#villain centric novel
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Spirit of Light (and nothing). Antagonist-protagonists of a novel I am currently working on, which I refer to as my "villain-centric novel". Procreate drawing.
#artists on tumblr#original characters#ocs#oc artwork#nature spirits#villains#original art#oc art#fantasy character#fantasy art#villain centric novel
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This is a long post!!
Okay, so I’m spitballing here because I just had this idea hit me like a truck so things might be a little incoherent. Anyways, what if Dorian and Basil switch roles? Not personality mind you, just the portrait was never enchanted/cursed/etc, and somehow Basil becomes more susceptible to an amoral attitude?
Here’s the thing, I don’t think Basil would abandon all morals in the same way Dorian did. He’s older and wiser than Dorian, it seems unlikely that he’d change because of the fear of getting older/uglier. For the most part we don’t have a whole lot to work with since all of Basil after the first chapter is only seen with reference to Dorian, so there isn’t (as far as I know) a lot to work with there. So I propose desperation being what leads to Basil’s accidental soul selling.
So the rough idea that came with goes as follows: Somehow, Basil becomes destitute/generally disliked in the public (perhaps believable rumors regarding “unseemly behavior” or something along the lines). Regardless, Basil is struggling.
I like to think that Dorian and Henry would try to help him, but Basil being Basil would probably decline, not wanting to damage their reputations.
In this AU, Dorian becomes a composer and full-time pianist, at the beginning, he probably leaves for a tour in France or something. Before he leaves he makes a song for Basil and has it put into a music box as a gift. This would be the portrait equivalent for Basil.
After being gifted the box, he probably makes some wish along similar lines to Dorian’s in the original, albeit without the being young and beautiful forever part.
I don’t think Henry would be the one to lead Basil astray. Despite my personal hatred of the man, I can recognize that he either a) cares enough (which isn’t very much) not to actively terrorize Basil or b) finds Basil to be too boring.
Additionally with the switch from Dorian to Basil being corrupted, I think the story would move away from more carnal sins and emphasize more capitalist ones. (Maybe Basil’s paintings suck the life out of their sitters and when he finds out he choose monetary security over them, maybe he begins painting the aristocracy more embarrassing/hedonistic and because of his wish the paintings look so lifelike people mistake them for photos and he just never clears that up) The main sin of Basil’s is his profit over the suffering of others. So there would be a villainous capitalist leading Basil down the same road.
Anyways I think this all culminates to Dorian returning from France and finding a very different Basil. He’d probably confront him and then Basil would accidentally kill him. His capitalist bud would get rid of the body maybe frame Henry for it, or something equally nefarious, effectively killing off the last remnants of the Basil Hallward from the beginning/book. If I ever write a fic for this, I think I’ll leave the ending ambiguous, mainly because I don’t know what would be a fitting end, lol. Maybe Basil just dies like Dorian does.
If you took your time to read this, thank you so much and I hope you enjoyed. Please let me know what you think and if you have any ideas for this, please share I’d love to hear them!
EDIT: i have now written a fic
#the picture of dorian gray#tpodg#fanfic#i think#alternate universe#basil hallward#lord henry wotton#dorian gray#role swap au#long post#the real villain is capitalism lol#this is very basil centric#and mostly written because my boy was done dirty in the original novel
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i had a pretty transformers centric dream and the highlight was not singlehandedly saving them from a terrible villain, but having a first edition earthspark novel in my hands that canonized optimus fucking megatron (op topped) and then getting megatron pregnant. to which megatron had self applied a plan b pill but i was like YOOOO THEY CANONICALLY FUCKED
and then hasbro realized their mistake ("mistake") and removed it but IIIII SAW IT ALREADY 🫵
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It bothers me so much that the only transfem rep in mtg cards is this like. Soldier military woman, like 'ooh look at this guy's we made a trans woman who's a part of a war machine' fantastic thank you magic very original
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Okay.
First of all, there is no "our" interpretation of the text. My thoughts are my own, and your thoughts are your own. Some of our thoughts might align, but I will not allow you to speak for me.
Second, I am sorry you feel so disappointed in the current state of transgender representation in Magic. I understand your concerns and I think they're valid concerns.
Third, your concerns being valid does not mean I agree with what you have to say, though. Don't come into my inbox complaining unless you're ready for me to honestly respond. Respectfully, your approach to these concerns makes it clear to me that you don't actually understand what you're talking about.
It's apparent that you follow me or have at least seen many of my posts. You appear to respect my opinions / analysis (at least regarding Jace and Tezzeret). So listen to me when I say this:
What constitutes 'good' representation is context-dependent, and it's not something you alone get to decide.
Yes, Alesha is a "soldier military woman", as you said. I understand that you have this complaint because you believe this makes Alesha an example of the stereotype that trans women are violent. But context matters. What you're failing to consider is the fact that she comes from the Mardu Horde, a faction on Tarkir inspired by the Mongol hordes of real-world history. In this context, Alesha isn't presented as violent because she's a trans woman. She's violent because she literally comes from a warrior clan based on one of the greatest military forces in human history. And honestly, with Magic being a combat-centric game, she's not any more violent than any non-Mardu Legends, either.
Do you seriously think a story about a trans woman fighting to proudly declare her trans identity in her culture and later becoming the accomplished and well-respected leader of her clan is bad representation? Does the fact that she's a warrior really outweigh the rest of the lovingly crafted trans narrative they created for her, to you?
It's fine if you feel that way. You don't have to like Alesha or her story. But just because something wasn't made for your taste doesn't mean it's bad writing / bad representation.
Anyway, I highly recommend you read Alesha's story, "The Truth of Names", since it seems like you haven't read it yet. It's a fantastic story-- the most beloved short story in all of Magic, actually. It was the most-read article on the entire Magic website for like 5 years, according to WOTC.
And if you're interested in learning more about transfem characters in Magic who aren't Alesha, I recommend you read about Xantcha, who first appears in the novel "Planeswalker".
Next, I need to make things clear about Ashiok.
Ashiok was never intended to be nonbinary representation. Ashiok was created to be a mysterious, unknowable villain. What makes Ashiok special is that we are not mean to know anything about Ashiok. We do not know Ashiok's species or plane of origin, for example. Another part of that element of mystery is not knowing Ashiok's gender, or how Ashiok identifies. Ashiok's original style guide from Theros explicitly instructs people to not use any pronouns for Ashiok at all (which I still follow because old habits are hard to break.) Official Magic sources did not begin to use they/them pronouns for Ashiok until 2022, in the story "A Garden of Flesh" (another excellent story, BTW.) And they only started using they/them for Ashiok because it is really hard to write a story where the character is mentioned that many times without pronouns.
All this to say: Ashiok as intentional nonbinary representation is certainly not the narrative WOTC is pushing.
Yes, there are many fans of Ashiok who interpret Ashiok as nonbinary, but those are their thoughts and you need not concern yourself with that, if it bothers you so.
As for Niko, it's weird that you say they're "non-existent" in Magic story when 2 of the 5 side stories ("Know Which Way the Wind is Blowing" and "Aim Through the Target") in their debut set Kaldheim were entirely focused on Niko. They're also a starring main character in 15 of the 25 issues of the BOOM! Studios Magic comics.
I'm glad you like my analysis of Jace and Tezzeret as transgender characters. Thank you for that, genuinely. But I want you to understand that the reason I have these interpretations is because I love Magic Story. And more importantly, I actually read it. I love Magic Story, and I have so much respect for the Magic Narrative team and the work they do.
What most people don't understand is that the Magic Narrative Team is in fact very careful and very loving in their approach to queer representation. You may not know this about me, but I'm friends with A LOT of people who formerly or currently work on Magic / Magic Story. Knowing these people personally, I know for a fact that the Magic creative Team does not create queer characters for "diversity points". They're not just checking boxes. The Magic creative team creates queer characters because the Magic creative team is full of queer people and allies who want to tell stories that reflect their own + fans' experiences. And they have to constantly fight to include more / better queer representation in Magic. They want good queer representation in Magic just as much as we do.
Am I going to defend everything they do? No! Are they perfect? No! They are just people. They make mistakes and they have blind spots. For example, in my essay about my analysis of Jace as a trans man, I explain that the reason my interpretation means so much to me is because there is currently zero meaningful representation for trans men in Magic canon. There are zero transgender male characters in Magic canon who have names. That's a HUGE blind spot considering the number of canon trans characters! That's something that disappoints and upsets me.
I'm not afraid to criticize Magic Story, and I do so very often. But I am critical of Magic story because I love it. My criticism does not equal hatred or unhappiness.
Sorry to hear that their efforts at including better trans representation in Magic would piss you off. I'm sorry that you've given up.
Lastly, I think Liliana is cis, but that's just my headcanon.
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February Monthly Recap
I had a lot of fics this month. Every one of these deserves a dedicated post of its own but in the interest of efficiency this roundup will have to do!
BATMAN
Uptown Girl by orphan_account
(Stephanie Brown/Cassandra Cain), 60k, Case Fic, Friends to Lovers
Stephanie Brown has three problems: a supervillain father with a deadly scavenger hunt in the works, a mysterious rich girl who's way too interested in her life, and one really, really painful hobby.
Alternatively: a different kind of Spoiler origin story.
The Lois Angle by cabezas_de_vaca
(gen), 15k, Bruce & Lois Friendship, Case Fic
What she had with Bruce was novel, exhilarating. She had fallen in love several times, and that was like a great swoop of a wing, a flash and flush and then long tumble, but this was like a warmth that welled up from within. This was Bruce grappling up to her thirtieth story Metropolis apartment, stowing the Batsuit in the bathroom, and watching StarTrek with her. This was her driving to the manor when she couldn't sleep, only to find she could do it there.
This was having a friend.
Or: Despite the long shadow Batman casts and the demands of being one of the youngest Pulitzer winners ever, Bruce and Lois manage to steady each other, in the way that only friends can. Also, there's a case they need to solve.
the scientific method by orphan_account
(gen), 20k, Sibling Bonding, Duke-centric
5 stupid ways Duke's siblings discovered how his powers worked, and 1 time he figured it out for himself.
"You have no idea," Dick said. "I had to live through all of their teenage years. They were each independently obsessed with Mythbusters at separate points in their life. I'm pretty sure Cass and Tim have wanted a meta to experiment on since they were 14, but Bruce always said no."
Meet Me Where You're Going by Hinn_Raven
(Stephanie Brown/Cassandra Cain), 68k, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining
When things get complicated in Hong Kong, Cass requests help from Batman Inc. Unbeknownst to her, Bruce dispatches not one of her brothers, but Stephanie Brown, who Cass has not spoken to since she gave up the Batgirl mantle.
Steph is eager to reunite with her best friend, but things between them are complicated. Not the least of the problems is the fact that Steph might be falling in love… but of course, Cass is straight, so Steph really shouldn’t dwell on that.
Friendship and romance, conspiracy and adventure await the two of them as they try to unravel a complicated plot that seeks to stop Batman Incorporated before it can truly begin.
when you move, fall like a thunderbolt by orphan_account
(Stephanie Brown/Cassandra Cain), 5k, Villain!Steph, Canon Divergence
In another universe, Stephanie Brown's plans to kill her father aren't interrupted by Batman. Which means nobody stops her from tripping and falling headlong into running her own gang, and then a little more intentionally rising to the top of the underworld. Meanwhile, seeing as Bruce only has one kid who actually wants to carry on the good name, Cassandra Cain takes over as the Batman of Gotham's future.
This would be a fine turn of events if it weren't for the fact that they've been dating on-and-off for ten years.
falling without caution by coffeecrowns
(gen), 17k, Bad Parent!Bruce, PTSD
Jason is twenty, decidedly less into murder, trying to avoid developing agoraphobia, and putting together some pieces into a life.
Tim is sixteen, riding the edge of burnout, and in a show of his truly baffling survival instincts, decides Jason is friend shaped.
MICE ON VENUS by NEOCULTUREDAUS
(gen), 3k, Tim & Damian Bonding
“Timothy, if this is revenge for me trying to kill you, I need you to know I’m not sorry.” Damian’s eyes were clamped shut, hands fisting Tim’s hoodie so tightly that if Tim tried moving, he simply wouldn't be able to.
“I’m not trying to get revenge. And open your eyes, you can’t ride a skateboard with them closed.” Tim patronized, prying Damian’s hands off him, you know, like someone evil who didn’t care for the wellbeing of his younger brother.
Or
The one where skater Tim takes his artist younger brother graffiti painting
So Sweet Saluteth Me by Lishalalalalala
(gen), 7k, Good Dad!Bruce
Sleep deprived™ Jason hangs out with Dick then they surprise Bruce at work with early lunch and some love. This fic is inspired by farmers’ markets on those summery days and the belief that if I run fast enough the sad can never catch me.
(I mean you are telling me that Bruce Thomas/Alan Wayne wouldn’t be absolutely BASKING in joy if his kids just decided to randomly show up at Wayne Enterprise and pay him a little midday visit? )
to count by miles or days or people (when will i stop missing you) by jcp_sob_rjl_lmep
(gen), 22k, Angst, Hurt/Comfort
When Duke is kidnapped off of the streets of Gotham on his way back to the Manor from visiting his parents, it sends the entire Batfamily into a panic. With very little evidence to go on and time slipping past them, there's no help coming as Duke is forced to make a grand escape and get himself home before his kidnappers find him once more.
birds and brothers and other assorted synonyms by Ao3time, hoebiwan, quandaries_and_contradictions
(gen), 21k, Series, Found Family
A Reverse Robin AU in which Damian is a tired older brother, Duke is a ray of sunshine, and Dick is a baby talon.
Emergency rooms and chicken nuggets by Lilac_hyacinth
(Bernard Dowd/Tim Drake) 7k
“So…” Duke drawled, sounding suspiciously wide-awake for the day shift kid at two-thirty in the morning. “If I said Damian and I are in a bit of trouble, on a scale of Jason to Cass, how likely are you to kill us?”
Clearing his throat and rubbing his eyes to try to wake himself up, Tim grimaced. “What the fuck did you do?”
“Nothing.”
Or
Tim and Bernard get out of bed at two in the morning to go across town and pick up Tim's reckless little brothers.
Pick a Pocket Full of Pennies by Trekkele
(gen), 24k, Found Family, Fluff, AU-No Powers
The life and times of Dick Grayson, unintentional ringleader to a gang of pickpockets, and how he learned to let go and get adopted. Or something.
SPIDER-MAN
Death Before Inaction by hppjmxrgosg
(gen), 37k, BAMF Peter Parker, WIP
“Fuck off, Nicky.”
“Hasn’t anyone ever told you spider-napping is illegal?”
“You can’t hold me here, I know my spider-rights.”
“God, you guys are so old. What are you? Like 27?”
“Scale of 1 to 10, how upset would you be if I told you I banged your mom?”
-
Or, I got my grubby little hands on the spider-man time line and fucked around a little bit. Not much (everything) changes.
#batman#batfam#batfam fic rec#batman fic rec#spiderman#spiderman fic rec#duke thomas centric#stephcass#dc#stephanie brown#duke thomas#bruce wayne#tim drake#fic rec#fic#completed#words: 0-5k#words: 5-10k#words: 10-20k#words: 20k#words: 60k#words: 30k
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Hey! What are your favorite Obi-Wan-centric books/comics, if I may ask? Have a nice day and may the force be with you
Hi! I have a bunch that I've enjoyed! Trying to keep this as Obi-Wan-centric as I can, though, honestly, for as much as he appears in a lot of stuff, he's not necessarily always the center of the best stuff for his character.
NOVELS - CANON:
Padawan by Kiersten White - This book dethroned all other books for me to take the #2 spot of Lumi's Favorite Star Wars Book Ever! It's charming, it's thoughtful, it's good-natured, it's funny, it had a fun adventure, it gave Obi-Wan some hellion little best friends as a Padawan, and just made me fall in love with the world all over again.
Choose Your Destiny: An Obi-Wan & Anakin Adventure by Cavan Scott - The CYD books (same concept as Choose Your Own Adventure books) can be an acquired taste, but I found so many lovely moments in this book, some genuinely delightful details (MACE WINDU THEATRE NERD) and some great Obi-Wan & Anakin moments. Plus, Bant Eerin recanonization!
Brotherhood by Mike Chen - I have talked at length about the problems with the Anakin parts of this book (basically: if you take it at face value, it's pretty vile towards a Black character), but I have a ton of affection for the Obi-Wan half of this book. The way he moves with his feelings, acknowledges them and lets them pass through him, the way he genuinely cares about the Neimoidians, the way he tries to be thoughtful and you can see how deeply he cares about Anakin, is all really good.
From a Certain Point of View: A New Hope (specifically the first one, not the second one) has three short stories that are stellar for Obi-Wan: "Master and Apprentice" by Claudia Gray (make sure it's the ANH anthology, not the full novel by the same author), "There is Another" by Gary D. Shmidt, and "Time of Death" by Cavan Scott. All have either really lovely insights into Obi-Wan's character during ANH or have him being utterly hilarious.
NOVELS - LEGENDS:
Revenge of the Sith by Matthew Stover - While not actually perfect, there are some things I don't fully agree with or think the book matched what was on the screen, when this book gets it right, it gets it so right that no other book has ever compared. This utterly elevates what was already my favorite Star Wars movie, and this man can turn a hell of a phrase.
Wild Space by Karen Miller - This is a book that I could pick apart in a lot of ways (it feels like two half-books stitched together rather than one coherent story, it doesn't earn its ending, it doesn't really do justice to the Jedi), but I love it because it's such an utterly dramatic book, everything about the events is larger than life, and has a spar with Obi-Wan and Anakin where he smacks Anakin on the ass, touches his face and tells him he did well and the look on Anakin's face in return almost makes Ahsoka cry because she's so touched, and contains the phrase "wringing wet and blowing hard" about their duel. Like, that's the kind of chaos you're in for and it's AMAZING.
COMICS - CANON:
Obi-Wan by Christopher Cantwell - It's only a five issue mini-series but it's a great look at Obi-Wan's character at various points in his life and I had so much to say about it, so I really felt it held up to analysis, and it really brought the feelings.
Obi-Wan & Anakin by Charles Soule - Another five issue mini and it does not get near enough credit for being tremendously well plotted and illustrating a lot of bigger points about Obi-Wan, Anakin, the Jedi, and the Republic, why good people were making the best choices available to them. Also, the single most gorgeous art I have ever seen in a comic.
Any of the Age of Republic comics by Jody Houser - These were a series of oneshots focused on various heroes and villains, and if you're specifically looking for Obi-Wan content, the Obi-Wan one and the Anakin one were FANTASTIC looks at the character.
Clone Wars: Battle Tales by Michael Moreci - Another mini-series and IIRC Obi-Wan was only in some of them, but he got some truly great moments of defending the clones and being an amazing leader in them.
COMICS - LEGENDS:
These are so much harder because they're so spread out and often times it's just one or two issues that even have Obi-Wan in them. Ones I do remember enjoying:
The Clone Wars: The Smuggler's Code by Justin Aclin - A short graphic novel where Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka go on a beach vacation and run into a criminal from Obi-Wan's past and the entire story is UTTERLY UNHINGED, it's so hilariously over the top that I hyena laugh ever time I read it.
The Republic series from Dark Horse had a bunch of good Obi-Wan moments in it, if you don't mind paging through a lot of other characters. It's about all the Jedi, so they all get their turns, so I would suggest getting this one from your local library to find the issues you're most interested in!
Honestly, so much of reading SW books and comics is the willingness to pick out small fragments of gold amidst the bigger blargghh, like would I recommend Jedi Apprentice or Jedi Quest as some of my favorites? No, probably not, but that doesn't mean that Jude Watson didn't know how to turn a hell of a phrase and that I won't pull out fantastic quotes from those books! Would I recommend the Titan magazine comics? No, they're charming but the art is wonky a lot and they're too short to really go into much depth.
If anyone has any comics recs to include, feel free to add on! The novels were easier to remember, but there have been so many comics that I feel like I'm missing some obvious ones.
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So You'd Like to Fuck a Villain: Romance Novel Recommendations
Have you gotten caught up in a villain ship? Are you, perhaps, what might be called a villainfucker?
The issue with stanning for villains and wanting them to have romantic love and happiness and possibly group sex, is that they often don't. At least, not onscreen. Some of the most popular romantic ships, obviously, have been villain ships--Reylo spawned a wave of romance novelists (though, I might add, many do not actually write villain-centric romance novels, which is fine), Darklina powered no small part of Shadow and Bone's publishing success... and let's be real, the success of the soon-to-be-ill-fated-from-what-I'm-hearing TV show. On a darker level, Interview with the Vampire took off in no small part because people love the tainted love that is Louis and Lestat, where maybe? They're both villains? (Definitely more Lestat, but you know.)
You know what the great thing about a romance novel is? The villain has to get a happy ending. They just must. It's a rule. If a villain is a lead, the HEA is guaranteed (rhymes), or it's not a romance novel.
So, for Cupid's birthday, I'm recommending some of my favorite villainfucking romance novels. I just think that we deserve it.
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Wicked Villains by Katee Robert.
As you might guess, this series is in fact about villains getting their happy ending, full stop. And it does so by adapting Disney villain ships and placing them in a contemporary setting full of organized crime, sex clubs, and deals gone wrong. It is fun, it is campy, and it is very, very sexy. Check the trigger warnings (which Robert typically lists for each book on her website)--some of these do feature heavy BDSM and CNC.
The diversity of the pairings is so appreciated--while my favorite thus far is the first, Desperate Measures (Jafar/Jasmine with a mob wife "you killed my father" spin, for those curious) you get several triads (Hades/Hercules/Meg, Beast/Gaston/Belle, Ursula/Ariel/Eric, to name a few) and the ever-coveted sapphic Maleficent/Aurora moment. I don't think there's a straight person in this collection of characters. Contemporary romance can be a hard sell for me, especially in terms of villainy... But these are just a ride.
HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas.
Obviously, if you haven't read Devil in Winter yet, you need to read Devil in Winter. It's a classic--not just of historical romance, but romance in general. Though, pro-tip: I would recommend reading the preceding It Happened One Autumn first, as that's where the villainy takes place. Devil in Winter is about a recovering villain--a rake who did a very, very bad thing (kidnapping his best friend's lady love) simply because he did not want to get a job. I mean.....
Sebastian St. Vincent is a soft touch villain, and not just because he's super good at touching. You know he's going to roll over and beg for it with his seemingly-gentle, secretly-iron-willed heroine; but it's watching him get there that's so fun. His bark is worse than his bite, but he does deliver quite a bark (and quite a bite). If you like 'em snarky and slutty, read this book.
Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt.
If you like a blond villain who seems better at lounging about than doing manual labor, Valentine Napier takes what St. Vincent was doing to another level of insanity. St. Vincent is sane; Valentine is not, and he's a lot less fun about his kidnappings. Fortunately, his heroine (dispatched to spy on and steal from him) does not take any shit.
This is a book for those who like them loony, because I really don't think Valentine reforms in the least. He just falls in love, all while running around naked in bedazzled, open robes and brandishing a knife. At least he's good in bed and keeps giant, nude portraits of himself in his own house. Keep in mind that this book does delve into some pretty massive childhood trauma, including all kinds of abuse.
Villain I'd Like to F...
This anthology of novellas delves into five stories of historical romance villainy, by five great authors. I'm going to list each novella and its author, as these collections typically disband after a period of time, allowing the authors to sell the novellas individually (though you often can find the collections in online libraries like Libby). In the brackets!
[ Lady Viper and the Bastard by Eva Leigh.
Do you enjoy Dangerous Liaisons? Try this delightfully sexy Georgian-era novella about a widowed vamp and an illegitimate libertine, teaming up to break apart two young lovers (for a price). Except what happens when these two assholes start to catch feelings? Notable in that these characters are in their forties, know themselves, and do engage in some fun role-playing.
Seven Sinful Nights by Nicola Davidson.
Our young-but-ready widowed heroine is toiling in the service of her dickish in-laws... Until the owner of the local gambling hell (who isn't above murder and torture, and does enjoy dominating a bit) shows up demanding payment for her brother-in-law's debts. Those who love an innocent heroine lured by the darkness will love this one, a she very much goes willingly to her "doom" of being his mistress for a week, and loves every minute of it. It's sexy, it's sweet, she also loves a torture moment, there's some exhibitionism.
The Gangster's Prize by Joanna Shupe.
A Gilded Age gangster is thrown off balance by the young woman who comes to him demanding help in finding her missing father. But wait... who's in his dungeon as we speak? Could it be? Her dad? Joanna doesn't pull her punches here, and it's delightfully wacky. Watching our hapless villain hero be like "uhh, what screams from the dungeon" while our heroine looks for her father... who he has captive.. is hilarious.
The Bootlegger's Bounty by Adriana Herrera.
Did someone say sort-of pirates? Our heroine is a nightclub singer, and she books passage to New York with a dangerous rum runner. There's a lot of sex in this one, and--delightfully--a triad, as there happens to be a young gentleman who catches the eye of both our singer and our rum runner...
The Conquering of Tate the Pious by Sierra Simone.
Hedonistic nuns? A Norman invader (in more ways than one) who turns out to be a lady conqueror? As in, a conqueror who is a lady and conquers ladies? I think yes. Our proud abbess Tate is ready to stand up to the Wolf, but what happens when the Wolf is very sexy and cruel in the best possible way? ]
The Prince of Broadway by Joanna Shupe.
If there's one thing Joanna Shupe loves, it's a hero (or a villain turned hero) who hates your dad. This book opens with our casino-owning hero beating the shit out of someone, and when he meets the headstrong spoiled rich girl who wants to open a casino for ladies and needs mentorship... He takes her up on it. All while planning to take down her father (as revenge!!!).
While Clay isn't a super hardcore bad guy, he is pretty violent and pretty diabolical. What makes this book is, of course, his dynamic with Florence, and her defiance of norms that quickly has him completely besotted. This book has a very good grovel, and it should. Does anyone deserve Florence?
... and after reading this one, you can mosey over to Shupe's next book, The Devil of Downtown, in which a bad, bad gangster gets his ass emotionally kicked by Florence's goody goody angelic sister.
The Dragon and The Pearl by Jeannie Lin.
This is another one that benefits from reading its previous book, Butterfly Swords, first. In that novel we're introduced to the treacherous warlord our heroine is fleeing--Li Tao. Lin doesn't shy away from his intimidation factor: he even gets into a sword fight (that turns into an outright brawl, lmao) with the hero. In this novel, Li Tao gets full focus, kidnapping a former emperor's concubine to get information out of her.
What follows is a match of wits that gradually gives way to two manipulative, emotionally closed off people falling madly in love with each other while being unable to say it. Li Tao is a cold, seemingly-unfeeling villain-as-hero, and he really pushes how far he's willing to go to reach his end goals in this book. Also, there's a sex deal. If that matters to you.
Daring and The Duke by Sarah MacLean.
Again, one that does in fact benefit from reading the two preceding books, Wicked and The Wallflower and Brazen and The Beast (fortunately, they're both good!). Ewan, our titular duke, is the villain of both--and he is completely batshit insane in his pursuit of his childhood sweetheart, Grace. Who, for reasons relating to villainy, wants absolutely nothing to do with him.
This is a book-long grovel the way Sarah MacLean does it best--with abject shame and humiliation. Ewan is put through the ringer: and he should be, because he did a really bad thing! And was legitimately a nutjob of a villain! But that's what makes it so, so good.
PARANORMAL/FANTASY ROMANCE
The Four Horsemen by Laura Thalassa.
This series has the rather bold take of "what if the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Fucked". Starting with Pestilence, bleeding into War and Famine, and ending with Death, this series is a bit bonkers. But it doesn't let up on the extent of the villainous heroes' determination to lay waste to the world. There is a lot of gore. There is a lot of moral ambiguity.
But it's also legitimately funny. Pestilence discovers the joys of a bathtub. Death receives his first blowjob and is like "I don't know, maybe the apocalypse is bad". It's campy, and it's fun, and it leans the fuck in to the concept. I would recommend reading these in order, as the love stories stand alone but the overall arc leads to a big finish (and there are lots of finishes in between, if you know what I'm say--)
The Tenebris Trilogy by Kathryn Ann Kingsley.
If you're interested in the occult and some Lovecraftian vibes set in a pseudo-1920s world, this is it. Our heroine is on the search for her brother, and who is to assist but his stuffy-hot professor who happens to be a cult leader and has perhaps merged his body with that of a Cthulu monster?
What's interesting about this series (which cannot be read as standalones, and must be read in order) is that our hero is legitimately loony tunes, and our heroine is into it. She falls in love with him and his monsters, and that does... extend to the physical. (Tentacles, everyone! Shadow tentacles! Think Venom.) I will add that there's a lovely secondary romance with a trans heroine (with a hero that's not a villain) and it is excellent, but at one point an antagonist is transphobic towards her. An attempted off-page forced detransition occurs. The main heroine is totally supportive of the secondary heroine and stops it, but read with caution.
Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole.
This rare villainess/hero romance sees a sorceress heroine take a deposed demon king captive to coerce him into impregnating her so that she can bear his heir (all for villainous purposes, of course). Yes. So this book is heavy on the dubcon--lots of edging, lots of people chained to beds--but to be frank? He is into it. We have a stern, morally upright hero being driven to the brink by the baddest of bad girls, and it's great.
This book is a bit controversial because of the content, and I do recommend checking out my IAD Cheat Sheet before reading for a full list of triggers/details about the world of Immortals After Dark. But it reads fairly well on its own, and I personally adore it. The sex is hot, the romance is angsty, he gets back at her in every possible way, and it's so fun to see a villainess take center stage and bring out the dark side of such a noble hero.
Dreams of a Dark Warrior by Kresley Cole.
Here, we focus on an immortal valkyrie heroine who's had centuries of near-misses with her would-be Berserker love--every time she kisses him, he remembers his past lives with her and promptly dies in increasingly gruesome ways. He's always be good and loving to her... which is why she's so shocked when he returns to her, this time in the form of an immortal-hating torturer who's taken her captive.
This one is dark--yes, he does torture her (not that badly, but there are other scenes of torture at the hands of different villains which are... bad). But if you can hang in there, I think you'll find a very compelling romance with a legitimately troubled, intense hero and a woman he can't get out of his head. There's also a very, very good bathtub scene that turns into "let me blindfold you so you can't see my hideous scars".
Lothaire by Kresley Cole.
The villain romance to end all villain romances (best read after Dreams, so you get the one-two punch of a pair of very different villainous heroes). What happens when you mix a 3,000-year-old megalomaniacal vampire with a 24-year-old whip-smart human woman he believes houses the soul of the goddess he's supposed to wed? A fucking ride, and possibly my favorite romance ever, that's what.
Lothaire goes HARD. It goes hard on the villainy (this is a story of a villain falling in love, not a villain finding redemption), it goes hard on the sex (with possibly one of the most infamous sex scenes in romance, and I love every word of it), and it goes hard on the angst. As much as Lothaire fucks with Ellie's head and is determined to deny his love for her, she's determined to one-up on him and will never, ever break. I think this book is always best summed up in a scene early on where he kisses her, bites her lip, and draws back, smugly expecting horror--only to find her grinning through the blood and pulling him in for another kiss. Tell me that isn't villain romance perfection.
Sworn to the Shadow God by Ruby Dixon.
Not so much a super hard villain romance as it is a "falling in love with Death himself" book, this wacky romance finds our gamer girl heroine falling through a portal to another land and... yes, sworn as the mortal companion of the God of Death as he attempts to complete a trial set before him by the father god. It is funny, it is sexy, it's adventurous, and it is for the Reylos.
You think I'm joking. No. He is very clearly modeled after Kylo Ren, and he sweeps around in dark cloaks and emo smashes about being the God of the Death, and it is glorious. He's less bad than he is detached and uncaring, but, you know... Death. By the end of the book, though? He cares very much about one particular person.
Look, man. Check your triggers always, especially with romance novels about villains. These won't work for everyone. But I imagine... if you like a villain... some of these are for you.
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2024 Chipped Cup Awards - Masterlist
Here, once again, are the winners of the 2024 Chipped Cup Awards
FLUFF:
Family: Tea and Roses by @thatravenclawbitch
Comfort: Struck By a Golden Arrow by @avatoh
Fix-it: Ritual by @peacehopeandrats
Reunion: A Dream is a Wish by @rowofstars
SMUT:
Kink/BDSM: On The House by @kelyon
Romance: Brandy, Apples, and Spice by @rufeepeach
Comedy: Accidents by @peacehopeandrats
Threesome: Fulfilling a Fantasy by @thescholarlystrumpet
First Time: Queen Takes Knight by @emospritelet
PWP: In the Dark and Wicked Hours by @rowofstars
ANGST:
Death: Strong for Belle by @desperatemurph
Hurts So Good: To Have and To Hold by @thatravenclawbitch
Misunderstanding: Unexpected But Not Unwelcome by @tickletorso
ROMANCE:
Date (overall) Lost and Found by @peacehopeandrats
Courtship: The Sweetest Dream by @threepwoodmarley
First Meeting: Portrait of the Heart by @chippedcupwrites
GENERAL:
One Shot: Pages of Reverie by @chippedcupwrites
Series: Lover’s Leap by @eirian-houpe
Novel Length: Mountains, Streams, and Magical Things by @peacehopeandrats
Short Fic: Babysitting by @timelordthirteen
Holiday Centric: Brandy, Apples, and Spice by @rufeepeach
Remix: Our Masks by @lotus0kid
Crossover: A Blade for Belfrey by @eirian-houpe
Dark Castle: Marble by @peacehopeandrats
Storybrooke: Leaving Storybrooke by @peacehopeandrats
"Missing Years": The Tent of Infinite Adventure by @peacehopeandrats
Wish!Verse: Deception by @eirian-houpe
SPECIAL CATEGORIES:
Golden Lace: The Storybrooke Whisky Appreciation Society by @threepwoodmarley
Woven Beauty: Undefined Desires by @worryinglyinnocent
Background Swanfire: To Have and to Hold by @thatravenclawbitch
Afterlife: Granted by @peacehopeandrats
Drama: Love Me Before the Last Petal Falls by @deliriumsdelight7
Supernatural/Sci-fi/Horror: The Cunning by @mareyshelley
Comedy: Lacey and the Tramp by @chippedcupwrites
AU-Original: Wretched Beginnings by @poorobscureplainandlittle
AU- OUAT: Tales of Gold by @JurisLadyAnna
AU-Other Media: The Black Swan by @deliriumsdelight7
Creature: The Finfolk’s Bride by @chippedcupwrites
Unexpected Twist: Contract by @kelyon
Bobby Squared: A Blade for Belfrey by @eirian-houpe
Trope: Love Me Before the Last Petal Falls by @deliriumsdelight7
English Language: To Nurse by @charon53
EVENTS
RSS: If You Will Be My Queen by @eirian-houpe
Fluffapalooza (Fic): The Tea Shop by @peacehopeandrats
Fluffapalooza (Art): Kiss Me Again, It’s Working by @milaeryn
Monthly Rumbelling: The Landlord and the Princess by @Rumplerose (AO3)
CHARACTER AWARDS
Belle: The Not So Dark One by @charlotteashmore13
Dark One!Belle: Rags to Riches by @alphashley14
Lacey: Sore Hearted Souls by @nerdrumple
Spinner!Rumple: Witch and Spinner by @Strummer_Pinks
Dark One!Rumple: Gilded by @eirian-houpe
Wish!Rumple: Once There Was a Wish by @peacehopeandrats
Mr. Gold: The Caretaker by @thestraggletag
Detective Weaver: Forgery by @peacehopeandrats
Baelfire/Neal: A House Built With Love by @of-princes-and-savages
Gideon: Finding You by @clarahue
OC Rumbelle Child: The Zoo by @peacehopeandrats
Villain: Cora in On the House by @kelyon
BFF/Wingman: Mountains, Streams, and Magical Things by @peacehopeandrats
ART
Fan Art: Kiss Me Again, It’s Working by @milaeryn
Graphic Art: And Love is When Someone Who Even KNows Your Scars Stays To Kiss You by @chippedcupwrites
AU In Art: Belle Isn’t Fascinated by the Idea of Marrying Gaston by @notonlymice
Fluff Art: Belle French and the Dork One by @chippedcupwrites
Angsty Art: In My Memory It Doesn’t End by @ace-cf-cups
Comic/Graphic Novel: Wearing Each Other’s Clothes by @angelqueen13art
Use of Color: Kiss Me Again, It’s Working by @milaeryn
Video: Your Beauty Never Ever Scared Me by @chippedcupwrites
SUPERLATIVES:
Best Artist: @chippedcupwrites
Best Author: @kelyon
Best New Author: @ace-cf-cups
Best Rumbelle Fic: The Language of Flowers by @deliriumsdelight7
Best Anyelle Fic: Let’s Spend the Night Together by @ifishouldvanish
Best Anyem Fic: Tyger Tyger by @shakespeareanhoneybadgers
Rumbelle Lifetime Achievement: @jackabelle73
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one video game site describing the game's premise:
"In the trailer, Harker was perceived as a much more efficient and courageous vampire hunter, as opposed to the classic portrayal of Jonathan Harker in Bram Stoker’s books and films, including Dracula."
sir... sir... he literally killed dracula in the book...
You know.
I think this broke me just a little more. My camel back was already broken under so many straws, but I think this one made me collapse back in on myself.
So.
There's a lot to be said about the inspirational power of great works of media. Stories and masterpieces that spur wonder, love, and awe. The ones that give you a goal to aspire to in your own creative endeavors. The strive to match up to something great can do a lot.
But I'll tell you, friend. There is nothing quite as empowering as pure, unbridled spite. Just full-on loathing for every piece of half-assed, fan fictionified, self insert-riddled, character-botching, absolute shrug of a creative work that tries to hide under the disguise of a public domain title to cover for its inadequacies, and not only getting away with it because so much of the audience hasn't read the book, not only profiting off of it, but leaving a nigh irremovable stain on the entire pop cultural mind that is so hugely, categorically, monstrously Wrong, that the 'understanding' of the book and its characters is treated as offhand. Because 'everyone knows' it.
"Sure! Everyone knows Jonathan Harker doesn't have any real vampire hunting experience! That's all Van Helsing's shtick, what with him being the very definite for-real nemesis of Dracula, ha ha! Nice of these video game people to give the little guy a shot, eh?"
Just. Wow.
I am ready to make so, so much Jonathan Harker shit. Barking Harker? Sure. Absolutely. Doc's open right now. But maybe I'll do more. Love is my kindling, but bile is the fuel on the fire.
I can do Jonathan Harker as the Superior Dracula, complete with ripping Coppola's reincarnation love interest gimmick out his asshole and doing the Romantic Dracula Trope real justice. Why? BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY JONATHAN AND JONATHAN CAN PULL OFF THE WHITE-HAIRED PINING UNDEAD ROLE BETTER. How about that?
How about I make a whole ass script and screenplay for a Dracula series actually in line with the book? No creative license! No Dracula-wolf sex scenes or cheating fiancees or jealous suitors or dodging the el gee bee tee edges or turning Van Helsing into an anime man who saves the day! Just actual events that actually happened in the 125-year-old book that every modern adaptation is too cis-straight-scared to do! How about that?
How about I eat the heart out of every single Van Helsing-centric Monster Hunter series and anime and make it all about the Harkers, their friends, and/or their descendants? How about that?
How about the Harkers getting an eternal vampiric honeymoon after the Transylvanian trip goes bloodily south and they just go about their undead business forever and Dracula is nothing but a footnote in their story which he always was anyway? How about that?
HOW ABOUT I FLOOD THE WORLD WITH DRACULA CONTENT WHERE DRACULA IS NO MORE OR LESS THAN THE SADISTIC VILLAIN HE'S ALWAYS BEEN AND GETS HIS ASS KICKED AND HEAD CHOPPED LIKE THE LOSER BASTARD DESERVES???
HOW ABOUT THAT????
I WILL LIVE TO SEE A WORLD THAT REGISTERS EXACTLY HOW BADASS JONATHAN HARKER AND ALL OF THE HUMAN CAST IS, A WORLD THAT SEES DRACULA FOR THE UNDEAD UNDERWEAR STAIN HE ALWAYS WAS,
FOR I WILL CRAFT THAT WORLD MYSELF UPON THE BONES AND BLOOD OF THE INFINITE BASTARDIZATIONS THAT CAME BEFORE THEM!
I SHALL NOT SUFFER THESE ICE-COLD 'lol no I never touched the book but I kinda remember the wiki for the Coppola movie' TAKES FOR ALL ETERNITY. I WILL REWRITE THE PUBLIC OSMOSIS UNTIL ALL THEY KNOW OF DRACULA IS THAT JONATHAN HARKER KILLED HIM IN HIS DIRT BOX.
Anyway.
To all my Dracula Dailiers out there. I say again. Join me. While our little book club did wonders, the fact is, not a ton of people are going to ever bother with the dusty old novel. Spinoffs and sequels? Sure. But not (what they assume is) a dry old classic. Which leaves audiences and filmmakers caught in a perpetual profit and expectation-based loop.
People assume Dracula is Sexy-Suave Count Fuckula and that Mina hooks up with him while Van Helsing and [INSERT HUMAN NOBODIES HERE] are pushed to the sidelines. So that's what directors will keep churning out. Ditto for makers of books, comics, shows, and video games. It will just keep going in the same rut.
Unless we put some new blood out there. There are so many possibilities. So much that can be made to finally drag the spotlight away from the Count and give it back to the characters who deserve it.
So please. Please. Make that Dracula-derived thing you're unsure about. Even at its most indulgent and outlandish, you have read the book. And you know more about what you're doing than literally any so-called professional who's churned out their tired knockoffs of knockoffs. (Or the folks who take their opinions from the same.)
#sorry about all that Anon#had a rant building up for a while#dracula#dracula daily#jonathan harker#barking harker#my writing#inspiration
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for anyone ravenous for more Dracula in the aftermath of Dracula Daily...
1931. Having fled his homeland in disgrace, English solicitor Roger M Renfield serves as the continental representative of the Hawkins & Harker law firm. When the firm are contracted by a client from far-flung Romania, Renfield is naturally sent on their behalf.
But Castle Dracula is no ordinary place, and this is no ordinary assignment.
a horror-romance BL (boy's love) visual novel
villain-centric adaptation of Dracula with four love interests -- three reimagined favourites, and one fresh face
play as Renfield; fight through madness and despair to finally earn your happy ending... or succumb to your fate
Currently in development. Follow for future updates.
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Twin Stars. These are two of the powerful nature spirits who populate part one (and world one) of the villain-centric novel I'm writing. It's a story about 'big bad' type villains that spans creations. The spirit on the left here is one of my disastrous antagonist-protagonists, while the one on the right is the 'sibling' who cares about them deeply.
#original characters#original art#artists on tumblr#fantasy art#fantasy character#original writing#writers on tumblr#ocs#oc#oc art#oc artwork#villain centric novel
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Yeah, that's a pretty good analysis. I don't see Poe included hardly at all, in fandom or in canon to a degree, and I think it's safe to say he has one of the least number of fans who are specifically fans of him. Like I don't see many blogs/accounts that are specifically Poe centric.
Oh man, I actually got up to answer this on my computer rather than my phone, so we'll see how into it I'll get into this ask, but yes! It's vastly unfortunate that he often gets excluded or overlooked when he's the entire catalyst for the sequel trilogy. He is, archetypically and narratively within the story, the Leia of our generation: if it was not for Poe and BB-8 (who is really like an extension of Poe), then Finn wouldn't have been able to escape the Finalizer, and Rey would have never left Jakku.
While yes, it's true that Poe wasn't initially meant to survive The Force Awakens (and other nine word horror stories for me), Poe is still one part of the primary trio of the trilogy and has been since 2015. He is not only Leia's first protégé, but the eventual leader of the Resistance, and according to the Rise of Skywalker novel, the heir to the legacy of House Organa (cue me loudly proclaiming him a Disney Prince). Yet, somehow, at the same time......no one seems to ever want to include him as part of the saga, and an important one as that?
(@dameronalone points out ever so often how much they love the shot where everyone leaves Exegol for this reason, because we see Poe flying alongside the Falcon, which really hammers in that Poe is an important player in the history of the saga).
More thoughts below the cut, because I have more and this is already lengthy.
The worst thing is that Poe was extremely popular. Lucasfilm and Marvel pretty much immediately greenlit a comic series for him, and while that was definitely to flesh his story out, if my memory serves, it was so popular that I believe the first printing sold out? And it was originally only meant to last 25 issues (which personally I think it should have stayed at, because I don't super vibe with 26-onward and it feels off and tonally disconnected to the rest of the series and also the ending of TLJ, and the characterization for Poe also feels off, but that's!! a different rant!!!) but the title was so popular that Marvel decided to extend it for two more storylines!
The issue was the fandom backlash to TLJ.
You don't have to look too far into my blog to know that I adore Poe in TLJ, and that I like his arc in the movie, and that I avidly defend him for it, but the internet in 2017-2019 was an entirely different universe from that. You could not go anywhere - Tumblr, Twitter, Youtube, fucking hell, even most major media news outlets and clickbait websites - without hearing about how much everyone hated Poe Dameron.
Why? Because they walked away from his arc deciding that he was sexist and the movie's perfect example of toxic masculinity (although, lmfao, the First Order clowns are right there). It went further than that, with headlines about how everyone hated him, how he was personally responsible for everything that happens in the Resistance in the film, and how he was the worst character in Star Wars since Jar Jar Binks (because clearly the Star Wars fandom never learns from its previous toxicity, right?). It was to the point that, to my immense horror and frustration, even as far as into promoting TROS, a reporter described Poe as a "secret villain" in TLJ to Oscar (and man do I hope that man knows Poe is loved, actually).
Fandom wasn't much different. Fanon Poe prior to TLJ was....a lot different. In some ways, a lot of fics hit the nail on the head on who Poe was, but there was a definite unifying idea of who Poe was: a pure cinnamon roll who never, ever swore, and always listened to Leia and never argued with her - let alone disobeyed her orders or put a toe out of line (this is even illustrated in canon, with the first Poe Dameron annual, where the author has Poe declare that Leia is "always right" and instantly caving in an argument).
And TLJ Poe is about....as far removed from that vision of Poe as you can possibly get - although nothing about him in TLJ is ooc. We see the bare bones of it in The Force Awakens, and Before the Awakening and the comics further flesh out Poe in a way that perfectly leads into the Last Jedi. But the cinnamon roll fanon was made so common and leaked so far into fandom consciousness, that there was this strange concept that Poe was never, ever angry even in expanded material, which...he does. He gets pissed off plenty of times in the comics, and with the Defense Fleet while arguing with Deso.
So, canon Poe did the unthinkable and, y'know, didn't fall in line with how fanon saw him, which resulted in a huge backlash over the fact that he was a character with agency and a personality (that is NOT sexist thank you), which resulted in us getting books like Resistance Reborn, by authors who can't stand him or describe him as anything besides "supremely arrogant" and spends three hundred pages emotionally torturing him, claiming he needs to die, physically assaulting him, and you know...having the person who attacked him and the other person who claimed he needed to die flirt with him, because it also spends an ungodly amount of time sexualizing him to an uncomfortable degree, because the one thing fanon could agree on outside of the fact that he had been "ruined" or that he was a jackass or a "fuckboi" (yeah that went around too), was that Oscar Isaac is really goddamned fine in the Last Jedi (he is, I'll give them that, there's something about tlj!Poe, scientists remain baffled).
And on top of all of that, a particular fraction of the fandom developed an interesting habit of taking new pieces of canon and spreading them around online out of context, claiming that the writers were now intentionally writing him as sexist and as a jackass, and ruining his character further. I don't know for certain if this had any effect overall on the fandom's perception of him, but I know that it did almost break my spin in him for a while because I thought people were being very genuine, and it wasn't until 2020 that I got curious and started doing my own research into the panels/paragraphs being shared online, and sure enough, discovered that the angle had been falsified to paint Poe into a worse light (which, if anyone is curious, is why I did my deep dive into everything that he was in, because I didn't want to be fooled again. You can't trick me if I know everything lmfao).
So essentially, his popularity nosedived after the Last Jedi. It seemed to bump up a little bit, or at least there definitely seemed to be more people interested in him/writing for him in 2020 coming off the lockdown, but obviously that has very much dwindled. But I've definitely not seen any blogs dedicated to Poe as a character since 2017, and you don't ordinarily see him in miscellaneous Star Wars gifsets that go around either, let alone solo Poe gifsets (I know because I lose my shit anytime there's a new one that's not by me), and Poe creations that have nothing to do with a ship is.........even less likely to be found.
I definitely think canon is at least trying to keep him in our minds though. He was the second character to lead one of the Lego Specials, and that Rey short story ("Through the Turbulence") was focused on her friendship with him. Whether or not that's because of the possibility of Oscar returning for the Rey movie (which feels fairly tangible, considering he's been kind of shady about it after mentioning he'd come back for a good story, and doing that Halcyon video), or if it's just because of Lucasfilm maybe warming up to him as a character again*, I don't know, but I hope it means we get good-faith content for him again soon.
*Because I'm tired of the story group constantly being a little bitch about him, and the same goes for the Topps Trading Card App. Maybe people wouldn't think he was a villain if you stopped describing him like a terrible person? Just a thought.
#ask box#i-belong-to-the-stars#i am so sorry for this motherfucking ESSAY#sometimes the 'ex article writer' jumps out#this was one of those times
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hello hello! i saw your post and need your thoughts and verdict (hypothetically) for yhk in the last chapter. what would yjh and hsy do once kdj woke up, what if he never woke up and remains unreachable to them after all the effort?
thoughts on doksoo/ joongdok centric and which (poignant) scene makes a neuron lit up and go ah, them. and makes you go crazy, like, every single scene might as well an orpheus and eurydice-d, such as that "cancel your skill, kim dokja"
DHGFVJDFGV sorry you're just such a joy to read on the tags as you go through the story on tumblr since the yhk tags are most often then not, lifeless
Aaaaa thank you for this it's a fun ask! :D
Personally I believe Dokja woke up. Both because I want a happy ending for them and because I wouldn't put it past yoohan to track down and kill everyone who read orv and imagined a sad ending. But also I think him waking up is only the first step. There's no way things aren't complicated afterwards because Dokja will feel guilty for putting his friends through the trauma of losing him and his friends will try and convince him that he deserves love and they don't mind but at the same time the trauma is real and it's there. So it's going to be a long road to helping him forgive himself even if they all have done so already.
I feel like YJH would be pushy at first. Like this is the guy who became a terrorist rather than try therapy. He wants to find meaning through Dokja, to ask Dokja how he's supposed to live now, and that's a lot of pressure that none of the others will want to fall on Dokja's shoulders. Which I think will be good for HSY because it let's her fall into the comfortable zone of yelling at YJH for being terrible at expressing himself and ignoring her own terrible emotions as much as possible in the mean time. So I kind of see it like:
YJH & HSY: Screaming clawing kicking biting each other outside the hospital because HSY thinks YJH is being too pushy with Dokja and YJH thinks he's helping both of them by asking Dokja for guidance and HSY is getting in the way of his recovery.
Sangah, calmly pouring herself and Dokja tea inside his hospital room: So I spoke to your mother today and she'll be here soon! Oh don't worry about those two they'll probably only break a few bones.
But then if he never did wake up... I don't think either of them would be able to truly move on. I think they'd keep hoping that he would get better and the longer he doesn't the more the likelihood grows that one of them snaps and comes up with another reckless life threatening plan to increase the odds of his recovery. I'm not sure what it'd be but I like to think HSY is the one that snaps first this time. Just goes up to YJH like "hey are you ready for me to subject you to more horrendous torment for the slim tiny chance that it could make Dokja wake up" and YJH is like "naturally".
Whether they actually succeed or whether their plan is so terrible and hopeless that Sangah has to step in and force them to accept he's gone (an impossible task but she'll push them as close to the acceptance stage of grief as she possibly can.) I'm not sure. Either way it'd be fun to read about. I haven't looked into the side stories yet but I'm curious if they might make me change my mind about any of this. For now this is how I imagine it going down anyways.
Doksoo are insane and they consume my every waking thought. Reading the webtoon after the novel is so crazy because HSY really shows up as this random villain and no one including her has any idea that she's one of the three most important people in the universe. Like she's just a little fella. A prankster who's pranks sometimes involve murder. And the way she and Dokja are so unimpressed by each other and have no idea how much they'll end up loving each other... I feel like rereading any early doksoo interaction is going to come with extra loud clown music like even Dokja calling her a plagiarist and Sooyoung being like ugh you're such a cliche like oh you dumbasses. You have no idea.
I enjoyed both doksoo and joongdok's early banter a lot like it always added a ton of energy into every scene. But the moments it really clicked for me was the whole reincarnation island arc for doksoo. Like reading his narration about Sooyoung it's like ohhhh my god he's down bad. He's as in love as I am. He doesn't even realise it but he is so enamoured by her. Like that was the moment I could see the potential for them to become as important to each other as they did. The foundation and foreshadowing was done so well, not one bit of their relationship progression felt unearned.
And then for joongdok I think it was their divorce era that really got me on board. Like they were fun in the early stages but once Dokja is convinced there's no going back and is actually emotionally vulnerable and honest with YJH and YJH gets to vent his own frustrations about being nothing more than a character... It really solidified their bond for me. It brought Dokja down to YJH's level rather than the reader he was trying to be to YJH's character. Plus we get HSY dying and traumatising Dokja for once instead of the reverse. It's what they deserve.
Also punisher and transfem YJH and everything that's implied in the novel and how that would add to to her dynamics with doksoo. Haven't gotten any solid thoughts on that yet but the concept is slowly taking a grip on me.
So yeah after the reincarnation island arc I was so fully on board with this ot3 and every single Orpheus moment that followed hit right into my heart.
Sorry this is so long and barely scratches the surface alsjsjdhdh. I'm still processing everything but man. What a story. What a trio. Wretched mirror soulmates with toxic codependency my beloveds.
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ngl that partial Lonetrail spoilers post just has me twitching and resisting the urge to try to start a far more spoilery conversation about it and Kirsten.
I spoiled myself on nothing else, not even the game mechanics of the event, I just wanted to see if my emotional investment in Kirsten and Saria's story actually has a payoff and an ending and it actually does, which I'm very grateful for because that's not a fucking guarantee in Arknights.
I still wish we knew the individual writers in HG. I want to follow whoever wrote the Rhine stories to whatever other game they eventually move on to, because while I generally enjoy Arknights' stories enough to actually read through their novel length cutscenes, they've usually not really given me the same character-centric brainrot as the very best of FGO. The exceptions I can think of would be Talulah specifically, Lingering Echoes, and Rhine Lab.
minor spoiler for the bossfight:
I know whoever wrote Kirsten operates on the exact brainwaves that drive me insane because in Lonetrail she's so charismatic that some players who have either not read the manhua or have poor literacy skills are legitimately asking how and why is she the villain, meanwhile when her bossfight starts her description reads:
"The selfish. The betrayer. The seeker. The loner. The pioneer."
I firmly choose to think that these are the exact order of Saria's thoughts about her. You ask Saria to think of Kirsten, and she first thinks about how selfish she is, how she continually betrayed her trust and how defined Kirsten is by her search for knowledge above all else.
Then comes the guilt and what remains of her affection. Saria thinks about how Kirsten's alone now that they're not partners, and what a true trailblazer the latter's incredible genius is. Even when Kirsten is irredeemably awful and has repeatedly broken Saria's heart the latter still admires her in some way. They were best friends when Saria had no friends at all! They founded Rhine together! THEY USED TO LIVE TOGETHER. Kirsten won't leave Saria alone but Saria never truly lets go either. Even when the Saria keeps trying to cut their ties, she still chases after Kirsten in the end, trying to bring her home.
ouuugh I live for the drama. Wish the rest of the game was as character-centric.
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I Strongly Dislike the Concept of Palpatine as Naturally Evil
I am a Palpatine fan because I like how fun he is on-screen being evil (largely due to Ian McDiarmid’s acting and the overall shallowness of the characters in the movies), but forty-something years after the Emperor (and I like him called that way better than “Emperor Palpatine”) first graced the screen, I do feel tired of the same tricks played over and over again, that Palpatine is basically a male evil witch. I’ve long been a supporter of a deeper dive into Palpatine the person as a solution to this fatigue. We don’t have to have a formally Palpatine-centric major story (i.e. something on-screen), just something explaining his personal philosophy a little deeper would be welcome. Sadly, I do think such a project is unforeseeable in the near future because there’s a shift in vision.
In Lucas’ era (pre-2013, let’s just say), Palpatine is incredibly evil but there are still gapes of humanity within him, there even—as some visual guides, interviews, and novels would indicate—an attempt to build some type of “molding the world according to what I see as good” character with him starting in the Prequels years up to 2012. As a digression, I do find this concept coupled with his pursuit of power fascinating, “he is selfish, but” but “he is for progress, but”. A rather brain-tickling fictional fellow if executed correctly. But, and I do sense it becoming more and more evident, the idea has never been advanced since. There’s a prevailing concept of Palpatine as naturally the personification of evil nowadays.
On a more laughable basis, I don’t like the concept because it prevents my favorite character from being something much more interesting through character study pieces or simply by not being always relegated to the role of Final Boss in a Popular American Sci-Fi Franchise. On a deeper note, I think that the core message of Star Wars is choices between doing the right or wrong things. The story of Anakin’s redemption is ultimately that, his fall too though within more complicated circumstances. Ben Solo made the decision to emulate his idealized grandfather, and so on. I do think it would be unfair to suddenly enact extreme predestination on one guy to be evil (but how does “the will of the Force” work, does it set a rigid roadmap for everything?). And more, it would erase the profundity of his evilness so much if you think about it.
See, you have this man right here, he is incredibly evil, billions suffer because of this single human being. But then you find out that he has a severe, undeniable urge to maim, to destroy, to oppose all authority, value, and system, to play God whatever the cost, all for his own natural satisfaction. I do think there could be arguments for him not fully out of his mind, intelligent and educated enough to know norms and values, and there are steps to prevent natural predispositions to become harmful, but I personally would be a little less harsh toward such characters compared to characters who without any internal or external pressure choose evil freely. This relates to accountability, how much can we attribute to his free will?
I like my villains soberly choosing evil. (this doesn’t mean I sideline the “nurture” factor or the more complex “nature” reasoning, only that I hold them to some extent lesser of a consideration when judging). If he is evil out of his own free will, the question would be “Why?” which would be answered with a multitude of interesting personal history, cultural influences, and beliefs, making the character interesting. Let’s compare that to a scenario where Palpatine is naturally evil. You ask “Why?” and the answer you’ll get is akin to “It is how it is”, which is an incredible bore for me. The more freely the person chooses evil, the better for me.
So, yeah, I don’t like Palpatine fixed as the Dark Side incarnate. I like him incredibly evil but still very much human. Note, I do not see his pursuit of power as something inhuman, it is terrifyingly human, but maybe couple it with something else (needn’t be redeeming or sob-story-ish). Or maybe, let him mature into the incredible evil with nearly all of his humanity absent. I can totally enjoy that, as long as it’s not him being born evil.
#sheev palpatine#palpatine#emperor palpatine#darth sidious#natural evil#the nature of evil#evil#nature vs nurture#villains#start wars#star wars novels#star wars legends#star wars prequels#pre-Disney era#star wars villains#Sith Order#Star Wars morality#Mann Walter
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AO3 Wrapped
Happy New Year everyone!! Although 2023 has been hard, it's nice to look back on everything we've achieved over the year before starting 2024. So here are all the fics I wrote this year!
Grishaverse
things we don't say (14k)
Inej's phone has been silent for two months.
OR
Inej and Kaz have broken up. Jan Van Eck has locked Wylan in the house and pulled him out of the university, preventing him from marrying Jesper.
There's only one logical solution to the two conundrums: a heist.
I love this series and this felt like a wonderful conclusion to characters I adore.
meet-cute (3k)
meet-cute
noun
(in a film or television programme) an amusing or charming first encounter between two characters that leads to the development of a romantic relationship between them.
One meet-cute isn't enough for Jesper and Wylan. Here's the story of their first two.
Inspired by the series, I thought I'd write a little bit of wesper fluff, never realising I may never see them again :')
dream of better nights (1k)
Nina hasn't fought so hard and so long to let Matthias stay in Hellgate.
I couldn't leave them apart like that!
Fairytale of Ketterdam (2k)
Kaz has dreamed of seeing Inej again for two years.
He wasn't expecting to find out she's coming home from an idiot. An idiot who's kidnapped him. An idiot who wants to ruin the Feast of Saint Nikolai by destroying Kaz's family.
Luckily, Dirtyhands - for the first time in a long time - has backup.
A little Kaz-centric fic for the Grishaverse Secret Santa!
The Last of Us
hold me close to your heart (2k)
Joel convinces Ellie to come back to Jackson before they rush into a cure. And in the meantime, he's tasked with the very important job of finding her new nickname.
AO3 went down immediately after I finished TLOU and then this happened!
Safe as Houses (7k)
Making it back to Jackson doesn't promise Joel and Ellie safety. But it does offer them one thing the open road didn't: a home.
This was so much fun to write... Joel and Ellie are just Tony and Peter in a different font!
Marvel
the ripples they cause (111k)
There is exactly one person who remembers the name Peter Parker, and that’s Spider-Man. Although the spell prevented the multiverse from tearing itself apart, Peter’s problems are far from over. The number of people calling for his arrest grows every day, and it’s not easy to live your life when you no longer exist.
Luckily for him, the apartment above him belongs to two really good lawyers, and they know every vigilante in the city. With their help — and the assistance of two Avengers intent on rising from the dead — Peter may just be able to find his way in this strange new world.
I started this in 2022, but finishing it in May this year was one of my proudest achievements. To write a novel-length fanfic and finish the ending I wish No Way Home had meant a lot, so thank you to all the wonderful people who commented and egged me on!
what it means to be a person (currently 28k)
Nearly a year after the spell that erased Peter Parker, he finds himself chained to his old mentor. Literally.
Tony Stark has been running from his memories of Thanos for two years, burying himself in work and spending time with the family he nearly lost. But when a cunning new villain kidnaps Spider-Man to get to him, they’ll have to work together to escape with their lives.
But Spider-Man is just a kid. A kid who seems to have the answers to every hole in Tony’s memory. And he’ll do anything to protect the one person who might finally let him rest.
I just love making everyone cry. Both at my update schedule and emotions.
According to AO3, I wrote a whopping 173,000 words this year! Here's to even more fanfic next year 🎉
#love making these posts because I get to actually see all the fics I've written#I'd completely forgotten about some of them!#marvel#spider-man#peter parker#tony stark#irondad#grishaverse#kanej#helnik#wesper#the last of us#joel miller#ellie williams#my writing
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