#so the storyteller can turn around and ask 'hey wasn't that fucked up?' 'wasn't that way too fucking easy?'
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the whole 'are video games art' debate is so unbelievably stupid
like there's no one who would seriously argue that joseph conrad's heart of darkness isn't art. a lot of people would argue that it's great art.
and then the vast majority of people would agree that the film apocolypse now, based on heart of darkness, is art. and those people who agree it's art probably mostly think it's great art.
and then you get to spec ops: the line, a video game based on heart of darkness, and suddenly we have to have a debate about what even constitutes art in the first place, and whether having mass appeal devalues the concept of art, and whether having the viewer interact with the art somehow stops it from being art, like viewer interaction isn't the basis of most performance and instilation art in museums, and it's all so fucking stupid
we found a way to tell stories and ask philosophical questions that forces the viewer to be an interactive part of the storytelling medium without the creator having to give up control of the story itself, a fact that opens up whole new and fascinating avenues of storytelling that have never existed before in human history, and there are people trying to claim the stories told in this medium are not art.
#are video games art#gaming#art#art history#spec ops#spec ops is not perfect#but the fact that the modern shooter genre contains this vicious attack on US imperialism is fascinating#and worth celebrating#in no other storytelling medium could the viewer be the one to chose to commit war crimes#so the storyteller can turn around and ask 'hey wasn't that fucked up?' 'wasn't that way too fucking easy?'#'think about how you feel right now and then think about the fact that the US government did the exact same thing'#and even if spec ops doesn't get it right#the fact that a medium exists where we can try is powerful!
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The scene when Clive took Jill's powers came across kinda funny to me, it was like she was putting the idea out there for discussion and then Clive was already sucking the Eikon juices out of her before the words "are you sure?" had finished leaving his mouth. Like chill bro, maybe let her confirm it first.
It wasn't about taking her Eikon; it was about having and seizing the opportunity to be bonded as one with Jill. The entire scene was a metaphor for sex (which is stupid because they actually have sex for real after it's over, but I guess the devs wanted it to be as clear as possible without having to actually render and animate Clive pounding into her), which is why he's both overeager about getting started and also why he asks for consent several different times.
He did the metaphorical equivalent of pressing the tip of his cock against her hole and then stopping and going "wait, I want you to be absolutely sure, before I do this."
That's why Joshua is so fucking pissed off when Clive tells him that he took Jill's Eikon -- why he insisted that Jill didn't "really" consent; she just didn't say no. We, as the audience, know that that's not true and she actually truly did give her consent (it was her idea in the first place), but the whole thing is so sensitive and personal and intimate that Joshua has every reason to think that Clive actually took advantage of Jill. ("You knew damn well she'd never refuse you!")
He knew how much Clive wanted her -- has always wanted her -- and the idea behind the conversation is that Joshua's screaming at Clive for using "hey I might die" as an excuse to manipulate his way between her legs -- to use her instead of letting the relationship progress naturally with the two of them continuing to stand as equals. He's basically accusing him of pumping & dumping her.
It was such a weird decision on the part of the writers to frame it this way, though, because like...
Clive doesn't actually enjoy taking people's Eikon powers from them; it's not like he gets off on it normally. He actually resists it every single time it happens -- and, in Odin and Phoenix's cases, actively tries to fight against it and begs for it to stop. It's both physically painful and intrusive for him, and it alters and takes away something from both parties that can't be undone or given back (or, at least, that's what the game wants us to believe, until the end of the game happens and Jill still retains all of her ice powers and Dion can just control Bahamut again and w/e it's fine shut up plot and gameplay contrivances are happening).
This scene also happens right after Barnabas tells Clive that his purpose in life is to feed, and, the more that he does it, the more that he'll want to do it. So, it almost comes off as Clive hearing that and then turning around and going "you know what, he's right. Hey Jill--" before going right back to not wanting it/resisting it immediately after.
But FFXVI has a lot of problems with its storytelling like this, where the game sets something up and then it goes nowhere and is completely forgotten about and never mentioned again, so I mean.
You know, whatever.
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Hey S.T changing it up tonight. How about some questions instead (while I think of a new prompt)
1) Top 6 Favorite Wrestlers
2) Top 6 Hated/Dislike Wrestlers
3) When did you start watching wrestling?
4) What promotions do you watch?
5) First wrestling match you remember watching
6) Ever been to any wrestling shows/events?
7) Favorite Wrestling Story Line
8) Least Favorite Wrestling Story Line
9) 1st fanfiction you ever wrote
10) What do you love most about wrestling?
I can’t wait to read your answers 💜💚
Sorry in advance, I got a little carried away. So you don't have to read through all my rambling if you don't want to. These were fun questions, though, thanks for asking!
1) Top 6 Favorite Wrestlers
I feel like I need to give some background information, so prepare for a long answer to this.
1. Cash Wheeler/ FTR: Who would've guessed, huh? Cash's my favorite, across all categories. Honestly, he is criminally underrated. Have you seen him in the ring? He is ridiculously fast! And very precise! I love that when Dax is in the ring, he moves around like a hunter circling his prey. Everything seems very calculated, very planned. I like that. What I enjoy even more though, is when he tags in Cash and the whole pace changes. He's like a pitbull off the fucking leash. I genuinely feel like ya'll are sleeping on the man.
And FTR made me fall in love with wrestling again, with a style of wrestling I hadn't appreciated before. They always say they have no fancy moves, and it might be true, but their storytelling in the ring is unmatched for me.
On a very personal note, I have to thank these two little shitheads because they have helped me conquer my depression to some degree. For years, I have been struggling, losing all interest in things I've usually enjoyed, like drawing, writing/reading, and generally being creative. I just went to work, then went home and stayed in bed for the rest of the day/night.
It's funny to me that two guys who don't even know that I exist have helped me through some of the darkest times of my life and brought some joy back. I owe them more than I could ever tell. (And yes, I shed a tear while I wrote this). So if any of you ever says something negative about these two, go kindly fuck yourself.
[From here on, answers will get shorter]
2. Kenny Omega: God, I just love this man. I can't really describe what it is, but there is something poetic in the way he moves. There's just a certain grace about him that demands my attention when he's in the ring. Plus I love his geeky side. We actually have the same taste when it comes to Anime, so I like him even more.
3. Christian Cage: In my early teens, 20 years ago, I had a major crush on Christian. Over the years, the crush turned into general admiration, and he still brings a smile to my face everytime I see him. I've always enjoyed his work as a heel, and can't wait for him to turn again.
4. MJF: Maxwell is a star in the making. I mean, he already is one, but imagine him in 10 years. It's gonna be magical. His dedication to his in-ring persona is unmatched and he can turn shit to gold. Personally, I thought the whole campaign against Mox was a stupid storyline, but I enjoyed it because it was MJF. That's how good he is.
5. Scott Hall: I always say he was my first wrestling crush, but he wasn't really. I was 6 years old, he was like 30 years older, I certainly didn't crush on him. My brother owned an original Game Boy and had this WWF game called either RAW or Kind of the Ring. When he didn't play, I'd always snatch the Game Boy and played. And I always played as Razor Ramon. Later, when I saw him on TV, I immediately knew this was my guy. God, he was soooooo cool.
6. CM Punk: I loved him in WWE. The Pipe bomb will always be one of the best wrestling moments I have ever witnessed. And Punk is the reason, I started watching AEW. My brother tried to talk me into it for quite some time, but I always turned him down saying I was done with wrestling. Then, last year, he tried one last time and told me Punk would come back. I couldn't say no to that, and when he really walked out, I smiled like an idiot at the TV. Then, the start was a bit rough, because he didn't feel like 'My Punk' in the beginning, but I love his recent work.
2) Top 6 Hated/Disliked Wrestlers
1. Shawn Michaels: Hear me out, I don't hate the man because Dax hates him. I've hated Michaels way before I knew Dax existed. I just never liked him. Plus, the Sweet Chin Music is the worst finisher of all time. Yes, I know wrestling is fake, but don't make it that obvious. You really want to make me believe that your opponent is so beat down that he doesn't hear you stomp your goddamn foot 3293 times for 10 minutes straight?! Like he doesn't have a clue what might happen next?! It's a goddamn kick that happens many times in a match, but because you stomped like a little toddler whose mama didn't buy him candy, it'll end a match? Yeah, right.
2. Darby Allin: Hate is a strong word, but I just don't get him. When I started watching, I thought I'd love this guy because aesthetically, his style is my cup of tea. He was a let-down for me though. Plus, I hate the Coffin Drop as finisher.
3. Hulk Hogan: Just a douche in general.
4. Sammy Guevara: I don't dislike him, I am just very indifferent to him. Which I don't understand myself, his matches are good. I just can't warm up to him.
5. Charlotte Flair: same as Sammy.
6. Kelly Kelly: I am talking about young Kelly Kelly that got handed everything on a silver plate while not being all that good. I have no idea what she is doing now, and I honestly don't care.
3) When did you start watching wrestling?
As with a lot of things I have come to love, it was actually my older brother introducing me. I might have been 5 when I really started to get interested in the whole idea of wrestling, then it was part of my life until my mid-twenties when I stopped watching altogether. It was just recently that I started watching AEW (watched all the older Dynamite episode later) and fell in love with it again.
4) What promotions do you watch?
Right now, it's just AEW. I have fallen out of love with WWE years ago. When there was a way to watch here in Germany, I enjoyed Lucha Underground, TNA for some time, and I loved WCW back in the day.
5) First wrestling match you remember watching
Undertaker vs Undertaker, Summerslam 94. Because my brother loved The Undertaker, and he watched that match about 2374375 times.
6) Ever been to any wrestling shows/events?
I have been to two WWE shows here in Germany, maybe in 2004, 2005? And there also was a TNA Show close to where I live. But other than that, sadly no. I have made my peace with the fact that I will (most likely) NEVER see FTR live (just typing it actually breaks my heart)
7) Favorite Wrestling Story Line
Hmmm, honestly, about anything that includes CM Punk or MJF. I am a sucker for good promos, and these two ALWAYS deliver. So I am going with their feud against each other. MJF is just killing it, and I love how he blurrs the links between show and reality.
8) Least Favorite Wrestling Story Line
This was a tough one. And then I remembered it: There was this absolute shitty storyline with Kane and Lita...where he forced her into marriage? Then, at some point, she was okay with it...then 'pregnant' and then lost the kid? That was the most fucked up shit I have ever seen happening in a wrestling ring.
9) 1st fanfiction you ever wrote
In general, a one shot for the Anime 'Bleach'. In my high school years. I'm pretty sure it sucked.
Wrestling wise? The Cash Wheeler one shot 'Weirdo' that I wrote in March this year.
I actually didn't write a whole lot when I was younger, because I never got any feedback on it and thought no one liked it.
So I am more than happy to get some opinions here on tumblr. Although, in my adult mind, I probably would write some of it anyway. Like I would write Meant To Be, even if no one read it. I'd just do it for myself.
10) What do you love most about wrestling?
To me, wrestling is like dancing combined with drama class. There are (at least) two bodies moving together in order to tell you a story. In between, someone holds a monologue, explaining his intentions, thoughts, goals. More dancing. Dialogue. More violent dancing.
Honestly, I can't explain it. It's just, if it's good wrestling, it makes you feel. This year, I have seen the best match I'll probably ever witness. FTR vs Briscoes. Never ever have I felt a match like I felt this one. The four men had me wrapped around their fingers. I rewatched it every day for 4 weeks and was still amazed by it. It's a feeling I can't explain, and it's what I like most about wrestling.
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