#he was failing the people he was trying to protect. he's not their savior. he doomed each and every one of them

[niamhuncensored]

on the one hand, i understand why batman doesn't kill. i understand that a tenant batman's belief is that anyone can change for the better at any time, and that killing them cuts off that potential.

on the other hand, we genre-savvy readers know that that just won't happen and/or won't last for most of the rogues gallery. To us, outside the narrative, it becomes less like "anyone can change, we just have to give them the ability to change," and more like "I demand an omelette. No, I will not break eggs, what do you take me for?"

The Joker needs to fucking die.

[wish-upon-the-universe]

"what if the king adopts siffrin" "NO what if Bonnie and nille adopt him" "wait what if ofile adopts them" WELL WHAT ABOUT EUPHRASIE ADOPTING SIFFRIN.

Hear me out.

Housemaiden Euphrasie finds a dark haired teen with nothing more than the clothes on his back, a shitty dagger in hand, and a handful of Vaugardian and Porterian phrases under their belt. She hears their accent, sees those metal pins, *knows* that light hair far too similar to her own and decides. This child should be protected.

So she gives him a place to stay, among her fellow housepeople at the House of Change in Dormont.

And Siffrin grows up there. He visits the Observatory with her, studies that eternally locked door, takes a few classes and learns about the Change God. He clings to her when there's too many people in the cafeteria or when that one new scientist girl starts flirting with """Euphie""". Siffrin reads so many manuscripts of plays, takes classes to learn other languages and acting courses to occupy time and maybe sometimes he visits other cities to explore other Houses (with Euphrasie, ofc). He can help her see who wished for Vaugarde to be saved, and run away faster than anyone and escape the House when the King arrives. And later he can stumble on that study-all girl, rumored to be blessed by the Change God (how strange!) after helping her growing party defeat a particularly large sadness. Then he can see Euphrasie and panic when she starts to speak nonsense, saying something is broken, failing, rotting, and realize that Vaugarde's intent, as pure as it was, has trapped him in time. And then he can cry when he "shoves" her and apologize and she can just hug him and promise them that its ok!!!! Its all over, its all ok, and she's more than happy to bless them on his new journey.

And Euphrasie!! She cares for Siffrin almost like her own child. He has a family, somewhere, but until they can be reunited... she can be a guardian. She can play favorites just a little when she's nominated and accepts the position of Head Housemaiden (she pretends not to see Siffrin cry with pride). She can teach him, and try to bury the past under the changing future with them. She can tell him about the wishes, and they can wish for a savior from the King together. She can cry and hope that Siffrin escaped, or that Mirabelle was able to save him with her blessing. She can see the broken, rotting, failing wish and Siffrin with tired eyes and an exhaustion in his bones, and know that their past- even just a little- has caught up and it has ruined them. She can see the haze of something familiar take over her and wake up to a viscious shade still in the sky, coming from... Siffrin? She only gets a glimpse, though, before she's out like a light and waking up to overhearing Siffrin talk with his party about continuing to travel. She can heal herself as as much as she wants to hold them close again... they deserve to explore the world with a new family. So when she blesses them, she asks they never forget her and the promise to come back and write letters and they whisper "I love you" before parting ways.

So yeah, Euphrasie adopts siffrin

[deathmetalunicorn1]

YANDARE! BE AWARE!

😋😋 gotta ask you something, in opinion of beautiful lady like you, yandare Hades, Beelzebub and Buddha would try to make their human female s/o stay? like what distances and things would they do to make sure you never leave them?? (can i say it? i think that Hades would absolutely get s/o pregnant-)

-Hades- He’s the type of yandere in where you could do no wrong in his eyes, if you try to escape he just takes it as he wasn’t giving you enough attention. He’s quick to shower you with hugs and apologies, promising to do better so you wouldn’t leave him. He’s delusional in hearing your demands to leave, not wanting to be near him that you just want his attention, which he’s always happy to give to you to make you happy. You never make it far if you do escape, he’s one of the top rulers of the underworld, he has eyes and ears everywhere, so even if you think you’re safe, he knows exactly where you are and he’s on his way to come and get you. He would never hurt you, he just wants you to be protected and safe, and what better place than in his palace, where all of your needs, desires, and wans (besides being let go) are met. Hades would definitely baby trap you, if you’re able to carry a child, and his protectiveness would increase tenfold, but his adoration would grow 100-fold for you. You will never leave his side, it’s where you’re the safest.

-Beelzebub- He’s the type of yandere where you don’t realize you’re trapped until it’s too late, he’s always soft and gentle, worshipping you, seeing you as his savior, his light, his perfectly little darling. Once he has you, he isn’t letting you go. He would never hurt you but he would make it known that he is a dangerous person. If you get someone to try to help you escape, Beelzebub will make you sit there and watch as he beats them to within an inch of their life, showing you what he’s capable of. You know he wouldn’t hurt you, but that silent threat, knowing he could easily do so, terrifies you. He keeps you by his side with fear, but he doesn’t want you to be scared of him, oh no, he wants you to love him like how he loves you. He’s a patient man, he’s willing to wait for you. He’s willing to do anything for you. Anything.

-Buddha- As much as I love and adore Buddha (he’s my bias <3), he would be a manipulator, he would gaslight you in a way to make you believe that you need him. He’s the only one to keep you safe, and if you try to leave him, he lets you, but arranges for ‘accidents’ to happen, situations where you’re left scared and vulnerable, where he swoops in and saves you, taking advantage of your fragile state. He takes you home and shows you how safe it is there, how warm and protected you feel. Buddha is patient, he doesn’t mind if it takes a few tries to get you to fully believe him, and at that point, he stops, knowing that you would rely on only him, showering you with love and adoration, that makes you feel so special and warm, and you never want to leave him. Buddha won’t hesitate to take care of others, those who see what he’s doing to you, not wanting them to undo all his hard work. He makes sure to never do anything rash around you, not wanting to scare you, and he tells you that those who had tried, and failed, to ‘save’ you were evil people who just wanted to take you away from him. He’s the only one who can keep you safe.

[spid3rw0mxn]

The Injured Spider

-

Peter Parker angst: Mentions of: Blood and violence :)

—

“You’re going to die.” Her words hung in the air around them. 3am, He came through her window. Battered, bruised and in need of immediate medical attention. Medical attention he couldn’t receive without risking his identity so instead they sat in her studio apartment. The lamp light illuminated the current slash she was tending towards. Her fingertips stained crimson as he winced from her stitching. She’d grown accustomed to blood. The smell didn’t phase her anymore, it had come to be something she’d associated her boyfriend with.

Peter let out a small chuckle, trying to defuse the situation at hand. He wanted to avoid the conversation that statement would lead. “You should see the other guy.”

Silence followed his words. It was Interrupted by the sound of a police siren ringing out, followed by that of an ambulance. 3am In a city that never sleeps.

Static sounds came from Peters police radio. How he’d managed all this equipment evaded her, she didn’t bother to ask. She listened in, it seemed the police had it covered. His body relaxed back, shoulders slouching as he continued to let her doctor his wounds. No doubt if they’d needed him he would’ve swung off into the night. Completely ignoring his own needs, As he was known to do.

That’s what Spider-Man did. He had found himself to be more of a symbol for New York than a person. A symbol doesn’t rest, a savior doesn’t succumb to injury. Spider-Man doesn’t stop.

She let out a sigh as she fixed up the last stitch, sitting back on her knees to examine her work. The first-aid course she’d picked up after high school came in handy more and more often these days.

“You’re going to die in this suit.” She tugged her lip between her teeth when she spoke again. She stared down at her chipped red polish, at least it matched the staining underneath her nails.

Peter sighed and turned to face her. This was a conversation he’d had before. A glimpse of Gwen and him in a similar position plagued his mind. He had failed her, and it had taken him a while before he learned to love again. He couldn’t help but fall for the girl who sat opposite of him now. She’d been patient, she’d been kind, she’d been understanding before even knowing who he was. Even going as far as sweeping the cancelled dates under the rug with a smile and rescheduling.

It was easier when she didn’t know. Lying was easier. She didn’t get that furrow in her brows from worry. She didn’t chew her bottom lip from nerves while watching the news. She didn’t frown at the articles against Spider-Man. When she didn’t know, she watched with wonder as the masked hero swung by her. She didn’t look up to blow a kiss, wondering if he’d make it to their dinner reservations. He couldn’t protect her from the dangers of loving a superhero. He knew that. He had learned that before. But, If he could go back and protect her from doing so knowingly, he would.

“Someone has to protect the people.” He stated plainly. The humor in his voice from earlier disappeared. It was replaced with a solemn tone, one she couldn’t say she hadn’t heard him use before. Especially when this discussion arose.

“It has to be you?” She questioned, but she knew the answer. ‘With great power’ and all of that. She wondered if Uncle Ben had known the life he was sentencing Peter with at those final words. “You’ve done enough. Maybe it’s time now to just be Peter Parker, a student at Empire State.”

“I’m not just Peter Parker. I haven’t been in a long time.” Truth be told, he hadn’t felt like Peter Parker since he turned 15. If he’d become the spider or the spider became him, he was unsure. All he knew now was the strength he had, the responsibility he held in his hands.

“You could be.” She tried again, cupping his face in her left hand, thumb gently brushing over the yellow bruise under his left eye. “It doesn’t have to fall on you.”

“But it does fall on me. If I don’t do this, people die. Innocent people.”

“You’re an innocent person Peter.”

“If I do nothing, I’m not innocent. I’m a bystander.”

She was stunned by that. How could she argue? He was right. She hated to admit it so instead she just turned her head from him.

“I’m scared for you.” She exhaled, fighting with the tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks. “I can’t keep watching you do this to yourself.”

“Then don’t.” He said the words before he’d thought them through. The implication behind the sentence suffocating them both.

A beat passed, then another. She looked back towards Peter. “Okay.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…” He started, pausing as he tried to think of what to say. His eyebrows fell in defeat as he reached towards her.

She shook her head and he retreated. “No, You’re right. I can’t do this. You want to kill the man I love? Do it. But, I refuse to be part of it.”

He stared at her, blinking a few times in surprise. “What?” His voice was soft, like a child being scolded. “That’s not-“ He stopped himself as he heard another siren in the distance. Peter took a breath before slipping his mask back down over his face.

“We will talk about this later.” He moved down, lifting his mask up over his lips to plant a gentle kiss to her forehead. “I’m Sorry.” Peter left the same way he had entered. Through the window, Following after the bright red and blue lights. He was headed towards whatever danger awaited him.

The depth of his apology wasn’t lost on her. “I know.”

[theshotsheardacrossworlds]

Lost and Found

Beatrice loses...and finds Zevlor. SFW.

Seeing many familiar faces at the Last Light Inn was comforting to Beatrice.

Then she spoke with them, and her heart shattered.

“A pity. You pulled them out of one death-trap only for me to land them in this one.” Cerys said, still looking over the cleric and her party.

“What happened? Where’s Zevlor?”

Moonmaiden, please hear me. Please, not him. Not him.

“Gone, and more than half the others with him. We were ambushed in the cursed lands---cultists of this Absolute. Zevlor froze, begged us to surrender, but…they were toying with us. Making examples. And we’d had enough of taking it. Those of us who cut free just kept running ‘til we found this place. The others…maybe the cult got them. Maybe the curse.”

No.

No.

No. No. No. NO.

She smiled despite feeling like I’m about to sob in the middle of nowhere. “Have hope. You survived---I’m sure the others did too.”

Cerys glared at her. “Zevlor had hope. It didn’t save him. A little sense will serve us better, I think.” Her gaze softened slightly. “But…thanks. It was sweet of you to try.”

Alfira then told her about how Rolan (the grumpy one who’s currently plastered and hates me for convincing his siblings to stay in the grove) saved her and the children from the cultists.

“Zevlor betrayed us.”

“Zevlor froze.”

“He’s gone like the rest of them.”

“I hope he rots.”

Many nights afterwards, both in the Shadow-Cursed Lands and around Roseymorn Monastery, she cried herself to sleep.

Always thinking of him.

***

What the fuck?

When Beatrice, Wyll, Halsin, and Gale entered yet another exceedingly creepy room in the ilithid colony, she was not sure what she was expecting to find.

She did not expect to find her missing lover in a pod.

“Zevlor!”

Thank you, Moonmaiden. He still lives. Thank you.

Nor did she expect that when she touched his pod, hoping that it would release him, she would see his memories of the Descent. Zevlor. My poor love. I’m so sorry. I promise…I swear to you…you will never go through that again. Never.

“There must be a release surely?” Gale asked impatiently, glancing around and then pointed. “That’s it!”

Without a second thought, Beatrice hurried to the controls and released the prisoners and a few mind flayers. Whatever, we’ll kill them.

“Zev—”

“ENOUGH! MY MIND IS MY OWN!” Zevlor screamed as he smited a prone mind flayer.

Ooo that’s hot.

NO, BEA. FOCUS.

After the mind flayers and intellect devourers were taken care of by her party and the freed prisoners, she rushed to Zevlor’s side, taking his hands in hers.

My love, what happened to you?

“Hells…I didn’t think I was going to make it. Thank you…”

She squeezed his hands and tried (and failed) to stop herself from crying. “Zev, are you alright? What happened?”

He continued as if he had not heard her. “I…owe you an explanation. Much more than that. But first, please…The others. The ambush---tell me they survived.”

Oh no.

Oh fuck.

“They found refuge.” Beatrice explained, still holding his hands. “But what the hells happened out there, Zev?”

“You’ve heard some of it, I’m sure. That I froze, or broke, or some other lie that is kinder than the truth. We were ambushed by cultists, yes. And then I heard…Her. Their false god, whispering promises in my mind.” Fucking hells, he was being enthralled. “I would be a paladin again---with a god’s purpose, a god’s power. Everything I needed to protect my people…and you.” Gods, Zev. “And all the while the cult tortured them. They fought, and ran, and died around me, while I imagined myself their savior. By the time I regained my senses, it was too late. I did not just surrender to the Absolute. For a moment, I welcomed it.”

No.

“Zev, listen to me. You were being enthralled—” She began but he shook his head.

“It would be nice to think so. But whatever these monsters twist us into…I believe it begins in us.”

Beatrice opened her mouth to tell him he’s wrong, but he shook his head again.

“I won’t make excuses. I can’t make amends. But I know something of what you came to do---I want to help, if you’ll let me.” Anything. “Ketheric is below. He thinks you’re no longer a menace.” There’s the fire in his eyes. Those beautiful flames I want to get lost in. “Descend and show him how wrong he is.”

A breathless “yes” was all she could manage without letting her emotions overwhelm her.

“Good girl.” He murmured so softly that at first, she did not think she heard it. Then he cleared his throat. “If there are any more survivors to be found, I’ll find them---and lead them out of this place.”

She nodded, knowing that her time with him was coming to an end. We need to find Ketheric. Kill his undead ass.

And then find Zev and tell him it wasn’t his fault.

“Promise you’ll find me after. Promise!” Beatrice stared into the flaming eyes she loved. “Promise, Zev!”

He gave her hands a squeeze and then let them go. “I promise. Now go, Bea. Finish him.”

I am the Moonmaiden’s righteous fury.

For my lady, my love, and everyone---Ketheric will die.

[astridthevalkyrie]

so idk how mha is gonna end but obviously the moral of the story we’re going for here is that everyone deserves to be saved and heroism is about saving people no matter what. that’s great! i’m guessing some or all of the league is going to survive and be put into some kind of rehabilitation center (toga and spinner seem the most likely to me for now but who knows). and i’m fine with that i like the overall message of it.

but how are they going to deal with the fallout from the league’s victims? i get the feeling that they’re not, or it’ll be a one-off like “some ppl were upset we didn’t jail or kill the villains but the heroes calmed them down” or something like that. i mean. whoever in the LOV it is would have to show remorse eventually, for one thing, for them to be any different than the corrupt hero system. but even then, all the families of whoever machia trampled on during the war arc, are they just gonna be cool with this? mind you I don’t think that anyone in the LOV should be killed or jailed rather than rehabilitated, but i wonder if the show is going to bring up that anyone who dabi or toga killed won’t get a second chance. they won’t get rehabilitated, they’re just gone. how are their families and friends going to deal with what society deems as an appropriate punishment for them?

i think this message also could’ve been conveyed better if we had more prominent “corrupt” heroes aside from endeavor and hawks. the top ten minus them and the irrelevant guy who retired after the war arc are all portrayed narratively as good people. iida’s brother is attacked by stain for no real reason at all aside from not being all might. all might’s heroism ends up being bad for society overall yeah, but so much of that is because of who toshinori is as a person rather than hero society (which does play a part but if toshinori just hadn’t pushed himself to be the best and number one savior for everyone there wasn’t necessarily any society forcing him to until after he’d already showed them he could do it).

PLUS the existence of afo offsets this message. everyone can be saved…..besides the real super evil people?? if, and I’m not saying they do, shigaraki and afo had the same kill count, is the lack of a sad childhood the only thing that makes afo beyond redemption? i mean he might not be gone gone if he’s still inside shigaraki’s mind or whatever, but that doesn’t change the fact that the heroes were trying to kill him too. narratively, why was all might in the right for killing him all those years ago when hawks was in the wrong for killing twice? because twice was kinder? because twice was neurodivergent??

mha also a little bit contradicts itself because. hero society is exposed post war arc. civilians have every right to be mad that their current number one is an abuser and that the heroes failed and couldn’t protect them. but theeeen, we have ochako’s speech in which she yells at scared civilians that “the heroes are the ones who are getting dirty!” which is like. yeah. they are. but during and post the war arc civilians also very much died. i feel for izuku but at first glance if someone promised you a safe haven from being attacked and then said oh never mind we’re actually going to bring the one guy shigaraki can absolutely track and hunt down here because he’s tired of fighting, getting upset with that is not totally unreasonable.

and I get that civilians are supposed to get mad at heroes for being corrupt, but not for failing, because heroes should never have been put up on such a high pedestal. they should be seen as humans who are as fallible as everyone else. that doesn’t change the fact the average innocent person would be rightfully scared, because it’s not just the heroes who are getting dirty. people are getting attacked. the heroes are not saving everyone. they shouldn’t have to and there’s no way they realistically can, but picking and choosing which aspects of hero society people are allowed to criticize feels…meh. if there’s gonna be fallout, fallout that endeavor and hawks if not the rest deserve, there should be proper fallout.

i don’t think the UA kids should be treated as full-fledged heroes because they’re not, but their age should not be the one thing that makes them better than the current heroes. they’re liable to the same mistakes and the same fallings. or they would be had they not all been portrayed from the beginning as one big happy hopeful crowd who just wanna save the day! there was opportunity to show who was in it for the right and wrong reasons and somehow ochako who has been so poorly written for several seasons actually had the most relevant arc (besides bakugo) about being in the hero business for the right reasons. ochako should have interned with hawks ochako should have interned with hawks ochako should have interned with there should’ve been more students in it for the glory, for the money, for the fame, but even monoma from class b and mineta are apparently true heroes! is being a high schooler all it takes??

anyway this is all jumbled and a mess but mha should’ve made hero society far more corrupt to justify its dismantling is my point. right now we’re getting a vibe of “the heroes are just as bad as the villains if they don’t save them too” and that’s just like. objectively not true. if hawks was supposed to be an assassin for hire for the hero commission, we should’ve seen him kill people aside from the guy who could’ve turned the tides of the war, at the very least actually kill best jeanist to finish his mission. if toga wanted to preach about how the heroes are just as bad because they killed jin, it falls flat when she’s on machia’s back stomping on people and then killing an old lady to talk to ochako. the heroes should try to save everyone including the villains because that’s what heroism is, but they are not equally as bad as the villains for trying to stop the villains.

the hero commission in general is just like afo, a vague villain we can blame so that we don’t have to blame the underlings. if people discriminate against animal quirks we should’ve seen it way earlier with shoji and tsu and tokoyami, maybe really expanded on it once mirko and hawks and even the dog cop were introduced. if sooo many heroes were in this for the wrong reasons, where are they? the current “failings” of the hero system are all might, endeavor, hawks, lady nagant and bakugo. everyone else is fine! there was a chance to show that someone like mount lady isn’t a real hero because she only cares about fame. there was a chance to show that aizawa is a good hero compared to others because he doesn’t try and seek glory. but these points are only halfway done and then kinda left there.

[your-punk-mom]

Vash needs therapy Pt. 1

(FYI: My view on therapy is that everyone can benefit from professional support, at least at times. But some people *need it urgently, right now, and maybe long term*. It’s a tool, don’t judge.)

So here’s my personal rule: DON’T DIAGNOSE PEOPLE OVER THE INTERNET. It’s unethical, and even if I were qualified (I am not) it would still be wrong.

But Vash is fictional, so that’s ok. :)

I said previously that psychological character analysis tries to explain how a character’s actions flow naturally from their past, relationships, and assumptions.

Today, we’re going to mostly look at actions. And Vash’s actions say he’s got a Savior Complex.

Savior Complex (SC) isn’t a diagnosis of mental illness. It’s not even in any version of the DSM. It’s more like a state of mind, stemming from toxic beliefs and reflected in toxic behaviors. Anybody can develop this mindset, with or without an accompanying mental illness.

Thanks to not being a “disorder”, SC is not a big subject for serious academics, but practicing therapists write about it a lot, so my citations are a little bit informal.

My favorite version of a definition of SC is from Grouport:

The savior complex is a psychological construct that describes a person's need or compulsion to save others, often neglecting their own needs in the process. It's a behavior pattern often rooted in empathy, but when left unchecked, it can lead to unhealthy dynamics in relationships and personal distress.

Individuals with a savior complex often believe that their worth is tied to their ability to help others. This belief can stem from societal expectations that value selflessness and altruism, sometimes to the point of self-sacrifice.

Doing good deeds is not a bad thing by itself; it even has health benefits for both helper and helped. But taken to extremes, it becomes a problem. People with SC often damage themselves and others in the name of saving someone, even the target of their help.

WebMD has a pretty thorough list of behaviors and beliefs that can indicate a SC. Let's match some of what we observe in Vash's actions and words to these indicators.

Does helping or saving others:

✅Put you in danger physically if you try to save someone in a dangerous situation

Agreeing to duel the Officer Chuck Lee in Jeneora Rock; jumping back inside the worm to rescue the reporters; getting in the middle of Wolfwood and Livio's firefight; walking right into Knives' trap; taking a bullet for literally anyone.

✅Affect your mental state, especially if you aren’t able to save the other person

After Rosa kicks him out of Jeneora Rock, Vash tells Meryl he is smiling because "I don't deserve to cry"; refusing to talk after Jeneora Rock; refusing to eat for two days after Jeneora Rock, refusing to eat for weeks after the Big Fall (especially significant since he only eats for the joy of it); stating that that he “failed” to protect Rem, and so he *has* to save LITERALLY EVERYONE; after the Big Fall, lying about Nai's survival to Luida and Brad.

✅Cause you to neglect your own physical needs, which could lead to illness

Refusing to eat for two days after Jeneora Rock; refusing to eat for weeks after the Big Fall; Letting that one officer in JuLai shoot him over Jeneora Rock, when Vash easily could have dodged; letting the JuLai military police beat him up until he was bleeding, in Jeneora Rock.

❌Lead you to get burned out

Not Vash, but only because he's not human.

✅Affect your personal relationships

In Rosa's first appearance, she says Vash rescued the town before, and that any friend of his is welcome in her diner. But after the Nebraskas, EG the Mine, and Knives wreck the town and Knives steals the Plant, Jeneora Rock has no power or water, and they have an enormous quantity of injured and dead people. Rosa blames Vash and kicks him out.

Wolfwood and Vash continually fight because Vash wants Wolfwood to adopt nonviolence, while Wolfwood finds that totally impractical. This creates conflict when Wolfwood kills the giant worm, then again when he shoots Rollo as a mercy, and again when Livio turns up on the steamer. Vash wants Wolfwood to change, even against his own will.

And then there's Knives. //sigh//

Effin Knives... Let's just put a quote here from VeryWellMind:

They also can have problems in their relationships with family and friends, and frequently find themselves being taken advantage of by others. People close to a person with a savior complex just assume that person will take care of them, without any regard to their needs. It can lead to a toxic, one-sided relationship, where your boundaries and feelings are not respected.

🤷‍♀️Negatively affect the person or people you’re trying to help

This is less clear-cut, because lots of people blame Vash for events that others are acually responsible for (chiefly Knives). We could argue that his previous failures lead to people not trusting his intentions, and acting against his saving them... Or we could just talk about Rollo. Vash essentially failed Rollo twice, when he didn't return in time to prevent him being made a child sacrifice, and again 20 years later when Wolfwood shot him as a mercy killing. Vash was angry, but Wolfwood pointed out forcing Rollo to continue living in pain and misery was cruel, and Vash was not able to cure the monstrous changes done to Rollo. Wolfwood feels the killing was actually compassionate, but Vash insists he could have found a solution without killing.

If we call that one a half-point, giving us a 4.5 out of 6 behaviors. Again, SC is not an illness, this is not at all diagnostic, but it's enough to suggest talking to a therapist would be helpful.

There's other self-assesment lists and articles out there, and some lump Hero Complex into the same broad definition as Savior. I had accidentally confused SC with Martyr Complex in an earlier post. The difference really seems be that both people with a Hero or Martyr complex need acclaim or praise for the good deeds they do, but Vash doesn't care about rewards or recognition at all. Rosa said he fixed the plant before for free, and other than food or drink, we never see him ask for payment or even trade in exchange for helping anyone in Trigun Stampede.

---

Please tell me what you think of Part 1. Part 2 will cover the psychology of Vash regarding how his past relates to his beliefs, and if we have time, we can try to get into what that does to his relationships.

[sandeoki]

His to protect pt. 2

summary: Y/N a hero, loved and respected by all. Seonghwa a villain, feared and frowned upon by all. both have been enemies ever since they can remember but what happens if Y/N appears at Seonghwa's doorstep at the middle of the night, all bloody and bruised?

t.w: swearing, mentions of death, violence, slight yandere vibes, rude!hwa, sassy!hwa, mention of blood etc.

< pt. 3 >

she was tired, her lungs were on fire and her feet were numb. her pace was getting slower and the people following her were getting faster. they were catching up. she couldn't run anymore.

she wanted to give up, to stop, take a breath and to rest. but she doubted the people following her would allow her to take a 'time out' and alas, she was right.

just as her pace slowed due to exhaustion, a large hand roughly pulled her shoulder, making her face a man clad in a black coat and pants. he looked like an agent straight out of a science fiction novel.

Y/n didnt have much time to judge his appearence before she was harshly pushed again. her back hit the stone wall and she realized just how doomed she was.

she was trapped between the stone wall and the man who looked as if he was about to kill her. she had nowhere to hide, nowhere to run off to. she had no escape.

tears starting rolling down her cheeks as she saw the man take a knife out of his pocket. just as she went to shout, her mouth were covered by the man's dirty hand. it made her shudder with fear and disgust.

all she could do was watch in fear as he bought the knife down to kill her, waiting for the pain to come. just as the knife was about to rip her apart, a bright light filled her vision.

she felt a striking pain fill her head as she sat up with a gasp. she looked around the unfamiliar surrounding. she was in a room, but it wasnt hers.

the room was well decorated and organized. the walls were a mixture of shades of beige, cream and white while the floor was carpeted. it certainly looked like it belonged to some kind of royalty.

she was laying on a king sized bed in the middle of the room, all tucked up and warm. she was still in her dirty and bloody hero costume but her wounds had been bandaged.

she tried to get up but failed, it was as if her legs had forgotten how to work. after a few minutes which seemed like an eternity to her, she managed to stand. just to stumble over thin air. right as she was about to break her nose, a gentle hand caught her.

"i thought you were better than this, you gremlin. falling over nothing? really? tch, shouldn't have underestimated your clumsiness" a voice all to familiar to her teased.

she pulled herself out of the the arms of her captor or well savior and straightened up. "why am i here?"

Seonghwa couldn't help but roll his eyes. "i dont know, you tell me? what the hell were you doing at my front door at 3 in the morning, looking as if you just escaped death?"

Y/n stiffened, she couldnt tell him how she ended up like this. she knew he could find many ways to use that information against her. telling him would be a dumb move.

"what's it to you?" she grumbled out with her jaw clenched and anger visible on her face. "stop right there princess, if it hadn't been me, you would have been dead by now. dont you dare get smart with me. you know i dont like brats, little hero"

"as if i care about your liking. why am i here? why am i still alive? aren't we like, i dont know, enemies? shouldn't you have like, you know, killed me..?"

"calm down tiger, we may be enemies but i'm not a monster. i would never try to harm you when i know you cant fight back. now if you are done with your interrogation, i have some questions for you too. and you know how much i hate dishonesty, so you better answer them properly."

the 'otherwise' was left unsaid but y/n got the hint. all she could do was nod her head like an obedient child. "are your wounds still hurting?"

her head snapped up, she was expecting him to ask something like 'why she was being chased' or 'what information was she hiding'. this was a shock to her.

"uhh no...?"

"are you telling me or asking me?"

"why does it matter anyways?" she snapped. it was after she saw his glare that she realized how big of a hole she had dug for herself.

"lister here and listen well, you puny hero. if you think you can run that cute little mouth of yours around me, then think again. if i want to know how you are feeling, you will tell me how you are feeling, understood?"

all she could do was nod as tears filled her eyes. the same hand which had stopped her fall now came to rest under her chin as he sighed.

"shush now, i didnt mean to be so harsh, calm down little dove. save those preety tears for some other occasion, hmm? clean up while i make some soup for you, why dont you? and after you are done, you are going to tell me who did this to you so that i can track that bastard down and crush his neck myself."

[destinygoldenstar]

I Rewrite The Climax Of Hands Of Time By Just Changing ONE Plot Point.

You know how Kai had been playing detective for the entire season and realized that his parents were traitors to the Elemental Resistance, and therefore pretty twisted people?

And then in canon it was revealed they were good all along?

Well, here's the change: Kai was RIGHT.

Ray and Maya ARE alive, but they are NOT good people, and they work for the Time Twins at their own will.

Why would they do that?

The Time Twin's ideals of "control time control everything" wore on them because their desire was to remain in their present fame as Elemental Masters. And the twins, especially Krux, were good friends of theirs. However, it broke them to be fighting against friends, and they felt like their past relationships were broken because of it. It pained them to make the blades.

Then not only did they fade from relevance due to fatigue from making the blades, fatigue that would plague their bodies for the rest of their lives, but they also had children. Which dented their ideal time.

Yes, Kai was not intended to be born. But once he was, Maya had the sympathy to have another kid so they could live on in their ideals. This is why she turns around in Seabound.

Then it was revealed to them that Krux was alive and in disguise, and he told them he knew how to get their Elemental Master fame back, and undo what the creation of the time blades did for them. So they made the bold decision to cling to the past and go with Krux.

They believed that as long as the time machine worked, no harm would be done to Kai and Nya, as they would be able to go back in time and be parents later.

Again, they're supposed to be bad people for this.

They're traitors. They work for Krux to make this time machine.

Kai learns this the same way he did in the original, but we also have more baby Kai and Nya flashbacks where we see not just the good memories of his parents, but also the trauma he endured as an abandoned child. How exactly he coped with losing them suddenly. How he put himself in an adult position in the house. His growing hostility towards the rest of the town (their shop is far off from the town after all). Him putting himself to work. His sacrifices for his sister, like his place in school or food. And importantly, how Nya wouldn't allow Kai to destroy himself like that, and she gained her own independence and responsibilities against his wishes, to save him. (He did say in Season one that he spent his whole life trying to protect her and he was just now realizing she never needed it)

Ray and Maya abandoning their kids left a ton of past trauma that they cling to. They're both clinging to the past. Nya is clinging to her past identity as Samurai X and her bond is with P.I.X.A.L and she learns to accept her present role and let it go. Kai is ALL ABOUT honor and the legacy he THOUGHT of his parents. As a blacksmith. As a Master of Fire. As a savior to Ninjago. He's all about doing what they did, and doing it better.

So when he learns that they're actually BAD role models, him asking if they're destined to turn evil, actually makes sense.

Then in what he deems justice, Kai decides to be dishonest with his sister, and ATTEMPT to assassinate his dad (he fails). He's clinging to the past. (Obviously Nya stops him from assassinating his family, because that’s wrong and that’s a horrible thing to do.)

And this clinginess to the past is what makes Kai and Nya get caught by the Time Twins.

In this scene, Ray and Maya PRETEND to be the sympathetic kidnapped parent that did everything to see his kids again. (He's not lying when he said he did it to see his kids again, but it's not in the way they think. Technically)

Their story about how they were kidnapped in the original is a LIE.

They use the opportunity to 'take in' Kai and Nya, and they pretend to be on their side in finding the Reversal Blade (The Time Twins aren't with them, at least by Kai and Nya's knowledge)

NYA is the one who is against this, as she does not believe anything. Because she's the kid with no memories of her family, and she's the independent one, and she's already learned the moral I'm going for with Samurai X.

They get the time blade, they're ready to defeat the Time Twins and get Wu back...

And then Ray and Maya betray them. Krux and Acronix were tracking them the whole time, and they arrive to claim the blade. This is where the kids learn the TRUTH.

And Ray and Maya frame it as though this is a GOOD THING for their family, and the kids are the ones in the wrong. If they can make this time machine, not only would they be glorious like they were in the past, but they could be proper parents to their children and raise them as the perfect Elemental Masters they were meant to be.

Yeah, become good parents by abandoning your kids. It's supposed to be MESSED UP.

Kai and Nya refuse this ideologies, because they're traitors, and they get ditched. Ray even claims to Kai that he is a failure of a Master of Fire, and when they time travel, THAT Kai will be so much better.

This leads to another point I need to make with all of this that is true about the original too:

Kai was very neglectful of the other ninja ever since his fight with Krux in the museum. He had been so fixated on the past and finding out the mystery of his parents that even the other ninja got annoyed by it. He didn't talk to them, he didn't listen to them, he didn't even care about his role as a ninja.

This is where, as the siblings are ditched and trying to get back, Kai APOLOGIZES for this, realizing he was wrong in this behavior, he was a bad brother, and he caused this disaster.

And Nya not only forgives him, but reminds him that the reason she never looked up to their parents was because she HAD a parent to raise her, and that was Kai. Had it not been for each other, they would have never gotten here, let alone survived long enough for Wu to come find them.

So Ray and Maya are bad parents. So what? That's the past. It doesn't matter now. What matters is what they want to do to stop them from destroying their REAL family.

So they follow the Time Twins back, Ray and Maya are with them, and that final fight proceeds. The kids not only participate but get a chance to confront their parents again.

Ray plays the 'you don't want to hurt your family' card.

And Kai claims. "You're right. I have a family. They're the ninja."

Doesn't matter who his birth father is, right NOW, his family is the ninja. That's who raised him. Not Ray.

It HURTS Ray that his kid thinks like that, and is SARCASTICALLY THANKING HIM for ditching a five year old child and his little sister in a forge.

When Krux and Acronix betray their original plan and decide to go far into the future, Ray and Maya feel betrayed as that's not what they wanted, but they get knocked out by the twins when in the machine.

Blah blah, Kai Nya and Wu get caught in the time vortex, and this is their final fight against the twins.

KAI is the one who gets the final blow on Krux. The man who influenced his parents, and destroyed the happy childhood he and Nya could've had, and was also a traitor to a resistance he stood for proudly.

Krux asks why he'd ruin his chances at a happier past.

Kai claims that his past does not matter anymore. His focus is on who he is RIGHT NOW. And RIGHT NOW, he is the Master of Fire, an older brother, and a loyal savior to the Elemental Resistance, and he's fighting for the future of everyone he loves. Something a self absorbed power hungry maniac like Krux would NEVER understand.

He gets the last blow on Krux, and Krux falls out of the machine, lost in time. (We COULD see what happens to him. Maybe that's a Randall Monsters Inc situation.)

The time machine is breaking down, and they're nearing the present, so they have to go back and jump off the machine now.

And out of sympathy, they take their unconscious parents with them and save their lives. Despite everything, it would be clinging to the past to act like they're too far gone.

So they're all ready to jump off, and at the last minute to avenge his fallen brother, ACRONIX GRABS WU AND PULLS HIM BACK IN THE MACHINE.

Kai and Nya try to save Wu, but they lose their grip, and can only watch as Wu gets lost in time with Acronix.

The ninja get back to the present and reunite with the team. Wu is lost in time. They don't have the Reversal Time Blade in this version, because future seasons never use it, so there's no harm in cutting that.

As for Ray and Maya, they regain consciousness when they're back in the present. And the ninja arrest them.

So for the Oni Trilogy, they are in jail. That's why we don't hear from them.

This is actually going to take us to Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitsu.

I'm going to say that during them running around looking for something to do, Kai get an offer to pay bail for Ray and Maya, who were serving their time up till that point, and they want to try to be better parents.

Kai does not take it. He is not emotionally prepared to let them back in his life.

It's part of a narrative that Kai is content with his role as the Fire Ninja and his ninja family, and does not want that to change. But not only are Jay and Nya married now, but crime had stopped, and the ninja are transcending into adulthood, getting some jobs, and starting a new chapter of their lives. Kai and Zane are the ones who can't move on. Zane because of his programming, now that there's no one to protect, and Kai because his life as a ninja is the ONLY life he has, and thus he isn't anything without it.

This would make Kai losing his powers and feeling useless and deciding to not go on the mission make more sense.

(I mean it's still a bad plotline, but it's... less bad?? Idk, that's a whole other rewrite story)

Instead of this random kid coming to Kai, it's another message from his parents. He visits them in jail, because Ray is a Master of Fire, he would know how to get it back.

We could even have Ray explain something about Fire Elementals. That their fire functions though the state of their souls. And as long as the soul is strong, their fire being drained can be undone. (At least, I think it would be a better more lore-related explanation than 'You just gotta believe', which is a massive plot hole on how Elementals work. This too is probably a plot hole, but I try)

And Ray is the one who snaps at Kai, and claims that a Master of Fire who can't fight without their powers is not a Master, they're just pathetic and dumb and they really are useless.

It hurts Kai, they get into an argument because they're hot headed like that, and Ray at one point asks what he needs to do to help Kai be better. Kai says he doesn't NEED to be better, he WAS the best version of himself, and Aspheera took it from him...

Why can't his own father see that clearly enough to WANT HIM?

Ray claims that he DOES want a son. When they agreed to get the Reversal Blade, it was the most alive he ever felt through the years of him working for Krux. Despite Kai being accidental, when he was born, Ray knew that there was a spark in his kid that was precious and warmed his heart. He thought maybe his kid could be better than him... and he already was.

Ray doesn't know much about the other ninja and what they mean to Kai, but if they're the people Kai needs to be around, then Ray can't stop him. After all, Ray doesn't deserve it.

This doesn't allow Kai to forgive his dad, as Kai still leaves Ray in jail, but it touches Kai and it's progress.

Then at the very end of this season, probably one of the last scenes of the season, Kai decides to bail his parents out and reunite with them at the blacksmith shop, and for the first time in years, they can hug it out. Despite everything.

You can have like, one line of dialogue in Prime Empire (doesn't matter when), where Kai tells someone (doesn't matter who) about what happened to his parents. It was awkward, and people in the village weren't open to forgiving them... but they did manage to have a good hiatus in between seasons and work things out. Forgive and forget.

This goes to Seabound, where Kai has been able to forgive his parents, and Nya, who's been absent of interaction in Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitsu, has not. At this point, Maya and Ray are as overbearing as they are in the original, because they want to be good parents. They want to be better. They want to put in that effort.

Nya is not open to that, because again, what happened, she didn't get a chance to forgive them or talk to them, and she's the independent one.

So yeah, Ray and Maya have a redemption arc in this alternate reality. They're garbage parents, started out as such, but decided they wanted to be better when they were snapped into reality what their kids are capable of.

ALSO, if anybody wants to steal this for a fanfic or something, go ahead, take it, just let me know it exists, I would be open to reading that.

[jambling]

the thing about spiral is that William is obsessed with a version of zeke that doesn't exist, and he kind of learns that through the film. He's idolized Zeke for years, the cop who saved his life, the detective who took a stand and exposed the corruption surrounding his fathers death, the man who is treated so unfairly by the system that is supposed to protect people. and then he meets zeke and he is bitter and an asshole about it, hes misogynistic, he raids a guys appartment without a warrant and commits police brutality on him to get information, and william is so deep in it that he just can't see it as a negative thing, because zeke is perfect in his eyes.

one of Zeke's redeeming qualities is that throughout it all, he sincerely tries to save everyone he can. and THATS the one thing that dissapoints William! he is so convinced that he's doing the right thing that he genuinely cannot understand why Zeke would try to help Dunleavy. he sees it as Zeke failing his test.

i feel like zeke would never want to be partners with william. he wouldn't be able to handle putting people, no matter how much they suck, into death traps.

sooner or later William is going to see Zeke for who he is and not just as an idolized savior, he's going to realize that he spent 15 years molding himself to please a person who doesn't exist

[soapskies]

Could I request yandere btas riddler and scarecrow, where they're helping each other to keep the reader all for themselves.

I love your writing so much I just want to eat it

YANDERE BTAS SCARECROW + RIDDLER

MALE READER. ROMANTIC HCS. CW FOR YANDERES TEAMING UP (GONE WRONG)

— sorry if these are a little short!

Spookiest man alive with smartest man alive, what could go wrong? (A lot actually)

Though you knew Scarecrow longer, Riddler would fall for you first, and harder.

They both admire your drive and your determination to accomplish your goals, but for Scarecrow it’s more about the fears that come with such a person…

Perhaps you’re afraid of failing, or proving yourself incompetent? It makes him find you all the more fascinating…

At first they had a bit of a rivalry. Scarecrow wasn’t willing to share, and Riddler wasn’t fond of the spooky fellow all that much. Riddler was especially concerned that Scarecrow would harm you for the sake of his experiments.

They respected each other, but taking their darling away from them? Neither of them are willing to give you up.

Edward is a lot better at hiding his disturbing tendencies, at least from your view, than Scarecrow is. He tries to romance you in the usual way, arranging things so you spend a lot of time with him and delivering (not so secret admirer) gifts to your doorstep.

Sure, Edward’s eliminated a lot of people in his way, but you don’t have to know that! He’s lucid enough to realize playing the long game will be more successful for him

While Edward plays savior, promising to protect you from Jonathan, Scarecrow takes advantage of your fears. He tries to convince you that Riddler is only acting polite for personal gain, that he would have no problem throwing you in one of his traps if you proved incompetent…

What if dear old Eddie pitied you, hmm? Only kept you around to make him feel better about himself? There hasn’t been anyone that Riddler considered an intellectual equal before, besides the Batman, after all. Scarecrow is just telling you how it is.

They may try to kill each other indirectly, but neither succeed. They were both expecting it.

Riddler is more open to working with others, and he sees Scarecrow as a grand opportunity to force you into his clutches.

It’d be a lot easier to control you if you were caught between two rogues.

When they meet, they come to an agreement: Scarecrow will be able to continue his experiments as long as they don’t put you in serious danger, driving you towards the Riddler, while Riddler will handle the technical stuff to ensure you’ll never be able to escape them.

Your relationship with them would be like running between two abusive exes.

Scarecrow’s manipulative, putting ideas into your head about your inadequacy and terrifying you into staying, always some underlying threat laced into his words when he shows you what he’s been working on or asks you to do something for him

While Riddler is very overprotective, constantly has you under surveillance, and caters to your every need, which can feel infantilizing and suffocating.

Even more so when you slowly find this all out, as his layers are pulled back the longer you live with him… it makes you think back to what Scarecrow had told you.

At this point, you’re probably too far gone to be dragged out of it. Edward’s taken care to remove you from any semblance of your old life.

Every time one of them hurts you, you run to the other for comfort, and it’s a never ending cycle.

And Riddler has to admit, it’s fun when you’re under the influence of a bit of fear toxin, and you’re desperate enough to be held and reassured, doing nothing to fight their hands all over you…

[marshmallowprotection]

do you think jihyuns desire to save and protect comes from the fact he feels guilty about his mother's death, thinking he shouldve been able to save her

I mean, that is 80% Jihyun's driving motive and even though Cheritz doesn't do the best job of getting that point across and you have to flip through all the media you can get your hands on with Jihyun to be certain of his thoughts, that's his driving force.

His mother died to save his life, showing him love was meant for sacrifices for the sake of others, and that's what he took away from that event. He thought he had to live the rest of his life striving to make sure his mother did not die for nothing.

She died for him and now he feels like he live the rest of his life trying to prove that sacrifice was worth it. He "failed" his mother by hurting her feelings when she tried to help him flourish as an artist, and by... not being able to live up to her gift of life. That's what he believes so deeply in his heart. Do you know why he keeps his promise with Rika without a second thought? It hugely stems from one simple fact. He can't fail anyone, no matter what, because his mother gave him a life to "devote himself to never give up on others because he can't leave a single person behind."

It's good that he's a selfless person, but he's selfless to a point where it becomes selfish.

He never gives up on Rika because he feels like he shouldn't have given up on his mother, because perhaps if he didn't, she wouldn't have died the way she did. He made that promise to Rika and told himself he had to keep it. Even though, we all know you don't have to keep a promise if it's destroying you and other people. God, it's okay to let someone go and Jihyun just couldn't accept that because of his perspective and trauma.

I think the most painful thing for me was the fact that he was wholly aware of his problem and the root source in the RAE. Him being self-aware haunts me because he knows he can do better and that he's doing the wrong thing and he keeps shooting himself in the foot. He can do better, he can do the right thing, but he doesn't. He regresses, and while it's painful to watch, it's human and sometimes we don't do the right thing even when we know we're wrong. I hate to see him like that, but it's one of the reasons he's so compelling as a person.

Don't get me started on Jihyun's savior complex, either, he and Rika feed into each other like a bad feedback loop that goes around and around when it comes to savior and believer mixed in with obsession and devotion. That's the other motivation he's got going on and you can have this conversation with him in the RAE on the first day when he's trying to make Saeran leave to become a pawn.

Get therapy, Jihyun Kim, darling. Get therapy because your survivor's guilt is what's been haunting you since the day your mother died and this is no way to think of yourself. This is destroying you and all of the people you cared about because you won't let yourself give up when it's okay to give up on something.

[asha-mage]

I think, on reflection, I agree with the choice to split Hurin's role between Errol and Elyas- he's one of my favorite minor characters in the series but I can be objective and admit he's an easy cut. But it dose leave me wondering how their going to be bring in an important element of Rand's character: the noblesse oblige that Hurin instilled in him.

One of the important themes of WoT overall is people's relationship to power and government. Jordan is fascinated with the idea of how dynasty, noble houses, monarchies, etc get started, how they function, and how they fall apart. Jordan spends a lot of time and energy exploring both their virtues and their common failings, and one of the things that makes his writing unique is that he's not trying to sell a certain PoV to the audience: he is neither in the Monarchy Good or Monarchy Bad camp, but instead is interested in showing different sides and elements to these systems through his characters and conflicts.

This relates to Hurin because as much as he gets mocked sometimes for being 'obsessed with following a Lord' what Hurin is actually expressing is 1) the prevalent attitude of common people in his society and 2) a very human impulse on which these sorts of systems are based. Hurin wants to believe their is someone in charge whose sole job it is to take care of everything and make it right- when everything falls out from under him and he finds himself literally in situation completely beyond his depth, he looks to Rand to be that person, and the narrative does not judge him for it. Hurin is used to living in a system where their is a class of people whose whole existence is (supposed to be) dedicated to protecting, leading, and aiding the common folk. This is alien to Rand (who was after all raised by anarchist tax evaders), but he comes to view it as a duty and a responsibility, and one that he can't take lightly. A Whole Person is putting their faith in him, and that is both an honor and a burden, but one that is critical to the noble-commoner relationship.

This sense of Noble Obligation informs sharply Rand's relationship to different aristocrats throughout the rest of the series, especially the justice he dishes out to the High Lords of Tear (who have forsaken that obligation to instead regard their status as a right). It also become a huge part how he handles being The Dragon. After all, what is being the savior of the world, but someone with the ultimate duty, the ultimate obligation to set everything aside, from their heart to their humanity, in order to protect the innocent?

I don't doubt they'll bring this in some other way of course, but I am a touch sad to see Hurin's part in it end up on the cutting room floor.

[a-chaotically-small-lunta]

I had a g/t dream where people would randomly shrink and the world for some reason taught everyone that “those who shrink, shrunk because of what they are. Terrible people, stupid people, blind fools, sinners, etc etc” Everyone believed shrinkees were stupid and deserves their fate. Most would escape into the sewers or underground structures where they hid from the outside world knowing they would be hurt or possibly killed if they were found. One day a dude suddenly shrinks and his cruel sister finds out and tries to find him, luckily for him, he escaped and found the hiding place for shrinkees. He watched as they blankly stared at him and he muttered that he wasn’t gonna stay around this place and he wasn’t gonna live in fear like the rest of them. He then starts to make an escape and the other shrinkees see him as a savior from legends. Anyway then I come in. I’m waiting in a train station when I notice something running around beneath some of these pipes. It’s the dude who shrunk earlier and well I’m not the only one who noticed him. A man noticed him and gets a wicked smile and sneaks down into the pipes to try and catch him, I follow. Once down there I squirm my way around trying to find the shrunken dude before the other dude. Eventually I see him and quickly grab him. He struggles and I felt so bad. The way he felt in my hand, so vulnerable and soft. I was scared to put any more pressure on him because I was so terrified that I might squeeze too hard. I quickly try and get over the fact that I have a living person in my hand and whisper that I’m trying to help and to just trust me, as I slip him into my coat pocket. The other dude who was hunting sees me do this and tries to follow me. I quickly run into a bathroom that has multiple exits and make my way through the crowded room trying not to have myself be bumped or shoved in any place near where the tiny dude is. Eventually I exit and find myself in a mall. Where this girl sees me and decides I’d be a perfect candidate for something, I try to decline saying I’m in a hurry, but before I know it I’m shoved into a room where people are tied up and being questioned. The people asking the questions decide that I fit perfect in their little plan and grab this golden chain and wrap it around my arms before shoving me down into this deep pit where others are in similar chains. I feel for the tiny guy and realize I don’t have him anymore and I panic. I call out to him and say that I truly want to help but now I feel hopeless as it seems I’ve gotten myself in more trouble because of him. I don’t blame him though and just blame the world for being cruel to those they see as different and unfit. However I slip out of the chains with ease all of a sudden and just dash towards the exit while those still chained up cry out that someone is escaping. Now guards are after me trying to kill me as I try and escape. Once outside and avoiding the guards still I break down crying thinking about the tiny guy I lost. I felt bad and cried out that I was sorry for grabbing him, for trying to protect him and failing. I was sorry that I brought more trouble to him and hoped that he was safe somewhere and not being found by someone cruel. I then felt a little movement in my pocket and relief flooded my body, realizing he helped me escape and chose to stay with me.

[dracocheesecake]

THOUGHTS ARE BREWING ABOUT REWRITING KFP4

Brace for impact cause I’ve been ruminating for weeks on how to redo it because like, there’s so many directions you could take it. BUT IM THINKING OF AN INTERESTING WAY TO REWRITE THE CHAMELEON AND AUGHHH I MUST BLAB

Cause obviously it’s a bullshit thing that her excuse for being evil is that she wasn’t allowed to know kung fu because she’s too small. We all know its dumb with Shifu, Mantis, and literally Master Chicken existing. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT ISNT STUPID? The womanly coded rage of “I don’t need to be good, I need to be GREAT” and like sure its not like a characteristic of female rage but when that thought process is within a woman it takes on a whole different kinda tone compared to a man. Miss Chameleon who, while living in a universe where there isn’t really overt sexism, still feels overlooked by all the men around her.

In my rewrite of her story, not only would she have known kung fu, but she would have been a master herself. But her problem (like the running themes of all the kfp villains which ties her to the bunch we’ve seen already) is that she wants for more than is her lot in life. Her flaw is that she can’t live in mediocrity. She can’t accept that the skills she has developed are the best she’s ever going to get. Especially when it’s not garnering the same attention from others the way Master Ox or Master Bear have. It develops this intense superiority complex and innate jealousy within her that she feels she pales in comparison to her colleagues. Which leads to her trying to copy their styles. It doesn’t work, people shame her for trying to be a copycat.

So, she tries a different approach, and see if there’s any new skills she can develop. And wouldn’t you know, she’s heard of all the tales of Master Oogway and his spiritual powers and you know, he invented Kung Fu and is known and loved far and wide, so he had to have done something right! So, she tries to learn chi. She fails. Or, in her mind, she fails. It’s not as strong as she wants it to be, again, working but living in mediocrity. She wants to stand out, she wants to shine.

So, Master Chameleon disappears mysteriously from the kung fu world. Nobody knows where she went or what happened to her, but her village checked her training grounds and all of her pupils (the iguanas/lizards we see fighting for her) are just. Gone. Deserted.

That’s when she pops up in Juniper City. A place that doesn’t know anything about kung fu or its masters, a city she can make entirely for herself. She presents herself to the government/council, introducing herself as the solution to all the crime running rampant through the place, and proves herself by actually showing off her intelligence and skills at apprehending and beating the criminals. It’s not long before she’s hailed as a savior to the city and has the council paying tribute to her and building her her own fortress so that she can train others (in reality, she makes her training intentionally too cruel on the people in the city who volunteered to learn to discourage them so she could sweetly suggest she ask her pupils back at her side) to defend the city more strongly.

She’s basically the kingpin of the city now. She’s manipulated the council into doing whatever she wants. And all along she’s making deals with the criminal overlords for more money and glory and such. The only ones who don’t bow to her is The Den, due to their structure being more familial rather than hierarchal. They fought a lot because of this power struggle, and similar to that drabble you wrote, The Chameleon would be brutal, taking the lives of their friends and such, to the point where the neutral point is Han taking what’s left of his community under ground to keep them protected, and Chameleon considers them too puny to waste her time when she’s got bigger goals.

Namely, Zhen. Zhen was a consequence of all the fighting done, the last victim from The Den so to speak. Only, the little fox wasn’t killed. Similarly to the movie, Chameleon notices her drive and skill and decides she’s worth the time to apprentice, and she needs something to busy herself with, because in the meantime, she’s basically inventing sorcery.

Using chi the way it has been used didn’t work for her. But she heard through the grapevine about Po’s battle with General Kai, how he perverted chi for his own gain, which gave her an idea. She wasn’t going to do it the way Kai had, she didn’t just want the power of their energy, she wanted to take everything from everyone who thought they were above her. Their soul, their skills, their everything. This thought process leads to her true plans and motivations: to be the only kung fu master.

She’s still having some troubles working out the kinks of her sorcery while she trains Zhen, grows close to the little fox. Only, Zhen isn’t like her other students. She’s trained them to be competent, sharp and know their jobs, but Zhen was pushed farther, and took things farther. And once again, that burning jealousy took root in Chameleon as she saw her pupil flourish more than she originally thought capable. There was pride of course at first, molding Zhen to her ideals and image. But the fox turned from student to competition as she began to experiment with her own style. In turn, Chameleon experimented on her. Zhen wasn’t expecting it, but when called to her, Chameleon threw her beta tested move at her…and it worked. That trick we saw in the movie, only it took everything from Zhen, and by the end of it…there was nothing left of her. All of her spirit, skills and even appearance was given solely to the Chameleon. She can only shapeshift into the people she’s absorbed in my rewrite. She hadn’t fully expected it to work, and a small, miniscule part of her felt guilty for doing that to her dearest little pupil who trusted her so blindly. But it opened a gateway for her.

And yeah! I won’t go into everything because I’ve talked so very much but omg I needed to get this out. And it’s necessary, because there are two running themes with kfp villains: they are greedy for more in some twisted goal, and they end up hurting somebody very close to them, there’s always betrayal somewhere. Tying that into her story makes her feel like she’s an actual villain of this universe in my head.

(Sorry this took so long to answer I had to get my thoughts together because OH BOY-)

Holy smokes this is all genuinely so, so good and a hundred times better than what we ended up getting. Because first of all: you turned the Chameleon into a character, instead of just a villain. Not to mention you gave her a motive that gives her complexity and makes her actually interesting (and the audience can't justify, but understand why she's doing what she's doing!). AND YOU MADE HER SCARY! An actual, serious threat! That imagery the description of poor Zhen's fate this conjures is spine-chilling. I wouldn’t mind seeing this version of the Chameleon on screen!

Also the way it actually follows the lore and continuity of the previous movies in a way that makes sense! The running theme of "being the best you you can be"- in this sense, her version is a twisted version of Po's journey; wanting to be the best version of herself...at the cost of all others! I could go on, but yeah this is an awesome rewrite idea!!!

[actiasteeth]

ASKBOX MEME 054 / ARCANE S01E07-09

All prompts taken from season one of Arcane (2021). Adjust as needed.

07. THE BOY SAVIOR

"I knew it was a mistake trusting you."

"I told you the truth."

"Get your hands off me!"

"You look good for a dead girl."

"What do you know about this?"

"What the hell is this all about?"

"What were you doing with _____?"

"That was a long time ago. People change."

"Are you working for _____?"

"Fuck. You."

"I thought you were dead."

"I didn't know if I could trust you."

"Gee, I wonder who I learned that from."

"You still punch like a little boy."

"Nature has made us intolerant to change, but fortunately, we have the capacity to change our nature."

"I know the look of a doomed man."

"I must warn you—if you take this path, they will despise you."

"Love and legacy are the sacrifices we make for progress."

"How'd you find me?"

"Is that what's really bothering you?"

"I've had enough headaches."

"She'll come to you when she's ready."

"I should have been there. For you. For everyone."

"That's a good way to drive yourself crazy."

"If I just went with you that day, maybe none of this would have happened."

"You're wrong. She's still in there. I can reach her."

"Do you have any idea how this looks?"

"Have you forgotten where we came from?"

"Let me help you with that."

"Don't move, silly. I might hurt you."

"I wanted to protect you."

"I am your family. Everyone else betrays us."

"I need you. Now more than ever."

"You got a plan?"

"The peace is already broken, _____."

"Ridiculous. You cannot be considering this."

"There is always a choice."

"I'm worried I have to do something I never thought I would."

"I can't leave her again."

"You can't change her."

"Don't get yourself killed."

"I told you to leave this alone."

"Oh, look who it is—the boy savior."

08. OIL AND WATER

"Mark me, _____, if you want to last in this world, you must learn to be both the fox and the wolf."

"I will give you the world, _____, if you prove you can take it."

"Kill her now and only one must die. Let her live and you may need to kill thousands."

"A wolf has no mercy."

"It was all for nothing."

"You understand you've broken several laws?"

"Sometimes death is a mercy."

"Are you prepared to lose her?"

"Please understand, this is for your own sanity."

"Gotta hand it to you, _____. Every time I think you can't get dumber, you dig a new low."

"Ego is one thing; brain's another."

"Don't try to ingratiate yourself with me."

"That's a mistake I can't take back."

"Weapons can't be unmade, and they are always used."

"What happened to her—it's not your fault."

"I understand this must be painful. I'm afraid it will only get worse."

"I have to get home. It isn't safe for me here."

"We need to act. Before anyone else gets killed."

"When do we say enough is enough?"

"This is how things are, how they've always been. I was so stupid to think it could change."

"Oil and water. Wasn't meant to be."

"Do yourself a favor, _____. Go back to that big, shiny house of yours and just... forget me, okay?"

"You wanna make _____ pay for what he's done?"

"I could have you arrested."

"You said you were tired of doing nothing. That's the only sensible thing that came out of anyone's mouth tonight."

"We got a deal, pretty boy?"

09. THE MONSTER YOU CREATED

"You've always been a part of this. You just never had to look it in the eye."

"Get ahold of yourself. I taught you better."

"I've only accelerated a process you started."

"I would set the world ablaze to protect our family."

"You weakened me."

"I couldn't endure the look in your eyes whenever I made the decisions—the necessary decisions—to keep us safe."

"We lost ourselves—lost our dream."

"In the pursuit of great, we failed to do good."

"Today's the day you die, _____."

"You really think you're in a position to demand all this?"

"You want peace—this is the price."

"We can't make a deal with a snake and cut off its head. We both have our shitty parts to play."

"You'd be surprised what you can pull off when your life depends on it."

"It's not enough to give people what they need to survive. You have to give them what they need to live."

"A thousand times I've imagined this moment. Never like this."

"And what do I lose but problems?"

"I wish I could say it gets easier, _____. But I'd be lying."

"They're right not to trust us."

"You're walking a fine line, _____."

"With respect, I don't give a shit what any of you think of me anymore."

"Nothing ever stays dead."

"The only thing that kept me going was the thought of getting back to you."

"Are we still sisters?"

"I always knew you'd come back."

"You wouldn't lie to me. Not again."

"I'm on your side. I promise."

"They can all burn. Everyone betrays us, _____."

"_____, she's too far gone."

"I never would have given you to them. Not for anything."

"Don't cry. You're perfect."

"I thought maybe you could love me like you used to. Even though I'm different. But you changed, too."