#apprentices: for research?

[firestorm09890]

The entire backstory regarding Ansem the Wise, his apprentices, and how they fell into darkness is kind of a mess. We’ve been retroactively getting new information about it that changes the perspective of it all for ages. But there’s one specific part I want to talk about: the losing of the apprentices’ hearts, and whether or not it was by choice.

Our first glimpse at what happened comes from Secret Ansem Report 3 in kh2.

Did Xehanort pass through that door in an attempt to contact that dark realm? No, not only Xehanort. It appears my other five apprentices, believing it was for the sake of research, stared deep into the darkness and were pulled into it. Even, Ienzo, Braig, Dilan, and Aeleus... They have ceased to be human.

Okay, so with that info alone, they probably fell to darkness like all those other evil bitches we saw in kh1. Given that in kh2 we also learn about the Heartless Manufactory, it wouldn’t have been unreasonable to assume that the apprentices were torn apart by the Heartless they created. However, it’s also worth mentioning that Ansem the Wise probably isn’t the most reliable narrator, considering a lot of his secret reports are about him being blinded by his emotions.

Then, in the secret report “Day 119: Hearts and Emotion” authored by Xaldin in 358/2 Days, we get this (bold added by me):

Watching that foolish beast flail about only deepens my disdain for humans and their incessant need to be pinned down by feelings. We became Nobodies precisely to avoid the shackles of emotion. It was only later that we realized the scale of that loss: that some things simply cannot be done without a heart. Nonetheless, I see nary a pleasant thing about it.

Implying that the apprentices had intentionally rid themselves of their hearts. So far, things can be regarded as consistent, kinda.

And then, not canon since it’s from a novel- Days novel specifically- but I wanted to bring it up anyway since it’s relevant (bold added by me again):

When Zexion thought back on their erstwhile research, the “plan” seemed to him like a contradiction in terms-- trying to reclaim what they had lost through their own actions. He didn’t believe they had done anything wrong by studying and producing the heartless. It just so happened that in that process, they had forfeited their own hearts.

The language here places an interpretation of this somewhere between what Ansem said and what Xaldin said- it may have been an unintentional consequence that they lost their hearts, but it was intentional enough that Zexion doesn’t understand why the goal suddenly became getting those hearts back.

Novel segment over

And THEN at the very beginning of Dream Drop Distance we find out that nah Xehanort just fucking stabbed them all (or, we see him stab Braig, at least; it can be assumed that the others met the same fate)

So that’s it, right? It wasn’t through their own actions at all, everything from before can be written off as having been retconned- NOPE HOLD YOUR HORSES

IN KH3 IENZO SAYS THIS

“We cast off our hearts by choice, make no mistake, but we didn't know that Xemnas-- or rather, Xehanort-- was deceiving us.”

Which is VERY notable because usually in KH when we get new info on this (pre-fall post-bbs radiant garden backstory) front, it’s always like oh. so we were wrong about this before and this new take is true. and then it doesn’t get contradicted again like this

WHY would you say something incriminating like that if it wasn’t true? The answer is Ienzo probably feels a need to overshare due to overwhelming guilt, but that’s not the point. If it was just as simple as Xehanort stabbing everyone without consent, Ienzo wouldn’t have said it like this.

the headcanon zone (warning: such deep speculation that I’m making shit up at this point)

okay here’s what I think:

Xehanort pitched the idea that the apprentices would be able to more effectively study hearts if they removed their own. Some (Even and Aeleus) thought that was stupid and dangerous, while others (Dilan and Ienzo) thought the idea had merit (I have no idea what Braig thinks, and Lea and Isa were not invited to this conversation). Xehanort did the same thing he and the other apprentices did to Ansem the Wise earlier: pretend to drop the idea, but continue pursuing it in secret.

He probably discussed it with Ienzo more than Dilan, because this kid likes him (and is, yknow, a kid) and is thus a lot easier to manipulate into doing whatever to help him. So one day Xehanort goes “hey Ienzo can you help me test my theory :)”, and Ienzo agrees. Xehanort did Not tell him he was about to get stabbed

And then for the others I also have ideas about how it went down but I kinda want to make a whole separate post about that- basically, Even and Braig were stabbed without warning, Dilan and Aeleus agreed to getting stabbed

So! Yeah! That’s my thoughts on this! Thank you for reading

[falconfate]

Hello ranger’s apprentice fandom can we talk real quick about the stupidest thing Flanagan ever wrote

It’s about the bows. Yanno, the rangers’ Iconique™️ main weapon. That one. You know the one.

Flanagan. Flanagan why are your rangers using longbows.

“uh well recurve arrows drop faster” BUT DO THEY. FLANAGAN. DO THEY.

the answer is no they don’t. Compared to a MODERN, COMPOUND (aka cheating) bow, yes, but compared to a longbow? Y’know, what the rangers use in canon? Yeah no a recurve actually has a FLATTER trajectory. It drops LATER.

This from an article comparing the two:

“Both a longbow and a recurve bow, when equipped with the right arrow and broadhead combination, are capable of taking down big game animals. Afterall, hunters have been doing it for centuries with both types of bows.

However, generally speaking and all things equal, a recurve bow will offer more arrow speed, creating a flatter flight trajectory and retain more kinetic energy at impact.

The archers draw length, along with the weight of the arrow also affect speed and kinetic energy. However, the curved design of the limbs on a recurve adds to its output of force.”

It doesn’t actually mention ANY distance in range! And this is from a resource for bow hunting, which, presumably, WOULD CARE ABOUT THAT SORT OF THING!

Okay so that’s just. That’s just the first thing.

The MAIN thing is that even accounting for “hur dur recurves drop faster” LONGBOWS ARE STILL THE STUPID OPTION.

Longbows, particularly and especially ENGLISH longbows, are—as their name suggests—very long. English longbows in particular are often as tall or taller than their wielder even while strung, but especially when unstrung. An unstrung longbow is a very long and expensive stick, one that will GLADLY entangle itself in nearby trees, other people’s clothes, and any doorway you’re passing through.

And yes, there are shorter longbows, but at that point if you’re shortening your longbow, just get a goddamn recurve. And Flanagan makes a point to compare his rangers’ bows to the Very Long English Longbow.

Oh, do you know how the Very Long English Longbow was mostly historically militarily used? BY ON-FOOT ARCHER UNITS. Do you know what they’re TERRIBLE for? MOUNTED ARCHERY.

Trust me. Go look up right now “mounted archery longbow.” You’ll find MAYBE one or two pictures of some guy on a horse struggling with a big stick; mostly you will actually see either mounted archers with RECURVES, or comparisons of Roman longbow archers to Mongolian horse archers (which are neat, can’t lie, I love comparing archery styles like that).

Anyway. Why are longbows terrible for mounted archery? Because they’re so damn long. Think about it: imagine you’re on a horse. You’re straddling a beast that can think for itself and moves at your command, but ultimately independently of you; if you’re both well-trained enough, you’re barely paying attention to your horse except to give it commands. And you have a bow in your hands. If your target is close enough to you that you know, from years of shooting experience, you will need to actually angle your bow down to hit it because of your equine height advantage, guess what? If you have a longbow, YOU CAN’T! YOUR HORSE IS IN THE WAY BECAUSE YOUR BOW IS TOO LONG! Worse, it’s probably going to get in the general area of your horse’s shoulder or legs, aka moving parts, which WILL injure your horse AND your bow and leave you fresh out of both a getaway vehicle and a ranged weapon. It’s stupid. Don’t do it.

A recurve, on the other hand, is short. It was literally made for horse archers. You have SO much range of motion with a recurve on horseback; and if you’re REALLY good, you know how to give yourself even more, with techniques like Jamarkee, a Turkish technique where you LITERALLY CAN AIM BACKWARDS.

For your viewing enjoyment, Serena Lynn of Texas demonstrating Jamarkee:

Yes, that’s real! This type of draw style is INCREDIBLY versatile: you can shoot backwards on horseback, straight down from a parapet or sally port without exposing yourself as a target, or from low to the ground to keep stealthy without banging your bow against the ground. And, while I’m sure you could attempt it with a longbow, I wouldn’t recommend it: a recurve’s smaller size makes it far more maneuverable up and over your head to actually get it into position for a Jamarkee shot.

A recurve just makes so much more SENSE. It’s not a baby bow! It’s not the longbow’s lesser cousin! It’s a COMPLETELY different instrument made to be used in a completely different context! For the rangers of Araluen, who put soooo much stock in being stealthy and their strong bonds with their horses, a recurve is the perfect fit! It’s small and easily transportable, it’s more maneuverable in combat and especially on horseback, it offers more power than a longbow of the same draw weight—really, truly, the only advantage in this case that a longbow has over the recurve is that longbows are quicker and easier to make. But we KNOW the rangers don’t care about that, their KNIVES use a forging technique (folding) that takes several times as long as standard Araluen forging practices at the time!

Okay.

Okay I think I’m done. For now.

[roselightfairy]

I really really really love Master and Apprentice, not least because Claudia Gray is standing as a lone bulwark against the mass woobification of young Obi-Wan Kenobi and letting him be the sullen, snappish teenager (with the tendency to lash out when he feels he’s been wronged) we deserve.

This is not my first time through this book but this time around it’s just cracking me up how incredibly, utterly seventeen he is in it, how the whole book is full of Qui-Gon’s guilt-ridden internal monologue about how he’s failing Obi-Wan as a teacher and it’s all his fault, how can he ever fix what’s gone wrong - and then we snap into Obi-Wan’s mind and he’s like, yeah. yep. he is. I’m so frustrated with him and it’s all his fault. his Special Interests are annoying and he doesn’t understand me and I don’t understand him and I wish he’d leave me alone but also how DARE he leave me I need him I admire him I wish I understood him why is he like this???

and of course neither is 100% right and neither is 100% wrong and it is about finding understanding and learning to communicate and learning to listen and how affection and love can exist even when understanding has yet to be reached, but SPECIFICALLY the teenage angst in it is extremely funny to me, because Obi-Wan being mean on purpose (and on accident) is frankly one of my favorite things about him and bless this book for giving it to me.

[iwanttobepersephone]

Dude, I mentioned the Rangers Apprentice movie/series/THING at dinner, and my mom went and Googled it cause she saw how excited I was, and she was like "yeah, this was announced in 2008, the expected release date was 2021, there's no new updates on it, this movie isn't getting made babe" and I was just like

"But-

But Tumblr said 🥺"

[findingcrow]

TRA FANDOM. GUYS

my friend is fucking amazing and wrote a oneshot of hurt/comfort will treaty and halt ocarrick being a father and holy shit its one of the most beautifully written things I've ever gotten to read and its sickening how well they did it and oh my god

im advertising it here because the tra fandom NEEDS this more than it needs oxygen and also they deserve ever bit of praise ever

@iwanttobepersephone @an1d10t (im sorry im like 90% sure you two are my only moots on here) (if you guys don't like being tagged in stuff like this please lmk)

[reverieaudios]

So is Alan the official name my friend is very desperate to know👀

Sure why not, Researcher Alan it is lol

[jade-of-mourning]

hi y'all again(? to some mayhaps?) whaddup i'm busy rotting my brotherband brainrot badly and i thought the lack of fanart warranted a fanart.

may i offer a jesper in approximate accordance to my brain. i hope he looks punchable (affectionate) to you too

i'd like to do lydia next because i've had her in my brain for years but also i really want an edvin really badly pleas

no really i spent thirty minutes contorting my face into very uncomfortable faces in an attempt to draw him with various punchable expressions and then i gave up

[starburstsobsessions]

halt?!?!??

[itstimeforstarwars]

Reading a fic I wrote in 2010, and like, it’s not very good writing, there’s way too many characters that don’t matter, and I abandoned it after 14 chapters, but...it’s very earnest. It’s got good bones...

[daily-whistlepaw]

daily whistlepaw until sun becomes Pov day 1030

featuring my newest oc: Sunny

[romanken]

NEW TAV JUST DROPPED her name's ashra don't let her 16 con and 6'2 towering-over-everyone-but-karlach fool you she's a hemophiliac with brittle bone bitch disorder. Currently in love triangle w shadowheart and lae. Gale is trying to smash even tho she keeps bullying him for being a wizardcel who can't effortlessly use magic like her (chad draconic bloodline sorcerer)

[iwanttobepersephone]

Imagine if one time at a gathering, the rangers were like trying to find a suitable side dish to some food they were cooking and Halt piped in and was like "I could make some champ or some colcannon if you want" and everyone was just like "Some... what?" In that way where you know they're just politely trying to ask if you're insane and then Will just says "It's like mashed potatoes but 10 times better" and then everyone's just like "Oh. Yeah. That sounds good, thanks"

[corvidaedream]

so, now that i know who johnny probably was, im tragically able to find his mourning jewelry for his dead wife and infant son, who both died in 1763

i wonder if the gown he was wearing in june of 1771 was the same one his late wife mary wore in the portrait copley painted of her.

her brother is the man with the head trauma who showed up to the trial without being asked and defended him with an incoherent tangent about the ancient greeks wearing dresses.

(all of these people have more mainstream involvement in american history, but thats not what im concerned with right now).

[reverieaudios]

I am so sorry but I have not been paying attention to any other researcher other than Cyril 😭😭 who’s Brennan? 😰😰

Lol it's pretty easy to miss him, the only time he's been voiced (I think?) was during the lore videos, and he was mentioned very briefly in Cyril's birthday/faculty party video

He's an Apprentice researcher who wants to work in Cyril's lab lol

[kakashihasibs]

I would apologize for the star wars posting but I've been a star wars bitch pretty much my entire life so it pops up from time to time