#Defined Goal

[defining-alissa]

[claitea]

thought it would be fun to put alto in a plasma grunt uniform and it was a good excuse to doodle the ranger n i keep thinking of as well

[mochayoubi]

a fellow japanese learning friend told me there's 2 major "weed-out" learning curves to japanese, and that's 1) learning hiragana and katakana and the 2) learning kanji.

but I propose that there's a 3rd difficult learning curve and that's when you're in what I've called The Intermediate Soup where you don't have any specific thing to work on anymore but you know that you aren't There Yet

[phospolipid-bilayer]

Aughhhhhhh aughhhhhhhhhhhh Ouououoooouughhhhhhh

[rabbits-of-negative-euphoria]

I really think a lot of pastors need some kind of "devil's advocate" advisor who listens to their sermon, and then tells them how their sermon will be interpreted by a congregant with a progressive bias. not so that the pastor will change that sermon, but so the pastor recognizes the need to occasionally get specific.

[emblemxeno]

When I think about Fates getting called a bad story, the first thing I think of is how everyone claiming that fixing Nohr's famine would have solved the war just. completely ignores Anankos's background influence planning to make things worse. If it wasn't the famine, it would have been something else, anything else Anankos could use to further his goals of ruining both Hoshido and Nohr - and that's compelling writing because it shows that it's not a easy fix as some would like it to be. It's strange how so many simplify the core conflict into making little sense because they keep acting like a greater evil behind things is somehow a 'ass pull' or distraction?

That's the thing though, people would then just pivot to the "well it sucks that Fates' problems are caused by a random problems dragon that's only revealed in one route", to which I argue... well, sorta kinda?

The main core of Fates' story is that the conflict is so unreasonable, destructive and meaningless, to the point where even questioning it has people resistant. It's about removing the barrier between two flawed kingdoms that have no reason to keep fighting, and only benefit when they exist in harmony with each other. Anankos' influence is representative of that illogical premise. What else could be making two groups of people fight over more than what they could solve without warfare, other than a crazed, despotic and resentful figure of power who wants to drag the rest of the world down with him?

Revenge, famine, resources, defense from invasion, isolationism, jealousy and pride, etc... all of these provide reason for conflict, but not one that lasted since the age of godly dragons. Only another ambitious and godly dragon could halt progress and change to that degree.

I know the common critique of FE stories in general is that "well, the problems get solved by beating big scary dragon and that sucks", but the point of those final bosses isn't that every problem is solved. Honestly, the point is never just "beat bad dragon the end." The point is that you were able to unify around a cause despite differing backgrounds, and because of that, change is then starting to develop in the epilogues (and can happen in supports, base conversations, etc.) The final bad dragon is the last step of the journey, with said journey being the actual fix to whatever issues are plaguing the protagonist's party. It's a narrative-gameplay tool.

[allthespoons]

beginning my prayer circle now for the sharks to please, for the love of god and warso’s blood pressure, win against the bruins, please let us all join hands. i will also accept them not completing embarrassing themselves but. a win would be nice. mostly because i don’t want to know what will’s face will look like in post-game media if it’s a fat L. seeing mack post vancouver loss was bad enough

mack post-Vancouver was too much… pull it TOGETHER buddy, you’re getting the sleeve of sheng peng’s button down wet with your tears!!! I do also think the vibe with Will losing at home is more like, the hundred people here to see me are all hugging me and telling me I’m their beloved boy and that I played so good and it’s everyone else’s fault that we lost, actually.

With Mack it’s like, I LET THEM DOWN. I LET THEM AND MYSELF AND THE TEAM DOWN, while his dad is like, well, hmm, yes actually, you fell short of your defined goals, let’s talk about your decision-making on that turnover, Macklin.

I don’t know if it would be more fun to see them winning and sooo happy about it or losing and sooo miserable about it (sorry, Sharks fans), so I’m just excited to see it play out.

[gay-mooshrooms]

doing a spn rewatch is a wild ride cus im in s1 and my character understandings are growing and shifting before my very eyes

[defining-alissa]

[dailytransitiongoal]

t4t4t <3

(based wife's boyfriend he's not crossing the picket line on the macdonalds boycott)

[metanarrates]

the walls in orv are often discussed as either character metaphors (ie. the fourth wall as dissociation, or the wall of impossible communication as connection) or as the themes they embody, but it's important to note here what they can represent metanarratively too. the final wall itself symbolizes the constraints of the text - the fact that a story has to exist on a page and within the covers of a book in order to exist at all, regardless of how much that might limit the scope of its ability to tell the story. of course, that's not all a story is, but its existence at a base level is dependent on those limits.

themes in a story can work as defining limitations, too. a story is focused on certain ideas, and that's what allows it to be what it is. that's why the pieces of the final wall are thematic & character symbols - those are a crucial part of what defines a story!

[guttersvoice]

thinking about this today.

[aalghul]

Saying that what fans (and post-flashpoint) make Jason is what Helena already is always gets one of two reactions: I hate Jason and this is true, I love Jason and this is completely wrong. Everyone's losing with that btw.

Helena and Jason are fundamentally different enough that it can't be exactly true. Helena and Jason's backstories don't have much in common either. Helena's involved betrayal, schemes and fights for power. Jason's was a product of Park Row being continually failed by Gotham. Jason also has a history with the Bats specifically, as the second Robin and a son of the family, that Helena doesn't. There is an appeal in that that's not transferrable; Jason's been a Bat and has had his own various roles since his he was created pre-crisis, not just since his resurrection or since he got a softer role post-flashpoint. He doesn't get to just not be a bat character.

In going "fanon Jason is exactly like Helena" you're also ignoring her time on the JLA and BOP, because remember that fanon thinks Jason sits around staring at his wall angrily until his family tell him to stop being a brainless killer OR runs around half-assing missions with his brothers friends because he has none of his own. It's honestly a disservice to her to pretend that brand of fanon Jason could ever be her.

However, Helena is the one who fought to be trusted by the Bats and compromised on killing because of them (whether that be due to the aforementioned struggle to fit in with them, or, at low points, because they know her identity). Jason did not do this pre-flashpoint. Pre-flashpoint Jason was not asking for most people's trust or for a seat at the table. That's not even to say that any interpretation of Jason that has him reconciling with the Bats is a rip-off of Helena, it's just that Jason put himself on the outskirts of the family for a reason, and this won't be changed just because they are willing to have him back conditionally.

I'm not going to sit here talking about all the similarities and differences, or how they got tangled along the way. I just want to say that people who act like Jason was dealt a good hand by being given Helena's characterization by fanon and post-flashpoint are never going to be able to prove their point without disrespecting Helena's character because you're focusing on the wrong thing (something that isn't even true). People who refuse to accept that the particular Jason they're talking about (fanon, rebirth onwards/partially n52) is a character that has heavy similarities to Helena's position pre-flashpoint are missing out on who Jason and Helena both have been at other points in time. And they're pissing each other off in the process.

[hunterthegrimwalker]

I think I've cracked the mystery of the red soul's trait...(yes really)

It's been years since the community is debating about the Red soul's real trait, since it's one of the game's biggest mysteries left intentionally up to the player interpretation. The most popular contender being of course determination despite the lack of evidences. However, after years of pondering, I think I might be into something thanks to my findings. Let's not look further than the only place that's supposed to reveal us every soul trait, aka the Ball Game.

The first message we get by interacting with this game is:

Curious how the only word that's written in red in the whole neutral/pacifist run (in narration i mean, not dialogues) is in a context where different color typing plays a crucial role in revealing every soul's trait. That's not the only thing that stands out with its typing. The word is capitalized just like all other traits:

It's also written in quotation marks, as if it is not supposed to be a literal hole or a metaphor for something else within the context of the Ball Game.

And finally, all of these specificities are gone once you exhaust the Snowdin's kill count and can't play the Ball Game anymore:

This strongly suggests that all typing specifities I've mentioned before are directly tied to the Ball Game alone, hence why they're gone when the game can't be played. It all feels too deliberate to be a coincidence, so it's likely supposed to be connected to the red soul's trait.

Hole is emptiness, which means that hole symbolizes the absence of trait, which more likely than not means that the red soul is the one every human is born with before developing their trait through experience. It's also interesting how Frisk pulls a flag from said "hole" by using different methods to win, as if they were pulling a trait from their soul by using different tactics to reach their goal. As if it symbolized how Frisk develops their personality using different tactics to reach their goal. Speaking of which, let's analyze the second word written in red in the ball game:

It's undeniable that the use of red text here is directly tied to the red soul as you get the message when you get the red flag, supposed to represent the red soul. "Ball Game" also has the same exact typing specifities as the "Hole" (capitalization and quotation marks). So "Ball Game" is very likely also supposed to symbolize the red trait that Frisk get by using the six other traits. Of course, Frisk doesn't get their trait just by playing a mini game but it works as a metaphor for Frisk's journey in the underground. They start as a little kid who's still figuring their identity and develop one throughout their journey in the underground. One that's not restricted to a single trait but is a combination of all these traits (I guess it only the case for Pacifist route since it's the true ending). So the red text for "Ball Game" either means Frisk's trait turns into a combination of all the 6 traits since they're parts of the game or that the entire Ball Game was supposed to symbolize Frisk's journey of figuring out their identity as it's implied by the second red flag's message:

It's important to note that Frisk only gets this message AFTER "winning" the Ball Game and getting the red flag for the first time, so it likely means Frisk already "developed their own identity", so all they do by getting the second red flag (which became their final trait) is to continue being themselves.

Here some other interesting facts. First, the wording for the first red flag's message make it feel like a much more definitive victory ("you were able to win at "Ball Game") compared to messages for the rest of the flags:

There's no sense of definitive victory unlike the message that Frisk gets when they get the red flag, heavily implying that the goal of the Ball Game was to symbolize Frisk's journey to develop their own identity. It's also suggested by fact that getting the red flag the first time gives you the highest award and is the most difficult flag to get.

It all ties way too beautifully for it all to be simple coincidences, especially given Frisk's role as our controllable protagonist with an ambiguous personality, appearance and expression. Dunno what you think of this little theory of mine but I'm 100% convinced that all it was deliberate as it fits just seamlessly. But to each their own, I guess.

[time-is-restored]

MAFUYU'S WL2 CHAPTERS HAVE HARMED ME IRREPARABLY.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE KNOWS SHE'S IN A DREAM? WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE'S GOING OUT OF HER WAY TO FIND NIIGO? WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE PULLS IDENTICAL SAD SMILES AT SEEING ALL OF THEM INTERACTING WITH HER LIKE A STRANGER? CAN ANYBODY HEAR ME?

she was SURPRISED when her mother said they 'had a talk' about mafuyu not being a doctor. she doesn't remember that conversation. she didn't KNOW what their relationship was in this world until her mother explicitly told her.

she reached out to ena THROUGH airi (when she shouldn't have otherwise even KNOWN about her) so they could all practice drawing together. she let mizuki suggest clothes for her to wear (going on a whole expedition with her classmates just to engineer a chance to take them to her boutique) bc there's no other way for her to interact with her?????????????

she literally said that kanade's songs give """"everyone"""" a warm feeling when everyone else has referred to them just as being 'cheerful' and 'popular'. and then the way she pushed kanade to list all the things she wanted to do... insisted on doing all of them in what might literally have been experienced by them AS a montage... it's like she's trying to gift kanade experiences + memories that she otherwise wouldn't have? and it's such a clear parallel between all the expeditions/trips niigo take HER on in the prime timeline in the name of finding herself?

i was already betting everything on kaito being the vocaloid to sing to her but his use here is now like. infinitely crazier to me in the context of the actual story. the 'hold onto your true feelings' vocaloid sings to mafuyu to comfort her in a world where she doesn't have her friends. and then she acts on those feelings by bringing them as close together as she can? because? she loves? her friends?