#Cerberus the exiled soldier

[lunarrolls]

this is so random but i was doing a genasi/titan wiki research session (for obvious reasons) and i saw that they had two sections on the genasi page that stood out to me. one was for the kryn dynasty, and one was for the cerberus assembly. i didn’t watch cr2 nor calamity, and i also don’t own egtw, which seems to be where most of this comes from, so if anyone knows more details about this pplleeeeaaase let me know i need to go insane about it, but. anyways. both are wild to me for different reasons,

basically the kryn have almost no genasi if any and so kryn scouts are under orders to bring any genasi they find home so that the dynasty can gain information about them. the cerberus assembly are noted to be obsessed with genasi and pressure any genasi they find in the empire to join the ranks of the assembly under pain of exile or even death (all of this is according to the wiki)

so. first off. can you imagine being the fucking kryn scout that carts in Ashton Fucking Greymoore. not only a genasi but. known beacon brain. constantly noted by pretty much everyone with magic to be weird as fuck and full of endless potential. maybe infused with a fragment of your god’s essence. That Fucking Guy

second off. can you imagine being the fucking cerberus assembly soldier or whatever that carts in Ashton Fucking Greymoore, especially now, when the fucking assembly is staring at ludinus’ moon laser and going what the shit is that. you bring in this fucking punk who’s very dead set on murdering that blond elf. and somehow that bitch didn’t notice what he had on his tail. so i guess it’s your turn to figure it the fuck out! good luck bitch!

[magicwingslisten]

ELEGY THE ELEVENTH: WAR IS A CRIME

Whoe'er first forged the terror-striking sword, His own fierce heart had tempered like its blade. What slaughter followed! Ah! what conflict wild! What swifter journeys unto darksome death! But blame not him! Ourselves have madly turned On one another's breasts that cunning edge Wherewith he meant mere blood of beast to spill.

Gold makes our crime. No need for plundering war, When bowls of beech-wood held the frugal feast. No citadel was seen nor moated wall; The shepherd chief led home his motley flock, And slumbered free from care. Would I had lived In that good, golden time; nor e'er had known A mob in arms arrayed; nor felt my heart Throb to the trumpet's call! Now to the wars I must away, where haply some chance foe Bears now the blade my naked side shall feel. Save me, dear Lares of my hearth and home! Ye oft my childish steps did guard and bless, As timidly beneath your seat they strayed.

Deem it no shame that hewn of ancient oak Your simple emblems in my dwelling stand! For so the pious generations gone Revered your powers, and with offerings rude To rough-hewn gods in narrow-built abodes, Lived beautiful and honorable lives. Did they not bring to crown your hallowed brows Garlands of ripest corn, or pour new wine In pure libation on the thirsty ground? Oft on some votive day the father brought The consecrated loaf, and close behind His little daughter in her virgin palm Bore honey bright as gold. O powers benign! To ye once more a faithful servant prays For safety! Let the deadly brazen spear Pass harmless o'er my head! and I will slay For sacrifice, with many a thankful song, A swine and all her brood, while I, the priest, Bearing the votive basket myrtle-bound, Walk clothed in white, with myrtle in my hair.

Grant me but this! and he who can may prove Mighty in arms and by the grace of Mars Lay chieftains low; and let him tell the tale To me who drink his health, while on the board His wine-dipped finger draws, line after line, Just how his trenches ranged! What madness dire Bids men go foraging for death in war? Our death is always near, and hour by hour, With soundless step a little nearer draws.

What harvest down below, or vineyard green? There Cerberus howls, and o'er the Stygian flood The dark ship goes; while on the clouded shore With hollow cheek and tresses lustreless, Wanders the ghostly throng. O happier far Some white-haired sire, among his children dear, Beneath a lowly thatch! His sturdy son Shepherds the young rams; he, his gentle ewes; And oft at eve, his willing labor done, His careful wife his weary limbs will bathe From a full, steaming bowl. Such lot be mine! So let this head grow gray, while I shall tell, Repeating oft, the deeds of long ago! Then may long Peace my country's harvests bless! Till then, let Peace on all our fields abide! Bright-vestured Peace, who first beneath their yoke Led oxen in the plough, who first the vine Did nourish tenderly, and chose good grapes, That rare old wine may pass from sire to son! Peace! who doth keep the plow and harrow bright, While rust on some forgotten shelf devours The cruel soldier's useless sword and shield. From peaceful holiday with mirth and wine The rustic, not half sober, driveth home With wife and weans upon the lumbering wain.

But wars by Venus kindled ne'er have done; The vanquished lass, with tresses rudely torn, Of doors broke down, and smitten cheek complains; And he, her victor-lover, weeps to see How strong were his wild hands. But mocking Love Teaches more angry words, and while they rave, Sits with a smile between! O heart of stone! O iron heart! that could thy sweetheart strike! Ye gods avenge her! Is it not enough To tear her soft robe from her limbs away, And loose her knotted hair?—Enough, indeed, To move her tears! Thrice happy is the wight Whose frown some lovely mistress weeps to see! But he who gives her blows!—Go, let him bear A sword and spear! In exile let him be From Venus' mild domain! Come blessed Peace! Come, holding forth thy blade of ripened corn! Fill thy large lap with mellow fruits and fair!

(translated by Theodore C. Williams 1908)

Albius Tibullus (54 BC-19 BC)

[ofparagade]

CHOICES

MASS EFFECT 1:

YEAR: 2182  ||  AGE: 29  ||  PHYSICALLY: 29

Recruited Garrus.

Dealt with Conrad Vernor… unfortunately.

Accepted the kind words Sha'ira gave and received the trinket.

Let Wrex kill Fist.

Brought Liara to face her mother, Matriarch Benezia. Matriarch Benezia never died and received the help she needed to survive. She died between ME1 and ME2.

Spared Rachni Queen.

Helped Admiral Kahoku only for him to die by Cerberus.

Went to Ontarom and killed the last living Cerberus Scientist so Toombs would not have to face any charges. Kept in contact with Tooms from there on out.

Talked to Talitha and convinced her to take the sedative and receive the medical help that she needs.

Let Garrus kill Dr. Saleon.

Gave Tali information about Geth.

Retrieved Wrex’s family armor and survived on Virmire.

Kaidan and Ashley both survive on Virmire. ( click link, please. )

Saved Kirrahe.

Dealt with Asteroid X57, convinced Charn to leave Balak’s group, and let Balak go so colonists can live.

Killed the Council.

Deals with Saren and manages to save him.

Chose Anderson as first human Councilman.

Romanced nobody.

MASS EFFECT 2:

YEAR: 2185  ||  AGE: 31  ||  PHYSICALLY: 29

Recruited everybody.

Reinstated as Spectre.

Let Veetor go with Tali and Co. but kept his omni-tool.

Dealt with Project Overlord. Saved David Archer and sent him to the Grissom Academy. Threatened Gavin Archer to leave David alone.

Everybody survived Suicide Mission.

Destroyed the base and pissed off TIM.

Helped Liara become the next Shadow Broker.

Did the Arrival Mission. Tried to save the colony but ultimately failed and willingly turned himself in.

Romanced my Original Character, Azrael Naemuriya.

LOYALTY MISSIONS

Let Kasumi keep Keiji’s graybox.

Prevented Tali from getting exiled.

Chose Samara over Morinth.

Kept Maelon’s data for Mordin. Let Maelon live in the process.

Left Jacob’s dad to die with little to no remorse.

Helped Miranda save Oriana and convinced her not to kill Niket for she would later regret it.

Stopped Jack from killing Aresh telling her that he’s already too far gone. SHEPARD DID NOT SIDE WITH ANYBODY DURING THE CONFRONTATION BETWEEN MIRANDA AND JACK AFTERWARD.

Stopped Garrus from killing Sidonis for he would regret it.

Grunt is officially in Clan Urdnot. Killed Thresher Maw while doing so.

Helped Thane stop Kolyat from following in his father’s footsteps.

Saved the workers while Zaeed went after Vido to kill him. Zaeed successfully does so.

Convinced Legion to hack the other Geth. SHEPARD DID NOT SIDE WITH ANYBODY DURING THE CONFRONTATION BETWEEN LEGION AND TALI AFTERWARD.

MASS EFFECT 3:

YEAR: 2186  ||  AGE: 32  ||  PHYSICALLY: 30

Reinstated as Spectre … again.

Went to Grissom Academy and saved everybody. Saw David Archer. Recruited Jack and accepted help.

Went to Tuchanka to help Wrex. Saved Eve. Mordin survived and cured the Genophage via pills and eventually vaccines.

Anderson retired as a Councilman so Udina took his place as Anderson considered himself a soldier at heart.

Recruited Javik and was told his wife didn't make it. Took him along with to Thessia so Liara can learn more about the Asari culture.

Saved Admiral Koris and destroyed geth squadron on Rannoch. Stopped the war between the geth and quarians thus leading to both species’ survival. Also recruited Tali.

Helped Samara, saved her, and recruited her.

Killed Udina and convinced both Kaidan and Ashley to join them on the Normandy. They accept his offer. Thane survives as does Captain Kirrahe.

Helped Zaeed with his Cerberus problem. Recruited her in the process.

Helped Miranda with Oriana and survived.

Helped Kasumi by killing the indoctrinated Hanar. Recruited her in the process.

Saved Grunt and Rachni Queen.

Saved Jacob as well as all ex-Cerberus employees.

Convinced EDI and Joker to date.

Helped Aria take Omega back.

Killed Kai Leng.

Beat James’ personal record of 182 pull-ups.

Let Garrus win the shoot off on the Citadel to boost confidence.

Learned about the Leviathans.

Had a relatively fast paced party and chilled all throughout when need be.

MEHEM exists. Shot TIM with little to no regret. Damien managed to bring Anderson back with the help of the ex-Cerberus scientists, Mordin, Dr. Chakwas, and Dr. Michel.

Continued romance with my Original Character, Azrael Naemuriya

[canis-inferorum-glaciei]

@little-dxvil​

There was a scent of demon in the air, besides his own essence that was but the threat level was not something he could read. “Leave now, the likes of you are forbidden here....” A low growl escaped the being chained in the rather large entryway. The darkness hid Cerberus from sight unless he deemed them worthy to see him in such a state. 

[cryptid-jack]

Anyone care to explain to me why I keep shoveling absurd projects off on myself, like this Mass Effect/Horizon Zero Dawn crossover? X’D

Featuring: Shepard: Carja soldier, highly respected and often called to advise Sun-King Hackett along with fellow soldier Anderson on military matters. Kaidan: Banuk Shaman. I like the idea of HZD's more spiritual roles as stand ins for biotics. Garrus: Outcast Nora Brave. Originally got a temporary shunning when he was found helping and talking to outcasts, but called bullshit and decided to just up and leave the sacred lands. Eventually wound up in Meridian where he joined the hunters lodge. Liara: Nora. Daughter of High Matriarch Benezia with an 'unhealthy' interest in old world ruins that eventually gets her exiled. Tali: Oseram tinkerer and one of the very best. Travels to Meridian to expand her knowledge base and look for inspiration for new and crazier contraptions.

Also featuring: Joker: some sort of very irreverent (probably apostate) sun-priest, highly educated and very snarky, son of a noble family pawned off on the priesthood thanks to a birth defect that left him with a twisted leg which forces him to use a cane. Wrex: Oseram freebooter in charge of his own crew of mercs. Vega: Oseram guard. Lives in one of those Oseram frontier towns protecting the miners and citizens. EDI: Metal world AI they find in a ruin. Legion: Strange new form of humanoid machine spotted in the wilds but mostly written off as a wild hunter’s tale. Ashley: Nora huntress, can track and kill just about anything, lol. TIM and Cerberus: this AUs equivalent of the shadow carja

I have more thoughts about this au, maybe i’ll share them later if people seem interested XD

[cryptiique]

i’ve been thinking about mass effect medical technology and also cerberus technology and how that might effect chronic pain/battle injuries and how that works with emiko/nate, so i have thoughts

nate has nerve damage up his hands and forearms from akuze and fighting the thresher maw onslaught. from repeatedly burning out his guns, so he has burns from the thermal clip overloads, and thresher acid. so his hands are clumsier. it took a while for him to receive proper medical attention, so it didn’t heal properly even when he reached the medbay, and it would be too expensive to remake those nerves for a common alliance commander. when cerberus remade him, they wanted to remake shepard exactly - chronic pain, disabilities, and all

before cerberus, emiko has a full sleeve of tattoos. but bc cerberus has to wake her up earlier and before her skin has healed, they didn’t have the chance to recreate her skin designs exactly. so she has botched remains of the tattoos from the original recovery, but cerberus didn’t get a chance to finish the cosmetic details

there’s a dialogue in huerta me3 where a soldier needs to lose his limb, and the doctor says he’ll get a prosthetic for a while until they have the time to remake the limb. so that makes me think that high tech citadel technology can regrow skin/muscle/bone/limbs entirely, but it takes a while. so when emiko/nate lose limbs in the end of me3, they’ll get those limbs back eventually. but i think it would be citadel specific - nowhere else has such sophisticated medical tech

kaecus is an exiled turian living paycheck to paycheck, and just your typical aging guy. he has bone arthritis and chronic pain from war injuries, and medical services aren’t accessible to him. i imagine sophisticated medical services could recreate his joints and plating, but he doesn’t have the funds for it. maybe after me3 if shepard pulls some strings.

[goldlighter]

many of the paintings in the arklay mansion seem to be based around the christian/jewish religious stories or imagery. whilst not all of them seem to be particularly relevant, i believe i’ve found almost all of the paintings other than those which are originals. i also admit i’m not particularly knowledgable about religion, so i may have missed some obvious things and it’s not quite as dense as my meta on the code veronica paintings!

supper at emmaus, by caravaggio which depicts the moment when the resurrected but incognito Jesus, reveals himself to two of his disciples in the town of emmaus, only to soon vanish from their sight. i would assume this alludes to marcus with regards to birkin and wesker (especially given how this version of the mansion is the same as re0′s).

the surgeon, by jan anders van hemessen which shows a barber surgeon (medical practitioners in the european middle ages, generally charged with carrying for soldiers via blood letting, minor surgeries, amputating limbs, etc) carrying out a trepanation - drilling a hole into the skull, which was believed to ‘let out evil spirits’ that would cause people to behave abnormally, along with being used as emergency surgery after head wounds.

proserpine, by rossetti which depicts the roman goddess proserpine (a combination of persephone and demeter in the greek pantheon). The myth is well known, but the abduction of persephone by hades into the underworld and her mother’s search for her mirros lisa’s abduction in the arklay mansion, and her mother jessica’s attempted escape plan whilst she was trapped in the underground facility of the arklay mansion - in a way, the pomegranate seeds that forced her to return to the underworld could be seen as the virus itself, though lisa could never leave.

mariana, by rossetti which depicts mariana from shakespeare’s measure of measure which involves themes of justice, morality, mecy and the dichotomy between corruption and purity (and a poem by lord tennyson) - mariana being known as a woman who laments her isolation and lack of connection with society. again, this could possibly be a connection to lisa who was kept in isolation, trapped in her bed for eleven years whilst she was experimented on, and rather than waiting for her lover to return - waiting for her mother.

april love by arthus hughes is another painting connected with a tennyson poem, the millers daughter.  the male figure is barely visible, and the woman is looking down at fallen blossoms. whilst this is likely used due to it’s fitting aesthetic with the other paintings in the room, however could (like many paintings of women in the mansion) be a reference to lisa again (though the architects daughter rather than miller.)

la belle iseult, by william morris which depicts iseult (the narrative influence for guinevere in arthurian tales) mourning tristam’s exile from court - whilst i cannot find anything to connect this to anyone at arklay, it is worthing noting the dog on the bed -  'the queen had always a little brachet  with her that Sir Tristram gave her the first time that ever she came into Cornwall, and never would that brachet depart from her but if Sir Tristram was nigh'. perhaps, if nothing else, this could be connected to the cerberus dogs.

charlies I on horseback, by anthony van dyck depicts charles I as stated, who like most kings of his time believed in the divine right, with ambitions of absolute monarchy and is described by many historians as an incompetent and delusional king who was perceived as a tyrant. this, alongside charles I ultimately being tried, convicted and executed for high treason could perhaps be seen as a reference to wesker’s role within stars and within umbrella - mirroring spencer’s beliefs that would soon turn into delusions of godhood, and his treason against s.t.a.r.s.

the arnolfini portrait by jan van eyck, believed to depict the Italian merchant giovanni di nicolao arnolfini and his wife which has been subject to many an interpretation. for example, there is a carved figure on the bedpost, assumed to be saint margaret, patron saint of pregnancy and childbirth; the mirror depicts scenes of christ’s death and resurrection;  the dog perhaps symbolising loyalty, and so on. whilst this could perhaps relate to the birkin’s and the birth of sherry (though unlikely), or even the trevor family, it perhaps is meant to be more symbolic - the loyalty to umbrella and the commitment made to their work.

the magdalen reading, by rogier van de wyden which, as the name suggests, depicts mary magdalene from christian mythology - a jewish woman who was a followers of jesus, as well as a witness to his death, burial and resurrection and is often inaccurately portrayed as a prostitute (as many women were painted through history) but also occasionally interpreted as his wife or lover. i think this is simply to go with the other religious paintings and the references to jesus.

the morning walk by thomas gainsborough, features a wealthy couple on a stroll through the countryside. likely serves just as aesthetic. we don’t know of spencer’s connections to any women other than alex, and he is never said to have a wife, but if he did it would likely be a similar painting he would have.

hope by george frederic watts, depicting a blindfolded woman sitting on a globe, playing a lyre that has a single string. hope is often personified as a young woman in christian art, though here she is pictured without her fellow virtues faith and charity, and theologian p. t. forsyth offers the interpretation that the central figure is not herself a personification of hope but a representation of humanity too horrified at the world it has created to look at it, instead deliberately blinding itself. this, obviously, fits very well with umbrella as a whole but especially if we look at umbrella’s treatments of lisa which were absolutely horrific and devoid of any humanity from umbrella.

a woman bathing in a stream by rembrandt, is assumed to be the artist’s mistress, however regardless shows the woman in an unassuming state. this could be a possible reference to how the s.t.a.r.s are being monitored against the b.o.ws - and even to the way the arklay lab is testing on people without their consent or knowledge.

the ambassadors by hans holbein the younger, shows two figures which are speculated to be jean de dinteville (french ambassador to the court of henry viii) and georges de selve (bishop of lavau) with a table between them which displays scientific and mathematical elements, with a skull in the centre of the floor (in anamorphic perspective) - likely a while the skull is evidently intended as a memento mori. these elements of science and knowledge contrasting with the religious symbols could once again be attributed to umbrella, particularly birkin and wesker, especially in regards with spencer’s attempts to gain immortality and godhood through science.

maddona del prato by giovanni bellini, is yet another christian painting of the virgin mary with the child christ, with the vulture in the background possibly referring to the death and subsequent rebirth. i would assume this is once again a reference to wesker as a christ like figure with his death and rebirth in the mansion.

three ladies adorning a term of hymen by sir joshua reynolds, depicts three women decorating a statue of hymeneaus, the Greek god of marriage and fertility, with flowers. i can’t see any particular symbolism here that’s relevant.

much like the ashford mansion on rockfort island, mentioned in my meta post here, judith beheading holofernes by carvaggio is seen once more. whilst i believe it fits much more with the ashfords regarding symbolism, it is likely here just as a recognisable and unsettling painting that continues the christian theme.

sacrifice of isaac by carvaggio is, as the name suggests, an image of the sacrifice of isaac where god told abraham to sacrifice his son, willingly doing so until he is interrupted and instead sacrifices a ram (though it is depicted differently in different religions). given the christian theme in the majority of paintings, it also plays into the christian symbolism of christ as the ‘lamb of god’. whilst this could be an attempt to mirror wesker’s sacrifice of s.t.a.r.s, i believe it could be something else.

titania and bottom, by henry fuseli shows a scene from shakespeare’s a midsummers night’s dream where titiania (queen of the fairies) is under the influence of a love potion as punishment, with the character nick bottom, who has his head transformed into that of a donkey. whilst this doesn’t seem to have any importance other than a fitting aesthetic, it fits with the collection of shakespearean based paintings in the mansion.

seaport with the embarkation of the queen of sheba by claude lorrain, depicting the departure of the queen of sheba - as referenced - to visit king solomon in jerusalem. the basic story is that the queen was a woman of immense wealth and power whose kingdom seems to have been somewhere in northwest africa - this could be a reference to the stairway of the sun and the origins of progenitor.

the smiling spider by odilon redon, is likely meant to portray both the black widows but also the monstrous and unsettling nature of the creatures - particularly the type that includes the spiders, cerberus and yawn as being ‘normal’ creatures at first glance.

mares and foals in a river landscape by george stubbs, is unlikely to have any value other than aesthetically.

the adoration of the golden calf by nicolas poussin, depicts the golden calf the israelites worshippe, not knowing what had become of moses, as a conduit for god’s presence - however, given the story, the israelites had no knowledge of the commandments before moses brought them down and were punished for a sin before they were told about it. the desire for an idol to worship is that of a knowable god, something that is physical that can be touched and seen whose presence can be defined. whilst this may not be particularly relevant, could play into how umbrella is a knowable thing acting as if it were god, especially with spencer (and weskers) later desires for godhood.

christ and john the baptist as children by francois boucher, could perhaps be a reference to birkin and wesker. both, like jesus and john, died violently and in unnatural ways, being great figures of importance and sharing a close relationship.

the mill, by rembrandt,  depicts a broad moat, high above the circular scarp of a ruined bastion, stands a windmill with some low cottages with men and women going about their daily lives. whilst perhaps not an intentional reference, this could play into how arklay is seen by the people of raccoon city - they go about their day to day lives unaware of the mansion’s significance in the mountains.

the birth of venus by alexandre cabanel, is an image of the mythological birth of the goddess venus (aphrodite in the greek pantheon and goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and so on), who rose from the sea foam - often portrayed as young beautiful and nude. this is unlikely to be symbolic, but more likely a piece of art to serve as an aesthetic piece, especially since the red books themselves, despite having a title ‘bandage with blood’ are said to have blank pages.

king lear weeping over the dead body of cordelia by james bary, (edited in-game) is another painting based on shakespeare - king lear, as the title says. cordelia is the youngest of king lear’s three daughters, yet at the painting’s center stand edgar and albany, the virtuous young men who are to inherit lear’s state. this could be a reference again to birkin and wesker - especially in regards to marcus, but also to spencer.

venus, cupid, folly and time by agnolo bronzino, shows cupid and venus kissing in the foreground, whilst time looks on. i can’t draw any particular symbolism here that doesn’t take wild reaches, so likely serves as an aesthetic piece.

the young schoolmistress by jean-siméon chardin, shows a young girl teaching a child to read - an odd choice given how umbrella likely viewed women (particularly alexia, though i am certain annette suffered through a lot of misogyny also) - it is interesting to note the teacher here is a young woman rather than a man (as is often shown). whilst i, as always, love to interpret it as a reference to alexia - it could also be a reference to annette and sherry (though annette is not young), as william and her both were managers in the arklay laboratory.

philip iv in brown and silver by diego velázquez, portrays the king of spain who has been described as outwardly he maintained a bearing of rigid solemnity; foreign visitors described him as being so impassive in public he resembled a statue  and he was said to have been seen to laugh only three times in the course of his entire public life. this seems like an accurate description of how s.t.a.r.s perhaps viewed wesker, however philip iv’s reign is characterised by his numerous affairs which is not so relevant, but also both political and military decay in spain. perhaps, if nothing else, a reference to how the mansion incident was the catalyst for umbrella’s downfall and wesker’s attempt to betray and murder his team is what set the wheels in motion for his own death along with the company.

the heavenly and earthly trinities by bartolomé esteban murillo, depicting the holy family of the christ child, virgin mary and saint joseph. it is derived from the gospel episode of the return of jesus from the temple with mary and joseph, the three figures forming an 'earthly' trinity with the dove and the figure of god representing the 'heavenly' Trinity. this could possibly reference many trinities - the trevor family, spencer/birkin/wesker, the birkin family, and so on, but i believe is more likely the trevor family with ‘god’ as perhaps spencer or birkin, due to them serving as the ‘earthly’ mortal humans save for lisa, the success of arklay and origin of the g virus.

young zephyr balacing above water, pierre-paul prud’hon, shows - as the title suggests - a young zephyr. zephyrus is the greek god of the west wind, known as the gentlest of the winds and the messenger of spring. this doesn’t appear to have any significance, however.

death of orpheus by odilon redon, is as the name suggests, about orpheus. it certainly is relevant given orpheus tames the cereberus with his music, but also thinks it a simple task to retrieve his wife from the underworld without looking at her - only to fail and damn her along with himself, unable to return to the realm gain - being torn apart by the maenads. plato represents orpheus as a coward, unwilling to die for love, and instead being punished by the gods. you could possibly connect this to umbrella or perhaps wesker, being overconfident in his plans and ultimately failing and dying at the hands of the tyrant, but it is up for interpretation.

the surrender of loja to fernando the catholic during the granada war by eusebi valldeperas shows a moment in the granada war. granada did not fall in a single day, nor did its collapse come with a sudden stroke - rather, it was the last breath of a decaying society, which had lost the capacity to defend itself against a sustained offensive from christian europe. this could be a reference to umbrella, who had begun to decay over the years but the mansion incident was the catalyst for the gradual fall of the company and it’s major figures.

nocturne: blue and gold, james abbott mcneill whistler is a painting of the old wooden battersea bridge across the river thames. this doesn’t appear to have any significance, other than the general colour palette that goes well with the dark blues and blacks of the scenery.

venus and adonis, by titian depicts adonis pulling himself away from venus who is trying to physically restrain him, surrounded by his three hounds. despite venus falling in love with him, he is uninterested - only interested in hunting . upon the loss of adonis, venus declared love will be mixed with suspicion, fear and sadness. whilst this is not particularly relevant, it could be a reference to the shakespeare poem of the same name - given the other shakespeare-based paintings. it could also serve as some reference to annette and william - though she was obsessed with her work too, it was not nearly as much as william, and it could be interpreted as annette trying to pull william away from his ‘hunting’ (ie, his work with umbrella) to focus on his family.

ophelia, by sir john everett millais, (the painting is combined with hope by watts) shows ophelia from the shakespeare play hamlet, prior to her drowning in the riverbank, with her open arms and upwards gaze similar in nature to the imagery of saints. this could again be a reference to lisa, who is unaware of what has happened to her and her impending final death, as she still has the mindset of a child looking for her mother.

[incorrectsmashbrosquotes]

Smash Bros Character: Mass Effect AU (Warning: Long)

I know N7 day has come and gone, but I really wanted to show this to you guys for a while now. I love Mass Effect, and I love the idea of my favorite Smashers being in it. 

If you have not played Mass Effect, I apologize, for you are about to be horribly confused.

Bayonetta: An Asari, but more than that she is an Ardat Yakshi who has found a way to control her powers and mate normally with other life-forms, but still has access to her mind-destroying powers. Her only real wish is to be left alone, but since Justicars continue to pursue her, she keeps moving. Despite her condition, she is, at heart, a kind soul.

Bowser: A Krogan warlord who has left his home with a collection of followers and colonized a new world. To subvert the Genophage he uses genetic engineering, creating a new generation of “Tank-Born” Krogan, including his own children. He is technically a fugitive from the Citadel Council, but they can never seem to keep him down for long. But now he has received an offer from a mysterious being called Ganondorf, one that seems too sweet to refuse.

Bowser Jr.: Bowser’s Tank-Born son, Bowser Jr feels like he has a lot to live up to. He and his siblings do their best to emulate their father and make himproud, embracing their heritage as Krogan despite being Tank-Born.

Captain Falcon: A former N7 Marine who quit the Corps to become a free-lance bounty hunter. He possess some Biotic ability, but relies mainly on his weaponry to get him out of trouble. He’s a modern day cowboy, zipping from System to System, hunting criminals and scum for money. Zaeed Masani himself declared him one of the few men he trusts.

Chrom: A human commander who’s name and leadership has garnered respect and admiration from the Alliance and Citadel forces. While he himself is a respectable fighter, he is a better commander than warrior. He has a daughter, but due to his promiscuous nature no one knows who the mother is.

Cloud: Cloud was an ordinary colony boy, albeit one born with Biotic abilities. Until his home colony was attacked by Cerberus. He and a few others were taken to the Teltin Cerberus facility and was experimented on horribly by Cerberus. He escaped during Subject Zero’s escape, but unlike her he was found by a passing Alliance patrol, led by one Commander Zack Fair. Now Cloud is a vigilante/mercenary has devoted himself to destroying Cerberus, and saving anyone they might make a victim.

Corrin: Corrin is a child of two worlds. They were raised by Asari Justicars to be a Huntress but she never lost contact with her native family and species. Corrin is now a candidate for the Specter Program, but now that they are on the Galactic Stage, they must start to question which world they belong to.

Daisy: An asari, unique in the fact that she has little to no Biotic power. She makes up for this by being an absolute beast of a soldier, trained in every weapon from pistols to the legendary M-20 Cain. Daisy is loyal to her asari people, particularly her cousin, but has her eye on a certain human officer.

Dark Pit: Dark Pit is a turian, a clone of the original. Despite his unorthodox birth, he is a fierce fighter and loyal, despite being a bit of a maverick. Assigned to the Asari Matriarch Palutena’s personal guard, Dark Pit is eager to shake the assumptions heaped upon him for being Pit’s clone.

Dark Samus: A creation of the Reapers, Dark Samus was created to mock the original and be her superior in every way. A barely sentient cyborg/clone, Dark Samus wants to be “alive” more than anything, and will do whatever it takes to make sure the Reapers succeed, for when they do they promised to grant her “life”.

Donkey Kong: Another Cerberus experiment gone wrong, Donkey Kong was the result of a Cerberus attempt to create Super Soldiers using animal DNA. DK was the most successful, but did not appreciate his confinement. So he busted out, leading a massive exodus of genetically engineered apes and monkeys, where they eventually found themselves on a planet to colonize. Little did they know, it was the home planet of the Yawhg...

Diddy Kong: DK’s adopted son and heir, Diddy is determined to live up to his foster dad’s legacy. Because his people are constantly at war with the Yawhg, Diddy has been forced to grow up quickly. His technical genius has been a boon to his people, leading to their salvation more than once.

Duck Hunt: A tame varren who made friends with a flying mutant pyjack.

Fox: Fox McCloud is a human Specter, and the current leader of the “Star Fox” team: an elite unit of soldiers put together by the Council with the express purpose of addressing and investigating the Reaper threat. Fox has made startling headway into the investigation, and dreads whatever else he might find.

Falco: A turian Specter, and Fox’s best friend/rival. Falco is a hot-headed bad-ass and a damn fine pilot, but his recklessness get him into trouble. However, unknown to anyone but Fox, Falco is the illegitimate son of Saren Atrerius, and will do almost anything to shake himself of his father’s dark legacy.

Ganondorf: No one is sure what Ganondorf once was. But what is known is that he is ancient. Older than human comprehension. He is, in fact, the last of the race that the Reapers originally were. His body has long since decayed, leaving only his mind electronically preserved. He was foound by Cerberus, and taken to a remote facility, where he reawakened and swiftly took over the facility. He has now constructed himself a new body. One made from the DNA of humans, krogan, turians, and asari, and reinforced with geth cybernetics. Now with Biotics unmatched and technical power unequaled, he will stop at nothing to achieve his aims. His goal? Take control of the reapers, and subsequently the whole Galaxy.

Greninja: A turian soldier, more than that, one trained in stealth and assassination. While originally loyal to the Hierarchy, Greninja has recently become disillusioned with the way things run, and has become more and more belligerent of orders. But soon, he may have to choose which side he falls on in what is to come.

The Ice Climbers: A pair of quarian twins who have taken to researching new worlds for the quarians to potentially settle. Their studies have found that colder climates would make a more suitable habitat for them, and have taken to studying the polar regions of planets. But their research has also dug up Reaper artifacts leading them to shift their focus away from colonization, to war.

Ike: The leader of the Alliance Corsair’s, a group of Alliance military ships that are technically off the books. Ike, is a second-generation Marine, but already his exploits have earned him respect and admiration from his fellow Corsairs and the Alliance military. Ike is strong-willed and a true champion of the people, hunting down any and all foes of the Alliance. But now he must turn his attention to the coming threat of the Reapers.

Incineroar: A mutate creature meant to fight for the Alliance, but escaped into the wild. He was eventually found and recruited by Pokemon Trainer.

Inkling: A child asari who has commandeered a vessel with their friends, looking for fun and adventure. They have been traveling the galaxy for a while, seeking new worlds and new adventures. But recent events are forcing them to take responsibility for their place in the Galaxy, and to answer the call of duty.

Isabelle: Isabelle is actually not military of any kind. She is a civilian, helping to oversee the construction of a new colony. It’s not her fault that it was on top of an ancient Reaper cache! Now she is forced to turn her colonists into a militia, to fight the coming onslaught.

Jigglypuff: A karaoke AI that gained sentience and fled in a robotic body. Now she’s a singer on Omega and is one of Aria T’Loak’s favorite members of her “court”.

Ken: One of two human Biotics raised by a turian martial artist to be warriors of and fighters. Ken is now a sport fighter, making hundreds of credits a night by winning matches. However, Ken’s sense of responsibility is strong, and the coming conflict will need his power.

King Dedede: A mysterious alien being from millions of years ago of incredible power and strength. However, his main goal seems to be to eat as much food as possible in the entire Galaxy. While he makes noise at being evil, he is really a big and friendly guy. However, he has great knowledge of the Reapers, and has sworn to help the Galaxy fight them. ...Right after lunch.

King K. Rool: A Yawhg who escaped the quarantine around his planet and now raises havoc as a pirate and crime lord with his Yawhg followers. K Rool is a creature of greed and cruelty, seeking as much pleasure and wealth as he can. However, Now that he has learned of DK’s presence on his home planet, he hunts him with a terrifying fervor. Too bad DK is usually too much for him too handle.

Kirby: One of King Dedede’s race, Kirby is an Elder Being of phenomenal cosmic power that may be able to save the galaxy from the reapers. Unfortunately he is also still a baby, and as such it is difficult to get him motivated.

Link: Link was a human raised by a turian exile who left the Hierarchy after his stalwart commitment to justice led him to mutiny during humanity’s “First Contact War”. Link was raised with that unbending commitment to justice in mind, and it shows. Trained to be the ultimate soldier, Link is now a galactic vigilante, fighting crime lords, slavers, and all manner of scum and villainy. He has even earned a moniker: The Star Knight. However, he refuses to be beholden to any government, since he believes them to be useless and inefficient. But lately his dreams have been dark. Terrible machines from the darkness. He must be ready.

Little Mac: Like Ken and Ryu, Little Mac is a free-lance fighter in the various galactic circuits. Or at least he was, until he was mutated by Eez-O. Now he is a super soldier, drafted by the alliance to help them fight the Reaper invasion. But little does Mac know, he is a secret Cerberus Project. And now they want their property back.

Lucario: Lucario is a powerful Biotic, and an experiment of Cerberus in combining human and asari DNA. As such, he also has unprecedented psychic abilities. Lucario, however, left Cerberus in a rather brutal fashion and carrying a jaded view of humans. This was changed, however, when he met Pokemon Trainer.

Lucas: Lucas is one of two human children who were given unprecedented Biotic powers when an asteroid from beyond the Galaxy landed in their colony. Now, struggling to control his new powers, Lucas finds himself at the center of a war he never wanted to be a part of. The Reaper War.

Lucina: The daughter of Commander Chrom, Lucina is a Staff Sargent int he Alliance Navy. She hopes to live up to her father’s legacy, but lately her days have been haunted by nightmares of the future. Visions of the extinction of the human race, begun by her father’s death. She must stop this from happening. It is the only way. 

Mario: Mario is a former human Specter, but retired due to his increasing age. He is now an Fleet Admiral, commanding the Alliance’s forces from his flagship “The Mushroom Pride”. It is also well known that he is in a relationship with the daughter of an asari Matriarch.

Luigi: Luigi is his brother, but simply in his shadow. Luigi, however, doesn’t mind much, as his duty is more important than any potential fame and glory. He is also in a relationship with Daisy.

Marth: A human General, Marth is a young but respected commander of men. He is a founding member of the Corsair’s, and willing to go to any length to fight for humanity. However, he now finds himself in a hopeless war against beings older and more terrible than any in this galaxy. He cannot win, unless he convinces the Elder Beings King Dedede and Kirby to help.

Mega Man: An illegally created AI battle robot, Mega Man has travelled the galaxy in search of purpose. He finally found one among the geth, who accepted him as one of their own. He is now an ambassador of sorts between the geth and the organic races.

Meta Knight: The third Elder Being to be awakened, Meta Knight was a military leader in his day, of a nation that spanned the galaxy. But now he must goad Kirby and King Dedede into action against the Reapers, for the sake of all organic life.

Mewtwo: An attempt at recreating an ancient race of psychic aliens by the asari that went horribly wrong. Mewtwo broke loose, and now searches for purpose among the stars. He has now found it on Rosalina’s home.

Mii Brawler / Mii Gunner / Mii Fighter: AI warriors created by Cerberus to fight for them.

Mr. Game & Watch: A primitive AI that just wants to help.

Ness: The other child who was made a super-Boiotic by the asteroid that hit their home planet, Ness is the more confident of the two. He is clear in his purpose. To help in the fight against the Reapers.

Captain Olimar: A quarian investigating new worlds for the quarians to settle, Olimar is a botanist and scientist who despises violence. But his discovery of a new planet and a new species under threat by the Reapers, Olimar must find his courage and fight for the future.

Pac-Man: A salarian STG commander who’s team has been investigating the Reaper threat. Their findings have been spine-chilling, and now they find themselves hunted by Reaper forces.

Palutena: An Asari Matriarch who believes int he Reaper threat and wishes to prepare for it. As such she is mustering as many ships and soldiers as she can and prepare the Galaxy for what is to come.

Peach: The daughter of an asari matriarch who, like Palutena, is trying to rouse the galaxy against the coming threat. Peach, however, is working with her lover, Admiral Mario, to rouse the people of the galaxy.

Pichu: An experiment by Cerberus to create a new for of electrical life form. It succeeded, and now Pichu is roaming free on a new world.

Pikachu: The same as Pichu but bigger.

Piranha Plant: A Thorian creeper that gained sentience. It now wanders the stars with Bowser, serving his new Master’s will.

Pit: A turian, the one from which Dark Pit was cloned. A gifted Biotic, Pit is the captain of Matriarch Palutena’s personal guard.

Pokemon Trainer (Charizard, Ivysaur and Squirtle): The Illusive Man’s child, Red is determined to rescue as many of their father’s twisted experiments as he can. The creatures he rescues share a powerful bond with them, and will fight and die for them.

R.O.B.: A geth unit who fights beside Mega Man and fights for the future of his people. He seeks the destruction of the Reapers and the death of the traitorous geth who follow them.

Robin: A powerful Biotic and one of Chrom’s crew, Robin is a brave and loyal person who whole-heartedly believes in their comander. Robin is more of a support fighter than a front lines sort of Biotic, but their abilities make them invaluable on the field.

Rosalina: An asari matriarch who leads a biotic compound for all races on a private space station called “Asgard”. Rosalina is one of the most powerful biotics in existence, and seeks to train others of every race to use their gifts for good. Her altruism extends even to the krogan and the vorcha, and has been a powerful voice behind the efforts to remove the genophage.

Roy: Roy is Marth’s right-hand man. he is a ferocious soldier and technical expert, and is another founding member of the Corsairs. He has been with Marth since the beginning.

Richter Belmont: A member of a military family, one specifically trained to hunt rogue Biotics. As such, Richter is naturally resistant to Biotic abilities and any damage they cause. A bit arrogant, Richter has a good heart that is too often ruled by his hot head.

Ridley: A monster. He was a Yawhg originally, but was captured and experimented on by Cerberus until he was a twisted shadow of what he once was. He now roams the stars as an emissary for Cerberus, hunting down potential experimental subjects. However, sometimes his Yawhg aggression comes out and he goes on rampages. As is what happened on colony V-R-19, where Samus’s parents dies.

Ryu: Ken’s adopted brother and rival, Ryu travels the galaxy seeking worthy foes and the answers to his past. However, he soon finds himself enrolled in the Reaper War.

Samus: When Ridley killed Samus’s parents she was found and raised by the most unlikely of foster family. A small group of Prothean survivors, preserved beneath her colony. Samus was enhanced with their DNA, and turned into an unstoppable tool of destruction and war. Samus is, however, ruled by her sense of duty and commitment to her cause. she prepares to face the ancient enemy of her adopted species, the Reapers.

Shulk: Shulks life was... ordinary. Until, of course, the Heretic Geth attacked his home. Ever since his people have been  at war, barely holding their own on their colony world, cut off from their native planet of Earth. However, Shulk has recently found something that may turn the tide. An ancient Reaper weapon. The Monado.

Simon Belmont: The patriarch of the Belmont family, a family that hunts rogue Biotics. A bit older and more jaded than Richter, but his heart is no less kind. He pursues his family’s ancient goal of hunting the ancient rogue Biotic: Dracula.

Solid Snake: A human and leading member of FOXHOUND, a Spec-Ops group founded for the express purpose of fighting Cerberus. But Snake is, in fact, a creation of Cerberus. Another of their experiments that has turned on his creators. snake is an old soul in a young body, having seen too much in too brief a time.

Sonic: A turian warrior, possessing an affinity for speed biotics that none others can match. Free-wheeling and fun-loving, Sonic is a maverick who just wants to help as many people as possible. He is also old friends with Admiral Mario.

Toon Link: Link’s clone, created by the Alliance in secret, hoping to recreate Link’s natural solder abilities. However, he ran from the Alliance and has joined a group of benevolent Pirates.

Villager: A powerful AI that seeks to fight the Reapers and gain true sentience and humanity.

Wario: A mindless and greedy thug of a krogan who works for Ganondorf for money. He does bot care that he is betraying he species.

Wii Fit Trainer: A civilian who has recently enlisted alongside Little Mac to fight the Reapers.

Wolf: A turian pirate and mercenary who works for both the Alliance and Ganondorf. While truly a mercenary, in his heart of hearts he has a kind heart when all the cards are down.

Yoshi: A friendly Tank-Born Krogan who fights beside Mario as his faithful friend and side-kick.

Young Link: Another clone of Link, this one created by Cerberus. But this one is still a child. He is being raised by Cerberus, but in secret his mind is being molded by ancient and powerful forces for one purpose: to end Ganondorf and the Reapers once and for all.

Zelda: Zelda is a pureblood daughter of two asari matriarchs, and her biotic power shows it. She also seems to possess budding psychic powers as she seems to possess a modicum of foresight. She now seeks Link, seeing him as the key to ending Ganondorf.

[pip-n-flinx]

The Fall of Earth

I decided to start working on a Mass Effect fic. Not sure any of my followers are interested, but I decided to post the WIP here. I’d love constructive criticism if you have any! Preface, I’ve gotten tired of seeing Ashley Williams hate. I just wanted to write something that painted her in a better light than most of the stuff I’ve seen recently. I also want a happy ending for her. Hell, I want a happy ending for all the Mass Effect characters. I just haven’t seen much fan-based content that does her justice IMO.

EDIT: moving it to tumblr I lost some of my formatting as well as bold and italics. It doesn’t read quite as cleanly anymore. Sorry about that!

It was hard being cooped up in this apartment under house arrest. Harder than Shepard would admit to anyone, anyways. There was little to occupy his time. Sure, they provided him a holonet uplink, even occasionally asked what he wanted for dinner. The officers assigned to guard his room were polite, sometimes even stopping to make conversation. It just made it worse. Many of them couldn’t seem to decide if he was still the hero of legend, or if the first human Spectre had been replaced by the husk in the room.

Relieved of duty. He could see it now. It had taken time, but he had begun to agree with them. As far as the Tribunal was concerned he had never died, never been resurrected. They thought he had defected. No one comes back from the dead after all. No one.

They thought he had signed on with Cerberus. They thought he had agreed to be cybernetically implanted. No medical personnel would back that assertion if they got a look at his file, certainly, but it didn’t matter to the Brass.

He was a terrorist. He’d blown up the Alpha relay. He’d sided with a rogue splinter cell headed by a war criminal. And then, inexplicably as far as they were concerned, he had turned himself in, along with a trove of Cerberus tech.

He was concerned what had happened to EDI and Joker. Garrus would be fine, he’d never trucked much with the Turian Hierarchy so far as Shepard could tell. Tali was safely back with her people, though he couldn’t help but be furious at the admirals for trying to exile her. Thane was on his last legs anyway, and he had released Samara to her Justicar duties before returning to Alliance space. Jacob and Miranda “disappeared” three days before they Sol System, but he couldn’t blame them. He certainly didn’t begrudge them the escape pods. But Joker, Edi, and the Engineering team were another matter. An unshackled AI? A ex-military Cerberus pilot? More alliance crew members that had left for Cerberus? He hoped they were treating the crew well.

He watched the shuttles go by outside his window, a few military craft sprinkled among them. New York was a major city, and there was a ton of air traffic. Watching them fly by he wondered if any of them were rushing home to see family after a day of work. Maybe there were doctors and other emergency services personnel rushing to the office to relieve exhausted co-workers. Probably a few people who’d had a drink or two taxiing home. But he could never be sure who was who.

His thoughts inevitably turned back to Ashley. Gunnery Chief Williams as he remembered her. Or just Ash. He’d heard fervor in her voice when they’d met on Horizon. Called him a god, back from the dead. But she was hurting inside, and he was too slow on the uptake. For him, it was a matter of months since they had spoke. But for her, it had been two years. Two years since the commandeered the Normandy. Two years since they saved the citadel together. Two years since he had ordered her into the escape pod without him. Two years since Joker had landed, alone and tormented, to report that Shepard had been spaced before his eyes.

And he had the gall to ask her to join him. But she was Alliance, through and through. They had finally promoted her. She wasn’t going to turn her back on the Alliance then. What’s worse is it was Cerberus. Every Alliance soldier, from the grunts to the brass, had been shaken when he and Ash revealed what Cerberus was doing to MIA Alliance soldiers.

He could tell afterwards he had shaken her faith. Siding with Cerberus had rocked her to her core. It was a bridge too far for her.

But Shepard had an AI designed for cyberwarfare onboard. Besides, he was no slouch on an omni-tool himself. No matter how classified her file was he was going to check in on her. And that was when he had found it. The irony had taken his breath.

Many of the details about the founding of Cerberus were redacted, including the Illusive Man’s real name. But one thing was clear. General Williams had created the organization in the wake of the ground invasion by the Turian forces. The same General Williams who resigned. The same General Williams who began the “Williams Curse.” The same General Williams whose granddaughter had saved the Citadel with him.

And Shepard had to admit, he was proud.

You could argue it was in her upbringing: when he had met Ashley she was bordering on open xenophobia. She had stood up to the Terra-Firma party on the Citadel, but only after working side by side with Tali, Garrus, Wrex and Liara for the better part of several months. Live-fire scenarios tended to breed understanding faster than any immersion course, adrenalin and the squad broke through Ash’s barriers quickly.

You could argue it was in her blood: her grandfather had founded and funded Cerberus himself after being forced to surrender his troops on Shianxi. It wasn’t as if the Alliance had done her many favors. Only Kaiden’s good word and Captain Anderson’s sense of character had raised her out of the ground forces. All this despite and impeccable record and being the sole survivor of her unit on Eden Prime. But she stuck with Alliance in the face of that and in the face of her former CO and lover returning from the dead.

He paused to consider that. He’d lost his unit on Elysium, held the line himself just long enough for reinforcements to arrive. And he’d only done that because the Batarians didn’t expect the Alliance to have sophisticated stealth technology. Ashley had survived an invasion by a force with weapons that shredded shields, and had done so without the benefit of any advanced training. Survived, reported to her reinforcements, and then carried the battle back to the Geth, retaking the spaceport and disarming the nuclear warheads set to blow a quarter of the planet into a nuclear winter.

The Alliance granted him the star of Terra and the title of “Commander.” All Gunnery Chief Williams got was a post on a starship. And barely even that.

To say he admired her was an understatement. That woman could have walked on water and only he and Alenko would have ever noticed. He got the feeling Wrex begrudgingly admired her by the end. Alliance brass still couldn’t see past her Grandfather’s overreach though. And there seemed to be nothing he could do about it.

There was a child, playing with a model fighter down below. Modern blue paint job if his vision wasn’t going. It was another painful reminder that normal life wasn’t coming for him.

Bitter. It hadn’t helped yet, but maybe another month of bitterness would turn that around for him.

The door behind him hissed open.

“Commander.”

“You’re not supposed to call me that anymore James.”

“Not supposed to salute you either. We gotta go, the Defense Committee wants to see you.”

“Sounds important” Shepard said, tossing aside his data pad. To be honest he had forgotten he was holding it. He tried to refocus and bring his mind back to the room, the here and now, where for the first time in weeks he was needed. He followed Vega out of the room, but he was struggling to keep pace.

“What’s going on?”

“Couldn’t say. Just told me they needed you, now.” said the Lieutenant, barely turning his head to check that Shepard was keeping up.

Shepard then noticed a well decorated dress uniform bearing down on them. Not knowing what was going on, Shepard decided to take a play out of Wrex’s handbook.

“Anderson.”

“Admiral.”

“You look good Shepard.” Anderson made a point of shaking his hand before standing the Lieutenant at ease. A curious move. He followed it up with more wit than Shepard had heard since his tribunal: “Maybe a little soft around the edges. How are you holding up since being relieved of duty?”

The admiral strode off, staying just a step ahead of him and setting a brisk pace at odds with his informal greeting.

“It’s not so bad once you get used to the hot food and soft beds.” Shepard quipped back.

“We’ll get it sorted out” Anderson still strode purposefully onwards.

He’d had enough of being strung along. “What’s going on? Why is everyone in such a hurry?”

“Admiral Hackett is mobilizing the fleets. I’m guessing word has made it to Alliance Command,” Anderson finally turned to look Shepard in the eyes. “something big is headed our way.” The Admiral was still striding briskly onwards, now ascending the last set of steps before the committee room.

Shepard, though, had stopped cold. His stomach had fell through the floor.

“The Reapers?” He already knew the answer. He didn’t need to ask. But Anderson was still playing coy. Turning to look back, he gave the official answer even though he seemed to find it distasteful.

“We don’t know. Not for certain”

“What else could it be?”

“If I knew that... “

“You know we’re not ready for them. Not by a long shot.”

“Tell that to the Defense Committee.”

“Unless we’re planning on talking the Reapers to death, the committee is a waste of time”

“They’re just scared.” Anderson cut him off, earning a glare that would have blanched a junior officer. “None of them have seen what you’ve seen,” he continued. “You faced down a Reaper. Hell you spoke to one, then blew the damn thing up!” And there was a fire in his eyes. “You’ve seen how they harvest us. What they plan to do to us… You know more about this enemy than anyone”

The bitterness that had consumed him minutes ago flared back to life. He had warned them. Time and again he had warned them, dammit. So he lashed out.

“That why they grounded me? Took away my ship?”

Anderson rounded on him. “We both know that's not true. When you blew up the Batarian relay, hundreds of thousands of Batarians died!” There was a finger cocked at Shepard now. Reminded him of basic is all it did, and he was no recruit anymore dammit!

“It was that or let the Reapers walk through our backdoor!”

“I know that Shepard. And so does the committee. If it wasn’t for that you’d have been court martialed and left to rot in the brig.”

“That, and your good word” Shepard admitted dejectedly. Still hard to admit the Admiral had a point, but he didn’t want Anderson thinking he hadn’t noticed how light his sentence really was.

“Yeah. I trust you Shepard. And so does the committee.”

“I’m just a soldier Anderson. I’m not a politician.” Shepard hated to admit it, but he didn’t see what he could do now. His warnings had been ignored, and he had only beaten the Reaper forces through thorough planning and his team. The best team. And his team was long gone.

“I don’t need you to be either. I just need you to do whatever the hell it takes to help us stop the  Reapers”

A door hissed open and the orderly stepped forward. “They’re expecting you two Admiral.”

As they rounded the door to the hallway labeled “Courtroom Access” his jailer surprised him. “Good luck in there, Shepard.” He hadn’t known what to make of Lt. Vega, but he was damned if he was going to ignore a fellow officer. He turned to see his arm outstretched, took the hand and shook it. The man was shredded like he lived at the gym, and he tried his best to crush Shepard’s hand. Every young officer seemed to have decided that a firm grip was the first step to getting a grip. It wasn’t true of course, but he humored the LT with a lopsided smile before a voice behind him stopped him cold.

“Anderson.”

“Lieutenant Commander.”

“Shepard?”

He knew that voice. He turned so fast he almost gave himself whiplash. “Ashley?” it was soft enough he wasn’t sure had said it aloud, but she heard him.

And that was it. He was lit with an irrational hope again. It reminded him of the ride through the conduit. Yeah this shit was bad, but he and Ash were playing for the same team again. Lieutenant Commander huh? Damn, turns out the Alliance Brass pulled their heads out of their asses long enough to promote her. Hell itself must have frozen over. Pride swelled up in his chest again.

“Lieutenant Commander, how’d it go in there?” Anderson had interrupted his temporary reverie.

“I can never tell with them. I’m just waiting for orders now.”

Aaaaand Ashley still detested politics. Shepard grinned from ear to ear. He could scarcely believe it was really her. He decided to press his luck and stepped forward.

“Lieutenant Commander?”

“You hadn’t heard?” Anderson replied, clearly not that startled that Shepard was behind the times.

“No. I’m a little out of the loop these days.” But as he said it he could see Williams tense up a bit.

“Sorry Sir. Didn’t mean to keep you out of the loop.”

It’d taken him a moment to parse what seemed odd about her. Gone was the tomboy he had commanded two and a half years ago. Her hair was down, and that outfit couldn’t be within regs even if they had loosened up considerably. She must be too valuable an asset to discipline over little things now. I can’t believe it. She didn’t just break the Williams Curse, she made herself indisposable. How many years of service did it take her to prove her worth to them? I wonder if it was worth it....

“That’s okay. I’m just glad I bumped into you Ash.” He favored her with what he hoped was his best smile. Not full teeth, but heartfelt. He didn’t have a mirror to see if he looked like a damned fool, but it had the intended effect: she smiled back.

“Me too.”

But then the orderly was back, ushering them into the committee room. Anderson was all business. Ashley Williams gave him a smile and a nod and for a second he was a younger man again, stepping forward to become the first human Spectre. Alright then. I can do this.

[casualtysought]

JAKE VERSES

IN YOUR SHADOW, pre-pacific rim VERSE 001, undeserved and unrealistic expectations Any threads or interactions that happen after Stacker Pentecost adopts Mako Mori and Jake is still in service with the Pan Pacific Defense Corps. Jake struggles to live up to his fathers reputation and expectations which causes him to lash out, with loud problems with authority and the strict rules of the PPDC, Jake faces scrutiny and disappointment from his father, his superiors and his comrades in arms despite his potential.

WAYWARD SON, pre-pacific rim: uprising VERSE 002, the prodigal son .Any threads or interactions that occur after Jake has left the PPDC. He spends the majority of his time collecting valuable resources to trade in the Black Market and is not on speaking terms with his father but his relationship with his sister Mako Mori is extremely close.

PRODIGAL SON RETURNS, during pacific rim: uprising, or after VERSE 003, we’re coming for them Any threads or interactions that happen during the events of Pacific Rim: Uprising or after. Jake has retured to the PPDC and is in charge of training the new cadets against the return threat of the Kaiju and the Precursors. Jake has a tense relationship with Nate Lambert and has begun to build a mentor / mentee relationship with Amara Namani.

MASS EFFECT, during the main trilogy VERSE 004, up among the stars Jake was dishonorably discharged from the Alliance Navy due to insubordination and the attempted assault of a superior officer. His father, Stacker Pentecost, was an N7 soldier as was his sister Mako Mori. Following the Geth attack on the Citadel, Mako pulled strings to have Jake reinstated rather than serve jail time for the theft and attempted sale of stolen Alliance weaponry.

After the Geth attack and Commander Shepard’s death, Jake became an N7 soldier and was tasked with training and leading new Alliance cadets on Horizon when the Collectors attacked the colony. Jake escaped the Collectors when Commander Shepard rescued the survivors of Horizon and chose to follow Commander Shepard to Cerberus to help against the Collector threat and to hopefully rescue his abducted cadets.

During the Reaper invasion, Jake was stationed on Earth and is one of the many to push the human resistance on the ground while Commander Shepard fought to unify the combined armies of the galaxy.

MASS EFFECT, andromeda VERSE 005, to see stars none had seen before Following his father’s death, Jake left to join the Andromeda Initiative and was one of the first of the Security force to be woken from stasis aboard the Nexus and was one of the many to rebel against authority following the rationing of food, lack of resources and leadership and was exiled. Jake operates out of Kadara port and is one of Vetra’s contacts amongst the exiles.

STAR WARS, any trilogy VERSE 006, this is how liberty dies. Jake was born and raised on Coruscant and raised alongside his adoptive sister, Mako Mori, by his single father Stacker Pentecost. Together the Pentecost family rose in the Coruscant Security Militia. Stacker Fought in the Civil War and was injured saving the council from a terrorist attack and was rewarded and promoted for his troubles. Mako fought in a second Civil War against and was promoted for her part in saving the planet from a planet destroying weapon. Jake attempted to pursue a career in the security militia like his family but his insubordination, unwillingness to submit to authority and his rebellious and often rude personality caused Jake to leave the cadets. He works as an independent smuggler and trader both in the Upper city and the Underground.

Original Trilogy: Jake has joined the Rebel Alliance, utilizing his trade, contacts and prowess for piloting and battle to resist the Imperials. The Sequels: Jake was reinstated by the Republic and drafted to fight in the Clone Wars. He’s a Slicer and Juggernaunt often deployed on ground assaults or sabotage missions. New Republic: Jake is a member of the Resistance. He works to smuggle supplies to the Resistance and partakes in flash attacks against First Order bases, transports and factories. *Obviously will need to plot interactions due to using John Boyega as a FC. Twin or Clone aus or can simply be “look-a-likes”.

[omegastation]

THANKS TO GREAT PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR THE THEME I SUGGESTED........ @meflashfanwork has betrayal as a theme for September!!!!

I'm here to tell you it's a great theme because: -it can bring delicious angst -or if it's your thing, hurt/comfort or fix-it content -betrayal as a theme depends on the perspective so you can definitely come up with a lot of different scenarios by interpreting the theme

Canon betrayal for inspiration: (note: this isn't a complete list, I'm sure you can come up with more betrayal situations)

Trilogy: -Miranda and Wilson (he was working for the Shadow Broker), The Illusive Man (he went after her after she left Cerberus and he kept in touch with her father), Niket (he wanted to give Oriana back to Miranda’s father) -Maya/Rasa leaving Clone!Shepard instead of saving them -Garrus and Sidonis -The Alliance "betraying" the biotics by giving them faulty L2 implants or sending them to Ground Zero to be tortured/abused -Saren betraying the Council and killing his friend and fellow Spectre Nihlus -TIM believing EDI betrayed Cerberus and used Eva Coré’s body/platform -Joker turning his back on the Alliance and joining Cerberus after Shepard died -Zaeed and Vido -Shepard betrayed by Cerberus/TIM who created a clone and then tried to kill them when they left the organization -Javik seeing his fellow soldiers who are indoctrinated turning against him and other Protheans

The MEA one is under cut because spoilers + other “what if” betrayal scenarios

MEA: -Alec Ryder training Cora to become the next Pathfinder but not really intending her to be one -Alec Ryder not telling his children about his wife not dying and being in cryo -Addison "betraying" Sloane by sending Kandros away without telling her -Tann sending Spender to convince Morda to join them but not accepting Morda as a member of the Andromeda Council -Tann sending the Nakmor Clan to kill the protestors who will become exiles -Tann sending the exiles away -The entire Reyes vs Sloane situation is full of betrayal angst -Vehn Terev betraying the Moshae -Akksul betraying the Moshae, Jaal and other angara with the Roekaar -Jaal’s sister turning against her siblings 

Other "betrayal" scenarios: -Hackett sending Shepard to rescue Dr Amanda Kenson knowing what would happen and the consequences Shepard would have to face -The betrayal the VS might have felt seeing Shepard back alive and with Cerberus without them contacting the VS to explain what happened -The Aleena vs Wrex fight -Nyreen/Aria could create a lot of betrayal scenarios -it goes on and on!!!!

[canis-inferorum-glaciei]

@moonxsuncelestials​

“Is it not beautiful? The way the water slowly freezes in these cooler, darker times?” He paused, his breath clearly being seen roll down his mouth much like dry ice as he spoke. The winter season was here sooner than expected, and this was something that he truly loved to see. This was his time, the time where his powers were stronger and he could walk around without raising question as to why an ice trail followed him. “We love this time of year, the stars are easier to see this way as well as the weather making it easier to be social.” 

[corkcitylibraries]

It Seems Like Nothing Changes

Paul Cussen

August 1919

“A training camp for officers was held in Glandore in August, 1919.  This camp was attended by the officers of the Barryroe Company.  As far as I can recollect the camp was raided by enemy forces of Military and R.I.C. and had to be disbanded.”

-         Lawrence Sexton, Courtmacsherry

 Volunteer Michael Fitzgerald (a mechanic and mill worker as well as an active member of the Irish Transport and General Workers’ Union) having served three months for being part of the capture of Araglen RIC Barracks on Easter Sunday 1919, takes a leading part in the disarming of British soldiers at the Wesleyan Methodist chapel in Fermoy.

“It seems to me that England is gaily riding to ruin, unless there is some wonderful secret policy somewhere.  I can’t see where it will all end.  The futility and brainlessness of all leaders in every camp.  With the exception of a few clever ‘doctrinaire’ socialist people who can state a case — they seem to be devoid even of common sense.  The only way for an unorganised majority is to rush them in to doing things and to tell them what to do.  Everybody seems to be splitting hairs about ‘direct action’ and other phrases, while one bit of liberty after another is taken from them.  Lloyd George puts off and throws sops to Cerberus and every clique in England follows suit. They would sell their own souls for a few pence.”                         

 - Countess Markievicz in a letter from Cork Jail, 14 August 1919

 Earlier she had written "I have a lovely view over the River Lee, a garden full of pinks, constant meals sent in by local friends, and at night the most beautiful moths fluttering against the bars."  And writing about the support she got from local ladies in the Cumann na mBan she said, ''I got lovely roses and such heaps of strawberries and cream too.  Friends are so good to me.  If you want to be really appreciated in Ireland, go to jail!"

The Irish Victory Fund appeal, which had started in February at the Irish Race Convention, raised just over $1,005,080 within six months.

  James Joyce begins to write “Circe” and begins to copy “Cyclops” while a production of Exiles is mounted at the Munich Schauspielhaus and quickly closes due to harsh criticism.

The mayor of Liverpool enlists 700 troops from the local garrison to combat mass looting when the police go on strike.

“Dock rats reeling like ships in a storm from drunken spite within them, and brandishing a weaponry of axes, sticks and crowbars ... a pack of wild women, hair streaming over shawled shoulders, ready to back them with their talons, grasping bricks and broken bottles ... rodents, bloody rodents every one of them.”    - opinion of looters by demobbed soldier employed on police force during strike

President Wilson at a parade to honour his return from the Paris Peace Conference

Józef Piłsudski fails to overthrow the existing Lithuanian government of Prime Minister Mykolas Sleževičius, and install a pro-Polish cabinet.  One hundred and seventeen people are arrested and six receive life sentences.

1 August        

Dave Creedon is born near Blackpool (d. 2007)

Stanley Middleton is born in Bulwell, Nottinghamshire (d. 2009)

2 August        

14-17 people die in the Verona Caproni Ca.48 crash, Italy’s first aviation disaster.

 3 August        

Joyce writes to John Quinn that it takes him "four or five months to write a chapter" of Ulysses.

4 August        

Sgt. Daniel Hayes dies of chronic bronchitis at the Central Military Hospital.

Constable Michael Murphy and Sergeant John O’Riordan are fatally shot while on patrol at Ballyvraneen, between Ennistymon and Inagh in County Clare.

The Rodin Museum opens in Paris in the Hotel Biron. It contains works by the sculptor which have been left to the state.

Béla Kun flees to Vienna after the Hungarian Soviet Republic is overthrown by the Romanian Army.

5 August        

The RIC seize a letter from Michael Collins, Minister for Finance, Dáil Éireann, 6 Harcourt Street Dublin, to Terence Mac Swiney, T.D., Corcaigh Meadh (Mid Cork), regarding the arrangement for a meeting by each T.D. with the most prominent supporters of Sinn Fein in their Constituencies, with a view to forming a central committee for the entire constituency and certain local committees and the advancement of the Dáil Éireann Loan and requests ‘your loyal co-operation’.

6 August        

The Denver Jewish Times reports on $5,000 donated to the Irish Victory Fund by Samuel Untermyer.  This resulted in a high level of publicity in the Fund and the Irish Cause.

7 August        

Charles Godefroy flies his Nieuport fighter under the arches of the Arc de Triomphe.

8 August        

The Treaty of Rawalpindi is signed between Afganistan and the UK.

 9 August        

A secret week-long Volunteer training camp begins at Shorecliffe House, Glandore, Co. Cork for 35 battalion and company officers of the Cork No. 3 (West) Cork Brigade.  The training officers are from Dublin Brigade and most lectures are given by Leo Henderson.

10 August      

The Ukranian army massacres 25 Jews in Podolla.  Massive pogroms are to continue until 1921.

11 August      

Andrew Carnegie dies of pneumonia in Lenox, Massachusetts (b. 1835)

The Felixstowe Fury, while preparing for the 8,000 mile flight to Cape Town, side slips at low altitude and crashes.  Wireless operator Lt S.E.S. McLeod drowns and the other six crew members are rescued.

The Green Bay Packers are founded and named after their sponsors, the Indian Packing Company.

12 August

Gearóid O’Sullivan (GHQ), Bernie O’Driscoll (Skibbereen), Seán Murphy (Dunmanway) and Denis O’Brien (Kilbrittain) are arrested at the training camp in Glandore which is surrounded by RIC and British military as some “incriminating documents or notes were found on them”.

http://www.bureauofmilitaryhistory.ie/reels/bmh/BMH.WS1493.pdf

14 August      

Private John Waterfall dies at the Military Hospital from appendicitis/heart attack.

15 August      

Benedict Kiely is born in Dromore, County Tyrone (d. 2007)

16 August      

The Glandore training camp concludes. Six IRA Volunteers remove a section of track at Farganstown.  The next train, however, is not carrying British troops, it is a goods train and it crashes into a nearby field. None of the train’s crew are injured

18 August

            “... the hope that an army of military force might cowe the Irish into a frame of mind compatible with the eventual acceptance of some moderate measure of devolution has plainly miscarried”                       

- London Times

19 August      

 Afghanistan declares independence from UK.

20 August      

 Cathal Brugha puts a motion to the Dáil which is seconded by Terence MacSwiney that an Oath of Allegiance should be taken by all members and officials of Dáil Éireann, and all Irish Volunteers.  The oath contains the phrase,

I will support and defend the Irish Republic and the Government of the Irish Republic, which is Dail Eireann, against all enemies, foreign and domestic…

22 August      

Irish-American, John R. Shillaty is attacked and badly beaten by a mob in broad daylight in Austin, Texas.  He is Executive Secretary of the NAACP. He is escorted to the train by the mob and the sheriff

             “Your secretary, John R. Shilladay, reached Austin and was received by red blooded white men.  As we didn’t need any of his kind (negro-loving white men) we have sent him back home to you.  We attend to our own affairs down here, and suggest that you do the same up there”  - Deputy Sheriff Gene Barbisch

 23 August      

15 year old Francis Murphy, a Sinn Féin scout of Glan, County Clare is shot dead by British Soldiers.  He dies as a result of bullet wounds received while sitting by the fire reading a book.  The inquest into his death concludes that the murder was carried out by the military as revenge for the shooting of Constable Michael Murphy and Sergeant John O’Riordan at Ballyvraneen.

 24 August      

St Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh, is consecrated by the bishop of Cloyne, Robert Browne.  In attendance is the primate of all Ireland, Michael Logue, the archbishop of Cashel, John Harty and the archbishop of Tuam, Thomas Gilmartin.

 The Munster Final is held in Limerick’s Markets Field with the result:

Limerick 1-6    Cork 3-5

 25 August      

Volunteers start taking the Oath of Allegiance and using the name Irish Republican Army.

The world’s first daily international passenger air service commences when the British Aircraft Transport and Travel Company fly a deHavilland DH 16 from Hounslow Heath, London to Le Bourget airport, Paris.

26 August      

Fannie Sellins (nee Mooney) witnesses guards beating Joseph Starzelski, a picketing miner from the Allegheny Coal and Coke Company, who is killed.  When she intervenes, deputies shoot and kill her with four bullets then a deputy uses a cudgel to fracture her skull.

28 August      

The amount of the national loan issued reaches £250,000.

30-31 August  

The Knoxville, Tennessee race riot begins after Maurice Mays (pictured above) is arrested for the murder of Mrs. Bertie Lindsey.  A 5,000 strong mob storm the county jail and free 16 white prisoners.  They also attack the African-American business district, where they fight against the district's black business owners, leaving at least seven dead and wounding more than 20 people.

An all-white jury takes 18 minutes to find Mr. Mays guilty of Mrs. Lindsey's death. He dies at age 35 in the electric chair in 1922, declaring his innocence to his dying breath.

31 August      

Amrita Pritam is born in Gujranwala, Punjab (d. 2005)

The White Army capture Kiev and the Russian tricolor is placed next to the Ukrainian flag already posted on the Duma.

The Ukranian Army kills 35 Jewish defense group members.

[furederiko]

Today is January 8th, and this is my first official post of the year 2018! NOTE: Because obviously that incidental late-night half-asleep New Year post did NOT count LOL

I'm going to kick-off the year with something Kyuranger related, but it's not about that explosive new episode that hit broadcast yesterday (in case you missed the note, there was no episode on December 31st). Something special instead: the Summer 2017 Movie "Kyuranger the Movie: Geth Indaver no Gyakushuu"! Here goes...

- Since a Super Sentai solo movie is usually double-billed with its Kamen Rider counterpart, the duration gets to be rather short. Particularly when compared to a season's Returns V-Cinema or Versus Movie. The same thing is happening to Kyuranger, as this August 5th, 2017 movie is clocked at only around 33:45 minutes (logo intro and the 01:35 ending dance included) having to share its theatrical running time with "Kamen Rider Ex-Aid the Movie: True Ending" (as seen on the trailer above). That is the reason why the chain of events have to immediately start with a bang... - By bang, that's literally! The intro showcases a galactic (and uncommonly hectic) spaceship battle between Kyuranger's Voyagers and a horde of Jark Matter fleet around the deadly Geth Star (a very obvious nod to a weapon with similar name in "Star Wars"). And more importantly, Commander Xiao Long Bao gets shot to a seeming demise by the story's major antagonist Geth Indaver (played by Ryou Tamura), who might or might not be homage to a famous Mandalorian. Don't look for any explanation on how or why Xiao is even aboard the planet-sized battleship, this movie demands us to just follow along. All we are privilege to know is that Geth Indaver wants to collide the Geth Star and Earth, just to obtain the Destroyer God Kerberos. - I believe the intro is meant to be a 'the plot thickens' twist right away. Unfortunately, in a way it feels nothing more than a mere petty ruse to give a sense of purpose to the team. If not to move forward the plot, of course. LOL. No really, when everyone in the ORION is looking sad and depressed prematurely coping the loss of Xiao, I'm rolling my eyes instead. Come on, does anyone actually believe this is happening for real? Remember the sci-fi death rulebook, if there's no corpse then death remains a huge question mark. Especially when we know for sure that Xiao is still safe and sound at least until episode 44 *grins*. NOTE: Seeing this through home video doesn't help either. However, the sequence might have been 'shocking' and worked differently had I seen it in the Summer as it was intended to. So I guess there's that. - Lucky gets a premature rousing (or intended to be one, at least) speech that they need to continue what Xiao would have wanted: not give up and try their best to save Earth. Thankfully, Raptor had conveniently able to tap on Xiao's conversation with Geth, and discovered Geth's ambitious goal. Stinger is well-informed about the myth surrounding his objective. Kerberos is a destroyer of planet that consists of three components/heads: Dober, Husky, and Bull. All of them are actual varieties of dogs, in case you're wondering. - Lucky realizes one easy logic: since Kerberos has the ability to destroy a planet, it will be able to strike down Geth Star as well. That means the Rebellion only needs to revive and take over Kerberos to basically save Earth. To do so, they require three sealed Kerberos Stones from the uncharted territories of Cerberus System. These items have to be acquired before Geth Star reaches Earth, which is only 72 hours away. Wait a sec... if the keys to summon Kerberos can be found in ANOTHER star system, what's the purpose of Geth Indaver's globe-shattering assault on Earth then? Hmmm... Trivia: Similar to Argo Navis, Cerberus is not part of the 88 Modern Constellation System. According to Wikipedia, Cerberus is a defunct or obsolete star system whose star members have since been included into the Constellation Herakles. Ironically, the creature used as a Constellation is NOT even the famous Three-headed Gatekeeper Dog of the Underworld. It's an entirely different three-headed SNAKE that the mythological hero defeated. I guess dogs sell better than snakes, huh? - Team sans Raptor nor any of the newer members splits up into three, and heads toward different locations. Lucky and Garu arrive on Planet Husky, and need to defeat one of Geth's men by the name Kaaru Indaver in a motorcycle racing match. Lucky utilizes the #62 Auriga Kyu Globe, and... turns Garu into one furry motorcycle. LOL. They equip Antlia Kyu Globe's power to outspeed Kaaru Indaver and secure the first red-colored Kerberos Stone. - Stinger, Champ, and Hammy arrive on the snowy Planet Bull, only to discover that it's a secret... Jark Matter MMA Tournament Stadium. Hey, I thought this Star System is supposed to be a dangerous place? Oh well, Taurus Black has to wrestle his way against gorrilla-esque Oumo Indaver to obtain the blue-colored Kerberos Stone. I guess this serves as a quick fan-service to those who has been eager to see Champ in his original occupation prior to becoming a Kyuranger. Naturally the Jark Matter cheats, so Scorpius Orange and Chamaeleon Green slashes into the ring (the latter uses Cancer Kyu Globe to tear the wires away) and join the fight. Things become a bit messy that Oumo Indaver gets the chance to run off with the prize. - Spada and the BN-Thieves land on Planet Dober and easily discover the yellow-colored Kerberos Stone in an unknown ruins. But there's a surprise welcoming party who snatches away the treasure right away: Geth Indaver himself! We learn that he's a rather... BAFFLING antagonist who conveniently and casually shares his true humanoid identity. No kidding, Geth is a former Rebellion soldier and old comrade of Xiao by the name of Hoi-pyon... I mean Hoi Korou. He was exiled due to his dark obsession towards Kerberos. - Geth Indaver demands the Husky Stone to be handed to him, naming Earth as the rendesvouz place. If you're wondering why he doesn't choose a much safer place, then you're not alone. Geth and his men are risking their own life to get crushed by their own Geth Star, right? *sigh*. With only one hour away from collision, the Kyurangers decide to just go all out and fight their way to protect the planet. - Look who decides to show up during the fight! Ursa Minor SkyBlue who immediately deploys his Ursa Major Kyu Globe to gain the upper hand. Where have you been throughout the first arc, Kotarou? And there are more surprises. Commander Xiao saves the day! Cue failed-dramatic moment. Well, duh?! Did anyone really think he's actually dead? Nope, because apparently another member encountered Xiao drifting in space just in time to rescue him. WHO? Duh? It's Tsurugi, of course! Seriously, everyone seems to have forgotten about him and Kotarou to the point that it genuinely annoys me... *grumble* - Tsurugi also plays a part to deal with the next threat: Keroberos, which has been revived by Geth Indaver. He instructs Leo Red to use the Herakles Kyu Globe (the movie's official promotional item) and... well, reenacting the myth by practically 'taming down' Keroberos. The act officially turns the mythical beast into... the spring-green-colored Cerberus Voyager and awakening its accompaniment #111 Cerberus Kyu Globe. He then utilizes the Kyu Globe to form the annual movie-only mecha Kerberios. NOTE: Cerberus Kyu Globe goes by the number 111. What's the point? Well... it's unconfirmed and pure speculation until now, but 111 can be read as 'ONE ONE ONE' or 'WAN WAN WAN' in Japanese spelling. Guess what the latter means? 'WOOF WOOF WOOF'. That's onomatopoeic of barking, in case you still don't get it. LOL. Kyuranger sure loves its puns. - As Gigant Phoenix deals with giant-sized Oumo Indaver, Draco Commander settles his feud once and for all with Geth Indaver. All the while, Kerberios tries desperately to take down Geth Star. Yep, it's a triple-sized parallel battle! Thanks to Garu's suggestion (clearly based on personal experience) and undoubtedly sheer luck, Leo Red uses Shining Kyu Globe's Lunar Mode to turn the mecha into gargantuan size. What for? To block the Geth Star from obliterating Earth. - Does it work? Well duh, should we even expect otherwise? It even rather surrealistically transform Earth into a giant Earth Kyu Globe that pushes the deadly weapon away. All enemies are destroyed, which means Earth has been saved and its civillian can freely... hug it out. As for the Kyurangers? They decide to release the Kerberos Stones to their original locations (what a waste of resource!) and... celebrate in a Japanese festival. You know, that fun yukata-filled Summer-only ending sequence (aired from episode 22 to episode 27) we've all known and loved!

Overall: So... that was, uhm, fine, I guess? To be honest, reviewing or giving personal impressions on Super Sentai Summer movies is generally a somewhat tricky affair for me. Aside from one or two notable exceptions (Abaranger's fan service spree, or Kyoryuger's genuinely thrilling big screen feature to name a few), most of them ventured in the realm of mediocrity to 'just okay' at best. Much of this was caused by the limited duration, the production staffs involved, and many other small things. In Kyuranger's case, it unfortunately fell on the underwhelm side despite the series' overwhelming success. This movie suffered through a very thin plot that ridiculously didn't quite make sense. I think even the most simpleton would easily wonder, why would Geth Indaver try to destroy Earth in the first place, when he's busy fighting INSIDE the planet? In general, the stakes felt poor despite the situation being of catastrophic scale. The plot was basically a rehash of TV series' repeated story pattern (collecting elements of a thingamajig), but condensed into one single run. That's why everything felt rushed! To put it worse, it didn't exude the usual fun aspects and charm of a broadcasted episode, because everything just felt strangely serious and surprisingly lacked a heart and soul. Even the almost full (just 11 members, minus Tsurugi) team transformation and roll call (which usually got flashier in movies) looked bland and... generic. The TV series has done better IMHO! Don't even get me started on that failed emotional angle with Xiao, or how Kotarou and Tsurugi were just sort of... 'there' only when the plot required them to. Similar to "Episode of Stinger" V-Cinema and its coupling web-series, the placement of this movie in the timeline/continuity is... a little difficult to pinpoint. Still, judging from what I saw, this likely took place after the clash of Reds has been cleared out (in episode 24), because Lucky and Tsurugi seemed to be in a good mood with one another. The ending sort of suggested that this was the team's final mission to liberate Earth, but I doubt it took place after the Time Travel arc. That's when they left to explore other Star Systems to search for Don Armage's whereabouts, right? Overall, it was still a watchable movie and had its fun moments too. But overall? It's definitely not among Kyuranger's best, plagued by obvious flaws there were just too distracting to ignore. This was just on par with the mediocre to good episodes, but still ranks better than "High School Wars". I actually expected better, but things don't always go along with what we want, do they? *sigh*. Here's hoping the upcoming (assuming both will be produced), Versus and/or Kyuranger Returns V-Cinema will make up for my disappointment... Next: Back to TV, to its 1st episode of 2018!

Overall Score: 7,5 out of 10

Visit THIS LINK to view a continuously updated listing of the Kyutama / Kyu Globes. Last Updated: December 29th, 2017 - Version 3.10. (WARNING: It might contain spoilers for future episodes)

Trailer used above is officially available through CINEMA NAVI Youtube Channel. "Uchu Sentai Kyuranger" is produced by TOEI, and airs every Sunday on TV-Asahi. Credits and copyrights belong to their respective owners.

[canis-inferorum-glaciei]

@sweetsraiders​

He skated along the ice that had once been a lake, no skates on his feet but it was late in the evening so he thought he would have been alone for some time. Clearly that was not the case when he sensed another had entered the area, his eyes instantly fixing on them but he did not cease his motions. “We thought that by now others would be asleep due to the early darkness but we seem to have miscalculated.......” Cerberus slightly mumbled but nevertheless he was kind to the other and stopped on the edge where they had been. “What is it we can do for you?” 

[canis-inferorum-glaciei]

@ichorhexrt​

A familiar scent entered the office, but there was a hint of difference between it being either Dante or Vergil for that matter. Mismatched orbs of red and blue stared a moment at the stranger at the door, at least they were a stranger to him. Cerberus was given specific orders by Dante to guard the shop at all costs and if that meant fighting then so be it. The devil disguised as a human because in the human world stood up, a three headed staff stabbing into the hardwood; Dante would probably try to kill him for that later but he didn’t care. “What is your business here? The boss is currently away....” His voice cracked like ice, gloved hands tightened around the base of the staff just in case. 

Just because he smelled of the Spardas did not mean he could let his guard down for a second.