#how purposeful it is that on that battle it was as if achilles was only fighting with himself

[ragesingoddess]

thinking about hector having to face achilles and how scared he must have been and how many guts it took to stand up and fight him knowing beforehand that he was not leaving that battle alive.

imagine looking to your enemy's eyes and finding a shell of person; a person who hasn't eaten or slept in days, a person with absolute fury in his eyes, a person wearing the armour made by a god and fitting it. a person who genuinely has nothing to lose and worst of all a person who has come to terms with the fact that he is going to die. a person who craves it.

this is the core difference between the two of them during their final battle: hector knows he's going to die and he doesn't want to. he has a family and a newborn son to return to and a city that he knows is going to fall without him and all around has plenty of reasons to want to make it out of that fight alive. achilles also knows he's going to die but unlike Hector achilles doesn't want to be alive by this point anyway. hector is fighting for his life while achilles is fighting to try and mend his vengeful heart.

hector had everything to lose; achilles had lost everything already.

and then imagine looking into your enemy's face with pleading eyes. the enemy who has cost you so many of your brother's lives, who's made so many of your sisters into slaves. the person who you know is going to kill you. imagine looking into that person's eyes and having to beg him to at least spare your dead body and give it a proper burial. mind you, these were the times when people believed an unburied person's soul could never reach the afterlife. an unburied soldier was cursed to stay dishonored and alone, wandering through the depths of the world without a physical presence to offer.

and imagine your enemy laughing. and promising to feed your body to the dogs.

and after all of this hector still, still found it in his heart to fight him.

[diamondsunbursts-and-marblehalls]

Something about Annabeth is she already knew that there was a darkness inside of Luke, she already knew he was battling demons, and she still loved him, adored him, looked up to him, worshipped him even. Annabeth's love is so pure.

In the book, her response to his betrayal is "I can't believe that Luke... Yes. Yes, I can believe it. May the gods curse him... He was never the same after that quest." No matter how brokenhearted she was that he could do something like that, she always knew it was a possibility.

In the show, she literally followed them with her invisibility cap on. She thought he might be capable of that betrayal. You know that she followed them praying that he would prove her wrong, and he didn't. She knew he might, she just hoped she wouldn't.

She stays out of it and lets them fight until he hurts Percy. She didn't think he would, but all of a sudden she has to come to terms with the fact that her hero would purposely hurt her best friend, a kid, much weaker than him. Not only that she has to process the hugest betrayal and think quick enough to save Percy's life. Annabeth is far older than her years.

I can't imagine how much it hurt her to follow them for the sole purpose of possibly needing to protect her best friend who has sacrificed himself for her over and over again and made her see that she has worth beyond the worth the gods give her, from her brother, who has been the most important man in her world for almost her whole life, he's her only family and he's always on her side, and he was her whole world until Percy came into her life, and he might be a traitor.

There is so much implied in this scene as far as Annabeth's relationship with Luke, and the implications break my heart. Luke is totally willing to go through with his plan until he sees Annabeth. He never factored in the possibility of hurting her directly. Throughout the whole story, he seems to be capable of doing anything until Annabeth comes into play. He can hurt anyone and do anything until it hurts her. And then he hesitates.

She has always been his Achilles heel. He has always been her family.

[streets-in-paradise]

Third Fate - Achilles x Fiancee!Reader

Requested by Anon

" Hey, I found your tumblr and I'm loving what you do here, mostly troy. I don't know if you're getting requests, but if you are, you can make one for Achilles based on that scene where he's told he can go and win glory in battle and have his name spoken for centuries or he can stay and be loved, have children, wife? I would love to see Achilles receive more love, with a wife and children. Feel free to make any changes you want, thank you very much in advance."

Hi, anon! I got this way sooner than what i expected because I was really in the mood to write it. The bittersweet mix of angst and fluff was exactly what I wanted to get into this week. Hope you will enjoy it :)

For a lenght concern i kept it in a pre war, pre marriage discussion of the prophecy. If once you read it you happen to like what i wrote here let me know and I can post a continuation showing what happens next ( i originally planned to do so, but it became too long so i prefer to save that for a second part)

Word Count 3.200

Warnings: Standard Achilles sexyness ( no smut, but if you watched the film you understand what I mean with this.) Some aspects of both, the canon of the film and the source material it is based on, were changed to fit the request in my envision of the story.

Summary: Terrible news disrupt the eve of your engagement to Achilles. He is called to fight in Troy and the spectacular war that the gossip foretells seems to be the destiny of greatness he had always dreamed with, but the price he has to pay for it is his happiness with you. The three days ultimatum Odysseus gave him is his moment to decide, but he won't do it without you.

Note: Inspired by two prompts by @creativepromptsforwriting

Prompt 1014 - " Well, the prophecy was a bit unclear about this part."

Prompt 1010 - " Let's not worry about the future. Let's just take this one kiss at a time."

"I like how that sounds."

Tags: @mysticaldeanvoidhorse @helie-brain

There was no easy way for him to explain to you what he had just found out. After Odysseus arrived bringing the news of the war in Asia you were already sad thinking of the distance that would keep your fiancé far away from you for an uncertain amount of time, but the real hardships surpassed your expectations. The whispers of fame claimed the conflict escalated enough to become the greatest war your world had ever seen, but you still imagined it as one war like many others he fought before. No matter the challenges found in battle, Achilles would always return to you. 

Except that he wouldn’t,not from Troy. His mother told him of an old prophecy announced before his birth assuring that war would be the peak of his consecration as a hero, but the price for this glorification was his death. From this fact fate allowed him only two options of choice. He could either stay in Greece and be loved during his lifetime knowing history would forget him, or go to Troy to make his name immortal facing his doom. 

To the end of his tale all you could do was cry, convinced that you were losing him forever. All your plans faded in just one instant, the life you dreamed together was gone. 

“ I’m not dead yet, look at me.” He sweetly mocked you. “ How can you be so sure already that I’m here to tell you I’m abandoning you to get myself killed?” 

You could tell he was trying, but that wasn’t making it any better. 

“ If you don’t go, you will regret it. “ Was your dry comeback. “I know you, Achilles. You live to fight, staying away from the battlefield feels to you like a punishment. I can never keep you for long, not even when war calls you to fight other greeks. Why would it be different this time? You were born for this war, not to labrate the fields and raise goats. If Troy is the fate of greatness that you deserve, I can’t ask you to abandon this life purpose for the sake of our wedding.” 

Despite how much he loved to see people worshiping as a hero, he was very aware to be a man in your eyes. Your approach was realistic and showed how well you knew him, much better than some of the men bleeding with him in war. If you fell for him, you did it knowing what to expect. Begging him to change his nature to fit the requirements of peaceful domesticity was never in your plans and you wouldn’t try it even if you were desperate. 

That didn’t mean he wouldn’t be able to surprise you on occasions, exactly as he did when he proposed to you freshly arrived from the victory against King Triopas and his giant Boagrius. 

“ Do you think I wouldn’t give it all away for you? Then I guess you don’t know me as well as you claim. “ He teased you with insistence. “ I can do well raising horses, I have some magnificent ones already. Do you know that horses are one of the most remarkable exportations of the trojans? If their city gets sacked by greeks and I manage to buy a few of theirs to mix with mine we would get an excellent rare breed. “ 

You cleaned your face and warned him against the mockery. 

“ Don’t play with me! With the memories of your proposal still fresh, fate demands me to let you go. Being your wife is my dream, but I can’t have you knowing I would be destroying everything you worked so hard for. The immortality of your name is a cause bigger than me, the happy marriage we could have had or the children I could have given you. It can’t be a coincidence that this war gets unleashed precisely now, just as we are taking the first step to formalize our union.” 

“ They are pressuring me to choose, it’s true, but the load of this decision lies in the fact that I want both more than anything.” 

Achilles interrupted himself to take your hand, inviting you to abandon the distance you were forcing ever since he began to explain the situation. 

“ I need you by my side, it’s the only vulnerability I have ever allowed myself. A glorifying death doesn’t scare me, but surviving far enough without you would be torture.” 

Your lips parted in sincere amazement for that confession, so unusual of him. 

“ A slow agony. If the war doesn’t kill me first, lovesickness will.” He continued. “ The comfort of lonely men fighting in foreign lands is dreaming with their distant wives at night, the hope of returning to them makes life bearable. I would not have this, from the moment I would board my ship I will be aware you are lost to me. All I would have is the wound of my pierced heart still bleeding love for you and plenty of time to wonder how wonderful it would have been to make you mine… Sooner or later I would lose my mind. Knowing glorious death would be the only comfort already promised to me, I would roam the battlefield searching for it. It’s most likely I would perform incredible acts worthy of being remembered, but I would do it as the insane man who is desperately looking for the warrior meant to kill him. The poets would write for centuries about the madness of Achilles.” 

“ Aren’t they singing that already? Many people have described you as a madman.” You teased him, unsure of how to comfort him. “ Not that I mind, but that is a fact.” 

“ They have no idea, unfulfilled passion would consume me in such an incredible way that Paris would feel a reasonable man hearing about me.” 

He dragged you even closer so he could hold you in his arms and you fell for his touch chuckling sweetly. 

“ Would you be competing against both princes at once while fighting the trojans?” 

“ The warrior prince and the lover boy wish they could compare to me, I win in each one of their expertise areas. “ He followed your provocation, then whispered at you. “ I fight as fiercely as I love. “ 

You bit your bottom lip to avoid an audible response, but your flustered face was speaking for you. For an instant you felt as if nothing had changed between you and you have never heard the terrible omens. 

“... Maybe that’s why no woman is meant to have you, the great goddesses would be jealous. “ You theorized out loud while caressing his cheek. “ It’s too much, like Icharus flying too close to the sun… Although I would be lying if I deny I would gladly burn and fall for you.” 

Achilles stopped the flow of words taking your breath away with kisses that numb your senses, but not your mind. He had the habit of expressing important things in short, ambiguous phrases or not saying anything at all. When the hungry kissing began to escalate and you felt his hands roaming the sides of your body you understood that was his answer. If he would be saying goodbye, he would at least try to keep himself distant to make it easier for both of you. Given that his involvement on the war would ruin your chances to formalize, he would be encouraging you to find someone else. 

 He was pulling up your skirt slowly, evidently searching for the heat underneath. The opposite of what you would need from him if he would be about to leave you, so you stopped him right away because you realized what that meant. 

" This isn't the time to act impulsively. I know you love me as strongly as i love you, but you have to choose what truly matters the most to you. If you decide to stay, others will be making history and maybe the pleasures of the thalamus will not be enough to cure the resentment for what you will be missing. Think carefully, hearts can change and the future wife you adore now can one day become the load that brought you down. " 

Although a sensical objection, that didn't seem to preoccupy him much. 

" Never, you were made for me. The omens were very clear, staying grants me a blissful life with you for the price of letting my name fade. I have only two options: be loved and forgotten or waste my life following the fool's orders until death will reward me with immortal glory. Between spending the rest of my life with you or with Agamemnon, I think it's clear where I would rather be. "

The sacrifice was too great, ultimate proof of his love for you. Behind that relaxed phrasing Achilles attempted to de-dramatize giving up his biggest personal dream for the one you shared, what you still considered wasn’t fair. 

Responding with an equal offer was not only what your heart began to crave, but an alternative solution neither of you had considered. 

“ There has to be another way, your mother never said what I must do in all of this.” 

He wasn’t sure of where you wanted to point, but began to suspect it. 

“ Well, the prophecy was a bit unclear about this part.” 

The mischievous happiness renewed in your eyes let him know you had just found hope in the most insane of places. 

“ Don’t give me that look, this is what happens for leaving you a while alone with Odysseus! Now you think you can outsmart destiny and find me a third end.” 

You smirked with pride before presenting your idea. 

“ I can’t interfere with yours, only my own. If no part is clearly stated for me in this sacred command sent to you, then nothing stops me from choosing one. Instead of having you abandon your dream to stay with me, I’ll follow it with you.” 

His eyes were wide open staring at you, disbelief making him feel you were then playing with him. 

“ Are you telling me we could just get married and board the ship to Troy the morning after our wedding night? What kind of honorable nuptials would that be? When all the wives of the country would be giving their farewell to their husbands, would you follow me like slaves are meant to? War holds no virtuous position for a woman to occupy, it would be a stain to your reputation your parents would curse me for. “ 

“ If your baby cousin can go, so can I.” You justified yourself.” To stop me you will have to stop Patroclus and we know that is not going to happen.” 

The exactitude of your threat made him feel frustrated. Not because he wouldn’t love having you with him, but since he was refusing to publicly humiliate you like that. All Greece would know you were going to be the only wife following her husband to Troy for unexplainable reasons and they could judge your morals. Decent wives were meant to wait for their husbands and take care of their homes, not let passion distract them from their social duties. War camps were masculine places meant to be despised by the women, since their only female presence was typically in a state of degradation. Besides, Helen had already caused a moral breach shaming the greek concept of marriage and that was the reason pushing the fight. People would be judgemental of your relationship, they would question you for immorality and him for lacking authority to make you stay like a normal wife should. 

He wasn’t thinking about him anymore, of protecting his name and the weight of his masculine prestige. He was extremely worried about you and the consequences it could bring when he wouldn’t be there to protect you. 

“ Do you sincerely want to go to Troy and watch me die?” 

“ It’s still better than watching you sail knowing you will never come back.” You terminated in response . “ I have heard the city is built to withstand a ten year siege, enough time for us to have a life together before destiny will reclaim you.” 

Arguing with you was hard, even if the idea was insane you would find ways to make it sound logical. 

“ A camp on the trojan beach is no place to start a family. “ He replicated softly, just letting you know he was trying to make you understand you couldn’t ask that. “ What are we going to do when the children come? Because they will, eventually. If you become my wife no omen of death is going to stop me from making love to you.” 

You smirked innocently, ready to deliver a justification. 

“ I'm not naive, Achilles! Do you think I don’t know what happens in those camps? Captives get pregnant all the time, so it's not impossible to go through it there. It may not be ideal, but I can make it. If you would leave me here and break our relationship to protect me from your fate, you could still put a baby inside your finest war trophy girl.” 

“ And who said I’m leaving?” He questioned you. “ I’m not doing it and I am not breaking up with you. Now stop with this nonsense, my wife can’t be giving birth surrounded by death.” 

“ But trojan women can? Because births aren’t going to stop there. “ You insisted, sitting near and acting as if you were two civil parts on a trial. “ Hector has a baby boy, if he can be a father in this mess so can you.” 

The provocation made him hold a groan, but he turned back and kicked the nearest surface as a frustration release outlet. 

“ It’s different for him, his wife is a princess and they have a city to defend. “ He tried to articulate in fast speaking, doing all he could to not show signs of anger growing because of your stubbornness. “ I don’t want you to have the life of a war captive, to denigrate yourself for me.” 

It was very sweet, you were feeling his pain but he had to understand yours too. 

“ As long as you are still breathing I will not accept a life without you. When the time comes I will embrace grief, but I’ll cry for you as your widow. In the meantime I don't want no one else, I’ll have the ground of your tent as thalamus and I’ll have your children.” 

He gave a few steps towards you, presenting one more solid concern. 

“ What will be of all of you when I'm gone?” 

That should have been a strong preoccupation making you desist, but it didn’t. 

“ We will be alright. They will inherit your share of the sacking, we know your death is linked to the fall of Troy so I can assume we will win something. Given that the House of Aeacus would possess fresh new heirs to renew the bloodline, I may even be able to bargain with Agamemnon the throne of Phthia for one of them. He hates you, but he would not be politically capable to refuse if you become the maximum fallen hero of the war he just won.” 

At that point he felt true powerlessness because he just couldn’t convince you out of it for your own good. 

“ They can’t grow in a warzone, think of the ruthless people they will become.  Those kids would not know any better until it would be too late for them. I don’t want a soulless soldier as heir, people saying Achilles’ son has surpassed the brutality of the father.” 

“ Let our little monsters run free through the camp, they will turn out fine if we guide them right. “ You imagined out loud, not scared at all by the dark warning. “ I can’t wait to see them messing around, you will be in tears the first time one of them will grab a wooden sword trying to copy their father.” 

Illusion was starting to make his negative stance harder to maintain, he loved what you were saying. It sounded so wonderful that he couldn’t help find some sensical feeling in it. There was only one detail you haven’t solved for his resistance to fall completely. 

“ How would I fight the enemy worried for you? You will be the only married woman around thousands of men and although I'm terrifying to most of them, I can’t keep control at all times. Some of those men will not be myrmidons, they will not know who you are.” 

“ That’s the best part: I’ll keep Patroclus bussy.” You announced with excitement, knowing well he wouldn’t resist it. “ I know you don’t trust him in an open battleground yet, but he would not accept being left behind so you have to take him or he would never forgive you. With me on board you have a safe mission to give him that would keep him away from combat but still make him feel a hero. By the time you will judge him ready to charge into battle my presence will be naturalized and his vigilant eye won’t be needed anymore.” 

Hope was truly hitting him because he started to feel as if the crazy plan could work if you all would make it work out. Most of the persons he loved the most could be with him for the rest of his lifetime, making the surviving gap before the consecration worth living. His little cousin, his best friend and his wife along with his future children all gathered like some warrior family. 

A taste of happiness before the end, walk the two roads simultaneously into a third fate. 

“ Blessed be your stubbornness, you wonderful woman! “ He praised you, surprise making his attitude switch as he rushed towards you. “ How can you be in every detail? You are insane, but I love you. I don’t deserve you, I can’t believe this.” 

He made you smile and by that point you knew you were about to win. 

“What exactly? My incredible ingeniousness, my gorgeous looks?” 

“ That you love me so much, '' He admitted, then picked you up bridal style. “ That you will be my wife and I will brag about having you to both greeks and trojans. I will not rest until you will be the most honored person in that camp alongside me, your sacrifice will be part of my legend and maybe that will be my start to repay you. “ 

His immense gratitude was making you chuckle due to the unusual intensity, but he wouldn’t stop. 

“ I’ll love you to my last breath, I promise you that.” 

You were all smiles while caressing the strands of hair falling at the sides of his face. 

“That’s all I want. No other payment you can offer matters to me because my will for sacrifice comes from love, just like yours.” You purred blissfully. “ Let’s not worry about the future, let’s just take this one kiss at a time.” 

Mesmerized as he was, he replied against your lips. 

“ I like how that sounds.” 

[ramshackledtrickster]

May I ask why you associate Connor to the element of water? (I'm genuinely curious!!)

Hi I’m so sorry but I’ve been DYING to do something with this and explain it beyond words bc the images in my head are very vivid so my response is gonna include this drawing sorry xoxo

Okay so !! Ratonhnhaké:ton + water. I kind of have a connection association there because of the blue motifs in his assassin robes, and blue = water, plus he’s more low key and calm ish compared to the other assassins so that matches with the tranquil association of water, so there’s that. But for actual answers...

Water heals, water changes and water brings life. And an extra thing.

It’s such a perfect symbol for Ratonhnhaké:ton in my head and his personal journey, and if it were up to me in an adaptation of ac3, I’d definitely make an emphasis on this.

Water heals

I especially envision rain and petrichor as a soothing agent for Ratonhnhaké:ton, something to help ease his state and clear his mind when things become all too much, and he would let the rain water gather in his hands and overflow, cooling over his scars. It’s a direct contrast to destructive fire. Fire that changed his life, that scarred his childhood and left a damage that couldn’t be undone. I envision Ratonhnhaké:ton with burn scars on his hands carried over from when he was little, trying to rescue his mother out of burning debris. It’s a physical, constant reminder of why he does what he does and possibly how he feels he failed her, but the association of water putting out a fire is a gentle reminder that he’s doing okay. He’s only human, and he shouldn’t be too harsh on himself, he’s doing more than enough for what’s right. While he’s putting out fires everywhere else, he needs a reminder to take care of himself too. The pain is still there, but it gets easier to manage.

Water changes

Ratonhnhaké:ton is an incredibly adaptable man— almost to his own detriment. He moulds to the expectations of everyone around him— from defending his village, to becoming an assassin under Achilles (and receiving a new name), to blending with the colonists, to shifting his approaches on the Aquila, to allowing himself to ally with Haytham. He constantly has to adjust and change to accommodate these different people, but he never loses his core or conviction (kind of like the idea of water carrying memory of previous substances or states it had become). Water can become ice or mist or slush or whatever, but it’s still water.

Water brings life

Look no further than the Homestead missions. He brought safety and community to those living in the Davenport homestead, helping whoever needs sanctuary. Whoever comes here becomes invigorated with passion and purpose, and even the manor itself goes from a ramshackle, near abandoned structure to a home. And of course, Ratonhnhaké:ton brought life back to Achilles. Despite his initial hesitation, he found purpose in training Ratonhnhaké:ton again, and by extension on some level, saw a son in him, Connor. He goes from an isolated man wasting away in solitude to becoming more involved with the rest of the homestead as the missions go on, and he finds hope again after years of dwelling on failure of the past. With Ratonhnhaké:ton’s tenacity and hope, he’s brought life back to Achilles, to the homestead, and to the Colonial Assassin Brotherhood itself.

Bonus and a bit less poetic but…

Don’t fuck with the elements

As reserved, calm, and kind Ratonhnhaké:ton is, he’s not afraid to set boundaries and goals and mean them. He’s a tank— he’s a powerhouse, and there’s no other force quite like a Pissed Off Connor. He lunges head first into some incredibly risky territory and frankly impulsive-planning (shelling of New York and battle of bunker hill), but nothing will stop him. He is a one man army, and he refuses to waver in his morals and conviction despite all the shit thrown at him by everyone around him. Nothing will get between him and bringing Lee to justice. It brings to mind the unstoppable nature of storms and raging waves, unable to be quelled on anyone else’s terms. He’s simultaneously the storm itself, and the calm at its center.

Sorry this is so long but I hope this all makes sense!! I think in my head I definitely want to play more on water paired with healing from trauma and positive turning points in his life— like maybe it starts to rain when he finally exits the tavern after assassinating Lee, after the years of struggle, and a climactic chase through the burning skeleton of a ship. Maybe Ratonhnhaké:ton realizes he’s ready to pursue a future with a special someone while hiding with them in the alcove behind a waterfall. And uhhhh His daughter is literally nicknamed Rainbow.

That’s all though yeah!! Ty if you read through everything

[glasskey]

Nick & Lawrence Mixtape

Ever since June wreaked havoc in Lawrence’s household in season 3, he’s been hanging with our boy Nick. Welcome one and all to the season 4 and 5 Gilead Boss mix

Thank you for your service to Gilead.

Thanks to June’s shenanigans, Lawrence is now due to be executed, Gilead has politely sent Nick Blaine to say “Thanks ever so” before the final curtain call, but unwittingly they’ve also sent Lawrence his exit strategy. Nick may be crafty, but Lawrence is a true strategist. He’s a brilliant psychoanalyst, who took all of 3 seconds to realize Blaine was in love with Osborne and that there was no way on God’s green earth, that baby was Fred’s.

Nick had the audacity to hook up with a Handmaid, is sporting a rebellious streak a mile wide and yet SOMEHOW he’s still alive. It’s obvious to Lawrence that Blaine’s extremely cunning and very, very useful. Lawrence is a cynical and astute political animal, soaked in Teflon, with more lives than a cat. He’s the quick witted, dodgy “friend” who talks you into all manner of shit. While he conceived Gilead he’s not really responsible for the ritualistic bullshit that seems to have been constructed out of his theories. As a result he greets any of it with utter disdain, and it is this same hatred for the religious ceremony of Gilead that Lawrence can sense in Nick Blaine.

At first Nick appears compliant and servile but when nudged in his June Osborne Achilles Heel, Lawrence is surprised to find how malleable and resourceful the young commander can be. Blaine turns up touting not only a free ticket out of death row for Lawrence, but also a chance to regain his previous powers.

Lawrence realizes immediately what June always knew; Blaine is an invaluable ally masquerading as nothing more than the resident “fetch and carry”. These two immediately set up an enchanting marriage of convenience in which much political back scratching may take place. For the next 2 seasons we remained glued to our screens as we watched Lawrence use Blaine’s deadly abilities to precisely maneuver pieces across the board, pulling himself out of the noose and all the way back up to the top.

She is never coming back to you.

“You’re getting very comfortable here” Nick says to Lawrence, it’s not just his house that he’s referring to, it’s also his somewhat apathetic acquiescence with the powers that be. “She changed you, she changed me” Nick says reminding Lawrence of the newfound purpose that June brought them both. Here we see a bit of a battle of wits with Lawrence trying to convince Nick, June has lost her value now and Nick not so subtly threatening to kick Lawrence out of his house and possibly back to the chopping block, if he doesn’t save her life. While Lawrence thinks it’s “nice to want things”, Blaine isn’t playing; he wants what he wants and he fully intends to get it. “You owe me”, Blaine states not once but twice, refusing to be denied.

Here in the dim light, Lawrence and Nick strike a deal that echoes throughout season 4 and 5. Lawrence has already realized he simply needs to push the June Osborne button and the resourceful young commander will do exactly as he’s bid. Conceding to Blaine’s demands to merely keep June alive, is a small price to pay for what he knows is Nicks lasting loyalty.

“She is NEVER coming back to you, why would she?” Lawrence says. There’s a deep connection between Nick and June of liberty and rebellion and here Lawrence tries to convince Nick that freedom has forgotten him and it’ll be better for everyone if he just gets comfy right where he is. Let’s give credit where credit is due, throughout season 4 and 5 Lawrence almost gets away with it. As intelligent as Nick may be, he is consistently emotionally vulnerable and it makes him easy prey. There’s part of me that wants to believe that Lawrence isn’t entirely opportunistic, he’s been uncomfortably close to the noose because of June and there’s no doubting he’s kind of got a soft spot for Nick, at least enough to want better than a sharp drop at the end of a rope for the young commander. As a result Lawrence suggests he move on, and Nick having lost hope, gets married. Lawrence may have the best of intentions, and his observation that June’s love “fucks people up” is not entirely wrong, but let’s face it ultimately he has got to go.

In Fred’s absence Nick is sorely missing the father figure he constantly craves and without June he’s feeling somewhat lost. Conveniently Lawrence has become a tad lonely ever since June departed his gloomy abode, and consequently he takes Nick under his wing like some kind of cuddly Darth Vader. Despite the illusion of a buddy comedy gone Gilead, the reality was that this relationship signified Nick’s deepening commitment to Gilead and the widening chasm between himself and June. Lawrence, the Architect of Gilead encourages Blaine to set up a new life complete with a house in the burbs, a compliant Gilead wifey who lives to knit and make coffee, and a leg up in government. It’s the peaceful home Blaine always wanted, always searched for and yet, there’s something not quite right. It’s nothing but a cheap illusion, a mere shadow at best, and despite his best efforts to assimilate, he aches for his true family.

I’m constantly watching Blaine cling to a compromise, ANY answer no matter how painful, that doesn’t involve inconveniencing June’s life. Here we see him try and inevitably fail once again.

Would your heart glow?

Here they’ve come straight from a meeting where Lawrence did his darndest to secure a cease fire and get some aid to the border, naturally he was shocked to find that Nick didn’t help him out with that one. Lawrence is a touch miffed, and as a consequence it earns Nick a nice dry as fuck pay out to let him know that he’s been a wee bit cold blooded, and maybe, just maybe he’s not as smart as he thinks he is. Lawrence’s cute, cutting quip also made light of Nicks deep affection for June, casting it instead as nothing more than a school boy crush. As usual Laurence is being a bit mouthy here and he definitely knows that’s not the case, but his point is valid: The Eyes don’t see everything.

If Nick thinks that he’s got a beat on June’s whereabouts by simply relying on them as a source, Lawrence is here to tell him he’s sadly mistaken; his devotion to her is not some sort of psychic GPS. “Very funny” Nick replies with some well-earned derision, but as we all know he’s constantly making mental notes and he promptly follows up by checking with his Mayday contacts. She’s in Chicago and he didn’t have a fucking clue, worse still is that in no time at all Lawrence has made a deal that involves Nick having to bomb it, with no guarantees she or ANY of the refugees seeking aid will actually survive. Nick does his best to side step this one but it’s to no avail, and he’s left looking like he’s about to return his breakfast to the desk in front of him. It’s Commander Putnam in particular who sticks the boot in here, forcing him to get a wriggle on and bomb his girlfriend and a bunch of innocent civilians. Blaine’s chillingly precise look and almost audible mental note, made me wonder if it was primarily this that earnt Putnam that bullet in later episodes.

At least part of Nicks journey involves being a military commander and this was done precisely to demonstrate the progression from simple recruit to an aggressive higher power that can be manipulated for the purposes of war and accumulation of power. Throughout the seasons we see Nick fulfill his commitments to Gilead with increasing reluctance, as he begins his journey from Gilead stooge to rebel fighter. It’s an awesome and complex journey that highlights personal growth and the desire to change in the face of great adversity. The bombing of Chicago is one of those moments that’s meant to illustrate Nick’s personal loss amongst the civilian casualties of war. “It’s the cost of doing business” Lawrence says to a sickened and cornered Blaine; the sacrifice of others for the greater good, or at least Lawrence’s version of it….even if it’s June.

I've been grooming Nick.

Technically a Lawrence and June moment but I’d like to take a moment and embellish on exactly what Lawrence had been up to. “I’ve been grooming Nick. Not sexually of course.” Lawrence says to a gob smacked June.

No shit. He’s convinced him to marry a nice girl in the burbs, back up his plot for New Bethlehem and be his personal assassin to get it done. Lawrence is a master manipulator, he wants what he wants, and Nick is simply no match for his human puppetry. As a reward for his continuing compliance, Lawrence assures Nick that he and June will be together again. Lawrence intends to get New Bethlehem completed, he likes to cover his bets and he knows that his best chips in this game are Nick and June. If he can get the young commander to back him he’s sure to have June getting cozy in New Bethlehem in no time. I’m sad to say that in S5 we nearly lost Blaine to the forces of Gilead, he simply lost hope when he “tried to let go” of June. In the dark he clings to the smallest ray of light, Lawrence’s dream for a better version of Gilead, some semblance of freedom.

I was never more conflicted about Lawrence than I was in S5, the moments of sheer manipulation of these two for his ultimate goal made me absolutely livid, but I also applauded his attempts to at least try to improve the cesspool that was Gilead. He was determined to “wrestle a better future from an unchangeable past”, but New Bethlehem wasn’t ENTIRELY just Lawrence attempt to make amends, it was also his best effort to “Kill off America once and for all” as Tuello astutely observed.

Audiences wondered why Nick would ask June to go along with Lawrence’s plan and actually go to New Bethlehem, the truth is he was fucking clueless. By this point he was so far under Lawrence’s sway, he couldn’t see the wood for the trees. He’d managed to convince him that it was some sort of Gilead version 2.0 that the UN would immediately embrace with open arms, in which Blaine could live happily ever after with the love of his life. June was devastated, but let’s face it how could she have known that Lawrence had turned Nick from “a puppy” into his lapdog over the last year. Lawrence had already admitted to June that he’d used religious nut jobs as a delivery system to save humanity, so it should have come as no surprise that he would use the two lovers to bring New Bethlehem to fruition. Many years ago Nick Blaine dug himself a hole and sadly he just kept digging. You want to “stay out of trouble” in Gilead, you’d best pick up a shovel. The way he saw it; June had a family who loved her, a family to return to, so he let her go and got settled in the pit. Nick and June’s meeting in 5 09 was one of those moments that made it painfully clear, not only how much Blaine loves her, but how desperately he needs her.

You could have killed her.

“It wasn’t my decision” Lawrence yelps at Nick as he takes a vicious right hook from the young commander. Personally I’m not sure if I believe him or not, suffice to say he knew about it, he did nothing to stop it, he purposefully hid it from Blaine, and MOST importantly, he should have known better. June has left a trail of dead commanders in her wake and it was only 10 episodes prior that she and Blaine dragged Fred into a forest to die. Usually I’d be giving Lawrence snaps for his intelligence but it was just one episode prior that June had officially “broken up” with Lawrence, with the understanding that they were “Never ever ever, getting back together”. This was a massive blunder. We’re 5 seasons in, because the plot demands it June’s basically unkillable and the word on the street is always, ALWAYS keep your fucking hands off June Osborn. It tends to make Blaine a tad bit grumpy.

Nick Blaine is, for all intents and purposes, a trained assassin obsessively in love with the mother of his child. Lawrence knew this, he’d just spent the better part of the last 2 seasons pushing Nick’s patented Osborne key whenever he wanted him to comply. Why the actual fuck did he think he’d get away with it? At the start of 5 10 we saw a massive red flag, a verbal tussle between the two about Osborne, it was clear; she was the rock that would break them apart. Up until that point he’d been compliant but now Blaine was starting to get that look in his eyes; deadly, detached, focused.

Stupidly Lawrence had recruited a bagman and assumed it would make him immune from getting very, very dead. Lawrence spent the entirety of S4 and 5 trying to set up a cushy life for Blaine, it even looked like he might be able to lure his precious June back for him, but it was all for naught. As Lawrence so eloquently put it “Gilead’s gonna Gilead” and despite his best efforts, ultimately it did. In Ep10 S5, Blaine strides unresponsive past his pregnant wife, striking his mentor on his wedding day in a room full of commanders, protesting June Osborn’s assassination attempt. This singular act is a violent and decisive rejection of Gilead’s guiding hand, its binding social contract, its hierarchy and its influence. It is one massively definitive statement, all condensed into the space of 10 seconds. This scene transported me all the way back to S1 when June cried incredulously to Nick that she couldn’t believe she told the Ambassador she was happy. “You’re being too hard on yourself, you were in a room full of commanders” he replies. June’s first act of rebellion is to share her true name with the other Handmaid’s and it is at that point that she share’s it with Blaine. It is here he takes his first small step as a rebel when he chooses to keep her secret and never use her slave name again.

This blow and his march across the border marks the final step in his journey to true rebellion. Where previously his loyalties had been somewhat divided, he now belongs completely and utterly to June and Mayday. Throughout the seasons Blaine has constantly displayed a need for guidance from a father figure and it’s been interesting to note how the personality of this father figure changes over time as his loyalties shift and he regains his freedom. Waterford is cold and brutal, conditioning Blaine to be servile and militant. Lawrence is a cunning, political animal, who tutors Blaine in the Machiavellian like maneuverings of the Gilead upper echelons. Ultimately though it is Tuello, the gentle diplomat who will teach Nick his individual worth and offer him sanctuary. Season 6, I can guarantee, the Nick / Lawrence bromance will officially be well and truly over.

Next time we'll be looking at our love triangle and character themes. See you then.

[emmetofthestars]

hiiiii would LOVE to know whats going on between crow and spy!!! (if you have any others youd like to be asked abt please feel free to say, but the recent art of them.. soo good)

:3 ACTUALLY UHM WHICH ONE is it the one with the slugcats. hehehee....... i love slug

(oh also note, crow uses she/he, just to clear up confusion for the following text if you didnt know)

idk theyre fucking. they hates eachother. they dont like eachother. but also spy is a dumb fuck and kinda has a thing for crow (surface-level sexual attraction) which he only expresses by taking joy in constantly harrassing and trying to sneak up and back-stab crow, when shes just trying to chill and snipe (for petes sake /q). basically hardcore targets crow when he feels like it. uses dead-ringer too. he kind of doesnt have a reason to hard target more important targets like charon or minnie because BLU in general are incompetent enough in his eyes that he doesnt have to give a shit because. like. who cares. RED keeps winning anyways. also charon is edgy at least and threatening at most, and minnie is minnie. crow hates the shit out of him and has nothing for him. he doesnt, like, secrectly like spy, no he really really hates him and wants to kill him any moment possible. he will break any rule to get back at spy. but also she thinks about him alot. like she straight up loves to hate spy she has fun hating him. more than anything. so when he doesnt have spy to beat up or spit at, hes just kinda bored and has no points of interest. its also to a point she might purposely make herself mad thinking about him because the rush and anger makes her feel good. i actually havent been centralizing this as much in some things ive been writing but i am writing for fun... ill figure out how to centralize it blehhh. also uhm.. uhmm twiddles my thumbs IDK but... i kinda want quastions about daisy and achilles.... and uhm am i forgetting someone... oh i kinda wanna tallk about carl again... but im thinking moreso daisy and achilles rn... not them both together, just in general. i kinda have to develop them more

i was about to put this in tags but its too much and i wanna put it in the og post. its irrelevant to crow and spy tho

ocs are a never ending battle of developing and also balancing for me.. atleast for blu team i really have to make sure theyre all balanced out and also developed equally.... i actually didnt like that carl and iris used to both be too much of scaredy cats, as well as gary. so i left the scaredy cat job to carl and now iris is less scared and moreso numb and vindictive. gary used to dislike seeing people in pain but i thought that doesnt align with BLU teams theme at all so now its more like gary just doesnt give a shit. they dont want to murder not because its immoral but because its not fun to them, and they wanna have a splash in a pool instead or something.

[karume-everything-else]

What are your thoughts on this idea? https://www.tumblr.com/aikoiya/722157861322604544/yanganondorf-x-sheikah-femoc-prompt-meeting?source=share I don't recall if I've asked you this before, so if I have, please just ignore this. This isn't a request for you to write it, just a request on your thoughts about it. Like a review or critique. I'm asking because I find that different people have a lot of amazing ideas, so I've been going around & asking those who enjoy writing GanondorfxReader stories their opinions in the hopes of further expanding on the story concept.

So, after reading it... you seem to be working with a nebulous timeline. The references to Ganondorf being Gerudo King doesn't line up with the BotW timeline if the Yiga are a thing. Its easy enough to work around for most story purposes but that by itself can be a little confusing.

As for Nemma as a character, she definitely has a set dynamic arc in learning to trust others. But I'd give her some kind of crippling fear or serious Achilles Heel to keep her more grounded. Something like a fear of bugs/spiders or maybe she just gets weird about giving/selling her creations, which would make her gifting a hand-crafted sword that much bigger of a gesture. Other than that, I would have her carry around exactly one trinket that has no usefulness in battle; that being a small metal Shiekah Eye pendant that her great-grandfather/ grandfather made for her. Perhaps as a necklace or charm on the end of her favorite sword. I could also see her keeping a small bag of Deku Nuts, not necessarily for herself to disappear but as a distraction for stealth missions.

And considering how much she sounds like San from Princess Mononoke, the downward triangle tattoos would look better, also doubles as an allusion to the Shiekah Eye she wants to unlock.

Not entirely sure why you specified Ganondorf being yandere, I think most people put him as such when he is in the height of his powers. He is a king after all, being told 'no' isn't going to be common for him.

All that said however, I thought I'd break up every other thought by what timeline it would happen in. Two strictly canon timelines centered on BotW and TotK, the nebulous timeline you created, and things that would happen no matter which timeline its in. With the stricter timelines having the "necessary" tweaks to Nemma's backstory/motives. This is just how I would handle the story, so please take this all with a grain of salt. <3

Things that Happen no matter what

Ganondorf gives luxurious gifts, but he doesn't make as big a fuss over clothes and jewels. They just show up in the closet/ jewelry box and he has Nemma's usual outfit made of "better" materials with the stipulation that it's still just as functional if not more so. (If nothing can be done to improve it or the finer materials make it less effective then he leaves it alone)

Ganondorf still tries to keep up appearances however and does give over-the-top, extravagant gifts in front of others knowing Nemma won't actually use them. Things like large decorative vases or crowns specially made for her.

Like Nemma, the important gifts are given in their chambers and usually consist of new weapons, cookbooks, maps, things she can either use or would be interested in.

There would be several "fights" before Ganondorf takes Nemma as his wife. Both as a test to see if she's truly a worthy queen/ warrior and because he can't stand the idea of someone being stronger than himself.

He has seen her fight against monsters and that's what sparked the "I must have her" mentality.

The only reason he walks away from these fights is because he makes it very clear that this is just a sparring session between warriors. His way of showing respect... even if his compliments of her skills are sincere.

The only time Ganondorf would ever consider asking/ forcing Nemma to do something would be dressing up for Royal Affairs. Something Nemma would begrudgingly do... but she'd have several hidden weapons and her favorite sword at her side.

^Things Ganondorf both expects and respects. The second anyone says something about how a queen shouldn't have weapons on her person, Ganon draws his sword and openly challenges the commenter because "How dare you disrespect my wife!? She isn't merely a queen, she's a proud warrior and will be respected as such!"

^Something Nemma is on the fence about how she feels because on the one hand; she can fight her own battles and she's used to negative comments about her life choices. On the other; it is nice to have someone openly call her a warrior and defend her honor even if it's over something small.

Two of the most useful gifts Ganondorf gives to Nemma are a well-trained Sand Seal and a well-trained horse. The horse would be much smaller than his own, unless he could get the Great White Stallion to match his Great Black Stallion. But it would be up to Nemma if she even uses either. For all intents and purposes, the horse would be reserved for the Royal Convoy while the Sand Seal would be actually useful when Nemma wants to get somewhere remote to explore before the sun goes down.

Cooking is the first way Nemma starts working with and trusting other people because while Ganondorf tells her about the cooks in his employ; he respects her do it myself attitude. Though Ganondorf does attempt to help, he sucks at cooking. Thus Nemma teaching him.

It was a slow process, but eventually Nemma started cooking for herself and Ganondorf pretty much every night. The only time she doesn't cook is for Royal Affairs, or when she isn't there but that's a given.

Nebulous timeline

Assuming that Ganondorf can, he is constantly going with Nemma on her outings. If not, then he does so once in a while to hone his skills and attempt to keep her safe.

Strict Ancient Timeline (Before the sealing)

Instead of Nemma lamenting the loss of culture, she fears it. Worries that the allyship with the Hyurlian Royal family will bring about the loss of the Shiekah culture.

She would have a decent mentor in Monk Maz Koshia. (I know the timing isn't 100% perfect, but it would be hella cool for her to learn all of this from the master before he becomes a mummy)

Ganondorf would see her fighting a Lynel or some other massive creature, or else bringing in the monster parts to sell/ trade within the Castle Town markets and he would make some quip that seriously pisses Nemma off and leads to their first fight. (Overseen by Rauru and the Hylian Guards since they don't fully suspect Ganondorf of treasonous activity... yet. He gets one chance)

Ganondorf does mellow out some, not to morally dark grey, but he delays his attempts to take over in hopes of corrupting Nemma a bit more. Getting her in on his plans to possibly better them altogether.

Rauru suspects this however and attempts to persuade Nemma to turn against Ganondorf. (This would be after the wedding and around the time the Gossip Stone Earings are gifted.)

When all else fails, Rauru straight-up kidnaps Nemma and seals her away underground. Something Ganondorf didn't fully catch because he was arguing with another royal.

At first, all the Gerudo people are with Ganondorf in his attempt to storm Hyrule and take it by force to save their beloved queen, but too many are maimed/ killed. When Ganondorf tries to rally them a second time, they refuse and mourn the loss of their queen.

Ganon however refuses to let go, fueled by his own pure hatred that is amplified by Demise's curse and the fact that he can still hear Nemma's heartbeat through the Earings.

It isn't until after he falls into the underground that Ganondorf even finds Nemma, and his time waiting is to build up the power needed to break the seal on her.

However, Rauru's seal can only break when the Hero is in great need. (IE when Ganondorf's rage peaks) This causes her seal to break right when Ganondorf is at his most monstrous as Rauru hoped she would see this and turn against him.

But... Rauru couldn't account for how fast Ganondorf would crumble at seeing Nemma hail and healthy again, more focused on apologizing for not being able to help her when she needed him most and the hundreds of years spent in isolation...

The Yiga Clan would revere Nemma just as much as they do Ganondorf and try to find/ resurrect her as well. She becomes known as the Queen of Darkness/ Monsters by them... if she ever finds out, she hates it.

Strict Post-Calamity Timeline

This would be a Nemma all too aware of the stories about Ganondorf and all the more desperate to learn her cultural roots.

She would be extra wary about the first meeting with Ganondorf, even if she did just take down a Boss Bokoblin and his crew... this man was far more deadly.

Ganondorf would consistently seek her out after monster fights, a little annoyed that someone so small can take down his best like this.

It would all be a test, with the last of the fights ending with Ganondorf mentioning how the next fight will be their last. Either due to Nemma killing him, or by him claiming her for his wife.

This could terrify Nemma, or make her question her own need for a partner who can best her/ stand toe to toe with her. But it could just as easily excite and intrigue her.

Obviously she would have to deal with the Yiga Clan suddenly revering her as their Queen the way they have always preached about Ganondorf being their true King. Something she could use to her advantage or outright despise... or both

It would cause a lot of friction between her and all the other Shiekah, no matter whether it was her decision or not.

There would be no way out of being Ganondorf's wife because he would refuse to kill her himself and keep her from being able to perform Senpaku.

Even if she attempted to escape, it would be all too easy for Ganondorf to track her down...

Making this the most similar to the Yandere tag for Ganondorf.

[alls-fair-in-pride-and-prejudice]

My Gale obsession has progressed to playlist creation - something no individual character has achieved before - list of songs and their justifications for being included below the cut

Wizard of Waterdeep - the song was literally written about him it's going in

The Moon Will Sing - a song about being overshadowed by the one you love, always living for them rather than having your own life, apt for Gale's relationship with Mystra

Icarus - "Look who's digging their own grave/that is what they all say", "Icarus is flying too close to the sun/ and Icarus's life it has only just begun" a young Gale who is voraciously devouring every tome he can get his hands on, creating new spells, constantly pushing his limits again and again

Constellations - a song about the tower of Babel (an act of reaching for the heavens) only to fail and lose connection and communication, trying to grasp at meaning in the meaningless

Abigail's Song (Silence is all you know) - "When you're alone silence is all you know/ Let in the noise and let it grow" "When you're alone, silence is all you see/ when you're alone silence is all you'll be" representative of Gale's isolation in the aftermath of the orb, and clawing his way back to living again

Bitter Water - "I am not a fool entire/ no I know what's coming/ you'll bury me beneath the tree I climbed when I was a child/ I know I shouldn't love you/ I know I shouldn't love you but I do" the singer reflects on an abusive relationship, how it would lead to killing them but they still cannot fully let it go.

Venus - I love using astronomy imagery for Gale, especially given the way I've flavored my Tav romancing him. This is where he's opening up to new love, feeling like someone sees him, the man, rather than the great wizard.

Achilles Come Down - "You crave the applause/ yet hate the attention/ then miss it your act is a ruse" this song is the battle of his own desire to fulfill his goddess's wish of martyring himself and Tav's (and perhaps his own self preservation) saying that there is more to life and it is better to live

Cosmic Love - "The stars the moon/ they have all been blown out/ you left me in the dark" many potential meanings! Gale being abandoned by his goddess? Tav mourning that he left them for martyrdom?

As the World Caves In - "And here it is, our final night alive/ and as the earth burns to the ground/ oh girl it's you that I lie with" he conjures the stars because it might be his last night alive and he wants to spend it with Tav I have so many feelings

Wash My Dreams Away - the music that plays when he takes Tav to the astral plane!

Witchcraft - the comparison of falling in love to enchanting magic was too perfect to not include

Weaving Magic and Making Potions - there are no lyrics to this song, but it's all magical sounding and it's weaving magic yes I put this in as a pun

Mouth of the River - "I wanna live like that/ live the life of the faithful one/ wanna bow to floor/ with everyone else/ wanna be someone [...] oh it's the curse of the man/ I was living life living life/ living just to please" the contrast between wanting to be faithful, have a purpose, but also wanting to be the best, wanting to be loved for what you can do

Measure of a Man - "the measure of a man/ stands or falls with what he leaves behind/ gather on the sand / let your voices carry to the sky / let the gods look down on this and wonder" this is just the vibes. Tell me you can't imagine this playing as Gale sacrifices himself at the final battle with the Absolute. The gods look down and wonder why he refused to do this for his goddess, but chose to do this for those he leaves behind - his friends.

Fair - this whole song embodies the vibes of a romance with Gale. "it's not fair you make me laugh when I'm really cross with you" or the juxtoposition of this eternal devotion with the mundanity of love. Gale's romance is about loving him for the man he is, not the magic he wields - there is life changing devotion in the romance yes, but they are also just two mortals who love each other.

The Tower - "Got a neck so strong for the crown upon your head/ Don't think anyone will leave it when you're dead / There's a throng of men mightier than you / And they're waiting and they're watching 'til they fill your shoes" This suits his ending as god of ambition like, he's literally inspiring others to follow in his footsteps as someone who ascended to godhood! His power is in the crown of Karsus which a bunch of people wanted to get their hands on! His own followers are gonna be the type to try to usurp him just you wait

Slow Burn - "I don't have to die for you to love me" a love that comes after one fraught with expectations and pain, realizing that you don't have to martyr yourself to be loved by this person, you can just be with each other. This is his good ending, a slow burn and a gentle life.

I Want to Live - some may say this is Astarion's song, some may say it's Tav's, I think it belongs to all the companions. They're brought together by that need to live. They want, they have to survive this, and survive this they do.

[pelideswhore]

Soooo, I want an essay. Please tell me how the Trojan would have gone in any level of detail had Paris given the apple to Hera or Athena.

I’m afraid I can’t go into too much detail, and this is more personal musings than essay, but nevertheless thank you for asking! Also thank you to @mitsybubbles for helping me out with this :)

First of all, technically, there could be no other path for the Judgement of Paris because fate rules it. Fate says there had to be a war in which Troy would fall, so that will happen. But for the sake of this ask, I’ll ignore that for a moment.

Now, regardless of who Paris would’ve chosen, a war would’ve started. Agamemnon was using Helen’s kidnapping as an excuse anyway, he had been waiting to start a war for actual political/economical purposes for a while now.

I’ll start with Hera’s route:

If Paris chooses Hera, he’d be king over a large kingdom—that was the promise. This is not a Barbie film (sadly) so we have to use some logic here, he can’t just become king automatically. When he is accepted back into the Trojan royal family, he is at least 4th in line to the throne. He has no inheritance to any other kingdom so becoming king would require the deaths of at least Priam, Hector, Deiphobus and Helenus before him. There is no way they would all die shortly one after the other excluding illness (unlikely since they’re favored by Apollo) and targeted murder. Either way, it’s depressing for Paris. Beyond that, he really wouldn’t make a great king? He’d be depressed and out of place. And, like I said, it wouldn’t prevent a war. The larger a kingdom gets, the bigger threat it poses to other kingdoms. If the Achaean army didn’t consider Troy a threat at that point and start a defensive war, Trojan leaders would get power drunk and start the war themselves. Using the oath, the Greeks would win.

Conclusion: Hera path is a bad path.

Athena path next.

Athena promised Paris skill in battle and victory in war. In that sense he’d be taking over the current position Hector or Achilles have in the Iliad respectively. Only problem: Both Hector and Achilles die. Paris would be the target of every opponent. Not fun. Beyond that, Athena has a thing for controlling her heroes’ every step and she isn’t scared of using manipulation or psychological tricks on her heroes. Odysseus and Diomedes deal with that pretty well because they’re on Athena’s level in some way or another. Paris has close to no points if similarity with Athena (unlike Aphrodite). Athena would quite literally drive him mad. Also, like before, Paris explicitly says in the Iliad that he has no interest in the military. He would be out of place. As for the start of the war, Helen might not be involved, but Agamemnon would find a reason to start a war anyway. Paris would still die in a war that the Greeks will inevitably win.

Conclusion: Athena path is also a bad path.

As for Aphrodite’s path, we all know how that goes.

Another change that Paris’ decision would make is obviously which gods are on which side of the war. This obviously especially effects Athena, Hera, Aphrodite and by extension Ares.

Okay, technically answered your question (i hope), but I wanted to say a little more on the judgment of Paris in his defense.

Paris was chosen to select the most beautiful of the goddesses because he’s honest and impartial. He has virtues, he’s not just horny. Obviously, we can’t judge, but personally I think it’s clear that Aphrodite is the most beautiful of the three. She’s the goddess of beauty. Maybe Paris wasn’t regarding their bribery at all, maybe he was just making an honest decision. After all, the competition was regarding their beauty not their bribery.

If that’s not what Paris was thinking of, maybe he was making what he considered a politically smart move. I mean, how is Paris supposed to know that the “most beautiful woman on earth” was going to be the sister-in-law of the most powerful king in Greece and that he was prince of Troy, their biggest enemy? How was he supposed to know that getting married was going to start a war? In comparison to Athena and Hera’s routes, getting married seems harmless.

Also, I mentioned this briefly before, but Paris and Aphrodite have loads of similarities. It makes sense that she’d be his patron goddess, hence him choosing her.

[officiallydriedkelp]

I decided to watch Troy (2004) just to compare it to the Song of Achilles and my general knowledge of the trojan war and here are my notes:

Oh, yeah, ofc the first frame Achilles is in has to be with him next to a naked woman, to really show just how not-gay he is

IM SO CONFUSED ABOUT WHERE IN THE STORYLINE WE ARE how far along does the story start, what?

Why is Agamemnon the King of Sparta here? He's the King of Mycenae, not Sparta??? (Oh, is this one of those things, like, most people recognize the name Sparta but not Mycenae, but most recognize Agamemnon and not Tyndareus/Menelaus so they just put them together? Stupid)

Theyre cousins? Achilles and Patroclus are cousins, you know, to really sell in how not gay for each other they are

They just skipped over the whole part with the wind not existing. Rude.

Why does Briseis know Paris? She lives in a village outside of Troy, and gets brought into the plot by raiding? It doesnt even make a little sense that she would know the prince???

The casting for Patroclus annoys me. The vibe is just off

So they're already at Troy 40 minutes into the movie, what are they doing with the remaining 2 hours? Just fight? Bleh

So Agamemnon isnt King of Sparta here actually, but it was just framed really weirdly in the beginning

Everything here is so heterosexual. And the worst part is that i cant even tell if it's to remove all possible suspicions of gayness, or if these kinds of movies really just are that heterosexual. This scares me.

So, um, yeah, they're fighting. . . Do the filmmakers realize that im mostly not paying attention to these long stretches of fighting because theyre simply just not plot relevant at all. Im just sitting here waiting for something to actually happen

The helmets that the trojans wear look really stupid

Achilles just kills two unarmed priests like its nothing. In the song of achilles he says he doesnt fight/kill unarmed people. Hmm.

"Ive killed men in five countries" - Achilles. What countries? Im pretty sure youve never left greece, dude. (Or are we talking City States? That is far less impressive)

Either way, No, cause isnt he supposed to be unexperienced in real battle?

Overall it seems like this movie tries to make achilles seem more badass than he actually is

The Agamemnon vs Achilles rivalry thingy seems way more agressive here

The plot is moving forward so quickly

Like, we're not even halfway through the movie and we're already at the point where achilles refuses to fight. What is the other 1 h 40 minutes about then???

Giving Patroclus this little screen time should be a crime. He has been in like 3 scenes so far

"I thought you how to fight but I never thought you why to fight" - Achilles. "I fight for you" - Patroclus. Very heterosexual of you, mates

(Also, yes, Achilles taught Patroclus to fight here and Chiron doesnt seem to exist)

Why did they kill Menelaus? He actually survives to the end of the war, so why kill him so early on?

Ngl this movie does have some great one liners

Good for quotes and stuff

Bro why are they forcing a romance between Achilles and Briseis?

Oh great, now they're doing the deed and everything. . . Bruh. Everything to emphasisde the heterosexuality i suppose

It isnt believeable to us as an audience that Patroclus's death brings out this unbridled rage in achilles. We havent formed enough of a bond to this patroclus, because he has been in such few scenes

The only defense they have for this turn of events is that theyre quote unquote "cousins". But still, that is just a "fact", not something that makes us sympathise with achilles's feelings/actions

Also, the trojan war is supposed to last TEN YEARS! Here all events happen withing the span of like 3 days!!!

One scene with a random soldier carving a toy horse for his son back home was really cute tho

Wait, they're making the trojan horse, but achilles is still alive? THEY'RE MESSING WITH THE TIMELINE

(I get why they did it, for narrative purposed, but it still annoys me)

Ok, now Achilles is dead. That was dramatic.

Briseis was easily the character that was changed the most from the source material

But credit to them for writing "inspired by Homer's The Illiad" and not "based on" in the credits. At least they're aknowledging that the movie isnt exactly accurate

Yeah that was all I has to say. I think the movie in itself was fine (although far from perfect), but when we compare it to what it was based on some things come across as strange

[dekusleftsock]

Okay, dabi theory time. Idk where I heard this so just bear with me in the possibility that the next chapter is NOT about toga vs ochako, but instead about dabi vs shoto (I’ll be using first names bc it bothers me when I’m using his last name when they’re all todoroki so just don’t mind that)

I think the only possible reason that this next chapter COULD be about them is in the case that the Phoenix theory is true. We haven’t been discussing the possibility of it for a while in mha, mostly because dabi just hasn’t been the main focus. Even when I read the chapter, I thought “it can’t be done like that, right?” I thought that horikoshi was going to drag it out more… and then he didn’t. It just seemed odd. The only narrative purpose it had was to boost the endeavor vs afo fight and all the other fights too.

It just overall seemed too easy. Too simple. All the other fights had some major thing happen with death. Endeavor might’ve died or is close to death, Katsuki did actually die, and toga vs ochako just hasn’t had enough time to have that sort of thing happen. Plus, while I do believe the fight with shigafo vs bkdk is going to happen LAST, togachako has to come right before it or be happening during the fight. Kind of like it switches back and forth in the battle with parallels. Quite obviously, the reason why this series isn’t ending in like 2 months or something is bc horikoshi is going to drag out that bkdk fight till the very last minute, plus a few goodbye chapters. The endeavor fight isn’t nearly over quite obviously, and the dabi fight felt too simple.

So, where does that leave them? Dabi vs shoto. Obviously it can’t JUST BE “shoto got control of a very cool move that completely takes out dabi”, so if dabi is now incapacitated.. what could happen? There isn’t any ofa mumbo jumbo happening like in Katsuki’s case and he also isn’t dead but how could he come back from that?

Simple. The phoenix quirk theory. Up until now, we’ve never actually gotten a name for dabis quirk. It’s also an established concept in the mha world that sometimes, your quirk could seem one way, but because of new information on it you can also update your quirk, like how deku did. I’m not gonna go over all of the phoenix quirk evidence, many more people have both more evidence, and have explained it better than me.

Either way, the phoenix quirk theory is this: the reason why dabis quirk is like hell flame but stronger and he has less resistance to it is because it works like a Phoenix. Phoenixes in folklore are flaming birds that are immortal, it’s often times used as an allegory for immortality and life after death. Usually in Greek and Egyptian lore. (Since it has a lot of associations with Greek folklore, I almost feel like it would add to bkdk being the story of Achilles but that’s for another day lol. Horikoshi’s secret obsession with Greek mythology would be amazing)

It’s also used for rebirth. Often times, Phoenixes are used in media for the “phoenix” to lose all of its memories once it dies, so the trade off for its immortality is the loss of its memory. Sometimes, like in Pokémons case, Phoenixes just go in molten hot volcanoes in order to heal when they are injured.

So, I think the way horikoshi is going to drag out dabi vs shoto’s fight is going to be by making dabi experience a “rebirth” through his quirk, which will make him lose a lot of memories. He will still have an unexplainable hatred for shoto, which will cause them to fight, but may ultimately be the only way shoto saves his brother like he wants to. This rebirth may also be foreshadowing Katsuki experiencing the same thing. There are again, many theories on here talking about this, so please go read them! Help you feel a lot better about this whole thing. It’s okay and normal to mourn a character, our brains often can’t separate real life and fictional people. To us they are just as real as the people you live with. And if you also don’t feel anything, that’s okay too! Don’t beat yourself up for feeling or not feeling anything. You can’t control how you feel.

I do have one belief that I’m gonna stick with for this next chapter. And it’s disappointing, but ultimately will be the best move horikoshi can make narratively if he wants to drag Katsuki’s death out. Which he most definitely does. Ntm if he doesn’t switch it now there just won’t be a better time. So, my newest predictions in battle order:

Dabi vs shoto

Endeavor vs afo

Toga vs uraraka

Shigafo vs bkdk

I’d love to hear anyone else’s thoughts so don’t be afraid to correct anything or just simply spout new ideas!!

[booksandwords]

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Read time: 1 Day Rating: 5/5 Stars

The Quote: You wrote of being in a village upthread together, living as friends and neighbours do, and I could have swallowed this valley whole and still not have sated my hunger for the thought. Instead I wick the longing into thread, pass it through your needle eye, and sew it into hiding somewhere beneath my skin, embroider my next letter to you one stitch at a time. — Blue

This Is How You Lose the Time War (henceforth Time War) was such a stunning read. A surprise to me as well, I picked this up for its cover, animals to fill a prompt, I really didn't expect such a wonderful story and characters. A joyous way to spend several hours. I did read this is a single sitting between about 11 and 3 in the morning (woo disrupted sleeping patterns). Despite the time of night I was reading this easy to follow, something I was slightly concerned about. The only thing I missed until long after I should have caught it was the seeker following both Blue and Red through time and space as they read their letters.

Red and Blue are the book's protagonists, not their real names (we never learn those). Both women are time-travelling agents for opposing factions in a battle to create the ideal timeline. When the story starts they are both aware of each other already, both can sense each other moving upthread and downthread (the terms used for moving in the timeline) Red is an agent for the Agency, getting her orders from the Commandant. Citizens of The Agency are grown in what I see as Matrix-style tanks of liquid. Blue is a player for the Garden, receiving her orders directly from the Garden. Citizens of the Garden are grown in a garden bed. Red is more brutal in her style for making changes to the thread, Blue specialises in subtly. Though as different as they are they do have similarities. Both of them hate Atlantis, both see the beauty in the world and both are more isolationist than their people would like. Their letters to each other are hidden in creative and fun ways. Volcanos, tea, traditional paper and animals among others.

I really enjoyed the style. Time War is written in a combination of letters and third-person narrative following each protagonist in turn. This is a joint write between Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar, as I guessed while reading each author wrote a character. Max Gladstone wrote Red's letters and her reactions, Amal El-Mohtar wrote the same for Blue. They had agreed on a broad outline of the plot structure before starting but the emotional responses to the letters are organic (source: Strange Horizons). This is key to why the writing works so well. Gladstone and El-Mohtar give Red and Blue different voices befitting their different backgrounds. At least at first, I found that Blue had a beautiful mind and Red had a beautiful language. Eventually, their presentations are evened out as their trust develops and their relationship depends. Their letters are so sweetly flirty sometimes seemingly knowingly, sometimes not. The nicknames Red and Blue use to address each other range from funny to cute. There is a practical purpose to them but they are still really cute references. Some are more easily recognisable than others.

I usually ignore endorsements/testimonials/'puff-quotes' on books but I noticed one on Time War after I'd finished reading, it's from Madeline Miller, author of Cirice (more importantly I would say the legendary The Song of Achilles).

This book has it all: treachery and love, lyricism and gritty action, existential crisis and space-opera scope, not to mention time travelling super-agents. Gladstone and El-Mohtar's debut collaboration is a fireworks display from two very talented storytellers.

I like this quote because for once it does a halfway decent job of summarising the story and my feeling about it. I really do recommend this if the blurb appeals to you. It does a brilliant job of creating a world and really likable characters.

I could add so, so many quotes to the review here. I will try to refrain from going overboard. • "And then we'd be at each other's throats even more." Oh, petal. You say that like it's a bad thing. — It's just the way Blue writes this because both of them know this competition is part of them. (Blue, p.36) • Atlantis sinks. Serves it right. Red hates the place. For one thing, there are so many Altantises, always sinking, in so many strands. — The whole Atlantis thing makes me smile so many time travel books venerate Atlantis, and have it as a point in time to go back to a save. This book is very much is just it fails in every strand, why do we bother? (Red, 47) • We make so much of lettercraft literal, don't we? Whacked seals aside. Letters as time travel, time-travelling letters. Hidden meanings. — Should I explain the whacked seals bit? Red's last letter was concealed in a seal Blue had to kill to access it. (Blue, p.53) • I like writing to you. I like reading you. When I finish your letters, I spend frantic hours in secret composing my replies, pondering ways to send them. — This is intended to be reassuring to Blue and it is. There is also something so romantic about this. (Red, p.82) • There is a small hill from which can watch the sun set over the Outaouais River; every evening I see a red sky bleed over blue water and think of us. Have you ever watched this kind of sunset? The colours don't blend: the redder the sky the bluer the water, as we tilt away from the sun. — This is just such a visual description. It is in a letter from Blue while she an embedded operation, as she is for probably 1/3 of the book. This is what she does to remind herself of Red. (Blue, p.88) • I want to say, now, before you can beat me to it—Red, when I think of the seed in your mouth I imagine having placed it there myself, my fingers on your lips. — I'm not going to spoil this one. It is just a beautifully intimate quote. The longing is so plain to see. (Blue, p.125) • I'll be sent, no doubt, to undo the damage you've caused. And we'll run again, the two of us, upthread and down, firefighter and fire starter, two predators only sated by each other's words. — Does this just feel like a mix of want and content to anyone else? Red knows what she wants to be on the treads facing off against red, and she would be content with that... if she couldn't have more. I also really like the names she uses. (Red, p.128) • "You root in the air, my epiphyte. It's no hard thing to trace the new growth to you, singly." — I had to look up epiphyte, I should have guessed it was a botany term. "epiphyte: a plant that grows on another plant, especially one that is not parasitic, such as the numerous ferns, bromeliads, air plants, and orchids growing on tree trunks in tropical rainforests." It does kinda suit Blue. (Garden, p.145)

[my-precious-treasure]

The History and Evolution of Fanfiction

No one asked, but here's an essay I wrote about fanfiction (bibliography not included) for one of my summer courses. Enjoy~ Or don't, up to you lol

In the Beginning

Fanfiction is a concept that has been around for centuries. It is the fictional works created by fans based on works of fiction that already exist, entailing that the work was not created by a professional. The term “fan fiction” - also written as “fanfiction” or, in short, “fanfic,” - was first recorded as being used in print in the year 1939; however the concept has been recorded as early as the 1600s and was more commonly referred to as “pastiche.” Since fanfiction seems to be a concept anywhere literary or theatrical works exist, one might posit that the roots of fanfic reach back even as far back as ancient Mesopotamia where the earliest known writing, cuneiform script, was invented around 3400 B.C. The world’s first work of fiction is documented as the Epic of Gilgamesh, dated as being written somewhere between 2150-1400 B.C. by an author whom historians believe to be Shin-Leqi-Unninni. 

Somewhere between 1200-1101 B.C. a story written by an unknown poet entitled Emuna Elish describes the creation of Babylon. An interesting thing to note is that the only major difference between this writing and Epic of Gilgamesh, besides the names of characters, is how the hero in the story dies. 

A mere thousand years later, between 500-480 B.C. appear The Iliad and The Odyssey written by Greek Poet Homer, both of which have notes of Gilgamesh in them. In Iliad, Achilles, like Gilgamesh, is a demigod whose main purpose is essentially war. However, in the Odyssey, it is the general plot progression that shares similarities. Some event occurs that sends the hero on a journey where he then receives help or favor from a god and in the end returns home.

Beowulf is another literary classic written somewhere between 975 and 1025 A.D. by an anonymous author simply known as the "Beowulf poet" which holds similarities to the Epic of Gilgamesh. The main characters in both stories possess inhuman strength and battle monsters a normal man would not be able to defeat. However, they hold opposite personalities where Gilgamesh is selfish and Beowolf is selfless. 

Early Development

Moving forward several centuries to the 1500s before the concept of copyright existed, it was quite a common occurrence for authors to copy other writers’ characters, if not entire plots. It has been suggested by scholars that William Shakespeare actually drew inspiration for several of his plays heavily from another author’s manuscript, A Brief Discourse of Rebellion and Rebels, written in the late 1500s by George North. Among the ideas Shakespeare borrowed are the concept that “ugly people should strive for inner beauty” as well as his use of the same synonyms for dogs, most notably “trundle-tail.” Additionally, it has been noted that Shakespeare took many old plays and rewrote them as well as translated numerous works from Old English and Latin into modern English so that the general populace could enjoy them as plays or oral stories. 

Stemming from Shakspeare’s greatest works are a whole slew of new stories throughout the centuries borrowing his plot lines. The most common remakes or retellings include rewrites of Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Macbeth. Today one can find numerous works that borrow from Shakespeare’s work such as West Side Story, Shakespeare in Love, My Fair Lady, and 10 Things I Hate About You, just to name a few.

Another entertaining anecdote about fanfiction originates from the 1600s and involves the unauthorized sequel to Don Quixote, a novel originally written by Miguel de Cervantes. Cervantes published the first volume of Don Quixote in 1605 and the second volume in 1615. Unfortunately for Cervantes, another author by the name of Alonso Fernández de Avellaneda published his own volume two, Second Book of the Ingenious Knight Don Quixote of La Mancha, in 1614, a year before Cervantes was able to finish and publish his own second volume. As an answer to Avellaneda’s book, Cervantes then put some of the concepts and characters from the fanfiction in his own second volume as a form of mockery. This, whether the result is considered good or bad, meant that Avellaneda’s version of volume two will forever remain a part of history. 

During the 19th century, there are more examples of fanfiction being written. Most notable are the unauthorized stories based on Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes series, such as The Adventure of the Two Collaborators by J. M. Barrie in 1893, which is more of a spoof than a serious work. Another example of fanfiction from the 1800s includes The Space Machine by Christopher Priest which takes place before the Martian invasion of Earth from H. G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds. Yet another is K. W. Jeter’s Morlock Night in which the Morlocks from H. G. Wells' book The Time Machine travel back in time. 

A Modern Day Concept

Fanfiction as the modern concept we are more familiar with finally begins to evolve in the 1960s following the release of the television series, Star Trek. The Star Trek fandom wrote numerous stories involving the various cast members and would publish their works in “fanzines,” a shortened term for fan magazine. The term “fanzine” actually originated in 1940; however, the concept dates back to the 1800s when amateur press associations were formed in order to publish collections of amateur fiction as well as poetry and commentary. They were especially popular among the science fiction genre. Spockanalia was the first Star Trek fanzine published in 1967. 

In addition, the demographics of those writing what was now officially called “fanfiction” began to change in the 1960s. Women began to dominate the scene of fanfiction writing. By 1973 90% of Star Trek fanfiction authors were female. Archive of Our Own (AO3) did an analysis of their users who write or have written Harry Potter fanfiction in 2020, and found that 50.4% are female, 13.4% are male, 11% transgender, 21% are nonbinary, genderfluid, and/or genderqueer, and a remaining 3.9% indicating that they are agender or genderless. This is consistent with the idea that women dominate the field of writing fanfiction. The reason behind this is the theory that women are attempting to find or create pleasures for themselves in media that is made primarily for men to enjoy. Additionally, in the 20th century, fanfiction was not only gratifying as entertainment, but also an alternate source of status for many women and a way to make new friends. 

Even Japan has its own type of fanfiction - doujinshi were first published in the Meiji Period (1868-1912). They are self-published magazines, manga, and novels. The most common form of doujinshi today is manga. Many of the doujinshi manga found online today are actually works of fanfiction portraying existing characters in relationships that are either not canon or are canon but expanded on. There have actually been several cases of doujinshi creators who have gotten hired by production teams to create all new original works. One such artist is Natsuki Kizu. They are the writer and illustrator of Given but originally created BL shipping content for Haikyu!! before officially publishing under the Japanese publishing company Shinshokan. 

Another concept to consider is that movie adaptations are only true adaptations if the original creator is part of the production team, the same goes for the novelization of films or games. If the original creator merely gives a production team the rights to their work, then the creation of the movie is through someone else’s eyes. It’s their vision that comes to life rather than the original creator’s and therefore a work of fanfiction. 

Three examples of true movie adaptations are the Harry Potter series, the Twilight series, and Fifty Shades of Gray. For all of these films, the original authors were part of the production team, meaning the producers and directors (theoretically) had the input of the authors. Unfortunately, the Twilight Saga movies were arguably some of the worst movie adaptations and have even turned people away from reading the books, which have in and of themselves received less than stellar reviews from some critics. 

  Contrary to true adaptations, a famous movie series that would actually be considered fanfiction is The Lord of the Rings (LotR) series. By the time the movies were slated for production, J. R. R. Tolkien had already passed nearly 30 years prior. While the movies are recognized as being classics, they are missing or have changed several key details from the original books. For that reason, rather than using the term “adaptation” one might argue that the series is an original work based on the LotR, fitting the definition of fanfiction. 

What is Fanfiction Today?

Fanfiction has always been a way for a fan to express their love for a series, franchise, or individual work created for entertainment purposes. Writers are able to explore alternative endings or storylines of the fictional worlds and characters that they love. The concept has evolved to include not only already existing fictional works, but real people as well. Fanfiction has become a window for fans to create fictional scenarios with idols or actors they adore. Additionally, the concept has grown immensely with the creation of the internet as people were able to post their writing and access other’s more easily. In 1998, the not-for-profit site FanFiction.Net was created and allowed its users to upload content from any fandom. Following closely behind were Tumblr, Wattpad, and AO3 which have all become popular websites for users to post content (typically writings) about whatever fandom(s) they are in. 

Fanfiction has grown from simple retellings or imagining continuations to having an entire list of its own genres and subgenres. These include alternate universe (AU), soulmate AU, songfic, the omegaverse (A/B/O), and many more. All of these different genres and subgenres allow the writers the freedom to use their imaginations and create fun and interesting content for other members of a fandom to enjoy. Fanfiction also allows both the reader and the writer a sense of escapism, more so with the implementation of self-inserts (written in the first-person narrative) and reader-inserts (written in the second-person narrative).  Modern fanfiction has also given rise to a new concept called “fanon,” which is fanfiction that has been generally accepted by the fandom and sometimes even the original content creator as canon, although generated by fans, because it addresses events that fit well with the timeline and which have neither been denied nor confirmed by the original creators. One such example can be found among the fandom of Avatar: The Last Airbender in which Ty Lee, though a Fire Nation national, is believed to be of Air Nomad descent not only because of her physical characteristics, but also her playful nature and combat style.

The Negatives

While fanfiction is arguably a wonderful concept, it can also get people in trouble. In 2018, a small development studio, Aeon Dream Studios, created a video game using BTS’s likeness as fans of the group. The studio sent BigHit (BTS’s label company, now known as HYBE) an email inquiring about the use of the seven members’ appearances, never received a reply, and proceeded to make the game. Though it was a nonprofit game, the studio accumulated over $50,000 in donations to assist with the production and had a premium version available for sale which included bonus in-game content. BigHit, after learning about the situation, sent them a cease and desist and is demanding the financial data relating to their game. As a result production was paused as the developers recreated the characters. 

Another issue lies in the sexualization of K-pop idols. RPS (real person slash) is a subgenre of fanfiction that is frequently highly erotic and often problomatic. These graphic writings are considered by many in Korea to be sex crimes. Unfortunately, not much can be done against RPS publishers other than to file a lawsuit against the creators for defamation or contempt since there is not yet legal precedent established for these, and the situation may differ case by case. Often, the real-life individuals who are depicted in this genre of fanfiction are intensely uncomfortable with, or even feel threatened by the stories that are based on their identities. This is particularly concerning since even “normal” fandom activities can be quite aggressive in their pursuit of their favored celebrities. 

There is also an ongoing debate as to what is permitted under copyright law when it comes to producing fanfiction. Many people argue that fanfiction does not fall under fair use, as it is derivative work. However, to avoid this issue, many fanfiction writers will put disclaimers on their works such as, “I don’t own the characters, just the plot line” or “I’m using this idea from so-and-so with permission.” 

Conclusion

As history has proven, humanity can’t resist a good story, and more is never enough.  As entertainment continues to evolve and technology continues to develop and progress, so will fanfiction. We can already see the line between fanfiction and original content beginning to blur. This will only continue as more publications, movies, and games come out. After all, there are only so many original plot lines, messages and lessons that can be taught through media. 

Given the significant foothold that fanfic now holds in literature, film, and even real-life characters’ portrayals, it is important that both copyright law and privacy law evolve as well to protect the original content fanfic is based upon, as well as its creators, and those real-life individuals portrayed in fictional works. While the beauty and gratification of being able to immerse oneself in, and share one’s favorite stories and fantasies in a uniquely personal way through fanfiction is surely a testament to the loyalty and creativity of today’s fandoms. It is critical that the source materials and individuals such fictions are based upon are equally protected so that we do not injure or lose the joy of the original works and real-life celebrities that today’s fans so admire.

Foot Notes ∙Spockanalia - The name of a famous Star Trek fanzine; it ran for three years and had five issues ∙Canon - The original story ∙BL - Boy love or yaoi, a genre of manga/anime  ∙Shipping - Fans pairing two characters together in a romantic relationship ∙Fandom - A group of people who share a common love/interest in a character or story (includes games, music, shows, books, etc.) ∙Songfic - A fanfic interspersed with the lyrics of a relevant song ∙A/B/O - A subgenre of speculative erotic fiction wherein humans are divided into a dominance hierarchy (alpha, beta, and omega)  ∙Escapism - Seeking distraction and relief from reality, especially through entertainment and engaging in fantasy ∙RPS - Any form of content that fantasizes a romantic relationship between real people, regardless of their actual partners or sexuality ∙Derivative work - A work that includes large amounts of copyrighted material but is too different to be considered a copy

[broken-synchronicity]

Hello! Saw the ask answer just now, and, I want to hug Pretender!Kal and comfort them. They've not only went through a lot, and the trauma Arcus caused is just, dude stop why are you like this, but I also like how easy it is to see how Lilia slowly but surely learned that despite being a Servant, much less one connected to an Elder God, Pretender!Kal is a good person. Although I would not be surprised if Chaldea and it's Servants helped. Especially with how the Servants on the Evil end of the alignment chart are often good people.

Also! Considering what's happening I admit, I would not be surprised that with Arcus around there's more Rogue Servants wandering around trying to figure out what they were summoned to stop. Like, Rogue Servant Achilles who takes advantage of his invulnerability to hold off Arcus, or a Rogue Servant who can theorize why Arcus was not only tricked by the Elder God he follows, but also his motivations.

Oh! And imagine if like, Avenger Callisto appears! And helps out because Chaldea helped her get her vengeance on the Gods, especially Zeus, and because of that she wants to help! Maybe like, via trying to use the fact that she looks more like Callisto at the moment then Kal does to try and convince Arcus to stop. And if that fails, well, there may very well be a fight with the Elder God tricking Arcus. And she already fulfilled her purpose. And she is connected to the Elder God helping Kal, who probably has a soft spot for these people. So using herself as a summoning catalyst to let the friendly Elder God join the battle wouldn't be outside of the realm of possibilities...

YOU GET IT

Ooooh you're so right about other Servants popping up with no idea what's going on or why they're there. Twst is definitely not Earth or part of some offshoot Earth History like the Lost Belts, so a lot of them would end up confused about the tenuous connection between the two worlds.

Speaking of Servants, Achilles is a Yes, but also Artemis decides that no, this time, she's protecting her favorite attendant. ARTEMIS FIGURING OUT THAT ARCUS MUST HAVE BEEN TRICKED BECAUSE SHE KNOWS ARCAS WAS DEVISTATED THE FIRST TIME HE ALMOST KILLED HIS MOTHER.

And yeeeeesssss Avenger Callisto showing up to try to get Arcas to stop hits even harder because she doesn't just look more like Callisto than Kal does; she was pulled directly from the last part of their myth, she looks as she did the last time Arcas saw her alive before Zeus made them constellations.

Which is to say, Bad. Because the difference between Callisto who has pretty much healed in Kal's phyche, and Avenger Callisto plucked at the height of her misery is. Stark. I have picrews of the difference;

(Callisto on the left and A!Callisto on the right)

Where Callisto is soft, maternal, and warm, A!Callisto is cold, angry, and very decidedly unhealthy looking.

Where as Kal looks closer to a sibling or cousin for Arcas;

(Though Kal's Ascensions make them look more and more like Callisto.)

A!Callisto would absolutely not stand for her son being controlled by any God, let alone some eldrich being hell bent on killing everything in it's path for the fun of it. That's her son, no one is allowed to hurt him. A!Callisto's NP is also the true form of Kal's original (false) NP. Which is a defence piercing single target nuke. If Kal is the immovable Tank, A!Callisto is a sniper armed with bunker busters. And her sights are set on the evil Elder God.

You don't fuck with a Mama Bear.

[classicschronicles]

Hi lovelies,

Today’s entry is on the story of Penthesilea- queen of the Amazons and daughter of Ares. Women in classics and antiquity aren’t usually given the credit they deserve due to the deeply misogynistic nature of history, but whilst Penthesilea may not have been real- the stories of her show that even in the ancient world women had the right to command just as much respect as their male counterparts. Just a quick trigger warning- this story contains a brief mention of r4pe.

In Greek mythology Penthesilea was an Amazon queen famed for her bravery and her military prowess, often credited with the invention of the battle-ax. Above all else, she is renowned for her involvement in the Trojan War- helping the Trojans gain the upper hand against the Greeks. However, as is true with most myths there are two versions of the story- one definitely more savoury that the other.

In the first version of the story, Penthesilea and her sister, Hippolyta, were out hunting one day when Penthesilea mistook her sister for a deer. After shooting the dear, she realised that it was actually her sister and was overcome with grief. Penthesilea was so remorseful that she craved death, but being an Amazon the only way for her to die was honourably in battle. Because of this, she went to Troy in order to fight and die. Whilst she was there she and Achilles fell in love, but inevitably they (being on opposing sides) they had to fight. Penthesilea killed Achilles, but Zeus brought him back to life, after which he proceeded to kill Penthesilea. Allegedly, Achilles was so overcome with grief that he killed a solider who mocked his sadness over Penthesilea.

In the second version of the myth, after Achilles killed Hector, Penthesilea decided it was time for the Amazons to intervene in the Trojan war. This was because she was from Anatolian heritage, as were the Trojans. The story then carries on the same as the first version with the two warrior falling in love and the death of Penthesilea. After Penthesilea dies, Thetis takes her dead body and places in under an olive tree, leaving it there for Achilles to find. Later that day, Achilles r4pes Penthesilea’s dead body as claiming to have been ‘in love with her.’

The things that’s funny about these two different retellings is the way in which women are presented. Whilst the second one is probably more typical of the way in which women were treated in classical/ ancient society, Amazons were not typical women and so the first story is how they should have been treated. In all honesty, the most likely explanation is that the first version was told and some super misogynistic man decided that it was too generous a depiction for a woman and redrafted it to the second, extremely dehumanising, retelling.

As I mentioned earlier, the Amazons were not seen as typical women and so let’s look at how Penthesilea would’ve been perceived by classical society. Amazons enjoyed a more elevated status as warriors and daughters of Ares. Homer even tells us that they were ‘the equal of men.’ As the queen of the Amazons, Penthesilea also enjoyed this an even higher elevated status- but she still wasn’t seen on the same level as male kings. Amazons dwelled on the on the skirts of what Ancient Greeks considered ‘civilised society’ and only welcomed men in for breeding purposes, killing off any male offspring that were produced. Some scholars even go as far to hypothesise that men were to the Amazons what women were to men- i.e. the Amazons treated Greek men the way that men treated women. Amazons were thought of as the reverse of typical, male-dominated Greek Society as they pursued male-dominated activities. Penthesilea was one of the more famed Amazonian queens and so she was largely renowned by society.

Whilst in this case the presentation of women is largely positive, it is important for us to remember that this was not the case for all women but it is still nice that despite the prominent misogyny plaguing history, there are still some (largely) positive stories of women.

I hope you all enjoyed the (first) story of Penthesilea. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

~Z

[testamari-blog]

What does Hades teaches us about conversation?

-- Zagreus, the Prince of the Underworld, with trusted companion Cerberus and his mighty father Hades on his sides. source: supergiantgames.com --

Hades is indeed an extraordinary game. It has an amazing setting true to the ancient Greek mythology, a banger of a soundtrack, interesting characters and a story, and above all, an addicting gameplay. However, one thing that can slip through the cracks about the game is, how good the conversations are written. But to appreciate them fully, we must first understand what Hades is all about.

Hades is a rogue-like videogame. A rogue-like game differs from a usual action/adventure game, with its construction of a gaming run. A usual game has a singular story and progression, which presents itself as you play the game. As a consequence, for most cases, it doesn’t make much sense to play the game again, as the player is presented with a very similar, if not identical, gaming experience. In rogue-likes, named after the 80s game Rogue, does not rely on a linear gaming run. In a single run, the player attempts to finish the game, by battling any foe that are thrown against them. Any relevant elements, such as these enemies, arenas, and occasional power-ups, are procedural - meaning (simply for our purposes) randomized. If a player dies during the run, they return straight back to the starting point, which is a very unique property to rogue-likes.

Normally, stories are in the background of rogue-likes. For instance, in another amazing rogue-like called Risk of Rain 2, the only story elements is a computer alerting a faceless astronaut-like character to the presence of a distress signal from a nearby planet system. In Hades however, the story is everything. You play as Prince Zagreus - the son of Hades. You want to leave the Underworld, which is of course designed to make it impossible to do so - not just for you, but also for the dead. Your regular escape attempts bring you face to face with many foes, as you make your way up from various levels of Hell. If - or when - you die, you’re sent back to the pool of Styx, in the House of Hades - where you started.

-- Prince Zagreus, at the start of another escape attempt. source: supergiantgames.com --

Each trip back to house on the other hand brings you face to face with an array of characters, rather than foes. These include the great hero Achilles, mighty Hades, and the goddess of the night Nyx. Your interactions with them, albeit very basic, bit by bit reveals the story of you: who are you, why are you here and why try to escape, over and over. All of this happens of course while your interaction with them shapes over time. This way of storytelling through conversation, is very interesting to me. So, let’s delve deeper into this aspect.

-- Achilles, the ‘Forgotten Hero’, talking to his pupil Zagreus. source: jstationx.com --

We can break down each character interaction you can enter into three: directly talking to them, giving them gifts (in some form of an nectar juice), or listening to their conversations with somebody. The first and the third are important elements to understand the story, while the first two are important for conversation. As we’re investigating the conversational aspect, we can ignore the third - listening other people’s conversations.

From now on, I will be careful in limiting the amount of spoilers. However, if you want to explore every element by yourself, do not continue reading. That said - the following chart classifies your relationship with various characters.

The table shows the standing/relationship of each character to Zagreus in the beginning of the story, alongside where you can find them in the realm of the game. Here, standing to cause is whether they support your escape attempts. This element in the realm of conversation, is rapport.  The relationship on the other hand, states the confines of your interactions with them, and thus, it corresponds to frame in a conversation.

So, what is rapport and frame in a conversation? Rapport is the harmony between two conversing people. If two people are in rapport, they are on the same page, or simply, understand each other. This understanding can be positive, neutral, or negative; indicated on the table with ‘for’, ‘neutral’, and ‘against’. As long as two people are in rapport, they will build a relationship on the indicated direction. For example, the Fury sister Alecto (who you occasionally meet during your escape attempts from Tartarus) is against you escaping the Underworld. Thus, your interactions with her are in line with interactions of two rivals. Each time you meet, you exchange words on how you hate each other, and try to stop one another. This is a good example on how people can be on the same page and continue their interactions, even though the nature of the interactions are negative.

-- Sample dialogue with Alecto. source: youtube.com (user: Ciarlo2006) --

The second element, frame, basically means the context of the conversation. This is determined by your relationship with that character, and consequently determines the nature of your conversations. Basically, if you are friends with someone, you talk friendly to them. The frame can be positive (as friends or lovers), neutral, or negative (like rivals or enemies). Notice that this is not exactly aligned with rapport. For instance, the Olympian Gods have a neutral relationship with you - they are not particularly your friends or enemies. In most cases, they offer you gifts to aid your escape attempts. However, they do this mostly out of a sense of duty, as they feel compelled to aid a member of their family. Why they are not your friends is evident in so called ‘Trial of the Gods’, where you select one gift from two gods. As in the Iliad (or more precisely, in the mythological stories that surrounds it), the not selected god becomes furious and tries to destroy you. As a result, your conversations with them are rather goal oriented and slightly distant, rather than deep or friendly.

-- Sample dialogue with your uncle Zeus. source: scientificgamer.com --

So what do we observe from the game concerning these two elements of rapport and frame? To understand this, we need to note another thing: your relationship with some characters evolve and progress. In the game, this is tracked by codex entries (basically a character guide) that update as you have more and more conversations with individual characters. Based on how your relationship progresses, you go into deeper topics, in turn learning more about your past with them (I’ll return to this point later on). The important observations about rapport and frame comes from how they affect this evolution of relationship. We can name these observations as follows:

Non-neutral rapport can progress the relation in the direction of itself, where;

Rapport and frame cannot remain in opposition. If so, there are either hidden/unknown elements or other forces in place.

Let’s examine two examples.

In the beginning of the game, Goddess Artemis is just one of the Olympian Gods that help you in your escape attempt. So initially, you have positive rapport and a neutral relationship. However through your conversations, she starts to open up about her secluded life. This eventually results in her clearly mentioning her desire for you to join her activities in her otherwise secluded life. Therefore in this case, positive rapport results in a positive relationship/frame.

A very interesting relationship is the one with Megaera. As an obstacle in your escape attempts, she has negative rapport and has a negative relationship with you, as your rival. As a result, up to a point, your rivalry deepens. However, interestingly at some point, you slowly start talking as if friends or even potential lovers (like a rapport-break), while still highlighting that you should fight each other. This becomes very evident when Megaera says “I only try to stop you because I have to, nothing more”. This is an example of establishing negative rapport and positive frame, which only survives because of the external pressure that it’s Megaera’s job to stop Zagreus.

This brings us to my last point: gradual revealing of information. The Hades game does an excellent job in its exposure to create mystery and curiosity. Continuing from the last examples, Goddess Artemis does not immediately reveal what her life looks like to you. She only does so when she has enough exposure to you, and developed a trust. Likewise, we don’t immediately learn about the shaky romantic relationship between Megaera and Zagreus. We only learn it when these two develop a rivalry that is so contradicting to their past, they have to address it. This is a great storytelling (as well as a conversational) technique and the most important feat in tying you to play the game for hours.

-- “Megaera when she finds out you died stepping on lava after you send her to the house of Hades”. source: reddit.com (user: diegoiio) --

This was my (non-academical) interpretation of the conversational elements and their reflections on rapport and frame. Needless to say, I highly recommend the Hades game for anybody interested in the rogue-like genre or the Greek mythology. It definitely has its flaws; but its unique take, great story, deep conversations/relationships, authentic take on diversity, great soundtrack, and action packed gameplay definitely makes up for any of them. Furthermore, I highly recommend the book Pragmatics of Human Communication by Paul Watzlawick (et al.), which extensively talks about the importance of the context in a conversation.