#because they’ve grown a narrative for their characters?

[charmac]

x

[splatfest3ever]

I’ve seen some people complaining about the remix of Color Pulse, but I think it’s really interesting on a meta level. Time in the Splatoon world is still moving forward. Both Pearl and Marina have aged in the game AND in real life! Pearl is 26 now! She’s nearing 30! Of course her cadence and rhythm will have changed! Same for Marina! And behind the scenes the voice actors have aged 7 years too.

That’s a novelty of Splatoon that makes it feel so realistic and vibrant! Things do change over time! The hub worlds change, the shops change, the characters change… this new remix reflects that change.

But what’s more interesting to me is how their new song “We’re so back!” shows how much both of them have matured. Pearl in particular is less energetic and bouncy than she is for Color Pulse. Don’t get me wrong, she’s still spitting bars and doing high kicks… but there’s now a much more refined and reserved attention to her dancing than we’ve seen from her in the past. It’s almost Squid Sisters level of choreography. I think that reflects her maturity.

Likewise with Marina, she’s much more active than she was in Color Pulse. She’s no longer stuck in the background occasionally going back to her keyboard during the song, now she plays a keytar and dances in sync with Pearl. It seems like she’s less shy and much more comfortable with herself. And that makes sense narratively too since at the start of Splatoon 2 she was sort of hiding her Octoling roots, and by Splatoon 3 the Inklings and Octolings are living their best lives openly together!

I’m not saying you have to enjoy the remix. Personally I prefer the energy of the original song better. But I don’t think that the new version is terrible either. It’s just different. Because they’re different! You can really see how much they’ve grown in these past 7 years. And that’s ultimately a good thing!

[elodieunderglass]

On the topic of the monarchist animals I'm just really curious. What makes the winnie pooh real animals bourgeois? It's not like they own much more than the others. Do they just have bourgeois energy?

(In reference to my addition on this post; https://www.tumblr.com/elodieunderglass/748488762087047168/hold-on-lets-do-this-properly-paddington)

In the post I state that none of the stuffed/toy animals in the Winnie the Pooh series are monarchists, but that the real animals are bourgeoisie. Obviously this is tongue in cheek, but it’s still politically interesting to me because nobody ever reads Winnie the Pooh as an actual book. They just draw depressed Disney Eeyore and think they’ve done something.

Owl and Rabbit are real wild animals that live in the Hundred Acre Wood. The other characters in the story are Christopher Robin’s stuffed animals.

The “real” animals (reasonably) consider themselves to be separate from the stuffed ones, but where it becomes unreasonable is how they assume superiority and how they use this to exert authority.

(A charming response about how the stuffed animals view this: Piglet points out that Rabbit is both clever and Has Brain, and Pooh replies that this is why Rabbit “doesn’t understand anything.”)

Owl is characterised by being a bit of a fraud. The stuffed animals respect him for his presumed education and literacy, but even a preschooler understands that Owl can’t actually read. he actively deceives the other characters in order to maintain a higher social status over them. (Actually, Rabbit’s the most literate character in the Wood.) Owl gains relatively little advantage from this status, apart from his belief that he is superior and the pleasure in everyone deferring to him. A notable theme throughout the written series involves characters approaching Owl for advice, based on his self-made reputation of being wise and thoughtful, and him giving explicitly bad advice, rather than admit that he has no idea how to help. Also, they forcibly give him someone else’s house, in such a way that the actual possessor of the house (Piglet) feels he can’t speak up. Pooh immediately offers to Piglet that he move in with him, which even as a kid felt like an incredibly unsatisfactory solution to having the shyest character’s actual house given away to the character who casually lies about everything just to feel superior.

Rabbit is a grown-ass adult real wild animal. He is the social leader of a massively large family and an extended group of hangers-on (he has fifteen or seventeen close relatives, and the extended Friends-and-Relations are a sort of army); he is the only actually literate person in the narrative, so it is understandable that he feels this (although he also believes Owl can read.) literacy and Brain are considered very important in the Wood.

Rabbit believes in his own superiority and believes himself to serve as a sort of cadet to Christopher Robin. In the series Christopher Robin is the ultimate judge, and a kindly ruler; Rabbit positions himself constantly at Christopher Robin’s right hand and wants to be his enforcer. Christopher Robin, who is five and a fairly distracted God, does not really enforce anything. This does not stop Rabbit from trying to organise the entire Wood. It’s frequently mentioned that Rabbit wants to feel important, he wants to be the Boss. A beautiful, beautiful commentary on his character is when he wakes up feeling “important, as if everything depending on him… it was a Captainish sort of day, when everybody said “Yes Rabbit” and “No Rabbit” and waited until he had told them.” Fantastic!

However, we can see where this leads him. In the first book Rabbit is shown being hostile and actively anti-foreign in his approach to other people. When kanga and roo arrive in the forest - sanctioned by Christopher Robin who has received new toys - Rabbit instantly says they have to get rid of them. Like there is NO friendship in Rabbit’s heart here. There is no “god has placed a new friend in the wood so we have to get on with it.”

Rabbit’s anti-immigration stances are funny, and in-character, and shown by the narrative to be wrong and unfair. But they’re pretty unleashed.

His plan is to kidnap the baby and hold it hostage until the mother agrees to “leave the forest forever and never return.”

This is not a normal response to a new character. It is in fact fucking unhinged. Coming from the most normal-adult real animal in the story, it comes out of nowhere. “We have to eliminate them instantly. Take the baby hostage, blackmail the parent and deport them” Rabbit these are war crimes.

Anyway it’s all very heartwarming as Rabbit learns that he likes Baby Roo. (Their relationship grows warmer as Baby Roo says “yes rabbit” and “no rabbit” better than anyone else.) We never really learn why Rabbit is so violently anti-immigration that he instantly jumps to doing crimes, but it’s possible that he doesn’t like the threat to the status quo. Baby Roo, by deferring politely, thus turns out to be a valuable social inferior for Rabbit’s power base.

But in the next book we also get another new character introduction: Tigger. rabbit does not like tigger. In fact, he stops visiting Roo because Tigger lives with them. Rabbit, frustrated by Tigger’s bounciness, also decides to deliberately trick and bully Tigger in order to make him “small and sorry.” The fact that this comically backfires on Rabbit is part of the Pooh-lore storytelling style, of course, but it’s still something obvious even to the preschool audience - that isn’t how you treat your friends.

In conclusion, due to their hoarding of (social) capital and behaviors that prop up an unjustly unequal social system, I think the real animals in Winnie the Pooh are a bit bougie.

[lilyginnyblackv2]

Let’s Talk About the Ferris Wheel

This scene in the Ferris Wheel is incredibly intimate. We have Kazuki and Rei actually communicating with each other and discussing seriously about the current situation they are in. But, before that, let’s take a moment to talk about this sequence of events with Rei and Miri.

Miri asks Rei:

“Are Ferris wheels scary?” And Rei tells her no, that they aren’t.

Once they’re on the Ferris wheel, Rei asks Miri:

“It’s not scary?” And Miri replies that it’s not.

This is interesting dialogue, because for Kazuki and Rei, this Ferris wheel ride probably is quite scary, right. An adult fear: losing a child they’ve come to care for and have become attached to. 

But, the narrative is telling us that: The Ferris wheel is NOT scary.

Hopefully, this means that we don’t have to be scared about the future plotlines, maybe shocked and surprised, but not scared.

Of course, we can also look at the projection of the Ferris wheel and the conversations and dialogue as being related to the plot structure of the series so far, and the mindset of the characters at those junctures.

Right, before they got on this ride of caring for Miri, the thought was rather scary, because they were both out of their depths. Then, we get a shot of the carriage they are in, and it rising up the Ferris wheel:

It’s after this that we have Miri responding to Rei that it isn’t scary. This is around the time the two decided to be her papas and started getting comfortable within their roles as being Miri’s papas. Around Episodes 3 - 6. Seeing them become more and more like a family with each passing episode was beautiful (still is).

As they’re getting closer to the very top of the Ferris Wheel, Kazuki brings up the cat. A difficult conversation, one that deals with attachment. In Episodes 7 - 8, that’s when we really see Kazuki and Rei’s decision to devote themselves to Miri and their family come into full force. 

Their attachment with Miri really kicks in around Episodes 7 - 9, this is when they start thinking about placing Miri first, like Kazuki mentions here:

He talks about wanting her to eat Hamburg steak and smile forever. He’s placing her happiness first. That’s an extremely parental view. Kazuki is expressing the practical side of parenthood, while Rei’s expression here, the sound of upset he makes:

Highlights the emotional and painful side of making such a decision. Rei’s never felt emotional attachment like this before, never had to lose it either. Kazuki has, though it was unintentional and not the same as this situation. 

The Ferris wheel is now shown to be at the top. The climax, episodes 9 and 10. Episode 9 was the climax of them becoming a family unit - Kazuki and Rei had worked through their individual demons and both picked returning home to their family. And in Episode 9, we see Miri acknowledging Kazuki and Rei as her family. That was the climax to the “family” side of the series. 

Kazuki tells Miri, when they reach the “tippity-top” that: “That’s the best part!” And, it was! Episode 9 was so, so heartwarming. 

But, this week’s episode, Episode 10, is in the falling action. The part where shit gets tough again. Just like it got tough for Kazuki and Rei in the rising action of Episodes 7 & 8, it’ll get tough for them again in Episodes 10 & 11, possibly 12, too. The difference being that this time they are facing it together, instead of separately.

Kazuki acknowledges that he’s gotten more than he thought he ever would thanks to Miri:

And Rei’s grown a lot emotionally because of Miri, experienced things he never thought he would. He’s become a much more functioning person since she’s come into his life:

For them, this seems and feels like the end of the ride. But, it’s not. The Ferris wheel is still in the falling action stage:

They haven’t gotten off the ride yet. And we don’t see them get off the ride (we just see them after it’s done). Kazuki says, “Time to wake up from the dream,” as they are going down. But waking up from a dream is different from a dream ending. 

In the previous acts of the series, Kazuki and Rei were aware of the dangers their job and situation with Miri could place Miri in, but they weren’t facing the realities of their situation either.

Now the story is in the falling action, the characters are facing some harsh realities: 

About their job.

About society.

About Miri’s birth mother.

Buddy Daddies is a series that wants to explore the themes of “a bloodless family” and “two people of the same sex raising a child,” and they are doing it in modern day Japan. Not in a fantasy world, not through metaphors, and with a foundation based in some level of reality.

This series is exploring tough themes that aren’t always easily accepted or easy to navigate in real life. These ideas can be challenging, and right now, our main characters are experiencing that. 

Pushback.

Kyutaro with his hard truths about the messiness of Miri’s parental situation, of them killing her birth father, and the fact that these issues are going to eventually catch up to them.

Misaki reiterating that danger, and having the lawful advantage of being Miri’s blood, while Kazuki really takes in the reality that society, especially Japanese society, still centers motherhood when it comes to childcare.

But, like I stated, this is still just the falling action. It’s not the conclusion. There are three more episodes left.

There is still time for them and things to change. But, like Kyutaro stated back in Episode 5, it still remains to be seen if these changes that will come will be for the better or worst.

[firehose118]

I think one of the reasons that I, as a narrative enjoyer, have been going so feral over the choice to bring back and flesh out Tommy specifically is that like

It hits on this idea of re-examining people from your past and realizing that you never know what other people are going through at any given moment.

That people change while you’re not looking. That your idea of someone is frozen at the moment you stop knowing them, but that doesn’t mean they stop growing

Chimney Begins / Hen Begins -era Tommy was an asshole, there’s no way around that, but he also wasn’t this empty-headed himbo happy with the status quo. He didn’t openly question it, but that’s at least in part because he needed to blend in to survive

He had so much turmoil going on under the surface but we didn’t see even a hint of it in his original run. The Watsonian answer for that is that he was hiding it. The Doylist answer is that in season 2 it hadn’t been written in to his character yet

There’s something so beautiful in a meta way about that. Every forgettable minor character could be someone you fall in love with if only you got the chance to know them

It’s like re-meeting as an adult someone you kind of forgot about from middle school and you realize Oh, they’ve grown up. They’re not forever stuck as the miserable asshole you remember them as. They’ve matured and figured themselves out and now, with context, you have can sympathy for the person you knew then, even if you don’t quite forgive them for how they acted

I know it’s all a happy accident that they brought Tommy back and not Lucy. But the fact is that they did, and that now we get to have this fascinating story, this deeper look into a character that most of us completely forgot about

We can rewatch these Begins episodes with the knowledge of who Tommy is now and who he was then and get so, so much more out of his every word than the writers at the time ever intended

[kingofanemptyworld]

Rin, identity issues, and the complications of being an isolated, alienated teenager

It feels sort of weird to say but I generally don’t head canon characters as having particular sexualities. Whatever people go for in fics is usually fine with me - gay, lesbian, bi, pan, something more general like queer. As long as it makes sense for the story they’ve built and the character they’ve shaped to fit it, I’m good. Unless you’re ignoring a canon LGBTQ+ sexuality, in which case, yeah, I’ll take issue with that.

But anyway. Rin.

I’ve got my personal ship for him (BonRin my beloved), but regardless of the pairing I see him as bisexual. He’s so open with his infatuation with Shiemi, and okay, sure, fandom likes to ignore the love interest in shounen for the most part because we’ve got gay ships to peddle. But I don’t see the point in that unless it really reads like it’s a front, or a result of a character suppressing themselves for one reason or another. And with Rin, I think it’s pretty clear his affection for Shiemi is sincere. You technically have the in-universe evidence of the demon that brought out his true desires to back that up, but even without it, Rin likes her. It’s complicated because of Yukio and Shiemi’s own inexperience with romance, and yet I never once doubt he really likes her.

That being said… he’s very appreciative of the guys in his life, too. (Peddling my gay ship here) Bon in particular, considering he’s often admiring how cool he thinks Bon is, that his haircut suits him whether it’s the blonde rooster look or the undercut. If you don’t want to see it as romantic interest, that’s your prerogative, but to me Rin comes across as seeing cool and cute as different traits he finds attractive (in Bon and Shiemi respectively).

I also think his bisexuality would fit neatly into his narrative struggles to “pass” throughout the early parts of the series. Rin has grown up as the neighborhood problem child, ostracized for being violent, and eventually he decides he’s fine with just his brother and his father — and the rest of the monastery, presumably — for company. (Except that’s absolutely not true and clearly he’s starved for friendship and support.) People looked at him and saw a monster, even before his demonic heritage made an appearance; why would he bother giving them even more ammunition when it comes to reasons to hate him? So no matter when he figured out his attraction to guys, he’s not going to lean into it, because he also likes girls, right? (Ignoring for a moment that bisexuality is a lot more nuanced than that.)

Rin likes girls, Rin is human — that’s what’s going to get people to like him, or at the very least tolerate him. That he likes guys, that he’s half demon, he can shove that shit down and pretend it doesn’t exist. Lock up any stray thoughts and keep the sword sheathed around anyone who doesn’t already know.

(Excuse me for being amused by Rin wielding his humanity and supposed heterosexuality as a sword and shield.)

The problem, of course, is that he can’t keep up the facade forever. The narrative won’t let him. Rin has to embrace his demonic side, because it’s the only way to move forward and to continue to help his loved ones. And once he’s moved past the issue of his friends being upset over the deception, when they understand he’s still Rin despite what he’d hidden from them, Rin is finally allowed to be himself. He uses his flames, he lets his tail move freely in the open around the Cram School kids. Rin still doesn’t like this side of himself — it’s inextricably tied to every moment of pain and isolation he’s dealt with his entire life, including the death of Father Fujimoto (and, y’know, his mom). But he is moving forward, he’s trying to adapt.

And isn’t that some great fucking subtext for his bisexuality, too?

[ecoterrorist-katara]

Do you think that the gaang atla movie might make casual fans realize bryke are not the best writers? Like Everywhere they get praised but honestly if the writing in the movie is at the levels of the comics I could maybe see ppl turn on them a bit ( it also sucks bc I doubt katara and zuko will even interact in the movie)

Hi anon! I think people will almost certainly be disappointed in the new Avatar Studios movie, because nothing has even come close to the quality of ATLA after the original show ended. However, from what I’ve observed in the fandom, there’s always someone other than Bryke to blame. For example, when people rag on Korra, they blame Nickelodeon. When they rag on the comics, they blame Gene Yang (and incidentally I’ve actually seen a K/ataang shipper say that the reason the comics are so bad is because Gene Yang is a Zutara shipper — as if a grown ass professional would compromise his contract / reputation for a ship war). And when they rag on the first live action movie, they rag on M. Night. I’m not saying that Bryke are completely at fault for the shortcomings for these projects — collaborative creative pursuits are wonderful, magical things and it’s hard to know where credit and blame go when the whole point is that collaboration is beyond the sum of its parts — but the bottom line is that when certain fans are hellbent on not blaming Bryke, there are always other scapegoats.

I’m friends with many casual fans, and they were the ones who got me into the show. Honestly, I don’t think they even gave a second thought to Bryke until they left the Netflix production, which is convenient because now people can credit Bryke for the ingenuity of ATLA and blame Netflix for driving them away. I’m not sure casual fans will turn on Bryke for making a mediocre movie…BUT: if Zuko undergoes a character regression similar to his comics arc, people will probably get mad. Zuko’s redemption arc is widely considered one of the best on TV. You cannot find a Reddit thread about “best redemption arcs of all time” without Zuko being one of the top answers. From Bryke’s interviews, it kind of feels like they don’t really understand his appeal, and if they butcher his character in the absence of writers who got him more…well, I think people will be real mad about that. I mean, people got so mad about NATLA Katara, and she’s nowhere near as beloved as Zuko b/c misogyny and racism and many people found her annoying but that’s a whole other thing

And on a related note, I agree that Katara and Zuko will probably barely interact in the new movie, and it will seem kind of stilted and awkward. I remember an interview with Aaron Ehasz where he said that he’s not really a shipper and he doesn’t write stories with shipping in mind: what matters more is letting the narrative drive itself. That POV, undoubtedly shared by others in the writers’ room (including MVP Elizabeth Welch), is what was responsible for the development of the Katara - Zuko friendship in the original show in the first place. It’s very, very stifling to prioritize a ship war over the actual story. Antis claim Zutara shippers create convoluted fanfic plots where other characters and relationships are downplayed in favour of their ship, but that’s exactly what happens in the canon comics wrt K/ataang. I don’t know if it’ll seem so transparent to the casual viewer, but even if the motivations aren’t obvious, the decline in quality sure will be. For the sake of my love for all Gaang-related shenanigans I hope Bryke won’t go down that road for the new movie, but…well, they’ve done pettier things.

Thanks for your question anon, and please share any of your further thoughts!

[mossypidder]

If you click the names of the birds below, you will find photos of the actual birds I’m referring to; mostly provided because the second two are morphs

EDIT: So honestly. Contrary to final poll results and my initial lean toward the grosbeak, I think I might just go with the crow. The design’s grown on me and in the last week I’ve collected many bones and observed many local crows and found myself just quietly very drawn to them. Nothing’s set in stone, but. . . It feels more right than the grosbeak- there are still things that draw me to the latter, and I still really love them and might switch in the future, right now I relate more to crows I think.

Rose Breasted/Cutthroat Grosbeak (female)

Similarities (between myself and the bird) - small and chunky - eats mainly seeds, fruits, and nuts - elusive and relatively solitary aside from nesting season - very intricate, unique nest type - monogamous - take care of young for a month after fledging (which is longer than quite a few birds) - dwells mainly in deciduous forests - I honestly think I do look a bit like a grosbeak overall - there is limited information on them (which is obnoxious, but kinda goes with my aesthetic honestly)

Things I Like About Them - very pretty markings, especially on face which makes for fun character design - they were my favorite bird as a child and I would get so excited during the brief period that they would be at our feeder

Differences - females don’t sing as much as males - I am very much a mimic- I echo other people’s words as well as animal noises a lot, mostly without thinking, and grosbeaks do not mimic. The males learn songs from their fathers, but that’s different, and I’m not male anyway.

Black Billed Magpie (cinnamon)

Similarities - eat a lot of fruit and grain - they are skilled mimics - mate for life something I aspire to achieve one day - have only been seen in Michigan ten times in the last hundred years, so it fits the “elusive bird who’s sightings should be documented” narrative - parents allow their young to stay with them as long as needed, sometimes even years - males and females are both very vocal and sing, talk, and chatter quite often - wary of new things and will shy away from bright colors and flashing lights (yes, that includes shiny things) - many widely believed myths spread about them (such as tendencies to thievery, attraction to shiny objects, and hoarding things tho I am guilty of that last one)

Things I Like About Them - Gorgeous wings and tail (though rather plain facial markings which is sad) - they’re just nice, funky little guys and they were one of my favorites when I was younger as well

Differences - not a bird I’d really call chunky lol - they eat meat (mostly bugs) and meat is not my favorite honestly - while some do only stay in groups of two, many others have tribe of up to twelve

Common Crow (cinnamon)

Similarities - will bring people they like random bits of things such leaves, rocks, lost keys, and bones, as gifts - stops for roadkill (though I don’t eat it, I’m just there to steal feathers or check opossum pouches for potential surviving babies) - bones is good, we like bones - also talented at imitating human speech, other animals, and just random noises they find intriguing - mate for life - very family oriented and good at taking care of each other. They’ve even been known to adopt unrelated fledglings - stay in the nest up to forty days after hatching and often remain with a family group for two years, helping their parents look after younger siblings - males and females are very vocal - wants to eat rocks - scavengers - likes fruits, nuts, and seeds - seen as weird or gross by the majority - slow to trust humans, but is very loyal once they do - could be considered chunky - cinnamons tend to have blue or silver eyes

Things I Like About Them - they are just. very good. - wing markings of cinnamons are very interesting, and while I’d like more intricacies to work with for facial markings, they’re still good and simple

Differences - they are very social birds (but most of that social time is spent with their family, which is where most of mine is spent as well, so I’m not sure this is a true difference) - consumes a lot of meat (which, as stated, is not my favorite) - they are very common in Michigan and easy to spot almost anywhere

[le-trash-prince]

Narrative Framing and the Last 30 Seconds of OFTS

Okay, here is my take on the ending that these characters got.

I do think it’s easy to view this as a “happy ending” for all of the characters in this scene—they’re together as a group, they’ve launched their business, the ships are all intact, and if the series were to end here, I’d agree that they got their happily ever after.

But the series doesn’t end here, because Mix walks in two seconds later. And he repeats the same question that Top asked Mew in episode one.

And does the ending song start here? No. It’s the opening song that plays—because these characters are right back at the beginning. We know that, whether there’s ever a continuation of the show or not, Mix is going to be involved in whatever group drama happens next. Because the friends that stayed didn’t grow, and they’re gonna end up stuck in the same behavior with each other.

Yes, Ray has started to address his addiction, but he hasn’t changed the possessive nature that we saw even during the first five minutes of the show. It was still very much an issue in episode 12. Mew has agreed to try and communicate better with Top, but his sense of superiority hasn’t changed at all. Cheum hasn’t had enough screentime for growth. Top is the only one who seems aware of what is going on, as he glances back and forth between Mew and Mix.

This is the look of a man who can see what’s about to go down, meanwhile LASIK eyes Mew thinks he’s a good judge of what a friend should be because he kicked Boston to the curb and welcomed the first random guy to wander in off the street.

And the only two people excluded from this scene? Are Nick and Boston. Nick, who has grown from someone who wouldn’t let go no matter what… to someone who could walk away even when he’s loved back. And while Boston’s story feels incomplete (and yes I want to see him happy and healthy and loved okay I’m not ecstatic about him being ditched on a curb), he is literally poised for a fresh start and a new life. He’s learned to apologize. He’s learned to think about other people’s feelings. He’s learned to value what he has, even if it may be too late.

Did Boston deserve more from his friends? Yes, but he was never going to get it because they’re stuck on the same track as always. The last 30 seconds of the show change the tone of the ending completely, and I wish people could see that.

[deer-motif]

I’ve seen a handful of alternate universes where Hiccup gets taken that night with Valka, but what if Hiccup gets taken instead of Valka? like I have a lot of ideas and I need to get them out of my brain

1) For the first movie, instead concepts of feeling like an outcast to your own people and parental issues, it’s going to focus a lot more on the affects of grief/how to move on without pushing it down and marital issues (stoick and valka love each other dearly but you can’t tell me they wouldn’t have issues; dw they work through them because of the first thing).

2) Hiccup, instead of being taken by Cloudjumper, gets taken by a night fury. This sets up Valka’s motive for shooting down a night fury, as she narratively takes Hiccup’s place. Overall she still believes in the idea of peace with dragons (or at least claims such), but she’s dead set on taking down the local night fury because she believes it’s the same one that took her son. When she realizes that it’s Toothless, a very obviously juvenile dragon, she just. can’t take it any more. all that anger she held just fizzles out. “I did this. You aren’t the dragon that took my son.”

3) Everyone else in the original dragon riders group has now gained a crazy dragon lady aunt ! Astrid + Valka’s bond means a lot to me, especially because in that one comic there’s a flashback where Stoick mentions that they’ve always wanted a daughter. iirc we don’t really see Astrid’s parents much? if at all? arguably you could say this about the rest of them but Astrid is obviously a more prominent character in the first movie so I think Astrid forming a strong bond with another female warrior, especially an adult figure to look up to and rely on, would be nice (I know there’s technically Heather later down the line but she’s not really a permanent fixture in Astrid’s life in regards to canon).

4) HICCUP IN DRAGON ARMOR LIKE VALKA’S. OHHHH THAT WOULD BE SO COOL. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE LEVELS OF COOLNESS THAT WOULD BE

5) also since Hiccup wasn’t in Berk this means we get Astrid as a chieftess by the end of HTTYD 2. also there’s a budding romance between Hiccup and Astrid by the end of the second movie but nothing comes of it (yet) because THW isn’t real and I haven’t thought up my own third movie yet

6) HICCUP’S CHARACTER DESIGN IS. LIVING IN MY HEAD. sorry I just think it would be. really cool ! also he would behave so much like a dragon because he was literally raised by dragons. he learns to speak common tongue from observing other humans/mostly traders and eventually his allies (such as the Wingmaidens) but he doesn’t really spend much time with humans overall so he’s much more accustomed to communicating with dragons so he himself is very dragon-like.

7) Unfortunately the night fury that takes Hiccup is not seen again after going out one night :( This is where Cloudjumper comes in and takes care of Hiccup as his own, like the night fury once did. Hiccup was young when the night fury disappeared, so he doesn’t remember much of her, but is amazed when he first meets Toothless. the two get along like a house on fire :D

8) also Valka and Toothless’s relationship >>> she realizes that she’s lost her way and she is perpetuating the cycle of violence and hatred onto a new generation and is refusing to continue it. Toothless is pretty much the same as he is in the original movie, but I guess you could say his actions are seen much more through a childlike lens? since Valka is significantly older than him. I personally believe that Toothless never grew up with his parents because while he obviously has amazing prowess as a dragon, there seems to be abilities that he never had access to previously that I feel he would have if he had grown up with another night fury in his life. so he kind of imprints a little on Valka’s motherly nature. but these two are literally besties :( inseparable family. eventually Stoick joins in too and they’re just. it’s like that one meme: “ah yes: me, my wife, and her two ton dragon.” I love them.

9) also you know that little intro Hiccup makes for Stoick at the beginning of HTTYD 1? it’s altered a little bit because this is through Valka’s narration. not badly, but a little funnier. like so: “They say that when he was a baby he popped a dragon's head clean off of its shoulders. Do I believe it? Absolutely not.”

10) I’m just saying shit and not really getting out any of the main points but i just. have a lot of Thoughts ! ask me about them!!

[vitos-ordination-song]

I’m trying to put into words why I feel so defensive over Thorfinn’s pacifism. Plenty of fans who like the non-violent direction still say things about it which make me cringe. Like “he’s gone too far with his beliefs” or “he needs to be realistic” or “he’ll have to figure out when violence is okay and when it isn’t.”

I have agreed with critiques of pacifism before. I don’t like it when people living privileged lives start to preach to oppressed groups, telling them not to fight for freedom. I don’t think moralizing is the right response to violence in general. Whether or not violence is “right” isn’t the question. We never know what’s right from wrong with certainty. The only thing we can do is look at the circumstances surrounding violence and decide how to proceed. I’m also not immune to enjoying, even celebrating, liberatory violence, which I believe exists.

However, in real life, what percentage of the time is violence positive in any way? For violence to be liberatory or justified, violence must already have been done. This non-justified, aggressive violence is far more common than violence done in self-defense, as not everyone has the ability to stand up for themselves. For the people who can fight back, being forced to commit violence is usually traumatizing. But in fiction, violence is more often portrayed in a positive light; heroes commit justified or “badass” violence, and those who act in self-defense come out on top. With Vinland Saga, Yukimura wanted to create one, just one story where violence isn’t justified, where the characters look for another way instead of making excuses.

Since Thorfinn is a former warrior who has no right to judge others, his character sidesteps being preachy. Additionally, his main foil is Canute, who uses violence to try to reach the same ends and is framed as understandable and pragmatic by the narrative. The work presents multiple perspectives on violence, enriching its themes, but I strongly believe that to the end, Thorfinn will never compromise his beliefs. Not everyone in the world has to believe the same way that he does, but it is right and good that he maintain his pacifism. Readers looking for complexity in a work often want characters to reach a middle ground, like this automatically means they’ve grown, but some of my favorite stories focus on protagonists who cling to ideals and resist change. Through being forced to test out their ideals in real life, they become wiser, better people, more able to live in accordance with their values. That is what I believe Yukimura is going for with Thorfinn’s character.

In my heart of hearts, I believe that Thorfinn is right. He’s never once said that violence is always wrong, only that it should be a last resort. He hasn’t killed anyone since his vow of non-violence, but he’s had to bust some heads. In a recent chapter, he said there’s no such thing as righteous violence; that’s not the same thing as necessary violence. He can do it—but he hates it. If you’ve ever felt a thrill of enjoyment in hurting someone, you know how seductive it is. Developing a disgust for violence is healthy antidote to this tendency.

Reading the Vinland arc, I fully agree with other readers that Thorfinn is naive. I just disagree on whether his pacifism is a part of that naivety. When I examine the story so far, Thorfinn’s failures as a leader mostly stem from his lack of experience. He spent 10 years of his life fighting, then he became a slave, and then he became a merchant. Technically, he has a lot more life experience than most readers. But there’s plenty of things he doesn’t understand because he’s never been exposed to them, like the settlers’ investment in private property. Further, Thorfinn has a kind of simplicity to him, maybe caused by his rebirth, the way he was emptied out and then filled back up. He’s surrounded himself with like-minded individuals, true and honest friends seeking the same goal as him. He also knows how to deal with enemies, warriors who make their intentions clear. Where Thorfinn has failed is in dealing with manipulators and opportunists, paranoids and backstabbers. He isn’t good at understanding people who might cooperate with him while harboring ill intentions or irrational beliefs. It was very naive of him, and the rest of his people, that they didn’t check new members for weapons before leaving for Vinland. I’ve felt from the start that Thorfinn shouldn’t have allowed Ivar and his group to come at all, and he hasn’t been able to handle them very well, not recognizing the threat they pose.

But I’ve seen people equate these failures with his pacifism. That’s where I disagree. If the settlement wasn’t peaceful, it would have already failed, like the one that Leif’s brother started. If Thorfinn wasn’t constantly reigning in the violence of others and trying to communicate peaceful intentions to the natives, war would have broken out a long time ago. It is a simple fact that if you approach people with mistrust, superiority, and violence, you will create an enemy, while if you approach them with openness, humility, and generosity, you will create a friend. It’s interesting how quickly people jump to calling pacifism unrealistic or immature, when violence is usually the true example of those things.

Regardless of whether Thorfinn is right or wrong, naive or wise, it is possible that Vinland will fail. He may not be able to hold it together. But is this because of his non-violent ways? After all, Canute’s violence will ultimately fail as well—historically, his stable kingdom collapsed after his death. Vinland Saga portrays human beings who long for something better while remaining trapped in their failures and misfortunes. Yet the story still praises the efforts of those who try. Following their ideals, foolish as they may be, they attempt to shape the world. This theme is introduced all the way at the beginning with Thors, hurting his family’s livelihood to save a dying slave. There is a nobility and strength in continuing to pursue what you believe is right, regardless of the outcome. That is the only way for us to live fulfilled lives.

[smol-baguett]

I need to rant about Star Wars making aroace-spec!Obi-Wan canon because this hellsite needs to know what that means to bi/pan-oriented aroaces.

To preface, I have been a huge Obi-Wan fan since long before I realized I myself was bi-oriented aroace.

His understanding of love, especially for Satine, is something that had always resonated with me, and I am sure people like me. I never understood why until I realized it was because I shared those views.

I doubt the initial intention of Satine’s character was to highlight this aspect of Obi-Wan’s, but regardless of what Dave Filoni and other writers involved intended, they created a story that was tailored to the aroace experience. A narrative that exalts and celebrates the nature of our love.

Obi-Wan and Satine are two people who loved each other dearly. We know that they spent a whole year with each other as teenagers. But the beauty of it is that the writers never went far into detail of the nature of their love. How much of it was romantic, sexual, or tertiary attraction.

We do know is that it was a deep love that haunted them ~20 years later. We know they both fantasize about abandoning their duties to be with each other. But in the end they put aside their feeling for each other to prioritize their duties. Not because they thought their love was childish or anything, but because they loved each other so much they couldn’t bear to stand in the way of the other’s dreams.

Obi-Wan always wanted to be a Jedi. As established in the High Republic books, a Jedi cannot prioritize the sake of one person over the rest of the galaxy. He, as a Jedi and according to the belief he had subscribed to all his life, could not put Satine over everyone else. Satine could never put him in a situation where he’d have to make that decision.

Satine had an equally grave, but higher profile responsibility. She needed to fix her broken people and lead Mandalore. That could never be possible if she had a Jedi or even a former-Jedi padawan at her side. Obi-Wan could never jeopardize her dream of a prosperous Mandalore.

And so they parted ways. Because they love each other so much, they want the other to be happy, even if it’s without each other. This is something so inherently aromantic: happiness without needing to be with another person.

And what makes it all the more authentic is how complicated their love is. Because being aromantic or asexual doesn’t make you loveless, just more complicated to express conventionally. They prioritized another commitment over their relationship, but that did not diminish their love for each other. We see it when Obi-Wan goes against the council’s orders and runs blindly and foolishly into a trap to rescue Satine. And when in her dying breath Satine professes she’s always loved him, and she always will. Even after 20 years, their love persists. They bickered and flirted constantly, they were gentle with each other, and they gazed at each other like no one else. It’s subtle yet purposeful, and they both understood the dynamic of their relationship. Once they were kids who fooled around, but now they’ve grown into the people they always hoped to become. They know that because of their decision they could never do that to each other. They could never be together. A mandalorian and a Jedi. But this, for them, is enough.

This is the relationship many aroaces, like myself dream about. Something that is just love. No obligation for the conventional rituals of a relationship. But being comfortable in how we embrace our love and attraction (or lack thereof). This kind of relationship hard to come by in entertainment, especially in huge franchises like Star War. It is messy and complex and just as beautiful as any conventional romantic or sexual relationship. And Star Wars still has yet to realize how enlightened it is for people like me.

I accept that back in the 70s, George Lucas never intended to make. I accept that in creating TCW and Satine, Dave Filoni and co. never meant to write an aroace-coded narrative. Yet the story and character of Obi-Wan Kenobi was one aroaces could immediately identify with. Because his understanding of love is not unrealistic or unattainable. It is real and natural. Valid and reasonable enough for them to anchor it to the iconic and beloved character of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

[sylvermidnight]

Alright well. The chances anyone sees this are kinda low. Should be fine.

MECHS FANDOM PSA:

It is. In fact. Okay for people to not like Doc. Carmilla. Now before you get the pitchforks out let’s discuss some things. Because honestly I’m getting very very tired of seeing this back and forth and people who don’t like her being viewed as somehow uneducated.

So to it get out of the way, here’s some things this isn’t. A personal slight against Maki and their music. Saying no one CAN like her as a character and you’re wrong for enjoying her. An end all be all statement about what’s right and what’s wrong in this fandom.

What this is, is some very basic facts. To start off with. Doc. Carmilla (mechanisms), and everything Maki has done with her since. Are in fact. Pretty much two separate characters. To the point that the lore Maki has produced since is kind of kept under tight lock and key. They’ve stated it’s not canon to the Mechs universe even though it takes place in a nearly identical one. On top of the fact that if they were at all uncomfortable with what has been done with the character since, it is likely they would have spoken up themselves. I don’t really believe they, as a grown adult, need people out here defending their “lore” and their honor like that. So. Mentally, we need to stop conflating the two. Mechs Carmilla is different. End of story. When I say I dislike Carmilla (mechanisms) it has nothing to do with after the fact lore and solo career things Maki had done.

Secondly. The narrative behind calling the Mechanisms liars (Jonny specifically) when it comes to how they view and have told the story, or worse ungrateful and whiny, is vaguely problematic. Now, going forward we have to understand that nothing is explicitly stated. Ever. But we can make some logical inferences and when it comes down to the evidence very little of it is things the band has actually said to other people. As someone who’s abuser was an afab parental figure, it’s very strange and a little hurtful to watch someone show very clear signs of trauma and then get called a liar who just wants to smear someone. Whether intentionally or not, Maki and the Mechanisms painted an excellent and concerning portrait of a certain type of abuse that doesn’t exactly deserve to be ignored. Mechs lore is varied, often contradictory, and hard to find. So what you make of it is up to you of course, but I have compiled a small list of evidence that is worth looking at when it comes to things Maki themselves has contributed to.

In a recording from Jessica Law’s official YouTube titled “Dr. Carmilla and The Mechanisms: Homesick” (transcripts not included in this post to save space but I do have them if needed. The timestamp referenced is 3:42) Jonny interrupts the set and appears to have a mild to serious freak out about the repercussions of pushing the Doc out the airlock. (Which I might add he is fully aware he did not do) He starts out asking “Are you going to kill us or not.” Actively backs away from her. Starts stammering and tripping over his words and otherwise seems distressed and uncomfortable. He claims he wants to know “What you’re going to do to us.” As if he suspects this may be a psychological game. The doc responds she’s “feeling a bit touchy” and when Jonny refuses to drop it she can be heard saying “Medication time” before the recording ends.

In the album recording of the Ignominious Death of Dr. Pilchard, Brian pouts about not being believed and Jonny suggests “You sent him alone and unarmed into the docs lab.” To which Brian sighs and simply says “point taken” as if these are common precautions they themselves must take.

In the official Mechs fandom wiki, on her own page, it’s referenced that though Jonny didn’t push her out the airlock, there were many failed attempts at doing so before hand. That though she views them as her children both Jonny and Nastya are visibly physically afraid of her and seem uncomfortable when touched by her and that though the others feel less intensely it is only slightly. It’s also worth noting that even though it’s only speculation the same page suggests her relationship with Aurora is not entirely positive either.

From the official Mechs site pertaining to her death we have statements like “I do not think I killed Dr. Carmilla. No I am not always in complete control of Aurora. No I do not like Dr. Carmilla. I would prefer her to be in the vacuum. Not Aurora. I was inside Aurora’s veins when it happened. I will not tell you why. Aurora would be upset.” And “Fuck’s sake Ashes, does it matter which of us killed her? When she gets back she’s going to be pissed. I don’t know if she can kill us any more than we can, but I don’t intend to find out. You?”

Factoring in all of this, it is not at all unfair to assume that the relationship between at least Jonny and Nastya and the Doc is rocky at best, and downright concerning at worst. It’s also not unfair to assume people may want to (or subconsciously) include these things in their personal interpretation of the lore and that is *okay.* It’s okay. There’s recently been this development of a culture where liking characters that have done bad things is unacceptable and so we rush to defend them when. It’s just not true? This version of the Doc can exist while the version you like does at the same time.

Telling people who are enjoying the media in their own way that they’re wrong for disliking her can often interfere with people who are using the narrative to explore and cope with their own similar traumas, and becomes a bit concerning often times in the way that it’s worded. You can absolutely agree to disagree and just move on from it without going “Well um actually in Maki’s lore” or “Well Jonny is a liar” (suspiciously just. Victim denial? Not 100% because again there is no concrete truth to ANY of the narratives including the Doc’s. But it doesn’t sound great) or “Well that just wasn’t the intent.”

There are valid reasons to dislike her. In text reasons, personal reasons like trauma or being an introject in a system, or just. Hell. Getting bad vibes. That does not make her any less of an interesting and complex character. Relax a bit and stop saying people aren’t entitled to their feelings and opinions when the artists themselves can’t seem to give a singular fuck.

[foggyworksbutbetter]

MORE SILVER SPOON CHARACTER ANALYSIS ‼️

finally making the part 2 i eluded to in my last post, since iii 15 and i have a ton more to add

for context, last post i outlined all of silver spoon’s char development from the first episode up to iii 14, but now that a new episode has come out i have more to say

major spoilers for iii 15 obvi

i had originally seen silver’s devotion to candle after her elimination as a good thing. he was thinking about somebody else for a change, being a better and more selfless person. candle did a complete 180 on me, and i completely agree with her. this episode ultimately showed that despite this confident persona he puts on, silver is a follower. without candle’s direction, he was suddenly lost. he thought that by “keeping her flame alive” she could still guide him through the competition in spirit. as though her tuning fork and crystal were an extension of her inner flame, something he had never truly understood throughout the series. at the end of the episode, it finally clicks.

candle says, “and now, you can tend to your inner flame.” as in allowing him to focus on himself. allowing him to be selfish like he once had, but in a completely different way. in a very indirect way, she is telling him that it is okay to think of yourself for once, that he isn’t who he once was. i think he might have been afraid to do so in fear of losing his growth and regressing to who he once was. candle’s patience with him is what allowed him to grow into himself, but he isn’t using it. he only wants to rely on her direction, as though he doesn’t trust himself to make the right decisions. but, she assures him he can continue on without her. even the most selfless people must think of their own needs too.

silver finally letting go of candle will allow him to completely focus on the competition. i think this has secured him a spot in the final two. and, as a side note, i think cabby will be alongside him. it makes the most narrative sense considering how much attention they’ve both gotten and how much character development they’ve gone through.

this is my prediction for the final 5 eliminations:

iii16-17: balloon and nickel (they set up for nickel to finally apologize and have the two make up, finishing their arcs and ending in their eliminations. i could even see this being a double elimination as a parallel to their season 2 elimination.)

iii18: blueberry (it will be close because of his new competitive spirit, but without allies he will be easily ganged up on by the two more experienced contestants)

iii19: who knows? i could genuinely see either silver or cabby winning this. they’ve both fought so so hard to get where they are, and grown so much. although, i’m leaning towards cabby since she has allies in the indefinites, bot, and likely test tube as well.

please give me your thoughts and additions if you have any ! and if you’d like more clarification on any of my statements you can always go to my ask box, stay safe yall 🫶🫶

oh also !! im double-posting this to the r/inanimateinsanity reddit! if you want to support me or look at the discussion over there, head over! itll probably be titled “thoughts on silver after iii15?” or smth idk

[starfiretruther]

i feel like ever since comics left the silver age there has been this bizarre nearly fetishistic desire to associate robins with this stripping of innocence that has to do with you fundamentally still seeing them as the child robin figure for it to be shocking. like killing robins, having them be in these toxic relationships, showing them being sexualized (often by notably older chars) is all part of this really uncomfortable still ongoing trend. and i’m not saying that as robins grow up they can’t experience sex and sexual exploration or dark themes, i actually think ntt’s take on this was really honoring of dick and explored what it would be like to grow up under the robin mantle and also what it would take to come into one’s own identity afterwards, but usually this trend makes me really uncomfortable, like how dick has been written to be sexually assaulted multiple times (ive never seen it done tactfully), or how more than one adaptation has harley make a comment about how much dick has grown up (ew), or how they wanted to kill tim drake with aids in the 90s (they instead went with extrano). i guess while there is nothing technically wrong with making an adult male character a little sexy, the modern obsession with dick’s ass feels like an extension of this to me still. like dc and it’s fans don’t know how to be normal about robins. idk if that makes sense or maybe i project too much but i just really wish there was more skill and intention with writing robins and less schlock and awe

hm while i don’t disagree i feel like the general ‘stripping of innocence’ happened to most child or at least happy go lucky characters (e.g. bucky barnes), not just robin. Robin stands out cuz they’ve been the most recognisable child/sidekick hero in media. Comics in general took a turn to darker (less fun) “serious” stories in the 80s. Robin in particular has been a target for hate since the 60s because fans thought he made batman campy and gay (there was the whole seduction of the innocent thing where they said batman and robin were coded queer messaging trying to indoctrinate the children). I think rather than Dick, Jason got hit with the most ire of the editorial and fans and when stories kept getting darker and darker, he became an unfortunate victim. Dick (at least in this time period) had a lot of dignity, getting a well-thought out coming of age narrative through nightwing and being firmly cemented as a respectable, reliable adult hero (thanks to the titans and his romance with kory). While comics always had a touch of fanservice, his sexualization really started around the late 90s and had a resurgence during the n52-rebirth era. I think any of his prior sexualization was standard male fantasy stuff (this guy gets all the ladies type thing). I think in Tim’s case they weren’t going for a “let’s destroy his innocence “ thing and more of a way to both modernise him for a contemporary (90s) audience and also distance him far away from the gay allegations (how ironic lol). They still wanted the kid watson to Batman’s brooding sherlock but also just more “normal” so the kids relate. Which is why they made him a cheater etc and i know how tf is that better but they really didn’t want him to be gay fhdjfj. I don’t know much abt the aids story pitch though. Steph and Damian are also better examples of “stripping the innocence” storylines for Robin than Dick and Tim. Steph also had a tragic death, and Damian’s first introduction is as a child assassin (antithesis to innocence). I agree that it’s weird people are so weird abt robins (and child characters in general) but imo it reflects more on an audience’s (and editorial’s) insecurity regarding childish, campy things because why are you mad at the camp medium for being camp? Learn to have some fun LEWSER.

I feel like most dick grayson fans feel so strongly abt this is because they like his prudish and insecure ntt characterisation (and so do i tbh it’s very interesting) and also the multiple SA storylines that a) never got resolved or b) were handled poorly. BUT that dick grayson hasn’t been in comics for a while now. We haven’t seen any acknowledgment from dc’s editorial that dick is a rape survivor, he’s been consistently characterized as a confident metrosexual (eww hate that word) guy both in his civilian and superhero persona (and that agent 37 grayson thing is the biggest culprit here). He’s also retroactively being portrayed as a smooth talking flirt in his robin days now so clearly that’s what they’re going for (imo i think they’re doing what they did with tim to dick's robin just to make him look more “normal” and relatable and straight).

Dick’s robin era is still treated as peak batman&robin era and he’s still a symbol for innocent, “simpler” times. He’s gotten the most grace when transitioning from child to teen to adult hero. On the topic of his sexualization aka the butt issue, it’s only cuz he’s one of the most popular male hero they can sexualize. I genuinely don’t think there’s any malice from the editorial since Dick has been an adult for 40 years now and there’s nothing wrong with sexing up his stories BUT ALSO i get why fans are upset cuz they’re deliberately ignoring his past characterization and sexual history to make him into a more palatable, marketable character. And tbh it’s been going on for long enough that it might as well be his defining character trait now :/ .

[nuwanders]

OC TAG GAME.

tagged by @aartyom​​, thank you sm! <3 shamelessly stole your banner layout 😅

rules: sort your OCs into the below categories and (optionally) make them in this picrew. 

tagging @connortheconceded @lucien-lachance @mondhound @wispstalk @ervona @dirty-bosmer @netch-rancher @mareenavee @cultistbase @creaking-skull @stormbeyondreality @swordcoasts​ @vulpixelates​ @auddun​ @indorilnerevarine​ @thetinyshiloh​ @mantleofsanguine​ though no pressure as always xx

if i normally tag you in these sorts of things and have forgotten on this occasion feel free to just do it anyway :’)

1. FAVOURITE OC.

cheating a little here but these two are very much a package deal to me, they have always been jórunn and raydrin, raydrin and jórunn. do not separate them 🤧 they’ve been living rent free in my brain for over a decade, have grown and matured as i have, and if i could go back in time and tell my ten-year-old self that she’ll still be writing silly little stories about the characters she invented on the floor of a y6 maths class, i think that would make her very happy <3

2. NEWEST OC.

i invented vivienne because when i finally sat down to plan this story that had been kicking around in my head for years, i realised how little sense it made for mathyas to be the listener and so needed a new character to fill that role. though she was designed with a specific narrative function in mind, she has since come into her own as a character in her own right and i’d love to explore her properly someday

3. OLDEST OC.

as above— i’ve had these two since i was around ten, though their names, personalities and appearances have undergone a lot of work since then. i originally created them for a short story about a young couple going spelunking together, but they soon took on lives of their own, especially once i committed to the TESified versions of them <3

4. MEANEST OC.

vivienne speaks as little as she can get away with, but will make no effort to mask her contempt for others where she feels it (which is often). if she goes so far as to verbally express her disdain for someone, it’s because she’s deemed it objectively necessary for them to know how repugnant she finds them. she is so full of hate <3

5. SOFTEST OC.

cassathra is a hug personified, my goal with her was always to create a character who was very earnestly kind n warm. it was only when i sat down to write up her storyline that i realised how genuinely harrowing some of the events of the College of Winterhold questline are, but it’s important to me that she emerges at the end with her big, squishy heart intact :’)

6. MOST ALOOF/STANDOFFISH OC.

this one almost goes without saying— jórunn’s aloofness is one of the first things strangers will notice about her. she’s quiet, reserved, and blunt when prompted to speak, not just around acquaintances but around friends, too

7. DUMBEST (AFFECTIONATE) OC.

raydrin is by no means stupid, but he often is guilty of thinking with his heart more than his brain… he’s impulsive and reckless which i think can sometimes manifest as stupidity. but he’s smart in less obvious ways :^)

8. SMARTEST OC.

despite the arguably unwise decisions mathyas makes in the fic (he’s having a bad year), he’s a genuinely very intelligent guy. i kind of designed him and raydrin to mirror each other, in this way— mathyas could afford to perhaps think with his heart now and then

9. OC I WOULD BE BEST FRIENDS WITH.

oh i would get on SO well with sanjir. that man could be anyone’s best friend if he wanted to be; he’s arguably the most gregarious and personable of all my characters, as well as genuinely kind-hearted, down-to-earth, quick witted, and charming. i’m excited to beat him up a lil now that the civil war questline is finally underway, but it comes from a place of love <3