#also having a fixation on the character being “”correct“” helps but can also hinder

[a-libra-writes]

Hey Libra! Hope you're well! I just had to ask... how on earth do you write for so many characters, so well?

Yooo, im quite content actually got a new plant im excited to repot. Im also (hopefully) gonna have chicken cuddles later today

Anyhoo! the answer is practice!! Lots of practice. And study the character like a bug in a jar. How do they react to danger, to happiness, to friends, to family ... how does their past color their actions, what are their current goals and desires. Are they even aware of what their desires are, etc.

From there you can start to extrapolate how they'd act in the new Situations you're putting them in! Romance is fun and my favorite to write because some people really do act differently with their loved ones and that's fun to explore, plus relationships can lead to emotional highs and lows. And awaken lots of trauma and angst. You know how it goes.

Practice is essential tho! Itll be bad and okay before it gets good. In my own experience sometimes doing a fuckton of characters becomes "meh" because I worry Im repeating myself - characters of the same temperment can have really similar reactions to a Situation! So I try to put a unique spin it, bc they dont have the same experiences/pasts.

And then ofc I worry I write so much fanfiction that the character isn't like their canon self at all ... I really need to reread asoiaf bc I worry abt that often. So referencing canon scenes/quotes/episodes/chapters/blah blah is essential. Asoiaf wiki is always up, I have notes on Lackadaisy stuff, I'll rewatch scenes in Peaky, etc etc.

[phantasmagoriaoriginals]

WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH MY CHARACTER?

Vash

1. a trait they have too much of  (ex. too much pride = arrogance)

One trait that causes Vash problems is his overconfidence. He has issues with thinking he’s stronger and more capable than he is— usually because he’s so desperate to prove himself that he gets caught up in assuming he can do anything. When it comes to tasks and missions, Vash takes on more than he can handle almost without fail. In his mind, he’s a highly capable Mage and a determined, ambitious enough person to fight for what he wants to accomplish and win. In reality, he’s a dumb kid who’s assuming the best of himself, or more than that, at times when he really shouldn’t. This overconfidence gets both himself and others in trouble, as the choices he makes when led by the idea that he can handle anything are also damaging to anyone who happens to get caught up in them. 

2. a trait they don’t have enough of (ex. too little pride = insecurity)

Vash has a very distinct lack of respect for other people. As you’d expect, this manifests in the way of problems with authority and refusing to do what he’s told, but it also shows up as him having little respect on a more individual scale. Vash is bad at keeping boundaries and letting other people make their own choices. He tends to be pushy and aggressive and assumes that he knows best more often than not. He doesn’t like when people talk back or correct him, and he’s generally sassy, bad-tempered, and unpleasant to anyone who gets too close. Overconfidence blends into this, as he’s convinced he’s always right. 

3. a trait they express in the wrong way

A driving force of Vash’s personality is a desire to be appreciated and approved of. He’s desperate for people to think of him as impressive, capable, and strong, and that’s the cause of a lot of his poor choices. On its own, this desire isn’t exactly a bad thing. It makes Vash a hard worker, determined, and willing and eager to take initiative and get things done. The problem is that, when it couples with the rest of his nature, the need for people to approve of him ends in Vash making very stupid choices. He goes out of his way to do everything possible that he thinks could make himself look better— even though his idea of what will make himself look better is entirely off. He’s reckless, aggressive, impulsive, and stubborn because he’s convinced that if he works hard enough, he’ll gain the approval that he so longs for. It means that he can never be satisfied with himself. 

4. a trait they’re ashamed of

The number one thing Vash is ashamed of is his inexperience. At his age, he knows he doesn’t have anywhere near the history and success record of Mages older than him. He knows he’s naive, and he hates that more than anything. For someone who longs for respect and admiration, knowing that people look down on him— and often, rightfully so— is incredibly frustrating. Vash’s inexperience drives a lot of his other negative traits. He’s so desperate to prove himself that he goes to dangerous lengths. He’s so determined to show that he’s still capable that he makes all kinds of unfortunate choices. Whenever he’s proved wrong or shown to be ignorant or naive, he’s eaten alive with fury and shame. Every flaw feels like one more reason why the people around him will never take him seriously. He’s quite self-conscious of any stupid mistakes that highlight his youth. 

5. a trait they’re not ashamed of (but maybe should be)

Vash has a very bad tendency of throwing himself headfirst into danger. His fire magic is extremely destructive and hard to control— and Vash’s response to that problem is to take risks that hardly seem sane. He’s convinced that he’s impervious to danger and harm, and despite the burn scars covering his body from a combination of poor choices and sheer overwork, it still isn’t getting through that he needs to be a little (or a lot) more careful. And Vash sees no problem with this tendency. In his mind, he’s doing what he needs to in order to prove himself. If launching right into a perilous situation is what shows he’s a capable, powerful Mage, then he’ll take the risk happily. He doesn’t see any problem with the damage and injuries he suffers— or the rampant harm to property that follows his missions. He’s sure that his recklessness is a good thing.

6. a bad habit

A bad habit of Vash’s is his tendency to be a show-off. In line with his desire to be noticed and approved of, he’s developed an unpleasant tendency to try to steal the spotlight and take glory for himself. Vash can’t stand it when other people look better than he does, so he’ll go to uncomfortable lengths to make sure he’s the one who everyone’s focus is on. This includes the aforementioned reckless behavior, not caring if he gets hurt or not so long as the result is impressive, and having major issues with teamwork and cooperation. Vash tries to hype himself up to seem impressive (even when he’s clearly not), and has so thoroughly convinced himself that he does indeed live up to that ideal that he loses his temper when countered. 

7. something they do that hurts themself

Despite his aggressive, punk-like behavior, Vash is surprisingly hard on himself. He values doing things right heavily.... the issue just comes in what he thinks “right” is. He has very high standards for himself and others, with it unclear which set is higher. At the same time that he expects other people to follow his expectations and do things properly, he also is absolutely brutal on himself. Vash will aggressively berate himself for any mistake, no matter how small. Even if it’s silent and hidden (so no one knows how badly he feels he’s messed up), his rage amplifies every time he realizes he’s done something wrong. And this tendency doesn’t do anything to help him. Vash has the perpetual issue of feeling like he’s never good enough for himself or anyone else. He expects so much of himself that he loses it over even the smallest failure. Wanting to be perfect is hard on him, and only serves to make his aggression levels and desperation rise. 

8. something they do that hurts others

Vash is not the type of person to listen to others. More often than not, he’s so certain that he’s right that he completely ignores reasonable directions and requests. While he’s capable of being functionally obedient on missions, Vash does have a nasty tendency of going his own way and making choices that get people hurt. He has a long streak of property destruction behind him thanks to making snap decisions out of careless impulse. And yes, he is indeed careless. In his desperation to show that he’s capable, Vash tends to make choices that don’t take other people or things into account. He’ll accomplish his goal, but he’s likely to hurt himself and the things around him in the process. He has a lot of power, not a lot of control, and a habit of rushing to conclusions that he’ll choose above orders and instructions. 

9. a reason (or excuse) they haven’t improved on any of the above

The main reason why Vash doesn’t improve himself is that his desperation wins out over his logic. If he sat down and thought about it, he could likely find ways to make himself better, but he’s so focused on proving himself and showing off that he doesn’t do that. He’s not too self-aware, and that’s something that hinders him massively. Even when other people try to get through to him, Vash is more likely to assume they’re telling him off of looking down on him than that they’re trying to help. He’s so caught up in accomplishing his goals that he never stops to consider why his actions might not be working. Instead of careful planning and work, he just gets angrier and angrier every time he fails. Aggression is how he faces his problems, and it doesn’t occur to him to try to change. 

10. a way that they are improving on any of the above!

However, in an almost contradictory way, Vash is constantly trying to improve himself. While he’s almost always quite misdirected, Vash does have incredible determination to make himself the best he can be. He’s frantically fixated on improving, growing, and showing that he can climb to greater heights than anyone believes. The problem is that he’s rarely on the right track as to what he needs to change. Vash is the type to assume that he needs more firepower instead of more careful usage. He’ll think that he should act faster and better instead of considering his choices more carefully or listening to people who might know more. In his desperation to show what he can do, Vash completely misses the point. Even so, the truth is that he’s trying his best to be someone better than he now is. 

Questions from here!

[vaguely-gestures-to-the-void]

Hindsight: My thoughts on Loki (2021)

Welcome back folks. Read the innocence dying inside me as I accept that this show eats my expectations for lunch and leaves me like it's going to buy milk.

As a side note from what I said in my first review, here’s an interesting article. Apparently I was clowning because the Gobi desert scene was filmed (probably? idk) with the tech from the Mandalorian. I think the studios were the same. Oh well. https://www.atlasofwonders.com/2021/06/loki-filming-locations.html

Episode 4: THE NEXUS EVENT

Pre-title scene

The new perspective of Asgard is incredible.

Oh baby Sylvie, what did they do to you. Also, RAVONNA??

The TVA through a child’s eyes is heartbreaking. The mixed use of shots that were familiar (the feet walking into the TVA) and new (the TVA logo on the floor) convey how though routine, this is an alien experience for Sylvie.

She too wants to help the man being dragged in. Maybe Sylvie was a better person than Loki, the TVA taking her away was what changed it.

We don’t see Casey, but iIt’s the same ‘sign here’ guy. The changing perspective and music really alters the mood created, contrasting the whimsical procedure we followed in episode one.

She hadn’t even said much in her life. They knew how to influence the audience’s emotions, that's for sure. Props to the actress, I felt genuine concern for her before I remembered that she’s acting.

TVA

Ravonna probably underestimated Sylvie as a Loki, a mistake that cost her greatly.

The golden doors.

Ravonna looks tense and a bit fearful.

Scattered throughout the episode are eyes watching. George Orwell’s 1984, anyone?

Big Brother is watching.

Mobius! He’s a good friend to Ravonna, but there’s a power imbalance.

Ravonna is shaken. Her past failure is haunting her.

Someone edit the “What? How?” into “Wow.” It’ll be a service.

Lamentis - 1

Loki’s apology and Sylvie reflecting on her childhood are the conclusion to the previous episode. Faced with death, Loki realises that her goals were hindered by his actions. His apology is the first time he acknowledges he had something to do with it. Sylvie’s offering her emotional vulnerability in the form of memories. Her mind and experiences are her most prized possession because they’re all she has of the person who she was as Loki, her childhood and what she was supposed to be. Her glorious purpose, what really makes a Loki a ‘Loki’ was her life.

THEY TRUST EACH OTHER. THIS WAS WHAT CAUSED THE NEXUS EVENT.

C H A R A C T E R D E V E L O P M E N T.

Ravonna pointed out that Loki will always be a “lying scourge” but they went against this. In any timeline, this could cause a nexus event. They found a middle ground.

“That should be setting off alarms if someone steps on the wrong leaf.” I had a whole idea about entropy and the timeline being an isolated system but I struggled to define an isolated system, and thus I couldn’t use the whole irreversible process causing entropy to grow causing a br- if you have a clue of what I’m going on about, or want to know more, I’ll explain my thoughts. I can understand why this isn’t scientifically accurate and I’m no physicist.

The unbranched timeline means all the things that were speculated - Wanda’s kids, what happened on Saakar, all of it - is gone.

“Any news on C - 20?”I called it! B-15 is having doubts! Her subtle unease building up throughout the ep is perfect!

Most settlements have a street design that can be from space. Sharru doesn’t.

“No. We may lose... ...you’re amazing!” Damn it literally took the end of a world for Loki to change as a person.

“Their smiles. If that isn’t people accepting their deaths I don’t know what is. Man, I just want both of them to be happy.

Please don’t let that be the love theme, it’s so pretty.

The music fading into the TVA theme as they get separated is so sad.

Time Theater 25

Back to square one in terms of trust with these two, but now they have history and hurt feelings too!

Oh Mobius.

Cycles are a part of who Loki is within Norse mythology (from what I know, correct me if I’m wrong). This scene is conflict.

Loki needs both Mobius and Sylvie to incite change. One can empathise whilst the other believes in him.

Mobius believes in Loki like no one else in the TVA. He treats him like an individual, they developed a bond in episode 2, so his disappointment and anger were genuine. This is reflected in their dialogue.

Even when Loki was going through all the Feels in ep 1, he didn’t shout at Mobius. It makes it more heartbreaking when Mobius laughs and dismisses him after the “TVA is lying to you” thing. His laugh was so bitter, it’s like his belief that Loki would be the variant to prove that variants were individuals had been shattered. What Mobius doesn’t realise is that Loki was genuinely trying to warn him. The trust between them was fragile but Mobius needed to come to his own conclusions before he could see that Loki had broken out of the mold the Time Keepers set for him.

“Just kind of an asshole and a bad friend.” Y’all, Mobius doesn’t rise to Loki’s baits. He’s so hurt.

I can’t be the only one that thought Loki was going to be brainwashed when they saw the red door. Turns out it’s just a time cell.

I love Mobius but he makes me feel so conflicted. Oh shit, he’s my problematic fave.

Watching Loki get his ass handed to him by Lady Sif shouldn’t be this funny.

This particular memory reflects what Mobius will talk about later, Loki being abandon by the people around him.

Putting Loki through a memory that was physically and emotionally painful was nasty. If you hear something horrible, over and over especially from a friend it would take a toll on your self-perception. Mobius was hurt by Loki leaving him, he’s getting revenge whilst doing his job and getting into Loki’s head.

Ravonna’s office

Ravonna has hang ups from failing with Sylvie. Who she is and what she knows is going to be interesting.

Heck I just realised are Mobius’ lapels not real? They look fake.

I wonder whether the “mastermind” thing was foreshadowing the next ep.

Am I the only one who thinks this isn’t the first Loki Mobius has dealt with? Could that mean there’s a reunion next ep?!

“Variant pet.” There’s a culture of dehumanising variants within the TVA.

The cuts showing both B-15 and Mobius’ faces reminds me of ep 1, but now there’s a new angle to things. B-15 certainly sees things differently.

Time Theatre 25

Lady Sif would kill with short hair. Or long hair. It’s Lady Sif, she’s a badass.

Loki’s exhale reminds me of how he tenses before a fight.

Notable things about this scene:

Heavy use of metaphors to trade jabs.

The lights are shifting in a consistent pattern, scanning the room almost.

Shots are constantly moving and cutting.

Loki’s speech pattern changes when he’s lying. Nice touch there.

When they start arguing in earnest, the shots are close ups of their faces, not circling around each other.

Loki was at first willing to talk to Mobius if he was treated with respect, the way they engaged in episode 2. He also wants to trust that Mobius won’t kill him. Mobius dismisses him (rightly so, his trust is gone) and Loki’s pride about ‘not working for anyone’ gets in the way rather than listening to each other. Loki’s behaviour is cyclic and his lying about Sylvie affirms Mobius’s understanding that Loki won’t (or maybe can’t) change. I wouldn’t be too surprised if Mobius is a Loki, the man’s uncannily good at reading him. He deduces that Loki and Sylvie have a bond and unsettles Loki to get answers out of him, because he knows that’s the only way he can force Loki to reveal his cards. He definitely wasn’t expecting Loki’s earlier admission to be the truth. What Mobius did was not right, but it sure was effective.

“No. Not partners.” I believe this. They had an understanding, but their goals differ. Maybe just give Sylvie her own show.

“Guess you don’t do partners.” MOBIUS WHY ARE YOU SO BUTT-HURT? Probably to make Loki feel bad ik, but it’s still funny to think Lightning McQueen is salty.

That memory really hurt Loki. He stuttered.

Loki fixates on Sylvie rather than his own freedom. This was the cue to Mobius to start interrogating.

Bruh, the feeling they were experiencing better be friendship.

This made me uncomfortable because I was so sure we weren’t gonna get a romantic subplot that I related the characters to my actual family relationships. Marvel. Why?

The music combined with Mobius’ subtle shift in demeanor from irritated to mockery was very unsettling to me. I never realised how good an actor Owen Wilson was.

“Our interests are aligned.” Once Mobius tells him the truth, Loki does the same. I really hope this is the extent of their relationship. Just let them recognise one another as equals. Please Marvel.

Mobius’ hands twitching, the slight swallow. Yeesh, he certainly doesn’t think Loki’s lying, but he’s not about to accept it.

Loki’s head shake is sad. He knows he can’t convince Mobius.

“That I can respect. I mean the lies you tell yourself.” This was the best writing imo. Loki doesn’t make any final attempts to connive his way out of the situation because telling the truth to someone he’d trusted had failed. He willingly walks into the Time Cell.

Time Theater 47

B-15 being unable to support herself, having to rely on the structures around her to stay upright. This woman deserves so much y’all.

WE NEED HER NAME MARVEL.

You better appreciate her beyond shipping her with Sylvie or istg.

The music is so mournful. It just emphasises how much everything changing is going to hurt not only the main characters. Lives change because of the TVA and the events of this episode, it’s not overlooked by the writing or music.

The poster and the 1984 parallels. Exquisite!

Sylvie not sitting straight made me snort.

Ravonna Renslayer’s office

More Theremin music! This time I’m pretty sure it’s Carnival of the Animals, XIII. Le Cygne (the Swan) : Le carnaval des animaux: No. 12, Le cygne (arr. For theremin and piano) by Clara Rockmore.

Fun fact! Clara Rockmore influenced theremin music and the instrument and was a virtuoso of the instrument. Give her a google, it’s worth it. Also look up Leon Theremin, he was (among other things) a Soviet spy. There’s a great Wiki spiral for anyone there.

Mobius was probably being lined up for a high position in the TVA. Damn.

TemPads are personal, or have different levels of clearance.

Mobius didn’t stop interrogating Ravonna throughout that scene. He knew that she wasn’t telling him the whole truth.

Sleight of hand wasn’t shown how Loki and Sylvie do it, they didn’t use misdirection.

Ravonna knows something is up with Mobius. Maybe he hasn’t been around for long if this is his ‘career case’.

The pacing becomes really fast like in the end of episode 2 as conflicts get resolved. Buckle up comrades.

2050 Roxxcart Disaster

I don’t have much to add, it’s a powerful scene.

They use close ups whenever a truth bombshell is dropped.

The music varies considerably between these scenes, each one has a different tone.

“We’re the same.” With what she knows of B-15, Sylvie knew not to be smug when delivering the news about B-15’s life.

B-15 crying in the rain hurts.

“I looked happy.”

TVA archives, Time Cell, Time Theater 25

The floor opposite Mobius is FE3, above it is 3FG.

Oh Mobius.

C-20 deserved better, I'd love to see her later in the series.

The music goes from mournful to harsh and we’re left in silence when it cuts to the Time Cell.

“You told me to shut up.” Loki can be salty sometimes.

“Do you really think you deserve to be alone?” Mobius is rattled, he wants to unsettle Loki.

The music starts to build somewhere between “...your connection... “ and Loki saying “‘WE?’”

The faint tinkling reminds me of the Avatar (blue people) score.

“How about the word of a friend?” This is Loki’s olive branch. When he admits Loki was right, their trust is tentatively reinstated.

The music is finally back to that chaotic theme we know. I think it’s the TVA’s theme.

“You can be whoever, whatever you wanna be, even someone good. I mean just in case anyone ever told you different.” Mobius corrects what he says in the first ep.

They are friends y’all I’m so sad.

Mobius can lie through his teeth like it’s nobody’s business.

Pruning hurts, Mobius’ face is in agony.

Loki’s tears. GIVE THEM ALL JETSKIS.

Ravonna takes a moment to compose herself.

Time Keepers (the final smackdown)

Why are the last 10 minutes always so insane?

Loki’s eyes only show hurt. I’ll leave.

Ravonna’s so sharp, she instantly catches Sylvie’s wet hair.

All of our expectations from the trailers always get yeeted out of a window because the scenes are never really what we think they are. I get that that should be expected but it’s refreshing that the writing is never what we think it is.

Did anyone else notice the egg timer/infinity sign murals on one of the hallways to the left of Sylvie?

Ravonna is so cold (and yet I’d simp for her).

The M.C. Escher staircases I see you set designers/CGI folks.

B-15 just gets knocked out. They better not kill her for no reason or I riot.

I’m pretty sure that Sylvie ripped off one of Ravonna’s TVA badges (or buttons) when she fought her.

Sylvie’s the better fighter, she’s had to use it more often though.

The elevator doors stay open.

It would be so funny if we get an elevator scene where Sylvie is just dragging Ravonna somewhere.

They really led us on with the Time Keepers, particularly the middle one. I was somewhat convinced there’d be something more to it. I’m interested to see where it goes.

Ep 4 review

I really don’t have much to add with these last two episodes. I’ve definitely come to appreciate that no matter whether you liked the writing of the show or not, it’s never what you expect. Is that a good thing? I guess that that remains to be seen. Nonetheless, I appreciate how much effort went into this series. It’s been a fun romp, I’ll be back with my reviews of the final episodes. I’ll also stop posting Loki content to my blog because the Gods know that my followers don’t read this lol.

I’m just going to survive until the season is over and then hopefully keep my sanity together until the next Marvel content or at least Dr. Strange.

Here's the link to my episode 3 review.

Thank you all for being here, you're wonderful my loves.