#endemics

[scottpartridge]

An Illustration of #Seychelles #endemics for @ics_seychelles including Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher, Seychelles Sunbird Seychelles Swiftlet, Seychelles Kestrel, Seychelles Warbler, Seychelles White-eye, Seychelles Bulbul, Seychelles Fody, Seychelles Black Parrot, Seychelles Blue Pigeon, Seychelles Scops Owl, and Seychelles Magpie-Robin. 

[davidtngbotany]

Meet a stately endemic - the Grey Satinash (Syzygium gustavioides)

Meet the gargantuan Grey Satinash (Syzygium gustavioides), one of the largest species of endemic Syzygiums one will find in the Wet Tropics. In my time in the Wet Tropics, I have had the rare privilege of seeing this both in flower and in fruit in the canopy, while doing research and plant collections up in the Daintree Rainforest Observatory canopy crane, some 25-30m up in the canopy. That…

[peppermintprism]

Plant pics can be posted to iNaturalist to make the data available to scientists! This is also a great resource for learning what your local plants are. Just be sure to mark any plants in suburbia that were planted as “captive/cultivated”!

everyone who lives in the bluegrass region of kentucky PLS take detailed photos of clovers and asters and basically all the little plants that you see ESPECIALLY in areas that are open and meadow or prairie like DOUBLE ESPECIALLY in sinkholes or rocky areas without much soil and stony hilltops and areas that have been grazed by cows but not very heavily. This place was a very unique ecosystem and I just know there are super-rare endemic species still hanging out somewhere.

in 2013 we found the kentucky clover which is a rare clover only found in the bluegrass region of kentucky. i just Know there are more rare plants

[fwipination]

Baby Seikret makes a friend!

-ZOOOP!-

[damnwyverngems]

Gone

[himekokosu]

Lilium auratum var. rubrovittatum

[lichenaday]

While I'm out looking for lichens, I also look for other things on occasion. A few of my favorite observations from this year so far:

1. Pseudoplectania nigrella, Ebony cup

2. Romulea variicolor, Maltese sand crocus

3. Anacamptis pyramidalis urvilleana, Maltese pyramidal orchid

4. Tarentola mauritanica, Moorish gecko

5. Testudo hermanni, Hermann's tortoise

6. Latipalpis plana

7. Philaeus chrysops, Red-bellied jumping spider

8. Natrix natrix, Grass snake

9. Salamandra atra, Alpine salamander

10. Cypripedium calceolus, Lady's slipper orchid

[astral-herald]

Viktor's (subverted) Aristotelian Tragedy

A common sentiment I’m seeing throughout post-finale Viktor discourse is an understandable concern or distaste for the element of choice lost throughout his story. I know a lot of us – myself included – expected more time spent on his transformation, along with emphasis on the anger/rage/betrayal fueling it. But seeing him allow Singed to “begin the process” in episode 8 reminded me of Arcane’s origins – tragedy. Bear with me for another long analysis :)

Aristotle wrote the following on the tragedy: “A tragedy is the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself…with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish a catharsis of these emotions.” He also emphasized that the true tragic hero couldn’t be perfect, and his downfall into such catharsis-inducing circumstances was reliant on a fatal flaw, oftentimes pride.

Viktor fits this mold, as do many Arcane characters, and it stands to reason that this was intentional since the writing team has reiterated that the show is a tragedy, at its core.

Regarding Viktor’s fatal flaw, I’d argue it’s pride, but it manifests very uniquely. He never makes any grand declarations about his success and doesn’t draw attention to himself in any clear way throughout season one (“Progress Day” comes to mind). Instead, his pride manifests as staunch independence and self-reliance that lead to his downfall; his unwillingness to break his stoic mold arguably led to his use of the Hexcore…so it goes.

Fascinating caveat: Viktor’s pride is a defense mechanism, a necessary tool he built in order to survive and succeed in a hostile environment to people of his station. His self-reliance is increasingly desperate as his illness worsens. He’s cornered by fate but banks on the sanctity of choice at every turn – in season one, Viktor is bound by the conviction that we all have a choice. It’s why he’s so distressed when Jayce makes the wrong one regarding weaponizing Hextech.

“There is always a choice.”

Viktor’s choice to fuse with the Hexcore is the classic Aristotelian fatal flaw moment, the singular incident that opens the flood gates for eventual catharsis. We watch Viktor make an irreparable choice, one that we know to be bad, and endure the repercussions. He then makes the choice to abandon the Hexcore, and end his life, but audiences can’t shake the feeling that those consequences aren’t leaving anytime soon.

So why is Viktor so anti-choice in his final season 2, act 3 form?

Choice is Viktor’s weapon. Pride is what leads him to abusing it. Despite how uncomfortable and depressing it is to watch, Viktor’s slow descent into the Herald is a perfect twist of fate. The Arcane is even so insidious that it meshes with his original intent, to help those suffering in the undercity, while convincing him that their subservience is healing. He becomes responsible for their choices. He knows what’s best because he’s relieving the Gloriously Evolved of their suffering, right? The utopia is for the greater good, yes?

Admittedly, it was really hard watching act 3 Viktor descend fully into his choiceless ethos. But we can still relate it to his tragic flaw – his pride has mushroomed into coldhearted omniscience; not only does he know what’s best for everyone, evolution, but he also has the sense to make the choice for them to supersede their “baser instincts.” The grief we feel upon seeing this perverted, violent version of himself, as far removed from Viktor as possible, is the culmination of Aristotle’s treatise on tragedy. The catharsis is the rock-bottom Machine Herald.

"Choice is false."

But then Arcane decided to basically make Jayvik canon (get out of here, Christian Linke) and destroyed the early drafts of this post. I’m going to rapid-fire this next bit:

Jayce forces Viktor back to life. Viktor has no agency in his season 2 inciting incident. Again, it’s distressing when we mourn his agency, but it remains in accordance with Aristotelian tragedy.

Viktor clings to humanity as long as he possibly can. When Jayce calls out Viktor’s trajectory, alleging that his old partner had died in the Council chamber, whatever is left of Viktor gives way to the Arcane because his last tether has been snapped.

Jayce knows the game – Old Man Jenkins Mage Viktor told him so. Jayce becomes the linchpin in subverting Viktor’s tragedy. He knows what must happen. He understands now.

Machine Herald Viktor is given the chance to undo his fatal flaw, to reverse the catharsis, when he sees Old Man Jenkins Mage Viktor. With Jayce’s help, he takes it.

Given that it’s a version of Viktor who ultimately frees him from himself by empowering Jayce, we can gather that Viktor has liberated himself from his tragedy.

Aristotle’s catharsis is rapidly transformed from something based in release to something healing – Viktor’s tether to humanity returns. He grasps it. The walls of his pride and self-reliance collapse. He accepts Jayce’s help, finally being seen as the full individual he is. Catharsis ensues, for sure, but I don’t think it’s based in the typical tragedy genre.

All this to say, I think Viktor’s arc was, in fact, carefully constructed. He represents the Aristotelian descent into a fatal flaw and that’s very distressing to see unfold, especially since he embodied the tragic hero archetype so well from day one. However, Jayce undoes this narrative and we’re given an incredibly subversive ending that I, personally, never saw coming.

I’m sure that Mage Viktor has a much larger bearing on this analysis than I’m accounting for. But for now, suffice to say that he is Viktor’s way out of the tragedy. TALK ABOUT CHOICE!

This doesn’t erase anyone’s discomfort for Viktor having less and less agency, but I’d like to emphasize the logic and literary precedent behind the story decisions.

PS: here's a quick source I looked at about Aristotelian tragedies. I hope to re-up on Greek tragedies so I can get more specific about the parallels Arcane draws from them.

[dragonfire3859]

2 more days for wilds!! another cute endemic life fella 😭 love these guys and the lil purple one too,,,,

[kiichilog]

2025.2.25 セツブンソウ＠星野

今年も節分草が咲きました。 Winter aconite have bloomed.

Eranthis pinnatifida Maxim Spring ephemeral are awakening.

[have-you-seen-this-animal]

can I request tufted pygmy squirrels? they're so shaped

Wow, very whimsical looking!

These squirrels mainly feed on lichen and moss! First photo thanks to ayuwat on iNaturalist.

[damnwyverngems]

[himekokosu]

Gaultheria adenothrix

[babyblueetbaemonster]

Sunny knows the fashion po-po's weakness.

For everyone who said "let her in" in my post, She is here.

Dear @tes-gala, thanks again for hosting this amazing event 🩵

[aubreyappears]

some absolutely gorgeous artwork from the “new continent sketch travelogue” book.

[dragonfire3859]

3 DAYS UNTIL WILDS i offer a tribute of tracktail lizards cuz they’re so cute 😭 their little interactions with each other r so cute….. one of them leans on the other i cried