#User Flow Analysis

[kickrtechnology1]

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[venxomi]

TBHK Chapter 126 Analysis - The cost of a reckless wish

The Hourglass

The chapter begins with Nene flipping the Hourglass, but it not activating for a simple reason- According to last chapter, you need to make a wish first. The Hourglass simply didn't take effect because Nene hadn't made one.

So when the cat jumped in and saved her, explaining to Kako that it had only intervened because it relates to wanting to help- or save others. It was the wish of the one the cat had been before, and now it was Nene's. Because of the cat, the Hourglass now knew what Nene desired and, as a result, activated.

In essence, the Hourglass needed to know what the user wanted. Otherwise, how could it send Nene on endless loops, and, just like the other victims, have her soul waste away?

Along with information from the previous chapter, we have further confirmation that this Hourglass is nothing but an entity that, just like the pit god, wants to consume. In this chapter, it's shown directly- Nene is turned into sand as she is kept within the hourglass. It speaks to her.

"I am- We are- The Flow. Power. Time. Sand."

The Hourglass essentially boasts its capabilities; That it's a constant. That it's powerful. That it's limitless. And that's not the only thing. "I am- We are-" suggests that it's made up of a collective consciousness.

"Welcome! You have come to join us!"; It's not even trying to hide its goal, is it? To amass one more consciousness, one more soul within it, as it's made up of its users' corroded souls.

Did you know? Sand forms when rocks break down from weathering and eroding over thousands and even millions of years. But the Hourglass' process is faster than just waiting such an absurd amount of time. The moment Nene flipped the hourglass, the process had already begun. Along with the sand, Nene passes through it. Again and again. Again and again. Until her soul, slowly but surely, erodes into fine sand.

To put it in extremely simple terms, Kako was right. It's not an item that is actually capable of helping you reach your desired outcome. It dangles it in front of you like a carrot on a stick. That is all. It proves to you that it is capable of leading you to your desired result, but it doesn't allow you to reach it. No matter what you do, no matter how hard you think or how many times you try in desperation, you are unable to grasp the bait, the flicker of hope, in front of you.

One who sought riches would be killed by bandits. One who sought to gain someone's love ended herself and that someone. One who sought fame was killed by envy. One who wished to bring back people for the sake of someone else had that someone else disappear from existence. And one who simply wished to save her friends... Had them killed by her own hand.

But it's all right. For as long her soul is still in one piece, she can keep trying. Again and again and again... Wrapping her in its hands, pushing her down and continuing the slow process of corrosion. A fake "Good luck", an ironic one, fully aware of the end result.

Dehumanization

If you are familiar with my analysis of chapter 121, this is basically an expansion of it.

In it I talked about Amane's dehumanization process, how he is a victim of the Red House, a trapped soul who is unable to disobey, and also about having to kill his own family, his own little brother he loved so much, and then being forced into killing countless other people for the pit god which desensitized him completely.

Nene is directly put into Amane's shoes, where she fell victim to the Red House and was forced into its servitude. Unlike Kou in the past, who had been exorcised before he could harm the people he loved, Nene wasn't so lucky. She had to kill the friends she desperately attempted several times to save.

In this scene, Amane is projecting onto Nene, as she is in the same position as he once was. Holding onto her to prevent her from falling in a twisted way of providing comfort, possibly.

His assertion "See? I knew you could do it." suggested that a possessed Nene hesitated killing her loved ones, and maybe that struck a cord within him. That he had hesitated to kill his own family aswell, but he had no choice. That, just like him, she could do it. To further prove him right, that there's no meaning to life, death or anything else in this cursed house.

At that moment, The Red House had initiated a new feeder, freshly dehumanized. A kindred spirit.

Nene's sanity is frayed and she fell into despair. Her figure doesn't appear in the hourglass anymore as she flips the hourglass in a panic.

A new glimmer of hope (?)

Nene is now at her wits' end. She didn't even understand what had happened, only that she killed everyone. She can't figure out why. As a result, as she guessed, she would've repeated the same mistake.

However, a new hope emerges after she had been plunged into despair; The Clock Keeper of the Present. Will this hope be genuine and not just a carrot on a stick that Nene prepared to sacrifice everything for in vain?

Akane subtly reflecting in Nene's eyes reflect her desire to grasp on any sliver of hope she can find.

Thoughts and Predictions

Going a bit on an unserious remark, as a Re:Zero fan I absolutely loved this chapter. Subaru (who, if you don't know about the series, travels back to a point in time when he dies. He dies and suffers in various attempts to save the people he loves... A hell lot. He is unable to speak of this ability to others, so he suffers in silence.) has gained one more kindred spirit. I even illustrated this quick doodle of Nene and Subaru!

Back on topic, on the rare case that this is the worst she'll be through, it will permanently mentally scar her. Perhaps she might be able to put on a facade and pretend everything's fine, but no one is ever fine after being part of such horrors, having your friends die several times because of your failed attempts, and ultimately having them die by your very own hands. And if she's unable to speak about her experiences as this chapter suggested where she couldn't mention being from the future, then it's really over. I'm of the personal opinion that Iro will break Nene in order to further develop her character. Hit the bar as low as you possibly can, for your character to rise higher than ever before- That kind of technique. Every passing chapter seems to solidify this. Nene's flaws are tripping her up and making her horribly fail. She resolved to save everyone and fought by herself, but she was far too reckless in her desperation. Made a reckless decision of coming into contact with an entity that was properly explained as dangerous, had a hasty wish, and couldn't even figure out what actually needed to be changed after several attempts. She could only further fall into despair and break. I can't really put it into words properly as of now, but I can grasp what Iro wants to do with her character. Slowly, but surely, Iro has been working for this all along. Nene can no longer be ignorant of the world's cruelty. If she wants to understand and save everyone from it, she has to experience it for herself. Whether she gives up or stands back up as a result, it's a choice only she can make, isn't it?

As for Akane, as far as I can predict with the current information, there's 2 possibilities: 1. The Akane we see at the end is Akane of the 'original' timeline. The Clock Keepers' Boundary seems to be unaffected by changes in time (as it still exists despite the 7 Mysteries not existing in the new timeline), so if Akane stayed in there, then a Paradox could've been created where multiple "Akane Aoi" exist at the same time. 2. As the Clock Keeper of the Present, Akane is aware of all the attempts Nene made with the Hourglass, and as a result came to search for her after he died by her hands, aware of what just transpired. Both seem valid enough to me, so I'm honestly just curious. Can't wait until next chapter.

The cat's lines and interactions in chapter 126 further solidifies to me that it's related to Amane who had attempted to go back in time in 1968.

[pm-my-beloved]

Expresions of Sins

BREAKS THROUGH THE WALL I HAVE NOTICED A DETAIL MOST INGENIOUS

You guys know how we have Mirror Dungeon floor packs, I have seen some (Including myself) look at the sin weaknesses ones to interpret what sin... weaknesses in EGO could mean.

ONLY NOW have I thought to notice the theme packs of USERS of those sins. While i don't think those are representing what sins themselves are using, I do think they might signify the main expressions of those sins, or maybe degrees of that expression

Beware, this is going to be more chaotic, as I am writing this RAW without any particular deep analysis, more as a jump-off point for thinking, and all of it might just be making a lot out of nothing BUT WHATEVER ANYWAYS STARTING WITH

Wrath, which is represented with words "Repressed" and "Unbound", quite contradictory adjectives to attach to the same word. With the fact that "Unbound" one is the one with warning signs, it might reffer to degrees. Repressed is expression of wrath that is still somewhat managable when we contain the rage against injusticies or what we hate, while unbound is when this sin goes beyond control, when the fires of hatred overtake our actions (Hi sinclair and Ishmael)

Addiction and Tangling. Personal reading here, Addiction is something that comes up because theres lack in your life that you feel the need to fill, so here its pursuit of lust in search to fix what we are lacking, while tangling is when we are completly out of control of it, when instead of pursuing lust, its lust that controls us (hi bloodfiends)

Treadwheeling is basically a meaningless action that brings no change, so treadwheel sloth is acts which either perpetuate status quo, or have no bearing on reality, actions that change nothing. Then Inert sloth, is when we stop taking actions all-together of our own volition, rather, just flow according to our preexisting pressures and circumstances (oh hi yi sang)

Here my reading is as such Devoured Gluttony somewhat implies that there is some form of satiantion to this hunger, this craving according to which someone acts, while excessive suggests that there never will be any form of satisfaction to ones pursuits (Oh hi faust, what are you doing here)

Yeahhh i've got nothing.

Vain pride seems to imply simply perceiving oneself as better to others, while tyrannical being such certainty in ones superiority or rightousness as to impose it onto others.

With how I read envy as at its core inferiority, the Insignificance here seems to read to me as acting in perception of oneself as not worth the time, effort or attention (Oh hi heathcliff), while pitiful is when that goes to level where one perceives ones existance as lamentable to a point where one deserves some sort of compensation for it.

Sorry for complete chaos of this one, I can't really focus my thoughts RN and wanted to put this out.

Also, @lu-is-not-ok pinging the OG sin interpreter to see his potential thoughts if he feels like those theme packs hold any sort of significance.

[right-there-ride-on]

Lucy Steel, Karma, and 'the flow of fate': The flaw of the 'napkin philosophy'

I've stated before that Johnny, Gyro, HP and Diego stand out as the four main-ish characters of SBR. But that's neglecting to mention the true third protagonist of the part: Lucy Steel. Lucy's character is used to explore a lot of the heavier and more complex themes of SBR, including the nature of power, fortune, and even free will (as well as misogyny, to a lesser extent). I hope to touch on and elaborate what I think the text is trying to demonstrate with Lucy's story. Unfortunately there was limit to the panels I could include, so if you'd like to double check my analysis please reference the referred chapters.

Content warning for reference to events in the Both Sides Now chapters as well as Valentine's general attitude towards Lucy.

To understand what Lucy represents, we've first got to understand Lucy. So, let's take a quick look at her backstory.

Chapter 61: Both Sides Now (Part 2)

Born into a poor family, even from a young age Lucy was forced / expected to pay for the sins of her father. In those days it's no surprise that the life of a son was seen as more valuable than that of a daughter. Lucy's father decides that Lucy must be the one to pay for the family's debt. It's implied that Lucy does not protest this decision and understands her father's reasoning (even if internally she may be more upset about it than she appears). Lucy's go-to mechanism for dealing with the stress of the people around her is to 'look after them'. She repeatedly puts on a brave face in order to comfort them first. Only when she's alone does she allow herself to express her true feelings. Even the inciting incident of the Steel Ball Run race itself - a young Lucy comforting a hopeless Stephen - is demonstrative of how she always looks after the people around her.

Lucy has always been forced to bear the responsibilities of others, as the second eldest and the eldest daughter.

Chapter 61: Both Sides Now (Part 2)

Her father was either naive or unwilling to accept the consequences of what he'd done to Lucy by essentially selling her to the mafia. Stephen forces Lucy's father to recognize the reality of the situation - and as such becomes the first person we know of to demonstrably care for Lucy's well being. In my opinion, one of the reasons Lucy doesn't ever seem put off by the 'marriage' between her and Stephen is because she knows that without Stephen she would literally be dead. It was Lucy's kindness to Stephen that would influence Stephen to return to her family and save her life. This is the first (chronological) example of Lucy's complex relationship with fate and fortune.

Chapter 28: Scary Monsters (Part 1)

After witnessing Valentine's odd power in a previous scene she grows suspicious, and given the talk of murder at the time, likely worried for Stephen's safety. While attempting to assuage her suspicion she catches a glimpse of the corpse part Valentine possess, and from then on gets caught up in the larger machinations of the race. However, even this first encounter between Lucy and Valentine showcases what the dynamic will be between them as the part continues: Valentine, bombastic and ambitious, contrasted with Lucy. Lucy is meek, but her actions have an overt influence on the plot, even if none of the other characters realize her true importance until later. Her impact is subtle but pervasive, as she continually changes the entire course of the race despite never being acknowledged as a factor in play until the very end.

Chapter 36: The Green Tombstone (Part 1)

Lucy is a non-stand user, a normal person and a teenager at that, who realizes in this moment that her now peaceful life can be shattered again. Lucy is a normal person, but she is brave, and she is determined to protect the person she cares about at any cost.

Lucy clearly feels a lot of responsibility towards Stephen, and most of the time is quite a serious person. There's a lot happening internally that she can't or won't let others in on. In other scenes, we see that Steven often tells her to lighten up and act more her age, but Lucy can't let that sense of responsibility go. In the scene above, her serious nature is contrasted by her apparent flippancy towards her teacher. To avoid any questions on her intentions, she flips on the 'bored student / teenager' act - and it is just an act. As soon as she's alone, Lucy breaks down, because her strong face too is an act.

On a thematic level it's already clear that Lucy's character will be closely tied to the concept of 'fate' (most of the time represented through Valentine). Here, she is determined to avert what she suspects Stephen's ultimate 'fate' will be. She knows that she is not powerful, yet still she struggles against the overwhelming powers around her. Even with something as simple as learning lip reading, she's taking the initiative against Valentine, at a point when no other major character knows that it's Valentine they're up against. I also want to recognize her intelligence: she is totally overlooked by the President's staff (men) and uses that to her advantage to royally fuck up Valentine's plans.

Luck, or 'fortune', plays a notable role in enabling Lucy's escape from Valentine and Blackmore's pursuit. It's only by chance that Lucy is the one to look up and notice Blackmore first.

Chapter 37: The Green Tombstone (Part 2)

Lucy is forced to involve Mountain Tim in her escape - who just so happens to be in town and nearby the government building while all of this is going down.

Chapter 37: The Green Tombstone (Part 2)

We see here again Lucy's strong sense of responsbility, as well as her selflessness. Despite not knowing Mountain Tim very well, she worries for his safety. She takes burdens onto herself because she feels she must; she can't let anyone get hurt, because it's her responsibility to protect them.

However, the fickle nature of fortune is again evident in the next few scenes. As soon as Tim separates from Lucy, he's killed; meanwhile, Lucy has the good fortune of making it to the backbone before anyone else, as well as having the distance shortened for her. Even when Blackmore catches up to her, 'fortune' is again on Lucy's side, and she's able to take him by surprise and reclaim the corpse. Even this early on, the text seems to suggest that the corpse wants Lucy to posses it; in a sense it's manipulating even to ensure it's delivered (by her) to where it wants to go.

Chapter 38: Catch the Rainbow (Part 1)

Oh nothing, just Lucy being cool as fuck.

Chapter 39: Catch the Rainbow (Part 2)

Tim directed Lucy to Johnny and Gyro. They are the first people she ever asks for help (and politely, at that). Notice that Lucy isn't even necessarily asking them to help her. She's asking them, really, to help Stephen.

Chapter 39: Catch the Rainbow (Part 2) (Johnny already decided to protect Lucy <3)

Blackmore basically singles out Lucy to lecture her on 'sin' - which in this case is taking the initiative and daring to touch a corpse part.

Blackmore's monologue is based almost entirely on religious ideas, and we see again how misogyny ties into Lucy's character. Lucy is compared to an adult woman, 'Eve', and told she is the embodiment of 'sin' (often a metaphor for sexual temptation, and perhaps foreshadows Valentine's assault and views about Lucy as an object later in the part). Because she dared to do something about her situation and on her own initiative, Blackmore demands that she 'repent'.

Chapter 40: A Silent Way (Part 1) (Johnny: "Who'll come to her if she fails?" (you will mr. joestar)

Gyro, and to a lesser extent, Johnny, are unwilling to give up the race to chase after Valentine. Gyro asks Lucy plainly what she expects her life to be like if she runs away now, and if she will be happy to live the rest of her life in fear. Knowing that she will never be happy with such a life, Lucy agrees to put her life on the line and assumes the burden of stealing the corpse part from Valentine.

Chapter 48: Tubular Bells (Part 1) - as soon as Steven is out of sight she drops her brave face :(

Chapter 48: Tubular Bells (Part 1)

Lucy's intelligence is again demonstrated through her plan to get close to the President; namely, getting close to Scarlet first. It works, thanks to some outside help from HP (and I plan to do an analysis of their relationship in another analysis). However, during her conversation with HP, HP makes it clear that they are not helping her 'as a friend', but just as someone after the same goal. Lucy is, once again, on her own. HP's advice to her is to 'stiffen her resolve'.

The bottom line is that Lucy must take absolutely insane risks to get the happiness and peace she desires, and though she falters she does not stop.

Chapter 49: Tubular Bells (Part 2) - she wants out of this subplot

At the end of Tubular Bells, Lucy literally kills Scarlet (power move) and HP takes the fall for her. However, this leaves Lucy is a very precarious situation. It's during this section of the story that Lucy's connection to fate, fortune, and karma become most evident. It's through her character that the flaws of Valentine, in both his character and his philosophy, are brought to light.

Chapter 61: Both Sides Now (Part 2)

In Valentine's view, the one who acts decisively and 'takes the first napkin' is the one who will influence in the rest of the world. It's a one-way perspective; power goes outward. The one who takes the napkin determines the flow of fortune for everyone else; hence why he absolutely must be the first to take it.

Y'all know what happens in this section, so I won't go into detail. All you need to know is that this situation clarifies to Lucy is exact nature of the power she's up against, and how powerless she is in comparison. On the surface, she loses hope of 'changing fate' - though she doesn't stop fighting.

Chapter 62: Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

After Lucy manages to briefly get away, she thinks to herself that Valentine is the 'Devil' - and yet despite that, ascribes the fault of the situation to herself, for her 'sin' in Kansas City (the 'sin' ascribed to her by Blackmore). While Lucy, like Johnny, thinks that Valentine might be unstoppable, she doesn't attribute that to the corpse (and thus fate / fortune) choosing Valentine; she attributes it to Valentine having evil incarnate on his side (and in a sense, he does, being gifted with a stand like D4C).

Lucy ends up captured, but in the process is 'chosen' by the corpse. Valentine takes this to mean that, because he was the one who collected the corpse, it has therefore chosen him - and that Lucy, as it's chosen host, must succumb to Valentine's interpretation of the corpse's decision. He takes away her agency and attempts to convince her that 'this is the way things are supposed to be'. Master manipulator and gaslighter. Lucy is a vessel for him to exercise his power on, via the corpse.

Chapter 71: Ticket to Ride (Part 1)

Allow me to briefly digress to talk about Tear Cutter as a stand. Some people joke that Tear Cutter is a useless stand, but the point is not that it can cut things - it's that whatever is cut is inflicted with karma. It's this 'karma' that represents Lucy's resistance to Valentine's 'napkin philosophy'.

Chapter 73: D4C (Part 6)

Valentine asserts that Lucy's only choice is to surrender herself to the 'flow'. To him, and to powers greater than herself (fate / 'the flow'). That is, Valentine's belief of what the 'flow' is. Basically, let him do what he wants and accept that she never had agency (because fate has always chosen Valentine, and it's her destiny to serve him through the corpse). This is Valentine's mistake: he sees power / fortune as a one-way flow, and believes that because he has 'taken the first napkin', he will not be subject to the power of anyone / anything else (including fate itself - because Valentine now controls fate, obviously).

Chapter 79: D4C (Part 12) - Love Train

Valentine insists that the corpse will allow him to turn even 'bad luck' into his ally - that is, to overcome the forces of karma. He's talking about karma and 'balancing things to zero', but he's still envisioning himself as someone in control of that power, and therefore as someone not subject to its laws. Through 'taking the first napkin', Valentine views himself as the one now in control of the world and puts himself in the position of God. The corpse does appear to 'ally' itself with him by incapacitating Lucy and manifesting Love Train; but is that really what's happening? Or is the truth that Valentine is just as despotic as the people he claims to hate, and has usurped her power for himself?

But as before, Lucy's resistance to the Powers that Be is subtle but impactful. But, although subtly, Lucy's 'good karma' overcomes Valentine's malintent. Her use of Tear Cutter on her skirt allows for Diego and HP, and consequently Johnny and Gyro to find her.

Chapter 73: D4C (Part 6)

Chapter 79: D4C (Part 12) - Love Train

I want to again point out the parallel between Lucy and Johnny here. Lucy too questions whether Valentine is the one that is 'just' - despite having herself called Valentine the 'devil' - because Valentine appears to be the one 'chosen' by the corpse. However, I'd like to note something: everyone in the race was after the corpse because they believed that, when completed, it would grant them the power to do whatever they wanted to accomplish. Personally, I think that perspective is the most accurate interpretation of the corpse's power. Everything Valentine says about being 'chosen' are his own delusions of grandeur.

Throughout the final act, Lucy is reduced to what Valentine sees her as: a vessel for his will, whether that be to carry his children or house the corpse. His will being imposed on her - though he claims it to be the will of the corpse - quite literally begins to tear her apart.

Chapter 72: Ticket to Ride (Part 2)

Chapter 74: D4C (Part 7)

However, although she has suffered immensely under the burden placed on her by Valentine and the Corpse, the 'good' that Lucy put out into the world (via her attempts to save Stephen) come back as 'good fortune' for her. Stephen manages to save Johnny's life by pulling Valentine away, and begs for Gyro to save Lucy from Valentine. Stephen recognizes the situation for what it is - should Lucy truly 'accept the flow' and surrender herself to Valentine, she will die in every way that's important. Karma, in the broadest sense, is again working against Valentine (though he believes himself above it).

Chapter 81: D4C (Part 14)

Stephen's actions seem to hint towards the truth - the farther Lucy is from Valentine, the healthier she gets, and the weaker Valentine becomes. What the narrative is showing is that the corpse is not a force meant to be owned by anyone. It literally kills the person it (allegedly) chooses as a host. Valentine exercising his will and power over Lucy via the corpse erased her identity and allows him to cheat, but the narrative proves that by doing so, he is committing evil and condemning an innocent girl (among many other innocents) to death.

Gyro's death is yet another example of the cycle of luck. He saved Johnny and cornered Valentine by allowing Lucy to ride his corpse, but at the same time essentially sealed his fate (because Lucy was on his horse). His fortune ran out as the corpse cycled it, taking away his 'goddess of victory'. I think this solidifies that, ultimately, there is no real way to sway fate and fortune to your side. Gyro and Valentine make up thinks like 'goddesses' because they want to believe they have some control over the outcome of events, when the truth is that the karmic cycle will affect everyone equally.

When Valentine is defeated, the corpse begins to separate from Lucy. Since we're shown that it can obviously exist without a host, this is, I think, another piece of evidence that it was Valentine's desire that caused the corpse to 'chose' Lucy. Valentine told Lucy to give in to him / the corpse several times; but Lucy's perseverance and determination won out, and Valentine's bad karma finally caught up to him.

The narrative concludes with Valentine's defeat, and tells us, without room for debate, that Valentine's belief in the 'napkin philosophy' is incorrect - because it is a philosophy that makes the assumption that an inequality of karma exists. The 'first napkin' is taken at a round table - i.e. the cycle of karma. The bad you put into the world will come back to you. If you do harm unto others, then you will inevitably have harm done unto yourself. It's the second part of the statement that Valentine rejects, and the second part of the statement that the narrative enforces by having Love Train ('one-way power') fail in the end, to the power of infinity (or, if you want to think of it another way, an infinite cycle...)

And in the end, separated from the corpse and wrapping up the last of Valentine's machinations, Lucy is able to take back control of her narrative.

Chapter 95: World of Stars and Stripes

This scene is not just Lucy reclaiming her independence and power, but the final emphasis on the nature of 'karma' and fortune (and fate). Because base!Diego pursued Lucy and the corpse, he died to Valentine. Because Valentine didn't want to lose, he brought AU!Diego to the base world. Because base!Diego died to Valentine in pursuit of Lucy, Lucy has the means to defeat AU!Diego. In a way, Valentine karmically inflicted this ending on himself, and I think Lucy understands that.

Chapter 95: World of Stars and Stripes

Please remember that AU!Diego never turns the key to the vault. Lucy does. Lucy echoes' Steven's theory, that someone need be 'qualified' to own the corpse. In my reading, I believe that the conclusion that Lucy came to was that no one can be 'qualified' to 'own' the corpse. No matter who owns the corpse, their 'good fortune' will run out - because karma finds everyone in the end. Lucy understands that the corpse cannot truly be an ally to anyone, because the corpse itself is a principle - the principle of karma. She's the one to lock away the corpse, and, almost as if in thanks for the good such an unselfish action will do for the world, Lucy finally gets her happy ending.

In conclusion: Lucy empowers herself to find happiness with her own hands. Even without a Stand, even without being chosen as an 'ally' to the corpse (and instead being designated as its vessel), Lucy succeeded. Maybe she wasn't 'qualified' - she demands no respect when she walks in a room, she doesn't exert her will onto others - but she realizes that she doesn't need to be 'qualified' to deserve a happy ending.

Chapter 37: The Green Tombstone (Part 2)

Girl of Steel ^_^

I hope this analysis is fairly coherent, it was a bit rough to put together. If you got this far, thanks for reading!

[annabelle--cane]

it's fascinating to me the way that different social media platforms result in different types of fandom behavior. while s5 of tma was airing, I spent a good amount of time on tma tiktok (I log back in about once every two months now, going back to in-person school after a year a half of lockdown seem to re-blanace my brain and made me once again not really enjoy the format) while still using tumblr as my main socmed, and while there was a lot of overlap in the fan culture, some things were notably different.

tumblr tma fans had near-encyclopedic knowledge of the source material, but it was kind of an ongoing joke for tiktok tma fans that everyone binged the whole show in a week-long fugue state and lost memory of about 35% of it. tumblr has virtually no character limit and allows posts to be passed around by users indefinitely, which lends itself to fairly in-depth meta analysis being made and shared until most any fan could say "the time and space discrepancies at hill top road? psh yeah, I know all about them, I've read seven scrupulously cited posts that lay out all the details." for the entire time that s5 was airing, tiktok videos could still only be a minute long, and I know from a lot of personal effort that there's only so much you can fit into a one minute script that you also have to memorize and record (and cc manually with tiktok text stickers, as they didn't add the caption feature until april 2021) if you want the process to take less than four hours of your one mortal human life. and then you only see the video if your following or fyp algorithm shows it to you. there were a few tma meta-ish videos that got popular because other people would make their own videos referencing them and tag the account so their followers could see what they were talking about, but it's much harder to circulate content you like there. several times I saw people post videos saying "I got into cosplay to film some [agnes or annabelle or gerry or another secondary character] and I just realized I have no idea what their deal actually is 💀".

a thing that tiktok tma fandom was definitely better at than tumblr tma fandom was accurately remembering certain pieces of characterization and the flow of certain scenes. I've seen a bunch of posts on here where someone is trying to argue a point with excerpts from the text ("x character is nicer than you all give them credit for" "x character is so mean to y character in this scene" "z theory can't be true because y character said a line that disproves it") where the argument only holds up because the poster has gotten these excerpts from a transcript dive and hasn't listened to the episodes they're from recently, because while the text alone can be construed to mean one thing, the way it's delivered on-podcast clearly intends another. tiktok, being an audio and video based medium, allows audio clips to be shared around a lot, and cosplayers would often all make videos acting along to the same show clips of juicy interpersonal drama, and so tiktok fans, though they may have had less overall memory of what characters said, always had a better grasp on how they said it. an average tiktok tma fan might not have remembered melanie's subplot about war ghosts, but they would know the nuances of how the way she talks to jon changes between mag 28 and mag 155.

[thsyu-global]

Thsyu Alert: Bitcoin Pauses Near $69k as Weakening Yuan Tests China's Capital Controls – Policy Impact Analysis

Bitcoin's (BTC) recent upward momentum stalled Tuesday, consolidating around the $69,000 mark despite a potentially potent bullish catalyst emerging from Asia: the weakening Chinese Yuan (CNH). While BTC initially dipped nearly 2% over 24 hours to ~$68,900, the offshore Yuan slid further against the US Dollar, trading above 7.27, reflecting persistent depreciation pressures potentially linked to PBoC policy divergence and broader economic headwinds.

Data Point: USD/CNH > 7.27 vs. BTC ~$69k (April 8-9).

Policy Impact: The core tension lies between the Yuan's weakness potentially driving capital flight towards alternative stores of value like Bitcoin, and Beijing's stringent Capital Controls and existing ban on cryptocurrency trading within the mainland. Historically, significant Yuan devaluation has correlated with increased BTC buying pressure, interpreted as a hedge against currency depreciation by Chinese investors accessing offshore markets. However, the effectiveness of this channel is constantly tested by regulatory enforcement. Market observers on global platforms, including Thsyu, are closely monitoring flows for signs of this dynamic re-emerging despite policy barriers.

The current Bitcoin price consolidation, however, suggests the Yuan's influence is currently muted or offset by other factors. Analysts point to normalizing spot Bitcoin ETF inflows in the US, pre-halving profit-taking (with the event estimated mid-April), and general macroeconomic uncertainty tempering aggressive bids. Bitcoin failed to sustain moves above the critical $71,500 resistance level earlier this week, indicating trader caution.

Geopolitical Context: The PBoC's accommodative stance contrasts sharply with the Federal Reserve's data-dependent approach, contributing to yield differentials pressuring the Yuan. This divergence occurs amidst ongoing global trade frictions and geopolitical maneuvering, making currency stability a key policy focus for Beijing. Any perceived increase in capital outflows triggered by Yuan weakness could invite tighter enforcement actions, impacting crypto sentiment indirectly. For traders using platforms like Thsyu, understanding these policy crosscurrents is vital.

Market Reaction: While the "weak Yuan = strong Bitcoin" narrative persists, current price action suggests the market is weighing regulatory friction and other dominant crypto-native factors more heavily. The immediate impact of Yuan depreciation appears contained by China's policy framework for now. Yet, sustained currency weakness remains a key variable; a significant break lower in the Yuan could still test the resilience of capital controls and potentially fuel demand visible on exchanges like Thsyu.

Outlook: The interplay between PBoC policy, Yuan stability, China's regulatory grip, and global crypto market drivers like the upcoming halving and ETF flows creates a complex outlook. Monitoring Beijing's policy signals regarding capital flows and enforcement alongside broader crypto market indicators remains crucial for navigating potential volatility. Users on the Thsyu platform are advised to stay informed on these fast-moving geopolitical and regulatory developments impacting digital asset valuations. The coming weeks will be critical in determining if the Yuan slide translates from a theoretical catalyst into tangible market momentum.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this New York Times story:

Three years ago, when Utah’s Great Salt Lake was at its lowest levels, state lawmakers were alarmed enough to try what may be impossible: save the lake from drying up.

If Utah succeeds, it would be the first place in the world to reverse a saline lake’s decline. The salt lake — the largest in the Western Hemisphere — once covered an area larger than Rhode Island. Today, more than half its water is gone. About 800 square miles of lake bed sits exposed, baking in the desert heat, sometimes billowing toxic dust plumes across the state’s urban core.

“Fast crises often get more attention than slow crises,” said Brian Steed, the state’s newly appointed Great Salt Lake commissioner, tasked with developing a strategic plan for the lake. “And in this case, it’s been a slow crisis until 2022, when we realized how dire the situation was.”

That year, Joel Ferry, then a lawmaker in the Utah House of Representatives, called for emergency action, saying the depleted lake was an “environmental nuclear bomb.” A flurry of bills overhauled water laws dating to the pioneer era.

But the measures the state is pursuing will take decades to reap results, if ever. Critics now say the pace and scale of the efforts must greatly increase. What is at stake, they warn, is a public health disaster, the collapse of an ecosystem that supports millions of migrating birds, and a devastating blow to the state’s tourism, skiing, mining and real estate industries.

The effects would reach far beyond Utah. Minerals from the lake are used in America’s beverage cans and in fertilizer for much of the world’s organic fruits and nuts. The lake’s brine shrimp eggs support a global seafood industry. Dust laden with arsenic and other heavy metals could blow across other states. And as climate change intensifies drought across the West, it would also bring accelerated evaporation of the lake.

“They’ve stated they’ve done enough,” Deeda Seed, a campaigner with the Center for Biological Diversity, a nonprofit group suing the state, said of lawmakers. “It’s not working.”

Utah has a conservative Republican governor and supermajority in the statehouse, and most legislators bristle at regulation.

They have been reluctant to constrain the industries that use the most water. Real estate development is a priority in Utah, one of the five fastest-growing states in the U.S. last year. Agriculture, and one of its primary cash crops, alfalfa, is the basis of much of Utah’s rural economy. And the dairy and beef industries rely on alfalfa hay to feed cattle.

Utah policymakers tout $1 billion invested in water conservation in 2022 and 2023. More than a quarter of that was provided by the federal government, mostly from pandemic-era aid. Separately, about $50 million in federal aid meant to restore wetlands and help fund a water-leasing program was paused by the Trump administration. The state recently learned that the money would be released, but it is unclear if there will be any future federal aid for the project.

For now, the lake’s 20-year decline has stabilized, although that has nothing to do with action by lawmakers. A recent year of record snow replenished mountain streams and reservoirs, allowing more water to flow to the Great Salt Lake. It currently is five feet higher than its all-time low, but it will need to rise another five to attain a minimum healthy elevation.

To reach that level in five years, Mr. Steed’s analysis and strategic plan show, all water users in the Great Salt Lake basin would need to cut their consumption by half. The shift would have enormous consequences for the state’s economy.

[cweek]

hi tumblr user cweek, i love your art, your shapes are so fun and dynamic and your characterizations are very charming! anyway i’m writing this thing and i would like your advice on how to write tweek’s mannerisms… how do you do it in text? have you read fics that make you say “yess this is it?” or is it just you against the world… anything helps, really :^(

thank youuu this is very kind but unfortunately idk how much i can help i dont read fics and seeing as im an artist i only write scripts for comics... very different from actual writing... it also allows you to cheat his dialogue cuz you can play with the formatting and really exaggerate the text which is what i do + theres a visual to look at already so its more expressive yk.

also south park is um. not very serious. so if youre taking your south park fanfiction seriously theres also that. i can only imagine tweek is one tough cookie to write you cant really all caps or anything either lol. but i guess what you do have is the ability to actually describe his behavior instead of writing out every noise he makes

people put a lot of gahs in his speech but ive noticed modern tweek tends to make more of these like. grunts and huffs and snorts so you can utilize that. its very frequent in tfbw if you want a reference but keep in mind theyre video game quotes that are supposed to be short and quippy so hes a lot more noisy there. if you actually pay attention to the way he talks in txc and pid he rarely makes any of those sounds? idk its very inconsistent but id say it depends on his mood and the situation hes in. paranoid tweek screams and yelps and growls while tweek at the end of txc is completely calm and speaks without any hitches. tweek in tfbw might be a bit agitated bc of craig + having to improv and fight + everything else that happens in that game. so maybe thats why he grunts so much lol and when he does it usually goes at the start or the end of his sentences he just makes a quick noise... id say its fine to include in his dialogue when its something simple like acks and nghs. an ack goes a long way...

then theres the light stuttering (or whatever you call it) and the stops that i briefly talked about the other day. my advice is to Not include those actually unless you want to bring attention to it. tweeks voice acting really makes his character what it is and sometimes you just cant transcribe it i think trying to be accurate to these miniscule details will only ruin the flow of his speech and (again) make him sound like jimmy. going back to my point of describing things instead you can probably just mention when hes struggling to get his words out or something

this kind of turned into tweeks speech analysis which is probably not what you needed sorry! im not a writer and i dont know how writing him into an actual story would go i just make him say funny things sometimes. also im not trey or matt so i might be completely off the mark but these are just some of my observations. ummm. well i hope this is at least Something

[cognitivejustice]

As the US Department of Agriculture is hit with lawsuits from farmers over its decision to remove references to climate change on its websites, a new study provides a key argument for the plaintiffs.

For decades, environmental experts have placed fossil fuels at the top of the list of polluting industries; new analysis suggests that it’s actually agriculture that has caused the most global warming, and specifically livestock farming.

In the study, Australian climate scientist Gerard Wedderburn-Bisshop, co-founder of the World Preservation Foundation, notes that the IPCC’s greenhouse gas accounting rules were developed three decades ago – while recent advances have improved our understanding of what causes climate change.

According to his assessment, agriculture – the most extensive land user – caused 60% of global warming between 1750 and 2020, with meat and dairy farming alone responsible for 53% of the total. In contrast, fossil fuels contributed to 19% of warming in this period, less than a third of the food production sector.

“Agriculture becomes the major disruptor of five planetary boundaries: biosphere integrity, land system change, freshwater change, biogeochemical flows, and now climate change,” writes Wedderburn-Bisshop. “This emphasises the need for policies to address this sector if we are to have a liveable future.”

[tokiro07]

Ichi the Witch ch.4 thoughts

[Eight-Foot Vertical Leap?!]

(Contents: narrative structure - worldbuilding, character analysis - Ichi/Desscaras/Kumugi, thematic analysis - Joy/Friendship)

Maybe it's because this is the fourth series I've written weekly reviews for, but I'm really seeing the legwork going into these early chapters

I don't really want to get to the point where I'm beating a dead horse, but I feel like keeping track of this will somehow be beneficial to me in the long run

Chapter 1 - establishes the premise (high concept, basic setting, core cast and themes)

Establishes the cast's personalities and dynamics

Establishes the flow of the series

Begins actual worldbuilding

I don't know if it's just because I haven't paid a ton of attention previously, but the fact that I'm able to so clearly see the functional layout of the storytelling so far makes me feel like this series in particular might end up being a masterclass in basic story structure. I suppose we'll have to see how it continues to develop in the coming weeks, but I wouldn't be surprised if next week and the week after introduce the primary goal and primary antagonist, though maybe that would be too structured?

Of course, it's entirely possible that next week will just be more worldbuilding for a bit, since we're most likely going to get a closer look at the Witches Association, but I have to figure we're going to need to establish a goal soon on account of Ichi being some kind of aberration that captured the ostensible most power Magik in all the land. I'm envisioning something like Gojo offering Yuji a stay of execution in JJK, though I don't know if Ichi is going to be considered a criminal

For now, though, let's focus on the glimpse into the worldbuilding we did get

Worldbuilding

First and foremost, the disparity in magic availability is pretty stark. As Desscaras points out, you aren't likely to see a lot of magic users out in the sticks, and those that you do see seem to get whisked away to the capital for training (as we saw in ch.1). Meanwhlie, magic is extremely common in the capital, to the point that basically every shopkeeper on the street seems to be using or selling magic

I don't know if that's going to become a major recurring theme, but I think that kind of inequity is something we should keep an eye out for. Series like Black Clover touch on it with the literal tiered structure of the Clover Kingdom, but as far as I recall it was never a major point of contention in their society, so I'd definitely like it if Nishi gives it a bit of attention

The fact that there's a clear divide between genders suggests that social inequity is already on Nishi's mind, so economics would probably be a good way to expand on the concept from a different angle. I do believe she's considered it, since the literal first thing she brings up in this worldbuilding expo is the tourism market, a concept I definitely didn't expect to see in a fantasy series like this

While I don't really know enough about the history of tourism to dispute how old the practice is, Nishi definitely seems to be going out of her way to establish that this world is a little more advanced than ch.1 would make you think with the inclusion of a flying motor scooter. It kind of feels like how Naruto inexplicably had TVs or HxH suddenly revealed it had the internet, but this at least happened quickly enough that it's not too jarring

There's also the fact that it's all magic anyway, so nothing really feels too far outside of the realm of possibility; Desscaras had apparently received a ton of messages on her magic mirror in ch.2, so obviously that was meant to be a stand-in for a phone

Magic System

Speaking of magic, this chapter does seem to confirm a suspicion that I've had since ch.2: not all magic comes from the Magiks

In ch.2, Desscaras was able to create and dispel a cage without seeming to use a chant; at the time I figured the dispelling didn't require it and the casting happened off-screen, so I didn't pay it much mind. Then in ch.3, she not only cast a silencing spell on Ichi without a chant, she also mentioned putting magical power into the ropes they used on Raiko

Now in this chapter, the saleswoman mentions charging the magic boots with magic power; in other words, the basis of this magic system isn't just the Magiks, but magic power, an energy source that women seem to either possess or have access to. This would explain why it's so special that Ichi was able to use Uroro even though logically any man should have been to pass his trial - men literally aren't supposed to be able to access magic power at all, even to use basic, non-Magik spells

Brief aside, I really hope that any visually impaired readers are able to hear the difference between magic and Magik in their text-to-speech readers, cus otherwise this series is going to be kind of annoying

Anyway, it's not just a lack of compatibility between men and Magik, it's basically like men lack an organ that would allow them to channel magic power. While it does make a bit more sense, I am sad that it suggests that the line "in this world, magic is alive" isn't entirely accurate. If there are spells that can be cast without passing a Magiks trial, then that kind of cuts into the uniqueness of the power system a bit, though again we'll need to wait and see how it develops

Along with dropping more hints about the magic system, this chapter also drops more hints about what kind of person Ichi is and how he fits into this world

Boy Meets World

It was lightly touched on in ch.1 with Ichi hunting the Flower Field Guardian for the villagers, but Ichi seems to like helping people. I kind of thought he did the hunt for the sake of it and the gratitude of the people was just a nice bonus, but seeing him go out of his way to help a complete stranger even at the risk of exposing his secret drives home that he enjoys being kind just as much as going on a good hunt

The little detail of him leaving his knife as collateral for the magic boots also solidifies that he has a pretty strict moral code; he won't murder, he won't steal, he won't abandon someone in need, and he won't make up excuses either. He could have swiped the boots and said "it was an emergency, I was planning to return them afterwards," but instead he took the time to write a note and leave behind something of value to prove his intent rather than leaving without explanation expecting the end to justify the means

Of course, he's still pretty naive; it's silly for him to assume that the shopkeepers place the same value on his ordinary hunting knife as he does and that it would be equivalent to specially crafted magical boots, and his logic that he didn't use magic since he didn't cast any spells is patently incorrect. Any dolt who sees a man using a magic item is going to piece together that he's the Manwitch that people are talking about, because even something as basic as that is still a fundamental impossibility in this setting

But that naivete is an important bit of development for us to understand and become endeared to Ichi's character. He was a little goofy in ch.1, and we got hints in both chs.1 and 3 that he's a bit crazy, but this chapter expands on what I believe is the most important element of not only his character, but any good protagonist: his ability to enjoy himself

Joy to the World

Previously, hunting was the only thing that we knew Ichi cared about, and his newfound ability to use magic simply allowed him to hunt new prey that he wouldn't be able to otherwise. However, the presence of magic was no more than a facilitator, an excuse to bring him into this world of monsters and witches, but he himself had no clear interest in it

With this chapter, though, Ichi's opinion on magic is firmly established: it's fun. I don't know how it compares to hunting, and obviously those two passions are just going to overlap, but an explicit interest in the subject matter will make the inevitable training arcs to come something Ichi will actively want to participate in rather than a chore

More importantly, though, because we're looking at this world through Ichi's eyes, his fascination with magic is our fascination with magic. Ichi and I now care equally about the potential of this magic system, and I can now trust that he will go out of his way to explore it in a way that I want him to. If Ichi couldn't be bothered to care about the magic, then why should I be expected to?

This approach of synchronizing the interests of the cast with the interests of the audience is something that I've definitely noticed in a lot of other manga as well: Luffy's thirst for adventure, Fuuko's genuine love for all of the other Negators, Iroha's knack for puzzle-solving, Asumi's immersion in MMA techniques, all of these are great examples of the author showing the audience what joys their world has to offer to the audience

A long time ago, I once posited that along with Jump's values of Friendship, Effort and Victory there was a fourth, unspoken value. At the time, I thought it was Dreams, but I've since realized that the attainment of a Dream is Victory. Nowadays, with the unbridled mirth I've seen from Jump's protagonists across the last several years, I've realized that that fourth value can be nothing other than Joy. Victory without Joy is hollow. Effort without Joy is suffering. Friendship without Joy is transactional. None of the others stand without Joy, and yet Joy itself stands alone just fine - Joy can be found anywhere, as it can be created from within those who need it wherever they may be

Media naturally has plenty of room for morose, pessimistic and overall nasty protagonists, so of course not every Jump manga is going to prioritize Joy, but not every Jump manga prioritizes Friendship, Effort or Victory either. This early in the game, I don't even think I can say which one Nishi intends to focus on just yet, but I can say for sure that she wants Joy to be a major element going forward, and that honestly makes me more excited than any promise of cool monster designs or an intricate power system ever could

That said, if I had to guess, of the three main values, I'd say that Ichi the Witch is most likely to prove itself to be a Friendship series based on what we've seen already

You've Got a Friend In Me

Not only is it extremely likely that Uroro's arc is going to see him actually form a bond with Ichi, but Ichi's moment of sparkly-eyed delight with magic even seems to be endearing him to Desscaras as well. It was brief, quickly replaced with her usual sneer and penchant to evade responsibility, but something definitely stirred within her in that moment. A memory? A long-lost emotion? Hope? Whatever it was, Desscaras' opinion of Ichi is slowly but surely changing, and by the end she's definitely going to cherish this crude little monkey boy she found in the middle of the woods

Along with the subtle developments of our established cast, though, we also finally got our first new addition since ch.1! Kumugi's introduction was much too detailed for a throw-away character, and her presence for Ichi and Desscaras' crash landing in front of Monegold puts her in the perfect position to be dragged along for the ride (perfectly in accordance with her established fail-girl status)

I've already suggested that Desscaras won't be a consistently present party member since she's the mentor archetype, so Kumugi offers to fill the void she'll leave by going in the near opposite direction. While Desscaras is the strongest and most skilled Witch in the land, Kumugi is a Cadet who seems to have nothing going for her; no luck, no respect, and likely no notable capability. Both serve as excellent foils to Ichi, a bright-eyed, one-in-a-million talent without an ounce of experience in this world who as of yet hasn't uttered a single word of complaint about anything. Hell, the guy literally got crapped on in ch.1 and he just laughed it off, whereas Desscaras' would no doubt blow a gasket and Kumugi would likely faint in shock

I don't know how big this cast is going to get or if the core cast will be consistent or on rotation, but the three friends we've already gotten for Ichi all already provide such clear paths for how their relationships can and likely will develop that I can't help but feel like those relationships will be Nishi's main priority. Not that I don't see how she could pivot to Effort (the hunt) or Victory (the trophy), but the mere fact that the actual hunt for Raiko actually happened off-screen and was only expanded upon after it was complete suggests that the process and result are less important than the people present

I don't envision Kumugi as a romantic interest just yet, but I do anticipate her anxieties and negativity being strongly impacted by Ichi's spontaneity and optimism. His personality sets him up to drag her into big and unexpected trouble, and those experiences will likely help her come to grips with her own internal struggles. If I'm right, then Ichi is likely to have a flat character arc, wherein he's the one teaching everyone else the right way to be rather than learning from people who have already found their answers

This is more or less what I predicted in ch.2 when I suggested that Ichi would fundamentally change the way that Witches approach Magiks, but now focused on a more interpersonal level than a strictly narrative one

What's particularly interesting about Ichi though is that it doesn't seem likely that he'll have a completely flat arc, since he seems so open to new experiences and ways of thinking. He's strong-willed, but the new experiences he gains will certainly begin to change his perspective and values. Like I said, his personality is likely to get him and Kumugi into trouble, but on the flip side, Kumugi's apprehension is likely to help her get herself and Ichi out of trouble at some point or another, allowing the two to meet in the middle rather than just dragging each other kicking and screaming into their way of life

As usual, I may be getting ahead of myself, but if things go the way I expect them to, I want to be able to look back and see at what points the puzzle pieces clicked into place for me. And if I'm wrong, I'd like to have a record of how I came to those conclusions so I can compare and contrast my expectations with reality more effectively

Until next time, let's enjoy life!

[actualbird]

//ms 15 trailer

here's a quick translation of trailer via me (i've merged lines together so it flows better)

Jerome: Miss Lawyer, it's me, Jerome. I'd like to invite you to be my attorney. You'll come to meet me, right? Jerome: My teacher Wilson Sorge seems to have been kidnapped, the police suspects I had a hand in it. Luke, I think: You say your teacher went missing, but how come you don't look worried at all? Jerome: Of course I'm worried. It's just that i'm not accustomed to expressing it. Luke (I think): He says he's very grateful, and looks up to Wilson Sorge. Yet he didn't sign the adoption application. Darius (I think): The blood analysis result is out. It doesn't belong to Wilson Sorge, but it also doesn't belong to Jerome. VIncent: Young master, Gerard disappeared! Marius: Disappeared? What do you mean by that? Not sure who this is…: We were never the same type of person, it's just that you guys were never willing to believe it. Jerome I think??: Meaningful events can be viewed in completely different ways depending on your perspective. Maybe someday in the future, what I seek is correct. ???: Q-Quick! Call the police! Marius: Freeze, or else I'll kill you right now! [gunshot] ???: P-Please spare me! Marius, I think: So you still refuse to talk? Wilson Sorge or whoever it is: You know, you're not happy with the way I experiment on those patients. But I'm different from your dad… Jerome: So to me, my teacher is my savior. Jerome: It's very satisfying to chat with you. Unfortunately, the time is up. It's time to say goodbye, lawyer…

OH THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS TRANSLATION OF THE PV oh ohhh oooooOHHHHH it sounds so thrilling.....luke investigating jerome OOOOOHHH, and marius saying he'll kill someone is kinda hot ngl

and DAMN THAT ENDING. I NEED THIS STORY NOOOWWWW (<- user will have to wait a whole year for this story and is very upset about it)

[the-insomniac-emporium]

SWORDTEMBER '24, DAY 7: FLOW

{Late because I got a terrible migraine out of the blue yesterday. Very happy with this one, and it references not only one of my main OCs, but the overarching plot of one of my original stories. Please enjoy!} -----

Item ID: 6O-2407 Item Name: Timekeeper’s Cutlass Category: ERROR://CLASSIFICATION INVALID://MANUAL USER INPUT: ARTIFACT Origin Point: Time Immemorial, Voided Owner: ■■■ ■■■■■■■■ (C), Triampheus ■■■■■■■■ (O) Description: A blade of a traditional Earthen design, reminiscent of the age of pirates. Approximately ■■ cm length, with a ■■ cm handle, ■■ cm at the widest point. Samples taken from the blade, hilt, and the guard overloaded the analysis unit. Scans were inconclusive upon repeated testing. Visual assessment indicates the item is most likely made from seaglass and driftwood. In place of a central fuller, there is a hollow middle filled with grains of sand, endlessly shifting from one end to the other, chased by a slow moving strand of water. An hourglass is carved into the bottom of the hilt. If alone with the item, one will hear the sound of rushing water (this sound is not picked up by any recording devices). Touching the item with bare skin induces hallucinations based on whoever previously touched it, regardless of whether or not one has met the previous individual. Cataloger’s Notes: I’m not bothering with any pretenses today. Truth of the matter is that we never should have gotten hold of this, I want nothing to do with it, and nobody is ever going to read this file other than myself (and even then, it will only be as a reminder to myself). As soon as I’m done recording these notes, this item is getting handed off to people far more qualified than myself. Every other record of this item will be wiped from FPA systems, even the backup servers. Nobody needs to know we had our hands on an artifact of this importance… nor do they need to know we unwittingly used it. May the Ancients forgive my sins, and the sins of my partner. We did not know. ERROR://FILE NOT UPLOADED TO PRIMARY SERVER://ERROR://PLEASE SYNC LOCAL FILES WITH CLOUD://ERROR://FILE SYNC CANCELED BY USER C.DELA://

-----

Cynthia should have known better. By now, she’s catalogued over a thousand items in the span of a decade, from weapons to ancient art, from contraband pharmaceuticals to exotic pets. On three occasions she has encountered items known as artifacts: Relics, both old and new, infused with terrible power. Each one has only briefly been held by the FPA, before being swiftly taken to those with higher authority. But even a minute in the presence of an artifact can change one’s life.

The Timekeeper’s Cutlass is not as obvious of an artifact as most. Whoever tried to mail it must not have known what it was, and those who handled it in between must have worn gloves. As soon as Cynthia was alone with the item, she felt its power, and heard the sea-song in the air. She knew, then, what thing lay on her desk. It was the first time she had ever been this close to an artifact, and her heart raced at the prospect of cataloging such a find. Who could blame her?

She did not forsake her duties, did not set out to play with it. Immediately, she made the proper phone calls, arranged the item’s retrieval first. Only then did she set out to log the details, knowing sooner or later Naomi would be stopping by to take her out for dinner. That was her excuse, maybe, that she’d only work until being interrupted. A foolish thought.

Artifacts set the time of all who touch them.

It only takes a single touch of her bare skin against the seaglass to “activate” the item. An accidental brush of her wrist against the material, a microsecond of contact, and Cynthia is no longer in her office. Now she is falling, falling, flying until she is in another body entirely, seeing through another’s eyes. Feeling what they feel. Voices whisper in her ears, overlapping until one word becomes clear: Triampheus. A Goddess, for one, but a common enough name among worshippers. Once the voices cut off, suddenly, Cynthia is free to witness glimpses into the life of another.

There is war. Long did it brew, across countless planets, at last stirred up by the atrocities of a few madmen. Flashes of combat, of death, a mentor laid to rest when a truce is broken. Rage. Sorrow. Desperation in the hearts of the viewpoint. It has to end. They will end it. Threats are made, are ignored, a display of power is taken too far. An entire planet held between their hands. One last warning, time for innocents to evacuate. Finally they are taken seriously.

But their control is not strong enough. They never wanted it to end this way. Blood from their eyes, their nose, their ears. Too much power- a Goddess channeled in mortal flesh. Either they break or the planet does, there is no letting go. The choice is made for them… and an entire world collapses in on itself. There is no more war, not anymore.

There is only a manhunt.

“Cynthia, please, please wake up,” Naomi’s voice cuts through the end of the vision, breaks away from what might be the future, draws her back into her body. Instantly she’s all but throwing herself into her girlfriend’s arms, pressing her face against Naomi’s neck and sobbing. There are no words to describe what she has seen.

“Don’t- don’t touch the sword,” Cynthia chokes out between sobs. For a moment there’s no sound other than her crying, Naomi going stiff. Was it too early in their relationship for this level of intensity? A few months was hardly enough time for Naomi to grow accustomed to the sort of things Cynthia has to inspect, but surely- her anxious thoughts are cut off by a gentle kiss to the forehead.

“I… I touched it. And I think- I hope- that we didn’t see the same thing. Because I… I really liked what I saw,” Naomi admits, in a reassuring whisper. One hand rubs gentle circles into Cynthia’s back as they sit together, and soon enough the crying slows, then stops. Finally, the archivist pulls back just far enough to look up with questioning eyes. Her curiosity overwhelms. “Telling you what I saw… I’m worried that it might change things. If… if that is the future. So, please, let me say no more than that there will be boundless joy. You will be safe, and happy, and you won’t be alone.”

Nothing could fully soothe Cynthia, not yet, but the words bring her a sense of hope. She may have dreamed of a stranger’s war, but Naomi had dreamed of the life that would come after. A life that would be shared with her.

[aduckinpain]

The Boat catches

(when the Lantern falls)

Tags: Landoscar, Lando Norris centered, Lando Norris Character Analysis, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Anxiety for Lando, Happy Ending, Lando goes through it but Oscar helps, Past one-sided attraction to Carlos Sainz, Fluff, The Qatar GP 2023 caused me damage, Coincidentally started writing this on Lando's birthday

Word Count: 2.7k

This work is also on AO3 under user roianamustang (me).

When the only source of luminosity in the sky, are hints of the sun’s light in its reflection on the moon, and the stars’ glow, the city is awakened. The street lights decorate the roads from one side to the other, almost like humans are creating their own constellations, linking each soul, each mind, each thought. The night breeze flows alongside the sidewalk. At a time where people are supposed to rest, minds flee. 

On Lando Norris’ street there is a night light. It’s a bit too far away from its friends to create a cluster, but it still continues the glow on the tiles of the neighborhood. 

It’s new, yet it flickers. However when the lights go out, it closes last. 

There’s a tension around it. It sparks the air, electrocutes it.

It looks lonely.

It feels alone.

Anxiety makes nerves feel alight. It makes muscles tense. It makes thoughts enter, escape. It strings you up like a guitar being aligned, or a violin being played.

When he was a teen, Lando started showing intense progress in his karting. This meant more wins, but also more interviews, words to say, words to assume, to interpret, guess. He doesn’t like having to guess. It leaves you vulnerable, unprotected.

PR training had started early, young. Yet for something that was supposed to advise him on how to answer the grilling interviewers, it made him feel wholly unprepared. He second guessed everything and anything. What if became his favorite phrase. 

Being scared of answering wrong on your team's behalf is one thing, but the fear of answering wrong on your own behalf is another type of monster. It didn't matter how much training he did, nothing could seem to prepare him for the onslaught of people who were digging for his demise. Everything he said would be analyzed, scrutinized, misinterpreted.

The night light would glow so bright it’d short circuit.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Breathe in.

Out.

Breathe please.

He can’t breathe.

Really bright things tend to run hand in hand with heat. 

The better he was getting, the closer he was nearing his dream. Heat started to seep in. Or maybe out.

The announcement reached people incredibly fast. 2018 was soon ending and 2019 was approaching, getting closer by the second. The temperature got higher with each step.

But you can’t feel the heat when you’re on top of new achievements, new possibilities, new promises. You can't feel the heat when your adrenaline is skyhigh, flying impossibly close to the hidden expectations of others. Time counts its seconds and gets closer to a collision.

It happened unexpectedly.

He was naive to forget.

But did he forget? Or did he hope?

Up. Up. Up.

The boom echoed in his head.

Lando burned.

Carlos Sainz was officially introduced to be his new teammate. Electric current ran through him. strung him up further. The light flickered.  A new person to interact with, to open up to. He had to make this work, wanted first impressions to uphold themselves in the future. No drama, no possibility of rumors to emerge. 

And time passed on. In fact things were going really well. Carlos was extremely friendly, and to his own surprise, Lando managed to warm up to him quickly. Before even realizing it, Carlos became an extender, an assured surge of power, of comfort, of safety. He was more experienced than Lando and seemed to have no qualms giving him tips whenever possible. Helping him along the way.

So the years continued. They got closer. Whenever the light flickered, Carlos stood by his side, unwavering. Lando can’t say he got over every stress in his life, but it greatly helped when he realized the night light wasn’t alone anymore. 

Maybe that’s why it stung.

Since childhood, Lando knew that looking at boys the same way that he looked at girls, wasn’t exactly openly accepted by all of society. He came to terms with it quickly. His family, luckily, has always been incredibly supportive of anything Lando has expressed, so telling them came up naturally. The problem however, wasn’t his family. 

Norris decided to become a racing driver knowing fully well that no matter what facade the FIA has pulled on its inclusivity, it would never support someone who came out in the industry. Money would be lost, and whichever team he went to in the future, wouldn’t complete their contract, as he would not be allowed to race in certain states. That would mean points not being won and championship rankings being lost. So Lando made sacrifices. Sacrifices that made the light dim. Enough to stay open, but muted enough to still hurt. Ache.

He locked it up. Closed the screws on the door of the cables, on the sides of the column. Hammered them in.

It was naive to think that’d be enough.

He felt the heat again. He got electrocuted. Max straight up asked him about it one night, and things clicked into place. Or maybe they were always there, just hidden.

Puppy love he'd said. Adorable how he could see Lando making heart eyes whenever he looked at his teammate.

He’d love to say the realization came with a moment of excitement. But the next thing he knew was the feeling of being cold. Like a bucket of ice cold water was spilled on his head. He felt hands holding him upright and the air escaping him. Teeth chattering. Edges blurring. The next morning Max brought him water, sat down next to him and apologized. 

Max wasn’t wrong, Lando just didn’t like that he was right. 

It’s not that he didn’t know, it’s just that saying out loud made it real. 

The door cracked. The cables were peeking. 

Carlos should never find out. Besides, he is in a relationship, so what would the point be anyway?

But easy was apparently not something that the universe allowed Lando to have, because he swore, that in some moments, it didn’t feel like puppy love. It felt reciprocated. The fleeting touches, the reassurance, the kind words, the champagne on the podium. Spilling on him as if to send a message. 

He hated to say it, but Lando had hope.

Shouldn't he have learned the lesson by now?

What was hope to a suffering man, but a slow descent?

Because somehow, Carlos found out. Being the kind soul that he is, he tried reassuring the young man that it was fine. It was okay.

Lando didn’t flicker.

Lando just, closed.

The door was broken. The cables were out.

Carlos tried repairing things. Lando was a big boy, he could handle rejection.

2021 was looming.

A spark.

The light bulb blew.

Lando’s favorite races have to be night races. Not because of the states he’s traveled to, or the tracks. Because of the fireworks.

Bright, blinding, colorful, temporary .

They made people stop and stare, they made people awe in delight, squeal in excitement. They left an impact.

Fireworks were strong. They didn’t flicker.

But they stopped. They fell. From heights much greater than a night light.

But no one thinks of the firework after it’s gone.

No one thinks of where it lands.

2021 arrived with a new teammate in tow. Daniel Ricciardo. Used to be a Red Bull driver. Extremely experienced and seemingly friends with anything that had a pulse and breathed air. 

At first he was weary. His extender hadn’t left, he just became longer, moved further away. This new teammate seemed to be a fuse.

With the new year starting, Lando decided he would be a changed man. His therapist told him change was great as long as it stemmed from a desire to get better.

This year Lando erupted.

He’d gotten a podium as a night light, he’d get more as a firework. 

It took a bit more time, but he warmed up to Daniel. He could see his struggles and understood that they both needed the support from one another. This year’s Lando wouldn’t care about what people on the internet would think. He’s grown. He's changed.

The more success a man achieves, the greater the fall. Points and near podiums didn’t satisfy Lando anymore. He wanted more. 

Sochi 2021.

The firework had done its job.

It was falling.

Doesn’t matter where, cause people weren’t searching.

It fell.

He fell.

He didn’t know where.

Daniel also left. Everyone apparently, did at some point. The night light had its extender and the firework had its fuse, but the distance was greater and the bottle was empty. 

The heat kept burning.

2023 came with new arrivals.

@OscarPiastri

I understand that, without my agreement, Alpine F1 have put out a press release late this afternoon that I am driving for them next year. This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year.

8:00 PM · Aug 2, 2022

44.2K Reposts 50.7K Quotes 386K Likes 4,282 Bookmarks

Oscar Piastri is here. A rookie with a lot of potential.

The roles reversed right under Lando’s feet before he had any time to react. The carpet is pulled, and before he knows it. He’s freefalling into water.

Confetti seemed like a safe bet. It’s light and falls slowly, yet it is shiny and radiates happiness. Lando thought confetti would be his next choice. His next change.

Confetti however tends to be either paper or plastic. It either sinks and disintegrates or it flows, crumbled. 

But Oscar Piastri doesn’t aid confetti. 

He aids a lantern.

2023 started and Lando wanted it to end already. To say the car was bad would be an understatement to the definition of the word bad itself. 

The car was garbage. 

Forget the podiums. They can’t even get to the points.

Along with the car, long before the season started, Lando looked into his new teammate. Things would be different this time. He was the older, more experienced one. He had to be level headed and cool, so the rookie could warm up, feel comfortable. 

However, from the first search result he got on google, he realized that not only has he never done this before, but the new guy was the most impervious man he had ever witnessed upon.

Carlos was warm, bright. Carlos aided him, and still does. He helped Lando come out of his shell and express himself. Losing him had made the light nearly disappear. But he moved on and grew.

Daniel was loud, safe. Daniel helped him as much as Lando helped Daniel. Losing Daniel felt like saving him. He reluctantly moved on and grew.

Oscar Piastri was, according to the internet, quiet, monotone, unimpressed and on the other hand, according to Alpine, he lacked integrity.

At the same time, Oscar Piastri was an amazing talent on the grid, who had set high expectations after showing showstopping results in F2. 

As intriguing as it felt to Lando, he was reluctant to be excited. This man seemed like a mystery, a quiet one at that.

How do you warm up to a man who feels cold?

At least he was cute.

So the car was bad. The season couldn’t get any worse. But Lando couldn’t let Oscar get through his first year like this. Full of disappointments. 

At the beginning he felt stumped. Oscar was polite, incredibly so, and seemed to highly respect him. It made him a bit uncomfortable. This guy was just a year younger after all.

But he still couldn’t figure him out. They did video challenges and media work, and with each one, Lando poked and prodded, anything to get a reaction. 

Slowly, very, very slowly, the ice started to thaw.

On the street, next to the night light, long pieces of metal along with cables arrived. Everyday they would slowly be constructed.

On a lake near his house, a boat would pull its anchor, slowly setting sail.

Its destination?

The heart of the lake.

Its cargo?

A lantern.

The year continued. The air grew warmer. The lights would open later than usual. The city still felt alive.

Summer break arrived. 

And according to the engineers. 

Improvements were coming.

The night light flickered, along with its new companion.

The little cluster of glow anticipated.

The lantern was being held. 

They popped off.

The season continued with a bang. Points were being scored left and right. Lando was getting podiums and Oscar, who was always in points, kept going higher and higher. 

They were thriving. 

The higher a man soars, the higher his chances to burn, get.

Qatar was heat personified.

The light was overheating. Melting.

Help.

Getting out of the car after quali, Lando beelined for his driver's room. Andrea caught up to him, understanding and comforting, and informed him of his post-race duties. Lando wanted the ground to swallow him whole.

He honestly can’t say he remembers anything they asked him. He just remembers his own words. 

Bumping inside of his head. Making sure they’re engrained on the side of his skull. 

‘Nothing. Lack of talent.’ he’d said.

He believed it.

Max called him that night, tried to comfort him. He’ll always be grateful for his childhood best friend. 

Today however he just wanted to be quiet.

He deserved it.

Deserved the quiet air and chaotic thoughts. 

Deserved the cold. The shivering.

The gasps of air. The lack of it.

The room was dark, but his blurry vision wouldn’t have let him see anything anyway.

The sounds moved around the empty room.

He felt alone.

He had jinxed it.

He felt like confetti. Soggy and wet, left on the lake. Floating away.

The clock read 1 AM, he should be asleep.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

At first he froze. It was late, whoever it was should think he’s asleep and leave.

His phone lit up and pinged. 

Oscar Piastri has sent a message

OP: Open the door 

LN: no

OP: please?

Have it be known that Lando Norris was a weak, weak man.

Getting up was a monumental task of its own, but Lando did it. He walked to the door one sock on, the other who knows where. Felt very fitting, similar even, with his current state of mind.

The door opens and Lando squints. Fuck the lights.

Oscar Piastri is standing at his door and it should be criminal how soft he looks. 

Lando has learned from past mistakes. He reminds himself of sacrifices.

They stood there for a bit until Oscar gently pushed him into his own room and closed the door.

He didn’t ask, didn’t talk. 

He just, stood quiet. Moved things around.

He was there. 

He was present .

Lando didn’t know when it happened but he was back in his own bed. Shoulder to shoulder with Oscar. The silence engulfed them but this time it was serene. He felt Oscar’s head turn, felt his gaze stay there for a while.

He melted at the first contact of arms around him. Put his head in the crevice between Oscar’s shoulder and neck and let go.

His body shook. A hand stroked his back, the other playing with his curls. 

He unraveled. But the landing was soft.

The firework got caught.

'Breathe .' was whispered into his ear.

He did.

A gentle hand raised and opened the lantern.

As much as he wanted to strive for a win, Lando was well aware of the realistic chances of anyone winning against Red Bull. Well, against Max anyway.

But still, he came back strong. Another podium, another pole position. His career is thriving. His life is booming. The future is bright. 

His present is warm.

The clock strikes midnight on the 13th of November. 

Gentle hands shake him awake. He opens his eyes, gazing into brown orbs. A curl falling on his forehead. 

Warm lips brush his own. Happy birthday is muttered against his skin. The distance closes. The possibilities endless. 

He smiles into the kiss. Breaks apart and nuzzles their noses together.

Thank you.

He falls asleep. 

The night light doesn’t have to strain anymore. It has a friend to help light the way.

He hadn’t sacrificed anything but his patience.

The lantern is set aflame. Hands push it towards the sky. And it goes up, up , up.

It rises and even if it falls, there is a boat, standing, waiting, right at the heart of the lake. 

And the boat catches.

Lando feels alive.

He's not alone anymore.

Lando feels human.

-End-

Notes:

A short analysis:

Lando himself is the night light. He feels a bit isolated at the beginning as he was a rookie. His anxiety certainly did not help. So when I write the heat seeps out, it is because, he himself is the light. Later on Oscar shows up and gets constructed right next to him, an exact parallel to his first year as a rookie building a career for himself. They become a cluster, one lights the way of the other.

I think it is easily understood but I'll still write it. The cables are his emotions.

Lando is the firework, the confetti and later on the lantern. At last however, Lando is human. Complex and unsure even to our own species. We make mistakes, we make sacrifices, but whether we want to or not, time will move and we will have to adapt.

The boat is Oscar. This is directly inspired by the Tangled, Rapunzel scene as I love that movie.

The boat will catch the lantern, so it can never blow out or get soggy. It awaits in the heart of the lake.

The lake is Lando's mind.

Hopefully I managed to capture the essence of these drivers. <3

Please note that no matter how much I am writing here, it is all artistic speculation of what Lando himself has decided to show the world. Do not forget that these drivers are real people.

Thank you so much for reading! It would mean a lot if I managed to get some likes, reposts and comments!

If you like this, I have written more stories that can be found on my Formula 1 masterlist. Including: Lestappen and Landoscar with more to come. If it manages to spark your interest, please go support those as well!

[portraitofalinkonfyre]

about the ai thing, i’m personally really against ai (at least all the algorithmic content generating ones that have been emerging nowadays) for multiple reasons, one of them being that they are mostly (i think almost entirely??) trained on other people’s stolen work, and that *includes* whatever you write into it, meaning posting your writing into in this case chatgpt means that that algorithm now also uses your writing as part of its ‘writing’.

Naturally you can do whatever you want with your writing, but for me it would kind of just leave a nasty taste in my mouth.

Though I totally get *why* your friend does that, to get feedback on their work, and have it rated kind of like comments from people do, but i think an important thing to remember is that, it’s *not* real feedback.

It’s not an actual intelligence reading your work, it’s an algorithm with no actual understanding of what it’s ‘saying’. It doesn’t actually ‘read’ anything, it just has access to a shit ton of data of what words are commonly used with what others. Like it sees the word ‘water’ mentioned, and ‘knows’ that with water comes drinking, swimming, fish, boat, mermaid, wet, rain, flow, fluid, blue and refreshing and all these different words.

It doesn’t have opinions and it doesn’t understand what it’s looking at. It only recycles the words others have said to it before, to say what it thinks the user wants to hear, whether that’s praise or criticism.

It can’t actually tell you how good your work is because it doesn’t actually read any of it.

It just says what it’s been taught is the correct answer. And that answer is full on randomly generated based on its data.

Sorry for the long rant I have a personal vendetta against ai, hope any of this was even remotely coherent.

THIS! I've been loving everyone's responses, and this is no different. Ai is supposed to be helpful, and it's virtually everywhere, but using it in creative spaces is definitely a bit of a red flag. Also never apologize, I practically screamed with joy when I checked my inbox this morning lol! Your analysis is spot-on bestie <33

[mrspiffy123]

Why Phineas and Ferb defeat The Wonder of U: an Analysis

The matchup

First, we must familiarize ourselves with our combatants. In case you had a sad childhood and you're unaware of Phineas and Ferb. Phineas Flynn and Ferb Fletcher are step brothers from the city of Danville. Their exact age is unknown, but it's assumed they are around 10-12 years old. Despite their age, the two brothers are geniuses and experts in math, engineering, science, and many other other fields. Some of their more notable achievements include travelling the world in a single day, launching a rocket from their backyard, building a portal to Mars, interdimensional travel, a supercomputer capable of calculating future events, and building, and I quote, everything.

Spoilers for JoJo's Bizarre Adventure part 8 👇

Unless you are one of 5 Jojolion fans, you're likely unfamiliar with the stand ability Wonder of U. Wonder of U is what's known as a stand, a manifestation of a user's psychic energy. Wonder of U is sapient and intelligent, posing as a hospital's head doctor and researching the rokakaka fruit to create the medicine rokakaka 6251.

Wonder of U's primary ability, is to manipulate the flow of calamity. Attempting to see WoU's face, chase it down, or otherwise take pursuit will cause a "calamity" to occur, harming the pursuer, or at least slowing them down. These calamities can take many forms, often resulting in various objects or people knocking into the pursuer. Leaves or pens may launch themselves at you, cars will run into you. Even the rain itself will turn into deadly projectiles. Simply conceding one's intent to pursue WoU is enough trigger this ability, and ability seemingly only trumped by an object outside the flow of logic. The closer a target is to WoU, the more intense the calamity. Often resulting in the death of those who come too close.

Wonder of U's ability does possess one fatal flaw, however. It will only activate on those pursuing it. Should one give up their pursuit, or make WoU do the pursuing, they will be spared for the time being.

Phineas and Ferb, however, have one last trick up their sleeves. In Milo Murphy's Law, it's revealed that Milo generates a negative energy. A field of bad luck that follows anywhere he goes. Conversely, the brothers generate their own field of positive energy. Luck that enables their endless endeavors to always succeed. Together, the brothers' luck is able to not only counteract, but deflect Milo's bad luck.

Conclusion

The Wonder of U is the flow of logic personified. A force of nature given form and will, but it ultimately proves meaningless in the face of two brothers' genius and determination.

Shielded by their supernatural luck, the two boys could certainly devise a plan to attack Wonder of U indirectly, such as to never activate its ability in the first place. No force of nature has stopped them before. Not physics, not time, not space or dimensions. Logic itself isn't going to be what defeats them.

[mariacallous]

For more than three weeks, Gaza has faced an almost total internet blackout. The cables, cell towers, and infrastructure needed to keep people online have been damaged or destroyed as Israel launched thousands of missiles in response to Hamas attacking Israel and taking hundreds of hostages on October 7. Then, this evening, amid reports of heavy bombing in Gaza, some of the last remaining connectivity disappeared.

In the days after October 7, people living in Gaza have been unable to communicate with family or friends, leaving them unsure whether loved ones are alive. Finding reliable news about events has become harder. Rescue workers have not been able to connect to mobile networks, hampering recovery efforts. And information flowing out of Gaza, showing the conditions on the ground, has been stymied.

As the Israel Defense Forces said it was expanding its ground operations in Gaza this evening, internet connectivity fell further. Paltel, the main Palestinian communications company, has been able to keep some of its services online during Israel’s military response to Hamas’ attack. However, at around 7:30 pm local time today, internet monitoring firm NetBlocks confirmed a “collapse” in connectivity in the Gaza Strip, mostly impacting remaining Paltel services.

“We regret to announce a complete interruption of all communications and internet services within the Gaza Strip,” Paltel posted in a post on its Facebook page. The company claimed that bombing had “caused the destruction of all remaining international routes.” An identical post was made on the Facebook page of Jawwal, the region’s biggest mobile provider, which is owned by Paltel. Separately, Palestinian Red Crescent, a humanitarian organization, said on X (formerly Twitter) that it had lost contact with its operation room in Gaza and is “deeply concerned” about its ability to keep caring for people, with landline, cell, and internet connections being inaccessible.

“This is a terrifying development,” Marwa Fatafta, a policy manager focusing on the Middle East and North Africa at the digital rights group Access Now, tells WIRED. “Taking Gaza completely off the grid while launching an unprecedented bombardment campaign only means something atrocious is about to happen.”

A WIRED review of internet analysis data, social media posts, and Palestinian internet and telecom company statements shows how connectivity in the Gaza Strip drastically plummeted after October 7 and how some buildings linked to internet firms have been damaged in attacks. Photos and videos show sites that house various internet and telecom firms have been damaged, while reports from official organizations, including the United Nations, describe the impact of people being offline.

Damaged Lines

Around the world, the internet and telecoms networks that typically give web users access to international video calls, online banking, and endless social media are a complicated, sprawling mix of hardware and software. Networks of networks, combining data centers, servers, switches, and reams of cables, communicate with each other and send data globally. Local internet access is provided by a mix of companies with no clear public documentation of their infrastructure, making it difficult to monitor the overall status of the system as a whole. In Gaza, experts say, internet connectivity is heavily reliant on Israeli infrastructure to connect to the outside world.

Amid Israel’s intense bombing of Gaza, physical systems powering the internet have been destroyed. On October 10, the United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which oversees emergency responses, said air strikes “targeted several telecommunication installations” and had destroyed two of the three main lines of communications going into Gaza.

Prior to tonight’s blackout, internet connectivity remained but was “extremely slow and limited,” Access Now’s Fatafta says. People she has spoken to from Gaza say it could take a day to upload and send a few photos. “They have to send like 20 messages in order for one to go through,” Fatafta says. “They are desperately—especially for Gazans that live outside—trying to get through to their families.”

“Every time I try to call someone from family or friends, I try to call between seven to 10 times,” says Ramadan Al-Agha, a digital marketer who lives in Khan Yunis, a city in the south of the Gaza Strip. “The call may be cut off two or three times,” he told WIRED in a WhatsApp message before the latest outages. “We cannot access news quickly and clearly.” People in the region have simultaneously faced electricity blackouts, dwindling supplies of fuel used to power generators, and a lack of clean water, food, and medical supplies. “It is a humanitarian disaster,” Al-Agha says.

Connectivity in Gaza started to drop not long after Israel responded to the October 7 Hamas attack. Rene Wilhelm, a senior R&D engineer at the nonprofit internet infrastructure organization Ripe Network Coordination Center, says based on an analysis of internet routing data it collects that 11 Palestinian networks, which may operate both in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, began to experience disruption after October 7. Eight of the networks were no longer visible to the global internet as of October 23, Wilhelm says. Ahead of this evening’s blackout, there was around 15 percent of normal connectivity, according to data from Georgia Tech’s Internet Outage Detection and Analysis project. That dropped to around 7 percent as reports of the blackout circulated.

One office belonging to Paltel in the Al Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City has been destroyed in the attacks, photos and videos show. Floors have been destroyed and windows blown away in the multistory building, and piles of rubble surround the entrances. (It is unclear what equipment the building housed or how many floors Paltel occupied.) Another internet provider, AlfaNet, is listed as being based in the Al-Watan Tower. The company posted to its Facebook page on October 8 that the tower had been destroyed and its services have stopped, with other online posts also saying the tower has been destroyed.

Multiple Palestinian internet and telecoms firms have said their services have been disrupted during the war, mostly posting to social media. Internet provider Fusion initially said its engineers were trying to repair its infrastructure, although it has since said this is not continuing. “The network was destroyed, and the cables and poles were badly damaged by the bombing,” it wrote on Facebook. JetNet said there had been a “sudden disruption” to access points. SpeedClick posted that the situation was out of its control. And HiNet posted that it has “no more to offer to ensure” people could stay online following “the attacks and destruction our internet servers have suffered.”

Across Paltel’s network on October 19, according to an update shared by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 83 percent of fixed line users had been disconnected, with 53 percent of sites providing fixed line connections also being offline. Half of the company’s fiber optic internet lines in Gaza weren’t operational, the update says. The connectivity disappeared this evening, according to Paltel’s Facebook post, which says there has been a “complete interruption” of all its services. Paltel, AlfaNet, Fusion, and SpeedClick could not be reached or did not respond to requests for comment.

Lost Connections

In recent years, governments and authoritarian regimes have frequently turned to shutting down the internet for millions of people in attempts to suppress protests and curtail free speech. Targeting the communications networks is common during conflicts. During Russia's war in Ukraine, its forces have decimated communications networks, tried to take over the internet, and set up new mobile companies to control information flows. When Hamas first attacked Israel on October 7, it used drones to bomb communications equipment at surveillance posts along the borders of the Gaza Strip.

Monika Gehner, the head of corporate communications at the International Telecommunication Union, says the body is always “alarmed” by damage inflicted on any telecommunications infrastructure during conflicts. The ITU, the United Nations’ primary internet governance body, believes “efficient telecommunication services” are crucial to peace and international cooperation, and its secretary-general has called for respecting infrastructure in the Middle East, Gehner says.

Officials in Israel have consistently claimed they are targeting Hamas militants within Gaza, not civilians, while responding to the Hamas attacks, which killed more than 1,400 people in Israel. The Hamas-run Health Ministry within Gaza has said more than 7,000 people have been killed there and released a list of names. A spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces did not respond to WIRED’s questions about internet disruptions within Gaza.

Hanna Kreitem, a senior adviser for internet technology and development in the Middle East and North Africa at the Internet Society, an open internet advocacy nonprofit, says Palestinian firms have a “big reliance” on Israeli internet firms. “Palestinians are not controlling any of the ICT infrastructure,” says Mona Shtaya, a non-resident fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy. Mobile networks in the Gaza Strip rely on 2G technologies. Al-Agha, the digital marketer, shared a screenshot showing mobile internet speeds of 7.18 kilobytes per second; average mobile speeds in the US in 2022 were 24 megabits per second, according to mobile analytics firm Statista.

“The internet is vital in times of war in crises,” says Fatafta, the Access Now policy manager, who adds that there can be “terrible consequences” linked to connectivity blackouts. The UN’s OCHA said rescue workers have had a harder time “carrying out their mission” partly due to the “limited or no connection to mobile networks.” Al-Agha says he has lost some clients due to the disruptions. The lack of connectivity can obscure events that are happening on the ground, Fatafta says. News crews have told WIRED they have footage from the ground but are “losing the story because of the internet.”

Kreitem says that a lack of electricity and access to the equipment will have made an impact on top of any physical damage to communications networks. “We don't know how many of the people that actually operate these networks are still alive,” Kreitem says. “The network operators are part of the world there, there's no place for them to run. They are as affected as any other person.”