People often talk about Rio Ranger as if he's the doll version of Sei but what I find super fascinating is that he isn't, not in the same way Fake Reko or the Dummies are replications of their human counterparts.
Ranger resembles Sei on a surface level — same physical appearance, just an unclear amount older; same way of speaking. But he is unmistakably different. Ranger is an incomplete being, missing his positive emotions, but even the true Ranger is Rio Laizer rather than Sei, because there's still something different.
Rio Ranger is, fundamentally, inhuman and yet desperate to be human. He was created to be jealous of humanity and despite his hatred for them, humanity is what he is always striving for. But it is something that he doesn't possess, and is forced to steal instead. He takes clothes from the dead and uses drawings on cards to feign emotion; he is the Dress-Up Doll, Rearranger, not possessor of anything of his own.
While the other dolls based on humans in the game have identity issues based on their personhood being defined by someone else, being merely a copy of another person, Ranger is not even allowed Sei's identity to base himself on — it's very likely he doesn't even know who Sei was. He does not have Sei's clothes — nondescript and tied to Asunaro as they are — and he does not have the capacity for expressing emotion that Sei had.
When comparing Ranger and Sei in terms of personality, differences are obvious. There are similarities, naturally — besides the abrasive way of speaking, there's the jealousy and desire for validation. But in Ranger, these are present to an extreme — they're all he has. (And, ironically, this is what Gashu claims to believe makes him so human, even when Ranger's inhumanity comes through most clearly in this lack of anything else.)
In Sei, on the other hand, these traits are tempered by logic, to put things in YTTD's beloved logic vs. emotion dichotomy. Despite his outwardly emotional nature, from what we see of him he appears realistic and focused on survival in a way that Kai isn't. He's aggressive and overly casual about killing people, but he doesn't express the glee at violence that Ranger does, only a fierce desire to prove himself and survive. Sei is jealous of Kai and desires Gashu's affection, but also has an understanding of the situation he's in that both Kai and Ranger lack — he can tell that Gashu doesn't care about him as much as he does Kai, and recognizes that the way Gashu treats both of them is wrong. Ranger believes Gashu truly loves him, a fact proven blatantly false by his eventual demise at Gashu's hands. Ironically, this blindness is more similar to Kai as we see him in his minisode, rather than Sei.
Of course, this understanding isn't simply a part of Sei's basic nature, but rather the fact that unlike Kai and Ranger, he has past experience to go on. Sei wasn't born into the Satou family — though his exact origins are unclear, based on his grief for his birth father and how he talks about Asunaro ("all this shady organization crap"), it's possible he wasn't even born into Asunaro at all. Before being sent to Gashu, he had his own father, one who we don't know anything about but whom he apparently loved. He doesn't accept Gashu's treatment of him and Kai the way Kai does because he has known a different father and a different way of life. This doesn't free him from Asunaro's influence — he still accepts the role of assassin they give him and resigns himself to becoming a killer. What choice does he have, after all? But he carries no illusions about Asunaro or his role in it. He knows that the training is cruel, that he is viewed only as a tool, that Asunaro is wrong even if they are also not worth resisting.
This is a major part of why Ranger isn't Sei, why he cannot be; because Asunaro is all Ranger knows. They are his creators, who he was literally built to serve. In Ranger's mind, he is not only Gashu's son and heir, but his creation, his masterpiece. And of course he wouldn't have been created with Sei's memories — why take that risk? Why give him any sort of knowledge of a life outside Asunaro or reason to be disloyal to them?
Ranger is not Sei — so why model Ranger after him? Because Ranger is the idea of Sei, what Sei was meant to be: a counterpart to Kai, a rival, a second choice. Gashu preferred Kai, once; Kai won out over Sei. But Kai has proven himself a failure and betrayed Asunaro, leaving Gashu with no choice but turn once more to Kai's long-dead competition. Ranger is, like Sei, the opposite of Kai, temperamental and vulgar while Kai is stoic and polite, and perhaps more importantly, capable of murder while Kai steadfastly is not.
And yet Ranger isn't Sei. Sei was jealous of those — specifically Kai — he saw as superior or at least as being treated as such; Ranger is this idea taken to its natural conclusion. Sei had lost everything he had outside of Asunaro; Ranger never had anything else to begin with. Sei was a human; Ranger will never be, doomed to forever long otherwise. Ranger is Sei only in the ways Sei was useful — desperate for recognition, willing to kill, a perfect rival to Kai — but something entirely different, an inhuman machine, in all the ways Sei was a liability.
Sei was human, and he knew that he deserved to have that fact respected. Ranger isn't human and gets only the wanting, desperate to be as good as a human even humanity itself is unattainable. Of course, it isn't being a doll that is actually Ranger's problem — it's Asunaro, who view humans and dolls alike as disposable. Sei's humanity didn't make him any less of a tool as far as Asunaro was concerned, it only made him more difficult to control. All Sei wanted was to be seen as an equal to Kai, a person worthy of respect — and this is what he gets, in the end: his face and voice used as a base for one of Asunaro's weapons, while his true identity and personhood remains forgotten.
Ranger has nothing to hold him back from doing his duty for Asunaro, nor does he have anything to hold onto outside of it. In that sense, Ranger is an ideal asset for Asunaro — at least until the very jealousy and hatred Gashu programmed into him goes too far, and he is, once again, deemed a failure. Ironically, Gashu shoots Ranger for attempting to kill a participant, when willingness to kill was perhaps the one true advantage Sei had over Kai.
In the end, Ranger is offered no more humanity in his death than Sei is — they are both merely pawns of Asunaro, set to die at its whims. But while Sei dies in the arms of his brother, receiving one final act of kindness as Kai refuses to kill him, Ranger has no one in either of his deaths but his creators: in his death as Rio Laizer the dubious kindness of Tia Safalin, making his final moments full of agonizing guilt, and of course in his first death, as Rio Ranger, nothing but Gashu's coldness, the bullet in his head a sort of culmination to the favoritism Sei found weighed against him, and a demonstration of just how far Gashu has come from the father who once genuinely cared for Sei. Sei was human, Ranger was not, but as far as Asunaro is concerned, they are exactly the same: tools, easily thrown away as soon as they stop being useful.
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i've had this idea for a while, to randomise two or more of the outlanders, put them into a platonic/found family prompt generator and see what comes out! sooo here we goooo :3
Outlanders interactions!! (based on a prompt generator)
Mzingo trying to teach Tunu some life skills, but all that ends up happening is the Outlands nearly being set on fire and Mzingo almost breaking a wing. Still, at least Tunu is so innocently unaware of the danger that he has fun hanging out with the vulture anyway :)
It's Kijana's birthday party! Mwoga checks in on the jackals to see what all the fuss is about so he can tell Mzingo the news of the Outlands for the day. Kijana tells him he's invited to the party. Mwoga asks “Isn't this just for your family?” and Kijana replies “You are family!” and invites the rest of the Outlanders so she can have the awesomest party :D
Njano drags Kenge along on his mission to find a supposedly very spicy herb that's a challenge to eat. When they find the plant, Njano dares Kenge to eat it too, and Kenge doesn't back down from a challenge (in the actual generator it said kenge and njano do the tipe pod challenge wtf help??)
Nne has an idea for how to get out of a bad situation. Sumu says it's the stupidest one he's ever heard, but they're going with it. (couldn't really think of what the idea or situation is for this one, but i'm gonna assume it involves violence lmao)
Nne and Tano are tasked with watching the jackal pups. They don't know how, they just are. They escort the pups on a walk, completely lost with the whole Taking Care Of Kids thing, when a rockslide traps Tano and Kijana. While they're stuck waiting for help, Tano learns how to be a nicer hyena and Kijana learns that maybe hyenas aren't so bad :3
The Wet Season is almost over, so Janja spends extra time hanging out with Kiburi before the crocs go into hibernation for the Dry Season :)
Kenge and Mwoga aren't friends yet, being very different with the monitor lizard going solo and the vulture part of a parliament. Encouraged by Jasiri to share experiences with other Outlanders, they talk about their very different lives and how going solo or being aligned with others helped them. (damn this wheel spin generator really favours these two, nne and kijana lol)
Sometimes, Goigoi likes to sing something randomly to pass the time. Janja appreciates his enthusiasm for the musical arts :3
Janja's Clan knows the ins and outs of the volcano's geysers and steam vents better than any animal. It's Cheezi's job to escort Jasiri through them today so she can get to the other side of the Outlands. You can imagine how that goes :]
if i do any more i will never stop lmaoo, maybe i'll turn this into a mini series if anyone likes it :] tho i am really disappointed that i could only find ONE platonic prompt generator like bffr, but whatever
bonus (human au) one i got for Nduli and Janja bcuz 😭😭
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(Whoops my hand slipped and started writing a Batfam Umbrella Academy AU)
From the Personal Notes of Mr. Bruce Wayne:
00.01 - Ability to manipulate gravitational fields allows for advanced gymnastic and combat capabilities. A strong leader, the others look up to him. Loyal to a fault, but needs to be watched carefully. Will choose the other children over himself or me.
00.02 - Determined, focused, strong willed. Has learned to use her ability to analyze the surroundings and formulate a plan prior to attack. Unfortunately lacks any leadership qualities and fails to communicate these plans to the team, preferring to act alone. Still has much to learn, but is eager to do so. My favorite.
00.03 - Adequate marksmanship and proficiency with ranged weapons. Can hold his own in a fight but relies to heavily on his powers. Insolent, can not take instruction or direction. His recklessness will be his undoing.
00.04 - Development of photokinesis is hindered by his unwillingness to fully commit to manipulating shadows as well as light. Charming and a neutral leader. Should Number 1 ever fail, he would be the best choice to replace him.
00.05 - Connection to animals has yet to prove useful. Fighting skills and determination on par with Number 2, but is unpredictable at best. Refuses to admit when he doesn’t know something. Has no respect for anyone but himself.
00.06 - Still fails to reach the full potential of psychometry abilities. Refuses to accept the possibility that he may be able to see into the future as well as the past. Useful for research and not much else.
00.07 - No clear talents. Some enthusiasm for puzzles and mediocre problem solving abilities. To headstrong. Irritating.
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apparently people like it when i rant about things, so
Mephisto and Faust didn't deserve their fate. They didn't deserve to die. Narratively, it makes sense. It's well written. Awful. I love it. The story would not have been the same if they hadn't. I'm not saying they shouldn't have died. I'm just saying, they didn't deserve to.
I see so many memes and jokes and whatnot about how much they suck, how they're pure evil (Mephisto more than Faust), but you have to remember they're children. Literal children.
In canon they're what. 13? 14? They could (should) be in middle school- and the fact they're not in itself is fucked up, because it's not just a normal situation for the world they live in, there's circumstances that were out of their control that prevented them from ever growing up to be normal kids.
Mephisto? he was in school. Then he got assaulted— that's a canon point. And by no fault of his own he now has a terminal illness that makes everyone around him simultaneously terrified of him and hate him on a fundamental level. Guess who was the only one who didn't? Faust.
And that's cool and all but two kids who's ages are in the single digits shouldn't have to rely solely on each other to survive. No buts, no exceptions, they're supposed to have adults care for them.
And guess who that adult was? Talulah. And that was fine, sure, at first, before the whole changing thing. She was the adult figure that they needed and it's no surprise at all that Mephisto refused to leave even after she changed. She was the only one who showed them an ounce of kindness and that was something Mephisto, unlike Faust, had experienced before. So it makes sense that Faust would be less trusting of her and ready to leave.
But they didn't. They stayed, and these 13 year olds, with like, severe developmental trauma, who have been conditioned to be okay with violence and death so long as they achieve their goal in the end, aren't to blame for their circumstances?
I mean sure, Mephisto is sadistic and doesn't care for the lives of all his soldiers. Tell me the fact that they all look exactly the same and wear masks doesn't have something to do with it.
Look me in the eye and tell me soldiers that don't have human faces and all wear uniforms and could easily be perceived as carbon copies to an outsider wouldn't be easy to overlook.
The fact they've been stripped of their individuality makes me think that he—Mephisto, I mean—can't actually handle killing people all that well.
anyway thats that pls get homeboy a res stone and cough drops and a karaoke machine and his silly little snake boy he's in a severely unhealthy codependent relationship with back pls thanks
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