#i think of Lin Ling

[kallmemeimei]

Lin Ling as Nice is really just the quote, “The fake is of far greater value. In its deliberate attempt to be real, it's more real than the real thing.”

[kymeraka]

the dark is vanquished by your light

[kiraisrika]

Dependence

[Lin Lings guide to becoming an emotional support civilian AU]

Does anyone fw yandere nice

[relaxed-girl]

My honest reaction on episode 4

[ladycrimsonandblack]

was thinking about the horrifying implications of the belief system in to be hero x, and it occurred to me that the worst possible outcome for lin ling is just... complete conversion.

in a way, it's already began. first his looks and his powers. his hair and eyes have changed. he can do ballet. he can fight and fly. and that is terrible in its own way, but at least it only stopped at outward, physical changes. it's invasive, yes, but bearable and even preferred to keep the lie going. but the latest episode showed that the change started to infect his behavior. he's more fussy. his OCD is developing. he's starting to hate being unclean, imperfect. the belief of thousands is literally changing him not only on a physical but also on a mental level.

but people believe, wholeheartedly, that lin ling is nice. so what's stopping him from becoming nice, in reality? what if he starts remembering things that haven't happened to him? he sees a restaurant, and remembers a date with xiao yueqing he never actually went to. at a familiar street corner, he remembers going to ice cream with wreck. he opens his email and starts composing an answer to a message to a boy that he's never talked to outside a staged fight.

do you think he would be scared? anxious? would he notice what is happening? he noticed the physical changes, but not the mental one until the conversation with xiao yueqing pointed it out. do you think he would realize what is going on? or would he, one day, start writing to wreck once again, start acting like nice never died at all? because to him, he didn't. lin ling took his place, completely and irreversibly.

if people only believe enough, it might become true.

[acopytopy]

Lin Ling shot up through the ranks so fast.

He went from a newbie who’d only been in one fight to defeating Nice’s nemesis and becoming part of the top 10. He literally announced on TV he was aiming for the position, then just did it. The og Nice was a hero for years, and he never made it that high—Lin Ling is a natural. A perfect hero, a perfect gentleman with a pure heart.

It’s fucked up to replace a dead man. Is it worse if you’re better than him?

[fallofthecelestial]

Okay. Since we're going over all the takes on Mr. X at this point.. What if his powers really don't have a backside. What if (the state of) his normal life is the backside.

What if his normal life is akin to that of heroes where he has to pretend to be something he's not and follow rules that the people who control his life came up with to further their own goals. What if he can only be free of other people's beliefs and expectations when he's a hero.

What if in reality he truly is like everyone else. The other heroes. The ordinary people. All those who work themselves to the bone, who are tired and overworked and sick of all the exploitation...

What if when he's in the form of the number one hero.. when he becomes the most sought after product on the hero market..

Is when he gains the freedom to truly be himself

[umbrace-rambles]

I haven't seen anybody mention this before but after the fake (?) death of Moon/Xiao Yueqing at the end of ep.1 and the momentary throwback in ep.2 I can't shake off the feeling that it wasn't actually fake, just... hasn't happened yet.

Lin Ling says he believes he was dreaming, that is definitely a possibility. Since he isn't the original Nice and he worked in marketing for their company what if his powers aren't exactly Nice's in 1:1? He could have (and is slowly gaining) more and more of Nice's actual powers but in the end he ISN'T him, it would be interesting if he had something entirely his going on. What if it was some sort of... premonition or future sight?

[saph-yells-into-the-void]

tbhx episode 4 (slight) spoilers //

I love the way that Lin Ling and Nice contrast each other as foils.

As heroes, Nice's appeal was that he was the pinnacle of perfection while Lin Ling's is that he's a regular person, a commoner and an underdog, trying to be a hero.

One prevails while the other spirals because Lin Ling was able to do what Nice never could: maintain his humanity. In a way, it all goes back to the first episode. Anyone can be a hero because it's not just about how many loyal fans you got or how perfect you are, but rather if you're willing to risk it all to save people.

Sometimes it means rescuing civilians from a villain, and other times its being there for the sake of your loved ones.

Lin Ling ditched the trust of his fans to save Moon, the one he cared about most, and he reached the top 10. Nice got swallowed by the expectations of his fans to point where he killed himself and left behind Wreck alone, the one who cared about him most.

It's just tragic that in order for Lin Ling to truly embody what it means to be a hero, a failure had to precede it.

[tuftastuff]

the inherit body horror of to be hero x - or when your life becomes a prison and the only way to freedom is death

Three episodes that we already got showed us how horrorish the trust system is. People's cognition of you affects not only your abilities, but how you look as well. It controls your *whole body*. You lose autonomy of your whole body. It's not just yours now - it's the body that's controlled by the masses.

FirmMan was not able to sleep properly, kneel, or do such a simple thing as using the toilet. How many things he had to give up on? He's a hero, yet he wouldn't even be able to help a kid that tripped over. To pick up something that he accidently dropped. His whole body was just reduced to standing. How frustrating that must be? How depressing? You can't even dress properly, you just need to be standing, you are reduced to nothing but a symbolic statue.

Moon also lost her freedom. The powers that were supposed to let her be free - she's got teleportation! She should be able to go wherever she desires! - became something that infinitely traps her with Nice. She can't leave not only because of her contract. Her power makes her trapped with him.

And Nice and Ling Lin. Body moving in a way that HAS to be perfect. All the time. Everything around you has to be perfect. Simple slouch is unacceptable. A drop of water that's not symmetrical? Gone. Always stuck in the endless loop of pursuing perfection. But the world isn't perfect! The world is messy and asymmetrical and chaotic, and so are bodies. How many bodily functions did they lose because of that? How frustrating it must be to always have the need to correct everything and you can't just stop it. You can't control it. You have to strive for perfection all the time.

And yet - their minds are still free. Moon doesn't fall in love with Nice, even though fans want them togheter. And, based on the episode two I think it's safe to say that Nice doesn't love her either - he's connected emotionally to Wreck, even though in the public eye they are enemies. FirmMan still had his basic needs and was aware, that he can't meet them. He suffered mentally because of that. It took a toll on him. And Lin Ling - the public believes that he is Nice. But he isn't and he knows he isn't and deep inside he's still Lin Ling. He needs to get it out, it's weighing on him.

They are trapped inside their own bodies. Their powers become their prisons. They can't leave on their own, they can't change it, they are stuck, with no knowledge for how long will it last. How devastating it must be, to not have the control over your own bodily autonomy? They are just puppets, with free minds. That's the true body horror.

And that is also why I think Nice committed suicide. I think it was a conscious, deliberate decision. There is one thing that was not taken from him (and all of the heroes, I'm assuming) and it's death.

You see, death has a symbolic meaning of freedom. Not only in literature, but in real life too many people think of death as the ultimate freedom. You might be dead, but you will be *free*. And that is the price that some are willing to pay.

Nices death was his escape from his prison - his own body. It was the only thing that they haven't yet taken from him. And he didn't even know how long did he have. What if the public started believing that he was immortal? That he was indestructible? He would be stuck eternally in this existential horror. His death was him desperately trying to be free. And he achieved that. His fall was actually awful. It wasn't a pretty death. He fell into the wall and only then on the ground; it was messy, it was traumatizing and it was, in every way, an opposite of perfection. He made his choice and he was finally free.

And, because of that, nor Moon nor FirmMan have to die in order to be free. For them freedom would also only come in the form of death. We see that in episode two, when Moon "dies" and thanks to that achieves her freedom (see, how death is linked to freedom further than only nices suicide). The haunting connection that Nice and Lin Ling have shapes how the future of heroes that interact with Lin Ling looks. Nice dies. But nor Moon nor FirmMan have to die, to achieve their freedom. Their freedom is achieved through Lin Ling. In a way Nices passing/passing his identity broke the cycle. Because while Lin Ling was not in the position to save Nice, he can make sure, and does (consciously or not), that it never happenes again.

[buwl-obr]

the longer i think about Lin Ling's "death", the more it drives me insane.

the was only ONE view on the article of his "death" and even that single view wasn't really out of care, as Enlighter used his "suicide" as one of the ways to tear down "Nice"

does Lin Ling have parents or any family? what about friends? did people at work notice that he was gone? and if they did, did they cared?

and his identity. it gets pushed aside in order for him to continue to play the role of Nice. and the role slowly becomes truly a part of him - like his eye color changes, and Lin Ling can feel Nice's OCD become more severe.

but who cares? we need Nice, not Lin Ling

...this character will be the death of me

[ayaraki]

Lin Ling - The Commoner

[bibibbon]

So li haoling is this going to be a repeated thing?

Yeah, this is definitely a reach, but I can't help but think that in every arc, we have had a character that looks like another character.

[aq2003]

i really like the theory that trust value in tbhx works both ways, like yang cheng has the boba guy who looks after him, and xia qing and pomelo who liked him/believed in him when he was doing his e-soul performances, but his trust value stayed at zero all his life because he truly and honestly didn't believe that anyone could believe in him. you need to also trust that others will put their trust in you in order for your number to go up

[lia-tbhx-blog]

I drew wife in a maid outfit, guys!!

(This was kindaaa rushed n I'm pretty late for maid day 👉👈)

ANYWAYS! He's ready to serve (˵ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°˵)

[kakalu697]

Nice and Lin Ling siblings AU

"you have a... brother" Moon asked, a bit surprised and well. Confused.

"I had a brother." Nice corrected, never in his life would he thought that Lin ling wouldn't be his brother.

Growing up it has always been the two of them, ever since their parents left it's them against the world.

"Huh.." she hummed, a bit annoyed yet looks understanding. "Never thought you would have one."

"Others didn't think so either" he huffed.

"Wow, rude."

"Deal with it."

Nice stood up from where he sat, his Cape dropping down to the floor—surprising Moon.

"Don't be too noisy, I'll be preparing for the next event—make sure you wear that dress Ms.J gave you." He reminded harshly.

Moon frowned. "Yeah, yeah whatever."

Tonight, they'll be acting for another commercial. Like always—however this time.

The leading director and manager would be none other than Nice's brother, Lin ling, who he hasn't had contact with in years.