#and how it all ties so beautifully to his character and his development and to the world of final fantasy xiv. and even in real life.

[astrxealis]

sometimes i think about g'raha tia's little speeches where he goes on about how much he wants to go on an adventure with you and take to the skies upon the eternal wind and i fall in love with him over and over again

[rottenpumpkin13]

How do you feel about a redemption arc for Sephiroth?

On one hand, Sephiroth's character development into a villain is a huge part of his allure. Even Kitase said at one point that there's nothing stronger than Sephiroth in his universe, and knowing his backstory makes his descent into madness even more satisfying. On the other hand, especially with what we know now from the FS lore, it would be nice to see them tackle something like a redemption arc for Sephiroth in the trilogy (and I say this with a completely biased opinion because I'm a sucker for sane Sephiroth) (even if the redeemed version of Sephiroth wouldn't be the same as him pre-Nibelheim).

With the multiverse plotline and the hint in Opera Omnia that Sephiroth's memories were tied to his humanity, I think there's a chance that if he got them back, his humanity might return too.

I don't know. With the confirmation that the trilogy will lead to Advent Children, it's very unlikely we'll see a full-on redemption for him, but at the same time, the series has been around since 1997, and it would be cool to see them take a completely different approach to Sephiroth this time since they're already adding new things. Though Sephiroth's story and end is already beautifully told albeit tragic as fuck.

Not every villain needs a redemption arc, but what qualifies one is whether there's still a chance for redemption. I think it's possible for Sephiroth, mainly because his story is so tragic. He had all the reasons to become a villain, but also all the reasons to take his anger in a completely different direction and not become a villain at all had circumstances been just a bit different (Jenova mind control theory aside).

[revenantghost]

Heyo, let’s talk about my girl Meryl and why she’s so critical to the plot of Trigun Stampede and Vash in particular! (Well, that’s true for any Trigun, but Tristamp theories are rotting my brain atm.) Some spoilers for Tristamp and vague talk/references to the other series ahoy!

Meryl gets way too many accusations thrown at her for doing nothing/not enough in Tristamp. To the point that I started a rewatch to see if I was misremembering, but absolutely not! Those first three episodes alone, she’s critical to how things develop! She’s a foil to Vash, just like Wolfwood is!! She’s essential to his humanity!!!

But it took until I was watching ‘98 for the first time this weekend for it to crash into me like a freight train exactly what Meryl means, just like it took Trimax for the full weight of Wolfwood to click into place for me. Because she’s set up a lot like her older anime counterpart (though no one gets the same amount of character interaction—Tristamp, I adore you, but please slow down and let these poor folks breathe). She doesn’t understand Vash at first, she even goes so far as to call him a coward in a really low blow for what she easily recognizes as his bravery (and sometimes stupidity) later. And while they both (well, pretty much all the Trigun protags, let’s be honest) share their bullheadedness, I see a lot of people say she’s just like Vash... And I disagree, sorta.

She’s just like Rem. Just look at that last episode.

The two women don’t have the same belief systems, they have wildly different paths, and they come into Vash’s life in incredibly different ways. Meryl may keep Vash in check sometimes, but she’s not a mother figure imo. But they still play a similar role.

After over a century of traveling alone, we see (especially in other versions of Trigun) that Vash is often used and abandoned. Even when he makes genuine friends, they let him drift in and out of their life—and to their credit, he’s good at that! He can’t handle any more pain, so he slips away before the hurt catches up. But not Meryl! She ain’t gonna let that happen!!! At first, yeah, she follows him because of her job, but it never takes her long to go from frustrated and fed up to growing fond of Vash. And I especially love the career shift in Tristamp allowing her a complete out, to walk away and abandon Vash when things get rough, and no one would blame her for it.

But she stays. Because she sees that he’s good and worthy of the love that he denies himself. She sees this vile, hopeless world that they live in through his eyes, and sees the beauty in it too. She’s the first person to have faith in Vash not just as a savior, but as a person—unlike anyone has since Rem.

When all hope is gone, when Vash has lost his way, when he stumbles and falls, Meryl—who starts off doubting him!—is the one there to pick him up and remind him that he’s loved, that his love for humanity isn’t for nothing. Throughout the entire series, she has faith in him. She chooses Vash even when he won’t choose himself. She’s tired and done living in this selfish world of awful people, and she becomes the anchor that ties Vash down to what’s good in humanity. She’s just as critical as Wolfwood in taking a distant, disheartened, and broken Vash and reconnecting him to a world that cast him aside. And we’ve already gotten so much of that in Tristamp. It’s most obvious in the ending, but it’s built up so beautifully imo. She’s not as flashy as our fighters YET, but she’s absolutely essential to Vash, and I will die on this hill. I can’t wait to see her come crashing back into the picture with Milly next season.

[lookupthewordjokeinthedictionary]

Sorry to post something more than drawings and this might be an incoherent post but,, everyone has touched on it without actually linking their very similar ideas together, so I wanted to do that for all of you. If it wasn't clear, I will be talking about Sanders Sides.

The importance of every side is a very nuanced subject that barely gets touched on anymore by the fandom. @beauty-and-passion has made a lot of very good analyses, theories and headcannons about the sides and you should definitely check her posts out.

However what I don't understand is how everyone can touch on the importance of Virgil without actually linking every piece together. It had always been confusing to me (ever since I joined the fandom in 2018) what the sides can do and what they can feel. I now understand that what they feel has nothing to do with what they can do, for Thomas. Virgil, despite being anxiety, can feel happiness, can have empathy, can be logical. He understands all the points made by Logan once they're explained to him in a way he can understand.

A lot of people have also talked about ego, id and superego, and how Freud's theory on them is supported by Sanders Sides. I won't go on too much detail but basically, ego is the logical part of your brain, superego is the moral part of your brain and id is the creative part. You can see how that beautifully ties in with Sanders Sides.

However a lot of people have written about how anxiety and your fight or flight can be used as a weapon for self care. Anxiety is a fight or flight response, so it obviously can get you out of harming situations (see: aa part 2). Anxiety can also worsen intrusive thoughts, something we've seen before. But worsening them for a person means making intrusive thoughts (ehem, ehem, Remus) stronger. In AA part 2 we also saw the contribution anxiety makes to the creative process, by making (specifically) Thomas "rehearse and rehearse". Not to mention that ever since his acceptance, he has been siding with morality a lot more, because it's the fear of getting caught that stops us from breaking most laws, it's the fear of being judged (by a higher force) that stops us from being immoral ("Similarly you fear being perceived as a bad friend" -Deceit, SvS). Even Thomas himself has said that Anxiety probably plays the most crucial role, not only with the consequences being so very severe of him "ducking out", but also by his own admission ("You're the one that pushes me out of bed in the morning"). And forgive me for talking from a personal point of view, but as someone who studies science, anxiety is the drive I need to study, contributing to my overall ability to learn.

Virgil, as a lot of you have pointed out before, is one of the most character developed sides of them all. And I doubt that it's because he's so well liked by the public, and more because he is literally the driving factor of the series. Virgil isn't a "dark" side or a "light" side because, as we've seen from 'Fitting in', he can't be boxed in a specific label. He is the one who makes Creativity act, Intrusive thoughts more powerful, Morality abide, Logic work, Self care active and so so much more.

I can't wait to see how Mr. Sanders will continue the series, but I also can't wait to observe more invisible strings of all the sides to Virgil. No wonder he's that powerful, is all I'm saying.

[likealittleheartbeat]

hello !!

i was wondering, do you know any other characters like aang from other shows/movies/books? or maybe, just his theme of radical kindness appearing in other stories?

i've been missing aang, and it would be nice to find other representations of such a fun and warm personality like his.

ps.: your blog is like, fantastic. truly.

🥰🥰🥰🥰 This is the best ask I’ve ever received!!! Depictions of radical kindness in media is a special interest of mine—not exaggerating. So I’ve done my best to make a list of rec’s, just tv, from most formally similar to ATLA to least, with a short description for each.

1. Fruits Basket (2019)

"My mom told me, it's better to trust people than to doubt them. She said that people aren't born with kind hearts. When we're born, all we have are desires for food and material things. Selfish instincts, I guess. But she said that kindness is something that grows inside of each person's body, but it's up to us to nurture that kindness in our hearts. That's why kindness is different for every person."

An anime orphan whose established memory of the kindness by which her family raised her ends up transforming and liberating a whole clan from an intergenerational curse that enforced an abusive hierarchy all within a show that has a deeply queer subtext, beautifully complex plotting and character development that due to its zen influence refuses to demonize anyone or any perspective wholly, AND a straight romance you can actually root for!? Nothing comes closer to ATLA thematically than this show. While the lead Tohru Honda is the biggest representative of radical kindness, the character of Momiji Sohma with his complex purity, idealism, and gender performance is one of the closest you'll find to Aang in any media.

2. Mob Psycho 100 (2016-2023)

"The truth behind one's charm is kindness. Just be a good person, that's all."

Mob Psycho 100 explores a core tenant of ATLA's critique of imperialism and power: greatness and perfection are overrated. They both ask the question about what to do for the world with one's gifts if that's the case. How can one be both normal and prodigious at the same time? The satirical comedy and style of this anime, which deconstruct a lot of the shonen genre tropes, are pretty distinct from ATLA, but when ATLA arrived on the airwaves, it was a pretty massive break from tradition in Western animation, and for both of these series, that difference of style is tied to the message of the show about the experience and acceptance of difference.

3. Natsume's Book of Friends (2012-present)

"As I encountered kindness, I wanted to be kind myself."

The anime, Natsume's Book of Friends and ATLA both depict the challenge and necessity of facing abandonment, loss, and a deep-seated loneliness with kindness and gratitude despite the persistence of grief. Both take a deeply spiritual view--even a responsibility--of this experience that demands a compassion for all beings including those who intend to do harm. Natsume, an orphan shuffled between houses who is one of the few people who can see spirits called youkai, inherits his maligned grandmother's book of yokai names, becoming a target for them in the process. He hides all of this from everyone in his life, and even five season in, still has trouble admitting to the one person who understands him when he is struggling and needs help. The gentle and light tone papers over a profoundly honest representation of attachment trauma and the wisdom of compassion that develops as a tool to cope with it.

4. Hunter x Hunter (2011-2014)

"You can do whatever you want to hide your feeling. You still have a heart."

If you think that "Radical Kindness" is by definition non-violent, then this show is either not for you or going to change your mind. Gon, the protagonist of HxH, like Momiji mentioned in Fruits Basket, is another rare character whose naivete and optimism are treated with respect. He is allowed to suffer, to be wrong, to be stupid, and to inspire others away from their own cynicism with the persistence of his beliefs nevertheless. But HxH is a show that integrates the most violent aspects of the world (organized crime, capitalistic competition and privileging, state-sanctioned brutality, pure sadism) with its examination of human potential for goodness. And even within a list of shows deeply inspired by spirituality and religions, this show is abundant with religious references as it seeks out meaning, balance, and an ethic for modern experience. On top of that, it ranks with ATLA for the depth and relevance of its magic system to its themes, plus its got gay subtext out the wazoo!

5. Mushishi (2005-2014)

“Make sure to remember, every person and place has a right to exist. It is true for you too, the entire world, as a whole, is your home."

Elegaic, episodic, compassionate, and strange, with some of the best short story-telling of all time, Mushishi is the story of a medicine-man who travels the Japanese countryside helping people deal with the spirits that accompany the little trials and tragedies of life that cling to our minds long after they're passed. The protagonist, Gingko, and the show itself takes the approach of restraint to observe these problems fully and come to a conclusion that's taoist in its balance and acceptance of reality--"Eyes unclouded by hate" as Miyazaki/Gaiman would have it. Each episode is like a therapy session arguing for you to choose to live even as the heaviest burdens sit on your chest.

6. Reservation Dogs (2021-2023)

"See...love doesn't have to be received, it can just be."

We're finally out of the animes, and moving away from the zen and shinto approach into some other options. Reservation Dogs' indigenous humanism was groundbreaking, bringing in distinctly modern American realities (with the kind of true-to-life details only a an on-location shoot could offer) with Native beliefs about ancestry, community, and connection to the land, while rarely feeling preachy. Instead, it's just fucking hilarious and casually heartbreaking. Four friends on the edge of graduating high school on a reservation in Oklahoma try to figure out what to do with their lives after their plans to go to California get abruptly messed up. Radical kindness as a concept often gets focused on accepting the enemy but what about accepting the weird stoner uncle who farts all the time and won't talk about his years in the army. I think that might be a more important goal of radical kindness, in truth, if we are being asked to look and accept reality for what it is, because growing comfortable with disappointment and the mundane let's us live without the relentless striving that drives perfectionism.

7. Skam (2015-2017)

"The second you start looking for hate, you find it. And when you find hate, you start hating."

A Norwegian teen drama that understood internet culture better than any show before or since, four season-long romance plots better than any romance film from that decade, and a masterfully constructed exhortation about leaning into failures of connection to build deeper compassion rather than demonize another person or group. Each season focused on a specific character within a high-school friend group, emphasizing the limited scope of subjective experience, and had them confront the challenges of opening up to others fully. And even when they return into the scenes with new protagonists, their lives weren't sorted perfectly, reflecting how resolving a single romantic plot point would not resolve life. The impact of this low-budget public-television web series (!!!) will be felt for years (it's already been referenced by Netflix juggernauts like Sex Education and Young Royals), but we're not likely to see something that juggles political themes, heartfelt characterization, realistic dialogue, and meta-commentary (it flashed its own hater and fan comments across the screen in the last episode!!) in such a obsession-inducing package anytime soon.

7. Boys Like Boys (2023)

"Because I have always been someone who hates myself, I don't have the courage to face it. Running away is my only option...What if I give myself one more chance to be brave?"

So how can a reality show make it onto a list of radically kind tv series, especially a dating show!? Well, when that reality dating show casts people who radiate warmth, vulnerability, and respect and seem to have the kind of chemistry that most scripted shows can't even manage, it's a good start. But then, when they elevate that cast with a format that addresses the cruelty of dating, elimination formats, and broader societal exclusion (an important consideration for a gay dating show), it offers a new model for future shows. Boys Like Boys did this when mid-season (spoiler alert) they had contestants vote out a contestant, only to provide the contestants with a vote in which they could retain a contestant who they didn't want to leave. In fact, many of the contestants asked if they could abstain from making a vote that would eliminate a constestant and were allowed to. The final result left one contestant, Jia-Hang, up for elimination--he had voted for himself to be eliminated, and many contestants, recognizing his reticence to continue on the program, didn't want to force him against his will to stay. Then, looking around at nearly the whole cast sobbing, even apologizing to him for not providing him enough support, Jia-Hang chooses to stay on. This is just one of many heart-warming authentic moments in the show that illustrate the vital influence of kindness to impact the trajectory of our hearts.

8. Joe Pera Talks With You (2018-2021)

"I can help you reach things. I can tend the garden. The different hours we keep are a good thing. And when they overlap, I can offer companionship and entertainment."

So much has been written about this show's groundbreaking kind approach, I'm going to quote instead: "It can be difficult to convey how a TV show airing on Cartoon Network’s provocative nighttime programming block Adult Swim can evoke almost nostalgic feelings of kind-heartedness. The premise of Joe Pera Talks With You is so simple as to almost be beside the point: Comedian Joe Pera plays a lightly fictionalized version of himself as a sweet Michigander, a middle-school chorus teacher with small and specific passions. Joe likes breakfast food, obscure trivia, beans, trips to the grocery store, and his grandma. He greets every day with a contented smile, stands beneath a pale blue sky, packs a balanced lunch that contains no surprises. (A turkey sandwich with cheese and a tomato, a banana, some trail mix, and as a treat, some cookies.) Joe, more than anything, is satisfied. His greatest joy is sharing these small pleasures with you, the viewer who exists on the other side of the fourth wall he has cleanly dismantled, often speaking quietly to the camera like he’s sharing a secret, just between you two. That he’s talking “with” and not “to” you is a crucial distinction in the show’s title: Joe never lectures nor rhapsodizes. Instead, he waxes poetic about what he loves and who he cares for and how he leads his life, telling his stories from a vulnerable position of welcoming you into his daily existence.” --“A Great Comedy About Being Good,” Allegra Frank for Vox

9. Anne with an E (2017-2019)

"Her life was not short on challenges, and still she held no grudges, believing instead that grace is perennial like the green, green grass."

While maligned for not being the 1980s version, this Netflix adaptation of Anne of Green Gables takes what many have read as an autistic subtext and made it text, giving Anne a performative quality that pushes a lot of the audience into the same irritation that the characters of Avonlea feel for Anne at first, and, thus, requires its audience to persevere toward the same kindness that Anne inspires in her adoptive mother figure, Marilla, among others, which is much more rewarding than simply identifying with Anne right away. In so doing, it enhances the development of its broader approach to acceptance--an approach in its insistence on the requirement of a community of kindredness (see Sebastian's excitement at finding out about the black community in "The Bog") that is much more rigorous than many other shows will cop to. Expanding far beyond literal adaptation into queer, black, and indigenous characters, without disguising history or disparaging the thematic seed of grace at the heart of the novels, Anne with an E imagines what it meant and what it might still mean to build real joyful community with others through kindness.

10. Little Bear (1995-2003)

"Interesting."

A childhood favorite that disguised in its simplicity a wide-openness to the world and an acceptance of different natures. While most child shows emphasize kindness, few do so with as much patience, wonder, and generosity extended to its viewers. Little Bear is a curious kid who goes on adventures in the woods around his house that can turn into games or small imagined experiences. He is sometimes with his friends Cat, Duck, Hen, Owl, and Emily, whose personalities, along with Little Bear's, bring about small tensions in their games that ultimately resolve, if not independently, then with the help of Mother Bear or Father Bear, who give each other knowing glances about the expected childhood behaviors. This is the first show that initially taught me to observe things while withholding my judgment, that first step of radical kindness.

12. The Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968)

"The key to happiness is finding joy in the simple things."

One really old and somewhat controversial throwback for my last entry. If you have concerns about a sheriff character representing radical kindness, I would encourage you to start with the third episode of season 3 where Andy, the sheriff in question, has to explain to the new mayor why he doesn't carry a gun and lets prisoners go to gather their crops. There have been some fantastic pieces written about the complexities of this show's bucolic fantasy and Southerners (of all races) attachment to it, but they all acknowledge a type of humanistic and deceptively simple virtue found in Mayberry that audiences long to witness, if not emulate themselves. It's a morality that resists the "hyperactive zealotry" and bureaucracy that the show satirizes through Barney Fife (along with guest characters like the new mayor) and instead emphasizes the understanding that one can have for each individual and the trickstery middle paths that one can find to address conflict.

[neuroticbookworm]

Incoherent Old Fashion Cupcake ramblings

I watched Old Fashion Cupcake last night and I've been in a delicious drama brainrot ever since.

This show is brilliant in every way, from acting to camera work to music to incorporating food into the character interactions to body language (y'all know what I'm talking about *smirks*)

gif by @itachis (I'm never gonna get over this scene, btw)

As writing, narrative and character arc fiends, @lurkingshan and I ramble a lot about how shows wrap up all of its plotlines, how satisfying it is, and more importantly, how seamless it feels.

Old Fashion Cupcake has an office romance right at its core. Nozue and Togawa are co-workers, and Togawa is Nozue's subordinate. Which means as soon as they get together, Togawa working under Nozue will be a HR violation. One of them must be reassigned so there is no overlap in their reporting structure.

Now, this is in NO WAY a central conflict that the characters have to work through. But for me, as a viewer, it is a tiny, albeit noticeable problem that will arise wayyyyyy later in the narrative, and it would be oh-so-satisfying to have that plot thread resolved and tied up into a pretty bow within the show's runtime, without it taking focus away from the other, more important themes going on in the show.

And how do the writers do it? Nozue accepts a promotion as the head of another, newly-created department that will also relocate him to a different building. But his decision to move on to a different role is not motivated by the workplace rules, AT ALL. It is beautifully tied into how Nozue *wants* new experiences in his life now, thanks to Togawa.

The HR violation is a tertiary, almost nit-picky problem when compared to the major themes and character arc developments in the show. But it was not ignored and it was resolved exactly how it should be: as a happy coincidence that came with the closure of the main character's arc. So beautifully seamless that I want to cry.

I was rambling about this show to @waitmyturtles and she pointed out that the show's strong writing was certainly helped by the brilliant manga it was adapted from, created by Sagan Sagan. And now I'm very intrigued and might check out the manga (but in the far-off future, I am drowning in my drama watchlist atm lol). Also -- big shoutout to the screenwriter Miyamoto Takeshi. I know Japan is a pro in adapting from print/digital media to TV/movies, but to do it with such a grace? Ooooooof, all the flowers.

I highly doubt that my brainrot for this show ends here and I bet I will go on multiple OFC ramble sprees in the future. Until then, enjoy the resident OFC hamster who has no business being this fucking adorable and sexy.

gif by @bubblegeon

[aspoonofsugar]

do you have a favourite RWBY arc?

Hello anon!

Do you mean story-arc or character arc? I am just gonna go with character arcs because I feel like it :) Here is my list. It combines my personal taste with those I think are best written.

1- Penny Polendina

Penny's arc is the best complete one in the series so far. It is thightly written and very powerful. Her final choice does what every character arc's climax should do: it ties togetyher all the thematic threads explored by Penny's arc in one incredibly meaningful moment. In the end, Penny chooses to be a friend, shows she is an adult and affirms her own humanity. Her choice is meant to be tragic and bittersweet because humanity can be both. Still, it is definately worth it.

1 - Cinder Fall

Cinder's arc isn't complete, but there is already enough for her to get first place together with Penny. Midnight is the best written episode of the series in my opinion and it manages to tie together all the pieces of foreshadowing and subtext present in Cinder's story up until that point. It is also a pivotal point in Cinder's story, where she has to make a choice. Will she recognize she is still a prisoner of abuse or will she ignore this truth? She chooses to repress and fails to develop positively. As a result, she has prepared her own tragedy.

Cinder's story is key to the whole series and it has the potential to end up above all the other arcs, if well executed.

3 - Weiss Schnee and Yang Xiaolong

Ice Girl and Fire Girl are tied for third place! (together with Jaune)

Weiss's arc has a very strong set-up and beginning. She gets a lot of focus at Beacon and quickly develops. After such a solid start her development can take the time to happen slowly, so that we can see how she has silently and beautifully evolved throughout the volumes. She is now warmer, kinder and happier than ever. Points for her having some of my favourite motifs.

Yang's arc is kind of the opposite, in my opinion. She gets the least focus among the 4 main girls in Vale. Still, the moment her arc decides to roll, it gets central stage. Her focus in Mistral is wonderful and her development is beautifully conveyed in volume 5 and volume 6 climaxes. Her confrontation with Raven is especially one of the best scenes of the series.

3 - Jaune D'Arc

Jaune's arc is one of the best executed both in terms of pacing and evolution of the character. If he keeps going this way, he might climb to first place tbh.

6 - Ruby Rose

I am expecting her to climb higher. Her focus in volume 9 was great and a beautiful first step in her development. The choice to mask her LRRH's story behind Alice in Wonderland references was wonderful and brilliantly executed. I think the ending could have been conveyed more powerfully, but the final result is still great. I am looking forward to how her arc will continue!

7 - Blake Belladonna and Oscar Pine

Blake's arc is beautiful and it ties together many thematic threads. Maybe a little bit too much, which is why it is below the other main characters. She is still wonderful though! And the more one analyzes her story, the more gems are found!

Oscar is one of the best written characters in my opinion, as his story is thight and perfectly intertwined with the main plot. Still, I think it has still to enter its climax, hence why he is only 7th place. Totally expecting him to climb higher, though.

9 - Emerald Sustrai

Emerald's arc has still to climax, but I like her set-up a lot and she is slowly going through a beautiful inner growth. There is already enough meet and actual development for her to just make the top 10 :P

9 - Pyrrha Nikos and James Ironwood

Both have masterfully written arcs and in terms of writing they could be higher. Still, I am less involved in their stories compared to others. In any case, they are two perfectly executed examples of tragedies. And different kinds of tragedies, as well.

Pyrrha's tragedy lies in the world around her. Ironwood's tragedy lies within himself.

11 - Lie Ren and Qrow Branwen

Both Ren and Qrow have beautiful arcs, but I am less involved with them when compared to others. So, here they are.

I would highlight this list doesn't consider characters like Salem, Nora, Raven, Summer or Mercury because even if set-up, their arcs still need to properly happen on-screen. Among them, though, I would say that Raven and Mercury especially have wonderful set-ups.

Raven's characterization and focus in volume 5 makes her one of the best written characters tbh. She is despicable, flawed, a coward and a hypocrite. And this is precisely why she is so great. She is very human and layered. It is clear she cares about Yang. Still, it is also clear she is too selfish and scared to act on her feelings. The way the narrative peels away her powerful mask to reveal a weak soul behind it is great. As it is the challenge for her to overcome her fear and make amends.

Mercury has so far one of the best set-up arc. His writing has been extremely thight and almost every scene he is in gives additioinal information on him, his background, his bonds with others and his feelings. All in a very subtle way. Basically, his writing is very rich and we can infer a lot, despite his arc having yet to start. He is the embodyment of the cycle of abuse and I am curious to see how this concept gets explored.

Finally, shout outs to Neo and Ilia. Their arcs aren't as complex or long and have less bits than the main characters'. Still, they are thight and perfectly executed.

Thank you for the ask!

[the-egg]

hey how's it going? :) I'd like you to headcanons a humorous female reader who uses a lot of irony and jokes, with Miguel having to deal with her, in a development of a novel. I love her work ❤️ -- @bellaisa2507

-----------------

I’m a little confused on the “development of a novel” part but I’ll try my best!

Word Count: 850

Tags: Implied smut, really bad jokes

-----------------

To love someone like you, one has to make some sacrifices. Miguel was willing to make the sacrifice of listening to your corny jokes for the sake of receiving your love <3

You were like Lyla, except you weren’t an AI tied to Miguel. Witty humor and a smart mouth

You would like to be tied to Miguel tho if you know what I mean ;)

When he first met you to recruit you, he had half the mind to leave you in your dimension without a gizmo and ban you from ever joining the Spider Society

It wasn’t like you were bad at your job; you were a great Spider-Woman and handled your first anomaly so beautifully. By the time Miguel came, all he had to do was pick up the anomaly and head back

No no no instead you decided to use the worst pick-up lines someone could ever hear in their life

"Hey, are you from another dimension?"

"What do you—? Yes, I just said that. Were you not listening—"

"Because you’re out of this world!"

You dropped a few more jokes before Miguel left your dimension

Lyla had to convince him to come back

As an official member of the Spider Society, you became someone who was a light in every room you walked in

You always had a way to bring a smile to someone’s face, either intentionally or unintentionally, including Miguel's, but he wouldn’t be caught saying that

After a few months of working with him, he would keep you around him as one of his right hands

Not only were you a strong and clever fighter, but you had a way to calm him down with your humor

Being the head of the Spider Society was stressful in itself, not to mention the added stress of fixing holes in the multiverse, so having you there to crack jokes helped calm him down

Again, he thought of you as someone very similar to Lyla, except he couldn’t see right through you, he could hang out with you, fight along side you, touch you...

Needless to say, being Miguel’s personal anti-depressant made him fall for you

His heart would soften every time you came into a room, and he would crack a smile at every one of your horrible jokes

You made him kinder, softer—only to you though

While you had already liked him since day one, when he tried cracking a joke back at you, your heart swooned

The only jokes he knows how to make are dad jokes though which made it 100 times better

You went to Miguel’s office platform after a mission to destress with your favorite person. Of course, Miguel was stressed out at his desk as usual, staring intently at the screens. Luckily, you were there to break him out of that mindset.

"It sucks that we’re on a time crunch on missions. My last mission happened at an ice cream parlor, but unfortunately, I had to split right after. Get it? Get it?! Split! Like banana split!" You stared at Miguel as he cracked a small smile; his eyes were still glued to the screen. "Miguel, I’m saying we should go get ice cream."

He let out a small chuckle at your blunt attempt to ask him out for the umpteenth time.

"Hey, do you know if Spider-Cat was in my office today?" Miguel asked as he finally turned his head to look at you. You cocked your head to the side, and your brows furrowed.

"No, why?"

"Because I can’t find my mouse."

You could practically hear the comical ba-dum-tis of the drums after his joke. A smile bloomed on your face as you lightly punched his shoulder.

"You are so corny!"

"You’ve used that one on me before!"

One day he would finally say yes to one of your many attempts at asking him out through silly jokes, which would make your brain completely malfunction

After getting to know him and his devastating character backstory, you were under the impression that he wouldn’t be willing to commit to a relationship of any kind

But after breaking down his walls little by little, you brought a humor to his life he was willing to open his heart to

When you guys start dating, he picks it up with the flirty comments

Some were jokes while others were steamy

"Spider-Woman, we need back up over here!" Miguel yelled through the watch as he and Peter struggled to weaken the anomaly of the week.

"I’ll be over in a second! I’ve almost nailed this villain!" you responded through the watch as you nearly captured the other anomaly about a block down from Miguel and Peter.

"If you’re not over here now, I’ll do more than nail you to the ground when we get back to HQ!"

You have never swung over faster in your life.

But seriously, he loves you so much

You are his sunshine!

He has never smiled so much since losing his daughter, and he hopes to continue smiling with you till the end of time <3

[robotlesbianjavert]

10 fav things about spinner + 10 fav things about shigaraki

this is like asking me to describe my favourite things about the gentle warmth of the sun on my skin on a cloudless day at a beautiful lake that is good and fun to swim in. how can i put words to how perfect something like that is.

TOP TEN THINGS ABOUT SPINNER.

gay little hench fella. most important character trait always.

the bravado and bluster he gets introduced with being a cover for his deep-seated insecurities and internal struggles...

...his claims of high-minded idealism and lofty goals when his true wants are so simple (HOMOSEXUAL LOVE) (and to matter in some way i guess.) (mostly love. though.)

i know he is an annoying backseat gamer. i have said this before but it's so charming to me.

how surprisingly well his character development elevates the Themes & Motifs around how important human connections are for the ostracized. and he doesn't have to be annoying about it.

the charming little touches of characterization. him shrieking GRAND THEFT AUTO as a battle cry in 160, when he has to move his headband tail out of his eyes when trying to deliver a speech to toga. they make him feel so that much more real.

he's so poetic. he should be a writer. that warped, crumbling horizon...i'd never seen anything prettier GOD i know he was writing angsty poetry.

as someone who usually prefers secondary/side character to the mains, he is like. such a great example of a side character done right. he's like commentary on the nature of being a side character (monoma is another example of this in the manga), of the interplay between dehumanization/discrimination (Shoji Arc DNI) and crime, of connection with others and how they inspire us pushing us, etc etc etc. lots of the fun themes.

he is so sincere. so crazy sincere, once you have his love, he is so sincere. and so determined. he has the soul of the troubled outsider type of shonen hero who has to become stronger through the strength of his bonds. but also the energy of that shonen hero's love interest. all trapped in the body of a secondary character. he is so amazing.

when his face is drawn so small and cute and squishy like you can eat it :3

TOP TEN THINGS ABOUT SHIGARAKI

the reason i read bnha in the first place was because i stumbled upon the leaks of chapter 222 with the tortured flashes of shigaraki's past when i was discourse diving for fun. and then looking at that chapter in full, the way that shigaraki delivered what he remembered of his backstory, the Insane Tragedy of it all. well how could i not love him.

when he wants to murder highschool students. who wouldn't!

i love his physicality, the way his body language is portrayed - like he's generally pretty loose and slumped (especially early on), but he's also very purposeful? it's something that i think horikoshi generally excels with in art, but shigaraki just takes the cake.

for that matter his whole character design is perfection. early on with all the hands was such a unique and creepy look that tied in beautifully to his backstory and also Themes & Motifs. and even when he loses most of the hands, his face is so <3 with all the eyebags and scratches and wrinkles. he's also the character whose appearance has changed the most, in a way that goes hand in hand with his character development.

when he gets pissed off when he first starts trying to recruit people so he goes to the mall. to angst publicly. he wore a hoodie <3

he's a character that's really easy to reduce down to his victimhood and trauma - and lots of people sure do that! - and his victimhood and trauma are essential parts of his character, but even with the dumbass possession arc shigaraki never loses sight of who he is and what he wants, even beyond AFO's influence. it's also really easy to make him Just a villain, a straightforward villain who cares for nothing and no one. but he does care about things, he cares about the league! he does it all.

much like spinner and in fact more than spinner, he has The Most shonen hero energy despite being thee villain. and he's so cool about it. he even gets a love interest.

petty misanthropic bitch but as soon as you know you're place he's chill. this is how shigaraki/resdestro is real.

chapter 379. everything about it but also how he called nagant a flip-flopping screw up. i'm ignoring how he said the same about my friend gentle criminal.

his smile :)

i feel like both these lists do not do enough to really encapsulate why i love them. but one must try.

[osatokun]

Is there anything you want to tell us about Charlie that you didn't get to develop yet? 👀

That's a hard one! I don't think there are things I didn't tell, but totally things I didn't draw! First of all I want to draw his entire flat. My dear friend designed it for me and I plan to draw it by hand sometime

I don't even know how long he's going to live here, but I'm thrilled he has his own home for the first time in 200 years. Even tho his coterie leader paid for the rent haha. I want to draw much more pictures of the whole family in this flat, doing regular and not so regular things ( like idk, summoning ghosts (they did it)) I want to draw more of the times before Glinda,but I just can't get enough of her..She is a pure perfection, our Dm is a wizard ! For example, Charlie traveled with Wicca witch and her student for 2 and a half moths.And slept under her bed haha. She herself is a dhampir, a very sweet and calm character. In the world of very serious vampires he needed someone who keeps that spark of wonder and a desire for adventures. They never had any romantic relationship (the hot threesome was purely for the ritual *cough*) but first in many years he felt so calm, like if he was a part of a family. Witch's student later on became a student of Garry Dresden ( because our ST loves him very much as do I, so he made this lil cameo).

I totally want to explore more the changelings of our game. For example we had a wonderful, beautifully described woods in Umbra, near Arcadia. Charlie went here on almost suicidal mission with witch's student, to get an ingredient to heal Gilnda and Monica. He sang to the trees asking them to let them through haha (it was a super scary session) And I want to draw local changeling's freehold, on a chemistry. And ofcourse more changelings that we met ( a changeling king, chimeras, pookas, eshu..ah..) Surprisingly for me, I got VERY into that part of our game and thanks for our ST he gave me plenty food for future drawings! I want to draw more pictures with Folly, the demon who Charlie let out of his prison and made a contract with. He is insanely (ha!) cruel but devilishly charismatic entity. Little by little he is trying to take charlie's soul,what's left of human in him. But only when he's in the mood, he has a lot of other stuff to do, he is a busy demon. I want to draw Adzone, demon's jailer and the oldest vampire of the city, in his changeling plane outfit. Black plate armor with the cloak made of chains ended with hooks, a little dead body on the each hook. And a broken tower symbol on his chest. Adzone is the one who always helped changelings and keeps contact with them. (look at him he is so sexy haha)

I want to draw more pictures of Johnny, Charlie's friend and another malkavian of the city. I love him so much I made a similar character to play in another game >W<

Speaking of demons.. I want to draw an angel of our game. Yes, a real angel that keeps and old gangrel, Enkidu, prisoned, shopping his head off every day, every night. The place Enkidu trapped in is in the deep Umbra. But every time gangrels falls asleep they see a "dream" of that place. Enkidu lures them in, as an astral projections I suppose. Demon was there. So do Charlie.And Monica..again, so many wonderful, scary visons!! I already have a face claim for that angel just didn't draw them yet.. As for Gangrels, they had they embrace night described, showed in that dreams. Again, it was very inspiring and I hope to draw some of them someday. For now I even barely drew gangrels at all when there are SO MANY and the main plot of the game is tied with them. I..didn't even draw Enkidu, a fucking super duper old vampire who is (partially) here since second arc! See, I was so hyperfixated on Charlie's "save the princess, save the queen" quest i didn't even tell much about main theme of the game!! To see more gangrels of our game please check out @fj0rge ! and there are so so so much more! Salubri that once saved Charlie in 1910th, when he and his sires jumped into apocalypse. Apocalypses. His sires. His human family. His time in Cairo before he died.I want to redraw the pictures of when he killed a priest, because I find it an important part of the character, that feel of justice. I want to draw fomori we fought. I want to draw bug shaped werewolf that now our ally. I want to properly draw the horny Wicca ritual it was COOL. I want to draw the story of when Charlie killed his first human lover/his ghoul.. oh there is so many you have to stop me haha my brain never stops

closest to be drawn- Glinda riding her chimera and circled by ghosts and changeling freehold

[eurydicees]

Random ask, who are your top 5 (or top 3) fav characters from Haikyuu? And why do you love them? Also, what are your top 5 fav moments from the series? Thanks if you want to answer....

oh i would LOVE to answer !!! sorry it took so long to get to this!! this was sooooo hard to do. it's not in any particular order because i can't bring myself to do a favorites list like that, as i have so much love in my body to give to the world and also haikyuu specifically. under the cut because this got long!! there ARE manga spoilers in this post!!!

top 5 characters

oikawa

yeah we all say this one coming let's be honest with ourselves here. his growth as a person genuinely makes me crazy. he's so well developed and he's truly such a fascinating character. his arc is beautifully tied in with the MCs and beautifully ended. the way it all ties together and comes together with him at the end...chef's kiss. i have a whole theory about the way it all comes back to oikawa that i have ranted about on discord but i have not posted it...oops.

bokuto

my beloved............he means so much to me. he's so special in my heart. adhd representation fr. he's so much smarter and has so much more depth than people give him credit for--which drives me crazy and i hate it--and he genuinely has such an impact on the narrative that doesn't get appreciated enough. i love him so much.

atsumu

i really don't know how to put this into words but i'm so obsessed with him. he's so important to me. it's smth about the drive and hunger to get better at what you love, the absurd confidence in yourself that is earned rather than a facade, the way he never sees another option but putting all of your heart into what you love and want to do....he means everything to me.

akaashi

i don't know if this one will come as a surprise to people, but he's fr one of my favorite characters. he's so interesting. his mindset is really interesting and i absolutely loved seeing him in the fukurodani v mujinazaka game--it's about how he recovers, how he learns to keep trying as best he can no matter if he's worth it or not or strong enough or not, how deeply he loves his team and how deeply they love him, how he learns to love them rather than try to control them. it's just like. you and those you love being the most important people in the world, the protagonist of your own story and life, but also not being afraid of losing. not being afraid of trying, even if it means you may fail. give me your 120%. i know you can. man. i don't even know. he makes me crazy.

kenma

oh man. his journey and arc makes me...i don't even know. it means so much to me. the promise to make him say something was fun or frustrating--then nekoma's loss, and him saying it was fun anyways. oh my god. crying about it tbh. his development as a character: not particularly remarkable at first sight, but cunning and smart underneath what he looks like, learning to put every piece of himself into a game, learning to have fun while playing even if he loses. man. yeah. kenma.

top 5 moments

tanaka's mediocre me monologue (chp 263)

aaaaaaaa. this idea that you may be mediocre but that doesn't mean you can't risk it all and push yourself further and be the best. it's the whole POINT of haikyuu. don't limit yourself because of your insecurities or because someone tells you that you can't do something. you don't have time to waste by giving up or doubting yourself, because there's so much you can do. this is the moment that solidified tanaka's character for me; i hadn't super loved him before this moment and then i got to this and went. oh. yeah. ok. that's really good actually.

nekoma's loss to karasuno (chp 324)

oh my god. this makes me crazy. i don't even have words for it. don't make me think about it. i'mc rying.

kiryuu's monologue (chp 334)

it's just. the idea of this top 3 ace who doesn't have enough confidence to believe in himself learning to "channel your inner narcissist." AND ITS BOKUTO WHO INSPIRES IT. CRYING. and like just this idea that well, you may not have confidence in yourself, but other people believe in you and you believe in them, so don't let them down by talking down to yourself. and like..."it takes everything i have to keep up with this man, it takes everything i have to play volleyball" and playing anyways...i'm biting things .

oikawa's volleyball is fun moment (chp 373)

oh my god ok. this moment means everything to me. it's about the burn out it's about the passion it's about the rediscovery it's about the fun it's about the love it's actually the point of everything it's what matters it's one of the best chapters in the manga, one of the best pieces of development for oikawa, one of the best pieces of development for hinata, i'm going crazy i'm so insane about this moment . i actually cried reading this for the first time. tears streaming down my face. i have a more in depth post about this moment here!!! but like genuinely as someone who experiences artistic burnout so easily and so often, the reminder that what you love is fun is so important to me. easily one of my favorite moments in any piece of writing ever.

the ending (chp 402)

i'm not gonna include the whole monologue but it makes me fuckign wild. i just. yeah. yeah. yeah. haikyuu. it means so much to me.

honorable mentions for top moments:

"if i'm here, you're invincible" don't touch me i'm crying

NISHINOYA FOOT RECIEVE

yamaguchi's failed serve and the way karasuno recovers & yamaguchi's six points & tsukki and yamaguchi's serve and block panel with the shield and spear. going insane.

"when oikawa is backed into a corner, he'll set to iwaizumi" i'm actually crawling up the walls about this

the last point in the second aoba johsai game. enough said.

tsukki's Moment TM . you all know exactly which one i'm talking about.

kenma calling yamamoto tora

"volleyball is a sport where you're always looking up".......garbled screaming at this

HINATA PERFECT RECEIVE

tsukki's "if i could stuff this now i'm sure everyone would go crazy, but i can't, so...you better be there hinata" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the last inarizaki point. the reflection in kita's eyes. the flashes of we don't need the memories. this angle, this position, it's perfect. the parallels to the last aoba johsai point. speed isn't invincible...those two understood that a little better than everyone else. oh my god. shaking.

can you tell that my favorite game is the inarizaki one. because really i should just say my favorite moment is that entire game.

kenma's "it hurts. it's painful. i don't ever want this to end." & "don't give up on me now hinata"

the kenhina knife fight. oh my god. i feel deranged with the way i talk about this panel.

"someone even better will find you" oh my god kageyama my sweetheart

[lemmingsunday]

Okay, so most of you wanted this. Here is the in depth analysis of how the bright eyes scene in watership down 1978 manages to evoke so many emotions.

(Under the cut)

So this analysis is mostly practice to improve my grade in english, so dont expect anything good.

So the scene starts out with hazels "death". I think the reason so many people thought he was dead to start with is because of how richard adams presents death within the book and by extension the film. In all cases of death in watership down, it is sudden. It starts off with violet in the cornfield, and fivers short statement of "violets gone". There is no greiving for her, no remembrance. The group keeps moving on. The same is with hollys memory of the warren, the rabbit whos throat is ripped out by woundwort (i think he was blackavar, but i cant be sure) and eventually hazel himself at the end of the film. The exception to this pattern is bigwig when he was caught in the snare, but he wasnt dead, and that scene wasnt as such a deception, but a way to keep the stakes high and further illustrate the corruption of man and the land. Hazels false death follows the trend of swift sudden death (and i could talk for hours about how this is to reflect the true fate of many animals and how the 2018 remake just couldnt capture that, but i cant rn), and so because the viewer already associates this with final death, they think hazel is gone (also causing a shit ton of childhood trauma but anyway). Another reason the death feels genuine is because the film isnt afraid to kill off characters (violet, the warren ect) while other films are, and so this already deviates from status quo.

Anyway, ramble over, on to the actual scene. So we have all these emotions and shock built up from this moment. Fiver (the moral heart of the story) is in shock. He doesnt believe it, hes in denial and begins to look for his brother. Then the animation begins to shift. It gently flows into that sort of abstract, pale style of fivers visions, the first hint to hazels life, and the first section of bright eyes starts to play. Now there is hope. This is different to every other framing of death, and is so beautiful/heartbreaking. Then the lyrics kick in. This really cements this scenes deviation from the tone of the film (but not in an way that feels out of place) and the viewer gets hope. If you really listen, the lyrics "how could a light that burned so brightly suddenly burn so pale" and "down the river of death" allude to hazels death, however this is juxtaposed to the imagery of fiver chasing the black rabbit/vision of hazel (they both appear at times). Both of these things represent the conflicting emotions within the viewer, and just fit in really beautifully, while showing that it isnt hazels time. The other rabbits dont get this, they dont get death leading a rescuer to them.The scene flits between fiver searching for hazel and younger, simpler version of the pair playing together, which reminds the audience that the two are indeed brothers and have the closest friendship in the group, which further adds to the pile of emotions going on and just ties everything together perfectly.

Forgot to add, but the fact that this song has lyrics is another deviation. Sorry for missing that and not having time to develope it.

Anyway, the ending. The music dies down and fiver approaches the farm. He rounds on to the pipe and we hear this deep, echoing heartbeat. Hazel is alive. I cant express just how perfect this ending is for that scene. There is just nothing to add. We dont need to see hazel or hear fiver say "hazels alive!" It is the perfect example of show not tell. The remake could only dream of being that good. The impact of that ending is just too good and satisfies the audience, while also keeping that sense of suspense and apprehension.

Thats going to be it, since i have to eat now, but i hope this satisfied the people who wanted this, especially you @kazbrekkerfast

Bye

[incorrecttowerofgodquotes]

Gundam: The Witch From Mercury Episode 11 Review

- Suletta’s anxieties this episode resonated really hard with me. The feeling of being abandoned and wanting to impress others so you won’t be discarded are heavy and very realistic for someone who had been isolated for her entire childhood. The lunch scene was especially heartrending as she tried so hard to be a people pleaser that she compromised her own comfort

- The scene between Delling and Prospera was pretty confusing. Delling not only knows who she really is, but seems to be somewhat working with her as well. I still think he’s not long for this world, either by Prospera or by Dawn of the Fold. His big invention, Quiet Zero, seems to be affiliated with GUND technology which might link back to what he said in Episode 7 about the Gundam’s curse.

- Prospera was very sus this episode as she usually is, and Belmeria clearly sees a problem. The “daughter” Prospera keeps referring to is definitely Aerial and that scene at the end where she talks about not leaving it behind shows her immense care for it. Eri = Aerial is developing slowly but surely. Also we got info that Aerial reached Permet level 6, indicating that it does use the same software as other Gundams. Now it’s really weird that Suletta is unaffected and doesn’t even activate it on her own will like the other Gundams.

- Dawn of the Fold seem to be our leading antagonist group for the second half as they over took both Delling and Prospera in the opening, and Sophie has some weird fanaticism with Suletta. I’m guessing the other girl will be Guel or Elan’s rival then.

- All of Earth House, even the animals, are here for this horrible moment and I don’t want any of them to die. Though one of them getting hurt will probably be the push Nika needs to throw away her rebellious ties and embrace her new friends, especially since she and Miorine have hit it off recently.

- Now for the real important moment, the SuleMio reconciliation. The chase scene, while being beautifully animated, is also very sweet cause you really see how much Miorine cares for Suletta by continuing to chase after her despite banging her head constantly. Then the scene where Suletta shares her anxiety and Miorine reassures her while also showing her own insecurities. They finally confirm their feelings for each other, with Mio telling Suletta to never leave and Suletta pulling her in tighter. Though sadly right after reconciling, they are split up once again and won’t reconnect until some big stinky shit happens.

- Bob once again best character of all time despite the one minute screen time. All hail. The absolute balls (or stupidity) on this man to argue with his kidnappers. All of his coworkers are wondering what the fuck he’s on, but luckily they get at least some free range. But what’s really sad is that Vim doesn’t even give a shit about his own son. I’m really scared for Lauda if Vim survives this little attempt (or even when he doesn’t) cause he’ll be pushed to take revenge against both Grassley and Suletta.

- Shaddiq continuing to be absolute worst boy. At least El0n/El5n is entertaining, Shaddiq’s just a dick. He loves to act like he has everything under control but the world will eventually bite back hard. He’s like Icarus flying to close to the sun.

- Next episode is gonna be a real doozy. We got Guel suffering under a hostage situation, our two lovebirds separated with one being targeted, our Earth House kids getting caught in the middle, and who knows what Prospera and Delling are planning

[dragontamerno3]

DS9 S1 E12-15

I have been sorta nursing my health for the last couple of days as I've had some pretty bad pain days and didn't really feel up to giving a full recap as I watched something. I'm still feeling crappy so this may continue for the foreseeable future. Yay chronic illnesses... Anywhoo on to the recaps.

E12 - Vortex

This is another Odo episode. Was kinda expecting to just blank out and let this one pass without much thought, but I was pleasantly surprised. I didn't particularly like it, but it had some good moments. Up to this point there didn't seem to be much to him besides "security dude" but getting to see that even he has temptations was a nice touch for character development. There are potential clues on who/what he might be in it but ultimately I knew it was too early for him to get to meet his people so I was curious to see where it actually led. When he ultimately let the dude and his daughter escape by letting the Vulcans take them to safety was really where the episode changes for me. That's literally at the end so it doesn't do much but change my star rating on it but it let me see that Odo has a heart and I look forward to seeing more of softy Odo. If he truly is a grump with a heart of goo (this is a pun laugh with me) then I might actually come to like Odo.

6/10

E13 Battle Lines

Typical "two sides have been fighting for centuries and refuse to stop story." While I agree with Sisko's decision not to let Bashir change the "coding" of whatever was keeping those folks alive after dying over and over again, I was on the side of ending it until Shel-la (I think) said he'd use it to win the war finally.

I felt bad for Kira when the Kai died and when it became clear that she couldn't leave again because of it. Kira's reaction was pretty much how I would have (at least in the sense of "Why aren't you DOING something") and she's growing to be the fiesty Kira I know and love.

5/10

E14 The Storyteller

This one had me laughing probably more than I should have been but I had a fun ride on this one. I in no way thought this one was a "good" episode but seeing Miles in any uncomfortable situation like this is generally worth my time. I know that Bashir and Miles become friends at some point but seeing them have this awkward interaction at the beginning, the pulling of teeth to make Miles socialize with anyone let alone a chatty Bashir, and then the bait and switch on the surface. Chefs kiss. Bashir also had too much fun laughing at him. lol

I don't have much to say about the plot itself, it was okay. I do enjoy a "we created our own monster" story, though generally its also tied to a "this person is a monster" character so it was interesting to see it manifest as a storm like thing.

6/10 for the giggles

E15 Progress

I really like this episode but I don't like how it ended. To me, it doesn't fit with the Kira that we've met so far. This is the first time that I could see the Ro Laren skeleton to Kira's character design cause I could see Ro doing the same things.

Having her, of all the crew, touch down on the surface and run into (at least) 3 folks trying to live their lives away from the pain of what the Cardassians did to them, was the perfect set up for this. Everyone else would have fought them harder or would have taken them without their permission within minutes. And then when the old man gets hurt and she stays to nurse him back to health for a while, it really felt like she was settling back into the Bajorian refugee type where they all help each other no matter what their title was. It was really touching and beautifully set up.

What I don't agree with is what happened after Sisko reminds her that while it's okay to be conflicted but it's not okay to get stuck, she decides that she is going to drag this man away from his home unwillingly. Yes, if she left him there he *probably* wouldn't have survived and yes she had a job to do, I'm aware of all of this and even accept that these are the reasons she acted the way she did. But I feel like war exhausted Kira would throw all she had at him and still let him decide his own fate, given how much the Cardassians had ruled over them. I feel like he should have been allowed to choose where he wanted to die and it felt out of character that Kira didn't agree.

With that said! The idea that she helped him finish building a few things or fixing things up and then she turned around to burn it all down was a pretty dramatic touch that I didn't see her doing. It was a very powerful ending.

7/10

[benis-chillin]

Backlog Reviews 2024: Metroid Dread

Platform: Switch

March 9th, 2024-April 4th, 2024

(Previous review, since I don't have anywhere to hyperlink it in the edit)

This has been the big one for me for a while. Back in late 2022, I binged through Zero Mission, Samus Returns, Super Metroid, and Fusion, and have had a craving for this final 2D Metroid since. Not many game series have clicked with me in the same way Metroid has, so this is a case where I HAVE to play every game in at least SOME form.

And while I just found Prime to be a bit "eh" last year, I'm still going to give any of the other games a fair shake. Cause like with Sonic before it, I HAVE to know for myself. Even Other M will get that treatment someday.

And so, after a year of waffling that was terrible, I finally nabbed a cartridge on EBay and got to playing what may be one of my favorites in the series, if not THE favorite. If I were to describe how this game plays, it would be like if Samus had continued to get 2D games on the DS and 3DS after Fusion, and we're just at the next step of THAT evolution. It's insane how much of a progression this is from even Samus Returns, with new moves and weapons that I would've NEVER thought of for Metroid, but feel like, "Of course, why WOULDN'T you?" after you're introduced to the concept. They also keep the morph ball from you for a WHILE, which was surprisingly bold. After seeing my other favorite video game character regress so much in his 2D game design for his past decade of games, this was nice to see.

The world can become a bit unwieldy at times, but this is a fairly easy world to navigate once you've got the hang of it. While I didn't mind the more linear progression of Fusion and Samus Returns, I'm glad that they did cut back on Adam outright telling you where to go. He doesn't really have THAT much dialogue, and it's more just telling you what to avoid and what to look out for in terms of upgrades.

As for the story, it is REALLY good…Save for one thing I'll talk about later. It's fairly simple, but the stakes are high personally for Samus, and it ties her adopted heritage with the Chozo into the grander plot very naturally. This story could've gone really badly if not done right, and it warms my heart to see it executed so beautifully. And yes, when THAT moment happened at the end, I DID shed a single, sexy tear.

So that's a fair summary of the good stuff, so I'm gonna whine and complain a bit before we wrap up.

For one thing, bosses. Even on Rookie Mode, they're long, spammy, and kinda repetitive. The strategy for all of them is "don't get hit, and spam them with missiles." The only ones that break this up are Kraid when you sequence break for early bombs, and the twin Chozo warriors when they want you to learn how to use Storm Missiles. Everybody else was the same exact strategy, even the final boss against Raven Beak. And this problem wouldn't be so bad if there weren't SO MANY OF THEM, especially towards the end. It started to slow my progress, cause I'd wake up some days just NOT wanting to deal with any random boss encounter they'd throw my way.

They at least wait until the very end to throw the cheapest boss at you, unlike the latest offering by a certain blue rat that I played recently, but I'd definitely say the bosses were more of a negative than a positive.

E.M.M.I.s were also inconsistent. Sometimes, they'd work right and be this terrifying encounter that you just BARELY scraped past, other times they'd be a cheap kill that sets you back with no real consequences since there's not THAT much space between the E.M.M.I. doors in any given area. And then most of the time, they were just laughable clowns that you can just Scooby Doo around until you get to the next door. You can have some cool encounters with them, but even early on these guys are total posers.

And while I praised all of the moves we got earlier, there is a part of me that thinks MAYBE we got too many of them? Maybe it was my developing case of carpal tunnerl syndrome, or the Switch Lite's underscaled buttons for these kind of games, but the stronger I got, the harder it was to manage all of my weapons in a boss battle. Plus, there were upgrades I barely even used, like the Speed Booster, that maybe could've been cut. I know people are gonna be mad at me for saying the Speed Booster sucks, but you can accomplish most of what it does through normal movement and the Screw Attack, so I don't see the point of it. Samus Returns managed just fine without it.

And now for the spoiler rant, so if you don't want to be spoiled, just don't read the section between the big text, m'kay?

SPOILER ZONE

So at the end of the game, we find out that the events of the game have drawn out Samus' Metroid DNA she got back in Fusion. She is becoming more Metroid-like as time goes on, which makes sense given all of the X that are now out and about.

HOWEVER, the game explains this as her Thoha DNA she got as a child keeping it at bay until she met Raven Beak at the beginning, because he is a Mawkin. The Thoha were the ones who made the Metroids, so Adam reasons out that this is why the Metroid DNA kept things quiet until meeting the Mawkin, who slaughtered the Thoha on SR388.

SO HER METROID DNA WAS SCARED OF HER THOHA DNA!?

THAT MAKES NO DAMN SENSE!

Samus' Metroid DNA comes from the baby Metroid she spared during Metroid 2/Samus Returns, who descended from the Metroids who evolved out of the Thoha's control due to Aeion energy. This DNA is from a set of Metroids who have no loyalty to the Thoha, and would thus not CARE.

Additionally, if Raven Beak's Mawkin DNA triggered it in the beginning, HOW WAS SAMUS ALREADY NOT IN THIS STATE? This game establishes that she HAS Mawkin DNA inside of her! RAVEN BEAK'S MAWKIN DNA, no less! Did it just conviniently ignore that?

Not to mention that Other M established that the Baby Metroid was, in fact, a Queen Metroid larva, which is why it protected Samus at the end of Super and such. I think such special DNA would get past these boundaries regardless.

(And yes, I'm aware of the implication that Samus is a Queen because of this. We all already knew that, so it's irrelevant)

And finally, DNA DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY!

Okay, spoilers over.

So yeah, my problems with it would bump it down to a 9/10 normally, but I'm going to restore a point because Samus looks damn sexy in her armor in this game. Every one of her main suits is hot af, so basically, in the merits of being oddly attracted to a woman in a robot suit:

10/10

Next…Idk. I'm gonna take a break to nurse my carpal tunnel for a bit. So…See you next mission, I guess.

[whetstonefires]

Hi! I hope it's if ask three questions together: 21, 5 and 8 for that delightful fandom ask 💕

in that order!

21. a fandom you're not active in anymore but that you still really like

Oh, tricky! What does it mean to really like a fandom. I have so much affection for most of the ones I've been active in, but at the same time it's often the fandom rather than the source material I used up my enthusiasm for and departed.

Yu Yu Hakusho, maybe? I posted a lot of like, character study bits on ffdotnet for it back in high school and I often think if the fandom was more active I might circle back to it with my more developed writing chops.

I have a lot of beef with some of the fandom's conventions around shipping though so I may not be able to fairly say I love it.

Maybe Trigun. I couldn't get through episode one of the new anime though because they took my Millie, so I failed to join the renaissance.

5. something you see in fics a lot and love

Also hard! Just for the broad scope of the kinds of things that are in fics. But haha, I'm not responsible for figuring out the the intended thrust of the vague question! There are no penalties if I guess wrong!

I really like the bit in a fic when the writer ties their story down to the canon mid-stream. It's such a distinctive feeling, there's a practically kinetic gestural motion to it, that you can often sense it in fics you've never read the canon for. It works basically the same in contexts where you're tying your narrative to an existing non-copyrighted mythos, or doing your diligence as the writer of a licensed sequel. It's the narrative equivalent of showing your sources and flaunting your tailfeathers. The most basic level is just making a point of including Emotionally Significant Plot Object without feeling the need to re-explain its significance in detail because we all know, but it can get so elaborate.

The other day I was reading this fairly high-concept fantasy novel that's quite well done but I can't decide if I like it or not, and it started becoming clear around the halfway mark that one of the major characters had been Merlin this whole damn time and I hooted in satisfaction and outrage every time a new piece of confirmation dropped. Same kind of deal.

Anyway fic creates so much space to do elaborate things with the relationship-to-source-material and I love seeing people have fun with it.

8. you hope more people will come to appreciate _ (a ship, a trope, an episode, etc)

Hm. How beautifully fucked up Jiang Cheng is? This man is suffering so much and he's reasonably self-aware about it and this does not help in the least.

I think the self-awareness makes it worse, actually, because it means he's constantly on the brink of confronting the things he can't let himself think about straight on or he will have a massive fucking breakdown that he cannot afford.

Not enough recognition for how 90 percent of the time when Jiang Cheng is being awful he very clearly knows he's being awful and he kind of hates that and hates himself and is aware that his mom and dad issues are major drivers of this behavior. And none of that means he's able to stop.

It's such a unique hell. Appreciate.

I don't know why that was the first thing I thought of and I'm pretty sure it wasn't the kind of wish that was intended, but here we are.