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dilfhaljordan · 4 years ago

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y’know, i think i might’ve realized why so many people gravitate towards batfam instead of flashfam

to the extent of my knowledge, most of the flashfam are related to each other either biologically or by marrying (to clarify i’m talking specifically abt pre52 flashfam rn since i haven’t actually read any of the new52 yet). you have:

barry allen, the flash

iris west, barry’s wide

wally west, iris’ nephew

linda park, wally’s wife

don and dawn allen, iris and barry’s children in the 30th century

jenni ognats, the daughter of don and jeven ognats

bart, the son of dawn and meloni thawne, making him jenni’s cousin and wally’s first cousin once removed (i think so anyways i’m not sure)

owen mercer, bart’s half-brother

thaddeus thawne II, bart’s clone and technically his twin/brother

jai and irey west, linda and wally’s kids

pretty much the only ones who aren’t biologically related in any sense are jay and joan garrick, who imo act like barry’s parents, and also temporarily had bart in their care for a while

of course, this isn’t including people like jesse chambers, max crandall, johnny chambers, etc. bc i’m mostly going through the family tree, however they are very close friends/allies who are generally considered as part of the flashfam

ANYWAYS, like i said, that list of people? they’re all biologically connected in some way, or in linda + joan + iris’s cases, they married in.

now let’s look at the batfam, which is made up almost entirely of non-biologically related people (once again, not taking into account close friends such as babs and steph):

alfred pennyworth, the wayne’s butler and the man who raised bruce (along with leslie thompkins)

bruce wayne, batman

dick grayson, bruce’s first son

jason todd, bruce’s second son

tim drake, the third son

cassandra cain, bruce’s one and only daughter

damian wayne, son of bruce and talia al ghul, and the only member with any sort of blood relation to bruce

talia al ghul, who isn’t generally considered a part of the batfam (thanks to morrison ruining her entire character smh) but was once married to bruce

this list also doesn’t take into account close friends/allies like stephanie brown, barbara gordon, selina kyle, etc. bc none of them are official members of the family, though they are counted as family by most people (including me). again, these are the official members of the batfam

it’s pretty common knowledge that the batfam is the most popular family in the entire dc franchise. the fanworks alone go to show that, and dc isn’t much better when it comes to that. it can be hard to figure out why, since the batfam can be so messed up sometimes, especially compared to the flashfam, which imo is one of the most openly loving and caring families in dc. despite that, the flashfam fandom is like a single speck of dust compared to the batfam fandom, which can honestly be really frustrating bc they deserve more recognition, but i digress

anyways, the main difference between these two families?

blood relations.

okay, let me explain. here’s the thing—the batfam fandom is mostly made up of people that are queer, neurodivergent, mentally ill, or maybe just don’t have that great of a home life. this post explains it much better than i ever could, but the general gist is that these people love the concept of found family since they usually don’t have an amazing relationship or are rejected by their blood family, and the batfam is built on found family. like i said, the only people related by blood are bruce and damian—everyone else is a) adopted or b) close enough to the family that they’re considered part of it (think steph, babs, alfred, etc.)

now, i’m pretty sure that the batfam is the only family that’s pretty much completely found family (with the exception of lanternfam, but hal, kyle, jess, simon etc. don’t fall into archetypal roles like the dad, the brother, the uncle, etc. so i feel like that plays a big role in why the lanternfam isn’t nearly as popular + the fact that most people just don’t really seem to care about them). most of dc’s other families are blood related—and this includes flashfam, which i think it actually the family that has the most blood-related members in it.

here’s the thing—some of the members of the flashfam absolutely do play at least a little bit into found family. take bart, for example—he travelled back in time from the future. iris couldn’t take care of him bc she couldn’t spoil future events for the others (i think so anyways i’m not too sure), wally was nowhere prepared to mentor a kid who was so much like him, so max was the one to take him in, and they ended up having an amazing father-son relationship, and they weren’t related to each other, either.

still, despite definitely having more healthy relationships than the batfam, most of the flashfam is blood-related, which is probably a huge part of why people gravitate towards the batfam—the idea of having a found family that, while dysfunctional and messy, is a family that loves each other, is really appealing towards people who are queer/neurodivergent/etc. not only that, a lot of the batfam members are unintentionally neurodivergent coded, which is another reason for the flashfam not being nearly as popular (though i firmly believe that most if not all speedsters are adhd i mean just look at bart’s 90s solo comic but that’s not the point)

of course there’s also the fact that dc just loves promoting the batfam for whatever reason...most of the dc animated movies have batman + nightwing in them, and god whenever i scroll down to movies that have ‘batman’ in their title on my tv list it’s so goddamn long...batman himself is one of the most well-known fictional characters ever, and while the flash is popular, it pales in comparison to batman. most forms of dc media have the batfam or at least bruce, alfred + dick or damian in them (batman and harley quinn, batman vs robin, the dcamu universe, etc.) while the flash...

i’m pretty sure barry’s the only one to really consistently appear in any sort of dc media that isn’t comics, but the one movie that could be considered a flashfam movie is justice league: the flashpoint paradox and even then i feel like it’s a stretch. other than that, all i can think of if wally making some cameos in the 2003 teen titans cartoon + his appearances in ttg. even in video games, there’s no bart, no jay, no max—only barry as the flash and wally as kid flash, even if the timeline doesn’t make sense

so yeah. that’s my reasoning for why the batfam is so much more popular than the flashfam

#bruce wayne #dick grayson #barry allen #batfam #flashfam #meta #long post #hhhh this took forever to write smh #*#*meta

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darkpoisonouslove · 4 years ago

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Ranking the Winx Club Finales

I recently finished my rewatch (and first watch of a season and a half) of Winx Club and wrote out my thoughts on all of it. However, to send off a year that was in experience a lot like watching this series - meaning, generally frustrating and downright disappointing whenever I got excited over a thing with a few highlights that actually stuck the landing - and to get out any remaining feelings over the series, I have decided to rank the finales from least to most favorite. I just have a lot of rage to spare over season 8′s finale and needed an excuse to do so. Plus, I am being thematic here goddammit! Here we go:

8. Season 8

Yeah, I really spoiled that already. To sum it up:

But let me elaborate. Like I already said, this finale enraged the living fuck out of me. I just cannot comprehend whatever possessed them to write a finale so, so... excruciatingly devastating... to a season that started out with a lot of promise and had some extremely solid decisions (except for the art style, which is just NOT IT). This finale is an absolute disaster in every way. First, there is a new plot point introduced mere minutes before the finale and it is never tied into the overall narrative of the season which doesn’t do it any favors, especially after the two halves of the season already have trouble connecting together into one overarching story. The reason they brought in the creatures from the Dark Dimension was to distract Valtor while Winx make their attempt at stealing the stars which could have very well been a role filled by Arken confronting Valtor in an opportunity to clear up all the muddy details around their partnership and bring together the two halves of the season. The Winx’ plan had potential that was completely wasted by their own interruption instead of seeing each girl (provided Layla was playing Icy, Stella - Darcy and Musa/Tecna - Stormy) doing her best to pretend to be the Trix she’s posing as to give the Trix the due role they should have had in this finale. Instead, we get an Icy that is a complete opposite of the character we’ve known her to be for seven seasons all for the sake of a wish she doesn’t even get fulfilled despite her decision to help. Her motivation is a direct contradiction to the original plan of the Trix and disrespects her character from all previous instances of her being on the show for absolutely no reason as she is left with nothing in the end and the whole backstory they invented for her out of nowhere and couldn’t fit in any way with anything previously known about her was in vain because it was never resolved. Winx essentially manage to defeat Valtor once they wish for their own power-up and are gifted powers they haven’t really earned only to be pronounced great heroes who even get their own constellation in the sky. Come again? There was no narrative tension in this episode, no big climax to resolve what is supposedly the biggest threat in the universe at the moment, and no actual emotional conclusion to the season. It can’t even be called a messy wrap when so many threads were left hanging in there. A true disaster on every front.

7. Season 6

Even if you count both 6x25 and 6x26 as the finale of season 6, the structure is still lacking big time. Acheron who is the main drive of the entire season is defeated before the end of 6x25 and the Trix who are the other main villains were also more or less neutralized at that point to leave absolutely no stakes for the last episode so they had to pull some bullshit to fill it. The Winx are useless for the entire episode, including Bloom whose battle with the Trix is an absolute joke. Like, they can’t even think of syncing their attacks so that she can’t protect herself from all three of them with her ridiculously small shield and Bloom couldn’t even bother to actually buy herself enough time to leave the Legendarium. The only saving grace of that fight is the little emotional moment it causes for Bloom but that was also not really set up at any point of the season so it was just out of the blue. Selina changing her affiliations permanently even after the imminent threat for her life was neutralized made about as much sense as her turning evil in the first place and the fact that they needed her to lock the Legendarium made everything 1000% shittier because of how convenient it was that she just decided to turn good again without any justification for her course of actions. That coupled with the lack of consequences for any of her actions (she nearly killed Flora for heaven’s sake and no one even brought that up?) plus the dreadful info dump monologue they gave her just brought the whole thing down. The wrap-up of the season was also underwhelming after they had an entire episode that was mainly free of villains in order to close the other storylines... but, of course, there were no other storylines. Pretty disastrous.

6. Season 7

Just like in season 6, Winx were pretty useless here as they really didn’t do all that much for the plot. Luckily, the fact that the Trix were brought in allowed for the villains to have a battle that was more intriguing and provided some action as for a finale. The other key elements of the season (fairy animals, Trix, wild magic, Kalshara and Brafilius and the time travel) were actually woven together pretty well to make for a pretty satisfying finish to a season that really lacked any solid plot. The mini worlds and the Tynix transformation did not have use in the last episode but that wasn’t too catastrophic. There was actually a pretty emotional moment between the fairy animals and Winx that would have been even better if their relationships had been better developed throughout the season... You’d really think that since fairy animals were the main point of the season and there was no solid plot to account for, they would have taken the time to pay attention to Winx bonding with their fairy animals but nah. I am still impressed with how touching their goodbye was given the fact that they didn’t really have all that much time to actually become close so bonus points for that. The very last scene is a little generic but what else to expect from a season that has sung all its songs already (thank god that there were no musical numbers in this because I have a feeling it would have been even worse)?

5. Season 5

Season 5 could at least pat itself on the back for dealing with the main villain of the season even if there were a couple iffy things about the whole deal. I’m taking away consistency points for a) the fact that the Throne was supposed to be activated with the seals from the Pillars of the Infinite Ocean, yet suddenly stealing a random Sirenix would do, b) Tritannus being defeated by simply having his trident taken away even though he literally grew in body mass implying that the power of the Emperor’s Throne had seeped inside of him (also confirmed by Mystery of the Abyss) and c) the mutants inexplicably turning back into people once Tritannus lost his powers even though they never turned back during his times of relapsing back into a human thanks to running out of pollution. His defeat was just ridiculously easy and Bloom got to do it even though Layla was the one with the personal connection to Tritannus and the one most directly impacted by his actions as her family fell prey to him. Instead of getting to shine in a season that focused heavily not just on her home world but on the environment from which her powers come, she got benched in favor of Bloom getting to do everything again with only mild assist from Layla’s cousin. They should have kept it in the family and left Layla and Nereus deal with Tritannus. The Trix were blasted out of the narrative extremely conveniently and the rest of Winx were saved twice by the mutants just turning their back on them instead of destroying them right then and there and then being turned back into their original form as well. There wasn’t the usual teamwork of the whole Winx unit which I am still salty about despite being sick of all the time they reached for convergence in that season. Theredor fighting alongside Winx (different from his own daughter) was a nice touch but the king and queen of Andros coming off as so helpless (and apparently the only people in the castle unless you admit that everyone else drowned) was frustrating. Where was the Andros army? We only got Tressa, Roy, four of Winx and a handful of mermaids. Is that the whole population of the Heart of All Oceans? Additionally, the finale left no time for any emotional resolution of the season’s events, especially considering the big deal that Daphne’s revival was. Instead they opted for a musical number at the end. Not the best form.

4. Season 3

Season 3 had a finale and then another finale. Granted, better than season 6 that had a finale and then filler but there was not a lot of glory to the ending of a story with such a strong opening and emotional moments that send you bursting into tears. The spell of the four elements was pretty decent in its first appearance in 3x25 but the way Valtor lost it all was a real let down after the climatic confrontations between him and the Winx girls throughout the rest of the season. His return was more or less a desperate last attempt at personal revenge against Winx as his goal was mostly out of reach at this point. The spell of the elements was brought down in both its use to create clones of Winx’ boyfriends and in its power as it was much easier to undo in its reappearance. The saving graces of this season’s finale are the couple emotional moments sprinkled through both 3x25 and 3x26. Bloom’s willingness to sacrifice herself for her friends and the world was the thread that the finale hangs on as she is mostly the one resolving the whole conflict which was a bit dissatisfying after the emotional damage Valtor inflicted on all of them directly or indirectly. There is a few moments left to recover from the emotional intensity of their battles against Valtor but nothing that really addresses the seriousness of the trauma they had to survive because of him. The Trix didn’t even get to have a last stand of their own in either of the last two episodes despite the position in which they started the season but that was more or less unnecessary anyway since we’d already seen they can’t hold their ground against Enchantix Winx even with a boost from Valtor. Overall, the finale is pretty weak, especially as a follow-up of the dynamic and strong experiences that the season put them all through. It was the first finale that was confined to a single episode (or rather two separate battles spanning over an episode to end the season) and there wasn’t enough tension building in the confined storyline an episode told.

3. Season 4

The season 4 finale is overall a solid conclusion that delivers both a final battle with the Wizards and enough time left to address all the other storylines left unfinished. The final battle was pretty short but there was enough intensity in the previous couple episodes to have covered the action demand that the season had already set up and it also provided the opportunity to have Winx come back together as a team after Layla split up. Not only that, but Nebula and Roxy also get to play their part while the Wizards make their last desperate attempt to regain the upper hand. It’s pretty climatic for something that length that also left about 15 minutes of the episode still to fill. Everything that had to do with the closure of the Earth fairies storyline was emotional beyond belief and gave more depth to all of them and Layla’s decision to join them. Winx had to face all of the separate responsibilities they have on their shoulders and find a way to balance them all so that they can pursue their dreams. There was a plethora of emotional moments and a deserved spotlight shined on Layla’s situation and how she’s dealing with it, plus the others’ feelings. It was a really touching finale and also an inspiring one to see Winx stand behind their dreams while still balancing their responsibilities. It seemed to achieve the initial goal of the season to have them adapting to the adult life they were shifting into.

2. Season 2

I’m gonna be honest, I had a very hard time deciding whether this would be number one or two because the season 2 finale had a lot more character moments that were very moving. It really corresponds to the season since it was more character driven than the first one and the finale suited that. However, ultimately I decided that it would take silver because of a couple minor things that bring it down. To get that out of the way, the second portal to Realix that led Winx there was imo a copout that destroyed pretty much all of the tension that the entire season spent building around the search for the Codex. It just felt so wrong for there to be another way to enter that dimension and to me it was a big disappointment. Especially since the key to activating the copy of the Codex was the color riddle that was a ridiculous panicked attempt on the writers’ part to show that Stella isn’t useless and has what to give the team but it only made her look worse in my eyes. Also, minor gripe for the fact that there wasn’t that much of a final battle since everything ended with a single convergence. Of course, there were several battles across the episode between different sides that made for good action and tension and there was magic involved in more ways than simply the convergence in order to defeat Darkar but it was still a bit of a letdown to never truly see him put his everything in battle. And the fact that Griffin and Faragonda held him off for as long as they did on their own actually hurt his credibility as a threat as well. But hey, on the plus side, remember when the teachers actually helped and did not leave the fate of the whole universe in the hands of 16-year-olds? Good times! The MegaTrix and her? their? battle with Darkar was epic. 20/10 on that concept alone, plus it really brought a great feeling of vindication after the number Darkar did on them and felt so satisfying even if they were also part of the villain team of the season. They were portrayed as three-dimensional and weren’t cast out of the narrative without care just because they were villains and that was actually probably the most solid moment that the Trix have ever had on the show (just minor gripe for the fact that they were supposed to be trapped in Realix when the dimension was sealed forever but they were later somehow brought out of there which was never explained). Sky’s speech to Bloom was actually a pretty emotional moment and the payoff from it felt earned and allowed for Bloom’s victory against the darkness to feel natural and in place. It was probably one of their best moments as a couple. Plus, the cute little interactions that we got during the celebration party to send off the season on its merry way made for a great finale. (And a shoutout to the Musa x Riven scenes both in 2x25 and 2x26 because that was some good shit and some cute shit and it was exactly what we deserved).

1. Season 1

Season 1 reigns supreme with its finale. There is just no other finale that can rise to the level of the first one that was built for about one third of the season so that the last episode could dive right into the action without wasting time on setup. This is also the only place where we truly and fully get to see each of the Winx and the Trix (well, minus Layla who hasn’t been introduced yet) showcase their powers but especially Bloom and Icy. It is the longest battle we have seen and it builds a lot of tension on top of what was already there to leave you on the edge of your seat. The exploration of magic in this episode makes it so iconic and such a great watch even on the 300th time. There isn’t really much more to say than simply “It is epic”. What makes it even better though is the fact that there is enough time left in the episode to wrap up everything else and not in a rushed way. The battleground is extended to the locations that have already suffered the previous battles to show the full extension of the action and to setup the wrap-up that comes at the end. They even find the time to let some of the minor characters have distinct and touching moments as well and thus expand the universe of Winx further than just the main characters. Speaking off, they all get their moments, too, and the Specialists aren’t left out of that (you will never catch me not fangirling over Sky and Riven fighting back to back). The finale also doesn’t forget about the overarching story about Bloom’s origin which is commendable considering the constant lack of consistency the show suffers. This is really the only finale that isn’t lacking in any of the departments and manages to provide a truly fascinating story that keeps you entertained and in suspense while at the same time does not discard the emotional payoff or the logical continuation of events. It just excels in every way.

Well, this is my analysis on the finales of Winx Club. What started out as a bitch fest actually left on on a positive and uplifting note to make for a great ending to a harsh year. Let’s see what beginnings 2021 will bring! ;)

#winx club #winx club meta #winx meta #winx analysis #analysis #winx club season 1 #winx club season 2 #winx club season 3 #winx club season 4 #winx club season 5 #winx club season 6 #winx club season 7 #winx club season 8

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bisansastarks · 6 years ago

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hit us with your jonsa headcanons

Okay I’ll go off on three possible endgame fanfic possibilities. Jon the Lord Commander. Jon the Wildling King. Jon the Queensguard Commander.

Jon the Lord Commander:

angstiest of the three

jon does this as penance for his sin of helping D take King’s Landing

Sansa goes to meet with the Lord Commander to establish trade between the free folk and the North

SHOUTING MATCH. Sansa wants him to come home she’s tired of being alone. Jon believes he doesn’t deserve it.

PANTING. FACES. JON ENDS UP FUCKING HER ON HIS DESK.

The next morning he tells her she cannot visit again.

he receives a letter nine moons past. The Queen in the North has had a daughter. She tells everyone the father is a wolf.

ANGST. SO MUCH ANGST.

Jon as the Wildling King-

Much less angsty, more sexual tension

Jon spends a few years with the Wildlings and gets past the trauma of his abusive relationship and what he engineered in Kings Landing.

He and Sansa exhange letters.

The wildlings all follow Jon and he takes to it because I DON’T WANT IT JON SNOW WAS A WEIRD CLONE WE DON’T KNOW HIM.

a few years past and Jon comes to Winterfell to seal the alliance between the free folk and the North

since a few years have passed they’re gotten used to viewing eachother as cousins and all the unresolved simmery feelings between them feel much more honest.

MUCH FLIRTING. MUCH HEATED GAZES.

but jon is still noble and he’s committed to leading the Wildings and also still thinks Sansa can do better. So he leaves.

Sansa begins mentioning the lords are pressuring her to marry in their private correspondence.

in an OFFICIAL QITN LETTER the king of the wildlings is invited to a feast where she intends to find her husband.

jon thinks she wants his advice. Sansa was his dick (and ya know his love)

Jon: I don’t think any of these lords are worthy

Sansa: hmmmm I agree. I THINK THE NORTH SHOULD HAVE AN OFFICAL ALLIANCE WITH THE WILDLINGS.

THEY MARRY IN THE GODSWOOD AND PRODUCE MANY DAUGHTERS.

Jon as the Queensguard Commander (bc for some reason Brienne is in Kings Landing lmao okay whatever!!!)

Jon is with the wildlings, consumed with guilt over what went done in Kings Landing. (NOT KILLING THE TYRANT LMAO NONSENSE)

Sansa is like…hmmm moping time is over. I’m Queen. I pardon you. SUCK IT GREYWORM.

Jon says the northern lords will not like her pardoning a kinslayer so Sansa agrees that as ~punishment(THE TYRION LANNISTER PUNISHMENT STYLE) Jon will serve as Lord Commander of her Queensquard.

They spend lots of time together.

Jon confesses his guilt over bringing D to her home and letting her threaten Sansa. Says he meant to protect her always and he will spend his life doing that now.

Sansa is Queen and needs no help but Jon is definitely her advisor as well as Commander.

Lords suggest she marry but Sansa finds no need of it.

Basically they’re in love but they’re so happy to just be around each other that it takes them YEARS TO REALIZE.

finally the lords insist we need heirs bc this isnt that weird fucking 6k nonsense this is the North and we need Starks!!

Sansa is completely uninspired about it but lets men come to court her

most are just after the title and therefore don’t bother Jon

but one dude actually courts Sansa. in a way that child sansa would SWOON. POEMS. SONGS. HAND HOLDING. WALKS.

JON HATES IT. HE DOESN’T KNOW WHY BUT HE’S ANGRY.

Sansa points out one in her solar that if she marries they will no longer have this.

Jon beats up the romantic suitor in the training yard which gets Sansa all fluttery.

Jon confesses he loves her but he vowed to protect her and he cannot break another vow.

sansa sends the romantic suitor away

she becomes pregnant which could be a scandal but they all love their xenophobic QITN

all she will say is the child and all future children are Starks.

#jonsa #actuallyjonsa

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thesummerstorms · 7 years ago

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What kind of relationships do you think Etain has with the various nulls?

Ordo:

Ordo & Etain’s relationship starts out really rough, to say the least, but you can see some turn around by the beginning of Order 66 and definitely by the not-canon-ending where he tries to revive her and then sobs at her funeral. I want to say that they eventually actually end up pretty close friends. Gena has said before that she thinks Ordo actually ends up closer to Etain than Darman, and I kinda love that (especially the irony).

I do think they squabble. They root for opposite sports teams, and Ordo’s type A while Etain’s definitely not so they drive each other crazy sometimes. Sometimes they inadvertently offend one another or are a little too honest. But It’s a good friendship. They’re supportive and honest and unreasonably loyal and gossipy. Etain has probably threatened to beat someone up for Ordo as if he wasn’t a super soldier twice her size. Etain also probably kept sending him letters when he went incommunicado for mental health reasons, not to pressure him, but just because she still loved and was thinking of him.

I like to think that, even though they aren’t living in the same place, Ordo and Etain try to raise their daughters to be at least somewhat close? Mirja and Koa are only two years apart, the same age difference as between me and my cousin, who I was super close to growing up, but I haven’t really discussed it with Gena.

Anyway, tl:dr Ordo and Etain go from “constantly in disagreement” to “probably still in disagreement, but in a loving sibling kind of way, absolutely have each other’s backs”.

A’den:

So I feel like Etain has a decent respect for A’den long before she meets him just because she and Dar write letters constantly and Darman respects A’den. (She may or may not ask after him while Dar is stationed on Gaftikar, out of principle, after she asks after Dar and the rest of the squad.)

I don’t feel like they probably meet until after Order 66, and Etain is not exactly at her best just then- but there’s still probably mutual respect there. A’den is, by all accounts, a man who smiles a lot, loves food, and has a sense of humor, and I think Etain would appreciate that about him when they interact, and A’den has likely heard good things from Mereel and Ordo- but Etain is at a place where it’s hard for her to bond very deeply with him. Then it’s more or less one thing after the other until Mereel dies and she and Dar flee.

More than likely, I think they become actual friends more after Mereel comes back from the dead. Mereel shows up at the safehouse he left Dar and Etain in pretty miserable shape, and of course as soon as the Nulls know, they immediately converge. Since Ordo’s travelling with an infant, A’den might actually be the first to show up? (Probably startling the hell out of poor, sleep-deprived Darman who sees him in the kitchen at 1 am and just blinks a few times before…. “Sarge?”) He and Etain start talking a little more after Dar and he bond over foodie stuff, and they stay friendly, even if she’s not as close to him as Mereel or Ordo.

At some point much later they probably have to haul Mereel out of some situation (or Mereel hauls them into a situation idk), and find they actually work well as a team for short durations.

Jaing

Everyone makes a point of “don’t tell Etain about the gloves”, but let’s be real guys. She knows. The emotions in the Force don’t lie, and she knew Ko Sai as well, which makes the impression stronger.

Jaing is easily the Null Etain is weariest of. It’s hard because she’s instinctively someone who reads emotional undercurrents, and while she feels threads of violence and anger in all the Nulls, Jaing wears his against his skin as trophies.

I don’t think she ever confronts him about it, even when it unsettles her.

He;s still family. She’s tortured people before and there’s no one in the family (except maybe the children) who aren’t capable of some terrible things. She appreciates the way he looked after Fi, or what she saw of it for those few days on Mandalore before she went into labor. He’s capable, and she respects that the same way she does for all of them.

But at the same time, I think Jaing will always be the one she holds herself the most emotionally distant from. She would absolutely go after him on a rescue op if needed, out of shared bonds to other family and loyalty and duty, but they’re never gonna be close buddies.

Prudii

The mun forgot Prudii existed again, whoops.

Coughs, and links you to this post. And this post. Which have Etain: !!!!!!!!!!

I honestly don’t as many particular headcanons for Prudii at the moment. Etain pretty much auto-extends the same loyalty to him before she even meets him by virtue of his being first Dar and then Ordo and Mereel’s brother. I very much feel like she has hung over a staircase banister throwing pebbles at him at some point, but I can’t justify that?

Someone with a more developed sense of Prudii as a character is free to propose things, but I was rereading his scenes and nothing ..really..stuck?

I’m so sorry Prudii; I am failing you.

Komr’k

So I feel like initially Etain starts out a little off balance around Kom’rk. They’re the Null who, other than Prudii sorry Prudii, she probably knows the least about, and they don’t meet until after Etain’s death experience. Kom’rk has this weird balance of weary aloofness and bluntness going on, and I think that keeps Etain a little distant at first. She can match them for bluntness at least some of the time, but aloofness is harder for her to deal with.

She grew up in the Temple, she has a mask she built for distancing herself from attachment to the people around her, and she retreats back into it at first, her emotional state at the time not helping matters any. (Possibly Kom’rk thinks her either cold or in shock at first.) But at her core she’s someone who wants desperately to be emotive and touchy-feely and reach out to everyone.

Eventually when they’re less weary of each other and Kom’rk’s more social side comes out a little, things relax between the two of them. I feel like while Etain is still in recovery, Kom’rk would be one who would pick up on her ambiguous feelings re: Kal, especially given their similar (if for different reasons) feelings and absolute willingness to call a spade a spade, and perhaps that ends up being an eventual basis of support for the two of them?

I want to say they end up having occasional lunches when their different travels have them in the same side of the galaxy, and since Kom’rk seems to be into some of the same social scenes as Mereel, maybe some occasional sight-seeing? But idk.

Mereel

Oh gosh. This is gonna be long, isn’t it? I tried to bookend with the most developed relationships, but… Listen, Etain loves Mereel.

I think she probably wanted to try and steal the CipQuad from him on Trip Zip, but they don’t really get to know each other well until she’s pregnant and isolated and terrified on Mandalore. At which point Mereel shows her both massive kindness and genuine respect for her ability and competence, both of which Etain is practically starving for at that point. There are very few people who genuinely give a damn about her, not as a Jedi or because she’s carrying a clone’s baby but as herself.

She’s not used to being cared for.

He sees her when she’s incredibly vulnerable and gives her both some compassion and a sense of control/purpose back, and it pretty much cements a friendship from her end. We don’t know what all went on during their two months together, but obviously Mereel also felt close to Etain because he lets himself show an incredible amount of vulnerability back to her rather than laughing or playing it off as a joke like he does literally anywhere else.

I think they stay really close. When Etain needs reassurance post-death and Dar is still stranded on Coruscant, Mereel’s the one she trusts enough to be open with. I think they’re pretty casually affectionate with one another, and she worries about him, particularly after Kal destroys the cure and he goes off alone. (For good reason, as it turns out.) Mereel, of all people, actually gives her spiritual guidance that results in her seeking out Tarre and Ranah, pretty much instantly lands on her “unbelievably lengthy letters” sending list with out even any surprise from Ordo, is a fabulous Uncle to her kids. She trusts him in a way she doesn’t trust many people other than Dar. Perhaps goes to him for advice on occasion, though she also tries to give him advice she knows he’ll never follow.

(I also… I really ship Etain/Mereel? It started as a crack ship and then I started thinking about it too much and… oh no. It’s definitely a poly arrangement, though idk about actual Mereel/Etain/Darman. I’m not even sure how canon this is to me now bc it got all invested in my feelings and my brain betrayed me. But in whatever verse or AU it does happen it starts with a mix of closeness/vulnerability and guilty ust, and then after years of a strong friendship between them, develops into something open, less a demand or formal arrangement than their trust/care finding another avenue of expression. Possibly after Mereel dies bc the timing would be sketchy otherwise. Or ,again, in a different verse? Idk. Stupid overly invested crack ship.)

#ulvdakota #this is so long and took so long #i'm sorry #i ramble #nulls #Etain Tur-Mukan #etain tur-mukan #mereel skirata #ordo skirata #republic commando #a'den skirata #prudii skirata #komrk skirata #jaing skirata

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littlespacestars · 8 years ago

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Shallura Fic Rec (#2)

Shallura Rec List (#2)

I previously made a list of my favorite Shallura fics, and decided to pull together a new one for you guys!! Hopefully you find something you haven’t read yet. There’s a bit of a lag in Shallura fics lately (and content in general), but there’s absolutely still some good ones! Again, these are categorized to the best of my ability, since some of them can apply to more than one group!

Shallura Rec List (#1) is here

Fluff

Like an Eagle - Revasnaslan

“It turned out that explaining trust falls to an alien was a little bit more difficult than Shiro thought it was going to be.

Written for Shallura Week Day 3 (Trust / Growth)”

Sharing Earth culture, trusting, Allura scares TF out of Shiro

Wingman - thir13enth

“Coran is never subtle. Shallura.”

Supportive Coran, protective space uncle, wingman Coran

She’s Like the Sun - sdd_writes_things

“In which neither Shiro nor Allura can actually sleep at night and they're super thirsty for each other, turning tentative hand holding into nearly making love on the floor which then somehow turns into seventy miles of blankets and then sleeping in front of a window.”

Almost smutty content, shy handholding to violent necking, insomnia, pining, not explicit

Nighttime - butimnotinthefandom

“Shiro sees to his crew and spends some time alone with Allura.”

Shiro’s POV, space family, minor Klance/Klangst, flirting, domestic, stargazing, pining, sharing stress, “Innocent Shallura massage”

Where Sleep Will Be Peaceful ; Unharried by Terror - gallantrejoinder

“Four times Allura and Shiro slept side by side and it didn't mean anything - plus the one time that it did.”

Insomnia, four times plus one, sharing a bed, nightmares, sleep, gentle and soft things, misunderstandings, pining, happy ending, slight mature content

At 2200 Hours - braincoins

“It's the end of a long day aboard the Castle ship. Time to relax and unwind.”

Shallura Sundays, prompt, domestic, fluff, background Klance, space parents, playful flirting and teasing, tired Shiro

Sock Sliding at 2am - mantharay

“Allura and Shiro are distraught and stressed after the events of Crystal Venom (S1x09). Through the power of sliding down dark castle halls like children, they learn that to be a leader, you can't be serious all the time.

Oh, and there's some Emotions™.”

Fluff and angst, comfort, PTSD, panic/anxiety attacks, comfort, platonic relationship, sort of, possible pining

Moments of You - Seliphra

“When Allura gets injured saving the day, Shiro can't help but try to take care of her.”

First kiss, love confessions, canon-typical injury and violence, minor injuries, BAMF Allura, nervous Shiro, hurt/comfort, Shiro is in awe and Allura is amazing,

Come Down to the Water Where the Sky is Blue and Yellow - armouredescort (Part 1 of A Long Road to Courtship)

“Allura convinces Shiro to go to the beach.”

Day at the beach, beach episode, tooth-rotting fluff, space family, water fight, slow burn

Working to Relax - IHaveNothingToDo

“Allura's tense and her hair is a mess. Shiro helps.“

Soft, Shiro plays with Allura’s hair, it’s the mice’s fault, short fic

3 AM - jaztice

“Shiro and Allura are hanging out in Allura's room around 3am.”

Shiro is ticklish, kissing, tickling, hickeys, short fic

Ancient - juniperallura

“For prompt "Shallura, ancient. The universe can be very heavy and make you feel very small.”

Fluff, angst, comfort, playful banter, short fic

A Matter of Time - teslatricity (nayanroo)

“The war's over, and the universe is starting to rebuild. As Allura leads the charge in forming new alliances, looking to the future, Shiro considers the kind of future he wants for them. But being a paladin means that your plans tend to go awry and your timing is never the greatest...“

Engagement, Shiro is a bit of a disaster, but he loves her so much ya’ll, background relationships, but only if you’re looking for it, proposal-blocked, supportive Keith, gorgeous scenery, nervous Shiro, Shiro’s parents, new home

Angst

As You Wish - SippingThatTea

“Every time Allura asked something from Shiro, he merely responded 'As you wish'. Allura does wonder if there was more to that.”

Fluff and humor, angst with a happy ending, short fic

Betrayal (2/2) - YoGrossDude

“Shiro is turned against Team Voltron. Allura must stop him. A life and death struggle, and what comes after.”

Dark Shiro, characters fighting, major character injury, angst, possession, aftermath of possession, aftermath of violence, mind control aftermath & recovery, panic attacks, PTSD, suicidal thoughts

Crown Another - carrotycake

“‘And for every king that died

Oh, they would crown another...’

Allura struggles with accepting the mantle of Black Paladin.”

Angst, black paladin Allura, cool lions doing mystical things, Allura is sad, grief/mourning, Keith is a good friend

Multichapter

Watch Me Lovely (7/?) - realityisiron

“‘What exactly did you think you were agreeing to?’

- - - - -

Shiro could pretend to be Allura’s concubine for a week. After all, concubines were for behind closed doors. There’d be no reason for them to have to do anything crazy.

Except Shiro may have made a huge translation error, one that will come back to bite him in rather… unexpected ways. And places.”

Explicit, eventual NSFW, porn with plot, mutual pining, romance, fake/pretend relationship, comedy, hurt/comfort, Shiro angst, alien culture, alien biology, alien sex, exhibitionism, femdom, world building

Like Real People Do (5/5) - andtheblueberrymuffins (Part 1 of Like Real People Do)

“Shiro knows this is wrong. Everything is wrong. But they need him. Keith said so, and Shiro knows, he knows, that if they need him he has to help them. It’s what he would do. It’s what he does. (Everything is fine.)

Or: The one where something is very wrong with Shiro after his second escape from the Galra.”

Tragedy, Post-Season/Series 03, Speculation about Shiro post season 3, ‘Shiro’, Implied/Referenced mind control, mind control aftermath & recovery, clone Shiro, prepare your tissues and cry deeply

The Princess and the Pilot (2/?) - ashesandhoney

“In an alternate timeline, Shiro gets picked up by the Galra before the war starts and eventually ends up being given to the Princess of the Alteans as a joke or an attempt to start a war or as a mistake. Whatever their motive was for sending him, Allura is now left trying to figure out what to do with him.”

AU, prisoner Shiro, slow burn, misunderstanding, strangers to lovers

Jealousy (3/3) - juniperallura

“As the team forges a new alliance, Shiro must confront a figure from Allura's past, a new challenge, and his own feelings.”

Jealously, pining, mutual pining, light angst, fluff, confessions, Shiro is moody and hopelessly in love

Shallura Babies/Children

We’re All Just Stars With People Names - babyfairy (babyfairybaekhyun)

“The space parents become legitimate space parents.”

Post-war, star babies, inspired by art, pregnancy, FLUFF, twins, birthing scene, space family, Coran is going to spoil them

Three Merging Currents - pixie_rings (materassassino)

“One quintessence, two quintessences… and then three. Allura and Shiro have made something unique, but Altean pregnancy is its own special thing.”

Space family, alien biology, dropping the pregnancy annoucement bomb, new parents, Allura is strong AF and has cravings

Creating Constellations - stratagem (stardustandrobotlions)

“Allura and Shiro weren't expecting parenthood to start off with such a bang, but they have to improvise when Allura goes into labor during a space battle.”

Childbirth, space battle, space pirates, shallura baby, space family

Like Bringing Color to Children - distinctive_pineapples

“'Lance,' Shiro started, his 'dad face' already at a maximum (because holy crow, he actually was a dad now, and Lance was about to be very, very dead). 'Is there a reason why you just called my daughter an animated lion?'”

Lance ends up nicknaming Shiro and Allura's newborn daughter after an animated lion. It's met with mixed reactions, but at one point or another, everyone caves.’

Future Fic, Shallura baby

Who Tells Your Story? - after_midnightmunchies

“‘Do you think history will remember us?’

Allura has some doubts and Shiro quickly dismisses them.”

Brief mention/view of children, Shallura Week 2017, Prompt: Legacy, Future Fic, married life, canon compliant, established relationship, minor Uncle Klance, one-shot

A Wonderful Night...? - ebonynightwriter (Part 5 of Shallura Week 2017)

“Returning to the ship after a night out, Shiro and Allura find two very important things are missing.”

Fluff, fun/humor, star babies, space family, love, Shallura!kids, one-shot, future fic, established relationship, Shallura Week 2017

Two Front Teeth - stratagem (stardustandrobotlions)

“Remember that time that Shiro forgot to tell Allura that human children lose their baby teeth, and that might happen with an Altean-Human child, too? Yeah, good times.”

Little humans lose their teeth and that’s disturbing to Alteans, tooth fairy, adventures in child-rearing, Altean-human kids are SO confusing, Allura and Coran are horrified, space family

Shallura AU

Lead me Home - distinctive_pineapples

“The universes may change, but there's always a familiar face to help Shiro move forward. [Takes place post-season 2 or outside of canon continuity]

My contribution to Shallurazine's "Stars Aligned" issue 2.”

AU, but not really, canon universe, post-season 2

Hold Onto Me (1/?) - killashilla (shalluravoltron)

“The prestigious Garrison Academy welcomes two royal exchange students from Altea. Whirlwind romances and harsh realities unfold as Allura, Lance, Shiro, Keith, Hunk, and Pidge navigate love, life, and high school.

The first day that Princess Allura and her cousin Lance arrive in a different galaxy, thousands of light years from Altea. They'll have to finish their educations here, on an unfamiliar planet with unfamiliar people. Luckily, these royals are quick to find allies...very close, very dreamy allies.”

Don’t Be Scared - thi13tenth

“there's still time.

—shallura. au. (for shalluraweek 2017, day two: hands; names.)”

Beach, fluff, established relationship, flirting

That’s How You Know - Bleusarcelle

“It takes a while but then the sun sets, the terrace get brighter and Shiro can only stare fondly as Allura keeps talking, eyes wide with excitement and arms flying around vividly at every word coming out of her mouth.

He’s entranced and he doesn't want to look away but his phone beeps besides him, letting him know it’s a quarter before midnight.

He voices his new discovery and he’s met with a confused arched eyebrow and a soft gasp.

‘What? Already?’

Those gotta be his new favorite words.”

Modern setting AU, getting together, established Klance, BG Klance, first meetings, awkward flirting, first dates, pining Shiro, smitten Shiro, mutual pining, marriage proposal, adoptive siblings Keith and Shiro, cousins Lance and Allura

Wedding - juniperallura

“For prompt "Shallura + Wedding"

The young officers are excited for a gathering outside the Garrison”

Garrison AU, fluff, dancing, BFF Matt and Shiro, mutual pining, short fic

Mentor of the Month - RoknRollPumpkin

“Allura is ready but Shiro isn't. And that's ok.”

Engineering/bodyshop AU, mentor Allura, fluff, soft sexual content, mature

Drabble Collections

Shallura Week 2017 (7/7) - hatandgoggles

“My prompt fills for Shallura week 2017

Day 1: Dancing

Day 2: Gender/cisswap

Day 3: Roleswap

Day 4: Wedding

Day 5: Cooking

Day 6: Romantic date

Day 7: Free day (Roswell)”

Genderswap, cisswap, rule 63, roleswap, rolereversal, human Allura, Altean Shiro, 50s au, 40s au, wedding, proposal, single dad au, dancing

Shallura Week (3/?) - juniperallura

“A collection of drabbles based off the 2017 Shallura Week prompts.”

Fluff, angst, Hands/Names, Trust, Lost/Found

Beyond Fading Stars - RukiaG

“Series of one-shots for Shallura week 2017. Some may be AU, some not.

Chapter 1: Time & Space. In a different reality, Shiro and Allura meet at a hospital.

Chapter 2: Hands & Names. Allura teaches Altean to the Paladins and Shiro tries to control his crush on her.

Chapter 3: Trust & Growth. Team Voltron does trust falls.

Chapter 4: Potential & Free. Fullmetal Alchemist AU in which Shiro is a veteran from the Ishval Civil War and Allura is an alchemist. (WARNING: may contain some references to the manga and Brotherhood’s ending).

Chapter 5: Lost & Found. The mice are lost. Shiro helps Allura find them.”

Shallura Week 2017, AU - modern setting, canon universe, language lessons, pining Shiro, trust falls, PTSD, team bonding, FMA universe, mice washing

Hurt/Comfort

She Stops My Bones From Wondering - pixie_rings (materassassino)

“Some nights, Shiro can't sleep. On those nights, Allura reminds him he isn't alone.”

PTSD, weird imagery, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it-sex, not enough for a M rating Shiro-centric, introspection, please let space dad rest, short fic

And We Hold On - ebonynightwriter (Part 3 of Shallura Week 2017)

‘“It’s not your fault.” // “How do you know?”’

Drama, Hurt/Comfort, injury, recovery, dark sides, one-shot, canon universe, post-season 2, Shallura Week 2017, this got way more “Avatar state” than originally intended, Allura’s quintessence, magic

Acceptance - rainingWolf

“Shiro couldn't be whole if she just fished his right arm out of the garbage compactor. The Castle had alerted her, as if sensing that she needed to know exactly what was going on within the confines of the pristine whiteness that had never been dark. Allura had reached in, expecting something else, anything else, maybe one of the Mice had been trapped- but then her hand touched something foreign, something familiar, and she pulled, pulled…

She never knew her heart could hurt this much, could twist this sharply at the sight of a material object.”

Shalluraweek, Lost/Found, angst, stressed Shiro, Galra arm, short fic

Comfort - coralreefskim

“...The moment was so delicate, gentle, that she didn’t dare speak. Both of them didn’t. Their breathing was soft, shallow even, warm brown eyes meeting kaleidoscope ones, and they just stayed there. Stayed there, until they both fell asleep, unconsciously, comfortably, like how it hadn’t been from since the war had been declared.

The paladins found them the next morning, still sleeping, her hand still on his.”

Fluff and angst, mental instability, character study, nightmares, emotional hurt/comfort, could pass as platonic, mutual emotional support

Something Like Anthrax - pixie_rings (materassassino)

“What started off as a diplomatic mission quickly turns into a 1950s B-movie sci-fi cliché. The Paladins and Allura end up on a planet of amazons for negotiations. Things don't go quite to plan.”

Emotional hurt/comfort, plot, science fiction cliches, unwanted sexual advances, nonbinary Pidge, flashbacks, PTSD, space family, mission, banquet, established Shallura, also Shiro gets the top bunk bed OKAY

Little Talks - Revasnaslan

“Fascination with Shiro's hand leads to some conversations about names and anxieties about the past.

Written for Shallura Week Day 2 (Hands / Names)”

Hurt/comfort, sharing culture, insecurities, short fic

Again and Again - TKipani

“Nighttime is for tears, memories, and comfort.”

Hurt/Comfort, Post-episode 9, Shiro comforting Allura, crying, Allura tries to stay strong and hide her emotions, some fluff

NSFW

Don’t Need Anything Else, Just Need You - babyfairybaekhyun (babyfairy)

“She turns to him and her eyes are glowing stars that call to him from behind her helmet. He wants her, he wants her badly, he wants her now.”

NSFW, slight plot, BAMF Allura and Shiro, turned on from the heat of battle, doin’ it in the Black Lion, dom!Shiro, oral sex, post-sex fluff, they are cuties, for littlespacestars

The Edge of Something - ashesandhoney

“In which Shiro has some kind of magical ability and Allura has some kind of Altean mating cycle and there are jokes about Hogwarts letters and bowling and a very slow building, cuddling and self indulgent sex scene.”

NSFW, Slow self-indulgent sex scenes, resolved sexual tension, sex magic, porn w/out porn, Shiro has magic, mating cycles/in heat

Build Your Castle Into Me - nayanroo (teslatricity)

“The night before Allura's coronation, she tells her husband how nervous she is, how worried she is that she won't be a good queen. And, being a good husband, Shiro helps her relax.”

NSFW, Oral sex, throne sex, marriage, established relationship, porn with plot, Allura really likes seeing him on his knees in front of her, but who can really blame her

Sound - Braincoins (Part 1 of the Senses series)

“Allura has an overabundance of quintessence. Who knew that could even happen?! Worse still, the best and quickest method for reducing it to normal levels requires... assistance. But it's ask Shiro for help or resign herself to not sleeping. Desperate times call for desperate measures.”

NSFW, casual sex, sort of, convenience sex, contrived excuses, Allura’s trying to make this PWP, not sure if she succeeds, hint of voice kink, language, pining

Sometimes the Wild Gorlax Rides You - Nary

“"Look," he said, "I promise I'll take a break if you will. Deal?"

"Perhaps... It would be nice if we could take a break together," Allura suggested. Her hand ran lightly up his arm, settling on his shoulder almost playfully, in a way that made Shiro confused and more than a little bit warm. "After all," she continued, "with what's facing us, who knows when we might have another chance..."

Non-graphic sexual content, implied sexual encounter, first kiss, first time, before battle, stress relief, a little bit of shovel talk, nervousness, cuddling, Shiro finally gets some sleep, advice from Coran, Voltron Positivity Exchange

Distraction - madamebomb

“Shiro is Allura's biggest distraction.”

NSFW, trying to deny their feelings, pining, Shiro’s bed is way too small

The Man and the Moon - cupofdaydream

“A place where I’m intermittently going to dump my Shiro/Allura smut.”

NSFW, Porn without plot, pillow talk, some fluff

3:23 AM - RoknRollPumpkin

“They did the thing (AU)”

NSFW, Voltron AU, Shiro’s birthday, established relationship

Please support these lovely writers and give ‘em some kudos and a comment! I still need to go back through and do that for some people, too!! Thank you for the wonderful content, guys. <33

#shallura fic #shallura #shallura fic recs #shallura fics #shiro and allura #shiro #allura #vld #voltron #voltron fic #space family #fluff #angst

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inhumansforever · 8 years ago

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Inhuman of The Day

February 22nd - Crystal

Crystalia Amaquelin. The daughter of Ambur and Quelin and younger sister to Queen Medusa. Crystalia (or ‘Crystal’ as she is more often called) was exposed to the Terrigen Mists during her late childhood. Terrigenesis had a minimal effect on her physical form and endowed her with vast powers. She gained the ability to exert temporary control of the four base elements of earth, wind, fire, and air. This enabled her to create controlled bursts of flame, powerful gusts of wind, send forward a directed torrent of rock and dirt, and manipulate water into spinning spouts. Although it took Crystal a great deal of training to better master these abilities, hers has proven to be one of the more impressive power-sets among the Inhumans, leading Crystal to become highly respected and popular among her people.

Crystal’s aunt, Azur, married the former queen’s brother, Mander, and this afforded young Crystal placement among the royal precession. In as such she grew up in the opulent setting of the palace and enjoyed great privilege. Her status within the caste system of Old Attilan was further augmented when Terrigenesis endowed her highly impressive powers. And yet, this privilege and good fortune never appeared to go to her head and she remained kind, open and respectful toward others. Crystal was the youngest of the various children growing up in the palace and, being the youngest, Crystal often felt left out of the various games and activities that occupied her older sister and cousins.

Often left on her own, Crystal ended up forming a powerful and lifelong bond with the prince’s watchdog, Lockjaw. Crystal’s early experiences of social solitude may have also contributed to her later life interests for adventure to desire to explore the world outside of the confines of Attilan.

At one point, Crystal’s cousin, Maximus, abducted her and threatened her life as part of a ploy to elicit an angry reaction from his brother, Prince Black Bolt. Due to the potentially disastrous nature of Black Bolt’s powers, he needed to maintain absolute self control and Maximus was trying to break this control by putting young Crystal’s life in jeopardy (in Maximus’ bent thinking he believed that Black Bolt’s loosing control would prove that he was too unstable to rule and thus Maximus would be named the crown prince). Yet Black Bolt was able to maintain his stoic self control and he saved Crystal. Crystal had initially been quite frightened and intimidated by her cousin, Black Bolt. After this encounter, however, Crystal came to feel great devotion, respect and fondness for the prince.

Years later, yet another of Maximus’ sinister schemes resulted in a successful coup were upon Crystal and the other member of the royal family were banished from Attilan. Crystal’s sister had gone missing and, under the influence of amnesia, had fallen in with the human criminal, The Wizard. Aided by the teleportation abilities of Lockjaw, Crystal and the others went in search of Medusa and it was during this time that Crystal first met young Johnny Storm (the Human Torch of The Fantastic Four).

Both attractive teenagers possessing incredible powers, there was an instant connection between Crystal and Johnny. At first, Crystal assumed that Johnny was an Inhuman like herself. When she discovered that he was a human, however, it did not at all diminish her feelings for him. The other Inhumans tended to look at the regular humans as inferior and primitive, but Crystal held no such prejudices. She saw the humans as equals and was fascinated by them… a feeling that quickly blossomed into a long and torrid romance between Crystal and Johnny Storm.

The Fantastic Four ultimately traveled back to Attilan and assisted Black Bolt in regaining the throne from his mad brother. In a desperate act of spite, Maximus activated an impenetrable negative zone force field that shielded off Attilan from the outside world. Crystal was trapped within the city while Johnny and the other members of the Fantastic Four were trapped outside. Heartbroken, Johnny vowed to do whatever it took to be reunited with Crystal.

The negative zone force field was eventually deactivated and Crystal and Johnny were finally reunited. Crystal decided to return with Johnny to the human world and she joined the ranks of the Fantastic Four, taking over for Sue Storm during her maternity leave. Crystal proved to be a valued member of the FF and her quick thinking and elemental powers saved the day on many occasions.

Sadly, Crystal and Johnny’s romance began to dwindle. They grew apart and Crystal eventually left Johnny, returning to Attilan. Some time later, Crystal came across the Mutant and one-time Avenger known as Quicksilver. Quicksilver had been injured in a battle with a sentinel and Crystal brought him back to Attilan to recuperate. During Quicksilver’s convalescence, he and Crystal fell in love with one another. Soon thereafter, Johnny Storm returned to Attilan in hopes of winning Crystal back and was heartbroken and angered to find that Crystal had moved on and was in a new relationship with Quicksilver. The animosity between Johnny and Quicksilver notwithstanding, Johnny was eventually able to work through his hurt feelings and maintain a close friendship with Crystal.

Quicksilver proposed marriage to Crystal and she accepted the proposal. No Inhuman of Attilan had ever wed an outsider and their engagement caused quite a stir among the Inhuman peoples. With her royal bloodline and great powers, The Genetic Council very much wanted to say in whom she would marry… in the hopes the union would produce powerful new Inhumans. Yet King Black Bolt overruled the Council’s objections and gave Crystal and Quicksilver his blessing. The two were wed in a lavish ceremony in which Johnny Storm, The Fantastic Four, and The Avengers attended as guests.

Following their marriage, Crystal and Quicksilver resided in Attilan. At the time, Attilan maintained a cloned slave caste who provided the various manual labor needed to keep the city-state functioning. Crystal’s good nature and her strong sense of justice, coupled with her experience in the world outside of Attilan ultimately led her to realize the great immorality inherent in slavery. She argued for the abolishment of slavery on Attilan; furthermore she was able to ascertain how Maximus had used the collective feelings of guilt and racism the citizens felt toward these cloned slaves as a psychic fuel power his giant android, Omega The Ultimate Alpha. Omega was defeated and Maximus’ plot foiled; and soon thereafter, King Black Bolt issued a decree abolishing slavery on Attilan and freeing the clones.

Some time later, Crystal became pregnant with her and Quicksilver’s child. It was at this time that many of the citizens of Old Attilan had started to grow ill from the heightening levels of pollution in the earth’s atmosphere. Generations of living in isolation had left The Inhumans of Attilan highly susceptible to environmental toxins. Attilan’s location in the remote mountain range of The Himalayas had thus far shielded the Inhumans from these toxins, yet the gradual breakdown of the earth’s ozone layer and mounting levels of environmental pollutants had finally taken its toll on the populace. In the later stages of her pregnancy, Crystal was especially sensitive to this sickness and she fell gravely ill. Quicksilver rushed to elicit the aid of The Fantastic Four. Reed Richards and Black Bolt devised an intrepid plan and all of Attilan was ultimately relocated to the oxygen-rich Blue Area of The Moon. The plan succeeded and Crystal was cured of her ailment. She gave birth to a healthy baby, a daughter she named ‘Luna’ after Attilan’s new home on the moon.

Luna grew up on Attilan and, for the most part enjoyed a very happy childhood. The Inhuman Marilla, who had once acted as Crystal’s governess took on the role of nanny for Luna. Being the daughter of Quicksilver and granddaughter of Magneto, however, would prove to be a matter that would put young Luna’s life in great peril. The evil Mutants, Fabian Cortez and Exodus, former acolytes of Magneto, abducted Luna. At the time, Magneto was presumed dead and Exodus hoped to utilize Luna as a means of consolidating power among Mutant dissidents. Yet, when he obtained Luna, Exodus realized that the toddler did not possess the mutant gene. The fact that the blood relative of Magneto was a non-mutant, a ‘flatscan’ incensed Exodus… he viewed Luna as an abomination and he attempted to kill her. Fortunately, Exodus was defeated by Crystal with the aid of the Avengers and X-Men. Luna was saved.

All of this eventually took a great tole on Crystal and Quicksilver’s relationship. Quicksilver had always been an irascible and poor tempered sort and the alienation he felt as an outsider living on Attilan only acted to further intensify these qualities. Crystal and Quicksilver grew apart; the two eventually separated and were later formally divorced.

During this time, Crystal fell in with The Avengers and served for a short while among Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. As a member of The Avengers, Crystal engaged in a brief affair with her fellow Avenger, Dane Whitman (The Black Knight). Toward the end of Crystal’s tenure with The Avengers, Iron man’s mind was taken over by Kang The Conquerer. This mind-controlled Iron Man killed Luna’s nanny, Marilla. Kang was eventually defeated, but it was the last straw for Crystal and she left The Avengers, returning to Attilan.

Some time later, the events of M-Day resulted in 90 per cent of the Mutant population losing their special mutant abilities. Crystal’s ex-husband, Quicksilver, was among those Mutants who lost his powers. Despondent over the loss of his powers (and feelings partially responsible for the occurrence of M-Day in and of itself), Quicksilver attempted to take his own life, leaping from a building. Crystal discovered what had become of Quicksilver and found him critically injured. She brought him back to Attilan, where the Inhuman healer, Kalikya, was eventually able to successfully treat his grave injuries. Now healed, Quicksilvered petitioned King Black Bolt to allow him to go through Terrigenesis so to possibly reattain his special gifts. The process was too dangerous and unpredictable and Black Bolt refused Quicksilver’s request. Desperate and forlorn, Quicksilver decided to plunder a large cache of the Terrigen Crystals; he absconded from Attilan with these crystals, taking his daughter, Luna, with him. Hidden away, Quicksilver exposed both himself and his daughter to a concentrated form of the Terrigen Mists.

Quicksilver obtained the temporary ability to travel short distances through time; whereas Luna gained the power to read (and, at times, manipulate) the emotions of others. Crystal, Black Bolt, and the others were ultimately able to track Quicksilver down, yet by then the cache of Terrigen Crystals had fallen into the hands of the governmental agency, SHIELD. Crystal was reunited with her daughter and Quicksilver was banished from Attilan forever under the penalty of death.

The Inhumans’ attempts to re-obtain the Terrigen Crystals from the US Government eventually led to the ‘Silent War’ event, culminating in SHIELD director, Maria Hill’s decision to detonate an atomic bomb on the moon that cost countless Inhumans their lives.

In the wake of the Secret Invasion Event, all of Attilan found itself embroiled in the intergalactic war between The Kree and Shi’Ar Empires (the War of Kings/Realm of Kings Event(s)). The Shi’Ar were ultimately defeated and The Inhumans became the rulers of the victorious Kree Empire. Black Bolt apparently perished in the act of defeating The Shi’Ar and Crystal’s sister, Medusa, was named the new Queen of The Inhumans as well as ruler of The Kree. As part of an effort to maintain peace within The Kree Empire, Medusa gave Crystal’s hand in marriage to the former Kree leader, Ronan The Accuser. Crystal was all but inconsonant. She respected Ronan as a warrior, but felt no fondness for him; and she was irate that her own sister would use her as a bargaining chip to consolidate power over the Kree. In the end, Crystal conceded to do what was in the best interests of her people and she agreed to marry Ronan.

What began as a ceremonial and strictly political union between Crystal and Ronan slowly blossomed into a true romance. Ronan was dedicated to his bride and Crystal’s feelings toward him mellowed, ultimately turning to love. Sadly, their marriage did not last long. Black Bolt returned and retook the throne. As a means of separating the Inhumans from The Kree and relinquishing sovereignty over the empire, Black Bolt had Crystal marriage to Ronan annulled. Both were heartbroken, but Crystal once again bowed to what was determined to be in the best interests of her fellow Inhumans.

Crystal returned to earth with the rest of Attilan and enjoyed a short respite with peace. She enrolled her daughter, Luna, into school at the Future Foundation. Later, at the behest of her daughter, Crystal made amends with her estranged ex-husband, Quicksilver.

Following The Secret Wars Event, Crystal was assigned by her sister to command the Royal Inhuman Vessel (or RIV), a large, mobil fortress meant to attend to Inhuman issues all over the globe. Initially, Crystal used the RIV to assist Nur in the locating of many of the children of Attilan who had gone missing during the Infinity Event and the evacuation of old Attilan. Following this, Crystal led the RIV on a global ambassadorial mission to offer aid to the various new Inhumans created by the Terrigen Cloud.

When it was later discovered that The Terrigen Cloud was deadly poisonous to Mutants, Crystal spearheaded an effort to utilize the RIV to stay ahead of the cloud and evacuate Mutants that were in its path. More recently, The X-Men discovered that the Terrigen Cloud was dissipating and would render the earth uninhabitable to Mutant life. This led them to break their peace with The Inhumans of New Attilan and engage in a preemptive strike to neutralize the more powerful Inhumans and ensure that they not interfere with The X-Men’s efforts to eradicate The Terrigen Cloud. A part of this preemptive strike was a sneak attack by Magneto that destroyed the RIV; Crystal and her team were all captured and imprisoned in the other-dimensional realm of Limbo. How all of this will ultimately resolve is a tale still being told in the pages of Inhumans versus X-Men.

This upcoming Spring, Crystal is set to star in the new Inhumans title, The Royals, by Al Ewing and Jonboy Meyers. Crystal first appeared in Fantastic Four Vol. 1 # 45.

#Inhumans #Inhuman of The Day #Crystal

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