#and just like. generally a youthful signifier

[caturnmoon]

Astrology Mini Observations #️⃣6️⃣

🥡My heart genuinely goes out to all of the Pisces moons (and major mutable placements in general) on the full moon and lunar eclipse in Pisces we had this last week. It definitely was an opportunity to sit with the uncomfortable feelings and just let them be uncomfortable. Swimming into the depths and coming out a little wiser and reflective. 💟

🥡If you have Saturn in your second house then look to your 8th house and its ruler as well. If well aspected, this can signify longevity in life.

🥡Moon aspecting Mercury in a soft aspect may mean you’re really adept at communicating your feelings quite eloquently. Some of the more tense aspects may show initial discomfort in communicating them.

🥡Virgo mars 🫱🏼‍🫲🏾 having the last word in any argument. Even if they’re wrong. They sure as hell don’t want to admit to being wrong. 😂

🥡Sag risings could be seen as natural athletes or people that love the outdoors and being active. Being the explorers of the zodiac, we love educating ourselves in ALL aspects of life. Mental, physical, and spiritual. I’m something of a fitness enthusiast myself and have just discovered a passion for Pilates!

🥡Moon dominant people may age exceptionally well! The moon can indicate softer more classic feminine features, especially if aspected to the ascendant and first house.

🥡Just like the moon, Mercury dominants or Mercury in the first house can indicate youthful appearance as well. They tend to look younger than their age and have a more elfin quality to their face. Expressive eyes and a pointy chin is possible. Androgynous energy is also tied to Mercury so the potential is also there for a more non binary appearance! I have my Mercury in the 1st whole sign system and I identify as non binary. 👽

🥡Having your north node in the 1st house could encourage a need to define a stronger sense of identity and self in this lifetime. Independence and spotlight on “you” will be a major theme since your south node in the 7th meant your life was about identifying yourself through others and your relationships to them. The sign will give the manner in which you must identify yourself through and if your north node is aspecting any planets, then the matters of that planet will become significant as well in how this identity could manifest.

Until next time!! 🖖🏼👽

[periwinkla]

Final NRMT poster with all panels! Print here <3 Did anyone notice... anything about the bottom right panel? It's not too obvious but I wanted it to at least be noticeable within the poster itself that something is... 'off' if you compared it with the other panels. And there's a reason. Honestly it's just about a silly headcanon of mine, and it is also a silly way for me to include it but... I'm silly myself. Under the cut, the hanakotoba notes for the flower panel... and other stuff. The other stuff isn't important really but it was funny for me.

Already talked about this in the flower panel post - but these are the main things I took into consideration when choosing the flowers:

3 sunflowers specifically mean 'I love you' - so I also added 3 chrysanthemums to complement them. By the by, among other things, sunflowers mean 'passion', 'love', 'adoration', 'I only have eyes for you' - while white chrysanthemums mean 'truth'. Red chrysanthemums signify 'love' but I opted against them in favor of the following flowers.

The small blue flowers are forget-me-nots, which, other than the obvious, mean 'true love' in hanakotoba. 

The pink flowers are Japanese primroses ('sakurasou' - they get their name because of their resemblance to cherry blossoms), which mean 'first love', 'longing', 'purity', 'youthful love', 'the beginning of youth and sadness'...

Also, here the nmweek24 tag on the blog to see the posts for the individual panels with additional info/behind the scenes: https://periwinkla.tumblr.com/tagged/nmweek24 note: there are a few minor adjustments I made for the final poster compared to the individual panels (you probably won't even be able to see them honestly) ---Sentimental story time--- The reason I wanted to do something special for nrmt week was because tomorrow (the 8th) will mark the day I first started playing AA1. And I'm so happy I got into it! Funny story: my first exposure to AA was the anime (almost 10 years ago!) I got to the end of the first 12ish episodes, obviously was very confused because it's not meant to be consumed by someone who didn't play the games, and promptly abandoned ship and forgot all about it. Completely. I even forgot I had watched it! until I got to Turnabout Goodbyes because I had a vague recollection of having seen the boat photo. But other than that, complete oblivion (my memory is quite terrible in general). Basically, last year I had finished Detective Pikachu 1 and wanted something similar because I usually play classic jrpgs and needed a change of pace... AA1 was my choice. As I mentioned, I remembered absolutely nothing from the anime (I had no idea Mia died, so, imagine the shock). I went completely blind till I finished with AJ and AAI1-2. Honestly, it's a beautiful experience when you play games without knowing anything about them. It feels like the good old days. I absolutely don't believe that study that says spoilers don't spoil the experience. Also I find it nice that I got into nrmt without outside prompt, because I find it funny that my brain needed to play through 6 games in order to see it. I seem to have prosciutto on my eyes (Italian idiom). In my defense I usually don't look for romance in stories and ship stuff unless it's very obvious. Nrmt comes too close to it to ignore. Ok, end of nostalgic sentimentality. ...And here's the 'other stuff': This print was the thing I said I had hidden 'in plain sight'. It has been on the print shop since... Thursday. 'It was there all along'-well more like half-along really <3

[blaiddfailcam]

Thoughts on the Shadow of the Erdtree's first trailer

You know I have to, lol.

I'm going to avoid anything that's likely well-trodden territory, so a lot of this will pertain to past theories of mine, or just general ramblings. It's not going to be all that organized, but here goes.

The "Ring of Miquella"

A loooong long time ago, I settled on a theory that the Great Rune of the Unborn was actually Miquella's rightful Great Rune, but given to Rennala in the form of the Amber Egg by Radagon before he was even born. The Great Rune itself matches the shape of his twin sister, Malenia's, albeit smaller and of pure gold, akin to Miquella's traits as an eternally youthful demigod of Unalloyed Gold. Miquella's role in the base game as a comatose Empyrean who failed to be reborn further relates to the Great Rune of the Unborn, as it is required to perfect the process, otherwise the reborn loses their memory as if to a deepening slumber.

I take this as a damning vindication, lol.

Possible insight into the Cuckoo

Some have pointed out this character's evident relation to Raya Lucaria. Already, many have jumped to the conclusion that she must be a Carian based on the crystals and bird cages strewn about their chamber, but I don't actually think this is certain. These could also pertain to the Cuckoo, the original headmasters of Raya Lucaria. (After all, some of the cages in Raya Lucaria even contain warbling cuckoo birds.)

The Cuckoo are a somewhat overlooked dynasty, but there are slight hints that they may be related to the Nox in some way. It would be very interesting if we got to see some semblence of their former glory, before Rennala descended from the Mountaintops and overtook the academy. Perhaps then we might glean more on the primordial current so coveted by Lusat, Azur, and Sellen?

Messmer the Impaler

Where to even begin with this latest addition to Miyazaki's divine freakshow.

The first thing that jumps out to me is their name, "Messmer." Given the context of Miquella, St. Trina, and the yet underexplored concept of dreams, I'm reminded of 18th century physician Franz Mesmer, the pioneer of hypnotism. Mesmer dabbled in astronomy, and believed all beings were connected to the inanimate world through "animal magnetism." In his practice, he developed the first inklings of hypnotic suggestion, then known as Mesmerism.

The use of serpents in Messmer's designs could relate him to the Eternal Serpent that wished to devour the Erdtree and the world, which later became Rykard's obsession. In fact, the red flame Messmer channels bears a striking chromatic resemblance to the Taker's Flames. Perhaps he could be related to the ancient heretical cult of Mt. Gelmir...? (I still wonder what the hell is going on with the volcano's peak, as it does resemble a gnarled tree.)

The red hair would relate this figure to the Fire Giants and/or the Fire Monks, which is particularly strange. Then again, we do find the Fire Giants impaled on briars, though these supposedly pertain to Radagon himself.

The most enthralling detail to me, however, is Messmer's sealed eye.

Eyes are diegetically symbolic, and thus far we've met two characters with sealed eyes: Melina and Lunar Princess Ranni. It's likely that both of these characters are Empyreans, and as we've never seen any other Empyreans' eyes (Malenia's are covered by rotten scales, and there's no official depiction of Marika with her eyes open or intact), I take it to be a cosmological signifier of their divine status. If so, might Messmer be yet another Empyrean...? Their open eye is golden and draconic, though I'm not sure what this could entail.

I'm sure I'll be mulling it over for a while, lol.

Other random thoughts

The wolf-lion-mage thing is frickin' sweet, but I like that it appears to be a puppet of sorts, and that whatever puppeteers it is relatively human.

HIGH MONK

CRUCIBLE WINGS

SPECIAL DUAL-WIELDED WEAPONS??

BUTTERFLY MAGIC (purple....)

That definitely looks like Deathroot crawling across the landscape

RUNEBEAR INCANT (so probably even crazier runebears lmao)

Just kind of gesturing at everything because what the hell how is this even the same game it looks insane and fuckin JUICY

June isn't all that far off...

[pelleas-at-castle-nox]

I'm surprised I haven't really seen anybody talking about the food sourcing theme in dungeon meshi. Like, the very first thing it made me think about when I started reading the manga was like "oh yeah, this really makes you think about food, where it comes from, the work needed to create enough food for one person, let alone a small group, to eat comfortably and nutritiously. Laios even specifically calls out that 'regular' food is also made using shit and dirt, intentionally grounding it in reality and subtly asking the reader to introspect on the food they eat and where it comes from."

Like, it's fair to say kui has the old "world builder's" spirit, it's easy to extrapolate a whole world when you're willing to both ask "how does x mundane task work?" And being willing to give it as fanciful or grounded an answer as you feel is appropriate, food is the central theme, but that sort of thinking extends to every corner of the lore and world building where you can practically begin to trace back a lot of world elements to these basic questions, like "what would happen if there were people who lived for 500 years, what would happen if you fought a creature with two heads" and I think that's really cool-

But like, that core question "where does the food that sustains you come from" is like such a relevant question that we should all be asking ourselves. I suppose it's just that I think about that often, both when I'm world building, and in modern and historical contexts.

In a lot of ways it's alienation of labor, most USAmericans (to keep it at least slightly contained in scope) don't get to know where any of the food they eat actually comes from. At best, you might buy your own groceries and maybe even be able to google some information as to the conditions at the place this food was grown, maybe you're lucky/resourced enough to grow some of your own food in like a garden. At worst you get your food premade and prepackaged and you're even completely divorced from the preparation aspect.

A major symptom of this is clearly shown in dungeon meshi's opening and especially in kabru shuro and even the canaries: when food is taken for granted, it becomes easy to neglect. The party initially wiped simply because they'd not considered how suicidal it was to press onward while exhausted, Kabru is so dissociated and focused that he shuts out most of his own biological signifiers of hunger, Shuro starves himself, equating food with leisure instead of a vital practice to sustain life and energy, and of course there's mister no desires.

It's no mistake that in all of the above cases, it's seemed to be heavily implied that food is either an after thought, or someone else's responsibility, or a simple logistical concern. Senshi's whole rant (in volume 1!!) about "oh the youths of today just buying prepackaged meat wine and bread" is especially tied in to this main theme of "do you know where your food comes from?" By taking it to the next level and asking "do you know why you're eating what you're eating?"

To take a personal side tangent, I was recently diagnosed as diabetic, and it's completely changed my relationship to food on a pretty fundamental level, but I'd say I'd always had a pretty good and healthy relationship with food (after I stopped having an eating disorder but that's a story for another day) so it was an easy enough adjustment to have to start actually thinking about how much of my diet was carbs and things like that, it just became a matter of considering what I was eating and when and why. I'm still not perfect at it and it's still a learning process but I'm working on it.

Anyways, my main theory as to why I've not seen it being pontificated on is just that in general people really hate being asked "do you know what you're eating?" Around these parts in a general fashion, but like, especially with weaponized starvation going on and very real issues of things like food desserts in America, and the fact that we all have to pay for just about every little meal, I think it's important for leftists to contemplate the political implications of meals.

An army runs on its stomach after all. Rant over

[circadianaa]

clones with wings au!

something i’ve been cooking in my brain for MONTHS but have only just now gotten down on paper. let’s go!

starting off:

the plain wings. in this specific au, the clones are from a species that have wings as opposed to a general everyone-has-wings au! the clones all have identical wings (aside from the rare mutation), which are basically bird wings with some minor changes. for one, they have opposable thumbs (can you really call it a thumb ??) at the end of the radius and ulna (lower arm bones) quite like bats! but i gave them two thumbs on each wing. for some reason. here’s what the wing skeleton looks like:

clones have very plain-looking wings, but they use them as blank canvases. since the undersides are so pale, they’re perfect for custom dye jobs.

there’s a structured system and language when it comes to wing dye jobs. the wing is broken up into four sections, where each section has a different meaning. the first (and often the first dye received as well) is the rank, at the outermost edge of the wing. this is the most structured out of all the sections; unlike the others, zero creativity for presentation is allowed. as clones aren’t technically supposed to dye their wings, it’s not written in any regulations anywhere, but it’s widely understood to be SOP.

ranks are broken into 2 tiers of silver and gold. gold denotes command staff ranks and silver are the remaining vast majority of troopers. the only ranks with 2 different commonly seen variations are lieutenants, to distinguish CMOs from platoon lieutenants, and privates, as though all shinies hold the rank of private they don’t earn wing dye until after their first battle (just like armor paint!)

the second section is rarely used—generally only by medics or other specialists. it is at the bottommost part of the wing. red stripes (or other patterns) denote that a clone is a medic. it’s a practicality thing more than it’s an aesthetic thing, same as the recognizable sigils medics paint on their armor.

the third is the most eye-catching and the most custom—no two clones have them alike! this is the personal design section, at the very center of the wing. the color of the markings here signifies the battalion a clone is in; however, this section is not meant to mark allegiance, it’s meant to mark personal history, and if a clone has ever transferred battalions, they keep the colors of their old battalion as well as including the colors of their new one. this design evolves as a clone does, often getting more intricate as they age. some clones always prefer simpler designs, though (captain rex being one!), and choose to retain the plainer colors of their youth.

the fourth is a subsection of the personal history section, marking the batchmates who have passed on. these stripes, almost always golden, are located at the part of the wing closest to the body, on the long feathers at the base of the wing. some clones have zero markings here, some have four (or more, if a sibling they felt as close to as a batchmate is lost). it’s kept as a way to honor and remember the dead. this is the only marking that’s dyed on the top of the wing as well as the underside.

here are some more examples of designs for some clones!

(that last one there is my oc, cadaver!)

some other general lore:

medics are generally the only ones capable of carrying others in flight because it’s something they specifically train for. carrying another trooper while flying is incredibly strenuous, but medics need to do so in order to evacuate troops from battlefields efficiently or catch them if they’re injured while in flight. following this, medics also train numerous flight maneuvers such as dives and tight turns in order to be able to catch injured siblings mid-flight.

clones have wings built for soaring and sustained flight, meaning that acrobatics don’t come naturally to them. bursts of speed and tight turns are something they have to train for; it’s not built in.

wings are a massive part of social life within the GAR. as hard as they try, there are spots on their wings that are impossible for clones to preen and maintain by themselves. thus, they rely on their siblings to keep each other in tip-top shape. as a result, preening is a very social activity, and often done to express affection as much as it is to keep each other healthy.

following the previous note, dye jobs are also a massive part of the social upkeep. they have to redye their wings frequently because of how often they lose feathers or have the intricate pigment damaged. this means clones rely on their siblings to keep the physical representations of their identities in place (and i’ll let you imagine how this affects clones who survive order 66.)

clones’ wings are NOISY. this does mean that stealth while flying is difficult for them, but it also means that they can use their wings as a form of communication. for example, snapping one’s wings open creates a loud wooshing sound that can grab the attention of everyone in the room. it’s used often by commanding officers trying to give orders to a rowdy platoon.

the wings are incredibly expressive and are the hardest part of one’s body language to control. a clone could have a blank face and a perfect parade rest, but their wings will be a tell-all for their true feelings. thankfully, the subtler of the numerous wing expressions are always lost on natborns.

i’ll add more if i think of it!

breaking my hiatus for this because i was too excited about it! i’m such a nerd about birds & wing aus in particular and i don’t see enough of it so i made it myself! permissions-wise, you’re totally welcome to use this lore in any art or fics if it inspires you, and if you want to create your own designs feel free to use that blank version of the wings right at the top! i would really appreciate a tag if you post any of it. thank you guys, and i hope you enjoy!

[jeannereames]

While reading stories of Alexander & his friends, it often feels like they could very well be today's youths. Is it because the authors present Alexander's world in a way relatable to the modern reader? Or there are things about youth common in all eras, like teenage crisis, romance, dreams, bold & adventurous spirit? And if I'm not wrong, you mention at one place that you don't "heroize" Alexander. That's interesting, since he's often worshipped a mythical hero. Why did you move away from that?

Alexander and the boys

This query was really two, or at least I want to separate them into two, so I’ll address the matter of heroizing Alexander in a different post.

The reason teen Alexander feels familiar owes to the simple fact biology makes certain aspects of adolescence universal. That said, while all human beings go through (suffer?) adolescence, whether it’s recognized as a “stage of life” depends on place and era. Does X culture have an adolescent moratorium, or time period between childhood and adulthood when teens are not (yet) saddled with the full responsibilities of adulthood?

Ancient Greece did, at least for some classes; they even had a specialized term: ephebe/έφηβος. Later, it came to signify a specific military class for training (18-20), but originally, it just meant a teenage boy, although the start age was imagined as later, more like 15+. Up to that, the generic pais (child) was more common. Ephebe has the implication of “starting to look like a man.”

Of more import, they invented what’s become the Western pedagogical system. The word pedagogy is GREEK: pais (child) agōgē (guiding/training): a paidagōgos was a nanny, but also a method of teaching children. The specific Spartan schooling system is referred to as the Agōgē, but the word has a generic meaning too. All of that is related to the Greek word for “work” (agōn) but also “to lead” (egōn).

There’s your Greek lesson for the day.

The Greeks had a pretty firm idea of the proper way to train up boys* and shape young minds. By the Classical era, and arguably the late Archaic, city Greeks were sending boys between the ages of 7 and 12 to school. These were private, so parents paid for the privilege of getting junior out of the house so somebody else could run herd on him. Mom and Dad had work to do. What were boys taught? The Three Rs (reading, writing, and ‘rithmatic) but also phys-ed (PE) and music. Again, the basics of a proper European primary-school education.

At 12, most boys returned home to take up their father’s occupation. So these were not all wealthy boys. Some were what we’d call middle class, but their families had enough money to invest in their education, and then, as now, the pricier the tuition, the better the teachers. But most stopped on the cusp of adolescence and went to work; they had no adolescent moratorium.

Only the wealthiest boys could afford to go on to what amounted to secondary education: lessons with a philosopher in order to prep them for their future careers as politicians, generals, and city leaders. What they learned now were rhetoric, eristics (art of argument), some literature, laws, theory on government, etc.

This higher-level tutoring is what Aristotle was hired for. Alexander (and friends) had already had the basics. A “philosophic education” had been around for over a century by the time Philip called Aristotle to Pella, although it wasn’t as set in form as it would become by the Hellenistic and Roman eras. In some of his more famous works, such as the Politics, Aristotle talks about the importance of education in the formation of a state: specifically in Book 7.18, and most of Book 8. He gets very specific in Book 8. He puts forward a number of common ideas the ancients had about the nature of the child. Most believed character was unchanging, so education would work to curb a person’s vices and elevate their virtues.

The Greeks, btw, did not invent schools themselves. Egyptians and Mesopotamians both had schools for children before the Greeks did. Greeks got the idea from them. But they did create their own notion of what school should include, which is what they passed down to the Romans, then to Europe, and finally, to most school systems in the West.

Anyway, when a culture introduces the adolescent moratorium, it frees up teenagers to, well, do “stupid teen shit.” Schools provide an environment where they create their own society with their own rules. In cultures where they begin adult jobs at 12/13 (or even sooner), they’re integrated and don’t have the chance to create these little sub-societies that percolate with all the drama of wildly pumping hormones.

So, a society that creates an environment where groups of teens regularly congregate in disproportionate numbers to either adults or children, like secondary school, squire/military, maid, or scribal training--or the Macedonian Pages Corps--will feel familiar to modern societies that have high schools.

Put a bunch of teens together, suffering through adolescence, and it’ll produce similar results anywhere, any time.

—————-

*Girls were obviously not included in misogynistic Greece.

[ryin-silverfish]

I feel most modern adaptations don't capture Erlang Shen's wild side. In a way that's fair. He's been a very mainstream and high-ranked god for so long that to use modern lingo, he can be comfortably labeled as an "establishment sell-out". So many people have an image of him as a pure law-and-order guy, for better and for worse. I'm not going to talk about the "official" Daoist identities for him because they do their best to make him seem respectable by linking him with official sponsored waterworks projects or other forms of government-condoned activity -- I just want to talk about the folk perception, because that's the guy everyone except Daoist fundamentalists are worshiping. In early myths and myth-derived entertainment, especially stories about his youth, Erlang is very wild and rebellious. He spends all day hunting with his hound and hawk and laughs away the idea of taking orders from Heaven. He was fostered or at least aided by his aunt, Queen Mother of the West, giving him essentially a protector as he ran roughshod around China, splitting mountains to save his mother and sealing suns under mountains he carried over his shoulders. His retinue consisted of "exotic" foreigners -- golden-headed slaves Guo Yaji and Sayikun who held his blade and cared for his hound. His foot soldiers were 草头神/Wild Gods. He led the Chinese equivalent of the Wild Hunt, flushing demons out of mountains. His name was mentioned alongside the God of Death 阎罗 and the Lord of Ages 太岁 in Water Margin as a fierce god suitable for an outlaw to imitate. All in all, he reads like an upper class delinquent, someone both inside and outside of the established social order. Most modern portrayals of Erlang don't have this ambiguity.

Ohhh, I happened to read a Chinese paper that talked about the exact thing...well, maybe not the exact thing, but it is about the remaking of Erlang's image in Yuan-Ming era operas and vernacular novels!

Erlang in Pre-Song era sources, when he was not yet Li Bing's son and just an ambiguous mix of Li Bing, Lord of Sichuan + God of Guankou, was not very humanized. Like, sure, he was a regional guardian and a slayer of dragon, but there were pretty much no description of his looks or personality.

When Zhao Erlang first appeared, his image shifted into that of a martial general, but everyone's favorite "Handsome Second Lad" was mostly a creation of Yuan-Ming Zaju plays and novels.

And the paper compared and contrast the Erlang of Zaju plays and novels: in the former ones, exemplified by plays like "Erlang Drunkenly Shot the Demon-locking Mirror", he was kind of a hothead, and prone to impulsive decisions.

In JTTW and FSYY, however, he was a lot more calm, humble, and cunning, though JTTW paid homage to his pride and "rebellious hermit god" status more than FSYY, in which Yang Jian is a lot more quiet, polite and strategically-minded.

The paper argues that the Yuan-Ming plays and novels signified the shift of Erlang's image from a purely martial general to the "Confucian General" (儒将) archetype, someone who possessed both scholarly and martial virtues.

Similarly, this shift also made him a lot more closely connected with the imperial court, both celestial and mortal, and played up his loyalty + filial piety.

Now that I finished info-dumping about this really neat paper: yep, I'm not the biggest fan of "Erlang as the upholder of Celestial Justice" either, even though his more "lawful" portrayals had some basis in Qing novels like 八仙得道传 as well as Liaozhai (the short story, Xi Fangping, has him acting as a Baogong-like figure to this guy who had been wronged by corrupt Underworld officials.)

What I feel like modern adaptations + perceptions tend to overlook, however, is his "Regional Guardian" status. Someone intimately connected to the land and people of Sichuan, whether it is the wilderness of its mountains, or the irrigation projects that tamed the rivers, or the opera plays and fine wines of the Country of Heaven——天府之国.

Like, in JTTW, when SWK impersonated him and sat inside his temples, he received your average prayers for blessings and fortunes, but also requests as mundane as asking for a son or a cure to their sickness.

(While I was watching JTTW '86 adaptation of that scene on Bilibili——which was amazing and hilarious, people were like "This is what Erlang does all day?" and jokingly calling him "Erlang Community Clinic" in the scrolling comments.)

To me, he is a guy who may be too prideful for the heavens, but never considers himself too good for mortals. A true son of Shu who'd find the choice laughably easy, if he was ever asked to pick between "Upholder of Heavenly Laws" and "Lord of Sichuan".

Which is why portrayals of him as this Blood Knight-esque "Hound of Heaven" irk me, a lot.

[tamelee]

Hello Tamelee! 💜 Hope you are having a wonderful day, and that you had a nice christmas if you celebrated it

We all know that Naruto and Sasuke are designed to complement each other. Orange/Blue, Yellow/Purple. But I also noticed something about Sakura’s Genin design. In some manga illustrations, Sakura’s pants, shoes and headband are black, but in others they are green… Her chakra is green in the anime, and I don’t know if it has a color in the manga. And of course she has green eyes.

So I wondered if Kishimoto made Sakura being linked to red/pink and green in order to highlight how separated she is to Naruto and Sasuke? She complements herself in some way. Or maybe it’s to signify she’s pretty self-centered? What do you think? Am I just crazy?

Hi Nonee 🧡! Nothing too special this Christmas but it was nice ^^ Hope yours was as well!!! 🎄 Ah yeah, I checked it again;

So I'm not too sure about consistency, but her coloring makes a lot of sense. Her childhood version even has the green/pink dress, the other has the green pants and then of course the red headband she got from Ino. Part 1 Sakura has the blue headband and so what they did was make the green a lot more blue and desaturated so it looks better (I tried it with the part 2 green, but that's a no from me), but in Part two, the green is completely complementary to the red and pink while even the "black" from her shoes and gloves are a desaturated purple to match it. It's actually thought out so well. (They are all analogous, contrasting the green, which wouldn't have worked had they used the same green from part 1.) It's true that Naruto and Sasuke match even in design, coloring and everything else and that Sakura.. well, doesn't. But I doubt the design is meant to say much about her real self the way Kishimoto told it. Sakura, her name is derived from the Sakura tree, right? 🌸 And those cherry blossoms are most often pink. In Anime, the color is often used to denote Spring seasons and in storytelling for new beginnings and something happy to look forward to. Considering 'team' 7 it makes sense why they'd pick colors for her that match with pink, but also contrasts Naruto and Sasuke in order to create a more cohesive color combo including Kakashi. (Green, blue, white- and all have hints of red and blue in part 1.) We could take it steps further and even think about other ways she stands out with these colors.. Naruto's colors are very bright and saturated because he wants to be acknowledged and always appears to be 'like the sun'- radiating hope with his fluffy mop of hair alone. He wants to stand out, whereas Sasuke doesn't. But Sakura's 'happy, youthful' coloring also contrasts their childhoods and the way they look at life in general or especially as Shinobi. And with that, their goals in life. Sakura's coloring represents the way she shows off her femininity (as the color pink is often used in shows for that especially in Japan) which really fits the practiced personality in order to appeal to Sasuke. To become someone she thinks Sasuke would like... Had she been completely like her inner/true Self, she may have looked different. It's genius actually the more I think about it 🤔 But look at the other teams as well, they're all complimentary and fitting as a whole and even though the outfits have changed, the main colors stay in place. You're not crazy, definitely onto something, but I can't say whether that is true or not. It could be 🤷🏻‍♀️

[ming-sik]

Finished my proof of concept art for the Devouring grays! In my AU Devouring children are taken as grays at their baptism while in the temple children are tested for it at birth, so all four of them get to experience some circumstances and I thought it'd be neat to work out some symbols associated with them and the gods in the process!

Extensive symbolism rambling under the cut

GENERAL:

Ehrenfest is in Ewigeliebe's domain, a region in northern YS known for its harsh winters and natural salt deposits. Salt and snow are both considered Ewigeliebe's symbols, as is the specific magic circle serving as a halo for all four of our priests. Ewigeliebe is also the patron of our resident High Priest, so their halos signify their living under his jurisdiction.

The Devouring is caused by a spirit of winter, and a certain type of the Devouring leading to frostbite-like symptoms means that red lines on the nose are a symbol of those suffering from it since the nose is one of the first places it appears. It's Geduldh's blood red because mana is a blessing from her to Ewigeliebe's creations in the first place which has turned to a curse in her anger at being betrayed by him. These are an artistic flourish, but the red lines embroidered on their cuffs serve to mark Devouring priests apart from the manaless grays in-universe.

The Goddess of Order shares the golden star pattern on the gray priests' cuffs(that's a star pattern, we all knew it was a star pattern when we saw it). It symbolically represents schtappe-sealing bracelets, as those in the temple have no right to use noble magic. The golden sashes are more directly alluding to the Godess of Light, who is also the goddess of piety. This specific shade is from a plant that's abundant and easy to process native to Ehrenfest, which is also why it's the duchy's signature color.

MYNE:

Myne is turned away from the camera, looking back suspiciously over her shoulder. She has a lot to hide and isn't being fully honest with anyone, keeping her heart well away from view. Although she's nearer to books than ever, she's unable to fully express her desire and they're just out of her grasp. Her lantern is a symbol of Leidenschaft, as she's guided by the fire of her passion and her memories of her family, who are all in some way strong with Leidenschaft and summer.

Her headscarf is a hand-me-down from Tuuli who was handed it down from her mother. Spring's green is common in young children's clothing in the hopes that it will give them a happy youth and bless their new life. Schutzaria's symbols run along the border, with her blessing bringing the wearer good health and defending them from evil spirits. Leidenschaft's symbols are just above them, hopefully ushering the child from spring to summer and encouraging them to grow up well. As she's the only Devouring gray to come from the lower city, she's the only one with a family heirloom, so it's fitting that it's a blessing for a happy youth that the rest of them were denied.

FRAN:

As the High Priest's favored Devouring gray, Fran bears several extra symbols of Ewigeliebe. In his mind, Ferdinand saved him from his abuse under the orphanage director, patching over the damage to his heart, although now his heart is fully within Ewigeliebe's control. He offers Schlaftraum's blessings of comfort, and as Geduldh, offers support to Ewigeliebe. Geduldh's chalice is filled with a different god's symbol depending on which season she's in, as well as directly alluding to figures associated with certain gods as it is here with salt. He's blinded by his devotion, unable to see Greifenchan's tears of unluckiness.

DELIA:

Like Fran, Delia is strong with Geduldh in winter and holds both her chalice as an offering and has Schlaftraum's flowers visible. Unlike him, she holds her offerings close to her chest, without exposing her heart, viewing them as these only as necessary sacrifices for her to one day escape the temple. Despite this, she too is blinded, unable to see the truth of her exploitation by the High Bishop.

GIL:

Gil is bound by his desperation for change and a new life, Flutrane's vines tying his hands, and Leidenschaft's spear trapped behind his back. He's unable to fulfill his role as a Devouring priest due to his bindings, hiding the embroidery showing his status from view. Unlike Fran and Delia, he's able to see clearly. Unlike Myne and Delia, his heart is exposed, although unlike Fran it belongs to nothing in particular, making him the odd one out all around.

[jgnico]

I liked your reply to the Gojo ask and I'm not the same anon but I think I kind of see where those people are coming from if I may squeeze myself into the conversation. I think there's two ways people can interpret what going north means - same as detaching from your past self -, you can either use it to refer to the fate of jujutsu sorcerers as a whole or you can take it as a personal matter in regards to a specific characters fate. You focused on the former with your reply which I think makes sense, obviously, and in that sense both Gojo and Nanami choose the north path because they cared to foster the younger generations and try to guide them towards a different future. But I think the way people who believe Gojo might come back look at the situation is more in the sense of Gojo's persona and his own individual journey being focused on his strength and him not being able to move on from his youth. Like the quote "are you the strongest because you're Gojo Satoru or are you Gojo Satoru because you're the strongest?", I think that maybe those theories are meant to signify him stepping aside as the strongest and becoming just Satoru. Not the Six Eyes holder, not the strongest sorcerer, not a special grade but someone who steps aside from that. That's why some people believe he will lose his powers, hence not being part of the generation that will bring change to the jujutsu world. I came here a bit as the devil's advocate, I'm not saying this necessarily makes sense or that you're wrong, just sharing a few ideas I've seen around. There's also the theory that JJK is the type of story that mirrors itself (I don't remember the name) so the same way Gojo died and had his "rebirth" during Hidden Inventory, people believe he might go through another rebirth moment. There are moments paralleling each other in the manga so that doesn't seem too out of reach but I have no idea. I personally believe Gojo coming back could make sense if executed in a very specific way but my wish is honestly for him to stay in the grave since I think his story had a satisfying conclusion for the type of plot JJK has but I'm a bit of an idot I have no idea what I'm saying haha I hope you don't mind this ask. Have a good day!

Oooh, thank you for the ask and different perspective, Anon.

To the point of going North being interpreted to mean Gojo starting anew as simply Satoru, not the strongest, I'd ask, "Isn't he doing exactly that in the afterlife?"

I touched on it in passing in a previous meta answer, but Gojo had a positive outlook on his own death because it would mean him finally putting down the burden of the strongest and getting to return to a time in his life and the people within it that knew him as a person, rather than an ideal. Going back to a world where that isn't the case would undermine that for him. Even if we expand further and raise the idea that he returns without his techniques -- including, ya know, his eyes -- he'd still be going back as someone that held that position before, someone that acted as the head of his clan, someone that the others look to for guidance and knowledge in concerns to Jujutsu.

Gojo's technique alone didn't make him the strongest. He didn't reach that status off of the abilities he was born with by themselves, but by his innovation and implementation of them when it was required of him. His mindset and personality made him the strongest just as much as his techniques did; something that's further reinforced by Geto stagnating when he shouldn't have because his core way of thinking when it came to his technique never changed. Losing the Six Eyes + Limitless doesn't take that or the burden of strength away from Gojo. Jujutsu society quite literally hasn't changed enough for that to be a possibility.

Or, to answer the Geto question: He's the strongest because he's Gojo Satoru, not the other way around.

Additionally, his strength wasn't the root of his unhappiness. Gojo enjoyed being strong as an adult as much as he did when he was a teenager. And we know this because every time he's ever been pushed to a point where he gets to show that strength --Hidden Inventory, Shibuya, the Sukuna Fight, he enjoys it.

The problem that Gojo had with being strong wasn't that he was, but rather that it made him lonely. That for all that it gave him, it demanded so much more in return. Taking his technique away and putting him back into a world where he still isn't understood as a person like he is with his friends in the afterlife doesn't fix that issue.

But couldn't people learn to understand him? I genuinely don't think so, and neither did Gojo.

Too many people over too long of a time never saw him as a person or even cared to. And eventually, Gojo gave up on them ever doing so to make that easier for him to accept. Spending your entire life as a thing, as an ideal, to other people is a tragic reality. One that led Gojo to separate himself from those around them, not as one person being wilfully alienated from a group of people by the majority, but as a being so different from others that it made no sense to ask to be understood.

Is this a healthy mentality to have? Well, no, but that doesn't mean he wasn't pushed there regardless.

Taking him from a place where he's finally free from that, where he's back with the people that see him as a person, and putting him back into a world where only the opposite is true in the hopes that the world will change to accept him when it never has before, isn't the solution.

Believe me, I understand wanting him to be alive, but I don't think that that would do anything positive for his character when it would only make him just as miserable as he was before.

[omegaversetheory]

I have read some omegaverse stories and saw some of those infamous ABO gacha heat cringe videos throught the years, and something abt those types of stories that seems quite creepy to me is the fact that omegas almost always look like children, act like children and are TREATED like children while their alpha counterpart is always potrayed as a normal adult

So idk, even thought i know that every omegaverse is different depending on the creator i Wonder what headcannons would you have about that topic, like for example:

-Do omegas age like any other people or they have some genetic factor that makes them look younger and/or age slower?

-would that "child treatment" have its roots from the discrimination omegas would have faced in the most conservative countries?

-In those same conservative spaces, would omegas get pressured to appear as childish as possible because they will be cuter and get a mate more easily?

-Would that kind of judgement perpetuate a kinda pedo-ish mentality on those inhabitants of said places? Would parents of omegas use puberty blockers on them so they still look young? Would omegas be encouraged to have a mate at a dangerously low age?

I mean, i know that this question can be really triggering or sensitive, but the fact that a lot of omegaverse stories and stuff i have read have this pedo-fetish creeps me out a lot and i Wonder if that kind of issue rooting from conservative judgement would happen in your AU

I, too, find that part funky and uncomfortable - but who cares. It makes readers and writers happy and gives me an opportunity to get creative. For example, I like to think that like romance tropes in romance novels pale in comparison to real romance and love - people living in omegaverse au's would feel the same way about those tropes and stereotypes. It's just another romance trope - the infantilization of omegas.

But let's answer your lovely questions!

Yes. Everyone ages the same. I've never seen a headcanon suggesting otherwise, and I don't write it differently in my own au. But in an omegaverse au that does use this idea, perhaps looking youthful is part of the beauty standards for omegas. It could include - a round baby face, the kind of soft body that evokes baby fat, bouncy and smooth skin.

I would argue that no, it's not based in conservative treatment, but in the traditions of generations since past. Sure, more conservative cultures are also ones that adhere to tradition more strongly. For example, omegas would be "debuted" to society around age 18, the prettiest/most valuable ones would be bonded and mated that same year, others may have to wait. Having a young omega as your mate would signify some level of wealth or power - as it was these alphas to whom the omega's parents would be overjoyed to let their omega bond with. This leads to a preference for the kind of youth that lasts - leading to a cultural beauty standard many generations after that courtship practice fell out of style.

Act childish? No. Appear youthful? Yes. Childish would be throwing nonsensical tantrums, wining, having some level of ignorance/overly innocent to the world. What would be fashionable instead would be having a fresh/light personality, wearing clothes that echo the same fashion of young children (ex if it's in style for babies to wear ruffles, ruffles may start to be popular for omegas to wear), wonder and a thirst for knowing things would be attractive in omegas as well.

Absolutely not. Children having children is not ever a good headcanon. Pedophiles would be treated the same way, if not even harsher in this world. Puberty blockers wouldn't help, as that would keep a child a child longer. I don't think it's something parents would worry about - their omega child looking too young, but it would give them some anxiety if they presented early. Heats/Ruts do not have a sexual element for children - that develops slowly as after their human puberty ends - so imagine around 17-19 they might start getting that instinct - but that's when they would be debuted to find a mate. So yes, if you consider 18 dangerously young. But in modern times the average bonding age gets older and older, just like in real life.

I'm sure you and I aren't the only ones who aren't fans of that omegaverse trope, but it's just that. A trope, and a place for people to explore the taboo. To me, just see it as a a/b/o twist on the daddy/little trope that so many readers enjoy, and that could be pushed further the right (safe and consensual) contexts - one of which being the fics they consume and create.

Take the headcanons you like, leave the ones you hate or refashion them. My favorite part about omegaverse is that it is entirely fluid and never concrete. We agree on much, and on nothing. No two aus are the same.

[forgedcold]

4, 13, 17, 27, 48

4. Favorite line

Oh man how to pick just one. I'm going with the one that comes to mind first which is this.

13. Dumbest thing they’ve ever done

Become an Autobot maaaybe? I very much enjoy Autobot Megatron, however, I think it would have been better canon-wise if he had remained leader of the Decepticons and attempted to create a peaceful, unified Cybertron with the Autobots. If it didn't work, then yeah sure fuck off Cybertron and work through your generativity vs stagnation psychosocial stage of development. The way it's written, his reasoning for becoming an Autobot just makes it seem it was for shock value to get Shockwave to be so stunned he'd stop trying to destroy the universe.

I think they would've done better to lean into Starscream's failed leadership of the Decepticons, how it decimated the Decepticon empire, Megatron didn't have a lot of resources left when he did come back, and his hate boner was finally stroked to the max, so he was left with surrender or try to get something out of peace.

17. Quotes, songs, poems, etc. that I associate with them

In terms of quotes/poems, I think about the tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow speech from Macbeth that basically means there is no purpose in life and horrible things are justifiable because of the lack of meaning (very skewed POV from Macbeth). Life "is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." And I mean, Megatron's life essentially amounts to nothing - but it also isn't just him.

I associate most Five Finger Death Punch (especially All I Know) songs to him and I think about William Faulkner (and his book The Sound and the Fury) in terms of his writing style. Megatron feels like a very stream of consciousness writer to me since the idea of having his own thoughts and free-thinking was illegal (also the psychological aspect of being told he was 'sick' for having ideas), so I imagine he wrote everything that came to mind very quickly.

27. Their guilty pleasure

Doing whatever he can to piss off Prowl.

48. Scariest moment of their life

When he was nearly shadowplayed in his youth when he worked as a miner. Canonically, it was written very rape-coded with Trepan saying shit like "I know this is your first time" "I'll try to be gentle" "You might leak" the whole "ugh" of pleasure when he sinks his needles into his brain. And I mean.

It made him cry. Hence his fear of needles and his aversion to mnemosurgery.

[satosktty]

‘Fashion is a reflection of social and personal processes — it can be expressed in the matter of conformity ( uniform ), unconventionality, etc: it works to depict distinctive ways of dressing as signifiers of social status, self-expression and group belonging. Lots of times in fashion people tend to stick to a certain culture, many wanting to stick to the most widely accepted culture of trend. This doesn’t just pertain to fashion but to societies. Afterall, nobody wants to be excluded.’

The color-coding and attire behind Satoru’s outfits especially show how it reflects with his own life. He’s mainly seen wearing blue throughout the manga, of course it’s his uniform. For everyone in jujutsu, the color blue could align with one of the Chinese symbolizations: advancement. But specifically only for Gojo Satoru, blue also stands for immortality, elegance, power.

He was in blue when he was enlightened to his full potential by Toji. And the day he didn’t wear blue, was the day he died.

Satoru could also be very well alternative in my opinion ( seeing as alternative subcultures aren't  just fashion styles but politically and music based - which I could definitely see him being into ) based on his views of changing the currently standing society they live in ( even though said society quite literally puts him on a pedestal ) regardless of the highest powers in the society always rejecting his stance.

Satoru’s entire mindset towards the youth is an active counterculture to the standing rules that have stained his old-classmates, and his own childhoods.

Satoru’s inclination about social standing and the world around them, the world that he is — albeit without permission — a pillar of, comes from a mixture of things in his early life. Regardless of how liberating his actions are to his students; he does not take action for himself, people are used helplessly as weapons from childhood, leading their minds to be formed only to aim for  jujutsu in their lives.

 Satoru is a core example of this, he wants progression for everyone else but continues to limit his own possible undiscovered joys outside of jujutsu because of the fact that he is jujutsu. Since his birth he has been unmovable—like a deep rooted weed; his standing in society frightens many, leads people to actively trying to murder him all his life and after separating himself from others—because the truth is nobody can really match his level—he goes on to live a life of loneliness. 

Higher ups believe that they would be better off without him, that he is an issue within the jujutsu community; on top of this, he seems to have political power in jujutsu but not as much as anyone with the title of /the strongest/ would possess. Satoru at his core is avant-garde, his ideas of the liberation of the younger generation coming at a time when his ideas aren’t accepted by anyone besides the victims of the previous generation of teen / child sorcerers.  

[goldenfox3]

It's fun exploring the different aspects of (game) Falcon's character through fic like I have a tendency to write the SNES era one as a cocky little shit but I've also tried playing up the cool and mysterious bounty hunter angle to make him a little more taciturn and serious. GX era Falcon I tend to write as more conscientious and focused on doing good though some of his youthful attitude and cockiness still shines through lmao. There's also his general theatrical nature that appears in (I would say) all his iterations (and is I suppose par for the course with a cast this colourful) and his (outward) confidence and love of showing off that remains even in his upstanding GX era.

The flirtiness I tend to give him is completely a result of my imagination bc Falcon is not at all flirty anywhere in canon ever but I think it would fit in with his flashy and forward demenaour (especially SNES era) and desire for attention even if he's not necessarily actually interested that way. Gotta get that taunting and preening in after all.

(More Falcon musings below the cut)

In contrast to the way I write Andy I don't think game Falcon has quite so defined a separation in how he acts with/without the costume on, but I do still think being Captain Falcon is a performance as well as a mindset. When he doesn't have to put on the face of "Captain Falcon" I like to think of him being quieter, more withdrawn/desiring alone time to recharge, sometimes even anxious about social scenarios that he might have to navigate as not-the-Captain. This isn't always necessarily tied to him having the helmet/costume on or not—if he still feels like he's present in a given situation as "Falcon", he'll act the same way in or out of costume.

This is kind of tied to my name hcs for him—it's not just that he doesn't want to give out his first name, he really does conceptualize of himself most of the time as the persona of "Falcon". The only time I think he would use his first name or even think of himself using his own first name would be if he was with people he was extremely close to, whether that's family (I have no idea what's going on with his family situation lol), best friends, or serious long-term lovers. The switch in use of surname to given name is a symbolic lowering of defences, a signifier of increased intimacy and almost like mental permission to him to just be...himself without any of the performance.

In Thousand Five, Stewart has known him only as Captain Falcon, his public persona, for 11 years and counting so even when they hang out out of costume he still feels the need to put that act on, though the amount of acting he does unconsciously lessens more and more as he grows more comfortable around Stewart. At least that's the explanation I have for why he's been gradually showing more and more vulnerability in anxiousness, earnest desire for approval, clinginess, etc. as the story goes on lol. The part where they finally address each other by given name will be basically when the final barriers between them are dissolved and they're letting each other know that yes, it's ok to be your unfiltered self around me and yes, I'm offering up my honest unfiltered self to you in return (which is why this won't be for many chapters to come lol).

In Living in the Fast Lane, since it's SNES era Falcon and Stewart haven't known each other quite so long there and Falcon isn't yet quite so practised at the whole performance of being Captain Falcon thing so there's less separation between how he acts in and out of costume. But there is indeed still an internal pressure to conform to his usual persona and to stick to the familiar snarky rivals dynamic that is eroding despite his best efforts in the face of unfamiliarly tender and squishy feelings ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ The use of his Captain persona being a sort of safety wall and its gradual dissolution is always very fun and juicy to dig into and getting to write it happening in mutiple different ways is always a blast 🕺

[psychicdreamfriendoperator]

Suppose the Inarigumi got to kidnap a male Cherryton student similarly to how the Shishigumi kidnapped Haru, an all-female Black Market gang going after a boy just as an all-male gang already did with a girl. Which male Cherryton students would make for the most appealing targets? *lecherously licking my chops*

I wasn't very certain of how to approach this ask, and it wound up going into "hyperdug headcanon" territory.

In any case ... here goes!

— Psychic

The Shishigumi compared to The Inarigumi

The Shishigumi is your average organised crime ring; they offer ‘protection’ from the other criminal organisations in return for a fee. Basically: they're hired thugs.

You could even say that it's their specialty.

You don't see much of the Inarigumi, but I imagine they run a similar racket.

The Inarigumi embrace the "females can be as ruthless as males (and still be elegant)" mindset, with Ten admitting that she wants to change the world’s view of vixens.

As such, I can't really see the Inarigumi stooping so low as to resort to kidnapping.

But for the purposes of this ask, we’ll say that the Inarigumi are responsible for advising herbivore-run hyperdrug facilities on which carnivores to seek out for ... ‘ingredients’.

The Value of a Carnivore’s Species

Carnivores are valuable for their bodies, which have an alleged medicinal value.

However, certain patterns & colourations are held to signify a more potent effect.

As a general rule of thumb “rarer traits > common traits”.

Birth defects and mutations are a more complicated affair; a tiger with a unique colouration? Good. A tiger born without stripes? Bad.

The more a carnivore "matches" the effect their body allegedly produces, the stronger the hyper drugs’ effects.

For example: A prospective buyer would choose to have hyper drugs made from from a cheetah if they wanted to increase their speed — since cheetahs are fast, that attribute is assumed to be passed down through the hyper drug.

The above belief is part of the reason why ... "ingredient collection" is usually done in front of the buyer.

Buyers are willing to pay extremely well to have specific hyper drugs made from specific animals, and to ensure they don't get one thing instead of another, they watch as the part is harvested from the carnivore.

The Value of a Carnivore’s Age

Surprisingly, the phrase “the younger, the better” doesn't always apply here.

Younger carnivores are scouted for their youth (who doesn't want to feel young, again?)

There is also a market for older carnivores.

It's a belief that older carnivores have more wisdom. So, ingest part of one, and you naturally gain some wisdom (or so the hyperdrug clinics claim)

Choosing a Target

Obviously, no one is going to go for a difficult target — at least not without any sort of plan in place.

When kidnapping animals, their size-class and natural abilities have to taken into consideration:

A smaller carnivore, like an owl, will almost always be easier to handle than a bigger carnivore, like a lion or tiger.

Physical attributes such as horns, claws, venom, et cetera also need to be planned ahead for.

The 3 Most Likely Targets (+ Why)

[in order of most to least likely to be kidnapped + why]

Pina

a (presumably) pure white Dall sheep — his colouration is eyecatching.

Bill

by all appearances is a healthy Bengal Tiger — useful for hyperdrug creation.

Dom

a peacock — although he curiously lacks the feather tail, male peafowls are still considered valuable in the Black Market.

[extraliga-related]

if you are still taking questions: top five moments you'd use to convince people to watch extraliga hockey?

Tried to keep it short. Didn't exactly work. 5 (or so) moments to determine why you should follow the league(s) waiting below!

HOCKEY : TNG

Commentators like to throw around the phrase "a child playing among men" when talking about rookies entering the NHL or underagers at Worlds, but here's where you come closer to the literal meaning. Kids as young as 15 are starting to try and carve their spot in the big leagues while facing those who've been there, done that.

Dalibor Dvorský, for example, broke a record when he scored his first Extraliga goal for HC Banská Bystrica at the age of 15 years, 7 months, and 18 days. He was the 2nd youngest to set foot on Extraliga ice overall, with Mešár, Nemec, Molnár, etc. also making the Top 10, thus signifying a shift regarding involvement as well as development of youth players.

Or 2005-born Eduard Šalé netting his first while Jágr, the oldest guy still out there on a pro level, looks on from his spot on the ice. If you're into records, you better start watching... he's technically setting a new one with each shift.

If the NHL Draft or the WJC are something you care about, it's an entertaining way to put some faces to names and get to know a bit more about the origins of players beyond what any minute-long introduction video and occassional filler fact ever could.

THE NARRATIVE™

Get yourself a near-tragic little guy to root for and cheer with:

→ Forward Samuel Takáč, approaching 30 and generally dissatisfied with his career's unsustainable trajectory after three solemn years in France, was on the verge of calling it quits early when he decided to give it another shot with a change of scenery. He got himself a career year in which he received the call up to the Slovak NT shortly before his 30th birthday, was one of the most productive players out there, won Olympic bronze, and managed to claim the title with his Extraliga club as the MVP.  

He turned into one of the team's leading forces while also giving advice to future NHL hopefuls along the way. He's got an A now and enough motivation to keep him going for a couple more years!

Get yourself a tragic little guy to root for and suffer with:

It's 2010 and a young center + his twin move to CZ to play together. He utters the humble ambition to "stay healthy and do well for a team that plays well." As his career unfolds, he:

quickly develops chronic back pain & fucks up his knee

gets called an „injury magnet"

may be on same team as bro in theory but rarely, if ever, in practice

gets dumped into hopeless affiliate

never gets a chance to advance past 3rd line

It's 2014 and the twins are reunited, determined to gain some more ice time, but a goal turns out to represent the epitome of his career as he's putting on the jersey of his new team for the first time, receives a hit to the stomach, watches the puck awkwardly stumble into net on the same play and... that's it. He got hurt on the play and was done for.

It is 2023 and he never achieved either of his goals. 🥲

THE EPIC HIGHS AND LOWS OF RELEGATION/PROMOTION

We've got a closer (both in terms of points and geography) competition due to less teams which got tensions rising and regional rivalries heating up. But relegation and promotion are probably where it reaches a boiling point. In years with open leagues, you've got the worst team of the top league battling it out with the best team of the 2nd league to determine who gets a spot on top.

Let's take the example of HK Liptovský Mikuláš and Žilina.

HK LM reserved the last spot for the past 4 seasons, got lucky in relegation, and remained in the league.

Now imagine the thrill of just having won the championship in your league, still riding that high, and confidently going into battle with a notoriously bad contender... and then you fucking lose. That's it. Started with a single goal in mind and then it's just like... here we go again. Same shit, different year.

Experienced the whole spectrum of emotion within a short period of time, and even if your team gets to carry the cup, it's still tinged with the stench of failure (and beer, probably). Meanwhile, the guys who finished last celebrate like there's no tomorrow because there is, in fact, another tomorrow. Mission failed successfully.

pictured: from epic highs -> epic lows in like 2 weeks

GOALS

There's something to be said about extended rink dimensions making room for some spectacular plays when there's more time to plan a move that doesn't merely rely on speed alone, but...

Do you ever just see certain goals and think „Now THAT'S what I'm watching this sport for!" Because... yeah.

[Sádecký 2020 TREvDET & 2019 TREvMAC, Filippi 2014 BTLvZLI]

CELLYS

The NHL may have their storm surge, salmon toss and the good old round of stick salutes, but (most Euro leagues, but for the purposes of this post) Extraliga steps it up a notch. Depending on the team, they'll either skate back out as a unit or have the fans decide which player to celebrate. And how. Great way to interact and strengthen the connection, always a delight to watch. Especially when goalies are involved.

To add just one example: