#my...too deep story that i lovm..

[motheatenscarf]

Man, I'm really disappointed by how LoVM handled Vex in this third season. I mean, I was a little disappointed by the first 2 seasons too, but in a subtler way. They made her a lot harsher, a lot more prickly than she'd ever been in the campaign. Which, y'know, I didn't love, but I figured if they flanderize her early on, it'll make her growth into a more compassionate, selfless person more dramatic later on, and it was setting the groundwork for Scanlan's legitimate complaints later on with how they disrepect him, so fine.

But, uh, 1, apparently Scanlan isn't leaving in anger now, lol? And 2, her only arc in this the season where she was supposed to soften up is some weird "I'm poison to love" dilemma being made text with her relationship with Percy. And like. Idk. Vex was my favorite character in Campaign 1 because of her subtle need for control manifesting as her obvious trauma. I didn't need it spelled so overtly, and in the way it was resolved, Percy was a large part of that character growth, but he didn't feel like the ONLY reason Vex softened up.

Was hugely disappointed that she didn't wind up going to hell with the others because her buying the freedom of those two aasimar kids was such a big moment of growth for her. Like, she'd been selfish and miserly and controlling and judgmental, and had slowly been learning to rely on others and to be more emotionally available, and her saving those kids because no one else was going to, her saving them by giving up the security her money brought her, her expecting no reward and just NEEDING to help them when everyone else was telling her they didn't have the time, that was so significant.

But, no, she had to stay with Percy so they could angst about their relationship, which is exactly what Keyleth and Vax are doing, which is already exhausting. People liked Percahlia because they were SO into each other and unashamed about it. Vex waited until it was almost too late to let Percy know how she felt and then let him in and loved him with her whole heart because that's how she does things. And now Percy angst is the ONLY thing she has to do or say or think about with her limited screentime this season.

It's so sad to me that there are people who are only gonna know her from the show and don't get to see how deep and complex she is when the story is given an ounce of breathing room.

Between Vex and Jester, Laura has a real talent for making strong, subtle characters who feel incredibly nuanced and multifaceted. She is living proof that you don't need to come up with a detailed backstory or some overwrought personal quest to create a good character. The voice, logic, and motivations of her characters are always internally consistent. The goal of her characters is usually internal, and man, she might not always have a lot for them to seek externally, but their presence is always appreciated by what they contribute to a scene and how she help facilitate the progression of the story or any given scene. And because of that lack of a personal quest for them so often, she gets her strongest moments when she leans into a moment that's happening in the narrative and how it would affect her character. She is the best "Yes, And"-er at the table and they have struggled so hard to adapt those strengths into an abridged narrative form like this where every second of screentime is precious and must be LOADED to the brim with progressing the plot. There's just no room for the quiet character moments where Vex thrives in reacting to the world around her, or those clutch combat decisions, or her getting to be the obvious leader and tactician of the team, or really anything other than for her to be traumatized by the plot.

Like, I know there just are not enough episodes, plot and characterization are gonna be too rushed to give this many characters the time and attention they need. And there ARE changes I like, Keyleth's characterization feels a lot more consistent! Pike getting to have an actual character arc is neat (Pike getting to be a character at all and not their infrequent heal-bot is very neat). I'm so glad they killed Kash! Not only because I hate Kash, but because stakes! Weight! Yay! They understand that death has to feel like a real threat, hence the changes with Percy, yay! But, also, like, idk, I'm bitter. Vex was my FAVORITE character from Campaign 1. It sucks to see her get done dirty like this.

Makes me nervous for Jester in the M9 animated series we're getting :T

[waltwhitmansbeard]

Folks keep hoping that we get Keyfish in LOVM.

Personally, I feel like it would be too much and it would mean a cheap death/revival, which is something that I think they’re hoping to avoid. But that’s just my opinion.

That being said, hypothetically, what if they do include it… only to subvert expectations and make it worse? As in, it’s someone ELSE that does it to HER while she’s already wildshaped, and then she’s suddenly plummeting, unable to shift back as she’s not the one in control. Because villains could be that evil with Polymorphism.

It would make for a perfect opportunity to give Vax his wings, though.

(And they could include the “original” result as a fantasy lol)

hmm, some interesting thoughts there. if the keyfish moment is when vax gets his wings, obviously it has to be moved up in the order of events, bc it happens after the end of the chroma conclave arc. and it means we lose out on the gilmore shoving him off a balcony moment, which is sad, but then, it’s also less impactful if we don’t also get the hotis-as-gilmore thing prior to it, which we don’t know that we will.

i’m also loath to take keyfish away from kiki? like there’s something so delightfully keyleth—so delightfully marisha—about her being the last to die and it happening because of deep, unabashed stupidity. my bimbo love deserves that, yanno?? it’s just such an iconic moment in the campaign, so any changes made to it have to be demanded by the story, which isn’t to say they can’t be, they just really gotta make their case for it.

[fagpulp]

Imvalid: Hehe >:) Evil Devil Turns Good Because He Falls In Love With Someone He Initially Didnt Really Care For >:) But Through A Series Of Events-

Valid: Dumb Twink Needs To Be Looked At Or He Will Die