#: it also goes along with my idea that their emotions are not actually lacking or gone completely even after death :

[weirdhat-here]

why was klance?

so i've been thinking about why it blew up the way it did and i wanted to outline of my thoughts on exactly what it was that made klance such a prolific ship

(two things first: i've never really been much of a klance shipper. i also wasn't online or in the fandom while the show was airing so this is all retroactive speculation)

so i believe that when an entire fandom goes crazy over a specific character or ship, there's a good chance that means that they've picked up on something within the show that's genuinely interesting. and i think voltron did this with klance specifically in their setup of the characters. what i mean is:

-individually, their characters each have what the other feels they lack.

to put it short, it's mostly:

lance -> keith's piloting skills

keith -> lance's interpersonal skills

but i'll go more in depth:

this one’s pretty obvious with lance. keith is the pilot prodigy and lance literally crashes the first flight we see him in. it’s the reason he starts the rivalry and does the whole “lance and keith, neck-and-neck” thing. it gets increasingly obvious throughout the show that lance has some serious insecurities about his skills. he starts to act like if he isn’t the best at something, that makes him replaceable on the team.

he wants to be the ninja sharpshooter, but no one calls him that. he wants to be the ace pilot, which is what he went to school for, but keith is better than him and he knows it. iverson even directly compares lance to keith in the first episode where he harshly asserts that keith is the better pilot:

so lance has his insecurities tied directly to keith, and his way of dealing with that causes them to get off on the wrong foot.

keith, on the other hand, is way more subtle. he bottles up his issues so it naturally takes longer to come out. unfortunately, the show’s writing quality dipped over time so i think this got majorly affected (cue the 2 year off-screen timeskip where they solve his mommy issues that have clearly been there and affecting him since the very beginning. this is fine).

but he clearly deals with abandoment issues and distances himself from others because of it. meanwhile lance is shown to be the more outgoing and emotionally receptive of all the paladins. keith's feelings about himself aren't really tied to lance the same way lance's feelings are to keith. but keith is shown to think little of himself when it comes to relationships with others and is also usually the recipient of lance's more emotionally mature side. (that's to say, keith's feelings abt himself weren't ever really tied to lance in an explicit way, but i think that would've been a good idea for the writers to do down the line if they had continuted developing these characters)

for example, many ppl talk abt this scene on the klance side of the fandom:

but there's also this scene:

and this:

that's to say, lance repeatedly comes thru for keith in things that keith presumably thought were his biggest weaknesses.

they each tie into some major emotional centers for each other and this was the perfect way to setup both of these characters as the show began because:

-a closer relationship between the two guaranteed character development for both

this one's the kicker i think.

because they would absolutely need to change internally before they could get along since it was their internal issues that got in the way in the first place (mostly lance’s tbh. but keith’s insecure way of dealing with closer relationships could’ve definitely caused trouble if they, yknow, actually got to be close).

and it was basically promised that this was going to happen in the narrative of the show bc of three pieces of info the audience got-

-the team needs to get closer in order to form voltron and save the universe. they had a whole episode focused on this in s1. this meant that keith and lance would have to learn how to get along

-the fact that they would need to change in order to get along like i said above

-and the idea that you'd generally expect a show with good writing to stick to the basic tenets of good writing like developing ur characters and deepening their relationships over time (right?? RIGHT????)

which leads to the conclusion: both lance and keith were bound to change individually and together in order to foster some sort of relaitonship between the two.

and combine this with the fact that lance was the fandom darling and so many ppl saw themselves in him, ppl were foaming at the mouth wanting to see him overcome his insecurities and start to like himself. plus the fact that it was set up so that keith would have a big part to play in both those insecurities and the growth from them, and boom--you've got some serious klance love. i mean, who doesn't love seeing relationships where both parties mutually make each other better because of it?

that then begged the question: what would their relationship be like if they acutally grew to like themselves?

-they are shown to get along really well when those insecurities aren't getting in the way

this was one of those points that i think could hold someone back from liking klance, maybe thinking it would be unhealthy with how much they argue. But there were multiple scenes that hinted at them being able to get along much better than how they started. and i’m not just talking the bonding moment. let me explain:

first i'll get the obvious over with,

this was the first time i had a moment of "oh, so this is what they could be". it literally took lance being blown up for him to put the facade down, but when he did it they had a moment that felt truly meaningful. i mean, it at least meant something to keith

i see you, emotionally reserved character coming out of his shell for just one moment. ur not slick. (side note: every time i see his face in the first picture i can't help but laugh. i feel bad, but i guess it at least means the animators did a fantastic job)

but the thing it there are many more moments than that one. like this one where keith says that lance came up with a good plan and goes along with it, which feels more significant bc lance so rarely gets acknowledgment for his contributions to the team (also with the fact that they're supposed to still hate each other at this point):

or this one

or this one

or this fucking one

^i still can't believe that scene felt more genuine that any of lance's date with allura. they really dropped the ball for all these characters

but all these scenes show that there may have been another way for their relationship to be if things had played out differently. in some ways, these two feel like they're on a similar wavelength compared to the other characters just because of the ways they interact, and yes, even argue. but the hints of what a possible way forward in their relationship without all the arguing would look like were there.

-in conclusion✨

the thing is they were interesting and people were absolutely interested to see what they could’ve become, both individually and to each other if they’d gotten to have a closer relationship :/

[quibbs126]

could you do a blackberry x adventurer fankid if you havent already pretty please :3

I can’t really say that I made this because of the aforementioned “I haven’t drawn anything in a while” post, it’s just because I was scrolling through my requests and remembered that I was in the middle of drawing her before and thought “might as well finish”

Anyways sorry, this is Blackberry Scone Cookie

So if I’m being perfectly honest, I don’t entirely know what her deal is. I know that, unlike her father, she is very willing to acknowledge that she’s rich and uphold that side of her family. She’s also at least outwardly, very similar to her mother in being generally reserved in her emotions. I think one idea I had for her is that she does cool things, she just does with a disinterested face, which kind of just heightens the coolness

Okay so I’m gonna be completely honest, I am now going to just make something up as I write. That top part was in part for me to figure something out

Outwardly, she seems disinterested, but she has plenty of emotions, you just either need to pay attention to her actual words instead of tone, or you just need to get close enough to her for the mask to fall. She also has quite an interest in stories of magic and in mystical artifacts, though she prefers simply reading about them over going out to find them. Also, despite her interest in the subject, she just doesn’t have that much of an ability for magic/the occult, and has difficulty seeing ghosts (best she has is that she can sometimes see Onion), which is one of the reasons she sticks to simply reading about them rather than going out herself

While she has respect for her father in how he goes out on his own to seek out treasure and artifacts, she just doesn’t understand why he hates his rich life. Her only real guess is that he sees it as clashing with his adventurer persona, which she thinks is kind of stupid. She’s also pretty much the one running the estate while he’s gone (she’s an adult by this point) and being the one to actually deal with things such as house guests. Not to say Adventurer was an absent parent, and he’d actually take her along when she was younger on some of his expeditions, but he can disappear sometimes now

She doesn’t hate her parents, and it’s not like they were horrible parents to her, but she feels distant from her mother due to her lack of ghost abilities, and some amount of resentment for her father for being so attached to this persona of his and his disdain for his actual heritage, especially since she’s fully accepting of it and it unintentionally makes her self conscious about it

She’s not super sure of her place in the world, but for now she’s just trying to do her job as a member of a rich family

Hm, so I ended up writing more on her than I thought I would. Ah well, not a bad thing. Well, design time

So her name’s Blackberry Scone due to me headcanoning Adventurer to be some sort of shortbread or biscuit (I know they’re the same thing in other countries, but I’m unsure as to what kind of biscuit he is now). Scones are kind of like biscuits, add some blackberry and there you go, blackberry scones

A potential name was Blackberry Cobbler, but I think I prefer scone, especially since I made her more rich-seeming

Blackberry scone:

So almost everything I made of her, outside of the small sketches and some of the colors, I made a couple weeks ago while waiting at the dentist’s office, and I mostly blocked her out of my mind after that as a result. So I don’t really remember a lot of the design process

I feel like I gave her that hairstyle to make her look “cool”, but then I kind of threw that aspect of her character away. But I still like it, so she keeps it

Also, her suit was originally a bit more reddish, but I changed it today to make it more purple so it’d fit with the color of the scones. They don’t really look that red, so I changed it. But I think now the colors may not all look the best together

I feel like I may have made her colors all a bit too similar to each other, and/or not given her enough, but I don’t really know what else to change

Also when I came back today, the thickness of the lines was bothering me. Maybe it’s because I’ve been dabbling with the Syrup brush now, but I think I need to play with line width more now, since some of the smaller things like the brooch feel like they have too thick of lines

I don’t think her design is necessarily bad though, it’s mostly color wise I have issues with

And yeah, that’s Blackberry Scone, I hope you enjoy her

[starlight-bread-blog]

My Interpetation of The Southern Raiders: Part 3 – Katara

Part 1 Part 2

Hello! Welcome to the final part of my series navigating through the discourse surrounding The Southern Raiders. In the first part I discuss A\ang and in the second part I discussed Zuko. Now that we've understood the people around Katara, I can discuss how they affected her and her choices. So, without further ado, let's begin!

——————

1. Where did this side of Katara come from?

Katara didn’t just become more intense and angry for an episode out of nowhere. It came from years of fury and grief simmering in her.

Kya’s death was a very defining moment for her. As opposed to her brother, whose defining moment was his father leaving him, it molded her as a character. It’s who she sees at the swamp, whereas Sokka just sees Yue. It’s how she connected with Jet, Haru, Hama and even Zuko.

Ever since that dark day, her mother’s death was looming over her, while also being an integral part of her. She lived her life knowing that incredible injustice had been done, and she was furious. At the same time, she wanted to be like her mother, taking care of everyone’s needs. But her anger festered inside of her, and her grief didn’t let go. This anger is what we see in The Southern Raiders.

Additionally, some of the anger she displayed during her arguments with Aang and Sokka can be traced back to Aang’s insensitive behavior I discussed in part 1. Katara is notorious for her maternal emotional labor, especially for Aang. In The Desert she puts herself in danger in order to pull him out of the avatar state, and she always offers her help when needed.

Now she wants to do something that goes against his personal beliefs and that’s how he’s treating her. Still, she doesn’t insult him. “I knew you wouldn’t understand” is what she said. His disapproval is to be expected. Then, her brother, who suffered the same loss, backs him up. And when combined with her anger at Yon Rha, she lashed out.

——————

2. Why did she spare Yon Rha?

Because it was never in her to kill in the first place. That’s not who she is. The anger was in her all along, but murder wasn’t. She was given a choice, and she chose not to. Zuko’s offer sounds bad, but there was never any danger of Katara killing Yon Rah in the first place, she simply wouldn’t do it.The only things that were on the cards were seeing him. The supposed dangers of it weren’t actually going to come to fruition, and in the end, Katara is in a better place after the trip.

But I do think it goes deeper than that. Katara is an idealist, often to the point of naivety. It’s why she trusted Jet over her brother, it’s why she was going to use the spirit water on Zuko back in the crystal catacombs and it’s why she thought blowing up the factory in The Painted Lady was a good idea.

For years the ideal of the perfect revenge on the Fire Nation who took her mother burned inside her. Suddenly she has a chance to execute this ideal, but reality smacks her in the head.

Katara: I always wondered what kind of person could do such a thing, but now that I see you, I think I understand. There's just nothing inside you, nothing at all. You're pathetic and sad and empty.

The man isn’t some scary boogeyman, and she will not kill him.

——————

3. How did her trip affect her?

Katara: [Rises from boardwalk.] But I didn't forgive him. I'll never forgive him. [Smiles at Zuko and walks up to him.] But I am ready to forgive you.

As I previously established, seeing Yon Rha was somewhat a reality check for her. It was her final step in her arc of becoming less naive. With this final ideal gone, she no longer holds this pent up anger at the Fire Nation. Thus, her arc is concluded, and she is ready to accept that the Prince of the Fire Nation can be her friend. (None of this would’ve happened if Zuko hadn’t made the offer. And that’s why ultimately, their trip was a good thing).

——————

In conclusion, Katara's anger stemmed both from years of it building up and a lack of support from her peers. But when it came down to go through with murdering Yon Rha, she couldn't do it. Because even if she forgot it, he is a person. She had a reality check and lets go of black and white notions of the world. Thus, she could forgive Zuko.

[tubborucho]

So you may have seen I asked people to do sort of a challenge:

The situation goes like that: Team Soulfire as a Cursed team was left on the Island because of their loss along with all the Eggs plus 3 other ones that they found. The Watcher keeps playing games with them and at some point splits the team for 10 small groups (1 Egg in each) to survive on their own and try to find each other.

Divide all 10 Eggs (excluding Chunsik) between 16 Soulgayfire members (excluding ElQ and that guy) that way that each Egg has not more than 2 Adults and each Adult can only have 1 Egg. BUT none of the Adults with the Egg can be their parent (including married into it – like Mariana for Sunny and, for the sake of a challenge, Pac and Fit count as married).

Hint: There will be 4 teams with an Egg and an Adult and 6 with an Egg and 2 Adults

I would love to see what everyone thinks would be good duos/trios and why! Feel free to reblog with your ideas or make a separate post (pls tag me).

My own thoughts under the cut! Preferably do not read them before you make your own

So in the duos I chose I put a lot of thoughts into trying to make each duo/trio strong enough to survive this (because though each person and egg are strong, not all of them strong in a ‘i can survive’ and ‘i can fight’ ways).

Those are my picks:

Chayanne – Lenay

First of all, I think they would bond over potatoes. But also I think they are quite similar in being resourceful while at the same time Chayanne can give Lenay PVP protection where Lenay, I think, would be able to be somewhat of an emotional comfort to him.

Tallulah – Arin&Fit

Arin/Luzu and Tallulah have a special bond that I really like, even if it’s not canonically there at this point. And I kind of miss Fit and Tallulah from the first weeks of the Eggs. After all, he was the first person to find her :) And each team with Fit has an advantage.

Ramon – Pierre

Honestly, they would be a fire duo. Both very smart, very strong, very creative (unfortunately Create is not an option). And both are survivalists. Out of all the duos/trios, I think they are the one that will go through that the easiest.

Dapper – Missa&Kameto

Now, it’s a bit of a ‘that would be fun’ when it comes to Dapper and Missa being paired, considering that Missa is kind of Bad’s colleague, but just on a completely different end of the spectrum. Nonetheless, I think him and Dapper would get along swimmingly. And Kameto is a great addition, because he is canonically a very very good spy and a ninja, so definitely has some useful skills to help them survive.

Leo – Mariana&Pol

I admit, this one is probably the weakest, but my only other option was to switch Pac and Pol, which I decided not to do, because I think Leo and Mariana combo needs someone more grounding with them, and it’s not Pac’s strength lol. Overall, I think they are still skilled enough to survive as a trio, and also the communication will be much easier, because all 3 speak spanish.

Richas – Rivers&Niki

Rivers and Niki together is a bit of a guilty pleasure because I wish…. I wish, man. And I decided to give Richas to them, because god knows the kid needs someone who would not play into his suicidal tendencies (as I believe those two wouldn’t). Also I just think they would have a very nice dynamic and also have their grounds covered with Rivers and Richas being able to fight and Niki being good at gathering and farming.

Pomme – Tina&Bagi

Another one that was a vision. Just three lesbians chilling together. Out of all the Eggs Pomme is one of the best pvpers and protectors, where Tina and Bagi may lack (well, not lack, they can hold their own when needed, it’s just not their strongest suit), but Tina and Bagi are very strategic and resourceful, once again, covering all grounds. Plus Bagi (and Tubbo, but separately) would probably be the first one to actually come up with a plan for finding everyone.

Sunny – Badboyhalo

Sunny needs to stay the undowned queen, and who is the best to do it, if not Bad? Both are actually very good at survival, can fight and can farm quick. Bad would also be able to play along with Sunny and her pretend games along the way, which are a big self-defense mechanism for her (mermaid Lenay as one of the examples).

Empanada – Tubbo

Though a lot of the Eggs are very smart, I think Em is one of the few that can not only keep up with Tubbo (considering that there’s no Create), but also keep him in check and smack some sense into him when he is getting carried away. And Tubbo really needs people like that around him to use his skills on maximum. After all, he is arguably the strongest person on the Soulfire, particularly because he is incredibly smart. Both of them also have all the grounds covered and would be very efficient.

Pepito – Pac&Mike

I feel like Pac and Mike would do a great job being protectors of the babiest Egg out of them. And I think Pepito would enjoy their company a lot. Ngl out of all the ‘teams’ I think those 3 will have the most shenanigans, and I no doubt can see them getting jailed and escape somehow like Looney Toons characters lol. Once again, as a team they can fight and they can gather, so would be able to keep themselves alive.

[smokescreenimusprime]

Bruh I’ve have this fanfiction idea for awhile in my head and haven’t had the motivation to write it and probably never will, but imagine, sparkling Smokescreen. Like I know Sparklings aren’t canon in Transformers, but it’s used enough that I like them and write about them. But when Smokescreen crash lands on Earth and stuff, the pod around him makes sort of a hologram for him, that builds around his younger body to make it seem as if he’s older than he is for protection. It makes him stronger, faster, smarter, everything. Idk who’d program the pod, maybe another cybertronian who doesn’t want to see the sparkling hurt and turned into a cold hearted killer, so they program the pod and send him off into deep space, and knowing that they’ll be killed at some point, give Smokescreen their memories so it’ll be like Smokescreen was actually a fully grown mech. The Autobots don’t suspect anything, as he has adult memories, he’s in an adult body, and despite acting younger, he acts just like Bumblebee, so why would anyone suspect anything? Maybe in a battle, a vehicon, or maybe when Arcee and Smokescreen were fighting Megatron, that one hit with the dark star saber, caused the program that the pod made to fail and turn back into his younger self. So of course, when he wakes up, he’s really confused and can barely use his limbs as in his older body, he never actually grew, so it’s basically a mech trapped in a Sparklings body, except Smokescreen is actually a sparkling but doesn’t truly know it as he was too young to remember before the bombing of Praxus, and the crash of the status pod probably rattled a few things in his processor.

So idk how this would go, haven’t really thought about it too much but here y’a go :D sparkling Smokescreen, very adorable

ooooooooooo that's a neat idea 👀👀👀

what if the pod sorta worked kinda like how Ultra Magnus did in the IDW comics? Like, "Smokescreen" was originally an armour used by various minicons/smaller bots to fight and this time around was Alpha Trion's guard, but when Iacon fell it wasn't just Trion who was hiding deep in the Archives. There were loads of other bots who seemed shelter within its walls and now were unfortunately trapped

so "Smokescreen," in an attempt to save at least one more life, ends up hiding a sparkling in the frame in their place. Unfortunately in all the chaos they didn't have time to let Trion know about this so the newly made Smokescreen ends up still getting Omega Key-d. When he wakes up he's super confused and is just barely able to shamble his way over to some escape pods and then goes into his multi millennia stasis

and when he wakes up..... well, it's certainly been long enough for his frame to have connected and the processors to have synced together. Smokescreen doesn't even fully realise what's going on because of just how disorienting everything is, and his memories are clashing and trying to fit together. Because of the rush, the Old Smokescreen didn't have time to fully disconnect, so maybe there are still some of their memories lingering in the system which transfer to Current Smokescreen

I'd imagine Smokescreen would be rather clumsy outside of battle. When he fights he can rely on the battle protocols and "muscle memory" of the armour (not that he realises), but outside of that he's a mess. Quite literally tripping over his own feet, misjudging distances and how far his reach is, not knowing his own strength, he's an absolute mess and it frustrates him to no end. He'll also have seemingly random bouts of really bad body dysphoria for no apparent reason

his emotional state is........ very complicated. He gets along GREAT with the kids, but the other Autobots? ehhhhhhhh it's a bit difficult at times, and it really doesn't help that he's consciously aware of how "irrational" his emotions are. He can't help it that he feels so much, but not knowing why he feels the way he does is frustrating at best. Not to mention his social skills are VERY lacking which makes actually communicating what he's feels so much harder, and this definitely creates a bit of a rift with the other Autobots

as for how the Autobots find out........ I had an angsty thought

what if it happens when Smokescreen's on the Nemesis

when Knockout uses the scanner to search for the Omega Key he does find it yes....... but he also sees something very very strange. Another frame inside, a very small one but..... it's different from a minicon......

and the second the Decepticons learn about this they start losing their goddamn minds

because this is a sparkling. A fragging SPARKLING. HERE. MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS OF YEARS AFTER THE WELL WENT DARK. ON E A R T H

naturally the Decepticons are horrified and do everything they can to safely remove the little thing as quick as possible. Knockout in particular is freaking out because he ripped out the Omega Key rIGHT NEXT TO THE SPARKLING!!!! WHO KNOWS WHAT DAMAGE I'VE CAUSED TO IT-

Smokescreen ofc is also confused and panicking since There's A Sparkling Inside Of Him?!?!?!?!!? but when it gets removed, suddenly things get even more chaotic

I'll admit I'm not super sure how exactly things go from here, but I do have three thoughts

1) Now without the battle protocols and armor stuff constantly yelling at him, Smokescreen's able to act way more like a child, however given how long he was in the armor he still has to deal with the memories from inside it and without the armors added processing power

tldr, the little bean now has Adult Trauma And Memories he's gotta work through while having the brain structure of a child

2) Smokescreen is younger than the kids, but older than a toddler. I was thinking maybe he was the Cybertronian equivilant of 8-9 years old

and 3) what is essentially a custody war starts between the Autobots and Decepticons

[galacticwarpedlense]

Bachelorettes as parents!

Finally got the part 2 to this.

Let’s start with-

Abigail

I think Abby as a mom would be an over correction for her own parents. Like too freeing. She seemed to feel controlled in her household so she may be afraid to control her own kid and that kid may lack some motherly guidance until the farmer steps in and gives Abby the confidence to guide the child. On the bright side, that child will definitely get to experiment with style and identity without feeling unsafe or stifled. Also Abby would probably attempt to help her kid with homework only to be stumped to because the wording was weird or because she was never good at the subject.

Leah

Leah… lowkey, I have no idea. She just doesn’t seem like the mom type. If I were to make a guess, with her and the farmer having pretty unconventional jobs, the child will at least feel confident that they can choose any way of living and with enough effort, it would work out. Sorry this one is short, I genuinely think Leah and the Farmer would be more like a childless couple. The farm animals and their cat/dog are their children.

Haley

At the beginning of her arc, she was giving entitled mom, but with her learning to be more caring and understanding, I feel like as a mom she would be more like a neo entitled parent, like she seems entitled but she’s actually really nice and reasonable. Also with her being a photographer, she has a full album of photos with her spouse and child throughout the years. Probably calls up her own mom or the moms of the town for advice when she doesn’t know what to do with her kid. If her kid is sporty, you bet she’s going to every single game, even if it’s just the little practices in the yard. Maybe with enough bugging, the kid could get her to participate in the practice too.

Maru

Let’s start with her flaw, she has way too high of expectations for herself, the farmer and probably their kid. As a parent, she would have to learn to put those expectations down for her child’s sake. And while she loves her dad, at this point she would probably be aware of his favoritism in order to not repeat it with her own kids. In fact, she would probably be the type to lay down the law and force Seb and Demetrius to get their act together if they want to spend time with her kid. There will be no familial fighting around the child, they must get along. That’s Maru’s biggest asset, once made aware of an issue, she’ll solve it and this goes double for her child.

Emily

The hippie mom, it is written in stone for that one. She is the funky hippie mom that embarrasses her kid for shits and giggles. Very overly affectionate and fun loving. Another parents that just wants her kid to enjoy childhood. Will that child be very embarrassed by their mom? Yes. Will that child also have oddly effective life skills and emotional stability that other children their age will never have? Absolutely. Like Abigail, that child will get to freely experiment with things that other parents would be more restrictive on.

And last but certainly not least with parenting

Penny

Now canonically you can only have 2 kids with each spouse but we don’t need to worry about that because I killed canon behind a Denny’s. Anyways, big family. There is no only child with Penny. She would be the one to have like a LOT of children and be stressed out of her mind and then ask the farmer “So when are we going to have another?” However raising children is harder than just teaching them so she would have a few struggles thanks to her own messy home life. Pam would be another case of “Get your act together before you can see my children”. Also NO alcohol in the house. None. It might actually get a little controlling how much Penny won’t allow drinking. But it has a good reason.

[batsplat]

sooo, you bring up casey/vale dinner quite a lot right. and you always empathize how the rivalry was very different from their povs and how it obviously was so much more for casey. how casey doesn’t really know vale as a person and how it’s more like casey vs the consent of valentino rossi he has in his head. that at the same time vale kept the distance in their rivalry and was ‘cold’ about it not emotionally driven.

anyways, in your version of that dinner, do they reach some kind of REAL understanding of each other? on a competitive and personal levels. is it possible? or is there’s always gonna be a disconnect between these two?

hm lovely ask. yeah I like the dinner conceptually because it's just,, easy shorthand for a central tension of their rivalry: this gulf between the two of them that cannot ever be breached. I've been talking enough recently about the similarities between them, let's get back to the unbreachable, the unreachable, that which is impossible to resolve. to quickly include what casey actually said:

obviously this was an off-hand comment from casey and not something he put a massive amount of thought into, but it still captures something about that rivalry in a way that's really stuck with me (hence me referencing it every other day). like you say, anon - the disparity between the pair of them, in terms of how they were experiencing the different stages of the rivalry, the significance of it to them, the emotional investment. how valentino enforced a certain amount of distance, how he played the game as he wanted without wrestling with anything more complicated, no moral dilemmas or hand-wringing or capacity to get hurt. and how casey had to reckon with this.... just, lack of care, this thoughtlessness, this empty malice from his main rival. casey's desire to be understood is key to getting his whole deal, I reckon, and this quote really is an expression of that. it's almost like... I don't know, I just find something really compelling about the idea that this mutual lack of understanding bothers casey. as if there's something that casey could say to valentino that would make him get how shit the whole thing was for casey, that would prompt some kind of moment of self-reflection from valentino, of realisation even. maybe there still is a little bit of casey that's still searching for a little bit of catharsis

anyway, I think the crucial thing about the dinner is that it never happens. like, the key detail here is that casey would like to have this kind of conversation, whereas valentino is decidedly uninterested. this is the whole problem, right, because valentino really hasn't spent much time unpicking this rivalry or figuring out what his feelings are or trying to make his peace with it or any of it. to him, that rivalry very much ended when casey retired. he doesn't even harbour any particular ill will towards casey, because as far as he's concerned the things they did to each other all existed within the realm of what is 'acceptable' for a rivalry. there's not really anything to discuss here. so in that sense, some kind of post-mortem simply... isn't something valentino would be all that interested in, I don't think. but let's just play with the thought for a little longer, let's say that somehow valentino can be convinced to engage with this whole dinner scenario. some combination of politeness, curiosity, lack of animosity towards casey, nostalgia for the good old days... let's say he goes along with this idea, what does that conversation look like? I did give my general take as to the vibes here:

that's the starting point, right: the mismatch in emotional investment between the pair of them means they also have a very different conceptualisation of what the list of grievances even is. with most of the things casey could bring up, valentino's likely response will be 'hm when did that happen' or 'don't think it was that bad' or 'actually that bit was fine'. the british crowd thing would be a classic example: you'll get some combination of valentino pointing out casey could be his own worst enemy and probably pissed off the brits all on his lonesome, minimising what actually happened with the fans, and also fundamentally believing that a little bit of psychological warfare is basically fine. this does not feel like a divide that can be crossed, y'know

laguna, of course, is the big one. I'm quite glad I waited with posting this to let my thoughts marinate a little longer, because it meant that podcast thingy came out and provided a new valentino take on the laguna 2008 situation (first proper one we've had in ages):

(very grateful for the transcription, taken from here)

now, look, this quote does deserve more thorough attention, I will eventually get to the laguna 2008 post - but this is obviously a stance that is fundamentally incompatible with casey's approach. valentino straight up says he was willing to make them both crash if that's what it took, which, yes, you can tell from watching the race... and as far as casey is concerned, this is a line that should never be crossed. this is not something the two of them could ever find any agreement about. given casey's furious aversion to any suggestion his mental game might not be up to scratch, valentino emphasising the... psychological dimensions of that race would also extremely not be appreciated. it's not something where communication would really help, because... well, they do both know where the other stands here, right? there are some parts of the rivalry where one or both of them does fail to understand the other, but this is categorically not one of them. if casey pointed out his objections to what happened at that race, valentino would not be surprised by casey's opinions or be forced to reflect or anything like that - he just fundamentally would not care. it's not simply a difference in racing philosophies, it's a mismatch in moral values. the best dinner in the world couldn't solve this

maybe it's not entirely a lost cause. like I said, there are issues where they fail to understand each other in ways that - in an ideal world with perfect communication - they theoretically could clear up. casey's assessment of valentino's assessment of him, for instance, feels pretty off base at times. it's worth pointing out that valentino does in the podcast quote call casey his most talented rival, an opinion he has expressed before and probably believes and that would presumably be well-received by casey. (obviously the second half of that sentence goes in a direction casey would be less enthusiastic about, but let's try to work with what we've got here.) the eternal bike vs rider debate and some of the more circumstantial nastiness they levelled at each other to discredit the other... you'd assume that wouldn't be impossible to talk over. even some of the thornier aspects of their respective relationships to fame, to publicly performing, all of it - hey, maybe they really could tell each other what their 'challenges' there were. there are some things valentino sincerely believes that casey could probably benefit from hearing directly from valentino's lips. maybe casey could gain something just from knowing what valentino truly thought of him

really, though, at the end of the day, what is fascinating about the dinner is not as much the hypothetical meal itself (which would likely be deeply unsatisfying), but instead the fact that casey even wants it. like I said above, casey's desire to be understood is a key motif in this rivalry. it is the reason why he has to copy valentino's media tactics - because otherwise, he is doomed to being hated without being known. he needs to become a better communicator as a result of just how frustrated he is by how the world perceives him. casey has ended up using those same tools he learned from valentino against him, both when he was still a rider and since his retirement. and he wants to be understood by valentino... is there a part of casey that thinks valentino would have been kinder, gentler, if he had simply understood the effect he had on casey? does casey want to hear valentino's side of the story to finally make sense of how valentino behaved towards him? what answers exactly is he looking for here? none that would be easily forthcoming, most likely. perhaps he would at least get some kind of closure, the knowledge that valentino was exactly what casey thought he was all along. to the extent that casey has built up an inaccurate version of valentino in his mind, it probably is not one that he can tear down in a single dinner conversation. in some ways, he is already primed to believe the worst of valentino - and he is generally not a character predisposed to look for the best. his issues are often so abstracted from 'valentino the person' that he would not always find it easy to articulate a specific grievance at all. there's just too much to disentangle, here, and not all of the indignities he has suffered could reasonably be addressed by even a well-intentioned version of valentino. and if casey is looking for an apology... well, that just isn't happening, is it. maybe valentino really would find a little more empathy within himself for some of casey's struggles, maybe time really has mellowed him a little in some regards. maybe he would understand casey a little bit better. maybe it'd fill in a few for the blanks as far as his own conceptualisation of casey is concerned, explain a few things he never bothered to find out about. but there's only so far he would ever be willing to go. and he will almost certainly never feel particularly sorry for any of it. which means that there's a yearning here from casey for something that seems impossible to resolve... how can you fail to be compelled by that

all that being said. not to sound arrogant, but I do fundamentally believe that if anyone could make this dinner work, it's me. as a brave advocate for peace and harmony and love and all that stuff in every walk of life, I'm willing to take one for the team and volunteer to moderate their conversation. perhaps none of this is fixable, perhaps some divides simply cannot be crossed, but I believe it is my solemn duty to try. valentino, casey: call me. let's make this happen

[chin-chilla-7]

Hello!

Can I request for Jericho crew (Detroit become human)

With a human reader who cries for the first time ever, but she suddenly slaps herself to shut herself up, as she “doesn’t need distractions” when she’s working, and that includes any emotion that isn’t complete focus

She goes back to a black face after that

The fact that Jericho crew is four people really cramps my vibe of allowing three characters per request. For this headcanon, I’ll be doing Markus, North, and Josh. Also, I assume you meant blank face. If not, then we’re gonna have some issues. Anyway:

Markus, North, and Josh react to a reader crying for the first time, only to stop themselves since there’s “no time for distractions”.

Markus

In the first moments you are crying, Markus is there to make sure you’re all right.

He’s actually really good at comforting others and something about him feels safe, which helps if you’re the type who likes physical comfort when in a pit of feelings.

And, to him, it doesn’t really matter that it’s the first time you’ve cried in front of him; he’d act like this regardless of who you are and how many times you’ve cried.

Though, when you slap at your face to pull yourself together from your crying, he’s taken aback.

He tries to encourage you not to slap your face when this happens, taking your hands to keep you from continuing the action.

He advises that crying is not a distraction. Like, you’re allowed to have feelings. And you’re allowed to express those feelings.

There is a little part of him that’s impressed that you can turn it off just like that - he thought that was more something in line of what an android would do.

But a majority of his reaction would be to keep you from hitting yourself, along with encouraging you to feel what you’re feeling.

It doesn’t really matter if you’re working or not, because, to him, you should come first, and if crying is something you need to do right now, then he encourages you to do it. The work will get done, it can wait. Let’s focus on you and what you need right now.

North

If she finds you crying, she’s concerned. Assuming she knows you well enough, she’ll be at your side.

She won’t really do a lot more than just be there, though. She’s not as familiar with comforting others, so she can offer herself as another body in space, which some people find to be enough.

When you begin to slap at your face, she’ll grab at your wrists to get you to stop.

She’ll start to talk you down, get you to breathe.

She can understand the want to not cry in front of others, but offers some better ways to go about bringing yourself down from a high emotion state.

She may not have the best experience with this, but the advice she offers is better than slapping yourself.

It mainly consists of a breathing exercise and an exercise that put yourself in space so you can ground yourself.

She’ll check up on you after that interaction, but will be indirect about it for the most part.

Josh

Josh is similar to North in that he’ll be beside you while you’re crying, but he lacks knowledge of what to do in situations like these.

He watches as a way to monitor you, to make sure you’ll be okay at the end of this.

When you begin to slap at your face, he intervenes, taking your hands and keeping them away from your face.

Talks you down like North does, discouraging the idea that slapping your face is the best way to stop crying, cause it really isn’t.

He’s the one of the three to have a really long conversation about you feeling as though crying is a distraction from your work. There’s so much more life outside of work, why prioritize that over everything else? Including yourself?

Josh uses words to incite action, so he offers alternatives to ways to calm yourself down after crying, along with resources about deconstructing the idea that crying is a distraction.

Having been a lecturer at a university, he knows where to find good resources, which comes in handy for situations like these.

[coldgoldlazarus]

After rewatching Into the Spiderverse last week, and my third viewing of Across the Spiderverse this weekend, a bit of a crack theory has been percolating in my head. Some spoilers here, so putting this under a readmore:

I think Doc Ock has a chance of returning in Beyond The Spiderverse. A slim chance, but a chance nonetheless.

Point A: Lack Of Resolution

This is pretty obvious so I won't belabor it; despite her role as a pretty significant villain in ItSV, along with Kingpin and Prowler, the mind behind the supercollider and given a pretty fantastic reveal, she also winds up getting hit by a truck during the climax and not being heard from again. The Prowler died, Kingpin got defeated and webbed up for the police, even Tombstone was seen getting arrested and shoved in a cop car, and the other henchmen like Scorpion also got pretty conclusive defeats at the hands of the 2D spideys during the fight itself.

But with Liv, there's no real confirmation of what happened afterwards; whether she got arrested, or ran off, or the impact was fatal and her body recovered, or what; no clue. (And if she did end up shoved through the Collider and landed in another dimension, she'd be subject to the same glitching, cell decay, and eventual death as the others, without the Spider-society tech to stabilize herself.) And like, that doesn't necessarily mean anything on its own, but at the very least the principle of "didn't see the body" is in play.

(Interestingly, I remember hearing somewhere that there was a deleted scene of her intentionally jumping into the collider portal while saying the "power of the [X] in the palm of my hands!" line that later went to Spot. Though idk where I heard it, so am unsure if this is actually legit. And even if it is, it was still a scene they chose to remove from the final film, so while it could mean that intent is still there, they also could have changed their minds on the idea entirely.)

On its own, I'd be willing to accept that that's probably the last we've seen of her... but as of AtSV, it actually isn't.

Point B: Aaron Haunts The Narrative

This part has no direct connection to her, but bear with me here. If you've seen it, (I hope you have) you know that AtSV ends with the reveal that Miles wasn't sent to his home timeline/universe, but a darker parallel version where his dad is dead but Uncle Aaron is not, and is working with the parallel version of Miles as the Prowler. He does say "I'm not" when our Miles refers to him that way, but the impression I got is that he's halfway-retired from the role but still acting as support for Miles G; the "guy in the chair" if you will.

I digress. Point is, it ends with a return for both Uncle Aaron and the Prowler identity, but this didn't come out of nowhere; all throughout the movie leading up to this, Aaron and/or the Prowler are brought up or indirectly hinted at on an honestly pretty frequent basis. Gwen's drumming recap at the beginning, the memorial grafitti on the rooftop, the Donald Glover cameo, the flash of him on the side of the building during Miles' breakdown sequence as he's rushing to get home, plus a few smaller mentions here and there. ("He takes after his uncle!" during the meeting with the guidance councilor, and a visual comparison with Uncle Ben during the "canon events" presentation, and I feel like there may be a couple others yet that I'm forgetting as well.)

The movie goes out of its way to remind you of him and his importance to Miles at every turn, and part of that is just inherently because he is so important to Miles. But it also feels like, from a writer-to-audience perspective, part of the purpose is also as a reminder; if anyone either saw ItSV but forgot most of it in the intervening time, or simply missed it altogether and for some reason decided to see AtSV first anyway, this makes sure they know exactly who and what he is, so the reveal at the end carries the full emotional weight it needs to. No matter what, you will have the proper context to appreciate Miles' reaction when Aaron steps through that door.

(Also, I just wanna say that I love that reaction in of itself; the hyperventilating panic at first, only to rush in for a tight hug. The mix of terror and comfort that comes with full awareness of both sides of him, and all the associated memories both good and bad, combined with this unexpected chance to see him (or at least a version of him) again. It's just a really great moment on that front.)

But anyway, I'm getting off track again, too many Prowler feels. ^^; What does this have to do with Doc Ock?

Point C: Aaron Isn't Alone In Haunting

This is admittedly both the key part of my theory and also the weakest one overall, so I will readily admit upfront that I may be reading too much into things, and Liv really did bow out for good in ItSV. That being said, here's my thought:

Even if a much lesser extent than Aaron, I couldn't help but notice a similar-seeming trend of brief reminders of her. On one hand, most of these can be fairly easily dismissed as simply maintaining continuity and connection with the first movie, as the bulk of them were in relation to The Spot's backstory as Jonathan Ohm; she was there for the flashback to the misplaced 42 Spider, and then seen again in a framed photo of him, when Gwen was inspecting the remains of his makeshift apartment lab. So while it's a neat inclusion, it doesn't necessarily mean anything more, right? Kingpin got mentioned too, during the Guggenheim fight with Vulture, but I'm pretty sure he isn't going to be making a comeback.

But there is one other instance that feels a bit more significant and out of place, and is what led to this theory in the first place. I mentioned this scene already in relation to the Uncle Aaron foreshadowing/reminders, but going back to it now, there is what I've dubbed the Falling Apart sequence. (From the score that plays during it.) Right after Gwen's talk with her father resolves, we cut back to Miles, swinging through the city in a desperate rush to get back home to his parents in time. (Unaware yet that this isn't his city, his home, his parents, because this isn't his universe.)

Tangential Gushing Over That Scene

It's sort of a dark parallel to the Leap Of Faith/What's Up Danger scene from ItSV, with previous bits of dialogue and past moments echoing in his mind again. There, it was all the inspiration pushing him to finally take the leap and truly become Spiderman; whereas here it's reminders of all the stress and uncertainty he's under as he races against time and possibly destiny itself, not to mention being plagued by doubts after Miguel revealed he possibly shouldn't have become Spiderman to begin with.

But what I especially love is the animation of this sequence, which on first watch I thought was stuff actually happening, but reads more on subsequent viewings like hallucinations during what's basically a panic attack. It's both gorgeous and stressful, with trains derailing and rerailing to chase Miles; the space between the skyscrapers growing narrower and more claustrophobic; and stuff like the 42 Spider, the Spot's arms, and Doc Ock's tentacles also appear briefly to hem him in even further until the end. He finally breaks free at the end, with Aaron's dying words to "just keep going" pushing him to make it the rest of the way 'home' unimpeded, a tiny bit of much-needed catharsis amidst all the overwhelming... everything else.

I really love this scene, in case it wasn't obvious.

Point C, Continued: Why Tentacle Happen?

But to get back on track, nearly everything about this sequence is mainly focused on ideas introduced in Across; the Spot, Miguel, Jefferson's predicted demise. The Spider is from the first movie, but still given extra context now; the first big exception is the reuse of Spider-Ham's line about how "the hardest part of this job is that you can't always save everyone" while images of him, Noir, and Peni appear on the glass building Miles is swinging past. Even that is still relevant to the current crisis, and their appearance there is further justified when they too properly show up again in Gwen's 'band' at the very end.

But then there's this:

The dialogue at this point is a line from Rio; while the appearance of the tentacles definitely further intensifies the claustrophobic crush of the city, it also feels like much more of a non-sequitor than even the 2D Spideys just a few shots earlier. Liv has had nothing to do with anything going on, (or at most, very indirect involvement like the displacing of the 42 Spider) has no dialogue called back to here; and heck, even in ItSV felt more like a rival to Peter B specifically instead of being especially relevant to Miles, compared to Prowler and Kingpin. So why call back to her here? It could indeed just be that the tentacles are good for adding to that entrapped feeling, but given how well-constructed the rest of the sequence was, and how deliberate animation as a process is in general, this would seem oddly careless to include so casually.

Conclusion

On the whole, I'll still readily admit that this is a pretty flimsy bit of 'evidence' (more just symbolism, really) to base a whole theory off of. Yet still, between that part of the Falling Apart sequence, the parallels to how Aaron and Miles G were foreshadowed, Liv's abrupt disappearance and lack of closure in the first film, and the knowledge that this is the first half of a split script, with all sorts of other setup in Across still awaiting payoff in Beyond, I do kinda at least feel like there may be something here.

(At the same time, the docket is already packed with a shitton of stuff that Beyond needs to be able to address and resolve, plus apparently some additional new stuff mentioned in interviews like another Gwen, Toei Spiderman, and Hobie's universe. So with all that going on, I'm not entirely sure they'd have the room for yet another returning character in amidst literally everything else.)

So while I'm not strictly counting on this to come to pass, at least for now, the basic idea is that Doc Ock got hit by that truck, fell through the collider portal and into another universe, (probably Earth 42, possibly elsewhere we may have yet to visit) and somehow found a way to stabilize her glitching to survive during the intervening time, set to make a dramatic return appearance during Beyond.

As to what role she may play, I'm not sure. I could see her making some sort of temporary truce with one of the main Spider-people for a common goal, without giving up on her evil mad science in the long run. Possibly with Miguel's group against the Spot, in exchange for freedom to keep experimenting with the Multiverse instead of getting sent back home, though I also don't think he would be willing to make that bargain unless things are truly desparate and he's fully lost the support of the rest of the Spider Society. So it could also be with Gwen or Miles, against both the Spot and Miguel; the former's more unpredictable tampering and newly eldritch nature getting in the way of her research, while the latter would of course want to put an end to her experiements and send her back home in his efforts to restore order, giving her reason to ally against.

On the other hand, her remaining entirely villainous and antagonistic would also make a lot of sense, if not moreso. If she landed in Earth 42, she could wind up as the big obstacle of the detour instead of Miles G, allowing the latter a more nuanced and dynamic role. Alternately, I could possibly see her further experimentation being connected in some way to the destruction of the universe Miguel replaced himself in, unknowingly sending him on his canon-hardliner spiral, which would certainly give her a lot more relevance to the current conflict.

But ultimately, all of that depends on whether she really would show up again, which as neat as it would be, definitely does feel like a bit of a long shot at the moment. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[flashdoesahundredyarddash]

some people keep saying that bart being hal and barry's child is a bad idea (I mean I really get the idea cuz hal's always away for space missions and barry would end raising him alone for most of the time + hal's commitment issues)

but idk I still can't help myself like It's really cute I like giving my otp a child

😭😭

I LIKE THIS IDEA. Honestly, I feel that as they first start to date, and a good point with Hal's commitment, Hal doesn't exactly see himself as a father? (<- Also I feel this is exactly him though. And not to mention how much I HATEEEEE that they gave HalCarol a kid because none of them would ever actually want a baby because they're so cooped with work and wanting to make it out for each other rather than always forcing themselves to marry, even with Carol wanting to move progressively with a relationship.)

Back to HAL, I mean he's great with taking care of kids and getting along with them, but I don't think he could want kids. This goes with Barry as well (<- They both are deadly afraid of committing to something that means they could lose someone), he's great with goods but he feels he couldn't be a good dad because of Dawn and Don scolding him from the future. Then again if they both had to take care of a kid (such as Bart, which I think is cute but Max is also the caretaker for him ngl... I think they would be great with Wally TOO because of Brave and The Bold shenanigans. One of my favorites <- Hal calling Wally son when he had the green lantern ring :((( )

BUT YES, I think they would be good as caretakers in a way that makes me emotional. Because they would want to try again with what they lacked during their childhood growing up...

[thereosheep]

Alright, in regards to your AMAZING pantheon AU for the weasels, here are my OC's if they were deity's/priests ^^

Poppy: I can see her being either a goddess or a priestess. It was hard to pinpoint what she'd be a goddess of, but I think love suits her. She's a very loving and caring person in general, and offers her good heart to anyone. But it's not just romantic love; love is everywhere, after. Why do we mourn when a loved one passes away? Because we love them. Why do we hold our friends dear? Because we love them. Why do doctors tend to their patients? Because they care about them. Poppy is the goddess of all kinds of love.

However, similarly to Psycho, people have started to assume she's only the goddess of passion and intimacy, like Aphrodite. She has been known to enter relationships with all her priests and priestess' (not all of them romantic, but those aren't what get written down in the scrolls), which only spurred the mortals, her own followers even, to believe that's all she is. Poppy isn't so far gone, but she has become more exhausted and depressed. Most of the prayers she receives are related more towards the physical rather than the emotional bond. Even other gods have started to believe these rumors- most notably, the god of greed has tried his chances to seduce Poppy. If she'll bed mere mortals, then surely she'll want him?? Though Poppy has been quick to teach him that even if she was that kind of goddess, he shouldn't expect her to just fall in his arms.

(*cough* @slashingdisneypasta if you see this, I can't help but imagine if Rena was the actual goddess of passion, and Poppy is constantly at her temple like "Hey, we got our mail mixed up again" XD)

(I do like to think despite that though, Greasy and Poppy become friends. Or at least, he goes to her whenever he gains a new priestess. He's confused about Y/N's lack of desire for him for now and Poppy is just "When will you learn?" So basically she's the love expert of the group XD)

She does work hand in hand with the majority of the gods. Like I said, love is everywhere. She's a little too eager to help sometimes, as it feels like she's actually fulfilling a purpose with her friends now. It could be taken as her being a doormate, but really all she wants is for people to remember what love truly is about.

As a priestess, she's a devoted follower and hard worker. Pretty stressed, as she's working for a deity. But what must be done must be done. I think she might work best with Wheezy or Psycho. Psycho could definitely use a caring priestess like her by his side. And Poppy needs a god who can help her relax (not with his herbs XD) and respect her... Though I also love the idea of this fretful little thing getting stuck with Greasy, and having to deal with his flirting while juggling her tasks XD

Shiny: I think... Shiny might be the goddess of festivities and bounty. Adorned in fine dancing togas, as if ready for a party at any second, Shiny brings life to any room she walks in. Although her carefree and spirit have given her the reputation of your typical party girl, she plays a very important role. She not only helps the mortals to relax and, in most extreme cases, give them a reason to be happy, but she also is the one you pray to for a bountiful harvest or for a successful day in the market. People often mix her up with Greasy, especially when it comes to finances, but it's Shiny who really grants you fortune here.

She doesn't have a soft spot for mortals, though, like her friend Poppy does. With how judgmental they are of each other and even the gods, and his badly that can hurt someone (just look at Poppy and Psycho). That reason, along with wanting to be treated every once in a while, Shiny will only bestow her fortune to those her give her offerings. The better the offering, the liklier you are to get her attention. If you prove to be a respectful person, she'll offer you the time of day. If you just assume she'll listen to you, you're better off talking to a brick wall.

I can't imagine Shiny being a priestess, but I can still see her working closely with the gods. Especially Stupid, Wheezy, and Greasy. Stu, being the god of contentment and rest, goes well with her festivities. Wheezy- well, he knows how to make a party more interesting. And Greasy, she mainly got together with him because the mortals mix them up. But over the years, she's grown to like the lascivious deity. They may or may not have a thing going on.

Moony: Oh, he's definitely a companion god of war to Smartass. He is the bloody, dreadful part of war. So basically, Athena VS Ares. Both sides of the battle would pray to him to spare them and aide in their victory, though it was whoever spilled blood first that gained his blessing. He was a monster in ever sense of the word...

Until the goddess of love came into existence, and extended her hand towards even him. All he had known was conflict and destruction until he first felt her warm touch on his cheek. Moony was confused and conflicted for so long, but soon enough his mind began to clear and he became a more civilized deity. Yes, he still carries out his duties on the battlefield, but he is far more compassionate and mindful now than he was years ago. All thanks to Poppy's love. Even if their romance didn't last forever, they still remain close friends to this day.

(Halfway writing this, I realized I made Moony and Poppy into Ares abd Aphrodite XD I'm not taking it back tho-)

Eh... With everyone else, he considers them purely business relationships. Smartass hasn't exactly forgiven him for being a mindless animal, Greasy isn't fond of him either. Psycho wasn't a fan of his work while he was the god of imagination and wonder. Stupid likes Moony now, though. And Wheezy prescribes him calming teas, so Moony is on good terms with the smoker.

Terry: nobody expected him to become the priest of Shiny's temple... I don't think even he thought he'd be in this position, either xD but Shiny was impressed with how true his character was. It was more than that though. He was the best mortal friend she had in centuries. She would trust him with her temple if the time ever came.

Terry also likes Stupid and Wheezy. He and Wheezy resonate with each other so well (they may or may not share his pipe every once in a while... Terry has seen some crazy things with what's he's smoked in Wheezy's god pipe XD). And he has a soft spot for the god of rest ^^

Henry: A thief among mortals. He had infiltrated Poppy's temple, looking for riches left for the goddess. But when caught and shown mercy, he thought he could take advantage of this golden opportunity and live under the care of the deity. It was easier to fool her than he expected, and a part of him started to feel guilt as she continued to shower him in love and devotion.

When Poppy introduced her fellow deities to her lover, however, Henry could tell that they knew his game. Especially Greasy and Shiny. Fearing the wrath of many gods, Henry took what he could carry and fled the city. Poppy was left heartbroken, and that paved the path to the love goddess falling into her depression.

Ben: ... I haven't figured out him yet, but like Henry, he is neither priest nor God. He's just an envious jerk.

I'm sorry if this is all over the place. It's rather late here 😅 I hope you like these! Thank you for tolerating me gushing over your AU

*SQUEEEES*

No problem at all! I loved reading these and knowing my ramblings inspired someone to wanna dabble with them!

Poor Poppy man... At least she's got a lot of friends on her side.

(what's a little curse between Gods after all... Maybe Psycho can make it so he'll always think there's a rock on his shoe or something.)

LoL at gods getting their mail mixed up. That's amazing. Now that the image is in my head I'm just thinking of that happening with Stupid and Wheezy whenever certain substances are involved. Or the occasional mix up between Smartass and Moony (fueling the field, of course. After all, "How did they even mistake me for that... That... ANIMAL?!").

Oh lord... Mortals getting a taste of Wheezy's godly za... That would either be the best trip and/or the worst trip of your life, no in between. And after finding the answer for the mystery of life, the universe and everything else, chances are that you'd probably forget it after.

Maybe it could be some kind of test to become one of his Priests too, who knows?

Once again, Loved these. Thank you for indulging in my thoughts.

[angst-is-love-angst-is-life]

How did you come up with the idea for Trophy? What made you decide to write it? How do you decide what moments or scenes to include, and what order to place them in?

Any other details you'd like to share? :D

YAYYYYYY, AN EXCUSE TO TALK ABOUT MY BELOVED! THANK YOU!!

The initial idea was directly inspired by a line Zoom said to Joe in the season 2 finale:

“After I beat Barry in the race and prove that I’m the fastest man alive on any Earth, he’s gonna rot in a cage just like the one Jay’s in now.”

That got the whumperflies going and everything just expanded from there. (And this goes along with your second question as well) After the finale where Zoom was absolutely MASSACRED in characterization and power levels— I coped by watching all his scenes in season 2, which led me to that line, so with everything fresh on my mind; a Zoom wins fic seemed fun. So I figured out some key things that would happen:

The multiverse is destroyed

Zoom kills everyone (cept Cisco but that was added a little later)

Barry’s imprisoned by Zoom

and ofc after this I was just like “Well now I HAVE to write this.” We haven’t gotten to the pure self indulgence yet, but this fic has a lot of my favorite whump things.

Ooo good question! Deciding what moments and scenes go in and how to order them is definitely interesting. Tbh I’m still figuring out the details of everything that’s actually going in and when, but I have a kind-of recurring thing in most of the future chapters that works well as a frame for what else should added alongside it. Plus, the progression in this fic is pretty… specific, for lack of a better word, and I have some ideas of important things that need to happen and roughly where they should go— but I have probably over 15k of misc. scenes in my notes app so it’s gonna be a long and difficult process…

But overall, besides what works narratively, the deciding factor in what I decide to show and when; is how much of an emotional punch it will pack :> (especially when it all comes together in the end). Oh, and also what hurts Barry the most ofc

[meowdred]

hi i wanted to ask bc i’m always curious about other peoples orkneys takes: if mordred is the second youngest, who’s the youngest? (& if you want to share any other opinions you have on the orkneys, order of siblings or otherwise, go ahead :) but no pressure)

HIIII!!!! thank you so much for your question !!!! i'm sorry this is going to be super super long i have a lot of thoughts about the orkneys (guy who named himself after biblical cain and loves complex sibling dynamics)

of course gareth is the youngest, but generally it goes like this for me

gawain - eldest obviously. there's this line from alliterative morte that i'm really fond of that sums how i think of him really well

"like a berserker he fights in a frenzy for fierceness and heart; fights and cuts down all who stand before him and never did fortune so favor the brave"

++++++ eldest brother syndrome. eldest daughter syndrome, even. i think with having morgause as his mother + the death of lot he was put in the place of taking care of his younger siblings and tried his best to be the role model for them... i was always really fond of a teenage gawain taking care of an infant gareth while leading agravaine and gaheris as children to bed. he's super repressed and has a lot of angst... but i think one of his key traits is his devotion to his family (which of course includes arthur as well... who i think he found a paternal figure in, in the lack of emotional connection from morgause and lot's physical absence)

i think mordred came into the family later on but by then he'd be an adolescent and gawain would be fully integrated into the kotr which fuels his outsider syndrome tbh and the struggle w/ his family. i do think gawain really tried his best to reach out to him though because that's still his baby brother.... and it's one of the reasons why i like the idea of mordred killing gawain instead as opposed to lancelot haha i think it makes the betrayal 100x more agonzing and heartwrenching. plus the fact that they're family hits different for me. but anyways.....

agravaine - second eldest and has bad middle child syndrome, but i also read the wicked day by mary stewart when i was younger and it shaped my view of the orkneys a lot so i'm also fond of the idea of him being twins with gaheris... either goes though. i think agravaine is the second saddest in the orkneys apart from mordred, but for different reasons i think... there's a lot of bitterness in his heart. largely due to growing up with gawain's shadow over him i imagine

gaheris - either twins with agravaine or the ultimate middle child. surprisingly i don't have a lot of opinions on him ? i think. in my ditched retelling (different from lideri and closer to medieval arthuriana) he used to be really close with agravaine but they grew distant as they grew older. i liked making him an artist for some reason i think it's cute + i had the idea that he actually didn't die, he was the remaining orkney after the battle at camlann so he had to rule over orkney something he wasn't prepared for in the slightest

gareth is the youngest. i love making him the baby of the orkneys. i think gawain spoils him to death, i borrowed this from mary stewart again but i also like to think that he wasn't spoiled by not just gawain but also by morgause because of his likeness to her, though i don't think he's similar to her at all personality wise esp when he grows up. he has the image of a young awkward teenager to me haha and he struggles in his place amongst the orkneys. he also has a similar issue with gaheris wherein he feels at odds with his siblings esp their conflict bc the orkneys is dramaland. i don't know if you ever read the brothers karamazov but gareth for me is similar to alyosha where he acts as the glue for the orkneys, which is why when he dies gawain loses his shit

there's also clarissant... who i think is along the same ages as gareth and mordred. though i haven't thought much yet for her bc i only started thinking of her recently i like the idea of her being a lady knight though

and well.. there's mordred.... don't ask me i have a lot of opinions on that guy.

[sweetlullabyebye]

theo raeken and tragic hero essay... thing (idk what i'm doing)

in this... essay, i will talk about theo raeken as a tragic hero, because why the hell not.

tragedy as a literary genre goes all the way back to the 5th century BC, and is still written about today. it is a genre of drama focused on stories of human suffering, where a human flaw/weakness/choice leads to devastating events, traditionally ending with death. examples of tragedies include 'romeo and juliet', 'a streetcare named desire', etc etc.

so, anyways, tragedies have multiple components, with an introduction, a middle and an end, dramatic events, a character that is usually the tragic hero, and it all leads to catharsis (catharsis being the purging of emotion).

the structure would go more or less like that:

the tragic hero, central character, starts out in a good position (could be of high social standing, or maybe they're famous, successful, happy in general, etc), whose choices or weaknesses lead to a chain of events that end with their downfall. it could be oeudipus, killing his father and marrying his mother, and later being like 'oh shit'. because of their action or trait, the hero is now facing an inevitable ending, which is... tragic.

and that leads us to theo!

i consider that theo's tragedy starts with him watching tara die, and ends with him going to hell (we're ignoring season 6, sorry theo, maybe later), and would probably actually be composed of two parts (his childhood, and then him arriving in beacon hills again).

we have the tragic hero, theo, who, while he has good qualities, makes an error of judgement (that's an understatement) and lets his sister tara die of hypothermia, in order to gain power. that choice leads to his downfall, as he becomes the first chimera, being experimented on.

so we'll consider theo's hunger for power his tragic flaw (the 'hamartia' of the story, which is a factor that causes the downfall), that follows him all the way to the first episode where we see him.

then again, theo starts out great, but he ends up experiencing peripeteia; a reversal. while he was planning on taking over scott's pack, there is a reversal of situation, which means that it doesn't turn out how he wanted.

from then on, theo loses control over the story, kills part of his pack, loses the few 'betas' he had, becoming isolated, fails at everything he attempts, and, at the last moment, realizes what's about to become of him. before being dragged by tara into 'hell', he has a moment of 'anagnorisis' (recognition) of his fate, and tries to fight against it (pleading to be helped, trying to hold on something).

however, a tragic character, while they might fight against fate, cannot reverse it, which is why theo gets trapped in hell.

so in my opinion, theo shares traits with tragic heroes, and part of his story follows the concepts of tragedy.

where it lacks, however, is the fact that you probably don't relate or pity theo's downfall until you've watched season 6 and started liking theo (which doesn't go along the idea of the tragic hero being relatable), and thus there is little catharsis, except for general satisfaction at his tragic ending. theo also escapes, in a way, his tragedy, by later being released from hell (his ending is reversed).

anyways, the story has a tragic hero, a tragic flaw, some sort of catharsis, peripeteia, and some late anagnorisis, so i'll consider it a tragedy :).

(sources are

https://www.supersummary.com/tragedy/

https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/a/agamemnon-the-choephori-and-the-eumenides/critical-essay/aristotle-on-tragedy

https://literaryterms.net/tragedy/

https://www.britannica.com/art/tragedy-literature

https://teen-wolf-pack.fandom.com/wiki/Theo_Raeken)

[astridspeckles]

Archon Quest & The Wanderer tangent + mental health

So I just finished it (I'm so far behind on everything Sumeru it hurts) I wanna just talk about stuff, so spoilers. A few things to note:

Im terrible at writing what I think so this is a random jumble of words lol

I'm not a psychologist/psychiatrist

I do have a very empathic innate understanding of mental health tho- I also have personal experience with it.

I simp for Scara, have from the moment I saw him

I knew roughly the story beats of the quest so I didnt go in blind

- so I had a lot of time to get used to the 'cop out'...

This is a repost of a thread I made on another site so if you find this elsewhere it me hi

... Which I'll quickly just address. I don't like how at the end he can't be on our side without the complications of what it would of meant if he as his original self would of been --- but im not gonna focus on that, what done is done. I will just say I would liked more if the voice lines people had of him were different- something along the lines of 'I cant remember what happened but it feels like im forgetting something' -  but im just going to do is focus on his character development. I believe Scaramouche is someone who would be diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) which is an emotional dysregulation disorder which can heavily impact a person day to day which can effect their relationships with people.

People with borderline personality disorder may experience intense mood swings and feel uncertainty about how they see themselves. Their feelings for others can change quickly, and swing from extreme closeness to extreme dislike. These changing feelings can lead to unstable relationships and emotional pain. [- NIMH Gov]

And I know on tumblr people have more understanding of BPD but those who dont know or care says anything - no, this isn't the "edgy mental illness” I believe Collie is an example of another character who displays BPD as well. Both of these characters I believe are actually fantastic display of BPD?? Though Scaramouche is an example of what happens when it goes unchecked and Collei has made amazing progress to live with it in her day to day. But yes... the Archon Quest. Nahida expected and lowkey planned for it to play out the way it did, and even though that is the exact same manipulation that people have been doing that has ruined people, she did it for Scaramouche, and I cant help but love her a bit more for that. She didn't plant the idea in his head or guide his hand, but prepared for an outcome in case if he acted the way he did and allowed him to do so anyway - her trust in him and the traveler as well as herself to make sure things for him would be okay in the end. She cares for him. She understands his history and I bet she understands BPD and knows how to live with people who live with it too Nahida doesn't concern herself with the complications, the fact people would see this outcome as a 'cop out' or the lack of justice of Scaramouche not having to face his actions. Nahida cares about Scaramouche and that he is hurting and has been hurt. She acted accordingly with stride with no doubts. She never gives herself away, despite naturally and genuinely giving her complete self in any situation. Shes amazing (and someone I hope to be like someday). I love how Nahida has just endless trust and confidence in him and the people she works with. She treats people exactly how she would like to be treated in turn making her someone people would respect and up hold - and is such an amazing archon im so glad shes here.

---

And for someone who is constantly battling to remain guarded- Scaramouche thrives so much with how she treats him - it was amazing. (Although I do wish down to my core that the whole time thing didn't happen because I swear with Nahida and the traveler we could of helped him-- ok ok no I said I wouldnt talk about that topic). But you can see that he's able to be relaxed and confident, but his confidence is being directed in a way that isn't making him defensive! You can see the norm for him which is the exact opposite when he talks to the fatui! Example in the memory where he speaks to Signora - the communication itself is a battle for him. He needs to defend himself and let those around him know he isn't weak. He's constantly treading water, trying to stay afloat- to not be hurt, because he knows no one will hesitate to hurt him. You cannot show that type of weakness - they will see it and strike. And while yes the people who he talks to would of course react in turn to attack him when they are being attacked, if people were able to focus and care for Scaramouche they would acknowledge that it is a factor of his BPD and find ways to navigate these episodes - which we can see, can be done! And that is why he is always acting the way he is. Its a defense mechanism! A vicious cycle. [And I know there are so many players who don't see Scaramouche this way and it makes me actually really sad that they cant see how injuried he is. Every interaction we see him in is him masking and putting on a front, an act, and people think he's all evil because he's a dick. I hope if you see him that way that this thread can at least give you an alternative perspective though] But with that all mentioned... the fact he gave up himself without an instant to fix things... he just wants to do something greater than himself. He wants to help, he wants to make things happen and not necessary because he wants to be great, he just wants to fill in the void he feels. You can see that trauma survivors can have survivors guilt but one way of expressing this is by having an fragile ego believing that you being here means you have a purpose. Of course everyone thinks this but trauma can make it a lot harder to not to regulate your thoughts which can make obsessions more intrusive. He sacrificed himself to do some good after learning the truth within an instinct. To his core he is good. He has done bad and terrible things but he is still being good in these moments, not because he wants to 'do one last thing', but because it is the obvious right choice to do since he has the power to do so. Because they have the power to do so, and they saw a problem that can be helped by them. Nahida and Scaramouche both do this and damn I cant believe that my headcanons for Scaramouche being not evil boi TM actually came true?? First with Xiao and now Scaramouche? I am fed. ...Would someone who has had a history of pain and trauma not want to just erase it? Want to forget it, not want to experience it and not attached to it? Of course. But that ins't possible to do which is where you seek a professional to help you work through things. But yet here we are, and while... I don't like the game narrative of this happening, for a study in a traumatized character it is actually a really interesting path... which I still hate. The equivalent of this is suppressed memories. And I can talk from personal experience- having a memory of a distressing yet alone heavily traumatic situation is majorly distressing and/or soul crushing! Even more so if it is OUT OF NOWHERE. This is not how you recover from your trauma - its the opposite - trauma dumping! My poor boy didn't stand a chance! You even see The Wanderer, the moment I saw him I actually was so distressing for me. You could instantly see how empty he is. He's missing so much of himself. And all I could see up until the traveler talks to him was sadness. -I played it while talking to a friend and she couldnt see this and I swear this isn't because I simp for him though. This came across crystal clearly for me and im actually really shocked that apparently not everyone else did? But once he speaks to the traveler he develops drive and goals instantly. Again, this has always been there and is actually one of the main personality traits he always has on display. Scaramouche has always been the way the Wanderer is. But after we finish the Wanderers task for the stall keep, we see Nahida and Y I K E S we trauma dump him. And this hurt to watch. This isn't how you deal with trauma. "Just rip it off like a bandaid" is not the approach you have to something so devistating... ...and yet for the games purposes it had to be done like this. Lets say hypothetically if the game let the Wanderer slowly and healthily learn Scaramouche's history - he would of be an odd mixture of two people. But he would still ultimately be more of the Wanderer than Scaramouche! he could be able to connect with him but ultimately he would of been able to let him go. But the game could not do that for game reasons. He IS Scaramouche, he needs to STAY as Scaramouche. So trauma dumping it is. So he decides in true Wanderer/Scaramouche fashion that it is his duty to learn the truth. Because this is a drive and motivation and their character at their core would do anything to fix what is right regardless of what is their own consequence. And so he does. And he suffers for it, recalls painful memories and is in agony. ... and yet, when it is all done you can see instantly - "He is back to being the old Scaramouche". And this is where I say no. This is where people aren't seeing him. Scararmouche never left. You just know what to look for now to see his kindness. You just understand when his trauma is making him act up. You are just in an environment where he can allow his defenses not to be activated. The Wanderer has not had a personality change - sure he isn't the soft boy from before, but SIKE he actually is. Or rather, he can be when he chooses and is ready to be. But he'll never be that aimless or hollow ever again, but that wasn't Scaramouche, or The Wanderer, that was a blank state of being of going with the motions knowing something is missing. He'll never be so hollow again, but he will be able to display that unguarding kindness someday. The major change he has had his trauma and burdens are eased and no longer life controlling. He is on the path of recovery and overcoming his history. Scaramouche has always had the ability to be kind and not being evil, but he never had the enviroment where he could do so. He was molded in part to be the evil he became and while he was manipulated to do so, to degrees he did willingly not too concerned if he didnt have the full context. But the Wanderer is and has always been what Scaramouche is, just some people had to actively been shown who he is before they could see it themselves.

[wordsandrobots]

Have I obligated myself to have a ‘take’ on Witch From Mercury? I mean, I’ve posted pieces concerning every main Gundam anime thing I’ve watched except Cucuruz Doan's Island (because I have nothing to *say* about Cucuruz Doan's Island except that hearing Lucian Dodge voice Amuro is a *trip* for an Iron-Blooded Oprhans’ fan, let me tell you). In my own head at least, this creates the completionist urge to note something down now G-Witch is over. And hey, I believe in exorcising nagging thoughts so why not? Spoilers and unfavourable opinions ahead. In fact, I’m going to use a cut because this show seems popular around here and  I’m not monster enough to rain on anyone’s parade about it.

It’d be nice to say, ‘basically fine for what it is but not my thing’. The problem is, I’m not sure I can say that, having found it so unbearably messy to watch. It could be my peculiar brain wiring that makes it frustrating to have a story constantly introduce stuff that neither goes anywhere nor coheres especially well with itself if you stop and think about it for five minutes. But it does feel like this would have been vastly improved by cutting something -- anything -- to make some room for thrust of the main plot.

I have a specific beef with the lack of characterisation for A(Eri)al. We are *told* how much Suletta cares for her and how crucial that relationship is through the first season, and of course it’s vital to the struggles and resolution of season two. But it’s hard to point to an example prior to Suletta’s little vision-quest-slash-being-dumped escapade where they interact in a meaningful fashion. It seems extremely one-sided and I’m not sure how intentional that is. This loops around to a complaint about sloppy world-building (a school is the perfect setting to introduce concepts to be later expanded or subverted and the show resolutely Does Not Do That), but is a more significant matter since we’re talking about emotional beats. You know, the things that actually drive a story along.

And look, anything that gets me saying ‘show don’t tell’ has already stretched my patience thin. But it would have been so simple to have included more moments of Suletta pouring her heart out to her Gundam -- with the interface responding in some inscrutable fashion -- I find it genuinely baffling that didn’t happen in place of, I dunno, the Jeturk family drama.

Oh, speaking of which, second beef: if you are placed in the situation where you need to displace a bunch of ‘traditional Gundam story beats’ on to a pseudo-rival/protagonist character, maybe consider . . . just not hitting those beats? (I know, this is a long-running franchise, this is how it goes, executive meddling etc. That doesn’t make it less irritating to have it all culminate in an out-of-nowhere fencing match in reference to a 40-year-old fight scene when the objectively correct way of resolving a plot about arbitrary and unfair systems of rules is with rock-paper-scissors.)

It’s a shame there’s the germ of a neat idea in that concept of displacement, because Guel feels like the part that could have been most easily jettisoned to create space. The Elans have emotional heft as an explicit parallel to Suletta, Elan-5′s relationship with Norea being a vital example of the ‘love me, flaws and all’ refrain at the heart of the story. But Lauda and Guel having a barney in the middle of finale feels egregious and like it only exists to get an extra Gundam into play (an entirely arbitrary requirement). Though I suppose the fact I barely remembered to mention Shaddiq here also speaks to something else that didn’t really resonate or seem to go anywhere in particular.

Here is where you can fill in for yourself the long list of complaints about the show raising issues it doesn’t care about doing justice to. War-profiteering, the traumatising effects of violence, possibilities of future medical technology, corporate influence on geopolitics, social inequality, refugee crises, yadda yadda yadda. G-Witch doesn’t have anything to say about any of these things. It’s a family drama and that really is fine, if that’s the story it wants to tell. It’s about the doings of the privileged (those literally raised on high) and their tribulations are the focus over and above harm to anyone else. It is what it is. I could whine for days about this stuff, but it’s no worse than you’d find in many pieces of comparable media. Cherish the exceptions.

To say something nice, lest you think all I have are complaints, this show is beautifully animated throughout (I did find the action inside the data-storm hard to follow, owing to the lighting choices, but I think that’s a me thing) and very well directed. The mecha designs are solid, even if we were robbed of more touches like the rocket broomstick. For all my above grouching, Felsi coming out of nowhere with a fire-extinguisher was a fantastic, knowing way to halt Guel and Lauda’s fratricide arc. And I need to stress, the central story about Suleta, Miorine, Eri, Prospera and Delling really is fine. Not my thing and I’m way past the demographic, but on its own terms, it’s fine.

It’s just stuck in the middle of a distracting mess of half-baked concepts, meaningless call-backs and a cast suitable for an anime twice as long. It’s tempting to pin everything on that last part, to hypothesise this was going to be or should have been 50 episodes, not 24. I’m inclined to take the opposite track. I think there is a perfectly functional 24-episode story here that got stuffed with far too many moving parts for its own good.

Right, done. Where does that leave the final ‘in my opinion’ ranking? Starting from the bottom (by the way, I’m now at the ‘I flatly refuse to watch Victory Gundam’ stage so just write that one off entirely):

Mobile Suit Gundam AGE (2011) [The one I actively hate]

Mobile Suit Gundam F91 (1991) [Dull]

Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory (1991) [Slightly less dull]

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED (2002) [Uninteresting]

Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack (1988) [Mean-spirited]

Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway (2021) [I intensely dislike the fight scenes]

Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan's Island (2022) [I honestly forgot to add this]

Mobile Suit Gundam (compilation movies; 1979) [Deserves smarter call-backs]

Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket (1989) [Good for what it is]

Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt (2015) [Also good for what it is]

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: Destiny (2004) [Frustrating]

Mobile Suit Gundam 00/Mobile Suit Gundam 00 the Movie: A Wakening of the Trailblazer (2007/2010) [Bonkers, politically aggravating]

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (1985) [Interesting]

Mobile Suit Gundam: Unicorn (2010) [Well-made]

Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (1986) [Fun but janky]

Mobile Suit Gundam the Witch from Mercury (2022) [See above]

Mobile Fighter G Gundam (1994) [Delightfully committed to the bit]

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing/Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz (1995/1997) [big for a reason]

Mobile Suit Gundam: Twilight AXIS (2017) [Nicely done]

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin (2015) [Best-case scenario for fannishness]

Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative (2018) [Surprisingly enjoyable]

Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team (1996) [Bags of fun]

Gundam Reconguista in G (2014) [Pretty popcorn]

After War Gundam X (1996) [Genuinely a lot cleverer than it looks]

Turn A Gundam (1999) [Deliriously smart]

B

I

G

G

A

P

Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans (2015) [Actively excellent]