#i’d make a great protagonist

[inside-your-headd]

i’ve been binging horror movies the past couple weeks and i’m basically immune at this point. i love slasher movies and a good phycological horror

[nelumbonuciferagaertn]

Beasts x Reader

Summary: How the Beasts react when the reader kisses them. Relationship: Romantic with Shadow Milk Cookie, Mystic Flour Cookie, Eternal Sugar, Silent Salt, and Burning Spice.

***

Shadow Milk Cookie

First, you ask him if you can kiss him. Honestly, it disturbs him—not in a bad way, but because he has no experience with romantic relationships. The only vision he has comes from plays, where love is romanticized: the protagonist��a man of course—kisses his beloved fiercely. That brings us to the current situation, where you’re asking to kiss your favorite Cookie, who's now staring at you in shock.

« HA! You know you're funny? …Wait, you're not joking?! » he stammers. When he regains composure, he finally accepts your offer. Though "accept" may be too strong a word compared to what he actually says. « Aww! My Pookie wants to kiss me. But, honestly, I can't blame you—I am so handsome. I’d probably do the same if I were you. So, I’ll be generous and allow you to place your lips on my incredible self! »

You start by kissing the cheek he turns toward you. What he didn't expect is how happy it would make him. The more you kiss him, the faster his heart beats, and the hotter his face becomes. He grabs the sleeve of your t-shirt with the intention of getting himself inked somewhere before collapsing into a puddle of emotion. Until you reach his forehead. Just the way you guide your left hand to his cheek, holding his head while your other hand brushes his bangs back, sweeping a path for a gentle kiss—It melted him! That simple act made him feel protected by your love.

When you stop and walk away to see the result, Shadow Milk Cookie looks dazed. His eyelash-like hair lowers quickly as his trembling hands reach for your clothes. Even though he proclaims himself a master of deceit, his emotions are incredibly easy for you to read.

You finish by kissing him on his lips, making his face turn tomato-red, and the eyes in his hair transform into hearts. You thank him, and his dilated pupils avoid yours, suddenly finding great interest in the nearby wall.

A few hours later, he'll deny liking it. But make no mistake—he'll ask for it again. Not directly, but he will.

Mystic Flour Cookie

She was surprised the first time you asked to kiss her, but kept her poker face. Nevertheless, she accepted.

You start by kissing the end of her hand as if it were a sacred act. She feels a warm glow of satisfaction, as if she had regained her former glory and you were showing her your adoration in the purest and most naive way. And the higher you go, the more this heat intensifies. Each kiss moves higher — starting with her fingers, following her knuckles, then kissing her wrist — until your fingers intertwine, sealing the gesture with intimate grace.

You finish by kissing her lips, very slowly, as if you were silently asking for her consent again. She didn’t pull away; in fact, if you looked closely, you might have noticed her leaning in. The kiss between you was slow, sensual, but full of candor and intensity. A mixture of calm and bold confession.

You had to stop the emotional moment to breathe. Somehow, it seems the lack of air didn’t bother your gorgeous Cookie. You move your head back, feeling a little numb and with red cheeks. And, unlike you, Mystic Flour seems perfectly normal. You would say that if you didn't know her, because you detect a softness in the way she is positioned, and maybe in the light smile on her face. Yeah, that helps too.

Despite this, she looks imperturbable, due to her philosophy of apathy, but inside, she really enjoyed the kiss.

She places her left arm under your chin with a delicate gesture and guides you towards her lips again. And you let yourself be led with joy.

Later, after that soft moment, Mystic Flour will maintain this radiant demeanor for the rest of the day—to the point that Haetae begins to wonder if something had changed in her, though they don’t dare to ask.

Eternal Sugar Cookie

You see her asleep, her head stuffed into her arms. You think she is kinda cute, peaceful like that. And then, you remember a conversation with her where she said she liked it when you kissed her to sleep. So you think it will be cute to kiss her. Not on her lips, because consent is important, and she’s asleep so you don’t have it. However, you can kiss her on the hair. You run your hand over it, smoothing down stray strands before bringing your lips together and tenderly kissing the top of her head. It was a long and soft kiss. When you finish, you whisper goodnight in her ear. You finally move back your head— « That's all you do for showing your love? »

Then, she lifts her head, looking at you slyly, her smile carrying a sweeter undertone. You immediately understand the request. She catches you with her arms surrounding your waist. You then pepper her face with kisses, leaving in your wake sincere proofs of love. Eternal Sugar is definitely happy. Her face lights up with joy. Your lips touch her cheekbones, her lower jaw, the corner of her lips, and you feel that wherever you kiss, her dough becomes warmer. You bet she blushes.

Finally, you warn your favorite Cookie that you have things to do and must go. However, she blocks your path with her angel and demon wings. « Don't you dare leave me. It's our moment now! Just for ourselves ~ »

She hugs you tighter and you can't resist, her sweet scent numbs you. The cocoon of her wings is enchanting, as if this happiness will never end. Both of you fall asleep in each other's arms. Resting peacefully, in this safe place, together, forever~

Silent Salt Cookie

Silent Salt would like to be kissed on the hand or the cheeks, in the style of old medieval demonstrations of love. Discreet, but emotional. Very romantic!

In addition, kiss them on the lips while they are wearing their helmet and they will melt in their armor.

Burning Spice Cookie

When you ask to kiss him, he is surprised. But not in a good way. « Why the hell would you ask that?! » His furrowed gaze pierces you.

This makes you angry. You fix him with the most empty look you can give. He glances at you, clearly not impressed. « Well I'm so sorry for actually caring about your feelings, love! » you growl, taking his head with your two hands and forcing him to lean forward to meet yours. You slam your lips hard, not on his, but just on the corner. Perfect for getting your revenge and teasing him.

When you release the pressure to leave his dough, his response is instantaneous. He slams you against the wall beside you (which you hadn’t even noticed), his ever-present axe glinting in one hand, your wrist pinned with the other. The silence that follows is significant. You can even see an ember igniting in his eyes while he observes you up and down.

« You're playing with fire right now, doll. » He moves his head forward, obviously aiming to kiss you on the lips this time, unlike you. However, you use your free hand to shove it into his long black hair and pull it down roughly, regaining control.

« Nuh-uh. This was my idea. You’re going to stay still. Got it? » He doesn’t resist. You feel the tension buzzing under his skin — the need to take control, but also the thrill of being played.

So you kiss him slowly: cheek, forehead, the edge of his mouth. When your lips reach his jawline, a low growl escapes him.

You smirk. He’s losing. And he doesn’t even mind.

***

Bonus for all: Over time, you become more intimate. Thus, they accept—with varying levels of embarrassment—that you kiss them where they wear their Soul Jam:

on his neck for Shadow Milk

on her upper forehead for Mystic Flour

between her eyebrows for Eternal Sugar

on their collarbone for Silent Salt

and on his chest for Burning Spice.

And if they really trust you, they'll let you kiss their Soul Jam directly. 😏

***

Note: Yo, I hope you enjoyed it! ✨ This took me a long time because I had to catch the behavior of each Cookie. Silent Salt's text is very short and different for a reason: they have not appeared in the game, so I don't have source material for their identity. Thus, it's mainly a headcanon. I don't even know what gender they have!

To understand the Cookies, I read their WikiFandom, some other fanfictions, and I asked ChatGPT to tell me the percentage of closeness I had with the original Cookie, with some advice added. The text with the highest grade in the first draft was Shadow Milk with 85%. Is it because he's my favorite Cookie and I read a ton of fanfics? Perhaps. By the way, this explains why some texts are longer than others. My motivation to write is apparently proportional to how much I love the character. Lol.

Then, using an AI allowed me to get as close as possible to the character at the cost of various rewrites. I use AI to correct my language too. I know how horrible it is to read a badly written fic. However, my first language isn't English and I'm far from bilingual. So I need correction. The idea and the original text are, and will always be, mine. But I need you to know I use AI in my fic only as a writing tool, just like I use Google Translate.

One more thing I have to say is about the nicknames ("Pookie", "Doll") I used. I don't know if they are used for a specific gender (I'm not a native English speaker), and with my small research I came to the conclusion that they could be used for everyone. But if you are not comfortable with it, you can always change the nickname in your head—for example, replacing it with your name.

I liked writing a new type of fanfiction. However, if I do that again, I won't write for more than 5 characters. That was painful enough 🤣 I'm wondering how many people will read this until the end. Try to fit the word "phantasmagoric" in your comment if you got this far.

Have a nice day :)

[cloakedpress]

How to Write Better Villains (Because Your Story Deserves One)

There’s nothing worse than a forgettable villain. You know the type: cartoonishly evil for no reason, monologuing their master plan to no one in particular, and vanishing from memory the second you finish the book. A great villain, though? They haunt your thoughts, challenge your hero, and—sometimes—you catch yourself *agreeing with them*. If you want to level up your storytelling, here’s how to craft villains that stick.

1. Give them a reason to be bad (and make it make sense)

Nobody wakes up one day and just decides to be evil (unless they’re in a Saturday morning cartoon). Real people are shaped by their pasts, fears, and desires—and your villains should be, too. Maybe they believe they’re saving the world, just in a way that costs too much. Maybe they were betrayed and now trust no one. Whatever the case, give them a *why*. Even better? Make your readers *understand* that why, even if they don’t agree with it.

2. Avoid the evil-for-evil’s-sake trope  

Mustache twirling is out. Complexity is in. A villain who kicks puppies just to prove they’re the bad guy is boring. But a villain who feeds stray dogs while orchestrating a political coup? *That’s* compelling. The best antagonists aren’t evil—they’re driven. And when their goals put them in direct conflict with the hero, *that’s* where the tension comes from. Let them think they’re the hero of their own story.

3. Let your villain challenge the protagonist in meaningful ways  

Your villain shouldn’t just be a physical threat—they should challenge your hero’s beliefs, force them to make hard choices, and maybe even make them question themselves. When the antagonist represents a deeper, thematic opposite to the protagonist, you’ve got literary gold. Think of how The Joker unravels Batman’s moral code, or how Killmonger forces T’Challa to reconsider Wakanda’s isolationism. Conflict isn’t just punches—it’s philosophy.

4. Make them unforgettable

Whether it’s a chilling line of dialogue, an eerie calmness, or a twisted sense of humor, give your villain something *distinct*. Personality matters. A unique voice, a specific mannerism, or an unexpected vulnerability can elevate your villain from “meh” to “iconic.” Think about what makes them tick—and what makes them *memorable*.

5. Don’t be afraid to make them right

The scariest villains are the ones who are *almost* right. When a reader can see where they’re coming from—or even agree with some of their points—that’s powerful. It creates tension not just in the story, but in the reader’s own mind. And that’s exactly what a good villain should do: make you question, make you uncomfortable, and make the story impossible to forget.

What are some of your favorite villains in fiction? Drop your favs (or your own villain WIPs) in the tags or replies—I’d love to see them!

[bodhrancomedy]

If I had even the modicum of the ability to make video games, I’d make a survival horror where you play as a D/deaf protagonist on a cruise ship or office space or something because that’s what knocking on doors felt like as a Deaf autistic teenager in school.

I’d get yelled at for coming in too early. I’d get yelled at for “not knocking”. For trying to peek through the tiny windows. For “standing creepily outside the doors”.

I still have a great anxiety about knocking.

[heliosunny]

Hello! Can I get yandere mydei and phainon with reader is like an otaku? They are nice and all but they absolutely refused to love irl man cuz, "anime is better" you know? The stereotypes weeb? I find it funny as heck, two grown man had to tried their very best to make their weeb crush falls for them which failed miserably when instead of seeing them as this super cool dudes, reader was like:

"if only you were in the anime... I'd buy your merch"

Imma write them as highschool students if that's ok with u :3

Yan!Mydei x Otaku!Reader x Yan!Phainon

The gymnasium echoed with cheers as Mydei and Phainon dominated the court once again. Sweat glistened on their skin, muscles tense as they moved with practiced ease. Their teammates celebrated, their fan club squealed, but neither of them cared about the crowd. Their golden and blue eyes sought only one person.

Sitting on the bleachers, swinging your legs, a bored expression on your face as you scrolled through your phone. Not even sparing them a glance.

Phainon grinned, running a hand through his hair as he approached, brimming with confidence. "So, Y/n, did you see that? Pretty cool, right?"

Mydei, simply stood next to you, arms crossed, golden eyes fixated on your reaction.

You blinked up at them, eyes sparkling—oh? Were they finally getting a reaction? Did you finally see how impressive they were?

"If only you were in an anime..." you sighed wistfully, placing a hand over your chest. "I’d definitely cheer for you."

Phainon's grin twitched. Mydei's expression darkened.

You continued without a care, tapping on your phone. "Like, if you guys were in a sports anime, you'd be the overpowered rivals who secretly train with the protagonist before Nationals. I'd totally have keychains of you two."

Phainon let out a strained chuckle. "That’s... great?"

Mydei exhaled slowly, resisting the urge to grab you and shake some sense into you.

They were real. They were right here. And they were yours.

Yet you still only had eyes for 2D men.

The school hallways buzzed with excitement. Valentine’s Day had turned the campus into a battlefield of love confessions, chocolates, and handwritten letters. And at the center of it all stood Mydei and Phainon.

"Mydei!!! please accept this!"

"Phainon-senpai, I made these chocolates just for you!"

Girls and boys alike flocked around them, hands outstretched, faces flushed with nervous anticipation. Love was in the air—or at least, for everyone except the two athletes.

Phainon’s usual friendly smile twitched as he took a step back, dodging another admirer shoving a pink-wrapped box into his hands. "Ahaha… That’s really nice, but—"

Mydei, less patient, barely spared the gifts a glance. "Not interested" he muttered, voice flat, eyes scanning the hallway for someone else entirely.

But you were already gone.

Slipping out of the school gates, eyes glued to your phone, giggling to yourself.

"Did you see the new release?!" Your voice was excited as you spoke into your wireless earphones, completely oblivious to the chaos behind you. "They finally dropped the limited-edition figures! I need them—no, I deserve them. My husbando has never looked better."

Phainon’s jaw clenched. Mydei’s grip tightened on the unopened chocolate boxes in his hands.

All these people, fighting for their attention, pouring their hearts out.

And you? Once again...

You only had eyes for some… some 2D men.

"We really have our work cut out for us, huh?"

Mydei didn’t reply.

He just crushed the box of chocolates in his hand.

Later that evening, the familiar chime of your doorbell rang through the house. You didn’t move an inch. Why would you? Your hands were busy on your controller, and you were deep in the final boss fight of your new game.

Downstairs, your mother cheerfully opened the door to reveal two towering figures. "Ah, Mydei! Phainon! You’re right on time. Go on up, dears."

They both smiled politely, Phainon with his usual charm, Mydei with a curt nod—but beneath their pleasant exteriors, their patience was running thin.

They knew exactly what you were doing. And they were sick of playing second to a screen.

As they entered your room without knocking (they never bothered anymore—your family practically treated them like members already), the sound of dramatic battle music blasted through your speakers. You didn’t even glance at them.

“C’mon, c’mon…” you muttered under your breath, fingers flying across the controller. “One more hit—one more hit and my husbando is safe—”

Phainon raised an eyebrow at Mydei. Mydei tilted his head toward your console. Without another word, he strode across the room and—

Click.

The screen went black.

You froze. For a solid five seconds, your brain refused to process what had just happened. Slowly, you turned your head, eyes wide with horror.

“…Did you just—?”

Phainon leaned against your desk with a bright, innocent smile. "We’re here to study, remember?" His blue eyes gleamed with something far less innocent.

“I WAS AT THE FINAL STAGE!” you shrieked, clutching your controller like it was your lifeline. “MY HUSBANDO—YOU—HE—"

"You can play later" Mydei said, voice low and firm as he stood beside you, arms crossed. "You’re too distracted."

“I’m gonna burst....oh my god—” You pressed a hand against your chest, genuinely feeling lightheaded. "I was this close to unlocking his final route—"

Before you could combust, the door swung open.

“Kids, I brought fruit!” Your mother’s voice rang out, warm and chipper as she stepped into the room carrying a tray of neatly sliced apples and chilled grapes.

Instantly, you snapped your mouth shut and straightened up, the fury you were about to unleash swallowed back in favor of a tight-lipped smile. "Ah… thanks, Mom."

Phainon beamed at her, sliding easily into his charming persona. "Thank you, ma’am! You’re always so thoughtful."

Mydei gave a small bow. “Thank you.”

Your mom chuckled, clearly delighted. "Such polite boys. Unlike someone who barely leaves their room" she teased before setting the tray on your desk. "Don’t let them do all the work for you, Y/n."

“I won’t” you grumbled, barely resisting the urge to glare at the two towering men beside you.

The moment the door shut behind her, your calm façade cracked. "You owe me a new save point" you hissed under your breath.

Phainon tilted his head, lips twitching into a smug smile. "Maybe if you paid more attention to us instead of your little husbandos, this wouldn’t have happened."

"You two are actual villains."

"And you’re stuck with us," Mydei said coolly, pulling a textbook from his bag. "Now focus."

You swore under your breath. If they weren’t so familiar with your family, you would’ve kicked them out by now.

The next day at school was the same as always—except it wasn’t.

Whispers of a new transfer student had already spread across campus before the morning bell even rang. You hadn’t paid much attention at first (real people were whatever, after all), but that all changed the moment you stepped into the hallway between classes and caught sight of something—

A flash of color. A familiar shape. Dangling from the side of a backpack.

Your favorite limited-edition keychain from Eternal Requiem: Abyssal Code.

You froze. Your mind scrambled to process it. Could it be? Someone else here actually had taste?

Without hesitation, you spun on your heel and marched straight up to the owner of said backpack.

The new transfer student, a boy with messy dark brown hair and sharp green eyes, blinked up at you in surprise as you loomed over his desk.

“You,” you said, pointing dramatically at the keychain. “Where did you get that?”

For a moment, the poor guy looked confused—probably not expecting to be interrogated first thing in the morning—but then he followed your gaze and let out a small chuckle. “Oh, this? Got it from the pre-order set.”

Your hands slammed down on his desk. “YOU KNOW ABYSSAL CODE?!”

The classroom fell silent for a second, students exchanging confused glances, but the boy—Dorian Vance, according to the seating chart—only grinned. “Obviously. It’s my favorite anime this season.”

Your eyes practically sparkled. “No way! Who’s your favorite?”

Recess couldn’t come fast enough.

By the time the break period started, you were perched on the edge of Dorian’s desk, animatedly discussing plot theories, merch releases, and screaming over your shared favorite characters. You had completely forgotten about lunch. About class. About everything except the fact that, finally, someone else understood.

And that was exactly the scene Mydei and Phainon walked into.

The two had planned to find you during recess—after all, you were in a different class, and they hadn’t seen you since the morning. It was supposed to be routine. Just another moment where they could remind you that no matter how much you obsessed over anime, they were still here.

But instead, they found you—sitting way too close to some random guy, eyes bright, voice excited, completely absorbed in a conversation that had nothing to do with them.

Phainon’s usual easygoing smile thinned at the edges, Mydei, standing beside him, clenched his jaw.

Who the hell was this guy? And why did you look at him like that?

The final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Mydei and Phainon stood near the gates, leaning against the fence as they waited for you. Mydei was scanning the crowd. Phainon, though outwardly relaxed, kept shifting his weight from foot to foot.

You always walked home with them.

But today?

They spotted you further down the path—walking with him. The new transfer student.

The same Dorian Vance who shared your cursed obsession with 2D men. The same one who had occupied your time all through recess, stealing your attention, your conversations, your smiles.

And now, he was walking home with you.

Phainon let out a laugh, but there was no humor in it. "Wow. Look at that. Guess someone forgot about us."

"Y/n didn’t forget. Just distracted."

Phainon glanced at him. "So? What do we do?"

"We fix the distraction."

"That’s what I like to hear."

There was no need to speak further. They already knew the plan. Dorian Vance would not last long. Not in your life. Not in their way.

The next day, Dorian was everywhere.

At lunch, he sat beside you, chatting about the latest anime episode you both loved. During breaks, he showed you fan art he’d found online. He even had the audacity to lend you a keychain of your favorite character. Mydei and Phainon watched it all from a distance.

"He’s really pushing it, huh?" Phainon muttered, tapping his fingers against his desk. His usual bright energy was dimmed.

Mydei didn’t respond immediately, just exhaled slowly, like a predator waiting for the right moment to pounce. "It won’t last. We just need to help it end faster.”

That moment came after school.

Dorian was at his locker, oblivious to the two shadows that loomed behind him.

“Hey, Vance.” Phainon grinned.

Dorian turned, surprised. “Oh, uh, Phainon, right?”

“And Mydei” Mydei added flatly, stepping closer, golden eyes locked onto Dorian’s with something heavy.

Dorian hesitated. “…Did you guys need something?”

“Yeah,” Phainon said smoothly, slinging an arm over Dorian’s shoulder. “We just wanted to talk.”

Dorian stiffened. “About?”

Mydei leaned in slightly, his presence imposing. “About our friend.”

There was no need to elaborate. The message was clear.

For the next few days, whispers spread through the school.

Rumors about Dorian Vance.

He stole someone’s money. He cheated on a test. He badmouthed teachers behind their backs.

Little things, at first. Just enough to plant doubt. Enough to make people look at him differently. As for Mydei and Phainon? They stayed clean, never directly involved, always just watching.

Dorian caught on fast. The way classmates whispered when he passed, the way people hesitated before speaking to him—it was suffocating. He tried to defend himself, but somehow, no one believed him.

And then, one night, you went to the convenience store.

You were just grabbing some instant ramen and an energy drink when you spotted him—Dorian, hood up, standing at the end of the aisle, staring at you like a deer caught in headlights.

“…Dorian?” you called.

He flinched. Visibly. Then, he did something strange—he looked past you. His face paled.

You turned slightly, only to find Mydei and Phainon standing behind you.

They hadn’t said a word. Hadn’t even moved. But their presence alone was enough to send Dorian bolting out of the store.

“…The hell?” you muttered, watching him disappear into the night.

Phainon clicked his tongue. “Weird guy.”

Mydei grabbed a drink from the fridge, his expression unreadable. “You shouldn’t waste time on him.”

You shrugged. It was strange, but whatever. You had anime to catch up on.

---

The deal was simple.

You’d cheer for Mydei and Phainon at their basketball match, and in return, they’d help you clear the impossibly hard final stage of your game.

So there you were, sitting near the front row, sipping on a vending machine soda, eyes glued to your phone more than the actual game. Every now and then, you’d glance up, mostly when the crowd cheered. Mydei was his usual powerhouse self, effortlessly blocking shots and scoring with a deadpan expression. Phainon, ever the showman, hyped up the crowd with flashy passes and confident smirks.

You were kind of paying attention.

Until you weren’t.

The next thing you knew, a basketball came hurtling toward you—fast. Too fast. You had zero time to react.

BAM.

Pain exploded across your face, sharp and dizzying. Gasps erupted around you as you clutched your nose, head throbbing.

Mydei had been only a few steps away, arm outstretched, fingertips barely missing the ball before it wrecked you. His golden eyes narrowed as he turned to the player who threw it.

Phainon was at your side instantly, pulling your hands away to assess the damage. His expression darkened at the sight of the blood trickling from your nose. "Shit. You okay?"

You barely registered the concerned murmurs around you as you groaned, "Do I look okay?"

The next thing you knew, you were being half-carried to the school infirmary.

The nurse had already seen worse injuries—this was a basketball team, after all. She cleaned you up, gave you an ice pack, and suggested you rest for a bit. Your head pounded, but honestly, you just wanted to go home.

"I’m fine," you grumbled. "You guys need to get back to the game. It’s important, right?"

Mydei didn’t answer immediately, his eyes locked onto you like he was trying to decide whether leaving was even an option.

Phainon ruffled his hair in frustration. "Yeah, but—"

"Seriously, I’ll just head home. Alone." You emphasized the last word, knowing full well they’d insist on escorting you otherwise. "I’ll rest better in my own bed anyway."

For the first time ever, they actually hesitated on leaving you alone.

But the match was important. Their team needed them.

"Fine." Mydei finally relented, but his voice was low, stiff. "Call us when you get home."

"Yeah, and text us if you feel dizzy or something," Phainon added. "Or if—"

"I get it, I get it." You waved them off, already gathering your things. "Now go, before your team loses."

They exchanged glances, clearly not liking this. But eventually, they turned and left.

You made it home safe, which was honestly a miracle considering how dizzy you still felt. All you wanted was to crash in bed, maybe ice your face a bit, and just exist in peace.

But peace?

Not happening.

Because the moment you stepped inside, a high-pitched squeal rang through the house, followed by the overwhelming force of someone tackling you into a suffocating hug.

"Cousin!!!"

Oh no. Oh no.

Your disturbing, overly affectionate, doesn’t-know-personal-space cousin was here.

"W-What the hell—" you croaked, still sore from earlier.

"I missed youuu!" she whined, squeezing you tighter. "Auntie said you were home, so I came to visit! We need to catch up!"

You groaned, barely registering the fact that she was dragging you toward your room. "I just want to sleep—"

"Nuh-uh, no sleeping!" She shut the door, locked it, and immediately flopped onto your bed like she owned the place. "I have so much to tell you!"

And she did. Dear god, she did.

She talked. And talked. And talked.

About her friends. About school. About some guy she was totally not into (but clearly was). All while poking, shoving, and randomly hugging you every few minutes.

You just laid there, staring at the ceiling, regretting every choice in your life that led to this moment.

And worst of all?

You completely forgot to text Mydei and Phainon.

They were worried sick.

The second the game ended, they rushed to your house, only to be met with a locked door and your voice screaming from inside.

"Ahhh—!"

"S-Stop! You’re so—!"

Then a moan???

Both Mydei and Phainon froze.

They didn’t hesitate.

CRASH

The door slammed open with a force that nearly ripped it off the hinges.

Your cousin screamed. You yelped.

And there you were—on your bed, struggling under your cousin’s weight as she attempted to wrestle a pillow from your grasp.

All of you stared at each other.

"…What the actual hell?" Phainon breathed, looking like he was ready to commit crimes.

Mydei just exhaled slowly, like he was counting down from ten to avoid snapping someone’s neck.

"What on earth is going on here?"

Your mother stood at the doorway, arms crossed, her expression unreadable.

Oh. Oh no.

You all quickly scrambled to apologize as fast as humanly possible.

Your cousin tried to explain. Mydei and Phainon stammered their own excuses. You just wanted the ground to swallow you whole. It took a while, but eventually, after much awkwardness, your mom sighed and just told everyone to get out of your room.

Finally, peace.

As you flopped back onto your bed, you barely registered Mydei and Phainon standing outside your door, still tense, still watching.

Phainon crossed his arms. "Next time, text us."

Mydei just muttered, "We're staying over."

And somehow, you knew you weren’t getting rid of them anytime soon. Damn these annoying real men.

[mamaguroheartstoji]

wrapped in sunlight, wrapped in you ☀️

summary: on a crisp winter afternoon, toji surprises you with a picnic by the lake, complete with warm sunlight, soft banter, and stolen kisses. as the breeze grows cooler, his arms grow warmer, and what starts as playful teasing turns into a tender moment wrapped in quiet affection.

genre: fluff, slice of life, romance

toji wasn’t one for typical romantic gestures, so when he appeared in your doorway holding a picnic basket and a folded blanket, you were understandably suspicious.

“did you get possessed by a rom-com protagonist?” you asked, leaning against the doorframe with an amused grin.

he rolled his eyes, pushing past you like he owned the place. “shut up and put on something warm. you’re always whining about how cold you get.”

“and where are we going exactly?”

“out,” he said simply, setting the basket down on your counter.

you stared at him, trying to decipher his tone. “out where?”

he turned to you, raising an eyebrow. “does it matter? i’m taking you somewhere nice. stop asking questions before i change my mind.”

that earned a laugh out of you, and you grabbed your jacket, deciding to go along with it. “you’re lucky i’m curious.”

“you’re lucky i like you enough to put up with your attitude,” he shot back, smirking.

the drive was quiet but comfortable, with toji’s hand resting on the gear shift. occasionally, he’d glance at you, his lips quirking when you caught him.

“you’re staring again,” you said, breaking the silence.

“just trying to figure out why i’m doing this for you,” he replied, though the way his eyes softened gave him away.

“because i’m cute,” you said confidently, earning a snort from him.

“you’re a pain in the ass,” he muttered, but his hand shifted to rest on your knee, squeezing lightly.

when you arrived at the park, the winter sun was shining brightly, casting a golden glow over the bare trees and the quiet lake nearby. it was the kind of day that made winter feel less harsh and more magical.

“you picked this spot?” you asked, surprised as he carried the basket and blanket to a sunny patch near the water.

“don’t make it a big deal,” he said, setting everything down. “you’re always talking about fresh air and sunlight. figured i’d shut you up for a day.”

“aw, toji, that’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me,” you teased, grinning as you spread the blanket.

“keep it up and i’ll eat all the food myself,” he warned, though the corner of his mouth twitched upward.

the basket was simple but thoughtful: sandwiches wrapped neatly, a container of cut-up fruit, pastries that looked like they came from your favorite bakery, and a thermos filled with something steaming.

“you really outdid yourself,” you said, looking at him in mock awe.

“don’t act so surprised,” he replied, sitting down with a huff. “i’m good at everything i do.”

“everything?” you asked, raising an eyebrow.

he smirked, leaning in slightly. “you wanna test that theory later?”

your cheeks went warm, and you swatted his arm. “toji!”

he just laughed, pleased with himself, and unwrapped a sandwich.

as you ate, a small dog wandered up to your blanket, its tail wagging furiously.

“look at this little guy!” you said, holding out a hand for the dog to sniff.

toji eyed it warily. “great. freeloaders.”

“he’s cute!” you said, scratching the dog behind the ears. “he just wants to be friends.”

“or he wants food,” toji said, but he still broke off a piece of his sandwich and handed it to the dog, who took it eagerly.

“aw, look at you, mr. softie,” you teased, grinning.

he gave you a deadpan look. “don’t push it.”

the dog eventually curled up at the edge of your blanket, and toji leaned back on his hands, watching the lake. the sunlight caught in his dark hair, and for a moment, you forgot about the teasing.

“you’re staring again,” he said, not even looking at you.

“just trying to figure out why i like you,” you shot back, though the warmth in your voice gave you away.

“because i’m hot,” he replied easily, smirking when you rolled your eyes.

“so modest,” you said, leaning back beside him.

he glanced down at you, his smirk softening into something gentler. “you don’t mind, do you?”

“mind what?”

“this,” he said, gesturing vaguely to the blanket, the basket, the moment. “the whole… picnic thing.”

“toji,” you said, leaning closer, “i love this. it’s perfect.”

he grunted, but his hand found yours, his thumb brushing over your knuckles.

as the afternoon went on, a breeze picked up, and you shivered despite the sunlight. toji noticed immediately, tugging you closer until you were practically in his lap.

“come here,” he said, wrapping his arms around you. “can’t have you freezing to death.”

“you’re just using me for warmth,” you said, but you nestled against him anyway.

“damn right,” he muttered, resting his chin on your head.

you tilted your head back to look up at him, grinning. “you’re so obvious.”

he smirked down at you, his eyes glinting with amusement. “yeah? you’re lucky i like you.”

you laughed, but your cheeks were warm again, and when he leaned down to kiss you, you didn’t stop him. it was soft, slow, and it made your heart flutter in a way that still surprised you.

when he pulled back, his forehead rested against yours. “you’re cute when you blush,” he said, his voice low.

“you’re impossible,” you muttered, though you couldn’t stop smiling.

“you love it,” he replied, smirking.

“unfortunately,” you said, earning a chuckle from him.

as the sun began to set, casting the sky in hues of orange and pink, you stayed there in his arms, feeling like the world outside your little blanket didn’t exist.

“so,” you said after a while, breaking the comfortable silence. “does this mean i can drag you on more picnics?”

he groaned dramatically. “don’t push your luck.”

but the way he held you tighter told you everything you needed to know.

[venusmage]

hi! sorry if this is a weird question. do you ever get stuck in your own head when it comes to making tes ocs to take the place of the protagonists? like, i see everywhere that the hok HAS to be an imperial, and the ldb HAS to be a nord etc. because those are canon? this might just be a personal/skill issue but those things being considered canon makes it really hard for me to stray, but you do it so well! if it's something you've never struggled with then feel free to ignore this, but i'd love to know your process for making protagonists! thank you!

Not a weird question at all! Because here’s the thing, I totally understand why you’d feel the pressure to conform to what is seemingly the “canon” portrayal of the character. However TES is great in that even if you DO stray….it’s still canon. Let me hold your hand and walk with me nonny and maybe my logic will help you get over that hurdle, too. I’m against these three being “musts” for several reasons, and would argue it isn’t a requirement at all.

Firstly, I’d argue that the game giving you the option, consistently, to play any of the available ethnicities in TES inherently implies that any of those options ARE canonically valid. While it’s true that gameplay and lore/story is sometimes (often) at odds in the series, something as major as your PC’s core identity isn’t proven as impossible in any of the storylines of the three main games. For example, in Morrowind Argonians are highly resistant (or impervious. Don’t remember which because I haven’t played unmodded Morrowind in 80 million years) to disease. Theoretically this could imply that they can’t catch The Blight - but you catch it regardless of what race you play. You could reason this in a myriad of ways, but mine has always been that Corpus is not a normal disease - it’s , additionally, magical. After all, Argonians can also become vampires, which are considered diseases in canon. Buuut they give you magic powers. So.

Neloth refers to the Nerevarine as “he” in Dragonborn BUT 1) IIRC Kirkbride said it was an error and 2) Telvanni/The great houses in general aren’t exactly known for being pillars of feminism. I totally believe that he’d just lie if your Nerevarine happened to be a woman because it’s less bruising to the ego. “He” is also in the opening of Morrowind, and again I never thought this meant the Nerevarine HAD to be male. You can justify that one however you want: trying to go for a gender-neutral “he” (like saying “man” to refer to humanity), the prophecy assuming the Nerevarine will be the same gender as Nerevar himself, etc.

This goes hand in hand with my second point: TES is a series RIFE with revisionist history and unreliable narrators. The Thalmor and Black Marsh both insist that THEY defeated the Oblivion hoards during the crisis, for example. But we played Oblivion. We know that’s not how it went down.

Think on it: would the proud Dunmer not want to pretend the Nerevarine was another proud (male) dark elf? Would the weakening Empire NOT want to pretend that the HoK was one of their own - decked out in legion armor no less, despite the fact there’s no way to acquire it in-game (without murder? and you’re literally a prisoner in the beginning)? Same goes with the Nords. They tend to want to think Dragonborn-ness is exclusive to them and them only, but that’s literally not true in any capacity. Nearly all of the lore we don’t directly interact with in-game is historical texts from a vast array of biased sources.

And, finally, to make a point outside of the fourth wall: I think the default protagonists are just always the ethnicity that’s associated with the homeland the game is set in. This is why the Arena and Daggerfall protagonists are genuinely faceless and you don’t see the same argument: those games span all of Tamriel. I think for III - V it’s more a way for Bethesda to showcase a unique aspect of the region we’ll be playing in. And they’re always men because gamerbros piss their pants if they even ASSUME they must play a woman (think about reactions to the most recent Witcher game announcement).

I think people who insist the protagonists of this series “must” be X or Y are either misguided or unimaginative. TES is great because of how rocky and vauge it’s historical foundations are. You can decide whatever you want and you can PROBABLY find a way to bullshit the lore to your own means to make it “fit”. For example, Dondras is the Champion of Cyrodiil but by the 4th Era in Skyrim’s timeline, the HoK is confused in some texts as being an Ohmes Khajiit, due to the fact M’rasha was also documented as being Hok. The two stories of them ultimately got confused by the passage of time and incomplete record-keeping. So later historians saw mentions of a khajiit and/or mer and assumed it must’ve been the furstock that LOOKS like an elf.

I hope this helps/makes sense! It’s a mix of appealing to Gamers and there being no actual canonical reason why they have to be anything at all. Be free!

[svsss-brainrot-blog]

CumPlane where they don't reincarnate as Peak Lords but one as An ancient god and the other as an ancient Heavely demon and they Just like- adopt Og!SQH and SJ together (just for shits and giggles, you don't have to write it if you don't want to)🍓✨

The dragon sniffed, it’s great horns twisting up towards the heavens as it pierced the two mortals below with its gaze.

“Really, Airplane?”

In a shimmer of light, grand scales and talons vanished, leaving behind the flowing robes of Shen Yuan’s humanoid form, the delicate gold chains strung between his branching, antler-like horns chiming softly as he moved.

“It’s a good plan!” The heavenly demon grinned, his huadian glowing red amid the dragon god’s tranquil, green, misty mountain.

The two mortals in question had enough sense to not make a fuss as the god and heavenly demon conversed in English. While both had fine features, Shen Yuan knew they were both fated for much darker paths.

“I suppose that there are benefits,” Shen Yuan eventually conceded after another long stare over what could only be the teenaged Shen Jiu. “If we can shape them up, we can change things for later.”

“Being trained by a god would put all other facets of the scum villans backstory to shame,” the writer nodded. “And if this one has a place to fall back on, the demons will be easier to navigate.”

“Right. So you take the rat, and I’ll take the scum,” Shen Yuan agreed with a nod. “When our protagonist rolls around, we’ll be set!”

“If you’re going to sacrifice us, just do it already!” the tiny scum shouts in his native tongue.

“Ah, little one,” Shen Yuan smiles, light radiant around them. “I think I’d rather like to teach you instead. What do you say?”

The blinking shock that passes over the mortals’ faces leaves him laughing.

“Yes… I think this might work just fine…”

[schmergo]

I saw the new stage adaptation of FRANKENSTEIN at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in DC last night! This isn’t a review of the production yet because I’m seeing it again on Saturday and want to wait until then to fully process my thoughts about it, but I did enjoy the show.

That said, it gave me a lot of thoughts about how I personally would adapt the text for a stage retelling if my goal was to give Elizabeth a larger role and greater agency in the story.

I don’t think it’s a spoiler to share that the main thing STC has advertised about this new play is putting Elizabeth front and center as a co-protagonist. If I were to do that in my own version, there are two main problems with this kind of adaptation that I would have to confront:

1. Often, making the “long-suffering wife/girlfriend/fiance” a more major character necessitates spending more time with her feeling lonely or neglected in the domestic sphere. It is not very dynamically interesting to show a character spending most of their time waiting unhappily for the male co-protagonist to do something or give her attention, but in a period piece like this, part of her plight is that she doesn’t have the opportunity to make as many choices as he does.

Even in non-period pieces, we often see this dynamic: Problematic male character gets involved in something that takes his focus away from his home and family, female character is upset that his focus is taken away from home and family. So he gets to do things and she just gets to react to him not doing things. More stage time and more dialogue is not equivalent to more agency.

So I believe the solution to this problem is one of two options. Either she has to have some other interest or passion to occupy her if she’s disillusioned and frustrated with tending solely to the household and the societal limits placed on her. Maybe she dreams of being an author or an astronomer or something, or gets involved with social and political causes.

OR we see her really embracing her domestic role with the same passion the male protagonist has for whatever’s keeping him away from the home. Maybe she is incredible at sewing, loves gardening, is a great cook, has a brilliant eye for interior design, etc. If she has a child, maybe their bond is really strong and she actually enjoys being with them.

Either way, give the character something to live for besides an often-absent and often-disappointing man. We don’t want to believe her entire being revolves around him if we’re making her a co-protagonist.

This leads me to the second major problem I’d have to face:

2. In any troubled fictional relationship, the more unappealing you make the man, that actually reflects worse on the woman. I’m not victim blaming people who are abused— I’m saying that even if a character is abusive, there has to be things about him that the woman in his life connects with or admires about him, or at least did once before things went downhill, or thought she did before he revealed himself to be a fraud or big jerk.

In the book Frankenstein, Victor is a difficult character for most readers to like and sympathize with. If we center a play on his relationship with his fiancé, he will likely come across even worse. If we see her neglected by him, lied to by him, and even endangered by him, we may wonder what’s in it for her at all. And if it’s solely economic security with no personal attachment at all, we have to establish why THIS guy is her best option.

So the solution, for me, would be to create some kind of shared interest that brings the two together, some traits or talents they admire but maybe also resent or feel envious about with regards to one another.

So, all that being said, I think this would be MY pitch for an adaptation of FRANKENSTEIN in which Elizabeth is a protagonist. Spoilers here for the book if you haven’t read it, but not for STC’s play.

* Elizabeth was taken in by the Frankenstein family as a tween. Her mother died and her father decided to abandon her by dumping her on another family. She was present for her mother’s death and it’s haunted her ever since.

* She is fascinated by the question of the human soul: where in the body it’s located, what happens to it after death, when it enters the body after conception, if it can be scientifically isolated and studied, etc. She and young Victor bond over a shared interest in science and questions of life and death. They slowly begin a romantic relationship that begins as a sort of scientific experiment in and of itself.

*Victor is sent off to a fancy school, implied to partly be to separate him and Elizabeth from physical congress after getting caught. Later, he goes on to university. Elizabeth cannot, being a woman, but continues reading and learning as much as she can independently. She also uses her interest in anatomy to become a passionate and talented cook for the Frankenstein family. We see a lot of her cutting and handling raw meat and perhaps there’s a large meat locker as part of the set that we see her coming and going from as she reads Victor’s letters and stuff.

*There are ambiguous hints throughout the play, never confirmed, that Victor’s much younger brother, William, may really be the biological son of Victor and Elizabeth, though they would have only been 13 or so when he was conceived and so he was always raised as a brother. Either way, the themes of fathers abandoning or rejecting their children would be a thing in this play.

*Victor pursues his obsessive interest in reanimating the dead partly for Elizabeth. He wants to make her proud with his great scientific discovery, but he also is partly using techniques that she had thought of merely theoretically. She just does not have access to a lab and funding like he does. He doesn’t tell her about his research because he doesn’t want to let her down if it’s a failure. The resulting creature freaks him out so much that of course he’d never want her to know about it.

*The main action of the play starts largely the night before Victor and Elizabeth’s wedding. In the book, this is where the creature murders Elizabeth the night of the wedding in revenge because Victor won’t build him a wife. Here, when he bursts in to Elizabeth’s room, he tells her his story (largely as he tells it in the book) which is acted out by actors, so the whole meat of the story is being narrated by the Creature to Elizabeth, who is of course startled and concerned but also enthralled.

*After he tells his story, he has a pitch for Elizabeth: he wants HER to be the one to build him a bride. He has Victor’s notes and diagrams and instructions. Victor has already rejected his request, but the Creature believes she would be better at it than he would. He has already set up a lab for Victor and is now offering it to Elizabeth.

* There is already a fresh body available: Justine, Elizabeth’s companion and the family servant, has been executed for killing William, which the Creature actually did. Elizabeth feels like if she can bring back Justine, who was unjustly killed, it would be an act of good, not evil. She’s already lost both her biological and adoptive mothers and has always wished there was a way to bring them back. She claims Justine’s body at the morgue and secretly recreates the process of animation with the Creature as her assistant.

* Just as the final thunderclap sounds, Victor rushes in to the lab. Justine 2.0 begins to blink and stir, and he instantly destroys her, killing her again. He’s terrified by the implications of the Creature breeding with another of his kind. But he’s also secretly jealous and afraid that Elizabeth’s creation was already so much better than his own, while he spent years trying to perfect his craft and never achieved his desired results.

* In vengeance, the Creature murders Elizabeth. Now neither of them will have a bride. He goads Victor to use his science to reanimate Elizabeth. Bring her back and Victor may have a chance of a wife again— or she may choose the Creature instead. Either way, her soul may be Elizabeth’s but may be something new.

* Appalled, Victor holds to his principles and refuses to bring back Elizabeth. He rushes out into the stormy night. The Creature begins to pursue him, then stops at the open door and turns back to look at Elizabeth’s body on the lab table. Will he pursue Victor and continue his revenge across the frozen arctic like in the book, or will “Frankenstein the Monster” take on the role of “Frankenstein the Scientist” and try to reanimate Elizabeth himself? The lights go black in a clap of thunder and lightning and the play ends, leaving the question unanswered.

I don’t know if I’ll ever write this one day, but maybe I will, IDK.

[lulu2992]

Today is the fourth anniversary of HITMAN 3, the last game in the World of Assassination trilogy!

I’ve wanted to write something about it for a while because I love it, but as much as I enjoyed playing it, taking my time exploring the levels, finding useful objects, taking notes, completing challenges, listening to conversations, following my targets, and being as stealthy as I could to reach “perfection” in each mission, what I’d like to talk about today is the scenario. Indeed, this trilogy doesn’t just have good gameplay, a nice soundtrack, and pretty visuals, it also has a great story.

My favorite thing about Hitman, at least in the most recent games (the first I played was the divisive Hitman: Absolution), also happens to be one of the main focuses of this trilogy: the relationship between the protagonist, Agent 47, and his handler (I would even say the deuteragonist), Diana Burnwood.

To me, their bond is just so special, unique, and compelling, so nearly four years after finishing HITMAN 3, I decided to write this post as an attempt to finally organize my many thoughts about it, but also and mostly, about them.

My relationship with theirs: how it started vs. how it’s going.

When I want to summarize what’s going on between Diana and 47, I usually like to describe their connection as “platonic, but more in the French acceptation of the term”... which must sound rather confusing or boring to most of you, especially if you’re a native English speaker, but I’m not, so let me explain what it means to me.

I must digress for a moment here but, the first few times I saw people use the term “platonic” in English to talk about friends or even family, I was quite confused. In French, if we say a relationship is “platonique”, there’s only a small chance that what we mean is, “They’re just friends” and a much higher probability that what we’re actually saying is, “They’re having a soulmates-level of romance so deep and spiritual that carnality is completely unnecessary” instead. I’d find it weird to use that word to describe relationships that are inherently not sexual; it mostly refers to a “special” kind of romance in French.

And this is what Diana and 47’s relationship is to me: something powerful and unconventional that I don’t think can reasonably be described as definitely romantic but that simultaneously manages to be, somehow, the ultimate form of romance.

So, as a fan of this unusual and seemingly unbreakable bond, playing through the entire trilogy was a delight. There were a few scenes in the first two games that made me smile like an idiot (such as this one), but in HITMAN 3 in particular, there were even more moments to enjoy.

I was pleased to see 47 get a bit upset when he realized Lucas didn’t fully trust Diana and to hear him affirm she would make things right because “she always does”, felt vindicated when she told Edwards he was “delusional” if he thought she could betray 47, was touched when Olivia said she understood why he wanted to “protect her”, then both surprised by the bluntness and happy with the assertiveness of 47’s “You don’t know her” after she questioned Diana’s allegiance, and I even pretty much turned into that “excited Kermit” reaction GIF when Diana explained she was 47’s only weakness even though that was exactly what I expected her to say.

Finally, in Mendoza, the most exciting mission for me despite its worrying name (“The Farewell”), I loved their conversation at the beginning, was glad to hear that he was right about her true intentions and loyalty all along, and much like he clearly was, caught off guard when she touched his hand. In the rest of the level, I enjoyed following her around and found their banter and synergy quite delightful, especially at the end. Then, of course, there was also the tango.

But when the “Necessary Evil” cutscene happened, I was… upset. Well, the first time I saw it, at least, because there is so, so much more depth and beauty to this scene than I initially realized, as concerned as part of me was that yet another franchise I love had forgotten its own lore and was collapsing in on itself before my eyes, ripping away from me what I loved most about it. Thankfully, that was not what was happening.

Looking at what I know of their history, I was and still am very much confident that Diana and 47 would rather turn against the rest of the world (and do it together) than be disloyal to each other, so even though I kept telling myself that her betrayal was fake and she had a plan, I was disappointed to see that, contrary to what I thought, they weren’t past the point of pretending to deceive and/or kill each other as a way to fool and bring down powerful people and organizations. She “killed” him in Blood Money, he “killed” her in Absolution; they were even. She most likely thought things had to happen this way to truly work, but I hoped they were done keeping secrets from one another. I’m still sad she had to trick him, and even more so that, even for just a moment, he genuinely thought she was serious and that he had lost her too.

In the toxin-induced and introspective hallucination that follows, 47 faces his worst fears... and some happen to be Diana deriding, belittling, and abandoning him. This was painful to watch because those are distressing thoughts for him, but to be honest, I also liked seeing just how much she meant to him. When he watches her dancing with Edwards, I couldn’t help but think of that scene in Polarized, the fifth episode of Life is Strange, in which Max, also drugged, has a nightmare and sees her “special friend” Chloe criticizing and replacing her. Fortunately, 47 quickly reconsiders the situation, talking some sense into himself with the help of “Lucas”. The other voice in his mind, Diana’s, encourages him to trust his intuition, and so he finally understands what he has to do.

Although she partly left him in the dark about her strategy and there are certain things she didn’t say, rewatching “Necessary Evil” made me appreciate how much Diana did say and how significant all of that was. Indeed, despite the apparent disingenuity of her act, the context suggesting, at first glance, that she’s either backstabbing him or purely playing a character, and the rather contemptuous tone she made sure to use to fool her audience, it’s since become apparent to me that she meant every single word she said.

She makes it sound like she’s turning against him and doesn’t want to see him anymore, but what she’s actually saying is that he, like everyone else, should be free to forge his own path. Even though she meant no harm and believed it was what he needed when she recruited him, she felt she used him, that he was only a tool, a weapon she controlled, and it was not right. He didn’t object when she chose him as her agent 20 years earlier, but had he not lost his memory and been truly able to make an informed decision, what would he have chosen?

And when she says she knows it was 47 who killed her parents, which is something he (and the players) only recently discovered, although she doesn’t even blame him for it, he apologizes. He sincerely apologizes, with an unusual and palpable pain in his voice. He’s genuinely sorry for what happened (so much so that he thinks that’s reason enough for her to want him dead), and maybe also for not having had the courage to tell her the horrifying truth. She deserved to know, but maybe out of shame, because he didn’t want her to suffer or for their relationship to be affected, he chose not to say anything. Had she known the full story sooner, though, what would she have chosen?

Diana’s last words before she leaves and he loses consciousness are, “This is a kindness. Goodbye... agent”. “Goodbye”, not “farewell”. “Agent”, not “47”. This is the end of the partnership she realized she imposed on him, but whether or not it’s also the end of the friendship they nonetheless built along the way is up to him. She’s been the one making most of the choices this whole time, and now it’s his turn. Calling what she’s just done a “kindness” isn’t a lie or emotional manipulation; it’s a fact. In their “own special way”, they care about each other, deeply and earnestly, but both of them also made selfish decisions they convinced themselves were in the other’s best interest. In that scene, they’re finally facing their past(s) and accepting the truth, freeing themselves and each other in the process.

“Necessary Evil” was initially worrying to watch, but what it shows isn’t the brutal and grim end of a 20-year partnership; it’s a moment of pure honesty, maybe even the most heart-to-heart conversation Diana and 47 have ever had. After this “last tango”, she sets him free, allowing him to live the life he wants. At last.

Although, again, I would have preferred her to do things differently and spare him that suffering, I also absolutely love the fact she didn’t even need to reveal her full plan for him to figure out what it was and carry it out exactly the way she expected him to. I suppose it’s not that surprising since he’s already demonstrated many times in many ways that he knows her better than anyone else does (and vice versa, probably), but it’s still fascinating. They don’t need words to communicate anymore, yet the few they exchanged before leaving Mendoza were salutary. A necessary evil, indeed.

In the last scene of the game, one year later, 47 recontacts Diana and informs her of his decision to go back to doing his former job, but this time by choice and on his own terms. “It’s good to be back”, he says with a smile (yes, a smile) on his face. There was one on mine too as I realized this was a callback to the very first “Announcement Trailer” for the World of Assassination trilogy. In the video, however, it was Diana who said, “Good to have you back” while he remained silent the whole time. In more than one way, the trilogy ends the way it started, but the major difference is that 47 now truly has a voice.

“I choose him”, confidently said Diana in the prologue, thus starting their productive partnership. More than 20 years later, he’s back in business, not because he has to but because he wants to, believing his mission is not done and wishing to continue it… but not alone. Finally free to do whatever he pleases and having had time to decide what he wanted his life to be, 47 came to a conclusion, and what he tells Diana in the epilogue, implicitly but assuredly, is, “I choose you.”

Almost six years after it was first announced, the trilogy has come full circle, and it feels like IO Interactive had it all planned out from the start. Diana and 47 are back to being partners, and by embracing their past, they can build their future on better, stronger, and healthier foundations. Now, more than ever, it’s them together against the rest of the world. As a fan of their duo, as well as nicely wrapped-up and carefully written stories in general, I don’t know if I could have dreamt of a more satisfying ending.

Perfectly executed.

[itz-pandora]

do you have a list for your swap au and who everyone’s swapped with (and possibly designs)? I’d like to see them so I could quite possibly fanart them🫶

OH OFC ILL PROVIDE EVERYTHING I HAVE!

Shadow and Sonic are swapped with each other! These are their designs.

Shadow is the protagonist, and he's usually reserved and introverted. He wants to help who he can, which is why he fights against Maria.

Sonic's got DNA from Chaos, so he's got a ton of funky attributes to play around with (he is almost only made of water, he has water manipulation abilities, stuff like his tongue & blood is water (glowy tho!), and he can't get injured in a regular way. You can scroll through my Sonic swap AU tag to see thesecon action!) He's a chaotic neutral who's always looking for an adrenaline rush, he tends to lean towards people who could give him that, or people who he has compassion for (like Maria). He still cannot swim LMAO

Rouge and Tails are swapped! I don't have a design for Tails yet though.

Rouge is Shadow's older sister figure and she's the extroverted one of the two (so their dynamic is more like Rouge is Sonic and Shadow is Tails). I haven't gotten everything down for her just yet, but I want to keep her Jewel enjoyment and sass.

Tails works for GUN before briefly working for Maria. He keeps Sonic in check for a while. He's serious and pretty much the opposite of Sonic. Think kinda like Nine!

Silver and Amy are swapped!

Silver is the annoying but sweet younger friend, kinda clingy but everyone would keep him safe. His weapon is a slingshot and he has incredible aim, if you gave this kid an actually dangerous weapon, that'd be scary. Also he's got a great intuition and ppl swear he's clairvoyant (he's not LOL)

Amy comes from the future and has psychokinesis AND a hammer! She has to use her psychokinesis to actually swing her hammer since it's HEAVY. She tries to find joy in her situation, but she's a bit jaded from her time in the future. (She's more confident and upbeat than canon silver tho)

Maria is swapped with Eggman! But He doesn't have a design yet.

Maria was still raised on the ARK, but she was raised there alongside Ivo. She was fascinated with Project Sonic, and she had therapy in the ARK that helped her with her illness, but after her grandfather was killed and the ARK was shut down, she had to live with her illness afflicting her worse than before.

Ivo (Eggman) is actually more swapped with the GUN commander tbh, was raised alongside Maria, and after the raid on the ARK, he ended up blaming the inhabitants of the ARK (making Sonic and forcing him to be there during the raid) and ended up joining GUN as the lead engineer. Him and Maria get a "cousin rivalry" because of it.

Blazd and Knuckles are swapped with each other! (Not 100% on Blaze's design yet tho)

Blaze is the guardian of the Master Emerald, and she uses her claws to fight. She's very skilled and nimble, so she's a difficult opponent. She's a stoic girl with a heart of gold.

Knuckles is the protector of the Sol Emeralds, and he has fire powers (something something he ate the Sol Dimension Iblis something something ♪ the flames of disaster ♪) he's a proud warrior, the struggles to ask for help, since he's used to being strong enough to do everything alone.

Another swap I haven't drawn yet is Cream and Big.

I also don't have ideas for most other things so feel free to suggest anything 💕

[kikyoupdates]

Changing Plotlines ⭑˚💞⭑ 𝑠𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑎 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑚𝑝

yandere!ocs x f!reader

yandere, reverse harem, yandere reverse harem, original characters x fem!reader, slowburn, isekai

A desperate cry on your deathbed leads to you being given a fresh start at life. You're overjoyed at having finally obtained a healthy body and a real chance at living normally, only to discover that you've been transported into a yandere game, where danger lurks at every corner. Determined to protect your new life at any cost, you vow to stay as far away from the major characters of the game as possible. But things don't always go as planned.

previous | story masterlist | next

Sergei Garin. A major supporting character in Zodin’s Benevolence, and a man unfortunate enough to have fallen in love with the protagonist, unaware of how many twisted yanderes were pining for her affection.  

The game branched off from the main storyline after the player picked enough choices that would put them on a certain yandere’s route. Needless to say, regardless of whoever’s route it was, Sergei ended up dead in some shape or form. He wasn’t always killed off by one of the yanderes, but his self-sacrificial nature, especially towards the protagonist, sealed his fate no matter what. He would either protect the protagonist until his dying breath, or be killed off by a yandere when they discovered Sergei’s romantic feelings towards her.  

Put simply, he didn’t have any good endings. Which is why seeing him here, right in front of your very eyes, was something both awe-inducing and incredibly depressing. He didn’t even know it yet, but his days were numbered.  

Is it possible to keep him from dying? So long as he doesn’t meet the protagonist, then... 

You quickly shook your head. No, you couldn’t think like that. You’d already made up your mind not to interfere with the canon events of the game. If you tried to protect Sergei, you could unwittingly place yourself in danger. As upsetting as it was, you couldn’t risk interfering.  

“Er, my lady?” Sergei frowned. “Is everything alright? Were you perhaps expecting someone else...?”  

“Not at all!” you spluttered. “I’m very happy you’re here! Sorry, I’m just really eager to start training, so I guess I must look like I’m a bit out of it. It’s nice to meet you, Sergei. I’m [Name], as you already know. Thank you for making the effort to be here on such short notice.”  

“It would have been discourteous to refuse your family’s request. Although, it was certainly a rather strange request,” he said with a knit brow.  

You laughed. “Right. Sorry. It’s probably not every day a noblewoman decides to take up sword-fighting. But I’ve always been interested in it, and what’s the harm in learning to protect myself?”  

“It’s far from traditional,” he admitted, “but I’m not one to scorn a person looking to hone their strength. If this is truly what you want to do, I will do my best to facilitate the process for you.”  

“Great! So, can I try swinging a sword now?”  

“I’d say it’s a bit early for wielding a real blade, so you can start with a wooden sword first.” He removed the bag he’d been carrying over his shoulders and pulled out two wooden swords. One of them was noticeably bigger than the other. He handed you the smallest of the two. 

You weighed the object in your hands. “It’s a bit heavier than I was expecting. Aren’t these things usually hollow on the inside?”  

“They can be. But I thought it was better for you to get used to something with a bit more weight to it, especially since a real sword is quite heavy.”  

“Pfft, I’m sure I can handle it,” you waved off, grossly overconfident for some reason.  

Sergei gave you an unimpressed look. “And what makes you so sure?”  

“Uh... I’m optimistic?”  

“I see. So, no real reason, then.”  

“Ugh.” You obviously couldn’t tell him that you’d watched countless anime and were stupidly hoping that the moves you’d seen there could be somehow applied to real life.  

Sergei took a step back and crossed his arms. “Show me how you would swing that thing. Treat it as if it is a real sword. Go on, I’m curious to see what kind of approach you’ll have.”  

“Ready to be impressed?” you grinned.  

“No, not really.”  

“Hey!”  

Sergei looked like he wanted to crack a smile, but he maintained his stern, stoic expression. He wasn’t fooling you. You already knew full well from the game that despite his serious-looking face and rather blunt mannerisms, he was a real gentleman at heart.  

“Okay... here goes nothing!”  

You inhaled sharply, gathering up all your energy, then proceeded to lunge forward and slash the wooden sword through the air, in a downwards motion.  

“Ooh, that actually felt pretty powerful!” you enthused, turning towards Sergei with a bright smile. “Well? How was it? Amazing, huh?”  

Sergei’s expression hadn’t changed. “Definitely not amazing.”  

“But pretty good, though?”  

“Definitely not good.”  

“Uh... at least sort of okay?”  

He didn’t respond, which made you nervous. What was the big deal? It was just a wooden sword, for crying out loud! And it was your first time swinging one. For a total newbie, it couldn’t have been that bad. 

“Sort of okay,” Sergei hummed, pressing his forefinger against his lips. “I suppose that’s a reasonably accurate description. Then again, it’s only a wooden sword. If you were to replicate that same motion with a real sword, your score would drop considerably.”  

“You’re scoring me?” you gaped.  

He tapped on his head, smiling faintly. “In here, yes. But I’ll be keeping your scores to myself, so as not to discourage you.”  

“That just means I suck!”  

“There’s no point in getting worked up right at the start. Come on, try swinging it again. This time, adjust your grip so that it stays higher on the hilt. It’ll be easier for you to swing it that way. And make sure to keep your torso firm. A strong foundation is what determines how hard your attack will hit.”  

“Like this?” you asked, inadvertently arching your back. 

“What? No, that’s not—ah, I’ll just show you myself,” he sighed, picking up his own sword. “Look closely now. See how I hold the sword, and what angle I’m striking at. See how my body stays perfectly straight and doesn’t wobble around the way yours does.”  

It was only a wooden sword, but you could swear you felt the air in front of you being sliced in half. His motion left a distinct whipping noise behind, fierce enough that it rang in your ears.  

Sergei looked back towards you. “Do you understand now?”  

“Totally,” you nodded. “Basically, it’s all about how big your muscles are.”  

“I see you’ve understood nothing.”  

“I was just kidding! Look, I’ll do it again.” You took up your stance, tensing up just enough that your torse was nice and stable, just like Sergei had said. With even more strength than before, you stepped forward and swung downwards. “Hyah!”  

You were hoping to have been met with enthusiastic clapping, but Sergei was merely staring at you in disbelief.  

“What was that sound you just made?”  

“A battle cry, I think.”  

“I can assure you it was not a battle cry,” he frowned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “And a lady like you shouldn’t be making such vocalizations anyways.”  

“But I thought a battle cry drastically enhances your physical prowess.”  

“...”   

“I'm getting the impression that you might not want to be here.”  

“You’re imagining it,” Sergei coughed into his hand. “Anyways. It was... better, I suppose. But you still need a lot more work. Keep repeating that same motion with your wooden sword, and I’ll be watching you to make sure you have proper form.”  

“But that’s boring,” you whined. “I want to move on to using a real sword. A wooden sword won’t be enough to protect myself with.”  

“I understand that you’re excited, but why do you keep stressing that you’ll need to protect yourself?” he frowned. “A lady like you should never have to fear for her safety. Is there something in particular you’re worried about?”  

Yes. The crazy bastards that live in this world.  

“Not really,” you lied. “But you never know what could go wrong, right? It’s best to be prepared for even the worst-case scenario. It’s a dangerous world out there for women, you know.”  

“That’s certainly true,” Sergei nodded. “I must say, you’re quite earnest, trying to prepare yourself for situations like that. It doesn’t exactly match your personality.”  

“Hey, what’s wrong with my personality?”  

“Nothing, of course.” He bit back a chuckle. “Forgive me. I just meant that of all the noblewomen I’ve ever met, you stand out quite a bit. You don’t seem anywhere near as concerned with etiquette, and you’re even treating someone like me as your equal. Perhaps that’s why I’ve gotten comfortable voicing my opinions.”  

“Well, that’s not surprising,” you said, proudly sticking your nose into the air. “I am pretty amazing.”

“And your boundless confidence leaves nothing to be desired, that’s for sure.”  

“I’m going to take that as a compliment.”  

“Yes, please do.”  

You rolled your eyes at him, though it was in a playful, well-intentioned way. Even if Sergei’s tale was a sad one, you were happy to be interacting with one of your favorite characters from the game. There were few genuinely good people in Zodin’s Benevolence, apart from the protagonist, and he was definitely one of them.  

“Just you wait,” you huffed. “I’m going to become so good at wielding a sword, I’ll surpass you in no time.”  

Although Sergei’s expression was stern, his eyes were filled with mirth.  

“I look forward to seeing it.”  

In the end, you hadn’t gotten to use a real sword even once during your training session with Sergei. It was a bit disappointing, but he was the instructor, so you had no choice but to trust in his judgment. It was probably for the best that you build up some skills and confidence first, before attempting the real deal. Plus, the plot had yet to officially begin, so you weren’t in any imminent danger.  

Your parents frantically approached you after your session was over, checking you all over for any cuts or bruises. When you told them you hadn’t even gotten to try out a proper sword yet, they exhaled loudly. Look at you, endlessly worrying your parents even in a different world. Some things never changed.  

Still, you felt confident about the way you were choosing to approach things. There was no reason to afraid so long as you never interacted with the yanderes or the protagonist. Although the initial revelation about being transported into a game had come as a massive shock, you could very well live out a happy life here, just like you’d always wanted.  

“You seem like you’re having a good time.”  

Sometime after your training had come to an end, and you were relaxing in a bubble bath, you began to hear an oddly familiar, distinctively masculine voice in your head.  

“Hello?” you jolted, glancing around. There was no one, as expected. You were all alone in the bathroom, and even your bedroom was empty since the servants had left to give you space to relax. 

No response came, so you sank deeper into the bath, knitting your brows together. Was it just your imagination? A lot of strange things had happened to you recently, so you wouldn’t be surprised if you were hearing the odd remark every now and then. But that voice... you knew you’d heard it somewhere before. It was practically on the tip of your tongue.  

“Hehe. It’s fun watching you get all worked up over nothing. Your reactions are so expressive.”  

“Um—?!” You glanced around for the second time, but there was nobody there again. The voice was definitely coming from your head, and based on what it was saying, it didn’t seem like it was just your imagination.  

You clutched your arms around your chest, though the bubbles concealed most of everything, because apparently, they could see you right now.  

“This isn’t cool,” you muttered. “Whoever you are, can you give it a rest? How are you even talking to me right now? You’re freaking me out.”  

“I’m afraid that’s a secret. You’ll find out soon enough, I’m sure.”  

Great. As if you didn’t already have enough things to worry about with yanderes dominating the major plot of this world, now you had some creepy voice that could talk to you whenever it liked. And why did it sound so familiar? 

Could it be...?  

You didn’t know for certain, since you’d literally been dying at the time, but a strange voice had called out to you back then too. That voice was the whole reason you’d been transported here in the first place. Was this that same voice? The higher power that had saved you and given you a new chance at life?  

“Are you the one that saved me when I was dying?” you asked.  

No response. Either they had no idea what you were talking about, or they really were the same being from before, and they were deliberating avoiding your question.  

“Fine, don’t respond,” you sighed, lathering bubbles and squishing them between your palms.  

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about, but I definitely didn’t save anyone who was dying.”  

Ah, so they were still here.  

“Who are you, then?”  

“Like I said—that’s a secret.”  

“Ugh. Great. Looks like I’m not going to be able to sleep tonight.” 

“I’m not here to hurt you, if that’s what you’re worried about. I’m just here to observe. Don’t worry about me and just focus on what you’ve been doing up until now. It’s quite amusing.”  

You weren’t sure how you felt about someone calling your life amusing, but it wasn’t like you could do anything about it. At the very least, you knew whoever this was wasn’t one of the yanderes, because none of them had these kinds of strange powers. The owner of the voice had promised not to hurt you, still, you weren’t sure how much you could trust them, especially since you didn’t even know who they were.  

For the time being, you just had one simple request.

“Please don’t spy on me while I’m taking a bath from now on,” you said crossly.  

Instead of answering, the voice laughed.

More chapters are available on Quotev!

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[bangtcns]

Spoilers for Squid Game 3.

I’ve defended the second season quite a lot on twitter. I loved it even though I knew my feelings might change if the final installment doesn’t deliver a satisfying conclusion to the story. So here we are, the show is done, and I’m not gonna lie, Gi-hun’s death kinda ruined everything for me. Well, not everything. Season one is still pure perfection. 

The reason I really appreciated season two is a clever change in the narrative. While the game itself was the villain of the first season, the continuation of the story asked a new question: can it be stopped, and if not, why? Gi-hun was eventually forced to admit that people keep choosing to play the game and he’s not responsible for its continuous existence. When he told the no-longer-pregnant girl that people decide their own fate and it’s not her fault that the trans girl and the old lady died, I thought to myself, There it is! His way out. He will accept that people make their own decisions and it’s not his responsibility to try to save everyone, especially when they choose not to be saved; when they choose to be straight up evil. He will let go of his anguish over lost friends and learn to live again. But no! He died, forever fighting the game, but achieving close to nothing. Like, in his final moments he rebels against the system once more, but his very last words? It’s an admission that humans just are, and the game is a part of them. Do you still have faith in people? I’m not sure he did in the end. 

There is some thematic resonance in the chosen conclusion to Gi-hun’s storyline. I’d just prefer a completely different ending, a happier one, because that’s what he deserved. It was a struggle to keep watching after he was killed off, and I had little to no emotional response to his final moments. I was soooo pissed off, not only because of his death, but *how* it was written. They had to come up with so many plot conveniences to make sure he died; the most frustrating one was not pushing the start button before 333 fell off the pillar. Oh, and the cop being five minutes late to the party. WHAT.

Other things I disliked:

- Hated the northern deserter's subplot; didn’t find the character sympathetic or interesting at all.

- The cop was unbelievably useless. He started this season by choosing to ignore how suspicious the boat captain was and, consequently, he got his team killed; then he failed to save Gi-hun. Damn, he was even too late to have a meaningful confrontation with his brother.

- The heroes managed to locate and neutralize only one facility; they didn’t catch any of the people responsible for the game’s existence.

- Gi-hun died believing he achieved absolutely nothing and he wasn’t far off.

- They could have easily delved deeper into In-ho’s backstory to let us fully understand how he rebuilt himself into the Frontman. Still, I like the parallel of both the protagonist and the antagonist being broken by the game, and how differently they reacted to this trauma; one of them became the face of the game, accepting its inevitability; the other died opposing it.

- Gi-hun and In-ho’s thematic discussion was the backbone of the second season, and I didn’t like how quick and superficial the resolution to this relationship felt; I appreciated In-ho tring to convert Gi-hun to his side, but that’s about it? He looked disappointed and hurt when this attempt failed, and we quickly moved on to blabbering NPCs hoping to murder an infant in a democratic manner.

- CGI BABY.

- The sympathetic side characters died way too early and the finale was so lackluster with a bunch of thugs as the main opponents.

Things I liked: 

- The main cast of players was well-written and compelling; the performances were top-notch too.

- 333 was the biggest piece of shit this show has ever seen, kudos to the writers and the actor portraying the character, they did a great job. He was an expert gaslighter, pretending to be decent until the very end. In comparison, Sang-woo was honest about his true nature, and he sacrificed himself to save his mother’s livelihood. This guy, 333, he wanted to kill his infant daughter for some extra money.

- “I’m sorry about Jung-bae”. I can’t believe he said that. 

Things I’m torn about? It’s only the ending. At first I rolled my eyes at a clear set up for the American version of the show (and Cate Blanchett), but after giving it some thought, I appreciated how it parallels the ending of season one. Gi-hun emotionally interrupting the recruitment is juxtaposed with In-ho letting it happen with a cold demeanor, knowing he was right; the game will always exist unless enough people oppose it, and most people choose to play it instead. Thematically, the narrative sided with him. It doesn’t make Gi-hun’s struggle any less admirable, though. Just sad and futile. 

HMMMMMM. I still think that he could have lived and it would have made for a better ending, or at least an ending I would like a lot more than what we got. The conclusion they chose is very dark; the game can’t be stopped and its main opponent indirectly admits that right before he commits suicide. Humans are… Well, he doesn’t say they’re good. The system never corrupts Gi-hun, but it does manage to kill him. The baby is set for life with a lot of blood money. The game continues, always.

[justafewberries]

What will Suzanne write her next prequel on? What do you want it to be about?

I think: 25th Games, First QQ

She noticeably limited any info we got about the 1st QQ, even though Katniss said all eyes would be on Haymitch in the 3rd QQ because he’s the quell victor.

Within the first qq, maybe Tigris. She’s the only character I can think of who is old enough atp to have a book about her. However she wouldn’t be 16 and all of the other protagonists we have are 16, so I’m not sure.

SC did say in an interview she experimented with older haymitch in sotr, but she said it didn’t fit the genre. Tigris would be about 36 in the 25th games (about 21 in tbosas, add 15 years). She’d be too old for SC’s protagonist preference.

Could also be Mags, but again, she’d be 29 at the youngest atp. So too old again.

Couldn’t be plutarch, as he’s about college aged from what i can tell in sotr, so my guess is he’d be born around the 25th games.

If not the first qq: it’s going to be orange (next color on the wheel) and the art on the cover seems to be closing in. Maybe a midnight sun style peeta book. (I really hope not, but it’s possible)

Want:

This is pessimistic but I don’t want another. Sotr really missed the mark for me and any new developments would make the world so much smaller. Some things are already starting to contradict what we’ve been told previously (most notably the lake, and I’d even argue canonically introducing the concept of large family trees) so anything more risks creating plot holes.

sotr wasn’t formulated argumentatively like the other books. It didn’t present both sides of argument, it told the reader how and what to think, and that’s not how the other books were laid out. And if it’s going trend in that direction, I think we’re better off without it.

I don’t want her to start publishing more thg books to repeat what has already been established. Everything thematically in sotr can be found in the other books. She’s a great writer, but I think thg is getting a little too much expansion. If anything, I’d love for her to write something else where she could have more room to explore and fewer threads to worry about.

If it came out, I’d read it, sure, but I don’t want another.

[whateverisbeautiful]

If someone had never watched TWD or TOWL and you only could only show them one episode as a preview, which would you choose and why?

Ooh this question is really good.👏🏽 I’m approaching this as if it means a preview that can include spoilers, so basically showing them the episode that best reflects the series. For TOWL, I’d 100% choose Episode 4 because it would give the person a perfect sense of the powerful connection and emotional depth of Richonne.

And for TWD, I’d choose the season 6 mid-season premiere No Way Out. It’s an excellent episode from start to finish and I think it captures many of the best elements of the show. It's well-written and climactic and gives a solid sense of the ensemble and who Rick Grimes is as the fiercely and admirably determined (& a bit certifiably crazy 😋) protagonist.

If all someone was shown was No Way Out they’d get a great sense of how TWD approaches philosophical conflicts (Carol & Morgan’s contrasting ideologies), action and high stakes (the massive walker invasion), the characters' moral complexities and multidimensionality (The Wolf & Denise), the way any character can die at any time (the end of the Andersons), the found family and super close relationships (Rick, Carl, & Michonne and Glenn & Maggie).

They’d also get a taste of the series’ shock (Carl’s eye reveal), suspense (all of it, but especially that teaser and then trying to make it through the hoarde at ASZ), the foundational father & son element (Rick’s closing speech to Carl), and the central themes of survival and humanity’s resilience (everyone coming together to take down the hoarde). Plus, while TWD puts the characters through a lot of misery there’s also beacons of rewarding hope every now and then and No Way Out captures that really nicely with its heartwarming ending.

That’s why 6.09 is my pick. I’d love to know what episodes other people would choose that best represent the series too.😊

[lol-jackles]

Hello,

It’s nice to see you more active on here at the moment.

I was thinking about how you tend to say that the bi-bros who lean towards Sam are more in line with the GA.

But, I watch lots of reactors watch SPN for the first time, and they often lean towards Dean (I’d say 3/5), and I’ve heard a similar ratio say that they think Jensen is a noticeably better actor than Jared.

So, my questions are, are they letting fan expectations colour their reactions (hellers and Dean girls are very fast to pounce on new reactors), are they already Destiel curious from seeing edits in tumblr (I know of at least one who fits this), or do they acquaint “they make me feel emotional therefore they are the best actor”?

For me personally, on my first watch, Dean killed me with his love for family and Sammy and I empathized more with him usually, at least until Season 4/5 where he started pissing me off regularly. But, when I rewatch, I love episodes like Mystery Spot and Born Under a Bad Sign, or Souless Sam episodes because Jared is just so good when he gets something interesting to do. I find the Dean crying stuff less compelling on rewatches because it’s not as interesting to me (with a few expectations) after the first and second viewing. And acting at mirrors scenes gets old for me in particular very quickly.

In short, I think both are good, with different strengths, but I wonder why so many new viewers that I come across see Jensen as being stronger and Dean as being better. Do the just fail to see past the narrative bias? Or they just like Sean because he’s more fun?

Anyway, I appreciate any thoughts you want to share on this. And I’m also wondering if there is stats anywhere in GA favoring Sam?

First, because Sam girls commit “geek social fallacies” by also liking Dean because they love that Dean revolves around their Sammy. But Dean/Jensen stans don’t return the favor because they hate that Dean revolves around his Sammy so they hate on Sammy even though under their breath they’ve said if Jensen had been playing Sammy all along they wouldn’t change any of the writing.  That’s why there appears to be a Dean bias in the SPN fandom because Sam fans also likes Dean.  

It’s not a coincidence that Sam girls are the fandom’s official representative (all the meta fans on the show are Sam fans).   The show is mostly Sam-centric, if the bitter Sam girls won’t believe me then believe Jensen’s interviews when he said that SPN is Sam-centric and called season 10 a "rare Dean-centric storyline". (X)

Second, Dean is supposed to be a scene stealer, that's what support-protagonist do.  Often our favorite characters are not the protagonist but these scene stealers characters, they are usually cool or very funny. But it becomes a problem when producers try to capitalize on the character’s popularity, like creating a spin-off.   Like spices, which can not take the place of the main course, scene stealers often fail as leads because their “special-ness” evaporates when they have to carry the show. It's why WB canceled Supernatural when Jared told them he was leaving, because they knew a Dean-led Supernatural wouldn't work.

So while I'm watching an episode, I am more drawn to Dean because he’s more fun or interesting to watch. However the next day I remember the episode through Sam’s actions and interactions. Some of my readers tell me that they were surprised that they seem to “forget” Dean when they recall specific storylines, I said that’s supposed to happen with the support-protagonist.  We don't remember much of what John Watson did in the classic Sherlock Holmes or what was Nick Carraway's deal in The Great Gatsby.

It's the protagonist who mobilizes the story and stands out in readers’ or audiences’ minds.  Dean needs interaction with Sam in order for the audience to even remember him because he's part of the protagonist’s story. It’s why I keep saying Supernatural is Sam’s story, it's his Hero’s Journey.   Dean is at his best when he’s focused on Sam (which is why season 10 sucked and season 5 was kind of weak).

Third, Jensen is a personality actor and people are generally more drawn to them. Jared is a character actor who is trapped in a leading man role. Jensen has been Jensen “Dean Winchester” Ackles for the majority of his TV and movie roles since 1998.  It’s why Jensen initially made a bigger splash with Dean in the early Supernatural seasons because he’s already been playing Dean for years since Days of Our Lives.  In 2005 when SPN premiered, Jensen had a 7 years head start playing Dean compared to Jared who was just starting to play Sam and had to create Sam from scratch.  By season 3, audiences began to notice Jared's versatile acting skills and he would soon be tasked with playing different characters because that's what character actors do.