#gale rant

[tetheredfeathers]

Can we talk about how beyond messed up it was for Gale to suggest leaving Peeta and Haymitch behind.

“I have to, Gale. I can’t leave him and Peeta because they’d —” His scowl cuts me off. “What?” “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize how large our party was, ” he snaps at me. “They’d torture them to death, trying to find out where I was,” I say.

The audacity he has to snap at her, we're talking about life and death here. The way he openly disregards Peeta and Haymitch's lives is so disturbing, and he out of all people is very much aware of the Capitol's capabilities. Imagine how hurt Peeta would've been if he knew about this, I get that they're not all buddy buddy but that doesn't mean wishing pretty much death upon him just because your jealous.

I get it. He was in love, god knows love makes you blind but this is above and beyond. Especially since Gale is a fairly compassionate person, at least for his own people. I'm saying this because of how many people he rescued in MJ and still felt guilty.

Whereas you have Peeta willing to die for Katniss even if meant for her to go back to Gale, her happiness is all that mattered to him. These are things that really infuriate me when it comes to Gale, while his bomb and kisses with Katniss' are grey areas this selfishness when it comes to love is clearly a fatal flaw.

And then after all this he goes on further switching the scenario in this immature competition of who do you love/care more.

“And me, would you leave me?” Gale’s expression is rock hard now. “Just if, for instance, I can’t convince my mother to drag three young kids into the wilderness in winter.”

And the thing is he's scenario isn't even valid or realistic because Hazelle wouldn't have refused to go with them. Peeta's family is understandable being merchants and all. But Hazelle has suffered and more than knows what the Capitol can do.

There are some things that Gale does that are just unforgivable, and I get that all character's have made huge mistakes but most if not all have some excuse for it ( For example Katniss not talking to Peeta for 6 months, it was wrong but understandable due to the circumstances) while this was just plain selfishness.

[gale-gentlepenguin]

ML Hot take

There is a good amount to criticize regarding the writing of the show. To say it has little to no flaws is reductive and untrue.

The main side that criticizes the show goes way too far and gets to the point where it’s basically bashing every frame of the show that it just gets ridiculous that you could swear you hear clown music playing.

There is a subset of people that enjoy the show and recognize its flaws. I’m sick of the whole “if you like the show why do you criticize it?” Shtick. but I’m also even more sick of all the character bashing that comes from the salt side because the characters don’t match their ideal.

The two sides of the fandom are split by the Grand Canyon and I am in the middle of the deepest crevice.

[dekariosclan]

One of my favorite things in a good romance is when scenes are repeated to show character growth/used to bookend the arc of the romance (Mr. Darcy sharing his feelings with Lizzy, anyone?) and today I’m thinking about the two scenes of Gale getting on his knees and taking Tav’s hand.

How it starts: Gale hesitantly letting Tav into his heart, letting Tav be the first person he’s shared the truth with, the first person whose touch he’s felt in over a year. The way that he clings desperately to their hand, needing their help but unsure if they will give it. The way that his expression is pleading but hopeless, his eyes dry as he awaits Tav’s judgement—because he knows that no matter what their answer is, the orb is growing more unstable, and this is probably the beginning of the end of his life.

How it ends: Gale, having not only let Tav into his heart, but given it to them fully. The way that he no longer needs to cling to their hand, but instead takes it gently, worshipfully, knowing this is the hand that saved his life. The way that there’s no trace of uncertainty in his expression, just fully bared emotion and adoration—because the orb is no longer a threat, Tav has said yes to his marriage proposal, and this is not just the beginning of the rest of his life, but the beginning of the rest of their life, together.

[shinynewmemories]

Listen to me Suzanne Collins did not have to give Katniss and Peeta a history before the games. She did NOT have to do that. She could have just had their story begin when Peeta's name was called. She could have had them be total strangers until the moment of the reaping.

Like: "And the boy tribute is... Peeta Mellark!" Katniss: Who's that? Or she could have made them vaguely familiar with each other! Peeta's name is called and Katniss just thinks, Oh, I know that name! He's in my class, actually. Poor boy... Anyway!

Either way, SC could have written the rest of the story exactly the same! I think many authors would have done that! Because if Peeta's purpose in the book was to be Gale's competition, to be one of the 3 corners of a love triangle, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE WAY TO DO IT!! But that's NOT how she did it because that's NOT what Peeta is.

And who is he? To Katniss, Peeta's someone who saved her and her family and received nothing in return except a beating. Peeta's someone she has had her eye on but has never worked up the courage to talk to. Peeta's someone she associates with kindness and hope. And all this before the start of the events of the book! Just because WE, the READERS, met Gale before Peeta and immediately felt a connection with him does NOT mean that was Katniss's experience! And that's what SC is trying to tell us!

To dismiss Katniss and Peeta's past as unimportant or inconsequential compared to whatever Katniss and Gale have in the present is to fundamentally misunderstand Katniss as a character and, as a result, condemn oneself to never fully understand the choices she makes in the future.

Suzanne Collins wrote it that way on purpose because she had something to say. And no one will ever be able to convince me that something wasn't "It was always going to be Peeta".

[thatrandomblogsays]

Me: *reading a post that makes the joke “Peeta dropped the baby bomb, Gale drops bombs on babies”* haha good one

Also me: you’re missing the point! You’re missing the point! YOURE MISSING THE POINT! He grew up starving. His best friend almost died of hunger. Most of his people live in poverty. He watched children die in a bloodbath every year for the capital’s entertainment. The girl he loved went into the games. Was tortured by the capitol. His district was bombed out of existence. Nearly everyone he knew was killed. Their only crime was being fed up of being hungry and oppressed and sharing the same district as Katniss. All those innocent people. Murdered. He had to take refuge in a district that was bombed out of existence and forced to live underground. Of course he joined the war effort. Of course he designed unethical bombs and battle tactics. He wanted revenge. He wanted the capitol to have a taste of their own medicine. He wanted the rebellion to succeed. And tell me you could live through what he did, and that no part of you would be screaming for Justice and vengeance. Gale is you. You are Gale. He represents a part of feelings and actions that reside within us, even if you don’t act on it.

“But he killed prim!” Exactly! Gale loved prim. She was a second family to her. He looked after Katniss’ family. He saved them from the district 12 bombings. He loved her. He never would’ve put her in danger. He never would’ve put in order for a bombing if it would kill Prim. But coin would. And did. She took what was meant to be a tool of Gale’s righteous revenge for all the suffering he and his people suffered through, only for someone in power to take it and use it to kill someone he loved.

There’s some many lessons to take. We can’t control the things we create. War spares no one. Even justifiable rage and actions can end up rebounding and hurting those you love instead of your targets.

“He drops bombs on babies” is too simplistic of a takeaway and does a disservice to the story and Gale.

[marcheriest]

my take on the weirdos with the worm (they could be way weirder)

[sweetmage]

Larian Does NOT Handle Abuse Well

Within the span of two days, Larian has promoted the removal of Gale's (a victim of grooming, emotional abuse, and being used by someone with an extreme power dynamic over him, might I remind you) consent twice. In patch 6 they made it easier to manipulate and pressure him into group sex while doing nothing to change all the lines expressing discomfort (other than removing his ability to bring it up after). They also posted a gif to their Twitter without warning of him bring non-consensually choked and kissed while looking terrified.

Imagine if they posted spawn Astarion looking scared while he was hurt and forced into submission while being kissed by someone with extreme power over him.

Not to mention Larian's lead writer implied that, because Gale is annoying (read: autistic coded) that him blowing up at the whims of his abuser is a good and fitting ending for him.

Now imagine it Larian was like "Actually Astarion returning to Cazador and submitting to him is a fitting ending because he was kinda mean and he was causing trouble so it's the best for everyone :)"

Additionally, they have continued to sexualize the clearly abusive and one sided relationship between Wyll and Mizora (a black man and the white woman who manipulated him as a child and now keeps him on a leash and abuses him), evident most recently in the Christmas animation.

Imagine if Larian was repeatedly making jokes and insinuations about Astarion and Cazador fucking or Astarion secretly being attracted to him.

DO YOU SEE THE PROBLEMS NOW???

Y'all run around praising this game for how it handled abuse but really this game and this company handles abuse terribly and their marketing is triggering and insensitive to abuse victims and basically no one wants to bother talking about it! Frustrating...

[cursed-critters]

I adore Gale’s epilogue kiss

[shiranui7]

Damn, your companions are such hypocrites! You become the Slayer and suddenly everyone feels entitled to give you moral lessons. You've just killed Orin, a sadistic mass murderer (and maybe a flying elephant, who didn't give a shit about all the murders happening in the city) and now Bhaal's cult follows your orders. Your new power can be useful against the Absolute but everyone condemns it without even asking you why you suddenly accepted it after resisting it for so long. It doesn't matter if you risked your life to save a shit ton of people in need before (including Minsc); you are now evil by default.

Jaheira: Fuck you! I saved your Arpists, killed Thorm and saved your friend Minsc, while you were too busy forgetting about your own family!

Minsc: you have 1 braincell and Boo uses it! You killed a lot of people following the orders of a fake Jaheira without even questioning them but now you want to kill me for taking down our enemy?!

Karlach: why are you judging me? You served Zariel and Gortash! You treated me like a pile of trash despite my efforts to fix your engine!

Shadowheart: are you worried about the Slayer? Why don't you think about all the people you tortured and killed in Shar's name?

Wyll: you say I have become the same thing that we are fighting? Big talk from a Warlock who served a demon bitch! I even saved your father and freed you from your contract, you ungrateful idiot!

Astarion: I can spare you since you shrugged the thing off quickly but remember that is you that lured who knows how many innocents to your bloody master and it was my ugly Slayer that killed him, you jerk!

Gale: Am I really getting preached by Mystra's toyboy? I can forgive you since you recognised I would be a useful resource in battle though.

Halsin: just worried a bit about controlling the form. Good bear man.

Lae'zel: she was the kidnapped one. She only thanked me for saving her. Best response.

[galedekarios]

the netherese orb: consequences for gale and his connection to magic

i wrote a post a while ago focusing on the physical ailments that the orb was causing gale, and i had a really interesting exchange with another user on it:

@dark-videogamer: I just noticed it myself, which for me implies that as the orb is consuming his weave, his life essence, it's also refusing to allow that part of the body to properly heal, like he's always internally bleeding or it's infected. (at least in my opinion) which makes me wonder how irreparable the damage is there. @galedekarios: i actually do have a post coming up on that! i want to focus on what the orb does to his magical ability in that post because i focused more on the physical aspect here. of course, they sort of go hand in hand for a wizard to a certain degree, but there are a few hints in the game. anyhow, sorry for rambling! i very much agree with you! it's def either is still consuming gale's own gifts and i think that's a reality he has to face after it's removed.

so this further inspired because i actually wanted to use this opportunity to look at how the orb might be affecting gale's magic / casting ability.

general stuff & how the physical impairments affect the casting of spells

first off, i want to note that both of these are of course intrinsically linked, not least of all because the orb is affecting everything a caster class needs to cast spells:

-general biological deterioration -muscle spasms -ringing in the ears -disorientation -concentration issues -varying levels of physical discomfort / pain

aside from the obvious things that would impair a caster (deterioriation, disorientation, pain, discomfort), concentration is incredibly important to maintain a spell. muscle spasms, too, would absolutely interfere with the somatic component of a spell:

The somatic component was a basic part of spellcasting. Many spells required the caster to make a motion to cast the spell. If the caster was unable to make the correct motion, the spell could not be cast.

i could add more here, of course, but i think it's fairly obvious how all of these mix together into something that would leave a wizard defenseless, and again, gale admits as much, too:

player: i fail to see why you need me to help you this. you’ve done fine without me so far. gale: A fair point - however, until recently I was able to rely on a supply of artefacts stored in my tower in Waterdeep. A supply that has now run dry. The reality of the matter is that a lone wizard with a chronic impairment such as my own is not in the most ideal of situations with regards to self-defence. The manner of artefacts I need are not often found waiting patiently on a shop-keep’s shelf. One usually has to lift them delicately from trap-filled tombs or prise them from the hands of violent ne'erdowells.

the orb

but what consequences did the orb itself have?

we have several lines in the game, where characters are surprised that the orb didn't outright kill gale. gale himself knows this and the imagery we get when gale opens his mind to the protag and shares his story is incredibly violent:

the orb didn't kill him outright and it was a miracle that it didn't, both gale and mystra acknowledge this in-game.

but it left him incredibly weakened and with a condition that could still kill him if left untreated, as well as those around him.

what it did do instantly, however, is that it did consume his gifts.

again, both gale and mystra acknowledge this in-game:

Gale: Is that why you lied to me about the Crown of Karsus? Self-preservation? Mystra: My concern was the preservation of everything. The Karsite Weave could tear apart the very fabric of the Material Plane. That it entered your body and consumed no more than your powers was a miracle. But we will not be granted another. The only reason the 'orb' sleeps is because I have allowed it to feed on the true Weave - a temporary measure, but one that will not be enough to save us.

Gale: It sounds like the door to redemption is open at last. All I have to do is walk through it, carrying the Crown of Karsus. Player: Is that what you want? Gale: Perhaps. I see few other options open to me, if I ever want to reclaim those parts of myself the orb snatched away. If I ever want to be me again. Player: We're going to cure you Gale: Thank you. There aren't many I'd trust to stand beside me on such a journey. Fewer still who would do so because they believe I deserve such a chance.

so what are these gifts that were consumed exactly?

in early access, there used to be a scene with gale in act i that was commonly known as the loss scene, where he would be found in camp, cursing as he tries to cast a spell that he was once able to:

Gale: Khat-Tsjin Deth-Thra! Tav [Wizard]: That was a failed spell if ever I heard one.  Gale: Failure. You'd think I'd be used to it by now. It’s getting late. I think I’ll turn in. Perhaps some sleep will do me good. Tav: Is something wrong? Gale: Let’s just say not all is right. But that goes for all of us. Tav [Wizard]: I didn't recognize your hand gestures. What spell were you trying to cast? Gale: A bygone spell from a bygone age. It doesn't matter. Tav [weave romantic]: Come, you know I care about you. I showed you when we shared that spell [CHECK wizard] Gale: So you did. Very wel. Just now, I was trying to cast a spell I once cast with ease, but I failed. You see, this fire – there was a time that I could make it come alive. That it would take the shape of a dragon and roar in delight. There was a time I could silence a Beholder with a word, and lift a tower from its foundations with a flourish. There was a time I was all but one with the Weave. But no more – a mere shadow of the wizard I used to be. Why? Because I’ve lost. Tav: I don’t understand. What is it that you’ve lost? Gale: I’ve lost… Tav: [Insight] Go on. Every burden is easier to carry when shared. Gale: An apt enough observation.  I've... lost... Mystra. I sought to impress her personally. Tav: Another fool pays for his arrogance. A tale as old as time. Gale: Arrogance? Ambition, rather. And ambition is a fine thing – until suddenly it no longer is. Then again, if that is how you judge me, there’s little I can do to change your mind. But know that I have this ambition still. First to save myself, and after that, the licence to dream. (Gale Disapproval)

this insight in just how great the magnitude of his loss in power as a wizard and, intrinsically linked to that, his ability as a wizard is entirely absent in the full release of the game.

while we do know that he was an archmage and we also know that he was a chosen of mystra, with all the gifts that may have entailed, we only get a very vague mention of the lost gifts and gale being a former shadow of who he used to be.

abilities of the chosen of mystra include:

Chosen of Mystra gained many benefits from her blessing. They held a greater command over spell, being able to cast even the highest tiers repeatedly. Doing so, however, was not encouraged by Azuth and Mystra (Midnight), as it required repeatedly tapping upon the weave. They also became more familiar with magic and able to detect its presence. In addition, many also developed immunities to magic, and eventually even immunities to disease and poison. They become much more hardy, showing a toughness uncharacteristic of most mages. Mystra's Chosen were also immune to the deleterious effects from the casting and wearing of a mantle: they suffered no loss of health or the removal of spells from their minds upon the raising of a mantle or the cumulative daily requirement of the spell. The Chosen also wielded silver fire, a unique raw magic that conjured a silvery flame with a variety of functions.

[source]

other interesting bits and pieces:

Chosen age, albeit slowly, and as they age their power becomes closer to equivalent level mortal wizards. They can steal bodies to prolong their lifespan, but if they choose not to they eventually die and return to the Weave until Mystra makes them a new body. Chosen still have access to Silver Fire and can manipulate their hair freely. Mystra has imposed restrictions on magic in some cases, such as making it physically painful to read minds. This applies to using weave-work to communicate long distance with 'regular' humans. Chosen have the ability to communicate to the weave-ghosts of other Chosen as well as living Chosen, but rarely seek to interrupt the lives of each other. Laeral can speak across distance with Storm, Alustriel and even Halaster. Chosen still don't need to sleep, but do need to enter Reverie to replenish their energy.

[source]

again, this is all not really mentioned in the game and it's sad because again, it adds a lot of context to gale as a character. the most that is hinted at, i believe, is elminster's incredibly long lifespan of several hundreds of years.

conclusion / consequences of removing the orb

this is just speculation on my part, so feel free to ignore this completely.

apart from the chronic ailments, we know from the arcane hunger status that the orb feeds on gale's very soul and that both gale and mystra acknowledge that the orb has consumed already gale's greatest gifts as a wizard.

we also know that tara and gale were not able to figure out immediately how to treat the orb after gale was afflicted by it. it was tara, who in their combined research, figured it out and it took them some time to do so.

on top of that, we know that gale had to live without said treatment for a while since he no longer had any magical items to consume and, in fact, i speculated it's a part of the reason why he may have left waterdeep behind and was captured on the nautiloid.

all this time, the orb was left with nothing to consume, with nothing to feed on, except what was within gale to give and the orb is ever-hungry.

i feel like this surely would have consequences even after the orb is rendered inert and then, later, implied to be removed by mystra:

one of the sadder outcomes could very well be that his ability to cast spells is permanently diminished or entirely cut off.

Thus comes the question: what is the Weave? It is an essential element of the universe. It runs through everything in unseen threads. It is what makes magic possible. — Excerpt from Magic of the Weave - An Introduction.

with the orb inside of him, left untreated for long intervals, it may have consumed a lot of gale's own weave, something that runs through all living souls, his ability to cast magic might be even smaller and weaker than now.

at best, it will take him some time after the game to recover, back home in waterdeep, with tara, with morena and a romanced protag and new friends.

at worst, and, with the knowledge that the orb consumed so much upon first entering his body, it may also be a possibility that gale could be stripped of magic entirely, but that's quite a cruel fate for him, someone who says that magic is their life.

[boabelboo]

confessing something here. i don't trust people who blindly hate gale

[catastrxblues]

the stark differences between book!gale and movie!gale after katniss asked him about the bomb was something i was kinda surprised about when i first watched the movie yesterday. like, i had to get my book out for this when i first came to the scene. because in the movie, he actually had the decency to look guilty, to sound like he was actually sorry that he couldn’t protect her family. when katniss said he didn’t try to visit her at all, he tried to make reason for himself and said that he actually wanted to. hemsworth even went as far as making his voice break, and he actually seemed like he felt remorse for the loss of her sister etc etc.

but in the book, what did he do??? when katniss said he didn’t visit her at all, he didn’t answer. when katniss asked if that was his bomb, he only shrugged and said “does it matter? you’ll always be thinking about it” and then continued to say that taking care of her family was the only thing he had going for him. and that’s it. as if his place in katniss’ life was more important for him to talk about at this moment rather than i don’t know. sorry for your loss??? sorry for prim?? the loss of a person you loved more than anyone else?? the reason you did everything you did?? sorry that i might be the cause of it?? even just a slight empathy?? none of that and yet he still had the audacity to touch her cheek before leaving the room. this whole peeta-katniss-gale isn’t the main point of the hunger games, it never was. but how did the debate for the love triangle even came about? how was there even any other choice? you have a man who did this shit and you have a man who came back home to her and plant a garden there to honor her sister’s death with evening primroses because that was the flower her sister was named after. how was there even a competition in the first place

[gale-gentlepenguin]

I know I talked about it before, but Miraculous Ladybug's Unification power kind of sucks.

Yes, you get to use multiple miraculous at once but you dont get to use the powers COMBINED.

Like Imagine the Horse miraculous and Cat miraculous.

Portals + Destruction = BLACK HOLE

Or How about Tiger + Ox

Invulnerability + Collision = Unstoppable force

OR The Ladybug + Fox

Illusions + Creation = Construct creation

Turtle + Bee

Shield + Stun = Perfect Prison/ Capture Sphere

There are so many capabilities we could have seen with the unification power.

Plus Imagine Bug noire using the powers of Creation and destruction and gaining the ability to just Alter matter or if Gimmi is concerned. REALITY WARPING

[dekariosclan]

And another thing I love about Gale is

during your first night together he’s already thinking about marrying you someday.

I say that because just look at his face of a line of dialogue you can get during his Act 2 romance scene, after he describes this book to you:

Gale: This one here is called ‘The Art of the Night.’ It details the first thousand nights of a newlywed king and queen.

He’ll suggest ‘taking a page from their book,’ then you’ll get three different options to choose from:

And if you respond with “I’ll remind you we’re newly acquainted, not newlyweds,” Gale says this:

Here’s the thing, he could’ve said: “Then we’ll create our own story,” or: “Then we’ll write a different story,” or even: “Then we’ll set the book aside and be blank slates,” (which is exactly what he says if you comment about him seducing you with a book).

But no.

He said prequel, which is: ‘an earlier stage of an existing story.’…the existing story being two newlyweds, in love, enjoying a thousand nights together.

It may only be your first night together, but Gale meant what he said when he told you he loves you, and he already knows what he wants your future to be:

TL;DR: Gale is perfect

———

[just-a-honey-badger]

i'm genderqueer as in genderstrange. it is weird, it is fucked up in every way. my gender is, and it is not. it is mine, and mine alone. i twist it and wind it and fuck it up more. i am everything. i am nothing. my gender is weird. and i love it.

[kawareo]

ur right, the only person who has an excuse to have abs is Karlach (the whole avernus thing, I believe she was probably malnourished during that time and slowly gets her healthy chub back the longer she travels with everyone)

Ok just gonna do a quick ramble about how i see them here, from no abs to yes abs

Gale: nerd who stays solely in his tower. His abs might be there but if they are its all illusion magic babey, there is SOFTNESS and thats a hill i will die on

Shadowheart: no visible abs and shes not particularly strong, shes just basically fit in a way where running up a small hill wouldn't kill her and her knees wouldn't creak when she crouches (sorry Gale), no abs, stomach soft to touch

Wyll: he's fit enough but not that strong, id say there is no ab definition but he can do some situps without feeling agony in the morning. They exist but theyre covered completely, you could feel them if he flexed!

Astarion: now. NOW. hear me out. He has abs at the start of the game and itd make sense because even though hes not that strong his DEX is high and it could make sense. BUT. as the game progresses he loses the abs because he is for the first time on 200 years not constantly dehydrated/starved and his body gets into a more normal state. His initial ab definition makes sense if we remember how movie stars look like when they dehydrate before shoots to make muscles more visible, id say same thing.

Karlach: abs of steel BUT theyre not that visible, she's strong as hell but id also give her some meat on the bone to make her stronger especially in the waist area. Similar to Astarion she also softens as the game progresses but worry not, the abs are still there, like bricks covered with a layer of fluff (youre so right for this anon)

Lae'zel: skinny and strong, you could cut yourself on how defined her abs are. She looks like shed have metabolism of a horse or maybe its just how githyanki are built but yeah she should be the only one whos stomach muscles present a risk of poking out your eye. Ab queen.