#and i want her to be allowed to be that warrior

[zutaranation]

You know, I always found it odd that Mai is just instantly taken in by the gaang. She doesn’t have a changed worldview at all from being perfectly fine with Ozai’s regime and Fire Nation imperialism. She only helped Zuko because she didn’t want him to die. Moments before, she told Zuko he was betraying the Fire Nation by going against his father and teaching the avatar to firebend to defeat him.

In my view, Mai is at least equally responsible for Aang being struck down with lightning as Zuko. She’s far more culpable than Zuko for the conquering of Ba Sing Se. She was literally a part of Azula’s coup to overthrow the EK.

So, in the finale, when the gaang is having an intimate dinner together to celebrate the end of the war, it’s bizarre they’re all fine with breaking bread with her.

It’s also bizarre for Ty Lee, of course. She is just as complicit as Mai and shows no change. Though, she doesn’t make any statements like Mai does, like when she called Zuko a traitor for standing against his father.

Ty Lee, however, is not present at the Jasmine Dragon. She is accepted into the Kyoshi Warriors, but I see that as a beginning for Ty Lee to right her wrongs and come to understand the Fire Nation’s atrocities as she will be spending time with Earth Kingdom girls and women and helping out around the world. It’s implicitly her redemption arc’s beginning, and it’s Suki who exclusively accepts her at that point, not the whole gaang.

I would have liked more lead up to this though. A scene of Ty Lee bonding with Suki in prison or something would be nice to introduce the concept. Atla always needed more female character interaction that passed the bechdel test, so it could’ve been a good opportunity. I like the idea though, it’s poetic that Ty Lee finds herself enough to be okay with being part of a matching set. Plus, her hand-to-hand combat skills make her a great fit to be a Kyoshi Warrior.

But, for Mai, it just seems odd that Katara in particular would allow for her to be at The Jasmine Dragon with them. Obviously, it’s because they were trying to extend kindness to Zuko and Zuko wanted her there to meet his new friends he’s come to love and the writers did it to solidify a pairing “endgame” message, I assume. But, from the characters’ standpoints, it doesn’t make much sense.

She’s just super desperately in need of a redemption arc if she’s going to be a logical partner for Zuko and to be friendly with the gaang in a sensical way. I feel like the writers just disregarded her character entirely, even for a side character, and she was thought to have her story wrapped up as her entire identity being sexistly tied to being Zuko’s girlfriend. Her motivations don’t really exist on screen outside of this, which was a blatantly sexist choice for her character.

[narrativelysignificantturtleduck]

i've occasionally seen the take that sokka should've have been just as down for avenging kya as katara was and well, no, it makes sense that katara takes it more personally considering kya died to protect her specifically. "the runaway" establishes that sokka has let katara claim ownership of kya's memory to the point where he can barely separate the the two of them in his mind. he doesn't really allow himself to grieve openly enough for revenge because to him openly grieving kya is solely katara's right. any desire for revenge he has manifests more as a general desire to win the war and "knock some firebender heads".

but recently i saw a post that went further and said that hakoda would've supported it and THAT is interesting to me because i do think hakoda decided to go to war because of kya's death. i think he told people objective, tactical, noble reasons - the raid established that the war was more of a threat, he doesn't want anyone else to lose loved ones to the fire nation - but if i were a southern water tribe warrior i'd wonder if i was signing up for a revenge mission. like the tribe hasn't been involved in the war before but the chief's wife is killed and he's suddenly very interested in fighting the fire nation? hmmm. it's not that the nobler reasons are lies but i think hakoda blames himself for kya's death (just like katara does) and feels like he has to go fight the people who killed her because he didn't fight hard enough to save her. and the line between that kind of guilt and revenge is thin. what do you think must be done to make things right? what provides closure? this is what draws katara to revenge, this is what would draw hakoda to revenge. i think there is a part of him that went to war seeking that catharsis. i think sometimes during battle there is a look in his eyes that scares his men, moments where he seems far too eager to stab a fire nation soldier through the heart. the kind and friendly leader they know replaced with something dark.

but would he support katara's quest for revenge? no. he went off to war to protect his kids from its harsh realities. he may want revenge and even be willing to take it but he would never let katara have that on her conscience. if anyone will carry that, it will be him.

and ultimately, he never did seek out the leader of the southern raiders. yon rha is still alive for zuko and katara to track down. maybe he realized he didn't want it on his conscience either

[magical-girl-coral]

I've been going through D20's fandom wiki page and I've noticed how all of the Rat Grinders seem to be copying the successful abilities of others rather to doing their own thing. Ruben is a Whispers bard because Fig was one, Mary Ann is a berserker because Gorgug was one as well, and while there isn't a Bad Kids Archer, Ivy seem to be a Ranger/Fight arcane archer combo because Antiope is a world renowned Ranger/Fighter arcane Archer combo. Even Oisin was stealing Adaine's magic and Kipperlilly was a type A of Penelope Everpetal from the secret motivation behind her election to the blue skin friend that mysteriously disappeared.

It really feels like either Porter controlled their development to what he believes would be best to go with or they were too scatter minded post shatter star to make their own decisions so Porter took advantage of that to bold them into his image.

So here's what I think their subclasses would be in a post Porter World;

Ruben: Collage of the Road

Synopsis: Not an officially recognized college, the College of the Road represents the personal and eclectic sets of skills, knowledge, and techniques a wandering bard picks up along their journey. As inveterate jacks-of-all-trades, bards possess a variety of aptitudes in combat, magecraft, and general know-how, making them particularly well suited to learning a variety of different skills. It often happens that while traveling, a bard winds up sharing their campfire with a motley assortment of wandering adventurers who may impart valuable lessons in exchange for a lively song or a well-told tale. Compared to students of other Bard Colleges, a special kind of sensibility is important for the College of the Road. How effectively a bard of this College can apply what they have learned depends on their understanding and insight. The College of the Road is sometimes a harsh teacher, but bards who follow this path often find themselves rewarded with a diverse array of useful tricks and tactics. Those who underestimate a bard from the College of the Road soon find that these "graduates" are full of surprises.

Reasoning: Ruben would probably return to his beach bum ways after being free from the rage crystal, but I doubt he would want to go back to an "official" college. After everything with Porter, I imagine he would value the freedom to do whatever he wants more than ever and being a road bard will allow just that. No restrictions or someone telling you what to do; just going with the flow down the long recovery road.

Besides, he will probably be on the road for a long time after he convinces his party to start a band with him after leaving behind whatever the frick My Gnomical Romance was. He is this close from convincing them to pick up a musical instrument.

Mary Ann: Path of the Totem Warrior

Synopsis: The Path of the Totem Warrior is a spiritual journey, as the barbarian accepts a spirit animal as guide, protector, and inspiration. In battle, your totem spirit fills you with supernatural might, adding magical fuel to your barbarian rage.

Most barbarian tribes consider a totem animal to be kin to a particular clan. In such cases, it is unusual for an individual to have more than one totem animal spirit, though exceptions exist.

Reasoning: I love the idea of Mary Ann getting into Squishmallows because her grandma invented the first reptile teddy bear of Spyre for reptilian races like Kobolts and all Squishmallows are just descended of that invention. As a way to get closer to her grandmother, Mary Ann picks the bear as her spirit, as a way to always feel connected with her, even when she's away on adventures, becoming her grandmother's vision for the future.

When asked if she's going to miss her Mindless Rage advantages, Mary Ann answers; "I have been mindless for a year. I've had enough of that for a long time."

Ivy: Gloomstalker/Rune Knight

Synopsis: Rune Knights enhance their martial prowess using the supernatural power of runes, an ancient practice that originated with giants. Rune cutters can be found among any family of giants, and you likely learned your methods first or second hand from such a mystical artisan. Whether you found the giant's work carved into a hill or cave, learned of the runes from a sage, or met the giant in person, you studied the giant's craft and learned how to apply magic runes to empower your equipment.

Reasoning: Since Oisin and Ivy are canonically best friends and deeply close, I'd like to imagine both of them helping the other work out ironing out the kinks in their abilities. Ivy would start leaning about runes with Oisin's help who took glyph classes since Freshmen year. Combining her old knowledge with new one, Ivy's arrows become extremely deadly thanks to the runes she carves into them.

I didn't change her Gloomstalker subclass since it seems to be one of the few things that remained the same after getting shatter starred. No other character in Fantasy High has this and it matches Ivy's aloof personality.

Oisin: Remains as School of Conjuration

Synopsis: As a conjurer, you favor spells that produce objects and creatures out of thin air. You can conjure billowing clouds of killing fog or summon creatures from elsewhere to fight on your behalf. As your mastery grows, you learn spells of transportation and can teleport yourself across vast distances, even to other planes of existence, in an instant.

Reasoning: Like Ivy's Gloomstalker, Oisin's conjuration seemed to one of the few things that belonged to him rather than something was a part of Porter's plan. Those tattoos did not come from the any influence other than Oisin's and I will die on this hill.

HOWEVER.

He absolutely goes through a training montage with Ivy to focus on other proficients. His main focus becomes balancing out his other stats, mostly on strength, dexterity and constitution so that he wouldn't be useless in battle if he is put under Silence. There is nothing more satisfying than a villain thinking he made the party's wizard useless only for the wizard to sucker punch them in the face.

Kipperlilly: Phantom

Synopsis: Many rogues walk a fine line between life and death, risking their own lives and taking the lives of others. While adventuring on that line, some rogues discover a mystical connection to death itself. These rogues take knowledge from the dead and become immersed in negative energy, eventually becoming like ghosts. Thieves' guilds value them as highly effective information gatherers and spies.

Reasoning: While in hell, Kipperlilly had to come with the grip that her plan failed in every imaginable way. Deciding to embrace her fall from grace to the maximum, Kipperlilly became one with her death, moving through walls and people like a ghost haunting the hells. It's not like she has any allies around to help, and everyone around her too deranged from hells' influence to be able to manipulate. At least by being a specter, she can avoid many enemies and pass through devils without anyone knowing better. If she can't get better, at least she can be worse with everyone else.

But if the rest of her party comes down to hell to save her, I can see her becoming the Mastermind again. Except this time it's after weeks of group therapy with her friends and she actually focuses on helping them in battle.

[batsight]

Star Flower, loner, Medic of SkyClan

She/Her, cis bisexual

Mother: Turnip

Father: One Eye

Adoptive Father: Skystar

Siblings: Unnamed, all deceased.

Design notes:

-She is styled after the Pokemon, Ogerpon

-The plants are a physical part of her body. They grow out of her.

-She is the physical embodiment of The Blazing Star.

Story notes: [Abuse CW]

-She was born as a normal kitten to a traveling band of rogues who loved to trade and spread their music. Unfortunately, this band died out to a plague, one that nearly took her own life. Desperate to save his family, her father Carrot traveled to a set of tunnels in Sanctuary Lake rumored to house a reality-bending god. He asked the god for a cure, and the god asked for his eye in return. They made the exchange, and he retrieved a glowing, golden, five pointed flower. However, he was too late to save most of his family, so the entire cure went to his surviving kit. He wasn't expecting her to survive the night given her fragile state and the dubiousness of the exchange...

-But the next morning, she was perfectly fine- great, even. If a little... odd... were those buds growing on her paws...?

-It only got stranger from there. When Carrot ended up finding more cats suffering from the plague, just a few calming purrs from his kit seemed to have them ripe and ready to go the next morning. Carrot understood then what had happened- his kit had become the cure herself. And cats were starting to look towards them more, started begging for her healing, for anything. And Carrot had lost everything... wasn't it time to start winning stuff back?

-And so, the pair became One Eye and Star Flower, for recognition's sake. The two formed their own small group, filled with cats Star Flower had healed. Star Flower loved to spread her magic where she went, to save cats from the brink of death and be showered with their love and appreciation. They felt like they owed a great debt to her, and she enjoyed that.

-She was very close with her father, even if their relationship could be strained. One Eye loved her, but to an extent, he also used her. He grew arrogant in his success, believing he had become the accomplice to a god, and began to hold that over cats who fell sick. He grew desperate for control and Star Flower was his key to that.

-One day, however, her father's group encountered the early clans. They were just beginning to settle down, work out their new rules, and declare borders. But what caught the group's attention was the near murder of a young kittypet, almost mauled to death by proto-SkyClan's leader, Skystar. Unable to heal wounds with her magic, Star Flower managed to bring the cat to a twoleg, who took her away.

-Appalled by the cruelty, Star Flower took a great interest in Skystar's group, and witnessed several of his other crimes against his cats and the other groups. As did One Eye, who, seeing the early signs of a plague, had an idea to put this cat and the other leaders in their place.

-One Eye and Star Flower joined the group, with One Eye acting as a curious loner, flattering Skystar with praise. Skystar enjoyed his company, and so One Eye grew in the rank rather quickly. He also took a great interest in Star Flower and her abilities. After murdering Tom, who insulted the cats and attempted to attack them, One Eye took the chance to take control over the group, overpowering Skystar and using Star Flower's power to keep the remaining cats in line- everything is going to be okay, you'll get your cure... if you stay in line and do as One Eye says.

-This went on for a moon, of Star Flower holding her magic over the heads of her clients to keep their loyalty towards One Eye. She would be lying if she said she didn't feel pride at it all at helping her father.

-Ultimately, One Eye was overthrown and killed when Skystar came back with reinforcements from the other clans. The rest of the rogues they'd accumulated ran off, and suddenly, Star Flower was alone. She'd never been without her father, and running would mean abandoning his grave, which she didn't want. But... this place had been a home to her for some time now, and she needed a place to stay. SkyClan had taken all of the available territory in the area, anyways, and she was in no shape to brave the other territories or twolegplace. So she offered her power to SkyClan as a peace offering and asked for shelter in return.

-Skystar was still sore from the event, but he couldn't deny that having Star Flower as an asset would be beneficial to him in the long run. And around this point, his son Thunderstar had disowned him and split off ThunderClan from SkyClan. He felt that he was losing allies, losing family, and he latched on to desperate Star Flower very quickly- as a cat who would never disobey him.

-Skystar takes Star Flower under his wing as his new child, her new ward, instating her as a medic. And because she is loyal to a fault, she won't disobey a new leader so similar to her father. And so, he pushes her to do humiliating things in front of the camp, ranging from general chores like tick baths, to forcing her to run laps around camp with an injury if she took too long to work her magic. He would take out his frustration from gatherings on her and berate her over the most menial things. He would make her withhold her power to help anyone in the clan who had displeased him. And if Star Flower ever tried to stick up for herself, all he had to do was remind her of what she did, how she helped torment his cats by holding a cure over their heads to help out her father.

-This went on for years, Star Flower becoming more and more despondent. One night, there was a particularly stressful gathering, in which Skystar got into a territorial dispute with Thunderstar over a pack of dogs ravaging the territories. He lost the dispute, came home, and immediately took it out on Star Flower, shouting at and attacking the molly for "taking too much food she didn't deserve". And something in Star Flower finally snapped, and for the first time, she didn't save a life- she took one. And another. And another. As many as what remained in Skystar's soul. She was discovered taking his very last life in his nest, while she was wondering if she could pin it on the dogs. She escaped the camp, and wandered the territory for the rest of her life.

-Unfortunately, while she finally won against Skystar in the moment, it was history who decided the victor. Sparrowstar declared that they couldn't let a tragedy like this happen ever again, and doubled down on banishing rogues. Every rogue-born cat was looked at with suspicion from then on, and as the decades began to pass, Star Flower's story became twisted and bent. As the story is told, a rogue had infiltrated SkyClan's camp asking for help, but had manipulated and charmed the leader with her prowess and rose in the ranks just high enough to take him out and attempt to claim his spot. Her story was used as a cautionary tale against rogues, warning cats against those who would infiltrate the camp and rot it from the inside. Eventually, even her true name was lost to time...

Rotten Flower, Warrior of The Dark Forest

Skystar didn't hesitate to throw her in the depth of the Dark Forest when she died. She wears her mask constantly, trying to keep away from the sickness of the muck. She's embraced the false myth made about her, claiming to have killed a founder for power and prestige. But in reality, it's been so long that she's forgotten her family, her power, her name. She barely even remembers Skystar himself. Though she's admired in the Dark Forest for her achievements, she doesn't hang around anyone, and acts hostile to those who approach her.

Perhaps someone can help her remember who she truly is...?

[worstloki]

Tom Hiddleston once suggested Sif's actress Jaime Alexander could have played Loki instead of him.

Do you think your feelings about Thor 1 and 2 would change in any way if Loki were cast as a woman? (if the plot stays exactly the same or minor differences)

I feel like it absolutely would change my thoughts about Thor 1 and 2 but hear me out because the gender change in the context of what I understand of Asgardian society would mean Loki starts out as a younger sister thanklessly expected to mediate Thor’s violent tendencies and by the end of the movie she’s turned into what is basically Hela

[marc--chilton]

(wcau) due to his patch of territory being on clan borders, house has plenty of neighboring clan enemies (plainsclan territory and his overlap but since he's an ally and codstar's close friend, he's safe to hunt there even in winter when prey is scarcer; hunting on other clan territories is not as easily overlooked)

the deputy of this other (as of yet unnamed) clan has a particular bone to pick with him. ternstorm (tritter, name may change) isn't afraid to harm a free-roaming medicine cat, nor is he worried his torment -- more than is necessary for chasing someone from clan territory -- could end in his demotion as volestar (vogler) doesn't like house either. volestar, however, doesn't sign off on house's death either, as doing so would end in war

[rainintheevening]

Caspian IX & Caspian X

There was a time / I used to look into my father's eyes / In a happy home / I was a king, I had a golden throne / Those days are gone ... I remember how it all changed / My father said / Don't you worry, don't you worry child / See Heaven's got a plan for you /Don't you worry / Don't you worry now

- 'Don't You Worry Child' cover by Kurt Schneider & Sam Tsui

For @an-angels-fury because this song has been making me feel things.

[afalconfromalcyoneus]

うっせぇうっせぇうっせぇわ!

I love this song grr. Can someone create a Map with it? Specifically for Ivypool.

[ranger-kellyn]

rewatched the serpent's pass last night to take notes for my fic, and all night right up until waking up, i just. couldn't get over how unsatisfying the sukka reunion was. even with my silly shipper goggles on, i'm just like. it didn't sell me, and I don't know how much of that is me being in all likelihood demiromantic, and how much of that was just genuinely lackluster writing :T

like, right before their near kiss, her whole “I lost someone I cared about. He didn’t die. He just went away.  I only had a few days to get to know him, but he was smart, and brave, and funny.” just...........Doesn't do it for me. it's so tonally different from what sokka had just said, and also like!!!!! you knew him for like A DAY!!!!!! you did not have NEARLY enough time to care about him like that please be real dlkjfhdkj

[birgittesilverbae]

@dearsheroozle you're gonna give me brainrot with that "#they're together they're sharing a first they're in LOVE" tag

- first visit to switzerland (ava)

- first apartment (both)

- first paid job (both)

- first time (properly) swimming (ava)

- first drink (bea)

- first jealousy (both)

- first time writing in cursive (ava)

and for your consideration:

- first time sharing a bed with each other

- first time knocking elbows while brushing their teeth side by side

- first time starting a kitchen fire trying to make pancakes (bea)

- first time waking up first (ava) (bea was sick) (ava made the worst soup known to mankind)

- first time caring for a houseplant (ava) (it went poorly)

- first time reading aloud to someone (bea)

[pangolinheart]

FFXIVWrite 2023 DAY 28 - BLUNT

Sid can be a little bit indelicate, but Rielle can be pretty blunt herself.

(I swear I don't want to become "The SidWoL Guy" but I went to a movie tonight so I didn't have a lot of time to brainstorm/write and this was such low-hanging fruit. I swear I'll come up with a better ship eventually. Until then, please enjoy Rielle being smarter than Sid and Rhiki combined. And also a teenager.)

Rating: General Genre: Fluff, humor Characters: Rielle de Caulignont, Sidurgu Orl, Z'rhik Irhi (Warrior of Light) (referenced) Relationships: Sidurgu Orl/Warrior of Light (implied) Word Count: 876 Content Warnings: None

The door to the Forgotten Knight didn’t need a bell – it creaked loudly enough to signal the arrival of any new patrons. Out of the corner of her eye, Rielle saw Sid stiffen, his eyes flying to the open door, only to relax again when he saw the mud-caked laborer slumping through it. She rolled her eyes. This was getting painful to watch. Sid had been jumpy ever since they’d received word that Rhiki would be passing through Ishgard in the next few days. Well, not jumpy, per se – he wasn’t really expressive enough for that to be accurate – but she could tell he was anxious with anticipation.

“I don’t know why you’re so excited about Rhiki visiting,” she complained as he settled back into his beer.

“What? What are you talking about?” He was trying to sound confused, but doing a poor job. She’d come to realize he wasn’t actually very good at lying. Despite the muted quality of his expressions and mannerisms (well, other than the angry ones), he was quite easy to read if you knew what you were looking for.

“I said I don’t know why you’re so excited. You obviously are: you’ve been watching the door like a hawk for the past two days, and you’ve insisted on going out to wander around more than usual.”

He huffed, frowning and trying to play off his unwillingness to meet her gaze as offense rather than embarrassment. “I am not excited. To see Rhiki, or about anything else.”

Ugh. Why did he always have to be so difficult? “You’re just going to say something stupid and make her mad again.” She informed him in annoyance. The two were always bickering over something. They rarely got into real fights anymore, not like they had in the beginning, but they did seem to enjoy their petty arguments. She had no idea why. It was like they didn’t know how to be nice to each other without veiling it behind playful jabs and affectionate pejoratives. Though he tried to hide it behind a scowl, she could tell that Sid secretly liked it when Rhiki teased him. Usually, anyway. But sometimes he still said things so blunt that they actually upset her.

“And even if you don’t end up fighting, you’re just going to stare at her with that look on your face whenever you think she isn’t watching.”

“What look?” Sid demanded, seeming more convincingly annoyed this time. Probably because he was.

Rielle made a face. “That look that you do. Like an abandoned chocobo chick that’s been left out in the cold. I don’t know what you would call it, but it’s sad to look at.”

“Hey!”

She rolled her eyes at him again. She wasn’t telling him anything that wasn’t true. He wasn’t as subtle as he obviously thought he was. She was honestly surprised that Rhiki hadn’t noticed it – she was usually so perceptive about other people’s feelings. Sensitive to them. Not like Sid, who wouldn’t recognize an emotion if it bit him on the arse. It seemed so obvious to her, but Sid seemed to be something of a blind spot for Rhiki.

“You two should just kiss already and get it over with.” She said, giving him a pointed look.

“What?!” The firelight made it hard to tell, but she thought he was blushing. Rhiki was right, it was funny to see him so flustered. No wonder she liked teasing him so much.

Rielle shrugged. “It’s obvious you like her. So, you should just tell her, or kiss her, or… do whatever adults do when they like each other. I mean, I know what normal adults do, but-“

Sid grimaced, still trying to hide his mortification behind a stern expression. “Well, of course I like her. She’s a fellow Dark Knight and a friend and she’s helped us out more than a few- Wait! What’s that supposed to mean?!” He didn't wait for an answer. “You know what, I don’t even want to know.”

He was so stubborn. Or stupid. Or maybe both. It was hard to tell. “Well, suit yourself then,” she relented in exasperation. “Sit there and pine, or whatever you want to call it. See if I care. I just don’t want to watch you sulk when someone else finally gets up the nerve to admit their feelings to her. It’s bound to happen, you know. She’s the Warrior of Light, after all. And she’s fun. And nice. I’m sure she has lots of admirers.”

Sid looked affronted, but also too rattled to form a quick rebuttal. When he had found his words again, all he had to say was: “I don’t know what sort of books you’ve been reading or what’s gotten the idea into your head, but I do not like Rhiki. Well, I like her, of course, but not, you know….”

“Sure, Sid. Whatever you say.” Fine. He could be that way if he liked. He was only hurting himself. And her, a little, by forcing her to watch him brood. If he wanted to suffer, he was welcome to it. Far be it from her to get in the way of his masochism.

She was definitely still going to tease him about it, though.

[darabeatha]

@predeition said ; Can Ashmi and I marry all your muses / from : 𝐔𝐍𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐃

M―MARRIAGE !?!

[iagreewithlilithsrightsnwrongs]

smth that ive thought abt n that i dont think ive ever seen touched upon is how similar bea n lilith should be in terms of life experience. like we know canonically that bea never drank. probs never went to a party, or rave or anything like that. didnt have partners most likely, probs never had her first kiss before ava n stuff. theres a lot of first times that beatrice probably experiences cuz of ava in s2, a lot of just. normal regular first times, things teenagers or young adults do, maybe college students, whatever. the most freedom she had was when she was younger, when she "was stepping out of line" as she said, probs doing child things n being dumb, ofc.

lilith is probably the same, except even worse. because i think she was taught to be the warrior nun as soon as possible. bea was actively repressing herself; lilith doesnt even acknowledge theres anything to repress. shes just the future warrior nun, not a mere 12 year old. shes a sister warrior, not just your average 16 year old. as long as her parents were there to watch, she is nothing but a legacy. and i do think lilith had her rebellious phase, ofc. but i dont think it was while she was living with her parents, or even when she was a minor. she knew to make all those obedient, nice years count and as soon as she left for good, she declared she was a new girl, n she would now do things she wanted to do. except... she cant.

she still has to train to be a warrior nun. sure she read books, non religion books. but the guilt of not upholding her end of the bargain of being born in her family as the next in line warrior nun would soon overcome her, n she would drop it. "i'll read it in the future" "i'll try that when im older n independent" its smth all teens, especially teen girls think. when im older, i'll be free. but lilith is not allowed that at all. she knows she likes things... but can she even allow herself the time to enjoy them?? can she watch movies in peace? can she go out, maybe make friends, go on cafe dates, go to the cinema, go shopping? without thinking abt her destiny? can she??? is she allowed peace???

lilith wanted to be free, cuz she thought it was only her parents holding her down. little did she know, while her parents built her cage, she was painting it finished. with how she was raised, lilith was never thought to feel *her* emotions as lilith, but only as warrior nun. n even if her parents ever allowed her peace, she wouldnt have taken it. shes going to be the warrior nun. she has to be. what else is she, but that?

[gender-euphowrya]

oh THAT WAS INSULTING

[lilislegacy]

In all these instances, Annabeth is going through a terribly stressful situation, and she’s not afraid to admit that she wants Percy to hold her. The only time Annabeth lets herself be truly vulnerable, and feels truly safe, is when she is in Percy’s arms.

She craves to be held by him. And that doesn’t mean she’s weak, or that he’s stronger than her, or that she relies on him to take care of her. It just means that for the first time in her life, she has a pair of arms to collapse into when she’s scared or upset. And yes, she absolutely does the same for Percy and takes care of him too, but it’s slightly different. Percy has always had his mom to love him and take care of him and hold him. Annabeth, however, had to put walls up at a young age. She learned to never rely on anybody else for safety or comfort, because she never consistently had someone loving her or taking care of her.

But now that she has that, it’s not a surprise that she yearns for his affection. Annabeth is touch-starved in a way that Percy isn’t. And she never feels more loved or more safe than she does when he is holding her. And I don’t know about you guys, but I am so happy that she has that now. Annabeth Chase is a warm, sensitive, and emotional character. And when those parts of her shine through, I think it makes her one of the most realistic characters.

For some reason, I feel like people think that Annabeth, and other female characters, have to be cold and insensitive in order to be strong. But I think that couldn’t be further from the truth! Allowing yourself to be vulnerable takes the utmost strength. Love and trust, and having someone by your side, makes people stronger, not weaker. I personally love that Annabeth lets herself be loved and comforted by her partner. Because she can be “the little spoon” and still be completely his equal. Wanting to be held and taken care of does not make someone lesser or weaker. It makes them human. (And it goes the same with men and all genders). It makes Annabeth one of the most relatable and realistic people in the series, and I love that Rick shows that side of her.

Annabeth Chase is a remarkably strong, fierce, legendary female warrior. She also craves to be held by her loving boyfriend. And those are not conflicting statements.

[siderealcity]

So, one of the things I love about Dawntrail is the way the four competitors are introduced and framed.

Spoilers ahead.

We meet Wuk Lamat first. She's the reason we're here. But we'll come back to her.

So then, Zoraal Ja. He doesn't speak a single word throughout his first appearance. Even when approached, the first, and only, thing he does is tell his lackey to talk for him.

Look at what Erenville says about him when he exits the palace to the cheering of the crowd:

Erenville: Zoraal Ja. The First Promise and commander of the Landsguard. Sareel Ja, the palace seer. As he was so careful to remind the crowd, Zoraal Ja is indeed the natural child of Gulool Ja Ja. Alphinaud: And “Resilient Son”? Is that another title, like the First Promise? Erenville: After a fashion. Common knowledge has it that two-headed Mamool Ja cannot sire children… Yet Zoraal Ja was born all the same, with the Head of Resolve's features and the Head of Reason's scales─an extraordinary example of life's unyielding resilience. Alisaie: And a warrior's reticence. He says little, but the way he moves… I know a hardened soldier when I see one. Erenville: He's a natural swordsman─a gift he inherited from his father. Some even say that the son has already surpassed the sire. Should he come to power, the First Promise means to employ that martial prowess in the conquest of foreign lands. For this, he and his supporters have been labeled expansionists. This puts him in direct opposition to Wuk Lamat, who advocates for the preservation of peace. You may recall that she spoke of a claimant who “cannot be allowed to rule.” That is Zoraal Ja─the warmonger.

Zoraal Ja is clearly framed as the favorite by all of Tural to win the contest, but look at how Erenville describes him. Every compliment is instantly returned to his father. He's the Resilient Son, whose impossible birth was a miracle only Gulool Ja Ja could have managed. Look, see how much he resembles both his fathers. His sword skills are great--he inherited them from his father.

He resents his siblings because they, being adopted, are granted nothing by nature. Everything they get from their father is learned. Not innate. Koana's studies and Wuk Lamat's people skills are theirs. He doesn't see Bakool Ja Ja as a threat because they're too similar. All that makes both of them special came from their parents. But Koana, he sees as a threat or a useful tool. Koana has been recognized for what he's done on his own.

He's the perfect example of the pressures of the first-born child, even though we never get the impression that his father puts any pressure on him at all. It's the public who puts the full weight of their expectations on him, purely for a quirk of birth. Everything's expected of him, but if he succeeds it's not because of him, but because he's his father's son. Which is maybe why he refuses to engage with the people at all.

That's… going to come back to haunt us all later.

Then there's Koana. When Bakool Ja Ja insults his older brother, whom he desperately does not want to win this contest, he immediately jumps to Zoraal Ja's defense. The supporters who approach him don't have anything to say about him at all, they just want cool stuff. Bring us trains and airships and magitek doodads! He escapes from them as awkwardly as humanly possible. And note how differently Erenville describes him:

Erenville: Here we have Koana, the Second Promise, who spent time as a pupil at Sharlayan's own Studium. Alisaie: Now that you mention it, I think I did see him in the halls once or twice. There was nothing to suggest he was Turali, much less from a royal family. Erenville: That was by design. He forewent his usual garb and took an Eorzean name to avoid attention. Alphinaud: So it was Koana who introduced the dirigibles. And the railway, too, given what we just heard…? Erenville: In furtherance of his goal: to enrich Tuliyollal with every bright notion he learned of in Sharlayan. He is the hope of those who prize innovation. As aloof as he may seem, Koana and Wuk Lamat actually get along rather well. They bicker and banter as only close siblings do.

He was a student at the Studium, but we don't hear of any other achievements there. No graduating with honors. No inventions of his own. His accomplishments are mostly… being a royal, and therefore in a position to get other people's ideas implemented in Tural. And he seems to feel that. He doesn't want to be noticed, doesn't want to be lauded, won't take the encouragement of his followers, and doesn't promise them anything because he doesn't feel like he can.

He is very much caught in the middle all the time.

Between his love for his brother, who doesn't love him back, and whom he knows can't be allowed to rule, and his sense of duty to his nation. Between his feelings of inadequacy and his fear of failure. Between Tural and Sharlayan. Between his beloved baby sister and the contest that makes them rivals. Between his ideals and reality.

Perfect middle child.

Then we get Bakool Ja Ja. The outsider.

We know from the Dawnservant's introduction of the rite that historically only two-headed mamool ja were allowed to rule. He is set up, then, as the symbol of the old order.

And the moment he steps outside, the crowd goes wild.

He isn't the Dawnservant's son, but he is, as far as most of those onlookers are concerned, the next Gulool Ja Ja. The person who reacts most negatively to his appearance and bravado, tellingly, is a boonewa. A member of one of the clans that actually makes blessed siblings. That's… that's going to be meaningful later. Unlike the two claimants who preceded him, nobody asks him for anything. His supporters don't support him because they think he can help them. They support him because of what he is.

Erenville's description of him is notably brief:

Erenville: The chosen of Mamook, Bakool Ja Ja. Winner of the recent martial tournament, and the only claimant not of the Dawn's Promise. His strength is undeniable, but…you see how he is. A few devoted Mamool Ja are his only supporters. Krile: What would he do with the throne should he win it? Erenville: His policies and so forth? I doubt he's thought much beyond winning the contest itself. But one thing seems certain: if he does become Dawnservant, he will see the Mamool Ja exalted as the ruling class, and all others forced into subservience.

And yet… he's not the one Wuk Lamat was afraid of winning. Which is somewhat prophetic foreshadowing, really. Bakool Ja Ja is the only claimant who has no thoughts of the future. He has to win this contest because he exists. That's it. That's all there is.

He has to win because blessed siblings always win. If they don't… then why should they even exist?

That's… yeah.

And finally, Wuk Lamat emerges from the palace. With her mom.

If it wasn't clear before that she's the baby of the family, the fact that she makes her grand public appearance as a contender for the throne with her nursemaid should be a clue.

We have, at the moment that Erenville asks if we're sure we really want to be part of this, so far seen her wander off distracted in Sharlayan, get panicked by a talking bird, eat her weight in barbequed monster, and get extremely seasick. The one thing we know she wants out of this contest is to stop Zoraal Ja from starting a war the second he takes the throne. She is doing this, not because she wants power or has a vision for Tural, but because she opposes a bad vision.

She is so much the underdog in this contest that most of the crowd left before she appeared, assuming the show was over, and what's remaining is standing within earshot gossipping about how pathetic she is compared to the others.

Wuk Lamat is constantly in someone else's shadow. Her father. Her elder brothers. That random guy who got in here somehow. Sphene, when we get to Alexandria. She's invisible, and she seems to feel like that's just how things work. Even the soldiers who meet us at the docks need to take a minute before they realize who she is.

Erenville doesn't say anything about her, though he has a few words about how her supporters are mostly the elderly who remember the war. (I would imagine that includes a lot of non-elderly shetona, too.) But he doesn't really have to talk her up. The Reigning King of Dry Understatement may have insisted back in Sharlayan that they are not friends, merely long-standing acquaintances, but when she asked him for advice about finding allies for the contest, he recommended a god-slayer. Talk about fixing the fight. Not just recommended, he dropped what he was doing and went back across the ocean to recruit them. He could have pointed her at the Students of Baldesion. He was working with them already. Instead, he came back to Sharlayan and asked the Students to go get WoL. A person he knows is capable of crossing the entire universe to avert the apocalypse and also, for some reason, stopping to catch stray marmots along the way. He really wants her win. He just won't quite say that out loud.

"As you just witnessed, Wuk Lamat has no great army of supporters. Not yet, at least." Oh, Erenville.