#and its nothing haha

[avemstella]

Why do the Harbingers have 2 different titles?

Ok, so this is based on a conversation I was having in a Discord, but I honestly have thoughts and felt like some people might be interested so fuck it.

So I mentioned offhandedly in my fic that I find the Harbinger canon code names kind of boring, but I didn't really go into why. So here's my rambling, I guess, critique (though don't take this too seriously) of why they are really weird to me and feel kind of pointless.

so there's a joke, that I often take part in, how several characters in genshin have too many names, but in a lot of cases the names serve different functions. For example the archons having 3 names serve a purpose: their demon 'true' name (or possibly the name gifted to them by celestia...), their title that's used as a sign of respect (ex rex lapis by the people of liyue), and their 'human' name. Each one is used in different places and reflects the relationship between the archon and the other character.

For example all the archons call each other by their demon names, while a character like Keqing calls Morax "Rex Lapis" but calls Barbatos a god not her own a distant "anemo archon." On Venti, the fact that Venti lacks a title like the other archons and everyone just calls him Barbatos tells us something about his relationship with his people etc. And even beyond the archons, characters with important last names get highlighted as their relationship with their clan (ex kazuha, a bunch of the inazuma characters tbh, or even Mond's like Jean) are very important to them.

But with the Harbingers' code names versus Commedia names, they don't tell us anything new. In most cases they are just translations of their Commedia ones (the most egregious in english being Capitano the Captain, but also Signora the fair lady etc). Or if they aren't exact translations the code names have something to do with the trope. For example Sandrone the word doesn't translate into Marionette, but the trope is literally a puppet. Similarly Pantalone with Regrater, his name means pants but the trope is a money hungry merchant so that lines up. Basically the code names don't tell us anything that the Commedia titles already don't. Also, the sort of exception to this Childe/young lord versus Tartaglia which means stutterer is just so generic (Columbina also sort of falls into this category, with the even more generic code name in the original chinese of "girl").

However, there are ways to make the code names interesting without their meanings being so. As I mentioned above, the Archons' titles were made interesting not really because of what they meant but their usage. How they tell us about the relationship between the Archon and the one who uses it. Or, as I do in my fic, the one who granted the title. In my fic the commedia names are the titles given to them by the Tsaritsa versus the code names are the names they gave themselves. It gives them distinct different purposes that each tell a story.

So what does canon do to separate the two names? Absolutely nothing. There is no consistency with their usage at all. Like maybe one can argue that one is used by outsiders and the other is used internally. And that would make a degree of sense. All of Childe's Harb voicelines use their code names (in the voiceline title not in the dialogue), Scara calls Pierro the Jester, so does Dottore. But then Scara also calls Dottore well Dottore. And Capitano used Dottore and Scaramouche during the funeral. But Columbina used the Doctor. Then during Zhongli's gnosis hand off Signora calls Childe by his code name but he calls her by her Commedia name in the same scene.

Then lets look at outsiders. Raiden Shogun calls Signora by her Commedia name at the throne room scene, but later in that quest Yae Miko calls Scaramouche only the Balladeer. The Traveler and Paimon seem to flip flop depending on who they are talking about and when. Varka calls Capitano the Captain while singing his praises.

The argument that one name signifies someone is closer to the other falls apart when outsiders also use both names. Unless the voiceline titles are lies, we have Tartaglia calling all the Harbs by their code names, despite the fact that he closer to for example Pulcinella then Signora. And we have Signora using his code name at him to be almost disrespectful while we have Dottore being respectful to Pierro while calling him the Jester... (we also have Scaramouche complaining about Pierro while calling him Jester).

Basically what I'm saying is there isn't remotely any consistency with the name usage of the Harbs names (beyond using their real ones) that tells us anything about them/world building/etc. Or if there is one the game is doing a bad job at clarifying it. And because the code names themselves are pretty generic and don't add anything that isn't already in the Commedia name, why are they even there? I hope one day more information changes my opinion on this, but for the moment they are just unnecessarily confusing.

[fangsforfags]

when making a character, u have to ask urself:

are they bloody?

will they ever be bloody?

is it their blood or somebody elses blood theyre covered in?

why are they bloody?

how drenched in blood are they going to be from a scale of 1-10, with 1 being ''barely drenched'' and 10 being ''so covered we shld ask where there ISNT any blood on them''?

[cozylittleartblog]

cringe is dead because rouxls is carrying the weight of it all madoka style

[tubbytarchia]

@mcyt-yuri-week Day 5, Rose/Thorns I never stop thinking about SL episode 8 never ever

[a-silly-stained-glass-anomaly]

[intotheelliwoods]

HELL WORLD

[skitskatdacat63]

2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Sebastian Vettel(ft. Mark Webber & Jenson Button)

[lemongogo]

2 guys

[brainworms-all-night-long]

The brothers, oblivious to the horrors that await them

[weddelledseals]

doodles instead of studying for my math test ^_^

[vero-niche]

see yall on the other side 🫡

[missygoesmeow]

ive been listening to ghonst all day

[deerspherestudios]

If Mychael had the Internet thanks to Y/N (somehow it would have turned out to provide him with all this), which sites would he like to visit more? Scientific? Gaming? Or sites with different videos like YouTube?

I love him so muuuch! The cutest mushroom boy!

I want to kiss his whole face and hug him tight!🍄 ≧▽≦

And I tried to draw him ● 3●

I think he'd be into arts-and-crafts or recipe blogs mostly, asking you to look them up when he's in the mood haha!

He's more of a reader, so he wouldn't find much enjoyment out of videos. It feels weird for him to be looking at people talking to the camera and not feeling a sense of hostility from them. Feels too jarring for him.

But! He'd be absolutely obsessed with DIY candy kits.

[softartemisart]

it's his 3rd bubble tea today. i don't think he's noticed how loud his stomachs being yet

[image description: digital sketch of a chubby black trans man. he has short locs and wears a white t-shirt and dark jeans. in one hand, he holds a bubble tea cup to his lips, and in the other he is looking at his phone. his shirt is riding up on his belly to show a sliver of bare skin. end description.]

[vinzulu]

[poisonousquinzel]

ngl real missed opportunity by DC to let Harley and Mr. Freeze become friends during her primary villain arc (btas or other) cause tbh I can't imagine he'd enjoy sitting in his cell listening to Joker brag about all the ways he's cruel, abusive and uncaring towards Harley, a woman who loves him, while Victor's entire goal is to save his wife who he loves dearly ya know ???? and it's not like all of them haven't been locked up together, the other rogues Know. Joker's not like most abusers who try to keep it behind closed doors, he's very public with his abuse.

And just that feeling of like "I am doing everything I can to save my wife, I have become a criminal and have done awful things in the name of love and I just want nothing more than to have her back and You Have Someone Who Loves You That Much, That Much To Become A Criminal As Well And You Repay That Love By ABUSING HER."