#The Stanley parable rants

[blue-sunflower-bee]

The Narrator's loneliness

"I used to make big decisions. I was passionate. I was sceptical. I weighed each decision with profound thoughtfulness. And then, somewhere along the way... I stopped making decisions. I became lazy. And I came up with-well... I came up with a character named Stanley to do my thinking for me."

It is strangely endearing to me that Stanley, canonically, is created to help the Narrator. He's a somewhat silent support to give him a direction, some orientation. Maybe it's just me projecting, but maybe making big decisions was linked to more and more anxiety for him so he came up with Stanley as additional help. Maybe sth happened in his life that left him numb and frozen and not having someone to lean on, he created Stanley to help with his overwhelming emotions.

"He would make the decisions, he would decide which way to go. I would cheer him on as he collected figurines for no reason."

This is so interesting to hear, cause even tho the Narrator is the one who wrote the story and seems to be in control at all times, he is still dependent on what Stanley decides to do, and that he pulls along with everything he does, that he's dependent on Stanley's decision making, he grew more and more dependent on Stanley being there and taking the lead. How truly lost he is when Stanley just stops doing so is very evident in the Not Stanley Ending.

"Why did I invent Stanley? Was I lonely? Yes, perhaps that's it. Perhaps I needed to imagine I had companionship."

This pretty much confirms what I thought mostly while going through the game... That the Narrator created Stanley to cope with his loneliness, the absence of companionship. To have someone to talk to... Even tho this someone isn't talking back. Like he said during the Skip Button ending... It's a difference when you know there is someone to take it all in. I notice this difference too. Even when I talk to my pet, that isn't able to talk back at me, or my house plants, it's so different to talking to myself or a mirror. It's even a difference when I play the game and response to some lines the Narrator says, I also always have the habit to somehow make Stanley nod or shake his head in response when he throws a question at me.

"And Stanley did make for a wonderful companion. Even if he was a fiction."

Everyone saying the Narrator hates Stanley can go home now.

"But I suppose it's grown old now. I- I want to think for myself again. I want to go back to how it used to be."

Healing process right there. The Narrator is basically admitting or realizing that he can't depend on Stanley forever and makes the step to be his own person again, not because he was forced to do so, but because he wants to. He wants to be better again.

It's like finally seeing the unhealthy dependancy in a relationship and deciding to move out of it because you know it can't go on like this. That you'll lose your sense of self when you continue on this pattern.

I also kind of like the slight hesitance when he says he wants to think for himself again.

"Yes. I can be on my own again. I can do it. I'll be stronger this time. I'll take care of myself."

Look at my boy reassuring himself. It's like he's repeating a positive mantra for himself to ease his anxiety like "I can do it. I could do so before, I can do so again." It's oddly endearing and heart wrenching at the same time.

"I don't need Stanley anymore. Oh... But he truly was so much fun to play with. You know what? Since we're in the memory zone, how about one more good memory? Let's go back just once and give Stanley one more run of the office. And then I'll retire him for good."

I saw so many people viewing this, especially the first two sentences, as if Stanley was a mere toy to the Narrator who gets tossed away when he is sick of him. To me, it's not like that at all. He more appears like he prepares himself to let go, to say goodbye, and it's so bittersweet. He says "I don't need Stanley anymore" not in a "I'm sick of him" way, more in a "I don't need his help anymore" way. He created Stanley to help him when he was struggling, to have someone to keep him company and grew sort of dependent on him, but now he is able and comfortable to be on his own again, so he doesn't have to clutch onto Stanley anymore cause that wouldn't be healthy and he knows this.

Because I like to drop a bit of pain in every Fandom, I sort of started headcanoning that the Narrator lost someone who's very dear to him, a lover/brother/friend you name it, and he modeled Stanley after this person, to deal with his grief and the void and loneliness this person left behind. He's in denial of his loss and once he has reached the stage of acceptance, and he is ready to let go of his loved one, ready to say goodbye, he retires his fictional Stanley too.

[blackkatdraws2]

Laptop screen problems!! Might take a while for me to post something new. (◠‿◠)

Ha. Hahahahah hahe heaah. For the majority of my life, I have animated and drawn on a shitty cheap phone screen with cracks all over it and this laptop thinks it can stop me with a little green tint.?

Screw this fuck. I have my tablet display screen just fine, this thing isn't going into any repair shops anytime soon. Not until I finish my animation and I will finish that fucking animation, I am NOT going a single day not drawing because of a faulty display cable or whatever other problems this dainty little Acer laptop has.

I most definitely do not have the money to fix this thing at the moment, school has just started, and my body is currently in pain because of physical problems beyond my control, I don't care. I am finishing that goddamn animation, I am drawing, I will animate until I drop dead in front of my SCREEN.

If I die I'm taking my drawing equipment with me so I can still draw in hell.

[tspstuff]

hey psst @lexumpysfunland I did something (again...)

nearly 4 hours but definitely worth it.

[rad1ostat1c]

anyone wanna be silly to me

or like rant or something

anything! it’s easy to get me interested in stuff

if you want a friend who likes your interests :3

[alexina-bucket]

I just finished good omens (the series) yesterday and ohmygodddd

SPOILERS FOR GOOD OMENS BELOW! (Obviously)

This is also really long... I apologize

The entire time I was thinking about how stanarrator they are.

I can't decide who would be who but I think I'm leaning towards Stanley being more Crowley...

I might be making an au/crossover for this, I love good omens so much and if I don't do something with it and tsp I think I'll explode

My drawings have been looking absolutely horrible so I won't draw this for at least a while most likely but I wanted to put my ideas here :3

The last episode (Neil Gaiman I'm never forgiving you for leaving me on this cliffhanger that broke my heart and make me wait two years for season 3.) where azi is having trouble leaving heaven due to him not realizing his feelings fully and being loyal as an angel, he loves peace. Crowley can see the BS behind it and how heaven and hell shouldn't be and they should be free. He wanted to just be with him like he's wanted for so long. This is pretty similar to my stanarrator.

Neil is very conflicted by his love for stanley because he's a god of sorts (I haven't decided what species to make him, but it'll probably be one of my own creation. It's complicated...) and he needs to narrate. It's the only reason he exists. He was created with the soul purpose to narrate, he built the story, was made for it, all of that. He wouldn't want to leave the story, and it took many many years of him and Stanley pretty much sneaking their relationship on the side for him to decide to stop narrating longer term to marry him and be with him. Stanley realized his love for Neil earlier then narrator did, but he was pretty conflicted. They're on opposite sides, narrator and protagonist, angel and demon if you will. He was supposed to hate the other side, supposed to fight against him, not love him. He has hatred for him but can't help but fall in love. (Haha Crowley fell from heaven and then fell for someone in heaven get it get it get it I'm so funny) and despite this being odd and kind of stereotypical au for tsp blab blah blah when neil completed his human form and showed Stanley, stan had too many conflicting feelings to know exactly what to do. At first he got filled with rage and punched Neil, and then he felt a sense of regret because after all this is the man he was in love with. He took a moment of Neil staring at him and about to yell while yellow was slowly dripping from his nose, but then grabbed him by the collar of his coat and pulled him down to kiss him. There were too many feelings and he needed to get some out, he also craved touch from being deprived of it for so long. The kiss didn't last long but Neil didn't really know what to do but closed his eyes because his human body told him to and his hands kind of grabbed Stanley's arms awkwardly. Stanley pulled back after a moment.

This is pretty similar to that scene in the show, especially with the two sides and yada yada. I really really want to draw this but

1: I can't draw either azi or Crowley

2: all my drawings have looked horrible and I can't draw

3:I also can't draw wings well and I really wanna do that

Also I want to make this an au and write it but I have 11 tsp fics in progress (I'm insane) and I'm also trying to write my "prediction" thats definitely biased of me loving gays being happy and trying to write season 3 before it comes out because that's far too long for me to wait without some kind of sustenance. So... You can guess it'll take a long time for me to get around to finishing it if I do start it.

I highly doubt anyone has read any of this/all of it but if you did hello thank you I'm gonna give you buckets now

[snowheartsz]

me when a disembodied british narrator in a game about an endless time paradox tells me I’m worthless (i have repressed trauma)

[silly-is-a-cat]

Some part of me still can't believe thqt Rachel had a tsp (the Stanley parable) phase...and the other half is like "AAAAAAAAHHGAGSGHAHWH HE HAD. A TSP PHASE OMMGGGSB" I'm saying this when elevator hitch is probably based/inspired by tsp.......hahaha guuyysss

[tetherfans]

I said I would draw this, and I did. My poor narrator not knowing what a narratorverse is, due to being the most goofiest narrator out there. Although he does act the way he does in the game, he's more childlike than anything. Bro doesn't wear the fancy narrator clothes, they just wear colorful clothing. 32 years young, literal goofball. The only narrator they even get along with is @minicorruptprogram 's narrator and that's because we got silly and decided to make them date.

I would like to add my narrator into the narratorverse, and stop hiding away from this fandom due to my past trauma. I hope you goofballs can forgive me and welcome me back into the fandom with open arms, as I really need to get some personal stuff off my mind. Hopefully given the new year, we can all get along :D I have some other images of bro in my art tag :D just one, though

please tell me what you think of my narrator, and feel free to send some asks >:)

[betrootsoup]

Good Morning except to every tsp fan who took part in "hear me out" trend and on the next slide were both or ether fanon Stanley or the most human looking Narrator possible.

This fandom have shit ton of creative non human designs, and for a trend that was clearly made for creatures/monsters or people that don't fit today's beauty standards, people pick the boring "pretty" humans.

I know taking something so trivial seriously is dumb, but even dumber is using character that are conventionally beautiful in a trend for "ugly" and unconventional characters.

No hard feelings tho :3

[johnwicklover1999]

my friends and i loooove hating on ugly narrator designs. sorry to all you twink lovers he wouldn't fucking look like that #fatbitchrealness

[bluebeerg]

Could you draw narrator being jealous of the bucket

lmao no ... i really hate how people view the bucket - as just a gimmick rather than integral symbolism essential to understanding the tsp extension. honestly bitches will treat the bucket like the woman breaking up their yaoi ship. please look at other bucket endings outside the bucket destroyer and bucket apartment endings

anyways, have not what you asked for lol

[lavalampstealer]

Putting this out there for the TSP and IEYTD people (please let there be some):

Swap AU where Stanley/Narrator and Phoenix/Handler swap places. A mashup AU where Stanley is Agent Bucket or something. A different swap AU where the British Voices trade places for a bit.

What if Phoenix and Handler were in the Parable? Hell, why stop there, put Fabricator as the Curator and Zor as the Timekeeper and Prism as Mariella. Would Phoenix keep their TK implant? Would Stanley gain one? Who knows, let the shenanigans go wild.

What if Stanley and Narrator were spy and support agent together? Put the Bucket in as Zor. Do it. I dare you. it’d be funny

[alephnol]

[lilydoesdrawsometimes]

A text post? From me? How strange... TW before you go ahead: This is a long rant. I swear a bit, and talk about some toxic stuff in the TSP fandom, and touch on some sensitive topics.

But no, really, I want to say this because I feel like it's getting more and more prevalent and I just feel like garbage every time I see stuff about it.

And first, let me preface that I understand where a lot of these people are coming from, I really really do, but honestly I think this is the shittest way to go about things.

What is this thing I am talking about? It's the "Yaoi" "Old man" "Clock 0ut ruined TSP" bullshit. Honestly it's got me so fucking irritated because this fandom has become one of very few things that brings me comfort lately.

And like I said I understand that representation in media is essential - skinny, white, attractive characters are literally what 90% of media is, we know this. So representation is important, essential, and everything when it comes to creators adding their stuff in. But that's where my agreement with that part of the argument stops.

90% of people are entitled to their ideas, their creations, their thoughts, all of it. They are an individual who absolutely deserves to express themselves and how they feel about something in whatever way they see fit.

Which is why we need to boost the ones who are showing minorities, who are showing a side that you enjoy - not just fucking shitting on the people who do the things that you don't like or who follow the majority.

You can bitch and complain all you want about the "twinks" and the "skinny white dudes" of the fandom, but you aren't going to stop it. Frankly all you're doing is making amazing artists and creators feel bad about the things they've done for no reason. You're bullying people who genuinely enjoy some media. Hell you're making me feel bad. And I won't say I'm not guilty of the "skinny handsome person" aesthetic or whatever, but:

Being in this fandom has genuinely improved my ability to draw more diverse and older individuals and has pushed me to improve on that.

What is making me not want to do art as a whole anymore are these fucking people constantly shitting on the other people in the fandom. It makes me not want to interact with their stuff, and I admire their things! I love them! But I don't want to see that shit, I don't need to see that shit. It makes me want to unfollow artists who create some wonderful things. Just because you have a certain take on media does not mean it is right nor does it mean that you are the only one who deserves to have any say in how things are made. You can be angry, you can not like media, it's okay to not like Clock 0ut and how it goes, but to suggest that someone shouldn't have made something that is arguably a pretty neat creation is ... sickening. You're literally gatekeeping what people can do because you don't like it.

You can argue that it hurts a fandom but honestly, other than the insane things I see on tiktok (Some of it IS horrifying, don't get me wrong) I have met many amazing creators that joined because of Clock 0ut who have the ability to analyze the depth of this game more than some of the people who claim that Clock 0ut has ruined it.

Not only that but they are wildly kinder people than those who constantly shit on others, people I'd rather be around.

Don't get me wrong I know Clock 0ut has spawned a lot of people who do a bit of harm to the fandom, but frankly that's going to happen with anything that becomes popular, it's just the way things are Look at Undertale...

I joined before I even knew what Clock 0ut was because of the dialogue and in depth nature of the media. I stayed because there are people who have encouraged me to be better, do better, and have become good friends of mine. I just think it's awful that this is becoming even more prevalent, and honestly I really just want to stop seeing it. TL;DR:

Fuck you and stop following me if you're just going to shit on people for enjoying media in the way that they do. There are bad people in every fandom, but just because someone doesn't do something the way you want them to does not mean that it is bad. Promote people who are doing what you want, and stop shitting on people doing nothing but enjoying something. Thank you if you read this far - I can't not say anything about it, especially when it's from people I respect or used to respect, and especially when it runs the risk of hurting people I care for or respect.

[braisedhoney]

Sometimes we like people who are goofy and very sad at the same time captain.

i can't explain why, but this ask somehow felt very earnest and it hit me right in the heart because good god what a mood??

the tsp narrator is goofy and a dork who hums along to elevator music, and he spirals into a disaster of catastrophic proportions because negative feedback emotionally destroys him. he opens a vent and whispers at stanley/the player to come sneak around with him as if he's actually inside it, and in the same ending he begs you not to leave him alone but mourns the inevitable truth that you will. he sets up a press conference about how revolutionary your choice to go up and down an elevator is. he builds an entire new game. he makes a button that says "stanley", and the end is never the end is never the... so on.

i may jokingly scold him in the comics i draw, but the writing for his character in the game is literally so solid that the entire experience relies on it. the game is just... so good. god i love it.

[troolyart]

A little personal rant:

So this past Sunday I was chatting with a guy that comes to my church every so often. We were reminiscing about the old days, when we were still young and in Bible study, when we got onto the topic of art.

He was amazed that I still draw and wanted to see some of my work. So I showed him. Mainly showing off my Narrator design since those drawings were newer, and he was impressed. I was telling him about my process and then said that sometimes I would just take pictures of myself and "chop off the boobs so I would have a pretty good reference for him since I'm fat."

He looked shocked. And then smiled, saying "Oh! So you're one of those people who can actually call themselves fat. It's not an issue for you. That's cool. A lot of people just say they're chubby but like, come on dude, you're fat, we can all see it."

And his words and tone just reminded me that the majority of my country, and some major parts of the world, will always see fat as something "other" to them. That fat is seen as a bad word, or a bad thing. Something to get rid of.

Sure, it made me a little sad. But more than anything I felt proud of myself for not being afraid of calling myself fat. It's just, what I am, not who I am. And I've always been fat, ever since I was little. It's only been recently that the word no longer holds a negative cloud over my head. And it's thanks to a lot of artists on here that that was possible.

My Narrator design is fat just like me, and he's going to stay that way. Not to push any agendas or to make a statement, but because he's like me in a lot of ways. Anxious about what others think of him, a perfectionist in what he's passionate about, and someone who needs a constant companion or else he will go insane.

I love my fat, gay, old man. And I love myself, too. (❁´◡`❁)