soap's whole deal being sniper and demolitions gets me going bc on the surface they sound so different but when you get into it, you realise it's bc soap's smart
sniping is all math; calculating distances and wind interference and bullet drop. something i think people overlook is he was listed as a sniper first so it can be implied that he's better at it than demolitions. he does more sniping in both campaigns than demolitions work; in capture or kill, ghost specifically calls on him to take down the aq snipers
and demolitions is math with a hit of chemistry; knowing what mixes with what, knowing how much to use, recognising environmental factors and adjusting accordingly. it's not just about the boom; so much work goes into contained/ planned explosions. especially when having enough power for a breacher charge and not bringing down the whole building is the difference between mission success and failure
the chemical bombs he makes in alone can't just be any old cleaners, they have to have the correct reaction to each other; he just knew off the top of his head what would mix with what to create what reaction. he would also potentially have to recognise them by sight/smell bc they would’ve been written in spanish
soap would also have to know architecture; recognising structural integrity and weak points so he knows exactly where to plant a charge to bring it down and how it'll come down
he has an incredible soldier's mind people just forget that bc he's sociable which itself is a skill
we know he tends to buck against orders he doesn't agree with like when he pushes back against ghost in capture or kill and shepherd when he tells them to release hassan
he gets closer to people and sees if he can trust them and that's when he follows them without question. really think about how he talks to alejandro and rudy; he asks about their home and alejandro's family and rudy's relationship with him. those aren't questions you ask a stranger after a few hours of knowing them. that's not even touching on his relationship with ghost
he also deliberately brings people of higher ranks down to his level; talking informally with ghost and giving him a shoulder punch, addressing alejandro (a colonel!!) by his first name and rudy by his nickname despite literally just meeting them. he personalises all of them and it’s in direct opposition to the reason most characters do that; it’s not due to insubordination or lack of respect, the more he respects and trusts someone, the more casual he is with them
he digs into people; he wants to know what makes them tick and that determines if he can one, trust them and two, follow their orders. once he decides that, he's the ultimate soldier; he bleeds loyalty which makes him vicious when that loyalty is taken for granted
he isn't naive or bubbly or insecure; he's an incredibly smart and aware soldier. he's aggressive and bloodthirsty and loyal and intuitive and i love him so much
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this isn't at all meant to be condescending or finger-waggy because 100% we all have blind spots like this, but I'm really, really hoping that the people who never found Gaiman's approach to his own fandom concerning in any way will take this all as a learning moment.
he was an older, hyper-famous author engaging directly and frequently with an online audience of largely vulnerable young marginalized people. he presented himself as cultured and worldly, and made himself approachable as someone to go to for advice, encouragement and "wisdom." his manner of speech was extremely pathos-heavy and clearly intended to be comforting and encouraging in exactly the way his target demographic needed it to be to swallow every word. the way he spoke about stories and creativity was designed to make young creative hopefuls feel special and important, while sweeping real analytical techniques under the rug - in hindsight, likely so no one would think too critically about the disturbing amount of patriarchal abuse played for cheap shock value and voyerism in his own body of works.
Gaiman saw a target demographic that was desperate for an older creative role model to tell them they were worth something, and he exploited that pain to twist a narrative around himself where he was king and any critique leveled at him or his works were the enemy.
to be clear, he could have been innocent. he could totally have been just an out-of-touch old man saying nice things to people because he wanted to be kind and he thought he was a lot smarter than he really was. red flags are warning signs, not a surefire way to tell if someone is actually "secretly shitty."
but if you used to look up to him, PLEASE take this moment to revisit the ideas you absorbed from him. did you take his words to heart because they seemed to have objective merit? or did you take them to heart because it felt good to believe what he said? do you still hold these values? does knowing he was intentionally manipulating his online audience make you less certain? do you need more information from a different source before deciding one way or another?
again, I'm just really, really hoping people on here will take a moment to reevaluate the ideas and opinions he's injected into tumblr fandom culture, because his reach is immense and he has absolutely been manipulating popular perception of relevant topics to gain further influence and control the narrative around both his own and Pratchett's legacy. please, please take this moment to notice what he's been doing - and next time someone tries to pull the same shit, hopefully we'll be able to apply what we've learned from experience.
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Davos going to patrol the border like he does every night, only for him to find his enemy wounded in the grass, leaning against the stack of border stones they regularly argued over.
Blackwood crimson spilling through his golden Bracken tunic, coating his fingers, slipping from his lips.
Aeron's eyes would meet his hazily, caught somewhere between fear and acceptance. "C'm h're t'finish the-" he'll pause so he can cough blood all over his tunic, " -job?" he finish, looking through his lashes.
Davos will realize his kin drew blood, in the dead of night. They drew Bracken blood. No.
No they drew His blood. Aeron's blood. His beloved's blood.
And had been too cowardly to finish the job. They had left him here to die, no doubt an omen about touching border stones. His wounds left to weep the colors of house Blackwood, stripping him of his own Houses colors as he bled out.
It was cruel, and now Aeron expected him to continue the torture.... so one could only imagine the shock that cast over the Brackens face when the Blackwood kneeled before him, inspecting the litany of stab wounds in the other's side.
"Who?" he'll mutter under his breath as he presses hands to the wounds, "Do you know who did this? Names?"
The Bracken won't speak, not at first, confused and unable to find his voice past the pain and shock and utter bafflement running through his head. And when he doesn't, Davos will put a hand to his cheek, bringing his chin up so they can see eye to eye. Aeron will find fear in that bright blue gaze. It will scare him.
"Who did this to you, B- Aeron? tell me, please tell me," his voice so much softer than normal, even as fuery broiled deep in his chest, his thumb gently padding Aeron's cheek.
"... didn't..... couldn't see..... th'y w're there 'n then gone."
Davos nod's, but hate the answer nonetheless. Aeron was no help, typical Bracken, but Davos would find them. Davos would make them pay for their cowardess, for laying a hand on his beloved.
For now, he would sink his weight into the other's wound, apologizing gently when the brunette hissed and bit down a scream. If he rested their foreheads together, a whispered, "I'm sorry" falling from his lips, comforting the Bracken beneath him, no, no he didn't.
He doesn't know what to do. His Bracken is hurt. He's bleeding. He's in pain. He's dying.
"It's ok Bracken, easy now, I'm.... I'm going to take you someplace safe... I'm going to take care of you now," and he was wrapping his cloak around the other's middle, pulling it tight until the brunette was whining beneath him, "I said easy, it's alright."
Aeron's eyes were on him. They were afraid, so afraid. His skin was pale and clammy, shining sickly in the moonlight. His soft red whore lips splattered in bright crimson. His hair was hanging in his eyes, soft strands pulling down from his braid. Davos smoothed them away.
"It's ok, it'll be ok," he kissed the Bracken's forehead, "I'm here," he kissed him, like he had always longed to, his lips falling onto Aeron's, attempting to savor how soft and plump they were, but the others lips are too slack, too cool. He tastes blood before he even gets a chance to sink in his teeth and they hesitate to flee when he bites. It's all wrong.
When Aeron huffs against him, attempting to shift his lips to kiss back, Davis will pull back, peck him once more, and then in one fluid motion, pull him up into his arms, shifting to stand.
The kiss will have worked as enough of a distraction to keep him from screaming in the moment, and the myriad of kisses he presses to those soft lips now, swallow up any that escape Aeron's throat.
"Hush now," he whispers, straining ever so slightly under the others weight, "we're going somewhere safe, just trust me."
He doesn't know where they're going, but they're going together. If Ser Aeron Bracken dies tonight, he will die in the arms of Davos Blackwood, and Davos will follow him shortly after. Their bodies will be found in the clearing by the river, curled amongst one another. Their houses will go to war for this, no doubt, but that will be fine. They'll be dead, they won't know better or have any strong feelings about it.
And if Aeron Bracken finds it in himself to pull through, who knows where their fate might lead.
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FINALLY DROPPING THIS!!
Not really a new AU since I've done doodles before but this time I'm actually putting effort in it
Anyways! This is my Wonderland AU! It's both based off Alice in Wonderland AND Alice: Madness Returns! (Mostly AMR)
Ran-Mao and Elizabeth are the two main protagonists, Ran-Mao being based on AMR!Alice and Lizzie being based on your OG!Alice! (Or like Disney Alice). The gist of this au is basically seeing the difference between the two Alices (Ran-Mao and Lizzie) Wonderlands, everyone has their own ver of Wonderland but the difference is shown the most between these two. This mostly takes point in Ran-Mao's view, meaning we'll be seeing her world the most!
Reason for that is because the story has it that Elizabeth (Along with her Wonderlands Cheshire Cat) ends up accidentally falling into Ran-Mao's Wonderland, and therefore has to find out a way out of it and make it back to her own world (Spoiler she ends up getting distracted and instead follows Ran-Mao around because she thinks she's cool).
OKAY ONTO THE DRAWING, the characters shown on here are the ones that appear first in the real world, each of them having a connection to Ran-Mao in some way.
Ran-Mao's connections:
Angelina Dalles - She and Ran-Mao have a mother and daughter type of relationship almost, Ann visits her as much as she can at the orphanage since she's not allowed to take Ran-Mao in yet to live with her instead. Ran-Mao also views Angelina as the only family she has left and finds comfort in her the most, she appreciates it when Ann reads to her
Aleister Chamber (Yes, I had to draw him, no I'm not happy about it) - Ran-Mao's psychiatrist and the owner of the orphanage in which she currently stays in, she finds his sessions meaningless but he refuses to let Angelina take her in until he believes she's finally "sane" enough to be let go (which is never)
Gary Scholes - Ran-Mao's family lawyer, was a close friend to Ran-Mao's parents but has truly only shown interest in her inheritance rather than actually helping her
Ms. Abbie - The one who got her a place to stay in at Aleister's orphanage, she's a strange old lady with an obsession with pigeons but at least she means well..?
Ran-Mao and Lizzie don't interact much in the real world, only time they see eachother is when Lizzie accidentally runs into her, apologised and then started to talk to her (or at least attempted to) before she got dragged away by Edward (who apologised on Lizzie's behalf for bothering her, again she just thought she was cool!!!!)
Anyways this is only the start of the au! More will be coming.. hehehehe
also bonus doodle because I almost forgot to do one
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