#Not only because of leadership but his overall combat knowledge

[enjomo-arch]

I love how the novel really nicely references Ace's leadership. It's not only charisma or his heroism that pulls people closer to him but something above it. He very easily manages to catch people following his steps and finding a strange interest in him. Instant fondness or even respect -

[det2x-fanfic-dump]

HEADCANON: DEMON BROTHERS AS ANGELS (LEVIATHAN)

Lucifer | Mammon | Leviathan | Asmodeus | Beelzebub | Belphegore | Lilith/Satan

This is a reference for my fanfic series. Obey Me kinda gives a vague lore or maybe I just forgot and didn't read it properly. But here's my headcanons and takes on what I imagined the brothers' lives are as angels.

You can also see this as my character analysis lol

Disclaimer: This is inspired from the game and my basic understanding in Theology. I am no expert in Theology and I may be religiously-biased writing this.

WHEN HE WAS AN ANGEL:

Leviathan is resourceful and diligent at his angelic duties. He shows his worries through action and not words. So yes...we can say he went through that silent protagonist phase or Chuuni phase without him knowing.

Weapon of Choice: Levi is skilled with a bow and spear.

Levi uses spear for close combat against demonic entities and bow and arrow for long ranged. He mostly use spears to throw at the enemies too. He was under the tutelage of a Seraphim Uriel when he was a lower-ranked angel before.

Power and Abilities:

1. Healing

The ability to heal the sick and wounded. He learned this from Raphael. This ability contrasts his demon power of being

2. Leadership

The ability to command and lead armies of angels and guides animals. He is more of an observer but he can fight and wrestle for discipline.

RANK AS AN ANGEL: Dominion

1. He is given the rank of Dominion and has lead armies of Powers and Principals to protect humanity from sin.

2. Among his 6 brothers excluding Lucifer, he's the most diligent and responsible angel that always follows Father God's plans.

2. He was a normie as an angel....deep inside a tired normie.

3. Levi is busy most of the time training the lower ranked angels. This includes training Beel, Belphie and Lilith.

4. He was one of those angels who watch humans from above. He never leaves the celestial realm unless necessary.

5. He gets orders from Seraphims directly mostly talking to Michael about Father God's plans and Uriel for wisdom and battle tactics.

6. He also talks these things with Lucifer but mostly about random stuff.

7. He plays brass instruments.

8. Levi secretly paint portraits during his day-offs.

HOW BEING AN ANGEL AFFECTS HIM AS A DEMON:

Being cursed with Envy, his confidence, being observant and level-headedness were replaced with him being so talkative and anxious about everything.

Basically, bark but no bite.

Levi is a retired general and him playing videogames shows his skills as a soldier.

Uriel's teachings about the Devildom (hell) makes Levi the gatemaster to Hell.

HOW BEING AN ANGEL AFFECTS HIS OTAKU LIFESTYLE:

(I can't help but add this in because it makes sense)

Levi's good precision and aim in wielding spears and bows makes him a good FPS player in videogames.

His knowledge of strategists, tactics and battle as a general makes RPG games and games that requires tactics his favorites.

Headcanon: His love for Fantasy genres reflects his

Source of Inspiration/ Origin:

What is a Dominion?

Source:

My interpretation: The Obey Me Game only stated Levi being a high ranked general of angels. With this and reading the description of the nine ranks of angels. I think he is a Dominion. A Dominion is an angel that governs, basically "to lead and command" and what does a General in an army do... commanding an army. Just like what Levi does according to the game. A Dominion is the highest rank in the 2nd triad of angels who basically interact with life so in my opinion, that is considered a high ranked overall and maybe a bit similar ranking to Seraphims.

Who is Uriel?

Since it is said in the game that Mammon is under a Seraphim's teaching when they start as an angel. This makes me think that all angels are like that.

Therefore, for Leviathan, I choose Uriel as his Seraphim mentor.

NOTE: I'm gonna make a blog of these known angels in the future lol

With the highlighted notes, I can see somewhat similarities between Uriel and Levi if Uriel is a character from Obey Me.

Similarities:

Both of them are warriors since Uriel is a Cherub and Levi was a commander.

They both have connections to Hell. Leviathan being a gateway to Hell in demonology and Uriel is probably watching over it from above.

Uriel is a patron of the arts, meaning he's creative. This is probably a drive for Levi to be interested in otaku culture since it is a form of art.

I'm gonna make a post of my Uriel Headcanons and archangels headcanons in the future if I have time.

[givemadnessrp]

The Lycan Pack Leadership

The lycan pack of Thebes is a young but old pack. Their ancestors were the original lycans that Ineni created; however, through the gift that Thoth gave Ankh over two thousand years ago, they evolved and changed. The current pack can trace their bloodlines back to him, the original “new” lycan that was less animal and more human. They have grown in number, despite Ankh leaving the pack for the wilds after the treachery of the vampire pharaohs and have developed strong roots and fondness for the Egyptian land, especially the city of Thebes where many of them reside, including their current alpha.

Outside of the ghosts and the royal family, the lycans have the most intimate knowledge of the shifting sands outside of the city. Many of them roam the wilds during the full moon, running across the sands and enjoying the unbridled freedom. However, whenever they return to the city, they adhere to the pack hierarchy. It would be an understatement to think that the pharaohs have full control over lycan pack because they do not. While the crown commands a lot of respect from the lycans, they owe their ultimate loyalty and unwavering faith to their pack alpha and his appointed leaders in the pack. These positions allow for a cohesive unit to exist, knowing what is right and wrong, what they can and cannot do, and who to go to in times of trouble.

The hierarchy of the pack is very cut and dry. Lycans have hierarchy and the pack mentality not only bred into them from birth but drilled and instilled into their very being. These are the playable canons of the lycan pack. They are tasked with helping manage, teach, and protect the pack and ensure that the heritage of the pack is always being passed on. Please note: the current alpha is requested as a part of the privy councilor canon set. Their genders and play-bys are entirely open unless otherwise noted, and their ages should be within the given range of expectations. If you have any questions at all, please reach out to an admin. We will be more than happy to answer any questions!

Alpha's mate, 700+,  is an enigmatic role in the pack hierarchy. outranking everyone but the alpha, but at the same time, not having a clear and defined role in the pack. He or she is often a soft mannered individual who helps to smooth out the rougher edges of the current alpha. They often speak to the pack after the alpha, helping smooth things over and break it down. They are very approachable and very respected in the pack. He or she also works closely with the guardian in helping new wolves learn their places in the pack and learn how to control their abilities. Often portrayed as a "peacekeeper" in the pack because they help settle problems and often runs interference between the two betas to help keep the pack working together harmoniously.

This is the First Beta, 400+,  the alpha's strong right hand who helps maintain order in the ranks and isn't hesitant to deal with problems as they arise. He or she is a lot like the current alpha, very set in their ways and sometimes abrasive. They're a bit blood lusty at times and miss the days of the war when the russians invaded and they could let their inner beast come out. They're very skilled in fighting and tend to train the younger generations in combat in both their lycan forms and their humans form. Like the alpha, they are very dry, sometimes coming across as rude, but they care a lot about the pack and are extremely loyal to the alpha.

The second beta, 80+, is the strong left hand of the alpha and while the first is rough around the edges like the alpha, the second beta is a lot more docile, warmer, and more of an overall people person. While the first beta focuses on combat training and survival skills, the second beta focuses more on their independent education, such as how to survive near mortals for long periods of time. He or she is a more thoughtful leader, tending to be retrospective about most things. Sometimes thought to be too quiet for their position, but when challenged has a fierceness that is unparalleled.

The enforcer, 100+, is a vital role in the pack, even if his or her roles isn't "officially" recognized in the pack hierarchy. The enforcer is simple, they enforce the orders of the alpha and the top two beta's and ensure that everyone is doing what they're supposed to be. They do tend to be a bit pragmatic in how they go about things, but don't let their demeanor fool you, they are deadly in combat and while brute strength isn't always everything, with this lycan, it goes a very long way. They back up the alpha, the betas, and even the alpha's mate a lot, giving them support, being a sounding board, and of course, carrying out whatever they need in order to be effective in their roles. While they are a relatively young lycan compared to the ones they are supporting, they have proven themselves time and time again as a steadying influence and an invaluable supporter.

He or she is the keeper of the histories, the "spiritual" leader, so to speak, and is a close confidant of the alpha. The shaman, 1800+, educates the younger generations on the stories of old and explain the importance of their ancestors. He or she is also uniquely trained in healing arts for lycans and works hard to heal any ailing or injured wolves. They have an ethereal presence, almost appearing mystic at times. They tend to be very candid about things, but they have a caring disposition that makes them seem very warm and approachable by most people, but the youngest lycans holds them in very high esteem because of their rank and knowledge

The guardian, 1000+, is the usually the second highest ranking female in the pack. She is the "den mother" so to speak and is charged with helping raise and care for all young or newly turned lycans. She helps family units when they need help and takes time to get to know each young or new lycan individually. She's a very matronly figure who exudes a motherly persona and is very caring and sweet. She's vicious in her actions to protect the young if she feels like it's needed. She is also the one who help most lycans with their first transformation, preparing them and helping get them ready for what's to come, the blood lust, the strength and anger, and then the freedom that comes with changing into their lycan form. She is an older female and the position is inherited, it's not determined by combat like the normal wolf hierarchy positions are.

[stxleslyds]

Can you please do the list of Jason's and Dick's skills and how good they are at it compared to other skilled people? Of course only if you want to.

Hi! Thank you for the ask anon! I am sorry that it took me so long to answer your ask, I found myself going back and forth with how I wanted to write this out.

Just a heads up, the skills that I will depict here are the ones that I remember and found are attributed to each character in the current timeline. I think it’s important for me to say this because this current Dick Grayson has been nerfed greatly compared to his pre-New 52 counterpart. As for Jason, he has had many things incorporated into his training and some others have been completely erased (even though some of Jason’s training was erased he hasn’t been nerfed by any means).

When I say that Dick has been nerfed, I mean that some of his abilities have been erased in canon and some others have been washed down as the reboots happened.

Now, let me do a little ranting before I jump into listing Dick and Jason’s skills.

If you search for Jason’s skill set in wikis and other places, they might include his Lost Days training as something that he still has but as of New 52 and Rebirth that training has been erased and replaced with Talia sending Jason to the All-Castle right after he came out of the Lazarus Pit.

Also, while many places say that the Lazarus Pit has granted Jason regeneration and the ability to not age, I can safely say that those things aren’t true. As far as I know, the Lazarus Pit can only heal injuries, physical and mental (to a certain extent for the last one).

I assume that the concept of Jason “not being able to age” comes from the fact that Ra’s Al Ghul has the ‘longevity ability’ because “through the use of the Lazarus Pit, Ra's has acquired a greatly extended lifespan, allowing him to live a near-immortal life for centuries”, the thing with this is that Ra’s uses the Lazarus Pit fairly often, Jason only used it once.

So, just to be clear, Jason can age just like any other human character, and the regeneration ability is also untrue because Jason spent a long time recovering from his injuries after the “Death of the Family” event and RHatO vol.2 #25.

Also, there has been no proof of Jason actually having magical abilities (after being submerged in the Lazarus Pit). The All-Blades are summoned through his soul but he doesn’t do magic with them and the summoning was mastered after non-magical training. And the “Magic Negation” move is an arcane martial art move.

Wow, sorry I spent so much time explaining my line of thinking. But I can be confusing when I talk so I thought it would be better if I explained my thought process a bit. I promise I am done though; I will now start listing Dick and Jason’s abilities.

Let’s start with Dick!

Acrobatics.

Aviation.

Criminology.

Espionage.

Genius Level Intellect.

Disguise (Acting).

Escapology.

Leadership.

Multilingualism (12 Languages).

Indomitable Will.

Martial Arts (Boxing, Eskrima, Ninjitsu, Stick Fighting)

Peak Human Condition (Strength, Speed, Stamina, Agility, Reflexes, Durability).

Throwing (Escrima sticks, Wingdings)

Weaponry (Escrima sticks, Firearms, Swords)

Abilities learnt with Batman:

Eidetic Memory.

Forensic Science.

Investigation.

Tactical Analysis.

Tracking.

Interrogation.

Intimidation.

Stealth.

Surveillance.

Jason’s Turn!

Aviation.

Computer Hacking.

Genius Level Intellect.

Indomitable Will.

Martial Arts (Dim Mak, Kung Fu, Muay Thai, Tae Kwon Do, Wing Chun).

Multilingualism.

Occultism.

Peak Human Condition (Strength, Speed, Stamina, Agility, Reflexes, Durability).

Weaponry (Firearms, Master Swordsman)

Abilities learnt with Batman:

Investigation.

Tracking.

Interrogation.

Intimidation.

Stealth.

Surveillance.

Abilities learnt with the All-Castle:

Summoning of the All-Blades.

Abilities learnt with Talia Al Ghul:

Magic Negation (a martial arts move)

All in all, both of them are incredibly well trained. There are abilities that one of them has and the other doesn’t. Jason has had more training outside of Batman’s teachings due to Talia having taken Jason to the All-Castle after he was submerged in the Lazarus Pit. And he was also trained by some of the members of the League of Assassins, like Lady Shiva.

If I were to compare Jason and Dick’s abilities with, let’s say, Barbara, Tim, Stephanie, and Damian, I would say that Jason and Dick are far more well trained and knowledgeable than them. Cass could beat both of them in hand-to-hand combat but I feel like it would still be a long fight for Dick and Cass or Jason and Cass, maybe Jason would have a harder time with her because he is so big compared to her.

I would even go as far as to say that both Jason and Dick could take down Batman if they really wanted to. Let’s say that for some reason Dick and Bruce or Jason and Bruce decide to battle it out with everything they have got, then I would say that the odds are in Dick and Jason’s favour.

Now, those comparisons that I just made, I did them with uncertainty because I don’t keep up with any of those characters. When it comes to DC I really don’t go beyond Dick and Jason centred content. I don’t even read Batman (I only read it if there is an event that has Dick or Jason as a major player).

So, I don’t really feel comfortable comparing their skill sets with other people, what I don’t know I prefer to not talk about. I was being a little cheeky with those comparisons that I made before; they are very surface level.

I can talk about what has actually happened in comics though. From a combat perspective I can say this:

Jason was able to master the “Magic Negation” move with little training from Talia, and she hadn’t even mastered it way back when she was training him before he became Robin (yeah, that was a thing that happened in zero year, RHatO vol.1 #25). So that would give you a little insight on how overpowered Jason has been written in the past 10 years.

The second time that he did that move he used it against Ra’s al Ghul, that Ra’s was charged up with the power of the Untitled but in reality, the power wasn’t strong at all because Ra’s didn’t have enough “soul” for the Untitled to latch on to. Jason, however, was able to channel that power and the All-Blades against him. All that should have drained Jason pretty quickly but he had the whole “chosen one” thing going on for him. Here is where the magic aspect of Jason would come from but I am still not sure that Jason can actually manipulate or do magic, I feel like it’s more like letting something like the All-Blades or the Untitled latch on to you like a parasite (that will kill you if it does it for too long) to get a boost in power. Maybe you or somebody else sees that as magic but I don’t.

So, overall, I would say that Jason is a very strong opponent. But you have to take into consideration that weapons like the All-Blades aren’t accessible to him at all times, they only can be summoned when true evil is presenting itself as a threat to Jason and they consume/corrupt his soul, so their power isn’t unlimited either.

Dick is a very strange case because while he was able to fight and defeat a proper Talon and a ‘second-hand’ Talon (that was still a notable opponent) in the New 52 run and he was able to defeat his enemies just fine, in Rebirth things took a dark turn, all of his skills were either gone or watered down by a lot, he was everyone’s punching bag. 

As time went on though Dick seemed to be written better and he fought Cheshire and some LoA people fairly easily and so on. But then… Ric happened and the whole manipulation and being played with as if he were a toy happened and that set his characterization on fire again. He defeated Jason easily when he was under Joker’s control but he was sloppy against Barbara so, there isn’t really a lot of rhyme or reason in that one.

After he regained his memories mid-way Joker War, he was an excellent fighter all of the sudden and everything was easy for him. When the event ended and he was Nightwing again he didn’t only beat KGBeast (the one that had shot him) but he absolutely humiliated him, it was like Dick snapped.

Now, under Tom Taylor’s writing, Dick is… I don’t want to say dumb because he isn’t, but I will just say that Taylor isn’t doing Dick any favours. He promised us a lot of things, like giving Dick the respect and level of expertise that he deserves but so far, I have seen none of it.

Something that has to be taken into consideration is that Dick isn’t fully recovered from his head injury, so, he is written as not as skilled as he is supposed to be and he is also making decisions that aren’t good for his health because if you run the risk of falling unconscious in the middle of a fight, you shouldn’t be fighting at all.

From Batman’s training’s perspective, I can say this:

Dick has always given me the “mentee surpasses his mentor” vibes. He is a better detective and he is also overall better than Batman in what he taught him and also at being Batman. Sadly, just like his combat, his detective skills along with all the other Bat training have been watered down for Dick. It’s absolutely awful, DC has been doing Dick dirty for far too long.

I wish I could say that things are picking up for Dick now, but Tom Taylor put “drama” as his priority instead of giving Dick back the skill-set that he once had (I know, I complained about Tom Taylor’s lack of action before but I really needed to do it again).

Jason has been done dirty too when it comes to his detective skills and other Bat training, mostly in Urban Legends: Cheer but quite honestly it wasn’t as bad as what they did to Dick. Jason has never really been as good as a detective as Bruce or Dick so yeah. But there is a clear difference between the Jason that we have now and the one that appeared in UtRH.

So, I would say that as of now Jason and Dick are treated as if they were on the same level detective/bat training-wise, which I think isn’t fair to Dick. Because he should be better in those aspects than Jason (or, at least, that’s how I see it).

I really don’t know if this answer is what you wanted or if it is good at all but I hope that if you read this you don’t end up feeling like I wasted your time.

I promise I will get better at answering asks! And I hope you have a wonderful day anon!

[tundrainafrica]

How do you think was Erwin and Hanji's relationship? We barely see anything from them but we see him confiding in her, they planned so much together, and he left her as a Commander... What do you think he did that? I mean, what do you think he saw in her that made him think "Hanji is the correct option"? Hanji is my fave so i absolutely believe he was right but likex, his reasoning?

Hi anon, 

I really feel like I have answered this ask before but I can’t seem to unearth it so I guess I’ll be answering it again. 

How do you think was Erwin and Hanji's relationship?

Actually, this is an interesting relationship for me to headcanon. In a lot of my current WIPs actually, I’ve been trying to explore the relationship of Erwin and Hange a little more for reasons... which I’m not gonna delve into now because I don’t wanna spoil one of my fics. 

I have another fic which hasn’t been posted yet though but I think people will get it once I post it because I actually wrote a fic as a character study of a romantic relationship between Erwin and Hange and what Erwin can offer Hange which Levi can’t so I’m not going to go into too much detail on this until I get the fic out so feel free to ask me about my opinion and I can do another meta on this after I post that one shot. 

What do you think he chose Hange as the next commander?  What do you think he saw in her that made him think "Hanji is the correct option"?

To answer this question, I think the best thing to do first is to consider all other options Erwin had at that time. 

In Season 1, who were Erwin’s other options for commander? Based on the vets which I saw, there was the captain of Armin’s squad during the Annie expedition, who died very quickly, there was Mike and there was Hange. 

So among the squad leaders, the possible three leaders right after Erwin were actually just Mike, Hange and Levi.

Mike died soon after season 2 started so he didn’t really become an option. 

But for the sake of just loving Hange, I’ll point out the reasons why I think Hange would have been chosen as commander even if Mike survived. 

Hange’s good with logistics and plan execution.

Hange is extremely good with logistics and I have mentioned this in a previous meta already, Hange is a master of plan execution. Although she falls short against Armin and Erwin when it comes to the actual strategy process, I think the reason we can still call her a brilliant strategist is because although Hange can’t answer the big ‘hows,’ she can answer the small ones. 

For example, during missions, it’s not obvious but Hange is the one who handles the questions on how to transport the captured titans, how to transport the weapons, how to build the supply bases. She is the head of their research and development department after all and a lot of the expeditions post shiganshina were actually the team trying to build a sustainable way to get to Shiganshina so it involved a lot of building bases and building a supply chain. 

And given Hange’s extensive knowledge on how the weapons work and how the supply bases are made, I’m sure that Hange straightened out a lot of the miniscule details when it came to planning the supply bases based on the geography of areas, etc. 

It was more obvious in the video game but in canon we see hints of it.

Remember that scene in Season 2 where Hange told Erwin to look at the forest with the big trees when they kidnapped Eren? I think this is actually connected to how Hange thinks or what kind of work she has been doing since she became squad leader. Hange probably knew they would rest there because when she was planning the supply bases, a lot of her thinking work relied on finding ways to position the supply bases and finding the best route to get the soldiers to Shiganshina in the least amount of time. 

What about Mike?

Mike could have been a brilliant strategist too but even when crumbs of Hange’s own brilliance were subdued in canon, I found that she still had a lot more crumbs of brilliance compared to Mike (correct me if I’m wrong?)

But at that point in time, sure Mike had leadership skills, sure he had combat skills but I think if Erwin were to choose, he would actually pick Hange since she not only has some handle of her squad but due to the nature of her work, she would probably have better adjusted to the commander position since she deals not just with her squad but with all the squads since she handles weaponry, research and the overall strategy for the expeditions.  

So what about Levi vs. Hange?

Tbh, when comparing Levi, Hange and Mike based on combat ability, I would actually rank Hange third based on the narration or canon confirmation that Mike was second strongest next to Levi. But after Hange took down 3 colossals though? Since I’m biased, I’ll make her second. 

Hange would have totally beaten Levi to the position and we saw that already in canon. Hange was chosen over Levi for numerous reasons and I actually don’t even think this is a close fight. 

Hange had more traits needed for the commander position.

First, she is a better large scale strategist than Levi. I think Levi probably does better strategy combat wise as seen in Season 3 in the crystal cavern scene, (Levi was the one who came up with the plan then), Hange was the one though who actually figured out how to get there in the first place iirc.A lot of Hange’s work, compared to Levi, involved buttering up the right higher ups, working politics in their favor and just figuring out the secrets and the hints behind a lot of it and don’t you think that a commander should be someone who is better at gaining influence, has a mindset for searching for the truth beyond the walls and has the capability of executing large scale strategy? With just this idea, I think Hange takes the cake. 

She was better educated for a position that requires a lot of professionalism.

On top of that, I had a headcanon for a while that Levi didn’t know how to read but after rewatching some scenes, yeah, Levi knows how to read but it doesn’t change the fact that he probably isn’t as accustomed to life above ground as Hange is and he isn’t at all used to brushing elbows with the higher ups. This probably isn’t obvious in the English dub or sub but Levi’s way of speaking Japanese is incredibly rough and he never uses polite Japanese, like even when addressing Erwin or the other higher ups. He has never even used honorifics when addressing anyone. (which is incredibly important in Japanaese)

Since polite Japanese is learned very late in life for a lot of Japnaese people (it’s actually learned in school towards junior high and high school), inability to speak in formal Japanese is usually a sign that someone lacks education and give that he’s from the underground and grew up in gangs I don’t think Levi actually had the best education which makes him not as qualified as Hange when dealing with paperwork, talking to the higher ups, politicking and research

About Levi’s speech patterns: I only remember one scene in the whole show where Levi actually used polite Japanese and he could have been just mocking some rich guy there. He used it once as well when referring to Historia but when we consider the fact that that’s a strict military setting, the way Levi addresses people just does not work and compared to Hange whose speech patterns when she became commander were very very very professional, I do not think Levi would have been the best choice for commander. 

Hange actually climbed up the ranks.

On top of that, Levi actually never climbed up the ranks. The captain of the special squad is a special position given to Levi because he’s just that strong and there are only four soldiers under him who were hand picked while Mike and Hange both had twenty or even fifty soldiers under their squads so we can see from the start, Levi never really climbed the ranks conventionally thus was never groomed or trained to deal with the actual commander position so it makes more sense that Hange takes it anyway. 

That’s all I can think of now but will add if I can think of other reasons. Thanks for the ask and thanks for reading!

[amethyst-wind-uk]

Finally played Horizon: Zero Dawn (spoilered thoughts within)

First of all: The game’s amazing. Well worth the money. One of the best I’ve played in a good while.

The game itself is beautiful (amazing scenery and dungeons), and the machine enemies are gorgeously designed. They will punish you if you get cocky, too. Combat is by means automatic, especially when the bigger machines start getting thrown at you in more enclosed spaces.

Both the overall myth arc AND Aloy’s personal storyline are incredibly written, and tied together beautifully, allowing for plenty of perspective reflections on the latter as new information for the former becomes available.

Sidequests abound. While most are mechanically very similar (go to [x] and kill the machines there), the tertiary characters who the actual quests revolve around are a delight. Varied and entertaining, they really help to build the world that Aloy explores (some personal favourites of mine are Nil [leaves it ambiguous as to whether or not he wants to die as well as kill a lot of people, but he’s so effectively written as creepy. Like you know there’s something wrong with him from the first line of dialogue], Talanah [veteran huntress who quickly befriends Aloy, and their joint exasperation with their respective mistreatments from others allows them to bond quickly and deeply], Vanasha [manipulative spy/politician who masterminds an operation that is one of the most damaging and disruptive for the enemy faction, all while being so delightfully self-confident]. The Frozen Wilds DLC adds some other gems, like the Hunters Three [a trio of outcasts out to find closure over the death of their mentor while riffing off each other lovingly], Ikrie [a Banuk warrior who acts as a foil to Aloy, choosing to become an outcast with her own freedom when presented with the flaws and restrictions of her people - severing a very close personal relationship to do, to the benefit of both in said relationship], and Varga [Oseram metalworker who effortlessly falls into an easy companionship with Aloy]).

The main plot is long, and heavy on emotionally charged moments. The overall goal is surprisingly hopeful, as well as extremely dark. There’s a recurring theme about how light and shadow both get more powerful as the other does.

Aloy reluctantly allies with the mysterious evesdropper, Sylens, and their interactions are terrifically entertaining. To be blunt: They can’t stand each other. Sylens is a completely unlikeable dick driven solely by a desire for knowledge, while Aloy doggedly pursues any information about her mother. Their interests just so happen to intersect there, but it’s always apparent that they’d rather be dealing with anyone else.

One of the most complete character arcs in the game is that of prevalant and commonly-appearing side-character, Erend. He starts out as an immature mid-to-late-twenties dudebro who dicks around fighting and hitting on 18-year-old Aloy, but pretty quickly starts drinking his respect-women-juice and getting his act together. He grows into one of the most endearing allies for Aloy, dropping his sleaziness and bravado, and acknowledging her prowess and leadership. By the end of the story, he’s definitely one of the most likeable characters. Like, you’d happily share a drink with the guy regularly.

~

There are some flaws, as with all games:

1) The Fast Travel system is frustrating. For the majority of the game, unless you press deep into the wilderness first thing, it’s not unlimited. Until you finally unlock the Unlimited Fast Travel Pack, each time requires a single-use item. For a game this large, that’s quite annoying. Fast Travel has been a common staple of open-world games for some time now, and I don’t think there was really a need to try to reinvent that particular wheel. The loading screens for fast travel are also 10-20 seconds long each time.

2) For all the varied machine enemy designs, it’s really annoying that you can only ride the horse/goat/bull variants. The game gives you a mechanic to ‘override’ machines, making them non-hostile to you while hostile to other machines, and making the above three rideable. That being said, you’re gonna be supremely disapponted that the game lets you override the twenty-metres-tall robot T-Rex and then can’t ride it. Same for the multiple three-metres-tall giant cat variants. There are also giant condors, giant moles, giant crocodiles and giant rhino variants, and you can’t hop on those either (IT WOULD’VE BEEN SO COOL!). It really makes the override mechanic seem underutilised, especially given how important it is to the story.

3) The Datapoint collectables do really well in fleshing out the mythology of the series, there are just too many of them. Multiple kinds, with double digit numbers to find for all of them, makes it a drag to hunt them all down. They could do with streamlining that for the sequel.

4) I feel like Vala and Bast dying almost instantly was a waste, especially given how Bast was a childhood bully to Aloy (stuff can always be done with that, even on a small scale), and Vala is constantly talked about post-mortem as someone who could’ve potentially been a great friend to Aloy (they seem to warm to each other quite quickly during the five minutes they spend both alive). Vala’s death especially is kinda galling, because it serves to boost Aloy’s interactions with Vala’s brother Varl, as it is very similar to...

5) While Erend himself goes through a very successful character arc, it does unfortunately involve a woman (his sister, Ersa, who is superior to him in every sense [he tells you this himself without fuss]) getting fridged. We only see Ersa for a few moments in person, as she then immediately dies. It’s very unfortunate that Erend’s otherwise great writing is marred by this.

6) The final mission in the story is underwhelming. The significant buildup for both of the primary enemies featured in said mission is not proportional to their actual encounters. The human enemy is easily killed, and the machine enemy is just another iteration of a robot you’ll have killed half-a-dozen times by that point. Something of a let-down.

~

Still, I fully recommend getting the game (as well as the Frozen Wilds DLC, which adds a solid 8+ hours onto the game’s playtime while introducing new machine variants and gear, as well as the aforementioned characters and a plot that fleshes out the myth arc for the series). It’s a great time overall, and you’ll really enjoy how the game mixes fantasy and sci-fi so superbly.

[warsofasoiaf]

Uh. I checked the character count, and this is going to end up long. My friend sent me something, and while I'm sure it's wrong, I don't know enough about medieval battles to dispute it. Can you help? Part one of many

He held storms end against a siege. From what information there is he seems to have done this well. I don’t know if he employed a scorched earth strategy before the siege began (if he didn’t then a rescind my compliment). The siege showed little in terms of tactical or strategic prowess on the part of Stannis but his will power was commendable and eating last was (part 1)

The siege showed little in terms of tactical or strategic prowess on the part of Stannis but his will power was commendable and eating last was a good morale booster (though he likely didn’t do this for the moral). Still, if the Tyrells had decided to storm the castle he would have lost. The battle shows more incompetence on the part of Mace than prowess on the part of Stannis (part 2)

He captured Dragonstone. There is very little mentioned about the specifics of the engagement. It is highly unlikely that there was a contested landing as the defenders lacked the numbers and morale for such a move and there is very little precedent for a contested landing in the historical time period that ASoIaF is based on. He likely arrived at the castle to find an open gate. Part 3

The best mark on Stannis’s record, and the only truly impressive thing he’s done was his destruction of the Ironborn fleet. He managed to split his fleet in two and flank the Ironborn without them knowing. Though this is still impressive it must be mentioned that Stannis likely had a great advantage due to technological superior ships (the ships described in the books are absurdly large and in an age where gaming and boarding was the main instrument of naval warfare that is a great advantage).

During the war of the five kings Stannis refuses to ally himself to anyone. This is a great black mark agains his record. And shows either an abysmal understanding of basic strategy or an incredibly diluted ego. Stannis’s choice to march on Storms end similarly shows either incompetence or delusion, only saved by an entirely unpredictable magical trump card on the part of Melisandre. Combined with the luck of the Stormlander lords agreeing to side with Stannis.

His attack of Kings Landing similarly shows a lack of understanding of basic strategy. This time he seemingly fails to scout ahead before initiating a contested river crossing. Failure to do this is an incredible oversight that cost him the battle. Part five sorry forgot the last one

After Stannis’s previous blunders lead to the annihilation of most of his army he gambles and sails north to try and win over the Northern lords. This is probably his first truly good idea in the war of the five kings. With Robb dead and the Lannister involvement in what seems to be one of the greatest war crimes in Westerosi history the Northern lords are ripe for realignment. Part 6

He crushes a numerical superior Wildling army though his force is made up of mounted knights and the Wildlings too don’t seem to utilize scouts. I would chalk this up to apparent wildling incompetence. Stannis then determines to march on the dread fort. Which is rightly pointed out by Jon Snow to be a stupid idea. Stannis then receives advice that determines his next moves. Part eight

Sorry, had to wait to submit more. Stannis then determines to march on the dread fort. Which is rightly pointed out by Jon Snow to be a stupid idea. Stannis then receives advice that determines his next moves. Stannis also seemingly wins the battle on the ice. His strategy seems to be fairly sound though he likely will receive no small amount of help from the Manderlys. Part nine

Part 10: Ultimately Stannis does not deserve his reputation. He isn’t completely incompetent. But He does not stand up the the likes of Tywin Lannister, Randyl Tarly, or Robb Stark In skill. Most of his victories are largely attributable to events that he had no control over and could not have forseen, from Melisandre’s magic to Jon’s council.

I wouldn’t worry. Whoever wrote that doesn’t really understand warfare either.

Defending against the Siege of Storm’s End was a remarkable feat of leadership. Stannis is young, and this is likely his first real test of major leadership. That he is able to handle it with only one instance of defection is no small accomplishment. A general needs to have this sense of leadership, in order to inspire his men and to get them to follow his orders. This is something we see time and again with Stannis; his troops truly do feel inspired by him, and are not simply fearing punishment for non-compliance. His men cross the burning bridge of ships during the Battle of the Blackwater, they follow him to the very edge of the world (bit of dramatic hyperbole here, but the Wall is remote and he would need to unite his men after the disastrous defeat). 

Capturing Dragonstone. I fail to see your friend’s point. Naval landings are difficult in premodern times. Stannis had to organize a fleet and land, and he had built ships to take on the Targaryen fleet. Again, that’s another part of leadership, particularly since medieval naval combat frequently had ships that would be commissioned for a purpose and then mothballed.

What we see of the Battle of Fair Isle shows instead Stannis using the terrain features and the advantages of his equipment to his full advantage. This is something I often see with amateur military analysts is this idea that good equipment is used as an excuse to dismiss battlefield accomplishment in favor of a preferred conclusion. In real battle, this isn’t the case, it’s a chaotic mess and tools and techniques still have to be used appropriately.

Now I agree that the early moves that Stannis makes in the War of the Five Kings does show that he needs his character development to grow into a better king. The need to secure alliances, and the way his poor interpersonal skills don’t make much headway with Catelyn despite her being tailor-made to support Stannis (save for that pesky Northern independence thing) do show that his problems front and center. 

I’ll be frank, your friend’s interpretation of Storm’s End suggests that he or she did no analysis the battle. I’ve seen a bunch of folks argue that on the r/asoiaf subreddit before. The facts of the matter are that Stannis forces Renly to move and nearly exhaust himself. He prepares his position and ground, he takes key advantage of Renly’s mistakes, and overall shows himself capable of winning the fight. Melisandre is often dismissed by people in our own world, but we have to remember that Planetos is a world where magic actually does stuff. I’d agree that a general in our own time who prepares for a magic bolt of lightning or something to strike down an enemy general is an idiot, but Planetos operates by different rules, and we have to make at least some sort of concession to that.

Now, we do see Stannis making a lot of mistakes in the battle, but we also see Imry Florent making most of the mistakes against tactical sense. Part of that is on Stannis, he is the senior commander, but part of that is also the problems of incompetent feudal leaders. Imry is an idiot, and he only got that position by nepotism. 

Dismissing the wildlings losses as failure to employ scouts simply doesn’t match the text. We don’t hear about the wildlings not employing scouts, what we hear instead is that Stannis joined with the Eastwatch rangers and set out. We also see that the wildlings do employ some of their forces well, particularly their mammoths, which requires Stannis to secure a breakthrough against one of the other wildling contingents to flank the mammoths and bring them down, which is good tactical maneuver to eliminate an enemy advantage.

Stannis relying on Jon for counsel being marked as a disadvantage is a completely foolish argument. Securing local intelligence to better plan and execute a military campaign is one of intelligence’s primary purposes! That’s one of the most prevalent reasons to secure friendly local sources, so that you can adequately plan with better knowledge. Stannis makes a plan, finds local sourcing which gives him better intelligence, so he changes it. That being held against him is just a bad argument, start to finish.

I noticed your friend completely omitted the capture of Deepwood Motte, and I’m guessing because it really tears a hole in their arguments. Stannis using classic military deception techniques, camouflage to hide his troops, and captures Asha as she’s trying to evacuate, all of which showcase Stannis’s intelligence and effectiveness within the military sphere.

The Battle of the Ice we see Stannis again making preparations to take advantage of local conditions. While we don’t see what it is, because we’re still waiting on the book, all of the chapters that we see of him in the fifth novel regarding this show him preparing, show him leading his men. 

Holding up Tywin Lannister as an example of a military genius is laughable, since Tywin gets beaten pillar to post by Robb Stark. His efforts to win the War of the Five Kings completely doom his house, since he violates every social taboo and engenders significant resentment to his family while doing so. I think it is possible to criticize Stannis’s mistakes in the Blackwater, without needing to minimize the actual accomplishments.

Thanks for the question, Anon. Here’s hoping you can correct your friend’s bad arguments.

SomethingLikeALawyer, Hand of the King

[thedarkknights]

The Dark Knight: The Joker’s (possible) origin

I know this horse is long dead, but I’d like to try beating it with a different stick if you’ll permit me. I post this as a new thread because I haven’t seen anyone else bring these points up as yet. Then again, I may just be looking in all the wrong places. If that’s the case, feel free to link the theory, as I’d like to read it myself.

My “credentials”: I was Army, deployed to Iraq, spent several years as both a combat engineer and EOD.

I’d like to propose that the Joker, as portrayed here, most likely served in Iraq/Afghanistan as a combat engineer, then EOD, and was most likely an NCO (SGT and above for that non-military out there).

I’ll try to stay on track with this, addressing the video points in the same order, but I tend to ramble. Apologies in advance.

A truck full of soldiers comment: I’d wager that he got his scars from that (after all, we don’t have face armor) and that he ALSO got some form of TBI (traumatic brain injury) which may have been what pushed him over the edge. This also ties into his “what doesn’t kill you only makes you stranger” comment: the blast didn’t kill him, but it altered his brain function. The scars may well have resulted from battlefield reconstructive surgery, such that it is, hence why they are so prominent.

Honor Guard: If he was a career soldier and NCO, as I suspect, it’s fairly likely that he not only participated in an Honor Guard detail, especially around the time of the Iraq war, but he very well may have trained and lead the detail. However, EOD typically doesn’t do this… but Combat Engineers do. I’d suspect he was an engineer, then went into EOD. His incident with TBI probably occurred after his EOD training, hence why he would still retain the knowledge for the honor guard. One thing I don’t see mentioned is that the Honor Guard, no matter what organization, is a very prestigious position and duty, and the uniforms, movements and overall appearance will always be very closely scrutinized. It shouldn’t be too big of a deal to think that he highjacked the honor guard, but to actually kidnap the original HG, get all their uniforms, find people the exact same dimensions of the original HG, then clean up their appearance (haircut, shave, etc etc), then train them accordingly so they could get close without anyone noticing, not to mention making sure they all wore the uniforms correctly, shows he has incredible attention to detail and probably did it before somewhere.

Weapons and explosives: Gaining proficiency with weapons isn’t difficult, being proficient and knowledgeable with SEVERAL weapons gets tricky. The fact that he can, and does, utilize them all with such confidence and success should showcase that he may have been familiar with them through some formal training. EOD typically goes through “Weapons Intel Training” where they address every single weapon one could think of, and some you can’t, and how they operate. As to the explosives, simply knowing what they are and how they work from a regular soldier’s perspective wouldn’t be enough. Sure, he could dig around and find some things out on the internet, deep web, whatever, but what he uses is far too advanced for that. He doesn’t just utilize explosives; he used BBIED’s (body-borne IED’s) with cell phones, straight out of the insurgent’s handbooks (so to speak) from Iraq/Afghan. To make this work, and make it work consistently, he’d have to have more than a passing familiarity with simple explosives and detonators. He also has a safe/arming switch on at least one (the ferry) detonator. That belies a little more professional knowledge of the subject. And of course, the explosives he uses, for the most part, are not “military grade”, probably because they are too easy to trace… he “is a guy of simple tastes” like gasoline, gunpowder, and dynamite because they are more widely available and much more difficult to link to a specific time and/or place.

Interrogation scene: I’d like to point out in the scene directly before he gets his head slammed into the table, he asks Gordon “ Does it depress you, commissioner? To know just how alone you really are? Does it make you feel responsible for Harvey Dent’s current predicament?”, this reminds me of the feelings a lot of leaders have if they get hit, lose their soldiers, and survive. Moving on, one could argue that his “head” comment means he interrogated someone before, possibly in other situations, but it may also be referring to the head trauma he may have suffered when hit by an IED, or perhaps (if my theory is to be believed) he worked with other agencies while deployed and watched these interrogations himself. He then points out that Batman got people killed, then let Dent “take his place”, and that “even to a guy like [him], that’s cold”, further making me think he was an NCO who took responsibility for his soldiers deaths and feels he should have been killed in their stead. Obviously, he thinks letting someone else “take the bullet” for that person’s actions is reprehensible.

Stories about scars: completely fabricated, probably on the spot, and as far from the truth as possible, HOWEVER, I don’t think he did it himself.

His “creation”: There’s a saying among veterans and soldiers: PTSD is realizing that you’ll never be anywhere near as badass as you were while deployed. If my theory holds then it stands to reason that a thought process like this could have contributed to his creation, but I don’t think that’s the ONLY reason. He is far too smart for a simple “he needs to be challenged” explanation. I think TBI pushed him over the edge, but what got him “out the door” and working towards everything was simple: he was bored. So, TBI altered his mental state drastically, Boredom got him out the door, and finally, Batman was a challenge, and we do so love to overcome challenges in the military, EOD even more so. (DISCLAIMER: I’m not saying that everyone with TBI is insane, I’m simply saying that brain injury has been shown, in some cases, to cause people’s behavior to radically change, and in rare cases, they become violent sociopaths).

I’ve heard people theorize that he “had no goal” or “end game”, except pure chaos. I think he had goals, and that his goals never shifted. They were the same from start to finish. This will take some explaining, so bear with me here.

In the military, and especially with leadership, we have two VERY well known processes: Backwards planning, and risk assessment. Backward planning, simply, is planning to achieve a desired result or goal. Now, where the Joker is concerned, if I had to nail it down to one goal I’d say that he wasn’t interested in money, power, “running the city” or anything close to that. His goal was very simple and he even stated it in the beginning, in a way: “We kill the Batman”. I don’t think he meant this literally, but that his goal was to destroy the idea of Batman and anyone who might have the same ideology. Now that we have established that his desired result was killing an idea and not a specific person (which, oddly enough, is exactly what we were trying to do in Iraq/Afghanistan), we can start some backward planning. Since the Joker is working backward, and the police are forced to react to everything, working forwards more or less, it may seem like he “conveniently” knows everything or plans for everything. However, since his goal isn’t necessarily a specific person, it’s MUCH easier for him to be flexible in real-time, whereas the police are stuck in a waiting game. This helps fill in some of the plot holes, but not all of them. How did he know to have a BBIED in jail, for instance? Enter my second point: risk assessment.

In the Army (where I served) risk assessment is what leaders live and breathe. A simple breakdown is this: you have your goal, then begin your backward planning. During this planning phase, you think of every possible hazard that may occur during the course of reaching this desired goal. IE: we plan to drive tactical vehicles out to a range, could the roads be wet? will there be a lightning storm? could one of them break down? could there be an accident? could God himself smite one of the drivers? As ridiculous as it may sound, no possibility is considered too extreme (although it’s usually shortened to relevant hazards because let’s face it: we’d never get done writing them), in theory. He knew that in the course of attempting to capture Harvey he may very well be captured himself. He also knew that if he WAS captured, he’d most likely be taken to that jail. He also knew that he needed a way to get out that was simple, undetectable, and that the police would be unprepared for, hence he used a BBIED. He planned this long beforehand not because he KNEW that he’d be there, but because he recognized that it MIGHT happen, and established and applied “controls” appropriately, just like you’re taught to do with risk assessments.

At this point, I’m sure you’re saying “but what about the phone call? How did he know that he’d be able to make it, much less that there would be an officer he could overpower in the interrogation room?” Good point, but he didn’t. He had no idea, and I’d be willing to bet that he had someone on the outside (remember he told Gordon that Harvey and Rachel were being moved around depending on the time?) who was told to wait and call the number on the phone at a certain time. He may have even had that person outside the building, observing, to make sure the joker wasn’t close enough to be injured or killed by the blast and waiting for the appointed time. As far as the officer in the room, that’s what we would call a “target of opportunity”. It wasn’t necessary for him to be there, but it made it much easier in the end.

Some other points: Why knives? Bayonet Assault Course. Everyone went through it back then, and I think he realized how psychologically powerful even presenting a knife is in a fight, much less threatening someone with it up close. The fact that knives never need ammo is dangerous in every direction and never jam probably didn’t hurt either.

His lack of a back-story is important in that it presents the idea that it isn’t important who he is, (or was), where he came from, etc. The important thing is the idea of him, and his opposition to the idea of Batman. Again, in the military, it’s drilled into you that as a person, you are simply a small part of a very very very large machine, and what matters is the goal/mission and not yourself. This is also reinforced by the fact that the Joker is willing to sacrifice anything and everything, including himself, to accomplish his goal.

His comment “they need you right now, but when they don’t, they’ll cast you out, like a leper!” was very telling as well. A lot of veterans feel this way after their service.

In the end, everything above is just my theory and not really any different from any other theory presented. I just figured id provide a look at this through “army EOD goggles”. Either way, Heath Ledger did an amazing job, and the movie was great.

EDIT 1: on fingerprints, DNA and dental records:

First off, the fingerprints. Now, if he was EOD, he would absolutely have fingerprints on record with the DoD, as is required for people with that level of clearance. However, as EOD, he would also have gone through a course we call “Sensitive Site Exploitation” or SSE for short. This is similar to what a forensic investigator would do at a crime scene, the only difference being that it would be done on deployment. This was primarily used to identify and exploit intel that might be found at weapon caches, or evidence leftover from an IED strike (said evidence would have been collected by EOD in a Post Blast Analysis, cataloged, and sent to labs for further testing). Again, I won’t get into specifics regarding the techniques, I will say that fingerprint collection was a large part of this process, just as it is in civilian law enforcement. It was at this point that he would learn that fingerprints are unique… but if they are damaged, by thermal/chemical burns, cuts, sandpaper, etc, then they will not match the original fingerprints taken. The damaged prints would still be unique, but the person would have to be fingerprinted again for them to be entered into any database. It would have been too easy for the Joker to burn off his prints, knowing exactly how to do it.

As for the DNA, I’d like to say that the theories you’ve presented are a good guess as to a clandestine involvement with CIA, Delta, whomever. But of course, the answer is nowhere near as interesting. As per Per DoD Instruction 5154.30, Section 3.c.(1), which is absurdly dry and a little confusing if you don’t know which parts are simply “administrative” data that you can skip, any service member who has completed their obligation can request to have their DNA sample destroyed. It must then be destroyed within 180 days, and confirmation sent to the veteran.

So the (admittedly boring) answer is: he had the DoD destroy it after he got out.

I wish it were more interesting, but again, it’s just my take. :)

And about dental: The service would definitely have a copy of all dental records of any soldier. However, with the advent of DNA, they tend to use those records strictly for medical purposes. Also, Congress had to pass a law to allow outside agencies to use the DoD DNA database for criminal investigation/prosecution, and only after exhausting all other resources and getting an order from a judge.

Considering HIPAA and its implications, id wonder if dental records would be even more difficult to obtain than DNA… but good point.

To add to the dental records: I double-checked, and if it had been more than 2 years since someone the last appointment, their records would be in the Archives and would require a written request for the specific records. The request would need Full name and SSN and the date and location of the last treatment. Keep in mind, that’s to get a paper copy. There are simply too many medical records for them to scan everything into any sort of database, assuming they didn’t lose it first (it is the govt, after all).

━ Submitted by u/swampfoxy2019 on r/fantheories

[caydencarinopablo]

Andres Bonifacio: A hero to the Philippines

   Happy independence day!

Today, I'll write about a legendary man of the Philippines, who helped pioneer the revolution. His name is Andres Bonifacio.

Image below: Andres Bonifacio; source Wikimedia [2]

Andres Bonifacio was born on the 30th of November, 1863, in the Tondo district in Manila[1].

So anyway, Andres Bonifacio was the first of 5 children. He learned the alphabet through his aunt, and was later enrolled in Guillermo Osmena's private school. According to the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, he was orphaned at 14. Though he was born poor, poverty could not stop his longing for knowledge. Thus, he devoted himself to reading books, while selling paper canes and fans. He also worked in a British trading company called Fleming and Company, where he rose up to the position of corredor (broker) of tar, rattan (an old world climbing palm) and other materials. Later on, he worked for a German company called Fressel and Company, where he was a warehouse keeper, responsible for the inventory.

Andres Bonifacio did not finish his formal education, so he used his own intelligence to teach himself. He read books about the French Revolution. He read about biographies of the US presidents. He researched on Philippine penal and civil codes. Andres Bonifacio also read Les Miserables, Le juif errant and José Rizal's Noli me Tangere.

That's enough of his early life, let's get political.

Andres Bonifacio's political life started with La Liga Filipina, which helped reformists financially and in morale. Andres Bonifacio was one of the founders of the group, along with José Rizal. La Liga Filipina called for political reforms in Spain's colonial government over the Philippines. However, after one meeting this Philippine league got disbanded, as José Rizal got deported to Dapitan in Mindanao (southern Philippines). Andres and another person eventually revived the League. Bonifacio eventually became the chief propagandist of La Liga.

On the night that Rizal's deportation was announced, Bonifacio and others founded the Katipunan. This secret society looked to liberate the country from spanish rule through armed combat and revolt. Within the society, so that no spies could steal his identity, Andres Bonifacio used the pseudonym May Pagasa ("There is hope").

Andres Bonifacio jointly worked with La Liga Filipina and Katipunan. La Liga split because some of their members lost hope and stopped monetary support. Some of the wealthy people joined the Cuerpos de Compromisarios, a group which continued to try to support reformists and hope for a peaceful independence. The radicals were taken into the Katipunan. From Manila, the Katipunan propagated (spread) to Batangas, Laguna, Cavite and other provinces. Most of its members were from the middle and lower classes. Many of their leaders were looked upon in their community and municipalities.

Image below: The Katipunan's flag. source: Wikimedia ; more info here [3]

At first, the Katipunan consisted of men only. Then women were allowed, and Andres Bonifacio's wife Gregoria de Jesus was looked upon as a leading figure. 

Bonifacio, although one of the chief officers, was not supreme leader, or supreme president, until 1895. He was the 3rd head of the Katipunan after Deodato Arellano and Roman Basa. Prior to this, he was the financial manager and its advocate. The society had their own laws, structure and elective leadership.

Andres Bonifacio developed a good friendship with would-be General Emilio Jacinto, who served as his advisor, as well as part of the Supreme Council. Eventually, the Katipunan spread to Luzon, to the Visayas and as far to Mindanao. From less than 1000 members in January 1896, it jumped to around 30,000 to 40,000 members.

The rapid increase of Katipunan activity pulled in some suspicion from the Spaniards. After all, it is hard to keep such a big society hidden. By 1896, Spanish intelligence knew that there definitely was a society lurking around, and so began the interrogation and arrest of suspects. Finally, on May 3, Andres Bonifacio held a meeting where leaders debated when to start the revolt. While Andres thought that revolution could not be avoided, others thought otherwise. They finally wanted to consult Jose Rizal for the action. Surprisingly, Jose Rizal was against the revolution. He thought that they should prepare more, but should the war break out prematurely, they should go under command of Antonio Luna, who was regarded as a strong military leader.

Things were escalating as the Spanish confirmed the existence of the Katipunan. Hundreds of Filipinos who were both innocent and guilty were pinned under allegations of treason.

Evading a big manhunt, Bonifacio called thousands of Katipunan members to a mass meeting in the city of Caloocan, where they decided to begin the uprising. The event was marked by the tearing of personal identity documents and was known as the Cry of Balintawak. The Supreme council of the Katipunan finally began their widespread revolt against Spain.

On the 30th of August, Bonifacio led an attack on the City of San Juan del Monte to capture supplies such as gunpowder and water, which supplied Manila. Though the defending Spanish were outnumbered, they managed to delay the Filipino attack till reinforcements arrived, and the Spaniards managed to deal large casualties to the revolutionaries. The Katipuneros led by Bonifacio were almost annihilated by the arriving 73rd Regiment and the garrison.

Bonifacio regrouped with his forces near Marikina, San Mateo and Montalban (now known as Rodriguez, Rizal). In other cities, widespread fighting against the Spanish was happening. Bonifacio was not fully defeated and remained a threat to the Spanish rule. Also, by the end of August revolt was spreading even farther to other provinces.

Eventually the Spanish found three main cities of insurgency:

Cavite,

Bulacan and

Morong.

Cavite was the most successful, as the rebels were able to take it under control by October 1896. While it was thought of as the heart of the revolution, Manila and its surrounding cities were turned into a no man's land.

Bonifacio commanded from Morong and served as a tactician for other cities as well, but his reputation suffered as he lost battles which he personally led.

Throughout September and October, Andres Bonifacio oversaw establishment of Katipunan bases in cities such as Marikina, Antipolo and Tungko in Bulacan. In these areas, he also appointed generals and approved selections the troops made.

On the 7th of November, 1896, Bonifacio led an attack on the towns of San Mateo, Marikina and Montalban. While the Spanish were forced to fall back, they held the municipal hall of San Mateo. As the Filipino forces laid siege to the hall, the Spanish counter-attacked with reinforcements and broke through after 3 days. The Spanish were able to capture the rebel positions and surprised Bonifacio in San Mateo. Andres Bonifacio was nearly killed shielding his good friend Emilio Jacinto from a bullet as they retreated to Balara.

While in Balara, Bonifacio asked a musician called Julio Nakpil to compose an anthem for the Philippines. Julio made a hymn called "Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan"). This song was the anthem throughout the revolution until it was replaced by another anthem.

Later on, Andres Bonifacio was recognized as overall leader of the revolution. He was invited to Cavite by other rebel leaders to mediate and unify their attacks and efforts. There were 2 Katipunan provincial chapters, the Magdalo and the Magdiwang. These factions rivalled each other.

The Magdalo was headed by Emilio Aguinaldo's cousin, Baldomero Aguinaldo and the Magdiwang was headed by Mariano Alvarez, uncle of Andres Bonifacio's wife. Most of the leaders from both factions came from the upper middle class, in comparison to Bonifacio, who was from the lower middle class. Emilio Aguinaldo had more fame and reputation for the victories he had won. The Magdalo and the Magdiwang did not help each other in battle, and clashed for authority.

After several letter were sent urging Bonifacio to come, Bonifacio went to Cavite accompanied by his 2 brothers Ciriaco and Procopio, his wife, and some soldiers, including Emilio Jacinto, who was against the entire expedition.

Upon his arrival at Cavite, tension grew between Andres Bonifacio and the Magdalo. One of Andres Bonifacio's advisers wrote that the Magdalo members "already paid little heed to his authority and orders". Bonifacio had better ties to the Magdiwang, because of his relation to their leader, and also that they recognized his power. When Aguinaldo and another person went to Zapote to receive Andres Bonifacio, they got irritated by what seemed as his attitude of arrogance and superiority. Aguinaldo wrote in his memoirs that Bonifacio acted like a king. Another time, Andres Bonifacio ordered the arrest of a Katipunan General who did not support his attack on Manila, but other leaders would not give him up. Meanwhile, people in the municipality of Noveleta proclaimed him as leader of the Philippines, which the Magdalo did not like. Aguinaldo argued with Bonifacio over strategic placement of troops and blamed him for the capture of the town of Silang. Meanwhile, the Spanish had open communications about peace with Aguinaldo, through a high Jesuit priest called Pio Pi. When Bonifacio found out, the Magdiwang council rejected the peace offers. Also, Bonifacio was angered that they thought Emilio Aguinaldo was the chief of the revolution. Aguinaldo still kept negotiations going throughout the revolt, though peace never happened. Bonifacio thought that Aguinaldo wanted to surrender the revolution.

Meanwhile, Andres' reputation was getting shot to bits as rumors of him stealing Katipunan funds and more were uncovered. Also, anonymous letters were found saying not to support him because he was alleged to be "uneducated, an atheist and a simple Manila employee". Also, it was said that the title of "Supreme" was only for God, despite it being supposed to be used in conjunction with President (Supreme President) to distinguish him from other leaders of other chapters of the Katipunan. Bonifacio suspected the rumors to be work of Magdalo leader David Tirona. Bonifacio confronted him, and found Tirona's airy reply so provoking that Bonifacio pulled out a gun and would have shot him if other people had not intervened.

On December 31, the Magdalo, the Magdiwang and Bonifacio decided to hold a meeting in Ismus, mainly to determine leadership of Cavite and end the rivalling between factions. There was a big issue brought up by the Magdalo. They said that the Katipunan should have been replaced by a different revolutionary government when the revolution went underway, because the Katipunan was a secret society. The Magdiwang held that the Katipunan served as their own revolutionary government, because it had its own laws and governments. However, Andres Bonifacio was tasked with creating a new government anyway. He was given full powers to appoint a committee for this.

Meanwhile, the Spanish attacked the town of Perez Dasmarinas in 1897. It was devastating for the Magdalo, as they lost around 10,000 men fighting. The Magdalo lost much of Cavite, and even though Bonifacio was 100% aware of the assault, he offered no help to the Magdalo. On March 22 1897, they held a meeting to resume discussion about the rising tension between both factions. It was decided that the Katipunan was to be a republic, and everybody of any given rank were to serve under the principle of liberty, equality and fraternity. He then went on to elect a president for the new Republic.

Bonifacio asked that everybody respect the results of the election, and everybody agreed. It was Aguinaldo who was voted president of the Republic, though in absentia, as he was fighting the battle of Perez Dasmarinas. Bonifacio received the second highest vote, and thus he was suggested to be vice president, though no one else seconded the motion and so elections continued. Mariano Trias was elected vice president.

Bonifacio was given the rank of Director of the Interior. Daniel Tirona, trouble making as always, protested that the rank could not be taken by someone without a lawyer's diploma, and suggested a good lawyer such as Jose de Rosario. Angry, Bonifacio asked for an apology, which Tirona ignored, causing Bonifacio to pull out his gun and nearly shoot him.

Meanwhile, Bonifacio thought Aguinaldo a traitor and thought the elections were unfair and fraudulent. He got his remaining supporters and drew up the Acta de Tejeros, were they gave their reasons for not accepting. In their memoirs, Santiago Alvarez and Gregoria de Jesus said that ballots were being filled before being distributed, and there were more ballots than actual voters. 44 people signed the Acta de Tejeros, and later the Naic Military agreement, which recognized that some officers were committing treason and discord. They wanted to "deliver the people from this grave danger" by raising an army corps "by persuasion or by force.". Basically, Andres Bonifacio wanted to cause a revolt within the revolt.

Aguinaldo wanted Bonifacio to cooperate with him, but Bonifacio refused, proceeding to Indang, Cavite to go back to Morong.

In April 1897, Aguinaldo ordered the arrest of Bonifacio, after receiving a letter stating that Bonifacio burned down a village and then ordered the burning of a church after they did not give him provisions. On the 25th, a small band of Aguinaldo's men arrived at Bonifacio's camp, and Bonifacio received them cordially. However,  early the next day, Aguinaldo's men attacked the camp. Bonifacio was surprised and refused to fight back, telling his men to hold their fire, but bullets were still exchanged. Bonifacio was shot in the arm and cut in the neck, his brother Ciriaco was shot to death and his other brother Procopio was beaten. From Indang, Bonifacio was brought to Naic, which became Aguinaldo's headquarters.

Bonifacio and Procopio were held against charges of sedition and treason against the government and conspiracy to murder Aguinaldo. They were found to be guilty and recommended to be executed, though there was insufficient evidence against them. They were executed on May 10, 1897, in the Maragondon mountains. His death demoralized many rebels from Manila, Laguna and more cities and caused them to stop fighting.

In 1918, the American colonial government mounted a search for Bonifacio's bones, in the mountains. A team made of government officials, former rebels and a man who was Bonifacio's servant found bones in a sugarcane field. The bones were placed in an urn and were cared by the National Library of the Philippines. The bones were placed with his papers and personal belongings, but the authenticity of the bones were disputed a lot at that time. During World War 2, Japan attacked the Philippines, and the bones were lost during the Allied recapture of Manila, along with more than 200,000 Filipino lives, partly due to the extensive bombing runs and artillery used on the city. No building was spared, as the image below proves: (photosource:wikimedia ; more info [4])

Japanese forces committed mass murder of the civilians during the battle. It was the worst battle in the entire Pacific theater, lasting a month long.

Jose Rizal is thought to be the total national hero, but Andres Bonifacio started the revolt. Both are good candidates, but historian Teodoro Agoncillo says that "a Filipino national hero is not the leader of its liberation force".

Also, some people say that Rizal inspired Bonifacio, the Katipunan and thus was the precursor for the revolution, and should be the main hero.

There is no such thing as a main national hero for the Philippines. Teodoro Agoncillo also says that Bonifacio should not replace Rizal, but they should be heroes side by side.

After all, why stop at one main hero when you can have two?

Andres Bonifacio may have been the star of the revolution, but enter the world of Antonio Luna, star of the Philippine-American war. I'll write about him later, and till then, I'm iNot_cade, see you later!

[1]:

Nowadays, Tondo district is known as a slum. As Wikipedia describes a slum:

"Slums are traditionally dense urban settlements, usually displaying characteristics such as crowded and compact housing units, informal delivery of utilities, and unofficial recognition by local government."

[2]

Link:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Andr%C3%A9s_Bonifacio.jpg

Author: La Illustration Espanola y Americana

[3]

Link:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Philippine_revolution_flag_kkk1.svg

[4]:

Link:

 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Manila_Walled_City_Destruction_May_1945.jpg, the author unknown

[httyd2014]

Character Review of HTTYD 3

This is Part 1 of a two part movie review of How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. Next up is the plot review. 

As of March 3, I've seen it four times. The first was the February 2 early showing, the second and third were on opening weekend in a regular AMC theater, and the fourth was in IMAX yesterday, which, like, I'm bothered by the fact that this third movie in the franchise only has limited IMAX screenings whereas the first two were released in all IMAX theaters, and released in 3D to boot. But anyway, character review:  (Also, spoilers abound, so only read this if you've seen it already)

He was at his BEST. That speech he gives to the Vikings in the great hall after Grimmel burns his house down gets more chilling and chilling with each viewing. Years ago when Dean Deblois was dropping hints over what to expect in the sequel, I got the impression that the arch of the trilogy would end with Hiccup's coronation as Chief at the end of the third. Instead, not only is he thrust into the role early thanks to Stoick's heartbreaking death, but we get to see him grow and struggle in the role of Chief, and I thought that character arch was pulled off sensationally. Although he takes after his mother's idealism in his attempts to save all innocent dragons from the hostile Trappers, he also embraces his father's lesson from the sequel that his first duty is to protect his people from harm and danger. His speech in the great hall encapsulates that beautifully with one powerful line after another. 

Hiccup is truly the leader of his people by the end of this movie, and not only that, but at least from my perspective, he's also imminently relatable. He genuinely struggles with himself and questions whether he's capable of doing what needs to be done as Grimmel and the legion of Trappers advance on New Berk. That lack of internal belief he carried around inside him as a scrawny 15 year old boy before he shot down the Night Fury is still there, six years later, as a handsome 21 year old chief. His internal struggle really showed his humanity, and in my opinion, it was Hiccup's journey that drove this third movie more than any other character, including Toothless. Which brings me to our beloved Night Fury:

Ok, so I must confess, I wasn't totally satisfied with how his character was portrayed. What made Toothless so amazingly endearing in the first one was how he struck such a PERFECT balance between being this fierce, ferocious beast on one hand, and being this adorable little puppy dog on the other hand. For the most part, he kept that balance in the sequel, particularly at the end when he challenges Drago's Bewildabeast and becomes the new Alpha of all dragons. In this one, however, I honestly didn't get the sense that Toothless truly was the "Unholy Offspring of Lightning and Death Itself" like the Viking legends said Night Furies were. Even during the above scene in the clouds where he does the Lightning Bolt thing and goes into stealth mode, it felt more like a cheap trick to impress Luna than a symbol of how utterly deadly he can be, and sure enough, he only uses it that one time to get those four Deathgrippers off his back. To me, all those puppy dog moments - of which there are MANY in this one - are less adorable because they aren't contrasted with enough moments of genuine fierceness. Simply put: I liked Toothless a lot more in the first and second movies than in the third one. 

That being said - and I'm going to repeat this in the plot review - the flaws in his character are made up for by the ending. He does the most human thing we've EVER seen him do when he literally gives Hiccup a big bear hug as they say good by. I put my hand over my mouth to control my emotions when I saw that! And then during the final scene where Hiccup visits him after 5 or 6 years, Toothless does a very animal like thing by failing to recognize Hiccup at first, which, as a big fan of the Jurassic World movies, reminded me of how the velociraptor Blue didn't recognize Owen after not seeing him for a year, thus putting Owen in a dangerous situation. But then as soon as Hiccup does the Forbidden Friendship thing, BOOM, Toothless's eyes widen like the sea, and he embraces his dear friend that he can't see every day anymore. To me, that was totally in character of who Toothless is as both a deadly Night Fury, but also the best friend a human could ask for. 

I'm gonna say this straight up: If Captain Marvel, or Star Wars, or Ghostbusters, or whoever, is going for the narrative of Strong, Female, Characters that do Strong, Female, Things, they already have an archetype that everyone loves, and her name is Astrid Hofferson. She is the true embodiment of a strong, female character, and I thought everything that made HTTYD fans love her in the first one was on display again in the third one. I was worried about this too, because in the trailers, it looked like Deblois might have been relying too heavily on the mythos of the first one, specifically the talk on the cliff, which from the trailers looked copied and pasted into the third one. However, it came off SO much better on film than it looked in the trailer, including one of my favorite lines from the entire franchise:

"But you know what? I am the person I am today because of you. And I have watched you doubt yourself every day ever since."

Astrid does what a good woman is supposed to do for her man: Be there for him when he falls down, comfort him with kind words, and remind him of who he is and what he can do. And she does all that in addition to being the warrior princess that Tuffnut correctly described her as. She fulfills the old saying, "behind every great man, stands a great woman." The talk on the cliff in this one is JUST AS GOOD as the same talk in the first one. It didn't come off as contrived or forced like I thought it would. Another favorite part of mine was during Hiccup's speech where she throws her axe on the table and demands that the Vikings hear out his plan to abandon Berk. She does that despite explicitly disagreeing with that plan earlier, which means that she was willing to stand by her man and her Chief even though she herself wasn't enthusiastic about the plan at first. Overall, I felt that the Hiccstrid relationship drove this story almost as much as the friendship between Hiccup and Toothless, and it did it without devolving into cliched romance.

She was good...at least when she had actual time onscreen (more on that in the plot review). I LOVED how she developed a relationship of sorts with her future daughter-in-law by encouraging Astrid to comfort Hiccup when he was doubting himself. I remember thinking to myself in the theater, "wow, Hiccup has two incredible women in his life! What a gift." I also liked how she automatically became an authority figure on Berk despite being gone for 20 years. She basically plays the role of General by scouting out Grimmel's advances towards New Berk and by bailing out Hiccup and the gang when Grimmel outfoxes Hiccup by trapping him on his ship. Between Valka, Eret, Astrid, and Gobber, it's really cool to see how Hiccup has a good leadership council behind him. 

Believe me, his character is SO much cooler if you've seen Game of Thrones. I can't emphasize enough how Kit Herrington's personality comes alive in Eret. In this one, my only complaint is that I wish we saw him more in combat fighting along side Gobber and Valka, although even as an adviser to Hiccup, he plays the role really well. A part of me wishes he gave Hiccup and Stoick more of a challenge when he was working for Drago in the 2nd one, because his knowledge of the world outside Berk is impressive, not to mention he's a natural leader, as he demonstrates during the speech in the great hall when he augments Hiccup's points. Whatever goofball traits he had in the sequel are gone in this one, and I liked that. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about...

Ugh. The teens could have disappeared entirely and it wouldn't have effected the plot at all (Grimmel would have found New Berk eventually. Ruffnut's stupidity simply allowed him to find it faster). There was absolutely no character development from any of them, and in Snotlout's case, he outright devolved. The primary reason I didn't think HTTYD 3 was an A+ movie is because the teens would not shut the hell up. I did NOT find most of their lines or antics funny, I found them distracting and annoying. These characters reached their apex in Gift of the Night Fury, and they never got better after that. 

Is Gobber. Good man, good leader, kind of paranoid. His shining moment in this franchise remains his eulogy during Stoick's funeral. In this one, you could tell that Deblois didn't really have anywhere to go with his character, so he added a subplot with the constantly appearing Hob Gobblers, which to me was what Legend of the Boneknapper should have looked like. One thing I do wish is that we saw one quick appearance of the Trolls alongside the Hob Gobblers on New Berk, as that would have been an amusing validation of his line to Stoick from the first one.

He gets two WONDERFUL flashbacks with Little Hiccup.* But, there's one error that was made during those flashbacks, and I apologize in advance to everyone who has already pointed it out: Stoick's beard should have looked scruffier and redder like it does in the first one when he's younger, as opposed to straight with grey spots like in the second when he's older. His beard is straight with grey spots during the flashbacks. Assuming that wasn't an oversight by Dreamworks, I'm guessing they did it that way because it was easier to animate. Which is understandable, but still, I'm a stickler for consistency. (The missing tree branch in front of Hiccup's face in the first one still jars me every time I see it).

*My gods, every animation studio from Dreamworks to Disney to Pixar has MASTERED the art of creating adorable children. It never ceases to amaze me

Ok, WOW, I loved him as a villain! He was everything Drago Bludvist wasn't: Cunning, crafty, smart, and above all, relatable. Grimmel is what Hiccup possibly WOULD have become if he stuck his knife into the downed Night Fury. Both of them are cerebral, and both of them play this delightful mind game where they try to anticipate each other's moves and countermoves, which Grimmel wins more often than not. As Gobber said to Hiccup, "one day, you're going to pick a fight you can't win." If Drago made Hiccup pay for his idealism by costing him his fathers life, than Grimmel makes Hiccup pay by costing him his Dragon-Human utopia. Grimmel's actions cause Hiccup to eventually accept the painful truth that humans living with dragons every day is not possible without resorting to war and death to keep that utopia a reality. When a villain can change things like that, then you have a damn good villain, and not just a guy who gets in the way periodically like Alvin and Dagur from the TV show. 

Additionally, I thought Grimmel was so much more personable than Drago. His talk to Hiccup in the house evoked the same feelings in me as the talk between Evelyn Deavor and Elastigirl in Incredibles 2, which is to say, I was relating to what BOTH of them were saying to each other. It was like the Light and Dark sides that exist inside all of us were speaking to each other. Whereas Drago was just pure evil and brute force, Grimmel was genuinely compelling and interesting. I would have liked Deblois to take a different story arch with this third film than just throwing another disposable villain in the mix, but as it is, Grimmel was a worthy character. 

In Summary

Hiccup and Astrid were spectacular, Toothless was very good but could have been better, Valka, Eret, and Gobber played their roles well, and Grimmel was an excellent bad guy. The only downside was the Teens. If their comic relief was cut, or if they were actual characters, this could have been an A+ movie from start to finish as opposed to A+ at the end and at specific parts in between (like the speech and the talks on the cliff).  

[etherian-affairs]

No one in upper command of the Horde was doing their job right

 (You’re probably going to need to put this under a “Keep Reading” post because this analysis is big)

(submission from my good secret friend, above is their own suggestion, it’s good though. Read it.)

I was watching “Signals” again and was paying attention to the “Catra has to deal with the real horror of being Second in Command: Paperwork” segment and I was amazed at just how everything in one section of the Horde was brought to a complete standstill (as in the unit stopped fighting because their requests for armor were unanswered several times for possibly months) and wondered how did that happen.

Then I realized (1) Shadow Weaver was SiC for decades and she most likely made things very difficult to do because that would make it harder for Hordak to get rid of her.

(2) Catra was not prepared for an actual leadership role either because SW did not see her as an officer candidate and didn’t train Catra to both be a warrior and leader.

(3) Hordak is an idiot for not properly paying attention to his army when he should have. 

The ore comes from the foundry–> the ore is mined and sent to the armory to be processed–> the newly minted armor is then distributed to the Horde Supply/Logistics Corp –> and then the pallets of armor are given to the correct unit

That’s the gist of the steps it takes the armor to get from ground to soldier. 

Point 1: 

Shadow Weaver was SiC of the whole Horde Army and thanks to Hordak not paying attention to her, until the last few years, she has most likely done her best to take full command and made herself the lynchpin to important operations as well as take credit for things that went well.

————————

No Princess Left Behind

SW: “You’re under my command. Anything you manage to do right is credited to me.”

Catra: “I do the work, you get the glory?”

SW: “That’s just the way of things.”

———————–

No one really noticed the problem (or if they did they were silenced because Hordak was off doing his own thing and not available)  because Shadow Weaver was always in command, until she wasn’t. That’s where things started to fall apart.

************** 

Point 2:

Shadow Weaver really overstepped her bounds, defied a direct order from Hordak himself, while he watched no less, and messed with an important plan and Hordak finally had enough and made Catra his SiC. Hordak thought, since Shadow Weaver trained her along with Adora she’d be alright in being her replacement. He was wrong. 

Catra was NOT trained like Adora was. We see Adora making plans and leading others and she is goal oriented and knows how to plan. She is leadership material and can inspire others to follow her lead. Catra is a fine warrior but she does not have what it takes to lead people and thinks that fear and intimidation are the way to go. Catra gets power and seems to want to yell at some of her squadmates, rather than lead them. She also can’t stand to do “busywork” and thinks that leading charges and going to battles is what SiC’s do.

————-

“ How do I defeat the Rebellion when all I do is this stupid busy work? I bet Shadow Weaver didn’t have to deal with this.”

“These are her files, so, she probably did? Just saying.”

————

Catra was not prepared for the realities of being a Force Captain/SiC because Shadow Weaver didn’t really train her in proper leadership roles because in the end Adora was supposed to be Force Captain.

*******************

Point 3:

Hordak his been neglecting his duties as overall Horde Commander and hasn’t been paying attention to what’s been really happening to his army, and was trusting Shadow Weaver way too much in how things were really going. Hordak has Imp and he records some important news, but he can’t be everywhere all the time and he probably hasn’t been talking to all his Force Captains very often.

————.

Hordak: “Not only did you lose the princess known as Glimmer, but I learned that you’ve known Adora was She-Ra all along.”

SW: “ Now you see why I felt it was so important to bring her back.”

Hordak: “ All you did was invite attack from an enemy combatant with detailed knowledge of our operations. If I had known, I never would have agreed to your foolish plan.”

————

Hordak has been way too preoccupied with building the portal at the cost of him personally leading his army and, for some godawful reason, put way too much faith in others to do his job.

Honestly, The Horde is run on duct tape and a prayer. 

================

Etherian-Affairs Submission Addition™

Yeah I was kind of touching on this in my Villains need to make bad decisions post.

I choose to believe Hordak himself is actually a very competent leader when he’s leading but man does he not seem interested in doing that.

My reasons for this are of course that in Light Spinner we see that the horde appear on the stage, take the scorpion kingdom and the garnet, establish the fright zone, construct a decent amount of fright zone, and are generally fast and hyper competent. This would have been when Hordak was leading directly.

We also see that even after all these years of having her way Shadow Weaver is still terrified of him.

My other reason for competent Hordak headcanon is that it’s sexy.

But his grand failing is he just doesn’t seem to care. Until he does, then he cares too much. Shadow Weaver just shows up and he’s like “yeah okay” as far as we know. Presumably because he wants nothing to do with Etheria. Which like okay I get it but come on man. 

The Horde is a shitshow and a lot of that traces back to Shadow Weaver, but Shadow Weaver being in that position traces back to Hordak. 

My boy needs to get his act together.

[thermtiker]

New TTS Base Operator Bios

saw some pictures of them floating around, but I like text and I literally spent about nine hours copying all of these so here they are, enjoy them under the cut they’re in order of CTU, then what order they come in in that CTU (attackers -> defenders)

(i know this isnt our usual content, so check tags if youre curious about comic statuses)

Sledge

Background:

“Coming through!”

Born in the far north of Scotland, Cowden’s military father and nurse mother moved to Inverness with him and his three siblings when he was five. His athleticism elevated him to the position of Captain of the 1998 Scotland Under-20s Rugby Union Team. Following a long family tradition of military service, Cowden joined the 3rd UK Mechanised Division of the British Army. His drive and physique suit the division’s historical nickname of “Iron Sides.” Cowden’s first assignment was in the Armoured Division where he studied engineering and specialized in upgrading the infantry combat vehicles. From there, he developed various breaching tactics. He was then recruited into the SAS, where he holds multiple record s in speed and strength. An expert in mechanical, ballistic, explosive and thermal breaching strategies, Cowden is the operator to choose for quick and relatively silent destruction.

Psychological Report:

It’s part of my job to understand where the country shapes the person and Specialist Seamus “Sledge” Cowden seems indelibly shaped by the rugged terrain where he was born. It isn’t just his imposing presence and athleticism. I can’t help but feel that his personality evokes the wilderness as well. He’s stoic and proud, though admits that he can be hot-headed at times. Field reports describe his courage, leadership, and extensive operational experience as much as they mention his unpredictability. He’s much more than a “gentle giant” as some suggest. [...]

Cowden is something of a raconteur, and for much of our discussion he told me one rowdy tale after another. When he was twelve he cobbled a hang glider together out of boat sails and launched himself off his house. He broke both ankles. During military training, he accidentally collapsed his entire sleeping barrack while testing a new breaching technique, and another time he sank a captain’s motorcycle by riding it off the pier because he wanted to see how far it would travel on the surface - not very far, I gather. His stories aren’t just to entertain. They help to establish a comfortable connection. It’s such a casual, offhand leadership style. [...]

Cowden views his fellow operators as family, Specialist Mike “thatcher” Baker in particular, who he credits for convincing him to switch to the Caber. Numerous Rainbow operators refer to Sledge as one of the easiest operators to work with. [...]

Overall, Cowden is easy-going and unpretentious , though he gets ruffled at the mention of politics. A self-proclaimed news junkie, he doesn’t shy away from debates. In fact, it’s the reason he joined the military, and why one of his brothers is currently an elected MP. Cowden understands that while on the assignment Rainbow operators don’t voice their political opinions and so far there hasn’t been any issue. We should trust that he can control his hot-headedness. At least before he’s down at the pub.

--Dr. Harishva “Harry” Pandey, Director of Rainbow

Training:

British Army: 1st (UK) Armoured Division

HND in Automotive Engineering

22nd Engineer Regiment RE

Relevant Experience:

British Army: 3rd (UK) Mechanised Division

Operation Telic

Operation Herrick

Notes:

Device: Tactical Breaching Hammer “the Caber” Operator: Specialist Seamus “Sledge” Cowden

Evaluation Lead: Specialist Seamus “Sledge” Cowden

I’m told you wanted to have a looksee at my Brucie. Why? No offense, Mira, but I don’t need someone mucking about with my Caber, trying to make it look sexier. When Mike’s uncle built it for me (sorry… Specialist bloody Mike “Thatcher” bloody Baker), he damn well made me forge the thing over and over again until we got it right. It’s a solid piece, no forge weld to introduce weak points. It’s made with a differential heat treatment to better transmit the shock of blows along the core and the shaft is covered in fiberglass molded to my handspan for better grip. It’s a solid 4140 steel, built for shock and stress, balanced to prevent it from being too top heavy. I don’t need laser sights to put on the damn thing, and I can promise you that if any of your techies come near Brucie, as the saying goes, “it will kill.”

--Specialist Seamus “Bloody Sledge” Cowden

Thatcher

Background:

“What you can feel, what you can touch - those are the things that are real. Everything else is just a distraction.”

Baker comes from a long line of dockworkers and soldiers. At the age of eighteen he enlisted for active military duty despite family pressure to join the family trade as a stevedore. Immediately thrown in politically-charged conflicts, Baker’s performance was exemplary. Further training and another conflict gave him a Distinguished Flying Cross and Conspicuous Gallantry Cross. His keen sense of observation and decisive manner, combined with his close-quarter combat techniques, made him an invaluable on VIP protection detail.

With extensive field experience and proficiency in SAS tactics, Baker is a critical asset to any Rainbow operation. He has honed his expertise with protective measures and electronic counter-measures and frequently works with engineers to advance the equipment. As a Warrant Officer Class 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major) Baker serves as a respected and effective mentor to new recruits. Baker maintains his agility training, continuing abseiling, and has broken numerous mountain climbing records.

Psychological Report:

Knowing that Specialist Mike “Thatcher” Baker is cynical towards bureaucracy, I wasn’t surprised that he was reluctant to meet me. I needed a different approach. Baker lives aboard the Iron Maggie, a boat in drydock that he repairs in his spare time. It’s his “retirement plan.” I suspect that he moved there temporarily when his wife divorced him, but now he knows no other civilian home. [...]

Baker has a distinguished record of military service. He’s respected and im some cases idolized by those he mentors. When he welcomed me to his home, I could see why people describe him as down-to-earth. There’s more to Baker’s gruff, no-nonsense exterior - it just required some effort for him to trust me. [...]

Raised in a coastal town, Baker has a strong connection with the water. We spent our entire meeting on the deck of his ship, overlooking the cold sea. Being someone who isn’t handy - mastering a paper airplane as a kid was the peak of my craft - I wanted to know what Baker likes about boat building and working with his hands. He told me that besides appreciating the precision of it, he liked shaping the wood into something that has a purpose. I suggesting it was similar to how he mentors recruits. He replied that he doesn’t care about the “why” of things the way us “Uni types” do. [...]

Specialist Seamus “Sledge” Cowden is one of his few close friends. Baker’s tolerance of Specialist Mark “Mute” Chandar surprised me, since Baker is impatient with youthful bluster. When asked, Baker would only say: “Mute’s a clever kid.” He almost sounded envious. I wonder if Mute reflects someone Baker wishes he had been. [...]

While by no means a Luddite, Baker does have an aversion to technology. To him, it’s a tool - like a hammer or screwdriver - nothing more. The idea that people come to rely on it as a crutch is what annoys him. I suggested that he spend time in the engineering lab with Specialists Masaru “Echo” Enatsu and Emmanuelle “Twitch” Pichon. They have a lot to teach one another.

--Dr. Harishva “Harry” Pandey, Director of Rainbow

Training:

British Army: Parachute Regiment

British Army: S.A.S. Bravo Two Zero

British Army: S.A.S. Warrant Officer Class 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major)

Relevant Experience:

Operation Nimrod

Operation Barras

Operation Telic

Operation Lightwater

Operation Ellamy

Notes:

Device: EG MKO-EMP grenade Operator: Specialist Mike “Thatcher” Baker

Evaluation Lead: Specialist Jack “Pulse” Estrada

One of the biggest challenges for a team is Specialist Mike “Thatcher” Baker’s EG MKO-EMP grenade since the electromagnetic surge can disable electronic gadgets within its radius. The EG MKO-EMP disrupts - in some cases it can destroy - quite a few of our devices. It locks up my Cardiac Sensor so it can’t detect another pulse!

The EMP is deceptively simple. It’s the grenade impact that charges the electron particles. That concentrated energy cascades across an area - even through walls - and spikes nearby electronics. Short of wrapping ourselves in a Faraday shield to protect our devices, there isn’t much that we can do against that.

--Pulse

Smoke

Background:

“Sure, I care about the environment. Immediately around me, anyway.”

Though Porter wasn’t an exceptional student, aptitude tests revealed his propensity for sciences. Encouraged by faculty and his parents, he was able to follow a more unorthodox manner of education with tutors, home-schooling, and field science. He flourished in this break from formal classroom studies and quickly developed his skills in chemistry, biology, and math. Uninterested in pursuing a formal university education, Porter forged a fake ID and enlisted in the British Army. Though the rigidity of army rules wasn’t always a good fit, it was offset by the diverse range of training and experiences army life gave him. While he has been reprimanded for breaking rules, his superiors quickly recognized both his innovation and strategic perspective. He was then encouraged to join the SAS. Porter prefers to acquire knowledge and skills, such as language and music, in his own way and does not excel in a formal training capacity. 

Psychological Report:

It’s important for me to not have any preconceived expectations before a face-to-face with any specialist. Since assessments of Specialist James “Smoke” Porter contain some contradictions, I couldn’t have settled into any viewpoint anyway. So essentially he entered my office as somewhat of a mystery. [...]

Porter is consistently described as detached. I reviewed his files and found that his “aloofness” occurs during high-intensity situations. It’s likely not detachment, but focus. I’m reminded of my uncle who used to tap his forehead and tell me to master my mind. Porter, I think, is mastering his mind to stay on task and filter out dangerous distractions. He strives to keep emotions away from decision-making, opting for outlets such as live music events to deplete the tension, thus enabling him to be the person he needs to be on the job. [...]

It’s clear that Porter’s parents encouraged him to be a free spirit and develop his education and personality on his own terms. While it resulted in some unfortunate mishaps - one science experiment left some physical scars but no emotional ones that I can see - there was a great benefit in it. [...] Porter’s free range education helped create a complex, dynamic person who isn’t easily categorized.

Porter is popular among his teammates and considered valuable despite some recklessness. Descriptions such as thrill seeker and fearless seem simplistic to me, however. There’s more nuance to Porter than that. He’s measured and understands calculated risks. Porter - and our other operators = understand that it’s more important to respect fear than try to pretend we never feel it. [...]

Self-taught from an early age, Porter continues to spend time cultivating his own identity. He enjoys acquiring experiences and once he’s mastered them, moves on. The exception is his adopted daughter. He would only share one photo of her. I’ve never seen an infant surrounded by so much paraphernalia, but Porter assures me she is now in high school, excelling within the system he himself was unable to comprehend. Through her, he sees the world in new ways - exactly the kind of challenge he adores.

--Dr. Harishva “Harry” Pandey, Director of Rainbow

Training:

British Army

Joint NBC Regiment

Relevant Experience:

Operation Banner

Operation Shader

Notes:

Device: Compound Z8 Grenades

Operator: James “Smoke” Porter

Evaluation Lead: Specialist Liu Tze “Lesion” Long with Specialist James “Smoke” Porter

Controlled tests of the Compound Z8 Grenade required a number of measures including limiting the presence of lab personnel to only the most critical. Strict rules surrounding the PPE disposal (personal protective equipment) and protocols for hazards has to be maintained at all times. Even through the facility is state-of-the-art, additional precautionary measures were required before testing could begin.

The Compound Z8 Grenade mixture’s incapacitating agents are comprised of - [substances are classified and so have been redacted from this document by order of the Director of Research and Development]. As such, the presence of Specialist James Porter and Specialist Liu Tze Long are required at all times, including for any future testing.

First tests were basic data gathering, including the structural integrity and design of the canisters, as well as a deployment timing and range of effect. Evaluation also included a series of tests to measure exposure guidance levels and, where necessary, antidote compounds are being reviewed as well. Data results are still being processed and will be attached when they’re ready.

--Lesion and Smoke

Mute

Background:

“People think my codename is because I don’t like to talk. Maybe I just don’t like you.”

An exceptional and well-rounded student, Chandar was one of the youngest accepted into the University of Cambridge. He majored in electronics and computer engineering, completing an internship at a prestigious tech company where he contributed to the design and function of security system prototypes. His ingenuity caught the attention of Britain’s national security office, the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). Having demonstrated acuity in code breaking, Chandar became an intelligence officer within the signals intelligence (SIGINT) unit. He continues to contribute to the applied technical research team and has recently expanded his field of study to include learning Korean.

Psychological Report:

It may not be immediately clear why Specialist mark Chandar’s codename is Mute. While he dislikes small talk, he isn’t particularly reserved and in fact can be brash - a trait that is off-putting to some. Whatever social agitation he experiences, there are some indications that he’s unable to shake it off. I suspect it’s because he’s impatient. He needs to appreciate that there are different approaches to solving a problem. Interestingly, Specialist Mike “Thatcher” Baker seems begrudgingly tolerant of him and has been known to speak up in Chandar’s defense. [...]

Chandar tends to gravitate to certain personalities. In particular, I’ve noticed that he’s been interacting with Specialist Timur “Glaz” Glazkov lately. Because Chandar revels in deconstructing equipment to create something new, I think he’s drawn to abstract thinkers and Glazkov has a similar talent for seeing complex situations in a unique way. [...]

Given his background in information security, Chandar understands secrecy and seems uncomfortably with expressing himself or with personal questions. In his field, and here at Rainbow, information is a critical - life and death - commodity. So of course, I respect this but only up to a limit. I had to find another way in and we managed to find common ground in discussing History, of all things!

For someone so focused on science he surprised me. His hometown of York is one of the most historic cities in England and it’s a city I adore. He described in wonderful detail how he had to pass the Gothic church on his walk to school. He liked to lean back and look up at the bell tower that it made him wobbly. [...] My meeting with Chandar reminded me that we here at Rainbow tend to focus on how our operators excel in the STEM fields, but there is a great value in our operators having passion and interests across a broad spectrum of studies. Chandar demonstrates why he’s much more than someone who is used to being the smartest person in the room. Despite his young age, I’m certain he has something to teach the others.

--Dr. Harishva “Harry” Pandey, Director of Rainbow

Training:

University of Cambridge: Bachelor of Science, Engineering; PhD Electrical Engineering

Britain’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ): Signals Intelligence Specialist (SIGINT)

S.A.S.: SIGINT Communications and Technology

Relevant Experience:

Tempora

GCHQ Prototype engineer

S.A.S. Prototype engineer

Notes:

Device: “Moni” GC90 Signal Disruptor

Operator: Specialist Mark R. “Mute” Chandar

Evaluation Lead: Chul Kyung “Vigil” Hwa with Specialist Mark R. “Mute” Chandar

Rainbow Director Harishva (Six) Pandey and Research and Development Director Elena (Mira) Álvarez have made these evaluations a top priority. I was asked to review the GC90 Signal Disruptor alongside Specialist Chandar, He’s invested many years researching defense systems and GPS-Reliant Military Systems. Really he’s the expert on the subject.

Specialist Chandar and I put the GC90 “Moni” Signal Disruptor through a number of interior and exterior scenarios. The key focus was to test jamming signal parameters based on several constraints while keeping the devices weight to a minimum.

Regarding the attached evaluation results… Specialists Weiss and Pichon (IQ and Twitch) made repeated requests to review the data because both have devices that are powerful counters to the Moni. I didn’t want to be uncooperative but I wasn’t clear on the protocols. Mute wasn’t granted access to IQ RED MK III results “until Director Álvarez had seen them.” So Mira, I’m leaving it to you to decide.

[Comment_E. Álvarez: That’s fine, Vigil. I’ll handle it from here.]

--Vigil and Mute

Ash

Background:

“You can never truly understand a conflict until you’ve been on both sides.”

Cohen’s mother is a renowned Jewish political activist and professor while her Palestinian father is a professor of Middle Eastern Studies. Cohen was raised in Israel, excelling in Mathematics and Physics. She earned a degree in Structural Engineering at Tel Aviv University and spent a few semesters at Boston University.

Cohen then enlisted in the Isreali Defense Forces (IDF). After undergoing the rigorous twenty-two month training for the elite Air Force unit, Shaldag, she served five years. Skilled in ground and airborne operations, all-weather and all-terrain navigation and reconnaissance, she was invaluable in Operation Orchard. Moving to the US to work with the FBI SWAT, Cohen applied her degree in Engineering and gift in structural resistance to develop advanced demolition tactics and equipment. Along with Hebrew, Cohen is fluent in Arabic, English, French and Greek.

Psychological Report:

I had several meetings with Specialist Eliza “Ash” Cohen before I gave up on convincing her to not see me as a commanding officer. She asked so many probing questions, it was starting to feel as though she were analyzing me. [...]

Cohen isn’t interested in discussing her childhood. There’s resentment toward a judgemental grandmother, but no lasting trauma. Military service acted as an escape from family tensions and appealed to her ordered and focused personality. Cohen added that she appreciates high-risk, high-reward scenarios, but didn’t elaborate on what level of personal risk is acceptable.

Her identity is intertwined with her military training and operations. Extracting anything personal from the tangle is difficult. Cohen is cautious and doesn’t cultivate many close relationships. Her bond with Specialist Miles “Castle” Campbell is therefore important to her - and I would say to the team as well. It’s certainly a good pairing. Campbell’s amenable personality enables Cohen to step out of her comfort zone without feeling self conscious or judged. [...]

Cohen uses other people’s assessments to describe herself: She told me that Specialists Dominic “Bandit” Brunsmeier and James “Smoke” Porter tell her she’s “too serious,” while others describe her as “intense,” and that she enjoys being proven right. So I asked if she thought any of these descriptions were accurate. She told me that she only cares about whether the other operators respect her. I’m confident they do. [...]

On operations, Cohen is exemplary: she thinks fast, and her aggressive style almost always puts her at an advantage. During debriefs, however, I’ve noticed a different kind of focus. The residual stress of combat causes her to dwell on every misstep, perceived or real. Self-evaluation is understandable from someone so highly skilled, but it also has an effect on her team. It’s important to encourage her to process the events as a joint effort and not simply assume the critique alone. Cohen - like all operators - knows there will be situations she can’t prepare for. And yet, she alone allows the stress of the unknown to eat at her. This will need to be addressed.

--Dr. Harishva “Harry” Pandey, Director of Rainbow

Training:

Tel Aviv University: Bachelor of Science, Engineering

Isreali Air Force

Shaldag

FBI SWAT (JINSA LEEP)

Relevant Experience:

Second Lebanon War

Operation Orchard

Austere Challenge

Notes:

Device: M120 CREM Breaching Rounds

Operator: Specialist Eliza “Ash” Cohen

Evaluation Lead: Dr. Elena “Mira” Álvarez, Director of R&D

Specialist Eliza “Ash” Cohen was not thrilled when she saw me examining her M120 CREM Breaching Rounds. She paced around me like a leopard stalking prey. I’m the Director, I’m perfectly capable of being professional.

Specialist Cohen is very hands-on and from the start she directed the design and function of the M120 CREM. Up close, I can see that it’s well-designed. What surprised me was how the titanium drill bit is designed like a threaded needle so that it “injects” the detcord into the surface. That explains why the damage zone is so effective.

If there’s another counter besides Jäger’s Active Defense System, I’ll find it. In the meantime one strategy that works pretty well is knowing that Miss KickInTheDoor tends to get caught up in her own hype and rush ahead without enough intel.

My examination of the M120 CREM provided some solid insights, plus it was fun. Ash seemed worried that I might mess with it. I don’t need to flip switches on her gear to win.

--Dr. Elena “Mira” Álvarez, Director of R&D

Thermite

Background:

“You see a wall, I see an opportunity.”

Trace joined the Corps straight out of high school, making him a fourth-generation Marine. Following his first tour of Iraq, he obtained enough experience to volunteer as an explosive ordnance disposal technician. After his second tour of Iraq, Trace returned to the U.S., enrolled in university, and earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. He brought his experience and skills to the FBI, where he spent a number of years as a field agent within the Hazardous Materials Response Unit. Seeking more dynamic environments, Trace transferred into FBI SWAT, where he excelled at developing new barricade protocols. He then earned a spot in Rainbow where he’s shown further interest in research and development on gadget upgrades. Trace’s hometown of Plano has a major concentration of Chinese Americans, and as such Trave has a conversational level of Mandarin.

Psychological Report:

For someone so disciplined and orderly, Specialist Jordan “Thermite” Trace likes to surprise. He can be a practical joker and he’s always ready with a smart aleck comment. Beneath the surface, however, the recent loss of his sister to cancer, and the death of his mother a few years priors, have made it difficult for him to channel his thoughts and energy with the focus to which he is accustomed. [...] I am concerned that he uses humor to avoid his grief. It’s important he understands that some coping mechanisms can delay the healing process. There are resources that can help him, and I will continue to offer them when and where I may. [...]

Trace demonstrates strong tactical leadership, but can also plow ahead without consensus. I don’t believe there’s any lasting friction with other team members. He’s well-liked by the others and has a solid working relationship with Specialists Yumiko “Hibana” Imagawa, Mike “Thatcher” Baker, and Emmanuelle “Twitch” Pichon. He can be quite the social-butterfly in his downtime. [...]

A few things to work on: Trace has excellent communication, when he chooses to use it. He’s has good strategies but sometimes tends to “lock in.” I know that he’s capable of being a more agile thinker, so I’ve given him some tips on how to recognize when he’s becoming too… bullheaded. [...]

There’s a lot going on behind his smile. I’d like him to find a way to regulate himself, to find balance for his work and private life. Trace doesn’t show obvious stressors, opting instead to channel any anxious energy into something positive such as the the R&D lab. It has been difficult to convince him that he needs a break from his role and identity as an operator. Shifting his attention to other intense tasks isn’t a solution. [...] I’ve given him some mental relaxation exercises that don’t demand considerable time, but can be tackled throughout the day. Imagawa, in particular, can be a good influence on him since she regularly practices mindfulness techniques to focus and relax. I hope he will take her advice to heart.

--Dr. Harishva “Harry” Pandey, Director of Rainbow

Training:

USMC Close Quarters Battle School

USMC Methods of Entry

USMC Helicopter and Rope Suspension Techniques Master Course (HRST)

Texas A&M: Bachelor of Science, Chemistry

FBI Field Agent

FBI SWAT

Relevant Experience:

Two tours of duty in Iraq

Fleet Antiterrorism Security Teams (FAST)

Notes:

Device: Brimstone BC-3 Exothermic Charges

Operators: Specialist Jordan “Thermite” Trace

Evaluation Lead: Specialist Yumiko “Hibana” Imagawa

Thermite’s Brimstone was one of the first devices tested in the lab. It’s the same way he has to be the first through any reinforced walls. Always has to be first. :)

On the day of testing, Specialist Trace was busy developing additional prototypes as he did during Operation Chimera and wasn’t immediately available. Since I’m very familiar with Exothermic BC-3 Charge and have an expertise in explosive ordnance, I volunteered to conduct the evaluation.

Our tests included adjusting the mixture stages to see if we could achieve stronger and more concentrated “melt”. The results helped us clearly determine the chemical reaction times at peak temps. Our tests on the Brimstone BC-2 Exothermic Charge went well and produced some surprising results. Some were enough of a surprise to lure Thermite to join us (that was fun!). We’ve been able to book extra time to apply some of the data to his prototypes. I’ll file another entry as soon as we’re done.

--Yumiko

Castle

Background:

“Listen up, people: No one dies today. Any questions’ll just have to wait.”

Miles Campbell graduated from Cal State LA with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and promptly joined the LAPD. Recruited into LAPD SWAT, Campbell excelled in tactical support and high-risk incidents. His careful application of dynamic and deliberate entries made him a Captain early on, while his exceptional perimeter control earned him his first commendation.

Always interested in the safety of his team, Campbell worked tirelessly to perfect defense and reinforcement techniques and equipment. He has earned multiple commendations since his first and is a certified firearms specialist. Transferred to the FBI as a field agent where he trained with the German Federal Police (GSG-9), he was then recruited into the FBI SWAT team. Campbell has participated in cross-departmental training sessions with international law enforcement agencies, including the SAS and GIGN.

Psychological Report:

Within minutes of my first meeting with Specialist Campbell it was like being with an old friend. He has an easy-going manner. We joked over American football and our football - side note: look up the origins of the word “soccer.” I have a 20 quid bet on it. [...]

Reports repeatedly mention that Campbell is referred to as “papa bear” or “the diplomat” among the Rainbow operators. He described how he smoothed over a heated discussion between two operators the other night. It’s clear that he’s the team’s social glue. This, and his openness, means that Campbell can be grouped with any member of Rainbow. I’m not surprised that he’s the one with whom Specialist Eliza “Ash” Cohen feels the most comfortable. [...]

His sense of fair play is clear in both his personal and professional life. I wondered if it was ever a struggle for him, given what he’s seen. Without hesitation he told me: His job is to protect those who can’t protect themselves. Beyond the sense of justice that motivates him, he has a desire to transform things for the better. [...]

Our discussion explored his appreciation of teammates, world cultures, and his love for the abused dogs he’s rescued. Campbells a curious person, someone who enjoys learning for learning’s sake: Habitually staying up late to watch any sort of documentary certainly makes him a kindred spirit for me. He draws his positive energy from his parents, who have been married 42 years and are still madly in love. Along with inheriting their work ethic, it’s their playfulness he tries to emulate. [...]

Campbell is a hopeful person. He believes in the potential of people - all people - and wants to be an agent of change. He’s so concerned for others that he may overlook his own needs. I suspect this is what sparked his recent blow-up after a training exercise. His frustration with himself was evident. One of his strategies hadn’t played out the way he had hoped. Clearly, we need to make sure he gets as much encouragement as he offers to the others.

-Dr. Harishva “Harry” Pandey, Director of Rainbow

Training:

California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA): Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice

LAPD: Police Officer, SWAT

FBI: Field Agent, SWAT

Relevant Experience:

GBI New Operator Training School (NOTS)

Multiple cross-departmental training sessions with Federal and International law enforcement including SAS, GIGN and GSG 9

FBI SWAT WMD training

Notes:

Device: UTP1-Universal Tactical Panel

Operator: Specialist Miles “Castle” Campbell

Evaluation Lead: Specialist Miles “Castle” Campbell

Simple and sweet, that’s how I like it. When i first joined Rainbow, the techs started showing me all sorts of contraptions, but I wasn’t going to be someone’s guinea pig. Do you know how many times Bandit complained about getting shocked or Maverick sucked on his fingers because the torch ran too hot? From what I understand, my Universal Panels are unique because they use nucleation, which allows the carbon nanotubes to guide polymers into longer chains. This makes for stronger panels, the kind of toughness that Kevlar can’t approach*. And I’m fine with that. All these nanotubes make for a lighter load. Just rolls them down, nail them into place, and we’re ready to throw down. Better than those heavy-ass deployable shields.

*I had to memorize that part so I could recite it to Specialist Chul Kyung “Vigil” Hwa in Korean.

--Specialist Miles “Castle” Campbell

Pulse

Background:

“The heart is just a motor. Like any machine, it can be fine-tuned.”

Born on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Estrada was raised on bases across the US and internationally, in Germany, Turkey, and Japan. His father was a pilot and his mother was a classified Senior Intelligence Officer. Estrada demonstrated acumen for science at an early age and was quickly moved into an advanced curriculum. His focus on Forensic Science and Biochemistry made him a perfect fit for the Biometrics Program with the FBI, which he joined as their youngest intern. He secured his role as an agent and was soon recruited into SWAT, working both in the field and in the FBI Lab. Estrada’s high emotional intelligence led him to join the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) where he excelled in crisis management and negotiation tactics. His knowledge of behavioral biometrics led to the creation of the Cardiac Sensor, along with several other prototypes which he continues to refine.

Psychological Report:

During operations, Specialist Jack “Pulse” Estrada keeps his cool and consistently maintains sound judgement. So to meet someone with such boyish enthusiasm was an entertaining surprise for me. The conversation was a lively circuit of topics from biology, fighter jets, and scuba diving, to something his father builds in his spare time: Muscle cars. I had honestly never heard this term before. It completely baffled me. Estrada had to show me pictures. [...]

We discussed his childhood fascination with biology and chemistry. That he wanted to be an astronaut, and he jokes that he still might be. He’s fascinated with the concept of alien life-forms. Which, upon mentioning it, prompted him to describe his deep-sea diving expeditions with bouncing excitement. [...]

What does make Estrada quiet and contemplative is the mention of his mother. He becomes serious and there’s a wistful tone in his voice. It was his mother who first noticed how good he was at deconstruction micro-expressions. She encouraged free-thinking and let him decide the pace of his academic studies. A naturally private person, her work in military intelligence made her even more so, but because Estrada can so easily read others I think it bothers him that he’s unable to read his mother at all. [...]

Life is a sense of adventure and Estrada is ready to grasp it all. It’s a healthy attitude and I wonder how his upbeat energy affects the group. Estrada told me that he’s working on being more in the moment, “slowing time.” He’s striving to be more mindful. I asked if anyone in particular had encouraged this new point of view, but he avoided the question. [...]

Even under the most extreme conditions, Estrada puts his team first; naturally they all speak highly of him. Estrada says it’s the caliber of his teammates that makes him so dedicated. [...] He and specialist Jordan “Thermite” Trace are close, but there is some professional rivalry between Estrada and Specialist Monika “IQ” Weiss. They seem to enjoy goading one another. I’m not concerned. If anything, it benefits Estrada to be challenged once in a while.

--Dr. Harishva “Harry” Pandey, Director of Rainbow

Training:

Purdue University: Bachelor of Science, Forensics; Master of Science, Biometrics

FBI Biometrics Intern

FBI Biometrics Operator

FBI SWAT Negotiator

Relevant Experience:

Virginia Task Force 1

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

Watertown operation

Notes:

Device: HB-5 Cardiac Sensor

Operator: Specialist Jack “Pulse” Estrada

Evaluation Lead: Specialist Jack “Pulse” Estrada

Hey, Mira. As per your request, here are the specs for my HB-5 Cardiac Sensor. In a nutshell, the sensor uses microwave radiation to detect heartbeats because microwave radar technology has enough fidelity to distinguish human from animal heartbeats. My device takes it a step further by allowing you to “silence” the heartbeats of friendlies. It still detects them, but doesn’t alert you in order to reduce the noise while information gathering. Now here’s the caveat… I’ce already patented the HB-series and the latest variations that will be sent to various emergency management organizations to help locate survivors at disaster sites. While I’ve used it in hostage situations, the original intent is to help urban search and rescue teams. This is first and foremost a humanitarian tool, and my copyrights will guarantee that.

--Specialist Jack “Pulse” Estrada

Twitch

Background:

“Machine learning and teamwork have one thing in common: Always lead by example.”

Pichon grew up in a family of academics in the historic city of Nancy, France, where the children were encouraged to excel in Math, Science, and Technology. Early participation in sponsored computer programming competitions led her joining the army cadets at sixteen. Almost immediately her talent was recognized, particularly in robotics. Her superiors quickly encouraged Pichon to study engineering while continuing her career in the military. From the start, Pichon’s focus has been on adaptable technology that aids soldiers in the field. While there is much praise for her technological achievements, Pichon’s tactical prowess and ability to problem solve quickly and efficiently make her a crucial operational asset. Pichon’s unique combination of talents made her well-suited for GIGN and, later, Rainbow. She is fluent in French, English, and German and her current research focus is AI.

Psychological Report:

Technologically creative isn’t a term I’ve heard before working with Rainbow. According to Specialist Emmanuelle “Twitch” Pichon’s field reports, it’s the most concise description for her. Of course, it doesn’t encapsulate all of who she is. There’s more depth and surprises to Pichon than anyone expects. [...]

There is some academic rivalry between Pichon and her sister, a physicist, but nothing serious, she tells me. It’s endemic of the perfection her family instilled in their children. Her father told her to strive to be incredibly every day and that it will resonate out into the universe. [...] The Rainbow team speaks highly of her both operationally and in a social setting. Specialist Gustave “Doc” Kateb, in particular, appreciates her intuition and empathy, while others such as Specialist Olivier “Lion” Flament praise her technological know-how.

I wanted to know how Pichon interprets technological creativity. She said it’s the way she sees things differently and yet remains aware that she’s seeing things differently. So I suppose I would add “philosopher” to her myriad descriptors. [...]

She’s a very hands-on researcher. The manner in which she gets right up close to a robot, interacting with it the way someone would a child or pet, illustrates her innate compassion. Pichon is currently teaching AI empathy so that it can, in turn, teach it to humans. I’d love to delve into this further, and have plants to visit the lab. [...]

Because Pichon’s passion for technology as a way to improve quality of life drives her in research and in her military career, I wonder if she isn’t at times being too idealistic. She’s an excellent operator with many skills to offer besides the tech, and I want to give her more thought to where the human factor is crucial. [...]

Her background and interest in AI means one of Pichon’s favorite pastimes is people watching. Whether it’s settling into a restaurant or taking a bus, she goes wherever there are crowds of people and studies behavior. Travel, too, excites her. The list of where she hasn’t been is shorter than where she has.

--Dr. Harishva “Harry” Pandey, Director of Rainbow

Training:

Self-trained robotics expert

French Army: 6e Régiment du Génie

Relevant Experience:

Operation Unified Protector

Operation Serval

Operation Barkhane

Notes:

Device: RSD Model 1 - Shock Drone

Operator: Specialist Emmanuelle “Twitch” Pichon

Evaluation Lead: Specialist Emmanuelle “Twitch” Pichon, Project Lead Defense R&D

Let me start by saying how much I appreciate that both Dr. Harry (Six) Pandey and Elena (Mira) María Álvarez, Director of Research and Development, have implemented this evaluation review of all equipment.

I’ve attached a detailed schematic of the current RSD Model 1 (Shock Drone) device. Being able to run the current Shock Drone through controlled tests provided me with much needed additional data. With Elena’s permission, I’ve scheduled further lab time to try some rough prototype ideas.

I’d like permission to add my name to the schedule for evaluation of Specialist Max (Mozzie) Goose’s device known as “Pest”. Because it’s such a powerful counter I’m interested in participating in the tests.

[Comment_E Álvarez: I’ve looked at the schematic with your new modification ideas, and I’m thinking you should get IQ’s (Specialist Monika Weiss) feedback on them. Also, re: Mozzie. There are some issues with the Australian’s availability. If you want to fly there to observe the tests, we can discuss. Mira.]

--Twitch

Montagne

Background:

“Every conflict is an iteration upon the last. Every scar, a victory.” Touré began his career in law enforcement as a uniformed police officer with the National Gendarmerie. They used his imposing form whenever there was a need to show a strong police presence, earning him a spot in the Mobile Gendarmerie where the focus was on crowd control as well as military and counter-terrorism patrol missions. Touré’s push for extensive training provided him with a broad skillset and earned him a position in the GIGN. Though he’s best utilized for his breaching techniques, Touré also has training in combat engineering and reconnaissance. When not deployed with Rainbow, Touré is an instructor at GIGN.

Psychological Report:

Specialist Gilles “Montagne” Touré’s imposing presence, along with his unwavering gaze, is impressive and (as a tactic) I can see how it can be unsettling. He’s a man of few words, even among his friends. I chose to visit him at one of the GIGN Training Centers so that he’d be more comfortable talking. [...] Observing Touré with his trainees gave me a better sense of him. In this capacity he was accessible, fair, and even gregarious. [...]

We started by discussing his role as an instructor. Touré was excited that Rainbow continues to evolve and is proud to be a part of it. He told me there’s always a lot to learn from his peers and that, lately, he’s been trying to stretch beyond his comfort zone. He certainly has taken the lead on including more virtual simulation in our training. He’s hoping to incorporate the unique skills of operators such as Specialist Grace “Dokkaebi” Nam in his next sessions. [...]

Touré has a naturally protective nature. His choice to enter law enforcement speaks more to that than his family’s military history. The middle of four - his two brothers are also in the military - Touré said that the family raised them to be protectors. Their parents recounted stories of various ancestors who fought for what was right. [...] He believes that education is the solution to many of the world’s problems. His sister finished her police training but switched to teaching when she felt that was where she could do the most good.

Because Touré has an understated confidence, I was surprised when he expressed doubt over his role in Rainbow. Many of our operators are exceptionally skilled with languages. Touré isn’t. None of the reports suggest this is an issue, but even a perceived weakness can become debilitating. I encouraged him to select one - only one - language to focus on studying, and asked some of the other specialists to make an effort to include him in their conversations. If all goes well, it’ll feel less like he’s being tested and more like he’s being folded into the group.

--Dr. Harishva “Harry” Pandey, Director of Rainbow

Training:

Gendarmerie Nationale

Gendarmerie Mobile

Relevant Experience:

Prise de la Grande Mosquée

1994 hijacking, Marseille Provence Airport

Joint training exercises (CENZUB)

Certified GIGN trainer

Notes:

Device: Extendable Shield “Le Roc”

Operator: Specialist Gilles “Montagne” Touré

Evaluation Lead: Dr Elena “Mira” Álvarez, Director of R&D

Gilles Touré’s Extendable Shield was one of the first to arrive for evaluation. Le Roc’s heavy black surface is covered in deep battle scars and definitely stands out against our R&D facility’s pristine labs. According to Pulse (Specialist Jack Estrada), it was like the Monolith from 2001 A Space Odyssey had landed. I didn’t understand this reference until he linked images from the movie - he’s right!

Having Monty participate in some of these control tests has given us a better perspective of what he’s up against (and what he puts others up against). The shield has had some modifications in the past and we have had a solid list of adjustments we may want to consider eventually. For now, Montagne’s skill with the Extendable Shield has always been solid. As long as Specialist Touré has good support and communication with the team, Le Roc will continue to do its job as designed.

--Dr Elena “Mira” Álvarez, Director of R&D

Doc

Background:

“My job is to keep you alive. Make it as hard as you like.”

Of Algerian and French descent, Kateb grew up in an affluent family in Paris’ 16th arrondissement. He comes from a well-respected lineage in both the military and medicine. In his second year of medical studies with the prestigious Université Paris Descartes, Kateb answered the appeal for volunteers in Médecins Sans Frontiéres (MSF). He has subsequently volunteered numerous times on emergency frontline aid missions around the world. Upon graduation, Kateb declined a prominent private medical practice in favor of a career with the French Defense Health Service. Kateb’s main disciplines is toxicology and ecotoxicology. He has authored studies on biological agents and their effects on at-risk population and damaged environments, and contribution reports to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Recognizing the ongoing need for doctors, Kateb continues to volunteer with the MSF. He is a highly regarded medical officer for the commandement des forces spéciales Terre.

Psychological Report:

Specialist Gustave “Doc” Kateb’s wealthy upbringing could have easily turned him into a narcissist, yet he’s one of the most accessible and thoughtful people I’ve encountered. Surprisingly, he didn’t have much interest in being a doctor. The impetus seems to stem from family tradition, though it’s clear his grandfather’s military service was a strong motivation. Kateb admitted that he almost quit at the end of his first year because he didn’t feel any passion for his work. I gather his father thought the mention of “passion” was absurd. [...]

In his second year, Kateb volunteered for MSF and that first mission still resonates with him. The squalor, the chronic lack of supplies, the desperate need. He remembers how the look of worry on the mothers’ faces subsided as they gathered near the tents. That’s when he found his passion at last. [...] Encountering people with so little, it’s understandable that Kateb said that he felt shame. What’s interesting is that he described embarrassment as well for the life he still had. [...]

Field reports reflect Kateb’s selfless acts, yet he has explicitly chosen a combat role. That piques my interest. It was some time before he was willing to share his story with me. During a frontline op in East Africa, the hospital where Kateb worked was stormed by local militia. All of the patients he fought so hard to save were killed. From this horrendous event he realized it was within his power to save lives with a scalpel or bullet. [...]

Kateb’s proclivity for conflict resolution is just one of a dozen skills that make him an asset to Rainbow. It’s clear the team trusts and respects him. He’s developed a strong bond with Specialist Emmanuelle “Twitch” Pichon, due in part to Pichon’s use of technology to lessen the risk on human lives. Unfortunately, there is also unresolved animosity with Specialist Olivier “Lion” Flament over quarantine procedures that saw several of Kateb’s aid worker friends killed. For now, the situation is stable, if nonreciprocal. That may be the best we can hope for.

--Dr. Harishva “Harry” Pandey, Director of Rainbow

Training:

Université Paris Descartes: Bachelor of Science, Health; Master Toxicology and Ecotoxicology; Doctorate Medicine, Toxicology, Chemistry, Imagery (MTCI) French Defense Health Service

Army Special Forces Brigade

Relevant Experience:

Opération Turquoise

MINUSCA Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

Notes:

Device: MPD-0 STIM PISTOL Operator: Specialist Gustave “Doc” Kateb

Evaluation Lead: Specialist Gustave “Doc” Kateb

The first thing we’re taught in battlefield triage is MARCH, or looking for and treating in order: Major Hemorrhages, Airways, Respiration, Circulation, and Hypothermia. The first, blood loss, is always the greatest danger and while my stim pistol delivers the necessary dosage of epinephrine to stimulate the heart and dilate the cardiovascular system with adrenaline, the dose also includes micro-pellets that functions as near-instant coagulating agents. They race through the circulatory system, sealing up internal bleeding and damaged blood vessels, and filling in wound cavities from the inside, preventing soldiers from bleeding out. I don’t like the idea of keeping wounded soldiers on their feet, to be frank, but I also know that a soldier who can still fight will save yet more lives.

--Specialist Gustave “Doc” Kateb

Rook

Background:

“If you’re going to get shot, you may as well do it right.” Nizan’s father is a respected stone mason while his mother held multiple jobs. They both informed his sense of architectural design and precision, helping him earn top rankings in school. Along with Nizan’s intellectual interests, he excelled in athletics from an early age, including Track & Field, fencing, and cycling. He later dropped out of university to cycle across France before returning and joining the Gendarmerie. Nizan thrived in his training, which included specialized qualifications in weapons, surveillance, and criminal investigations. His adaptability put him at the top of the list in military and defense courses, quickly catching the attention of the GIGN. His first operations with that unit combined all the elements to satisfy his endless pursuit of challenges and adventure, according to staff psychologists. Specializing in hostage rescue and surveillance, Nizan’s list of successful interventions is extensive.

Psychological Report:

In reviewing Specialist Julien “Rook” Nizan’s file, what stands out is his ability to adapt to demands. Very quickly into our conversation it was clear that Nizan’s interests are wide-reaching. From his descriptions, it sounds like his parents imparted their eclectic tastes. Julien and his sister, Élodie, were especially encouraged to be curious about everything. I would argue that it’s this openness to the world around him that led to the creation of his protective - yet still highly flexible - armor plating. [...]

Nizan’s father is a stone mason, which requires imagination, precision, and dedication. His mother’s ability to explore different vocations with verve - bookkeeping, street busker, florist, tour guide, sommelier, and chef - all strongly influenced how Nizan adapts to challenges and what goals he sets out for himself. [...] The field reports reflect some of Nizan’s chameleon-like way of merging into whatever role is required. This kind of versatility is rare - I’ve asked leads such as Specialists Gustave “Doc” Kateb and Miles “Castle” Campbell to challenge Nizan more during operations. [...]

I’m curious about how Nizan went from studying architecture to joining law enforcement. He grew up passionate about cycling, auto racing, and rock concerts, and he spent an inordinate amount of time trying to device as scheme by which these could become careers. Ultimately, his interests evolved. Dropping out of university to cycle around France gave him his first sense of freedom. And then his world expanded further when he returned. At that time, the Gendarmerie enlisted his civilian father for an anti-corruption sting with local businesses. Nizan told me he was fascinated by the level of planning required by the police. [...]

Right from the beginning, Nizan remembers appreciating the broad spectrum of skills and range of expertise required to be in law enforcement and the military. Every day is a different. [...] Nizan is one of the more constant optimists on the team. His ability to energize other specialists is important, and he’s certainly well liked. I’d like to see Nizan’s sense of adventure put to better use, however. Complacency benefits no one.

--Dr. Harishva “Harry” Pandey, Director of Rainbow

Training:

Gendarmerie Nationale

Garde Républicaine

Relevant Experience:

GIGN Marksmanship champion

Notes:

Device: R1N “Rhino” Armor - Armor Pack

Operator: Specialist Julien “Rook” Nizan

Evaluation Lead: Specialist Gustave “Doc” Kateb

Lab time has been limited. I understand this. But Specialist Julien Nizan’s R1N “Rhino” Armor Assessment has been bumped off the schedule four times! I was informed that this was due to the straight forward nature of the Armor Pack and therefore doesn’t require a full lab analysis. This is not ideal. How are these being prioritized? I’d like to have a meeting with Dr. Harry Pandey and Director Elena Álvarez (Six and Mira) to discuss the lab schedule priorities.

The R1N’s composition of boron ceramic plates can limit damage from small arms and effectively “buys time” from fatal impacts so that medical assistance can reach the team in time. As we all know, this is the single most important thing in combat - survival! With something so simple it’s really exceptional and deserves respect. Please, let’s discuss lab time.

--Doc

Glaz

Background:

“Information keeps you alive. It’s how you find your way out of the dark. That, and a flashlight.”

Timur “Glaz” Glazkov’s formidable skill as a sniper served him well within Spetsnaz. He has an exceptional talent for observation and attention to detail. Glazkov grew up in the seaport city of Vladivostok, where he studied art.

In 2004, militants took a school hostage in Beslan resulting in the deaths of numerous people, including children. This motivated Glaz to join the Ground Forces of the Russian Federation. While training at the prestigious Khabarovsk Military Commanders Academy he developed unparalleled marksmanship and was immediately recruited into the 45th Guards Regiment. Assigned to special ops and VIP protected detail, reports consistently show that Glaz possesses a unique creative approach to problem-solving. He is the squad member with the most expertise in long-range scoped weaponry.

Psychological Report:

What stands out about Specialist Timur “Glaz” Glazkov is his wit. It’s surprising from someone so intensely focused during operations. He won’t share his gallows humor with me because he says a civilian wouldn’t understand, and he may be right about that. Still, I find him engaging in our discussions. [...]

Glazkov possesses many traits expected of a highly-trained marksman and field reports demonstrate his knack for improvising in tough situations. His ability to deconstruct complex concepts on the fly likely comes from his artistic sensibilities. [...] I asked what his influences were when he was studying since Vladivostok was quite remote back then. As Glazkov’s father worked in shipping, he had access to plenty of bootleg music and books. [...] His paintings are vibrant -- expressive. They’re more than an escape, perhaps a spiritual cleansing or a depiction of how he perceives suffering, but I’m far from a qualified art critic. [...]

He grew up in the Far East, and his exercises at the Academy included cross-border training with China. His knowledge of Mandarin and China’s culture should prove useful. [...] The rest of his upbringing seems typical: Getting into trouble, getting himself out again. Early operational reports are - let’s say a tad thin. And while he’s clearly self-aware, he’s not willing to discuss much with me. [...]

Glazkov is well-respected by his team. His humor and observational skills make him tolerant of personality extremes and he seems to be among the few operators who strategizes well with Vicente “Capitão” Souza. He laughs when Alexsandr “Tachanka” Senaviev tells him it’s because he too almost lost an eye. [...]

The mark on his right eye - a scar - is from a weapon kick, though his smile leads me to believe that’s not the whole story. I’ve noticed he subconsciously rubs it when he’s bothered. It may be nothing, or may be his “tell,” if how he plays poker with the FBI SWAT contingent is anything to go by.

--Dr. Harishva “Harry” Pandey, Director of Rainbow

Training:

Cadet Corps

Ground Forces of the Russian Federation

Khabarovsk Military Commanders Training Academy

Spetsnaz: 45th Guards Regiment

Relevant Experience:

Russo-Georgian War

Deployed in REDACTED

Notes:

Device: HDS Flip Sight OTs-03 MARKSMAN rifle

Operator: Specialist Timur “Glaz” Glazkov

Evaluation Lead: Specialist Sebastien “Buck” Côté

The OTs-03 high-powered sniper weapon of Specialist Glazkov’s (Glaz) exceeds all previous Russian designs. I’ve always been eager to try it. Since I happen to be a marksman in my own right, R&D Director Elena “Mira” Álvarez chose me to test it - under the sharp eye of Glaz. (It’s not his staring that unnerves you, it’s that he sketches you while he does it…) The single-point cut-rifled barrel is a key reason this weapon is so effective. There’s no stress on the barrel and no wobble or drift. So if you still miss it’s because you aren’t Glaz. Even a precision weapon as good this isn’t much without the HDS Flip Sight. The OTs-03 has an integrated rail for mounting optics with a tandem configuration allowing quick access to the HDS. This thermal detection is a point of pride and contention among operator discussions. This weapon provides faultless technical backup for someone with faultless skill.

--Buck

Fuze

Background:

“Chaos is only an enemy if you’re unable to adapt.” Growing up in a military family in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Shuhrat Kessikbayev immigrated to Russia shortly before the fall of the Soviet Union. From an early age Kessikbayev displayed an aptitude for science. His interest in mechanical engineering was honed in the military where he also trained as a machinist. Kessikbayev has applied these skills in numerous engineering projects, including his own weapon, and his ability to improvise in the field with scrap materials and minimal tools has made him a legend among his fellow recruits. This is one of the key reasons he is an asset to Rainbow Operations. During his time in the 27th Motor Rifle Brigade he excelled as a sharpshooter and has extensive weapon knowledge. Deployment within the Spetsnaz is confirmed, however all operation details remain classified. Kessikbayev is fluent in Uzbek, Russian, Ukranian, and English.

Psychological Report:

To say that Specialist Shuhrat “Fuze” Kessikbayev is restrained does not give the full picture. I was reminded of my grandmothers phrase: “Talking to him was like pulling teeth.” When other operators referred to him as mysterious I thought they were joking. I wouldn’t say that he’s difficult. He’s quite pleasant and hospitable. But he is… contained. It took some work but we finally managed to have a revealing conversation. [...]

Kessikbayev is quiet except with Specialist Timur “Glaz” Glazkov. When he does speak, people tend to hang off his every word. Field reports mention that Kessikbayev readily makes himself available in team planning but often falls into a cone of silence during operations. It’s critical that he maintains communications with his team, otherwise there may be further altercations such as the one with Specialist Siu Mei “Ying” Lin regarding civilian casualties. This is doubly critical given some of our operators come from units with “zero casualty” rules [...]

It was necessary to address past reports about Kessikbayev’s recklessness, so I asked him to describe an operation from his point of view. His objective, he explained, is to break down the defenses as efficiently as possible, but insists he isn’t careless. It’s clear that his creative engineering skills are a critical asset. He’s highly intelligent and calculating. While hard-hitting, Kessikbayev does possess good situational awareness. I suggested that he concentrate on improving this during future ops. [...]

I was unable to ascertain any details about his brother who is allegedly MIA. That file remains classified. However, I did manage to get Kessikbayev to open up a bit about his personal life. He was engaged for two years but the wedding was called off after he decided it was “not the road to take.” A proud Uzbek and a proud Russian, Kessikbayev said that growing up his parents encouraged them to embrace all that was Russian, so it wasn’t until his teens when he learned to embrace his Uzbek heritage. I asked him to elaborate on the experiences, but in his typical understated way he simply replied, “It was interesting.”

--Dr. Harishva “Harry” Pandey, Director of Rainbow

Training:

27th Motor Rifle Brigade

Spetsnaz GRU GSO

Relevant Experience:

Participant in the Ratnik gear program

Personal cluster charge, the “Matryoshka”, designed by Kessikbayev, first saw action in [REDACTED]

Notes:

Device: APM-6 Cluster Charge “Matryoshka”

Operator: Specialist Shuhrat “Fuze” Kessikbayev

Evaluation Lead: Specialist Jordan “Thermite” Trace

I’ll admit that I’d already jumped on the device evaluations even before I received the official request. No surprise there, right? Mira always has the R&D lab running at full throttle. So when she asked me to look at Shuhrat’s APM-6 Cluster Charge it took me no time at all to write up my report.

I was already familiar with the Matryoshka, having studied its trigger mechanism in relation to my Brimstone charge. The mechanical assembly is modeled after aerial bomb fuzes where detonation is tied to a fuze with an integrated firing pin. It’s less sophisticated than my Brimstone, but it doesn’t need that to be effective.

Clearing rooms and flushing out defenders is its primary function and I’d say it operates as designed. It actually has a benefit in that some targets are terrified of the boom. Shuhrat obviously understands the importance of classical conditioning. I just wish it only affected the people he’s going up against, but that's the problem with high explosives - they don’t discriminate.

This gadget is a beast. And that’s something, coming from me.

--J. Trace

Kapkan

Background:

“There are many different kinds of cunning. Fortunately, survival requires only one.”

Maxim “Kapkan” Basuda and his brothers grew up in Kovrov, surrounded by the influence of the Russian military. Both parents worked in the military support factories, his father in mechanical engineering and his mother in textiles. Encouraged by his parents and teachers, Basuda joined the Ministry of Internal Affairs as a police officer. Along with the standard training of weapon expertise, protection detail, and high speed pursuit, Basuda showed adroit skills with hostage rescue and information gathering. Clever strategies and self-sufficiency meant that Basuda was perfect for an undercover operation in the port town of Naryan Mar of the Barents Sea. His successful efforts to shut down organized crime prompted his recruitment into the highly respected Spetsnaz. Basuda became an avid hunter and trapper during his time in the Arctic Circle, before behind transferred to Beslan in 2002.

Psychological Report:

On first impression, Specialist Maxim “Kapkan” Basuda can come across as jaded about the world and his role in it. Oftentimes those who are most frustrated sound as though they don’t care, when in fact they care a great deal. It’s important to Basuda that he’s able to make a lasting contribution and so, despite his cynicism or because of it, he’s taken it upon himself to mentor other soldiers. [...] Even though some find him intense, they all speak highly of him. I asked him if he thought he had changed much over the years. He laughed and told me the one change he has noticed: He still eats flint for breakfast, only know he knows when to take his words back. [...]

Basuda enjoys a number of hobbies centered around weapons and hunting, so naturally I wanted to hear what the appeal was for him. A hunter, Basuda told me, needs to think strategically, to understand the animal’s routines and behaviors, but it’s also imperative that the hunter respect their prey. [...] Any true hunter respects animals. They understand conservation and the need to maintain a balance. Wolves and bears play their part perfectly, he told me. Basuda said this understanding makes him a better operator because he can apply it to people - both in how they’re like animals, but also in how they are not.

For Basuda, life is harsh - made harsher by humans. Decisive action and level headedness are what matter. Like wolves - not the fairy tale kind, but the real ones - Basuda considers himself loyal. Wolves, he explained to me, are devoted to family. All members raise the young, and they work together as a team when hunting. [...] Given his explanation, I wondered if he may feel somewhat lonely. A wolf without a pack. At my mention of it, he laughed and tapped his temple and told me he always loves brain science - that my job studies the mind but then is almost always about the soul. Listening to him wax philosophical, I couldn’t help but agree.

--Dr. Harishva “Harry” Pandey, Director of Rainbow

Training:

Ministry of Internal Affairs, Police Officer

SOBR

Relevant Experience:

Beslan School Siege

REDACTED

Notes:

Device: EDD MKII Tripwires

Operator: Specialist Maxim “Kapkan” Basuda

Evaluation Lead: Specialist Tina Lin “Frost” Tsang with Specialist Maxim “Kapkan” Basuda

It’s exciting to be a part of these evaluations. So I want to extend my thanks to Rainbow Director Harry (Six) Pandey and Director Elena “Mira” Álvarez for including me. Because of my Welcome Mats, Mira felt that I’d be the best choice to take a closer look at Kapkan’s EDD MK II traps. So Kap and I got right to work running our gear through a series of tests: Stress, deployment, and tactical. We made use of every part of the state-of-the-art lab.

Over the course of its development there have been various adjustments made to the EDD MK II. It was updated with a lighter alloy and a revised design has made it more flexible. Overall, the EDD is functioning well and we’re happy with the results (attached).

I learned more about Kap over these past few days than from all of the operations we’ve been on together! He taught me a few new tricks. And despite what he says, I think he learned some things from me too.

--Tina

Tachanka

Background:

“They told me I’d died. They were wrong. I was reborn.” Many of the men in the Senaviev family served in the Red Army. At the age of eighteen, Senaviev was conscripted into military service just as the Soviet Union was ending its operations in Afghanistan. Upon the dissolution of his draft, Senaviev opted to enlist full time. He was part of the wrestling league, where his formidable frame and match strategy earned him accolades. Along with heavy artillery, Senaviev’s training focused on defensive and breaching tactics, and while there he apprenticed as a precision tool and die machinist in the weapons division. Senaviev applied for a transfer to the Russian Navy but for classified reasons remained in the Armed Forces.

Psychological Report:

Calm in a crisis: Specialist Alexsandr “Tachanka” Senaviev’s original file doesn’t cover much more than that. So along with our meeting, I wanted to dig deeper into field reports and observe him in training before I could reassess his background.

Senaviev has a boisterous sense of humor with a booming laugh. He can be quite blunt, but without the intent to offend. Personally, I appreciate someone with clarity. [...] He’s dedicated to his team and is focused and calm during operations. That said, I’ve also observed some frustration. There’s a contingent of specialists who passionately support him, yet Senaviev feels he has potential that he doesn’t know how to maximize. It’s clear he wants to be a devastating force so I suggested changing his approach. If he studies his team, in particular, he should search for gaps in their strategy. It’s there he may just find a place where he fits. [...]

Senaviev’s younger sister is a doctor and our discussion had barely started when he was showing me photos of her in her doctor’s smock, along with a dozen more photos of his nieces and nephews and his own kids. [...] He and his sister grew up in a strict household without many things, which is why he makes a great effort to enjoy life. They both make sure that their kids are loved and raised with laughter. At the same time, he doesn’t like to buy or accumulate physical objects and emphasizes this with his children, much to their consternation. I suspect that’s also partly to do with his divorce. [...]

Though Senaviev is dedicated to his country and appreciates the life his patriotism has brought him, he was adamant that his son and nephew no make a career out of the military. “They can do obligation,” he told me. “Then go be useful in something else.” And so what Senaviev wants for his family and friends - for them to find a role where they find useful - is what he’s trying to find for himself. It’s up to Rainbow, as a team, to guide him.

--Dr. Harishva “Harry” Pandey, Director of Rainbow

Training:

Soviet Army

Russian Ground Forces

Relevant Experience:

Soviet-Afghan War

First Chechan War

Second Chechan War

Russo-Georgian War

Notes:

Device: Mounted LMG - RP-46 Degtyaryov Machine Gun

Operator: Specialist Alexsandr “Tachanka” Senaviev

Evaluation Lead: Dr. Elena “Mira” Álvarez, Director of R&D

Yesterday my day started with being handed a flight case that looked like it had been dropped ten thousand feet from the plane, and then dragged behind the delivery van before it reached us. Inside, the LMG had as many battle scars as the outside case. Even before checking with Tachanka - Specialist Alexsandr Senaviev - I knew that’s how it looked when it was put inside.

Tachanka doesn’t want anyone to “touch his toys” but he understands these evaluations are crucial for team operations. The LMG has had so many modifications to it already - mostly by Senaviev - that it’s in a category of its own.

We are in the process of testing a number of prototype options. In the meantime, I’ve attached a list of possible adjustments we can make to this LMG, if I can get Tachanka to let us make the changes.

--Dr. Elena “Mira” Álvarez, Director of R&D

Blitz

Background:

“I don’t like photos of myself. The lighting is always wrong.” Kötz is a graduate of Hermann-Böse-Gymnasium, an elite academy specializing in science and language studies. Throughout his educating Kötz excelled both academically and athletically. Among his many unique abilities, Kötz is multilingual with the ability to grasp the nuance of a language quickly. His physically imposing frame and skill with his weapon make him  formidable in space, room-to-room deployment. It’s his tactical experience that secures him as a solid Rainbow elite. These abilities combined with his specialized academic background and good-natured personality make him highly sought after. He easily transitioned from a Schnelle Kräfte soldier in Kosovo to a member of the GSG 9. Kötz has been integral to fostering training practices and good will between India’s National Security Guard and GSG 9.

Psychological Report:

Specialist Elias “Blitz” Kötz has seen his share of intense combat but is physically and mentally resilient. His temperament can best be described as jovial, though his team prefers to describe his sense of humor as “goofy.” I know my son would agree. Kötz uses humor to help diffuse stressful situations. It’s appreciated by his teammates and holds more value than his previous commanders gave him credit for. [...] It’s not that he doesn’t take his job seriously. In fact, quite the opposite: On a number of occasions he was the first to rush a barricade and has often placed the team’s safety over his own. The fact that Kötz prefers to not consider his acts as heroic is a quirk of his personality, but certainly no detriment to his performance. [...]

I like to think of myself as physically fit. Of course I realize these specialists are in a class of their own but even there, Kötz stands out as exceptional. He jokes about how often our med team files requests to strap him to some new machine so they can keep testing his physical limits. For anyone else the attention might be overwhelming, but Kötz takes it all in his stride. [...]

For his easy laugh and quick wit, there’s an earnest passion to Kötz. In the midst of telling me how his childhood was fun and free, he suddenly stopped. All joking aside, he said, “We have a responsibility to look after one another. I take that very seriously.” I have no doubt. [...] I’ve noticed that Blitz is a close confidante with Specialist Lera “Finka” Melnikova. When I asked him about it, he said they enjoy making fun of each other. She impresses him, he told me. It makes me wonder if he harbors some guilt because he’s in perfect health. [...]

Kötz’s mental dexterity can’t be overlooked, yet he often neglects to use it during operations. His amicable friendship with Specialist Gilles “Montagne” Touré may be a pathway to expanding Kötz’s application of his own abilities, and a way to hone their competitive edge.

--Dr. Harishva “Harry” Pandey, Director of Rainbow

Training:

International Baccalaureate Hermann-Böse-Gymnasium

Division Schnelle Kräfte

Relevant Experience:

Special Team 6

Trainer: National Security Guard (India)

Notes:

Device: G52-Tactical Light Shield Operator: Specialist Elias “Blitz” Kötz

Evaluation Lead: Specialist Elias “Blitz” Kötz

Flash and bash - Kapow! Is all you need to know.

Serious, when Six and Mira (Doctor Harry Pandey and Director Elena Álvarez) issued a directive to have all of the equipment evaluated, I volunteered to put my G52-Tactical Light Shield through rigorous tests… as long as they treated me to lunch. :)

The flash shield has had modifications that improve the flash and make the shield’s weight lighter. I speak for all operators when I suggest that lighter is always better. Lighter makes faster!

[Comment_E Álvarez: Yes, Elias. I’ve made a note in the file. We’ll do what we can. Mira.]

So it’s all working very well. One last thing! When i opened this file there was already a note: Blitz’s G52 is Flash and Bash aggressive and yet Elias is the total opposite! He’s the sweetest, funniest person to hang out with.

I have no idea who wrote this, but they are correct. I am the funniest and the sweetest.

--Blitz

IQ

Background:

“Life is the ultimate Rube Goldberg machine.”

Weiss’s mother is a renowned mathematician and her father is an inventor whose high academic standards encouraged Weiss and her siblings to win numerous awards in math, science, and music throughout the school years. Thriving in the gifted program enabled Weiss to complete her first internship with a local tech company at the age of sixteen. She was invited to MIT, where she focused on electrical engineering, achieving accolades for her research in Microelectronics. Weiss then joined CalTech for graduate studies in experimental electrical engineering. Weiss returned to Germany to work with military technology research before joining the Bundespolizei (BPOL) as an officer. Both the physical and mental challenges of the job appealed to Weiss and she quickly moved through the ranks. After two years with the BPOL she was recruited by the GSG 9.

Psychological Report:

Specialist Monika “IQ” Weiss is as active physically as she is intellectually. When she does manage to pull herself away from rock climbing, spelunking, and - well, countless other athletic and intellectual pursuits, she writes science-fiction. During our meeting, Weiss exuded so much natural vitality that I felt the same exhaustive rush I felt from completing my first marathon. [...]

Weiss says that she and her siblings are typical overachievers and jokes that even she gets worn out at family gatherings. It’s clear they’re important to her and she confided that she doesn’t have any close friends because only her family understands her.

It isn’t unusual for people with exceptional intelligence to be uncomfortable socializing. Of course, I’m not interested in pushing Weiss into making friends - that’s not my role, nor hers. But I do think she would benefit from reaching out to some of the other specialists beyond the usual training exercises and research. [...]

Her parents encouraged Weiss and her siblings to stretch their imaginations as much as their intellect. She described her mother as “someone madly obsessed with finding patterns in chaos.” Her father was the kind to launch experimental rockets from the family garage. It’s hardly surprising, then, that Weiss inherited their combined talent for focused disruption. [...]

Weiss was coveted by companies and universities from around the world, but she chose law enforcement. That fascinated me. She said it was an opportunity to work with state-of-the-art equipment and express her love for her country at the same time. I pointed out a third reason - academic research can be rewarding but it's typically highly focused and structured, leaving less room for the wildly creative approach that Weiss naturally possesses and that our special operations encourage. [...]

Field reports mention that Weiss can become obsessive when tackling challenges. In the same vein, she suffers from bouts of insomnia. I suspect the latter stems from the fact that Weiss simply doesn’t want to “give up the day”. If she’s to be of utmost use to Rainbow, it will be important that she learns when and where to let go.

--Dr. Harishva “Harry” Pandey, Director of Rainbow

Training:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): Bachelor of Science Electrical Engineering

CalTech: PhD Electrical Engineering

Bundespolizei

Relevant Experience:

GSG 9: Protection detail (Iraq)

GSG 9: Technical unit GSG 9: Airborne operations

SWAT training with both Bundespolizei and GSG 9

Notes:

Device: Electronic Detector RED Mk III “Spectre” Operator: Specialist Monika “IQ” Weiss Evaluation Lead: Specialist Monika “IQ” Weiss

Under the direction of both Six and Mira (Dr. Harishva “Harry” Pandey and Elena “Mira” Álvarez, Director of Research and Development) I’ve been helping lead a team of specialists for the department’s equipment evaluations. As the battlefield evolves, technology needs to evolve too!

Evaluation tests of the RED Mk III “Spectre” in the lab have been mostly positive. The frequencies have been adjusted and the scanner has improved. It’s always been a goal to have the gadget’s detection communicated to the team in real time. Field tests for this modification are attached.

One final note: I noticed Specialist J. Estrada (Pulse) was added to the tech lab schedule. The last time he was in the lab his “prank” modifications to the Spectre were not even mildly amusing. If he’s going to hang around the lab and participate in the evaluations I suggest we all keep a close eye on him. He isn’t as funny as he thinks he is.

--M. Weiss

Jäger

Background:

“Birthdays. Proposals. These should be surprises. No one wants a grenade to the face.”

Raised by his uncle, a mechanic with the Bundespolizei (BPOL) Aviation Group, Streicher was around engines and motors at an early age. While he demonstrated skills in mechanics, it didn’t hold the challenge that he was looking for. Since he had an affinity for complex machinery, his uncle encouraged him to study aeronautical engineering at university, but strict academic form was uncomfortable for him. So while Streicher’s grades were acceptable, he had a tendency toward restless antics. Following his hobby and passion in flying, he spent a considerable time around pilots and aircraft. Private corporations sought him out, but Streicher joined BPOL-Aviation Group because it offered him unique challenges, the opportunity to fly and serve his country. Almost immediately, Streicher began designing defensive weapon systems for BPOL including a ground-based Active Defense System (ADS) prototype. It was this prototype that caught the attention of GSG 9 and Rainbow.

Psychological Report:

Specialist Marius “Jäger” Streicher has a creative curiosity that’s reflected both in his operations and his daily life. The first part of our conversation was spent discussing a documentary that he watched the night before, about scientists searching for new antibiotics. Streicher was so caught up in it that he sent the link to Specialists Gustave “Doc” Kateb, Emmanuelle “Twitch” Pichon, and Lera “Finka” Melnikova. I’m sure they were all equally interested, if maybe not thrilled to be contacted so early in the morning.

That was only the start of our conversation. Streicher discussed other documentaries that he found fascinating: NASA sending a probe to the sun, new discoveries about Tyrannosaurus Rex, really anything to feed his voracious appetite for information on any subject. Robotics and artificial intelligence are the topics he seeks out the most but he enjoys almost anything. [...]

Streicher’s lively energy made for a dizzying meeting. Though the conversation wasn’t erratic, it had a path, I admit I wasn’t able to see it until I noticed that he often mentions the team: Wondering if so-and-so is doing alright after the loss of their dog, if another one received the birthday card he sent, and other references. Streicher enjoys sharing information so that he can make connections. Not just his connection with individuals, but a web of connections among everyone. [...]

His own upbringing wasn’t particularly lively or warm and the small family meant that he had very little company his age. He told me that his uncle was a fussy man - nitpicky. Streicher appreciates his uncle and all that he taught him, going so far to say that his uncle made him a better person. But Streicher did also say that his uncle was closed off and had no sense of humor. I believe the translation is “grouchy bean counter.” Understanding this background shines some light on why Streicher is so eager to create these connections with his team. He sees them as family. It certainly explains how intensely protective he is of all of them either on operations or during downtime.

--Dr. Harishva “Harry” Pandey, Director of Rainbow

Training:

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology: Bachelor of Science, Aerospace Engineering

Bundespolizei: Helicopter Technician, Weapons Maintenance

GSG 9: Technical Advisor

Relevant Experience:

CQB training for operations at sea

Involved in anti-piracy ops

Notes:

Device: ADS-MKIV “Magpie” Automated Defense System

Operator: Specialist Marius “Jäger” Streicher

Evaluation Lead: Specialist Marius “Jäger” Streicher

Mira tasked me with the evaluation of my ADS-MKIV “Magpie.” Spending hours in test lab sounds like my type of vacation - no joke. I’m always on the look-out for where things can be improved. For reference, I have attached the field test data for comparison. Data-Data-Data!

Before we get to that, let’s explore the importance of studying defensive strategies alongside breaching techniques throughout history, as well as the evolution of tech -

[Comment_E. Álvarez: References on defensive strategy, historical analysis of strategies, historical documentaries, list of favorite books have all been archived. *Marius, the details are interesting (and I agree with some of your favorite movie picks) but please keep this file focused on the tech results. Mira]

Now that those references help explain my tactical approach, we can better understand these tech results (attached). To sum up: The Magpie is operating at optimal performance. My gear and my operator strategy will - as Pulse says - “continue to cause many salty tears” for our opponents.

--Jäger

Bandit

Background:

“Survival is all about timing. Nature doesn’t give second chances.”

Brunsmeier and his twin brother were raised in a working class district near the Berlin Wall. Their father worked in the police force and strongly encouraged them to join. While working with Bundespolizei (BPOL) Brunsmeier excelled in crisis situations. He transferred to the Aviation Group long enough to obtain his helicopter license but his adaptability and experience with border surveillance flagged him for undercover operations. He was embedded as an undercover agent in the terrorist organization Red Army Faction (RAF) and later in the Hannover Chapter of the Hell’s Angels. In both operations Brunsmeier’s contribution was critical in seeing key members arrested and providing valuable information. While undercover, Brunsmeier honed skills in guerrilla tactics and improvised explosive devices. He developed prototypes of his electrified barricade and deployable shield. He is fluent in German, English, Polish, and Turkish.

Psychological Report:

I wouldn’t expect an operator who worked undercover for years amongst dangerous biker gangs and militants to be anything less than clever and adaptive. And in re-reading Specialist Dominic “Bandit” Brunsmeier’s file I’m struck by just how resourceful he had to be. It’s clear he had to be creative and strategic to stay alive. Frankly then, I was surprised by his sense of humor. It must’ve sustained him through his undercover operations. That said, he can have a cold intensity. Nothing reminds me that I’m a soft civilian more than looking into Brunsmeier’s eyes.

Brunsmeier certainly speaks fondly of his brother. He enjoys being an uncle to his brother’s kids - how they’re the only ones who let him be as silly as he’d like. He told me about their childhood in the shadow of the Berlin Wall. How sometimes they’d hear a BOOM from something triggering a land mine. And how they couldn’t resist pranking the patrol guards with some twin antics. [...]

I didn’t want to ask about the undercover work directly. It wasn’t until our most recent meeting when he volunteered some information. Brunsmeier described the challenge of remembering the real “upi” when immersed in another persona. The question: “Who are you?” would creep into his sleep. If he dared to form an answer, he knew he was as good as dead. Even considering the question was dangerous. So he would push it away. We discussed details of what he had to do to ensure his cover wasn’t blown, the source of some fantastic rumors circulating about him. Smiling, he assured me they’re only half true. I don’t want to break his confidence here. I merely need to assess if it has any lasting impact on him and the Rainbow team. [...] The most I can offer at this time is that the team works well together. [...]

It’s critical that Brunsmeier doesn’t close himself off. Training scenarios alongside operators such as Specialists Miles “Castle” Campbell, Emmanuelle “Twitch” Pichon, or Elias “Blitz” Kötz could help. These operators have calming attributes that may temper Brunsmeier’s inner demons.

--Dr. Harishva “Harry” Pandey, Director of Rainbow

Training:

Bundespolizei formerly known as Bundesgrenzschutz (BGS) Bundeskriminalamt (BKA): Abteilung

Relevant Experience:

Undercover: Red Army Faction, Weiterstadt prison bombing

Undercover: Hannover Hells Angels

Notes:

Device: CED-1 Crude Electrical Device “Shock Wires” Operator: Specialist Dominic “Bandit” Brunsmeier

Evaluation Lead: Specialist Jack “Pulse” Estrada

Given that the CED-1 Crude Electrical Device “Shock Wire” is a fairly straightforward tool in Specialist Dominic Brunsmeier’s arsenal, he was surprised when I told him it was scheduled for evaluation. Bandit’s more of a grease monkey and so he seemed out of place at first in test facility. (Note: Need more lab coats in size Large. I’m not letting him wear mine again. I don’t know what the hell he spilled on it, but I recommend it be incinerated).

So far we’ve collected a solid amount of data. The fun part was running a series of mods to maximize its capabilities and naturally Bandit had his own methodology and tricks up his sleeve. In my opinion, if we want any future modifications the best bang for our buck is to explore battery configuration. Bandit is in the “if it ain’t broke” camp, so it’s going to take some convincing. Let’s tag it as “in progress.”

--Pulse

[herogauntlet]

Kirishima & Bakugo’s Influence on him (1k words)

Widely discussed is how the friendship between Kirishima and Bakugo has helped Bakugo grow as an individual, but lesser spoken of is what Kirishima gains from it. There is undeniable value in Bakugo forming relationships with his Yuuei classmates that are not complicated by the unraveling of a complex web of misunderstandings that have accumulated over the years like he does with Midoriya. The culmination of Bakugo’s character growth in the latest chapter showcased his true potential and the positive influence he is capable of having on all his peers. Kirishima and Bakugo impact each other in a way that promotes mutual growth.

Disclaimer: This is a Kirishima rp blog so the post is ultimately Kirishima-centric, but in no way should this be taken to trivialize his relationship with others! In fact, Kaminari’s closeness with Bakugo deserves more attention drawn to it. (Kirishima is not the only one Bakugo has allowed to bail him out of trouble!! His reliance on Kaminari during the Licensing Exam arc is more than significant.)

In order to analyze how Kirishima benefits from their friendship, Bakugo’s natural-born leadership skills must first be examined. Many people throughout the series are innately drawn to Bakugo. It is no coincidence that out of all Yuuei’s students, he is the one targeted by the league of villains. Midoriya is all but entranced by him from early childhood and by middle school, Bakugo has amassed a troupe of lackeys that have taken to following him around. He possesses a certain charisma that people are attracted to despite the shortcomings resulting from his inflated ego. He leads by instinct, but that alone is not enough to make him a good leader.

Even All Might cannot leave Bakugo alone which is remarkable considering how he has treated his successor over the years. Aizawa too recognizes something special in Bakugo that is shared by Midoriya. They are forces of nature in their own right that stir the surroundings they’re placed into and have strong spirits that collide with anyone they come into contact with for better or worse. This much is apparent to anyone that witnesses them in action.

Other characters tend to misinterpret Bakugo’s actions because they take him at face value and simply do not understand his process. But this is understandable because the pace at which Bakugo continues to grow from his experiences is staggering. Attending Yuuei has humbled him countless times. Trust is forged over time as he is forced to acknowledge the strength of others and even cooperate with them at times.

Here’s the thing: Tokage's assessment isn’t actually faulty— her line of thinking fits if applied to Bakugo during the Sports Festival. Bakugo relies on his teammates without actually relying on them. To put it bluntly, he’s using them to achieve his goals because he cannot complete this task alone. It is a compromise. But this, as most things are with Bakugo, is a step forward in the right direction: the acceptance that there are limitations to what Bakugo can do alone. 

It’s hardly Tokage’s fault that she was not in a position to witness the strides Bakugo has made the way 1-A has. She can’t know him as a person the same way those that have faced adversity with him. Her plan does not account for the trust he has developed in them to follow through where he is lacking. Bakugo leads the vanguard fearlessly with the knowledge that he is covered by competent allies.

Although change like this does not happen overnight. Relying on others to watch one’s back requires a vulnerability that has taken growing into. The infamous “It has to be you” scene at Kamino Ward where Bakugo allows himself to be rescued is a major turning point. It is a group effort even though Kirishima’s involvement is vital. And it doesn’t stop there. The Provisional Hero Licensing Exam is the first time Bakugo is willingly relying on someone in combat. There is a world’s difference between how he reluctantly works together with Midoriya against All Might at the end of the first term.

Not only does Bakugo hold back (something that defies his very nature) to avoid causing harm to Kirishima and Kaminari, he has confidence in Kaminari to bail him out later. This is the same Bakugo that perceives most forms of assistance a personal attack to his competence. And it shows that he’s new to all this. Although it’s reasonable to assume his choice of words after being freed from Seiji’s quirk are not noteworthy, coupled with the accompanying art they convey a sense of urgency that fits with his character and overall discomfort with accepting help. What’s important is that he has reached a level of comfort with Kaminari that lets him. Kaminari has been building a friendship with Bakugo that is on par with Kirishima. Afterall, Horikoshi has labeled both Kaminari and Kirishima as the social ligaments connecting their class.

How does this relate to Kirishima personally? Well, for a person that struggles with self-esteem as Kirishima does, having the confidence of someone he admires as much as Bakugo is incomparable. Winning the hard-earned trust of him is a feat in itself. Bakugo Katsuki does not spout pointless falsehoods nor does he coddle. The brand of leadership he has developed is one that acknowledges the strength of his companions as equals.

Bakugo leads by example and Kirishima is inspired by Bakugo’s drive like most of the cast. In Kirishima’s case, it strongly resonates with the struggles of his past self. He watches how Bakugo throws himself into all that he does without hesitation in the very way he wishes to. Kirishima’s greatest hurdle is embracing his strengths for what they are. He fears that he is inferior to his peers while Bakugo previously believed himself above everyone. However, Bakugo comes to learn through nurturing various friendships that there is no shame in recognizing others as his equals. Kirishima and Bakugo as equals sets a healthy precedent for how they view themselves in relation to the people around them.

[ganymedesclock]

So I've been going through your meta and you mention how Lotor doesn't seem to like to kill or simila-esque things several times while defending him. But... Lotor has the highest kill count of any other Galra on screen we've seen (besides Zarkon).

So I’m racking my brain here trying to think of Lotor’s kill count and that’s what this post turned into. Feel free to check my work here- I’m going episode by episode. Gonna make a follow-up that’s more psychological.

s2e9: Acxa operates on Lotor’s orders, enters the weblum, splats a bunch of gut flora in the name of survival, IMO that’s not really a kill.

Acxa kill count: 0

Team Sincline kill count: 0

s3e1: it’s possible Lotor killed his first opponent in the ring, we see them fall down and not afterwards. That said, usually to-the-death combat is not how gladiator arenas work, so I would suspect not, especially when Lotor deliberately makes a point in this scene that he believes the empire is needlessly aggressive and this is one of the major talking points Throk brings up repeatedly as differentiating him from Lotor.

(Personally I’ve always found it odd people cite this as Lotor attempting to hold the moral high ground, because you have to remember the empire’s morals are not our morals. Lotor is attempting to appeal to the empire, in which case he’s stubbornly sticking to what the empire views as immoral behavior. He is not practically gaining anyone’s sympathy)

Either way, you can take that as a maybe-tally.

Lotor explicitly spares Throk here and faces no other entities.

Lotor kill count: 0~1

s3e2: Acxa leads operation on Puig, orders zero fatalities to which none of the other Generals respond negatively or show any disagreement with. We can thus assume even entities like the guy Narti knocked off the roof and the individual Acxa shot were not given life-threatening injuries.

Lotor himself does not attack during this and the ensuing battle against Voltron. He orders the Generals, mostly Zethrid, to direct attacks first a grazing shot on the Black Lion and then a direct barrage on the Altean castle. He also dispatches a large swarm of fighters, but, with the exception of Raht, and Shiro and Keith stealing fighters, we do not see living pilots in those fighters- they’re drone-piloted, and that swarm was killed by our heroes.

Lotor kill count: 0~1

Generals’ kill count: 0

Team Sincline overall kill count: 0~1

s3e3: Overwhelmingly, no additional fatalities, though this isn’t really a statement on Lotor as much as it is that he’s fighting the protagonists. That said, Lotor explicitly states intention to flush the Lions out for capture one by one, suggesting he doesn’t intend to shoot down the Lions as-is.

Late in the episode Acxa orders in two fleets to cover Lotor’s butt and they merrily leave them to their fate. This doesn’t strike me as a kill (if it is, you have Our Heroes to blame for being the entirely knowing and unapologetic murder weapon) but you could possibly fault it as Acxa specifically who makes the call, and Lotor / Zethrid / Ezor / Narti was aware of her actions and had no qualms with her setting those fleets up for a one-sided battle with Voltron without warning them.

 Team Sincline overall kill count: 0~1

s3e4: Mostly doesn’t focus on Lotor and company. Zethrid mentions previous attempts to dislodge the comet failed explosively and that wasn’t fun for “your pilots”. Again, something you can potentially fault them for but chances are better than 50-50 that aforementioned vague number of pilots were robots, not people.

I’d lean towards robots since Lotor in s3e1 talked up a great deal of the value of genuine loyalty in people, and in s4e5 this is emphasized in that the generals are clearly the type to re-evaluate if it isn’t worth staying and reacted that way to one time of Lotor killing a subordinate- which would suggest it’s highly unusual / Lotor generally doesn’t throw “his people” like lambs to the slaughter. (Hell, he even screened Voltron for general competence before throwing them at the rift, suggesting he didn’t even want to take that risk with his enemies)

Either way, Lotor wanted to retrieve the comet, not watch his ships splat like a bug wasting resources, so that’s not really a kill.

Lotor’s gamble pays off, though, Voltron emerges with the comet, Team Sincline makes a few precise shots, steals the comet, and ducks out.

Team Sincline overall kill count: 0~1

s3e5: At long last, some actual murder.

We don’t see Raht’s final moments after he’s drawn into the ship. It is operating at Lotor’s behest, but, it’s worth noting that Raht would have arrived on a ship full of very displeased half-galra and Zethrid was agitating for blowing him the fuck up earlier, so we have no idea who all was involved in the deed. It was pretty much a joint effort and at bare minimum, our likeliest parties would be Lotor and Zethrid as the ones that actively expressed Not Meaning Raht Well, with the others as accomplices/watching and not caring. 

By my estimate on Lotor’s personality, I’d imagine he’d leave the dirty work to Zethrid, but that wouldn’t exactly exonerate him since Zethrid would be operating either explicitly or implicitly with his full approving sanction.

Either way, someone on Team Sincline definitely murdered Raht once they captured him, rocketing us up to:

Team Sincline overall kill count: 1~2

s3e6: Lotor and company attack a base. Acxa shoots some drones, the two teams brawl it out (with both black paladins absent, for shame) Zethrid is itching to bump that maybe-one kill count to a maybe-two. Acxa rains on her parade, Narti takes out Throk with her nonlethal mind control powers.

The team appears to have set Throk up to take public humiliation instead, leaving him to the empire’s punishments, at which Lotor has pretty clearly no sympathy. Sorry, Throkykins, maybe you should’ve rethought your situation the last time you plotted a coup and then tried to murder him for political gain.

This doesn’t add anything to the kill count, ultimately.

Team Sincline overall kill count: 1~2

We won’t see Lotor and friends again until...

s4e1: This picks up on the tail end of a timeskip spanning a few months. That said, Keith confirms that hide nor hair of Lotor nor his generals have been seen in that time, and Haggar corroborates on Lotor’s end by chiding him for distancing himself from command and ignoring the coalition planets, not making overtures to maintain them. This nicely tells us that unless Haggar’s sent more spies after Lotor which he’s disposed of, in this time frame he hasn’t been in any situations that’d really open up opportunities for death.

Team Sincline overall kill count: 1~2

s4e3: The beginning of the end for poor Team Sincline. Lotor, while attempting to flee the attack of his parents, comes to the realization Narti is the bug, and, thought process / knowledge of the fact unclear, kills her where she stands and flees the scene, not discussing the matter with the other generals. 

Lotor kill count: 1~2

Team Sincline overall kill count: 2~3

s4e5: We resume with Team Sincline, not up to anything murderous but doing irresponsible things with rift gates. This fails, Acxa stuns him with a shot, he ejects Zethrid in full space suit and gets the hell out of Dodge. Very civil proceedings, all things considered.

Lotor kill count: 1~3

Generals kill count: 0~1

s4e6: I’m really not gonna count the drones and battleships destroyed during the chase. The drone fighters are, again, robots, and we’ve seen our heroes mulch them in the thousands so that really doesn’t qualify as murder, and in the case of the battleships, all Lotor does is skim the surface of a star running away from them. It’s on Zarkon if his leadership demands people copy his fugitive son’s radical stunts in ships that can’t hold up nearly as well.

End takeaway:

Lotor kill count: 1 confirmed [Narti], 2 potential [initial gladiator, unlikely | Raht, likely; if not directly, ordered another to kill him ]

Team Sincline kill count: 2 confirmed [Narti | Raht] 1 potential [gladiator, unlikely]

I’m not sure how this measures up to other empire’s kill count, but that gets into rather dicey business- we can get a fairly clean count with Lotor because Lotor doesn’t affiliate with, say, slave work camps e.g. the Olkarion Commander which would by their very nature (and how he’s shown to push the Olkari past the point of exhaustion) kill a lot of people but it’d be very difficult to get an accurate number on them since the writers aren’t going to show us bodies being loaded into mass graves. And a lot of the other antagonists’ kill counts aren’t high only by virtue of protagonist intervention- otherwise Prorok would have committed genocide at the Balmera by leaving its entire population stranded to die with it.

It’d be pretty hard for anyone to match Zarkon’s kill count though, given he’s had ten thousand years of violent destructive policies and just his explicit confirmed kills include at bare minimum a large majority of a spacefaring kingdom (Altea) which would potentially put him in the millions.

[sparky7u]

As The United States Turns The Clock Back On Women’s Reproductive Rights, Latin American Countries Are Moving Them Forward

📷 September 20th, 2021 📷 Bad Brad

📷By Ty RossSeptember 1, 2021 in the US will go down in the history of women’s health and reproductive rights. Unfortunately, the wrong side. As the GOP sponsored TX Bill SB 8 went into effect, it sparked outrage with women, companies and pro-choice advocates across the country and the world. But it wasn’t just the unconstitutionality of the state law restricting access to safe abortions, but the accompanying legislation allowing any citizen in the country to sue those they suspect, not know but suspect, of assisting in getting an abortion after the six-week threshold. From doctors to friends. Counselors, therapists, religious leaders, staff and receptionists. There doesn’t need to be any direct participation in the procedure itself, or intimate knowledge of the mother, only a word of advice, taxi trip or emotional support is enough to give someone the power to sue and potentially collect on a $10,000 bounty for doing so.One would think with the increasing rates of maternal mortality across the country, a country still lacking an equitable and universal system of health care, that the focus would be on saving those lives by protecting Roe v. Wade. Ensuring victims of rape, incest and those whose life and health are in danger would be the priority. But unfortunately, it isn’t.While far right religious groups continue to lobby for no less than a total abortion ban nationwide, other countries are putting the health and safety of women and children first. And leaving reproduction choices up to those who should be making the decision. Those adversely affected. The women. Countries considered to be very religious with almost all of them identifying as Catholic and aligning themselves with the views and canons of the Church.Let’s take a look at how some Latin American countries are making strides to protect the reproductive rights, and ultimately overall health and lives by legalizing abortion.MEXICO Located on our southern border, Mexico isn’t what one would consider a liberal country. It is the second largest Catholic country in the world. With Brazil being number one. Over 75% of Mexico’s citizens consider themselves to be catholic, but the hold the church has had has been slowly but steadily declining over the decades. One catalyst being the scandals involving sexual abuse allegations against priests around the world and what many believe to have been both known by and covered up by the Church.Even prior to this historic ruling, with Mexico City being the first state to decriminalize abortion in 2007, the country had already been showing signs of moving in the direction of increasing women’s rights.Oaxaca, Hidalgo and most recently Veracruz, these four Mexican states were where a woman could legally seek an abortion without government or legal intervention or reprisal. But with a government that is made up of 50% women, the women’s rights movement has gained a speed and momentum that ultimately played a part in the unanimous decision by the Supreme Court to decriminalize abortion countrywide.But of course, it was not an easily won fight. There will always be opposition when talking about abortion. Mexico’s National Action Party, the country’s conservative party, was fully opposed to the legalization of abortion. But what does separate them somewhat from the GOP party in the US, is that they advocated for providing better help and resources to Mexico’s pregnant women, as well as an overhaul to improve the country’s adoption system. They at least recognize the necessity of helping women and girls who find themselves in a vulnerable position. Something the conservatives in this country have ignored.Before the 2021 ruling, Mexico was dealing with two crises. Teen pregnancy and illegal abortion. At least 1 million illegal abortions were performed in Mexico annually. Leading to a high maternal mortality rate coupled with high instances of unwanted and unplanned teen pregnancies. This proves two things: that banning abortions don’t stop them and refusal to teach sex education doesn’t mean teens will abstain from engaging in sex.

But what it does prove is that banning abortion puts the life and health of those women and girls in danger. The criminalization of abortion is also a drain on resources as over 4600 women are under investigation in Mexico right now for getting an illegal abortion. Thankfully there are organizations working on behalf of those women, and others who have been jailed, to free them.ARGENTINA Less than a year ago, Argentina’s National Congress passed the Voluntary Interruption Bill. Despite a failed attempt in 2018, women’s rights advocates with the full support of President Alberto Fernandez, continued to push for legalization of abortion. Where Argentina succeeded was in messaging. Making the right to abortion not one about religion, or political party but one of health and poverty. Most importantly that of the women and the children involved.Women’s rights group Ni Una Meno (Not One More) took to the streets in protest for greater protections for women against violence and in recent years has increased in both visibility and popularity as their message resonated with women throughout Latin America. Mobilizing women and adding the fight for legalization of abortion to combat both governmental and societal issues that have traditionally been patriarchal, suppressive, oppressive and violent to women. Disproportionately poor women. Those forced to carry and bear children to an already violent household. Women who out of desperation may seek illegal and ultimately unsafe abortions that could land them in the hospital or even worse.Formerly available only to victims of rape, all women in Argentina now have the ability to request an abortion up to 14 weeks gestation. While the Catholic Church and anti-abortion groups are still trying to stifle access and circumvent the new law, this is still a huge win for the women of Argentina. With over 3000 deaths and almost 40,000 hospitalizations due to illegal abortions, the new law is most certainly going to save lives.By recognizing that legalization alone does not address underlying issues, or help those carrying unplanned pregnancies to term, the Senate passed a partner bill to provide better attention and increased access for safe pre- and post-natal care for pregnant women and young mothers.Argentina is hoping that by passing these bills, other countries across Latin America will be encouraged and motivated to do the same for their women. Not unlike what happened when Argentina legalized same sex marriage over a decade ago, and other countries in the region followed suit.CHILEThough currently only allowing abortions in the instances of rape, when the life of the mother is in jeopardy or non-viability of fetus if brought to turn (which over 70% of Chileans support), I have added Chile because they have been known to follow Argentina’s lead when it comes to expanding rights of both women and the LGBTQ+ communities. So although the numbers drop significantly from that 70% mark, to a little less than 50%, there are still many working hard to bring the legislation forward and hopefully see it passed.CUBA Prior to a law in 1965 that made abortion on demand both completely legal and free to all Cuban women, only the wealthy and those from the US were able to get it. Albeit for a hefty price from private physicians.Former dictator Fidel Castro supported the full legalization of abortion, and in 1985 he went so far as to make it illegal to perform an abortion outside of a safe and approved medical facility, by unlicensed physicians and outlawed abortion for profit. Meaning all women would be allowed the same access and affordability to the procedure. All but guaranteeing a decline in the maternal mortality rate.As stated by the President of the National Commission for Family Planning Dr. Sosa Marin:Cuba accepts and supports since 1959, the sovereign right of women and their partners to freely decide their reproductive issues. The State guarantees, through our health system, the necessary attention before and after birth, in cases of infertility or when birth is not desired. In such cases,

the State guarantees the right to decide, allowing recourse to contraceptives. Similarly, the right to abort is the right of women and their partners, and that is why they are offered this institutional service with a high level of medical safety.Cuba is certainly no stranger to violations of the rights of its citizens. It has a long history of suppression and oppression of its people in many ways. Recognizing the positive affect, the legalization of abortion and the availability to contraceptives has had on the reproductive health of women and decrease in unwanted children, doesn’t take away from that. But there is still extreme poverty in Cuba, and giving women access to abortion and birth control mitigate the growth of a population still a long way from the type of human rights and equality that gives that child an environment to flourish in.If Mexico, Argentina and Cuba are any indication of where the world is headed, that is inspiring for women all over the globe. All three countries are heavily Catholic with Mexico and Cuba having conservative leadership, they have recognized the necessity of the separation of church and state. That the lives and health of their citizens takes priority over their personal views. Mexico’s President Lopez Obrador has said publicly that his beliefs have no bearing on his governance. The separation of church and state is not just beneficial but secures that a society unencumbered by the ideologies of organized religion will continue to grow and evolve. It needs to be, not about suppression, but access.The new law in TX has shined a worldwide spotlight on the abortion debate. It is imperative that we protect the autonomy of women and their reproductive rights It’s not just about a right to choose, but a right to live. The legalization of abortion in Mexico, Argentina, Cuba and future countries moving in that direction, is about more than women’s rights. But human rights in general. Protecting human rights is paramount to protecting human lives. Real living, breathing human lives.Check out Ty’s book THE POWER OF PERSPECTIVE. It’s a collection of affirmations she wrote to get her through a difficult time in her life. Words of wisdom that apply to anyone, and everyone, to get through the hard times. If you’re questioning yourself, and need a reminder that you are in control… Click HERE to order your copy.

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Female Founder Representation In The Media And The “Raise” Double Standard

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Female Founder Representation In The Media And The “Raise” Double Standard

Amplifying voices of female founders in the media is critical to their success and building their … [] businesses.

Over the last year, the leadership of venture capital-backed women founders continues to get press attention from Audrey Gelman’s resignation from The Wing to Steph Korey’s management challenges at Away. We’ve read about these now public struggles and just recently, Fortune published a piece covering startup female founders and the double standard they experience running businesses, and how that’s covered in the media. Venture-backed companies in general receive a bulk of the business and tech press coverage. I am not saying we shouldn’t be telling these types of stories because the double standard for male and women founders exists, but that’s not the whole story. Another part of this story is the double standard created by the media between women who raise money (venture capital) and the women business owners who don’t, more than ten million to be exact.

The stories told can be different. While it is important to examine what went wrong and more importantly the lessons from these founders’ very public struggles, I truly believe there is an opportunity – and a responsibility – to show that these are not the only women’s leadership examples in business. There are other women-owned businesses managing and growing their companies with success, building outstanding cultures and creating incredible products and services. The perspective that the responsibility of the failure or success of a company depends on a group of investors isn’t the full picture. When any founder, male or female, raises money from an investor you know the stakes. To quote something I learned from my mother, “they know the bed they are making and must lie in it.” 

Kara Goldin, Founder and CEO of hint, created a whole new category of beverage with a personal investment and budget of $50,000. But that was the start of building her company. It has taken millions of dollars and fifteen years to where they are today. As Goldin says in her recently published bestselling book Undaunted, “That was the beginning, not the end, and I’m here to tell you that, sometimes, if you think too much about the end, you will never get past the beginning.  While Hint has raised millions since that first $50,000 of personal savings, most recently in a $25 million Series D, it hasn’t taken traditional venture capital or private equity investment.” Given the media’s coverage, many entrepreneurs continue to believe they need to seek funding from venture capital, but the truth is, that’s not the only way to raise money or build your business. Hint remains the number one independently owned non-alcoholic beverage company in the U.S.

It seems strange that often, only companies that have raised capital from investors, specifically the VC community, are deemed successful. This is especially true as most investors ultimately care about rapid growth (10X if we’re getting specific) and the success of their investment, and not focused on the culture of the company, the customer, or the development or preparation of the CEO nor his or her success. But raising capital is merely one way to identify businesses with potential. What these stories don’t tell are the many examples of ways to build successful companies, with the customer at the core of what they are building, creating inclusive and diverse cultures, many with tremendous impact, with innovative products and services. We forget those founders who self-funded at the beginning, scaling at their own pace, raising when and if they need to, including Goldin, Beatrice Dixon of The Honey Pot, and Jacquelyn De Jesu of Shhhowercap to name a few.

“Women startups do not have to start with a ton of money. Honey Pot is an example of that, we started with little to no money because we wanted to understand the lay of the land and also our customer and their behaviors. I think the best way to raise is when you need it and when you have a very big fish that will scale your business strategically and for the long term,” says Dixon.  The Honey Pot’s success didn’t come from landing an early venture capital investment. Instead, Dixon started her company with a $21,000 loan from her brother and co-founder, Simon Gray and spent three years working a full-time job to support herself while launching her company.

Women need access to capital, financial and social, that they can leverage in advancing their … [] businesses.

The reality is there are many ways to build companies and many may never want to sell. They are the heart of America, generating $1.8 Trillion of revenue per year. Of the fourteen million women-owned businesses in the U.S., more than 75% self-fund their business. What many of these businesses need is access to business financing such as working capital loans, lines of credit, and small business loans. Less than 2% of women founders receive VC capital, and while that number should be much higher, the majority of small businesses or start-ups should never and will never raise from an external investor. Companies like IFundWomen, Hello Alice, Luminary, and many others create space and community as well as resources to support entrepreneurs, most of whom are women, in building their businesses and who need investment at coaching and mentorship at the start.

With more than 1,800 new businesses started per day by women, and the majority of those businesses were started by women of color. The face of entrepreneurship is evolving and the stories being told need to evolve too. It’s these small, bootstrapping businesses that are often excluded from the networks of connections, introductions and doors being opened for them, with considerably less access to expert mentors and potential capital expansion.

Why do we make raising money this assumed measure of success and continue to question women entrepreneurs’ competency and market knowledge, particularly if they do not or are not able to raise money? If we don’t tell the broader story, how do we combat misconceptions that women who don’t raise venture capital are building businesses that aren’t successful or profitable? These founders and their businesses are routinely disregarded for the sheer fact that they have not raised money (yet). While we continue to advocate, we need more voices and perspectives at the table, these voices are rarely heard yet they makeup 40% of all businesses in the U.S and employ more than 10 million people.

Telling a different story might provide support to founders in an alternate way, breaking down some of the barriers that exist around access to new markets, recruitment of critical employees, start-up funding and growth capital. Despite women owning nearly half of all the businesses in the U.S., in 2019, less than 2 percent of women-owned businesses generated more than $1 million in sales (and that percentage is even lower when you only look at women of color). How we do “invest” in these founders in a much different way with access to funding but also access to peer networks, business resources and tools to help a founder and their business succeed, not just raise capital.

Doing it their own way: Bea Dixon, Co-Founder and CEO, The Honey Pot; Kara Goldin, Founder and CEO, … [] hint; and Jacquelyn De Jesu, Founder and CEO, Shhhowercap.

It’s important for the media to tell the stories of different founders and the stories we tell about management and business strategy need to evolve. There is a double standard for women founders but there’s also over-sensationalizing venture-backed founders. Creating an either-or bucket further hinders the ability of women business owners to amplify their voices and their businesses.

De Jesu started Shhhowercap after she saved money for the 6 months leading up to her product launch. The more she saved, the longer her lifeline became. It also meant the longer she had to prove her concept and turn a profit before looking at ways and options to scale her business. “As a consumer goods company, you can be very successful independently — if your unit economics are healthy and you have a strong brand presence. However, there are pros and cons to every business decision. And, neither path guarantees success. Ultimately, it comes down to product market fit, demand, and tenacity. How you finance your business is a deeply personal decision that guides the way you work, live, and where you spend your energy. Consider all options to support what success means to you as the business founder. Especially in times like these, always be sure whatever path you choose enables you to protect your business from the unexpected,” says De Jesu.

The pandemic has provided an additional spotlight on main street small businesses and how they are rebuilding and recovering. With PPP and other government programs, as well as support from large companies and programs infusing grants into small businesses especially those led by people of color, the media should be looking for greater emphasis on how to support these women and their companies overall, and tell their stories – both trials and triumphs – and not only for “Small Business Saturday.” The double standard that has been created amplifies the voices of one community over the voices of millions that are not only surviving but thriving.

From Diversity & Inclusion in Perfectirishgifts