#The Haunted Radio

[r4diopl4y]

Just had to join in on drawing this fucking thing

[blackburningrose]

I’m late yeah but consider it’s been haunting me this ENTIRE TIME

Nanny AU by @notherpuppet

[nelkcats]

Voice From Beyond

Danny was bored, really bored inside the Realms, he was supposed to stay there because facing the reality that his "world" was no longer safe, and all his friends were fighting for his safety was too much. But after he got past the paranoia he just couldn't find more things to do to distract himself from the thought.

He had already argued with Skulker, stolen Johnny's motorcycle and even participated in a concert with Ember but nothing improved his spirits. Curiously, it was during a visit to Technus that he found the solution to his problem. It turned out that the radios could broadcast around all the Realms, it was perfect!

The halfa started a radio program. It started out as a curious thing, where he recounted his experiences as a hybrid and the culture of the Realms. In some cases he had special guests to tell of their experiences and what they had done after their death (Jane Austen and Shakespeare looked excited to be able to talk about it!)

And so his program "voice from the afterlife" was born, where he gave various advice to the dead and not so dead; the only thing that Danny didn't notice was that he was not only transmitting in the Realms, but in many universes that picked up his radio signal by a lot of luck. The DC universe got caught up in the mysterious show when it aired. Some said it was impossible, others theorized that it was real, others thought it was just fiction.

But Jason knew it wasn't just fiction, he knew that somehow Danny was real, and had the answers he needed. Jason was determined to prove it, with a little magical help of course.

[hauntdoesthings]

let's talk about: Husk

Husk is a character that I see a lot of love for, but not a lot of discussion about, at least not the same way we talk about Angel Dust or Alastor, so I'd like to start the conversation since I've noticed certain details about him during a rewatch.

How He Socializes

Husk puts it best himself; "Everybody likes to bitch to the bartender." He knows more about everyone than anyone else, whether they tell him or not. Not only is he the one people turn to vent to at their lowest, he has incredible skill at reading others. It's most likely something he picked up as a gambler, but we can see he still utilizes it to read the other residents, like knowing Angel shouldn't be getting drunk after his long shift and realizing when he's masking right afterwards.

On the other hand, reading people like this doesn't seem to fit with his character in earlier episodes. In the first episodes, Husk makes it very clear he doesn't want to at the hotel and by extension doesn't want to be around the residents. His first line is literally about how he's forced to be there and pretty much all of his screen time is spent being anywhere from unfriendly to outright aggressive towards the rest of the cast. He surely doesn't care enough to read people to get closer to them, so why does he? I believe it's either a subconscious behavior or possibly as a defensive measure. Like in a poker game, he reads his "opponents" to stay ahead of them while keeping his own cards close to his chest.

It's already clear Husk values his boundaries when watching his earlier interactions with Angel, but this combined with other behaviors makes me think he's a very defensive person in general. His body language is constantly closed off, often crossing his arms or physically being separated from others behind the bar. This could just be indicative of his surly personality, but there is a specific behavior makes me think more of it. During my rewatch for this post, I realized Husk has a tendency to hug himself during certain moments of discomfort, like the entire first trust exercise in episode 3(more on that later), and during his first argument with Angel in episode 4, he actually shields himself with his wings when AD insults him before leaving.

Speaking of, episode 4 is really a great example of how Husk view others, especially since this is when his mindset finally shifts.

It's easy to see how dismissive Husk is of AD during this episode, with his constant reiterations of how "fake" he is and even saying that he'll be fine after running out despite knowing that he's had a hard night. Looking a little closer at his mannerisms though, it's clear that he cares more than he wants to let on. He insults the scripts and setting of AD's video rather than his acting and even says that that's specifically what Angel tends to complain about. Even when Valentino sudden calls up AD, Husk's face is more upset than "I told ya so." He realizes that Angel is unhappy with his work, but at the same time, he doesn't think too deeply about it.

Husk assumes that because everyone tends to spills their guts to him while drinking, he knows all he needs to about them, and he's correct to a certain degree; however, despite everything he knows, he doesn't appear to think too deeply beyond what he can easily glean. Charlie wants to help others so she doesn't have to help herself, Vaggie projects her self-hatred and high standards onto those around her, and Angel bullshits his way through everything because he's an actor who doesn't know how to be real. Husk realizes these things easily, but not why the others are this way, and it especially shows during his confrontation with AD, as when Angel finally snaps and reveals his true motives, Husk is visually taken aback.

He's so used to knowing and analyzing people easily that this sudden, truly heartfelt moment from Angel makes him rethink how he's been going about their interactions, how he's been thinking of him this whole time. And this is the moment that makes him decide to open up about his own past. Whether it was seeing that common thread between himself and Angel or possibly a realization that he won't accept help from someone who doesn't offer any input of their own, this is the first time we really see him offer any of his private, personal life, and afterwards, there's an obvious shift in how he treats Angel and everyone else.

"Loser Baby" is the first time we see Husk willingly initiate physical contact onscreen when he's always be visibly tense and uncomfortable at even most mentions of it, though most of that was AD being suggestive so it could be an issue with sexual intimacy than physical. He's comfortable enough in episode 6 to go clubbing with the group and genuinely looks like he's enjoying himself, especially compared to when he went to keep an eye on Angel in episode 4, even helping look out for Niffty when needed and supporting Angel after standing up to Valentino. In the lead-up to the Extermination, there's not a single insinuation that he would've left the hotel, choice or not, and he is with the rest of the cast during all the important moments of the battle, from Sir Pentious' death to the ending number. Even when Alastor is presumed dead, even if he assumed Alastor wasn't really gone, Husk could've easily run off during his absence, but he sticks around to help rebuild, undeniably of his volition, wanting to help his friends and possible family.

That note also brings me to something I've really been wanting to talk about:

Husk and Alastor

Unless we see a shift or get new knowledge about Nifty, Alastor and Husk have a really unique relationship both in theory and as evidenced. Husk is a former Overlord, presumably from before Alastor's rise if he was willing to bet his soul in a game with him. This opens up a lot of questions for me, mainly about what their bet entailed, what led Husk to making it in the first place, and if there's a certain respect between them. Yes, Alastor refers to Husk as his "pet," but Husk also comes to him with his suspicions about Mimsy and it can almost be read as worry. Alastor even responds that "it's nothing [he] can't handle." There has to be a certain level of trust for someone to bring up "hey, that friend you've known for decades only ever comes to you when they need something" and have their concerns taken seriously, even if Alastor's care for others is negligible at best. This whole scene seems to be showing that despite their deal, their past as equals has not been totally forgotten by either of them, leading to a certain understanding of each other that neither, particularly Alastor, have had with anyone else up until now.

The biggest reason I bring their relationship up though is Alastor's deal. With all we've seen, I believe Husk is the one character besides Alastor himself and whoever the other party is that knows about the deal and its possible connection to Alastor's disappearance.

For one, Husk is the one that confirms Alastor is "on a leash" in the first place, and he shows no surprise that Husk knows. Alastor is definitely not the kind of person to let anyone know about something like that no matter how close they are, so this makes me think either Husk had to know or that he was possibly there during the deal.

It also stands out to me the specific phrasing that Husk and Alastor use during the scene.

"You've been gone a long time, and it's not like anybody knows why." "They don't need to know!"

This kind of phrasing makes it feel like Husk is specifically being excluded from that group by both himself and Alastor. If it's true that Alastor's deal is the reason he disappeared, then Husk knowing about both the deal and why Alastor's been gone lines up perfectly. Maybe Husk will be the one to reveal more about this to the audience or even the rest of the cast later on, but it's clear that he does know more than anyone not directly involved and at this moment is the most likely to talk about it, assuming Alastor doesn't immediately tear him a new one for it.

Little Details

Last section, I promise. This is just some little details I noticed while rewatching for this that didn't really fit in anywhere else and questions/speculation about them.

Remember how I mentioned Husk hugging himself earlier? The first time I noticed this was during episode 3 when, after seeing the stage, he declares "I'm not about to put on some show for these fucking chumps." Not sure how much of everyone's backstory is still canon, but it was stated that Husk was a magician during his life, so maybe this is hinting that he has some stage-related baggage?

Also during episode 3, we see Husk sneak down the stairs before Vaggie can toss him off the roof in the warzone, and since he didn't come back up with Angel and Pentious, he presumably left before they made it out. However, at the end of the episode, he's laughing with everyone over the events of it. He comments that SP can "take a beating like a champ" and "you did ok, new kid," so was he just pretending like he was there or did he just hang out on the sidelines and watch? Husk wtf?

Husk specifically says that AD's video is "not a very convincing interrogation scene." Does Husk have experience?

When the bartender pours drinks for the gangster getting Angel a refill, Husk immediately watches the drinks themselves, before the guy even reaches for that little bottle. He's a bartender, he's probably seen too many people have their drinks fucked with to the point it's just an instinct now.

He was ready to square tf up when Valentino hit Angel, but waited until Angel walked away instead of jumping in like in episode 4. He really does trust him to take care of himself and was ready to back up whatever he did.

During "The Show Must Go On," it's minor, but Husk actually tucks his wings around the group hug and it's aasfjkdsajfd

For those who've made it this far, thank you so much for listening to my overthinking and ramblings. Please feel free to ask about anything incoherent, add on to anything, or point out things I missed, I'd just really love to get the discussion started on some of these things!

[skitskatdacat63]

Please take my low effort shitpost of our two Aston flopboys

Basically:

[theswampghost]

i live my life being haunted by “did i squander my divinity? was happiness within me the whole time?” and the implication that every human person is divine and that that divinity resides within the ability to be happy. DAVE MALLOY WHAT THE FUCK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gertold]

The two of us stand there, gazing up and out across a reshaped landscape. And as the clock-hands strike the hour upon the great tower, something colossal stirs from within its shell, raising its tendrils lazily to enjoy the cool wet morning air. — Chapter 13

They stand there, in the night, dumbfounded - listening to the sound of bells. — Chapter 40

forever mesmerized by this auditory imagery of carpenter and faulkner witnessing the miracle of the wither mark to the sound of bells – and that we return to a cacophony of that sound in chapter 40. for hayward not to pursue carpenter to the knell of the approaching end, but to join her in the same puzzlement and dread. 

[shadebloopnik]

Debating whether I should make Alastor a cannibal in my angelic Alastor Au. But also bc if I did i'd imagine conversations go like this

Lucifer: YOU'RE A CANNIBAL?!?!!??

Alastor: Now now, in my defense-

Alastor: It's not exactly cannibalism if they're not my species now is it- I mean, they're demons not angels, and come on-

Lucifer: YOU LITERALLY TRIED TO EAT ADAM'S CORPSE-

Alastor: Ah HAH! Adam, my dear, is a HUMAN soul, SO-

Lucifer:

[uhm-hi]

@redyarns' radioapple fic (nsfw) Ruin Me has ACTUALLY ruined me. I had to get this out immediately or else I wont be able to sleep.

Alastor is relatable because I too would risk it all for this silly old man

[alacetor-the-duckies-deer]

Vox: chilling in his office

Alastor: bursts in and heads for the arsenal room in the back, because of course Vox didn't remove his security access in all seven years he was gone.

Vox: holy fuck you're back? Where the hell have you been- What are you doing?

Alastor: Heaven's currupt.

Vox: what?

Alastor, loading up on magic items and angelic weapons: Heaven's corrupt.

[needynia]

[pseudospectre]

[radi0range]

(practice for a bigger piece im working on)

[pixelatedquarter]

Average catcade post be like (x)

[nerdinthenorth]

Befriend your demon I guess