aaravos-breaks-the-internet

[aaravos-breaks-the-internet]

Spoiler: Short pseudo-review

I was incredibly...underwhelmed by this season. I gotta be honest.

I expected something entirely different.

It almost felt like a filler season. When it comes to Aaravos we learned next to nothing new. We mainly got a couple of quickly served confirmations for things we already suspected (has been pulling the strings of Xadia’s fate throughout history and orchestrated his plans in secret, has given human dark magic, was imprisoned because the elves and dragons thought he was too dangerous, Ezran’s ancestor helped to stop him).

But the confirmations were delivered in a lackluster way at best. We merely got a really fast summary by Zubeia (beautifully drawn but still very brief) and that was it.

It also felt very disappointing that Claudia just knew all of a sudden that Aaravos gave humans magic. As far as I remember there was never even any speculation on him being involved in this within the show before?

Perhaps I’m misremembering (was there anything alluding to that in season 3? I really don’t recall anything). But as far as I am aware the theories around him giving humans dark magic all stemmed from the analysis of the Elarion poem that was translated outside of the show. In the show the poem was only ever shown in Arabic, and in passing at that, never to be mentioned again (I think? Again, am I forgetting anything from season 3 here?). Viewers who have not followed the franchise on social media probably didn’t even know what was written in there.

Perhaps it was mentioned in one of the novels but not everyone has read those. It really shouldn’t be expected that viewers know this really really important theory/piece of information. Humans getting magic is one of the pillars that the story is built on. This plot line should definitely be handled within the show itself.

So it felt really weird and way too sudden when Claudia just dropped this really important revelation out of nowhere, with no further explanation except for “she just knows it in her bones”. Like, this information is a huge deal. And it was not explored further by the show in any way, either. They just moved on after that one quick conversation. And even as a viewer who knew the theory I just sat there and thought...what?

The only really new information that was alluded to was that Aaravos probably removed Luna Tenebris and Aditi.

The rest of the Dragang arc felt mostly like a video game quest focused on gameplay and very little story. The mood was a lot more playful, not really as if they were on a journey to stop the most dangerous being in history.

I’d rather have less running around in the forest and get at least a little more back story on Aaravos?

We didn’t get to know anything on how he and Claudia interacted. What he told her, what she did. How he influenced her and changed her. She just told Viren he helped her and with that the topic was closed. Instead we got minutes of fart jokes.

The Viren gang didn’t even discuss Aaravos much after Viren’s revival.

He was almost entirely out of the picture.

I was really hoping that a season called the mystery of Aaravos would actually focus at least a subplot on him and not make him almost irrelevant.

If I wanted to be cynical I’d say almost half of his screentime and dialogue he had in the whole season were already in the trailer.

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The whole season really lacked suspense because of this quest-like character for me. The stakes never really *felt* high because many serious situations often ended in jokes or were solved with “funny” turns (chocolate tarts for the dreadful, powerful earth dragon...ok).

Even when Claudia got hands on the freaking map they tried to “sprinkle” jokes throughout the scenes, breaking the suspense, which made said jokes feel misplaced (stinky feet, goofy goo...).

I know it’s a children’s show but it just didn’t strike a good balance for me. (Obligatory Avatar comparison because hey, they referenced it themselves (yip yip): Avatar had a better approach on how to balance jokes and serious scenes.)

In general, a lot of the humour felt very forced, almost shoehorned into many scenes, which really defined the overall vibe of the season for me.

After all the intense trailers, the dramatic music and the epic title screen with the falling star I expected the season to feel like that as well but it didn’t do so at all. It felt almost anticlimatic instead of epic. To me it was less exciting and suspenseful than season 2 and a lot more like season 1.

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(I generally appreciated the whole sub-plot in the sunfire kingdom. The basic premise of the overall conflict felt believable and realistic. Janai was fleshed out incredibly well. She is probably my favourite character in season 4. Very nuanced and complex. And her interactions with Amaya were beautiful.

But I was not a fan of casting that architect as “guilty” and “cruel” in the way Amaya did. That was way too black and white for me. She did do it to protect the tangible safety of everyone in the camp. Janai even confirmed the architect’s argument that fire was a danger in the end, when she said they wanted to build a shrine where worship and rites can happen safely. Also, the architect most certainly knows a lot about security and safety, so casting her has the cruel one when she was fulfilling her duty to remove a fire hazard that could have endangered the whole camp - and at worst would have destroyed the sunfire elves’ (temporary) home a second time after their first big trauma of Lux Aurea’s fall - felt misplaced.

The emotional perspectives of both parties (architect, mourning man) could have been handled differently, without placing the charge of guilt or cruelty on either side: the architect could have been more respectful of his understandable serious sadness after a loved one’s death. The man could have been more reasonable and less violent (he DID endager the camp and the others’ safety after all but his role and his responsibility were pretty much neglected, even after him burning the architect’s hand - was he ever even reprimanded for that?).

Also, calling for the death penalty in the first place after not respecting a sacred rite borders on extremism. It’s literally faith-based killing of someone who did not share their belief system and therefore had a different view on their rituals. Yes, disrespecting people in mourning is very insensitive but cannot justify their killing under any circumstances. I know the show criticised it of couse, but it felt quite weak and half-baked. It still had Amaya politely ask for compassion and understanding, conceding that the primary problem was the architect (”guilty”, “cruel”), while merely making the point that the sunfire elves’ answer was not the best one to end the cycle of violence. It felt a bit more like “an eye for an eye still continues the cycle of violence and that’s why the architect should not be killed”. Instead, she should have been furious that death penalty is even an option and that the sunfire elves’ pain about the mourning rituals did in no way warrant such an inhumane response, not even if their faith dictates it.)

Season 4 Aaravos Spoilers

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Keep reading

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Season 4 Aaravos Spoilers

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Considering it was called “The Mystery of Aaravos” there was astonishingly little Aaravos in season 4.

(When you are the title character but your screentime including flashbacks is less than 5 minutes of the entire season.)

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(Mun: I made this FF14 Aaravos months ago but I couldn’t be bothered to transfer my screenshots from my PS4 to my PC so it took me until today to finally post about him. orz)

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Not to brag, but I’m incredibly pretty.

(What is this about?)

[aaravos-breaks-the-internet]

【Aarablog】 Magical 14

Hello my dear humans,

I have been away from my blog for quite some time but I had a good excuse, I promise! I have discovered yet another one of these games and am now fully immersed in it. It is just so much fun. I have to say these video games are one of my favourite inventions of yours. Anyways, after losing my sanity playing The Dark Souls I moved on for the sake of the litte peace of mind I had left and am now playing a much gentler, happier game titled The Fourteenth Installation of a Final Fantasy (kind of odd, if you ask me). I wanted to report on my participation in this game much sooner but I was totally addicted and couldn’t bother updating my blog had other important startouchly matters to attend to.

I am happy to tell you that I have already ascended to the 31st plane of power (weird to measure your develop like that to be honest) and of course I am intensively studying the magical systems of this world as I am learning both white magic and black magic. After all, it is my deepest desire to understand magic and all its facets and perspectives as thoroughly as possible, even in a video game. Is what I would like to say, but let’s be real, I wanted to play black mage because I like things to go boom but you have to wait more than 5 minutes in the duty finder to get a party and I really don’t have time for that. What am I, immortal? So, healer it is.

Anyways, I wonder if any of you humans have sold your soul to this game as well or if I am the only one slowly losing mine to it.

That is all for today. I shall keep you updated on my future journey.

A Happy New Year! (I take it, the change of years matters a lot to you. For me it was just burnt candle number 1234987654323456789098765434567890987654.)

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‘ the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to you today? ’ ‘describe the perfect weekend. ’ ‘ what motivates you? ’ ‘ any pet peeves? ’ ‘ would you like to have kids? ’ 'When's the last time you cried?' Umm this is from 'Interview my muse'

Hello dear anon. Thank you for your questions and forgive me for not replying sooner. I would say “I simply forgot the time” but I don’t have a real concept of time to begin with, so eh.

(Of course, I understand what time is. But I don’t really have an “everyday time feeling” like you humans seem to have. But I digress.)

The most embarassing thing today:

I tried to practise my whole “caterpillar emerges from my mouth so I can pass it on to an unfortunate mage who crosses my path” routine today but I tripped and accidently swallowed the caterpillar only for it to get stuck in my throat. I wanted to throw up so badly it made me cry.

The perfect weekend:

Sitting in my mirror with my caterpillar in Thunder’s ear singing Hard Rock Halleluja as loud as I can for two days straight while Thunder can’t remove the caterpillar because he hasn’t got hands and forgive me but dragon claws simply lack the fine motor skills to pluck a little bug from the depths of a dragon ear.

Ah yes, just remembering that makes me feel warm.

What motivates me:

Pettiness.

I mean, justice. Its justice.

My pet peeve:

When I plan a D&D campaign and no one takes it seriously. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON IT AND PUT SO MANY THOUGHTS INTO IT AND YOU CLOWNS ACT AS IF THIS IS AN EPISODE OF SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS.

None of you deserve me 

Kids:

You wouldn’t be asking if you knew what startouch elf kids are like.

Last time I cried:

Today.

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I hope that answers your questions, anon.

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I stopped counting when I turned 5000.

How 'hip' r u wit deh kids? You understand their language of memes and tik toks?

...what?

You are speaking in riddles, anon. I shall ask the duck of wisdom to aid me...

*He scratches his head. What on earth is a mee-mee, he ponders...*

[aaravos-breaks-the-internet]

How 'hip' r u wit deh kids? You understand their language of memes and tik toks?

...what?

You are speaking in riddles, anon. I shall ask the duck of wisdom to aid me...

*He scratches his head. What on earth is a mee-mee, he ponders...*

[aaravos-breaks-the-internet]

hello mr aaravos i literally can’t think of anything funny to say so hi i just think ur really preddy and hope ur having a good day.

Why thank you my dear anon.

I hope, you’re having a good day, too!

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Before I got stuck in the mirror I was on the moon every Friday so I don’t know what you’re trying to get at.

Aaravos? Why don't you explore the internet a bit more on that computer of yours? Perhaps download Overwatch( a game) or watch a video on YouTube? You can ask the "wisdom duck" Of yours to take you to YouTube. I hope u know that the internet has a plethora of information,you just gotta ask the duck. Any information you want,is right at your fingertips. Of course, information such as how to leave your prison probably won't be there. You'll be surprised at how much info we have about the stars;)

Well, hello my dear hor....

......................

.............................................

hello.

...

Ahem. Thank you for your kind advice. I have indeed scavenged the internet for information on almost anything. It is quite fascinating but also a little frustrating that this little computer seemingly holds more information than all of my beloved books combined. I have to say though that your human takes on the stars are quite peculiar and very obviously wrong and misguided. I can’t fault you for not knowing better though. How should your little minds understand the boundless and profound magical properties of the cosmic realm. I have read the chronicles of a fellowship called NASA, writing about things such as “cosmic background radiation” and a “theory of relativity”. Quite honestly, it made me chuckle. Never have I read such an unintelligible gibberish about the stars. I don’t even understand a word what these poor confused people were trying to say but it’s cute how creative the human mind can get, what kind of fairy tales and primitive explanations of magic it comes up with to make sense of its limited understanding of the world.

But otherwise the internet is great, really! Is it normal though that every place of wisdom and insight I visit wants to sell me something? Yesterday, three different institutions praised three different kinds of lawn mowers to me, all proclaiming theirs is the most magnificent one out of the bunch. Two of them are obviously lying so how should anybody know which one is truly the best? And why would anybody need a lawn mower anyway, which I assume is something like a magical golem that feeds on your lawn to keep it neat and tidy? I can just enchant a handful of caterpillars for that... You humans really have some funny ways of solving problems but that is also why I hold you rather dear, isn’t it?

Oh, and I have heard of these “games” of yours. Recently I was advised to try a “game” called “The Dark Souls, Book 3″ but this dreadful theater is much more of a torturous curse that breaks your mind than a “game”. Whoever recommended this to me tricked me and clearly had the ill intention to inflict horrible damage on me and sabotage my well-being. Seriously, games are supposed to be fun. Who has fun being humiliated like this all the time.

*He starts to lose his poise.*

How dare a ridiculous undead farmer kill my magnificent, superiour, revered sorcerer?! I’m the archmage for stars’ sake, I demand they crumble under my spells and let me pass through their wicked lands! How is it possible I take one step and they send me back to my stupid bonfire?! This is an insult to my high status. As if I would just die like that. 163 times. To an undead farmer.

Outrageous!

...

Forgive me, dear human but you have really hit a sensitive spot. No more games for me in the foreseeable future.

*Aaravos defines “the foreseeable future” as the time span between answering this ask and finishing his cup of tea. Then his weak mind will succumb once again.*

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Viren ghostwrote this.

you hate me because you know i am funnier and sexier than you. when i jingle my little clown bells and do my silly little jester dance it fills you with anger that i can be so funny and also so sensual in my big, big clown shoes

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【Aarablog】 ...

So, err... I tried to buy one of these lawn mowers I was talking about but now it requests to speak to my pay pal.

I’m confused. I have a bug pal but no pay pal...

[aaravos-breaks-the-internet]

I think I’m more scared of that undead farmer from the Dark Souls than of you.

But anyways, what is more likely? That a 5000 year old being with an inborn connection to the stars who has worked countless of miracles with their powers and literally altered the course of history thanks to his knowledge and understanding of the world is right or that it is humans without any affinity and understanding of magic? I can literally manifest the powers of the stars in my hand because of my insight into their nature. You see, that’s good enough for me. Whereas all you have is theories that approximate reality but can never fully grasp it. Even the smartest of your scientists say so. 

So...I have yet to be corrected by anything meaningful on your part.

Aaravos? Why don't you explore the internet a bit more on that computer of yours? Perhaps download Overwatch( a game) or watch a video on YouTube? You can ask the "wisdom duck" Of yours to take you to YouTube. I hope u know that the internet has a plethora of information,you just gotta ask the duck. Any information you want,is right at your fingertips. Of course, information such as how to leave your prison probably won't be there. You'll be surprised at how much info we have about the stars;)

Well, hello my dear hor....

......................

.............................................

hello.

...

Ahem. Thank you for your kind advice. I have indeed scavenged the internet for information on almost anything. It is quite fascinating but also a little frustrating that this little computer seemingly holds more information than all of my beloved books combined. I have to say though that your human takes on the stars are quite peculiar and very obviously wrong and misguided. I can’t fault you for not knowing better though. How should your little minds understand the boundless and profound magical properties of the cosmic realm. I have read the chronicles of a fellowship called NASA, writing about things such as “cosmic background radiation” and a “theory of relativity”. Quite honestly, it made me chuckle. Never have I read such an unintelligible gibberish about the stars. I don’t even understand a word what these poor confused people were trying to say but it’s cute how creative the human mind can get, what kind of fairy tales and primitive explanations of magic it comes up with to make sense of its limited understanding of the world.

But otherwise the internet is great, really! Is it normal though that every place of wisdom and insight I visit wants to sell me something? Yesterday, three different institutions praised three different kinds of lawn mowers to me, all proclaiming theirs is the most magnificent one out of the bunch. Two of them are obviously lying so how should anybody know which one is truly the best? And why would anybody need a lawn mower anyway, which I assume is something like a magical golem that feeds on your lawn to keep it neat and tidy? I can just enchant a handful of caterpillars for that... You humans really have some funny ways of solving problems but that is also why I hold you rather dear, isn’t it?

Oh, and I have heard of these “games” of yours. Recently I was advised to try a “game” called “The Dark Souls, Book 3″ but this dreadful theater is much more of a torturous curse that breaks your mind than a “game”. Whoever recommended this to me tricked me and clearly had the ill intention to inflict horrible damage on me and sabotage my well-being. Seriously, games are supposed to be fun. Who has fun being humiliated like this all the time.

*He starts to lose his poise.*

How dare a ridiculous undead farmer kill my magnificent, superiour, revered sorcerer?! I’m the archmage for stars’ sake, I demand they crumble under my spells and let me pass through their wicked lands! How is it possible I take one step and they send me back to my stupid bonfire?! This is an insult to my high status. As if I would just die like that. 163 times. To an undead farmer.

Outrageous!

...

Forgive me, dear human but you have really hit a sensitive spot. No more games for me in the foreseeable future.

*Aaravos defines “the foreseeable future” as the time span between answering this ask and finishing his cup of tea. Then his weak mind will succumb once again.*

[aaravos-breaks-the-internet]

From the interview: Have you ever taken part in an uprising?

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What's a question you would like to ask us, your followers?

Hm, interesting, let me think about that for a little...

Ah yes, I got something:

Is there one thing from your human world that you think Xadia is in dire need of to make it a better place and what thing (or facet or aspect) from Xadia do you wish you had in your world to improve it?

[aaravos-breaks-the-internet]

Owlavos

Who needs Batman if you can call Owlavos!