#constantly telling himself its for the greater good its for the greater good

[birthclod]

thinking about ch0mpkin's evil evbo post (evilbo, if you will) and going "How can I align this with My Interests (the axes)" and the answer is Very easily actually

[fel-09]

would you eve consider writing for yandere will/hannigram x reader? i just had the thought of like... will starts off having a crush on a coworker reader. just a passing attraction- at least, thats what he tells himself. he feels it start to turn though, to where hes constantly following them. just to make sure theyre safe is what he assures himself with. but he has so many photos too. hannibal finds about wills obsession- and starts manipulating will into falling further and further into the obsessive love he finds himself with. until ultimately they come up with a plan to kidnap the reader. hannibal convincing will its for the greater good- the world is cruel and its for their protection and safety. will unintentionally fueling hannibals desire for the reader as well- ultimately both of them start feeding into each others feelings for them. the rest is up to you!!! i adore your writing so much and was interested on what your take on this concept would be :)

I write in orders everything that I like, so I found the idea interesting ,Sorry for the mistakes, I'm writing this without having slept.┻⁠━⁠┻⁠ミ⁠＼⁠(⁠≧⁠ﾛ⁠≦⁠＼⁠)

Yandere! Will Graham & Hannibal Lecter x Reader

Twice in one cell

It starts as something small. An unspoken attraction—brief, fleeting. At least, that's what Will tells himself.

The first time he noticed you, really noticed you, it was nothing extraordinary. Just a glance across the office, your voice in passing, the way your hands moved when you spoke. A simple thing. Barely worth remembering.

Except he does.

It starts with just a few lingering glances, a few too many times where his eyes find you in a crowd without meaning to. There is a warmth in his chest when you smile—an inexplicable feeling that makes the corners of his mouth twitch upward before he catches himself.

At first, he doesn’t think much of it. It’s normal, he reasons. Human.

But then, he starts noticing other things. The way you rub at your wrist when you're tired. The slight furrow in your brow when you're concentrating. How you shift your weight from one foot to the other when you're nervous. Little things. Things he shouldn’t notice.

And then, things he shouldn’t seek out.

Will catches himself looking for you before he enters a room. He makes note of what days you wear certain colors. He memorizes your schedule without meaning to, realizes he knows what coffee you drink, how you take it, which routes you drive home.

He tells himself it’s just curiosity. A byproduct of his empathy. That’s all.

But that doesn’t explain why he lingers outside your house.

He never means to. Not at first.

It just happens. A bad night. A mind too full of noise. A drive with no destination. Then, suddenly—there you are. A familiar light in the window. A glimpse of movement behind the curtains.

And God, it soothes something in him. Just knowing you’re there. Safe. Untouched by the cruel world.

That’s how it starts. A comfort. A balm for his restless mind. But comfort turns to habit. Habit turns to necessity. He finds himself unable to sleep without seeing your window glow in the darkness. Without watching you move through your home, unaware of the eyes tracking your every step.

He tells himself it’s not strange. Not dangerous. He’s just making sure you’re safe. That’s all. The world is cruel, and bad things happen to good people.

He just wants to make sure nothing happens to you.

But then, the photos start.

At first, it’s just a couple. A snapshot from a case briefing, a blurry image taken from across the street. But then, more. Photos of you at the coffee shop. In your car. At home. Sleeping.

So many photos. Too many.

Will knows it’s wrong. He tells himself to stop. But he doesn’t. He can’t.

And then—Hannibal finds them.

The moment Will walks into Hannibal’s office, he knows.

Hannibal is sitting at his desk, hands folded neatly, the faintest ghost of a smile on his lips.

The photos are laid out before him.

Will stops cold. His stomach knots.

“I must say, Will,” Hannibal’s voice is smooth, teasing, “this is quite the collection.”

A thousand excuses rise to Will’s lips, but none of them make it past his throat.

Hannibal picks up one of the photographs, studying it with a clinical curiosity. “I knew you harbored certain… affections, but I must admit, I underestimated the depth of them.” His gaze lifts, pinning Will in place. “How long?”

Will swallows. His hands curl into fists at his sides. “I don’t—”

“Don’t lie.”

Silence stretches between them.

Finally, Will exhales, shoulders sagging. “I don’t know,” he admits. “A while.”

Hannibal hums, considering this. He glances back at the photograph—an image of you laughing, head tilted back, eyes bright.

“She’s beautiful,” Hannibal muses.

Will stiffens. A possessive knot tightens in his chest.

Hannibal notices. His lips curve.

“Have you told her how you feel?”

Will laughs, short and humorless. “And say what? ‘Hey, I’ve been watching you through your window at night’?”

Hannibal chuckles. “Yes, that might not be well received.” He sets the photograph down, leaning forward. His gaze is sharp, dissecting. “But what if she didn’t have to know?”

Will frowns. “What do you mean?”

Hannibal tilts his head. “You watch over her, Will. You ensure her safety from afar. But the world is unpredictable. Dangerous. Wouldn’t it be… safer, if you were always with her?”

Will’s breath catches. The thought—

It’s wrong.

It’s insane.

It’s—

“What are you suggesting?” he asks, voice barely above a whisper.

Hannibal smiles. “I’m suggesting that there is a way to guarantee her safety. A way to keep her from harm’s reach.” His voice drops, smooth as silk. “A way to ensure that no one else ever touches her. Ever hurts her. Ever takes her away.”

Will swallows. The words sink into his skin like hooks, burrowing deep.

It’s insane.

But it makes sense.

It makes so much sense.

Hannibal watches the shift in his expression. Watches as the idea takes root.

And then, softly—

“I can help you, Will.”

A long pause.

Then—

“…How?”

Hannibal’s smile widens.

The first time Will enters your home, it is terrifyingly easy.

He’s careful. Precise. He knows your schedule down to the minute. When you leave. When you return. When you sleep.

Standing in your bedroom, he inhales deeply. Your scent wraps around him like a drug.

He touches your pillow. The fabric of your clothes. The brush you run through your hair.

And he feels whole.

Hannibal helps him plan. Every detail accounted for. Every risk eliminated.

It must be clean. Seamless. No suspicion. No trail.

A sudden disappearance. A tragic accident.

And then, you will be theirs.

For your safety.

For your protection.

For love.

Will watches you sleep that night, hidden in the shadows of your room.

You look so peaceful. So unaware.

He can’t wait for you to wake up in his arms.

I'll continue from the moment of the kidnapping, focusing on the psychological tension, the growing unease, and the intricate dynamics between the captors and the reader. This will be a long, detailed piece with a slow build-up of atmosphere.

You wake up in silence.

At first, nothing feels wrong. The world is quiet, still—too still. The sheets beneath you aren’t yours, the fabric unfamiliar. The air smells clean, but not like home. There’s a weight in your limbs, a slow, sinking heaviness in your chest. Your mind feels clouded, sluggish, like you’ve been drugged.

Your heart.

It stutters, then races.

Panic surges through you as you try to move, but your body doesn’t respond the way it should. The muscles in your arms tremble, weak, as if they’ve been restrained too long. You force yourself up, breathing through the dizziness, hands gripping the mattress beneath you.

This isn’t your bed.

This isn’t your home.

The dim lighting casts long shadows across the room, making everything feel distorted, unreal. The walls are warm, deep mahogany, bookshelves stretching from floor to ceiling, filled with volumes that look carefully chosen. There’s a fireplace, though the embers have long since burned out, leaving only the faint scent of woodsmoke in the air. A small table sits nearby, a single vase on it—inside, a handful of white calla lilies rest in still water.

A beautiful prison.

And then, the door creaks open.

A shadow moves in the doorway.

Will.

His eyes are soft, concerned—his head tilts slightly as he observes you, taking in every shaky breath, every nervous twitch of your fingers against the sheets. He looks… relieved.

"You're awake," he says, voice gentle. As if this is normal. As if this is right.

Your throat is dry. You try to speak, to demand answers, but the words catch. His expression shifts, something tender—too tender—crossing his face as he steps closer.

"I know this is a lot," Will murmurs. "But you're safe now."

Safe.

The word feels wrong in his mouth.

Your pulse pounds in your ears as he kneels beside the bed, his presence too close, too overwhelming. He reaches out, fingers brushing lightly over your wrist, as if testing, as if reassuring himself that you’re really here.

"You don’t have to be afraid," he whispers.

But you are.

And then, before you can speak—before you can even fully grasp the reality of what’s happening—another voice cuts through the quiet.

Smooth. Controlled.

Hannibal.

"Will," he chides gently, stepping into the room. "Give them space."

Will hesitates but obeys, moving back slightly—though his gaze never leaves you. Hannibal’s eyes meet yours, calm and unreadable, studying every shift of your expression, every sign of fear you can’t quite mask.

"You're disoriented," he says, almost sympathetic. "That’s to be expected."

Your nails dig into the sheets. "Where—" Your voice is hoarse, barely a whisper. "Where am I?"

Hannibal smiles. "Home."

And somewhere deep inside, you realize

they have no intention of letting you go.

[nickel156]

“I was in everyone’s minds to protect Velaris”

Come again?? No really, I just learned how to read yesterday..

Rhysand’s excuse for not taking down Amarantha—that he was too busy monitoring everyone’s minds to keep Velaris a secret—starts to fall apart when you consider that Velaris was already hidden. No one knew it existed. Velaris wasn’t on anyone’s radar. The city had been hidden for centuries, and there’s no evidence that Amarantha, or anyone else for that matter, even suspected its existence. So, why would Rhysand need to constantly be in people’s minds, draining his power, to protect a city no one knew about? It doesn’t add up.

This raises the question: Was Rhysand lying? Was he manipulating Feyre by feeding her this story to justify his inaction under Amarantha’s rule? He paints this picture of himself as this self-sacrificing hero, always making hard choices for the greater good, but when you break it down, his excuse is flimsy. If Velaris was truly hidden, then his powers wouldn’t have needed to be spread so thin. Even diminished by Amarantha. He should’ve had the strength to act against her much sooner, (he implies) but instead, he fed Feyre this narrative to make her believe that his hands were tied. It conveniently shifts the blame away from him and positions him as this misunderstood figure who was doing everything he could to protect what mattered most.

Then there’s the whole “Most powerful High Lord in history” line. Who else is saying this about him? No one. It’s something Rhysand repeatedly tells Feyre, almost like he’s reinforcing this idea of his invincibility in her mind. But if he’s truly the most powerful, why did he struggle so much under Amarantha’s rule? Why did he need Feyre’s help to take down Hybern later on if he’s supposed to be the most powerful High Lord ever? It feels like Rhysand is using this title as a tool to manipulate Feyre into seeing him as infallible. By constantly reminding her (and the reader) of his power, he makes sure that any weakness or questionable action he takes is easily forgiven or explained away. It’s like he’s setting up this narrative where he’s always the strongest, the most capable, even when his actions suggest otherwise.

So, was Rhysand’s whole “I’m in everyone’s minds to protect Velaris” a lie? A form of manipulation to make Feyre trust him? Or was it just poor writing that didn’t consider the full implications of Velaris being a secret city? It’s hard to say for sure, but either way, it casts serious doubt on his narrative. The more you look at it, the more it feels like Rhysand was playing Feyre, feeding her just enough information to make himself look like the hero while glossing over the inconsistencies in his story.

Ultimately, it makes you wonder if his claim to being the most powerful High Lord was less about truth and more about control—control over the narrative, control over Feyre’s perception of him, and control over the way he’s seen by everyone else. And honestly, it’s starting to look a lot more like manipulation than anything else.

[plasmara]

Ive been living vicariously through your and many others s3 pt2 conversations cuz I didn't get to watch the leaks before they get sniped and all I can say is:

Based on what I'm reading it seems like the ninja are shaming Jay anytime he acts like Rogue and Praising him anytime he does something they can easily attribute to his old identity

Basically they are living up to the many allegations that folks (including me) expected them too, denying his current identity while constantly talking about who he was before

Like damn yall it's no wonder he doesn't trust you.

Even if they don't mean to, for Jay, it blatantly looks like they don't care about HIM, who he is of the present. All they care about is who he was before. They don't accept him as he like many of us thought they did after pt1, they are trying to erase him.

yes . anytime he does anything og jay wouldn’t have done (or the jay that exists in their minds anyways) they’re visibly upset or disappointed. and it’s like. from jay’s pov WHY ON EARTH would he ever want to be around these people who he seemingly just keeps letting down

and it’s even Worse because the ninja aren’t just clinging to an old version of jay. they’re actively erasing the person he’s become. every time they say something about him being a ninja or treat his new life like some temporary phase, they’re telling him over and over and over again “the only version of you that deserves love is the one that served us”

not the one who clawed his way out of hell. not the one who had to rebuild himself from scratch. just the one who made them comfortable

and its soooo so cruel . because jay’s entire arc right now is about trying to survive for himself,, trying to exist outside of the expectations people keep forcing onto him, becoming his own person separate from what others have told him so far, and the people who are supposed to love him the most are the ones making it impossible. like how can he believe these people actually ever loved him. and actually. Ohhhh actually. they’re doing what ras did, in a roundabout way. imposing their own beliefs onto him to get him to help them. direct parallel of ras feeding him his beliefs to get him to fight at the tournament, compared to the ninja feeding him THEIR belief that fighting for the greater good is important to get him to stay and help

they’re proving that they don’t love him. they love a memory, and repeatedly remind him of that, and then they wonder why he won’t let them close ??!,!,!?!?!

And if they really loved him, they would have mourned the boy they lost and chosen to love the man standing in front of them now. but instead they’re treating him as some kind of inconvenience in his own life

[ruggiesbiologicalfather]

The Trouble With Ice

Azul Ashengrotto was no stranger to the cold. The water at the bottom of the Coral Sea often stayed just warm enough to stay liquid instead of turning to solid ice. When temperatures began to dip at Night Raven College, it should've given him some comfort. After all, it made the world on land closer to the world he grew up in. But any happy feelings of home were always overshadowed by something different: pain.

Azul had hoped his second year on land would've meant his body was more used to its human form. But being on two legs was unsteady and walking caused his knees to ache and his back to clench. He often remembered his first transformation where he could barely get his body past a crawling position. No matter what he tried, his knees would buckle under him and send him back to the ground. He had felt eyes burning into him as he failed over and over again. The eyes of the doctors and the advisors and his mother bore into him as he flailed like a child. He could tell what they were thinking: "this isn't going to work." That had been the most embarrassing day of his entire life and he counted himself lucky that the twins were not there to witness it. His eyes had burned with humiliation as his dreams of Night Raven College began slipping away. How could he attend a school on land if he couldn't do anything but lay there? His doctor had suggested using something called a walker - a device to give him extra "legs" - was he was still learning. Maybe then he could still attend the school he longed for. It was his final chance, his only remaining option. Mortifying. Why was it that those stupid morays could run along like everything was so easy? Granted, with this transformation they gained legs. Azul lost them.

Azul was able to use the cane instead by the time school was in session. Many of the other students thought it was just for a bit of pomp and circumstance. It lent itself well to the aesthetics he had built for himself. Little did they know. But little they needed to. He was happy to let them all assume he simply had a fun and unnecessary accessory. They wouldn't know of his weakness. He could get around well enough that it was hard to tell that he actually used it as support. Except, of course, when that bitter, biting pain reared its ugly head. What was it about the cold that elevated every pin and needle that buried itself in his flesh? But life goes on, there's work to be done.

The best snowy days were the ones where classes were cancelled and Azul could hole himself up in his room until his body could sort itself out. He yearned for darkness and quiet and the comforting crush of a massive pile of heavy blankets pulled over his head. That would be good - a little crevice carved out only for himself. He would tell his employees he was doing important business. That way, they wouldn't bother him. And they would never know the octopus had shoved himself back into the pot.

But those days were rare. More often than not, classes were still in session and Azul would have to drag himself out of the dorm and into the elements. Cold, he could handle. His skin put up no complaints. It was actually kind of nice to not feel like he was constantly sweating against the unfamiliar heat of the surface world. He could mask the pain in every step well enough that no one would know of his struggle. But there was a greater enemy out there. Ice. It was slick and nearly impossible to see especially when his breath clouded the lenses of his glasses. If he hit a patch of ice with his cane at just the right angle, it would slide and cause him to stumble. Humiliating. He hated the snow, he hated the ice, he hated anything that could cause him to make a fool of himself in front of his classmates. His only solace was zipping his coat way up past his mouth and securing his hood around his head. It was close enough to a crevice. It made his heart pound a little quieter.

On this particular snow day, classes went by fast enough. Though Azul didn't take in any of the content. He was too busy going through a checklist in his head over and over again. The Mostro Lounge was always busy on days when the weather was not good for relaxing outside. Which meant that he wouldn't be able to crawl into bed when he was done with classes. Even worse, Jade had spent the morning coughing and blowing his nose which meant he was unfit to work the floor. Azul had no other choice, he would have to pick up the slack. He would have to be on his feet for several more hours - probably until it was closing time. Just thinking about it exacerbated the terrible ache tightening its fingers around his spine. But he could bear it. With white knuckles around his cane, he would have to bear it. He didn't have a choice.

The final class of the day came to an end and Azul needed to get going. The snow had mostly stopped falling but he was too smart to fall for this trap. The white blanket around him was still just as slippery and treacherous. He had a habit of watching his feet when he walked, something from his early days on land that just wouldn't go away. He would always force his head up when someone was near but alone, he kept his eyes focused on the ground. He would not be bested today. Not by something as simple as ice. His speed was abysmal, he would be better off crawling back to the dorm, but he couldn't risk going any faster. His cane already felt wobbly in his gloved grasp. He stuck to following the footprints of previous pedestrians, thinking it a safer path than plunging his boots into fresh snow.

Though the snow had stopped falling, the wind whipping around tossed the powder directly into his face. Somehow, it even managed to get behind his glasses and sting his eyes. A string of curses accompanied him with every step. He felt himself growing more and more frustrated as he moved along. He could barely see. He didn't want to be out here. He didn't want to be taking tiny steps in hopes of staying upright. All he wanted was his bed - his crevice - and some sort of painkiller that probably wouldn't work. He wanted all of this to go away. He wanted the sea. He wanted his real legs back. The ones that took him wherever he needed without complaint. The ones he could rely on. Eight of them - balanced and strong.

Azul had gotten too caught up in thoughts of home. He didn't see the patch of ice coating the steps down main street. He knew as soon as his cane touched down that he had made a mistake. He had hit the ice dead center. There was no chance he would win this battle. The end of his cane flew forward, taking his left leg with it. His body rocked back and his right knee immediately buckled. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth as he prepared for impact. His back was the first thing to hit the stone steps, followed by his head which was thankfully cushioned by the hood of his coat. His body rolled itself over and down three more steps before he found himself flat on his back on the street, staring up at the sky.

He barely dared to breathe as the fiery pain spread across his back and down both his legs. He squeezed his eyes shut and commanded his limbs to stop trembling. He went through the checklist in his mind, the one he had made years ago to guide him after a fall. Step one: sit up. Step two: find your cane. Step three: get to a kneeling position. Step four: push yourself to-

"Hey, are you okay!?"

Damn it. Someone's here.

Azul turned his head towards the stairs. It was the Ramshackle prefect. He pushed himself to a seated position way faster than he would have liked. His head spun and throbbed with the sudden motion. The prefect came down the stairs carefully but their feet were so steady even on the ice. There was no fear of their body betraying them. And even if it did, the consequences would be minimal. They would still be able to stand.

"I nearly fell down those this morning," they continued. "That stone gets really slick." They reached their hand down towards Azul. He froze. They hadn't asked if he needed help. They hadn't even waited to see if he could do it on his own. Did he really look that pathetic lying on the ground? His instinct was the slap the hand away and bolt the other direction. But his cane was lying too far away to reach. He would have to crawl to it. Disastrous. He had one choice to save face. He took the prefect's hand. He could feel the warmth even through the gloves.

It seemed to take no effort to pull him up to stand. His knee bent nearly forty-five degrees the moment he put weight on his foot. A squeaky grunt surged up from his chest but he clenched his teeth to stop it in its tracks. He hoped the prefect didn't notice. He cleared his throat and straightened his off-kilter glasses. He knew he looked like a disaster. Time for some damage control.

"Thank you," he said. "I expect a bill for my rescue to be coming soon?" The prefect chuckled a bit. Azul forced himself to smile back, hoping to look casual. In reality, there was a sharp stabbing in his left knee that forced him to balance on the tip of his toe, putting most of his weight on his right side. This was bad. He was barely good at standing on two legs, just one would not work. He needed his cane. But how could he get to it without broadcasting his weakness? He was starting to sweat. Perhaps he could slide his way to it, dragging his left leg along just as a balancer. That would hurt. Seven, it would hurt. But it was better than crawling after it. It was his only choice to save face. But the prefect was already on the move.

"Are you heading back to the lounge?" Azul was stunned. The prefect scooped up the cane, brushed the top off with their hand, and held it out to Azul without a word about it. He could barely move. What was their angle? Did they want him to explain himself? Did they know just how badly he needed this? Was this leverage? Was this a game? What did they want?

But the prefect didn't say anything. They just held the handle out towards Azul. Their expression was neutral, absently pleasant, as it often was. Azul could spot a twinkle of malice or mischief from a mile away but there was none to be found. He took the cane and set it on his left side. Relief flooded him as the strain on his right leg was eased.

"Yes," he answered, just remembering that a question had been asked. "Business never stops." The prefect chuckled again. They began to walk. Azul fell into step next to them, grateful for their slow, even stride. Was that intentional? Were they slowing down for him? Did they pity him? Did they know how easy it would be to leave him behind? Why did they slow for his sake?

"Perhaps," he said, trying to sound casual as if every join wasn't screaming in protest at his movements, "you'd like a drink on the house."

"Oh, I know better than to take something 'free' from you." Azul laughed, though it sent a pang through his chest. "But I'll come warm up for a while."

"Good. Though, you are aware of our policy that all patrons must have a purchase to be able-"

"Yes, Azul, I know the policy." As they continued, there were no words exchanged about the fall or the cane or how Azul kept biting his lip against the pain in his left leg. Everything felt normal. He was proud of himself. He had played it off expertly. The prefect had no idea.

[lloydfrontera]

we've known for a while that novel lloyd and webcomic lloyd are two different characters but this really shows the kind of character the adaptation team has turned lloyd into.

like. i cannot begin to emphasize how not true this is for novel!lloyd. at all. he's constantly lying about his feelings both to others and to himself, a big part of his emotional conflict with javier is about javier wanting lloyd to show him how he truly feels and lloyd lying straight to his face about it, being dishonest about his emotions and feelings is a core part of his character and him finally letting himself be open and honest is meant to be the payoff of his emotional arc.

the way he feels and the things he shows and says are not the same.

heck not even his feelings and his thoughts are the same!

It was truly a strange thing. He was giving away a tremendous gift without anything in return. Yet, his heart was light and filled with relief. And even though he said it was a wasted opportunity or whatever, truthfully speaking, he didn't feel that way. Tsk. It's not because that hooligan Frontera made me weak, or because I feel guilty. I'm doing this because I'm tired of its whining. It is beyond annoying to hear Frontera whining, insisting, and begging for me to take responsibility and help out. Lloyd thought this was an opportunity for him to get rid of one less burden of his. It was the cost of getting rid of this pesky burden. This was an investment. So, he concluded that he wasn't being a fool. He was doing this for Arcos and Marbella Frontera. Lloyd reiterated these thoughts in his head and pulled himself together.

like. he will lie to himself about his reasons for doing kind things and justify them as actually selfish and self-interested when we know that's not true.

he betrays his feelings with his actions, him being a good person and being unable to hide it or change it despite his best efforts is also an integral part of his characterization but it's not something he willingly shows or something he's even willing to admit to himself much less to other people.

which. is exactly the opposite of what this scene was about? i think? like. the conflict here was,, someone trying to prove that lloyd's actions aren't actually selfless and that he has a hidden agenda and lloyd proving that notion wrong by rejecting. but,, that's exactly the opposite of what lloyd wants to project about himself?

like. this is a man that when told directly to his face that he's a good person who when left to his own devices will help others for no gain to himself by a higher being whose literal job is to judge souls' goodness he will just go "nuh uh" and insist everything he does is for his personal gain and not the greater good or anything like that.

he would not be emotionally honest enough to have this kind of realization and much less to share it with some fucking guy trying to kill him.

i just. i want to know so bad what the adaptation team wanted to prove with this interaction. like. what was the purpose of it. what did they want to tell us about lloyd by having him say this.

personally i find it so diametrically opposed to lloyd's characterization in the novel that i just. i don't understand how they could've come up with this scene if they understood his character in the novel like. at all.

but. is that anything new lmao

[liketwoswansinbalance]

Dear Rafal:

As some spirit swans shapeshifter angel possession thingy do you create souls and ship them off to the real world?

I have a case where I know someone very well and he just seems to be very similar to you. (cough cough)

Also if Rhian was a girl (or some genderbend AU) would you let me be her gf?

Rafal: [peers down at you from the sky through slitted eyes] I'm not a "thingy" as you claim. Nor am I possessed, and if you'd like to see a man possessed, turn no further than downwards, at my aging mirror image. He's bound to die eventually and I doubt he'll be joining me. [He grins.]

As for your query, the answer is no. Not currently. When I did involve myself in... low, earthly affairs, every mortal soul I had a part in creating was apparently deficient in some way or another. Always, it was: [said in a mocking tone] this one's imbued with an excess of "spite" or "hubris," that one is just plagued with "instability," and a third was impacted by a so-called "disregard for its own species" and a "malcontent temperament"—why should I care?

Amid those general issues, the few souls of mine that had been placed in the Woods were reported to be "cursed," what we call our failed projects, those who can't descend to the Woods and live "ordinary lives." They had to be reworked by my colleagues, who discovered that many of those restless mortals held unconscious, fully-formed vendettas against pirates, Seers, and blond men. Don't ask.

All of my creations have been scrapped thus far, including a potential distant relative I devised for my Stymphs: the razor-beaked, flesh-eating sparrow. It was marvelous, and I'm sure my living students would've found it just lovely. Unfortunately, Heaven didn't approve of my vision for a new and greater Woods, which is pointless, seeing as the Blue Forest is already populated with killer, puffball rabbits. My Woods would've been built upon cautionary tales, to whittle away at the simpletons who believe that as long as they're Good, they "deserve the world" as they're constantly told. The Evers were always entitled as they always received the benefit of the doubt automatically, a privilege my Nevers will never live to get for themselves. It's why they must take what the world deprives them of, which I can understand to an extent. [resentment creeps into his voice.] After all, I nearly got what I wanted, only for it to slip through my fingers. So, instead, my Nevers are trapped with a daft leader and just languish under a losing streak, as far as I can tell.

Besides, my title isn't "guardian angel." Heaven wanted to assign me to a post as a patron of travelers and physicians, but I declined, and took up record-keeping duties since, for the time being, I don't wish to see anyone. I'm not content with menial tasks, but there haven't been any other offerings worth my time, aside from staging a coup, whether it be a coup d'état or coup de grâce for a certain someone, well... I haven't decided yet.

However, I do hope that my brother's still around when the Second Coming rolls around. I'd be all too satisfied to see the dire look on his face as he trembles when I tap him on the shoulder. Then, I'd drag him to a punishment equal to his worldly crimes in whichever circle of Hell happens to be his final destination, all while the rest of the apocalypse roars around us... Something to look forward to, I suppose. The other angels tell me not to be so sure, or that I won't want justice by that point. But however long it takes, I'll be here. Waiting for my moment in that dying sun.

[Rafal likes to think he's moved past earthly proceedings, but in reality, he's still probably bitter, begrudging, and unforgiving (so far), and would prefer to think of himself as beyond trifles like mortal lives that aren't his. He probably just needs time to settle and accept his death. Eventually, he'll reform further though, and grow into his Goodness.]

Rafal: Who is this case of yours? [You don't have to elaborate if you don't want to.]

Do whatever you'd like with Rhian. I'm not his protector any longer, and he’s more than capable of "defending" himself. Just let me take his soul once he dies, and we'll have a deal. [He extends a hand pulsing with sorcery to you to shake.] A contractually-sealed deal.

[itgr]

Early ROS season 3 Kodya thoughts (aka here's my excuse to ramble)

I'm only on episode 180. I have thoughts on a lot of things but rn I just wanna talk about Kodya?? Idk ever since we've seen him again in episode 159, he's been a lot more stoic and and standoffish than he used to be? (at least compared to his season 2 counterpart, which yeah he spent most of that outside his body but he wasn't this standoffish to Gyrus before). He's a lot more similar to his season 1 counterpart in some ways which I found interesting. Originally, I thought it would be a temporary thing just from the shock of seeing Gyrus again and recovering from the fact he genuinely thought they'd never meet again, but then he kind of stays that way and he's kind of snarky and defensive which I find interesting. I really like when characters are flawed or are tangibly impacted by things that have happened to them. Anyways here's like multiple reasons I headcanon (some of these are just straight up stated or heavily implied) there's such a big character shift (at least to me):

Um. Yeah he literally thought he'd never see his on and off boyfriend of several years who he literally fought so hard to keep around. That's going to fuck you up regardless of if it ended up not being true

^ Also I feel like losing Gyrus again definitely brought back some old pain and trauma from the time he, yknow, watched Gyrus lose himself over the course of years and eventually had to be the one to kill him ^^ so. YEAH (he has abandonment issues to me)

This is more of a minor point but we should talk about how fucky it would be to spend several years with people from the future and then be plopped back into your time period and expected to just. Keep existing like nothing happened and like you don't know at least hundreds of separate things and concepts that are, quite literally, ahead of your time

Look me in the eyes and tell me he didn't 100% face or see homophobia after returning to his time period. You know that would mess with him a bit (I find his defensiveness near Iro, while partially justified, really interesting? because it's the first time I can think of we get any implication that homophobia explicitly exists in the world of ROS <- which makes sense and it also makes sense to assume that the room of swords itself was probably pretty queer friendly because of the amount of different people there. Anyways Kodya's defensiveness near Iro just reads to me as someone anticipating homophobia because of firsthand experience with it)

Gyrus self deprecating about not as strong as Masiosare, who's essentially like if you took BB! Gyrus's inability to open up and ask for help and his tendencies to do morally fucked up shit for his version of the greater good and then maximised it(/hj), probably made Kodya feel worse. Like he already spent years watching Gyrus lose himself to those ideals and I feel like at this point, the amount of trust issues and general abandonment issues of having a partner who used to hide things from you constantly until it literally destroyed him, combined with that same partner now self deprecating and faintly implying he wants to be like that again, would 100% trigger the shit out of his trauma and probably make him feel like history's going to repeat itself

I don't know if this was intentional but (oversimplification) CPTSD symptoms tend to show up after the person's left whatever stressful environment they used to be in and it starts flaring up because the brain can't process or understand that its in a safe environment and is still in a very defensive protective mode even when it technically shouldn't be. Kodya's likely CPTSD from, yknow, EVERYTHING in the room of swords probably could've started flaring up because of the fact he finally managed to escape, which could also partially explain his mentioned thoughts of feeling cursed and like he'd never be happy before Gyrus showed up (it's a common thing to struggle to feel happy or safe after not having experienced either feeling for a long time)

In conclusion, Kodya Karevic is a well written mentally ill little guy who's literally done zero (0) wrong in his entire life/j. Jokes aside, I wanted an excuse to ramble and get my thoughts out and also just talk about how pleasantly surprising it is to have them actually acknowledge the flaws in Strawbarrow's relationship and show Kodya have tangible problems with trusting Gyrus again. Idk I really like how well and complexly they're written

[catsandpens]

Nella is in her third year of high school and wishes for an escape from her personal hell or at least a reason to stay.

A/N:grammer and spelling error. 2.3k words. First series

Here we go again

Nella Ann Garcia is currently in her third year of high school. She has been attending St. Hilary since she was in the fourth grade, practically knowing everyone that works at the school, the students that attend, and the parents of those students. She isn't exactly happy about attending the private Catholic school for her third year. It was around the beginning of her second year that she knew she was made for something greater. St. Hilary has offered its students many opportunities, just not opportunities that fit Nella's ambitions. She could leave St. Hilary and go to a school that fits her, go to a school that lets her pursue her true dream and not just some basic general education or a degree on how to be a good wife. She wanted to do bigger things in life, but it was the thought of her mother that kept her feet planted in reality. Nella never knew what her mother truly wanted for her; long business trips constantly kept the mother-daughter duo separated. All Nella could remember is her mother simply saying, "The school is good for you," and she trusted her word ever since.

    Nella was waiting by the door, scrolling on Instagram, waiting for that eyesore of a school bus to come. It was the beginning of the fall semester, and the weather was still warm. Nella hated the heat on the bus; there was no air conditioning, and it was always too loud. The bus eventually comes, and Nella enters the bus and finds her seat in the front. It was less bumpy and cooler compared to the back. Most of the upperclassmen would sit in the back, but she found her place in the front.

Nella would safely assume that she would have an easy ride to school like she had for the past six years, but this time was different. Vernon rushes into the bus, moves her backpack from the empty spot next to Nella, and sits down.

"What the fuck are you doing?" she asked with an annoyance

"I'm sitting. What are you doing?" the brown haired boy replied

".....I'm sitting in my seat, but why are you here, though?"

"Because Seungkwan has been pissing me off with this annoying-ass song he keeps singing, like if I hear one more Wicked high note, I'm going to throw myself off a bridge.

"Vernon! I could care less about you and your boy, just move out my seat."

"No." he simply replied, then pulled out his phone and lost himself in the device.

This was one of the many reasons why Nella wanted to leave St. Hilary. The students. Now she had her close friends Jun and Billie at S. Hillary that kept her sane while she also had her brain-rotting friends like Vernon and Seungkwan. She enjoys Vernon and Seungkwan's silly personalities, but they can be overwhelming at times, which is great for her because they were in the grade below her with Billie. Billie was like Nella's personal translator for the two goofballs and the main reason why they all became a friend group.

Nella knew all of the students in her junior class; they all tolerated each other without actually getting close. Jun was like her diary, someone she could tell everything to without judgment (most of the time). Only a few people manage to stand out in the junior class of St. Hilary: Wonwoo, the class president; Soonyoung, the athletic ball of energy; Jihoon, the musical genius; and Jeongyeon, the new girl who came last semester. Nella has known the boys since middle school and can only admire the men they've become. She quickly became close with Jeongyeon from being her guide throughout the last semester.

The sophomore class was known for having the most students in St. Hillary's history. Nella's best friend Billie was in that class. She wonders how Billie was able to deal with the craziness but would soon find out that Billy lives for the drama. Billy can spend hours talking about the people in the school, especially in her class.

Nella entered the school, watching Vernon being chased by Seungkwan. Since it was a few minutes before homeroom, she decided to look for Billie in her class. She was talking to Minghao about summer plans, but once she saw Nella, she immediately lit up and led her out of the classroom.

"Girl, do I have some tea? Minghao was just telling me that Mingyu got dumped by Tori and Dokyeom is getting dropped from the drama team because of his grades. And have you seen how Vernon and Seungkwan keep dragging around this freshman named Dino at the youth conference?"

"I did, and what the hell is a Dino?" Nella questioned

"I don't know, girl, but I'm pretty sure that's not even his real name." Billie replied with a laugh

"But Nella, have you seen Seuncheol's new haircut? I know he was growing his hair out over the summer, but this one.... Oh my goodness, I would do anything just to breathe his air."

"No, but I want to see Jeonghan. I bet he got that perm he kept talking about."

Nella and Billy had a huge thing for the upperclassmen. Seungcheol, Jeonghan, and Joshua all have unique characteristics that no other class possesses. They had the looks, the charm, and the leadership skills to make our school look good. Everyone loved them, including the underclassmen, parents, teachers, and the principal. Even when the class received special treatment, no one questioned it because they clearly deserved it. Billie dreams of marrying, in her words, the "wonderful" Seugncheol and believes they're a match made in heaven, while Nella and Jun think they're a match made in hell. Nella would say she has a crush on Jeonghan, but she knows nothing would come out of it. She does appreciate the small conversation she has with him in the school office but she doesn't let it bother her.

"Well, I gotta go to homeroom. I'll see you at lunch, my Nelly" Billie says while giggling and walking off.

"Bye, my Billy" Nella responds.

The bell rings just as Nella sits down in her seat. The same faces in the same seat, just like they were for the past two years. Although it had become repetitive and made life dull, she became content with longtime friend Jun and a new face, Jeongyeon.

"Alright, alright, settle down now. I have a couple of announcements to make. First thing first, school camp. I need everyone to sign up before the end of the month."

Sooyoung, our class ball of energy, raised his hand in the midst of Mr Smith's explanation

"Yes, Mr. Kwon."

" Is it mandatory?"

"Hey, dumb dumb, if it was mandatory last year and mandatory the year before, what makes you think it's not mandatory this time?" Jihoon, the musical genius, spoke up.

"Language, Mr. Lee, but yes, Mr. Kwon, it is mandatory. You can sign up after class in the auditorium. Oh, and Miss Garcia, the main office needed help with sign-ups, so I told them you can help after final period."

" Without my permission?" Nella sighed under her breath

"What was that?" Mr. Smith questioned

"I'll be there. Thank you, sir," she quickly responded.

"My pleasure, Mr. Jeon. Can you lead us in our daily devotion."

Wonwoo walked up to the podium and gave his small motivation. Nella could barely capture what he said. The only thing she could think about was how she had to see every student in the school department. Pretty much an introvert's worst nightmare.

After the first few hours of long, boring class passed, lunch finally came. At St. Hilary it was custom for students to sit with their class, freshmen with freshmen. Sophomores with sophomores. The school thought it was a great way to build community within the class. While most people abided by the unspoken rule Nella, Billie, and Jun made their home at the extra junior table that was always empty. Jeongyeon also made it her new home. The four would often use the time to catch up on assignments or just talk. Nella found joy in spending time with them, and they enjoyed spending time with each other .

" Wait! So you're doing sign-ups for school camp. That's brutal." Billie sighed

"I know, and I didn't even ask, he just volunteered for me." Nella responded

"Honestly, I find it amazing how you're always in these situations. Remember that one time you had to lead the school bake sale, or that one time I was sucked into working the concession stand with you? This school is working you to death."

"I know, I know, but do I really have a choice? The only excuse they take is if a family member died," Nella sarcastically said, but there was truth in the statement.

"At least there's one upside." jun spoke up

"Like what?" Nella asked,

"You'll get to see your Han Han."

"Oh please, that is not an upside; I'll most likely do something embarrassing, making things worse."

"Just do some small talk, there's no harm in that."

" I guess..."

The bell rang, letting the group know that lunch was at an end.

"Alright Billie, We're off to get lit. I'll see you after school."

"Alrighty. See you."

The group begins to split ways and head to their classes. The rest of the day was long for the group; none of them could stand the lectures that were too boring to remember or the ones that made the whole classroom burst into sweat due to stress. Some students look forward to school camp, and although being in the middle of nowhere for two weeks is draining, it was an escape for others. It was an escape from all the schoolwork, messed-up families, and other things they were running away from. Nella wouldn't mind that escape. She liked the independence she experienced for those two weeks, no parents or siblings telling her what to do, just a counselor who had too much faith in the students. Talking with Jun and Bille late at night while looking at the stars, messing up their diets with Maruchan and hot chips, and lastly, sitting in an open field letting her thoughts blow with the breeze. Those were the things she enjoyed the most about school camp.

Nella was slowly starting to look forward to the trip, suppressing the thoughts of having to shop and pack for supplies. These thoughts slowly ran over the class, and by the time she could dream of the next activity she was going to do with Jun and Billie, the bell rang, signaling the end of class. She quickly got up from her seat and headed to the auditorium for sign-ups. She took a seat on the outside of two older women having a conversation. Students began to enter, forming three lines.

"What's your name? Fill out this form. Here's your cabin and info sheet. NEXT!" the words Nella would say for ten minutes

"Hey baby girl," Billie says, walking up to the desk. She got a few stares from the older lady sitting next to Nella.

"Hey, lovely. You are in cabin 1, the big one with the extra showers."

"Yeah yeah yeah, but I want to be in your cabin."

"You know the cabins are separated by grades, and look at the bright side. Extra showers."

Billie moves her head close to my ear and says in a hushed voice,

"Nobody gives a damn about those extra showers; they run out of hot water after the first use."

Nella couldn't contain her giggles at her friend's outrage."

"Rules are rules, Billie. Now head to your bus. I got people to tend to."

"Fine, I'll just sneak into your cabin at night. We can sleep in the same bed. Have a scandalous affair." Nella laughed at Billie's words. Easily remembering the endless lecture on girls having to sleep in their own beds, as if it was going to make a difference.

"Can you please go before I get in trouble!" Nella says with a warm smile,

"Ok, bye, girl." Billie says, walking off to the bus. Nella was going to call for the next person but was immediately stunned when she saw Wonwoo standing in front of her. She begins to wonder why she's even stunned in the first place. She has seen that same soft face since fourth grade. He wasn't super popular or social, just only when he needed to be. Even though their time as classmates was coming to an end, she wished that she could get to know him better. She tried to recover from trying not to stumble on her words.

" ...Oh, hello, President Jeon, let me grab the forms for you to sign and the information sheet."

"Thank you, Miss Garcia; I'll try not to take too much of your time."

"No, please take your time; we don't want to get anything wrong. Nella tries to make a lighthearted joke, nearly melting at the way he said her name.

"Yes, ma'am. Are you excited for camp?" he asked while filling out the form. He was in a crouched position and looking up at Nella through his round glasses.

"Yes, I am." she replied

"Really? Most students loathe it." He smiles

"Nella, I know I'm class president, but you can still be honest with me."

"I am being honest, President Jeon. I believe this year will be a good experience ."

"That's a positive way to look at it. Hopefully I can be a part of that experience." he says straightening up and handing her the paper.

"Have a good rest of your day, Miss Garcia. I'll see you soon." He walks away, leaving Nella back in her original stunned state. Her mind began to race with interpretations of what he meant, but her train of thought was stopped when she saw another familiar face appearing at the table.

Yoon Jeonghan

[enkisstories]

One step a time

On the planet Ajan Kloss, and there the secret Resistance base, the rebels are celebrating their victory over the Sith fleet.

They still have to defeat the whole First Order, for just because the reinforcement fleet got destroyed and an alliance with the Sith cult has gotten prevented, doest't mean that all pre-existing Star Destroyers would vanish or the occupation governments dissolve overnight. But today for the first time in a year the galaxy at large has finally united and decided to take a move against the Wannabe-Empire.

There's something else, but nobody is quite sure whether they should celebrate this turn of events: Former Supreme Leader of the First Order, Kylo Ren, has disavowed the Dark Side and assisted the Resistance.

But what does that make him? A prisoner or war? An ally? A new rectruit?! For the time being, worn down and mentally exhausted by the recent events, Poe and Finn have decided on "Rey's luggage, not our problem". But there's only so long the newly appointed Generals can keep up this attitude. Maybe not even until they have finished their cookies.

So far there hasn't been a change in the defector's behaviour; he is pretty much still doing what he always has done: Swinging a lightsaber and boasting about his superior bloodline all the while loathing that very same bloodline.

There had been no shortage of people who had believed in the empire (or just not cared enough) until their eyes had gotten opened to its atrocities: Kallus, Durith, Gorn, Barcona, Rook, Versio, Doza, Halloran... Kylo Ren is different. To him the First Order has only ever been a means to grow his own power. The thing the former dark side disciple is disillusioned with isn't his empire, but himself.

How should the Resistance deal with such a person in their midst?

Rose: Well, that's not a problem I will ever have. HE decided to remain behind when he could have come along with Poe, Finn and Chewbacca instead. We were just tools to achieve his ends to him. Why am I even sad about that... There never was any hint at Armitage viewing this as anything other than him and the Resistance mutually using each other. I guess after Finn turned me down, I latched onto this phantasy of Armitage becoming an even greater victory of the light. Finn 2.0, only this time he'd not just be a living proof of what I believe in, but also a little something for me to keep.

Ever since he modified the bombers to act as strip miners and I sabotaged them, we constantly outfox each other. That certainly created a strong familiarity, but...

*shuffle, shuffle*

*slump*

Rose: "You... look like Palpatine."

Hux: "Tell me he was dealt with."

Rose: "Uh-huh."

Hux: "Phew."

Rose: "What are you doing here?"

(Spoilered for length)

Hux: "Finn blew my cover. Pryde stunned me, then they questioned me about what I relayed to you guys. Then we... got blown up? I managed to escape while seemingly every last system on the Steadfast failed, found myself right in the middle of the biggest battle since Jakku and then tagged along with that patchwork fleet of yours. I parked near the river... a TIE-Echelon... shouldn't be hard to miss."

Rose: "You smell like hospital."

Hux: "Painkillers. Vitamins. Agent Kandia keeps drugs for interrogation purpose on hand, and when I made my escape, I rammed pretty much everything I recognized into m arm to keep going."

Rose: "That means your strength is an illusion. You're about to crash any moment."

Hux: "Still good enough to lift a slight weight!"

Hux: "I owe you a sky."

Hux: Actually, I don't. Or very indirectly only. But thing is, I want to. Give you things you desire. Stuff. Or experiences.

Rose: "You owe me... I can't even begin to list what you owe the galaxy, but despite all of this, I want you to remain in it. So TAKE IT EASY already!"

BB-8: Bip-bip-bip-beeeep...

Finn: "Well, at least we finished the cookies."

Poe: "Yeah, we're getting better at this! Next goal: A full night's worth of sleep!"

Rose: "Hux just learned that painkillers don't make the underlying injuries go away, just allow us to ignore them for a while."

Poe: "So he survived Exegol... Huh. Can't say I would have liked the idea under any other circumstances. But since he's right here... alright, let's lock the rat up."

BB-8: Beep-beeeep-beep!

Hux: "Good morning, BB-8, was it?"

Finn: "Let me ask you officially, as a member of Resistance Command: Why did you come here, General?"

Hux: "Your fleet knew the way through the red honeycomb zone back to the galaxy. And although the objective of our alliance was fulfilled, we haven't officially called it off yet, so we're technically still partners. That makes me eligible to use your base."

Poe: "Ah, okay. Why am I not surprised."

Finn: "What are your plans now?"

Hux: "Right now? In this moment? Fly to the place where you killed Kylo Ren and smoke something relaxing sitting next to his corpse. Where was it again?"

Kylo: "The water moon of Endor."

Hux: "Right. The water..."

Hux: "WAIT A MOMENT! Who said that just now?!"

Ben: "Hi. The name's Ben Solo. I was there when Kylo Ren died. Can confirm."

Noooo... not this! Not after everything... All the sacrifices... for nothing?

Ever since we oblitereated the New Republic, what should have been our triumph, Ren immediately undermined every demonstration of power and military victory with his childish urges. And his borderline romantic attraction to the scavenger girl allowed the Resistance to slip through our fingers again and again.

The death toll of Hosnia - for nothing. I just HAD to remove Ren, even if that meant accepting some damage to my First Order. In the long run it was for the better.

But now I'm stranded here, having to answer to what's left of the Admirality for the loss of the Steadfast and the destruction of Kijimi, that led to the galaxy opposing us again when we already had them by the throat. Meanwhile Kylo Ren continues to give me trouble, only now on the other side. Is there no end, no escape from this circle?

I have the skills, the foresight and the patience, yet something is against me at every turn.

Ben: "Who are you?"

Hux: "The Supreme Leader of the First Order. Displaced after a battle that should never have been ours. Ren forced our hand. Pulled us into this. He twisted and tainted the Order and now I don't..."

Hux: I don't know if I can mend anything. With the Resistance having gained that much support and the remaining flag officers most likely infighting even as we stand here, the First Order may already be done for.

Hux: "And to add insult to injury I'll have to beg for fuel and supplies with my temporary allies to get off this planet. - Uh, Rose...?"

Rose: "Go get those bruises treated! Then you eat something, sleep off whatever circulates in your system and afterwards you'll help me in the workshop."

Hux: "There's no need to work off the sum. My family fortune is stored out of Pryde's reach, he wasn't able to repossess anything. I can pay for the fuel - digitally right now, or per messenger later and with a small interest for delay."

Rose: "Okay, my bad. Let me rephrase this: You'll let Finn treat your injuries, have a meal, take a nap, and when you wake up with your mind cleared and fully understand your situation, you'll yell at us and I'll probably electroshock you. Afterwards you can help me in the workshop."

Ben: "That's it? You guys just go on as before and absorb us?"

Rey: "What else should we do?"

Ben: "I don't know."

Rey: "A public proclamation that the great Skywalker heir is on our side now and then we all clap and praise you?"

Ben: "Y... No! You're right. That would be a Kylo Ren thing."

Rey: "In the same vein putting you on trial would serve no purpose. You two committed crimes of magnitudes that only putting your full capacity to our cause can ever hope to at least partially repair."

Ben: "That makes sense. But it frightens me. Like pretty much everything else, too, ever did."

Rey: "We can only take things one step at a time."

[absurdly-overpowered-astronaut]

My thoughts on Lelouch’s character direction in the Resurrection movie

I really don’t like resurrection as a movie and especially as a continuation of rebellion…and I haven’t fully pinned down all my issues with it but what I think I dislike the most is what it dose with Lelouch’s character. Like if you’re going to bring him back and retroactively cheapen the Zero Requiem then I feel like it needs to resolve something he needs to go through an arc but I feel like he just falls back into old habits and not in a fun tragic way but in a stagnant? Idk if thats the best word way.

A big part of the tragedy of Lelouch’s character (atleast to me) was how he pushed away? (Again not sure if thats quite the right wording) the people around him. He isn’t really ever fully present in his loved one’s lives. Constantly distancing himself with a mask (both physically and metaphorically)

And he ends up screwing himself over in alot of ways because of it. Because he keeps this close-distance from people he ends up hurting them. Nanally says as he’s dying in the final episode that she didn’t want him to save the world for her she wanted him in her life. She wanted her brother! Because he’s so focused on what he thinks is best for her and what he thinks she needs he ends up distancing himself from her then losing her. In most of his relationships he thinks he knows whats best for others and what he thinks is best for people is usually removing himself from their lives. The easiest example is Shirly. She didn’t want to have her memories of him erased but he dose it anyway because he thinks the only way to save her/the best thing for her.

With the black knights he’s always keeping up a front with them and it’s the same with the student council. Like for example his friends want to help him find the cat who took something important to him and because he can’t trust them/keeps them at arms length when it comes to the Zero aspect of his life he ends up in this complicated situation where’s he’s working against them. (The ep 4 cat chase isn’t the best example but its the example where going with because this is more so my thoughts then a researched analysis) Kallen wants to be there for him but even when he is the most vulnerable with her telling her about C2’s memory loss and also having the sibling death conversation he puts on an act of not caring for her at all and pushing her away. Only giving her a hint he actually cares.

Not to say his actions in all of these examples aren’t justifiable just that they show an overall pattern of neglecting being present in his relationships in favour of perusing the greater good/pushing others away

This is one of the many ways he parallels Charles. Who though his relationship with his children is probably best described as a festering complicated mess and I wouldn’t really use the term ‘love’ he did atleast care about his children in his own way but sent them away and didn’t come and get them when the war started

It doesn’t matter I’m not being honest about myself and my intentions with my sister and my friends. It’s fine that I’m lying and neglecting being present in their lives because when I fix the future I can just make up.

It doesn’t matter I’m not being honest about myself and my intentions with my kids. It’s fine that I’m lying and neglecting being present in their lives because when I fix the future I can just make up.

-

If they die in the war I can just revive them with my plan so it doesn’t matter if they die.

But it dose matter because it left those children feeling abandoned/betrayed by their parents and traumatised.

It doesn’t matter that I die leaving behind my traumatised loved ones because I’m bringing them a better world.

But it dose matter because it left those loved ones feeling abandoned , betrayed and traumatised.

He left alot of people behind and alot of people confused and I think he should have had to deal with the fallout more. I would have loved for his arc in the film to revolve around this character flaw and him being forced to be present in the lives of his friends and to become more emotional open? Mature? Involved? I think I’ll go with less emotionally destructive/ignorant but instead like I mentioned earlier I think the ending, lelouch leaving with C2 and abandoning everyone he hurt is just an extension and continuation of this issue…Suzaku and Nanally even ask him to stay. They want him in their lives! They tell him this! He doesn’t have to be Zero they just want him to stay and he doesn’t. He once again leaves for a perceived greater good/to help his friends/to cope and hurts them all over again and returning to toxic patterns. He came back only to disappear just as quickly. Sure there would be issues if he stayed I’m not saying its even logically the best option but I think it was important for the stories emotional narrative.

I didn’t bring it earlier but I think Lelouch also has a coping mechanism of de-humanising himself (ie he’s Zero - Zero isn’t a person Zero is a symbol so in/ The Demon emperor - the demon emperor is an intentionally cruel persona / dehumanising because demon. Lelouch and dehumanisation is a big bag of gummy worms I will dig into in a future post because its ever so fascinating to me but I will keep this semi-short) and this dehumanisation is heavily tied to this issue. He dehumanises himself and thats partly how he justifies his avoidance.

So now he is a code bearer he is literally dehumanised as an immortal and becoming a code bearer allows him to continue justifying dehumanising himself and leaving others for the greater good. He is just repeating the same mistake and the film in my eyes is enabling him to. It’s not challenging his internal narrative like the original show did and the original show doesn’t even end with him having sold the issue.

The film works better for me if I see it as a C2 film and not a Lelouch film. C2 found genuine love and connection and rather then using her abandonment/detached coping mechanism (the same coping mechanism I have been talking about Lelouch having) she in resurrection works to get that person back and sticks with him even when its difficult and endangers herself. Showing her growth from the show but she could have done this with everyone not just Lelouch she could have learned to find or atleast start to find community with other characters and no longer be that witch/that strange woman Zero keeps around ect which would let Lelouch have his arc too and even though C2 dose have a relatively solid emotional arc the film doesn’t fully focus on her it much more focuses on Lelouch so I’m still hung up on him being brought back only to not have to deal with loads of the consequences (both good and bad) of his actions.

And Leloch and Suzaku are probably going to just meet up again in Roze so whats even the point of having Lelouch go off with C2 abandoning everyone again just to show up later…(I know the resurrection writers probably didn’t know about Roze or where planing for the movie to fit in with it this is less of an issue with the writing more so an issue with the retroactive canon like how the end of R2 is cheapened for me by resurrection but theres nothing R2 could have done about that. Roze is probably going to cheapen Resurrection for me but thats not Resurrections fault and there isn’t really anything they could have done about it)

[kdramagical7]

It has been a while, hasn't it ?

Truth to be said, many describe the devil judge as a misogynistic series since most of its female characters were... well disposed of.

Needless to say, two of the which said characters happened to be antagonists, and as we all know in most fiction, villains are meant to be killed for the greater good. It's either them or the hero, one or the other but not together. It is, unfortunately/ fortunately, this way that antagonists are handled. Gender in these cases hardly matters.

Jung Sunah, indeed, had a difficult past, but that does not excuse her actions (not against the past foundation chairman, of course), such as K's murder and for instance Soohyun getting shot.

As for Minster Cha, she was a despicable person who didn't hesitate to litteraly walk on others to achieve her schemes.

Both of them were extremely interesting, cunning intelligent villains, and in no way would they have agreed to be arrested or go to jail. They preferred to end it before they even got there. Their entire character is shown through their endings. No one gets to get rid of them except themselves.

And now, many, countless of persons who have watched the devil judge, felt that Soohyun deserved to live, she maybe did, it would have been better for her to live on and for Gaon to tell her how he really feels about her, (in a friendly manner) she deserved to live her life and see past Gaon, she dedicated her entire life to him, that's probably why she felt content by getting shot instead of him.

Soohyun, Jung Sunah, Minister Cha's personas are not only written for female characters, in general, when it comes to authoritarian figures and lovestruck childhood friend of the main lead in the drama, they are constantly portrayed by male actors, the author said it himself, he didn't let gender stereotypes influence him during the creation of the characters.

"Enlightenment is man's emergence from his self-incurred immaturity. Immaturity is the inability to use one's understanding without guidance from another. This immaturity is self-imposed when its cause lies not in the lack of understanding, but in the lack of resolve and courage to use it without direction from another."

-Immanuel Kant

[thegreatyin]

Hey what are your feelings on

1. lae'zel

2. Emperor

lae'zel is actually one of the best companions in the game and everyone who hates her or says she's just mean fundamentally doesn't understand her character. she's literally the nicest girl in the world given her usual environment and upbringing. she essentially has the exact same backstory as shadowheart in that she was raised in a controlling violent cult and has spent most of her life (including the start of the game) brainwashed by that cult into the person she is today. and yet despite it all she is trying her best to help people. she DID NOT have to save you on the nautiloid and she DID NOT have to promise to take you to what she had every reason to believe was a cure-all for the tadpoles and she goes so far as to defend you and the rest of the party to other gith despite her extremely xenophobic society pressuring her around every corner to do otherwise. over the course of the game she literally had her entire way of life and belief system uprooted from top to bottom and she ultimately decides to deal with it by becoming a hero and dedicating her life to saving others from the same situation she was in. her entire character, at its core, is so extremely dedicated to helping other people even at the cost of herself. she has the same trauma and should get the same treatment and sympathy as shadowheart and you guys just don't like her because she's not conventionally attractive and standoffish at the start of the game but when you actually follow her companion quest and/or romance her she is so sweet and trying her best and she is a TOP TIER companion and i am not going to pretend like she isn't.

the emperor is one of my favorite characters in all of bg3. i know i just went off about lae'zel but god the emperor is so good. he is a LIAR. he is a Bastard Capital B In Bold. he is the deceiver trope played straight from the very beginning and you can't trust a word he says and half of act 3 is practically dedicated to proving just how full of shit he is. he is an awful person who presents himself as a savior and a hero but at the first sign of resistance or hesitation he snaps and doubles down his manipulation in an attempt to control and corral the player into doing what he wants. his first reaction to the player turning down/questioning his sex scene in any way is to gaslight and accuse them so he can shift the blame and keep up his veil of heroism. he encourages them to let go of their humanity and turn themself into a cannibalistic monster while constantly swearing it's for the greater good. he literally runs off to join the netherbrain if you free orpheus. ansur was right all along. balduran died the minute that tadpole took over and transformed him into a mindflayer and the emperor is a shell of his former self masquerading around with the same gravitas and veil of kindness he used to have, but it's gone, if it ever existed to begin with. the emperor is a fascinating example of a manipulative piece of shit done right because even the fanbase can't agree wholeheartedly on if he's good or not but if you couldn't tell my money is wholly in the "he fucking sucks guys" camp. as a character i adore him though.

[danzinora-switch]

I have a thought. You mentioned in an earlier analysis post that Raph is the kind of guy who doesn't like interpersonal conflict and feels awkward around it. I think that I want to push back on that a bit, because its hinted that he and Leo argue a decent amount--and then especially in the movie there's a chunk of time dedicated to him and Leo arguing about responsibility--to the point where he seems to lose control, attempts to physically attack Leo and Splinter is the one who needs to stop them. (Bonus for Mikey looking disappointed in his dad for the way he handled the argument the entire scene but never saying anything to him about it). So I am thinking that when Raph believes his family could be in serious danger or actually hurt he kind of overrides that whole anxiety about conflict in the family to just...do a more classic Raph move of confronting and fighting it out rather than arguing. No?

Very good points!

Clashing with Leo about responsibility is definitely a big button, and even beyond that Raph is not afraid of similar types of confrontation. He's willing to go to bat for April by "having a friendly word" with her upstairs neighbor knocking down her ceiling fan constantly. He calls Leo out on his showboating multiple times, from The Minotaur Maze to the movie. He confronts Donnie about his addiction in the Purple Game and chews out all his brothers in Pizza Puffs when they eat poison.

So yeah, he does a lot of confronting. Perhaps conflict-averse isn't the right term. Perhaps the main difference centers around whose feelings are getting hurt, and whether or not that hurt is necessary for the greater good.

Raph strikes me as the type of Mom Friend who will go punch a landlord for being unfair to someone but struggles to tell the waiter that he got the wrong order.

In any case, it is the mark of a well-rounded character that they won't behave the exact same way in a scenario 100% of the time. There's nuance in every case. If Leo is not being receptive to talk (and, on top of that, making the situation worse by riling Raph up) then yeah, it will come to blows. If April's stomping upstairs neighbor turned out to be a, idk, a deaf child who had no idea they were making that much noise, he probably would have rolled over instantly. If Donnie had started crying or something about The Purple Game it probably would have made it harder for Raph to maintain the strength to get through to him. Heck, if Bullhop was compromising their safety or being a danger to his brothers while living in the lair, Raph probably would have thrown him out himself. As it was, a delicate conversation just needed to happen, and so Mikey and Leo were the ones to do it (and Raph still punted at the end of the episode after Bullhop helps them that he can stay, even if he clearly doesn't relish the idea).

So yeah, the degree of the conflict is definitely something to be considered. Raph is a complex person like the rest of us and it can be easy for that to get lost amongst fandom tropes and character boxes. Thank you for your ask and analysis!

[fleshbag-au]

Meet Bips!

(omg the first ref sheet, i really dont know dont to do this xd!!!)

"Bips is a being formed from the remains of Bill and Dipper, a kind of "imperfect fusion" that ended up being an amalgamation of both personalities, creating a new one. Despite inheriting all the negative personalities of both, they usually maintains some positivity as an attempt to ward off as much as possible the existential crises that cause him constant anxiety."

🔽More Info below! 🔽

Personality: This was also a combination of the worst of both beings, making him someone insecure, clumsy, lonely and too distrustful of his surroundings. They constantly doubts his existence and whether at some point he can go crazy like Bill. However, they also has good things, such as his desire to help himself and others, perhaps they just needs a guide to discover their own identity.

Extra Info! (and a bit of lore)

They born after the events of "the incident" (The Interdimensional Collapse), as a result of the hoax that Bill was caught by Dipper by possessing his body, instead of merging body and soul as one, almost the opposite happens and they form a creature that has its own thoughts but with identity problems, both physical and emotional, as if it were a "amalgam" of both.

When it's damaged in a greater or lesser part, they can regenerate its parts by the "blorbos", however this takes time depending on the damage caused.

The "blorbos" are what Bips calls the parts that escape from their body, those things were actually the remains that had left of Dipper and Bill's body and soul after "the incident" and had been corrupted by the place, they had come together again to rebuild what they were before.

They has a Journal (which is actually an old sketchbook) where they writes down everything that observes and finds interesting, from monsters that they sees in home, interesting places to tricks he just discovered when playing thier video games.

At first Bips did not know what he wanted to call theirselves, they only called theirselves “Pinetree”, but perhaps some circumstance made they change his mind.

Kryptos is one of the closest friends, if not, the closest friend of the entire group, despite missing his "boss", they quickly got used to having Bips in well, what seems to be his new life.

They really wants to be able to restore some life in their dimension, perhaps being their last chance to at least recover the relatives of that “human” that is part of their being (and who knows, they may be friends with the henchmaniacs).

Despite having their dorky personality, sometimes they can highlight his "bill side" a little, sometimes Axolotl accidentally encourages them to cause a lil' chaos but at least he knows when it's time to stop, between the two of them they try to regulate their chaotic sides.

They has a secret ability that I can't tell now! but as a clue I could tell you what can help them to escape!

When they has their anxiety attacks or tends to get very scared, his body begins to "melt", causing all the blobs to hide in various places.

In general is a calm bro, but one of the few things that can make really angry is that they say that “BABBA” is overrated, they is a die-hard fan of that band and will defend it at all costs, even if that means being epically humiliated xd

Loveees playing videogames in their free time, that distracts them from having his existential crises

A lil' detail! the use of "they/them" is not the exact meaning of the pronoums, as it is made by two beings and they don't know exactly who it is (or what it is), you prefer to refer both in the plural and singular way. A reference that inspires on that is Webber from Don't Starve

Some songs that maybe fit or remind them:

Here comes the Savior - The Living Tombstone (actually I think it would fit the AU in general xdd)

Dead weight - Jack Stauber

Invisible - Cuarteto de Nos

<-------------------->

This will be edited over time to add or edit information over time!

Last edit: 29/12/23

[stilldancewithyou]

so this thought crossed my mind and I think we need to discuss it for a minute. Something that always stuck with me and that I always related to and loved about the story is how Belly has always loved Conrad. She has always had this huge crush on him and been absolutely crazy about him and everyone knows. The parents, her brother, Jere, even Conrad himself has always been well aware of her feelings for him. You have no idea how humiliating that is to experience, unless you've had a crush like that (and I have). Not only do they all know, but they freely and constantly tease her about him- and she has endured this teasing and embarrassment for her entire life! But young Belly always stays hopeful and never gives up on the idea that he might love her back, that it might happen. And then it does, but then he just walks away without really fighting for it.

I've experienced a crush like that when I was young, where everyone including family and the guy knew that I had this huge stupid crush and I spent years being teased mercilessly about it. And teasing isn't a big deal on its own, but the truly humiliating part is the fact that because everyone knows you have the huge crush, they also all know the feelings aren't mutual, they all know the guy isn't into you. It's a silent rejection, but loud enough for everyone to hear. And it's even worse that this guy has let you make a fool out of yourself and you've put up with all of this teasing for nothing for someone who couldn't care less.

So for the brief time Belly and Conrad are dating, she can't believe it- all of that humiliation was worth it just like she always knew it was. But then when they break up and he just walks away without ever telling her that he loves her? There's no greater humiliation than that for Belly.

idk, I just think this kind of puts into perspective Belly's thought process and where her mind was at and maybe why she made the decisions she made. Also, I think it's part of why him actually telling her he loves her is so important. She needed to hear it to know that she didn't do and go through all of this for nothing, she needed the validation. Instead he kinda validated all the ugly thoughts in her head and everything everyone has said to her.

And also who wouldn't be curious to explore things with Jeremiah- after going through all of that for Conrad who couldn't tell her he loved her and being so hurt and humiliated, who wouldn't be curious about the guy who is openly telling you how he feels about you and the guy who everyone is telling you is the better choice? I'm not saying it was right or that Conrad is bad or that Belly made good decisions. I just think we need to keep all of this in mind. Even taking the everything with Susannah out of the picture, Belly was going through it.

anyway. I hope this made some kind of sense.