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girlactionfigure · 1 month

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Winning the World’s Hearts and Minds

Israel is losing (some even say she has already irrevocably lost) the information war that is being waged in parallel with the kinetic one that she has been engaged in since 1948, but especially since 7 October 2023. The usual suggestions are technical: spend more money, react more quickly to enemy propaganda, utilize social media more effectively, and so on. All of these are worth doing, but there is one factor that is even more important than all of them together, and it is both simpler and more difficult. There are four paradoxes that can be found in our situation that expose it.

The Paradox of 7 October

On that day, Israel was attacked in the most atavistic, brutal and vicious way that can be imagined. Civilians were murdered, raped, sadistically tortured, and carried off to indefinite captivity under subhuman conditions. Their homes were looted and burned. It was war as practiced before the advent of civilization. It was the greatest mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust.

And yet, although there were many expressions of sympathy, both from people in general and from governments and international organizations, there was also an explosion of hatred for Israel as a nation and for Jews as individuals. Demonstrations were held around the world expressing support for the attackers, and incidents of Jew-hatred – beatings of Jews, anti-Jewish graffiti, attacks on Jewish-owned businesses, and so on spiked. How is this to be understood?

One answer is that people were primed by a decades-long campaign by the Soviet Union, both in the West and the Third World, to use anti-Zionism as a propaganda tool. The Soviets took advantage of the sensitivity that had developed in the West after (ironically) the racist persecution of Jews by the Nazis, and of the general recognition of the evils of the Western colonial empires. At the same time in America, people began to comprehend the horrors of slavery, Jim Crow, and the genocide of Native Americans. The struggle of the Jews for self-determination in their historic homeland was perversely portrayed as racism, colonialism, and now even genocide. The Palestinian Arabs, who were in fact invaders and migrants, were portrayed as an oppressed and colonized indigenous people. This inversion of reality, this “big lie,” was fed with a constant tsunami of propaganda that overwhelmed anemic Israeli attempts to refute or counteract it. The lies have always gone halfway around the world before the truth got its pants on.

Since the fall of the USSR, the campaign has been taken up by the Arabs, Iranians, and international Left who see Israel as an outpost of the hated USA.

The anti-Israel campaign has been disingenuously claimed to be “only anti-Zionist” and not anti-Jewish. But underneath the surface the message has been transmitted clearly and distinctly, and has triggered the closeted anti-Jewish hatreds that have been around at least since the year zero. It is not possible today to go back and undo this.

The way anti-Israel and anti-Jewish propaganda has been deployed in support of the desired genocide of the Jewish people (nothing less) is a triumph of social engineering. Its effectiveness is shown by the combination of murder and defamation that characterized 7 October.

The Paradox of Holocaust Education

In planning a response to anti-Jewish propaganda it’s necessary to consider the attempts to attack the anti-Jewish memes – the prejudices, stereotypes, conspiracy theories, and so on – that were supposed to have caused the Holocaust. One response has been to educate people by presenting the historical facts. Any normal person who knew the true dimensions of the horror perpetrated by the Nazis would reject the patterns of thought that were behind it and shun anyone trying to promulgate them, it was reasoned.

Much money and resources have gone into the building of museums, the development of curricula and materials, and the hiring of experts. And yet this enterprise has failed. It has been met with denial. It has aroused resentment, as Jews are accused of trying to “monopolize oppression,” or of using their own experience as an excuse to persecute others (sometimes at the same time as the Jewish experience is denied). Perversely, the very horror of the Holocaust is titillating to Jew-haters who often admire Hitler, collect Nazi regalia, and so on. Extreme Jew-haters see the Holocaust as something to be repeated rather than condemned.

The Paradox of Sympathy

This gives us a clue to the more general problem of defamation of Israel and Jews. As Jonathan Haidt argues persuasively, humans are primarily motivated by their emotions, even when they believe that they are making decisions on a rational basis. The “reasoning” is really after-the-fact rationalization of choices driven by their feelings. These feelings are often below the surface of consciousness, but they are dominant in a person’s decision-making.

These emotional responses have developed in humans after millennia of biological and cultural evolution. They vary to some extent between cultures (which leads to interesting questions about conflicts between Western and non-Western cultures), but there are also aspects that are universal. One of these is sympathy for an injured person. Paradoxically, there is also an opposite emotion of revulsion. The impulse to despise, to expel, or to flee from a defective or persecuted individual tends to favor survival of an individual or a culture, and so it is strengthened by evolution. We see this tendency among children where a bully that attacks a weak or “different” child is often joined by others.

Thus when a group is mass-murdered, along with sympathy for the victims there is also a tendency to side with the murderers. There is a feeling of safety in the face of horror that comes from the knowledge that one is set apart from the victims, that one is on the other side.

The Paradox of Strength

Another evolutionary trait is an attraction to the stronger side in any conflict. Everybody loves a winner, or as Osama bin Laden said, the “strong horse.” It’s also true that people despise a loser. And before a contest is decided, people choose whom to support based on the perceived strength of each opponent.

Yet in Western cultures people think this feeling should be suppressed. There is a belief that rational considerations and morality should override brute strength in determining the outcome of a confrontation, which results in conflicting emotions (this is one of the reasons they do so poorly when negotiating with Middle Easterners, who see “rational” willingness to compromise as weakness). Strength and honor are of primary concern in the Middle East, but even toward the West, we gain allies by demonstrating strength.

How to Win the Information War

What are the practical lessons for Israel in all this? How can she use the consequences of human and societal evolution to help her overcome the massive propaganda assault, both in the West and in the Middle East? I will offer some suggestions for how she can behave for the best psychological effect. Note that I said “behave,” and not just talk. Actions speak louder than words, especially in the Middle East. And these actions will help bring success in the physical arena as well.

1. Win the War in Gaza

We were humiliated and wounded – from a psychological point of view, critically – on 7 October. We cannot allow Hamas to remain in power and its leaders to remain alive. If we do, we will be marked as victims, in other words, targets. In the Middle East, deterrence comes from honor. If we lose our honor, everything we have is open for the taking.

2. Win the War in the North

Tens of thousands of Israelis have been forced to vacate their homes in fear of bombardment and invasion by Hezbollah. In effect we have allowed our land to become occupied. Again this is a massive loss of honor and must be corrected.

3. Our Lives are More Important Than Theirs

Israel lives in fear of the US and the hostile “international community” of anti-Israel NGOs and institutions, and goes to extreme lengths to warn civilians before attacking military targets, and to allow humanitarian aid to be provided to enemy populations. These policies have made it possible for Egypt to refuse to accept refugees from Gaza, and for Hamas to prolong the conflict, arguably resulting in more civilian suffering than less. Either way, they signify weakness. Get it over with.

4. Return to an Offensive Strategy

Israeli strategy, as propounded by David Ben Gurion, was to take the war to the enemy, fight on his territory, and finish wars quickly. But since Israel has allowed the US to dominate its military policy, she has moved to adopting a defensive posture. Huge amounts of money are spent on weapons like Iron Dome to bat away enemy rockets. This is economically unsustainable, since offensive weapons are much cheaper. It invites the enemy to learn lessons and try again. And from a psychological standpoint, it normalizes shooting at Jews. How can we permit that to become acceptable?

5. Responses Should Always be Disproportionate

Israel’s response should always be several times stronger than our enemies’ provocations. The fact that we responded to an attack from Iran by hundreds of missiles and drones by bombing a radar station was embarrassing, even if it was a demonstration of our capabilities. We may wish to demonstrate capabilities, but we must also demonstrate the will to fight. Deterrence means making them afraid to attack us. Power means hitting back at bullies, not trying to push them away or running from them.

6. Treat the Conflict as Zero-Sum (it is)

Do not look for win-win situations; there aren’t any. Either the Land of Israel will be ruled and populated by Jews, or by Arabs. Americans love the idea that Hamas or the PLO can put aside their desire to destroy Israel if only given an opportunity to develop a prosperous state. Nothing could be more wrong. This is a tribal conflict over land, and tribalism is another evolutionary “built-in.” When Israel goes along with these fantasies, she broadcasts weakness.

7. Get Revenge When Appropriate

Implement the death penalty for terrorist murder. This has the practical benefit of removing a motive for hostage-taking. The modern position is that revenge is atavistic and wrong. But it satisfies a deep need as well as sending a necessary message.

Conclusion

Acting according to the post-WWII Western conception of moral national behavior exposes Israel to depredations by its enemies who do not care about Western morality. At the same time, the climate of opinion that has developed over decades is such that the mechanisms and institutions that might protect a Western state don’t apply to Israel. She has little to lose by changing her behavior to become more aggressive, and aspiring to respect and even fear. Overall this will improve her potential to gain allies and deter enemies.

#Information war #Israel and Palestinian Arabs #Jew Hatred #Terrorism #War #Zionism

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conceptionsofconciousness · 2 months

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Punarvasu natives develop the ability to overcome challenges, building resilience and inner strength to triumph over adversity. They possess a natural tendency to excel and gain expertise in various aspects of their lives, including personal relationships, careers, and spiritual pursuits.

More posts on Punarvasu Nakshatra

#astrology #vedic astrology #punarvasu #punarvasu nakshatra #astrology observations #nakshatra #vedic notes #vedic astro notes #astro notes #vedic astro observations #nakshatras #PositivePunarvasuCOC

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andiatas · 4 months

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The Private Life of James II by Justine Ruth Brown (May 30, 2024)

The personal side of James II and VII has long been obscured by the propaganda storm emanating from the “Glorious Revolution” of 1688, one of the great founding myths of modern Britain. Justine Brown unveils James the man, teasing out a fresh dimension. The Private Life of James II details the romantic adventures of a true Cavalier―handsome, courageous, loyal, pleasure-seeking, lusty, determined and soulful. The Stuart “spare” briefly experienced a golden childhood before, aged nine, he was flung headlong into the English Civil Wars of 1642-1649. After escaping England in disguise, he endured the execution of his adored father, Charles I, and years of exile on the Continent. In 1660 the Duke of York returned to his native land in triumph. He rode into the capital at the right hand of his brother, Charles II. James fully embraced the role of Restoration rake, headed up the Royal Navy, fought the Fire of London with gusto, and was a great patron of theatre, painting, and music. “The darling of the people” until his dramatic conversion to Roman Catholicism transformed him into England’s scapegoat, the heir to the Crown had a turbulent road ahead. Come to understand what truly drove James, and learn about his complex relationships with his children, his two remarkable wives, Anne Hyde and Mary of Modena; his many mistresses, as well as the extraordinary friends and rivals who helped shape the fate of this consequential Stuart monarch of England, Scotland and Ireland.

Justine Brown was born in Vancouver, Canada, and travelled widely from a young age. She holds an M.A. in English literature from the University of Toronto, where she developed a broad interest in seventeenth-century culture. There, she became a Junior Fellow of Massey College.

#literature #affiliate links #british royal family #king james ii #royal history #british history

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bodhranwriting · 1 year

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Tocktick - Our Introduction to Our Villain

Norris sat seething in the corner of the Branded Crow, his third pint untouched and a stolen newspaper spread across the table.

The headline was, of course, sensationalist and mildly confusing – DEVITT DOMINATES with a byline admitting, NEW ENGINE CATAPULTS CREW TO NEXT ROUND – while the article penned underneath was a more restrained summary of that day’s leg of the Throgmorton race and the author’s tentative predictions on this new piece of technology. He glared at the third lumograph down, ignoring the image of a triumphant Devitt lifting the flag and the one showing the Elmstone siblings fixing their sails, seeing a shot of Talas, Maia, and Emmett standing by the engine. Emmett looked uncomfortable, his face-half turned away and blurred.

No need for that, Norris thought scornfully. I don’t have any proof.

He knocked back his pint, slamming it on the table with enough force that a few of the drunks slumped against the bar looked around. Dark hells, twenty years wasn’t enough to forget the face which had gotten him fired – Emmett Askren was Juan St Ciel, he was sure of it.

It was odd. He hadn’t thought of the youth beyond occasional night-time self-pitying sessions for nigh on a decade and a half now. But one look at his face and it had all come rushing back. The glow of triumph at getting to kill two birds with one stone was enough to excite him into action – stop Katsaros from putting a dent in Gorge’s considerable profits and bring down an elusive past ghost.

Then he remembered that he had no papers, no people who still recalled the man in question. His old bosses were long-dead, the institution in question abandoned and across two oceans. No one cared.

Except him, of course.

His hands were itching. He wanted to hit something, someone for just looking at him funny. He scowled at the other patrons, wondering who would last longest in a fight. None of them looked promising; slug-like middle-aged dockworkers, a few chirpy and withered grandmothers, youths with brittle limbs and prematurely lined faces.

By the Sunlight God’s arse, he hated this place. All the fight had been beaten out of it years ago. A kind of grey inevitability reigned over the inhabitants. The crime consisted of drug-addicts and smugglers rather than any firebrand riots. Barfights here and there, attacks on native and Empire-imported inhabitants by the opposing sides, but there was no real spark to it. It was like the islands permanently had developed low-grade tension headaches. It wasn’t fun.

The tavern door swung open. The entire room’s – including Norris’ – attention flickered towards it. They all stayed there. Norris frowned slightly.

The man who strode inside was tall, about seventy or so years of age, with a neatly trimmed white moustache, beard and swept-back hair. He carried a black cane, but he moved like a dancer, perfectly aware of where he was in the space. The smoke and dirt had settled deeply into his jacket – it had probably been an ivory sort of colour once, but it was now an unpleasant shade of brown. His boots were high-quality and foreign; Eastern by Norris’ guess.

He was also maddeningly familiar.

Either ignoring or oblivious to the stares, the man strode straight up to the bar and flashed a smile at the barkeep. Dipping a hand into his pocket, he spoke in a voice too low for Norris to hear and then produced a rectangular lumograph card. He slid it across the bar – paying no attention to the man next to him peering over his shoulder.

The barkeep made a show of looking it over, but Norris knew that he would disavow all knowledge of the image’s subject. There was a reason that the Helionites’ luminary of protection was also the guardian of those behind the bar.

Not that it was religiously motivated here, he thought scornfully, self-preservation was the saying of the day.

The barkeep shook his head and silently gestured to the taps. The hand held up in response was white and too fine-boned for his frame; if this man had ever done manual labour it had been a lifetime ago.

Then he lifted his cane and rapped it carefully but firmly on the wood of the bar.

It was completely unnecessary. He was the most fascinating thing in the building. The gazes only became open.

Norris sat back in his chair, fingers flat on the table, waiting.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” the voice was velvet and ridiculously affable, “I request merely a few minutes of your time to assist me with a most important matter.”

A speech like that should have gotten a bottle smashed over his head immediately, but the situation was so unusual, so odd that the tavern was held back in their chairs and captivated. It probably helped that his accent was Eddorian – another small country swallowed by the Empire years before – and therefore not the voice of their brutish overlords, but the sound of another subjugated ally seeking assistance. In the hierarchy of the oppressed, Eddor was not high on the list having surrendered quickly and been permitted to keep much of their culture due to it being so similar to the Empire. But it was still a colony and that meant a form of trust among the Islanders.

Norris was rather proud of himself for the observation, but not so much that he didn’t listen intently to the man’s next words.

“I am buying the next round,” the proclamation was met with owlish silence, “And as you collect your drinks, I will show you a lumograph. I request that you look it over most carefully. And if you know anything about the man – anything at all from having glimpsed him in the street to him being your missus’ lodger – I bid that you tell me. I will pay a sixpence for each truthful piece of information you give.”

The edge to truthful was the flash of a hound’s fang before it growled.

No one moved. A sixpence to Norris was a measly sum – to an Islander it was a good week’s labour, but their pride would not allow them to take payment for informing on someone who (for all they knew) was an enemy of the Empire.

The man regarded the crowd carefully, hand curling tightly about the cane. For a heartbeat, his expression was of frustrated bemusement before the warm smile crept back.

He laid his free hand on his heart and said, “I have come upon my own accord and no one else’s. This a matter of personal import. I am not – and never have been – affiliated with this nation’s government.”

There was some half-hearted shuffling of the patrons once they had figured out the word affiliated. They formed a dense queue, each person staring down at the lumograph before indicating an answer to the man’s question. Once the brief conversations were done, a mug was pressed into their hands, generously filled with beer.

Norris didn’t move from his seat, attention locked on the stranger’s face. He kept his friendly mask fixed firmly in place, but his stance became tenser as the line grew shorter.

He was evidently not getting the answers he was seeking.

As the last patron turned away to enjoy their reward, the man’s gaze fell on Norris. He pushed off the bar and strode over, made invisible by his gift of alcohol.

Norris made a show of studying the newspaper as the man sat down at his table. He heard the whisper of card as it was pushed across the wood.

“Take a look, please.”

Norris did not look up. “Are you going to increase the price?” he asked, “How much is this man worth to you?”

“A lot.” The voice was low, and he heard a discordant note in it. It wasn’t anger, but he had the man’s attention; whether he was willing to play Norris’ surly game was a different matter altogether.

“Hm.” He stared unseeingly down at the paper, waiting to see what the man would do.

“But I wouldn’t insult you by offering more money,” the man continued quietly, “However, I would ask that you look.”

Sighing heavily, Norris did. The image showed a male – maybe in his late sixties, early seventies – sat easily in a chair half-smirking at the lumeretta. He had a compact build, not-quite round face with wide-set eyes, and a mane of hair too long for a fashion-conscious Empire man. The lumograph had the usual muddy shade to it, so he couldn’t make out what kind or colour the shirt was save that it was not dark.

He was ready to turn away and disavow all knowledge when he realised that he did recognise the man in question. There was something about the mouth, the insolent smile struck a shard into his memory.

But he couldn’t grasp it from the mire. Norris sucked his teeth and then stopped, realising that the stranger was reading him like a book.

“You know him.” It wasn’t a question. The fangs were extending again.

Norris drummed his fingers on the table and decided to be truthful. “There’s something I recognise,” he began, “But I cannot recall what it is. But I have seen him. And recently.”

The swirl of emotions in the man’s eyes was gone too quickly for him to read. Norris leant back in his chair, interlocking his hands. He gazed coolly upwards.

“Do I get a sixpence?” he asked.

The man smiled. He fished inside his jacket and brought out a small, embossed card. “Better,” he replied, “Here. If you do recall anything of note, please either come or write to this address. You’ll receive more than just a sixpence.”

“A whole crown, perhaps?” He did not keep the sarcasm from his tone.

The man inclined his head, acknowledging him. “Perhaps.”

#please #tell me if he's threatening #i’m writing a book #writeblr #writing #deaf #queer #fantasy #arcane skies #steampunk

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thefisherqueen · 11 months

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I fell a bit behind on Letters from Watson, time to read Shoscombe old place today! :)

Sherlock Holmes had been bending for a long time over a low-power microscope. Now he straightened himself up and looked round at me in triumph. 'Holmes is not human' confirmed, but only in the sense that it is inhuman to be bend over for a long time without developing extreme back pain

“Is it one of your cases?” “No; my friend, Merivale, of the Yard, asked me to look into the case. I don't know if it just my terrible memory for names, but Merivale does not sound familiar. Which is a bit odd, a 'friend' of Holmes we don't yet know. Also strange that Watson is referring to this case as 'your case'. As a result, this case feels rather old? Like it happened long ago, when Holmes and Watson were much less intimate

Actually, more things point in that direction. Like Watson receiving a wound persion

Norberton nearly came within your province once.” “How was that?” “It was when he horsewhipped Sam Brewer, the well-known Curzon Street money-lender, on Newmarket Heath. He nearly killed the man.” “Ah, he sounds interesting! Deranged reaction from Holmes here. I love it. Also, being almost beat to death with a horsewhip sounds extremely painful. Definitely a sadist at work here. Probably only got away with this torturous attack because the dude's rich

And here, I expect, is the man who can tell us.” The door had opened and the page had shown in a tall, clean-shaven man with the firm, austere expression which is only seen upon those who have to control horses or boys. Very amused by the implication that boys behave just like horses. Also slightly bewildered by the sudden appearance of a page. Whom makes up the domestic staff of this household? We've seen occasional references to a page, maid and cook, but they pop up so irregulary that it seems like mrs. Hudson employs them to only almost immediately sack them

He bowed with cold self-possession Watson what does that mean??

“First of all, Mr. Holmes, I think that my employer, Sir Robert, has gone mad.” Holmes raised his eyebrows. “This is Baker Street, not Harley Street,” said he. From wikipedia: "Since the 19th century, the number of doctors, hospitals, and medical organisations in and around Harley Street has greatly increased. Records show that there were around 20 doctors in 1860, 80 by 1900, and almost 200 by 1914."

He thinks of nothing but the horse and the race. His whole life is on it. He's holding off the Jews till then. If the Prince fails him he is done. Always charming, jewish people being referred one to one as money loaners. I guess that makes the Robert's attack on Sam Brewer antisemitistic in nature

And she takes it to heart. She is brooding and sulky and drinking, Mr. Holmes—drinking like a fish. A large part of why I love reading older books and books not written in my native language. Expressions are sometimes so suprising and delightful - drinking like a fish is so vivid

It's all changed, Mr. Holmes, and there is something damned rotten about it. But then, again, what is master doing down at the old church crypt at night? And who is the man that meets him there?” Holmes rubbed his hands. “Go on, Mr. Mason. You get more and more interesting.” Excited autistic hand rubbing time again! :)

So, in summary, so far we've got a man who's violent, mistreats his sister, creeps around at night on some secret business, is severely in debt and utterly reliant on one outcome of a gamble to solve his financial problems. Sounds like a good cocktail for a major interferrence plot to secure the gambling outcome. Torture, murder and abduction not excluded from the possiblities

It was on that second night. Sir Robert turned and passed us—me and Stephens, quaking in the bushes like two bunny-rabbits, for there was a bit of moon that night. This makes such a good image

“There is her maid, Carrie Evans. She has been with her this five years.” “And is, no doubt, devoted?” Mr. Mason shuffled uncomfortably. “She's devoted enough,” he answered at last. “But I won't say to whom.” “Ah!” said Holmes. “I can't tell tales out of school.” I will forever be amazed by the amount of vagueness one can employ and yet for it still be understood as saying 'my master is fucking the maid'. Such creativity

We can't fit that into our plot.” “No, sir, and there is something more that I can't fit in. Why should Sir Robert want to dig up a dead body?” Holmes sat up abruptly. Way to drop a plot twist, my man

“What is the name of that inn you spoke of?” “The Green Dragon.” “Is there good fishing in that part of Berkshire?” The honest trainer showed very clearly upon his face that he was convinced that yet another lunatic had come into his harassed life. Lol. That poor man. I'm getting my hopes up for another cozy inn scene, it feels like a while ago we were treated to some good, intimate Holmes/Watson room sharing

Thus it was that on a bright May evening Holmes and I found ourselves alone in a first-class carriage So I read this fic on AO3 where Holmes and Watson also were alone in a first class carriage and they - ok, nevermind, my AO3 history is between me and my browser only

“Let us consider our data. The brother no longer visits the beloved invalid sister. He gives away her favourite dog. Her dog, Watson! Does that suggest nothing to you?” “Nothing but the brother's spite.” “Well, it might be so. Or—well, there is an alternative. Hm, let me do a poor attempt at considering the data. My best guess is that the brother - sir Robert - wants the dog out of the way for something. What do dogs do? They dig things up and like bones, which might be inconvient if you're digging up dead bodies? They bark when strangers enter the grounds at night? Considering that a stranger did enter the grounds, it might be just that Robert was concerned about the dog raising alarm on that

“But the crypt?” “Ah, yes, the crypt! Let us suppose, Watson—it is merely a scandalous supposition, a hypothesis put forward for argument's sake—that Sir Robert has done away with his sister.” Ok that does make more sense as to why the dog had to go! Of course, a dog would not be fooled by an impersonator. Nor would a horse

My dear Holmes :) :) :)

So the stranger who Mr. Mason saw was the one who's now impersonating the sister, I gather. Gods, the 'man in dress for means of evil deception' trope is old

“How far is this crypt from the house?” asked Holmes.“A good quarter of a mile.” “Then I think we can disregard him altogether.” “I can't afford to do that, Mr. Holmes. The moment he arrives he will want to see me to get the last news of Shoscombe Prince.” “I see! In that case we must work without you, Mr. Mason. You can show us the crypt and then leave us.” Always love Watson and Holmes sneaking around at night

“But why in the world would anyone want to burn the bones of a man who has been dead a thousand years?” asked John Mason. “That is what we are here to find out,” said Holmes. “It may mean a long search, and we need not detain you. I fancy that we shall get our solution before morning.” Are they actually going to open up coffins? That is some gothic shit and I'm here for it

Then, as Holmes returned no answer, he took a couple of steps forward and raised a heavy stick which he carried. “Do you hear me?” he cried. “Who are you? What are you doing here?” His cudgel quivered in the air. But instead of shrinking Holmes advanced to meet him. “I also have a question to ask you, Sir Robert,” he said in his sternest tone. “Who is this? And what is it doing here?” First: oops. Second: Holmes, for your own and Watson's sake, please avoid becoming the next corpse in that crypt

“How came you to know of this?” he cried. And then, with some return of his truculent manner: “What business is it of yours?” “My name is Sherlock Holmes,” said my companion. “Possibly it is familiar to you. In any case, my business is that of every other good citizen—to uphold the law. It seems to me that you have much to answer for.” Holmes' confrontations just are the best. Imagine being this large man with a fearsome reputation, pulling a weapon upon a stranger you find in your own crypt at night, and he just calmly confronts you with what filth he has dug about you. Scary levels of confidence there. I would be taken aback too

“‘Fore God, Mr. Holmes, it's all right,” said he. “Appearances are against me, I'll admit, but I could act no otherwise.” Wondering what excuse this violent villain will come up with

“Well, Sir Robert,” said Holmes, rising, “this matter must, of course, be referred to the police. It was my duty to bring the facts to light, and there I must leave it. Glad that Holmes will not hush up this case. That man may not have murdered his sister, but everything else he did was still out of all bounds, and only done for purely selfish reasons

It is generally known now that this singular episode ended upon a happier note than Sir Robert's actions deserved. (...) Both police and coroner took a lenient view of the transaction, and beyond a mild censure for the delay in registering the lady's decease, the lucky owner got away scatheless from this strange incident in a career which has now outlived its shadows and promises to end in an honoured old age. A rather dissapointing ending to this story, in my opinion. I guess that 'debts should not bring about personal ruin' is a rad point, just as 'don't believe all scandalous gossip', but all the rest just reads like the result of class privilege. Looking for actual work instead of just gambling to gain his own income was of course not even considered. His near deadly attack on Sam Brewer was not adressed, nor are his violent ways. Possibly Doyle considered this a realistic outcome in his time? I love, however, that both Holmes and Watson still made their contempt for this man clear

#letters from watson #sherlock holmes #shoscombe old place

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murshili-ii · 2 years

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St. David’s Day Special: The Dragon Prophecy

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Welcome to Celtic Month! For the entire month of March, the Spring Vignettes series will be dedicated entirely to Celtic homage vignettes. Non-Celtic pieces will resume in April.

Quick clarification: It’s pronounced Keltic, unless it’s a sports team; and even then, any linguists in the room will cringe if you pronounce it Seltic.

Our first Celtic Month piece celebrates St. David’s Day, on March 1st, the national day of Wales. Have some cheese toast! Pet a dragon! Kiss a Welshman, if you can find one.

Before you read what the piece means to me, share what it means to _you_. I’m just the artist; you’re the beholder.

Leave a comment.

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The Welsh are the survivors of the Celtic Britons, who were the inhabitants of all southern Britain before the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes invaded and established what became England. “Welsh” is an Anglo-Saxon term; it means “other people” or “foreigners”, which is ironic, considering the Germanic-speaking peoples were the foreigners in the native lands of the Britons.

There is certainly no more famous Welshman than King Arthur Pendragon, a legendary king of yore who supposedly ruled Britain between the retreat of the Romans and the invasion of the Saxons. His legend, much-developed over the centuries, became well-known throughout Europe in later times.

A notable legend tells of the building of Dinas Emrys, a castle on a hill by the Glaslyn river. By some accounts, it was built by Uther Pendragon, father of King Arthur; by other accounts, it was Vortigern, the same foolish king of the Britons who later invited the Saxons into Britain as mercenaries to defend the Britons from the Picts.

After the king had chosen the hill on which the castle would stand, his builders went to work; but every day, they built up the walls, only for them to topple overnight. No progress could be made. At length, the king asked his wisemen to find the cause and the solution to the problem.

His wisemen told him that for the building to succeed, a sacrifice would be necessary; and the sacrifice must be a boy not sired by mortal man. Such a boy existed; a young boy named Merlin, or Ambrosius, the baptized son of a devil, who would go on to be known for his abilities in the magic arts.

(Foundation sacrifices were once an incredibly widespread custom; we know from archaeological evidence that the burying of a human victim under the foundation of an important building was practiced in ancient Ireland. Similar legends are told in Romania, Greece, Japan, and elsewhere. Animals were later buried under foundations after human sacrifices ceased.)

The boy was brought to the hill; and the king’s wisemen told the king to sacrifice him to appease the heathen gods so that the castle could be build. But the boy laughed at their advice, and told the king he knew much better. He told the king that if a hole were dug, there would be found a deep, dark pool; and in that pool, there would be found two dragons, one red, one white; and it was the fighting of these dragons that shook the hill each night and made the walls collapse. The king had a deep hole dug; and indeed, there was found a deep, dark pool; and from that pool indeed emerged two dragons, one red, one white.

Freed from their imprisonment, the dragons fought viciously, until, despite being the lesser of the dragons, the red dragon defeated the white dragon, and drove it out of the land across the sea.

The boy then prophesied that, just as the red dragon triumphed over the white dragon, so the Britons would triumph over the invading Saxons.

And they did; until the death of King Arthur at the hands of his son Mordred, whereafter, the Saxons finally defeated the Britons, and drove them into the western mountains.

The great Welsh sagas, the Mabinogion, tell about how the two dragons originally became trapped under the site of Dinas Emrys, when an ancient Welsh king intoxicated them with a cauldron of ale and buried them to silence their deafening shrieking.

#st_davids_day #wales #welsh #dragons #uther #vortigern #merlin #dinas_emrys #arthurian #celts #celtic #spring #springholidays #digitalart #vector #mosaic #collage #inkscape

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rockislandadultreads · 1 year

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Disability Pride Month: Nonfiction Recommendations

A Disability History of the United States by Kim E. Nielsen

Disability is not just the story of someone we love or the story of whom we may become; rather it is undoubtedly the story of our nation. Covering the entirety of US history from pre-1492 to the present, A Disability History of the United States is the first book to place the experiences of people with disabilities at the center of the American narrative. In many ways, it’s a familiar telling. In other ways, however, it is a radical repositioning of US history. By doing so, the book casts new light on familiar stories, such as slavery and immigration, while breaking ground about the ties between nativism and oralism in the late nineteenth century and the role of ableism in the development of democracy.

A Disability History of the United States pulls from primary-source documents and social histories to retell American history through the eyes, words, and impressions of the people who lived it. As historian and disability scholar Nielsen argues, to understand disability history isn’t to narrowly focus on a series of individual triumphs but rather to examine mass movements and pivotal daily events through the lens of varied experiences. Throughout the book, Nielsen deftly illustrates how concepts of disability have deeply shaped the American experience—from deciding who was allowed to immigrate to establishing labor laws and justifying slavery and gender discrimination. Included are absorbing—at times horrific—narratives of blinded slaves being thrown overboard and women being involuntarily sterilized, as well as triumphant accounts of disabled miners organizing strikes and disability rights activists picketing Washington.

Demystifying Disability by Emily Ladau

An approachable guide to being a thoughtful, informed ally to disabled people, with actionable steps for what to say and do (and what not to do) and how you can help make the world a more accessible, inclusive place.

Disabled people are the world’s largest minority, an estimated 15 percent of the global population. But many of us–disabled and non-disabled alike–don’t know how to act, what to say, or how to be an ally to the disability community. Demystifying Disability is a friendly handbook on important disability issues you need to know about, including:

• How to appreciate disability history and identity • How to recognize and avoid ableism (discrimination toward disabled people) • How to be mindful of good disability etiquette • How to appropriately think, talk, and ask about disability • How to ensure accessibility becomes your standard practice, from everyday communication to planning special events • How to identify and speak up about disability stereotypes in media

Authored by celebrated disability rights advocate, speaker, and writer Emily Ladau, this practical, intersectional guide offers all readers a welcoming place to understand disability as part of the human experience.

Born Extraordinary by Meg Zucker

Meg Zucker was born with one finger on each hand, shortened forearms, and one toe on each misshapen foot, caused by a genetic condition called ectrodactyly. She would eventually pass this condition on to her two sons, and, along with her husband, raise them and their adopted daughter, who has her own invisible differences. Born of the family’s hard-won experiences, this book offers invaluable advice on raising confident, empathetic, and resilient children who succeed, not despite but because of their differences.

Born Extraordinary helps parents of children with differences and disabilities to relinquish their instinctive anxieties, embrace their new normal, and ultimately find joy in watching their children thrive. Often the subjects of unwanted attention—ranging from pitying stares to bullying—Zucker and her sons have learned to ignore what others think and live fearlessly. Also incorporating the stories of other families with visible and invisible differences of all kinds, Born Extraordinary gives parents the tools to meet their children’s emotional needs while supporting the whole family unit. Parents learn how best to empower their children to confront others’ assumptions, grow in confidence, and encourage dialogue—rather than silence, fear, and shame—around difference.

Enabling Acts by Lennard J. Davis

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is the widest-ranging and most comprehensive piece of civil rights legislation ever passed in the United States, and it has become the model for disability-based laws around the world. Yet the surprising story behind how the bill came to be is little known.

In this riveting account, acclaimed disability scholar Lennard J. Davis delivers the first on-the-ground narrative of how a band of leftist Berkeley hippies managed to make an alliance with upper-crust, conservative Republicans to bring about a truly bipartisan bill. Based on extensive interviews with all the major players involved including legislators and activists, Davis recreates the dramatic tension of a story that is anything but a dry account of bills and speeches. Rather, it’s filled with one indefatigable character after another, culminating in explosive moments when the hidden army of the disability community stages scenes like the iconic “Capitol Crawl” or an event when students stormed Gallaudet University demanding a “Deaf President Now!”

From inside the offices of newly formed disability groups to secret breakfast meetings surreptitiously held outside the White House grounds, here we meet countless unsung characters, including political heavyweights and disability advocates on the front lines. “You want to fight?” an angered Ted Kennedy would shout in an upstairs room at the Capitol while negotiating the final details of the ADA. Congressman Tony Coelho, whose parents once thought him to be possessed by the devil because of his epilepsy, later became the bill’s primary sponsor. There’s Justin Dart, adorned in disability power buttons and his signature cowboy hat, who took to the road canvassing 50 states, and people like Patrisha Wright, also known as “The General,” Arlene Myerson or “the brains,” “architect” Bob Funk, and visionary Mary Lou Breslin, who left the hippie highlands of the West to pursue equal rights in the marble halls of DC.

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mynameisgoliath · 1 year

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One day I was standing on the side of a road that passes by the the main shopping AND tourist centre in Jerusalem and culminates at the Western Wall. It was, as I'm sure you can imagine, full of cars.

A tourist stopped to ask me directions. I chatted with her a bit, and then she asked me how Israelis get around. Do they all use camels?

She couldn't see a Middle Eastern country using cars and so, in her head, all those cars passing by belonged to tourists.

That sounds weird, and it is, but, while it was the weirdest question I got it wasn’t the only one in a similar vein: Do you have running water? Do you have electricity, air conditioners? Do children all ride donkeys to school?

The majority of the people asking these questions were Christian and all were from Europe, the US, or Australia.

Those type of tourists are also likely to donate money to Israel.

So where is this discrepancy coming from?

I think there are two things.

1. Christians need Jews in Israel so their prophecy of the Second Coming and the End of Days can come true. Simple and well-know.

However, I think there's also a second reason that affects also non-Christians and people on both sides of the political spectrum:

2. The idea of the Noble Savage.

That idea mostly described Native Americans in Western literature, though it branched out sometimes to describe other people who weren't Western/European.

What is this trope?

The idea that the native person is in touch with nature and so has an innate goodness/innocence/naivete that a 'civilized' person from the West doesn't have.

But of course they're still a savage and Western civilization is better which lets it triumph.

How do I think this trope affects Westerners in regards to Israel?

1. (Evangelical often but not only) Christians view Jews as a sort of historical version of this: Jews have innate ties to the history of Christianity since Christianity developed off of Judaism, but obviously Christianity is better and more civilized.*

2. Pro-Palestinian Westerners view Palestinians as people with native ties to the Land, but they need help fighting against the Big Bad Westerners (the Jews).** Sometimes they don't even know what's good for them and the Westerners have to step in.

*These can both affect people who don't fit (perfectly) into these categories. For instance, the insistence by Western animal rights activists and/or vegans that Kosher and Halal slaughtering is cruel, despite the fact that the animal must be healthy and killed in one slice, is an effect of the first category.

**Palestinians do have ties to the land, I'm not here to deny that. Jews also have ties to the land. This post isn't about who is more right (false dichotomy) but about how Westerners biases about the Middle East, Israel, Jews and Arabs affects how they look at this subject.

#israel #jumblr #palestine

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khapaleaf · 6 months

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Done with my unfair run, finally (well, I was done with it on the 10th, but I wanted to celebrate by gorging myself on extremely sour candy, and afterwards I needed a day to calm down). It took me longer to finish than I had initially anticipated, but it was a grand experience filled with fun times. Anyway, trying to organise my thoughts here, because it will be interesting for me to see whether my opinions will change over time later on, and so into archiving mode I go.

First things first, I think Owlcat did a fantastic job at making this versatile and complex setting accessible to those who are not entirely familiar with it. Prior to playing the game, my own knowledge of this universe was limited to a small number of short stories and a much bigger number of memes without context. Yet going into the game, I never felt overwhelmed with new information, and felt right at home in the Koronus Expanse (or about as much as one can in this grim and unforgiving setting). The in-game glossary and the informative mouseover parts that can appear during dialogues to briefly explain what this or that organisation does, or who that person is and so on helped immensely in helping to ease into it. Bless all developers who do this, honestly. The soundtrack (10/10; not a single bad track, a triumph of a mood-setting music that seamlessly blends with the visual style), art design (pretty fucking metal – love the skulls everywhere; and it is also very interesting to see how Owlcat makes progress with each new game in terms of graphics), and characters all also play a big role in making the game a cohesive and truly engaging whole, and allow to uncover the myriad of complexities native to this setting. I laughed, I wept, I felt a myriad of powerful emotions. This is really it, this is what I want in my rpgs! And I want to play it over and over and over again. Fortunately for me, my brain is wired in a way that allows me to do just that without getting bored.

The main story itself is ultimately not all that complex, but the way it is built up within the game is genuinely interesting and engaging even despite the relative emptiness of the post-Commorragh chapters. I like that the planetary quests are structured a bit like self-contained episodes, while at the same time falling neatly into the puzzle that paints the bigger picture of the state of the Expanse. Still, I wish that there was a kind of overarching red thread present throughout the narrative like in the Pathfinder games (even though, yes, I get that these are vastly different settings and narrative experiences). For example, in Kingmaker, the kingdom has to resolve numerous issues throughout the years, but the threat of Nyrissa destroying it altogether looms over the heroes at all times – that is the kind of red thread I am talking about. It seems to me that there is a distinct lack of such a detail in this game, but if it were actually present in the story, the momentum after the third chapter would not have been lost, and it would have added some gravitas and an emotional punch to the later part of the game. Maybe there should have been more focus on Theodora’s involvement in the grand scheme of things, and how it affected the present timeline, maybe there should have been an overarching antagonist... There should have been more interactions with Nomos, definitely. Still, even with the blemishes, the story managed to draw me into a state of fascination and infatuate me with its vast cast, even though at times it felt as if I am taking part in a quietly moving tragedy, with every small decision slowly leading to a point of no return (but it fits the setting, so no complaints there). And really, this is not my first time loving a game with a less than stellar closing chapter. After all, both Tyranny and Kotor 2 stand among my favourites.

I do wish that it were possible for the player character to be a bit more involved in/written into the setting in terms of reactivity to their background and selected class. The amount of variation in the character creator with all of the different backgrounds, archetypes, skills and triumphs and so on is phenomenal, but the fact that it is all there pretty much only to serve the game mechanics side of things instead of the narrative is honestly a bit of a letdown. I suppose that this could be related back to Theodora’s insistence to forget their previous life in one of the earlier dialogues, but the option to acknowledge the character’s background would have been a fantastic touch nonetheless. I thought it was ridiculous that my first (and main, as is customary for my playthroughs) character, a voidborn, had the option to ask Vigdis to explain just what the hell a voidborn is, and how their lives are structured, but no actual option to relate to her on that level. Of course, it is entirely possible to disregard those questions completely, but then there would not be much to talk about with her, unfortunately. And she explains things so poetically, too. Just... give my character the option to relate to this experience (even though, as far as I understand, the rogue trader cannot be too voidborn-y, otherwise they would not have had the option of becoming a rogue trader in the first place). They did apparently add in some reactivity options along with the big patch back in February, but I do not have a save from that early in the game, so I cannot check whether anything at all was written in for this particular instance, or if this reactivity meant something else entirely.

Also, when it comes to the player character, I am still not entirely sure whether I enjoy the conviction system or not. I like that it restricts certain items, decisions, colony projects and such to specific conviction levels, but I do not like how it ties into the endings in the sense that one with the highest rank overrides everything else without taking into consideration the actual decisions made in the game. Basically, do tell the story of my character’s deeds, but do not presume to know what they were motivated by. My character had the most points in the Iconoclast branch (though it was roughly equal points-wise with the Dogmatic branch prior to the lock-in), and was described as an open-minded, merciful soul because of it. Open-minded, perhaps, certain in-game decisions do point to that being a possibility, and I do not even mind the fact that the Imperium feels the need to go to war with the entire Expanse because of those decisions – this fits, more or less. But was she merciful and compassionate? I do not think that a person who servitorises people left and right, uses them as fertiliser, thinks that cutting out the tongues of servants is a great idea to emulate, executes entire noble families as a precautionary measure, nukes and purges whole ass planets, and pretty much channels her inner Camellia on a regular basis is the space mother Teresa that the game makes her out to be. She is a basic bastard, but she is my basic bastard like all of my characters are, but I enjoyed her journey and I am rather protective of her, for lack of a better word. Perhaps it is a minor thing, but I do not like that the narrative makes assumptions about my character like that. And what of nuance? Sure, she did offer help to certain individuals, but it was done more from the point of view of someone who wants to ensure their loyalty, not someone who is genuinely concerned for said individual. That one dialogue with Cassia in particular was a defining point in her character building.

So here I am, trying to make a cohesive portrait in my mind, taking mental notes on what makes my character tick, and then the ending slides come up, and introduce their own static idea of what my character was like. Oh well, I suppose such are the limitations and restrictions placed on the character due to their native environment being a video game. Perhaps I could simply ignore this part, as I did with the whole kidnapping shenanigans timeline in WotR. Something to think about, I suppose.

Fortunately, the other characters, both the companions and the support characters are all a colourful bunch. And largely consistent in their attitudes and beliefs! Each of them speaks and acts in ways unique to no one but themselves, and I really like when the companion characters specifically chime in with their opinions and even have their own back and forth interactions in conversations. There is a lot of that, more than in any other Owlcat game to date, I would say. Still, when it comes to the companions specifically, I wish there were more deeply developed ways of interaction present. What I mean is that there is no option to really get to know them and become confidants, if not friends. I do feel attached to them as a player, but I would like to see my character actually interact with them more outside of their personal quests. Talking to Pasqal while he is being involved with all of the tech stuff on board? Cool! Cassia visiting the rogue trader to ask for their advice? Excellent, give me more of that, please. Getting drunk with Jae? Absolutely fantastic and hilarious (well, that was actually part of her quest, but it was still pretty unique bit, I think). I wish there were more scenes like that throughout the entirety of the game, but that is honestly my wish for any game that features companions.

On a smaller note, I also think that the book excerpts, letters and notes were wonderfully written, and I could easily imagine the personality of the author behind them, their worries, their beliefs and their desires in life.

I do think that there should have been a bit more voiced dialogue, especially when it comes to non-companions, to get a better feel for their personality as well as their presence in this world, but at the same time I am also not at all upset that a huge bulk of the dialogue happens through nothing but pure text, as I generally prefer to read and skip past the voice acting in video games on subsequent playthroughs, anyway. Unless the lines are really good, of course. And what is actually voiced is fantastic – Owlcat always manages to pick voice actors that are so vibrant and memorable and are a joy to listen to, always. Even now, I can read a line, any line, and imagine that it is spoken by Ekundayo or Jaethal, for example, all with their unique speech patterns and inflections. Here as well, the voice actors did such a remarkable job of bringing life to the characters, that I find it easy to imagine what their unvoiced lines sound like.

That said, I did not particularly enjoy the voice sets for the player character this time around, at least initially. It seems to me like they all have a bit too much personality, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but I am used to selecting these voices as a mere formality (so that the character would make noise when they are hurting in combat, or when they find something on the map), not as a pretty damn defining feature for my characters. It definitely took time to adjust. Still, it was an interesting experience, because these voice lines, somewhat surprisingly, helped me develop the character even further because I go into games without having a clear vision of what the character is going to be like, and instead develop them on the go. But! The voices for the dudes are all kind of revolting to listen to. Unfortunate, but not surprising, because I also disliked all but one in the Pathfinder games. They all sound like they have a fish bone stuck in their throat and need someone to german suplex them to get it out, looney tunes style. How will I ever experience the romance with Lady Cassia under these conditions, damn it?

Speaking of romances, I think it is hilarious that the one my character ended the game with (Marazhai) is on the opposite spectrum in terms of pretty much everything to the one I wanted her to end up with (Yrliet) before playing the game. On my first run, I was certain that the latter caught a bug sometime during its course, and thus ended abruptly without even having a proper start, but apparently Yrliet does not like it if one decides to stab a dude in the neck in front of her, as it was later explained to me. Not a fan of such colourful methods of courtship, then. But it is fine, I would rather see the characters fit together rather than force anything by having my character act in ways that do not fit them to keep the romance going. So in comes Marazhai. The dude definitely has some enviable home decor skills, is very useful in combat encounters and deals a ton of damage, sends out a bunch of his kabalites to kill the enemies of the dynasty, gives not one, but two very cool and useful buffs (and they are intangible, which means more place to equip all sorts other beneficial items – and there is such a wide variety of items to choose from, it is incredible), and is pretty hilarious overall. Also! He managed to take out nine fucking participants (five of which were at full health) of the Aeldari ambush all by himself after the rest of the party was taken out of commission. That was the most clutch moment of the game for me. So... A worthwhile investment, I say. And, most importantly, he and my character actually fit. It is stupid and hilarious, perhaps unintentionally, but they fit.

The combat! I approached it cautiously because, while I do enjoy turn-based combat, I did not actually like what I saw of it in WotR, because it seemed a bit too wobbly to me, as if the camera was swimming all over the place whenever I tried moving the party, and that made me nauseous (I never finished the fallout-bunker-type side quest due to this). To my surprise, I ended up enjoying it very much from day one, even with my immensely stupid decision to experience the game on hard difficulty during my first run of the game. I am not going to say that it was an easy task, but it was fairly manageable, and I also think that it actually helped quite a bit with making the story feel more fittingly uninviting and grim, given the amount of obstacles the characters had to overcome. Thus far, I have three full runs in total: my main run, which I did twice now, and a kind-of-sort of gimmick run with three officers in the party (plus three other characters to bash enemy heads in), though playing an officer and controlling a party member that happens to be an officer feels different to me, and I have to admit that I did not actually enjoy having the main character be one.

For my unfair run I decided to take my first character, partly because she is the one I consider to be my main, and I wanted get a more polished version of her journey, partly because I read a brilliant comment of someone saying that the warrior class is shit in this game, and my character is indeed a warrior. Well, a warrior/psyker/assassin, with the psyker disciplines being telepathy and biomancy (some people shit on telepathy, too, but it is my favourite due to offering quite a few ways to debuff and damage enemies). Still, I became curious whether she is fit to handle the unfair difficulty. And she is! My strategies may not be the best, and my builds do not allow for instantaneously killing the big bosses (oneshoting a creature with over 20000 hp? In your dreams, maybe), but they do get me through the entire game without me ever needing to lower the difficulty. And at the end of the day, so long as there is more of the enemy on the floor than there is of my guy and their party, that is the only thing that matters. Here are some of her greatest hits.

Considering that she is a bit of a hybrid build, and thus has to juggle between more ability scores than a pure warrior class, I think the results she can show are pretty good. These are all from the last zone, of course, but she is indeed able to hold her own in a fight and dish out substantial damage, both mental and physical, throughout the entirety of the game.

Overall, I was expecting the unfair difficulty to make me feel like the tussles with the wild hunt in Kingmaker did – as if I am about to experience explosive diarrhoea and vomit at the same time. And while there were numerous times when I felt like a single enemy attack could dismantle my entire party (fortunately, that tension is all part of the fun for me), ultimately as the companions levelled up their archetype abilities, and the number of available actions and manoeuvrers grew bigger, most of the fights stopped presenting a challenge in a way where it felt that the deck is truly stacked against them. I often felt like going into the difficulty settings just to check whether it is still set to unfair. Still, while I do not think Owlcat has plans for such a dlc just yet, I would actually enjoy going through a purely combat-focused one, perhaps with a planetary multi-level dungeon with an extravagant amount of dudes to have mega tussles with. More challenges, please!

But I will also admit that I do not yet understand how to build some of the party members to make them valuable in combat. Idira should be extremely powerful, in theory. And she is, but she is also doing way too much damage to the party and often gets taken out of commission during the first round, and look – now the party has to fight a shit demon on top of these other twenty guys. I am missing something crucial here, a way to prevent that from happening, a way to reduce the perils of the warp phenomena from occurring. Could it be the difference between a sanctioned and unsanctioned psyker? Mine is able to spam both damaging abilities and buff the party when the purple warp bar is at full capacity, and yet no demons will be summoned, what the hell?! Heinrix is another character that I do not know how to build properly just yet in a way that would make him strong on the lower levels. Passing out during his own quest? Pathetic!

I know it is my own fault for failing to build him properly, but come on dude, work with me a little!

I have not yet grown fond of the space battle mini-game within the game. I can see them being thematically necessary an largely unavoidable when taking the setting into account, and yet I appreciate them only slightly more than the puzzles in their previous games. I think I would have liked them more if the battles were presented in storybook format (with skill and equipment checks and so on) in order to make them feel less like padding in the game. Oh look, the green field is now positioned in a way that forces the ship to fly in the opposite direction of its enemies! And now the damaged enemy ship is attempting an escape, and now our guns cannot even reach them, and now they are successfully leaving the battlefield. And I have to reload the entire thing and try to shoot them down immediately because I cannot accept anyone making a successful escape. I understand that one enemy ship escaping still counts towards our party’s victory, but I need to see everyone in pieces.

Well, I am probably forgetting about a number of smaller details I would have liked to talk about, but the main thing is that I loved the game. Top 3, definitely! I will not deny that there are quite a few blemishes that hold it back, and there is still a lingering feeling that it game could have been even bigger and more complex, if only the development time was longer. Hopefully, that potential will be tapped in a sequel, if Owlcat ever decides to make one. And I hope that they will stay true to themselves when they do so.

#rogue trader #just taking a couple of notes for my future self to read #i wish i had notes on my pathfinder playthroughs #but only memories remain #well not this time #anyway onto my fourth playthrough i go #maybe then i will find #a place in my heart and a space in my mind for the space combat sections

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sana-yan · 1 year

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the sound of secret minds; a deep dive on SANADA [part one]

or, alternatively, "Why the hell did SANADA leave Los Ingobernables de Japón?"

! Content Warnings: depictions of blood

Disclaimer: This editorial on SANADA's exit from Los Ingos is based on my interpretation of NJPW kayfabe and information from match results, backstage comments, social media, and interviews. Kayfabe is enforced, but I will sometimes reference "out of character" context to analyze events from 2020 to current-day 2023. I will do my best to provide sources, and I highly recommend you subscribe to NJPW World and watch the matches.

Since much of the information is in Japanese, there may be gaps because I am not a native speaker and rely on my/NJPW's translations. As this is a developing storyline, when new information is revealed, some interpretations in this post may become outdated/debunked.

Furthermore, I love LIJ; however, I will analyze and critique the group dynamics (especially Naito) in this meta. I recommend a different read if this current event is a sore spot for readers.

To avoid getting my premium account removed for providing evidence from paywalled content, please do not share outside of Tumblr. Thank you!

Overture;

Los Ingobernables de Japón is fine. More than that, actually. They've had massive wins since their debut in 2015, and their sleek five-man band of Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, BUSHI, SANADA, and Hiromu Takahashi finally acquired their newest pareja, decorated Dragon Gate veteran Shingo Takagi, in October 2018. LIJ seemed to be on an all-time high, led by the man of cool, Naito.

[ID: A screenshot from Bushi's Twitter, posted on March 17, 2020. The members of LIJ pose for a group picture at Korakuen Hall. From left to right: SANADA, BUSHI, Naito, Shingo, Hiromu, and EVIL. Of note: SANADA and EVIL stand on opposite ends, at the edges of the group. Naito is in the center, lying down in his "Tranquilo" pose. SANADA is looking off to the side. EVIL has his back to the viewer, looking over his shoulder. End ID.]

The early iteration of LIJ founder Tetsuya Naito was that of the anti-establishment upstart looking to disrupt the very place that had rejected him as the Stardust Genius. He looked to antagonize the crowd who had driven him away, and his parejas were instrumental to his ascent, assisting him in crucial matches and cheating on his behalf to get the victory.

Nowadays, they've more or so dispersed from the ringside, and Naito himself has shed those ways, arguably losing that bitter bite after winning over the fans in the 2017 G1 Climax. He follows the same vein of New Japan's classic babyfaces in the ring, wanting no interference from his faction during his singles matches.

Los Ingos' appeal is its rebellious aesthetic. I say "aesthetic" as LIJ adopts counterculture motifs but benefits and plays to the society that had scorned their leader. Although Naito quips at the company and speaks unfavorably about some of their decisions, he also abides by New Japan's rules in kayfabe. It's a mishmash, the best of both worlds, despite being ideologically insensible to the true nature of being ungovernable.

Nonetheless, LIJ's brand of rebellion is one that straight-laced Japanese young adults can consume without retribution to their social standing by aligning with something truly anarchist. (It's really shonen manga-esque if you think about it.) By the time 2019 rolls in, Naito and his stable are the establishments now, one of the most popular and prominent stables in NJPW's history. The company fully backs its projects, and branded merch sells faster than hotcakes.

Furthering that triumph, it's a big win for the members of LIJ at Wrestle Kingdom 14 (Jan. 4-5, 2020): Naito wins both IWGP Intercontinental and Heavyweight Belts from Jay White and Kazuchika Okada; Hiromu Takahashi defeats Will Ospreay and gets the IWGP Junior Heavyweight, becoming a 3-time champion; and BUSHI, EVIL, and Shingo win the Gauntlet match for the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Championships. Yes, the members of LIJ were bona fide champions. A faction draped in victory and riches.

Ah, did I forget someone?

That's right, I did. SANADA was the only member of LIJ not to win his bout versus Zack Sabre Jr. for the RevPro British Heavyweight Championship. However, I believe it was the correct outcome. Unlike Zack, who had his pride on the line and the drive to raise the prestige of the belt, SANADA didn't seem to be as hungry.

[ID: The members of LIJ pose for the magazine Weekly Pro Wrestling (Issue No. 2061, April 22, 2020). From left to right: EVIL, Shingo, BUSHI, Naito, SANADA, and Hiromu. Of note: EVIL is the farthest from the group, dressed head-to-toe in black. SANADA stands out with his white suit as the only one without a belt. As the Double Champion, Naito sits on a chair, showing off his belts (the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental). End ID.]

Even though Naito's big roll call in the Tokyo Dome was ruined by a malicious KENTA (the king of iconic behavior), Naito had these words to say:

"What he [KENTA] did was truly amazing, professionally speaking. You have to speak up or make a move if you want to show the fans what you want."

Remember this: Naito is a big "Pull Yourself Up By Your Bootstraps" type. This is his philosophy after the toxicity he had received from the fans as the Stardust Genius. Life doesn't give you chances, so you must seize your opportunities.

As Naito deals with KENTA, SANADA pins Jay White during a tag match at New Years Dash 2020, catching the ire of the Switchblade. After sparring again at a Feb 1, 2020 match, Jay rants backstage, calling out SANADA for his apparent lack of depth.

"But... SANADA... you can never win when it matters! How many times have you *evil bastard gaspy breathing* won the US Championship? Zero! ...The Intercontinental Championship... Zero! How many times, after chance, after chance, after chance, have you held the IWGP Heavyweight Championship? *evil bastard chuckle* Any guesses?! ... It's another ZERO!"

Jay White refers to SANADA's record of unsuccessfully challenging Kazuchika Okada, New Japan Pro Wrestling's undeniably dominant champion in the heavyweight division. SANADA had challenged him for the title at Wrestling Dontaku 2019, and at King of Pro-Wrestling 2019, the Rainmaker reigned supreme. The singles titles in NJPW are seen as the pinnacle of success, and although SANADA had won trios and tag team titles, his singles run was barren.

So, is SANADA a dud? A choke artist? Not so fast.

Kota Ibushi, who you might know as one of the most talented and most himbo wrestlers from the nation of Japan, had these words to say during his bout with SANADA leading up to G1 Climax 29:

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[ID: A video from Night 6 of the G1 climax. SANADA and Ibushi have a friendly pec-popping contest. End ID.]

This interaction interests me because the calm and collected Cold Skull from Los Ingos is approaching Kota first of his own free will. On Japanese commentary, they state that SANADA acknowledges "four wrestling prodigies with super abilities: Keiji Mutoh (his mentor), Naomichi Marufuji (the premier Ace of Pro Wrestling NOAH), AJ Styles (🌈), and Kota Ibushi (the man who doesn't trust books)."

In the segment, I want to highlight how engaged SANADA is in a competitive comradeship with Kota, as opposed to his matchups with other wrestlers during this time. The commentary remarks on their obvious parallels as the two do some himbo-to-himbo communication. Both are seen as wrestling prodigies, babyfaces at heart, effortlessly good-looking, and have the crowd's devotion, yet ― Kota achieves success, and SANADA does not. Kota would beat SANADA on July 20, 2019, in the G1 Climax and be one more step closer to becoming "God."

Reflecting on the match, Kota had this to say:

"He doesn’t really fit in with LIJ to me. I think there’s a spot for him where he can be at his best, and it isn’t as SANADA, it’s as Seiya Sanada." (emphasis added)

But that's 2019. Let's fast-forward to the current timeline. On February 9, 2020, Jay White and SANADA square off in a special singles exhibition... and SANADA loses.

You might have noticed I have not mentioned any of SANADA's backstage comments from his feud with Jay. There weren't any from the Cold Skull at the time.

On the other hand, Naito defeats KENTA and retains his titles on the same day as SANADA's loss. He reiterates his statement, veiled in blood because I cannot find a youtube link:

[ID: A bloody Naito gives a press conference after defeating KENTA. He says, "It's like I say, you have to speak up to be heard. The wrestler who ventured out into the world [KENTA] is very hungry. He wants to reach for any chance available. I like his attitude. I like that kind of attitude. So other wrestlers should be wary. He'll do what he wants, regardless of the blowback. I do think that is amazing." End ID.]

This further illustrates how Naito feels about his competition ― friends and foes alike. Yes, KENTA besmirched Naito's big moment, but Naito respects the man who feeds his hunger to win by any means necessary. If you want to make your mark in the world, you must get your hands dirty digging into the earth.

Right after that match, Hiromu challenges Naito for a special match. They set the date. March 3, 2020. Naito vs. Hiromu. Shingo, BUSHI, and EVIL are set to defend their trio's titles. And lastly, the runt of the litter, SANADA, tries to regroup through the New Japan Cup to compensate for his loss of momentum. He earns a win over Mikey Nicholls in the first round. However, his strive to ascend among his stablemates is short-lived as Japan enacts its emergency COVID-19 pandemic countermeasures, and NJPW's show dates are canceled until June.

Although these videos are centered on Hiromu and Naito, they portray LIJ's group dynamics. What makes some members resonate with the group's ethos and others feel left behind all boils down to Naito's vision for the group.

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[ID: A video detailing Naito and Hiromu's past before LIJ. End ID.]

Compared to his other parejas, Naito sees Hiromu as his prized student... and the 2nd Generation of Tetsuya Naito. Yes, while LIJ mainly functions as a group of individuals first and foremost, and every member is focused on their own goals rather than each other, Naito's relationship with Hiromu goes beyond his partnership with the other teammates. Almost as if he knows he will be passing on the torch of LIJ to Hiromu.

My prediction is if NJPW wants to pull the trigger and move Hiromu to the Heavyweight Division, he will be the one to replace Naito as the "leader" of LIJ (said loosely, as Naito noted there is no leader in LIJ.) According to the video, Naito mentions he even queried Hiromu about the possibility of Los Ingos in Japan. As per Naito's belief in "Destino," LIJ's bonds weren't just discovered; Naito predestined Hiromu's inclusion into the team from LIJ's inception.

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[ID: Part one of a video from Hiromu's YouTube channel showing the rare meetup between all members of LIJ. Of note: The Youtube thumbnail is from the same photoshoot featured in Issue No. 2061 of Weekly Pro Wrestling. End ID.]

Some points I wanted to emphasize in this video:

LIJ does not keep tabs on one another outside of the ring. As Naito says in an interview: "We aren’t super sociable as a group, but we’ll send texts here and there." Their out-of-ring distance will be a motif among the members.

Naito likes to instigate conflict. Some people thrive and play well with it (Hiromu, Shingo). Others do not.

Uncle Shingo is such an uncle. This kinda plays into this meta.

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[ID: Part 2 of a video from Hiromu’s YouTube channel showing the rare meetup between all members of LIJ. Of note: The Youtube thumbnail is from the same photoshoot featured in Issue No. 2061 of Weekly Pro Wrestling. BUSHI, Naito, and Shingo share a couch while Hiromu sprawls on the floor. EVIL is seated on a chair at the group's left, with a large gap separating him from everyone else. At the opposite end of the group from EVIL, SANADA also sits alone in a chair that is pushed close to Shingo's side of the couch. End ID.]

Key points in this video:

"We wanted to do the LIJ roll call in the Dome; I thought it'd be great if we were all champions. But SANADA lost his title match... Even before I won, we decided not to do it." - Naito (0:56-1:05)

"I have no desire to impose my will on the rest of the team." - Naito (3:03)

"The thing about this unit is that each of us is especially hungry. If even one of us were to take it easy, that would lower the value of the team." - Hiromu (3:35)

BUSHI is Team Mom (SANADA responds well to BUSHI because they have a shared history before LIJ; they trained at AJPW roughly around the same time.)

EVIL does not respond when BUSHI says, "We're like family." In fact, EVIL does not speak at all in these videos.

This might be something tumblr user @taichi-niiyan and I might be reading too much into, but it feels noteworthy to mention the group's visual aesthetic in these videos. EVIL and SANADA are seated at both ends, with EVIL in a pure black ensemble and SANADA in white. Both would leave LIJ in the future, but their methods would be at opposing ends. Also, SANADA's white suit catches the viewer's attention, quickly demarking that he is the only member without a title.

In June 2020, Japan lifted a few COVID restrictions, and NJPW resumed its New Japan Cup. In this interlude during the lockdown, NJPW releases a curious interview where Naito shows his priorities among his members, choosing Hiromu and EVIL to make it to the finals in the 2020 Cup. Infamously, Naito muses aloud,

"Is EVIL fourth at bat, or is he the fourth of four heavyweights? SANADA doesn’t have a title, and EVIL is NEVER Openweight 6-Man Champion, but he [EVIL] seems to be further behind in a way."

He also compares SANADA's performance and how his lack of a belt doesn't seem to faze the Cold Skull. How Naito operates is why he didn't choose SANADA in his final bracket. The people who "want it more" will always appear on Naito's radar. He walks his critiques back a little, saying that he says these things to motivate the group, but as I mentioned before, Naito enjoys mind games a little too much to notice that not everyone finds his "encouragement" inspiring.

SANADA even quips about it in a 2018 NJPW interview:

NJPW: — Last September [2017], as Naito was heading into a match with Tomohiro Ishii, he taunted Ishii by saying he needed to speak his mind, to speak up. There’s an extent to which that was directed at you, perhaps, as advice, or that he was being cognisant of you.

SANADA: Ah, yes. Naito is very ‘kind’ with his advice in so many ways, isn’t he..

— Do you feel that Naito is aware of you, that he does keep you in mind?

SANADA: Yes, but only in so much that he feels he has the energy left over for it. He has his antenna going all the time. He isn’t entirely wrapped up in himself, but he has an awareness of everything going on around him. That I’m worthy of coming up on his radar, I guess that’s ‘kindness’ on his part.

LIJ's competitive environment centered on personal success and self-started motivation, plus Naito's provocative comments, open to an electrifying NJ Cup where Hiromu, Shingo, EVIL, and SANADA, duke it out, among others on the roster, to challenge the double champ, Naito.

SANADA faces off against Ryusuke Taguchi, SHO, and, lastly, Taichi in the quarter-finals to make his way to the semi-finals of the NJ Cup. Funnily enough, Cold Skull doesn't provide any backstage NJ Cup commentary until the Taichi match, to which SANADA says:

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[ID: A video from July 2, 2020's New Japan Cup between SANADA and Taichi. SANADA remarks on the mic, "I confirmed something while competing in this New Japan Cup. I love fighting in this ring more than anything else in life." End ID.]

A fun fact SANADA brings up in his July 10, 2020, kayfabe diary entry is that his battle with Taichi contained all previous AJPW personnel in his opponent (Taichi), ring announcer (Makoto Abe), referee (Red Shoes Unno), and guest commentary (Yoshinobu Kanemaru).

Now making it to the semi-finals of the New Japan Cup, SANADA must face his LIJ stablemate and tag team partner of over 3 years, EVIL. He ensures he means friendly competition, offering a handshake to EVIL at the start of the match, to which the big bruiser accepts ― to create an opening for a quick finish. SANADA and EVIL break off to create space, and SANADA's expression says it all: something is off.

Throughout the match, SANADA gives EVIL multiple sportsmanlike chances, even holding the rope open for EVIL to return to the ring when the King of Darkness goes outside to disrupt the pace. Still, each goodwill from SANADA is thwarted, and the match ends with a cheap shot from EVIL to crush SANADA's chances of winning the New Japan Cup (as well as his balls).

Eventually, EVIL would triumph as the victor of the New Japan Cup, defeating Okada with help from Bullet Club interference. While giving his victory speech, EVIL calls out Naito. And the rest is history.

Bereft by the betrayal, Hiromu clashes with EVIL, failing to regain the belts EVIL has cheated from Naito at Sengoku Lord (July 25, 2020). At this time, SANADA has been processing the betrayal, making no comments backstage about losing his long-term tag team partner. However, it's not to say his emotions aren't brewing underneath it all.

Later on, he briefly reflects on his tag team with EVIL:

そして、新日本に来てからのパートナーはEVILでした。EVILとは未完成がフィットした時の快感が凄く良く、タッグならではの味が出て、パートナーがいないと強くもカッコ良くもならいような感覚、2人が組む事に意味があるパートナーでした。 "Ever since coming to New Japan, my partner was EVIL. It felt fulfilling when our partnership began to fall into place, our tag team flavor was unique, and there was a sense that we couldn't become strong or cool without each other. It was meaningful for us to work together." (Mar. 5, 2021)

SANADA acknowledges that during his tag run with EVIL, there was no way for them to shine independently, for they lacked that extra something, though he doesn't know what. In EVIL's perspective, he had to drastically betray LIJ to finally overcome that hurdle. Throughout the summer, SANADA and his teammates fend off EVIL and his cronies and succeed. Naito wins back his titles at Jingu Stadium.

SANADA's next big moment is the G1 Climax 30, where he faces a block where he'll have to go head-to-head with Naito. But things aren't looking so good. He's on a losing streak, with Yano, Goto, and YOSHI-HASHI besting him. Naito, on the other hand, has been breezing by with his wins, and he remarks on his upcoming match with SANADA in Nagaoka:

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[ID: A video from Naito's backstge comments from Night 6 (September 29, 2020) of the G1 Climax 30. End ID.]

"SANADA doesn't seem ready for that kind of underdog story, yet." - (6:25)

"...That frustration [from losing] will serve him well in the future." - (6:43)

October 1, 2020, Naito vs SANADA. If SANADA loses here, he's basically out of the G1 Climax Tournament. After a grueling fight, miraculously, SANADA wins this one, setting his and Naito's singles record to 1-1. After the Naito upset, SANADA is on fire, beating ZSJ, KENTA, Juice Robinson, and even toppling the Ace, Hiroshi Tanahashi.

After the Ace, what remains is EVIL. On Oct. 17, 2020, almost 3 months after his loss to his former tag partner in the New Japan Cup, they have a head-to-head in a singles match. As per EVIL's new modus operandi, there's a lot of interference on behalf of Dick Togo, but what makes this match stand out is that Hiromu leaves the commentary booth to help SANADA during EVIL and Dick Togo's illegal 2-on-1 attack, a rare feat for modern-day LIJ. His stablemate's much-needed aid pushes SANADA into victory to move onto the finals and face the Block A winner ― Kota Ibushi.

And at the Tokyo Ryoguku Kokugikan, Kota Ibushi makes history, becoming the first wrestler to go to the finals 3 times straight and becomes a back-to-back champion, in the same vein as legends Masahiro Chono and Hiroyoshi Tenzan.

In the closing remarks, Kota fields a question from a reporter asking about what it was like to face SANADA in the longest G1 final ever. Kota, without hesitation, says his sentiments have stayed the same.

"SANADA should be on this side. I was reminded of that today."

And after his match on the card, Naito says it one more time backstage, almost pleased that EVIL hasn't given up on exacting revenge on Naito and LIJ, and directs his message to the world:

"It's good to speak up, or else no one will ever hear you."

But SANADA remains silent.

Da Capo;

SANADA returns to tag team action after his failed attempts at breaking out on his own. Tagging with Naito, he neutralizes EVIL and Dick Togo on the road to Power Struggle and then joins World Tag League again with Shingo Takagi for the first time.

Although they don't win the Tag League, Shingo fosters a good relationship with SANADA. He declares that they "exist between the calm and the fury." He also gives SANADA credit for his achievements in previous World Tag Leagues.

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[ID: A video from November 19, 2020 depicting Shingo Takagi and SANADA. Shingo encourages SANADA to speak to the crowd. End ID.]

Unlike the other members of LIJ, Shingo is very social and seeks company, which initially confuses the Cold Skull. He's more used to LIJ, mainly Naito and Hiromu, commanding control and attention. However, with Shingo's insistence, SANADA plays along, speaking on the mic. However, backstage, SANADA has a silent moment with the camera and moves on.

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[ID: A video from December 4, 2020 depicting Shingo Takagi and SANADA. Shingo offers SANADA the mic. End ID.]

I believe Shingo was a positive influence on SANADA. He helped crack SANADA's shell, encouraging him to be more emotive. Behind SANADA's calm exterior is someone who wishes to connect with others, with an all-too-human desire to feel "seen" and liked. (His asking, "Do you like SANADA?" is a crucial motif.) In a diary entry, SANADA writes how he respects Shingo:

TKGは本当になんでも出来て頼れるパートナーで、パワー、スピード、カッコイイ全部揃ってるところが魅力的なパートナーです。 "TKG is a reliable tag partner who can do anything. He's got power, speed, and coolness all-in-one." (Mar. 5, 2021, diary entry)

However, while these interactions with the crowd are cute, I cannot help but feel that SANADA loses his agency.

I likened Shingo to an Uncle because that's what it feels like in hindsight; SANADA is put in a spot by his senior teammate, much like a child whose uncle wants him to entertain. Shingo's solution to SANADA's disaffection is to hype him up and get SANADA to emulate his fiery spirit for the crowd. But from where it stands, his inclusivity efforts fail to reach SANADA ultimately. You get the sense that SANADA feels uncomfortable in his own skin when he passes backstage.

A quick aside, during the WTL, Hiromu enters the Best of the Super Juniors and wins against El Desperado in the finale (which you should watch since it is an amazing match).

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[ID: A video from the backstage of the Best of the Super Juniors finals. The winner, Hiromu, sits alone with a ZIMA in his hands. End ID.]

He asks, "Doesn't everyone from Los Ingobernables de Japón want to celebrate my victory [with me]?" He jokes that they're probably going to "watch and laugh" and moves on. This may be controversial to popular belief, but to me, LIJ is a family... but a dysfunctional one. Naito's non-leadership outlook and pick-and-choose involvement with his parejas negatively affect LIJ.

It's not that they don't care about or have never protected each other, but they don't go out of their way to be present for each other's victories (except for Naito's roll call) or struggles. They don't expect that support from each other, as it's not considered fighting one's own battles to lean on someone during times of strife.

Compare that with the camaraderie in United Empire, Suzuki-gun, and as scattered as they are, CHAOS even shows up for Okada in his victory press conferences. LIJ, in contrast, majorly commemorate their grand feats alone. If other factions are continents, LIJ is an archipelago. The members may group together when their goals align, but at their crux, they are insular, focused only on their faculties and goals.

Therefore, it's no stretch to see where EVIL came from when he said LIJ was "rotten." He didn't know how to articulate his loneliness or disappointment in being so close to his hero, Naito, yet feeling like they were on different teams altogether. That's why SANADA didn't have the explosive outcry Hiromu did right after EVIL's betrayal.

Hiromu, who's always been doted on by Naito and BUSHI, doesn't understand that his experience in LIJ isn't universal. SANADA, on the other hand, lowkey understood how LIJ dispirited EVIL. (For more on the events leading to EVIL's betrayal, I recommend you watch this excellent video essay.)

However, EVIL has become twisted with his vindictive revenge, and on the last day of the World Tag League, he unleashes SANADA's repressed anger through his cheap, violent tactics. Even Shingo cannot rein in SANADA. The two fight it out on the ramp, and SANADA drags EVIL backstage.

[ID: A gifset featuring the December 11, 2020 tag match between Shingo and SANADA vs. EVIL and Yujiro. Image 1: Dick Togo chokes out SANADA from behind with a garrote wire. EVIL taunts SANADA, curling a finger and slapping his face. Image 2: SANADA strikes a prone EVIL, pushing off a Young Lion trying to stop him. Image 3: Shingo approaches SANADA, trying to calm him down. Image 4: SANADA shoves past Shingo to jump the ropes to go after EVIL on the ramp. End ID.]

In the following video, it's clear that EVIL is in over his head and panicking, and SANADA has lost his patience.

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[ID: A video showing EVIL, Dick Togo, and SANADA backstage. Although EVIL makes vague threats to SANADA, he escapes up the stairs with a chair. SANADA silently stalks off. End ID.]

On the Road to Wrestle Kingdom 15, the two go after each other, and although the first night is in EVIL's favor, and the King of Darkness revels in his easy win, yelling at SANADA to "get mad," he is not ready for the war about to take place between them.

The normally cool-headed Cold Skull finally lets go of the nostalgia of his old tag team partner, the closest member of LIJ who he had known for the past 4 years. He comes up to EVIL intending to hurt him, carrying that "killer edge" that the English commentary says SANADA has been missing to propel his intensity. However, it's worth noting SANADA doesn't find the cheer in victory (like Naito and Hiromu) but appears deeply unsatisfied in enacting such violence, as seen in these gifs:

[ID: A gifset featuring the December 22, 2020 tag match between SANADA, Naito, and Hiromu vs. EVIL, Dick Togo, and Yujiro. Image 1: SANADA keeps EVIL in his sleeper hold, Skull End, even after the bell has rung. Young Lions come to try to free EVIL, but SANADA holds on. Naito shoves off the Young Lions, encouraging SANADA to keep holding on. Image 2: SANADA releases EVIL and looks over at his ex-teammate with a serious expression. Image 3: SANADA stands in the ring, hands at his sides, frowning. Image 4: Naito and Hiromu swing their arms up and down in their victory. SANADA keeps to himself, watching as ring staff help EVIL out. End ID.]

When their feud culminates at Wrestle Kingdom 15, SANADA comes to terms with his relationship with EVIL. It's done and done. When he defeats EVIL, he moves on with a clean break. He challenges Kota Ibushi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Intercontinental belts just as the Golden Star plans his unification process. He wants to test himself against the best to see how he matches up to the Golden Star.

どっちが強いのか、どっちがカッコイイのか、どっちが凄いのか、チャンピオン、勝負しましょう。 "Which one is stronger? Which one is cooler? Which one is more awesome? Champion, let's fight." (Jan. 8, 2021 diary entry)

In the days leading up to the New Beginning in Hiroshima, Kota, while down to fight SANADA, also wonders about the reason why SANADA has chosen to challenge for the belts. In an interview posing the same question, SANADA replies,

"I want to be where the lights shine the brightest... To me, what shines the brightest is the IWGP Heavyweight Championship."

In the same interview, SANADA finally addresses Kota's invitation to join Hontai but turns him down. He doesn't believe in leaving LIJ without getting results; he doesn't want to regress to the past of Seiya Sanada. He's happy where he is now, he says.

However, he agrees that there's a lot "unfulfilled" with his career. It's becoming clear that the idea of leaving LIJ has been on his mind. However, he says he can't go "half-assed." Although SANADA's words sound like they're full of conviction, in actuality, they're hollow; it's an excuse to the painful core of why SANADA chases for the title.

[ID: SANADA interviewed by New Japan. He says, "Also becoming champion will end any doubt about SANADA." Of note: he lowers his gaze away from the camera. End ID.]

It's to quell his anxiety. SANADA secretly wonders if being "just a member" of LIJ is the height of all he can achieve with New Japan. That LIJ is his ceiling. His safe route.

[ID: Kota Ibushi interviewed by New Japan. He says, "However, I'm not sure about SANADA's ambitions towards becoming champion." End ID.]

And Kota picks up on something amiss immediately. He suspects SANADA's ambitions of becoming champion aren't "true." In a way, SANADA fulfills his own words. His chase for the title is half-assed, just like how he had challenged for Zack's RevPro British Heavyweight title a year before.

February 11, 2021, at the New Beginning in Hiroshima, SANADA suffers another loss to Kota Ibushi. And as SANADA goes backstage, fading into the shadows, none other than Tetsuya Naito saunters up to the victorious Ibushi, in the full spotlight, standing up to the God of Wrestling as the next challenger.

In his backstage interview, Kota remarks on SANADA for the final time.

"I think he's still unsure of where he's supposed to be. Even though he said he has to make his mark before he moves on, I don't think that's right. He should keep moving forward... But this is the last time I'll tell him that."

And SANADA remains silent.

END PART ONE.

To be covered In the next installment: "Sana-yan", "Ni-yan", Instagram thirst traps but not really, masks, ennui, and hope.

#sanada #seiya sanada #njpw #*meta #long reads #*history #( title from hi-standard; sana-yan's favorite band )#( i hit video limit lmao )#( so this is a two-parter! )#( thanks to tumblr user taichi-niiyan for writing some of the IDs! )

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