#WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU RECOGNIZE CHESTER

[elijah-loyal]

liveblog tmagp 7

oh god i forgot how much i hate/love the intro music (see: my post about the fact that parts of it are missing for me bc of my ear and hearing issues <3)

oh no i think celia's smart, oh that poor woman

OH NO SHES DEFINITELY SMART SHE QUESTIONS (pookie no, stay alive </3)

HILLTOP?!!?!!? MOTHERFUCKER NOOOOOOO-

(the chills crawled up my throat and i felt like throwing up <33 thank you episode writer for this horror)

uh oh shouting human face???

hey i think it's funny how she can't remember their names?? whats that all about

"it's all for a good cause" i feel like that's gonna come back to bite them in the ass soon

"personal development sabbatical" my ass

oh god these bitches would have HAD my ass with the printing press and taxidermy vulture and medical equipment

woa who the fuck are these people?? evil anatomy students core??

again, the sound design for this is so beautiful and fucking terrifying, kudos to everyone for that <33

oh god

oh god she recognizes him

oh fuck is it actually jon

is he actually in the fucking computer

(i am on the verge of tears)

SAM

SAM NO

FUCK, JON

JON?!?!

HOLY HSIT OH FUCK NONOJNONN)OIJOIJNJ()IJI

ok im actually crying right now, oh fuck guys, what the fuck

oh shit colin knows

(lmao though bro was funny asf)

everyone just absolutely BASHING on gwen's nepotism lmfao

WAIT HILLTOP BURNING DOWN - HERE'S HOW AGNES MONTAGUE CARRIED HER LEGACY ACROSS UNIVERSES--

[markrosewater]

Hey, Mark, I'm not to make another UB-related request. This isn't coming from an anti-UB place, and it's just one Goose's opinion, but I'm sure there are others who feel this way.

Can we get rid of flavor words, please? I haven't seen a single upside to them presented, just downsides:

For decades, one of MtG's biggest strengths was capturing the ludonarrative. Having to spell it out makes it seem like you all have lost confidence in your ability to make card design that makes sense with the captured flavor.

If a design is intended to be funny (the Street Fighter cards come to mind), it feels like you're pointing at the "joke" and saying "See? Please laugh." As a person who has a comedy background, I'm sure you understand why killing the frog is bad.

Death of the epithet: The most minor of the criticisms, but I really think "Ian Chester, Science Teacher" reads better than "Ian Chester" and then calling his ability "science teacher." (I may be mixing up the WHO teachers, but this applies to both, luckily.) Epithets also make it easier to depict multiple "moments" of a character without giving a card up as the "definitive" version of that character.

It feels like you don't trust players to get why the card text is what it is. Telling your audience you don't expect them to be smart (or rather, literate) enough to "get" it doesn't really help. I've seen people say they add flavor to the cards, but the flavor isn't diminished by removing the flavor words (flavor is when things are fleshed out and living, not when things are spelled out). If it's for fans of the IP, then they already get it (Oh, the activated ability that grants flying is referencing this character's rocket propulsion). Non-fans of the IP aren't benefited either, as they will sus out said character has rocket propulsion or be left completely in the dark (see Cult of Skaro: These words do nothing to tell me about the ability. If you were to leave them out, I'd still be able to sus out that each ability corresponds to one of the four Daleks depicted).

Lastly, they make cards harder to read. When trying to grok a card, there should be as few words as possible I'm supposed to ignore.

I understand some people will go "I recognize the thing" and a bulb in their brain will light up, but something being easy like this doesn't mean it's better or that we actually like it more.

I guess there's the potential upside that you could slot in numerals to power up my Baron von Count deck, but I don't see any real tangible upside to them. Obviously I'm missing something. Can you say what it is?

(Also, even if you don't answer it,thank you for taking the time to answer this book of an ask. These are feelings I've been sitting on since AFR and keeping an open mind on in case I changed how I felt from my initial reaction.)

Flavor words can do some things that we can't replicate elsewhere. I agree they can be overused, and are not always used optimally, but I don't think we want to throw out the baby with the bathwater.

[curiositykilledtheradiostar]

”The voice threw me” HUH HWUH CELIA WHAT DO YOU MEAN. WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT CELIA. “Who voices Chester” CELIA “I thought I recognized it” CELIA

[disappointingcabbage]

TMAGP 23 thoughts, spoilers under the cut!!

lmao I love how Sam’s reasoning for bothering with the response department paperwork is to A) assume it’s Alice doing a bit and B) seeing how long Alice can keep up said bit. I would do the same thing tbh

Lena cautioning him against it raises some red flags about what it might actually be though. That said, if doing the paperwork really is dangerous, she isn’t exactly trying all that hard to convince him to stop so who knows?

Chester statement time!! It’s an internet one this week hell yeah I’m ready for some red canary (or weird movie) esque shit

“Creating a better me”???? this sounds… very Strange

what do you mean by “finding your piece”? It sounds at first like affirmations but then the statement writer directly refutes the idea of it being a psychological/ “inner peace” thing

The second post makes it seem like this piece thing is an object taken from a significant location in your life. That’s less cursed that what I thought it was gonna be (a body part)

the implication that this person did something at least mildly illegal to get their piece is somewhat troubling. it was probably just theft though. Also they never specified what the piece is

“I’m sure it’s totally safe and not at all dangerous to sleep with the piece in my bed” famous last words

Also why do you need to keep it warm??? Is it alive????? And you have to “bond with it” which I guess is in line with making a “better you”. I guess it has to know what you’re like to emulate you or smth idk but this doesn’t sound like it’ll end well

ok it’s coral. Why are you worried about keeping it warm? If it’s not in water it’s definitely not alive.

MAAM WHY DO YOU HAVE SURGICAL EQUIPMENT AND WHY IS THIS POST CALLED “FIRST CUT”

you fucking watered your coral with your own blood to grow a better copy of yourself? The fuck? What is the point??? Do you WANT to get replaced????

Wait no she transplanted the coral into her body to grow it. What the fuck maam are you trying to reproduce through some cursed version of asexual budding???

okay yeah that’s exactly what’s happening this thing burst out of her

I mean at least she planned this out and took off work so she doesn’t lose her source of income I guess??? And she made sure she had proper supplies and a paralysis computer.

Oh damn this lady is just straight up willingly getting replaced. This is reading more and more like the original Alesis Newman is more akin to a shed skin than anything related to asexual reproduction

Oooh it went wrong. Not sure how but it definitely did

Oh shit this world’s Jon and Martin have been dead for 20 years and have no connection to the Magnus Institute

YOOO CELIA’S LOOKING INTO BASIRA AND HELEN

wait how would she know about Helen? Did the tunnels cult ever meet her? I don’t remember

OH WAIT I REMEMBER SHE TRIED TO EAT CELIA (at least, according to Melanie and Georgie) lol girlie why would you want to find her ageidjdief

Oh poor Gwen is not doing great.

Oh my god she’s actually talking to Alice instead of being snappy

And Alice seems to be. Actually listening !!!! Here’s how Dyhard can still win-

Alice fully believes Gwen

LMAO THE IMMEDIATE GLITCH AFTER GWEN SAID “I’ve not been arsey”

we’ve got confirmation that [Error] has a shitload of eyes let’s gooooo archivist moment

Alice immediately recognizing the tape recorder from her own experience and putting the pieces together that the whole oiar is being targeted is peak girlboss energy hell yeah Alice

And Gwen is obviously taking Alice’s experience seriously too hell yeah

Alice and Gwen are in danger? I think they should kiss about it

[according2thelore]

These ES/LS snippets are truly saving my need for more of your fics.

You very quickly became my favorite wincest author, hitting every one of my favorite tropes(hurt/comfort is my bread and butter too!) And I'm excitedly(and impatiently lol) waiting for your next fics to come out.

Your writing is SO GOOD and I find myself going back to your fics all the time. My first was your love potion fic and that's still one of my absolute favorite samdean fics out there.

This isn’t really an ask so much as it is an appreciation lol. Can't wait for your next fic!

(If this was an ask though, I'd love more thoughts on your ES/LS universe and even MORE hurt/comfort and jealousy lol)

BABE???? OH MY????

i don't even know what to say! this is the nicest compliment!!!!! you're so incredibly kind, and i'm so unbelievably honoured that my work is special to you!

EEP! i can't even express how much this ask means to me!!!! there are literally no words!!!! the love potion fic was meant as a fun little add-on to that month's challenge, but i've been blown away by how much folks have liked it--i live for a little melodrama and H/C, lol!

every writer dreams of getting asks like this one, and just ARGH! i'm kissing you on both cheeks!!!!!

as for upcoming things, my next fic will probably be my teen!chesters piece for the wayward sons zine (it will be HEFTY). charlotte and i were outlining this fic, and it ended up being about five pages of outline. so def a larger one!

because this ask was so incredible and lovely and kind (so kind?? holy shit?? my hand in marriage??) i wrote a little thing for you! i hope you like!

dean rubs his hands on the sides of his jeans, before he catches himself doing it. shit.

he crosses his arms, then realizes that he looks awkward and posed, so he uncrosses them again. he pushes his hair back from his face--but fuck, what if his hair looks weird now? dean checks frantically around for a reflective surface, but the only thing even close to him is a giant telescope, and--even though he briefly considers it--there's no way he'd be able to crawl back up it and down in time.

"what are you doing?" he mutters to himself, able to at least recognize that he's acting like a preteen about to meet one of the jonas brothers.

it's just sam.

just sam, kind of, dean's brain quietly corrects. it's just sam, but fucking huge.

it's just sam, but his ridiculous hair has grown and curls softly around his ears, brushes his jaw when he ducks his head. it's just sam, except his arms are bigger than dean's head. dean didn't miss the show the other day when sam came to look for something and lifted a fucking stuffed armchair with one arm.

(dean tried it later, and it took him both hands and two tries to get it off the ground. that thing must be reinforced with some crazy cold war steel or something. definitely.)

dean eyes the main room again. he should just sit at the big table. he eyes the big sword on one of the shelves. no--focus. sam went into "library annex 3" to find a book that he thought dean should absolutely take a look at, and left dean, dazzled, in his wake. so dean is going to sit here and wait, because he's been running out of excuses to see sammy lately.

dean slumps into one of the chairs, sighing. what is wrong with him?

he gets so...easily distracted whenever sammy--future-sam or whatever--starts talking to him. and most of it isn't even his fault, okay? sammy always puffs up whenever either 2006 winchester gets close, a dick-measuring if dean's ever seen one. as soon as sam got a single inch on dean in height, dean's never heard the end of it. but this sammy, older sammy, straightens up and his chest gets all big and--fuck--arms! big arms!!

dean keeps trying to find plausible excuses for sammy to take off his shirt because dean is convinced he has a six-pack under there, and it's his right to know!

"i found it!" a muffled voice from down the hallway, so deep that dean's brain goes a little sideways. and dean feels his whole body lock up, like he's just been thrown out of an airplane.

sam--sammy steps through the doorway, holding up a book triumphantly. his eyes are bright, and he's got little wrinkles at the corners, barely there. his grin is radiant, and dean feels absurdly like he's looking directly at one of those religious frescos with the yellow circles behind everyone's heads. sam would get a kick out of that.

dean whimpers. he straight up fucking whimpers, covering it quickly with a cleared throat.

"great!" he says, too bright. it's not his fault! it's not! dean barely resists the urge to bash his own head in.

so sue him! sam is suddenly huge and old and glad to see dean? he lights up whenever dean walks into a room, greeting him warmly. he seems to find dean adorable, which dean kind of resents, but it's hard to stay mad at sammy when he clearly finds so much delight in seeing him.

and 'sammy' isn't helping. 'sammy' had always been a dean word. it had been an 'us' word, a 'they don't know you like i know you, they can't understand you like i can' word. as soon as dean's own sam--2006 sam--had shrugged off the word, and older sam had donned it, dean knew he was screwed. wires crossed. you can only call so many men 'sammy' before you start to tease them and want to be around them and give them shit and look at their huge fucking tits--wait...no. shit. focus!

"so get this," sammy says, and he slides into the chair next to dean, smooth and graceful and so in touch with every muscle in his body that dean has to catch his breath a little. and his chest does something funny, because sam shows him the book and starts babbling.

he starts babbling. like a two year old sam and an eight year old sam and a twelve and a fifteen and an eighteen year old sam.

it seems impossible that this person--this man, all poise and purpose and focus, whose eyes can cut and soothe, whose stubble scratches when he rubs a hand across his jaw--is still dean's sam. dean's sammy.

and he knows it. and he likes it. this sammy brushes his shoulder and doesn't recoil like it burns. he looks to dean first when something is wrong. dean saw, the other day, how his older self comforted sam after a nightmare, how easily sam contorted himself to fit the shape of older dean's arms. sam likes being dean's. or at least this version of dean.

"anyways, i think that this is probably our most comprehensive record of vampires--their habits, their physiology, their weaknesses. if you wanted to give it a read, i think it'll really come in handy." sam says, still talking like dean cares at all for vampires and not the exact shape of sam's mouth.

dean aches. he feels inadequate. there is something clearly in this dean that is worthy, something that sam finds lovable. or necessary. dean wants to be necessary. dean needs to be necessary.

"yeah." dean says, suddenly, when he realizes that sammy's looking for a response. "that--uh--that sounds great."

"you didn't hear a thing i said, did you?" sammy asks, eyebrow raised, teasing and knowing and fuck--dean's chest collapses. sam knows him.

it's so strange to be known by this...this man. this man who blots out the sun with his shoulders, and has callused hands, and looks at dean like he's proud of him. this man knows him. this man is sammy, and that's all dean every really needs.

"naw." he says, scrubbing a hand in the close-shorn hair at the back of his head, abashed and feeling strange. "'m sorry."

"don't be." sammy rolls his eyes, but it's in good humour. sam--2006 sam, and it's weird that dean has already made that distinction--would genuinely be put out. he thinks dean doesn't take him seriously.

both sams are alien to dean. sam, because his burden is eating him alive. he's terrified of himself, of his powers. furious at what he's becoming and increasingly furious at dean for not taking his own safety seriously. like sam could ever hurt him.

and this sammy, of course, is different. he's physically very different, but also...softer? that's the wrong word. he's easier, maybe. his smiles are soft and he thinks through things before he says them. he doesn't hurt to hold in your hand like sam does, all spikes and hard edges like rock that resents you for holding it. sammy is a stone worn smooth by a river, and dean doesn't know if that makes him a bad brother.

he doesn't want to know, because he can't think about this being another way of failing sam. dean's been failing sam since that first over-long look in 1995.

this sam, at least, dean has a reason for not understanding completely. time has made a stranger of his brother, not circumstance, and time is easier to blame.

"what?" sammy asks, and dean snaps back to the present, abashed again. god. it's like his first fumbling date a fourteen all over again. but wait, no it's not--why did dean think that?

"nothing. sorry. you're just--" dean can't find the words. sammy seems delighted at this, eyes sparking with a challenge like they're both in on a joke.

"i'm..." he prompts, drawing it out. dean sputters. he and sam give each other shit all the time. it shouldn't feel different with this sam, but...it does.

"hi."

dean jerks away, sitting up straight in his chair. sam stands in the doorway. he looks pissed. his hands are balled into fists at his sides, his jaw is set, and he's...not looking at dean.

dean looks to sammy, whose eyes widen. he seems surprised by something. proud of something.

"dean wants to know if we're ready for dinner. what are you doing?" sam asks, words loaded. dean's about to jump in, feeling weirdly guilty. they're just talking about a book, it's not like they were--

"just talking with my little brother." sam says, jostling dean's shoulder with his elbow, like this is all a big joke but what the fuck?? dean's spine melts and drips down his ribs. oh my fucking god.

little brother little brother little brother sam could pin dean down if he wanted to, dean looks down at sam's huge fucking hands oh my god, little brother--

"you--" sam starts, and sammy sits up straighter, tilting his head forward like he's coaching sam through something, but sam's eyes are suddenly on dean, and dean freezes.

he doesn't know what to do under sam's critical gaze. the weight in his stomach is definitely guilt, but dean doesn't know why. dean looks away first.

"we're just talking shop, sam." dean says to his hands. a pause. dean hears sam leave, his footsteps echoing down the corridor.

he better not be going to see that old geezer. dean doesn't like he way he looks at sam.

"we almost had him," sammy says, thoughtful. dean looks up, and sammy is looking down at him with an expression so fond that dean's throat closes. "next time."

dean's heart beats faster.

oh man. he is so fucked.

[theanxiousghostartist]

TMAGP 19 SPOILERS UNDER THE CUT

Gonna try and organize my thoughts and theories here; sorry if I ramble!

Sam/Celia Conversation:

So Celia and Sam are both looking into alchemy. Sam said that he started through the Institute, who was "...pretty deep into all this stuff." Celia, we know, was specifically looking into transference and spiritual substitution of elements (from Sam's recognizing of the symbols). This gives us more support for the 'Celia is Celia from TMA' theory (which I'm on board with). It's nice to have more evidence for that!

Also, the idea that Sam is "going to drop the Institute research???" Buddy, you might try, but I think Chester (rn I've theorized that they're Jon from TMA) has other plans for you 😭

Case:

I was surprised, at first, with the date on this (1684), since Augustus usually does the older cases, and Chester usually focuses on the Institute, however, I feel like it makes more sense with the statement's content. So it seems like Issac Newton was doing some... unethical experiments that involved creating "seeds of knowledge" that resulted in the subject being turned into a knowledgeable tree (?). First off, I love the Frankenstein vibes off this case. Second, this case sorta feels like an explanation of what happened in Episode 3 with Dr. Webber. He stumbled into the garden, ate some fruit, and began turning into a tree/plant. Newton definitely seems to be marked by the Eye, especially with his thirst of knowledge and the experiment's results being described as:

"It lay down as if to sleep whereupon it grew ever more peaceful and still. I almost believed it dead, poisoned by my companion, but then 1 saw something far more distressing. The creature was taking root. Strands of its mottled brown hair were extruding downwards between the floor, seeking the dark earth below. Then, too, its back began to sprout, radiant branches unfurling and thickening before me, reaching upwards towards the sunlight with a seemingly insatiable desire.

The dog then opened one eye and stared at me and this was the most disturbing thing of all, for that orb was also shimmering with that unnatural light, but more than that, it looked upon me and it knew me not as a beast knows its master but as one man knows another and though such a creature must by all natural law lack that essential and ephemeral anima that is required for such awful knowledge tell you here Robert, it saw me and it knew me."

The author of this letter (Robert) recommended that they use "the Protocol" against Newton. He described the Protocol at the beginning of this letter as some kind of way to destroy knowledge. My theory, at the moment, is that the Magnus Protocol stemmed from the "Protocol" discussed in this statement. It was the reason that The Magnus Institute was burned down. The archivist either got too close to the truth (like Gertrude did in TMA), and they (along with the Institute) had to go, or (more likely), the archivist figured out the truth and burned down the Institute aligning with this Protocol (basically what Gertrude was trying to do).

Alice/Sam Conversion:

Sam is finally putting everything together, yay!

I hope that he doesn't spiral like Colin and maybe can get some help from Chester?

Lena/Gwen Conversation:

Honestly, I love Lena's arc with Gwen starting at

"I don't care about you being mean to me. Stay away, please."

and now going to

"Welp, F you too. I'm tired of your crap. But also, I still care about you since I need to protect my staff, which includes you."

I can't wait to see these two interact more!

Alice/Colin conversation:

Colin feels like S2 Jon from TMA. He's very paranoid while trying to figure out the truth. Colin's goal is not to be seen. He doesn't want "him" to know what he's found out. Now, this "him" could be Newton (assuming he is living on through an experiment or by being an Avatar), Chester/Jon(?) (in the computer/technology), Augustus/Jonah (?) (in the computer/technology), Fr3D1 (the system, could be an entity or avatar), or maybe someone related to "mummy and daddy Stasi." After a quick Google search, Stasi is a nickname for the State Security Service of East Germany that existed from 1950 - 1990. Established by the USSR, the primarily worked in surveillance and espionage. I wonder if this is a reference to the Eye? Or maybe a specific Avatar?

Furthermore, in Colin's mini rant, he says,

"Not that anyone cares as long as it all balances, right? Not too much mercury or the world ends, not too much sulfur or we all go mad..."

I'm going to break this down, bit by bit, because he's got a lot of information in here.

"Not that anyone cares as long as it all balances, right?"

This seems to be referencing the property of equal exchange or the idea that no thing can come from nothing.

If you've watched/read Fullmetal Alchemist, you might be familiar with this. My mind immediately went to the scene where Edward is preforming the ritual with Alphonse to bring their mother back. The ritual failed, with Edward losing his left leg and Alphonse's body deconstructing. Edward had to sacrifice his right arm to tie Alphonse's soul to a suit of armor so he would not die.

I wonder if a sacrifice like this will be required by a character to save another or beat a foe.

"Not too much mercury or the world ends..."

This, I think, is tying alchemy to the entities, specifically here, the Extinction. Mercury, a toxic element (in its gaseous form), can cause organs to shut down and impair the nervous system and is one of the seven metals of alchemy.

"Not too much sulfur or we all go mad..."

Again, this seems to be tying alchemy to the entities. Sulfur, in alchemy, represents the evaporation, dissolution, exapnsion, and the soul, and as a chemical, is low toxicity (mainly toxic as dust) and may cause irritation or burning, but, in the human body, it is used to build DNA. At first, I thought this was being tied to the Spiral because of madness. However, this could be tied to the Web, with the idea of building DNA and expanding, like how the web works. They build the foundation of their web, and then they expand their ideas and manipulation, either by handing the job over to other entities or by settley nuding situations in order to get the desired outcomes.

My current theory is that alchemy is going to be used in the rituals for the entities and as a way to create avatars. Basically, it's will be similar to how Leitner's function in TMA.

Anyway, this was a great episode! I really want to do more research on Alchemy now, lol. Sorry for the ramble. 😅

[raybies-10]

Screaming crying throwing up at the new tmagp episode (#7) LIKE WHAT DO YOU MEAN CELIA, YOU RECOGNIZE THE VOICE OF CHESTER???? FROM WHERE CELIA!! WHERE DO YOU RECOGNIZE IT FROM????? you can’t just drop that bombshell on us and then leave!!! Also she’s so real for wanting to sort the statements we’ve been hearing about into the 14(15? Have we decided it’s 15? Idk I’ve only been in the fandom a year) fears, cause same. ALSOOO Jon (may be our Jon not sure yet?? I’m gonna hold out hope) writing Sam an email??? Never thought I’d see the day idk he just gives me the vibes that he doesn’t know how to send emails even if he’s in a computer.

ANYWAY what did the email say Sam??? SAM WHAT DID THE EMAIL SAY!!!!!! TELL US PLEASE. I can’t believe Sam and Collin got into a fistfight that’s hilarious, also Colin reminds me of the earlier archive crew (not s1 I don’t think the tapes started appearing as much then) when they would get all weird and freaked out abt the supernaturally appearing tape recorders

Wait now that I’m thinking about it does the existence of the electronics listening in imply that the web/annabelle is listening in this universe??? Idk I’m just throwing ideas at the wall, also what’s up with Lena trying to kill someone?? Is that how she got her job or something or was that just to keep someone quiet, the name may have been important but I’m not to good with names (scary when you like a podcast/podcast like this Ik) gonna end this rant here and start another post about my findings with Elias and his rise as the head of the Magnus institute and when the place burned down I’m tmagp cause I found some interesting stuff

[cheese-wizard]

Hi, Hello, don't mind me, I just want to get my thoughts an theories for the Magnus Protocol out there. I haven't engaged much in discourse yet so perhaps some parts will be repetitive but there will be spoilers for tma.

I don't think we can apply Smirke's 14/15 to the world of protocol since it just doesn't make sense for Jonny and Alex to use the same system again but I have a feeling there is going to be a way to classify them and I have quite a feeling that it has to do with the alchemical symbols.

I only briefly skimmed the Wikipedia page for some of them but one thing I thought about was that the Symbol for Salt and Mercury are on the crest of the OIAR (and some in the background) and just like with the last cover, I am not going to dismiss any of this for stylistic choices.

I saw a post a few days ago talking about how salt stands for the human body and by extension flesh related horrors/body horror/etc etc and from what I've gathered, mercury stands for Spirit or mind or whatever and each of the main elements in alchemy corresponds with planets. (Do I smell a potential system for fear classification there, or do I need to do some further reading into the symbolism? 👀 Maybe both.)

So like Mercury is the Roman god of a lot of things but a lot of the time he is referenced for traveling and communication which leads me to associate him with technology and the internet as well since, interconnectivity, information travels fast bla bla bla.

I don't have any clue if the speed up arrow thingys in the crest mean anything alchemically but if it means something about combining technology and the human body/mind and we already have Norris and Chester who once were human and are now uploaded to the miracle box that is Windows NT. As much as I like the idea of JMJ error referring to Jon Martin and Jonah, I am not sure about the Jonah part because it could also very well be the case that some guy Alice mentioned from the people that "have gone weird" before, just somehow ended up part of the computer and it might happen to our beloved office staff too. (Perhaps not exactly since Alice would probably recognize their voices but maybe it's like the not them getting to you. I just noticed a hole in my theory and am trying to keep it afloat lol)

Let me know what you think and if you have more knowledge on alchemical symbolism

[pinkeoni]

Will’s Creation Powers: A Man, His Dog, and a Baseball Bat

I don’t think I’ve ever made my own concrete creation power post that actually went into detail about this, so let’s discuss how the monsters in the Upside Down perfectly align with Will’s fear of his dad.

Pretty long post and discussions of child abuse under the cut

So right now my working theory is that while Will was being abused by Lonnie as a child, Will’s consciousness traveled to the Upside Down as a place of safety. There, Will subconsiously manifested his fears as the monsters in the UD.

We aren’t told in the show exactly how long the monster have been living in the UD. Perhaps with The First Shadow we will know more, but as far as we know it’s possible they haven’t always been there. We just know that they’ve been there at least before Henry got there, meaning that he at least didn't create them.

Why Do I Think Will Has Creation Powers?

I guess maybe I should explain why I believe that Will has creation powers in the first place.

Let's say you had a character that had certain powers, but you couldn't reveal them until the final season, how would you hint at them so they don't come out of nowhere, all without blatantly revealing them?

Will's art has been a staple of his character since the first season, it's even been used in regards to major plot points. IE Joyce recognizing that El's art in the lab is not Will's art, and Will drawing the tunnels in season two. Will uses art as an outlet for his creativity, but he also uses it to express his emotions, such as hurt, fear, or love.

We also know that Henry needs Will for something, although what exactly hasn't been stated. I don't personally believe that Will was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, given how much we have been shown in season 4 is actually very calculated by Henry. We do know, however, that Henry wants to destroy the world in order to rebuild it in his image. So how would he gain access to an ability like that?

In season two, we learn through Kali that some power users have abilities that other power users don't have. Kali is able to create visions for other people. We also learn that gate opening in a power unique to El, and the "Vecna Visions" that we see is something that we've only seen Henry do. If Will had a power unique to him, and that power was related to his art, it wouldn't come out of nowhere.

Lonnie the Demogorgon

I’ll start with Lonnie, which will lead us to all of the other monsters. He is the main perpetrator here. kaypeace21 has a ton of theory posts on her page that goes into a lot of detail, I reccommend checking them out since it’s my main source of inspiration for this theory.

In my mind the coding between the demogorgon and Lonnie is pretty clear. Lonnie was mentioned as a possible suspect as to who Will could be with. The demogorgon eats its eggs. Lonnie is the predator that is hunting down and hurting his family. Demogorgon literally means “deep father.”

I wanna point out this scene too. Will is talking to Joyce through the wall and he says “It’s coming!” in reference to the demogorgon. It’s not the very next scene, but the next scene with Joyce shows Lonnie arriving at the Byers home.

Chester the Demodog

When the demogorgon appears outside of Will’s house on the night he vanished, Chester barks at the door. (Notice too how Chesters head is positioned right next to a plant, similar to how demodogs have flower shaped heads) When Jonathan goes to see Lonnie a little later, there’s a dog barking in the distance.

Perhaps, whenever Lonnie would come home, maybe after a night of drinking, Chester would bark signaling his return? Maybe Will associates Chester barking with his father?

One of the demodogs, formerly D’Art, was being kept as a pet by Dustin. Chester was Will’s former pet, who seemed to die before the season where demodogs are introduced. D'Art also killed Dustin's other pet, Mews, creating another dead pet correlation.

The Baseball Demobat

This one might seem like the biggest stretch, but if you pair it up with the other two it may not be that far of a reach. We know from season one that Lonnie used to bring Will to baseball games, baseball games that Will didn't even like going to. I propose in a theory here that baseball games may be associated with a particularly bad memory for Will. We see that Will did hold on to a baseball bat, which he uses to destroy Castle Byers with.

The demobats have long tails, similar to the long hilt of a baseball bat.

In season 4, when being attacked by the demobats, Steve grabs one by the tail and swings it to the ground like a baseball bat. Steve is also a character who was seen using a bat before in season 2.

Proposed Timeline:

When Will is a young child, he is abused by his father (possibly on his birthday?)

Will consciousness travels to the Upside Down, and possibly links with the Shadow Monster

Through a fear response, Will creates the monsters in the Upside Down as he associates them with the abuse of his father

Will, however, doesn't remember this abuse (similar to how El doesn't remember the massacre of the lab)

In season 5, Will will likely have to confront these missing memories and his powers will reawaken

[leni-31]

WHAT THE FUCK IM GOING CRAZY FROM THIS NEW EPISODE CELIA REALLY IS THE SAME CELIA CUZ WTF U MEAN YOURE SEARCHING FOR "MEAT AND BURIED" AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU RECOGNIZE CHESTER'S VOICE SHE REALLY IS THE SAME CELIA

AND ALSO THE DEAK WITH COLIN oh my guy knows whats up i respect him

also i just now realized. bouchard going for the main position. also theyre wealthy ? if i see lukas family mentioned here ill start a riot

AND WDYM U GOT AN EMAIL FROM "JOHN"??? WDYMM WDYMMM ARE THEY REALLY TRYING TO COMMUNICATE IM GOING CRAZY I ALMOST CRIED WHILE LISTENING

and also the way all the statements are a mix of all the fears... this one again !! all the weird people, giving weird ass things, THE BUILDING BEING SET ON FIRE !!! the suspicious guys in suit... literally things that somehow correlate to different things in tma... im going crazy ALSO HILLTOP MENTION.. NOT REALLY HILLTOP ROAD BUT A HILLTOP WAS MENTIONED.

[officially-nothing]

HAHAH EPISODE 07 GIVE AND TAKE YIPPEE

Spoilers for TmagP 07

- “Yeah. I mean, it’s an old system, but it could have been worse. It’s not like we’re wrestling with tape recorders and manila folders.”

Yeah, I dunno, I squealed at that.

- Also when Celia asks if you can look up specific files like every case about being buried alive and meat

- HILLTOP MENTIONED ‼️‼️🗣️🗣️

- I have a feeling we’ll be seeing more of Mr. C Clayton soon, but that’s just my brain talking and sometimes my brain doesn’t really work

- Alice called Norris a whiny little toad

- Celia is our Celia. She’s our Celia from TMA :D

- Celia recognizes Jon/Chester’s voice

- Jon wants to talk to Sam and Colin is still basically S2 Jon

+ additional Sam and Colin scuffle + damage to poor Sam’s phone :(

-Klaus saying he ‘could disappear again’. What happened to you, Klaus? What did Lena or some other person do to you the first time?

-the fact that Gwen is richer than Lena is a silly fact that Gwen could’ve possibly bought? Lena’s position? Which is a HUGE jump, but I’m just saying.

[ashironie]

I UH WAIT WHAT WAIT HOLD UP WAIT WHAT DO I START WITH FIRST OH MY GOD

Spoilers for ep7 of Tmagp

OKOKOKOK SO

GWEN’S IN BAYBE!!!!!

THATS PROBABLY A HORRIBLE THING FOR HER YKNOW NOT DYING BUT IM SO HAPPY FOR HER!!!! AND BABY’S FIRST BLACKMAIL!!!!!! GOD I LOVE HER!!!!!

THEN THEN THEN FUCKIN CELIA

SOMETHING IS DEFINITELY UP “thought I recognized him” OH YEAH YEAH YEAH WE WERE RIGHT ON THE MONEY WERENT WE? OH YES!!! AND HER SPECIFICALLY SHOUTING OUT SPECIFIC FEAR ENTITIES???? OH GOD SHES THE SAME CELIA FROM TMA!!! ALSO CHESTER GAVE HER A VERY UNCLEAR (if we’re going by TMA entities) CASE, MAYBE TRYING TO TELL HER THIS ISNT WHAT SHE THINKS???? I DONT THINK SHES AN AVATAR BUT SHE IS DEFINITELY CELIA.

THE CASE???? AHHHHH IM SO EXCITED I LOVE THIS ONE!!!!!!! WISH WE GOT/GET MORE CORRUPTION-LIKE CASES SINCE THOSE ARE MY FAVORITE, BUT YK. AND HILLTOP HILLTOP HILLTOP HILLTOP!!!!!!!!! DONT THINK ITS HILLTOP ROAD THINK NOW ITS CENTER UNLESS THATS LIKE THE BUILDING OR SOMETHING BUT AHHHHHHHH HILLTOP!!!!! DOES CELIA KNOW ABOUT HILLTOP???? MAYBE ANOTHER HINT FROM CHESTER?????

AND WHAT THE FUCK WAS WITH “JOHN”???????? AND COLIN OVERREACTING ABOUT BEING RECORDED???? I MEAN I GUESS ITS NOT AN OVERREACTION IS IT? BUT STILL. AHHHHHHHH!!!!! WHAT IS SAM GONNA DO? ALSO DID COLIN JUST BREAK HIS FUCKING PHONE???? LIKE POP OFF BUT SAMS DEFINITELY GONNA RETALIATE!!! AND THATS NOT GOOD FOR ANYONE!!!!

sad Alice didn’t have much of a role in this, at least not one big enough to talk about, aside from being buddies with Celia.

BUT GWEN MY BELOVED!!!!! STILL CANT STIP THINKING ABOUT YOU!!! AND THE UPCOMING FIC POTENTIAL!!!! THE DYHARD SHIPPING POTENTIAL!!!!!! ITS TOO GREAT!!!!!! IM SO EXCITED!!!!!!

WAIT WAIT THIS IS SOMETHING ADDED ON

I JUST REALIZED THAT THE TRANSCRIPTS ALSO CALL JON JOHN SO “JOHN” MIGHT BE OUR JON!!!!!!! IM SO UNBELIEVABLE EXCITED!!!!

[pronounced-calliope-not-calliope]

Thoughts on Episode 7: Give and Take

Celia pls why do you keep talking about the entities??

Is she gonna recognize Jon and Martin?

Alright statement time: Chester (Jon) Speaking

This has to be hilltop road?

Not sure if names mean anything here

Tons of different artifacts coming in: different entities

volunteers are weird-why can’t we know names? Stranger-coded

The donations seem similar to Salesa’s stuff

Oh boy that’s so many artifacts: buried?

What who’s that big guy? Desolation similar?

OH MY GOD CELIA KNOWS THE VOICE

She knows Chester/Jon!

Lmao not anyone important

Jon? Why Sam. Go to the address. Be more stupid. It’ll be funny.

Real stuff? What real stuff Colin? What real stuff?????

Gwen with the blackmailing - runs in the family

Klaus?? Maybe a Leitner?

Who’s the source? Gotta be someone higher up. Why do you want in Gwen… dumbassness runs in the family too

Externals? Field Work Time!!!!!

[twelvemonkeyswere]

I haven't talked enough about Marcus so here's my thoughts:

His love for his sick mother, the way he applied the cream to her hands... it's so real. It reminded me of my own grandfather, and when we had to do the same for him, towards the end. His quiet scenes with her were so loaded with meaning and some of the best in the whole show, for me

Marcus's episode keeps rotating in my mind. The way he cleaned the bowl for the imaginary cat like he was serving a customer, his long walks in a beautiful city, the way he was very alone, but with himself. The way he did miss his people back home, how worried he was of his mom having a crisis and him not being available... he is constantly connected to others while thinking about himself and what he wants. And the strength of his connections is also lovely to see. Chester helps him with his mom! Sydney talks to him regularly! The baker, Luca, is also a quiet and serious sort but good, and Marcus charms him quickly and they become good pals. Marcus grows in confidence. That scene where he helps the old man is EXCELLENT. It reinforces how important being open to the world and to other people is, not just for him, but in general to everyone. If he hadn't been there the old man could have died, or suffered worse than he already was. It also calls back to his mom, and forward to the finale. How nurturing Marcus is, how gentle, how easy it comes to him to express that care.

Marcus making a cannoli that reflects everyone in the kitchen and calling it The Michael fucking destroyed me. Keeping Mikey present while recognizing how everyone else matters to him, too. It's just lovely.

I felt so bad for him when he asked Sydney to go grab food with him 😭 Sydney reacted in such a strong way because of her own stuff (not just the stress and worry of failure that night, but whatever she's going through re: Carmen), but he reacted like a champ and tried to smooth things over, even if it backfired a little. I love how Marcus is consistently a source of emotional maturity among the kitchen crew. I am also not entirely sure he meant the offer as romantic, he did say he had missed Sydney and I thought he just wanted to spend time with her anyways, but he was still very kind about being rejected, even if it got awkward when Sydney got awkward.

At the end, he got the sign we've seen in all the other kitchens, "Every second counts." For me, his version of it doesn't mean that you're running *against* the clock. It's that literally you have to appreciate the seconds you have in your life. The appreciation for the little things, everything passes and the important things pass, too. Every second counts not just because you have to make them count with work or effort, but because every second of a good thing is precious.

The fact that, at the end, he missed those calls 😭 he was so happy 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 and he missed those calls 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 I'm so sad for him because we didn't get to see that fallout, we didn't get to see if he got help once he called back. It's for me the saddest thing and I hope his friends and the strength of his connections came to support him once whatever happened with his mom happened.

[7knives]

CELIA WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOURE LOOKING FOR CASES REGARDING 'being buried alive' or 'meat'??????

CELIA WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU RECOGNIZED CHESTER'S VOICE???????

SAM WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM A JON??????

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Hi Clan!

How are you?

I have a FNAC 2 oneshot request, being Withered New Candy x Nightguard! Gender Neutral! Reader.

Y/N lost the bet so they have to spend their first night at the abandonned factory, but when they realize they aren't alone, they panic. When they notice it is Candy and Co, they have a flashback to themselves when they were a child, loving to spend time in Candy's restaurant, where they lost their toy, but Candy finds it and brings it back to Y/N.

They are happy to see them again, but when Candy attacks them, not recognizing them, Y/N panics, thinking it was their time to die. But at the last moment, Candy's remaining eye remembers Y/N, remembering finding their lost toy, and hugs Y/N, as he's happy to see them again.

And it ends with Y/N meeting Cindy and the rest of the gang, happy to meet their heroes once again. :)

Do you like my request? Will you do it?

Hi! I appreciate you waiting for this one! <3

..........

"You kidding? They couldn't have bothered to turn on the lights for me?" Annoyed, you just shook your head in dismay, flickering on the cheap company-owned flashlight you owned and looking down the dark hall.

After losing a bet to your fellow coworkers, you were forced to take over the nightshift at Rowboatics Corp. Factory for an entire week.

Whoever last worked here was kind enough to leave you a note on how all the phone lines and the security camera system were still online. But the final line had you confused:

"Make sure nothing gets in or out"

Obviously, you understood that meant no unauthorized personnel were allowed inside....but as to what could possibly get out remained a mystery to you.

Then again, they were probably another coworker who was convinced this place was "haunted" at night. And you're not entirely opposed to that idea considering its history of casualties.

You recalled reading an article on two young twins who somehow snuck in here, only to get killed by the animatronic assembly machine. The nightguard at the time apparently fell asleep, unaware of what was happening until it was much too late.

Although you wondered how and why two little kids would ever go to such a creepy factory all by themselves, you knew you couldn't make that same mistake. So you made sure to stay awake the entire night by any means neccessary.

For now though, all was quiet. You just relaxed in your chair, pulling up the security feed to survey the building's layout. You weren't a fan of the fact that you were stationed in the central hall with so much space....but you had nobody to complain to except yourself.

'At least it's not a claustrophobic office space..though I'd feel slightly safer...' You thought, before shrugging it off.

As half an hour passed...nothing remarkable happened. The only things you saw on the cameras were rats scurrying out from the shadows, sneaking under shelves and crates and whatnot.

When 1AM rolled around, however---

[CONNECTION LOST]

The camera you were viewing abruptly went offline, startling you. And you wondered if somebody else was here trying to sabotage the footage.

What if there were robbers?

You weren't exactly trained to deal with that.

[RECONNECTING...]

When the system rebooted, you nearly jumped out of your skin upon seeing...Candy?

No. It was Cindy.

You recognized her by the lavender fur. She was staring right up at the camera lens, and you could see the damage to her body done by time and improper upkeep: evident by her exposed endoskeleton pieces and the fact she was missing an eye.

'How is she still active?' Bewildered, you just stared right back at her, before finally realizing this is what the note warned you about:

The animatronics. They shouldn't get out for any reason.

And there's probably a reason why the phones were left on, as they were able to easily lure Cindy to them..

In order to keep them as far away from you as possible.

...........

The second night at Rowaboatics was more or less the same, except Chester started walking around, attempting to break into one of the vents that led directly to your office space. He was trying to tear the grate off, and he almost succeeded-

Until you rang the phone to startle him out of the room, running so fast he was almost like a blur.

Eventually, he found another way to you and showed up in the central hall for the first time. You were in disbelief at his even worse condition: the material around his upper face was completely gone, leaving his endoskeleton head visible and no eyes at all.

It was creepy as shit, but luckily he didn't get any closer to your desk, as you discreetly called another phone line and he followed the sound.

Somehow you fooled him yet again.

Of course, the animatronics would always go to rooms where noise was loudest. It was coded into them, so they couldn't resist it even if they knew nobody else was here but you.

Cindy, on the other hand, was a bit of a nuisance in that she'd try to temporarily cut off power to those phones, but you've anticipated her path in the factory, so she was easy to keep at bay.

It was the third night when things started to get real.

And by that, it meant Candy himself activated and joined the fray, aimlessly wandering the facility until he became aware of your presence. He was in a similar condition as his sister, but obviously wasn't looking to spend any time with her or sing little duets.

He was trying to get to you by any means necessary.

While making you feel uneasy, seeing him and the rest of the gang walking around does bring a smile to your face, taking you back to a happier time...

A time that made you feel like you had a genuine connection with these characters, especially the mascot himself..

--

"Where is it?! I know it was here!!!"

There you were, little panic-striken you, running around the Candy's Burgers & Fries' dining room like a headless chicken as you searched high and low for your missing plushie.

You left it on your seat by accident, remembering it just as you got into the car. Luckily, your guardian allowed you to go back inside to search, but only for five minutes. And as those minutes ticked down, you worried that you'll never get to see it again...especially when you saw it disappeared from the seat.

But before you could get too upset, you heard familiar thumping mechanical footsteps and turned around, looking up at Candy. Your eyes shimmered with hope that he could help you out. He didn't seem like he had a show to run to, thank goodness.

"Candy!! H-Have you seen the toy I left right here? It looks like..." You trailed off, watching as he kneeled down in front of you, smiling as he moved his hand out from behind his back to reveal....

Your long lost plushie!

"That's it!! Thank you! Thank you, Candy!!" You grinned, taking it from him.

He nodded, but before he could stand back up, you hugged him around the neck. You didn't care if it was against the rules to touch the animatronics..you were just too happy right now to worry about an adult scolding you.

Candy didn't seem to mind it at all, as he hugged you back just as tightly, smiling from ear-to-ear.

"Of course, little kit! Your best pal Candy will always be here to help!"

--

"I'm here to help-p-p-"

"Ah!!" Jumping at the loud clanking footsteps, you were snapped out of reminiscence and stared straight ahead at the withered mascot, who somehow got into the hall.

His voice was miraculously still functioning, but you weren't smiling at all this time around.

Considering the way he looked at you with such a dead one-eyed stare...it's obvious he didn't recognize you whatsoever.

You tried calling one of the phones, yet he didn't react to the noise at all. For a moment his head did twitch, as though trying to resist his programmed response to search for it.

Unfortunately for you, he succeeded.

You were in his sights and he couldn't be fooled this time around.

He stalked closer and closer to your desk. You knew you couldn't run anywhere, as another animatronic could catch up to you easily, so you tried staying as still as possible.

'Shit..this is what I get for daydreaming on the job..' You shuddered, wondering what was going to happen next.

Was he going to attack you? Kill you?

You didn't think that would be possible for a robot that's made to protect guests and employees of a children's restaurant....

But as Candy lurched forward and slammed his hands onto the desk, growling mechanically, you realized those protocols were most likely corrupted. For all he knew, you were a dangerous criminal who was going to cause trouble in this factory.

And he was ready to eliminate the threat.

There was nothing but an old desk protecting you from him.

Yet you were too afraid to look away, fearing he'll lunge if you made any sudden movements. But while staring back at him, you noticed his remaining eye continuously focusing, his pupil size shifting. You could hear the clicking of his jaw as it opened and closed, recognizing this as the animatronic's way of scanning somebody's potential criminal database.

Then....

He spoke again, sounding less threatening and more like his old self.

"[Y/n]...? L-L-Little...kit....?"

At first, you were in total shock, before a huge smile overtook your face. "Y-Yeah..it's me, Candy." You answered nervously. "You..remember me?"

As it turns out, his memories weren't lost after all, as he stood up straight and smiled back, nodding his head. You couldn't contain your joy and relief that he recognized you, hopping out of your seat to hug him.

He was surprised, but soon hugged you right back. It was quick one in case his joint motors locked up or accidentally crushed you, though he felt happy to share a hug with one of his favorite patrons again.

"Look at you..all-l-l grown up.." He marveled as he let you go, identifying the name tag on your security jacket. "A nightguard?"

"Yep. I'm a guard now." Chuckling, you looked around the facility, frowning slightly when you gazed back at Candy's withered condition. "What happened to you guys? Did they just...forget to fix you?"

"..fix us....? No...we were too broken to them-m-m." He shook his head. "Too dangerous...too unstable..."

"Dangerous? Unstable? You? I don't buy it." You huffed, unable to believe the technicians simply gave up on repairing them. "Nothing's ever "too broken" to fix."

".....that's what I-I told them....but-t...as time went on, we lost hope..." He sighed, before he perked up, his ears twitching as his smile returned. "But now you're here, [y/n]....and...they want to see you. Come on-n-n!"

With excitement in his glitchy voice, Candy began walking away, and you hesitantly followed him. You kept the flashlight with you, unsure of where he was leading you to.

Though when you heard more animatronic noises, you stopped short, fear seizing every inch of you. "C-Candy, I don't think it's a good idea. They don't remember me like-"

"We haven't seen a h-human in a long time, but o-once they see you...they'll remember-r-r," he promised. "My friends a-and I will keep you safe."

While you were still uncertain about trusting him this quickly, you bravely entered the room behind him, immediately seeing Cindy, Chester, Blank, and Penguin all gathered there.

The latter two were in horrible condition, with the drawing animatronic's usual doodles being washed off, and the poor waiter's sweet blue eyes and beak being completely gone.

Yet true to their leader's word, they expressed no hostilities towards you unlike they did the first two nights.

In fact they acted the exact opposite, being happy that the child who used to visit them was now working at the factory--although you didn't have the heart to tell them you only took this shift because of a stupid bet.

But maybe losing that bet wasn't so bad after all.

This place wasn't haunted. It was just full of lonely, broken animatronics who hoped to see their best friend again; animatronics who needed a light in their dark, dark world...

And you brought that back to them.