#also what i mean by the main post is that trigger would not kill him off. probably not falin either. theyd end it like

[matoitech]

my first thought seeing ppl theorizing laios is gonna have 2 die/stay dead at the end of dungeon meshi along w falin was ‘trigger doesnt operate off THAT kinda logic’ even tho triggers just adapting </3

[lauraneedstochill]

I debated whether I should keep my opinion on EP3 in the comments to @st-eve-barnes post (she made some good arguments btw!) but I guess I’m out of fucks to give. just like the HOTD scriptwriters ✌

big fat disclaimer: I sincerely can’t say a single bad thing about Ewan. his acting was absolutely amazing, he owned the scene, and it’s pretty clear he doesn’t have a problem with nudity (if you watched “High Life”, you know what I’m talking about; if you didn’t, please read the warnings before watching).

my problem is with everything leading up to the brothel scene with Aegon — because this is NOT how you write conflict, and because it could’ve hit way harder if only it was done PROPERLY. unsurprisingly, it started in EP2:

➡ the fact that we got absolutely no reaction to B&C from Aemond is a joke. I’ve read some people saying “well, Jaehaerys isn’t his son so why would he care” — sure, Aemond wasn’t competing to win the uncle of the year award. BUT you are telling me he wouldn’t simply be pissed about the fact that a couple of nobodies managed to sneak into the supposedly well-guarded castle and kill a Targaryen like it’s no big deal? that they dared to put a knife to Helaena’s neck, that they clearly could’ve done worse things to her? that they left a mess in his room, touched his stuff? you mean Aemond, who is definitely an annoying perfectionist who puts every thing in its specific place, Aemond who’s extremely arrogant about being the best warrior, the biggest defender, the mister-know-it-all, Aemond who clearly has anger issues — HE wouldn’t be fuming on the inside? HE wouldn’t rush to the small council meeting to know all the details? HE wouldn’t volunteer to help Aegon murder the ones responsible? it’s a pity everyone’s forgotten S1 Aemond but I have NOT.

➡ I won’t talk much about the brothel scene in EP2 (@pygmyharmoset analyzed it really well) but I will say that to me it felt very disconnected from the main plotline. yet again, there is NO ! BUILD UP ! was it so hard to at least show Aemond leaving? to let us know what mood he was in (was he agitated? fidgeting? when exactly he decided to leave? did something trigger it?). they could’ve cut out the moment of his arrival so we wouldn’t know where he was going to have the big shocking reveal later when he’s suddenly with Sylvi, all naked and vulnerable. it would’ve only taken an additional MINUTE of screentime!

➡ now, to the worst of it — and I really want you to think over what I’m about to say:

people are allowed to grieve in their own way. not everyone is lucky to have all the right tools to process trauma.

did Aegon treat Aemond poorly? was he mean and cruel to his younger brother? yes. yes, he was (newsflash: there are no good people in this show. hope this helps).

BUT

was Aegon’s child killed because of a mistake Aemond made? is it possible that Aegon’s been harboring his resentment, that the absence of Aemond in that tragic, pivotal moment in their lives hurt him? the answer is also YES. Aegon doesn’t know how and has never seen how to cope with emotions in a healthy way, and it’s not in his power to break the cycle so he keeps repeating all the same mistakes. that’s the tragedy of it and that’s the ticking bomb planted under the foundation of their relationship.

the tragedy of that dumbass writing we’ve been presented with is that we did not see their conflict take root. we DID NOT get to see how their discontent kept growing, how they both felt caged and dissatisfied with their circumstances (Aegon realizes no one wants him on the throne and he feels helpless, Aemond is constantly being denied the chance to prove himself so he also feels helpless) — and how eventually that anger they couldn’t channel into anything else made them lash out at each other.

my first thought after watching EP3 was that there’s gotta be a scene missing between the small council meeting and the brothel scene. there SHOULD’VE been a scene with just Aegon and Aemond, they had all the reasons and opportunities for it! here, think about this:

Aemond’s comment at the end of the meeting comes off as patronizing (“It’s a brave thought” — Aemond is forbidden to leave with Vhagar so he’s glad that Aegon has to sit back, too). Aegon insists that he’s just “as fearsome”; but the thing is, he isn’t sure of it, so of course Aemond’s words stay with him, nibble at him, and it would only take a cup or two for him to get heated about it. he calls Aemond to his chambers and brings back the topic — “You don’t deem me brave, brother? You do not think I’d fight just as hard?”. it’s only the two of them, Aegon is in full armor, standing on his little wooden stool, a cup in his hands. and because he is hurting, he wants to hurt Aemond in return. so he gets off the stool and comes closer to him, sneering, “You are, no doubt, a fierce warrior,” — but then the smile falls off his face, and his voice gets quiet, pained, searing, “So tell me, where were you when my son was being murdered? I came to learn that they were looking for you, were they not? Oh, you would’ve fought them off with ease, for sure. So where were you, huh?”

and then you get the tension breaking, the emotions erupting — and, most importantly, the CONFLICT. Aegon throws the cup away, darts to Aemond, grabs him by his clothes (remember how desperately he held his face in EP9 of S1? the parallel would’ve been so beautiful !), finally screaming “Have you any idea what you’ve done? WHAT IT COST US?” — and now he isn’t talking about B&C but about Luke too. only, we’ve seen the extent of Aemond’s guilt and he isn’t about to show it now, taken aback by Aegon’s outburst, so instead of taking the blame, Aemond does what he knows best — he attacks him in return. they throw accusations at each other: Aemond reminds Aegon he was getting drunk, he himself didn’t do anything to be there for his family, he didn’t even do anything to deserve being on the throne. it’s nasty, it’s a shouting match, Aegon’s buddies eventually have to come in to pull them away from each other.

and it’s no surprise that Aegon goes back to drinking after that. and Aemond, overwhelmed and in disarray, goes back to the only place that can grant him comfort. so when Aegon finds him there and dares to humiliate him publicly and rob him of that illusion of comfort — that’s when something switches in Aemond. that’s when he decides he’s not a loyal dog anymore.

and that is, in my humble and very subjective opinion, how you properly bring someone’s temper to a boiling point. if only Ryan Condal ever cared, HA.

[angelic-dew]

Can I get yandere alphabet list with tanjiro?? Thank you babes <3

# yandere alphabet list !

✧༉‧₊˚୨ 🕸 ୧・author's note :: sorry for the delay, my posting schedule isn't the most consistent! I got this list from @dear-yandere to use as reference.

✧༉‧₊˚୨ 🔪 ୧・pairing :: Tanjiro K. x g/n reader — {you/your pronouns}

✧༉‧₊˚୨ ⛓ ୧・trigger warnings :: yandere. isolation. kidnapping. unhealthy obsessions. delusions. some ooc. mentions of drugs. mental abuse. manipulation. gaslighting. stalking. grammatical errors. ⁞⁞ LETTERS A—P

⚝. Just a reminder I don't tolerate nor do I encourage the following topics in reality; I like keeping it strictly to fiction.

[A]ffection :: How do they show their love and affection? How intense would it get?

Tanjiro is an interesting individual when he becomes lovesick. His undying love for you only burns pure passion and lust into the deepest depths of his heart for you; so it's no surprise he tries to show you his affection in every way he humanly can. I see his main love languages being words of affirmation and quality time, of course, some others slip in as well, just not as much such as gift-giving and acts of service. So he's willing to go to many lengths for you, he always strives to give you his utter best and nothing less.

[B]lood :: How messy are they willing to get when it comes to their darling?

Not much in particular, he would never hurt innocent civilians and villagers regardless of how much jealousy tries to tempt him into acting in such a manner. He would rather try to isolate you from that person(s) completely rather than kill them off, though, he does get sudden urges to act upon those deeds. Now, if it's a demon, then it's fair game. The brutality would really show in his actions if it were a demon, like a fire luminously burning in his chest as he fights it courageously, just for you.

[C]ruelty :: How would they treat their darling once abducted? Would they mock them?

No, he would never dream of showing what's truly stored beneath the surface of his kind smile. Even though you got abducted by him, he would still treat you with the same vehement amount of endearment; if not, maybe a bit more since you have no one to go to besides him if there's any such issue. He likes this feeling of being depended on. Kamado would definitely make you dependent on him but also restrict some of your access to certain parts in your place of capture by keeping a heavy chain tightly secured to your ankle.

[D]arling :: Aside from abduction, would they do anything against their darling’s will?

Of course, he would, not intentionally though; he really doesn't mean to act upon it in these such ways but his self-control slips at certain times when rage begins to consume him entirely. I see him always wanting to be around you, therefore, that can translate to taking you on various missions with him with or without your permission. He lives and breathes you, it's no surprise he'd also tend to drug you from time to time with sleeping medication so you can barely remember a thing when you end up in a foreign location.

[E]xposed :: How much of their heart do they bare to their darling? How vulnerable are they when it comes to their darling?

Before your 'disappearance', I would assume he would be very subtle with his emotions towards you; of course, he would be a little too friendly towards you but what's the harm in that? You two are just best friends, nothing more or nothing less, sharing a close bond together is all that it is. Now, when his true colours are revealed, he'd be much more open with you concerning his feelings, reminding you every night that you're with him that you're his only true love, whispering words of compassion, professing his love for you repeatedly in hopes you'd see him in the same way he sees you. Very vulnerable indeed.

[F]ight :: How would they feel if their darling fought back?

He is not pleased in the slightest. Tanjiro loves you, why can't you just see that he means all well to you. His one and only radiant angel sent from above; he doesn't harm you even though he is edged to do so, his violent tendencies are getting worse and worse. He simply sees you being unhappy with the situation, he only attempts to console and softly mutter words of how much you mean to him. It's only for your own good after all, he's doing this for you, can't you see that? Hopefully one day you'll realize that your actions of lashing out are futile.

[G]ame :: Is this a game to them? How much would they enjoy watching their darling try to escape?

This situation is far from comical to Tanjiro. There is no such entertainment in having his darling try to leave him when he desperately needs them more than ever. So, attempts to escape do enrage him to an extent but he could never actually get upset with you. Not all can bare with these types of experiences, so he doesn't blame you. All he has to do is up the ante in barriers and security in your place of capture. And maybe do the same for you.

[H]ell :: What would be their darling’s worst experience with them?

Hmm, if I had to pick, it would be the few times he deprived you of food and water as a form of punishment. Strengthening your restraints and such as well, causing nasty bruises to form along your wrists. That and the time he locks you up for long durations in pitch darkness as another form of punishment. But this treatment type only comes when you seriously cross the line.

[I]deals :: What kind of future do they have in mind for/with their darling?

He planned everything out already! He wants an estate and to be married and four kids and a pet chicken named Kota! But in all seriousness, he sees himself falling for you further in the future and you doing the same to him. He sees you walking down the aisle looking utterly extravagant! That's the main thing he dreams of each night. To make it official with you. To tie you with him until death do you both part.

[J]ealousy :: Do they get jealous? Do they lash out or find a way to cope?

Not really, but he can't control it when he does get this strong feeling. He usually tries to be passive-aggressive with his jealousy, uttering snarky remarks under his breath but never anything too direct. He usually sulks in his jealousy until he reminds himself that you truly belong to him and him only! It's pretty useless wasting emotions on those who aren't worth it.

[K]isses :: How do they act around or with their darling?

Fairly.. normal in public spaces. I mean, it is Tanjiro after all, he acts cheerful and sweet, comforting when he needs to. He acts like his usual self, however, there is a distinct possessive nature which lurks deep within him that comes out of hiding ever so often. He is keen on having your attention all to himself, and will become highly frustrated if someone were to even hold you in a conversation.

[L]ove letters :: How would they go about courting or approaching their darling?

Easy. I think that Kamado would definitely be a strong believer that all relationships last longer when they are friends or good acquaintances before pursuing an actual relationship; ergo, he would attempt to befriend you before dropping some hints on the matter.

[M]ask :: Are their true colours drastically different from the way they act around everyone else?

Not entirely, Tanjiro is Tanjiro, he will always be what he is, a good person deep down that wants nothing more than to help others in need, but you, you bring out something he could have never imagined himself being like - How hostile he could truly get around others when they've done nothing wrong, a sense of urgency always takes over him when he's with you, and he'd be very clingy, you must pay attention to him! and him only.

[N]aughty :: How would they punish their darling?

As I stated previously in [H]ell, I would say he isn't one for many punishments. The most he'll do (when you're finally abducted of course), is tighten your restraints to the point you feel like you're losing circulation to that area. The cold steel tightens around your wrists, almost making your hand feel completely numb; now that would be the worst. The second type of punishment is depriving you of food and water for at least a day or two, while you're stuck in the darkness, with only his voice to alleviate your whines and needs.

[O]ppression :: How many rights would they take away from their darling?

The most Kamado would do is restrict you from having much freedom; when he 'punishes' you, he cracks away at your basic needs: nutrients, food and water. So I would say that's bad by itself but your social interaction will also be limited, as expected. The only one you could ever truly see besides him is Nezuko, and even then, she has issues with her speech.

[P]atience :: How patient are they with their darling?

Extremely patient, it's kind of scary at times, he rarely ever snaps - and if he does it's not something noticeable. The only thing that would change is that his always soft smile would shift into more of a neutral frown accompanied by a blank stare. Another thing about Tanjiro is that he's incredibly understanding, which makes him more tolerable than other yanderes, in turn, he can see why you will not enjoy these circumstances. So take all the time you need to adjust.

© angelic-dew, please don't translate or reclaim without permission <3

[supahstarrr]

rambling.

Hu's case is interesting to me because the objects associated with her (butterflies) seem to imply that her character revolves around changing & rebirth due to its symbolism, and she herself finally has the strength to speak about her secret while implying she wanted to put the secret "behind her."

This along with the chapter's themes around change/regression could hint to her "change" already happening before the killing game, similarly to Levi. Although at first I thought it would be least satisfying thing for her to be the murderer due to the symbolism and potential of her character, this "change" of hers already happening before the series taking place mean there's a more likely chance that her being the culprit can be executed in a satisfying way since the murder could act as her arc due to it being the "regression" to her "change."

This is more of an interpretation of mines, but I feel like the this regression arc of hers is more likely to happen because the series has been deconstructing that this "change" Hu implies is partially or even entirely false and struggling to occur. Her emphasis on life being fulfilling if she has a purpose (or feel useful) fuels her constant need to repress her emotions to reduce her humanity into a person who lives only to serve for others.

Thus in the process she reduces other people's humanity, speaks over them and is the negative fuel to her dynamics (Hu/Nico) & (Hu/Ace) [this example is more complex as of course Ace also the one who negativity fuels their dynamic, she surely does add to it by simplifying him as a villain than a human]. These are things that increase the unlikeness of getting outside support she needs, helping her become stuck in her chambers even more.

Her pushing aside the secret with a "putting it behind me" is although understandable due to the nature of it and her depression, the wording could be interpreted as not truly addressing her issues and the severity of her depression. I could see if she wanted to brush aside her secret if she acknowledges that it could trigger regression to recovery. Problem is that her actions so far has shown poor attempts, or hardly any attempts at all, at addressing her mental health, especially with her fixation on being useful and repressing her humanity. It doesn't seem as if she focus on recovery but more on superficial change. In a way, she constantly isolates herself from others and even herself. In way she's just developed another way to harm herself.

We genuinely cant forget that what makes her even more isolated is her preferably getting emotional connections through her idealizations of people, instead of deconstructing those standards herself. She approaches herself and others in such a shallow way. She only see people (including herself) as ideas more than genuine people, and her ideals being broken constantly isn't helping either.

There can be depth to her being the culprit other than her suicidal tendencies. She could risk being the culprit if it meant to she would go out in "glory" because she was "useful" when it came to taking Arei out. I can't pinpoint why she specifically would want to kill Arei, other than Hu desire to target her being rooted in a negative interpretation of Arei (her being the "trouble of the group"), because she wasn't there when Arei blatantly said she wanted to change.

Maybe Arei came during the wrong place wrong time, thus the murder at first was accidental before the culprit and possible accomplices decided to take the steps to make the murder seemed "planned" or "suicide." Or maybe Arei was the planned target yet the murder and planned still managed to fuck up somehow. I don't know man Okay lol. I can't explain how I feel about the murder scene, but it feels unusually sloppy yet planned at once, as if there was a sudden transition to motivates or plans or something.

The main point of this post is to see how her being a culprit could make sense for the story and her story, not really as an attempt to entirely decide that she's the culprit. I'm trying to keep my options open. Problem with deciding that she's immediately the culprit is that her words during the trial (episode 12) specifically gave an emphasis on living. Which could still mean she's involved in the murder case, but more of a planner than the one doing the killing.

Can I just go back to the symbolism for a minute. Why does she cover herself in butterflies, other than their association with femininity that she embraces in? Perhaps she admires the idea of change, but can't find the true methods to change. Maybe her covering herself in butterflies is an attempt to "force" the association with her, as a shallow attempt to say she's change without actually doing the recovery behind the change. With this "change" actually happening before the killing game, the symbolism could really be seen in a different perspective...

Semi-related but another post out there admitted that they were scared for the story, and to be honest I do too. I'm feeling too conflicted about how the story is going so far although I'm not willing to say there are writing issues yet.. im just conflicted about stuff. Okay. Okay. Okay bye im done talking.

Also, I am a little disappointed that most of the predictions of Hu being the culprit doesn't really come out of concern for her character and story, but because they don't like her. I really do feel like she's so severely misunderstood, it sucks imo.

[littlemissclandestine]

Why I think Russell Adler is going to make a comeback in COD 2024

WARNING⚠️: Contains spoilers for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2

Disclaimer: This is all just speculation on my behalf of course. I've just tried piecing stuff together for fun because Russ is one of my fave BO characters even though he's a bitch but i need more Adler content stat. <33

Let's get into it peeps. HEAR ME OUT.

Buckle up. Gonna be one hell of a ride folks 🤪

We'll start off with some random/background info.

Russ was born on February 12th 1937 so that would make him 53/54 in the Gulf War era. This actually isn't that old because if you think about it, Woods was about to turn 51 in 1981 during the Cold War campaign. What's a few more years?

We last saw Adler in action post-campaign in Warzone 1.0 cinematics but we've been kept in the dark about Adler's whereabouts post-1984 (after being brainwashed and killing Stitch LOL).

This meanie in a beanie wasn't forgotten about, oh no. He appears in the new cinematic intros on startup for both MWII (2022) and MWIII (2023). See below:

He was also featured twice in the 20 year anniversary video for Call of Duty whereas COD Ghosts didn't even get an appearance (ouch): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eL_w5HmxsPI

I personally believe Adler was a great addition to the Black Ops roster and is essentially the new Black Ops 'cover boy' now. Would be such a shame and a missed opportunity not to include a character like him in the upcoming COD. One who is morally grey, does whatever he deems necessary to get the job done - a bit like Cpt. Price in MW. Got the COD fans riled up about him brainwashing and pulling the trigger on Bell too - he's already got the spotlight in both a good and bad way.

Now, let's explore my main reasoning as to why I think Mr Shades 2.0 is most likely coming back in late 2024...

🎖️First up: Gulf War mission list 🔫

Here are some of the campaign missions that will be featured in Black Ops Gulf War. Obviously, this is subject to change, however, going off what we have, look closely...

Credit: @MWIIINTEL on Twitter/X

Safehouse guys...SAFEHOUSE. Takes you right back to Cold War, doesn't it? Ugh the potential.

🕵️ Next up: The campaign for COD 2024 will dive into the CIA's role/the Black Ops timeline 🕘

I took the following snippet from this official article.

From this, we know there will be a huge focus on the CIA and who's a CIA clandestine special officer? Mhm, you guessed it - Russell Adler.

Now, according to the events of BO2, it's evident which characters have the possibility of returning out of our original BO trio - Jason Hudson, Frank Woods and Alex Mason.

💫 Alex is presumed dead after Frank shot him so he's out the picture in '90/91 until 2025 when they canonically meet again.

🪵 Woods would be in his 60s during this time too so I'll let you decide whether that's too old for him to be in GW.

Edit: Woods got SPAS-12'd in the kneecaps on Dec 20th 1989 by Raul Menendez so uh...yeah

🧊 Hudson died on Dec 20th 1989 at the hands of Raul Menendez.

Feel free to check out this website (Call of Duty Wiki) for an outline of the events after CW to remind yourself. Here's a link to the Black Ops timeline from there.

➡️ Gulf War being a direct sequel to Cold War and what that could mean 💉

That brings me onto the rest of the safehouse crew. Since GW is a direct sequel to CW, it would make sense for some characters to carry over if possible:

We, as the player/Bell, get to choose whether Park or Lazar die (or both lovebirds) in 'End of the Line'. It's highly unlikely they'll return unless the devs make one decision canon maybe.

There could be a chance we see Sims again given his bond with Adler (Da Nang etc.), his age (late 40s in GW) and his status (alive).

That leaves the man himself, Russ. Everything from his age to the fact he's CIA and was the deuteragonist in COD 2020's campaign just makes sense for him to have at least a lil cameo or even a larger role, don't you think?

📱Finally: Hints from official posts 🔎

This post from Call of duty's official Instagram account kind of sealed the deal for me.

Oh lookie - they dropped syringe-lover's famous line in a zombies post. Why would COD just drop it so casually like that without a reason and years after CW came out? They could've said absolutely anything else but no, this was purposeful.

And that's all for this episode guys and gals!

Thank you for reading!! 🫂

Do what you will with all this information but I have concluded in my silly little brain that scarface is coming back.

How he's only in one game is beyond me. Won't get a character like him ever again. Seems like a cliché war dude at first glance but dig a little deeper into the details of the CW campaign, peel back the layers and get into his psychology and WOWZERS.

Am I delusional? Most definitely.

But the possibility he might be returning...that little bit of hope is enough for me and i won't shut up about it.

This will age horribly if he isn't in GW. Forgive me for feeding your delusions too in that case. Please?

What are your thoughts? Feel free to share them! 😊

------

EDIT: Y'ALL IT'S HAPPENING 😭😭

[generic-sonic-fan]

I’ve read some of your Drabbles with GUN in them and I was wondering. Do they have any contingencies for Tails? I would think they would all be related to trying to control sonic but would they also see him as potential threat? I mean, he has smarts to rival Eggman.

Asker is referencing these posts!

Contingencies around Tails are under a strict "no record" policy. Debates about what to do if Tails goes villainous are done in sound-proof rooms, no cameras, no cell phones, no nothing when it comes to technology. Only the top of the top brass get to be in on meetings about Tails contingency.

This is because they're convinced that if Sonic finds out that GUN has contingency plans for His Beloved Baby Brother, there'll be nothing left of GUN within the week. Knowledge of the Tails contingency plan is therefore classified as an infohazard.

(The contingencies themselves are pretty tame, surprisingly- a lot of Tails' threat to the world overlaps with what GUN already has in place to counter Eggman. If Tails goes rogue by himself, it would still suck, but it would be survivable.

The main caveat being that if Tails goes rogue, there's a high likelihood that Sonic would follow. And what might trigger both Tails and Sonic to turn against GUN? The knowledge that GUN has plans to kill Tails should he be deemed a threat. And Tails is very good at snooping places he isn't supposed to see electronically. Hence the high level of security and the classification as an infohazard.)

[catchyhuh]

What are your thoughts on the rest of the gang’s knowledge/experience with Jigen’s fear of ghosts, and likewise for Lupin’s fear of octopi?

I. GOT MORE INTO THIS THAN I EXPECTED i also looked around a bit to see if i could find fujiko, goemon and zeni’s little… unserious fears, but i couldn’t remember anything/my gigantic lupin screenshots and note-taking docs were no help in finding stuff those three were creeped out by. if anybody has any info on how to ruin these three’s days, please share

SO!

IRRATIONAL /NOT THAT BIG A DEAL FEARS

lupin: not fucking big on octopi

probably got it from some absolute nothingburger childhood event where he went to the beach and one got a bit too close to him and he internalized that rather than all of the other fucking insane shit that was going around him throughout that time

jigen is probably the one who fixates on it the most because it’s. really not that serious. it’s not like this is some kind of trauma trigger, he’s just icked out by the suction cup thingies. ergo jigen is always the first to shove an octopus at lupin just to laugh at him when he makes a face and goes “CUT THAT SHIT OUT”

fujiko doesn’t really think about it much, and honestly didn’t realize it was a thing since it never came up in day to day life until they went to scope out an aquarium for some jewels in the mosaic mural or whatever and he just grimaced like a cat about to throw up when he saw the giant 10 foot tall red octopus on the wall hovering over him. and she’s just seeing him wince at the wall and all she can think is “oh my god does he think the rubies are fake. is he about to tell me this is all for nothing” while lupin is thinking “jesus christ. i love her i love my fujicakes i have to do this i love her i lo

goemon is the least affected by it, since he’s usually busy doing his own thing in instances where it would come up. he’s off doing whatever the hell he wants on the beach, he’s waiting outside on the roof at the aquarium, he’s letting jigen handle the main dish while he prepares the sides. even if he did witness firsthand lupin going “EW EW EW GET IT AWAY” like a child seeing a centipede for the first time he’d probably dismiss it as “oh, he really hates that watery, slimy texture on his skin. i wouldn’t want that either, really.” and then just. gently bats it away. doesn’t think anything of it in the slightest

did zenigata INITIALLY know he was afraid of them. no. he didn’t mean to actually freak him out while he was throwing an actual fucking octopus on him to catch him that one time, it just made sense to get a grabby animal to help him. well. grab. however when he DID FIND OUT, he spent a whole week setting up petty and random ways to throw octopi into his thwarting plans. it’d be a lot easier to catch someone if they were so caught off guard by something they hate they totally forgot to check around their surroundings. unfortunately for pops this is probably the reason why lupin’s not AS creeped out by them as he used to be. son of a bitch accidentally used exposure therapy on him like fear factor or something. oopsie!

side note this is making me realize i wrote that entire splatoon post without once considering the fact that lupin fucking hates like half the environment there. double oopsie

jigen: not fucking big on ghosts. or nuclear radiation but that’s not the point

i can understand why a guy emotionally haunted by all of the people he’s needlessly killed in his life would also be afraid of those same people like. ACTUALLY haunting him. plus it’d be funny if he went his entire childhood not that bothered by the idea of ghosts only to get steadily more freaked out by the idea as he got older

in a more nonspecific sense he just does not like having shit jumping out at him and ghosts seem to be the most common proponent of that so by association FUCK GHOSTS

lupin, to balance the scale here, is the worst. accidentally forgetting to mention a movie has to do with ghosts, bringing him into an old warehouse to steal something and certainly not because it has old creepy halloween props in it, hell, he even keeps extra white sheets on hand juuust in case. more than anything this just annoys the shit out of jigen and makes him reconsider his entire life that led up to the point of his lifetime partner in more ways than one actually resorting to going “ooOOoOOOOoo” at 3 a.m. to push his buttons.

fujiko is delighted by the fact, but restrains herself here. unlike the above example, she knows the most effective scare is one that comes out of the blue, after spending so long feeling calm. she’ll be sitting at the table in the morning reading an article on her phone, gasping really loudly and going “‘mansion at (address just up the street from their hideout) declared officially haunted 45 years after human remains were found in the basement’?! how creepy! i don’t know how you guys can stand sleeping a few houses away from that” and yes, this tactic ALSO annoys him, but is still effective, because they keep staying in these crumbling, old buildings in old towns and if he tries to look it up later there’s a 50/50 chance that article or a similar one is actually real

goemon… has a bit more fun with this than you’d expect. primarily because jigen doesn’t think he’s very aware of the fact, and… goemon’s default halloween outfit is always a pale, sunken-eyed, donned in white ghost. it doesn’t SCARE jigen so much as unsettle him in a childish way that he can suppress a bit, but the real gag here is that jigen honest to god doesn’t think goemon’s doing this on purpose. oh, jigen.

zenigata probably only found out because someone just outright told him, he thought about it for a minute and went, “i guess that makes sense,” and nothing ever came out of the fact. if the two were in a situation where they could just josh around and everything i could see him ribbing at him for it just because. well when you think about it on a surface level it is kind of funny for a man as scary as jigen to be spooked out by a widdle ghost. but outside of that, it’s not really something he could use to his advantage or for his own personal amusement, so he doesn’t make a real big deal out of it usually

[hellohiyoko]

Danganronpa Characters Who Would've Been Unlikely Friends If They Were In The Same Killing Game (Part 1 of ?)

While working on my ambitious, 48 character killing game WIP that includes the whole cast of Trigger Happy Havoc, Goodbye Despair, and V3: Killing Harmony, one very important aspect came to mind. How would some of these characters, who have never interacted in canon, respond to one another? What friendships would form from this? What rivalries could develop from this? Quite a few fics and people have managed to put a lot of thought into this concept (one of my favorites being the friendship between Kaito, Kaede, and Mondo, the rivalry between Kaede and Celeste, and/or the "friendship" Kaito and Gundham portrayed "Blackened Skies" by CSpratt and MrCynical on AO3, or the relationship between Angie Yonaga and the Warriors of Hope as discussed by one of my mutuals, @/theamityelf), so I couldn't help but feel inspired.

Thus, this post was born! So, let's begin!

Spoilers of the main three games below, you've been warned.

#1. Kaito Momota and Aoi Asahina

Hear me out. First and foremost, just because Kaito has some traditional views on what it means to be a man doesn't mean he's this sexist, perverted, transphobic, homophobic incel of a loser some of you make him out to be ("That could've been me walking around in women's underwear"), so jot that down. Secondly, these two being friends would make SO MUCH SENSE if you think about it. They're both very optimistic (almost naively) about the circumstances, they both like to work out (Hina moreso than Kaito but I give Kaito a pass considering his condition), they both were willing to go to the extremes to end their respective killing games, and they both get so fed up with their respective antagonist-of-the-game that they decided to rock their SHIT. I can picture Hina deciding to invite herself to Shuichi and Kaito (and Maki)'s workout sessions and showing up all the boys. I'd imagine their dynamic would be pretty similar to the dynamic Hina has with Hiro, but much friendlier. They both are also willing to put trust into women that could kill them and are deemed dangerous among the rest of the cast.

I could also see Kaito being friends with Mondo and throwing himself into the sauna contest with Taka but given the events of Danganronpa S, that feels a bit obvious.

#2. Kiyotaka Ishimaru and Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu

Fuyuhiko and Taka definitely start off on the wrong foot; Fuyuhiko won't open up and Taka initially wouldn't approve of Fuyuhiko's yakuza background. As Fuyuhiko's shell softens, Taka sees Fuyuhiko's own moral compass such as how he's against underage drinking, driving without a license, or underage sex. That, mixed with Fuyuhiko's more cooperative nature could make for a rather interesting friendship between the two.

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL FOLKS!

The familial pressure both Taka and Fuyuhiko deal with could be a great bonding moment for the both of them, especially since they're dealing with it in similar ways.

#3. Gundham Tanaka and Himiko Yumeno

God, Spike Chunsoft, and Kazutaka Kodaka all knew not to put these two in the same game or they'd become an unstoppable duo. With Himiko's persistence of being a "mage" and not a "magician", there's only one other person who'd go along with the act and play along. And I can hear him now: "You've proven yourself to be a capable mage. But your spells are no match for the Supreme Overlord of Ice and the Four Dark Devas of Destruction". Eventually, I could see Himiko getting tired of Gundham's antics, before immediately backpedalling and continuing the bit if a character such as Kokichi called her out on it, and I think it'd be hilarious. Bonus points, Gundham becomes immediately obsessed with Himiko's tricks that involve her "familiars".

[incorrect-ikevamp-quotes]

Man. How did I forget that an entire subplot of Dazai's main story was just. Trying to trap him into having a single conversation with MC like a normal person I'm so akhdjgfkljshgskjd

I just love watching her, Arthur, and Isaac deadass plot with glee to get one over on Dazai it's killing me, this is some Hamlet level shit (no Charles do not stand behind the curtain to kill Dazai coming in the window!!! yamero!!!!!)

Also because I felt personally attacked (/j) when Isaac said this:

I love you Isaac but pls have mercy on creatives we only have one brain cell and we're trying s o hard oTL

Although, and I'll leave it under the cut since I'm back on my Comte-posting, but the way Comte talks about Dazai fascinates me. Also just as fair warning, I do broach a lot of the topics that come up in Dazai rt so trigger warnings for self-harm, suicide, CPTSD and PTSD, trauma, etc. I don't go too too in-depth, but they are there.

Comte: "Dazai is quite skilled at concealing what he's really feeling, even from himself, perhaps."

The way he instantly remarks on how Dazai is not only working to conceal what he feels from others, but also from himself. Tbh I think that's enormously perceptive, because at first glance most people tend to think Dazai is lazy, troublesome, flippant, or erratic (and sometimes, a combination of all of these).

I love that he sees to the core of who Dazai is and what he's feeling; fear. Dazai is afraid of hurting someone again, but I also think on some level he's made it an ontological problem; he's afraid of himself. He thinks his very existence is a negative entity, something that exists only to hurt and/or estrange other people, something wrong/different. I'd argue that's why he's so adamant about mood-making and keeping to himself. If you never express how you truly feel or live true to yourself, on some level you can't entirely reach others. Because fundamentally, being close to other people does require some level of lowered defenses and sharing. Ergo, never dwell too long or give too much of yourself away, never make a mark on anyone--good or bad.

As a side note, Theo calls him "a half-strewn dandelion puff" and I agree that's rather blunt, but on some level Theo operates on a level of utility. His entire operating precept is that life and work must serve a discrete purpose. And Dazai, in choosing to opt out of living with meaning/intent out of fear, makes this description entirely consistent with Theo's perspective of the world. Though his phrasing is harsh and perhaps one-dimensional, I do find it interesting that he comes to a similar conclusion as Comte as to what Dazai is doing.

Comte talks about it with such clarity and calm, he really does feel so parental in this moment. He's not necessarily minimizing the reality of how Dazai is experiencing the world, but he also clearly doesn't agree with Dazai's self-perception. Perhaps most striking to me is how Comte seems to understand that the only threat Dazai poses is to himself...Sometimes it feels like, in the case of conditions like mental illness/depression/etc. people are so eager to assume ill will of a person. This is only exponentially compounded if they prove to have striking intelligence and strategic capacity, the same way Dazai does. I guess I can't help but appreciate that Comte knows the difference between strong and scared, and even how the lines between the two can and often do blur (perhaps best exemplified in his relationships with Jeanne and Dazai).

(Side note: I forgot which event it was but, one time when Dazai was homesick for cherry blossom watching, Comte had the entire house filled with flowers to cheer him up [insert ugly sobbing]).

For someone so enigmatic, evasive, and distant, Comte still notices instantly that Dazai is much, much happier with MC. I suppose it makes me wonder if Comte knew all along that Dazai's real wish was to be accepted and loved as he was, but kept quiet out of respect for his privacy. I would offer too that sometimes people need to realize these things on their own for the information to have value.

But what really gets my ass is what Comte says right after:

This is my bread and butter (so is he but that's not the point of this particular TED talk). In the last few years I've done a lot of exploratory work on how trauma is mapped both internally but also visibly on the body. What I think is engaging here is that, while it could be read on a surface level as "body language gives people's true intentions away" I don't think that's quite what he's getting at. Or perhaps better phrased, it's an oversimplification. I don't think it's that body language can't communicate real and important information about people's lives. Rather, that people associate rigid and absolutist interpretations to singular mannerisms, which does a disservice to both parties. Nobody can know a person at a glance; to say that you do reduces the lived reality of the opposite party.

Comte gives simple examples and couches his words for the context of the moment, but I think that first line is incredibly telling. "But the body is remarkably truthful." It makes me think of how, in moments where Comte is overcome with anxiety as a result of traumatic recurrence, he has acute panic attacks (i.e. shortened breath, racing heart, trembling). How Leonardo's lethargy (i.e. napping on the floor everywhere like the hobo he is) belies the reality of his very real exhaustion, the emotional turmoil that comes with a fraught immortal life.

Dazai's endless struggle with dissociation and self-harm, the way he stood in the rain unmoving at the thought of MC returning home to the modern era. Whether to numb himself from the pain of that grief/loneliness, or perhaps more likely the self-immolation of subjecting himself to the re-enactment of the most harrowing moment of his life. To relive that anguish as a reminder; to abstain from making the same mistake ever again. Jeanne's endless bodily tension, struggles with basic self-care (appears to be interoception-based; reduced signalling of the need to eat/rest/etc.), and self-isolation to cope in a world where only the strong survive. Never safe, always alone, always defensive.

I think, for many people in general but especially people who have been through intense PTSD/CPTSD/etc., it can be hard to express these feelings directly. Whether they are forcibly silenced, ridiculed into self-derision/self-concealment, or are overwhelmed by emotions that are difficult to process--each manifests itself in unconventional ways. It means a lot to me when those phenomena are portrayed so sensitively in written works/media, that they're explored with real intention and narrative subtlety to communicate how hard it is for people who are wounded or simply different (or both, as often is the case).

Addendum:

Even more than that, and this is an observation at the end of Dazai's route, is Comte's open belief that life is something to be cherished. Of course, like any other person he has behaviors he won't abide and people he doesn't feel partial to, but by and large he doesn't take life lightly. Perhaps that's why he doesn't expect Dazai to resort to such measures again, in conjunction with the circumstances of his transition. From an outsider perspective, I could see how Comte might assume Dazai no longer wishes for that if he seemed to regret his initial course of action by seeking resurrection. There is also the implication that Dazai is always at war with himself, and therefore might give contradictory impressions; one moment he wants to live, the next he doesn't. This is precisely what led him to ask Charles for help to subdue his own 'cowardice.' (His terms, not mine. [bonks him]) There is a sizeable subset of s-word survivors who, after recovery, feel that their problems were actually solvable despite their despair in the moment.

Of course, that doesn't apply to everyone, but I think there's something to be said of Comte feeling such real affection for the mansion boys that he is stricken to find out what Dazai attempted. And perhaps unsurprisingly, very adamant to keep him from ever pursuing such a course of action again. He's incredibly vulnerable about his horror that he might have inflicted something on Dazai that he never wanted in bringing him back, though Dazai comfortably refutes any lack of agency in the situation.

I guess I feel very compelled by the duality inherent in Comte's glass heart, precisely because of how realistic it feels. His greatest strength is his sensitivity, but it's also his greatest weakness in tandem. His genuine care for Dazai--the unwavering belief that his life is valuable and worthy--ends up being the reason he doesn't anticipate Dazai's rather deeply entrenched self-loathing. And to be honest, I'm a bit inclined to agree; looking back on a third reading Dazai feels way too hard on himself. It feels like the young girl's death was more a catalyst for what Dazai was already feeling, than anything. Dazai wanted so badly to have a reason to despise himself (as he already disliked how different and out of place he naturally felt) and with this, his self-reproach could have a viable, rational explanation. A locus outside of his body by which to rationalize his self-hatred. Accident or not becomes irrelevant; he was involved, and thus he is guilty.

He reminds me a lot of that post that was circulating once about how cultish behavior inculcates intelligent people with more devastating pull than one might expect, because intelligent people can more easily and more insistently find ways to desperately rationalize their situation to function in that whirlpool of abuse. Dazai feels like he's in this same such Catch-22, so busy believing he deserves to be scorned (because of how well he hides his perceived abnormalities) that he takes steps to ensure and reinforce it. He wants and needs to see his reality make sense, and if it won't answer his designs he will find a way to make it so.

It fascinates me because Dazai is an incredibly complex example of someone who desires control, but instead of inflicting it with external rapacity, he targets his own internal state. I once heard a Buddhist explain: yes, it is a sign of disturbance to engage with others aggressively and without grace. However, it is also a sign of disturbance when the mind seeks to harm one's own body. Although Dazai's disturbance is not as apparent, it is there. And that's part of what makes him so excruciatingly compelling to me, in a lot of ways he is the manifestation of the Sisyphean suffering of being ill in a quiet way. In enduring and smiling and laughing because you don't want to burden others--or know you're not allowed to--all while you slowly bleed from the inside out.

[shadowy-suitcase-herring-neck]

Shattered darking AU? Hm...

Well, it's the apocalypse, right? Ink would eventually, probably, be unable to refill hisvocals, making him... empty.

And Blue? While there's no guarantee, he could... he could snap.

Yes, I'm suggesting a fallen stars AU.

mmmm tbh i'm not 100% sure how ink refills his vials tbh. In the main infected au they just don't run out bc i couldn't let ink go emotionless for that au but for the sake of this idea i think things might get interesting :3

for the infected fallen stars au they wouldn't really be villains so this will be my own take on this concept :) In this au Dream, Blue, Ink and Cross would split off from the omega timeline bunker and be their own survivor unit. A more nomadic and wandering lifestyle and very stressful as they have to be on constant lookout for infected. Ink would eventually turn emotionless due to being unable to refill his vials and just sort of... exists with the others. He just doesn't seem to really care about anything. He does what is needed to keep the group alive. but he's a shell of what he was. Dream and Blue are deeply upset about this and still try to talk and have meaningful interactions with ink. it just isn't real... Blue snapping would probably be triggered by finding his brother infected. (weather this is cannon to the main au or not we shall see :3) Blue would have even gotten into a fight with his now infected brother and end up Killing him in self defense. That would 100% break him. he only cares about His family team now. and he will do ANYTHING if it means keeping them safe. even things that would have crossed his moral boundaries before. He seems more angry now. Dream as stated before is an absolute mess of emotions due to the literal apocalypse and being forced to eat the corrupted apple. He is Far more violent and easily provoked. he seems to switch from one emotion to the next at the drop of a dime. Something sets him off and within a few moments he is feeling deep regret for whatever he had done. Dream is also constantly trying to make things better but he is stubborn and often messes things up, which doesn't improve the fact he things he is making everything worse. Dream was going to leave the omega timeline alone but Blue found out and through him Cross and Ink so they refused to let Dream go alone. Cross is pretty similar to what he's like in the Main au. He misses Nightmare and the rest of the gang a lot. But he's all but given up hope for a cure now. the only thing keeping him going would be how he's starting to see the stars like he saw the gang. not a replacement but something familiar he misses. alot. i would write more but i would be spoiling parts of the main au :p if you want more lore that contains spoilers i could make another post and use the keep reading thing.

[let-us-cultivate-our-garden]

Belos would have wanted to have a well-written, cinematic ending that would fit a show antagonist. It's actually a bold choice to hint at the villain being a 3D character and then subvert it. He wasn't born pure evil, but that's what he became by the end. His story and his POV don't matter to his victims, all they see is what he did, so that's all we get to see (portraits aside). Belos doesn't get to die crying and raging as his brother looks down at him; just strangers' feet and then nothing.

Update: So when I originally posted this I thought anon was serious. Turns out they were being sarcastic. My apologies for not catching this! However, I still see similar sounding comments that do mean what they say, so my point still stands. Below is the original post:

Gonna have to disagree with you, anon. Setting up a character to have more depth and complexity that ties in directly with the lore of the show only to "subvert" that is just bad writing. If Belos is just going to represent societal ills, bigotry, etc. then why bother with giving him plausibly sympathetic motivations? If you're not going to bother with exploring how people with good intentions can irrevocably corrupt themselves in the process then why even suggest it? Just make Belos a standard villain like Ozai and leave it at that. The message still remains the same.

Also, Belos was never set up to be a fully-fledged character; his role was the Evil Emperor and it was only in Hollow Mind that we got a glimpse of a deeper story. They then expanded upon that story in Thanks to Them and even showed Caleb's apparition in For the Future. Don't forget Gus triggering Belos' traumatic memories of killing Caleb and trying to recreate him with the grimwalkers. With all this set up, the audience expects a pay-off and there's nothing. Because it's suddenly Bold and Daring to have a villain who is thoroughly evil instead of the standard for most genre stories.

Belos' story may not matter to his victims but it matters to the audience because the show put all those details there and they add up to...nothing.

Sorry, but the idea that hinting your main villain is complex only to say he's not is just weird? What's the point in this?

Don't jerk the audience around like this. Characters are tools in a story; they don't want or deserve anything. But the audience should have a coherent story told and this wasn't it.

[sunny-speaks]

Love You to Pieces (pt 1 of 'Pieces')

Character(s): Harper @campwillowpeak x reader, mild mention of Friend from @stnaf-vn

Okay but i saw that one post about ‘what if someone murdered CM…’ AND OH MY GOD THAT POST??? SENT SHIVERS??? DOWN MY SPINE??? AUGH love me a silly goofy psychotic guy who mourns me and just feels like shit after he gets my revenge because that isn’t what I would want for him… 

(SASJKDHASDJK @the-wannabe-hero thank u for the idea omg i forgor to credit--)

Part 2 !!

Trigger Warnings: death of a loved one

Main warning: SHIT TON OF ANGST DUDE I CRIED WHILE WRITING THIS (i mean my standards could be a lil too low idkkk)

ALSO MAMA SLOTH I HOPE U ENJOY IF U END UP READING !!

Fic under the cut!!

His eyes widened, pupil shrinking as he watched all the blood spill from your stabbed abdomen. The coward who had stuck the knife there immediately ran away before Harper could catch him.

Harper knew he could run after him, knew he’d have a pretty good chance at killing him. But there was also something else he knew.

After years of killing others, he knew how fatal your wound was.

No, he didn’t want to even think about what was happening.

He caught your fumbling body before it hit the ground, cradling your upper torso in his arms, all fear evident on his face. “C-Cara mia?” He knew how broken and fragile he sounded and how that would scare you a little, but he didn’t have the effort to hide it from you.

You winced as you shifted in his arms, “Harper…” You grit your teeth and flashed him a smile. “I-It’s fine, everything’s going to be alright, hm?”

God, he loved your smiles. The ones you would make when you enjoyed his food, the ones you made after kissing him and leaving him breathless, the ones you reassured him that he was not a bad person and would never be, the one you made when he first got on one knee. All of them.

Even if you were dying, you still managed to smile for him. His heart stuttered in his chest, his love and fear for you both taking over. He let out a watery chuckle, shaking his head in disbelief, “Y-You’re so bad for me, darling.” He brought the hand that your engagement ring sat on before kissing it. The cool metal brushed his chapped lips as a tear slipped down his face. “...Please don’t leave me, cara mia. We still,” His breath hitched and a silent sob wracked through his body, “We still haven’t gotten married yet. You can’t… You can’t do this to me.”

You coughed on the blood coagulating in your throat, droplets of blood making it onto his shirt. “A-Aw man, I got your shirt dirty…” Your eyes began to gloss over with tears, hearing Harper beg for you not to leave made things feel a lot more serious. “If it cheers you up, Harper, I do.”

“W-What?” His confusion caused him to blink back his tears before he tilted his head to the side, “I… What?”

You let out a set of broken laughter and he had to suppress a flinch. You never laughed like that, you never laughed like you were having a bad time, you never laughed like you were going to die-

Oh.

His eyebrows furrowed as if that act itself would stop the tears from forming.

And of course, because you knew him so so so well, you tried to give him a reassuring smile, “I do, Harper. I do love you, and I will marry you. Through life and through death.” Tears trickled down your face as you wiped at the dry tracks of Harper’s face, “Through sickness and health and whatnot. Harper, will you…aghk― will you marry me too?”

He stifled a whimper, his bottom lip trembling, “Of course I will, always, always, always for you, cara mia.” He craned his neck so his face met yours and he kissed you before setting you back down in his lap.

“Harper, Harper, it hurts…” You gave him one last weak look before your eyes flickered up to him. You entwined your fingers with his and brought them to your lips. “I love you, Harper. More, hgk— more than, more than I’ve ever loved anyone. Okay, darling?”

He begged through tears, grasping your hand so tight, he could’ve broken your hand. But he’d never do that to you, he loved you so much. He loved you too much. He wouldn’t let you leave. “Please. Please don’t say that like you’re…” His chest wracked with sobs he was too heartbroken over to care. “Like you’re dying. You can’t. You can’t leave me, cara mia. You wouldn’t.” His lungs cried and wailed for proper oxygen intake, his brain told him he needed to breathe, but how could he? How could he dare to breathe when he knew soon enough, you wouldn’t share the same air as him.

And god, if that didn’t shatter his heart into pieces.

“Please, please, please. They can’t― They can’t take you—! Please, please, please, please…” Each repeated word was followed by tears falling from his face to yours.

If he wasn’t so overcome with his sorrow, maybe he’d have already noticed how you had already died.

Your blank eyes stared back at his glassy blue ones. He rested his face in his hand, propped on his knee as he held you to his chest, cries unabashedly rocking through his body as he had to believe it.

Believe you were gone.

Believe some coward had taken the light of his life away, forever.

Believe some scum had taken away the person he was supposed to spend the rest of his life with.

Anyone else on the street would’ve seen him chanting meaningless words of ‘please, please, please’ and ‘love you so much, love you, please don’t leave me.”

But all Harper could see was you, broken and shattered in his arms.

--

Harper couldn’t eat, he couldn’t sleep properly. Everywhere he went was a reminder of you.

He tried, he tried so hard to move on. He tried not to isolate himself. God, he had even shut himself off from his Nonna. She didn’t deserve that. It was all because of him, because he would never be good enough to save you, to save himself. Because it was all his fault that he couldn’t have seen it coming. He should’ve been more careful, been more cautious. 

Friend had come over to reassure him that he understood losing a loved one, but he just… he just didn’t. He didn’t know what it meant to lose the love of his life, didn’t know how Harper had spent nights just replaying it over and over in his head. 

Some nights were even worse because some days, he’d never tell a single soul, some days he forgot what you looked like, couldn’t picture your face anymore because it had been so long since he had seen you smiling at him. Those nights were the worst. How could he have forgotten his spouse, someone he had dedicated his life to?

God, he was such a piece of shit for forgetting you.

Friend only had his sweetheart, but Harper had other people to care for.

His Nonna.

But he couldn’t handle the pain your death had caused him and refused to let anyone else share it.

He had to look at your photos just to have some feeling of what it was like to be yours because he kept forgetting. He kept forgetting and forgetting what it was like to love someone like you.

You were his world and how could he ever forget it?

Was it because you weren’t there to remind him?

Ouch.

A/N: dw dw harper gets his revenge

[bladesmitten]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned this re: the Wyll feedback post but I imagine the main issue with using his old EA dialogue assets is that the majority of them are from when they still had Wyll's old VA who couldn't come back for the rework. So it's not like they could just pull it out and plop it back in like they could with someone like...Karlach who was also completed late in EA, but was always Samantha Beart.

Yeah the existing script might work, but actually adding it back to the game it would still involve Theo having to come in and record the majority of them as the Wyll we now know. And assuming he's not going to perfectly mimic the original reading just in his voice, the devs would need to adjust the animations so they fit Theo's reading of it. And imo, at that point you might as well just make new dialogue/animations to best suit his current form rather than trying to build off of what's leftover from before.

I think it's a matter of - "this should've been done in the first place" - considering we have stuff like the Wyll/Lae'zel flirt banter that was also in Early Access. Theo Solomon re-recorded those lines for full release, only for Larian to remove it later. (Presumably because it doesn't fit his current romance route, but I digress.)

A lot of his EA dialogue still carried over to release, which means lines were deliberately picked to be re-recorded. However, this work seems inconsistent because we still have aspects of EA Wyll that are in release.

A glaring example of this is Wyll approving of Sazza getting executed. This was left over from when he still had a grudge on goblins in Early Access; now, he doesn't. Why would current Wyll approve of a defenseless prisoner getting killed?

My point with taking lines from EA Wyll for current Wyll is that there are lines that still fit him. Current Wyll has funny lines - but those lines are locked behind specific trigger conditions that aren't always easily encountered. Like his line: "It's like I always sometimes say..." - that line is only triggered if 1) the ogres in Act 1 are dead, 2) the player has Lump's War Horn, 3) Wyll specifically tries to blow the horn (which would be unlikely unless the player is doing a Wyll origin, or they had companion Wyll do it - more likely, it's a Tav/Durge doing this action.)

EA Wyll, on the other hand, had his funny lines in his regular dialogue ("spill the whole jug", "there's a saying I just made up"). In this case, are the funny lines that current Wyll have supposed to be there? If they are, why did they remove his other funny lines from Early Access, especially if it still fits his current character?

More to the point, are there still lines from current Wyll that aren't supposed to be there? How much effort was actually put into rewriting his character if there's still stuff from Early Access that don't fit him now (ie, the Sazza approval)?

In the end, I agree that we're probably better off to have brand new written stuff for Wyll, but I can't ignore the sloppy work that was done in rewriting him if he still has apparently leftover dialogue from EA that may be in danger of getting removed. And if they can't even do this properly, it doesn't bode well for any new content for Wyll.

As an aside: I think Karlach's VA wasn't always Samantha Beart, at least in the first few versions of it. She also did not look the same way she does now.

[lover-of-mine]

Hi Anna 💕💕💕

I saw that your post about how it looks like ABC just confirmed the cruise ship disaster. How do you think this will play into your theory of Buck drowning and having his breakdown that way???

hi darling 💜

First of all, I'm just slightly coherent, so bear with me lol. Just for context, I have a whole tag for the possibility of Buck drowning, all thoughts can be found here. Also, everything about this is gonna be based on the vision I wrote here, so if anyone is just stumbling into this and wants to know why I'm so sure they'll drown Buck go read that.

Up until the props department posted that picture of the life vests, I was thinking about Buck drowning in buddie terms, something that would be a climax for Buck, that could be used for Eddie in the same way the shooting can be used for Buck. But, with the life vests and the now confirmed cruise disaster, I started to think about what that could mean as a trigger. You don't need a lot to trigger Buck and you put something like this in the ocean????? With everything that went wrong for Buck around water?? It's so easy to start the timer in the timebomb we know Buck is and deal with everything surrounding the lightning strike and his death.

So, my most recent vision of it involved Buck saving a random person, (I did discuss the possibility of it being Bobby but didn't elaborate) I have been saying that they will use Bobby or Maddie to trigger Buck since I first posted about my theory about drowning Buck, mostly because his own death was not enough to trigger him but Maddie or Bobby being in serious danger would, but at first I wasn't convinced they wouldn't just use a surrogate for one of them and then have Buck find out Bobby was in danger too after. BUT I was talking to @bucksbackwardcap the other day and she brought up the possible parallels with worst day ever, with the plane crash and Bobby asking for help, and my brain has been in overdrive since.

Because let's say my general vision is correct and Buck will do something that will get him trapped to save someone and that will lead to him drowning, he would not handle almost dying again well. And taking my vision of Buck and Eddie are paired doing water rescues, they spot someone, they get them out, Buck doesn't resurface, Eddie needs to dive back in to get him, and the fun implication of Eddie having to save Buck again, and making the person that Buck went in to save Bobby, you can have so many fun developments from there. My main thing is Buck having a moment where he gives up, not in a he let himself sink type situation, but a bit more of a not trying as hard as he could to swin (we know Buck can swin and I've talked about the possible parallels with greys anatomy and teh ferry boat crash and Meredith drowning in season 3, with @slowlyfoggydestiny inputs), and considering who Buck is, dying in the place of someone he loves is the way to go. So we would have Buck doing something stupid to save Bobby, ending up getting trapped himself, Eddie distracted treating Bobby and not noticing Buck is not there immediately (that would play out nicely with the way Eddie is always last to know, like he's the last to see Shannon in the car crash, he only finds out Buck and Chris were in the tsunami after they are safe, he's the last to look up after the lightning), we have Buck not being able to swim back to surface, then obviously I don't want to kill Buck permanently, so Eddie would dive for him and we could have something nice on the buddie front (dear God please give me "You're not doing this to me again").

So that way we can have parallels to the worst day ever and sink or swim/the searchers, with all the water elements, and searching for someone, and the way the team doesn't know someone they love is there. And that could be interesting because we would have to deal with the way Buck gave up, we would have to deal with Bobby feeling guilt for the way Buck nearly killed himself to save him, and since Eddie like to insert himself in the father/son conflicts (rec the lawsuit) we could have Eddie struggling with having to save Buck again, and misplacing his feelings. You can create a really nice tension between the 3 of them. You can have Eddie pissed that Buck stopped swimming but at the same time conflicted over the fact that he can't really be mad at Buck for dying, so redirecting that feeling into other things while the tension between them gets more present in the space that's already growing since the cemetery. You can have Bobby not dealing well with the fact that Buck almost died because of him again, and he could go overbearing or detached like the lawsuit, I think he would go overbearing this time. And most of all you can have Buck losing his shit because for a second he thought he was gonna die and was okay with it.

So far Buck has been completely ignoring the lightning and everything about it, right? Just move past it. But there's a limit to how much you can just shove past before you just can't anymore and Buck is past that threshold. So you can have Buck steadly spiraling out of control in the background up until a moment where he just snaps. I've been conflicted about how Buck snapping could happen in a way where he would get help as quickly as possible because he lives alone, so it's not like it happened with Eddie, that you can just have Chris make a call, but let's say we're reaching the climax of the situation and Buck does something stupid, going up that crane type stupid, the type of stupid that could get him killed, and everyone snapping at him, and Buck snapping himself. And you can have the overbearing we didn't see from Bobby and Eddie after the lightning happening now. You have Bobby show up, we get a little nice father/son moment, and we have the parallels to worst day ever when Bobby asks for help.

But I also like the idea of Eddie showing up in the middle of it all, not only just for the parallel with fear-o-phobia, but also because I think it would be good for all the growth we've witnessed from Eddie, to have him really mad, ready to confront Buck because he's being an idiot, and just switching the flip back to protector once he realizes how bad it actually is. Obviously, this all ends with Buck back in therapy.

And I feel like that could work if Buck is saving a random person, if he's saving Bobby, or even if he's saving Athena.

And with everything that happened to Buck and people Buck loves around water, or just the situations where he can't breathe, having him drown is THE perfect trigger. And to have him in the ocean trying to save someone he loves again, to have him completely ignore his own safety, could be so so so so so good.

[khaotunng]

ALCHEMY OF SOULS: LIGHT AND SHADOW'S UK, THE 'BAD NEWS' CHOSEN ONE

(a short analysis on Uk in season 2)

I was talking to a friend here about AoS s2 and how Uk being basically overpowered meant the stakes weren't that high during the action scenes (the opposite of s1, where he was learning and growing and the underdog in every nail biting duel), when I realised why this aspect of s2 didn't bother me that much, if at all. Sure, we saw Uk grow into the mage he is in s1, so we feel a lot of pride and our hearts break seeing him so powerful yet lonely, but it's not only that. The entire season deals with the consequences of Uk being so powerful, continuing the storyline started in s1 of Uk being, basically, a Very Messy Chosen One, weird conception included. We remember how in s1, he was treated like shit because he should not fulfil his destiny and come into his powers, he was a Bad Thing Waiting to Happen. Therefore Uk has always been the trigger, in s2 he is also the nuke.

Season 2 answers the questions: What can you do if you're basically a god? How would people react? Can you really come home if you're not who you were before?

And again, it's a perfect continuation of season 1. I saw posts I loved saying s1 shows a perfect asshole/asshole main pairing, describing Uk as self-centred, and they're kinda right. Episode 1 season 1: we see Uk help a wanted assassin escape her fate at the hands of his friends and adoptive family basically, because he needs her. He was never ready to fight for the world, only for himself AND the few he loves (Naksu, Maidservant Kim, his childhood friends). Take this kind of person... and give him the power to not only be a magical overpowered prodigy and incredible warrior, but also a (technically rightful) king. On top of that, make him heartbroken because the only person he loved and wholly trusted killed him. It's a disaster.

This is how we meet Uk in s2, struggling to and outright avoiding answering these questions. He lives as a husk of himself, separated from society, using his powers in a very limited way. Inaction is the only way, he thinks, to avoid war. He is kinda right: the moment he starts wanting things again, the moment he acts again (the moment Cho Yeong is back in his life), he becomes an enemy. His existence is the reason why Jin Mu manages to turn so many to his cause: if power like this exists and walks among us, why should we settle for anything less?

In the end, Uk has to grimly embody Jin Mu's ideals: someone so powerful can amass even more power and do basically whatever he wants, even burn the representatives of 8 main families alive. He is also, again, the Chosen One of the Bad, Terrible News: the awakening of the fire bird could not be stopped, even if it is one of the main quests of 'normal people' throughout s2.

The shift in Uk in season 1 was spectacular, satisfying, hard won, flashy: from a ridiculed pampered noble to one of the most powerful mages of the country. The shift in season 2 is just as important, but internal. It's Uk choosing to do what's right –killing the soul shifters, even if it's Naksu, even if it means not killing Jin Mu himself–, and choosing to do what's right for the world, even if said world can't accept him in full. Uk giving his golden medallion to the Crown Prince isn't just the culmination of the two finally reaching an understanding, but Uk knowing he, powerful as he is, can decide the shape of the future of the country. Without his approval, the Crown Prince could never have become the king.

Finally, of course, the reason why Uk can grow is the same in both seasons, his bond with Cho Yeong. First she is his master, bringing him to full powers, helping him face his destiny, then she is his true companion, the only person who can stand beside him and help him find his rightful place in the world. Season 2 is very different from season 1, but all the good elements are there, and without it, season 1 would not end properly. I understand why some people say season 2 felt unnecessarily fanservice-y (there are standard moments of badassery on Uk's part and romance tropes abound), but actually season 2 is more profound and thought-out than one may think. Or maybe I just love Uk too much and this is just a long and unnecessary tumblr post.

alternative title of the series: uk and the very bad, terrible prophecies where he becomes a god

[chykd5de]

So, I'm going to put this into multiple parts this is just the world building. I'll post the actual story and character designs seperatly.

Sorry if this is still a bit blocky.

JTTW: mid century au

Trigger warning for: torture kidnapping and technically police brutality

The story follows a similar storyline than the original journey to the west but it happens somewhere around 1950-2000.

The exact date is unclear for a few reasons:

So that I don't have to be specific when it comes to outfit and technology's

They dont have phones but they do have cars and commercial planes

They can have tasers (yes that is important.)

I don't know what would be better advanced (or less advanced) if humans had access to magic

Monkey king can be responsible for 9/11

Demon-human relations (and the h.p.a)

There are also a few differences to how demons-human relations work.

Demons live with humans but they need a 'birth certificate' documenting their heritage and their powers.

This is basically so it's easier to arrest them if they do something stupid.

And to make sure no demons are powerful enough to destroy the world.

RedBoy isnt an exception, nobody is aware he's able to use the samadi fire. (Not even him) And if it comes out then he would definitely be in a lot of trouble.

All demons have 'war forms' however most aren't very powerful. Being in a war form greatly increase their power so demons with stronger powers (like the samadi fire, control over things like stars and mountains and being able to move large body's of water are only possible when in war form.)

Of course there is a special 'police force' for demons called the H.P.A (monkey king pronounces it hoopa to piss them off.)

This special police force takes in most the unregistered demons and makes them work for them.

Most of the demons don't mind working for them, it's better than being murdered by angry villagers.

However they do have spells, tasers and simple chains at their disposal if any thing bad happens.

The celestial primates

The celestial primates also work a bit differently in the sense that they're all actually important for once.

(I will go more in depth with images in a later post (I haven't drawn them yet))

All the celestial primates are born from some kind of natural disaster (earthquake, hurricane, volcanic eruption, and tsunami). They are also all naturally slightly more resilient than your average demon and are slightly harder to kill.

They all still have their usual powers but they also have some additional ones that are related to how they were born.

The red-buttocked horse monkey is the oldest and most sensible, she was born from the ocean and washed up during a tsunami. She has some mild control over water, as well as all of the usual stuff she has power over. She lives with h.p.a willingly but isn't aware that they sometimes use violence against the demons.

The long armed gibbon is dead. Macaque accidentally killed him when discovering his war form. He was born from a volcano and the main thing he does is track down runaway monsters that are disguising themselves amoungst humans.

The six eared Macaque was born from a tornado, however the tornado slowly grew stronger and larger leading some to believe it was a hurricane. The h.p.a shot him out of the sky with a harpoon, meaning he was born slightly premature. He was tortured by the h.p.a almost his whole childhood as they tried to figure out how to control him, since he was very energetic and refused to be controlled. (The h.p.a doesn't immediately resort to tasers and chains but since Macaque refused to co-operate they eventually resorted to keeping him sedated forcefully.)

The intelligent stone monkey is impulsive and often comes off as stupid for rushing into things however in reality he plans out most of his attacks and is great at planning things under pressure, most of his mistakes are simply his hubris getting to him. He was still born from the stone and had small chunks of rock stuck in his hands and feet, these do change slowly over time and after he is removed from the mountain they appear to be covered in small crystals. He is almost completly impenetrable on his arms, legs and head and is also a pretty heavy hitter. He is still seven times immortal.

(unlike in journey to the west wukong isnt well known by average demons and only the celestial warrior are aware of his power)

The intelligent stone monkey also known as the monkey king is still the main character, but since I haven't read journey to the west most of what i have planned out is the prequal which would be just before and in the first four chapters of the journey to the west.

This is a lot longer than I was expecting it to be. Sorry.

(The reason why there is so many seemingly unrelated tags is because they all inspired this au, so I figured I'd include them)