#Oracle ARCS Help

[bispsolutions]

Oracle ARCS Working with Alerts

[romeowho]

Look, I was shocked by the big reveal, but it wasn't as shocking as the end of the episode because we'd all already been talking about how porter might be evil, but none of us suspected oisin was only flirting with adaine as a means to an end

[thebatsandthebugs]

BIG fan of when bat characters shadows reflect their costumes. it hits everytime

[thewatcher727]

Writing Tip - Portraying Characters Out Of Character

More writing tips

One of the most common criticisms in writing is when an established character is portrayed in a way that seems inconsistent with their usual traits or undergoes a sudden change in personality. The question is, is it wrong to want to write an established character in a different way?

My answer is that it’s fine if there is a plausible reason for it. For example, if John, who was previously a badass military guy, suddenly becomes a soft, joking character in a sequel, it’s going to make people wonder why his personality did a 180. The key to making a different portrayal plausible is through story and context. To explain this, I will use the video game Batman: Arkham Origins as an example.

We were first introduced to Arkham Batman in Batman: Arkham Asylum, which takes place during Bruce Wayne’s 11th year as Batman. In that game, Batman is portrayed as an experienced, highly skilled vigilante who is in complete control of his emotions. He never acts out when a situation goes wrong; instead, he calculates and plans his next move. Even though we see a few instances where he still carries the trauma of his childhood, his willpower is shown to be incredible. There are even rare moments when he makes jokes with Oracle. All in all, you get the sense this is a guy who knows what he’s doing.

Now let’s cut to Batman: Arkham Origins. This game is a prequel that takes place during Bruce’s second year as Batman. In this game, his personality is quite different, out of character so to speak. He is younger, angrier, and inexperienced. The game does an excellent job portraying how flawed Batman is through the small details. His fighting style is more raw and less polished compared to his later years. His suit looks bulkier and more thrown together rather than a single, cohesive design. We see him make mistakes when dealing with criminals. For example, in one cutscene, Batman is interrogating a guy named Loose Lips. As he holds Loose Lips up by the throat with one hand, he adjusts his footing and then chokes Loose Lips too hard, knocking him out. Batman acknowledges this by muttering, “Damn.” He is also very arrogant, underestimating the assassins that are out to get him and frequently telling Alfred he doesn’t need allies, determined to be a one-man army.

So, why do I consider this different portrayal good? The reason is that it fits the story they are trying to tell. Given the significant time gap between Origins and Asylum, it stands to reason that Batman would undergo some personality changes. The game provides an opportunity to show how Batman evolved from a young, reckless individual to the seasoned warrior we know later.

One of the best scenes is when, after nearly losing Alfred to Bane, Batman begins to doubt himself and considers giving up. Alfred, who finally understands why Bruce does what he does as Batman, encourages him to continue and let allies help him. Near the end, we see him working with James Gordon, hinting at how their relationship began to improve by the time of Asylum. We also see Batman working with Barbara to destroy Penguin’s weapons. This not only adds depth to Batman’s character, showing his capacity for growth and change, but it also sets up his future collaborations with characters like Oracle, Robin, and Nightwing. This development makes his later, more balanced and cooperative approach in Asylum and subsequent games feel earned and believable.

All in all, portraying a character out of character can be compelling if it aligns with the story and provides a logical progression. Batman’s arc in Arkham Origins shows he was flawed and needed to accept that he was not alone in his mission. Proper context and development are crucial in making these changes believable.

So, if you’re considering writing someone in a different way, keep this in mind and you’ll be good to go!

[bog-owl-riel]

no because people say gilear is the worst dad in fantasy high as if he doesnt apologize to fig in the first episode of fantasy high for saying things he didnt mean and only said out of anger and shock. yes, he was absolutely in the wrong for that, but he spends the entire run of both seasons of fantasy high trying to make it up to fig and in the end, TELLS FIG he wants to be better FOR HER and she’s so appreciative of it! they literally reconcile and have a good relationship at the end of sophomore year.

meanwhile, on the tip of the iceberg, angwyn constantly pits the abernant sisters against each other, he tortures aelwyn by not letting her trance for a year and breaking her mind from exhaustion, tried brainwashing adaine to be the perfect daughter and oracle, and ultimately tried to kill both of them when they didn’t comply??? i’d venture to say he’s the fucking worst, wouldn’t you??

i just don’t get why fans are so needlessly mean about gilear when his whole character is just being Some Guy that keeps getting thrown into insane situations (but he helps anyway!) and his whole entire arc is him trying to better himself, which he DOES.

[gravebirds0dmnk]

DAMIAN WAYNE RANT

Once again!!

Damian Wayne is not just a bratty, murderous goblin child who hates everyone except his dad and his cat. The fandom loves to flatten him into this one-note "feral gremlin" who snarls at everyone and occasionally gets chucked off a rooftop for laughs. But if you actually read the comics, his dynamic with the Bat-family , especially his siblings..is a lot more layered, meaningful, and dare I say... human?

Dick Grayson (Nightwing):

Canon Damian sees Dick as a role model. Period. End of story. Dick was the first person who treated Damian like more than a weapon. He gave him a chance to be Robin, he mentored him, he made fun of him like a real older brother would - and Damian grew for it. He mourned Dick deeply when he was presumed dead, to the point that it shattered him. But fandom? Nah. Let’s just make Damian constantly call him “Grayson” like a snob and ignore all the warmth and growth. Or make him his father figure when he's obviously not!!

Tim Drake (Red Robin):

Okay, yes - these two butted heads hard. The early animosity is real, and it makes sense. Tim felt replaced, and Damian felt defensive and superior. But even that evolved! They’ve saved each other’s lives multiple times. They’ve come to respect each other, even if grudgingly. Damian has acknowledged Tim’s intellect and leadership. But fandom loves to freeze them in that "I tried to kill you once so we must always be enemies" phase, forever.

Jason Todd (Red Hood):

Now this one is where fandom either completely ignores it or just makes it into the “edgy murder bros” trope. But in canon, Jason and Damian have bonded. They both have complicated relationships with Bruce. They both hate authority sometimes. Jason has gone out of his way to help Damian in more recent comics, and Damian has trusted Jason when he wouldn’t trust anyone else. But fandom wants Damian to be scared of Jason or constantly annoyed by him for some reason?

Barbara, Steph, Cass, Duke, etc.:

This is where the fandom just gets lazy. Damian’s relationships withthe extended Bat-family are often nuanced and evolving. He’s had sweet moments with Barbara as Oracle, and his interactions with Steph and Cass (especially post-Rebirth) are often respectful. Damian clearly values Duke and even helped him during the Robin War" stuff. But fandom? Let’s erase all of that and just make Damian a sexist, rude little troll to all women and a lone wolf to everyone else.

Bottom line:

Canon Damian Wayne is a work in progress. That’s the whole point of his arc - he was raised to be a killer and chose to be a hero. His journey is messy and difficult, but it’s full of growth, love, and actual relationships with the people around him. The Bat-family, dysfunctional as they are, is his family. He fights for them, mourns them, learns from them.

Fandom Damian? Often just a punchline or a one-dimensional trope.

Let the kid be complicated. Let him grow. And for the love of Gotham, stop acting like he’s never hugged anyone in his life.

I am begging the fandom to make up its damn mind.

Is Damian Wayne a violent little goblin child who kicks puppies and bullies everyone in his path - or is he a soft, baby-faced toddler who can’t lift a sword without help and needs to be swaddled by every older Bat-sibling in sight?

Because I swear, the whiplash is real.

Let’s start with “uwu baby Damian” syndrome:

This version of Damian is everywhere. The one who’s four feet tall and always sobbing. The one who can’t tie his own shoes but calls Bruce “Father” like a formal Victorian orphan. The one who is basically just a house cat in a cape, curled up in Dick’s lap with his eyes big and sad because someone said “no.”

And look, I get it — young Damian moments can be adorable. He has his sweet scenes. He’s been through hell. Seeing him relax with a pet or accept a hug can be genuinely moving.

But when fandom strips away all his sharpness, his intelligence, his pride, and yes, his snark, just to turn him into a plush toy that needs cuddles and protection from the world, it’s not just inaccurate - it’s insulting. Damian isn’t soft by default. He chooses compassion despite his upbringing. That’s what makes it powerful.

Then there’s “bully Damian,” aka pure Gremlin Core:

This is the version of Damian who never grew past his first dozen issues - the one who tried to stab Tim, called everyone beneath him, and needed a muzzle at all times. Fandom loves to make him the mean little kid who mocks everyone and has zero emotional intelligence.

He’s always the problem. He’s the one who “ruins” family dinners. He’s never learning, never softening, never changing.

Do y’all just not read comics past 2011? Like seriously??

Because here’s the truth: Damian Wayne is both. He’s complex. He’s a product of being raised by assassins and then adopted into a family of emotionally stunted vigilantes. He’s a genius, he’s arrogant, he’s twelve years old and figuring out who he is - and sometimes he screws up, badly. But he also has heart. He loves his family, fiercely and awkwardly. He shows growth. He learns humility. He grieves. He sacrifices. He becomes a better person.

And fandom constantly shoving him into either “misunderstood cinnamon roll” or “demon spawn tormentor” completely erases what makes him interesting.

He’s not your emotional support baby.

He’s not your chaos gremlin for comedic relief. He does not bite people

He’s a character with layers - and he deserves to be written like one.

--

Why is it that every time fandom finds a close, emotional bond -especially in the Batfamily - someone has to ruin it by shipping it?

Seriously. The Batfamily is made up of siblings, adopted kids, traumatized teens, and a dad who can barely handle his own emotions. But somehow, people look at Bruce and Dick, or Tim and Damian, and go, “Yeah, that should be romantic.”

No. It shouldn’t.

Batcest isn’t “deep,” it’s not “exploring dark dynamics,” and it’s definitely not some brilliant subversion of tropes. It’s just weird. The Batfamily works because they are a messy, complicated family learning to love and support each other. Turning that into shipping fuel is a huge slap in the face to what these characters are actually about.

And let’s talk about proshippers who act like they’re fighting for free speech or artistic integrity by defending these ships. You're not standing on some grand moral hill - you’re just defending the right to post gross, tone-deaf content. Nobody’s stopping you from enjoying angst or morally gray stories. But there's a huge difference between writing flawed characters and turning adoptive siblings into a romance plot.

Also, can we stop with the “aged-up Damian” excuse? If you have to age him up just to make your ship barely legal, that should be a sign. You’re not clever -you’re just side-stepping the fact that he’s a kid in almost every version of canon.

The Batfamily already has a thousand ways to be messy and dramatic and interesting. You don’t need to force romance between family members to make it compelling. These characters are rich with story..why flatten them into shock-value shipping?

You want to write drama? Betrayals? Complicated emotional arcs? Go for it. But maybe, just maybe , keep it in-character, in-universe, and not in the realm of “hey what if these siblings kissed?”

It's not edgy. It's not cool. It's just... tired.

Do better.

....

Everyone loves to slap the “Best Dad Ever” badge on Bruce Wayne - especially in fanon. And look, sure: he took in a bunch of traumatized kids, gave them homes, trained them, and cares deeply in his own broody, emotionally-stunted way. But can we talk about how all that dad energy seems to magically vanish when it comes to Damian?

Let’s be clear: Bruce is not abusive to Damian. He’s not cruel. But if we’re being honest? He’s not the father Damian needed either - at least not consistently.

Bruce adopted Dick, Tim, Jason, and Cass under tragic circumstances, but once they were under his wing, he fought for them. He took time (as best he could) to emotionally connect. Even with Jason, whose arc is full of tension, Bruce has shown deep remorse, grief, and desire to make amends.

But with Damian? The literal biological son who was raised by assassins and came to his doorstep at age ten?

Bruce treats him like a soldier first, a liability second, and a child maybe third - if he remembers.

Damian came into Bruce’s life wanting one thing: a father. Not a mission. Not another cape. Not a training regimen. Just a father. He may not have known how to express it (because, again, he was raised in a cult by a mother who taught him love = loyalty = survival), but he wanted love and structure — and Bruce didn’t give it to him.

Instead, Bruce gave him expectations. Be better. Don't kill. Be a Wayne. Be a Robin. Be like your brothers. Don’t embarrass the legacy.

That’s not parenting. That’s PR.

And the fandom? Just sweeps it under the rug. We write fics where Bruce is the perfect dad making pancakes for everyone, but we forget that Damian spent years trying to earn what his siblings got automatically: validation. Trust. Love.

Bruce has grown with Damian, yes. They've had incredible moments. But you can’t call Bruce the ultimate Batdad without admitting that his approach to Damian was stiff, late, and sometimes cold - not out of malice, but out of ignorance of what Damian actually needed.

And that’s the tragedy. Not that Bruce didn’t love him, but that Bruce didn’t know how to show it - and Damian felt the gap like a knife.

Bruce may be a “good father” to many of his kids. But for Damian? He was a father who had to learn, and too often, he was late to class.

[ckret2]

✨⚠️ Wasting Away Again in the Goldilocks Zone ⚠️✨

If you're new here, this is one of those "human Bill in the Mystery Shack" redemption fics: Bill illegally escapes death via reincarnation; the Shack crew imprisons him til they can figure out how to kill him; but they won't, because Bill's gonna make friends with them and literally everybody else in town. Whether they like it or not.

Featuring!! The slowest redemption arc you've ever read; "human" Bill that ISN'T fine with being trapped in an alien body; show-style episodic plot structure; individual plot arcs for characters you've never even cared about; so canon compatible we even include the dang coloring book; and so TBOB-compatible over a year before TBOB came out that I'm considering taking up a position as the Oracle of Delphi just so Apollo stops barraging me with dodgeballs.

New chapters every other Friday, 5pm CST! Old chapters edited, updated, and posted to AO3 on the alternating Fridays! Yes that's a chapter either on here or on AO3 every week! Yes that includes this week!

For art, doodles, upcoming scene excerpts, and posts about characterization & plot plans, see my #bill goldilocks cipher tag. For the fic itself, you can read it on AO3 or here on tumblr.

If you started reading this fic on AO3, go back and keep reading it there. It's the more up-to-date/accurate version of the fic.

⛓️ 1 Part 1. Bill returns, in a bedsheet toga.

⛓️ 1 Part 2. Bill tries to murder the Stans & Soos (with time travel).

⛓️ 2. Dipper and Mabel save the day (with time travel).

⛓️ 3. A tense evening as the Pines prepare to get rid of Bill.

⛓️ 4. Plot twist: the Pines physically can't get rid of Bill.

⛓️ 5. The gang goes to a diner at 3 a.m. for hostage negotiations.

⛓️ 6. Bill escapes from Theraprism. [NEW!!!]

⛓️ 7. "How'd Bill get here" flashback; plus, entering his new prison.

💇‍♀️ 8. Bill gives himself a haircut and depression.

💇‍♀️ 9. Bill & Ford grudgingly have a sincere conversation; regret it.

💇‍♀️ 10. The kids decide Bill won't ruin their summer. Also: Pacifica!

🧚 11. Mabel gives Bill the most beautiful makeover ever. (It's not.)

🧚 12. Pacifica advertises Harry's Hairy Fairy Formula. Bill wants it.

🧚 13. Pacifica refuses to share; the twins discover its side effects.

🧚 14. Mabel wins Bill's eternal friendship with arts & crafts.

💭 15. Bill, Ford, and Dipper have nightmares that are Bill's fault.

💎 16. Ford has a fun day with Mabel but everything goes wrong.

📓🔺📓 TBOB BOUNDARY: Everything above this line has been edited for 100% compatibility with The Book Of Bill and posted to AO3! Everything after this line has not been edited... so it's only 98% TBOB compatible. 📓🔺📓

💎 17. The day goes right again thanks to healthy communication.

🎥 18. Mabel's Guide To Local Animals, co-starring Bill Cipher.

🧊 19. Wendy snoops into the weird things happening in the shack.

🧊 20. Wendy meets the weird thing (it's Bill).

🎂 21. Stan & Ford's birthday party! Bill gives evil gifts.

💭 22. Bill "helps" Dipper's nightmares; no one knows his motive.

👁️ 23. Bill's ex is back in town and nobody's happy about it.

👁️ 24. Everyone's even less happy to learn Bill has a sex life.

🧿 25. Mabel and Bill make friendship bracelets! :)

🧿 26. The Pines take Bill to the mall. He wears terrible things.

🧿 27. Bill breaks Mabel's heart (and panics to fix it).

🏳️‍🌈 28. Bill talks his way into going with Wendy to Rainbow Club.

🎃 29. Bill contacts the Henchmaniacs on Summerween morning.

🎃 30. Costume making. Mabel pries into Bill's past, with crayons.

🎃 31. The Trickster's pals trick-or-treat; and Bill terrifies Dipper.

🪮 32. Dipper & Mabel make a poppet to control Bill.

🦷 33. Stan takes Bill to the dentist. In handcuffs.

🦷 34. Dentist & tooth fairy attack. Stan & Bill are still handcuffed.

🦷 35. Bill & Stan reach a painful understanding and stop the fairy.

🛁 36. Anime night; and Mabel makes Bill do community service.

🛁 37. Bill plots escape and runs into Wendy. Dipper panics.

🛁 38. Bill has the worst and stupidest day of his afterlife.

🌅 39. A cultist finds Bill; Bill tries to re-recruit Ford.

🚙 40. Gideon broadcasts car commercials; invokes Bill's wrath.

🚙 41. Bill apologizes for bullying Gideon. lol no he blackmails him.

🌕 42. Bill tells Dipper secrets of the universe; predicts an eclipse.

🌖 43. Gravity is disappearing; Ford and Fiddleford investigate.

🌗 44. Ford & Dipper drag Bill hiking; Bill faces his death.

🌘 45. Ford demands answers Bill can't give as totality looms.

🌑 46. Totality. Bill decides whether Ford lives or dies.

🌒 47. Bill feels rotten but finally explains the eclipse.

🌓 48. Bill has a complete mental breakdown.

🌔 49. The gang limps home. (Plus: a second dimensional eclipse.)

💿 50. Bill finally processes that mental breakdown.

💿 51. Dipper and Mabel try to remember the Axolotl's poem.

📖 52. The gang reads Flatworld. Bill isn't thrilled.

📖 53. Mabel tries to get Bill to talk about his home world.

⚛️ 54. Dipper, Ford, and Fiddleford do paradox physics.

📖 55. Mabel learns college-level geometry.

📖 56. Mabel & Bill have fun; Dipper & Ford prepare for murder.

💀 57. The execution of Bill Cipher.

💀 58. Everything you wondered about how Bill escaped.

💀 59. Everything you didn't wonder about how Bill escaped.

💀 60. Everything you never imagined about how Bill escaped.

✨✨ THE APOXOLOTLYPSE ✨✨

🪐 61. The Axolotl finds the second dimension's corpse. ✨

🪐 62. The 2D massacre is so much worse than the Ax thought.

🪐 63. A building inspection in the Nightmare Realm.

🪐 64. Even when Bill fixes things he breaks them.

🪐 65. A shape meets Bill as the world burns.

🪐 66. The gods & Bill negotiate him leaving Dimension Zero.

🪐 67. The gods deal with Bill not leaving Dimension Zero.

🪐 68. Bill is so much worse than the Ax thought.

🪐 69. THE END: the gods and Bill settle into a new status quo.

📙 70. Soos vacuums the attic (wow exciting)

📙 71. Soos decides how he feels about Bill's treatment.

📙 72. Fixin it with Soos: home redecorating!

🎥 73. The gang makes plans for the night.

🎥 74. Dipper's Guide to the Fremont Nightwigglers

🎥 75. Mabel's Guide to Secret Sleepovers

🎥 76. The aftermath of everybody pulling all-nighters.

🏖️ 77. Beach episode! The Pines fish! Bill tans!

🏖️ 78. Bigfoot, Agent Powers, and the cool teen gang.

Hey!! I posted chapters 61-69 AFTER this chapter, so if you've been reading along and HAVEN'T seen those yet, go back and make sure you've read them!

🏖️ 79. A post-fishing trip evening. The calm before the feds.

🕴️ 80. The government investigates the Mystery Shack... again.

🕴️ 81. What are they gonna do about the feds??

🕴️ 82. They're gonna seduce the feds. Bill learns human flirting.

💅 83. Pacifica gives Bill a makeover; decides he's a creep.

💅 84. Pacifica gives Bill a makeover; decides he's cool.

💅 85. Final prep. Hope nothing goes wrong at the last second!

🕴️ 86. Bill does his best to flirt with the world's most boring agent.

🕴️ 87. A dinner date with (and scheming against) Agent Powers.

🕴️ 88. Bill tells the gang how they'll con the hell outta the agents.

🕴️ 89. Bill & Ford go to the museum; get oddly chatty.

🕴️ 90. Powers suspects something's up with "Goldie."

🕴️ 91. Powers has "discovered" who "Goldie" "really" is.

🕴️ 92. The government recovers their flash drive.

🕴️ 93. This is how cult recruitment works. (& the gang celebrates!)

⛓️‍💥 94. Bill and the Stans renegotiate his imprisonment.

⛓️‍💥 95. Sleepover! Bloody Mary! And: Anime Night!

COMING SOON:

⛓️‍💥 96. The gals get into Bill's love life; & a cryptid visits the shack.

The chapters have been renumbered! Chapter 61 about the destruction of Bill's dimension was scheduled to post the week TBOB came out, so I skipped it and posted chapter 62 with Soos. By the time I rewrote chapter 61... it was 9 chapters long. I've now renumbered all the chapters to squeeze in ch 61-69.

This post was last updated June 13, 2025! If you're seeing this post as a reblog and it's been a while since then, check back on the original post to see if more's been added!

[damianbugs]

hi, first of all, i wanna say you really have inspired me to get back into reading batman comics again, but i'm really lost for where to start since even when i used to read comics i just read the one that was available in the store and never really understood them, so i was hoping if you could maybe help me with some titles? Just to begin again, please?

also, i'm very sorry if this is too long, and if it bothers you

thank you in advance 🙇🏽‍♀️

BATMAN COMICS: WHERE TO START ?!

i would be delighted to help you out. my first and most important recommendation is to stay away from the main titles (Batman and Detective Comics) until you're ready to jump into a long run. there are loads of other titles that contain far better stories that don't require lots of pre-established knowledge. for someone as oversaturated batman, i do think the quality of the story is far more important than the quantity of it.

1. Batman: Black and White

as the name suggests, this series is entirely in black and white only. it has three different collections: 1996 (volume 1), 2014 (volume 4) and 2021 (volume 5). volumes 2 and 3 are back-up issues collected specifically from Batman: Gotham Knights (which i also recommend)!!

it is an anthology of dozens of different writers and artists, so every story is unique and seperate from one another! it features some of the most quintessential Batman stories you will ever find.

2. Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight

similar to the previous rec, LotDK is an anthology of many stories. each arc lasts about 3-5 issues, and after every story a new creative team takes over — so every story is different and unconnected. the only similarity is that most of the stories are set in bruce's first year as batman.

what i particularly like about this one is that if you start a story and you don't like it, you can simply skip the next couple issues and move onto the next one. they're all very different while still maintaining this feeling of a consistent universe!

3. Batman: Shadow of the Bat

moving onto some stories that are about the extended family and friends, SotB is a series that took place along-side the 1992-2000 run of the main title Batman. as a result, some of the stories do reference events that took place during those runs, however it is much more focused in exploring the deeper thoughts and feelings of Batman-related characters who were popular at the time.

if you find any of the stories particularly interesting, you can then match it to the main-timeline event it is referencing and read more on it in either Batman or Detective Comics!

4. The Batman Chronicles

this one is also not only about batfam+friends, but Gotham as a whole. it also develops stories that are "missing" from the main titles, so if you're ever like 'hey i wonder what Barbara was doing before she became oracle?' then you can find that here (in The Batman Chronicles #5). it is again focused more in the emotional and deeper side of the detecive comics genre, and so i think it's essential batman reading!

5. Batman: Urban Legends

for modern comics, Urban Legends is a very recent (2023) anthology series with multiple short stories that are either carried throughout different issues or standalones. compared to the other recs, this one best explores characters outside of just batman, building very detailed words and stories!

i know these recs were all anthologies, and it might be bit of an unpopular opinion, but i think this is the best way to get into batman comics. you get a feel for the fundamentals of the character, his many skills and flaws expressed through many different stories (and writers) — and so you can come to your own conclusions about what a "good" batman story is. it also allows you to become familiar with all the other bat-related characters without having to read through hundreds of origins and retcons. mainly, i think it builds confidence to then explore any and all batman comics, without fear of not comprehending the overarching lore. if you want some specific stories or issues that are not part of collections, i will share some recs for that too :] enjoy !!

[crickit-song]

Just had a thought.

I love how at exactly ZERO points throughout the season the rat grinders were a priority for the Bad Kids. The Rat Grinders (or klck at least) have been HATING the Bad Kids for ages but the Bad Kids, even though they express anger and hatred as well, NEVER focus on it.

Riz solved mysteries about Ankarna and Porter and curses, and helped his friends get through their insane years. At no point did he actively try to interact with Kippy Copple more than getting clues via reaction. He wasnt even outwardly fussed about the shit in her file.

Kristen campaigned and studied and only interacted with buddy in an interest to connect, and she only did that once. She prioritized her friends and her god.

Fabian gave up on ivy immediately, and went all in on mazey and popularity. Zero interaction with the rat grinders after that.

Gorgug disliked Mary Ann but didn't do a thing about it in any way that would affect her, just worked his ass off being the world's first barbificer.

Adaine Oracled and worked and studied and solved. After the first and that insight check on Oisin, she gave no thoughts to the Rat grinders as people, only as clues, like Riz.

Fig interacted the most with the Rat Grinders, but only bc she was hoping for a Ruben redemption arc or more clues. She was being NICE and CLEVER.

None of them ever interacted with the Rat Grinders in the antagonistic way the Rat Grinders wanted. They were afterthoughts the whole time. KLCK must have been devastated when the BKs destroyed all her party in 3 turns bc they had better things to focus on.

[northlt03]

Rick is known to mirror myths a lot (Silena-Clarisse and Patroclus-Achilles, Polyphemus' cave, Hercules' labors, etc) He could and SHOULD have mirrored the Trojan war in HOO.

Let me set the scene. Gaea doesn't pop up until the last couple books. It's easy to be scared of something that is mentioned but not seen, which in my opinion, is why Gaea in the HOO books just wasn't scary enough.

So the antagonists in the first few books are the Giants working under Gaea's orders. Percy is kidnapped by them and given to the Romans in the hope that the Greeks and the Romans will go batshit crazy in a fight and forget all about the prophecy of the seven and destroying Gaea or whatever.

Camp Halfblood is fully ready for war. As soon as they find out (through an oracle or smth idk) that the Romans exist and they have Percy, not even Chiron can stop them. Percy is the hero of the Battle of Manhattan, of course, and the hero mentioned in the last great prophecy. He's like their modern Aristos Achaion.

Meanwhile, the Romans have no clue what's going on. There's this guy he's funny, he has no memories, he just shows up at their wolf goddess and trains and gets sent to them. Cool.

Juno can't stand to see New Rome be attacked. Whether or not they would win is a whole different story. So she plucks Jason from CJ and brings them to the Greeks just for some sort of a balance.

This mirrors the Trojan war in the sense that Troy was a fortified city, so is New Rome with tons of forts and walls. Aeneas' lineage went on to be Remus and Romulus, the founders of Rome. And Helen of Troy was stolen from the Greeks.

Anyway so there's that conflict, but at the same time Camp Halfblood is getting ready to attack, Jason, Piper and Leo get sent on a quest to rescue Hera who has been captured by Porphyrion and Enceladus.

On the way, Jason starts to regain his memory a little bit, though he doesn't know everything yet. He's still super conflicted with everything. A pretty girl thinks they were dating, Leo says they were best friends, Annabeth says the Romans are enemies. But whom should he really believe?

Piper's whole arc through the first book could be about how she's the daughter of the goddess of beauty, she wrongly assumes her fake crush on Jason was her mom's fault. And she's learned so much bad stuff about her mom from myths, she outright rejects feminity and anything remotely girly at first but then slowly she gets to know Aphrodite isn't as bad as some myths make her out to be. Bonding and shit bc why should Poseidon be the only present godly parent?

Leo, meanwhile, has no idea he can essentially fire bend in the first book. His arc could be about discovering his mother's death was his fault, slightly and coming to terms with it with the help of his friends.

Reyna on the Roman's side is freaking out bc Octavian wants to go to war with the Greeks who are close to attacking them, there's a strange dude who keeps trying to pick fights with gods, a horse girl and not to mention monsters won't fucking DIE.

SON trio go on their quest to Alaska to kill Alcyoneus/ release Thanatos and things are getting clearer to them as well. Just when the Greeks are about to attack on CJ, Polybotes and the monsters attack as well. Somehow, both sides end up fighting the monsters together.

They're not friends, but they're not enemies either, bc Percy is reunited with his gf and Jason is returned to his home.

The Roman senate and the Greeks somehow come to the same conclusions- that a quest needs to go to their ancient lands. Over the next few months the work of the Argo II commences.

Things seem smooth for a while. But Gaea grows restless. She poisons Octavian and manipulates him through dreams and stuff like Kronos did to Luke. As is the nature of most Roman emperors, Octavian overthrows Reyna and declares himself the leader of New Rome like his namesake Octavius Caesar. (HAHA! HISTORY PARALLEL BITCHES)

This puts the actual quest on hold bc the seven now need to find the Athena Parthenos to bring together the Greeks and the Romans and to stop Octavian's plan of trying to fuck as much shit up as possible.

Reyna, Nico and say idk, Grover, are the ones to deviate from the quest and bring the statue to USA again. But the Seven are still very much in Europe after rescuing Nico.

Percy and Annabeth fall into Tartarus which helps close the Doors of Death, except this time since Nico isn't there, Hazel has to take on control over ghosts and the dead in the House of Hades and leading up to it. The powers of mist, in my opinion, should have gone to Piper since charmspeaking is a lot like bending the mist verbally.

Piper's arc through the third and fourth book is starting to discover herself and with the help of her mother, figuring out she doesn't like Jason romantically like she thought she did.

Hazel's arc is gaining control over what she once was (dead). She's jealous her dad was there more for Nico than her, but she pushes past it and never lets her anger and grudges get the better of her which is like breaking boundaries for children of Hades/Pluto.

Frank's arc in HOH was really cool, I like that. So no change to that.

Jason, poor guy is still very much confused about everything really. He's used to being the leader, he feels lost in the large group. He has his moments to shine ofc (please take away his excess amounts of head injuries), but he starts to feel inferior, which is where Leo helps him bc the guy knows what that's like.

Anyway, in the absence of Percy and Annabeth, Jason has to take charge. He discovers he doesn't really like it. That's not what he was meant for even though he had greatness thrust upon him at a very young age.

His BOO arc is earlier this time and takes place throughout HOH and BOO. He's content with himself, even if he isn't with anyone. HE'S THE ONE THAT GETS SENT TO OGYGIA!!!

And Calypso eventually does fall for him bc he's smart, nice, and just an overall swell guy. But he helps her to realize that she can be content in herself as well. And he promises her that he'll help her.

Show me Leo, Jason and Percy trying to think of ways of helping the goddess.

In any case. BOO could have been like Iliad pt 2 also known as the Odyssey. It takes them the whole book just to get to Athens. Meanwhile, they've understood that Gaea is the main main villain. She's even raised some of the other primordials against them.

Percy and Annabeth already saw Tartarus, and then there's Oceanus who makes their travel much harder than necessary. Something something about how they get tossed all over the place and somehow manage to gather all the correct ingredients for the potion (i forgot the name lol) on their small adventures in the different places. In the end they finally make it to Athens. Except this time, there's only a few giants there bc they killed the rest before.

Annabeth and Percy are taken hostage, like it happens in the books, but PERCY WILLINGLY GIVES UP HIS BLOOD TO RAISE GAEA RATHER THAN LETTING ANNABETH GET HURT BC OF HIS FATAL FLAW LIKE ATHENA TOLD HIM WOULD HAPPEN EVENTUALLY!!

The Gods DON'T SHOW UP PLEASE!! That was so lameee. Why even do the whole quest if their mommies and daddies were going to show up to help them????

So while Percy and Annabeth are battling the remaining few Giants, Leo, Piper, Hazel and Frank go up against Gaia herself. In the old myths four titans held Ouranos down while Kronos chopped his essence up. In the same way, they battle Gaia away from her turf in the air, keeping her distracted enough. All these demigods are needed because she's a primordial dammit!

Jason, my guy, comes in a clutch, chops her to pieces and sends her essence to Tartarus!!

The world is saved, the end!

[seilnakyle]

Do you think DC is doing a good enough job with Barbara

NO in fact I don’t think we’ve had someone who truly understands her write her since Gail Simone. It took awhile for all the bat title writers to understand that Oracle isn’t just Batgirl doing hacking occasionally, Kelly Thompson seems to think she’s just a superhero secretary, and the only place DC is currently letting her disability be used proudly is wfa.

But, We’ve been worse off before. Babs currently is at least written like an adult woman in her late 20s, a senior member of the batfam, and an equal to Nightwing and Batman, who’s help is invaluable to organizations like the Titans, the GL and the JL. I’m excited to see what role she’ll play in the new JL series, and definitely love the way Dan Watters has been hyping her up!!

I think something she really needs right now to keep her character arc on track is a proper “batgirl retirement” or “Passing of the torch” moment now that Cass has her own Batgirl solo and (one can hope) will now be the one mainly promoted as “the Batgirl” while Babs has been receiving so much Oracle emphasis. As for her disability? I’m not sure what dc wants to do there, there was so much about the “chip” not being a permanent solution in her 2016 batgirl run only for nothing to really come of it.

Of course I want Babs to be a wheelchair user again, I just don’t trust dc to do it well…or at all...I’m very thankful for wfa Babs, though I wish they’d let Cass ditch the “Orphan” thing entirely.

If I were running shit, we’d be getting an Oracle mini about her retirement from Batgirl (heavily Babs and Cass centric), and about reckoning with her disability.

In true Oracle fashion, the future would be a big theme. Maybe Babs is frustrated. She was just having so much fun standing still in time with Dick. Fighting crime together…Batgirl and Robin. The transition isn’t without its tears and grief, but this is Barbara Gordon, and if this is her future? She’s not afraid of it!

Maybe we get another moment similar to her training with Richard Dragon like in Oracle year one but this time it’s Shiva to bring a kind of full circle moment to the cass/shiva/babs dynamic, and she ends the mini by fully kicking the ass of some chump underestimating her or maybe a villain that the bop/Nightwing/Gcpd have been fighting, proving to herself that she is still able to protect those she loves, and that there will always be a need for an Oracle, her role is important, and it’s so much more than she could ever do in a cape…

But anyway yeah I’m trying to get Oracle renaissance 2024 going

[favcharacterpoll]

ROUND 6 MATCH 3: CECIL VS. C!WILBUR

Cecil Palmer from Welcome to Night Vale faces c!Wilbur from the dsmp. @10piecechickenmcnugget get over here sage

Cecil Propaganda:

"Cecil is not only the Tumblr sexyman, he is the first gay protagonist of a podcast that most of us have ever heard. From the very first episode he was unashamedly queer and no one has ever called him out or given him shit for being gay. He is a gay Jewish fashion disaster who is the mouthpiece for an incredibly bizarre town and plays the whole “this horrifying thing is completely normal”thing so well. If Cecil wasn’t there, I think a lot of people wouldn’t have felt so accepted for just being who they were. Cecil is an inspiration and the queer podcast rep we all deserved as we were growing."

"he’s gay. he’s a dilf. he’s ageless. he has been since there’s was nothing and he’s still here after the world ended. he can summon music. his mother is a oracle his father is a tree. his cat is a man who got cursed and also has wings a stinger and poison??? he thinks a tutu and crocs is formal wear and has talked to god and she said ‘I love you. I’m sorry’. he’s definitely guilty of manslaughter from negligence"

"this is the website Night Vale built!"

c!Wilbur Propaganda:

"Accurate depiction of mental health and spiral, handled delicately and deliberately, every piece of his story was thought and planned and in the end he went home to Utah. Thank you lord."

"Please don’t let the name dream smp effect how you feel about this submission, this character is completely unrelated to dream and I’m pretty sure the person who played him has nothing to do with dream anymore. This man single handedly got me through a horrible patch filled with extreme paranoia by also being extremely paranoid. Genuinely really helped me feel seen and I coped a lot by getting invested in this character. I almost cried when he died :("

"He’s so fucking stupid. I could infodump for hours this man transed my gender. Everything has gone wrong in his life. He’s the definition of a bisexual disaster."

"I didn’t fail 10th grade math bc I was thinking about c!wilbur for him to lose round one"

"I mean look at him!! his Minecraft skin is adorable!!!"

"if you people vote for cwilbur i'll draw him in a bikini."

"A VOTE FOR C!WILBUR IS A VOTE FOR GIRLBOYS EVERYWHERE"

"i should not have underestimated minecraft fans they came together"

"Season 1 changed me. I didn’t know minecraft videos could have good acting, dramatic plots, etc. Wilbur was one of the best there. His plot was so interesting with the L’Manburg and the unfinished symphony arcs. He was funny, dramatic, sad… I fondly remember my dsmp days (though I only saw up to like part of Tommy’s exile)"

[jerseyluck]

Batman: No Man's Land: Mark of Cain (Story #16)

No Man's Land continues by introducing the hot new Bat character of 1999! It is Cassandra Cain time!

The arc opens on Batman digging the graves for the gang members that died when Two-Face invaded his territory. Batgirl tries to watch over him to apologize, but Bruce is angry that she let Two-Face kill so many people.

Meanwhile, Barbara is waiting for one of her couriers to come back from a mission. And she comes bringing Oracle an apple. This charming moment is the introduction of Cassandra Cain, future Batgirl.

One thing to note is that Cass does not speak English, so Barbara is taking time to teach her the language. But then Commissioner Gordon shows up ending the pair's little bonding moment.

But as Cass leaves, her instincts let her notice that a man is bringing a rifle up a building. The assassin takes aim at Commissioner Gordon, but when Cass stands in the way of the commissioner, the killer stops and flees.

Elsewhere, Batman is putting the fear of the bat in Two-Face. Bruce threatens Harvey telling him that the consequences will huge if he continues criming.

Gordon and Barbara are interrogating Cass, but they are having trouble cause Cass can't talk. However, our mute hero uses a drawing to let them know that David Cain was the one who did the attempted hit. She uses more signals to let everyone that she is Cain's daughter.

Gordon tries to lock Cassandra in a room, but Cass turns it around and locks them up for their own safety. The rest of the issue relies on Daimon Scott's art to communicate the story. The artwork conveys that Cass was raised and taught David's fighting style. It's sad and shows that Cass has some beef with David.

Cass says her first word, "Stop", in an effort to him from killing Gordon, but they have a fight instead. Batman saves the two when they jump out a window, to fall several stories down. David drops Cassandra in order to get away from Bruce.

Cass and Batman then go to a graveyard to exchange notes. Batman reveals that it was Two-Face who hired David Cain to go after Gordon. Bruce learns Cass's backstory and the fact that she only knows the language of violence.

Batman then tells Cassandra that he trained under David Cain (in his world tour of mentors to learn the skills to become Batman) and says that it is his responsibility to stop Cain. They have a nice fight to speak their issues.

Batman goes to confront David, and the two have a nice fight. But while Bruce is dealing with her father, Cassandra is attacking Two-Face to see if she can stop the hit through the money man.

Cass interrupts the evenly matched fighter with two bags. One contains the payment for hit on Gordon, while the other contains every silver dollar that Two-Face had! And we get to see the panic that Two-Face feels when he can't rely on the coin flips to make decisions. Just A+ work from Kelley Puckerr.

Anyway, David leaves with his sack money saving Gordon's life. Cassandra accepts praise from Barbara for saving her dad's life, and has a reward for her heroism, Cass gets a picture of Babs being Batgirl. Batman smirks at this moment and admits that it is time to ask the rest of the Bat-Family to help him take back Gotham!

This is one kick-ass story. Cassandra Cain is fully formed out of the book, and you can see why people love her so much. Kelley Puckett's writing and Daimon Scott's art allow for one outstanding told comic, and it just a fun story overall. An essential tale for the Bat-Books.

8.5/10

[krchar]

Maybe I am reading too much into this one (issue 38, 4th arc), but don't you people think it looks very much like that old foreshadowing trick of one name being said instead of the other, one person appearing instead of the other etc.?

I mean Himerish's name is obviously hidden from the reader for the sake of growing tension, but

it is quite curious that it is Yan Lin who actually later becomes the Oracle

This happens only after 7th arc dramas and we know how much the original narrative line appears to be distorted there, so I am not sure about the connection

but! at the very least, just at the beginning of the 5th arc she becomes a sort of semi-oracle in the triumvirate

and to be honest, at the end of 4th arc, Himerish does not really look just purely happy to become an Oracle once again - i can't help, that is my impression

i believe some yan linized change in oracleship may have been planned already by now

i know it is just a detail, but witch takes over 80 % of my brain activity by now

[mary-james-world-of-shames]

Batfam as Lilo and Stitch(Revised)

So, okay, I cleaned up the idea from this post better. Where he's De-Aged Tim, with the premise being like Lilo and Stitch, of course reworked to be more fitting to each character and their relationships with one another.

So here's my whole idea, that I will never write because that's way too much work, but I think people will enjoy the idea.

Roles:

Dick as Nani

Tim as Lilo

Damian as Stitch

Jason as Jamba

Cass as Pleakley

Ra’s as Big Alien bad guy(I can’t remember his name)

Talia as the alien in charge girl(?)

Barbara as Bubbles

Steph as lover boy but it’s actually family friend gal instead. yeah.

The roles aren't strict, as I said and will explain, it'll follow along in a more character arcuate story arc. It won't be perfect, I haven't read a single comic, I'll be honest, but the idea is burning in my mind. So fuck it we ball.

So, story def opens with What’s the Norm, so we know how it fucks up.

Damian is sneaking around. We hear a conversation between Jason and Talia about how he’s been behaving recently. Jason mentions it being off, and Talia shelves it for now, assuming perhaps it’s more so something to do with puberty and growing up then anything else.

Then of course, that goes to shit, as Damian break out of the League, injuring plenty of people along the way. Jason is frustrated he couldn’t help but finds out where he’s going when looking through his room for clues. He’s found out who is father is and he wants to learn more, he also thinks Ra might use his body as a host and Damian would rather, y’know, live.

Via Ra and Talia’s agreement, Jason is assigned Cass, much to his dismay, to go and find Damian.

Cut to Dick and Tim, mostly focused on Dick but it’s more third person, we can see an insight on what’s going on with them and why they are fighting in a way.

Barbara is being Oracle and has to just. Deal with their tension. She’s frustrated but understands they’re both in mourning sort of right now. Just different stages. Tim’s in denial and Dick’s depressed. Maybe it starts with them fighting, we show how they aren’t working together well and Tim gets hurt and Dick just snaps at him, and tries to bench him because?? He can’t lose another person. But he’s too emotionally constipated to really express that to Tim. And he’s trying to take on the role of caretaker when Tim is used to him as a brother, and he was sort of unattended all his life so it feels more controlling, and frustrating to him because of it. He doesn’t understand why Dick doesn’t trust him and thinks he views him as lesser when in reality Dick is going to be sick looking at the way Tim is spiraling, reminding himself of how he was when he lost Jason, he’s terrified this is going to break or has already broken Tim and Dick cannot lose another person.

Tim goes out without Dick’s watch or permission. Barbara attempts to coax him out of it without picking sides, but tells Tim she has to tell Dick if he leaves. He scoffed her off and claims she’d picking sides. Tim meets up with Steph a little while she’s fighting and they chat some, Steph being like, “Oh hey, I thought you were benched?” And Tim gets sort of snippy with her too, although she takes it in stride, they begin to separate and Steph’s contacted by Dick, asking where Tim is, she tell him he’s just left her.

Dick is quick to catch up on Tim, while he’s in the mist of some gang bust and they argue in the middle of it. Distracting Tim just enough to get him hit and he’s Down. Like, serious down, knocked out and unconscious. Dick fucking snaps. he lets loose and nearly fucking kills a guy while he hallucinates Jason taunting him

Dick snaps out of it when small hands try to pull him away, pleading as he states Batman doesn’t kill. This reveals little Tim and Dick is just fucking struck. Because jesus Dick doesn’t remember him ever being that small. He knows he was, clearly. But damnit, he’s smaller then Jason was.

Dick takes him back to check him over, Tim lets him, but while he’s being checked Tim is like, “Well, I know you’re Nightwing, why are you dressed like Bruce? Where is Bruce?” and honestly Dick’s not even sure he has the fucking heart to tell this kid the truth. So instead he tries to figure out Tim’s current age and is just fucking struck again when he realizes this is so soon after Jason died. He forgets how Tim behaved then, but damnit. It’s so fucking different and yet the same and Dick is sick when he sees the starstruck look that Tim used to get in their early years. And fuck it hurts. It hurts to see.

Dick hates it, but Tim was robin at this time. And he actually listens. and damnit, he cannot leave Tim at home alone. He tries to and Tim is just… He doesn’t need to be alone in a big mansion anymore. And he figures after trying to bench him once Tim will just sneak out again(he will), better to have Tiny Tim in his line of sight and under his protection then have him sneaking around the shadows like he used to.

Patrol one night they find Damian fighting some guy that tried to mug him, because Dick doesn’t expect it he can’t stop the kid from killing the man and is just fucking frozen. Because like a child just killed a man. Also holy shit he looks like Bruce?? Damian recognizes Batman but is like?? You’re not fucking father, who the fuck are you? And Tiny Tim is like, well, you see, Bruce is out of commission, this is Nightwing. Damian’s like, okay, but where is my father?? And Dick like Fuck. I have to take care of another kid, don’t I?

Damian comes home with them so Dick can fix him bc why the fuck did he just kill a man?? Damian doesn’t answer a lot of questions, but he does state he is the blood son of batman, and the heir to the legacy. Tim explains Batman doesn’t kill people, so if he is he’ll have to stop doing that. One thing leads to another, and Tim and Damian agree he should be Robin as well. Have two robins out their training. However Damian is reluctant to have Tim with him, but damn the kid is so brightened by the idea of having another Robin with him. Actually he expresses his willingness to step down when Damian is ready. Which is not at all what Tim is like now. Reminding Dick that Tim never wanted to be Robin, but felt people needed him to be.

Now adays, Tim needs to be Robin just as much. He gave up everything to be Robin. He doesn’t have anything else.

Reluctantly, Dick agrees this would be the best plan so he can keep and eye on both of them. However, Barbara does not agree. Tim is young and vulnerable, and he could say things that the elder version of himself would not want to share with Dick. Plus, um?? Damian doesn’t seem too happy about sharing and is not past murder. So maybe having Tim and Damian stay together is a very bad idea. Dick mentions Tim should turn back eventually anyways, and Barbara askes him swear if he doesn’t turn back in a time limit(Three days like Lilo and Stitch maybe), then Barbara will be taking Tim. Who Tim remembers as Batgirl, so he has no problems with her.

Of course Jason is absolutely pissed to be back in Gotham, and more pissed to see his little replacement Robin running around. Even if he’s pretty sure he was told the kid was older, must have been misinformation, he doesn’t think to hard about it, because they are trying really hard to think of a way to capture Damian without alerting Tim and Dick to them being around. Jason is perfectly willing to send them both to the hospital, but Cass refuses to allow him to lay a hand on Dick or Tim. Reminding him their mission was just to bring Damian back, nothing more. and she s more then willing to face him off. Jason reluctantly realizes he can’t win against Cass, so they tick to the shadows, where Damian is perfectly aware they are. He used Tim as a human shield for the time being. Even if he did want to be rid of him before, he realizes he needs him for the time being.

Chaos ensues. Fights where Damian nearly kills more people as has to be held back by Dick or Tim, nearly killing Tim for stopping him, but remembering his human shield. Jason is wildly amused by Damian’s playing along to the “just a kid” thing. Tim and Damian get closer, as Tim talks about the Robins before him, why he became a Robin, and Bruce. Who Damian asks about a few times.

However, as all things do, things go wrong. Damian nearly ends up killing Tim, Dick snaps at him, and when Damian’s survival of the fittest training doesn’t seem to work with Dick in this case he’s just. Confused. He was raised like this his whole life, that he needs to be the best. Not to help people, even if it gives him a warm fluffy feeling when he does. Even when the tension loosens when he realizes he doesn’t have to kill people. He… Doesn’t want to kill people. Now he doesn’t have to.

Dick nearly breaks down, but realizes he can’t when Tim breaks down. Because Tim thought he was going to lose Damian, lose another Robin. He couldn’t bare it. He hates being Robin, he misses Jason, he misses Dick, he misses Bruce. He misses his parents and he’s upset that they haven’t even noticed that he’s gone and god damnit, he doesn’t want to be Robin! Being Robin hurts, and it’s hard, and he wishes someone else could do it, that it didn’t have to be him. They he had plans and a future and he might have to throw that all away for the sake of everyone else and that sucks!

He would do it, but he’s so relieved that Damian is here, they he wants to do it.

And Now Dick has an entirely different reason to want to break down. Because Tim didn’t have Damian in time. Tim did lose everything, Tim gave everything up, to be Robin. It was too late for that. When Tiny Tim becomes Tim again, he won’t want to give up Robin, because that’s all he has. Dick can’t fix that. But maybe… In some imaginary way he can. He can… Help Tiny Tim, make him feel normal, like a kid again. Like he doesn’t need to be Robin, while he has the time, he can do that. He can protect Tiny Tim from himself.

The time limit is met and Barbara comes to take Tim with her. and Dick is absolutely against it, because he just found out how awful Tiny Tim feels and it’s partly his fault. While they argue, Jason and Cass take the time to try and grab Damian. Only to fail again. And in that time, Tim and Damian alike slip away.

Ra’s is mad that there has been no progress, and decides to take matters into his own hands. Unfortunately he grabs the wrong little black haired boy, fortunately however. This kid is bright, he has fight, willpower. He has such a spirit, Ra isn’t particularly mad to have the wrong kid, but sees their is a spell on him. He wonders if he could keep it on so he can raise Tiny Tim to be even better, or turn him back and see how much better he is grown. Ra’s decides to remove the spell, and Tim is back to himself.

Damian runs back to Dick, however Jason and Cass catch him. They’re arguing enough to get Dick’s attention. Who asks where Tim is. Damian reluctantly explains, and then furthermore asks for Jason’s help. Jason is reluctant as he mostly worries about Dick finding out who he is, but relents. Dick thinks he has a mental break when he finds out Jason is ALIVE AND WELL, sort of well. And of course he is reluctant to allow Jason or Damian to fight Ra’s, worry of losing them. Cass assures him and bonding ensues while they go to rescue Tiny Tim.

However, the least expected thing was fining out in the duration that Tim is with Ra’s he’s big again, and Bruce is back. Brought back by Tim with the help of Ra’s who actually believed him. It takes the entire family, including Bruce to try and convince Tim he needs to get away from Ra’s, luckily he does. However he does confess not recalling much of being Tiny. Dick is actually sort of relieved by that but… At the same time he never got to give Tiny Tim the life he deserved. And it’s too late to undo everything done.

Dick returns to being Nightwing, Bruce to Batman, Jason says he needs to do his own thing for a while, and Cass tags along, the two get Steph to tag along too. The only problem being Tim and Damian. However, Tim agrees to help with his training. Not ready to give up Robin, but being given the time to figure out an alternative. Dick and Tim are still in a ruff patch, but they don’t scream at one another every chance they get. So look at the up side!

I don't have a strong ending idea, which is one of the reasons I won't write this, the other being I don't think I have a good enough grasp on all the characters to be able to write them in this position but i think the idea is enjoyable nonetheless.

[mae-kent]

shapeshifter tracking:

a comprehensive collection of all of mae’s different forms throughout officially released dc media, in order of appearance

classic (1988) - this is the form we first meet her in. she takes on this form permanently in 1992 to honor draaga after panic in the sky. main notable elements are her belt loops, pointed sleeves and skirt, s curl, and fully red m boots.

lana lang (1988) - before lex's dying admission, everyone believed mae to be another version of lana.

base form (1988) - this is implied to be her in her true protomatter form. this form first appears in the fight against the kryptonian criminals in supergirl saga, her origin arc. the roger stern death of superman novelisation refers to her as looking reminiscent of burn scars. we see this form during supergirl saga, but then again during death of superman, supergirl (1994), during showcase ‘95 & new titans, and occasionally referenced during supergirl (1996). she’s in this form in the elseworlds story ‘superman: distant fires’.

recovery form (1988) - this is the form she takes on while recovering from the events of supergirl saga at the kent house in smallville, leading up to and during superman: exile.

clark kent (1989) - superman’s exile has coincided with someone being murdered in clark kent’s apartment— and clark kent is missing! people call the kents & threaten them if they cannot arrange for them to speak to clark to confirm he’s alive. mae, already psychologically not well, decides to take on clark’s identity to help the kents. she begins to have a delusional episode, fully believing that he is clark kent. she later shifts into clark again after return of superman (1993) so superman can save clark kent publically, avoiding any concerns about superman and clark kent coming back to life at the same time.

superman (1989) - during clark’s return from exile (1989), he brings with him an old kryptonian weapon called the Eradicator. a confused and curious matrix stumbles across it, psychically linking the already delusional matrix to clark. matrix begins copying clark’s behaviour, repeating his actions fighting against intergang secret society members, but against a local police station and lana instead. clark and the kents help bring her back to awareness, and to avoid hurting anyone any further, she leaves on her own exile.

draaga (1992) - after draaga gives his life in mae's stead to save earth, she takes on his form during the rest of the battle to honor him and bring glory to his name.

lex luthor ii (1992) - she took on this form while attempting to bring lar gand / mon el to lex luthor as per his orders.

gretchen kelley (1993) - she takes on this form to cheer up a despondent lex luthor in the supergirl/team luthor special.

the hellgrammite (1993) - she takes on this form as per lex luthor’s request in the supergirl/team luthor special.

revenge form (1994) - she takes on this form before going to texas to hunt down her ex-lover & betrayer, lex luthor. she later takes it on due to a nightmare sequence in warrior #31 and again in showcase ‘95.

alien warrior (1995) - she takes on the form of an alien warrior in green lantern #65 during the siege of zi charam arc!

total justice (1997) - this series of coloring books was made in conjunction with an action figure line. supergirl as well as oracle action figures were originally planned, but were never made. this is the design that likely would have been made!

earth angel of fire (1998) - we see some fire vision before this, but her fire wings properly sprout in supergirl (1996) #17! her fire wings become a major part of a lot of her appearances after this point.

emperor joker (2000) - i’m going to be honest, i haven’t read emperor joker in its entirety (it’s pretty far deep into the mae characterisation shift), so i’m not sure how to explain this one. it’s an event storyline, so she gets a fun new design.

elseworlds angel (2001) - j.m. dematteis brings us this lovely elseworlds story that’s part of every lindamae fan’s favourites list. mae is a guardian angel with a complex relationship with her human, linda, as she tries to help linda but struggles to maintain any boundaries at all

miscellaneous other looks: (left to right): supergirl (1994) #3, action comics #679, supergirl (1994) #2, action comics #706, adventures of superman #502, adventures of superman #499, action comics #706, superman: man of steel #27