#angry giant

[tinycoded360]

Jack and the Beanstalk One-shot

Author note: You gotta do the Beanstalk story at least once, lol. My own spin and twist on a classic giant/tiny story. 

The sun dipped below the horizon as Jack Whittaker, a ten-year-old homeless boy with dirty blond hair and blue eyes, sat huddled against the cold stone wall of an alley. His tattered clothes barely protected him from the biting wind. Jack's stomach growled loudly, but he ignored it.

"Have you ever heard about the land of giants up in the clouds?" asked one of the boys, his eyes wide with excitement. "They say there's a whole world up there, just waiting to be discovered."

"Giants? In the clouds?" Jack echoed, his eyes sparkling with wonder. "What do they look like?"

"Massive! Bigger than any building you've ever seen!" replied another boy, stretching his arms wide to emphasize his point. "And they live in houses so tall, they reach the sky!"

"Imagine what treasures we could find if we could get up there," mused a third boy, his voice filled with longing.

"Treasures?" Jack's heart skipped a beat. The thought of finding something valuable enough to change his life, to lift him out of poverty, was too enticing to ignore.

"Of course! They're giants, after all. Everything they own must be worth a fortune!" said the first boy with a mischievous grin.

"Jack, you should come with us next time we go up there," one of the boys suggested, noticing the younger boy's interest.

"Really?" Jack asked hesitantly, torn between excitement and fear. The idea of climbing into the clouds to explore the land of giants was both thrilling and terrifying.

"Sure, why not?" replied the older boy, his grin growing wider. "I heard one of the older bandit guilds got their hands on some magic beans. They grew the giant stalk just north of the kingdom. It's still there; neither the giants nor kings men have cut it down yet. This is our chance!"

"Maybe...maybe I will," Jack whispered.

One day, Jack found himself surrounded by a group of older boys who were eager to embark on their next adventure

"Jack," said one of the boys, his eyes twinkling with mischief, "we're going up tonight. You've heard our stories, and I know you're curious. Don't you want to see it all for yourself?"

Jack hesitated, torn between the allure of the unknown and the fear that gripped him at the thought of facing the giants. He stared at the ground, scuffing his worn shoes against the cobblestones as he weighed his options.

"Come on, Jack," urged the first boy, slapping him on the back. "You've got nothing to be afraid of. We'll keep you safe."

"Alright," he breathed, his voice trembling with anticipation. "I'll do it. I'll climb the beanstalk with you."

"Welcome aboard!" the boys cheered, clapping him on the back and ruffling his hair.

The massive beanstalk loomed before them, its twisted tendrils reaching for the heavens like the arms of an ancient god. Jack's heart raced as he gripped the rough surface of the stalk, feeling the pulse of life beneath his fingertips.

"Remember, just follow our lead," one of the older boys whispered, his eyes shining with anticipation. "We'll have you up there in no time."

As they finally broke through the cloud barrier, a vast expanse of verdant green stretched out before them. The sight took Jack's breath away – everything was enormous, from the blades of grass that towered above him like redwoods to the insects that buzzed lazily through the air, the size of small birds.

"Come on," the first boy beckoned, gesturing toward a distant mansion that appeared to be carved from the living rock itself. "Let's claim what's ours."

As Jack tiptoed through the immense hallways, he couldn't help but marvel at the sheer scale of everything around him.

"Stay close to me," said one of the boys, noticing Jack's unease. "We'll find something valuable soon enough."

Jack nodded, swallowing hard as they pressed on, acutely aware of the danger surrounding them. What if the giants discovered their presence? Would they be crushed like insects beneath their enormous feet?

"Look!" the boy beside him hissed, pointing to a door slightly ajar, golden light spilling from its edges. "That must be where the treasure is!"

The door swung open to reveal a vast, glittering room filled with treasures beyond their wildest dreams. Jack's eyes widened as they took in the shimmering gold coins and precious gemstones.

"Quick, start grabbing what you can!" one of the boys whispered urgently, his voice cracking with excitement.

As they scrambled to pocket their loot, the ground beneath them suddenly jolted, causing Jack to stumble and drop a handful of sapphires. 

"Guys, I think we need to leave now," Jack stammered, his heart pounding.

"Too late," another boy replied, his face pale as he stared at the colossal figure that had just entered the room – the giant.

"Thieves! You dare steal from me?" the giant roared, his voice shaking the very foundations of his home. Panic set in as the boys realized they were caught, and they frantically searched for an escape route.

"Run!" Jack shouted, darting towards the nearest exit. His friends followed suit, scattering like mice before a cat.

"Come back here, you little vermin!" the giant bellowed, his massive footsteps echoing as he chased after them.

Jack's mind raced as he sprinted down the hallways, desperately trying to remember the way back to the beanstalk.

But in his haste, he took a wrong turn, finding himself at a dead end. The giant's thunderous footsteps grew closer and closer, and Jack knew there was no way out.

"Caught you, little thief!" the giant bellowed, reaching down to snatch Jack up in his massive hand. As the other boys continued their frantic escape, Jack stared in terror at the enormous face looming above him, knowing that he was truly alone.

The giant's eyes burned with rage as he stared down at Jack, his tiny form trembling in the grip of the massive fist. "What were you thinking, stealing from me?" the giant demanded, his voice thundering through the room.

"Please...I didn't mean any harm," Jack stammered, tears streaming down his face as he looked up at the gargantuan figure above him. The disparity between them was overwhelming.

For a moment, the giant's expression softened ever so slightly as he considered the fear-filled face of the human child before him. "You're just a kid," he muttered, although his tone remained harsh. "But that doesn't excuse your actions."

"Please, sir, I'll do anything to make it right," Jack pleaded, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew that the other boys had managed to escape, leaving him to face the consequences alone.

"Fine," the giant grumbled. "You will work off your debt to me."

Jack resigned himself to his fate as the giant's prisoner. He was carried to a small cage in the corner of an enormous room and locked inside.

The giant man leaned down so he could peer into the cage.

“My name is Argus. You can call me Sir or Master Argus. Now, if you listen well, we’ll have no problems, do you understand?” Argus gruffly asked his tiny captive.

Jack quickly nodded, not wanting to upset the giant man.

“What’s your name, boy?”

“J…. Jack….Sir.”

“Humph, I’d say nice to meet you, but considering you’re a little thief, it’s not.” Argus grumpily grumped. “Now what ever I ask you to do, I expect it to be done, or I will have to punish you.”

Jack nodded his head again, not wanting to gain his wrath.

“Good, now you’ll sleep here tonight. We’ll talk more in the morning.”

***

True to his word, the giant kept Jack busy, forcing him to perform various tasks around the house. Jack was often caged or leashed by a collar around his neck, the gold chain connecting him to the giant's wrist like an unbreakable bond. When the leash was on, Jack had no choice but to sit in the giant's palm, feeling utterly helpless and vulnerable. Argus wasn’t too rough with him. Seeming to take great pains not to crush him. He even made sure Jack got a bath and clean clothing. Jack hated to admit it, but the giant kept him well-fed as well. When Jack gathered the courage to ask about the leash and collar. Argus just chuckled, saying he'll take it off when Jack has earned his trust.

"Hand me that paintbrush," the giant ordered one day, sitting at his desk. Jack, for once not attached to the leash, was given free roam of the giant’s desk. Argus knew full well that the tiny thief couldn’t get down on his own.

Jack grabbed the requested brush with shaky hands and handed it up, his entire body quivering at the thought of accidentally dropping it.

"Good," the giant grunted, using the brush to add delicate details to his canvas. Jack couldn't help but admire the skillful strokes from such massive hands. "Now, hold still. I want to paint your portrait."

As Jack obeyed, he couldn't help but wonder if this was his life now – serving a colossal master, forever bound in servitude. His thoughts turned to the other boys, who were undoubtedly in their own world again, free and enjoying the treasure they stole. It was unlikely the other boys would come to save him. They probably believed his bones were ground up to make the giant's bread. Or they simply did not care enough to risk their lives for him, a simple street rat. Despair settled heavily on his heart as he realized there was no going back for him.

For a while, Jack was despondent, missing his freedom and his friends back home. But gradually, as days turned into weeks, his curiosity got the better of him. He started asking the giant questions about his people and their world. Though gruff, the giant seemed pleased by Jack's interest and would spend hours telling the boy tales of his ancestors.

Argus would often scoop Jack up in his colossus hands and place him on his shoulder as he talked to the boy. Jack felt like a parrot on the giant shoulder, perched there. He had no choice but to grip the giant’s shirt. While listening to Argus talk about his society and history, he felt less afraid of the giant man. Maybe the giant wasn’t as terrible as the stories made him out to be.

The sun was setting as Jack sat on Argus’s shoulder. The giant sat on the hill overlooking the breathtaking expanse of the world below. From this vantage point, nestled among the cottony clouds, Jack marveled at the beauty of the land he had only ever known from the ground.

"Um, excuse me," Jack whispered, tugging at the strands of Argus’s beard. He had scooted closer to the giant’s neck. "I... I need to tell you something."

The giant tilted his head, trying to look down at his tiny companion, a mixture of curiosity and concern etching itself onto his rugged features. "What is it, little one?"

Jack swallowed hard, steeling himself for what he was about to confess. "I... I'm sorry for stealing from you when I first came here. It was wrong, and I shouldn't have done it."

"Thank you for your apology, Jack," the giant said gently, a hint of sadness in his voice. "It takes courage to admit one's mistakes."

Jack felt a wave of relief wash over him. "I want to make things right," he continued, his voice barely a whisper. "And... I want to go home."

Argus frowned. “And what will stop you from returning to thievery? Can you even survive on your own? From what you’ve told me, you were a homeless child begging on the streets.”

Jack flinched at the harsh words. “I won’t, I promise. I’ve learned my lesson!”

“Boy, your human world isn’t as kind as I’ve been. I’ve heard they hang thieves, even as young as you, for stealing. Sometimes, they take their hands.”

Jack hunched his shoulders up to his ears. He found it hard to argue. When he saw it happen to other thieves in his group.

“So, I’m waiting. What will you do to survive on your own? Hmmm?”

Jack felt his lip tremble. “I’ll get a job!”

“Will you know? With what skills…. what kind of job can you do?”

“I…... I’ll…. figure something out! You’re being mean!” Jack cried, feeling anger burn in his gut.

Jack yelped in surprise and fear as Argus reached for him. His humongous fingers curled around his tiny form, pushing him into the giant palm. The giant fingers curl around him, forming a fist trapping Jack there. Jack found himself pressed against Argus’s chest.

“Hmmm, I guess I’ll have to teach you then.” Jack could feel Argus’s words rumble in his chest.

“Really? Then will you let me go?” Jack asked with a bit of hope in his voice.

“Only if you learn well,” Argus warned.

Over the next few weeks, the giant man took it upon himself to teach Jack lessons that would prove invaluable in his world. Jack's days were filled with tasks ranging from cooking and cleaning to gardening and sewing. The giant observed him closely, offering guidance and gentle corrections as he worked.

When it was time for bed, Argus gently placed Jack on a pillow on the nightstand instead of the cage. Smiling up at the giant, Jack felt happier than he had in a long time. He was no longer a prisoner here but a friend.

After months go by Jack feels confident and comfortable. One night at dinner Jack decided to confront Argus, asking to be let go.

Jack felt like a tiny mouse sitting before a giant lion as it ate its meal. Jack was thankful Argus had no interest in eating him.

“Have I done well, Master Argus? Have I learned the life skills you’ve given me?” Jack asked once he got his courage. He tried to ask it politely, sweatily, hoping to gain favor from the giant.

“Hmm, you have. You’ve done very well.”

Jack smiles brightly. “So, does this mean you can let me go? And take me back down to the human realm?” Argus was the only one that could take Jack down there. The giant had poisoned the beanstalk, making it wither. No one could go up or back down. But Argus seemed to be the gatekeeper of sorts. He could plant a new one if he wanted to. Otherwise, Jack would have tried to escape long ago. But with the beanstalk gone, there was no point in risking his life in a giant world where giant animals could eat him, or another giant could find him and maybe live up to the stories and grind his bones into bread.

Jack's smile faded as the giant's massive fingers curled around him, enclosing him firmly but gently. He looked up, confused, as Argus picked him up and brought him close to his face.

"What are you doing?" Jack asked.

Argus regarded him solemnly. "I have reconsidered. You are not yet ready for the world below."

"But you said-" Jack protested, pushing against the giant's grip.

"The human world is filled with danger and temptation," Argus rumbled. "You are still a boy. I will keep you here until you come of age."

Jack's heart sank. "How long?"

"Eight years. When you reach eighteen, you will be a man fully formed and can fend for yourself."

"No!" Jack cried, tears stinging his eyes. Eight years as a prisoner, even a pampered one, was unbearable. "Please, I want to go home!"

The giant shook his great head. "My mind is set, little one. Do not fight your destiny." Argus gently smoothed Jack's messy hair out of his eyes. Jack tried not to flinch as the giant finger pushed back his hair. “Don’t look so sad. You won’t be a prisoner. You’re just a kid. Think of this as an apprenticeship. This is more than you would get down there.”

Exhausted, Jack slumped in the giant's grasp.

“How will I not be a prisoner? You’re keeping me here against my will!?” Jack asked, his anger getting the best of him.

“Hmmm, I promise, no more cages, collars, and leashes. I’m only keeping you safe as my ward, ok? I’ll even set you up with your own room in the west wing.”

Jack looked up in surprise at this, locking eyes with Argus. “Really? I’d get my own room?” Jack asked. He had trouble imagining it. He’d get his own giant-sized room. More space than he’d ever have on earth.

“Yes. It will be your own space. I’ll even make some tiny doors for you and other ways for you to get around.” Argus was looking at him with a soft look. Which was rare for the grumpy giant.

Jack relented with a huff and a warm fuzzy feeling in his stomach. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad here. Argus had become like a father to him in some ways. He was stern, but he had protected and taught Jack a lot.

So, Jack would make the best of it. And when the day came that Argus unleashed him on the world below, he would be ready.

[fakakta-art]

Jason: *terrified, thinks he's gonna die* Bruce: *used to carrying Dick around like a ferret* small child. so small.

[cogentranting]

Can't believe that in the age of all social media steadily morphing to favor short tik-tok style videos, we actually managed to kill Tumblr Live.

[puppetmaster13u]

Prompt 203

Another Hydra prompt! Because I am enjoying the designs I’ve made lol. And perhaps it’s a bit inspired by @radiance1 ‘s different dragon prompts too. 

So they’ve succeeded! They’ve managed to combine their powers- with a bit of shapeshifting helped along by so many ghost allies- and become a giant duck-you dragon! Well, originally they were going to do something else, but they couldn’t agree on an animal, so dragon it was! 

And how mighty they are! They’re giant, absolutely massive- dwarfing the couple of skyscrapers still in Amity. Damages via ghost attacks and general sparring made it where people really didn’t want to rebuild those types of buildings. 

But anyway, dragon! Them! They’re absolutely stunning! And did they mention powerful? Because boy oh boy, are they powerful. The GIW’s guns do practically nothing against their combined might, and barriers shatter before them! 

The uh, issue is that they erm… can’t turn back. Which is fine, they’ve all sort of outlived most of their generation- thank you possessions and ecto-contamination, it’s just a tiny bit of an adjustment. But really it’s not too bad, and someone needs to stop the GIW from trying to poke their heads into Amity. Like it’s been a solid couple of generations, it’s time to stop, thanks. 

Actually they’ve been a bit quiet. Meh, that surely isn’t a problem. Probably. Honestly they’re all going to use the opportunity to sprawl out where the school yard once was, their favorite place to sun their scales. Huh. Usually more people are around now that they think about it- or really, as Paulina points out, sharpening her fangs on one of the rocks. 

…

How long had they been sleeping, because it couldn’t have been that long. One of them was always awake, they slept in shifts after all! Yet there are things missing now as they patrol the skies, both Wes and Tucker pointing out specific buildings that the others didn’t particularly notice usually that now lay empty. 

Hm. 

Oh. That is a… strong barrier there. A really strong barrier actually. Pfft, they can take it! They’ve shredded every barrier together before- Ow. 

…

Okay this might be a bit of a problem. Shit. 

You want a general size reference? :P

[wszczebrzyszynie]

this is what sims 4 lack the most by the way

[so-very-small]

hey. you. put your tiny OC in a fancy birdcage. with a giant looming over them perhaps. do it it’s good for them it’s like enrichment

[maretriarch]

Just in time for 4/13 here's the second line of my r63 dolls, this time CREEPover themed with bonus accessories! in an ideal world they would come in adorable recuperacoon shaped packaging. and probably a sopor slime making kit because kids love slime. which one are YOU picking up from your local Goreget today?

[tsunael]

... I think she's still mad bout the whole 'dropping a ceiling on her head' business.

[froschli96]

You know what, fuck it, I have to speak my truth! (this is gonna be a rant, so anyone who actually likes assassin's creed revelations and/or the secret crusade, be warned or maybe don't read this at all)

remember how altaïr talks to king richard at the end of ac1, and richard is like "[humans] come into the world kicking and screaming, violent and unstable. it is what we are. we cannot help ourselves."? and how altaïr answers "no. we are what we choose to be." and how that ACTUALLY has meaning bc he himself was "violent and unstable" at the beginning of the game but he has learned and is now CHOOSING to be a better person who cares about others and humanity at large? remember how his calmness and gentleness was something that he ACQUIRED over the course of the story?

and remember how in revelations they then suddenly had a PRE-AC1 altaïr say about the first of his targets "no man should pass from this world without knowing some kindness." and be all wise and calm and collected during a nice little chat with al mualim, who suddenly acts all fatherly? (like, this is suddenly supposed to be a positive relationship? what??)

also, during the confession the target says to altair: "you put too much faith in the hearts of men, altaïr. [...] humans are weak, base, and petty." and altaïr answers: "no. our creed is evidence to the contrary." KJASJFJDKL???? like, it’s almost insulting how close this exchange is to the one with richard. you know, the one that was actually earned after a whole game of character development. like WTF??? cool congrats now that development means nothing. like, apparently that was just altaïr reverting BACK to being the exemplary assassin who understands and believes in the creed that he was apparently just born as. (i also hate how having a young inexperienced altaïr saying this implies that altaïr's faith in humanity is a sign of naivete instead of a sign of the wisdom he has gained after being confronted with counter arguments for a whole game, and also something that distinguishes the assassins from the templars who use humanity's supposed wickedness to justify controlling them like in AC1, but whatever)

altaïr’s development in AC1 mattered BECAUSE he is not NATURALLY a good person, it actually said something about humanity's capacity for both bad AND good and how humans don't have to be forced to be good through mind control bc they can by their own free will choose to be better when taught how and when allowed the freedom to grow. but no. apparently altaïr has just always been calm, wise and gentle. and he just sort of forgot about that during AC1 bc…. ? bc of adha?? bc of abbas???

oh don’t get me started on the whole abbas thing. (it doesnt even make sense that abbas is so hung up about his father and "his family’s honor", like what about the whole point of al mualim not allowing parents to be close to their children bc it would make them weak? like, my dude, you’re not supposed to HAVE any family aside from the brotherhood)

they used the throwaway character that had like 5 lines and made him into altaïr’s main antagonist in revelations… like, abbas wasn’t supposed to be this ONE dude who had personal beef with altaïr, he was just supposed to show how while altaïr’s revered by many, a lot of his brothers also hate him, bc 1) altaïr is a shitty person at this point and 2) bc there’s no real feeling of community and family in this version of the brotherhood, but just a pervasive sense of competition and jealousy — these assassins don’t care about their goal of safeguarding humanity bc they’re too hung up on petty squabbles and divided by rivalries (you know, the things that made malik hate altaïr even before solomon’s temple and that he overcomes in the end which enables him to forgive and to reconcile with altaïr so they can work together and stop al mualim? (you ever just think about "we are one. as we share the glory of our victories, so too should we share the pain of our defeat. in this way we grow closer. we grow stronger." and cry? bc i do. all the time. malik, the man that you are))

and now abbas is altaïr’s childhood best friend turned lifelong enemy?? like, bowden bent over backwards to come up with an explanation for why altaïr is an arrogant ass at the beginning of AC1, when the explanation is right there: he was raised to kill without asking questions and was constantly praised for how good he is at murder, which resulted in him becoming arrogant and disregarding human life. like, it doesn’t have to be some shakespearean family feud type shit. and guess what, this "simple" explanation actually plays into the story’s themes, who’da thunk!

(like, abbas might not have been a "fleshed out" character in AC1, but he had a specific function and now that function is gone. mr bowden, mr mcdevitt, you know characters are allowed to simply exist to tell us something about their worlds and the systems they live in and sometimes that’s more important and also more interesting than having every single character have a detailed backstory to explain all their behaviors, right?)

with all of this revelations loses all nuance in regards to the levantine brotherhood and also the creed in general. like, altaïr being a master assassin at the beginning despite being a terrible person and not actually understanding the creed is a criticism of the brotherhood and the creed itself. like, it said something about the order that someone like altaïr was able to get that high in rank, simply bc he's good at killing, which also tells us what is considered important in the al mualim era assassin order. when you make altaïr’s arrogance the result of his personal conflicts instead of how we was raised by a brotherhood that only valued one's ability to kill, you lose that characterization of the assassin order itself!

and by suddenly making al mualim a semi good "father figure" you also downplay his manipulation of not only altaïr but all those under his care. (altaïr says something about al mualim being "as a father" to him exactly twice in the codex, but he doesn’t mean by that that he WAS a father to him, what he means is that he was the CLOSEST THING he had bc HE DID NOT HAVE PARENTS, not because his mother died in childbirth and his father was executed when he was young btw, BUT BECAUSE IT WASN’T ALLOWED, like his parents actually lived but weren’t allowed to be close to him, he says he came to view al mualim’s "weak and dishonest" love as enough and even better BECAUSE HE HAD NOTHING ELSE, BECAUSE AL MUALIM ISOLATED HIS ASSASSINS FROM THEIR FAMILIES. al mualim "loved" him bc he was good at killing people for him! hm, i wonder if this could be trying to say anything about cults and indoctrination and the inherent contradiction in fighting for peace and free will by taking children away from their parents and raising them to become killers?? like, altaïr wasn't ~the special orphan boy~ taken in by al mualim bc his father died a hero's death, it was "the way of the order" to have al mualim be the closest thing to a parental figure for everyone to ensure absolute loyalty! altaïr saying al mualim was like his father is not supposed to make you go "oh, he must have actually been a good guy for altaïr to consider him a father", it should make you go "oh that's kinda fucked up that he considers the dude who made him into a killing machine and who manipulated him a sort of father figure"!)

and then in revelations they suddenly portray that relationship as positive and healthy??? like, it would be one thing to give it some nuance by delving into the psychology behind al mualim’s "love" and maybe showing how al mualim did care about altair in a complicated, fraught sort of way (like, you know, there’s a lot of interesting things you could say about al mualim at several points addressing altaïr as "my child" in AC1 and how that parallels Garnier referring to the people he drugged and abused as his "children", and what that says about how the templars view the people who they say they want to save and in whose best interests they supposedly act (in any case, al mualim doesn’t use that phrase because he has any real parental feelings but rather to patronize and to invalidate any objections, like in a "mother knows best" way))

but they even fucking DARE to parallel that relationship with that of altaïr and darim in revelations, by having the reflection in the puddle of darim hugging altaïr showing altaïr hugging al mualim…. like their relationship wasn’t inherently abusive but just tragically cut short because al mualim was just "corrupted by the apple"… like WHAT???? so it’s not the very real problems like grooming, manipulation and indoctrination and the hierarchical structure of the brotherhood itself (all of which are antithetical to the assassin ideology), it was just the evil apple all along. great. that’s DEFINITELY a lot more interesting.

god im sorry i really dont want to spread negativity but this is driving me INSANE. like, somebody please tell me im not crazy bc i feel like somehow most of the fandom is in agreement that revelations and the secret crusade have better storytelling and characterization than ac1.

SPEAKING OF WHICH, can we talk about how, even IF we completely ignore AC1 and treat revelations altaïr as his own character…. the narrative still doesn’t really work?

basically, the whole point of his story in rev is that "he gave his whole life to the brotherhood", this obsession led to him not using his time with his family which has him ending up dying alone in a dark library and this in turn makes ezio reevaluate his life choices…. except. he doesn’t? neglect? his family? or whatever? like, his devotion to the assassins is sort of painted as this tragic flaw that leads to a lonely death bc it supposedly comes at the cost of his family, but… his wife has joined the assassins, (at least) one of his sons is in the brotherhood and even when he goes to protect the assassins against the mongols, he takes his family with him (except for the son who stays behind bc he has a family of his own and who, ironically, ends up dying bc of that)… like, you can’t describe altaïr as a good husband and father in the database and have his son tell him that "everything that is good in me began with you, father" when they say goodbye, and then want to make us believe that he put his family behind the brotherhood and that that is a character flaw that leads to his tragedy.

because you HAVE to have a character’s tragedy be the result of a character flaw. like. that is how tragedies work. otherwise it just becomes tragedy for the sake of tragedy which is… boring bc it has no purpose. and we know it is SUPPOSED to have purpose bc ezIO FUCKING QUITS BEING AN ASSASSIN AFTER WITNESSING IT!

it’s like they want to have their cake and eat it, too — they didn’t want to actually make altaïr a bad husband/father, but still wanted to make his life a tragedy where he loses his family which is why instead they outsource all responsibility to abbas who now has to be the reason for ALL the deaths.

like, they try to make at least maria’s death kind of sort of the result of altaïr’s rashness or whatever but like… these guys KILLED THEIR SON and TOLD HIM THAT ALTAÏR HAD ORDERED HIS DEATH. like, altaïr losing it in response to that is not rash, it’s fucking logical and justified! if anything the scene made me angry at maria for trying to stop him. like, GIRL, he was YOUR son too??? but god forbid we give female characters actual real emotions, she has to fill the role of "voice of reason who dies for altaïr’s man pain" i fucking guess.

like, it’s this weird mix where his tragedy is simultaneously painted as his own fault but also not really bc abbas is the one responsible for all the shit that happens. it just… it just doesn’t really go together.

the only way to make his story make sense narratively and to give it actual purpose is by looking at it in the context of ezio’s story, bc the things he sees in altaïr’s memories are supposed to be a revelation (ha!) to ezio specifically. and i guess that’s maybe the crux of it all — altaïr’s story in revelations was conceived of first and foremost to support ezio’s story and development. which is probably also why many people maybe don’t notice bc, having skipped ac1 and started with ac2, the majority of people mostly care only about ezio and only really appreciate altaïr’s story in as far as it serves to push ezio forward. (tho i’ve also seen a few people say that ezio is also written kind of weird in rev, but i’ve never really been an ezio girly myself so i can’t speak to the truth of that)

like, altaïr dying alone in the library doesn’t really have to make sense for his character, i guess, bc it’s only really supposed to be a cautionary tale for ezio.

so, i guess, for once, they actually had a MAN dying for another man’s character development, which is pretty woke actually. ubisoft, i take everything back jksdsfjhgdsahfhsdhfghfdsgjhsdgjh

[ali-borsch]

i miss drawing these two all the time

bonus

[clownsuu]

I wonder what Frank's reaction would be to Howdy's visiting cousin... especially since Howdy would talk about his family, but now the rest of the neighbors get to see a relative? I can only imagine the antics bwaha!

(A silly thing, for you!)

AWEEE MY BB BOYO ;;;;; more for frank to absolutely obsess over got d a m-

[yorshie]

[sesamenom]

more of Mae's adventures in Castle Dracula

aka: Maedhros used Punch! It's super effective!

[justanotherignot]

[thatswhatsushesaid]

it's been /checks my watch, 2 years since the first time i watched cql, and i'm still annoyed that lan wangji cuts off jin guangyao's arm after he's just demonstrably proven that he was never actually a threat to jin ling's life.

[snowyfrostshadows]

Based on this absolutely galaxy-brained idea by @jell-o101 with a bonus doodle based off a comment @istadris made on the same post