#without explaining narrative mirrors first

[leifyposting]

a couple people asked for a jean analysis thread so…

Why I Love Repressed, Overburdened, Walking Dumpster Fire Jean Gunnhildr - And Why You 🫵 Should Too!

jean is NARRATIVELY and PERSONALLY vital to mondstadt's story and in this post i'll explain why

ok let’s go:

first off: jean is NARRATIVELY important to mondstadt because she acts as a representative for its most important themes and ideals

in other words: jean's story is the story of mondstadt itself

"but leify,” i hear you say, “shouldn't venti be the representative of mondstadt?”

well… yes and no! more on that later

but first let's talk about what the story of mondstadt even is:

in broad strokes, the story of mondstadt is the story of a people being given freedom - and using that freedom to confine themselves and others (see: vennessa)

it's the story of freedom offered but not demanded (see: dvalin)

to understand how jean's story matches up to this, we have to go all the way back to the archon war to meet her ancestor gunnhildr. unhappy with decarabian's rule, she led her clan outside the walls - and then returned to seek freedom for the people who were still trapped within

it's interesting to note that gunnhildr toppled a god - and then immediately became first priestess for another god. again: she was offered freedom from kings and authority, but since it was not demanded of her, she chose not to take it

fast forward to present day and the gunnhildr clan have become pretty much THE de facto protectors of mondstadt. there's an old joke in the taverns that "a gunnhildr learns to say 'for mondstadt as always' before learning to say 'mommy'"

but this duty isn't always a good thing!

the gunnhildrs have taken the freedom offered to them and chosen to confine themselves with it - to sacrifice it to uphold the freedom of the people around them

and jean is no exception. she's sacrificed her own freedom to become a protector of the freedom she doesn't get to taste

you can also see jean's mondstadt-representative traits in her relationships with the people around her

jean at her best uses her autonomy for the good of her people. jean at her worst uses it to imprison them (klee) and dictate what she feels is best for them (noelle)

if that sounds familiar, it might be because that's the major conflict between decarabian and boreas during the archon war

decarabian believed he was a good king, imprisoning his people "for their own good." boreas chose to die rather than make them sacrifice their freedom or wellbeing

and i’m not trying to argue that jean is wrong for the decisions she’s made re: klee or noelle. i think she’s doing the best she can under the circumstances!

what i AM trying to argue is that jean, like all her mondstadt forebears, is constantly trying to draw the line between freedom and constraint. this question of freedom without rules and rules without freedom is at the heart of her story - and of mondstadt's story as well

but wait!

back to venti for a moment. why wouldn't mondstadt's god be the representative of his own nation?

i think the simplest answer is that venti has long ago abdicated that position. in choosing to step down from his position of authority, he has in a sense let go of the right to dictate mondstadt's story. that's what it means to be a nation of true freedom!

okay but why is this important? who cares that jean's story mirrors mondstadt's or vice versa?

well - short answer is that what happens to jean in endgame will also be what happens to mondstadt

(assuming of course that the genshin writers don't fumble)

jean represents the best and the worst of mondstadt - but almost more importantly, she represents their 2000-year experiment in freedom

in the end, will mondstadt's people rise to the occasion and throw off the confines they and the gods have placed upon themselves? in the end, is freedom - even imperfect freedom - worth fighting for? the way genshin wraps up jean's story will reflect their answer to those questions

which brings me to my second point, which is that jean is PERSONALLY important to mondstadt - and to the whole mondstadt cast

it's pretty clear to see that the people of mondstadt love her. 20 playable characters have voice lines about her (some archons don't even have as many!)

but on a more meta level, jean is personally important to the mondstadt cast because her uprightness gives them someone to foil off of

in other words, jean's straightforward representation of mondstadt's ideals gives other characters the chance to interrogate those same ideals

for example: jean represents constraints placed on freedom - which offers klee the chance to interrogate the question of how far unchecked freedom truly goes

in the same vein, jean represents duty fulfilled - which gives diluc the chance to interrogate duty abandoned for love

i can keep going! if jean didn't represent justice carried out in the light of day, rosaria could not represent justice carried out in the dead of night. if jean didn't represent being rooted in her family legacy, kaeya could not represent being uprooted in his

i think of this role as a kind of narrative version of the straight man, which is a role that plays off the funny characters and that is used to heighten the comedy of a scene by reminding the audience of the baseline reality

ultimately, jean represents mondstadt to the player, revealing the themes that are most vital to the story - but she also represents mondstadt to ITSELF, reminding the characters around her of the nation's ideals, whether they then choose to stand in agreement or opposition

[rowanthestrange]

i don’t think i ever went back and really fully grasped the meta (re: deep narrative details, not basic general) of the neo-neo-nazi strangling the doctor which was actually strangling himself

[asidian]

I've seen a lot of talk about how hell affected Edwin's pain tolerance, but not very much breaking down how it seems to have affected the way he manages emotion. So to that end, here we go:

Edwin Payne vs emotions (and how his no good very bad helltime messed with him something awful)

Dead Boy Detectives does a very good job early on of establishing the fact that Edwin is not particularly good with people. He's stilted, he's repressed, and though he can be incredibly kind to the people he cares about, he can also be quite abrasive, particularly to those he doesn't know well.

Time and time again, we see Charles step in to be the face man. Charles is the one to greet the clients, to take note of their names, to set them at ease. Charles is the one to support Crystal emotionally, and his interactions with Edwin seem to imply that he's done the same for Edwin, over the years. Charles has to remind Edwin to mind his bedside manner, and he explains to Crystal that Edwin forgets how to talk to people sometimes, because of how long he spent in hell.

In short, these boys compensate for each other's strengths and weaknesses in a lot of ways, and Charles is very much the one doing the emotional heavy lifting in this partnership.

And there's a reason for that, laid out in the text and subtext all throughout the show, and the narrative handles it brilliantly.

Edwin's actor does a fantastic job in expressing the character's reactions – or rather, lack of them. Because in the most shocking scenes throughout the show, Edwin often doesn't seem as horrified as the others in the face of events that ought to be horrific. In the Devlin house, he seems as though the murders scarcely affect him. When the jumper at the top of the lighthouse throws herself down, he's downright composed in comparison to everyone else.

And Edwin repeatedly shows or expresses that emotion makes him uncomfortable. When Crystal and Charles are fighting in episode five, he requests that they set their feelings aside until the case is finished. At the end of the episode, he says that the day has been entirely too full of emotions for his taste.

So, what is it specifically about emotion that bothers him so much?

In hell, emotion meant an awful, bloody death.

Panicking over potential incoming horrors? Nope, sorry, too loud. Dead again. Having a sobbing breakdown in a corner? Nope, sorry, too loud. Injured and trying to keep it down so it doesn't get worse? Nope, sorry, that's too loud, too.

Again and again, we see Edwin trying to tamp down on his emotions, but also, tellingly, trying to keep his emotions subdued and quiet.

When Charles finds him in hell, he's crying without making a single sound. When Esther starts to torture him in episode eight, he doesn't scream at first. He's trained himself out of making noise when something hurts or frightens him.

Of course he wants to set emotions aside until the case is done. He's spent seventy years learning what happens if you don't. You take care of business first. If, and only if, there's an after? That's when you let yourself feel.

Early on, when Edwin and Charles need to find the correct book but Edwin is unable to access their office due to the Cat King's bracelet, Edwin is upset. He's frustrated and out of sorts, blocked from making progress on the thing he knows he needs to be doing – hurting himself trying to get his arm through the mirror until Charles stops him. It's Charles who has to step in and help him calm down. It's Charles who has to remind him to breathe through what is very likely a panicked throwback to those times when if he could not solve his way out of a problem, it would very literally get him killed. In this scene, we get a brief glimpse of how Edwin looks when he starts to lose his grip on his rigid control.

And that's before we even get to these things:

Because as awful as the doll spider was, it wasn't the only thing skulking around the Doll House. Charles stumbles across misery wraiths when he goes to rescue Edwin from hell – and we know from the Devlin house episode that Edwin is extremely aware of what they do and how they operate. They were in his space, looking for despair to feed off during a time when he had it in spades.

Taken all together? It's an absolutely heartbreaking picture.

This boy seemed a little socially awkward before his death, from what we see of his time before hell. But afterward? He's had seventy long years of having to teach himself to regulate his own emotions, under pain of excruciating torture if he didn't do it well enough.

With an object lesson like that, over and over again, for literal decades, it's no wonder that Edwin has such a hard time navigating emotions and everything surrounding them.

[unboundprompts]

hi, i love your prompts!!

can you do prompts/suggestions for revealing a character’s tragic backstory to the other characters? mostly with like hurt/comfort or angst. please n thanks!

How to Reveal a Tragic Backstory

check out these sources:

The Backstory Drip: Helping Writers Become Authors

When Do You Reveal a Backstory of a Character?: Writing Stack Exchange

Writing Character Backstory That Feels Real: Now Novel

1. Establish Context Before the Reveal

Before revealing a tragic backstory, it's crucial to lay the groundwork. Give the audience some clues or hints about the character’s pain or past struggles without fully explaining it. This builds curiosity and tension, making the eventual reveal more satisfying.

Example: Throughout the story, you might show the character having nightmares, flinching at certain triggers, or displaying a particular behavior (like pushing others away) that hints at something painful in their past.

2. Choose the Right Moment

A tragic backstory should be revealed at a moment that feels natural and emotionally charged. Don’t force it into the plot. Often, it works best when the character is vulnerable, perhaps during a quiet moment, when they feel safe enough to let their guard down, or during a crisis when the emotional dam breaks.

Example: The character might reveal their past during a moment of intense emotional vulnerability, like when they think they’re about to lose someone else they care about, or when they are experiencing a setback that mirrors their past trauma.

3. Keep It Uncomfortable

A tragic backstory is rarely easy to talk about, and the discomfort surrounding the reveal can be just as important as the backstory itself. Let the character struggle with the words or try to push the conversation away, only to be coaxed into speaking. This makes the moment feel more authentic and raw.

Example: The character might start the conversation with, "It’s not important" or "I don’t want to talk about it," before finally giving in to the other character’s gentle probing or a shift in the situation that forces them to face the truth.

4. Show, Don’t Just Tell

Instead of simply stating the tragic event, show how it affects the character through their actions, memories, or how they interact with others. This deepens the emotional impact, allowing readers to experience the pain with the character rather than just being told what happened.

Example: Rather than saying, "He lost his entire family in the fire," you could show how the character avoids talking about their family, has flashbacks when they see something related to fire, or even flinches at certain words associated with their trauma.

5. Use Symbolism

The tragic backstory can be tied to something physical, symbolic, or thematic in the narrative. A certain object, place, or even weather can be used to evoke memories of the past, creating a deeper emotional connection.

Example: If the character lost someone they loved in a car accident, perhaps they always have trouble getting into cars, or they wear a piece of jewelry that reminds them of the person. When this item or memory is triggered, the character opens up about the event.

6. Layer the Reveal

Sometimes, a tragic backstory is revealed in pieces over time. A character might not reveal everything all at once, but bits and pieces come out as the story progresses. This gradual reveal can allow you to build emotional complexity and deepen the audience’s understanding of the character.

Example: The character might first mention a loss in passing, then later reveal more details about the circumstances surrounding that loss. In a climactic moment, they might confess the full extent of their pain, perhaps adding a new layer of guilt or unresolved anger.

7. Avoid Making It “Too Perfect”

Tragedy isn’t always a neat, tidy narrative. It’s often messy, complicated, and filled with unresolved feelings. Don’t try to make the tragic backstory feel like it was meant to be "healed" or resolved easily. Characters are shaped by tragedy, and the wounds might never fully heal.

Example: The character might express regret or resentment, even years later. They might struggle with feelings of guilt, or they might have difficulty trusting others due to their past experiences.

8. Don’t Overload the Backstory

While tragic backstories are emotionally powerful, too many details can overwhelm the reader or distract from the present story. Instead, focus on the most crucial parts of the past that shaped the character’s current behavior, rather than telling every painful moment.

Example: Rather than describing an entire traumatic event in detail, focus on how it emotionally affected the character. Perhaps the character doesn’t want to remember, so the backstory is revealed only through emotional reactions to certain triggers or through small, painful details.

9. Use the Backstory as a Motivator

After revealing the tragic backstory, the character’s actions should be influenced by it. Their trauma will affect their decisions, and it’s important to show how it shapes their journey going forward.

Example: The character might reveal that they lost someone to violence, and that’s why they became a protector of others. Or maybe their tragic past has made them emotionally distant, but in the course of the story, they gradually learn to trust and open up.

10. Make the Reveal Matter to the Plot

A tragic backstory shouldn’t just be there to elicit sympathy. It should tie into the character’s motivations, fears, and relationships with other characters. If the backstory doesn’t serve a purpose for the plot, it can feel like unnecessary exposition.

Example: If the character is hesitant to form deep relationships because of their tragic past, this fear will be challenged by their interactions with the other characters. Perhaps their backstory also explains why they’re so skilled in a certain area, giving the plot a practical reason for them to be involved in the current situation.

Writing Prompts Revealing a Tragic Backstory

-> feel free to edit and adjust pronouns as you see fit.

She leaned against the worn table, fingers tracing the edge of a chipped mug, not meeting his eyes. "I didn’t always… I wasn’t always this," she began, her voice thin, strained. He sat across from her, waiting, but not pushing. She swallowed, her chest tightening. "There was a fire, years ago. I was just a kid. My parents—" She stopped, shaking her head, as though the words couldn’t pass her lips without choking her. "I don’t even know how I made it out."

She reached out to touch his shoulder, a gesture of comfort, but he recoiled as if her hand was burning him. His eyes widened, panic flashing across his face. "Don’t," he muttered, backing away, his chest rising and falling with rapid breaths. "Please don’t." She stared, mouth dry, unsure what she had done wrong, but the way his face twisted as if remembering something painful told her everything she needed to know.

They jolted awake, heart pounding, gasping for breath as the remnants of the nightmare clung to them. The other person, already awake, noticed and reached out, pulling them into their arms. "Shh, it’s okay," they whispered softly, but the words barely registered. "I couldn’t save her," they choked out, voice raw. "I promised, but I—" The sob broke free before they could finish, and the other person tightened their hold, pressing their forehead against theirs. "You didn’t fail," they whispered, offering the comfort of their presence. "You're safe now."

They were walking in silence, the soft crunch of gravel beneath their boots the only sound between them. He kept his head down, eyes fixed on the ground, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. Then, without warning, he stopped. "I watched him die," he said, his voice rough, as though the words were hard to spit out. She turned, startled by the suddenness, but he didn’t meet her gaze. "My brother. He bled out before anyone could help." His jaw tightened, eyes distant. "And I couldn’t do a damn thing."

Her laughter echoed in the room, but it faltered when she saw his face. He wasn’t laughing. He was staring, distant, lost in some memory only he could see. "What’s wrong?" she asked, suddenly concerned. His eyes snapped back to her, and he forced a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. "Nothing." He turned away quickly, but not before she saw the tear that had escaped down his cheek. "I just... you made me think of my sister."

[anontheghost]

So... What is the deal with Blitz's and Moxxie's upbringing?

Let's start by saying the obvious: Blitz’s and Moxxie’s families are almost exact mirrors to each other: They both have terrible, greedy fathers who just enjoy making their lives miserable and amazing dead mothers who we know nothing about except their cause of death and how much they are missed by their sons. 

The only significant distinctions are that Moxxie's story is splattered with glossy mafia paint and that his mother was drowned while he was still a very young child. On the other hand, Blitz's mother, Tilla, died when he was a teenager and was burned to death. The rest? Pretty much the same.

However, the similarities between their backstories are not really the problem; after all, in real life, we can find people who lived through similar traumas and that is a pretty interesting aspect to explore in fantastical stories as well. 

Many other shows have done it incredibly well (Bojack Horseman) but Helluva Boss failed in that department. 

The very interesting family dynamics were only bought at the surface level, not explored in any meaningful way except to give the characters “cheap trauma moments” that could potentially get ruined by either the insertion of out of place comedy or never mentioned again. 

How am I supposed to treat Crimson’s abuse of Moxxie as something serious when the minute before dildos popped out the walls for a joke? How did Blitz’s guilt over the fire and his mother’s death truly affect his relationships��romantic or otherwise? Was it all just a narrative plot to drag the Stolitz charade for as many episodes as possible? Heck, we do not even see Blitz and Mooixe interact more about their shared trauma! Or about how much they missed their mothers.

It is a little depressing because, despite knowing nothing about Moxxie and Blitz's mothers, we, the viewer, are expected to care about them and see their significance. Instead we are left with a million questions that will probably never have an answer. 

Were they really good parents or are their sons only remembering the good parts of their relationship because they are dead? 

How did they truly influence their kids? Did Moxxie’s love for musical theater come from his mother? Did Blitz’s fascination for horses be because of Tilla or was it someone else?

How was their relationship with their husbands and why did they stay even after the marriage went south? What brought them together in the first place? Because, in all honesty, both couples just don't seem compatible in any way, that one just can help but ask how did everything worked.

Sadly, we can only speculate. 

So, without further due, these are my speculations. Part of the great rewrite that I am doing of the series. Because sometimes terrible writing decisions just move my creative juices in the right direction. 

Tilla and Cash Buckzo.  “I do love you, as much as I am capable of loving anyone, which is never enough.”

What would have happened if Princess Carolyn and Bojack Horseman ignored all the red flags in their relationship and chose to get married anyway? That wouldn’t have been good, but that is exactly what happened to Tilla and Cash Buckzo—the result was a messy marriage where love could not overcome their different views on life and incompatible personalities.

So... why did they stay in a marriage that was not working? Simple, a divorce would mean financial ruin for both of them.

Let me explain. 

(Worldbuilding note: How marriage functions and how people in Hell generally view it is one aspect of the Hellaverse that truly baffles me. To avoid confusion, each ring in this revision will have its own set of marital norms and perspectives.)

(In the Greed Ring, marriage is nothing more than another business transaction and is treated as such. Two individuals may absolutely hate each other, but if the marriage will benefit them economically, then they will go through with it.)

The sole compelling argument for Cash and Tilla's marriage was that it was the wisest course of action to maintain and save their respective livelihoods. Imps are not permitted to own companies (as I stated in the Stolitz Non-Romance rewrite.) and in the Greed Ring, Mammon owns ALL of the entertainment industry (circuses included) and he will not hesitate to shut down a circus if it is not bringing the profit.

The small circuses Cash and Tilla were supervising were on the brink of bankrupsy, so what better solution than to marry each other and combine their assets? It will give them more time to survive.

In hindsight, their plan worked perfectly; Tilla and Cash were able to build up themselves financially, and using their combined business talents, they were able to expand their new big renovated circus and turn in a profit that would keep Mammon off their backs. 

They were great business partners, but as a couple, they lacked a lot. 

They did occasionally have tender moments, but they were squandered by arguments, lengthy silences, and extremely uncomfortable dinners. At one point, they even began sleeping in different beds, just to avoid fighting. Everybody who knew them could see that they were just not good for each other and could barely tolerate the other presence.

This begs the question: How did they manage to have Blitz and Barbie?

The decision to have a kid was straightforward and, like their marriage, based on business. They wanted a successor to take over their responsibilities when they died, as it was something now needed as the circus grew. So one night, they decided to get drunk and just get it over with.

But, to the surprise of themselves and everyone else, Tilla and Cash were their best selves throughout the pregnancy. 

During those four months that the pregnancy lasted, Cash and Tilla acted like a happy couple, anxiously waiting for the arrival of their beloved baby. They no longer fought; they were just too busy happily imagining a future where the three of them would be happy while preparing for their child.

Maybe everything would be okay; their relationship could only get better from now on, right? Once their beautiful little girl arrives, they will be a complete family of three with no intentions of adding more. 

Yikes.

In their defence, there are few medical facilities available to imps, and when they attended the controls, the physicians informed them that they would only be having one child, Barbie.

Their budget and plans were severely ruined by Blitz's unexpected arrival because they were only ready to provide full care for one baby, not two. If Mammon kept the majority of the profits, how would they be able to buy two of everything? 

They would endure a long period of hardship and didn’t they enter this marriage to prevent just that?!

Tilla, being the mother and the one who gave birth, accepted this change, promising to love both children equally; sadly, Cash didn’t.

It didn’t take too long before they started fighting again, even if it was in front of their kids. As you can imagine, growing up with parents who fought even for the most minimal of problems leaves a long-lasting impression on a child and how they will handle their own relationships in the future. 

To this day, Barbie still has problems telling her girlfriends when something is wrong or is upsetting her. On the other hand, Blitz gets overwhelmed when he notices things going south in a relationship and leaves it all together. 

Things didn’t really improve much as the twins grew up. 

Sure, the family had their relative moments of peace, but Cash only paid real love and attention to Barbie, being the child he really wanted while completely ignoring Blitz. Tilla, upset about this but knowing that Cash won’t change, tried to give more attention to her son, accidentally ignoring her daughter’s needs.

Yes, Tilla was not a “perfect, angelic mother," canon portrayed her as. If anything, she was a little bit overbearing when it came to Blitz, as she felt she needed to make up for his father’s abandonment. She genuinely believed that Barbie didn’t need her as much, and the girl liked to spend more time with her father anyway, who needed to train her to take over the circus.

At this point, their family was divided into two separate families that just happened to live in the same house: one consisted of a kind but overprotective mother and her son; the other, a strict but understanding father and his daughter/heir. The only point in which Tilla and Cash interacted was when they worked on the circus, or when they were fighting for the most minimal things. 

Their family dynamic was mostly like that... until Tilla died.

Blitz remembers only the good moments he spent with her, looking at her actions and life with rose-colored glasses of love. For him, Tilla was the perfect mother who basically could do no wrong. 

However, if you ask Barbie, she’ll say that while she is sad that her mother passed away, she is unable to truly feel devastated since she never knew the woman well enough. Barbie is even a bit resentful for the times Tilla chose to spend time with Blitz instead of her.

And with Cash... How would you think Bojack would react if PC died before him? 

Now… what about Moxxie’s family?

Crimson and Belia (Name I am giving Moxxie’s mom)

"You better grow up to be something great, to make up for all the damage you done."

One particular thing that I noticed about Crimson is how young he looks despite being Moxxie’s dad. If I knew nothing about Helluva Boss and someone showed me a picture of those two, I would 100% believe they are siblings, not father and son.

While we can attribute this to Vivzie's inability to draw older men, why not play with this?

Let's set up the stage.

When Moxxie entered the picture, Crimson and Belia were just seventeen years old and not even dating. However, I suppose that when you are a careless teenager, the consequences of forgetting the condom don't truly hit you until something goes wrong.

As one may expect, Crimson was not happy with the news and was even more angry when Belia told him that she wanted to keep the baby and sustained her ground no matter how many times Crimson told her to get rid of the pregnancy. Why not? They were both fucking teenagers, just fooling around and he had no intentions of becoming a father, at least not this young! What was truly stopping her?

Nobody truly knows why Belia chose to keep her son to this day. 

When alive, she would tell you without a doubt that she loved her child from the first moment and couldn't bear to let him go, even in the face of less than perfect circumstances. But Moxxie hasn't believed that version of the story in a very long time. 

Moxxie now thinks that the main reason why Belia had him was because she didn't want to endure the awful and harsh conditions of an Imp Health Center. Due to the horrible way the doctors treated the imp patients, lack of medicine and equipment, most imps avoided those places like the plage.

Unfortunately, sick imps had no other choice but to go to the centers for treatment. Because if an imp even dares to step a hoof on the more well equipped hospitals in Sloth or Lust, they would be immediately kicked out no matter the emergency.

For more serious issues, wealthy imps (like Crimson's family) would hire a private physician. However, Belia was aware that Crimson would never spend that kind of money on her. 

Or maybe Belia didn’t want to give Crimson the satisfaction of getting out of his responsibilities. 

When Crimson's own father learned about the, at that point, already advanced pregancy, he forced Crimson and Belia to get married. Given the Knowlastname family's significant power in Greed's imp neighborhoods, Crimson's status as an unmarried young father would be viewed as a shameful scandal.

Belia only consented to the marriage because she had nowhere else to go. When her parents found out that their seventeen-year-old daughter was expecting, they were so disappointed that they disinherited and prohibited her from ever returning home.

(Later, when I rewrite Exes and Oh's, I will go into more detail about what Crimson’s family does in the Greed Ring. They are still involved in “less than legal” practices and loan sharking, but is a little bit different than in canon since now I based the Greed Ring in the entertainment industry.)

Of course, as one may expect, things in that marriage went south real fast. 

Every time Crimson looked at Moxxie and Belia, he saw nothing but the two demons who took away his carefree teenhood together with the respect of his father, and with each passing year, he just became more and more cruel. At one point, he simply started physically abusing his wife, who always put herself as a buffer between Moxxie and Crimson.

If Belia dared to raise her voice against her husband, Crimson would merely tell her that the opportunity to leave him went away the minute she decided to bring “that brat” into hell without his permission. Now she was just reaping what she sowed.

Being physically and mentally abused by her husband (who, as a bonus, also turned everyone in the household against her) took a toll on Belia’s mental health. She still wanted to be the best mother she could be, but how can you raise a child in an environment where everybody sees them as the enemy? When your mind makes your body so heavy that getting out of bed becomes an impossible task?

More than once, Belia considered taking her son and moving back to Wrath. But then, to where? Her parents didn’t want to see her; she lost contact with her friends, and since she never finished school, she had no hireable qualities. How would she support herself and Mooxie if she decides to leave? Being a single imp mother in hell is not easy!

It was impossible! At this point, she just needed to endure. 

She will not let Crimson win; she will not let that man break her and Moxxie. While Crimson was definitely stronger than her, putting on a smile after a beating that sent Crimson into a frustrated frenzy was all she needed to feel she had won, even if her body stated otherwise.

There were also the times she and Moxxie went on hikes together, pretending that they were going on a grand adventure as far away from Crimson as possible. Being happy when Crimson didn’t want them to was the little act of rebellion she needed to stay sane.

However, Belia’s breaking point came after Moxxie’s seventh birthday, just a few months after Crimson’s father died, when her “beloved” husband brought home another pregnant imp. 

Belia was no idiot; she knew that her husband had been cheating on her for years, but she never said anything because she didn’t care enough to do it. So, Crimson had a side piece? big deal, she stopped loving him a long time ago. 

However, it was too much to bear to watch Crimson, a guy she believed to be utterly cruel, be a loving and caring partner to this imp and be so thrilled about the birth of their cherished child.

I mean, when you witness the same man who repeatedly denigrated your son, cursed and beat you for being pregnant, joyfully decorating a nursery while choosing baby names and spoiling his new partner, whom he never raised his voice at, it can and will break something in you. 

Ultimately, what could be worse? Accepting that your partner will never change? Or realizing that you were never worth the positive change they could bring about?

What did she do wrong?

Moxxie still doesn’t know what happened to his mom; what is certain is that one day he woke up and she was not there. While part of him is sure that Crimson killed her so he could marry his new partner, there is a part of him, small but loud, that tells him that Belia abandoned him at the mercy of his father. 

Why would she not? Moxxie knows that he looks a lot like Crimson, so it was possible that at some point, his poor mother couldn’t look at him anymore without remembering her abuser. He is also familiar with the sad reality that, if Belia tried escaping with him, the possibilities of re-doing her life with a kid on her toe would have been very slim.

Not to mention impossible.

After his mother disappeared, Moxxie became a ghost in his own house. Apart from giving orders and degrading him, Crimson was more focused on his new family and new children to “waste energy” in a son he never wanted. While Moxxie’s step-parent was not physically violent, their constant degrading of Belia and their attempts to erase all trace of her existence really put Moxxie on edge.

Sadly, he couldn’t say anything because the first and only time Mooxie tried to go against their wishes, Crimson put a stop to that real fast. 

Moxxie had to see firsthand how Crimson was a true, loving father to his stepsiblings. He listened to them constantly, never yelled at them, and never struck them—things he never did with his first kid. He also made sure to teach them how their big brother was nothing but a failure and to stay clear of him since “wimpyness” could be contagious.

Moxxie wishes he could know them better.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o00o00

And this is all for today. I will give more information about Mooxie’s family (as well as his relationship with Chaz) when I rewrite Exes and Oh’s. Remember that these are mostly my first draft thoughts and can and probably will be changed for the final product. 

I hope you enjoy! I love when you comment!

[flashyfools]

months ago, while mindlessly scrolling through twitter, i came across an analysis of this particular panel from chapter 434 (i can’t remember who wrote the thread, i’m so sorry </3), and i really want to talk about it too.

(EDIT: original author of the thread is @goingbuggy!!! go check out their metas, they're amazing)

the thread was focusing on the way the speech bubble covers shanks's scar completely, and how it can be seen as a sign of vulnerability. oda is using shanks’s own words to hide his suffering, letting his physical scars be representative of his emotional ones, even though the event he’s talking about is completely unrelated to the way he got his scar.

in fact, we know shanks is not ashamed of the scar, since just a couple of pages after this one he mentions it directly as a way to start the conversation about blackbeard:

he doesn’t have a problem with the marking itself, it’s just used as a narrative device, a tool to highlight (in an extradiegetic way) his emotional wounds and the pain he always tries so hard to hide, in an effort to keep his usual composure.

the original author of the thread compared the panel from chapter 434 to another, way older one, from the very first chapter:

this takes place right after shanks loses his left arm to save luffy’s life. it’s obviously a very emotionally charged moment, which means the best thing to do would be showing a close-up of shanks’s reaction to everything that’s unfolding in front of him at that moment (luffy’s cries, or even his own reaction to his sacrifice). oda, however, chooses not to do that; instead, he hides half of shanks’s face, just like he did in chapter 434. the way the moment is portrayed tells the reader shanks is willing to hide his pain in an even deeper way than what he’s showing by smiling at luffy right after getting his arm chopped off.

it’s a great way to explain an important characteristic without stating it right away. it's a focal point of shanks's character: it's his way of showing luffy he cares about him and would much rather hide his suffering than pass it onto him, but it's also oda's way of conveying that shanks is much more vulnerable than what he allows himself to show.

having said that, the reason oda chose to bring back this framing in chapter 434 appears obvious: shanks misses buggy.

it’s plain to see, especially if we look at the whole page.

shanks tries so hard to act collected when talking about buggy, but it’s obvious that he’s hurting. his wording makes it clear he’s trying to detach from him (“that’s the end of it” + “rumors have it”); he acts like buggy doesn’t exist in his thoughts anymore, when it’s obvious he still does. he feels remorse, he regrets letting buggy go. he’s scared he might have been in the wrong. he knows he hurt buggy, but he desperately wishes he didn’t.

all of this weighs on him in a way he isn’t used to, so he locks these feelings up, thinking of them only in relation to something that happened in the past, and as so, stays in the past. he smiles while talking about him and buggy, but it’s a remorseful smile. he cuts the conversation short even though he vividly remembers what happened between them, and as he does so, his words hide the scar. he desperately tries to patch things up in his mind by exclusively clinging onto the good memories they share, but the remorse always creeps up on him. he always smiles when talking about buggy, even when he’s talking directly to him. but his smile always ends up looking sour.

this is exactly why i hate it when people say shanks doesn’t care about buggy. oda wouldn’t have given these panels so much depth if he didn’t want to show just how much shanks actually cares. even just the fact the panel we are focusing on directly mirrors a panel from the first chapter, one so important and impactful, should tell you everything you need to know.

buggy will always be shanks’s weakness. caring so much about someone when you’re a pirate of that caliber is difficult in itself, even more so when that someone is so far away from you now.

[ammoknightsofficial]

In my earnest opinion, the most coherent read of Cheval's character is one where he's TransFem and just hadn't realized it yet in the first Monster Hunter Stories game. It adds a lot of new, fun layers to his characterization, and I really shouldn't be shocked that it's not the most common reading - Transmisogyny and the prioritization of men and men's stories are rampant and pervasive - but it still does surprise me that, from what I've seen, I may be the first person to think of that? Or, at least, I may be the first to post about it online, publicly. Because to me, it's just such a clear reading of his character that I was genuinely blindsided to see him still identifying as male in Wings of Ruin.

To kind of explain my thought processes here... Let's start at Rathi. Keep in mind, I haven't gotten too deep into the anime - I'm only a couple episodes in - so that may color my takes here.

The Player's Rider in Monster Hunter Stories is, by default, a boy with a Rathalos - which is, more or less, The Boy Dragon - which is then mirrored by Cheval with his Rathian - which is, more or less, The Girl Dragon - both in that inherent Dragon Gender Difference, and in their respective roles of Protagonist (fell into the role) and Antagonist (self-assigned). A subtle note here is that while the Protagonist - our Rider, who is male by default - is, in Monster Hunter Stories, playing a distinctly Masculine role in the narrative, Cheval is, arguably, playing a distinctly Feminine role by contrast.

The Rider is being pushed along a "Traditional Hero's Journey" narrative, most often reserved for men and marked by a focus on "action" rather than feeling, while Cheval's journey - a clear mental health spiral invoked by grief - is notably far more invested in exploring his emotions, which is the driving force of literally all of his actions. The inciting action for the Rider is finding that Rathalos egg. The inciting action for Cheval is the loss of his mother, Vlau.

Cheval's grief over his mother's death, an event he watched unfold with his own two eyes at such a young age, morphs into a - as I like to put it - soul-rotting rage, which - wrongfully but very understandably - morphs into a kind of Hatred of Monsters that. While this hatred is literal, it does, at some points, begin to branch into the (logically) metaphorical, with his insistence that anything that is a threat to any human needs to be eliminated. It's easy to see that he's quietly suffering an intense case of Survivor's Guilt, earnestly believing that he needs to become stronger, stronger, and stronger still so that he can be the one that protects everyone from harm. It's his job, he needs to do this, he failed once already, and he can never do it again.

A Maternal Instinct.

One we see that Rathi, Cheval's Rathian, also holds towards him - sensible, considering she's, in all the ways she logically can, taking on the role of Cheval's mother in the absence of his real mother, though interesting, if one were to be reading into the (potential) themes here. (Side Note - the relationship between Rathi, Vlau, and Cheval being analogous to Neon Genesis Evangelion's EVA Unit-01, Yui Ikari, and Shinji Ikari is something I also thought of, find interesting, and may expand upon in the future.)

It goes without saying, how noteworthy it is that what seems to be the only thing Cheval has to remember his mother by is that little bird pendant. Did you remember the fact that it's a mirror? Did you realize that, when we see Cheval in the second game, he's begun tying his hair back in a braid, just like his mother did? Remember how much he looked like his mom? Remember how that armor he's got is a seemingly incomplete version of the Rath Soul Armor? The Rath Soul Armor, constructed of parts of an Azure Rathalos... A Blue Rathalos. Image of Masculinity on top of Image of Masculinity. It looks wrong on him - something he donned as a rejection of his softer, kinder, more feminine, happier younger self. Something he donned to telegraph that he's a threat now. A masculinity that's rough, frightening, and so very wrong. The armor is the first thing you notice when he first appears as an antagonist. The armor is the first thing that communicates to you just how badly he's doing. The armor, a symbol of masculinity as something to be feared, something that looks totally wrong on him, is a farcical construction. It's not who he is - it's something he's wearing as a mask while roiling away in a particularly angry sea of guilt, trauma, and self-loathing. It's a costume. The patriarchal, masculine garb he wears is a costume, and it's not protecting him in the slightest.

You know, that mirror might've been broken during Vlau's death, but maybe, just maybe... After everything's said and done... After he sheds that broken, half-finished Azure Rathalos Armor - a symbol of his masculinity, relationship with masculinity, and his heart-rending battle with trauma and grief... Maybe after that, he can look into that mirror and finally see his mother again.

Her mother would be proud of her. I just know it.

I'm of the mind that she felt guilt about changing her name. It's another one of the few things he has of her to live by, so "throwing it away", so to speak, was challenging. But it was a sacrifice made to further himself along the path of healing. But that doesn't mean he can't still use his mother's naming scheme.

"Cheval" is a French word, meaning a male horse. It relates quite well to riders as a concept, and brings to mind images of knighthood and chivalry. It works quite well for him, and it suits him - but thats just the issue, right? It suits him. It does not suit her. "Merrie" is a Dutch word, meaning a female horse. The tie-in with riders remains, the naming scheme remains, but she's no longer playing the role of Knight against the Black Dread. She's no longer driving himself mad with obsession and sadness. She's just here, she's alive, and she's happy again. She's merry. She's Merrie. :)

[baphometsss]

thinking about the different words for love in ancient greece and how the ancient elves seem to mirror that without having separate words in the language (that we know of). we know that the word 'lath' is love, that they named the centre of their empire after love. (according to legend, it was the romantic love of elgar'nan and mythal but honestly who the hell knows what their relationship was actually like.) but the regret where solas couldn't get mythal to leave the evanuris before she was killed is most revealing. this is the one the inquisitor gives to rook i.e. the first one if you haven't already found any, the one that they find at the ritual site after varric fails to convince solas to stop, as solas failed to win over mythal. it's the one where you can have the conversation where they debate what mythal meant by calling him 'love' and have that really cringey conversation

emmrich explains that they see the memories in their mother tongues, which means it translates differently to different people. (imo this is how you know they left it open to interpretation on purpose.) taash, as a qunari, immediately associates love with eros, because qunari aren't especially forthcoming with those kinds of emotions outside of romance. mythal's fragment even points this out if you're a qunari rook. she says (paraphrasing), your people don't bond like ours do, how could you know what it's like to love someone even as they stand against you?

but i personally think the love that mythal and solas shared was not eros but philia -- deep platonic love and devotion. it's the one type of love the ancient greeks valued above all others, above even family and romance. maybe there's also a bit of storge (parental/familial love, as mythal is referred to as his family in deleted dialogue w/lucanis and bellara, who have narrative parallels with mythal and solas), and a bit of agape (unconditional, self-sacrificing love) at least on solas's side.

so as for lavellan/solas... well, obviously, there's eros--sexual and romantic love. but i think, personally, that they share most of those different types of love rather than just that one. falling in love doesn't just bring out the best or the worst in you, but it brings out everything in you. solas has never been in love, according to the description of his romance, and that's why it catches him off-guard. it was a wildcard he couldn't predict. he himself says that it changed everything. everything we see in the romance suggests that the love they share is a mixture of all those different kinds of love:

eros--the romantic component, the sexual and passionate state of being in love with someone. their interactions are deeply romantic and passionate. they call each other 'vhenan'; this is an exclusively romantic term.

philia--deep friendship and devotion. they build a strong rapport on being seen as the people they are (solas, manifested wisdom/lavellan, dalish elf), not their mantles of fen'harel/dread wolf or herald of andraste/inquisitor. they are, before anything, friends.

ludus--noncommittal love/flirtation, casual sex--well, clearly it doesn't end up as being casual or noncommittal, but certainly they went through this as a stage. 'i have yet to see it [your will] dominated... i imagine such a sight would be... fascinating'

agape--unconditional, selfless love--lavellan clearly loves solas unconditionally. despite everything he's done and continues to do, they remain in love with him regardless of how badly those actions affect them and the wider world. it's the thing that gets them the most flack from fandom because it's seen as foolish. they even criticise themselves for it. and solas sacrifices his own desires, not just because he's so determined to follow through with his plan, but because he himself also can't bear to have lavellan see what he becomes. he 'can't do it to them'. he doesn't want them to suffer more than they already have at his hands. allowing them to follow him on the din'anshiral would've been far more selfish.

pragma--enduring love that grows stronger over time. well, lavellan is nothing if not enduring; their love will endure. that love has lasted a decade despite everything. solas, too, has not fallen out of love. even if you choose not to continue the romance in trespasser, he still wants to know if they feel the same about him after all that's passed. he haunts their dreams as a wolf, because he can't keep away entirely. he writes love letters and keeps mementos. their love has only become stronger, and now they live forever in the fade where it will grow and shape their world into something less 'terrible'.

philautia--self-love. they both do everything they can to make the other see their best qualities. it's hard to put this in the context of the relationship because it is self-love specifically, but i think lavellan's hope that solas will see himself as they see him, and that solas continually points out how they've changed him when they are romanced or high approval, is not a bad interpretation.

mania--i can definitely see how you could make their love obsessive. it is all consuming; neither can let go of it after a decade. this is the more unhealthy side of their relationship.

storge--familial love. i don't think they have this love towards each other per se, but i think they had this with the inquisition. in a way, the inner circle was the closest solas got to a real family that wasn't as fucked up as the evanuris. lavellan, especially if their clan was killed, also would've needed them like this. they were both a part of the larger picture here, and this is a part of their relationship too. it was the backdrop against which they fell in love; it enabled their love.

[awinterrosesstuff]

Gaara and Naruto bonded because of their struggles as a jinchuriki, their loneliness and similar childhood. Gaara is a mirror to Naruto and vice versa. During the chunin arc, and especially during Naruto and Gaara's fight, Kishimoto draws the parallel on purpose. It's hard to deny his intention. But at the same time, he wants you to know there's a difference between them : Iruka and team 7.

They basically saved him from loneliness and the same fate as Gaara. Without them, Naruto would still have been hateful and angry. They're his first bonds. He remembers different moments with every one of them. And that's the difference with Gaara at this point of this story, Gaara still didn't find someone who shows him another path and makes him feel less lonely. That's role goes to Naruto actually.

And Kishimoto used that parallel again several times when team Kakashi rescues Gaara with Chiyo. Naruto explains why he feels strongly for Gaara and again, he acknowledges Iruka and team 7 as the ones who saved him from loneliness :

Those panels are really telling about their importance in Naruto's life. And there are some fans who will still try to force others characters as his first bonds. And it's so funny, because Kishimoto isn't even subtle.

During the fight with Gaara, Naruto remembers about both Kakashi's and Haku's words about protecting your comrades and precious people. He understands his strength comes from his friends, loving them (something that will stay with him until the very end) and protecting them. And there's he's fighting to protect Sasuke AND Sakura and also remembers Iruka's sacrifice for him.

And that's not the only one actually. The whole fight shows how much he cares about them, how much he's grateful for them, how much he feels happy thanks to them... there's one example.

(Are you not sad by reading "it's okay for me to be alive... to exist." ? Because I am.)

I'm so tired of people trying to twist the manga and claiming that the one who saved him from loneliness is someone else. The manga stated it quite clearly ... from Naruto's POV but also the narrative. Naruto is very aware of his own feelings and what happened to his life. Iruka was canonically the first adult to look after Naruto, shows him kindness and care. The whole debate over who is Naruto's best friend despite it has been very clear since the very beginning is particularly ridiculous. I know many people dislike Naruto's bonds with Sasuke and Sakura (especially Sakura), but what matters at the end of the day is Naruto's opinions and feelings on this front.

Iruka and team 7 are Naruto's first bonds. And by dismissing their bonds, you're kinda dismissing Naruto's character all the same. I mean, it's his POV.

Also, I think the only one who becomes important to Naruto on the same level of Iruka and team 7 is pretty much Jiraiya. Kishimoto once again shows it by different panels and makes Naruto thinking about what Sasuke felt after the Pain arc :

Jiraiya is Naruto's father figure (he's his family). It's quite logical. Naruto spent three years of his life with Jiraiya. And it's very unique to their bond. Plus, it's Jiraiya's death who made Naruto understands Sasuke a bit more. Why ? Because of a loss of a family figure yes, but also because Naruto wanted to avenge his master. Narratively, Jiraiya is very important. His death - weird to say it like that - kinda brings him closer to Sasuke. The one Naruto always wanted to be close to since childhood.

I'm not denying Naruto cares about other people like Shikamaru or Hinata or Kiba or Sai. But the most important people to him in the manga are Iruka, (OG ?) team 7 and obviously Jiraiya. And remember the claim that Naruto can't tell the difference between liking ramen and liking a person ? If anything all those panels prove that claim wrong.

[witchofthesouls]

I'm back on those thoughts about my favorite tragic brothers: Prima and Megatronus Prime.

So as much as I do like the recent posts and talks about Prima being a goofball or deliberately airheaded as he knows that he's detached compared to his siblings and tries his best to connect to others, I think we don't explore his, well, assholery. Especially in the Aligned continuity.

Personally, I like reimagining them as the first pair of split-spark twins as it really fits the narrative and provides the repetition that connects Ouranic and Cthonic roles in Greek mythology as well as other divine relationships across different mythos. Prima is the firstborn and was made in Primus' Image, and from his own shadow rose Megatronus as they were meant to be a reflection of Primus and Unicron, the next generation of the divine.

Canon-wise, the Covenant of Primus had mentioned that Primus and Unicron came from one entity split into two, so the pattern could have carried on and be very much a well-crafted motif to emphasize their divine origins and drive the point that they were meant to function as a pair.

That would make so much more sense on why Prima had major beef with Solus as they both were very similar: sun/fire-coded Primes with staunch views to guide Cybertronians and have a very close personal relationship with Megatronus.

This would honestly explain a lot of Prima's eventual distrust and paranoia since he would have absolutely expected Megatronus to always be in complete synch with him. Megatronus is his spark-twin, his half, his own brother born the moment after Prima taken shape from Prima's own frame. Of course, the guy is utterly territorial of Megatronus. He must have had a huge flux of emotions when Megatronus made the decision to pursue Solus.

They respond to Solus so much as she, the Prime of Creation, also contains a greater fraction of Primus' own power, and she acts as a mirror and foil to them.

Arguably, I say she's Megatronus' mirror and Prima's foil.

That distinction is really important, and while this discussion has a lot of my own personal headcanons and (re)interpretation of the Thirteen Primes, there is canon evidence to support how Solus and Prima are foils. Prima limited his relationships on those similar-minded to his own ideals as he demonized Primes that went against his worldviews, while Solus was highly social and very connected to many (if not all) of the Thirteen. The Prime, who allowed the Predacons to be completely wiped out versus the Well of Allsparks that continued to produce Predacons until forcibly stopped. Prima, whose death remained unknown and unaccompanied, and Solus, who had several brothers walk into her very grave that doubled as her final gift to kickstart the new generation.

Personally, I say this should cast more questions into Prima's character and his own writings on his siblings. How much of it was actually true versus his own warped perceptions of them that may or may not have been affected by Unicron's own meddling? If Megatronus was his dark twin, then it wouldn't be a stretch to imagine that Prima projected a lot of his own insecurities and fears onto Megatronus, especially after Chaos turned his eyes upon Creation. Prima already had difficulties relating to others and prefers predictability. For Megatronus, his dark-counterpart and half of his own spark, to act without his knowledge, would have made Prima question everything after that point, while Unicron's leftover miasma sank its claws into him, stoking up the paranoia and distrust to extreme levels that will seed all the conflict afterwards.

'There is your mirror and shadow basking in another’s presence,' that dark, insidious croon whispers in the back of his mind. Prima sees Megatronus' expression -that soft one that's usually reserved when they're alone -as his brother wipes away the soot and grime from Solus' disgruntled face as she was obviously dragged from her Forge to the table for a meal. 'Look, he turns away from you, away from Light.'

[sunshine-jesse]

The Incest End is Not The Bad End, Part 2: The Sane Ending Is Still A Bad Ending

In the first essay I wanted to deconstruct the idea that Ashley was the sole perpetrator of abuse. I wanted to take a look at how unhealthy their dynamic actually was and lay out clear indications that Ashley could, at the very least, fix her own problems, and wasn't a lost cause. I also wanted to show that them ending up together, be it romantically, in death, or even platonically (although I'm not convinced the Sane Burial ending can lead to that) was inevitable.

Here, however, I want to make a more difficult argument: That their relationship turning romantic is not just Not That Bad, but actually Good, at least in the context of what's best for the two of them in the long run. And to do that, I'm going to draw comparisons to the common narrative that it's the bad ending, again. I think it's the easiest way to explain my points, even though it might make me seem like I'm being contrarian or playing the Devil's Advocate.

But I'm not. I actually do think this is the only way they can heal. Why?

WELL.

My biggest driving factor for this belief is and always has been the difference in tone between the two endings. The 'correct' ending under conventional understandings of morality and relationships would be one where he breaks away from Ashley, but the only ending in which that's shown to be possible is the Decay ending. In the ending where Ashley has bullets in the gun (and therefore has control over the situation), she has to yield control over the situation to Andrew, and (going off the reading I established in the last essay) he understands and accepts just how much their dynamic means to him and how important Ashley really is to him.

In a sense, he self-actualizes in the same way he does in the Burial ending: Ashley yields control where it matters the most in both, resulting in him he fully understanding and accepting himself and what he wants, because Ashley's controlling nature no longer prevents him from seeing the truth. Ashley no longer casts a shadow that allows him to be blind to his true nature- his true desires.

In the Burial ending, he wants her either romantically and sexually (in the questionable ending) or as a friend (in the sane one). He lets go of his own need to control her, and accepts the fact that he was never better than her to begin with. In the Gun!Decay ending, he wants her dead. The damage has been done. Whatever final line was crossed made him realize that he can't control Ashley, and a world in which she cannot be controlled is one better off without her.

But in both, he can't live without her.

The tone of the Decay ending is tense. It's dismal. It's emotionally ravaging. Andrew is not acting like someone who wants to break free, he's acting like someone who has given up. He's angry and he's suicidal, but he no longer has any reservations about making intimate physical contact with Ashley.

…and Ashley looks terrified and sad, especially in the last screenshot, which gives off some seriously dark implications about what Andrew might do to her in the Decay route.

He's given up on healing. He's given up on being normal. His heart and his mind both Decay as he's dragged along by an Ashley who's doing whatever she can to try to not allow a murder-suicide to happen and only making it worse in the process, because SHE has no foundation through which to improve or change her perspective on the world, either (more on that below).

In the NoGun!Decay ending, we don't know what he does after. He fails to self-actualize because Ashley never yields that need for control, and he follows the same pattern he always does of resorting to violence the moment he thinks he's losing control. I highly doubt that the ending would be much different- he'd probably just mirror Ashley's reaction of violently kicking the body at first, but he probably wouldn't last long after. Both, in an attempt to regain control or save their own lives, feel temporary relief at the death of the other, because they no longer feel trapped and afraid of what will happen if they leave.

But they also both fail to come into their own as people. Their dynamic- of Ashley being the morally bankrupt one willing to do anything to further their own survival, and Andrew being the one who's careful and calculating and preventing her short-sightedness from causing unintentional consequences- was the only thing that allowed them to survive in the first chapter, and more than likely the second (we don't see the consequences of them not having the trinket's power in ep2 so it's impossible to say for sure). If they don't kill themselves after losing the other and failing to self-actualize, it's almost certain that the world will eat them alive. They're outlaws, on the run, and have nobody to lean on but themselves. Without each other to lean on, it's only a matter of time until they fall.

So. The Decay ending is very obviously bad. There is no freedom to be had from them breaking away from the other; only despair and death. There's catharsis to be had in miserable people meeting a miserable end, sure, but the story goes out of its way to show us that the path to that end will be miserable and unfun and horrifying with the only joy to be derived from it coming from pure schadenfreude. But the story itself makes it clear that this is not intended to be a happy ending and thinking of it as such means you're fundamentally incompatible with what it's trying to convey. It's just a horrifying tragedy of two people who never gave each other what they needed to heal and tore down everything around them in the process.

So, how is the Burial ending better?

The lighter tone is immediately obvious. Ashley trusts Andrew to believe in her, and Andrew goes up to bat for Ashley even in the face of an arguably superficial offer to improve his life; to start it anew. The two just generally have a good time together afterwards, joking around, having fun, and ribbing on each other in a way that comes off as playful rather than hurtful. Andrew, finally, makes progress towards -healing,- because he finally stopped lying to himself about how important Ashley is to him. Why do I think it's a sign of healing, exactly?

Because Andrew, for the first time in the story, is comfortable with what he's doing.

He's comfortable with dismembering their parents. He's rarely tense, hesitates much less, and comforts Ashley instead of just seeking comfort from her. He gives more than just temporary emotional validation; a lot more. So much more, in fact, that it makes ASHLEY uncomfortable. She has difficulty processing not having their push and pull dynamic. She thinks something is off, something is wrong, because she's never seen Andrew so comfortable around her before, or at least lacking reservations in showing that comfort.

She still thinks about the idea of controlling him, of trying to get him to stay. There's internal monologue about it. But that's the difference. Before, we rarely see any internal monologue of her thought patterns- she just acts. Not thinks. But here, she's unsure. Here, she has to look inward. She has to self-reflect. She still frames it as her trying to keep Andy around, but Andrew is making it obvious in both words and actions that he will always be there for her, and he's so COMFORTABLE about it.

Regardless of what her actions in episode 3 end up being, it's still clear to me that the foundation for her to heal is there. She's safe, because she has a warm, comfortable place to return to while she figures herself out.

"So," you might be asking, "doesn't this imply that she'll heal no matter what? Doesn't that make incest technically unnecessary?"

Yes and no. Yes, in the fact that we still see a marked improvement in their dynamic in the Refusal path.

No, in that the Sane ending's tone is still much different.

After the dream sequence, Andrew reveals that he never fell asleep. He never sees that vision. He still self-actualizes to some degree, probably, but he never has his desires laid so bare for him because he doesn't dream. But you have to place sunlight on the left side to see this, so it still leads me to believe that they still grasp the importance of their relationship in that ending. It's just that…

I don't think that they ever, truly heal. I think that they just grow distant. I'll elaborate on what I think that means later down the line.

In the Sane ending, they have much less fun with each other. They don't playfully rib on each other as much- the eulogy in particular seems more spiteful than playful- and they're much less physically affectionate towards each other. It's not dismal. It's not dark or depressing. It's not tense. It's just… there. It's boring. Nothing has changed, and neither has Andrew, which Ashley views him not sleeping as a sign of.

But in the Questionable ending, he -does- sleep.

So what does sleep mean here? It means he can't sleep if he feels he's missing something. It means something is lacking in his life. Something is missing. Is it Ashley's affection? Well, yes, but also not just that. Ashley is just a representation of what he needs: Comfort. Someone to rely on. Someone he know won't leave him. I believe they have the same needs, and those needs just manifest differently. Andrew never had to worry about Ashley leaving him because Ashley was so obsessive that she managed to fill in the all-consuming void that mental illness creates.

But I think in the Sane ending, he starts to doubt that. In the Sane ending, he starts to shake his desire for Ashley. Which is great, right? It means they can finally go down a more conventional, safe path and have a relationship that's societally acceptable. The safe, boring ending that normies would enjoy.

But the fact that he doesn't sleep means that, even if he shakes that desire, he can't shake the need for what she provides.

Because he never sees the vision, he never gets that confirmation that he can pursue a more physically affectionate relationship with Ashley, and given that physical affection is a huge part of the equation for making him feel comfortable and happy (see: the couch scene, where he's the happiest he is in the whole game before the Burial route), he never truly believes he can seek it from her. He never gets it from the one person he trusts to always be around. He never gets that final affirmation that it's okay to be with the one person who has always mattered to him the most, and always will.

If we're to take the scenes at the end of episode 2 as metaphors for what will happen- or has to happen- for the siblings to get the best outcome for their well being (even at the expense of others), then the Questionable route involves Ashley loosening her grip on Andrew and having him naturally fill in the roles she wanted him to all along. But in the Sane route, Ashley bottles up every soul see shes, aside from what's commonly assumed to be Andrew's, who she is uncharacteristically cavalier about letting go.

She's still the same. She still wants to entrap people, and never let them go. She just happens to no longer want to do it to Andrew. She never fundamentally changes. And Andrew?

His soul has nothing to say. It's pitch black. It almost looks demonic, having literally the same color scheme as the Entity and Lord Unknown. If it's already demonic, then it stands to reason that a demon wouldn't want it, because it's just more of the same. Nothing special, nothing they would want, nothing that would be useful to them. In other words… just like Ashley?

He has- or will have- a tar soul.

And what does tar do?

It sticks.

It's the Sane path to take because it involves them conforming to societal expectations. It involves them fitting in, acting as they should, and doing what's expected of them without much fuss. But in the world they're in, they're expected to harm everyone around them. To kill or be killed, eat or be eaten. To never become themselves, and never be truly happy. To never ask questions.

And they'll do all of that, whether they stick together or not. The only difference is how many people they stand to hurt, and whether they're truly happy at the end of it all.

There's a reason the souls of one of the parents- commonly thought to be Mrs. Graves- was unhatched. She probably wanted to love her children. Even Ashley. She just never did, because the world never let her be herself. She never became whole, because it would've resulted in her being too dark to fit into society. But the siblings have a chance to do so. They have a chance to truly focus on each other so they can heal and become better, happier, more complete people in a world that's doing everything it can to incentivize otherwise.

It's just a bit unfortunate for some that Andrew has to fill a hole to become whole.

[eddieydewr]

as much as i liked the eddieravi hug, the whole buddieravi scene confused me, narratively speaking. i thought maybe ravi was meant to be a buffer so people would see that buck and eddie’s friendship is not … normal. it’s a plausible theory! but after the 817 cold open where buck remembers or day dreams about the 118 family dinner, something about eddie and ravi in those two scenes Stood Out to me. i think the show is establishing something, if not foreshadowing.

first, let’s assume that next season, buck and ravi will be partners. hen or chim will be captain, which means we get cheddie or heneddie as paramedics (yay forever). buck and eddie are gonna be Buddie but also buddies, they still have each other’s back. buck and ravi aren’t the new buddie duo without the homoeroticism; ravi will be his own character and he has his individual relationships with the core four.

episode 816 - the funeral that flopped. i thought it was buck being buck when he revealed eddie to ravi (and us) because that’s buck’s special guy! but the next episode where eddie reveals chris to buck? hm. there’s a parallel.

episode 817 - the heartwarming firefam dinner that turned eerie. eddie sits next to ravi who is wondering what’s the deal with waiting for everyone to be present before they can eat (he’s still a probie in buck’s vision). bobby takes a seat as he explains and eddie can be seen patting ravi’s shoulder. we know bobby and eddie are mirrors. eddie asks bobby what to plate up for him, and bobby passes his plate. is he passing the baton? in what sense? i doubt eddie will be captain. but —

going back to 816. look at the way eddie approaches ravi when they hug. it’s almost paternal but not quite. i’d say it’s akin to bobby and eddie’s relationship. it’s possible eddie knows some details about how it went down at the lab, how ravi almost died, and it’s his first time losing a crew member in the line of duty (bobby is alive, don’t even worry about it). eddie lost a crew member in that helicopter crash, didn’t he? he managed to save everyone else but he still had survivor’s guilt, which exacerbated a few years later when he found out the rest of his team who he saved died, one by one, after their tour. ravi could be struggling with some survivor’s guilt because iirc, he was temporarily out for the count, and it was down to bobby to help him. maybe he’s wondering if he could’ve done more to prevent bobby’s death if he didn’t pass out, like eddie who wonders the same if he was there.

the clumsy question ravi asked eddie about the funeral, bringing up how many funeral he must’ve attended since eddie was in the army. it’s almost like ravi was looking for advice or guidance, and he’s seeking it from eddie instead of buck. and eddie seemed patient with ravi. eddie probably didn’t attend many funerals but he did have an indirect hand in other people’s deaths (even in self defence; he was a combat medic and his medic copter was shot down - a war crime if i’m correct. a big part of eddie’s character is to save and heal, not kill). bobby indirectly killed 148 people due to the apartment building not up to code, which exacerbated the fire from the heater bobby left on unattended.

we know when chim went to bring ravi back from the academy, ravi was feeling guilty about the family he couldn’t fully save (one child died). and there’s the backstory with ravi’s childhood cancer. buck and chim did their part in mentoring ravi; it’s probably eddie’s turn to mentor him. but not exactly mentor. he could be there for ravi like bobby was for eddie, who knows a lot about survivor’s guilt - especially with bobby’s death sorta linking them together - and eddie will know a lot about childhoods being spent in and out of the healthcare system, considering his son chris who has CP.

buck and eddie used to be the annoying older brother figures to ravi, mainly buck being the prankster and eddie who is like hehe just observing until buck goes over the top, ok buck, time to stop. now they’re all genuine friends but there are some things that buck won’t be able to help ravi with, like bobby could for eddie when buck couldn’t (dead wives, ptsd/suicide, NunGate relationship with catholicism).

apart from bobby, eddie was the last to sit at the table. next to ravi. and bobby takes his seat and explains about working and eating together as a family. eddie pats ravi’s shoulder. eddie gets the plate from bobby. and back which means alobby, yup. buck is observing all of this.

buck’s in what he thinks is the Bobby Mode, trying to be there for his family, assessing grief levels; he already has the knowledge of ravi feeling insecure as a firefighter and now dealing with a traumatic call where they all lost bobby. buck (subconsciously?) realises that maybe ravi needs eddie. just like eddie needed bobby when shannon died; buck probably called bobby who was off duty when he was temporarily suspended. aka he was away (sounds familiar?). buck reveals eddie to ravi. they hug after bobby’s death, just as bobby hugged eddie after shannon’s death.

now let’s flip the script! it’s likely ravi was the one who called eddie about bobby. eddie was away in el paso and he came back for the funeral. buck was spiralling and eddie felt bad for being mean so he arranges for chris to come visit his buck. he knew chris’ company would be what buck needed. eddie reveals chris to buck.

ryan guzman, in the zach sang podcast, mentioned finally having a (more) solid knowledge of his character after 7 seasons, and he sees those past seasons as a backstory, a foundation. he’s starting to figure out who he is, and i think being a pillar for ravi is one part of it (because i think eddie is more than his sexuality/his relationship with buck, and it sounded like something ryan was eager about re. eddie’s character growth).

but for all we know, new viewers were tuning in after the funeral leaks and bobby’s death, and eddie wasn’t there at all. so the family dinner scene and the eddieravi hug are there to establish who eddie is, and his kind of relationship with buck. not to mention the reintroduction of chris and tia pepa, which is important for establishing buddie canon and buddiechris family unit.

to conclude: buddie canon, bobby lives, potential eddieravi mirroring or relationship akin to bobbyeddie.

[rebelscum218]

Among all the stuff the Ahsoka show gave us, the decision to directly draw comparison between Sabine Wren and Anakin Skywalker was one of the things that I have the most opinions about. On one hand, I detest this writing decision because of what it did to Sabine's character, but also, I think I could have gotten into it if it was much more deliberately done.

First of all, by putting Sabine in a series for Ahsoka Tano, her character has to be secondary to Ahsoka's, and written in a way that allows Ahsoka to tap into her issues and catalyses her development, which in season one was closure with Anakin. As a result, Sabine became the character that connects Ahsoka to Anakin, which requires a new set of circumstances and extra layers of story to explain her change. And due to the limited series format of the show, there is simply not enough screen time to show all of that, so it became stuff that's told through dialogue by Baylan Skoll and Huyang right before Sabine's pivotal moments. This made her character passive, since her story is being told to us by other characters, rather than seeing Sabine demonstrating it on screen or having the chance to express herself, which was always the case in Rebels.

Aside from that, what I find equally frustrating about the whole parallel situation is that it is both present and vague enough that it could be open to interpretation as to what the story is ultimately about. The message of Anakin's story is very clear: out of a selfish desire to save someone he loves, he made a deal with the devil and gave in to his worst instincts to gain the power he was promised, which made him more and more greedy and blinded, falling so far and so fast that he gets life-changing consequences that he has to face for the rest of his life, and that not only does he not get what he wants, but he has betrayed everyone he knows and lost everything but himself. As for Sabine's story in Ahsoka, we have the selfish desire and the deal with the devil, but she faces little to no consequences and was eventually framed as being correct, since they never would have found Ezra or able to send him home without her. There are multiple messages to take away from, which weakens the story.

If the writers truly intent to have Sabine be a mirror image of Anakin for Ahsoka's benefit, or to retell Anakin's story in a different lens, then I would have liked them to commit to it 100%, and let the story embody that very message. Have Sabine be eager and impatient and passionate just like Anakin instead of closed off and struggling; have Sabine feel a type of yearning or even romantic love for Ezra that became a selfish need, similar to what Anakin had felt with Padmé; have Sabine's choice be a deliberate character failing instead of framing it as the only choice or a decision she was fated to make; have the journey take a huge toll on her, requiring her to turn her back to people close to her like Hera and Ahsoka; and prolong her search for Ezra so that there's time for her to slide into hopelessness and despair, experiencing the loop of fear, anger, hate and suffering that defined Anakin's story; or maybe even make Baylan Skoll break his promise, because just as Sidious only used Anakin's desire to save Padmé to get what he wants, Baylan might as well do the same, because at the end, if there's anything Star Wars has taught us, is that choosing to give in to selfishness is a path to oblivion. Give her a big emotional breakdown and let her experience a rock bottom moment where she realizes she has nothing left, hating herself for what she's done, like that 'you burn in your own flame' moment in the Revenge of the Sith novel. (I'd even written a fic based on some of these thoughts.) But there was another character who draws strong parallels with Anakin Skywalker that made narrative sense: Ezra Bridger.

In Rebels, Ezra struggled with loss and his own darkness in a similar way that Anakin had, as well as harboring a desire to destroy the Sith and seek justice for what the Empire has done, which is exactly how Maul managed to manipulate him to pursue his own goals. He dangles the possibility of helping Obi-Wan to lure Ezra to Tatooine, where he is then used as bait to tempt Obi-Wan out of hiding. Alone, exhausted and suffering the consequences of his own actions, Ezra reaches a bottom moment in his journey.

A moment like this would be perfect for Sabine if they go down this route. You can even play with the idea that Sabine was trying too hard to be Ezra in his absence: doing his job as protector of Lothal, wanting to learn to be a Jedi to fill his role, and thus vulnerable to the same set of challenges, which would justify why a parallel to Anakin was necessary to her story. And because Ezra had gone through these same issues, he would be the perfect person to guide Sabine out of this mess. This way, you could simultaneously pull development out of both characters: Sabine to reckon with her emotions and own up to her mistakes, Ezra to pass on what he's learned and assume a role similar to Obi-Wan, who helped him realize that (and also happen to spend 10+ years in exile).

Of course, this ultimately does have to be Ahsoka Tano's show, and I always come back to the issue with Ahsoka's portrayal in relation to the necessity of Sabine's parallel with Anakin. The biggest limitation to Ahsoka's character in my opinion, was the fact that Anakin was written as her only pillar of support. In stories, you want your characters to have a wealth of interactions and a myriad of relationships that highlights the diversity of a person. In Clone Wars, Ahsoka had been paired up with Rex, Padmé, Plo Koon, Barriss Offee, Lux Bonteri, the Martez sisters etc, which brought out many different aspects in Ahsoka's personality that all helped define who she is, and in the Ahsoka show, there are again enough characters to do the same, yet even when she is interacting with Sabine, Hera, Huyang, Baylan or Thrawn, it is almost always about Anakin, which severely undermined her status as her own person.

Therefore, Sabine's parallel to Anakin further ties Ahsoka to him, and does not compliment her character in a meaningful way. And her biggest moment in the show where she seemingly grows past all of it (that 'live or die' moment that I find equally vague and frustrating) was something that's also given to her by Anakin. Combined with accepting Sabine's decision as 'the only choice', we are then meant to make the connection that Anakin also had no choice, and that he was predestined to fall, which in the end, this story decision only ended up benefiting Anakin's portrayal rather than Sabine or Ahsoka.

[the-berries-and-the-plums]

my amazing partner @i-aintlonely convinced me to make a tumblr specifically to make this post so here we go:

my Three Houses name theory

TL;DR: i think the three pigs in Dave Malloy’s Three Houses—Susan, Sadie, and Beckett—are named after real-life writers whose work aligns with their arcs. Susan = Susan Stewart (nostalgia, collections, self-mythologizing), Sadie = Sadie Plant (digital spaces, gamification, technology & compulsion), Beckett = Samuel Beckett (isolation, fatalism, existential despair). full analysis under da cut

okay. so. i was thinking about beckett and wondering about the connection to Samuel Beckett. i’ve never read (writer) Beckett, but even a cursory glance at his work and quotes reveals more than just an Ireland-based connection to Pig Beckett’s house.

i’ll just leave this quote from him on love and relationships here:

“Until the day when, your endurance gone, in this world for you without arms, you catch up in yours the first mangy cur you meet, carry it for the time needed for it to love it and you it, then throw it away.”

this almost feels like another version of “if i can shut the door, i won’t feel like this anymore, love always leaves you in the end”. glorifying isolation and withdrawal as a show of strength

Beckett wrote extensively on isolation, the meaningless of time, and decay. he was known for an often bleak and absurdist minimalist existentialism which closely mirrors (pig) Beckett’s. Beckettian protagonists are frequently broken, passive, and resigned, unable to affect change on their environments, much like Pig Beckett wasting away in his basement.

if Pig Beckett is in fact named after the writer, it works out to complete a nice symmetry: Susan/Sadie/(Samuel) Beckett — Julian/Jasmine/Jacqueline. SSS —JJJ. this is at least a satisfying pattern, if not definitive proof.

in my eyes, Beckett is almost certainly named after Samuel Beckett. this got me thinking about another writer whose work really reminds me a lot of Three Houses, one whose name i initially dismissed as a coincidence when the connections jumped out to me on my first or second listen. but knowing dave malloy, and after making the Beckett connection, i realized i shouldn’t be so sure there wasn’t a larger pattern to uncover…

that writer is cultural critic Susan Stewart, author of a favorite book of mine, On Longing: Narratives of the Miniature, the Gigantic, the Souvenir, the Collection. this book explores how collections and souvenirs function as “containers” for nostalgia. Stewart argues that nostalgia is a narrative we project onto the past—a narrative that serves an ideological purpose and against which we construct our identities. and, Stewart argues, the act of collecting, categorizing, and displaying objects is one of the main ways we construct and maintain that narrative.

the way Susan obsessively curates and “excavates” her Grandmama’s possessions encapsulates this impulse. she turns every book, every knick-knack, every piece of furniture, into a souvenir of a romanticized past, of her family history and her grandmama’s life as she imagines it.

Stewart explains this desire: ���The souvenir distinguishes experiences. We do not need or desire souvenirs of events that are repeatable. Rather we need and desire souvenirs of events that are reportable, events whose materiality has escaped us, events that thereby exist only through the invention of narrative.”

susan’s souvenirs aren’t reminders of things she remembers; they’re placeholders for things she never lived, events that “exist only through the invention of narrative.” her entire sense of self is built around this invention, her obsession with turning a ghostly, incomplete history into something tangible and legible—something she can cleanly define herself within or against.

Stewart discusses souvenirs and collections (and books!) as “miniatures”, which she uses to mean anything which creates for its user/reader a “self-contained world”, a kind of immersive, all-encompassing narrative. crucially, these miniature worlds are inherently fictive—idealized reconstructions, just as a physical miniature (or a digital miniature *cough cough* Sadie) is a reconstruction of a real object, but is not that object itself, no matter how high-fidelity it is. nostalgia works the same way: its narrative acts as an idealized “miniature” of the past, even a past never actually lived.

Stewart also paints the countryside as the landscape of nostalgia, and of retrospect. the rural landscape is thought of as static, unchanging, a witness to the past (“the birch trees stand like ghosts”). on a more metaphorical level, just as the past is infinitely knowable (through research, excavation, and myth-making), the countryside is infinitely visible, stretching out before us, “maplike” in contrast to the shifting, unpredictable vantage points of a pedestrian in a city (making the city the uncertain landscape of the future, according to Stewart)

susan’s mythologizing of her family history—her obsessive engagement with grandmama’s objects as souvenirs of a grand, moralistic narrative—is a near-perfect depiction of what susan stewart describes in On Longing. and the eventual collapse of the secure identity that narrative provided her is precisely what Stewart warns can happen when nostalgia becomes more real to us than reality—when it moves beyond its utility as a tool for connection and understanding and transforms into a deep, intrinsically insatiable pit of longing.

so finally, of course I’m thinking: “for this theory to hold weight, there has to be a writer that matches Sadie”

and i’m pretty sure there is!

Sadie Plant is a philosopher and theorist associated with the cyberfeminism movement. One of Plant’s key focuses is the ways in which virtual spaces empower users—particularly women—to exert control they lack or are barred from IRL. this aligns directly with sadie’s desire to control her digital village as her real-life routine spirals into disarray.

in Zeroes + Ones: Digital Women and the New Technoculture (1997), she analyzes the deeply immersive and compulsive relationship between humans and technology, exploring how digital information systems become entangled with and reshape human behavior.

Plant describes this digital rewiring in a 1999 interview with San Jose State’s research journal Switch: “There are many historical and functional parallels between drugs and software - both are difficult to detect and, just as data is moved around the Net, these communicating chemicals shuffle information through the neural system. And they can also ‘change the operating system’”

I think the parallels to Sadie’s compulsive engagement with her game world are clear: the way her way of thinking and existing (her ‘operating system’) becomes compulsively enmeshed with the game’s logic, her cognition and neurological reward systems subsumed by the comforting simplicity of a cleanly-ordered system (“sometimes it feels like half of me is missing”). it feels in line with (or perhaps like a darker extension of) Plant’s ideas.

So to sum up the theory:

Beckett is named after Samuel Beckett

Susan is named after Susan Stewart

Sadie is named after Sadie Plant

This could very well just be the result of coincidence, wishful thinking, and overactive autistic pattern recognition, but I’m convinced I’m onto something…

it’s compelling just how closely each house seems to align with the central themes and messages in its corresponding author’s work — and possibly even the author themself. Susan’s romantic, ecstatic, cascading sensory descriptions, laden with metaphor and simile (“the air is latticed with birds”) remind me a lot of Susan Stewart’s famously dense, intellectual, and poetic prose. as a cultural critic, Susan Stewart, like Pig Susan, is an intent analyst, crafter of narrative, and maker of meaning. Pig Beckett’s entire pandemic worldview feels like a distillation of Samuel Beckett’s bleakly existential writings — but also of his life, which was marked by intense privacy, isolation, and mental health struggles including depression and possible alcoholism. and Pig Sadie’s initially unbridled sense of creativity and control within the game world mirrors Sadie Plant’s hyper-optimistic, 1990s utopian view of the transcendental and liberatory potential of computer technology, contrasted with “drifting through the haze” of meaningless, dopamine-maxxing, engagement-baiting content that now makes up so much of our digital spaces.

so I think each author abstractly serves as the backbone of Three Houses’ intellectual understanding of each pig’s flawed approach to healing, but also simultaneously represents the crux of their respective pig’s behavioral patterns, limitations, and cognitive biases. it makes sense that this would be the case when you consider the grandparents’ message; the biases and idiosyncratic cognition of each character both limit them and hold the key to their healing and growth — through “dancing with the wolf” and accepting their own idiosyncrasies the pigs can attain new insight and understanding.

I want to reiterate/disclaim that Susan Stewart is the only one of these writers whose work I’ve actually read outside of research for this post, so if anyone more familiar with any of them wants to jump in with something I missed, i’d love to hear it!

all told, this is just a speculative fan theory which could very well be coincidence. but personally i’m choosing to believe it until proven wrong (which hopefully won’t be in the next few days as dave malloy gradually adds genius annotations lol)

[doormatty3]

Ocean Eyes: Chapter 4 (Orm Marius x Reader)

Masterlist Ao3

Ocean Eyes Masterlink

Summary:

[Orm Marius x Female Reader] [Orm Marius x You]

The ocean has always fascinated you - the ebb and flow of its water, the marine life in the sea and the wild and untamed beauty it exudes. Your attempts to explain this fascination have always fallen short. But when you meet Orm at the seaside one rainy day you find, that he just understands.  You offer to show him around since he is not from the city. And you are intrigued by his rather strange quirks and his regal demeanour.  After all, how could you not? When his eyes mirror the ocean itself, deep and incredibly blue. OR: You impress Orm with the surface world and he impresses you with his Atlantean cock

Wordcount: 4721

A/N: If there some mistakes, I had a major surgery and am currently high on Oxycodon...

As the day unfolds in a gentle rhythm, you and Orm find solace in the simplicity of lazy kisses and unhurried walks along the shoreline. The connection between you two is palpable, a subtle energy that defies explanation. 

It‘s akin to the unspoken bond you have with the sea – a presence that exists without the need for words or rationale. It just is.

The lazy kisses are a sweet punctuation to moments of shared silence. Each touch, each caress, carries with it absolute bliss. 

The slow walks along the beach with the sand beneath your feet, warmed by the sun, create a soft pathway for the two of you. The play of light on the water, the shifting hues of the sea mirroring the ebb and flow of emotions between you and Orm. The horizon stretches endlessly, a metaphor for the boundless potential of the connection you share. 

The day progresses at its own unhurried pace, mirroring the unhurried nature of your connection. It‘s as if time itself has slowed down, allowing you to savour the simplicity of being in each other‘s company.

As you spend more time with Orm, you find yourself wanting to get to know him better - to unravel the layers of the person beneath the surface. However, you sense that it doesn‘t make sense to push him - he has to approach you,

Sometimes, his eyes betray the storm within him. There‘s a depth to Orm that intrigues you, a narrative etched in the lines of his expressions. 

And so, you tread gently through the storm in his eyes, offering a steady presence without demanding entry into the tempest.

In the ebb and flow of days, you find a quiet rhythm with Orm. 

The days are punctuated with laughter, conversations, and shared silences that speak volumes. You explore the nuances of his likes and dislikes, weaving the tapestry of your understanding of each other. In the simple joys of companionship, you find a happiness that surpasses even your most cherished expectations.

Waking up next to Orm becomes a source of comfort, a tangible warmth that permeates your mornings. His presence beside you is a reassurance, and falling asleep in his arms at night feels like being cradled by a serenade of tranquillity. 

As you navigate the passage of time together, the bond between you and Orm deepens with shared experiences, mutual understanding, and unspoken affections. 

_____

In the gentle embrace of morning, you awaken to the warmth of Orm‘s body pressed against yours. The soft light filtering through the curtains paints a tranquil scene, and as you open your eyes, the first thing you feel is the steady rhythm of his breath, a comforting lullaby in the quietude of the dawn.

Orm‘s arms are securely wrapped around you, creating a sense of safety and intimacy. The rise and fall of his chest against your back form a soothing cadence, a heartbeat that resonates with the peaceful stillness of the early morning. 

With eyes half-open, you take in the contours of the room, the subdued light of dawn casting a gentle glow. Cradled in Orm‘s embrace, you savour the quiet beauty of these morning moments, where time seems to stand still, and the world outside is yet to fully awaken.

But it‘s late enough to get up you think, so you slip out of Orm‘s embrace, careful not to disturb his peaceful slumber. With a gentle touch, you rise from the bed, leaving behind the warmth of the covers.

You steal a final glance at him, a quiet affection swelling within you for his peaceful, sleeping form.

You make your way to the kitchen to brew coffee for yourself and prepare tea for Orm. While he really doesn‘t like coffee, you found out that he has a rather sweet tooth and likes fruity teas. 

As you walk through your living room, your gaze shifts towards the window overlooking the terrace. 

To your surprise, a tall, bulky figure captures your attention - A huge man stands on your lawn.

His long brown hair and beard contribute to a rugged appearance. As he stands there, the rays of the morning sun dance upon intricate tribal tattoos that tell a silent tale on his well-defined arms.

Instead of looking lost, he seems like he belongs - like he is waiting.  

Reacting instinctively, you grab a fire poker, your heart pounding with a mix of caution and adrenaline. The sturdy handle feels reassuring in your grip as you cautiously open the door, the brisk morning air brushing against your skin.

The stranger meets your gaze as the door swings ajar, and you waste no time asking, “What do you want? And who are you?”

“I‘m Arthur,” the towering man responds, his eyes locked onto yours. 

His sheer size renders him an imposing figure, dwarfing even Orm in comparison. In hindsight, you realise you should have called for Orm instead of venturing out on your own.

Thinking logically, you surmise that if he intended to harm you, he would have struck by now, so you inquire, “And what do you want, Arthur?”

“I‘m Orm‘s brother. I need to talk to him, please,” he explains, hands raised in a gesture of non-aggression.

Your scepticism persists as you lower the fire poker and remark, “What? I‘m sorry, but you two don‘t exactly look alike.”

Amused, Arthur lets out a hearty laugh, “I know. He‘s my half-brother.”

“How do you know he‘s here?” you inquire, unable to shake off the scepticism. Orm‘s family is uncharted territory, and Arthur‘s sudden arrival stirs a mix of curiosity and caution.

“Oh, he told me,” Arthur replies with a nonchalant smile. 

The revelation that Orm talks about you to his family brings a pleasant warmth to your cheeks. It‘s a subtle affirmation of the connection you‘ve been building with him. It‘s a vulnerable yet comforting feeling, knowing that you hold a place in his thoughts outside the moments you spend together.

However, Arthur‘s unexpected appearance and claim of urgency cast a shadow of doubt and wariness.

“But if you talk to him regularly, why not just ask him directly?” you press, your tone carrying a note of suspicion.

“It‘s urgent – please,” Arthur implores, his gaze holding a sense of sincerity. The urgency in his voice hints at something pressing, and you furrow your brow - you‘d really like to know what‘s going on.

“Arthur, he never mentioned you – he never said anything about his family,” you assert, your words carrying a mix of confusion and caution. The unexpected nature of the encounter prompts a wave of doubt about Arthur‘s intentions. “For all I know, you‘re gonna murder me because you don‘t know him and just pretend.”

Arthur lets out a hearty laugh, a sound that echoes across the terrace. “If I wanted to hurt you, don‘t you think I‘d already have done that?” he retorts, the humour in his tone attempting to diffuse the tension.

The acknowledgement of your shared perspective brings a momentary alignment of understanding. “But you get why I‘m sceptical, right?” you press, seeking reassurance in the face of the unknown.

Arthur‘s laughter rumbles through the air again, seems inconsistent with the seriousness of the situation. “Sure, alright, listen. I can just prove to you that I know my little brother, alright.”

“Okay, go ahead,” you say, a glimmer of curiosity mingling with your scepticism.

“When he drank coffee at your place, he almost spat it out – he told me it was one of the most vile things he‘s ever drunk, and he really doesn‘t understand how we can drink it - and how you can call your coffee a good roast ,” Arthur reveals, a grin playing on his face.

A surprised chuckle escapes you, realising that Arthur‘s story is an accurate retelling of your and Orm‘s first breakfast together. “I didn‘t know he thought it was that bad,” you admit, laughter bubbling up at the unexpected revelation.

“Oh, he hates it,” Arthur laughs, his deep voice resonating with amusement. “But he really likes that fruit tea you have,” he adds, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. He finds it funny that you and his brother are so smitten with each other.

You smile, feeling a warmth spreading through you. Clearing your throat, you say, “Well, Arthur, you just earned yourself a cup of coffee in my humble home. Come in.”

You head inside, leaving the door ajar for Arthur to accompany you.

He follows you into the house, his gaze wandering around the living room and open kitchen. As you prepare coffee for both of you and a cup of tea for Orm, Arthur‘s attention is drawn to the aquarium. Colourful fish gracefully move through the water, creating a captivating display. 

Setting the mugs on the table, you join him by the aquarium. “It‘s a passion of mine,” you say, gesturing toward the fish gliding through the water. “Helps bring some life into the place.”

Arthur nods, his eyes still fixed on the mesmerising dance of the aquatic life. “I can see the appeal. Orm never mentioned you had such a lively home.”

You chuckle, “Well, surprises are always good, right?”

Arthur smirks, “Indeed. So, where‘s Orm? Still asleep?”

“He is,” you reply, “I didn‘t want to disturb him. Plus, I wasn‘t sure if waking him abruptly for a family reunion was the best idea.”

Arthur chuckles, “Fair point. I appreciate you being understanding about this.”

As you lead Arthur to the table, both of you take a seat, the morning light streaming through the windows casting a warm glow on the room. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingles with the comforting scent of tea, creating an inviting atmosphere.

The conversation flows smoothly, and you start to feel more at ease with Arthur‘s presence. He talks about his life, sharing snippets of his experiences - you find out that he‘s married with a kid. 

It becomes evident that despite the differences, there‘s a shared thread of love for the sea that ties the siblings together.

After a while, Arthur‘s eyes wander to the sea glass on the table. “Interesting choice of décor,” he remarks, picking it up and examining it.

You smile, recalling the moment when you found it on the beach. “It‘s a little souvenir. Reminded me of Orm.”

Arthur nods, his gaze thoughtful. “You know, he‘s not one to easily let people in. Must‘ve seen something special in you.”

You blush at the compliment, feeling a mix of warmth and appreciation.

As the conversation progresses, you discover more about Arthur, finding him to be not only funny but also kind. He delves into anecdotes about his child‘s antics and shares tales of odd jobs he‘s worked. 

The warm atmosphere changes when Orm enters the kitchen. You eagerly go to greet him, excited to see him, but his expression stops you in your tracks. 

Instead of the usual calm demeanour, Orm is seething with anger. 

His brows are furrowed, and his normally serene eyes now burn with an intense fury akin to a storm raging beneath the surface.

The soft blue eyes that you love looking into have turned into a cold and cloudy hue. It feels as though you are looking into the heart of the storm, waves of fury rising and falling with a savage rhythm, crashing against each other like warring titans engaged in an eternal struggle.

The lines on his forehead deepen as he directs a stern gaze towards Arthur, whose presence has triggered this unexpected reaction.

You have never seen him like that.

Orm‘s anger is palpable, radiating off him like waves of heat. His clenched fists and completely tense posture speak volumes, signalling a storm about to unleash its wrath. His broad shoulders are rigid, every muscle coiled with tension.

You feel your heart beating in your chest, a mix of concern and confusion enveloping you. You‘re not sure how to react.

But before you can even utter a word, Orm curtly nods towards Arthur, his jaw clenched. The silent message is crystal clear – this is not the time for pleasantries. Without further ado, Orm guides him outside, the door closing behind them.

As you stand in the kitchen, you can‘t help but notice the drastic shift in the atmosphere. The air feels tense, and you can‘t help but wonder what transpired to provoke such a reaction from Orm.

You observe them through the glass door, the transparency offering a distorted lens into the unfolding scene.

Orm‘s expression has contorted into a visage of frustration. His brows are furrowed, and the anger etched on his face transforms him, turning him into someone feral. 

On the other side, Arthur appears to be caught off guard by Orm‘s reaction. He stands with a mix of surprise and contrition, facing the verbal onslaught from his brother. 

Through the closed door, you catch fragments of Orm‘s voice. The tone is heated, and you can sense the palpable tension in the air. 

You hear his voice, sharp and reproachful, berating Arthur for showing up unannounced. The words come in bits and pieces, like the distant echoes of a conversation carried by the wind. The door muffles the sound, leaving you with only intermittent snippets of the exchange.

“Arthur, you can‘t just...” Orm‘s voice pierces through the door, each word laden with reproach.

You see Arthur talking back but can‘t understand what he‘s saying.

“...eat a cockroach, Arthur!” Orm‘s voice surges, and you can almost feel the exasperation in his shove when his hands press against Arthur‘s chest, pushing him back a step.

Arthur‘s reaction is a mix of shock and indignation. His eyes widen, and he instinctively recoils from the force of the shove, a flicker of surprise crossing his features before finding his footing again.

Orm‘s voice escalates, slicing through the air with a sharp sense of accusation, punctuating his words with another forceful shove.

“...took my throne, my betrothed, and now my peace of mind!”  Orm‘s voice carries a weight of bitterness and resentment, the gravity of his words hitting you like a sudden tempest. 

Wait what?

The unexpected revelation leaves you stunned, grappling with the realisation that there are layers to Orm‘s turmoil that extend beyond the immediate situation.

As the tension between Orm and Arthur reaches a boiling point, Arthur‘s composure begins to crack. His anger builds, evident in the tightening of his jaw and the fire that sparks in his eyes.

Arthur‘s accusatory words, dripping with frustration, reverberate through the room like an unspoken challenge, “What‘s your problem, Orm?”

He not only responds with words but also looks like he‘s ready to hit back, his fists clenched and posture shifting into a defensive stance when a flicker of realisation seems to cross his face. 

“You never told her, did you?” he accuses Orm, his words laden with disbelief. His tone takes a sharper edge, and the words pierce the air like a dagger.

Your heart beats rapidly in your chest, caught in the whirlwind of emotions and uncertainty. He spoke about a fiance, and now there‘s something he never told you?

The bits and pieces of the argument you manage to overhear only serve to deepen your confusion. Determined to seek clarity, you take a deep breath, summoning courage, and make the decision to step outside. 

The chilly air nips at your skin, and you‘re met with the intense atmosphere that hangs between Orm and Arthur. 

Determined to understand the roots of this conflict, you inquire, “What‘s going on?”

Orm remains silent, his features etched with reluctance and a hint of frustration. It‘s clear he‘s not eager to divulge the details.

Arthur, seemingly less concerned about the secrecy, interjects with a tone that swings between nonchalance and urgency, “We‘re from Atlantis. He was the Ocean Master, the king of Atlantis. But he lost it all. Too hungry for power, and I had to step in to fix the mess. And now I have to deal with the Council of Houses that want my ass.”

“Sure. And I‘m the Chinese emperor.,” you say in disbelief,  the sarcasm dripping from your words. Your gaze shifts to Orm, who avoids your eyes and still appears visibly angered, with frustration and regret emanating from him.

The growing anger inside you prompts you to confront Orm directly, “You won‘t tell me what‘s really going on, Orm?” You don‘t know what‘s worse: Orm just being silent or Arthur lying to you.

“Shit, I am not lying,” Arthur exclaims, his frustration matching yours. “Orm, this is your woman, fucking tell her the truth.”

Orm finally meets your eyes, and you swallow nervously. His expression shifts to remorseful; the once-angry blue eyes now reflect sadness and uncertainty.

“Orm?” you say quietly, a plea for honesty and transparency.

“I‘m Atlantean - so is he. He didn‘t lie,” he begins, running his hand through his hair. “I have never been to the surface before...and -”

Arthur interjects with a hint of playfulness, “Look, we can breathe underwater, and I can talk to fish. The ones in your living room told me some interesting things about you two a few days ago.”

“Arthur, please,” Orm says, a mix of exasperation and concern in his tone.

At this point, you‘re just confused. You don‘t know what to believe. Surely, they must be lying. There is no way in hell Atlantis is real - it seems preposterous, Yet the sincerity in Orm‘s eyes challenges your scepticism.

Arthur somehow senses that you need some proof, and realising Orm is not in a state to do something, he strides back into the house. The urgency in his movements compels you and Orm to follow, caught in a whirlwind of confusion and disbelief.

Once inside, Arthur doesn‘t waste a moment. His eyes, now with a peculiar yellow gleam, fixate on the aquarium as he approaches.

You watch in amazement as the aquatic inhabitants respond to him. They swim in intricate patterns, almost as if following a choreographed dance. Some even seem to perform playful flips in the water, creating a surreal spectacle. 

Arthur, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, turns to you and grins. “Impressive, huh?”

You find it hard to fathom the reality unfolding before you.

“Atlantis is a fun place,” Arthur continues, undeterred by the incredulous atmosphere. “Full of politics, underwater cities, and, well, talking fish.”

The surreal scene in your living room challenges the very fabric of your understanding, leaving you grappling with the notion that Atlantis, a mythical realm, might be more than just a legend.

As Arthur‘s words linger in the air, you‘re faced with the undeniable truth that the world you thought you knew is just the surface of a much deeper and more complex reality. 

Your attention shifts to Orm standing beside you. As he reaches out to put a hand on your shoulder, you turn around, your voice a mix of hurt and confusion. “Were you ever going to tell me?”

Your heart thumps loudly in your chest - this is not how you envisioned the morning unfolding. Hell, you had placed trust in Orm, and you genuinely like him. However, you‘re uncertain about what this revelation means for you.

The room seems to tighten with tension, and Orm‘s response is palpably strained. “I was going to, in due time.” 

The weight of his words lingers in the air, leaving you standing on shaky ground. Uncertainty creeps in, and you‘re left to grapple with the implications of this newfound knowledge. The man you thought you knew harbours a secret world beneath the surface, a world you were blissfully unaware of until now.

Feeling the need to collect your thoughts, you excuse yourself, stammering out something about needing a moment. Hastily making your way to the bedroom, you close the door behind you, the muffled sounds of conversation still audible from the other room. 

As the weight of the revelation bears down on you, you find yourself overwhelmed by a rising tide of emotions. 

Panic tightens its grip around your chest, and you can feel the telltale signs of an impending attack. Placing your head in your hands, you try to steady your breathing, attempting to navigate the storm of conflicting thoughts and emotions swirling within you as the room feels suffocating.

As the door creaks open, Orm enters the room, his footsteps measured and purposeful, his demeanour carrying a palpable sense of remorse. The soft click of the closing door resonates in the air as he crosses the threshold, his gaze meeting yours with a mix of regret and genuine concern. 

His movements are deliberate, each step echoing the weight of emotions he carries. Without hesitation, he gracefully kneels down, his hand extending to rest on your back, a comforting touch that conveys both warmth and strength.

“Hey, it‘s going to be okay. Just take a breath, honey,” his voice is a soothing cadence, every word chosen with care. 

You observe the furrow in his brow and the slight slump of his shoulders, evidence of the burden he shares with you in this moment. His presence feels like a reassuring anchor amidst the tumult of emotions.

Attempting to steady your breath, panic tightens its grip on you, “I can‘t, I can‘t-” Your words falter, caught in the throes of distress.

His voice assumes a rhythmic flow, guiding you through the storm of emotions. The deliberate pace of his words creates a sense of order within the chaos, each syllable serving as a lifeline. With each uttered phrase, you sense a gradual easing of panic, his words acting as a balm for your distressed mind.

His large hands gently brush over your cheeks and hair, reaching wherever they can. The warmth of his touch is palpable. You find solace in the softness of his fingertips and the sincerity etched in his gaze.

“You‘re doing so well, honey. Just keep breathing. I‘m here with you. You‘re safe. Inhale slowly... and exhale,” Orm‘s voice continues its calming effect, a steady stream of reassurance that envelops you like a protective cocoon. 

He talks you through the panic attack, guiding you with words that carry the warmth of understanding and reassurance.

With each carefully chosen phrase, Orm helps you navigate the tempest within. The room, once suffocating, begins to loosen its grip as Orm‘s presence becomes a source of comfort and support, helping you weather the emotional storm.

You manage a shaky breath and look at Orm, gratitude in your eyes.

“Thank you, Orm. I... I didn‘t expect all of this,” you admit, your voice carrying a mix of vulnerability and appreciation.

“I know, and I‘m sorry,” he reassures, cradling your face in his hand. His blue eyes shine with worry and tenderness, a testament to his commitment to being there for you.

You observe him close his eyes, taking in a shaky breath before reopening them. He appears on the verge of tears as he apologises once again.

Instinctively, you wrap your arms around Orm. Tears held back for too long stream down your face, a release of the pent-up emotions that have been coursing through you.

Orm responds with a gentle understanding, reciprocating by wrapping one arm around you in a protective hold. With his other hand, he tenderly wipes away the tears that cascade down your cheeks, and you feel the comforting touch of his fingers on your face.

As you remain wrapped in Orm‘s embrace, you become keenly aware of the rhythmic thudding of his heart against your chest. His shaky breaths resonate in the quiet space, a testament to the emotional intensity of the moment.

In response to the palpable tremor in his breath, you softly whisper, your words a gentle reassurance, “Everything will be alright, Orm. We‘ll get through this together.” The words uttered in a hushed tone carry the weight of sincerity, weaving a sense of comfort into the shared space.

Feeling Orm‘s tightening embrace, as if he fears you might slip away, you reciprocate the gesture, bringing your arms to cup his face gently. 

As you lift his gaze to meet yours, you see the aftermath of the emotional storm in his eyes. They swim with unshed tears, and the intensity of the blue is almost overwhelming. His bottom lip trembles with the weight of the shared emotions, and you can sense the vulnerability etched across his features.

Your touch on his face is both a grounding presence and an assurance that you‘re here, steadfast and unwavering. 

It is at that moment that you realise that you‘re falling in love with him. 

Despite lingering anger about the concealment of his Atlantean identity and Atlantis itself,  you know that he didn‘t do it out of bad intentions. He did it because he was afraid, and you know that feeling all too well.

With a gentle yet firm touch, your hand buries itself in Orm‘s blonde hair, fingers tangling in the soft strands. The kiss that follows is soft, tender, and brimming with a vulnerability that binds you both.

Orm responds to the kiss, and his vulnerability meets with your own as the unsheared tears in his eyes glisten. 

Breaking the kiss, he tenderly smooths your hair away from your face, apologising, “I‘m so sorry. I didn‘t mean to tell you like that.”

“I know,” you assure him, your voice carrying a soothing tone as you lean in to place a gentle kiss on his forehead. “I know.”

“I‘m glad you know now, for all that‘s worth,” a small smile graces his lips.

“I‘m glad too. It does explain a few things,” you chuckle. “I‘m looking forward to showing you more surface things  -  now you can actually tell me what you haven‘t seen before.”

He laughs at that, a full-blown grin spreading across his face, reaching his eyes.

“I‘m genuinely excited to see more with you,” Orm admits, his eyes reflecting a genuine curiosity and eagerness. “And I promise not to keep any Atlantean secrets this time.”

“I‘ll hold you to that, King Orm,” you share a playful smirk, “Or do you want me to call you Ocean Master?”

His head snaps up at that, and his eyes darken with a feral intensity that makes you swallow dryly. He holds your gaze for a few seconds before surging up, capturing your lips in a searing kiss. 

That was not the reaction you wanted, but you‘re not complaining, you think.

You whine into the kiss as Orm‘s hands cradle your face, his touch both gentle and possessive. It‘s as if he‘s imprinting the kiss with a promise, and the raw passion sends a surge of electricity through your veins.

The kiss deepens, the feral intensity transforming into a potent blend of desire and longing. Orm‘s lips move with a rhythmic urgency, leaving little room for doubt or hesitation. 

His fingers thread through your hair, a tactile exploration that sends shivers down your spine. Each touch, each caress, is a language of its own, conveying unspoken promises and a shared hunger for connection.

Breaking away, Orm rests his forehead against yours, his breath mingling with yours in the shared space.

Orm‘s eyes, still darkened with desire, lock onto yours with an intensity that leaves you breathless. His thumb traces your lower lip, a lingering touch that ignites a spark of anticipation.

“I didn‘t expect you to call me Ocean Master,” he remarks, a hint of amusement in his voice.

You laugh softly, still a bit breathless, “Well, you do seem to enjoy it.”

“Perhaps I do,” a wicked gleam enters Orm‘s eyes, and he bites down on your bottom lip before leaving a warm trail along your jawline.

Orm‘s movements are both tender and possessive, making you gasp beneath him. His touch leaves a trail of heat, a tantalising promise of more to come.

As he continues his journey, his hands find their way to the small of your back, pulling you closer. The room seems to shrink around you as Orm‘s body presses against yours, the closeness igniting a delicious ache of desire.

Orm‘s breath, warm and steady, fans over your skin, sending shivers down your spine. The scent of him, a mix of sea and musk, envelops you, adding to the intoxicating atmosphere.

You feel arousal pumping through your veins and driven by pure instinct, you lean up and whisper in his ear, “Or do you prefer to be called my king.”

[knaveumineko]

Umineko Episode 2 Blog: Fool's Gold

Despite its similar setup, Episode 2 diverges wildly from Episode 1 in how frequently and explicitly it depicts the use of magic to the point where its existence seems almost undeniable. Of course, the story is only able to do this because it spent so long teaching us to question all that we see.

The biggest curveball the story is throwing at us is the appearance of Beatrice in the flesh. After spending a whole episode hiding, she's now showing up on screen every 5 minutes in her sick new outfit just to mock me for doubting her.

Since the first Tea Party, it's been interesting to observe how Umineko blurs the line between the main murder mystery subplot and its meta B-plot where Beatrice and Battler flirt at each other in-between arguments about keys. Episode 2 Battler and Meta-Battler are sort of the same person but also sort of not: it's not like Battler is discovering his parents' bodies and thinking "oh my god, Beatrice is going to be so smug about this" but at the same time his emotional breakdown at having to accuse his own family is framed as equivalent to Meta-Battler resigning the game, and after becoming furniture he bursts back in to demand a rematch as if he's been Meta-Battler the whole time. He also has that whole "it's not my turn" thing while napping. I don't think of this as a puzzle, really: the two narratives are seperate but related, each commenting on the other, and the boundaries between them blur at times so that we can have a satisfying emotional payoff to both parts of the story.

As a consequence, we do not have to accept Beatrice as "real" simply because she appears in the meta plot. Taking this perspective also lets us explain the banquet at the end of the episode without having to doubt Battler's narration in general. Of course, he was also drunk when all the magic stuff was happening, but I think it's a bit too convenient to say that he somehow had a one in a million reaction to the alcohol and hallucinated these scenes in particular, although if he did do all that stuff while drunk out of his mind then I can see why Rosa was in such a hurry to flee the island.

Beatrice's early appearances are as a character in Shannon and Kanon's (and Sayo's) psychodrama. She appears out of nowhere only to them. She's the serpent offering the fruit of knowledge and granting them the opportunity to escape their roles as furniture at some vague cost. She later says that she's just doing this because it will be funny to watch them fail, but I think this reflects Sayo's complicated feelings about whatever decision she's made. Framing it as a malicious plan by Beatrice is just drama for the sake of the witch story.

After the fact, Shannon clearly sees herself as responsible for the killings, and I'm guessing there's more to it than the mirror thing. I was very suspicious of Kanon and Shannon going into chapter 2, and dedicating so much time to their characters only reinforces that. Throughout the story so far, the biggest problem has been motivation. Even if I manage to guess who's a culprit or accomplice, it's hard to untangle why they're doing any of it. Somebody solving the epitaph and figuring out where the gold is, then telling everyone else to try and find it too, but also slowly killing them to stop them from actually doing it?

I wonder if Shannon meeting Beatrice for the first time while standing at her portrait is meant to tell us that she solved the epitaph. It would seem she's in a fine position to do so, visiting every day and being familiar with the person who wrote it. We have that little exchange where Beatrice says that furniture is resistant to her because they lack desire, and Shannon's character in episode 2 revolves around a contradiction between her identities: she's caught between joy at her miracle and horror at what she had to do to achieve it, and she accepts the proposal even though doing so will get her killed. Is there something about understanding the epitaph that forces the killings to occur? Solving it is an expression of desire, contradicting her role as furniture, and it also brings with it immense power and wealth, allowing her to escape her situation in life, but it also brings ruin in the form of the sacrifices? I don't know precisely how that could be the case (some dark family secret?) but it fits the story being told on an emotional level, and we know that the epitaph was indeed solved. It also provides some coherent motivation for why someone would try to get others to solve it after already working it out themselves.

Something that really stuck out to me while reading was Beatrice's dialogue in Shannon's death scene.

In general, I'm not a fan of how Umineko likes to throw grammar and punctuation out of the window in emotionally intense scenes. I understand it's supposed to feel raw and unfiltered, but it unfortunately just strikes me as amateurish and undercuts the seriousness of the scene. Still, this is extreme even by Umineko standards. Her dialogue is almost incoherent as her screed continues, to the point where I, continuing in my denial of the Witch's existence, wondered if what I was really reading here was Sayo having a breakdown as she realises that her wish has gotten her and George killed.

Beatrice is not just confined to Sayo's mind, however. She appears in the flesh, albeit only once, or maybe twice depending on how literally you want to take Kinzo's study. While some of these witnesses aren't reliable (Kanon and Shannon's conversations are easy to write off as allegory, and Genji would 100% lie about the meeting) we still can't deny Kyrie, Rosa and Maria seeing her, although it's interesting that Kyrie has her doubts, even in the chapel scene where she accepts the existence of the witch.

I think here we see the payoff to the alter ego theme: there are still 18 people on Rokkenjima, and Beatrice's one and only appearance before vanishing is because she's being impersonated. After all, in chess, even if you vary which opening you play, the pieces on the board when the game begins are always the same ones. If I want to remain consistent with my other guesses, Shannon seems like the obvious candidate. It would explain why Genji gives her the duty of bringing Beatrice food: if anyone else went then they would question why the room is empty. It also lines up with this Beatrice knowing everything that happened in the conversations that didn't really happen (I'm not really suggesting that Shannon is hallucinating or anything - I just think the conversations Sayo describes are metaphors for an internal struggle). Could the scene of all the parents in the chapel have been Sayo luring everyone there with the reveal of her solution to the epitaph, which she proved by showing them the gold bars? It would explain everyone accepting her as a witch. If she was less forthcoming, she also could have remained in-character as Beatrice that night and used the gold to verify her alchemy.

The biggest flaw here is everyone recognising her from the portrait. If I had to throw out an excuse here, I'd question who exactly modelled for that portrait. Surely, it would be a young woman who was already on-hand at the mansion? I suppose we'll see if they dive into the origins of that painting.

Kanon is also a pretty good candidate for the witch: he was already "Beatrice" in Episode 1, so it would make sense for him to be her in Episode 2 as well. His doppelganger also starts cackling like the witch, and while he is initially critical of Beatrice, he also clearly has some of the same repressed desires that Shannon does. His voice is high enough that him impersonating a woman isn't totally out of the question. Kanon being the witch mostly fits for the same reasons Shannon does, and it also gets around Shannon's pretty convincing corpse. I really doubt that one could be fake.

Beyond this, I think most of the locked room mysteries in Episode 2 aren't all that interesting. The main roadblock to solving them is really that Battler doesn't want to think about who the culprit is, so he doesn't bother with the easy out of the servants just lying.

I do have a pretty out-there theory about Kanon's doppelganger. I would compare Kanon's death in Episode 2 to the story I came up with in Episode 1 (my Fifth Twilight post): Kanon was originally in on the Demons' Roulette, but after a loved one of his gets killed he betrays his co-conspirators and attacks them. It is interesting that the bodies of Kumasawa and Nanjo are found in the courtyard, which is the same place that Kanon's killer fled to in Episode 1. I would suggest that a similar confrontation happened in this case, but the servants can't reveal how much they know, hence how vague they are on the details of murders that they personally witnessed.

Of course, this is complete nonsense, because Kanon is dead. There's no body, but it was stated in red. Even at the very end of the story, Kanon's body is nowhere to be found. I already brought up that I think Red Truths could be misleading, even if they're technically true. In Kanon's final moments, he dies trying to speak his real name. This theory offers another payoff to the alter ego theme: Kanon died in the sense that he rejected his identity as Kanon and reclaimed his identity as a human being. Therefore he can be "dead" while still appearing later to kill Nanjo and Kumasawa, and potentially to impersonate Beatrice again in Kinzo's study.

That's pretty much all I have to say on the major mysteries and the presence of magic in the story. I even managed to avoid mentioning the hilarious lightsaber thing! There'll probably be one more post to wrap up Episode 2, unless I decide to skip it and go on to 3 immediately. You'll find out pretty soon, either way.