer in the sunlight like glass and pearls.

“Now, you must move steadily. Let yourself adjust to the feeling, and then continue on.” Lilia hums as he slowly guides Malleus forward. The prince’s expression turns sour again when he steps back into the cold waters, but then it slowly shifts to contemplation, and then a bright smile as his body adjusts to the temperature change. His hand squeezes Lilia’s tight, as though afraid to let go too soon.

“The sand feels funny,” he notes in that manner that children so innocently do. He wiggles his toes in the clear blue water and watches as the sand slides easily off his skin. He moves closer to Lilia. “Please don’t let me go. I don’t want to get pulled in.”

“As if I’d ever let that happen to you,” Lilia muses, holding the prince’s hand close. “I’d never hear the end of it from your grandmother if I did.”

He looks up then, his gaze going to a familiar rock crevice in the distance. The sun beats down but the parasol shields them both as the sounds of the nanny setting up a towel for lunch, accompanied by the ocean waves crashing against the shore, creates a strange rhythm of peace in the air.

This is broken when Malleus kicks up water onto Lilia’s legs.

“Malleus!” Lilia yelps, moving back while still holding the prince’s hand. Malleus laughs in delight at his guardian's expense, and his face is filled with unrestrained joy. It’s the happiest that Lilia has seen the prince in a long time—in the palace on his own, he often looks quiet and sullen, as gray as the walls that confine him. This new sight reminds Lilia of a similar face with a similar expression he once saw on this shore, long ago.

He squeezes Malleus’ hand, and shakes his head with a smile as the boy goes to splash him once again.

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SILVER & SEBEK.

What are frail? Spring blossoms and youth;

“Why can I hear the ocean?”

Lilia’s eyes open slightly as he hears a voice. At first he sees green, and then he sees a scowl, and then he recognizes the inquisitor to be that of Sebek Zigvolt, who looks thoroughly unimpressed with a shell in his small hand. Lilia looks past Sebek, and then to his right, where he spots Silver half-asleep on the beach towel next to him.

Good. All his children he’s set to watch are accounted for, despite his impromptu nap.

“What do you mean?” Lilia hums as he sits up slowly. His answer is given in the form of Sebek shoving a seashell against his ear.

“I can hear the ocean!” The boy declares, louder this time and with more urgency in his tone. Silver mumbles something and sits up as well to look at Sebek with a faintly confused expression. Lilia puts his hand over the shell and guides it away from his ear.

“Because it carries a part of the sea in it.” Truthfully, it’s the sound of your own ear fluid being echoed back, but Lilia figures that will lead to even more confusion if he were to say something like that instead.

“How did it get the sea in there?” Silver yawns before moving closer to his father and friend, peering at the shell with interest. He reaches out to grab it, turning it over and letting the light reflect on its rainbow-like surface. “Trapping things is mean. What if the sea wants out?”

“I’m sure the sea is quite happy in there,” Lilia replies as Sebek comes to sit down on his other side. Both boys are now up and active, and although today is meant to be a break from learning and training, it doesn’t seem like this will be the case. Silver shakes his head.

“But what if it isn’t happy? What if the shell just thinks the sea is happy, but really, the sea is sad?” Silver presses the shell to his ear, and his expression becomes a bit more concerned as he looks back to his father. “I don’t want the sea to be sad.”

“The sea isn’t sad. The sea can’t feel anything,” Sebek counters with a scowl before looking back to Lilia. “Right?”

Lilia has to admire the fact that both boys manage to have such polarizing views on the matter. Youth never fails to amuse him. He carefully takes the shell back from Silver and turns it over in his hands. The shell is frail—he can see chips in its surface already. It isn’t a young shell, that’s for sure. A faint breeze passes over the trio, carrying the scent of ocean water and blossoms from the trees that they sit beneath.

Lilia glances up. Apple blossoms, it seems.

“Shall I free the sea, then? That would mean shattering the shell.” Lilia glances between the two boys. “Would you like me to break such a pretty shell?”

Silver looks uncomfortable with the question as his hand comes out to grasp his fathers arm. “I think… I think we should. The sea should be with the rest of itself, not locked away in a shell. That isn’t fair.”

“But who are you to decide what’s fair and what isn’t? Who are any of us to decide?” Lilia hums, a small smile playing on his lips. Perhaps there’s time to still sneak a few lessons in here for the boys to keep knowledge down the line. Silver looks more concerned as he glances at Sebek to answer.

Sebek puffs his cheeks out for a moment as he looks at the shell. His hands clench and unclench in his lap before he looks at Silver, and then to Lilia. “If it’s stuck inside, it’s our job to let it out, even if we like the shell. It isn’t right.”

“It isn’t right?” Lilia turns the shell over again, and then glances between the two boys. “Well then, if we’ve all come to a decision.”

He clenches his hand, and the shell snaps in half like it’s nothing. A trickle of water runs down to the grass beneath them, and then towards the sandy beach just beyond, as though travelling to the ocean it came from. The two boys watch it go as they stay sitting beside Lilia. There’s silence, broken only by the faint sighs of the wind brushing against the blossoms above.

“,,, did we make the right choice?” Silver then asks, looking at Lilia expectantly as Sebek quickly does the same. Lilia brushes his thumb across the shell fragments for a moment, studying its shattered opal interior, and then he simply shrugs with a smile.

“We won’t ever know if it was the right choice, but it was the choice that we made, nonetheless, and it’s the one that we shall have to live with. That’s just how it goes.”

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OUR FAMILY.

What are deep? The ocean and truth.

The scent of the ocean is too strong. The sun is too bright, the sand is too perfect, and it’s the only way that the three of them know this is another illusion they’re trapped in. The faint cries of seagulls in the distance and the waves crashing against the sand fill the otherwise stagnant painting they’ve been etched into. Silver looks around in worry, as does Sebek, but Lilia’s gaze is fixated on the rocky crevice in the distance.

It looks jagged, and blurred, as though someone blended it in with the horizon in a mock attempt to make it exist.

“You look concerned.”

And then he’s there. Tall, with his expression unforgiving as he stands in the toiling waters, looking back at them with faint indifference in his gaze. The sea kisses his boots as though worshipping him, and the breeze rustles his clothing slightly. Lilia exhales softly as he senses Silver and Sebek tensing by his side.

“Is it not right?” Malleus looks back out at the deep waters beyond. The sky is the gentle pink of dusk, and the sun is hidden in a painted haze as the silhouettes of birds fly in the distance. The horizon blends together and makes the ocean look as though it’s never-ending. This entire experience has been never ending so far—a dream upon a dream, a nightmare upon a nightmare.

Lilia is tired. He’s sure that the others are, as well.

“You’re close, but the crevice is off.” Lilia points out at the rocks beyond. Malleus follows his direction and hums thoughtfully.

“I couldn’t quite remember what it looked like when I was little.” Is the explanation he gives. “It all blurs together in the end anyway, doesn’t it? The memories, the moments. So easily tossed aside without a single warning, without a single goodbye.”

“Malleus,” Silver begins, but Malleus turns and raises a finger to his lips, hushing the younger boy softly. Sebek looks uncertain as his hand grips his magic pen. Malleus looks as he always has; there is no black ink dripping into the waters he stands in, there is no oppressive presence, no crushing weight of magic. He is as they remember—as their memories painted him to be.

“I’m adjusting to the waters,” Malleus hums thoughtfully. “Remember how you taught me that?”

Lilia’s brow furrows. “Malleus, this has gone too far out of line. You must—”

“Would you like to come in?” Malleus cuts him off and holds a hand out. There’s a smile on his lips, but it fails to reach his gaze, which remains as lifeless as the scenery that surrounds them. “I promise not to let you get pulled in.”

Lilia falls silent as Malleus pays tribute to the conversation they had many, many years ago. The hand he once held now is extended as a mockery to that brief, tender moment between guardian and child. Silver looks to his father and notes the expression on Lilia’s face before glancing towards Sebek. His own hand moves down to grip his magic pen.

“Sebek,” he calls softly, drawing the other boy's attention for just a moment. Malleus’ gaze turns sharply towards him and darkens. The sky begins to grow a deeper red colour as dusk approaches faster. The waters become a wine red once more, their tide increasing as though to offer an omen foretelling what’s to come. They’re restless, clashing against the sand like blood spilling on a pale earth. “Is the sea sad?”

Sebek looks confused for a moment, and then the memory dawns on him, and his expression shifts to that of an uncomfortable understanding. He exhales slowly, and the subtle nod he offers is enough for Silver to know that he agrees. Lilia’s attention is still locked on Malleus, on his extended hand and the dark, cold expression he’s giving the other two boys.

Silver’s hand tightens around his magic pen, and Sebek’s does the same as the sea toils before them, and the sky descends into the blackness of night. If something is trapped, it’s one's duty to let it free, even if it means shattering something that they love dearly.

They won’t ever know if it’s the right choice, but it’s the choice that they’re going to make, nonetheless.

#briarvalleyarchives #lilia vanrouge #malleus draconia #sebek zigvolt #silver #twst lilia #twst malleus #twst silver #twst sebek #GOD this was the fastest i ever wrote for an event #the brain rot bro.... the wine red ocean #anyway lkfsdljffd

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defectivehero · 10 months

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setting

Setting the scene is one of the best tools a writer can have, as it allows for the reader to truly feel immersed in the story. But... how can an author set the scene? Is there a foolproof way to immerse the reader? (hint: the answer is no, lol.) Here are some things that help me build background and establish the setting. [as always, there’s no pressure to use any of these tips; writing is a unique process and there’s no “one size fits all” formula for it.]

Ordinary does not have to equal boring. Sometimes, it can be hard to escape the pressure of an interesting, entirely unique setting to provoke a reader’s interest. However, it can be hard to fulfill lofty expectations like those! Furthermore, there is absolutely nothing wrong with ordinary settings. In fact, embracing normality can really enhance a story. Office buildings, schools, grocery stores, gas stations... All of these places may seem ordinary, but that doesn’t mean they're uneventful. In fact, each place comes with its own unique challenges and occurrences, which is really useful for writing! Mundane activities such as purchasing groceries, walking out of a movie theater, and visiting a library for books can all create additional outlets for interaction and occurrence.

Look to the details. This one is pretty self explanatory and probably something everyone already knew, but I figure it can’t be overstressed. The details really do make a difference! Little things like the way an office worker’s desk looks can reveal a lot about their character. For example, is their workspace cluttered with scattered papers? Or perhaps it’s pristine and looks nearly untouched? Those kinds of mundane things can be utilized to further establish your character’s desires, motivations, personality, etc.! Exploring a character in small, seemingly unimportant ways is pretty enjoyable and a fun exercise to further develop your character-building abilities.

Utilize weather and climate conditions to add effect. This is another simple way to add some character to a scene! Weather can add symbolism—if a character is feeling melancholy, it may appear gloomy outside—but it can also simply add more detail and further flesh out the scene. Even better, the scene doesn't even have to occur outside! Weather conditions can still be noticeable from inside a building—think of the sound of precipitation, the presence/absence of sunlight, and the way light reflects off of different surfaces!

Embrace change. Sometimes, a story necessitates a return to a setting that already has been introduced. In these moments, it can be helpful to think of any potential changes that may have occurred since the last time the setting was visited. This can manifest in large-scale ways—such as a banker returning to their place of work, only to find that the building has caught fire and is now just a pile of rubble—or small-scale ways—think of a graduated student returning to their elementary school, only to find that it feels much smaller. Simple things can represent far bigger elements of a story—for example, a missing chair can represent a person’s death or foreshadow their future absence... a previously tidied area turning messy can hint at a future conflict... After all, most settings do not remain entirely unchanged. As people come and go, things are left behind, objects are moved/altered, and more!

Think about noise. Different settings will come with different levels of noise, which can also affect character interactions and conversations. If the characters are standing in a library, their voices may shift to hushed whispers. If there’s potential for eavesdropping (aka they're in a public space), there may be different gestures and means of communication.

sigh. how’s it going, everyone? hope you’re all doing well.

somehow i got the inspiration to write this... let me know if y’all like this kind of content! i'd be happy to write more “writing tips” and things like that (you can send an ask if there’s something specific you’d like to see, too!)

TAG LIST: @lateuplight @wit-is-wisdom @greengableswriting @whump-me-all-night-long @noawhite @rekhyt-of-arcadia @the-blind-one-speaks @sufferfictionalcharacters @basically-psyduck @alexkolax @subval01 @emerald-blade @felicia609 @surplus-of-sarcasm @ilickedanenvelopeandilikedit @a-chaotic-gremlin @unknownogre @prompt-fills-and-writing-spills @whatwhumpcomments @excusemeasibangmyheadonawall @agayprince

click here if you’d like to be on/off the tag list!

#defectivehero #writing #writing tips #writers on tumblr #spilled ink #creative writing #writing inspiration #writing advice #other stuff #sighhhhhhh

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tsutenstar · 1 year

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The association of stars to Tenma Tsukasa: a discussion

The theme of stars for Tsukasa is rather strange if you think about it for a moment. Yes, he wants to be a star--a world-renown actor, but this theme seems to take shape in an almost literal sense. There's a galaxy motif for his WxS costume, the flag he holds has a star on it, and his focus event is dedicated to him realizing how the piano to him are the stars to Torpe. In all honesty, he seems closer associated with stars and space than Leo/need is at times.

The symbolism of the stars usually loops back to the theme of guidance. The stars were used to guide sailors at sea in ancient times, constellations were used to tell the time of year, and the sun has been used to tell the time through the use of the sundial. Because of this, stars have become a sign of hope for the future and light in dark times. This fits in quite well with Tsukasa's character. He's been shown to guide those dear to him to brighter futures with his advice and positive attitude (e.g. Touya and Saki) and it can also be said that his dream to be a star guides him in his life.

But it is also that presence of darkness, too, that relates to Tsukasa's character. His younger days were filled with worry toward his sister, Saki, and the weight of being a good brother not only for his parents but for Touya as well. Tsukasa has always strived to be a star in their dark times and he wishes to spread this through his acting, hence the creation of WxS.

Yet, another thing irked me when I thought more about this connection. Stars--simply put--are created due to a large amount of pressure, causing elements to fuse together and create energy. Once this energy has run out, the star dies and sends said energy to other stars. The bigger the star, the shorter its lifespan due to energy depletion. This consequently causes what we call a supernova to occur.

Do you see where I'm going with this?

Tsukasa wants to be the biggest star. At first, it seems rather innocent. But if put in a more literal, astrological outlook to it, a darker connotation reveals itself. The larger the star--the brighter the star--the faster it burns out. We already know of Tsukasa's past struggles and how he intends to use those memories as fuel to support his future as an actor after On This Stage of Dazzling Light, but we also don't know enough about Tsukasa to see the entire picture. We're still left in the dark about exactly what strong emotions caused Tsukasa to create a SEKAI all on his own.

Emu will most likely be the next focus event for this group which leaves Tsukasa to be the last one of the group to get their next focus event regarding their latest story arc. Judging by the latest WxS event A Sorrowful Farewell at Curtain Call, I think we can expect some heavier themes to be discussed later on and perhaps a clearer insight into Tsukasa and his connection with the stars.

TLDR: This boy can fit so much possible foreshadowing in him

#tsukasa tenma #tenma tsukasa #wxs tsukasa #tsukasa project sekai #wonderlands x showtime #proseka #project sekai #analysis #I like Tsukasa a sane amount

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vanofasgard · 9 months

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i have to rant about this or i might cease to exist.

lokius...

for one, i love queer ships (canon or not) but i also like to stay true to the show i’m watching, and i personally don’t have a big problem with sylki (just a little underwhelmed with it if i’m being honest). but the more i look at loki and mobius’ relationship, the clues and that damn song, the more it feels actually plausible that this could turn into something real.

i’m going to somewhat rank these from 1 downward, 1 being its probably coincidental, down to this is too spot on to be nothing. all while i sip leisurely at my tea.

1. “i’ve studied almost every moment of your life..”

it kind of speaks for itself. its a pretty simple bit of dialogue, and most likely doesn’t mean all that much, but what is mobius’ fascination with loki variants? this is higher on the list mainly because mobius has been assigned this case, he's a detective and its his job to dig deep, he's consumed by his work, therefore it isn't strange for him to know so much about loki's life on the sacred timeline.

2. the tie adjustment scene

trust me, i'd love to put this lower on the list, but theres one thing that makes me believe this is-- albeit disappointingly-- a coincidence. it was improv. maybe that, for some people, is more of an indicator of canon lokius, that tom hiddleston felt that that scene was being led in such a flirtatious direction, however, this scene was more his following along owen's playful presence on set, which just makes it kind of sweet. but this is one of my favourites scenes, regardless of the intention behind it. loki will always be a flirt, after all.

3. loki's bisexuality

as much as i would have loved to see more on loki's sexuality-- perhaps slightly more explicitly given his status as the god of mischief-- i'm not going to hate on sylvie and loki, because that would simply erase the existence of bisexuality, hetero-presenting relationships exist and to deny so would again, erase the meaning of bisexuality. however, the ending of season 1 does raise some questions. loki and sylvie's separation sets up the future of marvel, it needed to happen, so this might not mean much at all and we now know that season 2 will focus on loki searching for sylvie through timelines. but how purely queer would it be for loki to realise some stronger feelings toward one agent mobius, and perhaps loki and sylvie's relationship was something that was meant to stay platonic, who knows? this is considerably more fanon than my other theories, but i had to include it, given that to me, its a reasonable arguement. lgbtq+ characters need to be introduced and this was kate herron's goal from the beginning. she also said that she hoped marvel went further with this new information and explored more thoroughly. forgive me for this more outlandish inclusion, but it has been on mind for awhile now.

4. the presence of the dagger / "love is a dagger..."

we all know this one, we've all screamed over it and we all hope it means something more than just a coincidence. with marvel's history of in-depth attention to detail (comic references, foreshadowing years prior to a movie's release), it feels a little too purposeful, doesn't it? again, i'm trying to keep rank these into something somewhat believable with viable evidence, so something i will mention is that loki has lacked any close friendships his whole life. gaining a relationship like this would hold deep value to him, and parting ways would likely pull forth some deep bittersweet emotions. platonic love is arguably more important than romantic, the need to be understood without judgement and that is what both mobius and loki have given each other. the tears in loki's eyes during this scene is a clear indicator of their care for each other, but whether that goes deeper is unclear.

my thoughts fluctuate on this one. for one, its simply so beautiful and meaningful to loki's development (and mobius') that whether its meant platonic or with an underlying romance, feels like it hardly matters, because it holds as much meaning either way. "love is a dagger", it appears in so many forms throughout the series: mobius giving loki his daggers, only for them to be taken away by B-15 a second later, this hug scene and loki and sylvie's fight in the citadel. its so prominent in this scene, its hard to dismiss, yet marvel fluctuates so much with their details that its hard to tell if this was intended the way i'm seeing. regardless, its beautiful and definitely a worthy inclusion.

5. the lokius song / mobius' apparent jealousy

lets get one thing straight, natalie holt is an amazing composer and i will back that to no end with my spotify wrapped this year, trust me on this. so when i first started listening through the second album, like a true neurodivergent kid, i was memorising every song name and i have to say, i lost it a little when i saw the name of this song. natalie confirmed that sif and loki had a 'thing' during the point that the time loop scene was set, so one cannot dismiss the possibility that she could know a little more about the prior scenes than we realise. i was skeptical when i first saw people's impressions of these scenes, after all, they had all reunited after loki technically betrayed mobius, so it was understandable that mobius wouldn't exactly be pleased with the circumstances that they're meeting again. but something about the way he looks at loki and sylvie when he's leading them down the hall, he just looks kind of heartbroken and disappointed. again, this could have been the result of loki's betrayal, if the way he calls him a bad friend is anything to go by, but the substance of this scene holds so much in it. and his little rant about loki and sylvie's "twisted romantic relationship" breaking his reality, hits a little hard. maybe this wouldn't have meant much if it hadn't been with that bloody song, because tell how just an angry, hurt mobius = lokius? it can be jealousy regardless of romantic feelings, friendships feel it too, but this feel a little more substantial.

worthy inclusions:

sylvie's "he cares about you" comment in the void, and loki's near dismissal of it.

loki falling asleep in the archives, he trusts mobius.

am i the only one that finds it cute how loki hangs out at mobius' desk while mobius is off doing other work?

conclusion:

look, i'm going to be honest here, i grow sceptical of my own arguments at times. these are very minor things, and i didn't even realise they were pushing loki and sylvie in the direction they were until they kiss (in other words, i'm a little oblivious), so i want you all to take this with a grain of salt. i like to stay true to the actual characters and their makers, i don't have unrealistic expectations and i am no director, actor or screenwriter. i am not saying how i think the next season should go, i just wish it could go to in this direction to some degree. i have my doubts, but my hopes too. regardless, i'm just happy to see these characters at all!

this is what so many seem to forget. there may be restrictions (cough cough disney), but everyone working on these shows and movies have put their hearts into it and i want to appreciate that for what it is! this doesn't mean you aren't entitled to your own opinion, of course you are! but just remember the show/characters you've fallen in love with and if you didn't have them at all. i'm overjoyed to see loki with a close friendship after so many years of watching him being proverbially kicked while he was down. ultimately, loki and mobius' friendship (and possible romance) is what technically saved loki and that's something beautiful in and of itself.

I don't think its impossible! but i keep an open mind for both directions their stories could take.

#lokius #wowki #mcu loki #loki #loki laufeyson #loki odinson #mobius m mobius #loki series #loki x mobius #shipping #lgbtqia #character analysis

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yuurei20 · 9 months

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Leona Info Compilation part 28: Leona, Epel and Vil (pt 1)

We do not see Leona and Epel interact much outside of Halloween when a possessed Epel “boops” Leona on the nose, but Epel speaks of him often: He says that, while Leona spends a lot of time during Spelldrive club practice lounging, he is always paying close attention to them.

When Floyd ties Epel to a gravestone to attract ghosts Leona is quick to go to his rescue, with Ace pointing out, “You talk like you don’t care, but the first thing you did was untie Epel. You actually look out for your own people, don’t you.”

There is a vignette where Epel is reading a book as he walks, which causes him to run directly into Leona. A nearby Pomefiore student expresses worry but Leona does not react, and Rook observes, “A king knows how to be magnanimous.”

During his birthday Epel says that he would want Leona to be his older brother for how he his laid-back personality is so different from his physical appearance, how his so intelligent, so cool, how he is always looking out for him during Spelldrive club practices and is a leader that can be relied upon.

(Interestingly Idia claims that, while both Vil and Leona are “tanks”, neither are suited to leadership roles, perhaps betraying how little he understands his fellow classmates.)

Epel says that he likes “cool, strong animals like tigers and leopards,” so he might just have a thing for large cats in general.

Vil compliments Leona almost as much as he insults him, often in the same line of dialogue, saying “The only thing you have going for you is a handsome face” he could “make an eye-catching main model if we leverage that air of smug superiority he gives off," “One of Leona’s precious few fortes is is the sheer power of his presence”, and “Leona is little more than a good-looking layabout.”

A kanji-based joke on JP asking Leona if he isn’t sure he’s actually an egg and not a prince at all (the kanji for egg and prince are very similar) was changed to comparing him to a jester on EN due to language restrictions.

(Yana has a thing for intentionally incorporating egg references into the game wherever she can, more here)

Leona and Vil have a lot of overlap during Phantom Bride where they both refuse to go to Idia’s aid, and when Vil changes his pronouns and speech patterns in the “role” of a prince for Eliza Leona responds, “Who are you and what have you done with Vil?" and "I’d take the regular you over this slime ball.”

(Due to language restrictions this interaction had to be rewritten on EN.)

When Eliza is explaining how they simply do not compare to her “darling Idia” both students interrupt with the insistence that they are “Obviously superior!”, while Jade observes, “Looks like they’ve lost sight of our objective.”

Both Vil and Leona express annoyance about being dismissed in favor of Idia.

When Idia begs them for help they respond, “It sounds like you’ve found someone who loves you in spite of your bad attitude” and “Good on you for finding your soulmate.”

(Leona is rejected for not realizing that Eliza expected him to join her in a duet. In a moment of foreshadowing Leona says, “That shut-in prolly can’t even sing!” In reference to Idia, but it is revealed during the Glorious Masquerade event that he can.)

#twstleona #leonafacts #twstfacts #leona kingscholar #twisted wonderland

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vaalthus · 2 months

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The Aker'varus (spoilers)

Ya know this entire time it somehow didn't occur to me that the Aker'varus was just a dragon this entire time, lowkey assumed it was just some terrifying giant bird-like creature based on the Aerozoophobia creature we encountered in the Jungle Adventure quest. A thought that becomes extra dumb when you remember that particular fear monster looks like this:

So the foreshadowing for what the mythical beast actually is was staring me right in the face and I completely missed that.

Ooof the trauma.

Sounds like an opportunity to encounter the actual dragon in the future when concerning the plot of the southern kingdom. On another note, I still find the matter of Kassandra's parent's death much too suspect when we know how the Imperial family operates. I'm still not fully convinced they aren't at fault for the Aker'varus killing Kassandra's parents so to speak. Their demise in this manner just seems too convenient at the moment.

Yo! A biologically metal themed dragon!?!?! Now I want us to fight the real thing even more now.

....I'm convinced this man is an anime protagonist.

Hmm while not stated, I suspect this fire being casted is doing "good" damage, as in the "elemental" good we see in game. Would certainly explain why the fire is pink in contrast to the orange flames Sirius was shown to cast as a child and furthermore it wouldn't be the first time we've seen the fires of other elements take on a completely different colors. In the case of good, its usually been a color motif of either pure white or a pinkish hue. Just an observation though.

I. WANT. TO. FIGHT. THE. REAL. THING!!!!!!

Okaaay didn't think Inanitas was straight up inside the artifact but I certainly won't complain. Might explain why no one else but Sirius has been able to use the artifact's power within the Imperial family's bloodline for a long time. It simply comes down to there being a literal conscience entity to decide who gets to use it or not. Gave Sirius some mad celestial drip though.

Easy to see why the Imperial family does not want Sirius to be free of the Sword of Inanitas.

This line feels more ominous than anything. Sounds clear the Celestial has its own machinations it wants to achieve and yet I cannot help but be at unease when reading this.

In spite of this feeling like a death flag, I suspect what might happen here is that Kassandra will simply be trapped in the Fearscape as opposed to dying in shutting the engine down with minimal damage. Perhaps leading to quests down the line to free her though that is a guess at best. Or her character will simply receive a fate worse than death treatment and she'll be forced to stay in an endless fearscape, for all eternity...or she'll just die. Alternatively, this might be a convenient escape for her from the Arcana. Can't imagine how Sirius will react if she's truly lost forever though.

#dragonfable #dragonfable spoilers #the aker'varus #the hints were staring me in the face!!!#Really hoping Kass doesn't meet her end here #At least not yet #Feels like there's more to see here still #But I guess we'll find out soon #And then there's Inanitas...#why choose only Sirius after so long?#what made him stand out above the rest of the recent generations?#was it his “goodness”?#or something else entirely

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noxxha · 1 year

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Uchiha Madara Personality analysis (Ch. 622 - 623) Part 1

Uchiha Madara is a product of the era he grew up in. The constant bloodshed and wars shaped him into a talented and ruthless, yet loving and kind youth - who got swallowed up by despair.

I will do my best at being as objective as possible (while also overanalyzing something so simple as the speech bubbles during a specific part) and highlighting everything Madara says that is a piece - tiny as it is - to piece together his personality from Hashirama’s eyes.

*Note: the following scans are fan translated, not the official ones as I only own the german version in physical format.

While this page offers some vague humour, it also gives the first hint of Madara’s character: sensitive. (As described by himself, mind you)

His sensitivity is probably innate since birth, but amplified and taken to extreme heights from the lives they live. It is actually quite heartbreaking that he cannot relax for even one second.

He also mentions that he has a “bad habit” of making excuses when he…what exactly? Loses his temper? Feels embarrassed?

(The german version simply has him say that “he is sorry and that it was just an excuse”)

Madara then reveals his name to Hashirama, and that he is well aware of the shinobi code (being one himself, after all).

According to Hashirama, he and Madara were like day and night.

As described by Madara he tries to be understanding of Hashirama’s plight (who has yet to reveal that his sadness has to do with Itama’s death). The way Madara looks in the second to last panel reveals quite a lot of turmoil. He probably remembered his siblings in that moment.

The picture below is that very panel, and it actually made me pause the video the first time I saw this episode to take in the expression captured in the moment.

He looks so somber. His expression almost suggests that he lost his other three brothers a while back (maybe even years prior to Hashirama losing Itama?). He can clearly empathize with Hashirama here as he is an older brother himself (left with only Izuna at this point).

“Or rather, had four brothers…”

It is in this panel that we get a lot of information about Madara’s hopes and wishes (and that he is an idealist who has yet to get his heart broken completely - he still has Izuna, after all)

It’s a bit ironic that he mentions being “vulnerable”, and that is basically a taboo amongst shinobi (weakness = death), and yet that is what he is with Hashirama in that moment; he reveals his hopes and wishes to a stranger. He is vulnerable by revealing what is in his heart.

Madara mentions that “maybe they don’t hate you as much as you think” - that implies that he has a habit of assuming things about people (negative most likely). He might be sensitive to the way people perceive him (perhaps because of his status as son of the leader, and therefore future leader)? It is interesting the way this sentence foreshadows his later life; Madara probably assumed that everyone feared/hated him, and this became a self fulfilling prophecy in the end.

(The german version does not really paint a picture about Madara the same way the above english scan does, he just mentions “that maybe the person is actually burning with rage” when they talk about the possibility of “looking into peoples hearts”/understanding one another)

This is one hell of a stretch, but it could imply how Hashirama (later in life) never really took notice of Madara’s TRUE feelings about a lot of things, because he did not understand who Madara was at that point (he changed after Izuna’s death, as mentioned by Hashirama)

I had to highlight both points made by Madara and Hashirama here. Madara reveals here how power basically means everything in their era (but the type of strength he is thinking about is probably physical strength, no?) and that they need to be strong so that people will follow them (does this philosophy come from Tajima, Madara’s father, perhaps?)

The “permanent and lasting change” from Hashirama reveals a lot about HIS character here to be honest.

Hashirama mentions that their strength will reach a point where “even the adults won’t be able to ignore us anymore…” (Butsuma’s wonderful parenting at work here I would say…)

Madara is being all boastful about him having no weaknesses to work on…except his sensitivity to his surroundings… (and having people behind him distracting him)

“Heh…modesty doesn’t suit you…” says Hashirama, which implies indeed that Madara is (rightfully so) proud of his talents (and the Uchiha clan’s Sharingan…that he was close to reveal to Hashirama) and likes to boast about it (or why else would Izuna be in disbelief that there is someone stronger than his nii-san?)

This scan also indicates that Madara probably is very harsh towards himself whenever he experiences failure (such as being unable to protect his siblings). The look in his eyes during his “what good is the…” monologue is the gaze of someone remembering failure (death of his brothers most likely).

He showcases his resolve to protect his last remaining brother (Izuna).

An interesting detail that is different between the manga and anime version is Hashirama’s response to Madara’s oath of keeping Izuna safe. Here he is silent, listening to what Madara says and…screams on top of his lungs about their village.

In the anime version Madara looks over to Hashirama and asks him “so what about you?” and Hashirama replies “I have one younger brother left too and I also intend to protect him no matter what.” to which Madara nods in understanding and then Hashirama declares his vision for the village that becomes Konoha.

An interesting thing about this panel is the fact that Madara is not even sure about his definition of peace (note the speech bubble). Here he, more or less, decides to “tag along” in the hopes that this village of theirs will keep Izuna safe.

(And that grin is too darn precious)

“That rock was born to be skipped…you hold onto it until the next time we meet!”

Little did they know…

Separating this post in further parts because of Tumblr’s *10 pictures on mobile limit*.

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

#izuna uchiha #madara uchiha #hashirama senju #naruto analysis

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beanghostprincess · 7 months

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My take on OPLA's "Arlong Park" as a Nami kinnie with a lot of things to say

I have a lot of complaining to do about how OPLA wrote and directed the last two episodes and, generally speaking, Nami's character and dynamic with the others. However, and as I said the last time I wrote one of these posts about my takes on OPLA, I understand that it's really hard to make a Live Action of something so iconic and long as One Piece. However, I do think that there is some stuff that could have been done better without it being a problem with the lack of time and all that.

That being said, please enjoy my thoughts on Arlong Park and Nami's character. This will be completely messy and chaotic but it's just that I'm too lazy to organize my ideas properly.

Pre-Arlong Park

For starters, I don't like how they introduce Nami's character arc. I understand that to get attached to her character and show that she's growing fond of the crew you have to make her like them and be friends with them. And that's great! I really liked her interactions with them and it really shows that she cares deeply about all of them but she just can't get too close or else she'll put her mission and them in danger. She can't get too attached out of self-hatred and fear and she can't be herself, even if sometimes her true personality shows whenever she gets too comfortable. And it's beautiful, especially with Luffy.

However, the little hints about her past and current situation felt forced. Perhaps I'm just picky with the script, but I think it would've been way better to show us that she's enjoying her time with them but for some unsaid reason, she refuses to open up. And then, the whole thing with Arlong happens. No hints. No deep trauma-dumping with Zoro. And, please, no verbalization of her ongoing situation that she's literally trying to hide.

The thing with OPLA is that they don't let the characters show their feelings without speaking. They don't let the actors express what the character's going through with silent acting. They have to explain everything verbally as if we, the audience, were stupid.

So I have this feeling that the foreshadowing and hints for Arlong Park were forced and out of character, especially because they wanted to rush Nami's friendship with them (for no reason, since you can do that simply by showing us that she's having a good time but she doesn't let herself actually stay with them or just be herself). You can be friends with somebody and love them without knowing shit about their past or suffering (Luffy in the manga is a great example, but I'll talk about that later) so the friendship they were building between Nami and Zoro could've worked anyway without that drinking game (obviously used as a plot device to foreshadow Arlong Park).

Nami befriends them too easily, in my opinion. She obviously cares about them and wants to be with them, but she can't. That's why canonically she steals the Merry and leaves them there on their own the moment she has the chance to do it. And she cries. And feels like shit because she finally found people who genuinely wanted her and liked her, but she can't be with them. She can't because she thinks she'll hurt them. Because she thinks they'll hurt her. Because she doesn't let herself open up to anybody but herself. Because she has a mission.

OPLA could've easily done that, but for some reason decided to make Nami openly tell Zoro to not fight because they're friends (she probably would think so, but would never say it out loud. Plus, she knows better than to try to stop Zoro. That scene is bullshit) and then stay to see the fight after regretting trying to leave them because they're friends. And it's bullshit, once again, because, despite her feelings towards them, she would never let herself be happy like that. Canonically she hates betraying them, but she has to do it. And yet the live-action decided to make her say all of her feelings out loud when her whole character is about refusing to express her pain out loud.

Good job Netflix (this said with a very sarcastic tone, by the way).

One of the things that bothers me the most, too, is how she blames Luffy after the fight. Not even canon Nami would do that. Yes, she doesn't yet acknowledge Luffy as her captain, but she knows he's the one who has the last word. She's aware that it was Zoro's own stupid decision. She knows why Luffy let him do it. She knows they're stupid but they want to get stronger and follow their dreams and she won't be able to stop them even if she wants to. So it doesn't make any goddamned sense for Nami to actively fight Luffy about it. She should be smarter than this.

And yes, you can say that perhaps it's just the frustration of them being able to stupidly follow their dreams when she can't do it herself. It makes sense. She definitely is. But you can show that frustration without her yelling at Luffy for something she knows she can't change.

Also, as I said before, she expresses her feelings and worries out loud. Not even just out loud, but too loud. She yells how worried she is and how close they are now. That they are friends. And I think that their friendship could've been shown instead of just said with her words, because Nami, in the beginning, would've never let herself admit it. Not to them. Not even to herself. Their friendship and care are something she can't afford right now. And yet she's obviously delaying her mission to stay with them? And she's verbally telling them that they're friends? It makes no sense to me.

Then, Arlong shows up at the Baratie.

Not the decision I would've made but, okay, let's take it.

And Nami of course goes with him, but I don't like how they made it happen.

The thing is, Nami canonically steals the ship and goes to Arlong Park because she has her life there. Her duty. You can see clearly in the manga how much she wants to stay with the crew but how her hometown is more important than her own happiness. Here, it just looks like Arlong came for her and she goes with him only because he's there. If he hadn't shown up, she probably would've just stayed with the others as far as we know. Which is, once again, bullshit and out of character.

She goes with Arlong, acts like the villain, and goes away.

And it's pretty much rushed and it feels forced. So, well... Let's say I only liked Baratie because of Sanji (off-topic, but his backstory and scenes were the best. But perhaps I'm just not objective since he's my favorite Mugiwara hehe).

Arlong Park

The crew's reaction

It doesn't make sense. Let's just say it like that.

In the manga, both Usopp and Zoro get righteously angry at Nami because she stole their ship and that's the main reason why they decide to agree with Luffy and go look for her.

However, here, Nami didn't steal anything from them. And yet they're... Mad at her?

Zoro and Usopp know better than to just leave her behind because she was the one leaving them first. I understand that Usopp might be a coward and he doesn't want to get into fights for a girl he just met, so I kind of get why he doesn't agree with Luffy. However, Zoro is supposed to know that she isn't like this. They've had... A lot of bonding scenes together and yet he's like: "If she wants to be left alone, then so be it". And I get it because Zoro is, well, Zoro. But OPLA!Zoro has bonded with Nami. He obviously respects her decision here, but acting like she betrayed them is stupid because she never stole anything from them besides the map (which was hers to begin with, by the way). They don't have reasons to hate her and if they were going to make her go without stealing the Merry then they could've also made the whole crew agree with Luffy to get her back.

No comment on Sanji, by the way, he does great. Great Sanji. Taz I love you (please ignore my blatant favoritism).

They encounter Nami and, once again, I don't like how verbal they are all the damn time. Luffy should NEVER tell her to ask for help if she needs it. He knows she needs help, he just wants her to be the one to say it and he knows she will once she's ready. I liked Nami saying something along the lines of "No, this is the 'me' you want me to be" though. Great line.

Then they meet Nojiko, and let me tell you... I have so many issues with this I don't think I'll ever finish talking about it.

First things first, why the fuck is Nojiko unaware of Nami's intentions? The whole thing about Nojiko is that she loves Nami to death and knows the reasons why she's doing all of this. That's why she's able to tell the crew about their past with sadness but love and care and so much worry for Nami's wellbeing. She meets the crew and instantly knows how much they care about her. That's why she helps them: She wants Nami to finally be free and have more people who love her in her life.

Instead, OPLA makes Nojiko hate her sister because apparently, she thinks she betrayed them. Cool. More unnecessary angst for Nami (sarcastic comment, again).

But that doesn't bother me that much. You know what bothers me? What enrages me?

Luffy hears Nami's backstory.

Why. The. Fuck. Is. He. There.

Literally this was just the writers' choice because they fucking wanted to because there's nothing stopping them from making him climb to the rooftop the second Nojiko starts talking. He keeps saying he wants to hear Nami's feelings from her, and yet he stays to hear what happened to her.

What makes Luffy such a great person and captain is how little he cares about his crew's pasts. He doesn't want to know about how they used to be or what happened to them, as long as they stay true to how they are now. And what makes Luffy and Nami's bond so important and beautiful and strong, is how much Nami hates what happened to her and how little Luffy cares. Nami hates herself for what she did, and Luffy loves her because of who she is now. Perfect balance. Beautiful, precious bond.

OPLA could've just fixed it by making Luffy climb to the rooftop sooner, and they didn't. I don't know why yet. But they didn't. And it makes me so mad...I need to talk to the writers or I swear to God-

That makes his conversation with Zoro not make any sense, but hey! Pretty Zolu scene that I appreciate and it was really beautiful to watch. Not complaining here.

Nami asking for help (THE Arlong Park scene. THE moment. THE straw hat thing)

Despite Emily's amazing acting (God, I love her. As a director/writer wannabe I can easily see that she's a pleasure to work with because Oh mY gOd) I didn't really enjoy the scene. This has to do with the directing and not the acting or script, by the way.

I hate the shots. I just- I just hate the shots they use in this show, in general. Always. But this time it made me cringe in the worst moment because it's supposed to be a heartbreaking, captivating scene.

Diving the scene like the anime does is a beautiful thing to do, but the shots are just TOO. DAMN. CLOSE. So it doesn't look pleasant and it bothers me. Again, maybe I'm just picky.

Also, Luffy should've covered Nami's eyes with the straw hat. I know it seems like a dumb thing to say, but it's (in my opinion) one of the things that makes this scene so special and beautiful in canon. It's Luffy's way of telling her not to cry. He gives her his hat as a metaphor. Simbolism. A promise. Yadda, yadda, yadda. He gives her his most precious and important thing in the world as a way of welcoming her to the crew and showing that he trusts and loves her. As a way of saying "Here. Have this. I will help you and then I will come back for this later and you will be coming with me. You have to take care of it". He's literally referencing Shanks here, guys!!! He did the same with him!!! So it might seem stupid, but it wasn't hard to just use a shot to make it look like he had covered her eyes completely.

Leaving that aside, Emily's acting was outstanding and I can't wait to see her in Alabasta with Vivi because that's going to be insanely good for my soul.

Nami's flashback

I don't have much to say about it besides that the acting was awesome, the setting was really really gorgeous, and it's just how I imagined Nami's past would be portrayed. Lil Nojiko and Nami are extremely cute and talented and Bellemere was amazing.

However, I must say that I did find it weird how Nami is the one asking Arlong if she can work for him. Like I get that her plan was to buy the village back but, like- Just make Arlong interested in Nami first so that way she can come up with the plan and agree to his conditions.

Also, it doesn't make sense to use chains on Nami if she's willingly working for him and was the one to ask first. They treat her like a prisoner for no reason? To be honest they should've just changed that scene to the canon one to make Arlong force her to work with him.

Fights

I'm not an expert and despite being a fan of a lot of shonen animes, fighting isn't really my thing. I just sit there waiting until the actual plot starts again, not gonna lie.

But I must say that the Zosan argument about what Luffy needs (full of jealousy, by the way. Zoro, I know what you are!!) was pretty funny and Usopp was a delight to watch. The fight with Arlong happened a bit too fast in my opinion and they could've been way more creative with the choreography but, again, I'm no expert. I just know that the fight is like only the first 15 minutes and that's a big no-no when it comes to closing plots.

Once again, this is just a product of the overuse of the Marines and their screentime. They could've just changed the whole Garp plot and added more of Arlong Park (we will always miss you, Hachi. You deserved to be with us).

Post-Arlong Park

I don't have much to say about the party. Really cute. They're really sweet together and I enjoyed watching them acting like the family they are. Zoro and Sanji bickering is pure gold, Nami smiling as she looks around at her new life, and Luffy cheering Usopp up!!! That was the sweetest thing ever. I died. I loved every second of that scene because our sniper deserves all the love in the world.

Then Garp shows up and does the most unnecessary thing in the world. Which is fighting Luffy for no fucking reason and then walk away. Waste of time. Doesn't do anything to the plot. Incredibly boring, too. Hope they fix their dynamic and Garp's character (and the overuse of the Marine's screentime) next season. Although I won't complain if Smoker and Tashigi are on my screen 24/7 in s2 because I love them to death and Tashigi is my girlfriend (real).

Overall Opinion

I didn't hate Arlong Park, per se, but as a person who relates to Nami's character a lot (she's extremely important to me for a lot of reasons. I even have her tattoo!!) I can't help but feel a little disappointed at what her arc turned out to be.

That being said, I still enjoyed the last two episodes and I seriously think that the last scene (the crew talking about their dreams) is literally the best scene of all. In every way.

🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊

If you're reading this, I love you for being so interested in my opinion <3 I literally just write these to put my thoughts into words. It's really fun!! But I'm aware that it can be pretty long JKZDBDJKSDHJK (I could talk about this show for hours). Also, if there are any spelling or grammar mistakes, ignore them. I'm too lazy today to read all of this and fix them, ngl.

Tag: @leiatroublecat TikTok editing account where I post my OPLA edits: seraspring

#i swear to god i love opla #i just love complaining about the stuff i love #i have a lot of good and nice things to say about the live action but i prefer to focus my essays on what i would change #nami i love you you're just like me fr #she's our precious weather queen #emily rudd the actress that you are #one piece #opla #one piece live action #nami one piece #arlong park

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esther-dot · 4 months

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"A girl as grey as ash, and even as I watched she crumbled and blew away. —A Dance with Dragons, Melisandre I. What do you think crumbles and blew away signifies? Do you think it has any other meaning?

I can approach this from a few different directions. The most forceful idea is how Mel's visions are unreliable. She interprets them the only way she can in the moment, sometimes with the pressure of needing to deliver, but like ashes, they blow away on the wind. The idea that she's trying to grasp something that simply crumbles in her hand works as commentary on her impossible situation.

It's also an image that Martin likes, ashes in the wind, and he relates ashes to snowflakes on occasion, so it's apparently part of how analogizes disparate things:

When the wind blew from the south, the air smelled of smoke even here, three miles from the city. Behind its crumbling red brick walls, Astapor was still asmolder, though by now most of the great fires had burned out. Ashes floated lazy on the breeze like fat grey snowflakes. It would be good to go. (ADWD, The Windblown)

I didn't look into it, but it occurs to me, this feels like an acknowledgment of fate, the wind (life) pulling us in directions we have no control of, would never imagine. But really, what comes up the most in ADWD, is this connection between ash and snow:

The red priestess shuddered. Blood trickled down her thigh, black and smoking. The fire was inside her, an agony, an ecstasy, filling her, searing her, transforming her. Shimmers of heat traced patterns on her skin, insistent as a lover's hand. Strange voices called to her from days long past. "Melony," she heard a woman cry. A man's voice called, "Lot Seven." She was weeping, and her tears were flame. And still she drank it in. Snowflakes swirled from a dark sky and ashes rose to meet them, the grey and the white whirling around each other as flaming arrows arced above a wooden wall and dead things shambled silent through the cold, beneath a great grey cliff where fires burned inside a hundred caves. Then the wind rose and the white mist came sweeping in, impossibly cold, and one by one the fires went out. Afterward only the skulls remained. Death, thought Melisandre. The skulls are death. (ADWD, Melisandre I)

It is a little like a subset of the Ice and Fire/ contrast of extremes, but reading this, I think this time he likes the colors here, perhaps the significance is the Stark colors? Before I've read this passage as Jonsa reunion and the rise of House Stark foreshadowing. Snowflakes fall, the ashes rise sounds like:

The snow fell and the castle rose. (ASOS, Sansa VII)

And we sometimes read "the snow" as Jon, and in your quote, the girl (Sansa) is ash, so Jon (snowflakes) is assassinated -> Sansa (ashes) goes North -> reunion (snowflakes and ashes "meet"). The fact that they're surrounded by danger (flaming arrows) fits.

I suppose "she crumbled and blew away" could be about Sansa's identity being reclaimed (shedding the Alayne persona), rising like a phoenix from the ashes.

I looked around for some context for crumbling just to see how Martin uses it, and there was an interesting passage:

When Varamyr pushed at it, the snow crumbled and gave way, still soft and wet. Outside, the night was white as death; pale thin clouds danced attendance on a silver moon, while a thousand stars watched coldly. He could see the humped shapes of other huts buried beneath drifts of snow, and beyond them the pale shadow of a weirwood armored in ice. To the south and west the hills were a vast white wilderness where nothing moved except the blowing snow. "Thistle," Varamyr called feebly, wondering how far she could have gone. "Thistle. Woman. Where are you?" Far away, a wolf gave howl. (ADWD, Prologue)

Sansa has been compared to a weirwood before by fans, so I did think this was interesting, especially because this whole prologue seems to be giving us insight into warging to prep us for Jon being warged into Ghost time post assassination. I'm getting some vague Jon and Sansa without anything concrete, but this passage feels a little more direct:

It was warmer in the godswood, strange to say. Beyond its confines, a hard white frost gripped Winterfell. The paths were treacherous with black ice, and hoarfrost sparkled in the moonlight on the broken panes of the Glass Gardens. Drifts of dirty snow had piled up against the walls, filling every nook and corner. Some were so high they hid the doors behind them. Under the snow lay grey ash and cinders, and here and there a blackened beam or a pile of bones adorned with scraps of skin and hair. Icicles long as lances hung from the battlements and fringed the towers like an old man's stiff white whiskers. But inside the godswood, the ground remained unfrozen, and steam rose off the hot pools, as warm as baby's breath. The bride was garbed in white and grey, the colors the true Arya would have worn had she lived long enough to wed. Theon wore black and gold, his cloak pinned to his shoulder by a crude iron kraken that a smith in Barrowton had hammered together for him. But under the hood, his hair was white and thin, and his flesh had an old man's greyish undertone. A Stark at last, he thought. Arm in arm, the bride and he passed through an arched stone door, as wisps of fog stirred round their legs. The drum was as tremulous as a maiden's heart, the pipes high and sweet and beckoning. Up above the treetops, a crescent moon was floating in a dark sky, half-obscured by mist, like an eye peering through a veil of silk. (ADWD, The Prince of Winterfell)

Martin has contrasted Jon and Theon, we get a lot of Sansa and Jonsa in Theon's ADWD (which I've written about several times and can't find rn), so this feels like it could potentially be foreshadowing for Jon too, only, in Theon's story it's all tragedy and despair, for Jon, it could be actual acceptance and rising high.

This passage takes on very different meanings depending on which camp you're in. For some the idea is Jon accepting legitimacy -> KITN Jon -> marrying Sansa. For others it's rejecting legitimacy -> QITN Sansa -> Sansa marrying Jon...whichever way it goes, Jon in the godswood for a Stark girl marriage feels like it's on the horizon.

That's all I got!

#dot chat #the girl in grey #jonsa #asoiaf speculation

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craecm · 1 month

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y’know someone i love exploring?

abel.

in christianity and indeed, anyone intrigued with the ‘lore’ of the bible, there’s a high focus in the cain and abel story, on cain. and that’s totally understandable! a man full of guilt and jealousy, a murderer, and our ancestor. he deserves a lot of attention, he’s very fascinating.

i mean there’s so many mediums of art that have focused on this idea - of us originating from cain, a man who cursed and twisted his family line.

he’s a great point of discussion and interest, but so is abel.

the idea that i believe the bible is trying to build is that abel was an innocent man. just a younger brother who worked hard for god, and glorified him by offering all that he could. that he did not deserve, in any capacity, to die, and that was the horror of cain’s actions (bc we all know the bible does actually promote murder if the right circumstances are met).

but i’d like to introduce a different idea instead. the idea that abel knew cain was jealous, angry, less capable. that he fed off of doing better than him, being the golden child, and so on. that when god told cain to do better, abel felt cocky. it certainly changes how both cain and abel can be viewed.

viewing the murder as a true maddening moment from cain’s point of view, where he has no way to deal with this jealousy except through physical means, because he cannot deal with being toyed with anymore. and then, after it all, god calls once more for that brother, and cain is enraged. why is everything still about him?

then, abel being the worse of the two, but still cain is said to have doomed his lineage. how screwed could we have been if abel survived? would he have been blamed too? to what degree can god find fault in human nature?

though, i do certainly like the idea that perhaps abel simply did not understand how he was making his older brother feel. that he was only doing his job, that he trusted and even looked up to cain. perhaps he only truly wanted to impress cain, and god was in the middle of it all. and then to be murdered by him, after only being invited to take a walk? how terrified he must have been.

its also the fact that abel was a shepherd. he brought murder into the world, as a victim of such, and so the first murder foreshadowed the most important. jesus, as a shepherd also. the first sacrifice for the later sacrifice. but he was only a man, who had nothing but his mother and father, brother and sheep. that was all the world was then, and still he was not safe.

lastly, the fact that abel was replaced by seth.

not to say that the passing of a child disables someone from having another, but the wording gets me here. “in place of abel”. this idea that abel’s space is something that can be filled.

in essence, abel was born to work. he had a duty of it, seeing as his father had just recently been condemned to toil the soil to earn food, rather than have it readily available. in his oppressive job, he worked and gave everything he Could give to god. did he enjoy the glory? we do not know, but one of his own, one who was going through hardship just like him, murdered him for it. did it matter? no, not truly. another would take his place.

#yes this is why my oc is called abel #bible scripture #bible #religious deconstruction #religion critical #christianity #cain and abel #justice for abel frfr #professional yapper #religious imagery #arthur goes wild on the bible

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avelera · 9 months

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Hi there! Wow, Good Omens 2 was a ride. Do you have any thoughts about Aziraphale pulling out his halo? For such a tightly written season, it seemed to just sort of… happen, without any real significance other than to be the thing that called all the big players in Heaven and in Hell into the same room after the whole Thing with the demons. Do you think the Halo Fix (as I’m now calling it) is likely to be important at all in season 3?

*Sigh* Honestly, that beat was something of a bummer for me because it teased at the plotline that I found far more interesting, without actually fulfilling it.

Now, it could still happen in S3, so I don't want to entirely dismiss the possibility that I simply misjudged the pay-off for what I took as a bit of foreshadowing, but I was really expecting that halo toss to go in another direction as far as consequences go and I was very disappointed when it did not.

(Details below the cut)

See, I thought that Aziraphale was tearing off his own proverbial wings at that point. I thought Aziraphale was about to Fall.

My hope for the season was that it would end with Aziraphale and Crowley knowing they were in love, even sharing a kiss over it, but that the tragedy would come from them ending up on opposite sides at the same time.

I wanted Crowley, who so struggled with his faith in God, to finally find peace in some way, to see Aziraphale's argument, perhaps through their long association. To ascend back to being an angel perhaps as accidentally as he fell to become a demon.

I wanted Aziraphale, who we are shown over and over to be questioning God, to be treading the edge of the very same mistakes that led Crowley to Fall, to finally tilt over the edge irrevocably, accidentally, tragically because he just can't do it anymore, he just can't keep believing in the ineffable plan when he keeps seeing the wickedness of his fellow angels.

I wanted the proverbial "I sold the watch to buy the hair clip, I sold my hair to buy you a new watch band" moment, two ships passing in the night, a kiss that seals the fact that they both, finally, through their long association managed to get through to each other, that they both managed to convince the other of their argument, one to abandon Heaven, one to return to God, and for them to awaken to the cold, horrifying realization that they did too good of a job tempting/saving each other and now as a result, they can't be with one another and they're both on a side that is utterly alien, utterly foreign to them, utterly uncomfortable, because Aziraphale's sensibilities DON'T belong in Hell and Crowley's repelled by the angels in Heaven with their casual cruelty and willful blindness.

... So, long story short, I was super bummed when the halo toss didn't have anything to do with switching sides or Falling or Redemption. I don't understand why he didn't just summon his flaming sword if the plot point was just that using a Heavenly weapon would accidentally make this an official conflict. I didn't understand wtf was the point of Shax, then, if they could blunder into a fight with an angel wherein the angel couldn't use their official tools to fight back without starting a war? What was the point of that Shax plotline in that case? I mean, I found everything with Shax annoying and infuriating and dull, but it felt like that moment even undermined what little purpose and tension there was to that battle in the first place.

And not only that, whatever danger was raised was IMMEDIATELY dispatched by Crowley dispelling the whole situation and making it not a big deal, so... why? What was the purpose of it? Why not just have it be the flaming sword or something??

#good omens #good omens spoilers #spoilers

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variousqueerthings · 4 months

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I have watched the Christmas Special I am allowed back on the tumbls.

thoughts! nd a little feelings!

we're really starting in on the ideas of the season - magic and science as one, belief as a power, things somewhat to the left of conventional reality, tricksters (and eventually gods), and those are simply some of my favourite things!

on that note, the song that the doctor and ruby sing very similar to how donna beat that one part of the toymaker's maze

this may be the most of a musical episode we get, but I think we should still have a full one -- confirmed both ncuti and millie can sing so...

themes of family as not a biological decree, but as choice and luck and what you decide to call family

(how big is the ruby-is-susan's-child fan theory?)

I also note that introducing a companion with a mystery in this is different than back in m*ffat-era, when it was from the doctor's perspective of wanting to solve the companion, rather than be with the companion and have the companion involved in the mystery (companion as plot point rather than as character), whereas this time around it's ruby's mystery, and in fact the doctor stepped back from figuring it out which is... interesting

some things as foreshadowing: ruby's birth-mother as mystery, themes of family as mentioned - created, found, lost perhaps? - that tie ruby's past with the doctor as the timeless child possibly eventually in a very tangible way (susaaan), how easily one can change reality (mavity just came back, which feels like a small example of how easy it is, alongside the toymaker in the last episode, and the goblins going back in time and stealing ruby in this one), how different beings operate under different laws than ours...

ncuti is giving perfect doctor, as we knew, but I think it deserves to be said! also a tried and true doctor deflection moment of "I've got no one" and then Moving On -- because this episode (and I hazard a guess, season) is so family-focused, I assume there'll be a return to all of that. definitely giving benevolent trickster in a universe of malevolent trickster feel (right before he said that maybe he's the bad luck, I was saying that he's the good luck bringer, which was a fun coincidence...)

I like ruby. I think there's a lot of space to gauge still, as this episode did a lot to give us her background (and a bit of her personality, which is obviously very companion-type), but I'm not quite sure how much millie gibson sticks out to me on her own, especially opposite someone as Big as ncuti gatwa. I wasn't initially a fan of casting another young actor (and then I thought, oh she might be playing someone younger, like yasmin finney did, invoking characters like zoe or ace, but then they haven't done that either), so I'm still a bit on the fence in terms of how she's going to set herself apart from a majority of attractive young white women that play companions, apart from the backstory itself, because so far I'd say... kind of a shrug, yeah she's fine, but she's not super memorable. that being said this is early days -- her background is well-built, she's very much Of A New Generation, which I'm guessing is why they went with someone around this age and they've made sure to represent in various scenes, I like that she's Mancunian, I like the scenes between her and her family. so yeah, I like her, I think currently that she's sweet. also millie gibson has quite a bit of background considering how young she is, and specifically won awards for her work on coronation street, which, I always feel like rtd works well with bringing out the best kind of emotions from actors who've been on soaps, makes me hope for Bigger, which I think DW (and rtd) is good at getting from people

spire through the goblin king's stomach. brutal

on the flipside, the christmas-star death seemed a bit intense, so am glad the doctor saved davina mccall

oh yeah, and the neighbour woman... there was that too. mysteries

fun episode. I'm never expecting brilliance from a christmas special, just fun! and I had very good fun! and also mysteries...

#im watching nu!who #im watching gatwa who #the church on ruby road

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curiouscompanions · 2 months

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Entry #4

Seemingly, nothing foreshadowed trouble; the Narrator was again narrating the same Story, making absolutely inconspicuous changes every time Stanley deviated from the usual script and chose the right door. It seemed like all our algorithms were working in exactly the same chaotic order as always ...but still, something suddenly changed. And there he was, Stanley, passing by two doors and diving into that ventilation opening, and there it was, a completely new dark room leading somewhere entirely different. A place, that was, with all its plants and trees, and painfully synthetic sunlight, reminding of the Outside so much. And what happened next? Everything happened too fast, or maybe too slow for even me to gather the courage to grasp every detail... in short, I simply failed to catch the right moment to recognize differences between two similar yet entirely different updates of the Office. Not that I could have done anything about it, even if I had managed to notice these differences in time. Nevertheless, I would have preferred to be prepared for such an event, significantly in advance.

And hello again, Reader.

Where was I? Well, let me start from the beginning.

Big. Round. Glowing with awfully bright yellow light. That bloody Skip Button, I hate It.

Before It, I was perfectly fine existing like this, in this little room on the top floor and beyond, seemingly nowhere and everywhere. Observing our Narrator and Stanley. Sometimes—I would even say—quite often, it was fun ...right up until It appeared, that cursed yellow Button. I hate It. It won’t just ruin the Story entirely, oh no, it makes everything much worse— It skips It, It skips all of the Narrator's monologues, and It does it for Stanley only. Meanwhile, I had to listen to all his comments, from senseless time-killing ramblings to cries of breakdowns, which was quite soul wrecking to watch; I almost felt bad for him. To my great relief, it didn't take even half a millennium before some kind of system glitch occurred and the whole Office restarted. And it all started over and I could once again observe the same familiar decorations, the same familiar beige walls, the same plain carpet, I could hear the same Stanley’s footsteps and the same Narrator’s comments, yet once again could I regain that almost forgotten confidence that the end of this very Story would never ever be the end.

The Story ended on the day Stanley disappeared. To be more specific; the man simply fell off the map. I don't know how exactly he managed it, but he slipped right underneath the entire Office and escaped to Somewhere Else, likely to the Outside, if he is lucky. Well, okay. Fine. I know how he did it. Someone assisted him with this and that someone was none other than his former colleague, now turned into something entirely different, something covered in all possible bugs and glitches, yet still managing to use them to his own advantage. Is it just me, or does he now even have access to the Game’s Settings? Is that even possible? If only I could ask him a couple of questions... but unfortunately, reaching his level is near impossible for me.

So, Stanley escaped. The Narrator spent all his time trying to find him, and I just observed his futile attempts. It was boring, so terribly boring, that I decided to conduct my own investigation by peeking into every Ending and every corner of the Office. In essence, my searches differed little from the Narrator's attempts, except they happened much faster and didn't include dejected sighs or dramatic comments.

However, I also failed to spot Stanley, even when I managed to look under the Office. It seems he really managed to escape for real this time. Perhaps I should have been happy for him? Maybe... but without him, nothing happens at all, because the Narrator refuses to pick any other Stanley except the very first one.

If even the Protagonist himself managed to find a way out, does that mean I could too? Unfortunately, I can't just stop observing. I must continue to do my job. Someone has to keep making these entries.

So let me start from the beginning.

In a moment of eternity, I began to delve into the least played Endings. In one of them, I finally noticed her. My new yet so familiar subject of observations. A young woman who had stopped hurrying, knowing perfectly well that her interview would never happen. She just stood in the middle of fake street decorations and seemed to glance at the camera every now and then. The corners of her lips froze in a small smile. I wonder, could she even slightly grasp our current situation back then, or did her catatonic nearly comatose state completely shielded her mind from the horrors of endless existence? The woman didn't blink nor move; she just stood there, thin fingers clutching her bag, her hair neatly tied up in a ponytail. And as soon as I looked into her blue eyes, her name immediately surfaced in my mind: Mariella.

Mariella. Was that her real name? Probably not, but that was the only fragment of information I managed to retain at that moment and until now. And you know what? I'm losing myself every day; I haven't remembered my own name for a long time, but I know for sure that I won't let her share the same fate. I decided that I would never forget this name, Mariella. Because someone has to remember it if she forgets.

Mariella. When I look at her, it seems like she feels my gaze. Mariella. When I look at her, it seems like she is looking back. Mariella. When I try to say her name, it seems like she hears me.

Mariella. Were you here all this time, Mariella? How could I not notice you earlier, my dear Mariella? How could I not know that you are here, so close and yet so far, standing on this fake street, on this fake gray sidewalk?

Mariella. Please blink for me at least once.

End of Entry #4

#drabble #corrupted entries

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