#so yeah i dont think that bi-han. this is more likely to be kuai. BUT i dont think thats kuai either | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

atlasofthestaars · 7 months

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i love love love this timeline's raiden i want to hold him in my hands like 🤲 and the little moment reader and him have at the end of chapter 4 was so cute oh my word 😭😭😭 "Yes please!" DO YOU HEAR ME CRYING 😭😭😭😭 ++ a question if you dont mind!! which of the characters (either ones you have written already or havent yet) would you say was the hardest to get a grasp on, personality wise? i deeply admire your dedication to writing a series following the story mode!

Same! I've always been a fan of Raiden, but this variation of Raiden has a VERY special place in my heart. I'm glad you enjoyed that part! I wanted to end it on a cute and light note :D

Hopefully within the next few chapters I can continue to provide more of those cute moments!

Oh and for your question, you gave me an opportunity to rant on characters for my FAVORITE series, so I will take this opportunity.

Also! I finally figured out how to put the keep reading link, so hopefully now I can prevent my page from being such a scroll LMAO

I have a lot of different reasons and feelings why the characters I find "difficult" are difficult, so I'll be splitting them into tiers/groups so you can kinda get a grasp on my mindset, tiers are ordered from "easy hard" to "hardest"

Also I'm JUST talking about MK1 characters in this post.

VILLAINS

On the BASE level I think the villains are actually pretty easy to write for. Aside from Shang Tsung and Rain who I am NOT including in this tier, I find that most of the villains are kindaaa one note. General Shao seeks power and seeks to elevate his position (actually, on second thought this isn't the BEST way to describe him, but I feel like I can write dialogue for him no issue), Bi-Han wants power and is kind of an asshole (sorry! but it's a good way to describe how he talks towards others) Quan-Chi, etc. etc. they all kinda fall under the "want one thing and are willing to do anything to get it with varying degrees of assholishness. And then there's Reiko who feels like the slight exception to that rule but his gimmick is General Shao and fighting. So why do I have a tier for them for hard to grasp personalities?

It's trying to figure out how to flesh out these characters without making them too far off from their original characters. It's not TOO hard, but I do think a lot on how to add depth in a believable way.

I'M IN JUST MY HEAD

This tier is like, I understand them, but I feel like I ALWAYS need to double check with their intros to make sure that I am getting them right, and when I do I just find oh. Nevermind I'm right.

Scorpion - I do NOT know why I struggle with Kuai Liang in this timeline, but I do! I just think for some reason I write him weird or don't quite understand how to write him, but every time I double check I'm like, yeah no that works.

Johnny Cage - He confuses me for NO reason at all, and I think it's because of how in every game his attitude is SLIGHTLY different every time in storymode/intros. In MK9 he's full comedic relief. In MKX/11 they tone him down a bit, but in 11 his younger self is more akin to his 9 self. I would say 1 is a good balance of comedy and and seriousness, but I always want to make sure I'm striking that balance.

Kung Lao - I don't know WHY I doubt myself so much on him. He is legitimately my favorite character, and that's probably it. I trust that I know him, but I worry that I might flanderize him despite how much I adore him. I think this is just me putting a lot of pressure on myself to get him so right so I can show you all why I personally love him.

NOT A LOT OF EXPERIENCE

While I've finished the MK1 story and watched a lot of intros, I've not dedicated a lot of time to these characters and looking too much into them.

Tanya - I like her! I just haven't gotten around to looking too much into her. I get the basics of her character, but I don't quite get the nuance of her yet. She also mostly sticks around the princesses in story mode too so her personality doesn't get to shine too much there either.

Havik - I haven't looked too much on him, and it doesn't help that the story mode doesn't do much with him (probably due to the credits scene), so I don't really know much! I know about his whole archanist schtick for the freedom of his people, his self heal, etc. but I don't really know much about him outside of that.

Sindel - I like her as well, it's just that she keeps on changing in every iteration so this has me all jumbled up. I know she's a strong, firm leader who cares about her daughters and isn't afraid to do what she must for her people, but I don't really know why I don't feel confident. I feel like I don't quite understand all of her motivations as deeply as I should to call myself "confident", and I don't have a clear grasp on how she would treat those she isn't too familiar with but cordial with vs those she knows better, and even though that may not seem too important, it is to me since I don't know how to quite write a proper interaction between her and the reader yet.

VILLAINS PART TWO

Here I place the more complex villains.

Shang Tsung - He's sly, sneaky, cunning, etc. But he's a bit more than that I feel. He looks out mostly for himself and tries to gain power by putting others down, and I feel like despite me dabbling in villain characters, I'm a bit afraid that I won't know how to write the nuances that make his character more than just a simple snake and into an iconic character.

Rain - Okay. Lowkey I did NOT care for Rain before until this game. I didn't care for the descendant of Argus schtick before, so having him in this game as an ambitious mage with a character arc that goes from greeding for unlocking more of his power to a man who regrets those he hurts really interested me. I just wish that WHOLE arc was in the story mode and that most of that story wasn't locked behind his story. So the issue with him is that I feel like he never got much time in the story to show how he acts before he was revealed as a character, he was kinda just there. And we don't really get to know how he acts before because I feel like a good chunk of his intros talk about the aftermath of his crimes and how he feels afterwards. So basically, I know how to write him after the tragedy, but not clear on how to flesh his arc out since he was sidelined so much.

COMPLEX TO ME

I just feel like these characters always make me question if I'm writing them right, both in actions and in dialogue

Kenshi - Everytime I think of him his MKX variation pops up instead. I know he's more of a serious character in 1, but I know there's definitely more there. I just feel like I always need to refer to all the material I can for Kenshi because I get SO worried that I'll butcher him badly and I do NOT want that because I think he's a cool character. He's a character I struggle to write for at the moment, and I hope to improve on that.

Reptile - I feel like most times people brush him off as just a "good man" but I feel like there's more to him than that? And I cannot describe him well. I know he's a good guy at heart but that's all I feel like I can describe him as despite watching a good chunk of his intros. I don't know, I feel like I'm just ALSO worried about butchering him.

HARDEST

Smoke.

THIS MAN. Okay, so I feel like he is the one I fear flanderizing the MOST. I feel like I already wrote him kinda off character in the two lines I wrote for him. I feel like a lot of people simply write him off as a golden retriever, which I personally disagree with. BUT, I can see why people misinterpret this. I only get that vibe when he's with Johnny Cage since he seems to really look up and almost idolize the dude due to his acting career. Aside from that, I think he's a more down to earth person who is really respectful. He's a bit more lighthearted and can be an optimist at times, and even has a more playful and I feel like people take this aspect way too far. I don't think it's helped by the fact that he is contrasted by more edgier and serious characters like Bi-Han and Kuai Liang. I could go on and on about Smoke, but yeah. I think I understand him and can put him into words, but I feel like putting all those concepts into paper is just...a struggle for me.

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arttrampbelle · 1 year

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Ok mini vent. I think most people can agree. Regardless of who your fave or main is.

But especially if you're old school fans like me. But hey even if you are new,some people who dont know know it doesn't feel right either. And that should be a clue as to why kung laos new characterization is bullshit.

The biggest crime NRS,boon,and game devs for 9,10,and 11 but especially 11,did was to make kung lao a mockery of what he is supposed to be,used to be,and actually is.

Arrogant my asscrack! He never was! His pride comes from his pride of being a warrior and his culture. His anger? Comes from his family being fucked over and his ancestor being killed (maybe wrongly im not sure dont quote me) like hanzo and sonya (maybe kuai or bi han) gets a revenge arch and nobody talks shit. But lao does it and suddenly its a problem ?! Like foh! Kung lao legit kicked quan chi and shang tsungs asses for killing off liu kang his oldest friend and brother. His shaolin bromie. Like ffs people. This man legit left the order to go fist fight these two bastards. (Whom i think is also awesome dont get it twisted. I love the bad guys too but narratively,yeah they deserved it). Like kung lao all he wanted to do was avenge his ancestors wrong death. Like fr. Thats it. Sure you could add struggles,pain,maybe jealousy,but dont be a douchenoodle obnoxious about it. And thats the problem. In mk11 they are caricatures of what their characters are supposed to be. 30yrs down the toilet for commercializing mk for people to "easily digest" but oh because it still has blood n gore they look past the bad writing?!

Like other gripes aside. Kung lao and liu kangs trashing of their characters burns me the most. Like no offense to people but this shit was my childhood,these two were like friends to me (abit i might have crushed haaaard of kung lao i wholeheartedly admit no shame there. But that aside) so for them to be treated in canon like they're doing. Is just disrespectful. It's like someone trashing your friend. It hurts. But also its just wrong. Period.

No i will forever be salty how they did him so wrong and continue to do him wrong.

Kung lao deserves better. (They all do even liu kang which also pisses me off because lao and him are equals and are supposed to be equals but these dumbass writers and some people think liu is goku for some damn reason and it mocks what liu is supposed to be. Firey but humble. Lao is supposed to be the level headed,chill humble one. And also more deadlier than liu but he holds back on purpose. Liu had to work for that humbling,and he did. Both are bros and friends and y'all treat them like dirt and pit them against each other for no reason. And it pisses me off. But that's besides the point)

Lao is best boy. And i will die on that hill.

#mk discourse #vent #kung lao mortal kombat #kung lao #he deserves better #fr #justice for kung lao!#mortal kombat

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scalproie · 8 months

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"Why are you mad? Bi-han was always evil"

I think what I'm mad about is the removal of underlying tragedy in his story in mk12. Yes, bi-han was, is, and will always be a villain/an antagonist/the "bad" sub zero to counterpart kuai liang's "good" sub zero/scorpion's tormentor in one way or another/"evil" BUT. previously there was nuance that is missing in his mk12 storyline. Its not a good or bad thing per say, I just lament that bc of that, people wont know even less of that nuance.

In previous timelines, bi-han was what the lin kuei was, he wasnt "evil" on his own, he was just the perfect representation of what his clan was because he was shaped by it. His own ambition wasnt really adressed, if he even had any. He was just a cold professional.

Its even more supported in mk: mythologies, the events happen because he has a job to do, not because he wants to. And when things go south he actually goes and fix his mistakes. He also both kills (hanzo) and spares (sareena) people in this game.

It's also now that I realize BOTH sub zero brothers dont really... start stuff. Things happen to them and they react to it but big events dont really happen because of their actions. They're both pretty passive. (and yes even killing scorpion. It happens bc of the clan rivalry. Not really bc bi-han has personal beef with hanzo)

It's when he's killed and become noob saibot that he becomes fully evil thanks to the corruption of his soul, and the focus on his own ambition is then pushed forward. But that's not an accurate representation of who bi-han was. Here's some confirmation from mk:deception

anyway long story short, in the previous timelines:

Bi-han (alive): neutral

Noob saibot: evil

And outside of mythologies, we have seen very little of neutral bi-han

Now in mk12: bi-han's ambition is THE FIRST THING about his character, its his drive. The lin kuei is also no longer smth he is appart of, HE IS the lin kuei, where he goes the lin kuei follows, and not because of his skills (and that wasnt smth ever implied in mk12) but by birthright, so his path to """evil""" is his own path and not something he was forced into. So in other words, its his own choice, there's not something inherently tragic about his situation from lack of agency like it was before.

And it's not inherently a bad thing like. It works in the story. It's okay if this bi-han is """"""evil"""""" from day 1. Bi-han has to be an antagonistic force (but when put in comparaison to other characters like mileena who's a protagonist and whose defining rivalry with kitana has been erased its mmmmmmh kinda unfair. But im not here for that. Thats my own bias). Before in previous timelines he was part of a small, unrelated to everything else (for the most part) sidestory, he was legit just a guy, but now he is part of a larger interconnected one and we NEED antagonists.

But yeah it's like. Despiste being originally a neutral-aligned character, my man gets an awful rep where this part of him is either unknown or ignored and he gets branded evil without knowing fully why. Plus we havent seen much of "neutral" alive bi-han at all and his relationship with his brother has still never been explored as of late. And now mk12 is going to make it even harder to convince people that bi-han is, while not GOOD or misunderstood or smth like that, not ENTIRELY BAD. He was a victim of circumstances. but now he is the circumstance.

#not my best essay but whatev just take it #tagging later #mortal kombat #sub zero #noob saibot

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atlasofthestaars · 7 months

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oooh i loved the new chapter! the way you've written the fight scene is so impressive! very rarely do i find myself engaged when reading fight scenes, but you nailed this one! i love seeing reader's ability in action!! and im such a sucker for the 'pinned the other down post-fight' thing, god the tension between those two </3 and the patching him up when hes injured aaaa reader and bi han are just the sunshine + grumpy trope oh my god 😭 kuai liang's concern for bi han is endearing, he really just cares for him a lot :(( (+the implication that bi han has a soft spot for reader im going to die 😭😭😭😭) i wonder what route you'll take with them in the future, especially now with reader's involvement! their whole dynamic with reader is honestly one of my favourites atm <3

MADAM BO !!! what a woman shes just an icon, shes the wisest 🙇 and her special tea being super strong alcohol 💀 johnny cage therapy session turned gossip column 🙏 i like that you've brought up his divorce, since in the game they dont really tell us much, especially how it affects him considering it was pretty fresh when it all happened. glad to know the reader is there for him on that front!

keep it up! & i hope you're doing well! — ☄️

I'm glad you enjoyed it <3! Thank you! I don't often write fight scenes, but when I do I try to make them interesting haha ^^ I actually was googling all over the place trying to think of interesting animals to use for the reader! I'm a sucker for that trope too, which was a big motivation for me writing that whole fight scene in the first place HAHA I almost didn't put that patching up scene purely because I've been doing that trope recently (ex: Liu Kang last chapter) and I was worried it would stale BUT I kept it in because I've already established since like, chapter 2 that the reader patching up Bi-Han is their thing so I thought it'd be weird for the reader to not tend to his wounds. I've never viewed them as that trope, but I can totally see it! Yeah I wanted to write Kuai Liang worried over his brother because in the intros he mentions they had a bond but I felt like we never got to really see it in the story? So I wanted to add it in myself HAHA especially since Kuai Liang's ending in Mk11 focused on saving Bi-Han from corruption in the first place. Bi-Han definitely has a soft spot, even if he would not outright admit it (for now?) It'll be interesting to see what everyone will think when I progress through the plans I have involving Bi-Han! I have a very strong idea of what the future dynamic between him and the reader will be like, as well as Bi-Han's plot in general 👀 I'm glad to hear you're so invested!

I love Madam Bo!! Madam Bo kameo when?? Or even her as a main fighter?? Haha She is definitely one of my favorites, and I had to implement her a bit in my story! Yeah I took inspiration from Bo Rai' Cho for that, though I do know in game they mention it is more like ?? Drugs?? They're kinda vague with what her special tea does but it messes people up that's for sure ☠ Yeah the divorce scene was one of the first ideas I had for this fic and something I've been planning on writing! I always wanted to go into depth on what I felt like was something that was kinda glossed over in the story. Originally the reader was supposed to just stumble upon Johnny brooding outside over his ex, but I figured it made more sense with how the reader ended up being like for the reader to initiate a conversation about it. I also wanted to do it because I felt like this conversation was a bit of a turning point for the reader and Johnny, so yeah!

Thank you for your comments as usual ☄ anon! <3 I'm doing well, hope you all are too!

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