#And he does again in Unbecoming I know protect Jim

[pinkytoothlesso11]

Hey, there the same newbie in the Fandom again

I rewatched the show again with my brother and started noticing things I didn't in the first. But for today, only one ask shall I send

Do you think Walter has some guilt feelings about Jim transformation? I mean, the boy wasn't listening to Merlyn till he said similar reasons to the one Strickler said in training and especially in bad coffee, which we saw in it that Jim still cared about Walter opinion or something? (TBH, I like the episode, but half of it was just trash . What do you mean by just "protect her?" he cares for Jim and forbids Bular from attacking him way before starting to start dating Barbara)

Wow, so much rambling sorry anyway back to the guilty feelings because I think he kinda saw himself the reason? He clearly knew or guessed what the potion would do because of his reaction to it

And the "young Atlas you are not alone"

It strikes me as if he realized what he said earlier about Jim not being able to defeat Gunmar by his strength alone (so he got the potion) and his speech was more of hopeless attempt to reach Jim to not accepting the fact he can't win alone but they could find another way together

Oh God, I write all of that, so sorry, but you're the only trollhunters (Strickler) fan I know would be able to understand me

First off, this is a fantastic ask! And it doesn't matter how many times I rewatch Trollhunters, I still find new things. It's probably why I rewatch so much.

I don't think Walt is guilty about Jim's transformation to half-troll. He wanted Jim to survive Gunmar. Because any humanity shown to Gunmar would end with Jim dead. Strickler never said Jim needed to be more than human, not like Merlin did. Strickler was terrified Jim would die, which was why the training in season 3 was so tough. Strickler was angry and scared when he realised what Merlin had done.

Yeah, Jim DOES care about Walt's opinion on him, and I think the same can be said of Walt.

Bad coffee is a bad episode for Strickler and Jim's relationship lol. Right from the start of Trollhunters it was JIM who instilled in Strickler the seeds of his eventual redemption. And RoTT (terrible as it was overall) proved that once and for all. Strickler is willing to DIE for Jim. He didn't die for Barbara. And that's why Jim sets him up with Barbara at the end of the movie.

The whole 'I didn't return to train you, I returned to protect her' can't be taken seriously. Since you know, Strickler was high on gravesand. Nothing he says is particularly nice while on gravesand. None of the teachers are lol. And it was said also because Strickler wanted Jim to kill him. To finish the fight. And needed to say something to wind him up. What better then using his mom? Since obviously he returned for Jim's sake, knowing Barbara would want nothing to do with him at the time. And yes, maybe he returned to train Jim also because it would indirectly protect Barbara, but still. Blatent lie. If that was true, Jim would be dead.

[arrival-layne]

Jim Whump/Angst Promps for my soul:

I am that bich that loves to see my favorite characters suffer. But the overwhelming potential that ‘tales of arcadia’ has (especially trollhunters) for good whump fics/art/edits is *chefs kiss* immaculate.

Jim gets beat to hell a lot during TOA but because the show is targeted towards a younger audience, censoring must be put in place.

(Whumps are not for everyone. Proceed with caution)

Edits/art of Jim and the trollhunting team with accurate injuries (Bruises, blood, scrapes, broken/bruised ribs, cuts, etc)

Barbara ain’t no fool and mentions at one point in the series that Jim comes home with bruises, etc. Jim trying to hide his injuries from his mother who is a doctor. is ugh, so good.

Especially if say she were to hug him after he had come home particularly late, relieved to see her son. And did so just a little too tight and too quickly. Jim with bruised or even broken ribs crying out so suddenly at the pain.

Hats and scarves to hide the injuries. The trio patching each other up, comforting one another in pain. Jim maybe even knabbing some of his mom’s medical books.

Can you imagine them learning how to do stitches? What are you going to say to the hospital ( or Jim’s mom) once you’ve had one too many visits. Especially if the wound is irregular. or god forbid it has magical properties to it. Would modern medicine even heal such a thing?

How far along is Troll kinds medicine. Do they have anesthesia? numbing agents? Troll culture as we’ve seen can be harsh. Are procedures particularly painful?

We saw what it took to break the spell bond between Strickler and Barbara. Could you imagine Jim going through such a thing. Toby? Claire?

All of them, Jim, flinching hard at sudden movements. PTSD becoming more evident the more they encounter.

Sleep deprivation. Failing grades. Jim having to stand there being scolded by teachers and family, without any of them, at the time, knowing what he’s doing to protect them. What he’s seen.

When Jim defeats Bular and immediately performs for his school. I want that kid as soon as the curtains close to fall to his knees in exhaustion. The pain he must have been feeling the entire time.

One favorite of mine that I didn’t even think of, actually popped up in Adjustments. Jim fearing the armor. Feeling closed in and claustrophobic when it’s on. Desperately trying to claw it off. Knowing danger and horrible things are coming when it’s on.

I’ve also mentioned with some fanart of mine the effects of grave sand and the amulet could have on Jim. “It changes your nature. Some of the changes are… permanent.”

Jim struggling to come to terms how he felt when high on the grave sand. Maybe it felt good. He wanted to hurt them. He felt justified in his anger towards Blinky. etc. What kind of person does that make him?

Jim is the type of person to try and do it all on his own. He wants to protect his friends. his family. He has a hard time remembering it’s okay to lean on his team. I’d imagine he’d keep secrets from them when needed.

He didn’t tell them about Unbecoming. He saw the carnage, the people he loves and care for die. His mother’s last words. Jim felt that fear, the despair of being all alone. He knew what would come if they didn’t win this war. A hard lesson given by Merlin.

Merlin letting that information slip. Jim feeling ashamed he’d ever thought about truly abandoning his duty. That fact that he did. The anger he feels towards Merlin and his job.  His teams anger  that Merlin put him through something like that.

I’ve also mentioned in a previous post, an alternate scene to Jim’s troll transformation. Where merlin’s Manipulation wasn’t enough. And Jim refused to alter himself. Believing in his team.

Merlin knowing this wasn’t going to be enough. The horrible reality of their situation. Merlin is the type to do whatever it takes to ensure a win, even if the methods are questionable. He makes the hard choices, sacrifices his allies.

Merlin dragging Jim up to that bathroom himself. The struggle and the fight while you can hear the running water filling the tub. It would be a dirty fight, cheating and biting. The furniture broken, broken glass on the floor.

That black jar shattering. Merlin being so much stronger. Forcefully shoving Jim under, drowning this kid and making him undergo a change that will be permanent.

Jim desperately clawing and kicking. Screaming and shouting. Fighting it with all his strength.

He loses and watches as he falls and falls. Hearing the furious cries of his friends, his mother as the light above him slowly slips away.

And I can see everyone bounding up those stairs and staring at Merlin as he stands above the tub, soaking wet and ruffed up, face grim as he turns to them. The black in the water fading.

The nightmares. Waking up in a panic. Maybe Jim being physically ill. The bags becoming more prominent under his eyes.

Jim blaming himself for Dral’s death. He can see it in his minds eye over and over again. Not being able to save Vendul. The despair he felt as he saw Nomura drop from his grasp. His desperation to protect people he cares about is so good.

Jim and Strickler arguing about telling Barbara everything. The guilt that eats away at them.

And Jim being HALF TROLL. is my favorite thing. A lot of potential there as well!

I imagine he’d experience dysmorphia. His entire biology and appearance have changed. Again, Adjustments approaches this so well. Werepirechick is a stunning writer.

Because Jim’s body has changed so much, foods, herbs and medicines may affect him differently. Himself and the team might not even consider it. Something that could be safe for trolls may not be for a human. As well as the other way around. 

Jim being delirous/hallucinating. Maybe under a fever, pain, etc? 

There are all kinds of Whump/Hurt and Comfort prompts I want to apply to trollhunters. Jim specifcally because I love hurting my favs.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I’m a little sick and twisted. 

Feel free to add on. Or even take these on if you’re interested. I should probably just start a whump blog. 👀

[gotmilk5101520]

Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia Watch Episode 37 Unbecoming (Part 1)

Unbecoming is a name better than unborn.

“Lower the prisoner”

“Are you still refusing to admit”

“that your friends had any hand in this?”

“It’s my fault. I’m responsible”

“Everything they did was for me”

“Then this is beyond even my authority”

“I am sorry”

“James Lake Jr, you stand accused of unleashing Gunmar on the world”

”and failing to protect trollkind”

“If you let me out, i can fight”

“You will face trial”

“in front of the Tribunal for your crime”

“If found guilty, as you say you are...”

“The consequence could be...”

“death”

“But an offer of mercy is on the table”

“If you surrender the Amulet to be destroyed”

”you will be exiled”

“And your life spared”

“I don’t understand”

“Then there won’t be a Trollhunter”

“For too long, we trolls have relied on Merlin’s antiquated magics to shelter us”

“As for the evil we face tomorrow”

“that is up for our own race to decide”

“not some human child” This hits harder after Wizards.

“Is this what you wanted?”

“To hurt everyone?”

“To ruin my life?”

“Why did you choose me”

“huh?”

“I wish i never picked you up in the first place”

“You made a mistake”

“You made a mistake”

“I wish i never picked you up”

“So the Amulet made a mistake, eh?”

“You would not be the first”

“Who are you?”

“You don’t recognize me?”

“Perhaps a hint or two”

“I didn’t have much luck being a Trollhunter, either”

“Trained by Blinky?”

“Couldn’t last a day?”

“Ripped limb from limb?”

“Whoa”

“Unkar the Unfortunate?”

“That’s what stuck?”

“I was hoping for Unkar the Ultimate” No you are Ultimate. The Ultimate Unfortunate.

“Well, i’m here to offer you what i never had”

“a second chance” “So, you’re going to get Viperion?”

And now, we’re back to the first episode.

“What is going on right now?” Every Wednesday in January.

“Not raccoons” It’s always the raccoons.

“So you don’t know that”

“i’m a Trollhunter?”

“Okay”

“You really gotta stop skipping breakfast, Jimbo”

“It’s the most important meal of the day” Important message.

“Come on, we’re gonna be late for school!”

“Let’s take the canals”

“The canals”

“The Amulet”

“A second chance”

“Tobes, go the long way!”

“I don’t wanna take the canals today”

“Your call!”

“Final bell!”

“We’re so late, our kids are gonna have detention!”

“Did you say something?”

“Uh... Nope”

Toby is questioning Jim’s mind.

“Jim, would you agree”

”with Herodotus...?” “Strickler!”

“I mean, uh, uh...”

“Yes, yes”

“Absolutely” Nice work.

“Jim, may i have a word?”

“Jim, you seem distracted”

“I believe i’m overdue for a conversation with your mother”

“No!”

“No, no, no, no”

“Stay away from my mom!”

“Oh...” Jim does not want to go through that again.

“Claire! Claire, we need to talk!”

“Um, what?”

“Sorry, have we met?”

“Oh, right. You don’t know who i am” “No, but the fact that i don’t know your cute face is a crime” “What?” “I said, who are you again?”

“Dude, you’ve been a real braincase all morning”

“What did you just call me, buttsnack?”

“Uh, uh... Nothing?”

“Jim? Jim?”

“Ow!” Steve maybe off your back, Jimbo. But now he’s gonna be on Toby’s.

“Remember, you are just Jim Lake Jr”

“You’re getting a second chance”

“Enjoy it”

“It may surprise you”

“Muy bien, Mr. Lake. A-plus”

“Spectacular!”

“Wake up! Don’t want to sleep through your big day!”

“Mom’s special birthday pancakes!”

“These are the pieces of a 1955 Vespa!”

“I thought perhaps one day we could build it together”

“I missed you”

“Don’t worry”

“I never expected them to like my boyfriend”

“I will kiss thy lips”

“Ha!”

“If my destiny is to not hold the sword...”

“perhaps it is to teach you how to properly wield it”

“Mimic my movements”

”Trollhunter”

“Even before you found this amulet-”

“way before all of this-”

“you were always my hero”

“My beautiful boy”

“I just wish everything could go back”

”to the way things were”

“When everything was… normal”

To be continued.

Part 2

[feather-dancer]

Trollhunters Fanfic Recommendations - Part 3

Somehow there is now a third one of these because I read far far too much fanfic and have no regrets about it. It’s with great pleasure I can also announce I’ve been digging around for Trans Jim fics and found some gems while I was at it that have been included below.

You can find Part 1 of my fanfic recommendations here!

And Part 2 here!

Plus one shameless plug for my own current fics.

General Trollhunters

(And you're my Arcadia.) - All you need to know is it’s Jilaire post Season 3 and one line in particular made me burst out laughing.

Bitter[sweet] - Sometimes the thing you need most is just a really good friend when your body plain sucks. Contains Trans Jim and is delightful.

the red book - Far beyond the humble days of Season 3 and after living beyond his human family and friends, Jim has started to forget who he was and that he was ever just a human kid.

The Halls of Arcadia High - When Strickler disappeared in Season 1, his absence was felt in many ways even in the form of a humble piano left un-played.

Not - Not!Enrique isn’t his name yet it’s what they call him anyway. An albatross reminding him of what was taken before he even had a chance to start.

On the Radio  - The final telling of the Janus Order.

Gay stories for Tales of Arcadia - Yeah I’m pretty sure you can guess where this is going, LGBTQ+ rep!

Through the Fires - There was a before time, one where Gunmar still roamed free and Deya had yet to be chosen let alone felled. These are the words of the humble witnesses of that war, from the changelings to the trolls who would oppose them.

Trollhunters: A Series of Disjointed Drabbles - This is so cute and fluffy I might just spontaneously combust.

Insomnolence - It is after the final battle and Jim has a lot of thoughts.

another tragedy - Anxiety is a bastard, it gives a lot of bad thoughts but sometimes there is a little bit of truth buried beneath it all and it whispers all about how you can keeping doing the wrong things for the right reasons. Season 2.

i will always hold you close (but i will learn to let you go) - Sometimes the hardest thing you can do is learning when to let go. Sometimes however, even when you want to they hold back even tighter. Season 2.

your eyes look like coming home - Toby has been the witness from the start of just how close Jim has been to death multiple times over and how Jim he is about the whole thing. It scares him how this time might be it, again and again. Season 2.

The Collected Tellings of Shigir and Other Changeling Folktales - I don’t actually know which category to put this under so I’m going the to heck with it route instead. Does exactly what it says on the tin for your Changeling lore needs, some of which will be off-hand mentioned or outright appear during the fantastic Terpsichore - The Comedy of the Danse Macabre - ACT I.

Please note: The main fic is Stricklake if that’s not your cup of tea, the folktales however can be enjoyed regardless.

~~~

Stricklake

all that dazzling dawn has put asunder - The sequel to in my sleep i dreamed of waking, this is filled with delightful fluff, internal panicking and the joys of trying to explain how you’re a not and how that does not change the fact Strickler is still a was. Being a changeling in these strange after times are difficult even before the other baggage involved but at least you're still here to start.

Two Pisces in Alto Mare - When in Rome as part of a study trip abroad, you meet the most curious people sometimes and  by fluke or nature you may even do so more than once.

Filling The Gaps - Possibly a bit of an unusual mention but! These are little pieces of Fallout that were going on while our eyes were following elsewhere and boy it can hurt.

Rehearsals and DvD Bonus Features - Another from the home of Terpsichore - The Comedy of the Danse Macabre - ACT I which is being listed here because it does have Stricklake in it. Some things don’t make the cut with writing fanfic, either because the plot wandered off, it doesn’t fit right or it’s some backstory you haven’t quite figured out where it can be naturally brought up yet and in this case they’ve found themselves a home. Be warned, one particular chapter is explicit and has been marked as such in warnings in the chapter summary.

~~~

Alternate Universes

(Un)Becoming - Not technically an AU in the conventional sense but I’m putting it under here anyway. It’s Unbecoming, as ever the road to hell is paved with good intentions but as Jim threw in the towel the storm that’s coming will not be stopped. However, what if others caught glimpses of a world that still had a human Trollhunter to defend it?

Steve the Kind - Steve became the Trollhunter but how the adventure unfolds differently than when Jim was at the helm might just surprise you. Very slow burn Steve and Jim that in a rather refreshing change doesn’t throw Claire under the bus for it to happen. Praise be.

31 Days in the Darklands - Strickmar that somehow kinda works?? It helps with Gunmar having the space to breathe outside of getting Morgana out and be more of his own character. Storywise, in order to rescue Jim from the Darklands Strickler broke a deal that would cost his own freedom and now has to somehow maintain a treaty between three very different factions all the while keeping his own neck intact. The intense distrust in changelings continues on to boot but hey, nobody said politics was easy.

Building Bridges - So Gunmar is distinctly of the more Eldritch variety with dream powers, the ability to easily see through lies for the true emotions and thoughts, Bular has the Insight as well to a lesser extent and everyone has somehow managed to hop onto Stricklander’s bandwagon of we must protect Jim Lake Jr. at all costs. Now the race is on as both sides try to sway the young Trollhunter to their way of thinking and the Trollmarket has no idea how dangerously badly they’re doing so far.

Lost Souls - A fic written in variable snapshots. Jim was kidnapped and changed by Merlin far earlier to be his Champion to ensure he did the “right thing” while Barbara in desperation to find her son falls into the hands of Morgana thus mother and son become enemies without even realising it.

Faithfully - Barbara died overseas and yet somehow Jim still managed to make his way back to Arcadia to become the next Trollhunter. This road is far harder for it as a seemingly homeless orphan though on the flipside he keeps on acquiring dads. Contains Trans Jim, timeline variable snapshots and I love it very much.

The Burning - There was a fire, it killed Barbara and Jim was thought dead as well. Nobody could have guessed the feral half changeling that is running around like a cryptid is the very much alive Jim.

Finding Daylight - Jim is a very low ranking changeling, terrified of Bular and his home amounts to little more than a spot in the woods. Things started to go pear shaped for him when he accidentally stumbled over Blinky and only more so when the amulet picks him after Kanjigar is felled. Tis not a kind world for a changeling child out there and he has nobody really to help watch his back until he stumbles on a potential maybe.

~~~

The bonus shoutout for an excellent MSA fic   

A Sleep Like Death - Who wouldn’t want to go visit a tower you’ve inherited apparently and has haunted as all hell all over it? Not Vivi that’s for sure. Poor Arthur is just along for the ride and then things start to get really weird when they find it’s still occupied and thinks Arthur is his jailor.

[maiolica-admirer]

Life beyond the chaotic gremlin

Nomura is a type of person where if you took her at face value, you would easily miss the facets that make up who she is beyond the "would totally stab you in your sleep" which while that is a big part of her character (Plus being a genuinely chaotic and sarcastic gremlin) there is more than that. And it all starts with the humble introduction.

When we first see her it is when she's selling the wonders of history that can be found in her fine establishment that despite it being a cover at no point... sounds fake. She really sounds like she loves this like a special interest, particularly by sneaking in a mention of her clear beloved renaissance era pottery, and it's coming from someone who has lived through it and still standing well enough to appreciate these creations humans have recorded and left behind over time. She's apparently oblivious to everyone but Eli's excitement and looks genuinely surprised when Strickler cuts her off before glaring at him. This is re-enforced later when she returns to the museum (Which I fudge earlier for this blog, natch) where that is very clearly not fake enjoyment. Left to her own devices she's enjoying the hell out of being back there again, checking the tapestries and setting up a new exhibit before Ursuna shows up. In the hilarious contrast to Strickler, she has a tendency towards the arts from these little snippets we're allowed to see while being the more battle hungry of the pair of them.

Lets face it, Nomura is an incredibly dangerous changeling if you have been chosen as a target. Specialising in the hunt and ambush, unsettling her target with a bit of dramatics (Changelings) and she is exceptionally good at it with bar one blip we know about before the series starts clearly put her in a high enough stead to protect THE Killahead Bridge. Someone stumbles over it somehow? Come hell or high water you know Nomura will terminate the problem as she will not accept anything less. Her fighting style focuses on using her twin khopesh as both defensive and very fast striking offense, abusing her natural agility for vaulting tactics and adapting to the battle arena, powerful kicks and she's completely unafraid to use her TEETH if that's what it takes to gain an advantage. From Unbecoming, "We better hurry, we're missing all the fun~" she seriously lives for this and the museum role is chill out time between doing a job she loves so very much. It gives me the impression of her loyalty being garnered through letting her go to town and a future dream of freedom that still allows her to do as she wishes. She's happy enough in that position and has no visible ambitions to go beyond that or being on Bular babysitting duty.

There is no love for humans either that much is clear, their things sure, but being Asian appearing even after women's rights came through little would have changed for her in the west. Humans just as racist as trolls, throw them under the damn bus for all she cares.

Her biggest weakness stems from this very thing however, namely that of her pride. She underestimated Jim (Understandably), immediately changed tactics when he got a strike on her just for the human Trollhunter to escape with his friend through sheer luck. Having to limp into the museum after being assailed by goblins, politely chastised by Strickler and having to scramble a way to keep her hide before Bular kills her? It's no wonder Jim ended up on her shit list for that one.

But did you notice what she did when she went after him the first time?

She left Barbara alone.

Nomura found out this was a single mother household (I do wonder if that slipped when at the police station or Strickler off handed mentioned how his school job was going) and acted accordingly so that the non-threat would not prevent her from for her going after her true enemy but also would not harm her (Physically) in the longer term. She very carefully planned this out using the angle of Barbara's expectations over the museum, the hospitality and yet again she likely would have succeeded in her hunt if not for unexpected circumstances in the form of Draal.

Draal is a whole THING and I want to dedicated an entire post to that.

The next big moment of course is when we see her in the Darklands after presuming she was killed after being sucked in there and we are witness to someone who's will is so horribly broken and gleefully mocks Jim's concept of a rescue and having hope as what the hell is that word to a changeling? She was "born" here, she will die here whenever the Warlord decides he's bored of punishment. She had literally been confronted with the harsh reality Strickler long figured out on his own of how the second they stop being useful they are disposable no matter what your reputation and prior deeds. That said, she goes and does something very out of character for her that really drives home how much of a mess she's in from having her dream crushed so utterly and becoming trapped more than ever before with a side order of beatings and torture.

Be it on a whim or out of sheer pity, she decides to help spare Jim's life.

And that! Is her turning point! And in her relationship with the Trollhunter!

They bond over things they miss from the surface, her love of the Peer Gynt play explaining why it's her hunting music and then the very strange notion that this idiotic child she has tried to murder repeatedly refuses to leave her behind when he gets out because it wouldn't be the right thing to do. It completely throws her as, why? Changelings will throw one another under to survive, hell humans do it too even without potential stabbing! She doesn't believe it for a second mind, but she lets him have his thoughts and concedes everyone needs hope in the Darklands as he's earned his right to have it.

It is even to the point she'll throw her life down in a fight so he'll live. That she'll fight Gunmar (!!) with a single blade to let them all get out of there including two trolls she definitely doesn't give a damn about and two kids she's likely only tolerating to keep in Jim's favour. To fall for a nice dream while it lasted and buy them time despite now on a broken fetlock too. She's a changeling, they don't deserve hope or chances. They can only think of a dream in the distant future and surviving the current day and this is the end of hers.

Then the weirdest thing happens. Jim keeps his promise and hauls them out of there instead of leaving her to die. Draal of all trolls that could do this it is probably the one that really would throw her for an even bigger loop than escaping the damn Darklands, offers her the kindness of his arm while she is at her most vulnerable and helps her away without any judgement.

To say her world got upended is a vast understatement.

~~~

[[WELL THE MUN WENT ON A BIT OF A TANGENT. I want to go on one about her relationship with Draal and her one with Strickler as well if that’s something peeps would be interested in at some point?]]

[magic-and-moonlit-wings]

Hi, why did Jim not like Strickler dating Barbara? With Trollhunter!Claire how would things play out in Unbecoming? If the show had kept AAARRRGGHH female, how would this affect it, both in the show and meta? And finally, you mentioned the gay subtext with Blinky and AAARRRGGHH, why didn't they make them a couple? I mean, ever since Korra and Steven Universe, LBGT representation has skyrocketed, I don't want to come across as a SJW, but I just wish that the show took more chances with itself.

Okay, well, I should preface my analysis of Jim’s reaction to Stricklake by saying my biological parents are happily married to each other, so I have never personally been in the position of ‘child whose single parent has started dating again’; and I only knew two kids in high school whose parents I knew were divorced, and they didn’t talk to me about their parents’ love lives; so I can only infer based primarily on media stereotypes.

There are a few reasons portrayed in media as to why the child of a single parent reacts negatively to that parent getting a new love interest.

We can rule out Jim hoping his biological parents will get back together, because James Senior is a complete nonentity in their lives. Jim only mentions him four times, all in the first season - twice to Barbara (“You remember when I was old enough to ask about Dad? Remember what you told me? You said, we just have to take care of each other. And that’s all I’m doing, Mom.”) (“Shrimp cakes? Gosh, I haven’t had those since … since …” “Dad made them for us?” “I didn’t think you were old enough to remember.” ”Oh, I remember enough. I remember how his beard used to scratch my face when he hugged me. How he used to make you laugh. But most of all how much he hurt you when he left.”), once to Bular (“You wanna see Dad. I get it, trust me. But we don’t always get what we want.”), and once to Blinky (“You know I don’t care about my father!”)

There is, popularly shown in media and I’m sure it comes up in real life too, a dissonance in a kid’s mind between their school and home lives, which makes it uncomfortable to have their parents and teachers interacting, exacerbated if the student is having some kind of difficulty at school. Jim reacts negatively to Barbara’s interest in Strickler before he even knows Strickler is a Changeling. (“So. Mr Strickler. He seems very nice. Is he single?” “What?! I don’t know!”) (“Did you seriously just ask my teacher out on a date?!”)

Jim assumes something like a caregiver role at home, taking care of food prep and household maintenance. The introduction of a new person into their lives could set off a reflexive response of, “No, we don’t need you, we’ve been managing just fine on our own.”

Jim’s also very protective. The precedent of Barbara having a relationship that ended badly means Jim might be worrying from the start that a new relationship will also end in her getting hurt.

Any change, positive or negative, creates a stress response while a person readjusts. Having his mother start dating again would be a big change for Jim. (We see no indication she’s done so in the past ten years, although it’s possible she did and the relationships just never got serious enough for her to introduce the person to her son, and it’s also possible that it just never came up because Barbara’s past relationships weren’t relevant in a show focusing primarily on Jim being the Trollhunter.)

And then, of course, Jim finds out Strickler is a Changeling, and thereafter views all of Strickler’s interactions with Barbara through the lens of “he’s trying to get to me and using my mom as both a weapon and a shield”, which is accurate for quite some time, and of course is going to make Jim angry and scared, and not going to warm him to the idea of them being together. 

An Unbecoming with Trollhunter!Claire raises the question of whether Not Enrique would still take Enrique’s place.

In canon, Enrique getting swapped was indirectly Jim and Toby’s fault. Because they followed the goblins to the museum, they saw Nomura in troll form, and she revealed the Fetch and suggested bringing in a new Changeling to convince Bular not to kill her after her identity was compromised.

Therefore, a solid argument can be made that in the show’s version of Unbecoming, Enrique was never kidnapped. We never do find out for sure.

If the swap happens because of something Claire did as Trollhunter, Enrique would probably never get switched in the Unbecoming episode, which would be one of the reasons Claire thought at first that it was a better world. (Though she might eventually realize she misses Not Enrique.)

On the other hand, if the initial Trollhunter!Claire timeline was one in which Not Enrique were already planted in the Nuñez house before Claire became the Trollhunter, then Claire’s dynamic with Not Enrique just got a lot more complicated. She has memories of growing to see Not Enrique as an adopted sibling, which he no longer shares, and she has memories of saving Original Enrique from the Darklands, which she is no longer in a position to be able to do.

I figure the ‘failed attempt to thwart the reopening of Killahead Bridge’ thing would happen, because I interpret Unbecoming as a worst-case-scenario vision crafted by Merlin to make the Trollhunter off-kilter and desperate enough to do what the wizard wants without question, but I see this backfiring when he reveals himself because Claire would be furious.

Either way, time reverts itself to how it was before at the end of the episode.

Honestly I don’t see it affecting the overall plot of the show much if AAARRRGGHH had remained Johanna, especially if the writers still went with the show backstory of “raised by Gumm-Gumms and then deserted” rather than the book backstory of “one of the leaders of the armies against Gunmar”.

She would probably have stayed a pacifist for the first half of Season One, to force Jim to have to learn how to fight instead of just hiding behind his big scary troll friend.

We might’ve actually seen cats in the Domzalski house, if the gag was kept that they are drawn to Johanna and love sleeping on her fur, to their peril; but all the cats-being-eaten scenes were just barely off-camera in the show, so maybe not.

I personally would’ve had a less negative reaction to Jlaire, because Claire wouldn’t be the only girl in the core cast, although I might still feel like it was an “Obligatory Het Romance So The Main Character Looks Straight (Or If He’s Bi It Never Comes Up In The Show)”.

BlinkAAARRRGGHH would probably be just as popular as it is now, but if the ship still wasn’t canon (or even if it was), there would also be a number of people defending keeping Blinky and Johanna ‘just friends’ because of the under-representation of close male-female friendships in popular media.

The fandom would probably also create the sapphic ship of Johanna/Nomura, based on how they’re both kickass fighter ladies who used to serve Gunmar and then deserted. (Johannomura? Nomuranna, despite the different number of ‘N’s, sounds like it refers to Nomura/Morgana, though I think that would called Nomurgana, and Jomura could be misinterpreted as the ‘J’ being for Jim, which … no. Johannomura is clearest. Maybe Johmura if that’s too long.)

I don’t know why BlinkAAARRRGGHH was never made official, but I can make some guesses.

Option 1: they didn’t know how popular the show would be and didn’t want to lose potential popularity due to censors not allowing it to air in certain countries or conservative parents not letting their kids watch it.

Option 2: because Blinky and Johanna genuinely did seem to be Not Romantically Involved in the novel, the writers didn’t realize that the adjustments and expansions made to the characters and their interactions made them look like they were together, and so the romantic subtext was unintentional.

Option 3: it was presumed that it went without saying, like how no one in the show goes out of their way to point out Claire’s parents are married to each other. (Okay, except Jim does address Claire’s parents as “Mr and Mrs Nuñez” twice, so that comparison doesn’t quite work.) This is probably the interpretation that will ‘age best’ as LGBT+ rep in children’s-marketed media becomes more prevalent and accepted.

Option 4: the writers have a different love interest planned for one or both of the characters, to be introduced in Wizards, and the romantic subtext between AAARRRGGHH and Blinky was either unintentional or meant to be one-sided.

Option 5: they aren’t together yet, and the script is building up to them becoming an official couple in Wizards.

[justanothertrollhuntersblog-blog]

I Feel People Misinterpret Strickler in Season 3 (Including His Fans)

“I didn’t come here to train you, I came to protect her!”

“My life is not worth the world!”

“It is to me.”

“May the world forgive me, for without you, there is no world!”

The many months following Trollhunters’ season 3 release, I have seen both positive and negative reception to Strickler’s character development, as well as his current relationship positions with Jim and Barbara. From some fellow Stricklake fans, the reception was a bit more positive: “He loves her so much and would do anything for her!”

From those who are not so much fans of him and his romance with Barbara, I’ve seen quite the opposite reaction: “He couldn’t care less about Jim and how everything turns out; only Barbara matters to him!” “He’d let everyone die for her!”

In my opinion, however, I don’t feel as if either of these conclusions are the correct interpretation of Strickler’s character motivations, nor his relationships with the Lakes.

In this post, I will be defending season 3 Strickler using past actions and scenes in previous seasons as examples that I feel helped shape him into the way he is now.

First of all, I’m pretty sure if Walter only came back to Arcadia solely to protect Barbara, he wouldn’t have presented himself so freely to Jim and asked for his permission to train and help him; actually following through as best as he could on his offer. In both parts of The Eternal Knight, you see him out in the battlefield risking his life instead of hovering over Barbara in the hospital.

The line in Bad Coffee where he states that he returned to protect Barbara I feel was more him revealing the main motivation of his return instead of his main purpose. This is not because he doesn’t want too much to do with Jim; I believe it’s more because he thought Jim didn’t want anything to do with him.

“The other trolls don’t trust fighting alongside you. And honestly, neither do I.”

In that very same scene in Something Rotten This Way Comes, it’s pretty obvious Strickler doesn’t believe in himself, even after Jim - one of the people he’s negatively affected the most - reveals that he could change if he tried. The reason why Nomura’s character arc was significantly quicker was that she had no previous positive relationship with any of the Lake family, so her forming a new bond with Jim didn’t come with any guilt, regret, hesitation due to past, personal rivalries, or longing for what may have been before.

Even before Jim sent Strickler away, Walter asked if there was anything more that he could do; all of this happening before the prospect of Barbara even being in danger due to Gunmar’s release. He wished him luck, and expressed a genuine desire to see him again.

Barbara is more of a motivation for Strickler’s redemption than the sole reason for his redemption. There are multiple examples throughout the series of Strickler hesitating time and time again before helping Jim in some way, but also before harming him in another way. This is simply because of circumstance; more them being in opposing positions rather than out of real, deep abhorrence for each other. This short thread about his alternate self in Unbecoming sort of explains it best: https://genalovestoons.tumblr.com/post/180185249712/magic-and-moonlit-wings-whammy5-having-watched

He didn’t stab Jim immediately in the episode; even when he had him pinned to his desk with a dagger to his throat, he still hesitated. He had no actual proof that Jim was correct, and yet he still didn’t go through with injuring or killing him.

He has never been a pure evil threat.

Strickler could have easily still kept Gunmar’s eye after freeing Barbara from the binding spell “for her,” or kept himself hidden when he came back to Arcadia and stalked the doctor instead of presenting himself to her son to help him.

“Jim, I understand that I wronged you. I was once your teacher and - I’d like to think - your friend. Clearly, I broke that trust, but I want to make it up to you...I know I have hurt you. Your friends. Your family,” Strickler said in quiet apology, “But at least consider what I said, Jim.”

Another reason for him mainly returning for Barbara’s protection I feel, is that he also didn’t believe Jim had what it took to defeat Gunmar initially; with or without training from him. Walter knows a lot more than most about Gunmar and his ways, and so Jim showing him compassion in season 1 may have also helped caused doubts to rise about his success over the Gumm-Gumm king, alongside the shock and appreciation of the Trollhunter’s honor and humanity.

Even Nomura, who was the one to rally Strickler up to return to Jim in the first place, also clearly had her doubts that she withheld about the warrior and him winning in the end:

“He’s not ready, his humanity will get him killed!”

Following this, the two changelings resort to more dirty methods to help hasten Jim’s abilities because - deep down - they secretly believed him to be too weak to bring about the world’s salvation.

In the eventual grave sand confrontation scene, it’s clear that Strickler really was frustrated with Jim’s lack of progress; he truly was angry that Jim wasn’t improving in the ways he though he should be in battle.

“I want to teach you, help you, but you’re so blind to the truth...the weakness is you!”

To say that Strickler didn’t actually have the desire to train Jim and only cared about Barbara’s well-being is false.

From this point on, Jim now trusts Strickler more and accepts his and Barbara’s love because he knows that the Changeling really does want to help him; just as much as he wants to protect the woman he loves. He doesn’t feel upset that Strickler’s main motivation for returning was for Barbara, because they both understand how their relationship fell in season 1; Walter didn’t trust Jim, and neither did Jim trust Walter for the longest time. They both still held a bit of affection for one another, but were also reluctant to try repairing the relationship after everything. Jim also does truly at last see Strickler’s point of view; the one that he (at first) held about him: that he was too weak (in a human body) to stop Gunmar. This thought, as well as Merlin’s encouragement, are what pushed him to eventually make the ultimate personal sacrifice for the world.

In conclusion for this argument: Strickler did legitimately have the desire to return to train Jim, but his doubt in himself and in Jim are what caused his hesitation in returning, which most likely led to him - as a last resort - concluding the decision with the thought of at the very least coming back to protect Barbara through it all; not because he didn’t care enough about Jim or the well-being of the world.

Even if Jim fails in the end or turns me and my offer of help away, at the very least I can try to protect Barbara.

(Besides, if Jim hadn’t had mentioned Barbara at all during this scene, the two could have bonded over the fact that they still do have a working “student” and “teacher” relationship (and enjoy it to a certain extent), so it’s not as if they didn’t actually have nothing to bond over).

The second scene/s I would like to defend Strickler in is him claiming that he would free Morgana to destroy the world in order to protect Barbara. What I find funny about this is that he was so obviously not serious when he said he would sacrifice the world for her freedom.

If you give the Trollmarket scenes with him and Barbara in A House Divided another watch, notice how when Walter says all of the lines where he eludes to thinking the world is worth her life he sounds like he’s “acting.” His voice didn’t sound at all vulnerable, pleading, or weak as if he was trying to justify his would-be actions for love, or that he felt bad that he was about to do something horrible.

If you also watch Walter’s face during and after the line: “None of your games, Stricklander,” he seems to be upset over these words while contemplating something (an escape plan) at the same time. He most likely said that there was no world without Barbara to put Gunmar in a false sense of control and accomplishment at the belief that he would not play any tricks, and would fully bend to his will for Barbara without a fight.

The lines were written to sound cheesy and over-the-top (as well as the way Strickler said them), because they were supposed to appear fake/suspicious to the viewers, but real enough to Gunmar and Angor Rot so that they wouldn’t think he was planning any sort of schemes to escape.

After he activates the Staff of Avalon and the beam to free Morgana is projected, very quickly does Walter tell Barbara to close her eyes and he subsequently blast Gunmar and Angor Rot; it didn’t appear as if he were suddenly surprised to see the beam, so he must have at some point prior thought up the plan to temporarily disable their captors. Obviously the plan backfired (maybe he believed the beam would soon go out if he weren’t there to hold the staff, or that Gunmar wouldn’t be able to move it back into the correct position to free Morgana because he wasn’t a Changeling), but to say that Strickler was ever so willing to sacrifice the world for Barbara and only thought of the plan as soon as the beam was activated isn’t that plausible an interpretation to me after viewing the scenes my way instead. Strickler is not an idiot, and is shown to have come to understand the consequences of his emotionally-based actions at that point. I’m sure if it was Jim and Barbara in the scene instead, Jim would have done something similar to protect his mother too. And if you’re still upset at Strickler for possibly putting the world in danger for Barbara, then you should also be upset with Jim in season 1 doing something similar for Blinky, and the rest of the team for doing something similar as well in season 2 for Jim with Killahead Bridge.

All in all, I know that my interpretations of Strickler in season 3 are not concrete correct or confirmed by the writers, but to me, they make a lot of sense. I spent quite a bit of time gathering information and re-watching scenes from the entire series multiple times for this, because I do feel that people are too hard on Strickler. Walter sacrificing the world for Barbara and only returning for her sole “benefit” is not romantic, but believing him to be an irredeemable antagonist who would put Barbara before anything and everything isn’t right either, in my opinion. 

I was mainly inspired to spend as much time as I did putting this together after seeing certain people in this fandom (specifically Barbmura shippers) write multiple fics where an OOC Villain!Strickler will sexually assault an OOC Damsel in Distress!Barbara because they felt as if they were making an important statement. I really hope that if you are among these people and have read this, that I have possibly put an end to your negative feelings towards Strickler and his relationship with Barbara; I don’t understand why you would choose to specifically write so many times about a sickening subject just to make up for the fact that you aren’t personally satisfied with the endgame romances and redemptions of the show.

[astroliability]

ON THE KAIROSECT, REDUX.

post laying out the rules of the kairosect here.

NOTE.  jim uses the kairosect three times. this, depending on how jim utilizes his third use, allows arrrgh!!! to live, though below you will find his death. it allows a great deal of other variation, based simply on its premise.

NOTE.  this utilizes the promise of a meeting with angor rot, an exchange, but does not in its simplest form diverge from major plot points. however, this can easily be made to diverge, especially in specific plots. 

THE FIRST TIME HE USES THE KAIROSECT, it is in panic. a friend’s life is in the balance. halfway across town, blinky is becoming a troll, caught in the sun. angor’s bargain echoes in jim’s ear :  his mother’s life for the extraction of a ring. but it is love, and terror, and deep devotion, that sway his finger as he presses the stone in the kairosect. he retrieves the ring from strickler’s hand, spits in his mouth. he emerges from the shadowed green-flourescent of the dentist’s into bright sunlight, burning on his skin, and he holds the inferna copula before him, contemplating, considering. deciding. he holds it before his fingertip, closes his eyes, and slips it over his finger.

he sees angor with all the fierceness of a dream, with demanding clarity. he knows where angor is, sees the kill stone in his hands, registers weakness. he feels, surging through him, the power of control, the certainty of it. the frozen feeling of angor’s will bending to his. he forces the ring off in disgust, in horror, shoves it into his pocket. he uses his remaining nine minutes to drive back to school, retrieving the kairosect from where he left it.

yet he is entranced by how it felt -- by how good it felt, angor’s ring warm around his finger, angor’s will shudderng into his own. how powerful it made him. how it got inside him and rewrote him. he is mesmerized, enthralled. without meaning to his mind slips again and again to the feeling, and where it filled him in the moment, it leaves him empty and yearning.

he sits awake, the nights that follow, turning the ring over between his fingers, dreaming, yearning. considering whether to put it on -- and how incredible, fulfilling, it would feel, to know angor through it, breathing, unfrozen. how could something so small have so strong a pull over his heart? in his dreams, he slips it over his finger and is the largest man alive. 

he sits awake, preparing for the diplomatic meeting that will soon occur between himself and angor rot, where he will trade the ring for his mother’s freedom and safety. and yet he can’t turn his mind from that overwhelming sense of control. he is appalled, and disgusted, and yet the longer he lives with the inferna copula tucked into his bookbag, the more it sings in his thoughts. the more he aches for it.

THE SECOND TIME HE USES THE KAIROSECT, it is to fill that aching yearning inside of him. he wants to know. he stops time to feel that trill of power down his spine, not warrior-power but absolute control. he dreams of the rush of it, how it is so much bigger than anything he’s ever known, all-encompassing, for it touches his soul, his secret heart.

the kill stone waits, bioluminescent-green, with angor. jim knows where it is, knows that the stone isn’t part of the bargain, doubts he can talk angor into giving it to him, and he tells himself he would be justified -- this is for enrique. jim slips the ring onto his finger with furtive quickness. he is still disgusted with himself, but it fills him up. it is something bigger than him, and it completes him. 

this is before the meeting, the exchange, the ring for his mother’s life. he knows that once he stands before angor in the meeting, he will lose the inferna copula forever, and he wants to keep his promise, he does. but he wants to wear the ring again. and he is afraid, too afraid to wear the ring and have angor know. too afraid to feel their hearts beat in tandem.

he doesn’t go for the stone right away. he takes his vespa and rides, the thrill of speed and the rush of power twining into something overwhelming, intoxicating, dangerous inside of him. yet it is frozen -- angor cannot be controlled in this state, which means it is safe. means jim is safe, except--

it is consuming him.

he has forty-three minutes, and he intends to live fully in every one of them. 

he finds angor, stands before him, thinks :  what if he just commanded angor to give him the stone? what if he followed claire’s advice and seized control? but he knows :  he would live in fear the rest of his life, with angor’s ring clattering against his knuckles. he thinks of the fear that swallowed him when he stood trapped in a nightmare before angor, his blades ready, while angor whispered into his ear.

he waves a hand before angor’s face, hesitant, waiting for the flick of illuminated eyes. but those eyes don’t move, and the stone body doesn’t tremble. jim has time -- just enough. he pushed it, didn’t look at his timer, and if he’s caught in these sewers with angor, he’s dead. he climbs upon angor’s legs, pulse hard in his ears; he closes his hands around the kill stone and pulls.

he races back to his vespa, starts the engine, and then he sees it :  the single drop of water falling, slow, slow, slow, from the ceiling to his handlebars. it clatters, fractalling into a mirror for his death, and he realizes. he still has the ring on his finger.

angor howls, something primal and desperate, like a plea. jim turns, fast as anything, road burn behind him, and he speeds away, angor racing after him, in the damp dark.

“ take it back !  have it back !  i don’t care !  ”  he shouts, breathless, but he is going too fast. he cannot get the ring off, and he’s sure :  if he slows, angor rot will kill him.

he is thrown from his vespa, scrambles through a grate, unable to hear over his own pulse. something burns in his palm, and he looks down. the inferna copula sits, like a gift, like a star, in the middle of his hand. 

THE THIRD TIME HE USES THE KAIROSECT, angor rot has invaded trollmarket. his glistening golems prowl the streets of trollmarket. all around jim, the dead stand in frozen stone monuments. he has failed them. he has failed everyone -- all these dead, all the frantic living used to tentative peacetime, now engaged in combat. all those he loves. but his mother is safe in the hospital on the surface.

he almost misses it :

a blade spins through the air, small, curved like a smile, lit with green. it arcs toward the most beloved person in this life, in this world, in the whole damn universe. jim would be barely a shadow of himself without toby. toby is jim’s entire heart. sometimes he feels like he lives in the shadow of toby’s radiance, and he would be happy. he would die for toby. he would carve out his heart for toby. he would do anything. 

he doesn’t have the time to waste. if he can save toby -- and that’s all he’s thinking of, save toby. 

WORLD SPLITS.

he is the only man alive. these are his choices.

WORLD SHATTERS.

he pulls angor’s ring from his pocket, as the knife leaves angor’s hand, glistening algae-green amidst the pastel glow of trollmarket, so unbecoming a battleground. something inside him compels him to look over, to see the swing, the throw. he has no hesitation. he slips the ring on, and it reaches up, like dark waters, to pull him under. he feels angor rot, inside of him, mind to mind. it is horrifying, in a way wearing it in the solitude outside of time never prepared him for, and he shudders away from it. but he does not take it off. he is in control, now. this battle will end how he wants it to.

he had never given the ring back, and angor’s rage followed him and strickler both. 

he cries first to his best friend :  “ toby !  ”  his voice rings, and it is just a child’s voice, terrified, desperate, raw. full of love.  “ stop !  ”  he says to angor rot. it is a command, and it works.

but the knife still arcs through the battlefield smoke. arrrgh!!! lunges, his body a blur in jim’s periphery, for he can see nothing but toby. he fumbles the kairosect, unflinching this time, and presses it.

THERE ARE TWO WORLDS WHERE YOU ARE STARING UP AT THE SUN AND IT BLINDS YOU.

he pulls toby out of the path of the blade, to the edge of the battle. he is so terrified, and his heart beats heavy and painful in the cage of his chest. he crouches beside toby, so still, his heart silent, caught mid-beat. he pushes loose hair from toby’s face, his most beloved friend.  “ i’m sorry, ”  he whispers, presses a kiss to his friend’s forehead.

he is a warrior, now, straight-backed, sharp-stepped, face cold. heart cold. he has to be, to save those he loves. to save toby. 

he does not see the great body caught in a lunge to intercept, to protect. he could pluck the dagger from the sky, but toby is safe. toby is safe. 

he is determined to make the most of his time, his last use of the kairosect. he hurries through the battleground, pulling animus totems from the the chests of golems like breaking hearts, and shattering them in his hands. around him they stand erect, and he knows when time catches up they will all collapse. he drags those he can to safety. he walks through trollmarket. without a timer, he has no sense of how quick he must move.

he could pluck the dagger from the sky, but by the time he completes his round through trollmarket, sanctuary torn asunder, he has forgotten. and toby is safe.

YOU ARE STANDING ON THE PRECIPICE. LOOK DOWN. LOOK DOWN.

time catches up to him, and in a great rush, all of angor’s crystal-beasts crumble to the ground. the battle halts, a great confusion, and in the middle, jim stands radiant, all the sun inside his body.

the dagger, the shape of wicked laughter, arcs through the sky as though unbound. arrrgh!!! lunges in the air, his body a projectile, unstoppable, a force of nature. struck down. the knife plunges into his body, and the sheen of unliving stone crackling, spreading across him. there is an empty space behind him where tobias once was. a choked cry builds in jim’s throat, and across the plaza, toby shouts, strangled and broken, and it shatters jim’s heart.

he must be a soldier, cold-hearted, if he is to survive. if anyone else is to survive. if he can save anyone. he cannot run to the body he left to die. he stands, cold-hearted,d and he shatters.

he is responsible. he alone is to blame.

“ angor rot, ”  he calls, across the stunned-silent battlefield. he holds up his hand with the inferna copula around his finger, glowing, like a star, like a gift. his voice is flat, dull.

“ your fight is with me. ”

DON’T LOOK DOWN.

this premise also allows for variants such as, but far from limited to :

(1)   jim plucks angor’s blade from the air, saving arrrgh!!!, and he holds onto it as he lures angor into the hero’s forge, consciously and fiercely driving it into angor’s gut.

(2)   jim participates in the meeting with angor rot, carries out the exchange -- ring for his mother’s safety -- whether on his own or with the company of claire, toby, or one of the trolls        (2a)   in this meeting, he bargains for the kill stone as well.

(3)   jim returns the ring to angor and forms a tentative alliance with him against gunmar.

(4)   jim wears the ring and demands that angor hand over the kill stone. in this scenario, jim is still in the hospital, worrying over his mother, while angor makes his move on trollmarket.

(5)   angor’s ring shatters in the sewer, in the chase, angor bringing daylight down hard and unstoppable upon it. jim has only his voice and the kairosect to turn angor’s attention toward him, to lure him into the forge. all proceeds according to canon, other than the three uses.

[maiolica-admirer]

Order Vs. Chaos

There is one thing that honestly was not shown enough in the show and likely why I endeavour to write it as much as I do, that thing being the relationship between Stricklander and Nomura who rather uniquely is the only one we're allowed to see before and after his road of redemption.

Before the Battle of Killahead Bridge we're given a fine example of changeling culture in that they're very disposable and your siblings are just as happy to throw you under the bus even for a perceived slight or failure which we later learn is Rule 3 in action (Everyone and everything is a tool to get what you want). While walking into the museum, Nomura is angrily arguing with Strickler despite the power dynamic being tipped in his favour but from her word choice, she's not submitting to his authority whatsoever. She's even limping and giving what she can get back and even says on the incident:

"The goblins were supposed to hide our tracks, not lead them to us!"

In the gif set I have queued tonight (Pure coincidence!), when Strickler says "You've been compromised" she actually looks about ready to strangle him for a split second before spinning round to try and deflect Bular's sword. Her pride has already been dented but that was a very low blow from the one trying to take control of the situation and get Bular back into line. Instantly the dynamic rises in his favour and she's literally left scrambling for her life. Strickler keeps trying to push for her demise (Which would certainly placate Bular) but fails when Nomura manages to swing things back into her favour much to his great irritation.

The next time we see them together is brief with the Eyestone being added and Nomura (Unusually for her) awaiting in human form and results in his demotion with Fragwa, Otto and Nomura take gleeful enjoyment out of but eh changelings. Nomura no doubt got an extra kick out of that one for before as her pride has more than once shown her to have a rather spiteful streak. After this, a small moment when she mentions Not!Enrique being missing and they talk on fairly equal terms.

The last time we see them together for a long time is The Battle of Two Bridges, their dynamic firmly back into backstabby co-worker territory and unspoken choices on which target who will go for which given what we see much later these two have clearly fought side by side and know how the other works. It's a strange thing, they work very separately yet still manage to play off one another's strengths and awareness like Nomura's style is much more suited for the trolls than Strickler is with his knives even if she's still outmatched.

Then everything falls apart, Nomura gets sucked into the Darklands and for a long time that's the end of it with Strickler able to walk away with a new dream and her left to rot.

We also cannot forget his roasting at Jim and her hands while imprisoned too. She's not surprised he went and had his little knife fight and the picture day comment, clearly finds it hilarious and was going to say something before being ever so rudely interrupted. Strickler clearly has a history of his dramatics and she's not above mocking him for it.

We catch another glimpse of the pair of them during Unbecoming where Nomura's pride has not been dented, she's clearly excited about the fun times ahead and is talking to Strickler in a way in that suggests it is how their dynamic is normally when no outside interference affects it. Their paths must not cross much on the day to day but they clearly do respect one another by reputation or otherwise and get along fine, or at least as fine as changelings tend to do with one another anyway. She's not at all worried about him being missing for Gunmar's arrival, from her wording she likely assumed he was already out there enjoying payback on the human world ahead of her.

A minor one that can also be mentioned is how effortlessly she dodges his knives while drinking tea in the sewers. Just how much have you two sparred or been witness to the other in a match over the years exactly?

Our final real interaction is during the Eternal Night in the form of Nomura who is the only one he doesn't kill steal from. He just checks in with to make sure she's holding up okay in the fighting before both split up and continue forth after that brief moment. He never does this for anyone else, being too busy on a maniacal killing spree that Nomura would be proud of which is an unexpected similarity appearing where you'd least expect it. You know except he can't resist being more dramatic about it because Strickler.

So you might be wondering, where the hell do I get the chaos gremlin thing from?

The answer is easy. Nomura when she has a focus is almost zealous in performing that thing be it acting as the museum curator, hunting targets or protecting the bridge with flashes of the natural changeling dramatic streak and dripping sarcasm. When she's not however, she seems very unsure what to do with herself until she gets a new goal such as suddenly skipping town to go track Strickler down, hauling him back to Arcadia (Road trip!!) and re-entering Jim's life. I've no doubt she was the suggestion for breaking into his house as it's a very her thing to do for someone who does not tend to yield to human conventions all that much if there's a way more efficient and they were both so casually there with tea.

Gremlins gotta gremlin.

She even teases the Trollhunter and has no issue with the troll cocaine idea so out the box thinking or just the sheer entertainment value of things going unexpectedly is something she's clearly all for though less inclined to deal with the consequences afterwards. Her personality strikes me as one that is naturally snarky, you can't suppress snark if it's part of your personality speaking as someone who is very, and hates to be bored /without something to do and will do things which can come off chaotic and erratic to others but it is very similar to how she acts on hunts and in fights. Can't kill or maim something/someone? Well plenty of other ways you can mess with them anyway, or just plain annoy, and more so when you have a reputation to dissuade those from speaking out against you. Test the boundaries, see what you can get away with.

And who better to be a target than someone she gets on very well with that after being thrown under so viciously she bounces back quickly onto equal footing again? You have a fellow disaster sibling right there to steal pens and wine from who later becomes one of few survivors left you get on well. If she's willing to argue to his face, she'll be more than willing to snark him in it as well should she decide the topic is deserving or more innocent teasing like true siblings.

He can control the chaos or at least attempt to but good luck controlling a spiteful or worse, bored, Nomura.