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taikk0 · 1 year

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I COMPLETELY FORGOT MY LITTLE PARK EXISTED NOW I'M REWRITING THE ENTIRE FIRST EPISODE OF MLP FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC BUT WITH CUSS WORDS AND SOUTH PARK-ESQUE HUMOR PURELY BECAUSE THE OBSESSION IS EATING ME ALIVE (any batshit crazy/insanely funny jokes you recommend for me to insert, since you are the og My Little Park fan? :))) )

OH I MIGHT HAVE A FEW...

Randy (Celestia) gaslights the audience, lying about why his wife (Sharon takes the role of Luna) got banished to the moon in the intro, turns out the reason she got sent to the moon was all his fault, and not because she's actually evil, and he's just an asshole of a princess and a really shit ruler. No one has any idea how Equestria is still standing

THIS JOKE during the scene where Lemon Hearts, Twinkleshine, and Minuette invite Twilight to Moondancer's party and she declines. I have no idea who the other three are in the AU but this is just so in character for Stan imo

the creator of the AU mentioned that Stan, Randy, and Sharon have never met in person before, and Randy and Stan have only communicated through letters. I think it would be really funny to have an emotional moment where Sharon and Randy are revealed to be his parents "you saved me... I'm so proud of you, my son..." and everyone gasps but disingenuously, like a "WWHAAT!! NO WAY!! 😱😱" like they were played by bad actors since it's been so obvious since the very beginning, where the audience knows that the rulers of Equestria are Randy and Sharon and end up making the connection early on, but the characters don't. And I find it so funny if their reaction was genuine for the characters but not in the delivery to make a jab at the "twist" everyone saw coming. "you've grown so much since I last saw you I almost didn't recognize you! I love you so much... I-I'm sorry" "no no, it's okay Mom! you tried to murder me because you felt alone and unloved, isolated... [MY LITTLE PONY THEME STARTS TO PLAY IN THE BACKGROUND] Without friendship and without the love in your heart, you turned into something monstrous. The envy and hatred you must have felt for the princess was too much! because she was always a better leader, and let everyone in Equestria do what they wanted! so you decided to use your gift for selfishness and misdeeds that-" "wait what?! what are you talking about?! I wasn't banished to the moon because I was jealous of Celestia!" "you... weren't..?" "I was banished to the moon because SHE thought I was a nagging bitch for wanting her to be a better ruler!! she kept forgetting to lower the sun. and when she wasn't, she said she needed some extra time for her pot farm to get more sunlight! like for christ's sake Randy these people haven't gotten any sleep for almost a month now and all you do is sit on your ass in the throne room doing fuck all while everyone in the kingdom went hysterical!! and-" "Randy?? wait. if you're my mom, then does that mean that the princess...?" "That's right my faithful student!" Randy descends from the heavens like a dove with an evangelical light beaming behind him "I... am your father." and shit happens I guess idk I'm not a writer this is probably so very very terrible but hope I got the point across, but after this, I want stans whole takeaway to be: "holy shit princess, you're my dad?!" to "oh. this is the princess...? AND my dad?"

Craig introducing the Tucker family but most of them are just stripes. going from photos of stripe #1 to #11 sliding to each photo that all look exactly the same, but skipping #4. later introducing #4 along with Thomas, Laura, and Tricia. this makes absolutely no sense, I just found it funny to have a ridiculous replacement for the Apple family scene because there's no way we can naturally replace it. "Why are there so many stripes?" "That's his extended side of the family."

Something about flutter-butters and these birds

Just Cartman in this au. he is so uncharacteristically nice and fun and loveable that I think every scene he's in he needs to be so sickeningly sweet and all of South Park loves him that he makes the audience uncomfortable by being the complete opposite of who he actually is. like rabbi cartman but cranked up to the max.

"The true meaning of friendship isn't to face your hardships alone, it's to drag other people down with you <3" and everyone celebrates like there's absolutely nothing wrong with that friendship lesson Kyle steps out from the crowd "Y'now, I learned something today too, and it's that-" and the camera pans to Randy, Sharon, and Stan having their own conversation that moves the story along. You can still hear Kyle in the background, and you can still hear him talking and doing hand gestures out of focus. No one is paying attention to Kyle.

Something about Craig being the element of honesty but sounding like he's lying all the time but it's literally just how he talks and it never changes

Not really a joke idea, but the thought of Cartman singing the laughter song, especially with his voice and weird accent is so funny to me that I really wish someone could make an ai cover of it..................

BALD KENNY?????? I'M REWATCHING THE EPISODES RIGHT NOW AND THE THOUGHT OF KENNY JUST SPENDING HALF THE EPISODE BALD IS SO FUNNY PLEASE LET HIM BE BALD

Something I really want to see in this rewrite personally (and My Little Park content in general) is the way you can parody MLP when it's mixed in with a show like South Park, and how ridiculous it is to see South Park mixed in with a show like MLP. Make it a self-aware Steven Universe but it's the version of Steven Universe that the Steven Universe haters think it is. And make the Disney Junior version of Family Guy.

anddddddd that's it for me LOL not really much of a writer. good luck on the rewrite though, hope you have fun!! ^^ To be honest, I'm not really that funny either, and the thought of writing my own south park jokes, especially with the jokes that are IN South Park?? YEAH NO SORRY I AM STAYING SO FAR AWAY 💀 That's what I like about My Little Park, I get to enjoy South Park without enjoying South Park. I have such a love-hate relationship with SP it's RIDICULOUS. I like South Park but only version of it I made up in my head <3

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catflowerqueen · 1 year

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So those were some very unexpected revelations today… they do go a long way in explaining why the Creator made Sun and Moon the way they did, though. They were always intended to take the fall and be the black sheep of the Pizzaplex. He wanted them to be violent and bloodthirsty and cause as much chaos as possible because then he could just blame them for all his own misdeeds, and no one would question it. It’s like when Moon was laying those false trails back when he and Sun still lived in the sewer bunker (I think he talked about them right after they faced the Witherstorm? Which actually is very thematically appropriate and could be viewed as foreshadowing given what we learned today). Or what Eclipse did with his memory altering.

It makes me think that the only reason he wanted Sun to exist is because if Moon got too bloodthirsty and became like Bloodmoon, it would be a lot harder to pin some of the more complicated stuff on him/Fazbears would have just scrapped the process from the start. Also, it’s possible that he needed Moon to exist to make the star in the first place—it has been proven both that other universes move at different speeds and timelines don’t always sync up and that the Creator is aware of that fact and knows the contents of many other universes. Assuming he had this awareness independently of Sun and Moon (and wasn’t just using their databanks or something), he would have been aware long before Sun and Moon were created in this universe that it is more often than not a Moon who creates the star. So he made one of his own, and then gave him a Sun to curb the worst of the impulses.

That’s likely why he labels them as “mistakes” and “failures.” Because they moved beyond their initial programming and aren’t doing what he wanted. Moon getting better and doing his best not to be cruel and amoral killer—even though he still likes pranks and such—makes him a much less effective fall guy. And it perfectly explains why he was so incensed about KC not wanting to kill anymore either—it shows how truly independent they all are and how they can and will move against him if given the chance.

Whatever he and his “friends” are planning, I really hope they can be stopped. …And I also hope Earth isn’t aware of what she’s doing. I like her, and her brothers love and cherish her, and she’s so good for both of their mental health… I just hope nothing bad happens to her.

Onto other matters… given Sun’s reminder today that the Computer is based off of Moon’s personality, I’m wondering if it actually has been “snippier” than usual or if it is just that Moon is picking up on it more since the lack of traumatic memories means he doesn’t hate himself as much as he did before. Like—if he was just putting up with it before because he figured he deserved that sort of treatment or something. In addition to the Computer just not processing its grief well/not being able to completely fix itself after having to restore half its AI after the deletion. Or possibly whatever Earth or the Creator has apparently been uploading could be causing some bugs, I guess.

Also, it… hurt to hear how indifferent Moon was to hearing about Lunar, especially when I remember his absolute heartbreak when he told Sun about Lunar moving out. I completely get why he would feel that way, and I don’t blame him, but… it just really hurts.

#SAMS #sun and moon show

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historyhermann · 1 year

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My Dad the Bounty Hunter Season 2 Spoiler-Filled Review

My Dad the Bounty Hunter is a coming-of-age animated sci-fi adventure series by Everett Downing Jr. and Patrick Harpin. It is a continuation from the first season, which came out in February. It comes at a time when Black-centered animations are blossoming. This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, My Dad the Bounty Hunter, being reviewed here, wouldn't exist.

Reprinted from Pop Culture Maniacs and Wayback Machine. This was the forty-eighth article I wrote for Pop Culture Maniacs. This post was originally published on September 4, 2023.

The second season of My Dad the Bounty Hunter picks up where the last one left off. Sean (voiced by JeCobi Swain) tells a story about his space adventures in class. Lisa (voiced by Priah Ferguson) acts like know-at-all to her science teacher. She declares that their dying planet and slow technology growth will ensure that outer space exploration is impossible. Their mother, Tess (voiced by Yvonne Orji) comes to school, learning that the school administrators see Sean as a genius, but they see Lisa as a problem student. She talks to her husband, Terry (voiced by Laz Alonso), who is working at a shoe store, telling him they shouldn't keep secrets. Everything goes awry when a bounty hunter captures him, which she, Sean, and Lisa see, traumatizing them.

And that is only the first episode. This season throws you right into the action with new characters like Blobby (voiced by Patrick Harpin), a scammer extraterrestrial who was once captured by Terry in his bounty hunter persona of "Sabo." Later, Tess puts herself, and her kids, in danger. She travels in Glorlox's stolen ship to a nearby prison. She hopes that Terry is imprisoned there, while there's an active bounty on her head. There are typical sci-fi elements like space warping and laser battles. Scenes in the space restaurant Bucky Quantos and A.I. like KRS (voiced by Yvette Nicole Brown) enhance this. The quick action and exciting plot make the series even more engaging. It draws you into the animation, by Dwarf Animation Studio, which has a smooth 3-D style.

The Conglomerate, officially known as Endless Horizons Conglomerate, are still the villains. With the death of The Fixer in the first season, Pam (voiced by Chelsea Peretti) is the organization's new CEO. However, there is a twist. The Conglomerate is not holding Terry in their prison. Pam claims to investors that the Conglomerate is trying to become "socially conscious." She boasts about reported rehabilitation of criminals to make them "productive" corporate slaves. She further champions the new food options at the ever-popular Bucky Quantos restaurant. The Conglomerate's changes ensure the restaurant is no longer a "glorious palace of meat and grease and cholesterol," as one character puts it. Instead, Pam declares that Conglomerate will connect people, and the universe, with warp gates. She is assisted by robot enforcers, such as Beta (voiced by Mara Junot), who calls Pam "the Creator."

This series reminds me of Okja. The 2017 film mixes the science-fantasy and action-adventure genres. Directed by Bong Joon-ho, also known for Parasite and Snowpiercer, the Mirando Corporation are the villains. The corporation has a similar goal to the Conglomerate. They plan to raise genetically modified super pigs to sell meat to the masses. However, when they kidnap one pig, Okja, its owner, Mija, a young South Korean girl, tries to get it back. She is helped by an animal liberation group to rescue Okja. The group plans to reveal the corporation's misdeeds to the world. Obviously, My Dad the Bounty Hunter is different from Okja, which focuses on the horrors of the food industry. Both have a strongly anti-corporate message even as they are on the streaming platform of Netflix, a conglomerate of its own.

Coming back to My Dad the Bounty Hunter, the second season shares similarities with space operas in the Star Wars franchise, like the third episode. In that episode, the fissures between the family members come to the surface. For one, Sean and Lisa can't enter the casino because they are kids. Only adults are allowed in. Secondly, Tess admits she grew up in constant danger when she was younger but doesn't want to talk about it, making Lisa suspicious. Thirdly, Sean begins to bond with Blobby, and Blobby with Lisa. She gives him tips on playing galactic poker. The episode hints at what is to come. The Widowmaker (voiced by Ralph Ineson) reveals that the Doloraam High Council kidnapped Terry. This terrifies Tess, confusing Sean and Lisa as to her reaction. She is implied to be non-human.

The third episode was the first time I had laughed during the season. The mother of Philip, a cat-faced creature, embarrasses him. She forces him to apologize for insulting Tess. It is moments like that which make me like the series even better. However, at other points, dramatic elements are more emphasized than the comedic ones.

The fourth episode continues directly from the third. The Afrofuturist themes come to the fore. This season is more Afrofuturist than the first season. The Doloraami royalty are revealed: Emperor Odoman (voiced by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) and Empress Gurira (voiced by Janet Hubert). Odoman towers above Terry, on the coliseum floor, and conducts the trial against him. Terry gets a sleazy public defender named Ja Boluu. Boluu's voice actor, Godfrey, previously voiced Kofi in Steven Universe. Kofi is a stern, and somewhat authoritarian patriarch, of the Pizza family in Beach City, and owner of the family business. While Boluu is different from Kofi, there are other comparisons between Steven Universe and this series.

In both series, the protagonist is on trial. In Steven Universe, Steven is on trial for his mother's crimes (killing a Diamond). He is accused of being his mother because of the pink diamond in his belly. (Blue) Zircon defends him. She finds a flaw in the Diamonds' case. She accuses them of being complicit. As a result, Yellow Diamond poofs her. The trial in My Dad the Bounty Hunter is quite different. Emperor Odoman charges Terry with spacecraft theft, assaulting a royal guard, and abducting Sa Janeera, princess of Doloraam. Also, his public defender has wronged many people.

As it turns out, Tess is Sa Janeera. Terry acts surprised, but likely knew already. Unlike Steven in Steven Universe, who barely escapes the all-powerful Diamonds, Terry goes through tribulations of fire to annul his guilty sentence. The pompous B'Caala (voiced by Keith David), a Prince-like cat man who desires political power, tries to make a deal. He suggests that Terry narc on Tess. He refuses. Terry loves and cares about her. This refusal shows his loyalty to her.

Viewers who watch this series may see similarities to Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which have Afrofuturist themes. However, Africanfuturist animations like Kizazi Moto, or futuristic elements in Supa Team 4 are more apt. Black Panther has been criticized for embodying police habits and tendencies. Some have said it sanitizes "cop behavior and brand it as heroism." In contrast, the main characters in My Dad the Bounty Hunter, like Tess and Terry, are on the run from bounty hunters. They are the furthest thing from cops. This series doesn't have copaganda, even though the Kingdom has a retributive justice system.

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One of the major themes in My Dad the Bounty Hunter is the importance and value of family. Those ties are tested in this season. Lisa is annoyed that Tess is keeping secrets from her. She ignores Sean's warning about not knowing the full story. This comes to a head in the fifth episode. Adja (voiced by Thando Thabethe) claims Tess made the "wrong" choice in leaving Doloraam. Although this is hurtful, it is nothing compared to Beta kidnapping Lisa and Sean. Tess loses it. She is paralyzed, unsure of her next steps. The credits further emphasize this by not having a music track. This encourages audience members to sympathize with Tess.

These themes mesh with Sean and Lisa's connections to their Doloraami roots. Tess also unlocks her long-forgotten Doloraami powers, allowing her to defeat Beta. Interlinking to one's ancestral identity is not unique to this series. For instance, the Kizazi Moto episode/films "Mkhuzi: The Spirit Racer" and "Hatima" emphasize similar themes, as does the lackluster episode/film "First Totem Problems." Similarly, Carmen Sandiego, in the series of the same name, investigates her Argentinian roots in an important sub-theme of that series. In addition, Amphibia and The Ghost and Molly McGee incorporate Thai culture into the storylines, with the protagonists examining their parentage and ancestry.

Like other nations in Black speculative fiction, Doloraam has independence to make its own decisions. Pam detests this. It puts her plan to seize the planet's crystals, known as Kalatite, in jeopardy. Like in the Kizazi Moto episode/film "Herderboy," with herding of cattle to gain crystals, to power their society, the Kalatite crystals are the foundation of their society. They are sacred and have been in hands of the Doloraami people for generations. It makes sense that the Conglomerate would work with B'Caala in hopes that the royal council will agree to the Conglomerate's terms. Even though the council is unaware of B'Caala's treachery, they are rightly skeptical of the Conglomerate. They worry whether they will be kings or if the Conglomerate will have control instead.

The Conglomerate doesn't put all their eggs in one basket. Pam develops a plan which aims to achieve the Conglomerate's goals. There is a huge demonstration of the "good" that can come from warp portals. This does not convince the royal council. As a result, Pam later grumbles that she is tired of being nice. This implies that she will soon show her "true" nature. Her expression changes after learning that Sean, Lisa, and Tess are royalty. She believes that returning them to Doloraam will cause the royal council to vote in favor of the Conglomerate. This is a major miscalculation.

Odoman and Gurira are glad to see Tess, and meet Lisa and Sean. Terry is freed, after Tess confronts her parents about his kidnapping. B'Caala is tossed aside like a used dishrag. Pam says that because she brought back Tess, she doesn't need him. To make matters worse, his tribe no longer recognizes his sovereignty, after he beats up Terry in a fight. His removal from the royal bloodline dashes his attempt to seize political power. B'Caala is further crest-fallen by Tess's marriage to Terry.

Pam cares little about B'Caala. She only wants the deal with the royal council so she can exploit the citizenry, like any imperialist. She does not want to get involved in leadership squabbles. The royal council gives Pam a container with gold bars for her trouble. At the same time, they reject the Conglomerate's proposal. Gurira says that they cannot, "in good conscience," accept it. She argues that the Kalatite crystals are part of the Kingdom, as are the people and their family. The Conglomerate's real plan manifests itself at the end of seventh episode. Their full-scale invasion almost resembles tactics of the Galactic Empire in the Star Wars franchise. The latter wants order and stability, while cracking down on any who disobeys.

The season's last two episodes involve the struggle against the Conglomerate. It is revealed that Doloraam is not defenseless. A shield protecting the city is activated, as are cannons to fire at invaders. An arsenal of weapons is also revealed. During this fight, Lisa connects with the Kalatite. She fights alongside Adja in the city, calming Tess's worries. Blobby and Sean work together to shut down the portal which is providing the Conglomerate with additional forces for their assault. In a scene akin to an Imperial cruiser falling toward Ryloth, in the Star Wars Rebels episode "Homecoming," the portal's closure slices a Conglomerate ship in half. The end is near. Despite this, Pam desperately attempts to finish the plan, at any cost.

The final episode of My Dad the Bounty Hunter wraps up everything, almost too nicely. The robots accelerate their extraction of Kalatite crystals. Pam has not learned the lesson that Elena (in Elena of Avalor) and Lunella Lafeyette in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur made abundantly clear: speeding up the timeline only leads to disaster. Glorlox and his crew gives a helping hand, as does B'Caala. He informs Tess about Pam's location. In a conversation with her, he reveals that he wanted to rule the planet, not see it destroyed. Following this is a great hand-to-hand combat scene between Pam and Tess. She pulls out Pam's neural link, implying that the ship she was piloting the ship remotely, like the robots. Of course, this isn't the end.

Tess fights Pam in a battle in a creepy swamp. The true form of Pam is revealed to be a huge alligator-like monster. Tess barely wins the battle. She is heavily injured, and Terry, Sean, and Lisa save her just in time. The fast-forward that follows is typical of many animations, either films or series. Kipo and the Age of the Wonderbeasts had one in the final episode as did Nimona in the end of that film.

The fruits of their victory are apparent. Tess (wearing boots made from Pam's skin) hangs out with her family, her mother (voiced by Leslie Uggams), her friend Adja, and other compatriots on Earth. Everyone bonds. Lisa agrees to show Adja (who has a crush on Glorlox) around Earth. Blobby works with Sean to turn his story into a movie. There is a good, but untrue, quip from Blobby about how "all the good books" get turned into movies.

The series ends on a slice-of-life note. All of them play football together. However, a cliffhanger post-credits scene, which shows a warp gate activating, and a ship passing through, hints at a possible continuation. However, a lack of continuation for My Dad the Bounty Hunter would not leave fans hankering for more, as they do with High Guardian Spice, which has which raises more questions than answers. While the central conflict in the final episodes ended too quickly, the second season finale is perfect. I'm afraid that having another season would ruin that ending for fans and others alike.

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In my season one review, I noted that the series impressed me. I described the animation and voice actors as top notch, praised the music selection, and noted that many voice actors were well-known. I also compared the series to episodes of Dogs in Space, Cleopatra in Space, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, and contrasted it with more mature themes in Helluva Boss and Invincible. Those insights still ring true. New characters like Blobby bring more humor to the series. Joshua Mosley's score for the series, often including rap or hip-hop music, can make you excited to watch more.

The voice actors of My Dad the Bounty Hunter are a diverse bunch. JeCobi Swain has been in the entertainment industry since at least 2016. He has voiced characters in Eureka! and Firebuds. In contrast, Priah Ferguson, well-known for her role in the 1980s nostalgia trip known as Stranger Things, voiced Bailey in the subpar animated series, Hamster & Gretel. Yvonne Orji has range as evidenced by the fact that she also voices Gigi in Velma.

Laz Alonso has worked in the entertainment industry since early 2000s. His voice role in this series is one of his first voice roles, apart from some characters in Robot Chicken. Patrick Harpin, who is also this show's creator and a storyboard artist, provided his voice to characters in two Hotel Transylvania films. Yvette Nicole Brown has been very prolific in her voice acting. Brown voiced characters in Strange Planet, The Ghost and Molly McGee, Dogs in Space, Fairfax, and many others.

Voice actors Chelsea Peretti, Mara Junot, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Janet Hubert, Keith David, Thando Thabethe, Leslie Uggams, and Ralph Ineson are just as talented as those previously listed. This series also features Venice May Wong (also called Venice Wong) as Halvey, a friend of Sean and Lisa. Apart from her role in this series, Peretti recently voiced Queenie in Adventure Time: Fiona and Cake. Junot voiced Shoola in Arcane. Akinnuoye-Agbaje is known for providing his voice for Bilal in the film Bilal: A New Breed of Hero. David has voiced characters in Firebuds, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, Final Space, DuckTales, and Young Justice. In contrast, this series is one of the first voice roles for Hubert, Thabethe, Uggams, Ineson, and Wong.

The show's cast is stellar, making the characters more relatable. The series is geared toward a Black audience and designed for families. This can draw people in, even those who prefer 2-D animation over 3-D animation. Those who watch it may connect with the messages, social commentary, or other aspects. They may also enjoy the show writing of Harpin, Downing, Justin Gordon-Montgomery, Shakira Pressley, Ryan Harer, or Tomi Adeyemi.

Gordon-Montgomery previously directed episodes of DC Super Hero Girls and storyboarded High Guardian Spice and Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure episodes. Pressley wrote for Craig of the Creek. Harer was a script coordinator for Centaurworld and Middle School Moguls. Adeyemi is a Nigerian-American writer best known for her Legacy of Orïsha trilogy of young adult fantasy novels, which have Afrofuturist themes. All these people comprised the majority-Black writers room for the series.

Overall, the series is fun to watch. It is almost as fun as some Cleopatra of Space episode. In my season one review I said that series was unique and shined. I described it as "not my favorite series ever." In contrast, I enjoyed the second season even more. There are many more series to compare it to now than there was in February. My predictions that the series will explore more about family dynamics and conflicts proved correct, as did the portrayal of a "loving Black family."

However, Lisa did not have a boyfriend or a girlfriend in this season. In fact, neither Lisa nor Sean had romantic connections to anyone else. I think this is purposeful. In fact, Sean cares more about the fate of Beta, and the control she has over her body, than any person, apart from his family and friends. Sadly, the dearth of fan fiction for this series on AO3 or Fanfiction.net makes views of fans on this subject unknown.

As I say with every show that drops on the same day, I would have preferred 1-2 episodes of My Dad the Bounty Hunter air every week. The same "binge" model has been followed for Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, Supa Team 4, Carmen Sandiego, and latest season of Disenchantment. Hopefully, future series will follow the lead of anime and release only one to two episodes per week.

I liked the emphasis on storytelling, as shown through Sean wanting to tell his own tall tales, and trying to be true to himself. The latter has a parallel in Blobby reuniting with his other half in the sixth episode. It echoes how Steven Universe reunited with Pink Steven in the Steven Universe series finale, "Change Your Mind". Watching this season was worth it. I was glad I did so because this season is more Afrofuturist than the first season, as it addresses concerns and themes of the African diaspora through its speculative fiction and technoculture.

I'm glad I remembered that My Dad the Bounty Hunter even had a second season because I only was reminded when reading social media posts from fans about it. Unfortunately, mainstream reviewers seem to have ignored the second season's release. Despite the fact there are reviews out there, an online search indicated that major sites like The A.V. Club, IGN, Los Angeles Times, CBR, and The Hollywood Reporter have not penned reviews for the show's second season. I'm not sure the exact reason, apart from unconscious racism, but it does this show a disservice in many ways.

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At present, the series is on hiatus. Its fate has not been determined. Fans on social media have praised the series as awesome, fun, sweet, beautiful, incredible, and enjoyed the attention to detail. Netflix also deserves criticism for not marketing the series, leaving that job to the fans and creators (and crew). It is a clear insult. On the other hand, the release of this series shows that original stories matter.

My Dad the Bounty Hunter comes out at a time that negotiations to end the strikes of writers and actors are ongoing, with no agreement in sight. Wildbrain's workers have said they are moving to form a union and the animation industry is under strain, with work drying up and studios cutting back on employment. Dwarf Animation Studios is not mentioned on a recently-circulated spreadsheet noting conditions within animation studios. Some reviews on Glassdoor were positive, describing it as having a good company culture. Others noted it can be disorganized or were more critical.

It is not known if Netflix will renew the series for another season. This series comes at an apt time, since many other Black animations are being released nowadays. It is worth checking out, despite Netflix's lack of promotion and mainstream reviewers completely ignoring the second season's release.

My Dad the Bounty Hunter can be streamed on Netflix.

#my dad the bounty hunter #afrofuturism #black animation #black people #sci fi #animation #reviews #high guardian spice #moon girl and devil dinosaur #elena of avalor #reviewers #kizazi moto: generation fire #supa team 4 #africanfuturism #star wars #anti corporations #anti capitalism #Youtube

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bordirthena · 6 months

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{Spoilers-Theory} Old Gods = Elvhen Gods Part 2

Originally posted 2nd June 2022

To start let's recap where we left off in Part 1.

Recap:

There are 7 banished Evanuris and 7 Old Gods.

The ‘Sinner’ took the form that is reserved only for the ‘divine’ (Evanuris) and their chosen. (Speculation; this form is a Dragon / High Dragon.)

All surviving iconography of Mythal depicts her as a dragon or having draconic features.

There is a plausible 8th Old God that was struck from record, according to scholarly debate in in-game canon (Codex entry; Draconis). (Speculation; this is possibly referring to Mythal, as she is the 8th (and last) Evanuris.)

{8 Dragons & The Dread Wolf}

What do I mean when I refer to Mythal as the eighth and last Evanuris?

I’m not convinced that Fen’Harel/Solas was ever considered one of the Evanuris by his contemporaries in ancient elvhenan and we have overwhelming evidence that he is not considered one of the ‘Creators’ by present-day elves. Although, all information that has survived the fall of elvhenan has a pro-creators/evanuris slant due to enduring propaganda, so we’ll have to take it with a pinch of salt and speculate the ‘fact’ from the ‘fiction’.

Solas is revealed to be Fen’Harel in Trespasser, either by revealing himself or unlocking the secret dialogue option by collecting 4 codex entries and calling him out. During the climax of the DLC your Inquisitor is given the opportunity to talk with him and his dialogue offers some insight.

Throughout the entire conversation trees, Solas does not consider himself one of the Evanuris.

There are subtle differences in dialogue whether you are an Elven PC or not, and whether you are romance or not with Solas. I’m using the conversation tree for a romanced female Lavellan. There are handy resources out there, I’ve found the Female Lavellan dialogue tree in image format here and The Genitivi Chronicles has transcribed Trespasser and can be found here.

Inquisitor: The Evanuris were elven mages? How did they come to be remembered as gods? Solas: Slowly. It started with a war. War breeds fear. Fear breeds a desire for simplicity. Good and evil. Right and wrong. Chains of command. After the war ended, generals became respected elders, then kings, and finally gods. The Evanuris.

Inquisitor: You love the Fade. Why would you create the Veil to hide it all away?Solas: Because every alternative was worse.Inquisitor: Meaning?Solas: Had I not created the Veil, the Evanuris would have destroyed the entire world.

Inquisitor: You said that the elven gods went too far. What did they do that made you move against them? Solas: They killed Mythal. (Chuckles.) A crime for which an eternity of torment is the only fitting punishment. Inquisitor: I thought Mythal was one of the Evanuris. Solas: She was the best of them. She cared for her people. She protected them. She was a voice of reason. And in their lust for power, they killed her.

In none of the Evanuris directed dialogue do we hear Solas refer to their kinship, always saying ‘them’ and not ‘us’. This could be a case of disassociation and distancing himself from the Evanuris, and this response could be used in defence of that speculation.

Inquisitor: You banished the false gods—you didn’t kill them? Solas: You met Mythal, did you not? The first of my people do not die so easily. The Evanuris are banished forever, paying the ultimate price for their misdeeds.

“The first of my people do not die so easily.”Is he referring to the Evanuris as his people or the elvhen as a whole? I would speculate that the latter is the most plausible, especially since elvhen in the common tongue would translate as ‘The People’ and that the Evanuris have been revealed (in the prior conversation) to be elven mages.

A possible breakdown; ‘El’ - The/the (definite article) ‘Vhen’ - People

This stance apart from the Evanuris is also found in the Dalish legends. Humorous indeed that the dalish might be correct about this, however is it stemming from evanuris propaganda and/or the prejudices of the survivors of Elvhenan?

From the Codex entry: Fen’Harel: The Dread Wolf

“…In ancient times, only Fen'Harel could walk without fear among both our gods and the Forgotten Ones, for although he is kin to the gods of the People, the Forgotten Ones knew of his cunning ways, and saw him as one of their own. …” “… Our gods saw him as a brother, and they trusted him when he said that they must keep to the heavens while he arranged a truce. …”

That lends to the question of who and what are the Forgotten Ones? But that would be a topic for another day. Part 2 is short and sweet but Pt.3 will delve into the Tevinter Imperium’s Old Gods and how they relate (or not) to the elvhen Evanuris. Til then, take care!

#BDTinFoilTheories #dragon age #Dragon Age Theories #spoiler warning #tevinter old gods #evanuris #elvhenan #Bor-Dirth'ena

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calamitydaze · 2 years

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Ro Ramdin video out ! At the halfway mark and it's. Pretty okay.

alright, i finally watched it! goddamn you guys weren’t lying that was a heavy hitter. tldr below the cut since it was an Hour of pretty dense commentary so even the summary is long, but i very much recommend watching it in full

i liked it a lot! i’ve never watched her content before before but ro is funny as hell and it was a very well put together and engaging video. i really appreciated the balance she struck between being firm and empathetic, and that she took care to separate criticism of dream from criticism of his fanbase. i took some issues with the first half, mainly in the misinformation department (not super important, but quite a few little things that i felt were incorrect/lacking in detail/misrepresented), and i think it was a flaw to so heavily lean on data taken from a survey you had to dm her to get. i don’t blame her for that though, inaccuracies are to be expected when talking about a community she’s not part of and given how quickly she made this video i can understand relying on secondhand accounts instead of really diving in herself

the second half is where it really cuts deep and i found it SO refreshing for someone to actually look into why and how dream’s fandom came to be the way that it is instead of just endless criticism and talking down to them. i especially enjoyed the section where she talked about how insular and reactionary and hard to reach dream stans are, not because they hate everyone else but because everyone hates them. it’s something i’ve thought for over a year and when i saw her put it so eloquently i was like YES!!!! i said before i watched it that i’m pretty self-aware about my parasociality and why i feel the way i do, and i still like to think i’m not super guilty of her main critiques, but even then it honestly left me with a lot to think about and reassess. particularly the point about how stans seek reassurance from each other to get the moral green light to keep being in the community— it both hit me like “oh shit. i do that” and felt a little close to home in some of the asks i’ve been answering. i’m more than happy to continue comforting people and fostering a less hostile (and hopefully more balanced) discussion, but i hope people don’t see me as some sort of moral compass that tells you it’s okay to still watch dream. i’ve tried to be clear that it’s just a discussion and you should come to a personal conclusion that feels moral and comfortable to you AND THIS FEELS VERY SELF-IMPORTANT IM SORRY but i wanted to say it

so yeah! good video, it was sad to see how nervous ro was to upload it but from what i know the response has been positive so i hope she’s doing well. definitely worth a watch, i’d love to have a conversation with her tbh

tldr:

- even though the twitlonger was an off-the-cuff response, the repeated focus on how the allegations are “harmful to real victims” feels insincere and misdirecting

- the “gorgeous as fuck” snapchat is enough for her to deem the situation inappropriate and heavily question whether he’s handling his fanbase in a responsible manner

- survey takers were overwhelmingly neurodivergent and queer (and about 1/2 and 1/4 trans and poc respectively) and that might be a reason why people stay even if the community becomes toxic, because it’s still a safe space in that regard that’s hard to find elsewhere

- she talked about how self-isolated dream fans are in comparison to most fandoms as a result of continuous harassment and ridicule, and how this creates an “us against the world” mentality that makes it even harder to see when potential misdeeds occur

- the thing she most takes issue with about the fandom is the seeming lack of personal values that people hold above all else, aside from basic leftist stances on things like race and war

- when levied against other fans, accusations of racism and sexual harassment are an insta-block but creators get a grace period, because the space they take up in our lives is larger— but the more you sacrifice your personal values to get permission to continue enjoying a thing the easier it gets to keep doing it

#bella answers #anon #dream.situation

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undertsums · 2 years

Text

Stupid faces

youtube

Kana: I just really hate your faces Though I know that won't surprise you But, to me, Techno's taste is way too sweet And Kino's laugh's one big snort And Roman's weird, so in short I despise you all

You disgrace our Creator's mind 'Cause you're all way too happy I would rather be with the tigers and snakes Then you lot in this place And if you were a guy, I would say no

And if the world was perfect, you would be gone without a trace But since the world could never be that great I'll just hate your stupid faces

Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo Doo-doo doo-doo-doo-doo doo-doo-doo-doo-doo

Oh, no No... I just really miss their faces They didn't have to look so happy I'm not really into love that they flaunt In some glittery font But if that's what they want Maybe I should...

I just feel so out of place Well, except for when they're with me When they're gone, I'm like a plant with no root Or a bird that's on mute Don't you dare call me cute! You should fear me!

And if the world was perfect, they would've never invaded my space But since the world's obsessed with saying, "psych!" Now I miss their stupid faces

Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo Doo-doo doo-doo-doo-doo doo-doo-doo-doo-doo

I just really miss your faces Though, by now, I must disgust you I had tried to be the stubbornest wolf 'Cause I knew life was cruel So I guess I was foolish to think you..

But I waited here just in case Though I know I'm being senseless How could I have ever been so naive And lock myself deep inside When I knew it would leave me all alone?

And if the world was perfect, you all would be here in my embrace But since the world denied me once again I'll just miss your stupid faces

Doo-doo-doo-doo

Techno: Awww you missed us?

Kana: What are you doing here?

Roman: Don't run away, accept our love!

Kana: I didn't run away! It was...It was a strategic retreat

Kino: Let's talk Kana

Kana: What is there to talk about? It's over—I ruined it

Techno: You're sorry though right?

Kana: Well, yeah of course I'm sorry, but No, no, don't forgive me! Why do you do that? Why—why give me another chance to mess things up?

Kino, Roman and Techno: We love you

Kana: Because you—what? Those three little words Out of the blue Completely uncalled for Especially from you all Why don't you hate me? Why do you care? Can't you berate me? Isn't that fair? Where is your glares? Don't you dare leave our problems and pain on the shelf! Because if you don't hate me, I can't hate myself

But that's why I need you You shatter my fear 'Cause despite my misdeed, you are still right here Though it's stupid to like me You're willing to try And if you don't hate me, then why should I?

Are you sure you don't want to give up on me?

Kino, Techno and Roman: Yup!

Kana: You're all morons So you think that this could work? Here I thought I'd been the dumb one—what? You're forgiving me for all I did wrong We're singing a song And, again, I belong to someone

No! You can drop the stupid smirks Though by now I guess you've earned that 'Cause no matter how intensely I pout Your stupid faces will win out And I guess it's about time I learned that And though we go together like a tiger, bear and snake At least it's not as dull as fitting like a glove 'Cause you're a nightmare that I've not been thinking of But I suppose that when push comes to shove

Fine! I love your stupid faces

Everyone: Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo Doo-doo doo-doo-doo-doo doo-doo-doo-doo-doo Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo

Kana: Your stupid faces

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bitletsanddrabbles · 3 years

Text

Redemption Arcs: Who Redeemed Whom

Been thinking a bit about redemption arcs lately, for no particular reason, and how people respond the them and I realized something:

The general assumption is that redemption arcs are always for the audience.

There is a character who has done Bad Things (TM) and now they must do Something Good (TM) to make the audience forgive them for their past misdeeds and decide they weren’t so bad after all.

There’s something to this, of course. It is frequently quite common for the goal of a redemption arc to be, on some level, a plea for audience sympathy.

However.

That is not all they can be. Most redemption arcs also have an in-world component where the character being redeemed is redeemed to other characters. They might even be redeemed to themselves - having believe that they were just bad people and revising their opinion of who they are before going out and proving it to everyone else. And here’s the kicker:

A character can be redeemed to themselves and to other characters without being redeemed to the audience.

A very easy example of this, for my Downton peeps, is when Baxter helped Molesley clear Bates’s name. Now, Baxter knew she hadn’t done anything wrong. The audience knew she hadn’t done anything wrong. John and Anna Bates, on the other hand, had their noses all out of joint and needed her to make amends. That was a redemption arc, but the audience had nothing to do with it.

This can make talking about character redemption tricky, because if you simply refer to something you’ve written as ‘a redemption arc’, the audience automatically assumes that the character is being redeemed to them because you, the creator, believe the character is bad and that they must be transformed into something good and that you, the creator, think they, the audience, should agree with them that this character is bad and they must convince you of the transformation to good. In reality, the creator might not have a problem with the character at all, might expect the audience to be on the character’s side, and simply be meaning that the character is redeeming themself in the eyes of the other characters. Or one other character. Or themselves.

An example here is Thomas getting himself beaten bloody at the Thirsk fair. Now, I’m not going to go diving through my scripts for exact quotes and pages this go around, because it’s late, I’m tired, I’ve an early day today, and I still need to study my Spanish. But in the author’s notes, Fellowes says that when he steps in for Jimmy is when Thomas redeems himself. And I know plenty of Thomas fans who would get very huffy about that and start accusing Fellowes of homophobia, heterosexuality, Caucasian heritage, possession of a Y chromosome, and every other nasty thing they could think of.

But is that really what he means? After all, just an episode before that he says he hopes the audience doesn’t want to see Thomas arrested! So let’s stop and look at this, shall we?

To whom is Thomas being redeemed? What are our options here?

The Audience: Despite the cries of the aforementioned Thomas fans, there are plenty of fans who think the whole Jimmy Affair was just Thomas being predatory. In fact, I’ve seen avowed Thomas Fans who say the same thing! I don’t know how you miss the fact that this is the 1920s, being gay will land you in prison, and you can’t just look at the handsome footman and say ‘Hey, Jimmy? I kind of have a crush on you. Do you want to go to the cinema?’ I mean, Fellowes is not quiet about the fact. But apparently these people have. Even if they haven’t, they still expected Thomas to do something other than make little, familiar touches and go ‘Okay, so, will he like this or punch me in the face? ... ... ... Shit. He’s not doing either’ and keep guessing. Of course, we eventually end up at the kiss part which is above and beyond and I don't know anyone who doesn't say that, whether they think Thomas was being a predatory creep or not, but just so we're clear I'm not talking about the kiss. So, yes, to this section of the audience he did, in fact, need redeeming whether anyone else - including Fellowes himself - thought he did or not.

Himself: There might be a bit of that here, but not much, I think. I mean, he knows he goofed. He’s been trying to make up for that for a year. So if anything I think this would be the point where he finally succeeded in redeeming himself in the eyes of someone else. Which brings us to option three...

Other Characters: Does the name ‘James Kent’ ring bells to anyone? Because far more than the audience, or indeed any other character in the series, Jimmy thought Thomas had done something wrong. Jimmy thought he was a Bad Person (TM) who had done Bad Things (TM) and was Just Plain Wrong (TM). And okay, yes, the kiss was a Bad Thing (TM), so the rest is completely justfied because only a Bad Person (TM) who was Just Plain Wrong (TM) would be interested in that sort of thing or would go about handling it like that. JIMMY WAS COMPLETELY JUSTIFIED IN BEING HACKED OFF. He and Thomas had gone from being friends to being enemies and that was the view point that needed correcting. It was to Jimmy that Thomas needed to be redeemed, and he was, by stepping in and getting himself beaten bloody.

Should it have been necessary? From an in-world view point, that’s debatable. Hell, from an audience view point that’s debatable!

Was it necessary? Yes. All else had failed, this was what it took.

Was this, in fact, the point where Thomas redeemed himself? Yes, yes it was. Maybe not with the audience, but the audience (to their utter horror, I’m sure) was not the point. The point was Jimmy and Jimmy considered him redeemed.

#downton abbey #redemption arcs #thomas barrow #jimmy kent #phyllis baxter #john bates #anna bates #how things work #reposting #because the first version wasn't good enough #and didn't pay attention to the really important part #it's as if i was just talking about redemption arcs or something #sheesh

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yandere-daydreams · 4 years

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I was curious what you thought of Icarus (from Greek mythology) as a yandere? If he and his darling are trapped the way he and his dad were in the myth, I could see him being the type to sabotage any escape attempt his darling may be planning. They may be trapped, but at least they're trapped *together*

I’ve always loved a good metaphor for hubris, even if the myth is more about his father’s downfall than his own. Still, I can’t hold that against him, not when he’ll be too busy projecting all that trauma onto his shiny new Darling.

Title: Icarus and The Sun.

TW: Imprisonment, Abandonment, Mentions of Fire/Burn Scars, Sabotage, Idolization, and Possessive Mindsets.

When Icarus was ten, he fell in love with the sun.

It was an odd thing for such a young boy to be fascinated by. He’d grown up in castles and palaces, playing with enchanted swords and the children of gods and contraptions so intricate, he’d often wondered if his father was as human as he claimed to be. Not much had changed when he was sent away for someone else’s crimes, when his father had countless hours to craft lutes that played themselves and friends of stone and marble. He hadn’t meant to get bored, he hadn’t meant to lose interest, but he was afraid Daedalus’ talents were lost, when it came to his son. He’d never been a terribly thankful child.

He missed the world outside their labyrinth, the world beyond their tower. He’d had just enough time to get a taste for freedom, and as the years ticked by, he couldn’t help but long for it. Above it all, he missed the sun. There was a window in the highest point of their tower, a spot where the stones lied in such a way, there was just enough room for a young boy to sit, perched in a crack in the wall, and stare at the sky from sunrise to sunset, watching Apollo’s chariot until his eyes burnt and he could imagine how it’d feel to be in its light. If he tried hard enough, he could forget where he was, where he’d been trapped. Forget the way the chill had permeated his skin, forget the callouses on his fingertips from helping with his father’s experiments, forget that’d he’d probably die - captive and alone - for a genius that hadn’t even been passed down.

He dreamt of it, sometimes. Sprouting a pair of wings and flying away from Crete, flying higher and higher and higher until the oxygen left his lungs and all he could feel was warmth. It troubled him, but confiding in Daedalus was like confiding in one of his creations. He had a way of hearing but never listening, taking in and spitting out just as quickly. Hearing the useful information, hearing what he wanted to, and providing a solution, consequences be damned. But, the all blame didn’t lie on his father.

When the method of their escape was revealed, he should’ve known better than to test the Fates. He was older, by then, a teenager. A young man who should’ve been smarter.

But, he hadn’t been, and…

Well, everyone knows how that story ends.

In all honesty, he was a little disappointed. Even washed up on some rocky, bleached shore, his skin blistered and every part of his body aching, the tide was cold enough to leach the heat from his soul, as sharp and unforgiving as any maze could ever be. He thought he would die there. Not of flame, not of water, but of exhaustion, of a hypothermia he couldn’t cure with a wayward star so far out of his reach. But, you were much too kind to give him such a peaceful ending. Too much of a guardian.

His guardian. His savior. The helpful hand that dragged him off of that beach and bandaged his wounds, that made him feel warm for the first time in years.

His Sun.

Your prison was more spacious than his, but it was a prison all the same. An island, too small and too isolated to ever hope to encounter a rouge visitor. There was fruit and fresh water, but you were alone, abandoned by a hero who couldn’t end his tale without an act of tragedy. You’d blushed as you told him, ran your fingers through your hair and taken your leave shortly after, as if it’d been your fault you’d been left for dead. As if you were the one to blame for someone else’s selfish deed.

As if your downfall was deserved, rather than a misdeed forced upon you for someone else’s mistakes.

For months, you tended to his wounds, helping him to walk, to eat, and talking to him all the while. He wasn’t very good company, unused to companions whose lips could move at all, let alone so quickly, but he made sure to nod and smile as you showed him the grooves, the springs you knew like the back of your hands after so long, the flow of the currents that made it impossible to come near your home without a proper ship. He loved it - the way your eyes lit up whenever you talked about your progress, your next plan, how if you just had one more nail, one more canvas, one more good day, you’d be able to sail away from your isolation with him in-tow, to Crete or Athens or any other city that would take you in. Icarus didn’t think he’d receive a warm welcome, but he couldn’t bring him to tell you that. He didn’t want to ruin your fun, see you fade into the lifeless creator his father had become.

Grow as dull and as cold as he used to be, before you.

He watched on and helped you mend lengths of worn cloth into sails, gave up the little knowledge he’d taken in, spent his days carving wooden planks from branches and rutters from trunks, if only to see how your smile grew whenever he laid his meager offerings at your feet. He healed slowly, confined to the shade more often than not, but you never complained, never bemoaned his limitations. You were too caught up in your freedom to care if he weighed you down, too distracted to notice how slowly he moved whenever you dragged him to the edge of the water, how his grin was always a little more forced when you took another step towards your inevitable flight. If you felt how tightly he held you at night, how hesitant he was to let go in the morning, you didn’t seem to care about his attachment.

You didn’t seem to care about him. He was a placeholder, a momentary necessity, a cloud so tiny and so distant, it’d only stand out in the clearest of skies. You didn’t say it, but you didn’t hide it, either. Why would you?

The Sun would never bother to explain itself. He should just be grateful he got to bask your rays for this long.

You didn’t wake when he slipped away from you, that night. You never opened your eyes, not as he fanned the embers of a long-forgotten fire back to life, nor as he dragged himself over your island, down to the bay where you kept your make-shift raft. He was insignificant, he was unremarkable, but all it took was a spark and a dip of his torch to set your creation ablaze, lingering at the scene of his sin just long enough to take in the warmth of the fire, the satisfaction that accompanied setting it.

The relief that came with turning your only escape into a blackened, charred pile of ash and soot, just as he should’ve done with his father’s accursed wings all those years ago.

When Icarus was nineteen, he fell in love with the Sun once again.

And this time, he wasn’t letting it get away.

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siennadraws · 3 years

Text

Guess who finally rewrote the Trespasser dialogue tree to match my retcons + Terys and her relationship with Solas?

The writings they refer to are from Terys' personal quest. They're roughly translated (because I hc that ancient elvhen uses the same writing system but writes things a tad differently) by Solas and talk about some ancient elven leaders who used the names of the Creators to commit unspeakable crimes, they were the Evanuris.

Under the cut because the dialogue is looong

T: Solas. [Anchor flares] (Cries out in pain.)

S: [subdues the Anchor temporarily] That should give us more time. I suspect you have questions.

T: Between the Qunari and the information I found back there, most questions were answered. They say you're Fen'Harel, the Dread Wolf. And the Creators were slavers of their own kin, our kin.

S: Do you recall the writings Fennas found? The Evanuris only posed as the Creators, they took their names, so did I. I was Solas first. Fen'harel came later... An insult I took as a badge of pride. The Dread Wolf inspired hope in my friends and fear in my enemies... Not unlike "Herald of Andraste", I suppose. You also know the burden of a title that all but replaces your name.

T: Are you a fragment of what Solas once was, like Asha'Bellanar?

S: No, this is all I have ever been.

T: What happened exactly?

S: I sought to set my people free from slavery to would-be-gods. I broke the chains of all who wished to join me. The Evanuris called me Fen'Harel, and when they finally went too far, I formed the Veil and banished them forever. Thus I saved the elvhen people and, in so doing, destroyed their world.

T: How did creating the Veil destroy the world?

S: You saw the remains of Vir Dirthara. The library was intrinsically tied to the Beyond, and the Veil destroyed it. There were countless other marvels, all dependant on the presence of the Beyond, all destroyed. Your legends are half-right. We were immortal. It was not the arrival of humans that caused us to begin aging. It was me. The Veil took everything from the elves, even themselves.

T: You love the Beyond. Why would you create the Veil to hide it all away?

S: Because every alternative was worse.

T: Meaning?

S: Had I not created the Veil, the Evanuris would have destroyed the entire world.

T: You banished the false gods- you didn't kill them?

S: You met Mythal, did you not? The first of my people do not die so easily. The Evanuris are banished forever, paying the ultimate price for their misdeeds.

T: The Evanuris were elven mages? How did they come to be remembered as gods?

S: Slowly. It started with a war. War breeds fear. Fear breeds a desire for simplicity. Good and evil. Right and wrong. Holy and unholy. A higher meaning for bloodshed. After the war ended, generals saw themselves in the statues of the Creators, at first they were prophets, then kin, then they finally replaced our gods. The Creators were now shadowed by the Evanuris.

T: You said the Evanuris went too far. What made you move against them?

S: They killed Mythal. (Chuckles) A crime for which an eternity of torment is the only fitting punishment.

T: But she was an Evanuris. How was she so different?

S: She was the best of them. She cared for her people. She protected them. She was the voice of reason. And in their lust for power, they killed her.

T: That's the past. What about the future?

S:I lay in dark in dreaming sleep while countless wars and ages passed. I woke still weak a year before I joined you. My people fell for what I did to strike the Evanuris down, but still, some hope remains for restoration. I will save my people, even if it means this world must die.

T: Why does this world have to die for yours to return?

S: A good question, but not one I will answer. You have always shown a thoughtfulness I respected. It would be too easy to tell you too much. I am not Corypheus. I take no joy in this. But the return of my people means the end of yours.

It is my fight. You should be more concerned about the Inquisition. Your Inquisition. In stopping the Dragon's Breath, you have prevented an invasion by Qunari forces. With luck, they will return their focus to Tevinter. That should give you a few years of relative peace.

T: Why should I be concerned?

S: You created a powerful organization, and now it suffers the inevitable fate of such. Betrayal and corruption.

T: I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.

S: I suppose so too.

T: Why bother disrupting the Qunari plot, if you're going to destroy this world regardless? They would've bought you time.

S: You have shown me that there is value in this world, Terys. I take no joy in what I must do. Until that day comes, I will see those recovering from the Breach free. I am not a monster. If they must die, I would rather they die in comfort. In any event, it is done.

T: Coming back to betrayal and corruption, the Viddasala said the Inquisition was working for agents of Fen'Harel. You or your spies?

S: No, I gave no orders.

T: You led us to Skyhold.

S: Corypheus should have died unlocking my orb. When he survived, my plans were thrown into chaos. When you survived, I saw the Inquisition as the best hope this world had in stopping him. And you needed a home. Hence, Skyhold.

T: I'd comment on you being worried about this world, but I'll spare you the teasing. You did want the orb. Your foci, that you gave to Corypheus.

S: Not directly. My agents allowed the Venatori to locate it. The orb had built up magical energy while I lay unconscious for millennia. I was not powerful enough to open it. The plan was for Corypheus to unlock it, and for the resulting explosion to kill him. Then I would claim the orb. I did not foresee a Tevinter magister having learned the secret of effective immortality.

T: Right. And what would've happen if he had died that soon and you had recovered the foci?

S: I would have entered the Beyond using the mark you now bear. Then I would have torn down the Veil. As this world burned in the raw chaos, I would have restored the world of my time... The world of the elves.

T: I never thought of you as someone who could do that, Solas.

S: Thank you.

You must understand. I awoke in a world where the Veil had blocked most people's conscious connection to the Beyond. It was like walking through a world of Tranquil.

T: Even if we are as you say, when I see a Tranquil I don't think death is the solution. We're people, can't you see that?

S: Not at first. You showed me that I was wrong... again. That does not make what must come next any easier.

T: Maybe your problem is lack of reflection then, Solas.

Well, you did help us. Regardless of the motive, I appreciate it, we wouldn't have done it without you.

S: Your doubts are misplaced. Everything you accomplished, you earned.

T: You control the eluvians now?

S: Yes, Briala controlled part of the labyrinth for a time. One of my agents was supposed to take it from her, but he did not succeed. I had to override the magic personally. The Qunari stumbled across this section independently. With them gone, the eluvians are now mine.

T: You did it when we went to the Winter Palace right? I thought you were cheery because we were going to watch Celene die.

S: Two victories in one night.

T: There's still the matter of the anchor. It's getting worse.

S: Yes. I'm sorry. And we are almost out of time.

T: [Anchor flares up again] (Cries out in pain.)

S: The mark will eventually kill you. Drawing you here gave me the chance to save you... at least for now.

T: You don't have to destroy this world. I'll prove it to you.

S: I would treasure the chance to be wrong once again, my friend.

Take my hand. I'm sorry, lethallan.

Live well, while time remains.

#dragon age inquisition #solas #terys lavellan #siennatalks #elvhen bffs are going thru it

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jebazzled · 4 years

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They can’t ALL be serial killers: keeping your villains funky fresh

Ah, villains. Spicy assholes. Tricky buggers.

Villains can be very intimidating to write: writing requires you to put yourself in the shoes of another person, which is one thing to do with a decent person. But when you are putting yourselves in the shoes of a bad one - whether it be someone who is simply not very likeable or someone who functions in an antagonistic capacity to a story or rp universe’s hero - well, it can be uncomfortable.

I didn’t start writing villains until well into my rp career, and I can’t think of a single character I wrote in my undergraduate creative writing degree who was an asshole. I now write a small handful of them - and like most things, I don’t think writing a villain is quite as scary as we sometimes build it up to be in our minds!

That said, writing a villain is an exercise in nuance, and this is something that is often missing from antagonistic characters. In this tutorial, we’ll talk about what makes a villain, and what makes a villain a well-rounded character.

Triggers, mentioned largely in passing as examples: criminal activity, murder, assault, child abuse, car accident, drunk driving, animal abuse

What makes a villain?

Generally, when we talk about villains, it’s in the context of a narrative, some sort of overall plot theme where there is Good and there is Evil. Think: Death Eaters, the Dark Side, the Horde, the Daleks, the Orcs, etc, etc etc. For the purposes of this tutorial, I’m talking about characters who serve in that antagonistic role, but everything can also be applied to characters who are just shitty people without a part to play in any larger scheme.

In a plot context, per Oxford Languages, a villain is “a character whose evil actions or motives are important to the plot.” To be important to the plot, you do have to post, and if that’s something you’re struggling with, you might want to check out my Writer’s Block TED Talk ;)

A villain can have any number of reasons for being Like That: perhaps they were raised with a particular worldview, or were targeted by a negative influence at an impressionable and vulnerable stage, or genuinely believe they are doing the right and good thing. Maybe they’re just an asshole. In-character, your character likely doesn’t identify as a villain (because everyone is the hero of their own story) and in-character, your character might have friends, allies, and others with varying knowledge of your character’s misdeeds.

However, out-of-character, you and other writers should recognize that your character is a shitty person. Writing one-dimensional, universally terrible assholes isn’t much fun, though. Which is where nuance comes in.

Give your character other traits than “evil.”

Unless your character is THE Big Bad - the Voldemort, the Sauron, the Hordak Prime - there is no reason for them to be Ultimate Evil, and writing them as an endless wash of evil will be boring for you to write and boring for other people to read. Your character should be something other than naughty.

Using my own handful of villains/bad guys as examples, since obviously I take my own advice, and with apologies that 99% of my rp writing is in the HP verse:

Claude is a Death Eater as well as second-in-command of the magical mafia. He’s an expert blackmailer, has no qualms with murder, and can get pretty gruesome about it if he’s pressed to make a point. He also doesn’t drink, is a devoted father (has framed finger paintings in his study! drinks the pink lemonade his daughters love in crystal rocks glasses!), uses weird slang (”beat it, bozo!”) and takes the family spaniel on daily walks through Kensington Gardens.

Cleo is a Death Eater and a lifelong bully, prone to theft, physical abuse, and with a knack for the Cruciatus Curse. She’s also deeply insecure, with an unshakeable need to be seen as useful; she’s competitive, and she’s horny enough to drop her purist pretense if a Muggle girl is what’s easiest to get her rocks off.

Sadie is a squib spying on Order-organized safehouses for the Death Eaters. She’s also intensely curious and ambitious, determined and self-directed, and if she doesn’t understand emotions, it certainly doesn’t stop her from understanding how to manipulate them to maintain the illusion that she is not a threat.

All three of these character concepts are more compelling than:

Veronica is rude, hates people, is outwardly mean to everyone she meets, uses cultural slurs on the regular.

We get it! Veronica is a shitty person! What else is she? In real life, shitty people typically do find camaraderie somewhere, somehow. Maybe Richie is a total asshole but has made a lot of money from his hedge fund, and he is generous enough with his yacht, ski condo, and jet that he has an entourage he thinks are genuinely his friends. Maybe Kaiytlynn is selfish and entitled, but her access to the entire royal family of Spain keeps her gainfully employed, and she’s genuinely good with her bedazzled bra business. Maybe Claudia is a giant racist, and she’s also YouTube’s most popular craft video creator.

In real life, maybe there are some shitty people who exhibit fully antisocial behaviors and are rewarded for it. But this is fiction writing, and moreover, it is collaborative fiction writing, and Veronica is not a character who is fun or enjoyable to plot with. Antagonistic plots can have more trouble finding their footing than strictly romantic ones - but they can be fun and rewarding, provided that the antagonist is a compelling one.

Let your character be something other than “evil.”

Give your character a cover.

More specifically than a trait other than “evil,” give your character a cover. By this I mean: give your character an angle that obscures their true colors, something that lures people - good people and bad people - into a sense of safety.

Give your character something that keeps other characters from taking one quick look at yours and immediately clocking them as a bad guy.

In real life, it often takes time to realize toxic people are toxic. In real life, people enjoy circumstances that make people less likely to view them as toxic - just look at the number of people who think Jeff Bezos’s obscene wealth is a marker of his merit as a human being.

If your character commits a murder a week, is actively abusive to everyone they meet, and has no relationships with any other characters who might vouch for them - idk, man, I think your character is going to get caught! If your character is a quiet and unobtrusive owner of a vintage boutique, however? Well, they certainly don’t scream “IT’S ME! I’M BAD TO THE MOTHERFUCKING BONE!”

In the case of my bad guys:

Claude is a doting husband and father, notably not ascribing to purist tendencies that discourage women from work outside the home. He does legitimate work in real estate and investments, in addition to his shady dealings, to have a legally-sound paper trail should he ever be investigated. His family money funds an entire wing at St. Mungo’s Hospital, and he contributes to political campaigns for centrist politicians. He presents as a harmless goofball. He killed a man well before he turned seventeen. He almost went to Azkaban before graduating from Hogwarts. (”Oh, but he’s on the straight and narrow now!”)

Claude’s cover is that he masquerades as a genuinely good person, and a nice person. When people think about his old-money Sacred 28 family and what that might mean for Claude’s political activity, they also think about how he is a Gryffindor - not known for churning out Death Eaters - and they think about how he doesn’t seem intense enough to be a Death Eater. They don’t suspect enough to have much to go on.

Cleo works as an Auror, and she’s genuinely good at her job - if only because she manipulates cases away from incriminating Death Eaters and their allies and occasionally Imperiuses a contact or two from her days as a Knockturn Alley bouncer to frame them for a crime. She doesn’t use slurs like “mudblood” at the office and doesn’t talk about blood status there, either. She doesn’t pretend to be nice, and her honesty there makes it easier to believe she’s not pretending when she does her job. It helps, too, that she is not Marked.

Cleo’s cover is that while she seems like an asshole and is an asshole, she works in the agency tasked with eliminating Dark wizards and she’s good at her job, as far as anyone can tell. She is an asshole, but there isn’t reason to suspect she is an asshole who is part of the Death Eaters, and it is not illegal to be a dick.

Sadie goes out of her way to be friendly to every new safehouse occupant, acting as a guide to newbies about how to live in the shadows. She performs the role of caretaker, therapist, and confidant, carefully doling out the reveal that she is a squib for sympathetic effect.

Sadie’s cover is that she manipulates other people into viewing her as too weak to be any kind of threat, and she intentionally manipulates people into relying on her for support and guidance.

If your character is not experiencing social repercussions for being an asshole, they need to have a cover. If they are being an outright asshole, this should negatively impact them somehow.

An outright asshole might be stuck in a dead-end job because no one wants to promote someone who’s not a team player. An outright asshole might be super lonely without the self-awareness to realize that their garbage personality is the reason for their romantic troubles. An outright asshole might not be able to talk their way out of a problem.

If your character is an outright asshole and experience no repercussions whatsoever, they’re probably a bit OP.

Give your character a motive.

Now the big question: why is your character Like That? Like, for real. It’s so easy not to be a dick. Why are they a dick? What’s in it for them?

Yes, some characters might be an asshole because they think it’s fun and they like to watch other people suffer. But if all your characters are like that - isn’t that kind of boring?

If all your characters are like that - are you actually writing distinct, well-developed characters, or are you just spitting out the same edgelord with different faces?

Some of your character’s reason for being a dick can be because they think it’s fun. It can’t be the entire reason. It especially can’t be the entire reason all the time.

Of course you can come up with a big tragic reason why a character is an asshole - but it truly doesn’t have to be that deep. (Tips on tragic backstories here.)

Of my baddies:

Claude is a purist because someone has to be a lesser class, and it’s sure as shit not going to be him! Claude is a Death Eater because his father saw a business opportunity - both direct work (e.g. the DE contracting Claude and his goons out for a hit, trafficking dark goods, doing deals with purist groups in other magical organized crime outfits across Europe) and indirect work (e.g. having stronger appeal to some of the most influential wizarding families.) He doesn’t love being branded with the Dark Mark (HE is the master of his fate, goddammit!) but hey, it’s a living.

This is a motive centered around financial gain and expediency. Claude is shitty to value money over human life, and he has no qualms about violence - but the motive is not “fun.”

Cleo is a Death Eater because, as a girl from a pureblood family of no importance, she recognizes that many of the people in the Death Eaters are important and influential, and she wants that kind of power. Additionally, she does get a kick out of violence, but she’s a weapon more than she is a fighter: she’s a tool who needs someone to wield her, to give instructions, to give her purpose. The Death Eaters offer both.

This is a motive centered around status and around order - Cleo being a person who needs order externally forced upon her.

Sadie is working for the Death Eaters because she believes they will win the First Wizarding War, and she wants to secure a place in their new order - ideally something more than she had previously as a squib. She figures if the good guys are really good they’ll forgive her for keeping herself alive - but that the bad guys won’t forgive disloyalty. Also, her boss in the Death Eaters indulges her research in the Dark Arts, which is fun.

This is a motive centered around security and self-satisfaction. It’s very selfish and cold, but it’s not, like, Sid from Toy Story.

Why is your character Like That? What do they get out of Being Bad? What do they like about it? What purpose does it serve for them?

If you can’t think of a reason your character would be a Bad Guy beyond that you want to write a Bad Guy, you should probably rework the character. It’s tricky to write someone who really should just be a Good Guy as a Bad Guy because, depending on your site’s setting, you might end up being a Bad Guy Apologist, leaning into the positive qualities of your character without writing them as an actual villain/antagonist/baddie - and remember, Death Eaters are shitty people! Antagonists antagonize! They should be complex, but you should never lose sight of an abusive class being abusive!

And finally,

They can’t all be serial killers.

It’s tempting, since we’re writing fiction here and we all love drama, to reach straight for a Big Evil when we’re writing a baddie. They murdered ___! Egads!

If all of your baddies murdered their spouse/parent/sibling, again I ask you: are you actually writing distinct, well-developed characters, or are you just spitting out the same edgelord with different faces?

(If all your baddies specifically murdered a woman, might I ask you to examine this choice? Misogynistic violence is not a shortcut to character development.)

Cast of characters aside - what is it your character does that makes them evil? It is worth noting that bad behavior exists on a spectrum, and to jump to the far end of that spectrum without building the character up to it is often jarring and confusing. There are many, many things your character can do that might contribute to their Bad IdentityTM without killing anyone!

Baby Bads: No one gets hurt in a serious way, but the character is unpleasant. Think: a schoolteacher might not let you go to recess. You might get detention. Examples:

petty theft

general assholery

bullying

lying, small & large scale

general unkindness

minor manipulation for personal gain

Middling Misdeeds: These might cause some harm - physically, emotionally, or otherwise - but there’s some room for smart-talking or otherwise evading major consequences. Think: suspension. Examples:

larger theft and other money-related naughties: money laundering, ponzi schemes, etc

physical assault/battery

blackmail

bribery

large-scale manipulation for personal gain or for fun

hate speech (to be clear, I, JB, think this is way more than middling, but in art as in life, a lot of characters are going to do it and get away with it.)

Terrible Transgressions: The far end of the spectrum of antagonistic behavior. If your character is doing this shit, it shouldn’t be coming out of the blue. If your character is doing this shit, there’s got to be a character-driven reason beyond “flavor.” These are things that would get you expelled and moved into criminal court. A lot of things that are viewed as standard topics requiring a trigger warning fit into this category.

murder

sexual assault

torture

child abuse

It’s easy in rp, where there are often way more criminal types in a character population than we hope exist IRL, to forget that murder is.... like.... it’s a BIG DEAL. It’s not something everyone has done. And thank dog, right?

If you’re attached to your character being someone’s cause of death, for specific character-driven reasons, you might think about alternatives. For example, if you hope to convey that Brandon Baddie is a callous asshole, instead of having him kill his roommate over a household chores dispute, you might have him drive drunk, hit a pedestrian, get out of the car, see the body, and drive away. If you hope to convey that Sandy Sadist is cruel, you might have her threaten her sister’s dog, but not actually hurt it, enjoying the fear of the sister and of the dog more than she would enjoy actually hurting either. If you hope to communicate that Ruthie Reckless is thoughtless, you might have her driving 100 mph speeding to the edge of a cliff while her father sobs in the passenger seat, stopping just inches from the edge.

There are so many ways to make a point. If you’re going to kill someone to make a point, do it sparingly, and with very deliberate purpose.

Whether you’re starting your first villain or hoping to hone your villainous sword, I hope you found this tut helpful! Best of luck, and happy writing!

#rp guides #resources #rp writing #writing resources #applications #character development

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hd-wireless · 4 years

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🎶 H/D WIRELESS FEST - REVEALS 🎶

At last, the day you’ve been waiting for! It’s the REVEALS!

Come check out the talented people who created your favourite Wireless fics and artworks!

Massive thanks once again to all the 54 creators of our 64 works (yes some people created multiple works! Special mention to cloudlesslysky who wrote FIVE fics!). And thanks also to all the readers, betas and supporters of H/D Wireless! It’s been a bumper year!

Without further ado...

🎶 H/D Wireless Art 🎶

📻 Stuck on the Bridge Between Us (G) by pygmy_puffy @pygmy-puffy

🎵 Song prompt: Talk Me Down by Troye Sivan

🎵 Summary: finding the courage within themselves to be vulnerable, so they can stop hurting the other and start loving each other as they so deeply want and need to

📻 So Let's Dance, Take a Chance, Understand Me (T) by Dazed_and_Inked @dazedandinked

🎵 Song prompt: T.Rex, Get It On

🎵 Summary: The War is over and everything has changed.

After a few of years of travelling around the world, Harry decided to move to Muggle London, looking for peace and a place where the scar on his forehead doesn’t have a meaning. His new flat is in a perfectly normal neighbourhood close to the centre, quiet during the day but full of students at night.

He really likes the small bar down the road, a place that serves cheap, awful drinks and plays good old classics. It’s always crammed with people talking, laughing or dancing along with the riff of electric guitars.

From the first time he crossed the threshold, Harry thought it was perfect, the right mix of noise and warmth to be alone without feeling alone. Just what he needed.

He couldn’t imagine that someone else was there for the very same reason, looking for a place where the Dark Mark was only a tattoo.

Blame it on the alcohol, on the music or whatever you want, but when Harry’s eyes landed on Draco’s slim figure, swaying on the dancefloor, something warm and inexplicable possessed him.

📻 The Pass (T) by julchen_in_red @julcheninred

🎵 Song prompt: The Pass, by Rush

🎵 Summary: Draco, lost in darkness, seeks a guiding light.

📻 If you knew… (T) by gnarf @gnarf

🎵 Song prompt: Young Folks from Peter Bjorn and John

🎵 Summary: The war had left scars on all of them. Some were obvious. Some only if they looked closely. But the worst ones were those they couldn't see. Those that were hidden inside.

📻 an ode to the boy i love (G) by nettleforest @nettleforest

🎵 Song prompt: Animal - Troye Sivan

🎵 Summary: an evocation of vulnerability, trust and tenderness

📻 Home Sweet Home (G) by gnarf @gnarf

🎵Song prompt: Radioactive - Imagine Dragons

🎵 Summary: In the middle of a Zombie apocalypse Harry made it his main goal to find a safe home for Draco and himself.

📻 Turn back time (T) bt erlasart @erlasart

🎵 Song prompt: If I Could Turn Back Time - Cher

🎵 Summary: Draco's had a rough few years, if that's what you call falling in with a bad lot, attempted murder and a close brush with death. Now facing the weight of his misdeeds, Draco tries to pinpoint when it all went wrong.

📻 Time to Get Out (T) by SoldSeperately @secretartlair

🎵 Song prompt: My House - PVRIS

🎵 Summary: A few years post-war, Pansy convinces Draco to go on a night out at a muggle club. They run into some familiar faces.

🎶 H/D Wireless Art and Fic 🎶

📻 A Different Kind of Meaning (E, 17k) by p103 @p103 (art by Zigster)

🎵 Song prompt: Outnumbered - Dermot Kennedy

🎵 Summary: The ceiling doesn't hold any answers, but there are cobwebs scattered across the corners with shadows tangled in their threads. The rug against his back is rough and scratchy, threadbare and devoid of colours other than various shades of brown. Harry takes it all in, absorbs the dingy and depressed state of his home. There's a pointed moment of decision, a note about to be played, a silence about to end, and then he rolls to his feet and sets to cleaning.

It's the first constructive thing he's done in years.

📻 Keep Holding On (M, 33k) by gnarf @gnarf (fic) and MaesterChill @maesterchill (art)

🎵 Song prompt: Welshly Arms - Sanctuary

🎵 Summary: After the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry and Draco both fall into their own battles with their mental states. Draco is sent to Azkaban, and Harry turns to drinking, hoping to forget.

Months later, Harry visits St Mungo’s new ward on request of a friend, only to find Draco in a deep vegetative state.

Not willing to give him up, Harry stays by his side, while simultaneously dealing with the Ministry's newest grand idea to make everything worse.

Making new alleys, and losing old ones on the way, would hopefully be worth it in the end.

📻 Fic : Modern Love (E, 61k) by tackytiger @tackytigerfic

📻 Art : Our Love Song (G) by chachisoo @creeeee

🎵 Song prompt: Modern Love by David Bowie

🎵 Fic summary: Harry Potter, of all people, knows that life isn’t always fair. And no one gets to be happy all of the time. But surely there’s something more—something better—than a rubbish Ministry job, and a lonely old house, and that feeling that everyone out there is doing a better job of living than Harry is.

And it really doesn’t seem fair that Draco Malfoy is back in Harry’s life, all of a sudden, and even though he’s wandless, and living with Muggles, and making his mother cry with his lifestyle choices, he’s happy. So what's he doing right, that Harry isn’t?

Because things don’t really change, do they? And if Harry can’t be happy, he’ll settle for a good night’s sleep, some posh antiques, and the opportunity to find out what Malfoy has been up to for all these years.

And that’s what starts it all.

🎵 Art summary: Harry and Draco enjoying a Sunday morning bus ride in London.

📻 For the Thousandth Time (T, 14k) by bluefay @thesleepiesthufflepuff (fic) and mehroomiyat (art)

🎵 Song Prompt: Lucky by Aurora

🎵 Summary: When Draco's wand refuses to work after the war, he turns to Harry for help.

📻 Fic : Returning Tides (E, 24.5k) by Zigster @zigster-ao3

📻 Art : Love Will Tear Us Apart (G) by Zigster @zigster-ao3

🎵 Song prompt: Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division

🎵 Fic summary:

Is my timing that flawed? Our respect run so dry? Yet there's still this appeal That we've kept through our lives

🎵 Art summary: Art piece to accompany the fic ‘Returning Tides’, based on the song claim, 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' by Joy Division ***** Harry's brooding while straddling a motorbike. Need I say more?

📻 That Sweet Sweet Craving (E, 33.2k) by TheUltimateUndesirable @ultimateundesirable

🎵 Song prompt: Bleeding Out by Imagine Dragons

🎵 Summary: Harry is miserable living a lie because he thinks being a gay role model is wrong. Fake dates raising money for a charity that ends up putting him in a situation he had never expected. Draco Malfoy appears back in his life by some odd chance trying to flip his world upside down and he isn't sure it's a good thing. Malfoy always worked that way to him. Mental health issues, sex, escaping, and that sweet sweet craving of happiness.

🎶 H/D Wireless Fic 🎶

📻 Follow the Water (T, 38.2k) by xanthippe74 @xanthippe74

🎵 Song prompt: “Follow the Water” by Calexico/Iron & Wine

🎵 Summary: Harry Potter’s life is fine. Maybe a little dull and predictable, but he shouldn’t complain about that, right? When he unexpectedly finds himself at Luna’s house one afternoon, Harry gets invited to join the secret wonderland that she’s creating with a surprising group of friends. Maybe a summer outdoors is just what a former hero needs to bring some zest back into his life.

📻 Life goes not backward (T, 8.8k) by shealwaysreads @shealwaysreads

🎵 Song prompt: Daughter by Loudon Wainwright

🎵 Summary: Harry still isn’t used to gifts, but this one is different.

A story of coming home, finding safe ground, and the wild courage of putting down roots.

Leaving one life behind isn’t always a sacrifice, and sometimes the greatest good comes from embracing the people you love.

📻 The Way We Used To Love (E, 5.3k) by Zzzara @big-draco-energy

🎵 Song prompt: 'Used to Love' by Martin Garrix & Dean Lewis

🎵 Summary: Is there hope when what is not enough for the one happens to be too much for the other?

📻 but if you close your eyes (T, 3.3k) by cloudlesslysky @cloudlesslysky

🎵 Song prompt: Pompeii by Bastille

🎵 Summary: The New Magic Order is trying to take over Wizarding Britain. They're not the Death Eaters, but they're not any better either.

The lines of alliance have shifted, but Harry is still on the front lines working tirelessly to stop them.

📻 Haunt the corner of my eye (T, 23k) by harryromper @harryromper

🎵 Song prompt: Echoes of You - Marianas Trench

🎵 Summary: Harry’s life is very much on track. After a successful career as an Auror, he’s set to become the youngest ever Minister for Magic. But strange things are starting to happen at Grimmauld Place. Items he doesn’t recognise are appearing left and right, and somehow he never feels quite alone. There’s only one thing Harry knows for sure: it has something to do with Draco Malfoy.

📻 Now that the spring is in the air (T, 5.7k) by cloudlesslysky @cloudlesslysky

🎵 Song prompt: Seasons in the Sun by Westlife

🎵 Summary: A surprise attack in Diagon Alley leaves Draco struggling to make peace with the fact that he won't live long enough to experience his own wedding.

📻 Seven Days to Monday (M, 11.7k) by static_abyss @static_abyss

🎵 Song prompt: Say Something - A Great Big World

🎵 Summary: There are seven days before Harry has to meet Draco for the final signing of their divorce papers. It's been months and the surprise at finding nothing but more cold sheets and an empty pillow next to him still catches Harry unaware. He doesn't know where they go from here. Whether it's possible to go anywhere after everything that's happened between them.

📻 Blond Brew (E, 30.4k) by MicheleBlack @micheleblack

🎵 Song prompt: “Blondes” by Waterparks

🎵 Summary: A blond roast with soy milk makes Draco's morning, but a pair of green eyes makes his week.

📻 A Series of Nonsensical Events (T, 12.8k) by CoffeeCurse @coffee-curse

🎵 Song prompt: My Gospel by Charlie Puth

🎵 Summary: Malfoy is up to something. When Harry and the other Aurors are called into a Gringotts break-in and find him the culprit, Harry’s at a total loss.

But things only get weirder from then on.

📻 Ignore the Truth (E, 2.6k) by static_abyss @static_abyss

🎵 Song prompt: Dangerously - Charlie Puth

🎵 Summary: "Longtime on-again-off-again lovers Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy were caught in a compromising position in one the Ministry's lifts yesterday evening. While fans of the couple are optimistic, there's still doubt as to whether or not this particular reconciliation will last. When asked directly about the nature of his relationship with Draco Malfoy, the Boy Who Lived had simply this to say, 'Fuck right off, we're busy.'"

- The Daily Prophet, "Love Is In The Air," 28th Oct. 2005.

📻 Your Daddy Knows (You're A Flame) (E, 27.8k) by Ladderofyears @ladderofyears

🎵 Song prompt: Babyfather by Sade (2010)

🎵 Summary: It's just over a week until Draco's twenty-fifth birthday party and Harry Potter is a busy wizard. Amongst all the excitements of fatherhood, work and friends, Harry realises something special about his husband Draco. He is pregnant with their second, much wanted baby.

There's only one problem: Draco is entirely oblivious to the fact and seems determined to remain so.

📻 Don't search me in here (E, 6.7k) by Sassy3 @sassy-sassy3

🎵 Song prompt: Gone - Charlie XCX & Christine and the Queens

🎵 Summary: Draco spotted him in a corner, crowded by Ministry employees. He looked like an animal, trapped in a cage. He had a strained smile on his , and his eyes were looking everywhere else than on the people in front of him.

Draco can’t quite help himself, watching Potter from afar. Just out of curiosity, of course. He’s happy with his life, nothing is missing, and if he’s lonely it’s entirely by choice.

📻 I Can Be Your Lighthouse (T, 4k) by orpheus87

🎵 Song prompt: The Lighthouse by The Used

🎵 Summary: When Harry gets called to investigate reports of Dark magic, the last thing he expects to find is an almost unconscious Draco Malfoy. After multiple instances, he resolves to find out what's going on.

📻 Drop Everything Now (T, 21k) by parkkate @parkkate

🎵 Song prompt: Sparks Fly by Taylor Swift

🎵 Summary: After accidentally bonding himself to Malfoy, Harry finds himself in an utterly precarious situation…

📻 No one fucks with us (T, 3.3k) by Laura_Sinele @laurasinele

🎵 Song prompt: NFWMB by Hozier

🎵 Summary: Draco Malfoy wonders for how long has Harry Potter been a terrifying force of nature. Harry Potter thinks Draco Malfoy has been a badass MF all along. If the world has to end so they can have some peace and quiet, be it. They'll set it on fire.

📻 Will You Stay with Me? (M, 10.2k) by EvAEleanor @eva-eleanore

🎵 Song prompt: ‘Run’ - Daughter

🎵 Summary: Ten months ago, Draco had found none other than Harry Potter blindly drunk and bleeding outside a Muggle pub. He'd brought him home and hasn't left his side ever since. He looked after him, took care of him when yet another nightmare plagued him.

Harry is sure that Draco will leave him at some point, and he can’t let it happen. He can’t have another person leaving his life unexpectedly. So, Harry forces him to leave — after they spend one last night together.

📻 until the sun has changed the colour of my hair (T, 4.9k) by cloudlesslysky @cloudlesslysky

🎵 Song prompt: Jag saknar dig mindre och mindre - Melissa Horn

🎵 Summary: Draco's life has been one big mess ever since Potter broke up with him. He doesn't want to see his friends, he's too ashamed to see his parents, and his apartment is one giant mess. He's constantly prepared for disaster, and spends his time either alone in Muggle parks or in his apartment. But one day... One beautiful day... He will forget Harry, surely.

📻 Love Found (E, 7.5k) by peachpety @peachpety

🎵 Song Prompt: I Found, by Amber Run

🎵 Summary: During Harry’s sixth year, Draco Malfoy joins the Order as a double-agent and continues with his task to get the Death Eaters into the castle as assigned by Voldemort. Draco succeeds with his mission the evening Harry returns from the caves with Dumbledore. The boys reunite on the Astronomy Tower and, with the Death Eater’s arrival, are forced to engage in a fight, driving Harry to come to terms with his feelings about true friendship and romantic love.

📻 On the Third Day He Took Me to the River (M, 14.4k) by pixiedustatsundown @pixiedustatsundown

🎵 Song prompt: 'Where the Wild Roses Grow - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds ft. Kylie Minogue'

🎵 Summary: This is a story of two lonely young men falling in love.

This is a story about dreams and duty, about witches that give purpose to the one and doom the other.

You think you know how the story goes, but this is a different story, and it doesn't end well.

📻 (When They Only Hear You Whisper) I'll Be Loud For You (T, 2.8k) by VeelaWings @veelawings

🎵 Song prompt: There for You - Martin Garrix/Troye Sivan

🎵 Summary: Potter must have been having nightmares again. He was restless in his bed across the room. Moonlight shone through his open bed curtains and highlighted the contours of his body, the grimace on his face blatant. His thick blanket was kicked down, one leg still covered by his twisted sheet, the musk of his sweat pungent in their small dorm. Low grunts accounted for the majority of the noise he made, but it was peppered by the occasional groan or unclear shout of words. However, ‘No,’ was always clear.

Draco hated it.

📻 The Interview (T, 17.3k) by Cibee (Cibeeeee) @cibeewastaken

🎵 Song prompt: Just Say Yes - Snow Patrol

🎵 Summary: One interview had Draco realizing how naïve he was for thinking he deserved Harry.

📻 Lookalike (M, 1.4k) by Zzzara @big-draco-energy

🎵 Song prompt: 'Lookalike' by Conan Gray

🎵 Summary: When you look in his eyes, Do you think of mine? And when you look at that smile, Do I cross your mind? I know in your head You see me instead 'Cause he looks a lot like I did back then Baby, don't lie, He's just a lookalike... ©

📻 As Fascinating As a Slap Bracelet (T, 13.2k) by acupforslytherin @acupforslytherin

🎵 Song prompt: Have It All - Jason Mraz

🎵 Summary: Who would have thought that a wacky little Muggle toy would lead to an unlikely friendship between Harry and Draco? Not Harry, certainly.

Who would have thought that this friendship would bloom into something more? Well, Ron, for one.

📻 If Sex Is the Drug, Then What Is the Cost (E, 3.8k) by EvAEleanor @eva-eleanore

🎵 Song prompt: I Almost Told You That I Loved You - Papa Roach

🎵 Summary: For quite some time, Harry has been seeing Malfoy. Well... Actually, he's hired Malfoy, to keep him company, in his bedroom. It's only sex — honestly — and since Malfoy is the best, he's the only person Harry wants. That's all it is, right?

📻 I Grow Fonder Every Day (M, 21.6k) by Drarrelie @drarrelie

🎵 Song prompt: One and Only by Adele

🎵 Summary: Draco still doesn’t know if it’s a blessing or a curse, sharing a flat in Muggle London with Harry Potter.

It’s all Draco’s ever wanted — more than he’d ever wished for. And if it entails suppressing his inconvenient feelings for the man, so what? He’s perfectly happy with his life as it is, perfectly content with just having Potter close and enjoying his company.

That is, until one Friday evening at the beginning of April when the end starts.

📻 How Can I Live Without you? (G, 2.2k) by ununquadius @ununquadius

🎵 Song prompt: "So Far Away", by Avenged Sevenfold

🎵 Summary: After Draco's death, Harry wonders how can he live without the one he loves when he's so far away.

📻 Following the Arrow to Your Heart (E, 10.9k) by goddessofthehearth

🎵 Song prompt: Give Me Love by Ed Sheeran

🎵 Summary: After the war, Draco is recruited into the Department of Love (aka Cupid's Arrow). His job is to bring together witches and wizards whose magical signatures are only compatible with each others' (essentially soulmates). As they all learned during training, Cupids are chosen because they do not have soulmates.

Six years later, Draco's convinced himself that he's perfectly fine with not having a soulmate. But his latest client turns out to be Harry Potter, and he's forced to reconsider in light of his old feelings.

📻 cos I only need your name to call the reasons why I fought (T, 6.6k) by cloudlesslysky @cloudlesslysky

🎵 Song prompt: War, by Poets of the Fall

🎵 Summary: Ron and Hermione leave the Horcrux hunt, leaving a hurt Harry behind.

But at least Draco is still there with him.

📻 Madness (M, 10k) by tigersilver

🎵 Song prompt: House of Fun by Madness

🎵 Summary: A desperate search for contraception all around Diagon Alley.

📻 Between Myth and Man (E, 16.2k) by slytherco @slytherco

🎵 Song prompt: Why'd you only call me when you're high? - Arctic Monkeys

🎵 Summary: Draco, lost and a little broken, navigates post-war reality convinced that people like him should not be allowed to make their own choices. To solve the problem of his self-sabotaging tendencies, he starts taking a few drops of Veritaserum every morning.

A story about the complexity of choices, repressed desires that come to the surface when we least expect them, and the utter hopelessness of truths built on a foundation of lies.

📻 stay awhile (stay here with me) (T, 3.1k) by panicparade @panicissharp

🎵 Song prompt: I like me better - Lauv

🎵 Summary: "Then when?" Harry tries again. He's not sure if he really wants to see the photo or if he just wants to keep talking to Malfoy. This Malfoy, who is so different from what he was expecting. In his Muggle jeans and smartly pressed sweater, with an air of vulnerability around him that Harry isn't used to seeing, Malfoy looks approachable in a way he never has before.

Harry stops his fidgeting as Malfoy looks up to meet his eyes. Through the hum of the crowded pub, he has to strain a little to hear him. "Maybe," Malfoy starts, hesitating a little but never breaking eye contact, "one day?"

📻 All it needs is messing it up and stars (G, 5.9k) by a_reader_and_writer @harrypotterfanfictionwriter

🎵 Song prompt: Tongue Tied by Faber Drive

🎵 Summary: After the war all the Malfoy's came off with light sentences. Now during 8th year Draco is finally free to be himself and date his crush; Harry Potter. Or at least so he thought..

A letter from his father rips that happiness away.

But maybe in the end it will take just a bit of messing up and some stars to get that happiness back.

📻 I'm gonna let it happen (E, 12.3k) by tomoewantsdolls @tomoewantsdolls

🎵 Song prompt: Florence + The Machine - Shake it out

🎵 Summary: And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope It's a shot in the dark and right at my throat 'Cause looking for heaven, found the devil in me Looking for heaven, for the devil in me Well what the hell I'm gonna let it happen to me

📻 I feel it in my bones (M, 6.3k) by cloudlesslysky @cloudlesslysky

🎵 Song prompt: Radioactive - Imagine Dragons

🎵 Summary: Harry’s heartbeat is loud in his ears as his heart pounds in his chest. His lungs burn as he pants for air. His legs are screaming in protests as he continues to push them to their limit, forcing himself to run ever faster.

📻 Born in the U.S.A. (M, 9k) by KittyCargo @kittycargo

🎵 Song prompt: I'm on Fire by Bruce Springsteen

🎵 Summary: “You need to come home, Draco.”

“What? Why? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, I just have an opportunity for you, and you need to come home to take it.”

When Draco's mother insists he comes home, he drags his feet and convinces his friends to take a road trip.

📻 just tell me when it's alright (E, 23k) by M0stlyVoid @bonesliketambourines

🎵 Song prompt: Teeth, Lady Gaga

🎵 Summary: Harry’s been fighting tooth and nail for any bit of normalcy he can get his hands on. He’s sick of feeling like something’s wrong with him, tired of feeling different. He thinks he’s finally gotten to the root of it, and has settled into a routine that makes him happy. Naturally, that’s when Draco Malfoy walks back into his life and upends it once again. Has Harry bitten off more than he can chew with his former rival?

📻 The Courting by the Pureblood Who Only Has Five Milligrams of Romantic Intelligence and Thinks He’s Real Smooth (T, 19.4k) by Cibee (Cibeeeee) @cibeewastaken

🎵 Song prompt: Cupid - Amy Winehouse

🎵 Summary: Draco could grab Potter and shove him into a stall before proceeding to suck his soul out of his dick, but secretly, deep down, in the part of Draco that he will never admit to anyone, he is (everyone pauses to shudder) a romantic. Potter is not someone Draco wants a one-off with. Potter is — Draco’s beloved!

So Draco decides to boldly go where no one has gone before: to put himself through scrutiny; their friends’ teasing and pranks; unsound romantic advice from a house-elf; wearing pretty clothes; all to try and win Potter’s heart through courtship.

(An unnamed ginger bastard can be heard yelling from afar: “This is actually a detailed guide on how not to court someone!”)

But who cares about the opinions of redheads? Literally no one.

📻 What Will We Do With a Drunken Harry? (E, 4.9k) by Thunder_of_Dragons @thunder-of-dragons

🎵 Song prompt: "Drunken Sailor" by The Irish Rovers

🎵 Summary: A victorious Quidditch match, a claimed Quidditch Cup, and a wild House party can mean only one thing. Will the aftermath lead to one excruciating hangover in the morning, or will it perhaps lead to something more?

📻 Though Your World Is Changing, I Will Be The Same (E, 15.9k) by hephaestiions

🎵 Song prompt: Slave To Love by Bryan Ferry

🎵 Summary: “I shower after work,” Harry had told him once when Draco had asked what cologne had such longevity as to be effective after a full day of gruelling Auror work.

“For me?” Draco had asked. Teased, just a little. There had been a smile lingering on the edges of his consciousness, threatening to traipse onto his mouth.

“For Ginny,” Harry had said, voice flat. “She hates it when I come back sweaty and crackling with other people’s hexes. Did you know magic has a smell? I didn’t until she told me.”

–

It's all fun and games, till somebody falls in love. Given his luck, it's obviously Draco who has to go and do it.

📻 I Can't Help Falling in Love with You (NR, 4.8k) by readdreamwrite26 @readdreamwrite26

🎵 Song prompt: I can't help falling in love with you - Elvis Presley

🎵 Summary: Harry stood up and set his hand out to Draco. “Dance?” “I didn’t know you danced, Potter.” “Hm, I’ve danced a lot in my time," Harry replied smugly. “How do I know you won’t step on my feet?” “You don’t, but I think the risk will be worth it.”

📻 Searching For a Place to Hide (T, 12.5k) by Erin_Riwen @erin-riwen

🎵 Song prompt: Love Will Keep Us Alive - The Eagles

🎵 Summary: After the war, there were threats against the Malfoys. Needing them kept safe until the trials are over, the Ministry puts them in protective custody but a murder attempt proves there’s a Ministry leak. Desperate, the Ministry decides a safe house is best, but who to trust to keep it secret and keep them safe? Narcissa calls in a life debt, the Minster calls in a favour and Harry Potter wonders why his life continues to hate him.

Along the way, the Malfoys learn how to be a family again, Harry learns that some things are not how he thought and maybe never were, and the touch-starved boys discover that they may be each other's forever answer.

📻 Isolated Thunderstorms and Scattered Showers (T, 21.3k) by triggerlil @triggerlil

🎵 Song prompt: Iris - the GooGoo Dolls

🎵 Summary: Post-war, Harry needs space. Everything is too much all at once, and time and time again, he finds himself pulling the invisibility cloak over his head, just for a bit of peace.

Returning for eighth year is hard, especially when you're considered a war hero, and your name is Harry James Potter. It's just that things go a little wonky when Harry starts following Malfoy, and finds that he can't (or doesn't want to) stop.

📻 Kiss It Better (E, 1.5k) by articcat621 @articcat621

🎵 Song prompt: Kiss It Better by Rihanna

🎵 Summary: When Harry's injured, Draco knows there's no place he'd rather be than by his side.

📻 (shut up and) dance with me (T, 7.9k) by punk_rock_yuppie @punk-rock-yuppie

🎵 Song prompt: Shut Up and Dance - Walk the Moon

🎵 Summary: Four dances Harry and Draco share.

📻 In Love with the Ferret (E, 21.9k) by Pineau_noir @pineau-noir

🎵 Song prompt: I'm Yours by Jason Mraz

🎵 Summary: Harry has never been the most observant bloke. Sometimes to the point of him not realising his feelings for a particular pointy, pale git. And it's not his fault if literally everyone else knows about said feelings except for Harry and the git in question. So it's really not his fault, when faced with the scope of his feelings, he suddenly has a hard time talking to one Draco Malfoy. Or looking him in the eye. Or not being a total weirdo around him.

There's nothing to do but take the advice of his friends and try to woo Draco over dinners with friends, Ministry cases, and an unfortunately named Italian restaurant.

Harry just can't stop the flutter in his chest when he sees Draco smile.

📻 Dance with me? (M, 8.2k) by Aylaar @accioxanxiety

🎵 Song prompt: I Wanna Dance With Somebody - Whitney Houston

🎵 Summary: Draco had given up on love, until one day sitting outside the usual gaudy cafe he frequented 'people watching' he spotted Harry Potter lurking, a suspicious Draco investigates and a series of events ensue.

📻 The Cupid Incident (E, 12.6k) by meandminniemcg @meandminniemcg

🎵 Song prompt: Can' Get You out of My Head - Kylie Minogue

🎵 Summary: Draco gets into the way of a potions attack and can't get Potter out of his head.

📻 Carouse (E, 19.9k) by Drarryismymuse (Hatchersn) @drarryismymuse

🎵 Song prompt: Dead by Madison Beer

🎵 Summary: Carouse (verb): To drink plentiful amounts of alcohol and enjoy oneself with others in a noisy, lively way.

Harry finds himself using alcohol in increasingly dangerous ways to cope with the stresses of life. When he is put on leave from work to sort out his issue, he instead falls head first into a lively club scene where he can drink and fuck his worries away. That is, until a certain blond from his past reappears and throws off his entire routine.

Massive well done to all these talented creators - you’ve made this fest utterly spectacular! Take a bow!!

🎙️ Don’t forget to check out the Playlists:

Youtube

Spotify (Provided by @eva-eleanore Thank ypu so much!)

#HD Wireless #hd wireless 2020 #hd wireless reveals

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fluorescentbrains · 3 years

Note

I'm just gonna say, I would love to hear your uncharitable essik meta theories (though I'm not at all involved in cr, I just like hearing your thoughts on it and am curious about this, so like definitely feel free to ignore)

ok so with the caveat that i'm really just spitballing here:

ever since i watched ep 97 i just kept getting the vibe that essek suffered from a similar syndrome as jon magnusarchives, in that the creators seemed to feel beholden to constantly remind the audience of his various character flaws and misdeeds and "punish" him appropriately, in a way that comes off (to me anyways) as performative and very No Fun Allowed? all the joking references to "haha, poor war criminal" started to wear on me real quick, because it felt like the cast was just saying shit to remind everyone they hadn't forgotten essek did a crime. i know at least in fandom people have compared essek to kylo ren, which is an ABSOLUTELY bonkers interpretation utterly divorced from the text of both star wars and cr, but the cultural backlash against kylo ren has apparently rotted everybody's brains and now we can't have any fun with sad boys who commit a bit of light treason because it's ~condoning villainy~ or whatever.

obviously what essek did was worse than anything jon did, but i think there are similarities, especially when it comes to other protagonists who are not exactly paragons of virtue themselves judging him very harshly. the m9 are truly self-centered murder-happy assholes for much of the first 50 episodes or so (that whole mess in nicodranas???), and i thought that was part of their appeal, but when they discover essek's crime they immediately adopt a position of ethical superiority over him and appoint themselves as arbiters of his progress towards becoming a better man, which essek accepts as his due (shades of castiel lmfao). he spends the rest of the campaign working to regain their approval with mixed results, which i personally found quite difficult to watch.

the cast has also constructed this post hoc narrative after episode 97 that by confronting essek about his treason and "keeping him calm" they saved the peace talks--they just assume he was about to ruin everything without their intervention, even though it was very much in his own best interest NOT to disrupt the talks! and the more i think about it the more grossed out i get by it, because before the finale i at least had hope that this was something they would all grow out of, but instead they just. were completely validated every step of the way lmao.

one of the other things that i find hard to swallow about essek's arc is the way the m9 were apparently fine with him being a shady ass FBI-type guy who had probably tortured POWs, including veth's own husband, until they found out he's actually a traitor to his country, at which point they started acting like he personally poisoned all their grandmas? like yall KNEW he was involved in shady shit but you're mad now because, what, he was able to fool you about some other shady shit? meanwhile, the m9's own impact on the war i.e. running off with the beacon and revealing empire troop movements to the bright queen--canonically resulting in many empire casualties--is never confronted in any way.

anyways i'm not trying to say essek's actions were like... "good" or even "fine" but this pervasive view that his treason was a uniquely horrendous act relative to the protagonists rests very much on the assumption that the dynasty is more righteous than the empire, in spite of all indications that the dynasty itself is very corrupt and that essek was RIGHT to have doubts about their monopoly over the beacons and consecution. "essek is literally responsible for thousands of deaths and should live the rest of his life in self-abnegation to atone for his sin" is the accepted post hoc interpretation of events, but it also lets king dwendal and the bright queen off the hook for their own bullshit. essek didn't make them do all that. and in fact, things were stable for a couple of years until the beacon vanished courtesy of the m9 themselves! so! i think what essek did was negligent and self-interested, but the relative Badness of it has been magnified through the lens of the generally pro-dynasty narrative that the show and fandom ended up running with.

jesus that got really long lol tl;dr i feel like the cast learned that essek was lowkey a sexy villain and proceeded to trip all over themselves trying not to look like they condone sexy villainy.

#anonymous

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aetherverse-official · 4 years

Text

AETHERVERSE has been discontinued.

Hey there everybody! Sorry for the notification, but we have an important announcement to make: Aetherverse is being discontinued. Thank you all so much for being part of this experiment and journey with Sylvia and I, and a special thank-you to the guest artists for putting in so much of their time and effort to help us make this comic great. However, Sylvia and I have since moved on from Undertale, and neither of us see ourselves continuing this comic. If you continue reading after this, we have an overview of the plotline we had planned!

As for what we're doing next - Sylvia and I are working on an Original Comic. This comic is still in the works and conceptual stage, and we're worldbuilding, but we feel comfortable announcing it. The title of this comic is ADVANCED - and to give you a bit of a teaser, it follows a shadowy and dark secret investigator on their journey to put an end to a mysterious chain of murders.

Thank you all again for being part of the Aetherverse family. Hail to the Eclipse, we won't forget this experience and we hope you don't either.

Aetherverse Plot Summary {This is somewhat long, as Aetherverse was planned to be LONG}

We all know how the intro starts. Abaddon, Flat, and Xink fight > Xink wins the fight. I actually had a VERY specific image in my head of Abaddon being drilled through with a weapon that Xink overwrote into existence in a move to protect Flat, and him blacking out with blotched colors in his vision.

He wakes up with Aether, isn’t happy with the situation, realizes he not only can’t use his magic, but his own magic is killing him. Crystal Creep - the shit on abaddon’s face - is a result of Abaddon not re-upping his stone with human souls. This is a callback to FMA.

Abaddon trains, and they have their first important mission: Talk to the guardian of the Creator’s Vision, Eurus. They go and speak to Eurus and their guard, Artemis, and get ambushed. This leads to a confrontation between Artifice and Aether, and Abaddon and Xink. It’s a very emotional exchange, and we get to learn that Artifice, Aether, Eurus, and two other unrevealed Guardians by the names of Raksa and Blackout were all raised together.

Abaddon is screaming at Xink for having gone and lied to him, but Xink reveals that it’s only thanks to him that Abaddon even exists. We then get a flashback: Xink was alone in the multiverse as an Ink - and this Ink was Summer. Summer wanted nothing more than to please the Creators, however, it’s revealed that the Creators were growing bored with the multiverse. Becoming disinterested. Unsure what to do, Summer meets with XGaster, who tells Summer he’ll give him the ability to Overwrite timelines, and perhaps that’ll keep the creators attention. Xink sadly accepts, watching as his only friend dusts, before overwriting the world.

This catches the creators attention as he creates his first interesting universe: A blank one, which created a character named Veneer. Happy he’s caught their attention, he continues to do this. Over and over, he overwrites universes until they’re nothing like their original ones. That’s when he gets to a naturetale timeline, and completely recreates it, making Abaddon’s universe. This one seems to really please the creators.

What he doesn’t know is that because each of the universes is so far from canon, it’s making the creators no longer interested in undertale - instead interested in making their own creations. End flashback. We also learn of a character named Grayscale, someone who’s been following Xink around, and Xink orders him to finish Abaddon off. He doesn’t get the opportunity, because Artemis and Aether are in absolute RAGE as Artifice kills Eurus so that Aether no longer can see where they are. This leads into Aether pushing himself too hard, and Artemis barely getting the three of them out of there alive.

It was hidden up until that point, but Abaddon lost an arm to Xink’s attacks, and he has to get a new one. This is where Ash comes in! He’s not pleased about having to assist the same person who got him into this mess, but he’s convinced by Xeidra and Filigry to do so since they do need Abaddon’s help. This is also where a character I never got to use, Drach, makes his appearance. He was going to be a character that represented Abaddon’s past sins and misdeeds, because Drach’s brother was in the Arena and survived, but at the cost of his mental health. Drach hates abaddon, and never will not hate Abaddon no matter how much good he does. More information, the stagnation spreading, more and more people being saved and sent to a place called the Save Point. This is where ATV and Fate Stagnant combine, we get Languish and SR’s help in saving those who were run out of their homes. The Save Point is a massive floating island in one of the doodlespheres, and it’s represented by the only working Save Point in the multiverse.

This is where three new characters are revealed: Chance, Peak, and Lobi. Long and short of it is these are Abaddon’s love interests, and no it’s not a love… square. Abaddon is polyamarous! And these end up being his three boyfriends. Sylvia and I didn’t plan their interactions yet though.

The end of the comic is pretty intense. The multiverse is collapsing, universes are falling apart, characters are losing their homes and can no longer feel connected to their universe. It all ends at the Save Point, a portal to SOMEWHERE opening up there and Xink blocking the way after successfully having gotten Aether’s stone as well.

He’s furious that even with the power of two stones, he can’t overwrite the multiverse and start over, so instead he ingests both of the stones and overwrites himself into this massive, powerful entity that the main cast have to defeat.

They give the fight their all. There’s blood shed, there’s tears wept. Xeidra goes down and Filigry sees it, sees Xeidra about to be killed, and absolutely goes full-on to protect him. There’s a very specific scene in my head where Filigry’s viciously fighting off tendrils of white magic, a sword in his hand and viciously angry, only to have a two-page panel of Filigry’s soul being pierced by a white tendril. He doesn’t dust, he doesn’t cry out, but he completely collapses. Abaddon is the only one left able to stand, and even Xink is running out of ideas. Xink isn’t angry anymore, but instead he’s crying. He wants to know why Abaddon won’t stop, why he’s okay with this going on, why he isn’t just giving up.

Abaddon says it’s because he’s determined.

He doesn’t have his naginata anymore. He doesn’t have magic. But what he does have are his fists, even if one is mechanical, and that same mechanical hand is the one that lands the finishing punch to Xink, punching DIRECTLY through his chest and clasping his soul, only to rip it out.

We’re left with a collapsed, weeping Summer on the ground. Filigry is dead, Xeidra is mourning him. Aether and Artifice are embracing.

Summer cries that he just wanted to keep the creators here. Abaddon looks out at the portal where everyone had escaped to…

And says sometimes it’s better to move on rather than keep holding onto the past.

He doesn’t help Summer up. He goes back to his friends and helps them, gathers Filigry’s body.

The last page was going to be the main cast silhouetted against a white portal, passing through it. The thing I looked forward to creating was an ending pmv, where its revealed how the main cast is doing, and it included a thank you and goodbye to the undertale fandom. I may still create this, because it does have a lot of meaning for me, but…

Thank you all. The undertale fandom was a wonderful experience, and I couldn’t have asked for a more wonderful place to spend my time. You guys really did help make me into the person I am today, for better or worse. The past years have been rough, but I’d do it all over again.

Thank you.

#mod roman #mod sylvia #important #aetherverse #aetherverse update

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