#which is why its written like you have context to a previous conversation

[weepingtacotyrant]

Is there a self insert character in The Heart of Thomas?

One of the questions about The Heart of Thomas that was asked in class that I don't think was widely discussed was if we are meant to identify with one/many of the characters. Remembering the brief discussion in class, it seemed that we were unable to agree on who if any character we were meant to identify with. Having had some time to think about it, I now think that we aren't actually meant to identify with any character at all.

Given that the target audience is young girls, we should expect that a self insert character is portrayed as a girl, even though they are a boy, in order to be easier for the target audience to place themselves into the character. I do not remember any instances where either Juli or Oscar are treated like girls.

Erich is treated like a girl stand in multiple times throughout the book (pg. 78, The first tea party starting on pg.112, and pg. 197 to name a few), but he is also very clearly treated and portrayed like a boy in other parts of the novel (pg. 68-73, pg. 104-107, and pg.334 to name a few). While this alone might still point to Erich being our stand in, I think his relationship with Juli fully disproves this theory. I can not personally recall a single time that Juli treats Erich like a girl. Every other character at some point treats Erich like a girl, but not the person that is his main love interest within the story. If Erich were our self insert, we would expect Juli to feminize Erich at least a little bit. Since he doesn't I find it hard to believe that Erich would be the intended self insert.

The only other character worth mentioning as a potential self insert is Ante. I think we can disqualify him on the grounds that he is a minor character and is rejected by his love interest (pg. 190) and scorned by Juli (pg. 324). I find it hard to believe that someone with such an unhappy ending would be the intended self insert.

So, the apparent lack of an intended self insert leads me to believe that we aren't actually meant to enter the text through any character. Instead, I think we are meant to enter the text through the viewpoint of an omnipresent observer.

In all of the media I've consumed with a clear self insert, we view almost the entire story from the insert's perspective. This is very much not the case in The Heart of Thomas, as we often jump around from scene to scene, never sticking on to just one character. Rather, we seem to view absolutely everything important that happens during the story. Practically nothing happens between scenes.

This viewpoint allows the reader to have both intimacy and distance with the text. We enter the text by seeing every detail of what's happening, along with the interiority of all of the characters. This intimate level of detail makes it much easier to connect the experiences that the characters are having to your own. However, by not identifying with any character entirely within the story, you have a safe distance from the happenings.

Essentially, this viewpoint creates a safe perspective for the reader to explore the very heavy themes present in the book. We can engage with them and even resonate with them, but they are not happening to "us", so we are safe. I think this is why Hagio Moto gives us this viewpoint and chooses not to prime us to identify with any character.

[placingglaciers]

found em......its not good I'm actually pretty heartbroken

Hey! Sorry for the delayed response--I was busy and I really needed time to think about all of this (I got like, no sleep). I hope you're feeling a little better than last night. There have already been a few really great analyses/interpretations of these spoilers, but if you still have time for one more perspective, you can keep reading.

Firstly, I still stand by what I have said before, no matter how radically optimistic it sounds now. Feeling sad and awful about these spoilers is a normal, valid response. I sort of still feel that way, but let's talk this through.

Facts:

If these spoilers are true, they are written vaguely. I might even say a little over the top? Blown out of proportion? This all could be a bunch of nothing. This has happened before in previous seasons, especially with Nick's storylines. We have no context for any of this, so let's not worry too much.

Episodes nine and ten are still being worked on. So nothing has been said or seen about them yet. I know it seems silly to hope everything gets better and solved in only two episodes, but it's what we have to work with. Honestly? I wish this season were a little longer. What they seem to have planned is a lot to fit in ten episodes, right?

They still need an audience for The Testaments. This season has to deliver and make good, so we can keep following this story. Why make a terrible final season and then ask people to watch the sequel? I'll talk more about The Testaments a little later, so hold this thought.

We don't know what this "betrayal" even is yet. It's described as "big," "inevitable," and "devastating." But what has prompted this? Nick has been loyal to June, advocating for her safety and well-being up to this point. I'm still holding on to Nick's "Sometimes I think you're the only good thing in my life" quote. This has to mean something. I will believe in their love, even if I'm the only person left to do so!!!!

Given these spoilers, here's what I hope/want to see:

Luke finally fighting Gilead. June is "furious" over what this means for him, which might be fun to watch. He needs to step up, but he will probably quickly realize how inexperienced he is at this.

It seems like we will get some kind of Luke/Nick/June scene. I'm very intruged about this! Luke finally sees June and Nick and just knows they're in love. I want to know what June and Nick do/act to make Luke understand this.

We will get conversations between Nick and June that we've been hoping for. They've barely had any time together so far, so I'm hoping this will deepen their connection and love toward one another. I will probably not survive this lol

June being selfless/saving Nick in some way. Her turn is long overdue. Nick needs to know he means something to her.

I'm kinda over the whole "who June chooses in the end" debate. A lot of people want her to pick no one. However, we know for a fact that love is what has kept her going so far. June has become a fighter because of her relationship with Nick. I just want this settled once and for all.

More of Nick's backstory. It seems we are going to understand Nick's character a lot better, but to do that, we might have to go back. What all has really happened to him? What caused him to "break"?

Nick being more outspoken/advocating more for himself. It'll be nice to see him in a way that's separate from June.

Forgiveness for whatever this "betrayal" is. Perhaps this is the real test of character. If Nick and June's love is true, this will be no problem for them. Both of them are flawed people who have done bad things, yet here they both are, together still. Forgiveness and clear communication are a huge part of relationships, and seeing how they navigate this fallout will show us how they have matured as a couple. I have confidence in this!

A meeting/farewell between Nick and Holly/Nichole. Maybe this will ground him and remind him who he really is. Maybe the darkness will be less "tempting." I'm not quite halfway done reading The Testaments for the first time, but I know that Nick is alive and deep "underground." If Nick somehow becomes an "evil mastermind Commander" this season, how will this affect Nichole's story? This wouldn't make sense. I doubt they will bring back Nick and June for the sequel, so maybe by the end of the season, we will see Nick choose how he wants to be remembered as a father to her.

Speaking of fatherhood, I want to see how they handle this Rose and baby situation. Could this be part of the betrayal? Will June get to speak to Rose? Will Rose tell her something that makes her "spiral"? Hmmm...

Also...I just realized this...Serena will be Nick's mother-in-law, with baby Noah as his little bro??? How did it get this messyyyy

In conclusion, I'm glad I was at least warned about what might happen, so I won't get blindsided. I'm prepared, but still hoping for the best. It's been wonderful seeing Nick and June's relationship change over the years, their love being the one real thing they get to keep and treasure for themselves, and I hope we see them continue to get stronger together.

[kingskyless]

thoughts on natlan's arc in genshin🌋

tldr: i'm pissed off!! watch me rant about storytelling under cut. please take your storytelling seriously and with love, jesus christ

this is long btw! this is what happens when you piss me off with your poor writing choices! i crave blood!

--

these are thoughts i wrote on my private twitter but i'll put them here too, why not.

i really, really don't like being negative towards anything anymore, chosing to embrace the silliness of poor storytelling and just grab what i do love, but man did the final act for natlan piss me off

I've been waiting for Natlan since the game came out because we knew it was going to be inspired by pre-hispanic America. Aztecs. México. (i'm mexican for context) and it was!!! with the inclusion of Maori, Peruvian, Lakota, Hawaiian and Yoruba. and it was done Horribly

Natlan is still mostly inspired by México though, I made a whole video on genshin's mexican rep, when it comes to overworld, food, names, music and lore inspiration yeah, the Mexican rep is done well and very fun! but it's still mixed with the cultures previously mentioned which is bad!!

and it gets WORSE because you look at the characters, be it playable or NPCs and nothing about them is mexican (or any of the previous cultures) nothing at all, and that's when the issues start.

I literally made a tumblr post a few days ago how I didn't think Natlan's story was bad, we just didn't connect with the characters due to character design. And while it still holds truth, this final act just undoes all the build-up it had in the previous acts, leaving no true conclusion and, therefore, ruining the story as a whole. a lá game of thrones.

Natlan in its first 3 acts was actually really well done, presenting the different tribe cultures, character personalities and how they mix with one another, and they had very strong set up for more world building and Very Important Lore Reveals (the Abyss having a "heart", dragons, THE SHADES, FALSE SKY?) I really enjoyed myself playing the first acts!

But the marketing makes you distance yourself from the characters, devs decided to push back the culture of the tribes in game and delay the next acts of the story, and you disconnect!!!

going back to the first acts and it's wonderful set up, then what is the point of having all this beautiful set up, only to just - not explore it in the CLIMAX OF THE ARC. and it was very very important lore and conversations to move the story forward and raise the stakes!!!

and they ignored it or barely mention it!!! yes having all the answers shown at you is not fun, and they can totally explore these aspects of the lore later on, but by the way Natlan was written from the start it was 10000% expected to have those conversations in THIS arc.

there's also the set up that's been there since the games release. None of this is explored, we don't know who "he" is, who's the crossed out name, what was the secret of the god of war. there's nothing, this is never explored.

NOTE: that it is true the story was revisited or straight up rewritten way after this material was released, it is something that can happen during production, it partially happened with sumeru already. the thing is when you make changes like these, if you already established in previous trailers or manga certain lore, you have to be extremely careful, as the audience is already expecting something like this to happen in the story. when you rewrite this and there's no pay off it causes confusion and frustration among the audience, as you are no longer following what you set up and it creates plot holes a throw away line about the muratans or murata would've done to connect the manga with the current natlan, but there's not even that.

They establish very important new characters, but don't explain their true role in the story beyond "evil" . What is Gosoythoth? why can it become a dragon? why are there voices around it? why are the former archons so negative? . Sure, we as an audience can make headcanons about it (and some answers were partially told, not nearly enough though) but it's information that needs to be talked about in the story, but the characters never question this and it's never explored.

and we KNOW they can write compelling characters and stories because Fontaine is right there!! it explores very important lore and intertwines it perfectly with the cast and their own personal struggles, what the fuck happened in Natlan.

it just pisses me off and makes me very sad, I was excited for natlan for many years because, for better or for worse, that's my culture they're taking to tell this story, and seeing them fuck up both frustrates me.

i'll keep playing because i still want to see how they wrap it up but aaaaa, i haven't been this mad since Inazuma, and i dont think Inazuma pissed me off this bad.

the following is things that bothered me personally and not something i can criticize from a storytelling standpoint:

the entire traveler parade after beating gosoythoth made me uncomfortable to no end. really really giving white saviour. it draaaged and everyone was kissing their feet and i was PRAYING for more depth in that but no! fuck me!

if you wanted to have the corny ass parade, okay, have it, but maybe show the traveler not being as happy? or carrying mental wounds after the battle??? GIVE THEM DEPTH OR SOMETHING?????????

you couldve expanded on the four shades, expanded on the abyss, expanded on the angels, expand on xiuhcóatl, expand on fucking gosoythoth since it was literally right there???? flesh out paimon, flesh out the main cast????

and totally flesh out capitano, he did absolutely nothing and he's the first of the harbingers, we just saw him get his ass beat by mavuika in the first act and then nothing??? (cutscene was great!) im not mad at the ending he got, it was very in character, i just wish there was more to him

natlan was set up as a nation of dragons and we learned nothing of them in the main arc, it set up the abyss having a personification and we learned nothing of it

this is mostly something i wouldve loved, but they set up the shades and time manipulation as we saw from mavuika, and no mention of istaroth??? hello???????????

also how did ororon know about nahidas power????

[twinsarekeepers]

🚨 READ MY PINNED POST PLEASE! 🚨

I know there’s already meta on top of meta about the EIP non-con kiss, but every time I rewatch the show and reach that specific scene, I just can’t believe it was written the way that it was.

Like, there is a way to write kisses that take a person by surprise without it feeling incredibly gross and invasive, but this was not it, which is why I wanted to examine it using a scene that functioned in the same way for a different ship that is almost universally loved within its fandom: Pacey and Joey’s first kiss in Cinderella Story.

So, what is the difference between these two scenes and why is one so divisive within its respective fandom and the other is beloved, nostalgic and swoon-worthy?

EIP

Katara: Are you all right?

Katara noticed Aang was missing and, when she goes to see where he was, she realizes he’s extremely upset about his portrayal in the play. This is consistent with her characterization as a person who deeply cares about the people around her, especially her friends, anticipates their emotional needs, and becomes an outlet for them to vent their frustrations to. She does this with every significant character she interacts with.

Aang: No, I'm not! I hate this play!

An understandable reaction to seeing himself portrayed in a way that doesn’t represent him, but this comes after the play misrepresents Zuko and Katara’s relationship, which the two were slightly uncomfortable with, but not overly upset by either. The only mention of Aang in that scene was how Katara viewed him as a brother, not romantically, something real Katara wasn’t bothered by, even slightly.

Katara: I know it's upsetting, but it sounds like you're overreacting.

Katara immediately reassures and tries to soothe him. She validates his emotions, but gently reminds him that the play isn’t something to be getting angry like this about. The audience witnessed Katara’s own irritation and frustration with her portrayal, which none of the other characters comforted her over, but she was able to take it with a grain of salt and let that annoyance go to at least try and enjoy the rest of the night. Even her slight discomfort at the implication there was something between her and Zuko, she was able to get over quickly and engage him in conversation normally and without awkwardness.

Aang: Overreacting? If I hadn't blocked my chakra, I'd probably be in the Avatar State right now!

This is concerning because it’s obviously not a general frustration with his inability to go into the Avatar State and perform his duty to the world. He takes a bit of accountability for blocking his chakra, but it’s immediately overshadowed by the implication that he’s more upset about not being able to access the Avatar State in his anger. I just don’t see how this can be interpreted any other way within the context of the scene.

Him and Katara are having a discussion about the anger that should be directed at the play and this statement is to say that he is not overreacting, in fact, his anger is so profound that if he was able to, he’d go into an overpowered state of being. He doesn’t say what he’d do in the Avatar State, but considering that all the previous times, he was not in control and didn’t know what he was doing, it’s hard not to think that he’s implying some type of destruction, especially since the primary motivation for going into the Avatar State would be anger. There had been a precedent set that Aang can be irrationally angry with the people around him for things outside of their control (like how he treated Katara and Toph in The Desert, and then didn’t even apologize afterwards), so this type of statement puts the audience on edge.

The scene cuts before we can hear what Katara has to say about this, but from what has been established, she usually placates Aang when he gets angry or frustrated, even if it might not the best solution for helping him grow (see: Bitter Work). She already tried it once in this scene and it didn’t work, and by the way the scene picks back up, she hasn’t changed tactics. I feel like it’s safe to assume she didn’t become more firm with him after this and tell him that he needs to calm down.

Aang: Katara, did you really mean what you said in there?

Aang is finally addressing why he’s so upset. It stems from not knowing how Katara feels about him. He wouldn’t have had to ask this question if he knew how she felt, whether it be familial, platonic, or romantic. But, this confirms that the reason he was angry enough to say he’d be in the Avatar State is because of the mere implication Katara didn’t feel romantically attracted to him. This set up puts her in a position where she may feel like uncomfortable sharing her feelings genuinely with him.

Katara: In where? What are you talking about?

This tells the audience that Katara didn’t previously know why Aang was upset, just that he was, and now she’s beginning to understand it has to do with her, and probably his feelings for her and hers for him. She wasn’t prepared to talk to him about this, but now she has to. Yet another factor in her ensuing discomfort with where the conversation goes.

Aang: On stage, when you said I was just like a ... brother to you, and you didn't have feelings for me.

Now, the audience and Katara are aware about what exactly Aang is frustrated about from the play.

Katara: I didn't say that. An actor said that.

What she’s saying is a factual statement, but still doesn’t clarify her actual feelings, which is the root of why that specific part of the play upset Aang so much. Just because she herself didn’t say it, that doesn’t mean that’s not what she’s feeling and that’s what Aang wants to know. It’s hard to believe a character previously shown to be remarkably aware of the feelings of those around her — particularly Aang’s — wouldn’t understand that, especially when he’s being incredibly obvious about what is upsetting him. That’s why it reads like she is stalling this conversation as long as possible.

Aang: But it's true, isn't it? We kissed at the Invasion, and I thought we were gonna be together. But we're not.

It can’t get more direct than this. It tells the audience that Aang was under the impression that him kissing her was confirmation of both of their feelings for each other and not just his, until just now when he watched the play and considered another possibility. It also confirms that Aang was this mad because he thought it was true that she doesn’t have feelings for him. As mentioned, that really puts Katara in a bind because if she doesn’t have feelings for him, she won’t be inclined to be forthcoming about it, and if she does, the way he’s reacting now to the prospect of her not feeling that way, could be influencing her emotions.

Katara: Aang, I don't know.

This is the first time Katara is ever talking about her feelings and potential romantic relationship regarding Aang with any character on the show, and it’s with Aang, after he led her to the conversation with how blunt he had to be. It’s not like she didn’t know how he felt before this moment and they were both in the dark about the other’s feelings. He has had a very obvious crush on her and she knows what the kiss at the Invasion meant for him. And now, he’s directly asking her if it’s true that she sees him like a brother, and her response is that she doesn’t know.

Aang: Why don't you know?

He knows that the problem isn’t that she is unaware of his feelings for her. Everyone knows his feelings for her, including her. So, the hangup has to be with her feelings for him and he wants to know why. He’s pushing her further now because he wants a clear answer, which she is not giving him. That lack of clarity wouldn’t make sense for her character if all the previously established reasons for uncertainty in just this conversation weren’t also present, plus the idea that maybe she really doesn’t know if she feels about him in a familial or romantic way.

Katara: Because, we're in the middle of a war, and, we have other things to worry about. This isn't the right time.

Finally, she gives a more concrete answer, which still isn’t addressing her actual feelings, just that it’s not the right time. It’s phrased, again, unclearly on her part. Does she mean that she doesn’t know how she feels because they’re in the middle of a war and other things are more important than their feelings for each other, so she hasn’t bothered figuring it out? Or is she trying to let him down gently by giving an ambiguous time frame so he’ll let go of his crush on her? Or does she have feelings for him and doesn’t want to start anything until after the war? I have to say that last one doesn’t make much sense in the context of the rest of the show and it’s characterization of Katara as someone who really expresses how she feels when she feels it despite that being something a lot of the characters make fun of her for by calling her melodramatic or emotional and many times, she isn’t taken seriously enough when she is expressing those feelings.

Aang: Well, when is the right time?

He’s not letting this go because, again, he hasn’t gotten an answer about her actual feelings and that’s what he wants.

Katara: Aang, I'm sorry, but right now I'm just a little confused.

This is the line that really took her being sure of her feelings for him and just wanting to wait until after the war to get into a relationship with him off the table. Why is she sorry? Because she doesn’t want to be with him right now or because she doesn’t have feelings for him? There’s no confusion with the first, that is a clear understanding of wants and desires and because she was the one who brought up the war and the “right time”, this would’ve been the perfect opportunity for her to completely clarify that she wants to be with him after. But, she doesn’t do that. Which makes it seem like she brought it up in the first place as an excuse for why they can’t be together at all. After watching a play in the last leg of the last season of the show depicting their relationship as familial, she’s still confused and what she does know is that she definitely doesn’t want to be with Aang in that moment. How are we going to get her from confused to sure in four episodes if the three seasons worth of development hasn’t gotten her there yet? This is why the entire scene reads as Katara trying very gently to let Aang down. From the unclear language to the excuses for why they can’t be together right now to the uncomfortable body language she displays while he’s talking about their kiss, this could’ve been a conversation I have had in my real life with boys I didn’t like but liked me.

Nobody in the audience, whether they’re a fan of the ship or not, is even thinking about a kiss between these two at this point.

And yet: Aang kisses Katara either because he thinks that will jumpstart some realization for her that she actually does like him or because he thinks that she means they’ll wait until after the war to be together and this is a promise kiss.

Katara: I just said I was confused! I'm going inside.

And this was the moment that I thought kata/ang was done for good. Because at this point, Katara has expressed that she might not even have the type of feelings for him that he has for her and that she for sure doesn’t want to be with him right now at all. She gets mad at him because she feels like he isn’t actually listening to what she’s saying and is trying to push his own feelings onto her.

We have established in this interaction that 1) Aang would go into the Avatar State because he was so angry about the idea that Katara didn’t like him, which is obviously not healthy, 2) Katara knows and has known how Aang feels this entire time, at least since the Invasion, and 3) is that she doesn’t feel the same way as he does either to the same extent or at all and 4) she feels like he has violated her boundaries when he tried to kiss her after she just told him that she doesn’t feel the same way.

And that is the last interaction Katara and Aang have alone before the finale separated them for almost an hour and a half, they don’t spend much of that time even thinking about each other in a way that feels special or romantic, and none of this is ever discussed on screen again.

Alright now let’s talk about paceyjoey. The scenes is much longer, so I won’t go through every single dialogue tag like I did with EIP, but the difference in how these functionally identically scenes are written is laughable.

A Cinderella’s Tale

Joey: What do you want me to say, Pacey? You were right? You were right, okay? Right as always. Pacey Witter, the only person in my life who ever speaks the truth.

Joey’s being sarcastic and a bit mean because she feels hurt by what just happened. This is consistent with her character as someone who puts up a hostile front to avoid getting hurt, especially with someone who she feels deeply for.

Pacey: That's not entirely accurate.

At this point, the audience is well aware of Pacey’s feelings for Joey and that he’s been trying to bury them and hide them from the rest of his friends for the past five episodes. He doesn’t think he has a shot in the dark with Joey and he doesn’t want to ruin his friendships. When he tried to tell her how he feels before, he chickened out because of this.

Joey: Well, you told me what was going to happen.

Joey’s not picking up on what he actually means. She doesn’t realize that he’s talking about his own feelings here, not the situation, which despite him being correct about, didn’t play out how he had actually thought it would. His previous statements had come from a place of jealousy, not truth.

Pacey: Which was what, Joey? What happened up there?

He’s worried about her. He wants to know what happened because she’s upset and he wants to make it better for her. A very consistent trait of his concerning his friends, especially his romantic love interests, that he’s shown since season 1.

Joey: There was another girl.

Pacey: Oh. I'm sorry, Jo.

Joey: You know the whole time that I was watching them, I just kept thinking, 'This is it. This is real. Just like Pacey said. This is the real thing.' And it reminded me once again, what exactly I don't have.

She’s telling him and the audience that she’s been thinking about him even when she was with her boyfriend. This is not the first time the audience understands that she thinks about Pacey often, in situations she didn’t before, but now does.

Pacey: Keeping looking, you'll find it.

Joey: No I won't. Isn't it obvious by now? I'm not meant to.

Pacey: Why? Cause you're 16 and alone? Come on.

Joey: No, because I'm 16, and in my entire life there's been 2 people who actually know me, Pacey. Dawson and—

Pacey: This A.J. guy didn't know you. I don't care how you felt about him, Jo, he didn't know you, cause if he did, he never would have walked away.

A huge part of what makes Pacey such a compelling love interest is how, even when he is jealous and he doesn’t like that Joey is with someone else, he recognizes that she’s an amazing person who is going to attract that type of attention. He gets mad on her behalf when someone who gets to be with her doesn’t treat her right because he knows she deserves better, not even necessarily him.

Joey: I was going to say you, Pacey.

Now, we have gotten to the catalyst for what comes next. Joey equates Pacey to Dawson, her supposed soulmate. This is when the audience and Pacey know that she feels something for him.

Pacey: Okay.

[Pacey pulls the car off the road and comes to a stop.]

This is telling the audience that something big is about to happen between these two. This thing that’s been brewing between them, that Pacey is aware of is him falling in love with her, it’s coming to a head right now.

Joey: Have you totally lost it?

Pacey: Not totally … yet.

[They both get out of the car and and walk around to the side of it away from the road. ]

Pacey: Alright, what did you mean by that?

He wants to clarify what her feelings are because for the last few episodes, she’s said and done things around him that give him the impression she could be developing feelings for him like he has for her. The audience is aware that every time he thinks about it, he convinces himself that it must be something else because she’ll only ever feel that way about Dawson, his best friend. Now, he knows that what he’s been picking up on isn’t just close friendship.

Joey: By what?

Pacey: About me knowing you better than anybody else.

Joey: Exactly what I said, Pacey. You know me, okay? In a way that nobody else besides Dawson ever had.

Pacey: I'm not talking about Dawson, right now. We're talking about me. You can't keep on doing this to me, Potter.

He’s calling her out on the way she’s been acting this last season.

Joey: Doing what? So I count on you and I tell you secrets and—

Pacey: And you call me in the middle of the night to pick you up. Why?

They’ve both laid out all the things that she has done to lead them to this moment of tension.

Joey: I'm sorry that I called. I thought that I—

Pacey: I'm not mad that you called me, I just want to know why you called me.

Joey: You were the first person that I thought of, Pacey.

Pacey: What does that mean, Jo?

Joey: It means that … I guess it — it means that I can talk to you, and that you're there for me.

This is the moment that Pacey and the audience realize that she’s realized something but is not ready to accept or understand it because of Dawson but also because Pacey hasn’t made his feelings clear for her himself. He’s kept her in the dark about what he wants, so how can he expect her to be clear about her feelings?

Pacey: Don't you ever get tired of talking?

Now, he’s making his move. This whole conversation has revealed that she thinks exclusively of him in situations that she previously hadn’t, believes him to be the only other person in the world who truly knows her, and depends on him in a way she doesn’t with their other friends. The audience wants him to make a move now.

Joey: No. I don't.

Pacey: Well, I get tired of talking.

Joey: I don't get tired. I don't—

Pacey: I don't want to talk anymore.

Joey: What are you trying to say, Pacey? Why are we standing here—

[Pacey goes over to Joey and takes her face in his hands and kisses her.]

And the episode ends there.

The entire scene builds tension towards a kiss. It wants the audience to root for a kiss between Pacey and Joey with the way they’re revealing their feelings for each other and the fallout of this kiss is the immediate topic of the next episode. The entire rest of the season is the fallout of this kiss and the ensuing relationship that these two characters pursue with each other, focusing on Joey’s feelings for Pacey. It’s made clear that she thinks about him constantly and wants to be with him but is afraid of Dawson’s reaction. The understanding that these two characters definitely want each other but are separated by an external obstacle makes the audience root for them even more, and the ending of the season even more satisfying.

Now, I know ATLA isn’t a romance the way Dawson’s Creek is but let’s be serious for a minute. The EIP scene implies that Katara is using an external factor (the war) to not have to deal with a romantic relationship between her and Aang, whether that be because she’s actually confused or because she simply doesn’t feel the same way, and then to top it off, there’s a kiss thrown in that nobody wanted in that moment. And it’s not a plot that’s ever revisited because it’s the penultimate episode of the entire series. If the writers didn’t want to dedicate time to explore something they set up, they shouldn’t have written it at all, but they did and the audience is left to interpret it in whatever way the broader context of the show and the scene itself provides.

Conclusion: KA’s relationship dynamic was written so badly in EIP that it felt like the writers were trying to get the audience to root against the ship.

🚨AGAIN PLEASE GO READ MY PINNED! 🚨

[monslord]

This is me basically reposting my previous theory, but now with some additional thoughts.

I believe that Nobara will make her return soon, more specifically Nobara is going to make her return as a Cursed Corpse.

I’ve been suspecting that Gojo’s chat with Gakuganji regarding Yaga’s Cursed Corpses wasn’t just so Gege could fill the pages. Seeing as Gege doesn't tend to dwell on the emotional aspects of character relationships, but rather uses such conversations to push the plot or world building further ahead, I believe that with that conversation Gege had planted the seed for Nobara's comeback. That moment is, I believe, approaching now.

In my opinion Nitta freezing Nobara’s state wasn’t as pointless as many have recently claimed it was. It was specifically intended to sustain her body and prevent it from decomposing, so that Yaga would have the time to

find two other matching souls and

effectively replicate her soul information from the physical information of her “frozen” (not literally, but in the context of not decomposing) body and craft a Cursed Corpse from it.

This would align with her being portrayed among the other dead characters in Yuji's memory - she is dead. A Cursed Corpse is not the person themself, it’s a copy. It is clone formed out of the physical information of a dead body.

Kusakabe's nephew is dead, the Cursed Corpse is just an entity with the same soul information as his nephew.

I want to talk a bit about the mechanics of Cursed Corpses.

The first time we see Yaga is also, funnily enough, the first time we see Nobara. Both make their first appearance in Chapter 3. This make me feel even more certain that turning her into a Cursed Corpse had been Gege's plan from the start.

The process of creating a Cursed Corpse:

You replicate soul information from physical information. I have written about the relationship between the soul and the body in my last post and some people have complained about it being too long, so if you want to read more about that you can check that out here. But I will summarize it like this: The body is the fingerprint of the soul, while the soul is the finger itself. They are not the same. The body is like a mold that is made from the shape of the soul. This is why one can use a physical body, to replicate the information of its original soul.

You put that soul information into the Cursed Corpse's core

The Cursed Corpse's core must house three compatible souls, which constantly observe each other. This gives a Cursed Corpse self-awareness/consciousness

After three months the Cursed Corpse develops self-sustaining Cursed Energy

This tells us that creating a Cursed Corpse is a one time process and from that point on one must only wait three months for it to develop it's own Cursed Energy and not need to be sustained by an outside force.

In my opinion Yaga had already finished Nobara's Cursed Corpse before his death. Furthermore I believe that Mai is one of the other two souls replicated and used for this process. Firstly because Mai is also dead and secondly because I believe Gege foreshadowed Nobara's demise and Mai's connection to it.

Mai's rubber bullet hits Nobara exactly where Mahito will fatally wound her.

The problem presents itself in the three month period it takes for a Cursed Corpse to develop it's own Cursed Energy. Only roughly seven weeks have passed since the Shibuya Incident. How could Nobara's Cursed Corpse be ready now? The answer is: Utahime.

What if Utahime had been assisting that process through her amplification technique? What if she would have been able to speed up the process of the manifestation of Cursed Energy within the Cursed Corpse, thus leading to Nobara’s Cursed Corpse being "ready" faster? And more so, what if Nobara is only ready now, just in the nick of time? This would explain why Megumi and Yuji would’ve been oblivious to all of this. All they know is that she is dead.

Utahime has the ability to amplify the Cursed Energy and output of any sorcerer and herself.

This would also give explanation as to why Utahime wasn’t supporting the sorcerers on the battlefield or Shoko at the infirmary - her, Ijichi and Gakuganji have been tasked with preparing everything for their very last resort: Preparing and assisting Cursed Corpse Nobara in her attack on Sukuna’s finger.

Once Nobara's Cursed Corpse is ready, Utahime could then again support her and increase Nobara's output to up to 200%, when she applies Resonance to Sukuna's last remaining finger. The attack will also affect reincarnated Sukuna, through his soul's connection to his finger.

Nobara's Resonance affects the soul, therefore it echoes to each and every part connected to that soul. 

The location of Sukuna's last finger and the destination of Nobara, Utahime, Ijichi and Gakuganji. 

This would not only serve as an effective surprise attack, but also as a callback to when Nobara attacked Mahito with Resonance and through that helped Yuji regain some of his resolve and hope. This could happen once again, not just with Yuji but even more importantly also with Megumi.

I say this because in my opinion one thing has been lacking in Yuji’s conversation with Megumi: Hope. Yuji extended acceptance and compassion to his friend, but he didn’t offer Megumi any hope or encouragement. It would be nice, if that is something Cursed Corpse Nobara could stir in Megumi.

Thanks for reading!

[faksyan]

For the character ask thing, Decoy Octopus! No just kidding lol I'm gonna give you a Death Stranding character instead. Since you're new to the game and you might not have spent too much time thinking about the characters, choose one between these three: Fragile, Cliff Unger, Deadman.

Fragile!!!!!!!! Sorry I saw she was there and the decision was instantly made. Shame it's not Decoy Octopus though, love that guy and his many appearances (pun intended) in the game. And I do love both Deadman and Cliff. Fragile is just. I love her so much.

First impression

Being highly confused and intrigued about the world, that's what most of my attention was on during her introduction. Loved the spiky jacket!!! And I do love her umbrella, it's such a fun shape and. texture? I don't think they ever said what it's made of but it looks transparent and reflective and solid all at the same time? It's a really cool design. I like that she's a pretty mysterious character for a while and you know that she's There somewhere but not what she wants with Sam or overall.

Impression now

She seems pretty reserved and polite, but in a way that feels genuine. She respects people, even if they don't always respect her back, but she also doesn't seem the type to just take people's shit. Maybe she has been for a bit after people started labeling her as a terrorist, I feel like there was a lot of self-pity there that was well earned, she basically gave up her life for people who she thought would never know or appreciate it. I think her meeting Sam helped her a lot with processing all of that, and the fact that he let everyone know about what really went down must have been such a shock and relief, even if she didn't show it that much. I really like how happy she is about eating cryptobiots and offering them to Sam, and I love when he eventually takes one.

Also about Kojima's writing of women and in general, I think they are like fine wine, as in is better each year (the writing of women was a pretty shitty wine to start with though. magically got good in ds, and I genuinely wonder why, it hasn't been that long since v). She doesn't fall into the mother/sister/love interest pitfall a lot of his female characters do. I do love Amelie!! I do love Mama!!! Motherhood and family are very important themes of ds, but with the context of his previous games Fragile feels like breaking the pattern, which is great!! Decpite the running in her underwear in the rain bit, the way she's is written is kind of the polar opposite of Quiet. In terms of how society perceives bodies of older women its considered unsexy and whatnot, and the aftermath of what happened to her makes her hide her body as opposed to wearing a bikini. But it doesn't exactly feel like it's out of shame, even though it was definitely meant to be a humiliation when Higgs did it, it feels like Fragile still has so much dignity to her. I like that she is conflicted about her sacrifice and wishes she hadn't done it. Makes her feel very raw and real. It made me happy that the state of her body wasn't treated weirdly by anyone around her, and I get that it's because of the nature of the universe and that a lot of people must be affected by timefall all the time, but it still made me happy!!

Favorite moment

The forehead touch and conversation as she sent Sam to rescue Amelie, and the talk near the lake after she and Sam get rid of the bomb. When her and Sam are on the ship too, it was a quiet nice moment. I like when she pronounces fragile weirdly.

Idea for a story

I had a silly thing in mind where a bunch of characters ask Sam on a date to shoot their shot, and he ends up rejecting all of them, Fragile included albeit with the implications that it's sort of reciprocated but also things are complicated, and they both are fine with where they stand. I'll be honest, I thought I didn't really like any ships with Sam, but I really like his dynamic with Fragile, romantic or not.

I would've loved to think up something cool about the time she and Higgs worked together. We get a glimpse of Higgs' perspective on their relationship during that time, but very little of hers, only the stuff that's already clouded with her desire for revenge and not how she really felt at the time.

Unpopular opinion

Oh man, I haven't really seen enough ds takes to know what's considered unpopular.

Favorite relationship

Her and Sam. I really liked how respectful she was about his phobia, with everyone else there were points where they obviously forgot about it or used it for intimidation, and I kind of hated that since I do share it to some extent. She also kind of seemed to do that a few times, like when she was telling him about her history with Higgs, but even then she still kept her distance in a way that didn't feel the same as with other characters. I really liked that about her. Her and Higgs also. And I do think she's at least sort of friends with the rest of the main guys, the scenes of them sending Sam off and then rescuing him are so, so good.

Favorite headcanon

Ahh I don't think I have anything. I've read very few death stranding fics but there was this short one I really like where Fragile travels with Sam on bikes for a bit and they race. She also uses his shower a bunch and leaves or takes stuff around his rooms in it, I liked that idea a lot. It's the casual intimacy of something small, I feel like they understand each other in their love for solitude, so they can be alone together and be content with it.

[carriehobbs]

Hi ^^ I know you mentioned notes you couldn't share for the 13 going on 30 au, but would you perhaps have a different snippet/note/fun fact that you can already share? If not, that's all fine, I'm just being nosy haha

i am constantly torn between wanting to keep my fics secret so that they'll be read fresh once they're done and telling everyone everything about what happens in them lol. i haven't had a lot of time to write recently so i don't have a lot of snippets that i can share right now, but i'm happy to share some non-super-spoilery notes 💕💕💕

the notes come from a scene in chapter 2 that i've been calling The Library Scene (which takes place a bit after things have calmed down and after ub has realized that adult!alina has been replaced by teen!alina). it's all written kind of stream-of-consciousness-style, mostly so that i can remember what i want a scene to feel like or achieve (at least in its first draft) while i'm off writing something else (or taking a break from writing and i will need to get back in it later without forgetting what i was doing and why):

Nate needs to be throwing himself into researching, while Adam and Morgan are on patrols, and Farah is on babysitting duty mostly. There should be the sense that Alina believes that she has slipped away from Farah to have this conversation. [...] Things should be kind of awkward and stilted in this scene – Alina wants Nate’s attention but can’t ask for it, Nate is balancing being kind to this girl who isn’t his girlfriend and wanting to keep researching, trying to find out what is going on. But it’s Nate, so he would try to pay attention to her. Alina should realize how much effort he’s putting in to get his version of her back and not really be able to wrap her head completely around the idea that someone could love her this much. In this scene, Alina should be taken in by Nate’s kindness, compassion, willingness to listen to her. In the previous chapter she was taken by how beautiful he was, but the notes about his physical beauty should be a little more subtle – how he carries himself, his hands, the way he looks at her.

edit: i also found a single line written out in my notes for chapter 4 that made me laugh, so i'll share that too because it has no context:

“How much cake do you think we’ll have to eat this time?” Farah asks.

[glavilio]

my annoying beastars thoughts under the cut. continue if you dare

the thing that makes beastars so interesting to reminisce on is that it is poorly written in such a way that it becomes actively difficult to engage with the story without interpreting it as a gay one. its really only aesthetic in the first part of the story, but after louis runs off and the murder investigation arc starts, all of the character points set up with legosi and his relationship to herbivores as interspersed with love are severed from haru as she's almost completely sidelined. the only conversations between legosi and haru are ones in which legosi is being a terrible partner, never hitting any actual beats that might progress their relationship's development. meanwhile, all of the beats furthered in a romantic or even sexual context are feature the relationship between legosi and louis, and while i don't think the story or author are intentionally pivoting, that fact + all the suggestive framing between louis and legosi + how legosi's character foil riz is pretty overtly queer-coded, ends up making a very compelling story almost entirely by accident. there are plenty of aesthetic and incidental things that make the story really... gay (which are sometimes half played for laughs, like like legosi french kissing riz to identify unknown saliva by taste), but i think the the most poignent examples are the more subtle but critically important plot beats like this:

(itagaki really should've had the foresight to involve the the actual intended love interest in the story, so they would be able to put that character in this very important scene. id argue this chapter is THE most important component of legosi's romantic arc, and yet haru is still MIA)

this is why everything goes so downhill so quickly (aside from the drawing-burnout on itagaki's part, and the random nonsense concepts of course). from a character standpoint, everything set up in the first part with legosi's character has pretty much been resolved, while his relationship to haru specifically is totally underdeveloped. so itagaki decides to just revert legosi to a previous state, undoing all the character progression and making him jarringly unlikeable as he appears to have learned nothing. meanwhile, louis has almost nothing to do, and haru still does not get the focus she desperately needs from the story. instead, random elements are thrown together, a few of which stick, but don't adress any problem or shortcoming of the story thus far and instead just make them more glaringly obvious as previous arcs are vomited back up half-digested as the story flails around, trying to latch back on to what worked. beastars was always a character driven story. the world was interesting, but could not stand on its own without the interesting dynamics that pushed the first and second arcs forewards. when those disappeared, the whole thing seemed retroactively suspect: the reader is forced to consider if the story was ever really that good in the first place.

the story tries to have it both ways. if it has ended here, it wouldve been the perfect conclusion to louis and legosi's character arc. the story with legosi as a protagonist would need to end here, or very shortly after, because legosi's internal conflict is largely thematically resolved, even if his relationship with haru isn't, because the story substituted louis, rather seamlessly, into her role in legosi's development. of course, it would be better if the story ended with haru actually having a character arc, but to move naturally past this point it would need to switch POV characters (ideally to haru herself). instead, it has to make an abrupt and very clumsy shift to continue with legosi, and fails both the potential for haru's conclusion to work and retroactively weakens everything that happened up to this point. i think a great deal of blame lies with the context in which beastars was being produced as well: a good editor should've caught this in advance, and the story was likely renewed for new chapters without a plan or really the full enthusiasm of its creator. thats speculation on my part but itagaki's interviews seem to strongly imply it. i have more thoughts but perhaps they are better saved for another time

[tangents-within-tangents]

#did i catch myself mentally using 'they' for murderbot as a non-gendered entity when i first started reading these stories? #sure! and then i unpacked that ('it' having associations of non-personhood; me recoiling from that because it is CLEARLY a person) #(and denial of its personhood both by others and by murderbot itself is central to the stories; using 'it' made me feel complicit in that) #(and realizing that hey. guess what. disrespecting its CLEARLY STATED PRONOUNS is basically doubling down on dismissing its personhood.) #(like. personhood and self-determination are central themes of the whole series. engage with them.)

via @eggy-tea

This!^^

I had a similar experience since 1 I'm yet to meet anyone irl who uses it/its so I wasn't very used to it, and 2 I came to Tmbd straight from the Clone Wars fandom where 'it' is used for dehumanization angst. Throughout the first book I thought 'it' was being used in the same way, to signify how Murderbot is dehumanized and viewed as a tool. I fully expected it to end up using different pronouns because it didn't seem like 'it/its' was actually Mb's choice (which again was probably partially influenced by tcw fic tropes lol). Since the books start off with the characters using 'it' without Mb ever seemingly having a say, I kept waiting for a moment or conversation where its preference was explicitly confirmed, like as its choice. I was specifically looking for that as I read and it never really happens (iirc in book 2 it lists 'gender = not applicable' in its profile but doesn't say what pronouns it listed. The closest we get is in book 5 when 2.0 refers to 1.0 as 'it' and that's just bc that's the only time we see Mb refer to its (sorta) self since the books are written in first person).

It wasn't until book 4 when Mb tells Mensah "I don't want to be human" that I finally realized like ohhh that's not the point (on second read, I def should have figured it out in book 2 tho lol). The point is not that Mb is human and should be treated as such, it's that Mb is not human, but still a person and should be treated as such.

All this to say, I get the frustration, and I'm not excusing it but I also get why people (esp if they're only on the first book) might not be on board with or understand 'it/its' at first. In the context it can seem dehumanizing and counter to the themes, but as you read on the actual/full themes become more apparent. And that's the beauty of the series; that it teaches you. It guides you to new understanding and makes you confront your biases. Each book builds on the previous one and, like all good sci-fi, expands your view on what it means to be human (and in this case, a person)

my performance reliability drops every time i see someone call murderbot "he"

MURDERBOT IS AN IT

IT MAKES THIS VERY CLEAR

STOP CALLING IT HE

[kryptonitecore]

Rereading: Ironhide, #1-4

This was significantly better than I expected! I’m not a fan of the Costa run so far and neither am I particularly besotted with Ironhide as a character, so I have to admit I looked at a four issue mini-series focused on him (after he was already killed off) and had a few less than favourable thoughts. I’m not saying this is going to rock anyone’s world or redefine the way you see this character or series, but it does accomplish its goals and the opening issue in particular starts these four issues off on a good note.

You get some quieter moments and some depictions of the Autobot-Decepticon War in its early stages and several of Cybertron pre-war entirely. You also just get a few more casual moments, for example the Autobots having a party after a successful mission. It’s a nice idea and gives you a sense that the tone has been very different at other points in the same conflict, which offers a bit more context for the supposedly dire stakes in the present timeline.

It has a few character moments that I find funny, even if they were perhaps meant to be more impressive: Optimus breaking formation and ditching the rest of the Autobots to try and hunt down an energon transport on his own is sort of hilarious, as is poor Ramjet having to escort said energon transport on foot. Yes, he complains within the comic about how it’s a silly plan, yet I can only assume this is the kind of strategic brilliance that comes out of both Autobot and Decepticon high commands. At least now we know why the War has lasted millions of years… However, happy to see actual mentions of energon as a factor in decision-making.

The absolute daftness of Optimus also means that Nicke Roche Prowl’s… Prowl-ness is making more and more sense to me as time goes by. No one in Autobot leadership seems to be able to make a rational decision, they would literally rather rush off on solo missions than arrange an airstrike. I would just start manipulating people, too.

There’s actually a decent range of characters, even if Soundwave gets taken out in virtually one hit once again, plus poor Ravage gets mulched by Ironhide. One thing that struck me, I suppose, is that in Casey Coller’s art style, which I actually quite like, there’s almost none of the sense of robo-gore that you get with later IDW1 artists. Even when Ravage is being crushed or the side of a character’s face is being shattered, there is no energon or even any fluids of any kind. On the one hand, it does help the characters seem a lot more brittle and fragile, but on the other hand it makes their injuries seem a lot less significant.

The dialogue is okay here, but it’s still a little clunky from my perspective. It’s certainly more emotive than it has been in some other issues, for example we get Ironhide’s ‘That’s the finest soldier I’ve ever met. And I love him. Even I don’t understand him’. In some ways, that’s great, but on the other hand I found there was very little atmosphere in the scene where this appears and the statement feels a bit… How to put it? Total? Abstract? See also Optimus’ line, ‘we’re fighting a philosophy, we’re fighting an idea’. It’s not a dreadful line in and of itself, but I think it does serve as a bit of an example of how abstract a lot of the language is. I’m starting to wonder if this is part of my objections to the way Costa handles dialogue in this series. Specifically, that a lot of his dialogue, at least from the non-human characters, feels like it’s written in an abstract way because it doesn’t assume that Cybertronian characters would have their own personal frames of reference. In a sense, the dialogue seems consciously written for the reader rather than like a piece of conversational dialogue.

There are a few spots where this is a little contradictory with Ironhide’s previous backstory, I think, where I swear he had substantial military experience prior to the War, but I don’t particularly mind him instead being cast in a police/security guard role, instead. Doing a Spotlight issue on a character with partial amnesia really isn’t a terrible idea, in fact, the contrast between pre-war Ironhide and every other Autobot he encounters is a very useful tool, narratively speaking. However, it does result in that version of the character feeling a little blank, maybe a tad too passive and amiable. The story also leans a little too hard for my tastes on it’s self-created weirdness, there’s a few ‘lampshading’-type jokes about how strangely certain characters behave or the nature of their situation, which might come across as a bit self-conscious. 

I think the mini-series sees its momentum die off a bit after the first two issues, where it leans into some quite repetitive sequences of Ironhide fighting generic Insecticons or squabbling with Alpha Trion. Speaking of, Alpha Trion is very deliberately written to be unbearable here, but I think it maybe pushes a little too hard in the name of making Ironhide seem more grounded and likeable by comparison. Similarly, the arguments they have recur a few times to the extent that I think they start to feel like padding, filling out the sparser sections of those issues. 

Finally: Sunstreaker! Yay!

[equestrianempire]

Clarification Provided on FEI’s Non-Rights Holder Rules for Media and Content

Yasmin Ingham with Banzai du Loir compete at FEI World Championships for Eventing in 2022. Photo by Shelby Allen.

The buzz was high on social media this week as the FEI’s Non-Rights Holders’ Guidelines for Publishing on Social Media at FEI Named Events were circulated, raising the ire of sport fans and stakeholders at the implications of the rules. “Censorship” and “welfare” were two key trends identified within the various conversations sparked around these rules, and in response the FEI has published a clarifying document to add additional context to these rules.

I’ve done my best to break down these NRH Guidelines, as well as the FEI’s clarification of the policy, below. What I have written in the final section of this article is reflective of my personal experience and opinion as a member of the equestrian media for over a decade.

What is a Non-Rights Holder?

According to the policy, the FEI Non-Rights Holder category includes Athletes, Athlete Support Personnel, Athlete Entourage (e.g. grooms, agents etc.), Horse Owners, National Federations, Officials and Accredited Media, including broadcasters.

A Rights-Holder in this instance refers to a platform that has been designated as the official broadcast platform of the event. This would apply to platforms such as FEI TV, Clip My Horse TV, Horse & Country etc.

Gaspard Maskud and Zaragoza. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

What is considered Field of Play?

The Field of Play includes the main arena, warm-up area, kiss & cry, leaders’ lounge and entrance/exit area, as well as the cross-country course in Eventing and the marathon course in Driving.

What is considered an FEI-Named event?

This a select number of events, which the FEI owns the broadcast rights to:

– Longines League of Nations™

– Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ – Western European League and North American League

– FEI Dressage World Cup™ – Western European League

– FEI Driving World Cup™

– FEI Vaulting World Cup™ Final

– FEI Eventing Nations Cup™

– FEI Championships for Seniors (European Championships, World Championships)

If I’m a spectator at an FEI-Named event, what can I and can’t I do?

“If attending an FEI Named Event (i.e. FEI World Cup round), no, the same rules apply to anyone who has not secured the rights. If at a non FEI-Named event, it will depend on agreements in place between the Organisers and their Rights Holders. If you purchased a ticket for the event, there will likely be Terms & Conditions on the ticket or during the ticket purchase process that details your rights.”

Tamie Smith and Mai Baum at Kentucky in 2023. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

What about events like Kentucky or Badminton? Do these rules apply?

Generally speaking, each individual event will have its own media policy. Field of Play footage is generally prohibited for members of the media, but spectators have historically been non-enforced when it comes to these policies.

Why did the FEI make these rules?

“There have been guidelines in place and publicly available on the FEI website for around 5 years explaining what is permitted for Non-Rights Holders at FEI-Named Events. The FEI’s experience with the previous guidelines was that they were not achieving their purpose; stakeholders seemed confused as to what they could and could not do leading to multiple cases of NRHs publishing FOP content from FEI-Named Events on social media and/or commercialising such content.

Following a review, it was decided to refine and clarify the previous guidelines so that each relevant stakeholder group could have a clear understanding of what is and is not permitted to publish

The main change is in relation to previous references to non-rights holding media being able to post some short clips of the field of play to their Instagram channels, which have now been removed to be in line with the contractual agreements.

This restriction, while it has created some controversy, is standard industry practice in sports, and you will find similar regulations apply to many other sporting events.”

Doug Payne and Vandiver. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Are these rules intended to be censorship?

“Absolutely not. These guidelines are in no-way an attempt to censor anyone or prohibit transparency at events; they are in place to ensure the rights of Rights Holding Broadcasters at FEI-Named-Events are fully respected. For complete transparency, the events are streamed live and in their entirety on FEI TV and/or the FEI YouTube channel, and are also available to watch afterwards.

If someone sees behavior they have a concern about while on-site at any FEI Event, including the FEI Named Events, there is no issue with the person filming the behavior in question. We strongly encourage anyone who has observed concerning behaviour to report it by sharing the footage directly with the FEI for follow up.”

Huadong Sun and Lady Chin V’T Moerven Z compete in the Tokyo Olympics (2021). Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

What this means for the future

It remains evident that video content is growing in popularity, with many riders and events choosing to move to the TikTok video and Instagram Reel format for sharing their updates from competition and training at home. As a member of the accredited media at both FEI and USEF-sanctioned events, the rules of play have been admittedly unclear and limiting in terms of video capture.

For example, the capturing of Field of Play footage is not allowed at major events such as the Kentucky Three-Day Event and the Maryland 5 Star. EN has worked with the media liasions of these events to ensure that capturing footage for things such as Instagram Reels is acceptable, but I would nonetheless implore the FEI and individual federations such as USEF to enact a more comprehensive media policy that factors in the evolution of content creation. While it’s clear and understandable that a broadcast host (i.e. FEI TV, ClipMyHorse TV, USEF Network, or Horse & Country) should retain all rights to full rounds and Field of Play footage, there still exists a “gray area” in which short-form video should have a place.

While these NRH Guidelines are in place for FEI-named events only at this time, should this evolve into enforcement at all FEI-sanctioned events, it would create a wider issue of enforcement and identification of acceptability. I believe a standard content policy should be created in tandem with these NRH Guidelines so that content creators and official photographers can have their own niche as they continue to play their vital role of promoting the sport and raising its visibility and consumer reach.

[jcmarchi]

How Does Conversational AI Communicate With Humans? - Technology Org

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/how-does-conversational-ai-communicate-with-humans-technology-org/

How Does Conversational AI Communicate With Humans? - Technology Org

In today’s world, conversational AI has become an integral part of our daily lives. From chatbots assisting us on websites to assistants on smartphones and smart speakers, conversational AI simulates conversations, making technology interactions more intuitive and accessible. Have you ever thought about how this is accomplished? In this article, we will look at the underlying technology that allows conversational AI to effectively interact with humans, allowing you to learn new communication frameworks.

Conversational AI – artistic impression.

Understanding the Key Technologies

Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR)

The heart of conversational AI is Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR). This technology allows machines to transform spoken language into written text. ASR systems use complicated algorithms and acoustic models to analyse the sounds they hear and transcribe them into words and sentences. This is the fundamental step that allows your device to understand and interpret your voice instructions. ASR is the first technology to come into action, whether you ask your virtual assistant for a weather update or direct your car’s navigation system.

Natural Language Processing (NLP)

ASR is the beginning. Your spoken words must be understandable once they have been transcribed. This is where Natural Language Processing (NLP) comes into play. NLP enables robots to comprehend and analyse language in ways that go beyond words, understanding context, sentiment, and purpose. For example, when you ask your assistant for a local restaurant recommendation, NLP assists it in understanding that you’re looking for restaurant ideas in the region. NLP is the technology that enables AI to converse with context awareness.

Advanced Dialogue Management

Advanced Dialogue Management technology is required for conversational AI to sustain coherent and dynamic discussions. This component allows the AI to recall previous interactions and keep context during a discussion. It allows you to ask follow-up questions, go back to earlier themes, or even alter the subject without creating confusion. Advanced Dialogue Management allows discussion to flow smoothly, much like a real conversation, without the need to repeat the context in every sentence.

Machine Learning (ML)

Machine Learning (ML) is responsible for conversational AI’s capacity to learn and adapt to each encounter. Machine learning is the technique that allows artificial intelligence systems to evolve. The more discussions the AI has, the better it becomes at responding in a relevant, accurate, and personalised manner. Conversational AI improves its knowledge of language, human preferences, and the intricacies of individual encounters through machine learning. This is why your virtual assistant appears to understand you better over time.

The Benefits: Beyond Convenience

Conversational AI’s technological components combined offer multiple benefits. More than just convenience, whether you’re looking for information, making a reservation, or seeking customer support, conversational AI is available 24/7 to enhance accessibility and responsiveness. It automates routine tasks, streamlining processes, which results in cost reduction while minimising human errors. By personalising interactions and remembering your preferences, it can also enhance customer engagement and satisfaction, making it the ultimate solution for efficient customer service, eliminating the need for automated menus, and providing customers with immediate assistance.

Conclusion

Conversational AI has evolved significantly from its chatbot origins. It is the result of integrated technologies that strive to make human-machine communication as natural as possible. Automatic speech recognition initiates the process by transcribing your spoken words. Natural language processing adds context and sentiment to your words. Advanced dialogue management keeps the conversation flowing coherently. Machine learning ensures that the AI evolves, offering personalised and efficient responses.

Conversational AI is a crucial issue in marketing, technology, and communication. There are various options open to you if you want to broaden your horizons and develop your competence in this area. By taking this step, you may discover how conversational AI is altering the way we interact, as well as the future of marketing and new prospects.

[purple-slate]

Driving The Next Generation Of Customer Experience With Conversational AI

Prologue – Conversational AI Is Now In Demand More Than Ever

“The global conversational AI market size is expected to reach USD 41.39 billion by 2030, according to a new report. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 23.6% from 2022 to 2030.” – Research and Markets 

Surprised? Don’t be. Pandemic was a watershed moment for industries and leaders worldwide on many fronts. Businesses shifted to a digital-first attitude overnight and hyper-personalization came to the forefront for driving exceptional customer experience.

Many organizations pivoted their customer service practices to ensure they stay ahead of the curve by offering their customers highly contextual conversations and enhanced value. In this article, we touch upon what is conversational AI, how it is different from the traditional chatbot and why it has gained prominence over the years. We also brief upon the three core tenets leaders must not forget when implementing Conversational AI.

Conversational AI – The Protagonist Of This Story

Deloitte defines conversational AI as “A programmatic and intelligent way of offering a conversational experience to mimic conversations with real people, through digital and telecommunication technologies.”

When we are speaking about conversational AI, it’s impossible to proceed with the story without showing noticeable differences between a traditional chatbot and a conversational chatbot, which is covered in the next section.

Conversational AI – The Differentiator In A Cluttered World Of Traditional Chatbots

Traditional script-based chatbots require pre-populated answers to the questions a customer ‘may’ ask. These are written by the company’s customer service agents and loaded onto the chatbot. Whenever a customer asks a question to the bot, it checks for matching keywords and pulls the most relevant answer from the script. However, the moment the query steps out of the rule, the bot fails. In the world of cut-throat customer experience engines, that is a big mistake. This is where Conversational AI comes into the picture.

We believe this can be explained better with an example. Imagine that you would like to know about your current refund status to a cancelled order. If you’re chatting with a traditional chatbot, the conversation may go like the illustration on the left. However, even if one of the words in the response do not match with a keyword, the output will go for a 360 turnaround as illustrated on the right.

Apart from the above scenario, there are more differences between a scripted chatbot and a conversational chatbot.

Traditional chatbots

Keyword driven with stringent rule based responses

Bot will ‘break’ when the query steps out of the rule

Spelling mistakes and short forms cause a nightmare

Inability to scale the bot as further responses require re-training with an additional cost factor

Conversational chatbots

Learns from historical data and tailors the response

Previous interactions help in building contextual responses

Powered by entity recognition to understand abstract inputs

Easily scalable as the bot learns and updates its responses to real-world scenarios

Traditional chatbots have a history of botching up customer experience, precisely because of its stringent rule based responses. So it should come as a no-brainer that there was a negative impact on the purchase behavior of 79.7% customers when they knew that they were communicating with a non-human conversational partner. According to them, the bots are less-knowledgable and less-empathetic. Now, the question arises. How can conversational AI plug the obvious gaps in the current rule-driven chatbot environment? The next chapter outlines the benefits of conversational AI for the context driven millennial customer.

Conversational AI – The Win-Win Solution For Better Customer Engagements

Conversational AI for customer engagement? Yes. Conversational AI has a multitude of advantages in the current world where business leaders need to have that extra edge when serving their end-customers and stakeholders. Let’s see the benefits of conversational AI from two perspectives. One from the perspective of the end-user and the other from the perspective of the business leader.

Perspective of the end-user

Hyper-personalized experiences

The technology has the ability to provide tailored recommendations, personalized content, and information relevant to the unique needs of the customer.

All around the clock service

In a very traditional customer service set-up following the sun-staffing model, many a time the end-user after spending precious time on the phone finds himself/herself with a customer agent situated at the farthest corner of the world. This is because humans work for 8 hours a day. However, a chatbot is readily available 24/7, 365 days a year with an immediate resolution to their queries.

Context, now more than ever

People find it absolutely tiring to explain their predicament all over again, just because the human agent decided to transfer the call to his manager or the rule-based chatbot, unfortunately, cannot comprehend the query. Conversational AI-powered chatbots understand the context from past conversations and then proceed to answer the customer query.

Emotions matter

Conversational AI bots are built with the ability to understand the emotion behind each word by analyzing key triggers, connotations, and placement of the word within the sentence.

Multilingual support

Conversational AI can be trained to offer support in multiple languages. This positively impacts the customer experience as customers from non-native English speaking countries can have their queries solved while the business, they have a single end-to-end platform addressing all the problems.

Omnichannel experience

The days are long gone when systems and people used to operate in siloed channels to address customer queries. Conversational AI chatbots are truly omnipresent, enabled to connect through multiple channels for the customers to get their problems resolved while the business gathers data from all these channels in a single shot.

Perspective of the business

Enhanced customer acquisition

With customized recommendations, personalized offers, and ease of access to find content and information regarding the product, conversational AI drives better customer acquisition.

Enhanced customer loyalty

Immediate support to resolve high-ticket issues increases customer satisfaction. The data gathered from such interactions helps analysts understand customer pain points and execute the most effective plan of action to reduce churn.

Enhanced employee satisfaction

Automating low-value routine tasks frees up a lot of time on the analyst’s plate thereby giving them the opportunity to do high-value strategic tasks. The virtual agent goes the extra mile by recommending leads to the analysts and helping them achieve their sales targets.

Enhanced scalability

The bots can handle multiple queries at the same time without the business leader needing to expand their team and increase headcount. If there is a sudden surge in queries, small teams of agents can face challenges in reaching out to individual customers.

Reduced operating costs

Low integration costs and low maintenance costs coupled with a high potential for faster ROI help business leaders see their overheads reducing in the long run.

Generally, a topic about conversational AI covers how to approach the implementation. We would like to change the narrative a little bit and showcase to you the important requirements when approaching conversational AI projects as illustrated in the chapter below.

Conversational AI – The Core Tenets That Business Leaders Must Not Ignore 

Have a strategy in place!

Having an absolute clarity of what is expected out of implementing a conversational AI chatbot is the most important requirement. Is the chatbot for improving customer engagements? Enhancing brand awareness? Bringing in more leads or a combination of all? The digital stewards of the organization must have answers to this question which can then define the process and create actionable KPIs.

Buy, don’t build!

We understand the innate pull to convert this to an internal IT project. It influences both project governance and cost reduction. However, the leaders have to understand that their IT teams lack the required domain knowledge, and they definitely do not have access to proper training data to train the AI algorithm. Instead find expert partners in the field who have proven use cases.

Find a partner, not a vendor!

Do your due diligence before zeroing in on a partner. Vendors who say yes to every small bit of customizations, will drag this into a science project with long implementation timelines.

Instead, find partners who commit to bringing the best results as they will have skin in the game and will provide you with the best value in a shorter turnaround time.

Epilogue – Conversational AI Will Define The Future Of A 10X Economy

Conversational AI is here to stay and rock the world of customer experience. Many businesses are investing in conversational AI programs to improve their brand awareness, marketing strategy, customer support and overall customer experience.

With 75% of customers demanding service within five minutes of being online according to a McKinsey study, staying hyper-relevant in conversations will catapult businesses into next gen customer engagement programs. The key to unlocking success with conversational AI is to partner with the right solution provider who will help the CXOs achieve the best value out of their digital transformation initiatives in the customer department.

The question is, are you ready to join the bandwagon of digital stewards who are changing the world of customer experience?

This blog was originally published in: https://www.purpleslate.com/conversational-ai-for-customer-engagement-soon-to-become-the-new-normal/

[captainfairygodmother]

Not the writing I'm proudest of, but it's a scene that I love for other reasons (the first introduction of my favourite character in my book :D!)

For context, most of this was written as a prompt ('Write a conversation between two characters avoiding what they want to say') in the Writing Group I'm in. It was written in 30 minutes, so it isn't the best, and there's some quite clumsy phrasing lol

The two character names-- as well as the place names-- have been removed (character replacement names: TA and MT), as I don't want the names going on here until it's fully written and/or published (this will be heavily edited in the future I imagine)

Okay, without further ado...

EXCERPT FROM MY WIP:

TA had always known that [COUNTRYSIDE MANOR HOUSE NAME] had been built in the optimal location.

Despite all of its grandeur, the manor house was nestled inland at the edge of the village, tucked away secretly between the great, towering trees of the forest that cloaked the headland.

It was the largest house in the village-- a title challenged only by [OTHER MANOR HOUSE NAME], which stood tall on the coastline-- yet it was also the most hidden.

Perhaps it was this reason, and not the nostalgia of returning to the house, that ultimately drew TA towards there again.

Her heavy footsteps echoed across the wooden planks as she navigated the manor; it had been years since she had last wandered through the labyrinth of rooms, changed by centuries of different people's design choices-- and yet she still knew the house like the back of her hand.

She was aware of every creak in every floorboard; every object in every drawer; every shortcut to every room.

The girl with drenched strawberry blonde hair didn't notice as she cautiously opened the wooden door to the kitchen. In one hand, a small glass of apple juice was balanced against her lips, while her other arm rested on the countertop as she stared blankly out of the large window above the sink.

TA leaned against the doorframe, taking in the sight around the other girl; the last time she had been here, the herbs (now neatly arranged into labelled glass vials) had been scattered across the slate floor tiles, the wooden kitchen counters had been splintered and split, and various ceramics had been shattered into thousands of fragments on the surfaces.

"I see you've done some cleaning." TA's voice cut through the silence, and the girl didn't even flinch at the sudden sound, instead placing her glass onto the counter. "Not even a hello, meurgerys? I dare say, it's been a while."

A sigh echoed from across the room, and TA waited patiently for the girl's reply.

"Dydh da, TA." She responded, exasperated. "I've not got all day, so don't play any mind games with me. Why are you even here? You know you shouldn't be."

That, TA thought, was quite possibly the worst question that the girl could have asked. Because how could she tell her just what had happened back in [PLACE NAME, CODE: FS]? How she had embarrassingly lost her magic to a simple pocket trick? How she had come back to the village just to... Well, she could never admit to the girl before her what she needed to do now.

So, avoiding every truth possible, TA smirked, moving to lean against the other side of the doorway as her shoulder began to ache. "I think I have a right to be here, MT. It is my house, after all."

MT turned to face her, pale blue eyes staring at her pointedly. "You know what I mean."

"Do I?"

The girl rolled her eyes and grabbed the grey towel that was next to her, beginning to dry her hair.

"I think that the most important question," TA began, leaving her previous place against the door as she walked towards MT. "Is why are you here, in my house, drenched with water?"

TA leaned against the counter next to her, facing away from the window with her arms crossed.

A pause.

"No reason." MT mumbled, putting the towel back onto the counter, leaving her hair in slightly damp waves. "If you won't tell me why you're here, I won't tell you why I am. You know how this works. The Pact, I mean."

"That's fair." TA admitted, curiously picking up one of the vials from the counter and holding it up to the light. "This isn't Henbane."

"And [PLACE NAME, CODE: PE] isn't a place safe for Witches." MT immediately shot back before realising what had been said, "Damn it. I thought it was Henbane."

TA laughed. "I guess some things just aren't as they seem, then."

God, I love my miscommunicating gays (MT is my favourite)

Also I'd like to add that the dialogue WILL be heavily edited/changed, it was just to fit the prompt in the last five minutes of the allocated time because I'd accidentally used 25 out of 30 minutes describing things lmao

Open tag because I don't know which of my mutuals write and which don't!

Writing Pride Tag Game

📝 Post a snippet you are extra proud of having written

cheers for the tag @sarah-sandwich! two snippets you say? alrighty then

first is from parkner hungers games au. there's a whole lot of emotions and history running around in this fic, and this is one of my favourite moments so far:

“You dick!” he roared, jabbing a finger at Harley’s chest. “You absolute piece of shit, Keener!”

Harley screwed his face up. “The fuck do you want, Leeds?”

“I think it’s time we leave,” their ma said, already halfway to the door. She grabbed Abbie’s arm on the way and dragged her out. And then they were gone. 

Ned hadn’t taken his eyes from Harley for one second, fury rolling behind them. “What I want is for you to promise to send him home alive. I don’t know how, and frankly I don’t give a fuck. Just do it.”

Harley surprised himself to actually find Leeds a bit intimidating. Out of the pair, he’d always been the light hearted, goofy one and Parker had the hidden dark side. That’s the thing, he supposed, hidden. Maybe it was because he knew Leeds to be kind and smiling that this new version was quite so off-putting. Then again, Harley wasn’t that scared of him. 

“I’ll kill him without hesitation.”

Too harsh, part of his brain warned, that’s his brother. He didn’t much care. 

Ned stepped back, that gangster streak ebbing away as Harley’s words washed over him. He scrubbed his hand over his face and sighed. “What did we ever do to you?”

At first, Harley wasn’t going to answer. He was just going to wait it out until Ned got bored and swanned off back to Parker. But Parker would be dead by the end of the fortnight, and Harley would come home as a victor and save his sister from their so-called family. And Leeds would have nothing. Harley might as well give him one little truth. 

“You were kind.”

Ned looked at him long and hard, expression purposefully blank. He didn’t speak, he just turned and left Harley alone to his thoughts.

second, also from the hunger games fic cos why not, we have peter making a new friend (who may be more than he first appears to be)

A man with a shaved head and wearing plain grey clothes was busy trying to manoeuvre a cart through the door. He had his back to Peter, and Peter couldn’t help but notice the complicated lock that secured his mask firmly to his face. The cart bumped against the doorframe as the man pulled it, but he managed to get it through and let the door swing shut after it. He turned around and froze when he saw Peter watching.

“Oh, er, hi. Hello.” Peter stammered.

The man lifted his head in a sort of nod. The majority of his face was hidden behind the mask, but his eyes had this air to them. As though he could see far more than his appearance let on.

Peter’s heart hammered. Like any real person, he thought Hydra’s opinions on slavery were nothing but barbaric. Hydra didn’t use the actual word slave—not even they were stupid enough to admit it so openly—but everyone in the Districts knew how Hydra’s servants operated. All of them were prisoners, kept in a high security facility just off the coast called the Raft were they were experimented on for the good of the Games. Those that survived the experiments were ‘allowed’ to serve those in the Triskelion—not that they had any choice in the matter.

So Peter’s heart wasn’t racing out of fear for this man, whoever he may be, but out of outrage for his circumstance. He looked down the bedroom corridor, all the doors firmly closed. “Um, Mr Stark?” he called. 

The response was an exasperated, “Kid I swear if you’ve broken that bed then—“

“There’s someone here,” he cut in. 

“Oh shit.” A kerfuffle followed then Mr Stark’s bedroom door—the very end one—flung open and the man barrelled out. He swung around the corner towards the entrance where the man was struggling with his cart, and his face relaxed. “Good. Christ, kid, you can’t say things like that. I’ve got a weak heart.”

“But…” Peter looked between the man and Mr Stark. Neither seemed very bothered, though the man’s eyes had softened somewhat. “There is someone here.”

“Him?” Mr Stark wafted his hand about. “He doesn’t count. He’s just—“

“Just what?” Peter snapped. The blood in his veins ran hot at Mr Stark’s flippant attitude. This man, whoever he was, did not for one second deserve whatever shit Hydra put him through. And to see Mr Stark so dismissive of that… he’d always sort of looked up to the man. Now he began to question that. 

Mr Stark raised an eyebrow at him. Peter tried to stare back like he’d seen Harley do but he couldn’t manage it. He wasn’t Harley. 

“Just Barton, I was going to say,” Mr Stark finished. 

Peter frowned. “What’s a barton?” 

The man, who had rather impatiently been watching them, tapped his forefinger against his mask and glared at Mr Stark. The metallic tap rung out in the small corridor between the three of them.

“Alright, alright. Hold your horses.” Mr Stark went over to him, and the man turned his back. “Anyone would think you’ve been locked away for a year.” He fiddled with the lock on the mask, making short work of its complicated nature and carefully eased it from the man’s face. 

Turning back around, tha man massaged his jaw. “That joke gets funnier every time you tell it,” he deadpanned, then turned to Peter. “I’m a Barton. Clint, to my mother.”

tagging: @b1uetrees @captainfairygodmother @girlsaturday @by-gray @brittasfan @underwhelmingalchemist

[a-dragons-journal]

Tsaheyluri // Regarding the Bond

(A disclaimer for any fandom folk who stumble across this: I speak here of my own noemata as if they are The One True Canon(TM). This is purely for the sake of ease. I do not in fact believe in The One True Canon(TM); if your headcanons or interpretation of canon differ from mine, please take no offense and godspeed, have fun. I speak here only of my personal alterhumanity, my noemata, my Pandora. You are entitled to your own.)

Tumblr decided to shatter on impact and eat the first version of this, so here we go again.

Anyone who has read my previous writings about my hearthome has some idea of the fact that one of the things that draws my heart to Pandora most is tsaheylu, the Bond, and Eywa, the result thereof. For those unaware: tsaheylu is the Na'vi word for what happens when two Pandoran animals join their mehuru (singular kuru), their neural queues, specialized organs many Pandoran animals have which allow them to make a direct connection between their nervous systems, creating an intimate connection and mind-to-mind communication. The Na'vi famously use tsaheylu to tame and ride several species - the ikran, the pa'li, the ilu, and I'm sure many others - but it's not limited to Na'vi; fa'li are known to make tsaheylu amongst themselves before large herd movements, presumably to coordinate the herd.

I have noticed a discrepancy in how fandom folk tend to talk about tsaheylu versus how I think about it. When I see tsaheylu brought up in fandom, outside of "is this or that kind of bond possible" conversations at least, it's almost always in the context of "I wish I could bond with and fly on an ikran" or similar - that is, focused on the actions tsaheylu allows, rather than on the bond itself.

Perhaps it's just that my longing for flight is taken up by my longing for my own flight in the context of my draconity, but this is... beside the point of tsaheylu, for me. I long for tsaheylu of its own sake - the ability to bond with another being that closely, to Know another creature more intimately than this world allows. That is the point of tsaheylu to me - it's not just a tool to a greater end, it's an act of connection, an act of love.

In all fairness to the fandom: the movie does not do a great job of conveying tsaheylu, and that's no fault of the movie's either, just a side effect of the medium. Tsaheylu is really something that would be better conveyed in a written medium, because it's an internal, perceptive experience - you can't see the effects of tsaheylu from the outside. We get some idea of it from that first scene where Jake makes tsaheylu with a pa'li for the first time, with Neytiri serving to narrate and explain it to us, but it's still... shallow, at least compared to my gut instincts about what it's actually like. And then the rest of the movie it's just kind of a background feature - which is completely understandable, but kind of unfortunate.

Tsaheylu is a bond. It is a merging of two into one - a partnership, a working-together. This, I think, is also a common misunderstanding on fandom and sometimes canon's part, and I understand that this part is entirely my interpretation: the Na'vi do not command or take over the animals they bond with. They partner with them. The pa'li does not do what the Na'vi wants because it has to, it does so because the Na'vi asks respectfully, and because through tsaheylu it gains an understanding of why they are doing these things, why they are important, as the Na'vi understands it. It understands, at least while it can understand the world through Na'vi eyes, that the work they do together that would otherwise be utterly foreign to a "wild" pa'li enables them to care for each other and create a life that is safer and more comfortable for both of them than it would be alone.

This is, I think, part of why Jake struggles so much with learning to ride. He's constantly trying to command his mounts - we see it in his first flight with his ikran as well. Even in his Iknimaya -

This line, to me, is a sign that he still does not fully get it. He's still thinking of these animals in terms of possession, of mastery. And, predictably, his first flight almost gets him immediately killed.

Now, we don't... see him figure this out onscreen. But the way he talks to his ikran here, versus how he interacts with him later:

The fond smile, the use of "we," the acknowledgement of Bob's (yes, he canonically named his ikran Bob.) feelings about it, the fact that Bob came back for him unprompted after the destruction of Kelutral despite the potential danger that posed - all of these say to me that they have bonded beyond "guy and animal he considers a servant." Maybe I'm wrong about that, but it's kind of beside the actual point I was getting to here, I've just realized I've done the ADHD thing and derailed.

Back on track! (Can you tell I don't edit these before I post them?)

Anyway. The point is, tsaheylu is... so much more than "control an animal with your mind," or even "talk to an animal with your mind." You become not-two-not-one. You feel each other's bodies, each other's minds; with a little practice, communication can become so instantaneous that you move as one being. It is the deepest kind of tìkusame, of Knowing, that one can have.

And... we don't have it here. It crushes me, sometimes. Not because I'll never be able to fly on an ikran, not because I'll never be able to do something tsaheylu allows, but because I will never have that connection itself, that deepest knowledge of someone and being known in return. That is the importance, the meaning, of tsaheylu.

(A note: For anyone wondering about weird word changes in this, such as kuru -> mehuru, pa'li -> fa'li, etc., it's a function of Na'vi pluralization, which I prefer to keep even when the rest of the sentence is in English because "pa'lis" looks deeply wrong to me. Na'vi has three plural prefixes: me- (2), pxe- (3), and ay- (4+). All of these inflict lenition, meaning if the word they're appended to starts with certain sounds, those sounds get softened: tx -> t, kx -> k, px -> p, t/ts -> s, k -> h, p -> f, and ' gets eliminated entirely. Thus, kuru (one queue) becomes mehuru (two queues), pa'li (one direhorse) becomes (ay)fa'li (4+ direhorses), etc. The ay- prefix can be eliminated in cases such as fa'li where lenition is present, because if a word is lenited with no prefix, it's assumed to be in the general plural ay-; I frequently do this because it's faster (except when the lenition is getting rid of ', because I have trouble hearing the difference between, say, 'angtsìk and angtsìk when spoken), but it's not required.)

[furinana]

I saw the post about how the cast of Apocalypse refer to each other in Japanese, and was intrigued. Just out of curiosity, how do they refer to themselves? Does anyone change throughout the game?

MASTERPOST OF FIRST-PERSON PRONOUNS IN SMTIV&A (click below)

Before you read 1) Japanese first-person pronouns are used according to gender expression, social context, age or proximity to the listener. Akira is the best example of how mutable they are, as the player gets to see how he adapts according to the flow of the world he's currently at

2) The same pronoun can be written in different forms in Japanese. While first-person pronouns have their own kanji, they are also commonly written in hiragana and katakana.

Remember! Hiragana and katakana -> the basic and easy-to-write syllabaries kids and beginner Japanese students learn and use for writing before being able to memorize the massively long list of complicated kanjis

Hiragana is round and cutesy thus seen as feminine. The sharp katakana is seen as masculine and mostly used for foreign words (or to insinuate a foreign accent).

Therefore, the choice of using kanji, hiragana or katakana for a first-person pronoun may come with certain implications regarding the character saying it.

Now let's start!

Watashi 私 - gender neutral for formal context, in casual context it's typically only used by women (it'd sound stiff and feminine for men). 

Navarre, Isabeau, Hugo, Gabby, Kaga, Hikaru, Akira (Blasted Tokyo), Stephen, Nozomi, Gaston, Toki. Charon, Mastema, Danu, Maitreya, Adramelech, Medusa, Lilith, Maitreiya (alongside Mitra-Buddha) and Satan.

Burroughs uses watashi in katakana ワタシ.

Asahi uses the shortened form of watashi, atashi あたし - informal, very feminine, common in conversation among young women. (naturally, it's written in hiragana).

She also refers to herself in third person in the moment above: "Why don't you tell your childhood friend Asahi-chan about it?" which is a thing girls say when acting deliberately cutesy.

Inanna uses warawa in katakana ワラワ - archaic and humble, for women. Xi Wangmu uses it in hiragana わらわ.

Ware 我 - very formal and old-fashioned, particularly emphasizes one's very existence. It's used in fiction by immortal beings, deities and figures of great importance and power.

Kuebiko, Asmodeus, Tenkai, the Heralds, Yamato Takeru, Pluto, Odin, Lucifer, Vishnu-Flynn and YHVH.

Merkabah switches between watashi and 我 (pronounced as wa) .

Human characters use wareware 我々 or warera 我ら but its usage is specifically to refer to one's own group in business/political scenes (as it is IRL) which doesn't count as a "personal pronoun".

Washi ワシ - basically when you want a character to sound like a stereotypical old geezer. Mara and Odin when disguising as an elderly man (both in katakana).

Boku 僕 - perceived as humble and friendly, can be used for all ages but has undertones of a young male (or feeling like one), also used when casually giving deference; "servant" uses the same kanji (僕 shimobe).

Flynn (and his previous life), Jonathan (and Kiyoharu), Neutral Akira from flashbacks, Krishna and Shesha.

Okay so here’s the thing... Fujiwara uses watashi in SMTIV... but got retconned to boku in SMTIVA? How much are you guys betting that the writers literally just forgot? But well, he sports a killing fedora combination just like Krishna so I guess he definitely still has that trendy youth spirit.

Ore 俺 - informal, asserts masculinity, can sound cocky and aggressive specially if the person isn't close to the listener.

Issachar, K, Skins and Abe. Tayama switches between watashi and ore. 

Akira (Infernal Tokyo) uses a variant,  俺っち (orecchi), it’s for when you want to describe yourself in a funny or playful way. It may also have a cutesy tone. Not many men call themselves that.

Walter (and Kenji), Dagda, Koga Saburo and Hallelujah use ore in katakana オレ.

Remember that nuance I mentioned in the beginning about the usage of katakana? Well:

Ore in katakana オレ gives the feeling of someone puffing the chest to pose as masculine compared to its kanji form 俺.

Let's compare the previous protagonists in the Diamond Realm with Akira:

The Hero uses boku 僕, similarly to Flynn. Aleph uses watashi 私. Demifiend uses ore in katakana オレ.

Neutral Akira (from flashbacks) uses boku 僕. Akira in Blasted Tokyo uses watashi 私. Akira in Infernal Tokyo uses a variant of ore, 俺っち orecchi.

See the pattern?

My headcanon for Nanashi:

He uses ore in katakana オレ either from the getgo or at least he switches to it after he gets influenced by Dagda (but honestly, he has such a punk vibe as a way to contrast him with Flynn that I find hard to grasp that he’d use boku at least on the same reason goody two-shoes characters would do, unless in specific moments he'd want to show respect in front of older characters like Boss or Fujiwara)