#Clive as a character means so much to me so it was wonderful to be able to chat with the guy who brought him to life and voiced him

[seaofashes]

Ben Starr is genuinely one of the kindest VA's I've met, he was a delight to talk to and nerd out over final fantasy with.

[meteorstricken]

"But why didn't Jill go to Origin?"

In order to understand this, you need to keep FFXVI's themes of duty and atonement in mind. The reason Dion felt compelled to show back up and offer his aid as Bahamut was because it was his means of atoning for what transpired in Twinside, and it was very much framed as a *suicide mission*. He had promised Joshua his aid once matters with Annabella and Olivier were resolved, but with how poorly that all worked out, he clearly comes to view laying down his life as his duty.

However, Jill had already accomplished this part of her arc. She returned to Mt. Drustanus and killed Imreann--the one who coerced her into acting as a killing machine for a time, much like Ultima coerced Dion to lay waste to Twinside. Joshua, Dion, and Clive are the three characters who've been uniquely manipulated by Ultima. Jill was never possessed or puppeteered or primed out of control by Ultima--again, for her, that villain was Imreann.

As for Clive and Joshua, there's plainly a unique matter of duty. They're built up as the only two characters who've acquired the power (Clive) and will (Joshua) necessary to take down a god, and so they must. It has to be them, at the least.

Meanwhile, Jill has made peace with herself by the time Origin pops. Jill has done her duty and atoned. Had she gone to Origin, she might have gotten a few cool lines and a couple of hits in, and then Ultima would have very likely killed her, as he seems to have with Dion.

And for what? To help protect Clive and/or Joshua once more? Wouldn't we be having a sad conversation about yet another female character made to give her life for a man then? Isn't it a good thing that Shiva's Dominant didn't fall into that benighted "women in fridges" trope? Is it not enough, given the ambiguity of the ending, that the major female character is the *only one* who definitely survived?

I think it's wonderful that Jill is such a beloved character and that fans want to see more of her, but I think we need to keep in mind that our desire to see more of a character than we did doesn't automatically translate into evidence of their having been poorly treated.

(PS: You want to see a real case of a fridged character? Look no further than Benedikta. The only thing that makes it somewhat forgivable in this case is that I can point to male characters who eventually suffered the same, but the fact that she went first, was revealed to have a complicated past in retrospect only, and was primarily framed as a "shrieking harpy" raises a critical eyebrow for me.)

[luce-speaks]

the car scene

written for @fe-aspec-week 2024! this is set in echoes dnd au (created by me and @good-beanswrites), in which the plot of Echoes is the plot of the group’s d&d game. scenes in italics take place in-game.

—

Lukas sighs. “Honestly, Python? I'm not sure if I love her or not. Since being parted from her, I feel no particular longing to see her again.”

(He stops briefly, glancing around the table, trying to gauge if he’s doing okay. It doesn’t seem right to spend too much session time on his character’s personal issues, but everyone seems content enough. He decides to continue.)

“I sometimes wonder if a vital part of me is broken. I look at Clive and Mathilda and see... Well, you used the word "fire". But whatever it is that they have, I seem to lack it.”

Python punches him on the shoulder. “Aw, don't you worry. The ‘one true love’ thing isn't for everyone. Certainly not for me. And I dare anyone to tell me that I’m broken.”

Lukas blinks. “So you think such a lack of feelings is… normal?”

This time, when Python leans in, he throws his arm around him, for a sort of half-hug that Lukas politely tolerates. “Perfectly.”

—

The session ends soon after, with cheerful goodbyes exchanged as they all filter out of Mila’s fancy apartment. Lukas joins the other two in Forsyth’s beater of a car, and they begin the thirty-minute trip back to their apartment complex.

It’s silent in the car for a few minutes, interrupted only by the staticky hum of the radio that refuses to turn all the way off and the ever-concerning rumble of the engine. And then—

“Y’know,” Python says abruptly, “it’s pretty cool that you made your character aro.”

Forsyth nods. “It is! You never see that in fantasy stories. It’s pretty sad.”

“…What?”

The car goes dead quiet again. The rumbling engine sounds louder than ever.

“Luke…”

“That was on purpose, right?” Forsyth says, craning around to peer at Lukas in the backseat.

Python elbows him. “Eyes on the road, Fors.”

“Yeah, but he—”

Lukas sighs. “Can one of you explain what you’re talking about?”

Now it’s Python’s turn to lean across the center console (and Lukas’s turn to wonder how these two haven’t gotten themselves into a car accident yet.) “So, that stuff you were saying in the last scene. How he wasn’t in love with that backstory character, and maybe not with anyone else, either? And he feels like he’s broken because of it?”

He nods, unsure where this is going. “I… thought it made sense for the character.”

“It does,” Forsyth says. “And it also sounds a lot like he might be aromantic.”

“Aro, for short,” Python adds. “It means you’re not interested in anyone like that—romantically, I mean. Like me.”

“You’re… not?” Lukas frowns. “But I thought—at the game cafe—”

“Hey, aromantic and asexual are two different things. Which I only happen to be one of.” Python grins. “So, y’know, if you ever—”

“PYTHON!” Forsyth turns away from the wheel again, this time grabbing his friend by the shoulder. “Can you at least save it until we’re out of the car?”

“Hey, eyes on the road!”

“I know! If you hadn’t started—“

Lukas tunes out the arguing in the front seat, too preoccupied with his own thoughts to keep track of what they’re talking about. He feels a bit guilty for (accidentally) tricking his new friends into thinking he made his character like this on purpose. For making something that spoke to them, made them feel seen, only to have to explain that it was all happenstance. It feels like a betrayal of some sort, even if he didn’t intend it.

But, then again, there’s something else bothering him. Memories resurfacing, of his parents asking him when he’ll get married, of school dances and college parties, of a thousand little moments that each left a bad taste in his mouth. He always figured it would change when he got older, or when he got away from his parents—but he’s done both, hasn’t he? He’s almost thirty, and he’s living alone, and he’s never once wished for someone else to share that bed with him. He’s never thought too hard about it, but…

“Python,” he says nervously. “How exactly do you know you’re aro?”

“Uh—”

“The general ‘you’, I mean, not you specifically,” he adds quickly. “Just… how do you figure it out? How do you know you’re not just…” He trails off, unsure how to finish that sentence.

Python glances at Forsyth. Forsyth, for once, stays focused on the road, where he’s trying to merge into the left lane of the highway. Python turns back to Lukas.

“Uh,” he says again. “Usually, I think, you just get tired of waiting. S’what I did. Got bored of waiting for something to change and decided to go my own way. There’s not really a process to it. You just… make up your mind.”

“And it’s okay if you change it later!” Forsyth adds. “Using a label isn’t something you have to commit to forever. If it stops being helpful to you, you stop using it.”

“Oh.” They make it sound so simple, he thinks. “I… I need some time to think about all this. It… makes sense, I just…”

“Hey, there’s no rush,” Python says.

Forsyth nods. “Take your time. We’ll be here if you need anything.”

“And for what it’s worth—” Python turns toward the backseat again, looking Lukas directly in the eye. “You’re not broken, Luke. No matter what anyone told you. Okay?”

Lukas nods, still lost for words, before choking out a “Thank you.” The path ahead of him is treacherous, but in this moment—in the back of Forsyth’s shitty car, surrounded by people who support him, wrapped in the hum of the engine—he feels like he can take it all.

(When he officially comes out at another D&D session a few weeks later, he receives a hearty round of hugs and congratulations, none more enthusiastic than Python and Forsyth’s. It’s the happiest he’s felt in a long, long time.)

[gray-griff]

20-06-24; maurice, e. m. forester

"I was yours once till death if you'd cared to keep me, but I'm someone else's now... and he's mine in a way that shocks you, but why don't you stop being shocked, and attend to your own happiness."

i really wanted to love this novel :( i had heard so many wonderful things abt it, and being a classic queer text i had high hopes. my disappointment lies mostly within my misalignment with the characters and the pacing, but overall i’d be willing to reread it. i ended up reading this one rather quickly and it’s possible that in doing so i missed the intricacies of certain chapters or characters.

i never felt any sense of connection to, or even particular enjoyment of any of the characters in this novel. each tender moment felt off set by the classism, misogyny (both era-accurate, but doesn't mean i have to enjoy it), and general rudeness and mean spirits prevailed by the main characters. maurice does develop and change, though not in a way i personally found substantial enough to like him other than in his acceptance of himself. in other ways in fact, i found he grew worse with age.

i have discussed with a few others on the subject of the characterization, some of their perspectives being as follows (hopefully i'm not watering this down!); maurice being flawed as he is is apart of the point. he is written to be representative of a common man, and does being so make him any less deserving of love? and the final pairing represents the truth of love; that it surpasses all earthly bounds. "He educated Maurice’s spirit, for they themselves became equal. Neither thought ‘Am I led; am I leading?’ Love had caught him out of triviality and Maurice out of bewilderment in order that two imperfect souls might touch perfection." with particular emphasis on the last line. it was such beautiful quotes as these that made me so conflicted on the novel ;-; i see, understand, and actually agree with these statements, however they don't do much for my overall enjoyment of the text.

my complaints for the pacing are such that i think more time should have been devoted to the development of maurice's relationship to alec. not to say time should be taken from him and clive, all that is essential to his development and character, his development with alec just felt rushed and devoid of affection until it had already happened. I recognize maurice's need for sexuality as apart of love, but like forester's friend lytton strachey is quoted in the terminal note, i am partial to believe "the relationship of the two rested upon curiosity and lust and would only last six weeks".

on the whole, i can recognize maurice as a treasure of queer history, and as a monumental accomplishment given the time period in which it was written; however as a novel it fell short for me. despite all the moments forester had me positively beaming at the pages, i had fostered no strong affections for this story by its completion. if you think i missed something, or would benefit from another read, i'm open to the concept and would love to hear your interpretations!

༄˖°.ೃ࿔:

[gnougnouss]

Ya know I feel like there's a shit ton of hyprocrisy going on when people compare RTD's writing and Moffat's on dw but nothing irks me more than when they say Moffat era made the doctor too important when he was portrayed as just a guy in RTD. Like. Are you fucking kidding me. Be for real.

In the GODDAMN first episode, one of the first thing we learn about the doctor is through Clive (rip) in that scene :

The Doctor is a legend woven throughout history. When disaster comes, he's there. He brings the storm in his wake and he has one constant companion. ROSE: Who's that? CLIVE: Death.

So yeah the Doctor is a Legend. Next, in New Earth he is called "the lonely God". Very normal guy core.

It gets worse, who could forget this wonderful speech in The Family of Blood ?

LATIMER: Because it was waiting. And because I was so scared of the Doctor. JOAN: Why? LATIMER: Because I've seen him. He's like fire and ice and rage. He's like the night and the storm in the heart of the sun. DOCTOR: Stop it. LATIMER: He's ancient and forever. He burns at the centre of time and he can see the turn of the universe. DOCTOR: Stop it! I said stop it. LATIMER: And he's wonderful.

The Next one is by Steven Moffat but crucially still during 10s era so STILL part of how the doctor was characterised. RTD approved you might say.

DOCTOR: Don't play games with me. You just killed someone I liked. That is not a safe place to stand. I'm the Doctor, and you're in the biggest library in the universe. Look me up. (There is a pause, then the shadows withdraw.) ANITA: You have one day.

I added it because I saw people act as if the Eleventh Hour's resolution with a doctor boast was completly out of character and not something he literaly did one series before.

Ok now for the real silly, that scene in Last of the Time Lords where the power of PRAYER turned 10 young and hyper powerful. For real. Yeah like a sort of Space Jesus.

Bonus: that part in Voyage of the Damned when he flied with two angels lifting him like ok lmao.

Those were just the ones I could remember out of the top of my head but "just a guy" my entire fucking ass. Go rewatch that show.

I feel like Moffat is often accused of turning the doctor into too much of an incredibly powerful figure not because he did it more than RTD but because he discussed the trope and as such put a lot of attention on it . All of those I pointed out in RTD are played incredibly straight but in Moffat's era the doctor's legend is a problem. It's the plot of the s5 finale, he became so big his ennemies allied. It's the reason he gets called out in "A good man goes to war"

RIVER: This was exactly you. All this. All of it. You make them so afraid. When you began, all those years ago, sailing off to see the universe, did you ever think you'd become this? The man who can turn an army around at the mention of his name. Doctor. The word for healer and wise man throughout the universe. We get that word from you, you know. But if you carry on the way you are, what might that word come to mean? To the people of the Gamma Forests, the word Doctor means mighty warrior. How far you've come. And now they've taken a child, the child of your best friends, and they're going to turn her into a weapon just to bring you down. And all this, my love, in fear of you.

It continues in Asylum of the Daleks where Moffat tries to erase the doctor's legend and is concluded somewhat in s8 finale with the proposition that what the doctor actually is, is in fact an idiot.

DOCTOR: I really didn't know. I wasn't sure. You lose sight sometimes. Thank you! I am not a good man! I am not a bad man. I am not a hero. And I'm definitely not a president. And no, I'm not an officer. Do you know what I am? I am an idiot, with a box and a screwdriver. Just passing through, helping out, learning. I don't need an army. I never have, because I've got them. Always them. Because love, it's not an emotion. Love is a promise.

But nobody saying stuff like "Moffat made the doctor too important" ever watched Capaldi's era anyway so it's not like they would know.

[kyndaris]

Defying Fate's Design

Where to start with Final Fantasy XVI? The game first released in June 2023, right on the heals of Diablo IV. Already drowning in games, I put it on the back burner until some time I could actually sink in the prerequisite hours needed to see it to completion. All the while, the friends around me were singing the game's praises for how dark and gritty the storyline was. Was it any wonder I stumbled upon the odd spoiler or two?

Not that I care about spoilers.

Just because I know something will happen doesn't mean I know how it exactly plays out. It's far more interesting for me to see how the writers navigate the characters from plot point A to plot point B and then later D.

Enter the slower half of 2024. Although there was still a plethora of games I needed to get through, I was able to finally sit down and play through Final Fantasy XVI. And all before bleachpanda was able to do the same with Final Fantasy XV. Heck, I still think she's midway through her replay of Final Fantasy XIII because she's been sidetracked by her endless number of otomes. A fact I was unable to escape during our trip abroad in Japan.

Final Fantasy XVI (or FF16 for short) puts players in the shoes of one Clive Rosfield, eldest son of the Rosfield family who rule over the Duchy of Rosaria. Despite being the firstborn child, Clive is not to inherit the Ducal throne. Rather, the honour would go to his brother, Joshua, as he was the one to awaken as the Dominant for the Phoenix. Though such situations could lead to enmity between family members, there is no bad blood between the brothers. Clive is satisfied to be Joshua's shield, vowing to protect his younger brother by any means at his disposal.

Everything changes at Phoenix Gate.

Betrayed by their allies, the Ducal forces are destroyed by agents from Sanbreque. During the attack, Joshua primes as Phoenix. Losing control of his Eikon, he wreaks havoc on both allies and enemies until a second Dominant of Fire emerges in the confusion and seemingly kills the phoenix. In the aftermath, Clive is found alive by the Sanbreque forces, as well as his mother. Instead of being executed, he is branded as a bearer and forced to fight on the front lines for the next thirteen years.

Sent on a mission to kill Shiva's dominant, Clive and his assassin allies skirt along the battlefield before finding an opportune moment to attack. Before Clive lands the killing blow, Clive recognises as his old childhood friend, Jill. After slaying his previous compatriots, Clive, with the help of deus ex machina, Cidolfus Telamon and a suddenly adult Torgal (who had just been a pup - how is that a dog/wolf can live to thirteen and still seem like a puppy? Also, did Cid never name the dog/wolf he found? They've been together for quite a while) escape. Still intent on finding the person who had killed his brother, Clive isn't initially interested in joining Cid's cause although he is sympathetic as a whole to the plight of the Bearers.

Cid, of course, helps our erstwhile hero. It isn't long before Clive later learns the truth: that the second Eikon on that fateful day was Ifrit and that he is the Dominant. Broken by the revelation, Clive is barely hanging onto his sanity. Until he hears word of a Dominant of Fire still very much alive. He figures: if his brother is dead and he is the second Dominant of Fire, who is this third figure?

Wishing to uncover the truth, Clive and Jill travel to Rosaria and down into the depths of Phoenix Gate. There, they learn some truths. Filled with new resolve, Clive and Jill decide to join in Cid's quest to atone for the sins they had committed by freeing Bearers from their oppression. They do this by destroying the Mothercrystals, and by wiping out magic, so that all can live and die by their own choice.

Together, they infiltrate Sanbreque's capital, Oriflamme, and manage to destroy the Mothercrystal. Within the crystal, however, is a being called Ultima. Ultima manages to mortally wound Cid before attempting to possess Clive. Joshua, revealing he managed to survive the events of Phoenix Gate, interrupts and manages to trap the being within himself.

Five years pass before Clive resumes his quest to destroy the Mothercrystals. Systematically, he manages to take them and the Eikons guiding them down - absorbing their powers along the way. Why can Clive take the powers of others? Why, he is Mythos, a vessel for Ultima to inhabit in order to cast a spell to resurrect the remnants of his race. Even if humans are completely wiped out.

We soon learn that it was Ultima, through Barnabas - the King of Waloed - who managed to orchestrate the political unrest plaguing the world of Valisthea. In so doing, he kept them focused not on the plight of the world but rather their own squabbles for diminishing resources. Much like in Game of Thrones, for which FF16 takes inspiration, many of the leaders of the various nations are focused more on collating power than the imminent threat of the Blight.

FF16 culminates in a final battle atop Origin with Ultima - first as a three-pronged attack with Bahamut, Phoenix and Ifrit, before Clive takes on Ultima solo in the heart of the final Mothercrystal where he demonstrates the strength of his will due to the bonds he shares with his friends.

Honestly, if there were three themes FF16 wanted to get across, they were: oppression, climate change and friendship.

But while the oppression could be solved by simply taking away the very reason why the Bearers were special (ala the Mutants from the X-men series), the modern day ramifications are vastly different. If we could simply fix the quirk of fate of being born a certain race by removing magic, things would be much simpler. Unfortunately, there is no easy solution for the cycles of hatred that has been left to ferment for centuries. Nor can we make all people equal by destroying some gemstones.

Imagine the power to make everyone, oh, I don't know, white, simply because there was a crystal plonked in the desert?

The bigger message, though, I felt FF16 was telling, was that of climate change. I feel like it was summed up best in a quote from Joshua as he opined to the heavens with his guardian, Jote, beside him: A blessing that leads to damnation or freedom that leads to deprivation. It seems especially poignant considering how our modern day world is so dependent on so many comforts like electricity. And while we are taking steps to move away from our reliance on fossil fuels, the companies behind them would rather we all swelter in a bleak future than admit the inconvenient truth that continual use of something so readily apparent will only lead to our destruction.

It is the hubris of man to think that 'we' won't be affected, or think too closely on the short term rather than the future.

Ultima, too, could be likened to capitalist corporations who care little for the workers slaving away to assist in the company's goals. To him, humans are disposable. That they have freewill is the greatest sin because they are no longer subservient subjects willing to sacrifice themselves for his benefit (and yes, I know Ultima probably isn't a him per se but I'm simply using the pronoun as an easy shorthand).

In the end, Ultima is a cruel god. One Clive must need take down if there is any hope in saving the world.

And he manages to do so.

These themes are further explored in the two DLC fort he game: Echoes of the Fallen and The Rising Tide. As it took me quite a while to actually get started, I was able to play through both of them before I finally gave Ultima his comeuppance with a deft punch to the face. An ending that was more humorous than cathartic.

It is my humble opinion that the game's focus on 'dark and gritty' somewhat took away from what could have been an even better game. Much like Forspoken, I felt the game was under-saturated. There could have been more contrast and a bit more colour to the world. I would have also liked to have heard a completed Chocobo theme melody.

In the pursuit of trying to be a 'serious' game, FF16 also failed to insert in any meaningful minigames that could alleviate the doom and gloom of the plot.

Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy the story. But most Final Fantasy games are pretty dark if you consider their actual ramifications: from Final Fantasy VI to Final Fantasy XIII. That doesn't preclude them from having their lighter moments to add some much needed levity. Although, Gav is quite able to do it pretty well. A solid character that Gav.

Speaking of characters, I loved the cast of FF16, although I did find the chemistry between Jill and Clive a little stilted. I was much more invested in the romance between Dion and Terence (although I wouldn't have minded some Dion and Joshua, or Joshua and Mid. Heck, even Clive and Cid would have been pretty steamy). But my absolute favourite character would have to go to Torgal. Our frostwolf with magical abilities and can live up to, at least, 18.

Although, he doesn't hold a candle to Ambrosia. How old can chocobos get up to anyway? Enquiring minds need to know.

Oh, and uncle Byron Rosfield is GREAT too. He's so unserious! And the way Clive managed to convince his uncle who he was!

Combat-wise, FF16 shines. While Clive can party up with the other characters, they simply feel like tag-alongs with Clive doing most of the heavy lifting. At least they can't get knocked out (which is a definite plus)! But what I liked most about the combat was how it was tied into the story.

New abilities Clive obtains are linked to the Eikons he absorbs. And they all play differently. While Titan is focused on defence, Bahamut is all about charging up that Megaflare to do extensive area-of-effect damage. Shiva, meanwhile, has the ability to freeze enemies - giving Clive some breathing room to think before Phoenix sees him rushing in to deliver the final blow.

In the end, I ended up with a loadout that made use of Ramuh's Judgement, Garuda's ability to quickly whittle down the stagger gauge and Titan's block ability to keep both myself alive while also dealing as much damage as I could possibly. Perhaps I should have traded in Odin's Zantetsuken for more carnage but a lot of the story boss battles also traded normal blow-by-blow battles with more cinematic clashes. Something that was quite awe-inspiring when it came to the fight with Titan and Bahamut but could not find the same heights in later boss battles with Ultima and Odin.

Overall, my time with FF16 was astounding. Yes, some of the cutscenes were a little longer than necessary as they talked about politics, but I didn't mind given it's one of my favourite genres to read. And I also appreciated how early Ultima made his appearance. This was no final boss skulking in the shadows that jumped out right at the end without any explanation (well, he kinda was but I'll give the writers of FF16 a pass on that). The message, too, the game is trying to convey is relevant and current.

And I can't forget the accents!

I love me the various different UK accents! Xenoblade did it and now Final Fantasy is jumping on the trend!

Should a Final Fantasy XVII ever come out, I'd be interested to see the direction of where Square-Enix takes their next entry. I'm sure it'll revolve around taking down a God somehow (it almost always is) and our protagonist will pull through with the power of FRIENDSHIP! But it's the setting that I'm much more excited to see and explore.

I've certainly enjoyed this diversion into high fantasy with elements of political struggle. And honestly? I'd like to see more. Suppose that's why Final Fantasy Tactics tickled my fancy and why I'm hoping for more from the DioField Chronicle. Certainly, I want to know more about the Continent - the other piece of Valisthea that was never explored and where Harpocrates III, Charon and a few other characters hailed from.

If ever there should be a spin-off, I would be very glad to see what else the world of Valisthea has to offer. Or even how our characters navigate the new world they find themselves in.

There are, after all, so many unanswered questions. Like, if Clive did resurrect Joshua in the end, how did he reach shore without possibly drowning? He wasn't on the beach with Clive as his big brother turned to stone.

Or, how old can Torgal get? How do the people adapt to the sudden loss of magic?

Are there still monsters?

Does Gav take on the mantle of 'Cid the Outlaw?' Do the people in the Hideaway stop hiding and actually lead the people to a brighter tomorrow with their technology? Will Mid ever get her flying machine to work?

So many questions, so little time.

Before I go, though, dear reader, I'd like to leave off with another quote from the game. One that I think speaks to many: People need dreams to chase, especially in a world like this one.

[101flavoursofweird]

Layton & Katia: Kindred Spirits

This moment where Layton firsts sees Katia and they have a stare-off always felt odd to me. And not just because Layton’s eyes are HUGE For the player, Katia is being introduced as a main character here, much like how Flora and Clive are in their games. But Layton’s fascination towards those two feels more understandable; Flora is disguised as a ‘mysterious girl’, different from the other villagers, and Clive is disguised as ‘Future Luke’. Both of them either seek Layton out, or call upon his help.

But what connection could Katia Anderson have to Hershel Layton? 

When they’re investigating Dropstone, Layton and Luke learn of the Andersons— a beloved founding family of the village. They hear about how Mr Anderson has fallen out with his daughter, Katia, since Sophia died. The family’s servants are very fond of Katia, so much that they all come to see her off on the train, behind her father’s back. Layton muses that Katia must be beautiful and refined. 

Moments before they board the train, Mr Anderson begs for Layton to pass on a message to Katia: Her father wishes she’d come home. Katia is his only child and she means everything to him. He’d be forever in Layton’s debt if Layton could help.

So, here, Layton could be looking at Katia with Mr Anderson’s plea in mind… But what if it’s more than that? 

I think Katia reminds Layton of his younger self.

Layton’s Miracle Mask profile describes how, as a 17-year-old, he was ‘pampered and adored by the people of Stansbury’. This changed, however, after Hershel returned from Akbadain without Randall. 

While I’m sure the residents of Stansbury didn’t all believe Layton murdered Randall,  Layton was still consumed with guilt over Randall’s death. He agreed to accompany Randall to the ruins, after all, and he couldn’t save Randall from falling in the end. When Layton returned home, his parents ‘gave him the hardest scolding of his life’ and then ‘the warmest hug’. 

Dalston notes how Angela ‘drove Layton out of town’ (though, Layton wrote in his journal about how Angela ‘never left the house’)… Whatever the case, Hershel felt so guilty that he decided to leave Stansbury to attend university in London. In the years following Randall’s ‘death’, Stansbury became a ghost town as the residents moved away…

I wonder if Layton thinks of Stansbury— over eighteen years later— when Mr Anderson confides in him about Sophia and fears for the fate of Dropstone? ‘Dropstone must never be allowed to die and wither like so many other villages…’

A rift has formed between the Anderson family, since Sophia’s death. Perhaps Mr Anderson fears this rift will affect Dropstone… (Much like how Randall’s death devastated Stanbsury…)

With Katia suddenly setting out on an adventure, against her father’s interests, it’s easy to see how Layton would be concerned too. Layton and his parents are very close, but his mother constantly worries over him— much like Mr Anderson with Katia. Layton suffered a loss as a teenager and he chose to leave his hometown— much like Katia. If you want a more recent ‘death’, Layton thought Dr Scharder had died and jumped on a train a few days later to find out why.

Both Layton and Katia are well-liked, but they’re quiet, solitary characters who keep their intentions close to the chest. When Inspector Chelmey comes to investigate Dr. Scharder’s death, Layton decides conduct ‘his own investigation’ behind Chelmey’s back. At the hotel in Folsense, Katia implores Layton to give her the Elysian Box, but Katia refuses to tell him why. Both Layton and Katia struggle to accept the help of others…

But, that doesn’t mean they will ignore other people in need! Layton’s always helping random people with mysteries or puzzles. On the road to Herzen Castle, it’s implied that Katia leaves lanterns for Layton and Luke to light the forest path. Plus, Katia is willing to guide Luke and Layton out of Herzen Castle. 

Katia is frightened when they encounter Anton and he mistakes her for Sophia. She trusts Layton enough to hide behind him.

(Huh, Layton also must have had an identity-crisis when he took on Randall’s legacy as an archaeologist, or when he learned he’d inherited his name from his older brother…)

It always bugged me how Layton interrupted Katia when she was trying to explain everything to Anton… but it is kind of understandable, if he’s worried Anton might lash out at Katia. It’s even kind of sweet, when you remember Layton is watching out for Katia, as Mr Anderson asked. Katia is missing her father and Layton is missing Flora, his adopted daughter.

When the gang escape from the castle and Anton is revealed to be an old man, he finally acknowledges Katia as his grandfather. 

The look on Katia’s face here… my heart… reminds me of THIS:

Hershel was able to find out the truth about what happened to Randall, and the truth about his birth family— just as Katia found out about her family’s history.

They’ve reunited with lost loved ones and their respective journeys are over, for now. 

[lockedfighter]

I actually followed your blog way back on a different FF muse before I made my Clive blog this year, but I've always enjoyed your portrayal of Tifa! You can definitely tell that she's a dear muse to you and I can see how much love and care you put into your threads and analysis of her. You explore her strengths and acknowledge her weaknesses; she's very multidimensional and I love that you're not afraid to explore that. You're definitely a staple in the FF RPC!

ˏˋ°• ׂׂૢ་༘࿐            portrayal notes . ♡

outofchara . ohmygosh !! excuse me while i forever sob @ this & your sweetness !! i really appreciate you taking the time out of your day to send me this , lovely 🥺 ahhh which muse ?! 👀 pls lemme know ..

i could write essays upon essays about this woman —- but i daren’t bore anyone . she truly means the world to me & she’s a character that has helped me personally through many aspects of life . i adore exploring the different sides to her because that just makes her feel more human ; more rounded as a character . her backstory shown in various different media’s is tragic and she’s not just somebody who ‘ rose from the ashes and became super powerful ’ , she worked so hard and she does have her faults . i , too , learn more about her everyday through different things and attempt to incorporate that into my portrayal . she’s certainly a source of comfort for me and while i took a break from writing , she always surrounded me with day to day life ; either with gameplay , advent children , cosplay etc . i worry that i mix things up sometimes , that i get ahead of myself with writing and wonder if it’s something she would do or say / so your words truly do mean the world to me . to know i’m ( hopefully ) doing her justice .

to say i’ve become a staple in the rpc ? definitely brought a tear to my eye & i’ll cherish that forever . thank you so much , m’dear !! i absolutely ADORE you and your portrayal and you’re such an incredible writer to grace the dash .. i love reading clive’s shenanigans ; thank you , thank you , thank you !! 💖

[nothingtolosebutweight]

Convention babbling

Last weekend, I had another chance to meet some of the Vikings cast. We germans are quite lucky, aren't we?

In comparison to the Vikings Con last month (that was really really crowded [Alex himself said it was fcking mental 😂]) it was so much more chill this time (at least in regard to queues in front of our beloved Vikings).

There wasn't really a queue in front of Alex on Saturday morning. That never happened before in my convention experience 🤣 So we went straight to him and gosh. I think everybody knows by now what an absolute sweetheart he is. So kind, so welcoming, so touchy. He already greets one with such a big smile on his face that even haters must be melting by then :D

He also most of the time stays next to his table (and not behind) to be nearer to his fans (maybe it's also more convenient because of all the selfies).

He said something about my hairdo and looked at it more closely and I said I have a question but might be too nervous to read it (from my phone) so he said oh don't be nervous and he laid his arm around my shoulder and squished me nearer against him - as if this would help to not be nervous anymore 🤣🤣So I gave him my phone so he could read the question: Which part of your character would you have loved to explore more in-depth.

He said oh it's a good question and I said..I know (in a joking way)...and he mimicked me and snorted :D (gif 1 ♥)

Then he said...maybe the softness...and I asked if he meant this in regard of his brothers or his wife and he said, in general because there was not a lot of love with him...I threw something in about Igor (that he was soft with him after he got humbled down in season 6) and he went on saying Ivar deserved the most to get some love and Alex proposed the idea for a romcom for Ivar to me. He would find this hilarious (and gosh he spoke this part with a smile on his face - gif 2 ♥) :D...and then he got serious again and said he would have loved to see Ivar experiencing some true and heartfelt love...I chimed in and said, but he did love Freydis though, right? He said yes, but it was also soooooo toxic..it was a toxic relationship for sure...and maybe the love for himself /selflove would also be a good answer to my original question. That would have been interesting for him to portray more in-depth--because if you don't love yourself you can't love others (he said it).

And then it was Selfie time :) I put my arms around his waist, squeezed into his arm, and got my photos and some funny scenes. Thanks to @vaire-gwir who recorded the whole encounter ♥♥♥

Afterward, I went to Clive and pretty much asked him the same question after I thanked him as well for being here again and always being so kind and engaging with us fans. He also took his time answering and I could ask a few additional question and tell him about my own opinion. I !of course! have this encounter recorded as well, thanks to the wonderful Vivi ♥♥ Who would never forget to record a special moment (I got forced to write this now xd)

Clive would have loved for Rollo to explore his story with Lagertha more. They had this scene when they talked about Bjorn being his child (i chimed in and asked..is he??? and Clive said YES!! but he nevertheless wasn't his father because for that it means more then giving sperm) and he would have loved to go back and showing a few more scene with Lagertha and him back in time, because it is somehow important to understand Rollo as a character, cause he always gets things taken from him (like his first love by Ragnar, his ambitions by Ragnar and so on. He would have loved to have something of his own, not always be in the shadow of someone else like it was with Ragnar. He always was overlooked in his ambitions and Clive would also have loved to see more of Rollos later achievements or the ones of his son - as in making a Sequel for what is going on in Frankia. We talked a bit over that...if there is a sequel planned or any mentions in Vikings Valhalla, but he doesn't know but might pitch the idea to Leo Sutter (who was there as well) XD At some point the conversation led to Siggy and Gisla (I can't remember why it happened), but we ended up agreeing that he treated Siggy poorly and that he deserved a wife like Gisla who had him somehow under control :D

When it came to the Selfie we started figuring out the pose and suddenly there was a wild Alex with us in the picture 🤣🤣 He photobombed us and I so don't mind XD When you do a Selfie with them, they often have the power over the phone (they are pros in doing Sefies xd) and they push the button not just once so I still have also a Selfie with just Clive 🤓

Jordan: Oh gosh, he is also such a charmer ♥ and his thick Australian accent sounds so soo good. First thing he said after the hello how are you, was, that my eyes are pretty cool and my mind went blank 🤣🤣🤣 I bounced it right back at him and we talked a bit about why he had the surfboard with him at the airport (he's going to Australia after the weekend) and he wondered how many people knew of this and I said..yeah I mean you posted it on your Instagram?? (Why is he wondering, right XD) And he said he never thinks about that people actually watch his stories 😂

A changed the question a tiny bit and asked him if there was anything he wished Ubbe could have done more.

He answered that he would have loved to act out Ubbe's aggressive side more / he wished he could have done more violent scenes. Ubbe was always the responsible one and he would have loved to just slice some more people xd Especially for him, Jordan, that would have been fun. Also, a bit like Clive, he said that he wanted something that Ubbe had for his own. Not always be just a part of something his brothers did, but taking his own space instead.

He was also so kind to allow another selfie after the paid one, where my friend could also squeezed in ♥♥

I went back to him on Sunday as well to get the selfie signed by him (printed it as a photo). The Vikings panel was before that and one question there was if there is any scene they shot that didn't make the cut. He talked about the scene where he is sitting at Sigurd's grave, talking to him. Originally Sigurd talked back to him, but it ended up looking weird. So when I went to him afterward, I told him that this scene is an extra on the DVD and he was so surprised and asked me how it turned out and I told him it's 'just' him talking to Sigurd but no talking back and that I always wondered why they deleted this scene cause it's so important in my opinion and it's also kinda nice to see that at least one brother cared about Sigurd (Jordan didn't even remember Sigurd's name during the panel XD) and he said he needs to check it out. And then he started the signing and I asked him in the meanwhile if he remembers the scene in York when Ivar is sitting in front of his chariot, screaming and Ubbe comes into the place, but holds all his warriors back for a minute - why did he do it?? And Jordan said he also wondered about it while shooting the scene but he thinks that Ubbe already sensed that Ivar lost himself a bit and that it would only get worse. He went on a bit philosophizing about his answer :)

During explaining his thoughts about it, he pointed the open pen at me and made a gesture like scolding me and out of reflex I chimed in and guided the pen down what made him laugh (luckily 🙈) and he went on thinking about the scene and at the end he kind of thanked me for this good question 🤓🤟🏻 He also asked me if I wanted a hug as well when I was about to grab my photo and of course I went for a hug with him XD Who would have said no thanks 😂😂

For Alex, my friend and I went to the Meet & Greet with him and there were only 3 more people so we had a great experience and I again could interact with him some more (asking questions, just holding a conversation, sharing a laugh and so on). Last time in Düsseldorf were over 20 people so it wasn't that interactive. It was such a great experience ♥♥ He is just such a sunshine ♥♥

Sorry it got so long (not sorry at all xd) and I could go on and on about it, but I don't want to bore you all to death. Don't pay too much attention at spelling and grammar...I wrote everything in a rush :P

[silver-wield]

Just finished FFXVI and cried all of my tears because of this absolutely heartbreaking ending. I feel like there's a void in my chest and a bitter taste in my mouth, I'm not ready to let all of these wonderful characters go yet... Btw the ending got me confused (as it should be probably) because being an open ending it will obviously cause all sorts of divergent interpretations. Unless authors don't state with absolute certainty what happened and who lived and/or died, all theories are valid. But I'm curious... what's yours? I personally am conflicted, I need more time to draw my conclusions. I think the simplest interpretation of the ending is that Clive died, Joshua survived and wrote the book and Dion died as well but... Idk, it's too shallow. Some other ppl claimed that it's Clive the one who survived and wrote the book using Joshua's name, others that both (and Dion too) died and their friends wrote the book. Another theory is that Clive and Joshua both died but reincarnated in the two brothers in the post credit scene (Clive also wished for a life where his mother would love him). About Dion, who's absolutely my favourite character of the game, what do you think about Harpocrates's side quest about Dion? Dion refused to accept the flower and Harpocrates is sad about that knowing all to well that Dion will never come back to take it. Am I too pessimistic? Or do you think it's foreshadowing that he may still be alive. I mean, you know the rule: they're alive until you see the corpse. There's also one missing character: Leviathan. He's just mentioned but never shows up. Idk there are a lot of unanswered questions for the story to be really over. Do you think we're gonna have a DLC or a FFXVI-2?

Answer below the cut, but as for dlc, Yoshi P has said they might if the response is good enough. I think during the last interview he mentioned they had ideas and wanted player feedback on what stories we'd like to see more of. Lotta people in Japan are asking for Dion and Leviathan dlc, but I'd be fine with anything. It really feels like we could spend a few years with XVI and still not really know everything about it.

Clive is the one who lived and wrote the book.

That's the insignia of his hideaway and he's the only one affiliated with it. He used Joshua's name as an alias the same way he used Cid's so that a part of him would live on.

What's up in the air is Joshua and Dion's fates.

Dion could've survived, and I hope he did because he deserves to find redemption and forgiveness instead of dying holding onto all that guilt, and I'm sure his people wouldn't want him to end that way, even though they might be angry with him for a while over what happened.

The spell Ultima was strengthening Clive to cast is Revive. He was gonna revive his race from death and take over Valisthea. Clive used the spell on Joshua, but it's unclear if it worked.

There's also a shit ton of hints throughout the game that Clive needs to save himself and stop acting like his life can be thrown away. Jill, Cid, Gav, Joshua, and pretty much everyone he knows tells him to come home and not sacrifice himself. There's also other hints in sidequests and even in the lore that Clive will also be saved in the end.

It's a breadcrumb trail and really unsatisfying given everything he went through, but of everyone, Clive definitely lives.

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Sunday, November 12

Holden: Oh, uh. Webs? Holden Webster. We went to school together. European History. I let you crib off my Vaclav Havel essay that time. You really don't remember me?

~~Conversations with Dead People~~

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[meteorstricken]

@00virtuezero Firstly, thank you very much. You're not the first person to tell me that Mythos Risen has believable FFXVI-2 vibes, but I'm truly flattered every time I hear or read it. I knew I'd hit upon an exciting or intriguing idea when I started, but...well, I'll put it this way: I've never gotten this much of a positive response to anything I've written before. I really was and am still just entertaining myself.

I also have to agree that the fact that the post-credits ending is set so, so far into the future is a little suspicious. I can't rule out the possibility that SE might not truly be done with it yet. The last FF that made a point of showing a post-credits "world recovery" end centuries into the future like that was OG FFVII, and we see what happened there--lots of wiggle room for a lot more story. And IMO, a story that makes such a huge point of framing its big bad as an *actual god* would not be ill-served by showing that saving the world isn't as simple as 'just kill him'. Religious traditions and mythologies the world over tend to indicate that deities aren't fans of staying dead. They regenerate or resurrect. They take on new forms. They're resourceful as hell, and sometimes 'death' is just a stepping stone to an even higher ascended state. (Just imagine...the glory. The horror. The sheer cosmic and existential fucked-upedness...I mean, how does Clive or humanity as a whole begin to negotiate or fight with an Ultima who it turns out was being quite sincere when he said, "I cannot end"?)

Buuut if nothing else beyond The Rising Tide materializes, XVI remains a great story that has inspired me and given me wonderful characters to play with nonetheless, and play I shall. 😈

[eikonbound]

Terence Headcanon - More than just Dion's Partner

We don't get much Terence/Dion interaction in the game (which I understand because they aren't the focus, but as someone who has been starved for queers in video games FOREVER, I deserve to see more of the gays) so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that his personality is very watered down. His devotion to Dion -- as a best friend, as a lover, as his knight, as a devoted follower of Bahamut -- is really all his personality ends up being. He's very concerned with Dion's safety, understandably, but there's no levity to their relationship. The stakes are way, way too high for that. So I get why we don't see much variety in how Dion and Terence interact, but it really comes at the cost of making Terence a one-note character. And I've seen it kinda leak into fanon as well for lack of anything else to work with. So I want to really develop who Terence is outside of Dion, and what their relationship looks like outside of the dynamics and roles they inhabit. Even small things about his passions, his quirks and traits, his family, his path to becoming a knight, etc. I'm still thinking about all of this (and it's fun to almost have a blank slate to work with!) so the things I bring to my portrayal of Terence may end up conflicting with the Ultimania info. I think that's kinda normal at this point in the FFXVI RPC, bc some of the Ultimania lore is stupid tbh. Just wanna put that out there in case my headcanons completely ignore Ultimania lore! So far what I do have established is (putting under a cut for the sake of post length on the dash!):

Terence (and Dion, though I'll also add this to his headcanons) is older than Ultimania suggests. I see them both around Jill's age or perhaps even Clive's.

I do love most of the backstory about how long the two of them have known each other, how Dion protected Terence at a nearly fatal cost to himself, and how the two of them began dating shortly after.

I think this might be a matter of translation issues in the Ultimania, but in the case of Terence/Dion (and Joshua/Jote, for that matter!) it says that in year 862, "Terence officially becomes his [Dion's] servant". Which just makes me bristle. I know that the power dynamic has always been and will always be complicated between the two of them - that's inevitable. But servant? Nope. I really don't think that's the right phrase for the role Terence took on in Dion's life. I see it more as the fact that, upon seeing the bond that the two young boys shared, it became clear that Terence would be an ideal person to one day become his second in command. This was something that he would have to train for, of course, so it became a part of his education. I'm sure that the word "servant" isn't meant to be so loaded, but that absolutely wasn't the way I saw their relationship when I was playing the game.

The issue with being so entwined with Dion's life is that it also involves putting Terence's own passions aside. Whatever he would have done with his life independently, he would never be sure. This doesn't mean he forfeits absolutely everything he loves and feels passion for, but they're not things he has the time or ability to act on anymore. If things were different, Terence may not have enlisted into the Dragoons (he has a great aptitude for it and does come to feel genuine belonging in his role) if not for Dion doing so. But not only was he required to join up in order to accompany Dion, he wasn't about to let his friend, the person he loves most, go off to war on his own. He couldn't imagine it. He doesn't regret the decision at all, but he does wonder where he might have ended up if not for that decision.

Terence grew up with his mother, father, and younger sister. When his father passed away (still considering how he died), his mom became a single-parent raising two children. Normally, this would have reduced the family's station. But by this point Terence and Dion were already bonded; it was clear that Terence was meant for greater things. As a result, the family's reputation didn't suffer and this made the immense burden that Terence's mom carried that much lighter.

Terence learned a lot from his mother, but his favorite was always cooking. It was a skill that she herself excelled in and she was eager to hand her knowledge down to her children. Both Terence and his sister took to it quickly. It became a love language and a way to bond among the three of them.

It isn't often that Terence has access to an actual kitchen but when he does, he loves having the chance to cook for Dion. He knows his partner runs himself ragged day after day and is oftentimes too stressed to remember to eat. Terence is able to remind him and put a warm, loving meal in front of Dion to interrupt that cycle. It makes it so no matter what's going on and what the two of them are busy with, they have a chance to simply be Dion and Terence.

[declanowo]

31 Days of Horror - Day 22 - Hellraiser II: Hellbound

22/10/23

Growing up with Irish Catholic grandparents resulted in me knowing about hell from an early age. Despite knowing about it, I never found myself fearing it much - because I was a good child, it felt similar to the concept of getting coal for christmas, being that it was something I didn’t need to fear. Yet, as I grew older, I found myself worried after finding out that saying God's name in vain was in fact a sin. After that fateful moment, I vowed to never say it again, and I made good on this promise for a while, the fear of hell was looming over me. Nowadays, the concept scares me a lot less, but sometimes I still feel a twinge of guilt when I exclaim “God”. 

Hellraiser II is a direct sequel to Clive Barker’s 1987 Hellraiser. Despite the series’ reputation, I have always loved the original film, which is more favourably regarded, as well as Candyman, which was based on his novel and he was a producer on. Both of these films mean a lot to me, and I have always found myself wanting to read his novels. 

While this sequel is still written by Barker, it is instead directed by Tony Randell. It picks up right after the last film, where we follow Kirsty Cotton in a mental institution, where soon after, her stepmother Julia Cotton is resurrected. 

I believe this film to be an excellent sequel to the original! It builds upon aspects of the previous movie, while developing new angles and characters. A good sequel should build upon its predecessors ideas; I think Hellbound does this perfectly. For one, we get to follow the same characters, but by having Julia as the character who is resurrected, we get to focus more on her relationship with Kirsty. She acts as such a great contrast to Frank Cotton, the villain of the previous film. I found this to be shown best through the feeding sequences - here the cinematography juxtaposes one another. In the first film, Frank is ashamed of his state, he feeds in the shadows, dragging his victims away to the darkness. In contrast, Julia is shot in bright lights, she feeds in the open and is proud of her form. Similarly, their dialogue acts as an exact reflection of one another, as Frank tells Julia not to look at him, meanwhile Julia implores Dr. Phillip Channard to gaze upon her. 

I found the characters to be even stronger in this film, although I did love them a lot in the previous one. Ashley Laurence and Clare Higgins reprise their roles as Kirsty and Julia respectively, and I found them to be incredibly fun to watch. But I also enjoyed the new character, Dr. Phillip Channard, who I started by finding a little boring, yet his growth and eventual transformation into a cenobite is one of my favourite plot points within this film! 

The cenobites themselves have a similar amount of screentime in this film to the last, and I find them to be just as effective here as they were in the original! Their small screen time makes the moments they do have all the more exciting - they constantly make their presence known, and I found them to be genuinely scary villains. The series, to this point, has relied on the unknown, and giving small glimpses to create its fear, and the cenobites show this best. I understand that this changes in the sequels, but for me this is the perfect depiction of them! They are truly terrifying, and deeply appealing villains. 

What may be my favourite part of this film is its depiction of hell. The moment we entered hell, I found myself having a wonderful time. I was smiling from ear to ear throughout the entirety of the second half of the movie. For starters, the map painting they use is gorgeous, and I enjoy the labyrinthian style to hell! It reminded me of renaissance paintings of hell that I would get to study in English, and I really love that. This is only amplified through the circus sequence, which is so interesting to me. Personally, I find the setting to have scary undertones, but they blend in with the overt gory horror of the bloody eyes, and some fun experimental editing that filled me with joy! The old look works in the films favour, in my eyes. Not to mention how amazing the set decoration is during Frank's personal hell sequence, which as a whole was amazing. Particularly, I found Kirsty’s realisation her father is gone to be particularly haunting - she is likely one of my favourite final girls. 

Finally, I can’t not discuss the new cenobite in this film. Channard Cenobite is great, to me, from his birth to his death! Pinhead's creation as the cold open sets us up perfectly for this sequence later, as we watch the doctor transform! Both are gory in an incredibly stylised way, they make you wince without the gore that would populate the 2000s, yet they create such a visceral reaction regardless. Channards design is great, the cuts across his face allude to Pinheads design the closest. Yet, his powder blue skin is instantly recognisable against the others, and it compliments the scarlet scars engraved into his body. Of course, his fingers are my favourite aspect of the Cenobite - I adore stop motion, and so all the close ups of his fingers blossoming into flowers had me dreadfully happy. His inclusion results in two great villains in this film, alongside the other cenobites who are more neutral, yet still a terrifying threat. 

Hellraiser II is a sequel I enjoy more than the original film. Both subvert the status quo of 80s horror, focusing less on kills, instead providing an incredibly unique experience, especially for the time. I would love to get these first two films on VHS at some point, I imagine they would look very pretty in that format, and there is a certain type of horror movie I love watching in the dark on my VHS player! 

All I can say is that if hell looked as pretty as it does in this film, I might seek out the lament configuration too. 

10/10

[foxingpeculiar]

FF16 Blogging: I just got back from Kanver. Spoilers and whatnot.

I’ve only been playing a little bit for the last couple of days. And I don’t feel like I’ve hit any big “aha!” moments in the story.

Like first, after Twinside, was the “go around and see how shitty things are” quest where you have to help Martha’s Rest, Northreach, Dalimil. And basically, whatever Primogenesis does, exactly, it’s fuckin’ things up. The sky is all weird, there’s aether and akashic popping up everywhere, Ultima’s thralls are causing trouble, and governments basically aren’t a thing anymore on Storm, so there’s like anarchy and lots of bandits and other ne’er-do-wells are running rampant. Okay, got it.

Then you go Kanver to help Mid and Gav, except nothing really happens there. You’re too late to save the city, Harbard challenges you and then just kind of dies for no adequately explored reason. The most interesting part was Barnabas showing how powerful he actually is by giving you what-for. Annnnnd he’s kidnapped Jill. Great. I mean, I was gonna have to go to Waloed anyway. But I’m miffed she’s been fridged.

I guess it’s kinda cool that Joshua has had this whole secret service/CIA network at his disposal the whole time. But he hasnt yet explained how he came to find out about Ultima and its machinations. Also, and this is fandom-brain, but are he and Jote a thing? The way he kisses her forehead has a kind of intimacy, but it’s almost more fraternal. And there was something in the scene where he meets Mid and is all formal with her, which she doesn’t know how to take, that made me wonder.

I’m still trying to work out what Mythos and Ultima are, exactly. Like, in an ontological sense. Some of Harbard/Barnabas’s comments (“Mythos is everything”) have me really curious for them to nail that down, but I don’t know how much they’re really going to explain it. I guess we’ll see.

Most of what I have this time is stray thoughts, though:

I finally beat Atlas (at lvl 38), but damn if it didn’t take everything I had (including 2 Elixirs), plus Joshua and Jill’s help.

I dunno what’s going on with Oscar. But sure, send him to help rebuild Eastpool; there’s some poetry in that.

Lol @ Clive’s terrible acting in Dalimil. And also the clear LotR reference in the name Underhill. Doesn’t L’ubor even say something like “we don’t want to do the name Underhill a disservice?” Mmhm. I see you.

Some of the sidequests from the Hideaway in this bit were kind of fun. Clive’s a good teacher—the way he responds to the kids who are rebuilding Mid’s scales by indulging their questions while gently pointing them back on track—that was a really well-written bit that did a lot for him as a character in my mind. Also, I love the way he’s kind of afraid of Charon during that quest with “Wetlegs” and stuff. He’s a likeable guy—gruff, but with a soft, creamy interior.

So there’s that quest when you’re on the way to Kanver where you help the dying Republican soldiers deal with some akashic and, at the end, instead of being grateful, the guy you save is super pissed off cos he knows who you are and hates you. I let him live instead of fighting him, which I feel was the morally correct choice, but is that gonna bite me in the ass later? Cos he did swear revenge and all.

I forget exactly how it happened, but I have a note appreciating that they worked in the Phoenix Down. It’s such an iconic item.

Oh, and I finished the Quinten/Lostwing quest. There’s a lot in this game about like, finding purpose. I’d wanna play through it again with this in mind, but it’s interesting to see how it’s functioning as a piece of art created in the current socio-political environment.

I dunno. Again, I feel like I haven’t accomplished much in the past few hours of play. But I also feel like it’s the calm before the storm of the final push. Presumably I’m gonna cross over to Ash next, and whatever’s going on there is gonna be (had better be) crazy.

[slayernina]

iZombie Pilot differences

(Well, the 2nd draft at least XD) 

https://www.scriptslug.com/script/izombie-101-pilot-2015

Just random things that caught my attention:

Olivia “Liv” Moore (27). Rose has the same age as her character while filming season 1.

She’s transitioned from bright, blonde. I wonder why they put Rose McIver natural blonde into a brunette. More contrast with the transition? Ironically, her “human” costume has Rose with her natural hair.

Clive Babinaux (30). Malcolm was 33 while filming.

Think Shaft as channelled through Jordan Peele. He's that rare combination of self-aware and super-fly. Cleavon Little in BLAZING SADDLES. I don’t get these references since I didn’t watch any of this movies, but Clive was much more serious and focused in “our” pilot.

Dr. Ravi Chakrabarti (40s). Wow, Ravi was way older than our Ravi. Rahul was 30 while filming. Thankfully we didn’t have another Hollywoodesque 10 years gap with any of the potential love interests (at this point, on paper Liv or Peyton). Also, since Rahul isn’t into “brown characters casting calls” and the age, I wonder if Ravi was the original name or if they changed the name and background after hiring the actor.

Think Simon Pegg’s “Scotty” in the Star Trek movies. A high energy, enthusiastic nerd, who has a brilliant mind that isn’t equipped with a filter or an off switch. He has an endearing lack of interpersonal skills and a genuine enthusiasm for unknown and unexplained. Conspiracy theories and unsolved mysteries are his porn. I’m glad we didn’t get another Sheldon or House.

Major Lilywhite (28). Robert Buckley was 34 while filming. A bit older than Liv but better than most of media. (Yes. I fucking hate late 30s/40s actors banging twentysomethings, specially since actresses are pretty fucked up when they turn 30).

A former University of Washington strong safety turned environmental engineer. The social worker turned Lord Commander was cooler.

Peyton Charles (26). Aly Michalka was 26 while filming.

They shared a love of lists and plans and predominately socialized while burning calories. Fuuuuuuuuck that. I wouldn’t handle another pretty best friend playing fatshaming into the audience. The deconstruction of using gorgeous Aly instead of “the chick” as the more stable, serious brain of the pair for me was refreshing. Even when she was “the damsel in distress” she was because she was overpowered by far.

That’s why seeing her daughter turn from ambitious super-achiever into zombiefied couch potato. Sorry. I laughed so hard with “zombified couch potato”. I think I’m going to make this my personal motto.

Evan Moore (16). Liv’s 16-year-old brother wants to be the next Dylan which is tough when your mom expects you to be the next Elon Musk. What. I didn’t expect this.

He’s a bit ashamed that he may like his sister Liv a bit better now that she’s changed into this new version that doesn’t remind himself so much of his mother. Screaming into the void forever for all the potential wasted in the Moore family that we never got.

Blaine DeBeers (28). David Ander was 34 while filming.

He’s the wussy, polo shirt with the collar up, selfimportant jerk who makes the jump from run of the mill spoiled asshole to completely evil crime lord. Probably David gives too much of evil lord or dangerous sociopath since the beginning to make him be a frat boy. I mean, the yellow plastic jacket was too much but a polo shirt? What a disgrace.

EXT. LAKE WASHINGTON, SEATTLE - NIGHT CAMERA FLIES ACROSS THE SURFACE OF LAKE WASHINGTON toward a dozen party boats tied together in such a way that people can just step from one boat to the next -- Lake Havasu-style. Wow, that looked so cool. I suppose we didn’t get it for budget reasons. Also no Marcy/Major introductory scene.

SLOW MOTION SHOT of Liv running straight at camera trying to cross the 20 feet that mean a chance at survival, a look of determination on her face. Pilot Liv was braver than Our Liv. And also snarkier.

REVEAL LIV, still hot, but now shockingly pale with nearly white hair. Still hot? Ugh.

Peyton leads her to an EMPTY CHAIR across from where the rest of them are sitting, then takes her seat with the group. The intervention was heavier. Liv’s inner dialogue also changes a bit more during the full original pilot.

DR. RAVI CHAKRABARTI (30s, nebbish, high-energy.). The age change here again. A mistake?

She turns to find BLAINE (late 20s, entitled, wearing a “Hugs Not Drugs” shirt.) He leans in close, his mouth by her ear, pulls plastic vials from his pocket. Blaine “no personal space” DeBeers XD

Liv throws her beer in his face. Blaine takes a menacing step toward Liv when he is tackled by a zombie. Liv shrieks, looks up, and sees the rolling zombie outbreak coming at her. This Blaine is more aggressive and his zombie origin story is different.

We return to the moment of Liv hiding under the boat railing surrounded by zombie chaos. Hid under a boat railing instead a table. I suppose budget again.

The last person she sees is BLAINE who is now a zombie. He’s left a bloody scratch down her arm. Liv wrenches free, but in doing so, bangs her head against the side of the boat and slips into the water. Different than rolling backwards to the water.

Suddenly, the blackness rips open revealing the NIGHT SKY and FLASHING RED LIGHTS. She wakes up in the night instead of the day.

Liv finishes up her story. LIV So, I hung out a while, chatted with the EMT. Made sure he had the correct spelling of my name. (off Ravi’s stare) I’m kidding. I took off. Pilot Liv craked a joke instead of “The EMT was too upset about having accidentally bagged a “living” girl to ponder any other possibilities”.

RAVI So you feel normal after you feed? LIV (smirks) Feed? -- like an animal? RAVI Sorry -- poor word choice. LIV No worries. It’s probably accurate. Truth is... I never feel normal. I don’t think I’ve slept in five months... And trust me, zombie-ism has its side effects. RAVI The Tabasco? LIV Pretty much the only way I can taste anything is if it would have at least six chili peppers next to it on a menu. The Liv-Ravi conversation was different and longer.

As Liv passes the open door of Peyton’s room, she spots a SORORITY MUG FULL OF PENS on a nearby bookshelf. She grabs the pens and continues towards the kitchen. (NOTE: This is the first of several beats of Liv impulsively swiping random objects. We’re not sure why but it will become clear later.). In our pilot Peyton asked where the pens were, here we can see how she steals them.

Too long to put in here, but there’s a full Lillymoore scene deleted in which Liv gets a bit jealous, rambles about a true love relationship and sex with a zombie, another in which the vision is different and another with Liv with concerned Evan scene deleted.

KTAU news. With Roxanna Bull. Tom Vasquez. Bill Sylvester with sports and Johnny Raines with weather. Johnny Frost was Johnny Raines and worked in channel 7 instead of 11.

Ravi and Liv sit at Clive’s desk. Ravi taps away on his phone (...). Ravi was with Liv initially at Clive’s desk scene and during Johnny’s scene. Also the conversation was way longer.

Tatiana was called Paulina Wojcinski and was Polish instead of Romanian.

Some not related with the case dialogue between Liv and Clive reaching to Paulina’s apartment has been cut.

Liv turns to him, her face ashen. This is the moment she loses her Winona Ryder dour/cool/bored affect. Interesting comparison lol

Liv, looking shell-shocked, waits nearby as Clive pounds on the door to Tess’ apartment. Soul-patched neighbour Truman opens his door in a huff.

TRUMAN She’s gone. Whatever you told her, it sent her running. It’s her body, you know. Only a patriarchal society would prevent women from monetizing their own—

CLIVE Did she say where she was going? The scene with the guy was shorter.

Liv steals a wooden apple instead of eyes. There’s two cut scenes, one with Clive, another with Eva. Clive and Eva meet. Also the scene at Paulina’s apartment is translated partially to a hotel room, with a vision involving Paulina and Tess. Another scene is added involving another apartment. Another scene involving the bad guy and Clive is cut too.

Peyton exits. Liv is thrown by Peyton’s show of emotion. She looks over the stolen loot, her slovenly attire, her Cheetostained fingers as she processes Peyton’s speech. LIV - Pathetic. Liv’s awakening is different.

The scene with Johnny is shorter, another scene with Pratt was cut.

The scene with Pratt and the girls was way shorter. There are several scenes of Clive running after Pratt and Liv and Clive interacting with the girls that were cut. Liv almost eats Pratt.

A scene in which Liv gets her zombie makeup applied and wanders through the haunted mansion is cut. Most of the conversation with Major and Peyton is cut.

What are your opinions on this?

My other metas here

La maldición de las cuatro brujas here

Una novela romántica de esas con un macizorro sin camiseta en la portada here

Un romanzo rosa di quelli con un fusto a petto nudo in copertina here

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