#i hope this banishment storyline is dead and never even mentioned again.

[lonesomedotmp3]

gwen is finally queen! all it took was the total annihilation of her entire character and also the unjust unrestored destruction of her reputation within the story! slay I fucking guess!

[glassartpeasants]

Like Father, Like Son

Overhaul x F!Reader

Warnings: Angst, unhealthy/toxic relationships, child abuse, mentions of needles

A/N: This is a post based on a head cannon made by @yandereacademia which you can see here. I promise I will continue the DDLC AU but I needed to get this angst outta my system because I’ve been really stressed lately lol. Also the original storyline is kinda bumped up to fit the story

~~~

The only reason you were with the sociopath called Overhaul is because of a stupid mistake you made about 5 months ago. If you could go back in time you would’ve never drank that much until you were blackout drunk. You had somehow managed to sleep with the germophobic man after you both crossed paths when you both were blackout drunk. Which leaded where you are now. In the Shie Hassakai base, pregnant with his child. 

Once you showed him the test he demanded- no, MADE you quit your old job ad live in the base with him. Not in his room of course.Who knows what germs you could be carrying! You don’t get special treatment even if you are the mother of his child. And If we’re being honest, he doesn’t really see it as his child. More like an heir. How else would the Shie Hassakai live on? 

He doesn’t even see you that often. He sends either Chrono or Mimic to look after you. Sometimes Setsuno. You liked Setsuno since he actually treated you like a human rather than a burden. Chrono was a bit better than mimic. Mimic was just a plain ass. 

Your entire pregnancy was all about check ups. Healthy food, did I mention checkups? It was almost every Tuesday and Friday that he made you come into a little doctors room and inspect you and give you ultrasounds. You felt more like an incubator rather than a mother, but you digress. Once you got the news that the child was a boy you bet your ass Overhaul was way more worried about you than he originally was.

You wanted to run really. You saw what horrible things Overhaul had done. You didn’t want your child to end up like Eri or to turn into a shit human being like Overhaul. You wanted your child to grow up compassionate and kind, not a stone cold murderer with no remorse for human life.

Maybe once your child is born you can teach him those things in secret...

~~~

2 years after the child is born

You were right, Overhaul wanted nothing to do with the baby until it was old enough to be taught the ways of the yakuza. He wasn’t even impressed when the baby started talking and walking! You wanted to yell, scream, argue, and just hurt the man in general. A child needs support, not a unimpressed look everytime they do an accomplishment. 

You always supported your son. Showing him how proud you were whenever he handed you a drawing of him and you. Overhaul barely even saw the kid which affected him to the point where the kid didn’t even draw him in pictures.

You were happy that your baby didn’t see/look up to Overhaul as a fatherly figure. Man didn’t deserve to be called one or be one. You were worried if Overhaul would use your son as a experiment like he was using Eri.  

Speaking of Eri, you finally convinced Overhaul to let you see her and comfort her after he used her for the bullets. She was such a sweetie and especially loved how you would sing her to sleep whenever she has a bad day. You didn’t get to see her a lot, but you did what you could when you did. If only you could make Overhaul see what he was doing to everyone around him...

~~~

Your son just turned 8

Everyday your son looked more and more liked his father. Not to mention he inherited Overhaul’s quirk It wouldn’t have bothered you that much if it weren’t for the fact that he started looking up to his father. Whenever your so was getting put to bed by you, he would always tell you about how much he wanted to be the next leader. He would tell you how he watched Overhaul to paperwork, sat next to him in meetings and such. The finally straw for you was when he told you that Overhaul let him use his quirk on a living breathing human being. To say you were furious was an understatement. All you saw was red. 

You smiled at the boy before pressing a kiss to his head and walking out his door while whispering goodnight before your started your expedition to give Overhaul a piece of your mind. You’ve stayed quiet for to long. You couldn’t just let him expose your child to such violence at such a young age! All you saw was red as you walked to his office door. Giving it a harsh knock you were allowed entry.

Upon entering you notice that you are the only one there with him. Just the two of you. You were afraid yes, but your anger out did it.

“Did you seriously let our son use his quirk on someone at such a young age?! He’s only 8! He doesn’t need to be exposed so early!” You yelled at him with your hands on your hips. You knew if you pointed at him you could say goodbye to that finger.

“He’s going to be the next leader. It’s only natural to start him off early. And I don’t remember giving you a say in the matter.” His voice cold and stoic but a hint of annoyance caught your ears.

“8 is way to early! Please Overhaul, Just give me 2-3 more years without him experiencing what you do.” You begged him. Tears threatened to spill from your eyes. You only wanted what was best for your son. Your heart stopped when you heard Overhaul get up from his desk and his footsteps come near your now slightly shaking form.

“Bold of you to assume I would let him miss out on very needed skills to become the next leader. We both know that if it weren’t for him, you would have been dead the second i found out I slept with you. That boy is the only thing that kept you alive. So, from now on, I expect you to never come to my face. Talking about him needing to be kind and compassionate, is not the way of the yakuza. One more incident like this, than I’ll make him kill you myself.” Your eyes widened as you looked at the man in front of you. You can feel your blood run cold in your veins as it circulates through your body. Tears streaked down your face as you felt so defeated. Your entire body felt like you’ve been crushed by a car. 

You turned around and walked out the door and into your room. Locking the door your jumped onto your bed, grabbing the pillow before screaming into it. Your tears stained the pillow case as your body shook. You felt so hopeless and so helpless. Where was a hero when you truly needed one?

~~~

The next day

You were just finished changing before your son barged into your room. You were about to say good morning to him before he started screaming at you. Shocked you told him to calm down, but in the corner of your eye you saw the purple feathers that you have learned to fear walk by.

“What are you saying? Please calm down!” You say as you try to soothe your screaming child.

“How dare you try and take me away from dad! Dad told me everything!” Your son flailed his arms up and down while stomping on the ground. His screams soon turned incoherent.

“Baby! I would never-”

“Liar! Dad told me that you wanted to leave him! He said that you thought he didn’t deserve a son!” You didn’t say that what was he on?! You only wanted to protect him! You loved your son to the point you would die for him! What had Overhaul said to him!

“Please sweetie calm down-”

“No! I never want to talk to you again!” Your son ran out the door before slamming it shut. Your heart felt shattered as you heard Overhauls voice on the other side, ’calming’ your distressed son. You felt your world crumbling around you as your son was the only thing that kept you happiness in these dark times. Him and Eri. Oh Eri, if he grows up that means...

You felt vomit rise in your throat at the thought of your own son hurting such a sweet, innocent, little girl. You fall to your knees as tears spill down your cheeks. You couldn’t just run away from the Shie Hassakai ever. The base is fully guarded, and has high max security cameras. Not to mention the probability of them finding you and your son right away. If you even tried, you would probably get you and your son hurt. Maybe even little Eri. 

Your whole body felt numb. You just wished it was a horrible nightmare.

~~~

5 months later

As the weeks pass by, you felt your hurt break more and more everyday. Your son had kept his word when he said he ever wanted to talk to you again. You haven’t heard your baby's voice since that day. Hell, now you barely even see him! You see Eri more than your actual son now. ANd seeing Eri was not that often.

You felt hopeless. You wanted nothing more to do than crawl in a hole and die. Every night was spent crying over your son and how your life and gone so down hill so quickly. You didn’t even feel like moving. You just sat in the corner of the room since it felt like the only warm spot in the entire room. This little corner felt like some sort of sanctuary in this horrible place you call home. 

~~~

Your son just turned 13

Day whatever of the last time your son talked to you. And day whatever since you’ve left your room. You had no reason anymore. Overhaul officially banished you from ever seeing Eri again. Your world was crushed once more. At this point you felt like your whole existence was useless. 

Your days grew darker by the minute as your mental health seemed to be slipping through your fingers. You only ever moved when you needed to go to the bathroom or to drag the food plate that was brought to you by some employee of Overhaul. You barely ate anything anyways so you really saw no point in doing anything anymore. 

It only hurt more knowing that today was his birthday. You had asked the employee that brought you food if he had a party or just something to celebrate. You felt the last of your hope crushed once you heard his answer.

“The only thing he got was a official Shie Hassakai mask.”

~~~

Your son turned 15

You body was weak. You had refused to eat anything seeing no point in it anymore. You were always tired. Only getting up to go to the bathroom then sitting back in the corner that once gave you sanctuary. 

You heard footsteps on the outside of your door as the familiar voice of Overhaul was on the other side. Another voice rang in your ears and it hit you like a train once you realized who’s it was. It was your sons. His voice was so much deeper than the little boy’s you had once heard. It only deepened your sadness. You blinked but didn’t even turn your eyes once you heard the door opening. 

“We can test the serum out on her first. She’s too weak to fight back.”

“I didn’t know my mother had a quirk.” You couldn’t even make your eyes turn to look at them. You didn’t want to see the monster your son had become. Your heart couldn’t take anymore heartbreak, You felt like you would crumble into nothing.

You felt a light get shine into your eyes. You didn’t even blink during it. Once the light was gone you got a clear look at your once loving son. A mask covered his face just like his fathers did. He looked you in the eyes and you did the same. You wanted to cry but held it down. 

A latex hand grabbed your arm before you felt the needle being poked into it. You didn’t even flinch or wince. Almost as if you were a lifeless doll. A hand moved up and down your face as if to see if you were even alive or ‘there’.

“She isn’t responding to anything. She didn’t even wince. She’s breathing but she looks like she’s sick.” All that was one ear and out the other. Finally you felt the needle leave your arm as a sigh escaped Overhaul’s lips. 

“Well wait for about an hour or two and see the effects. For now, we have to do more tests on Eri. Lets go.” So...he was apart of the team experimenting on Eri. You felt like throwing up. How could the boy who you raised to be kind and compassionate turn into such a disgusting monster.

The sound of their footsteps leaving the room hit your ears. From the corner of your eye you say your son about to leave before you spoke up,

“You are not my son.” You saw him stop in his tracks as he turned to look at you. His eyes a bit wide but said nothing.

“I never want to hear you call me your mother ever again. Your a monster undeserving of one. I can’t believe I gave birth to someone like you. I never want ot see your face again.” In your monotone words they’re were spikes laced in venom. You couldn’t even look your own son in the eyes. As they we’re the same as his monster of a father. 

“Get out of my room and never come back.” You heard him close the door slowly as you let out a breath once you finally saw him gone. You can barely stand to see the monster your child had become. But, you didn’t see nor hear the way his breathing became ragged. Or how his eyes felt like spilling tears. Or how his body slowly shook at your words. 

‘It shouldn’t hurt. This shouldn’t hurt me. Why does it hurt so bad? Please stop it. Her words shouldn’t affect me. Why does it hurt?’

[aion-rsa]

Investigating Digimon’s Biggest Unanswered Question

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On June 25, 2000 on Fuji TV in Japan and October 21, 2000 on Fox Kids in the U.S. an episode of Digimon aired that over 20 years later continues to haunt fans and the franchise itself alike. This was an episode that opened up a world of possibility and a plotline darker than anything else seen in the series – an episode that ended with a gigantic cliffhanger that has never been directly dealt with since.

The installment was season 2 of Digimon, episode 13. ‘The Call of Dragomon’ a.k.a. ‘His Master’s Voice.’ This episode introduced the Dark Ocean.

After all these years it continues to spark debate and analysis from fans. Why? It’s not like Digimon didn’t have its fair share of dropped plots. Why does the Dark Ocean stand out and why was its mystery never resolved? To try and answer that, we have to take a deep dive into the episode that introduced it all.

It begins when Kari Kamiya experiences bad dreams and visions of an ocean swallowing her up. Dark creatures follow her in the hallways. She flickers out of existence and appears in the Dark Ocean. It’s a greyscale world. A lighthouse shines darkness instead of light. Kari attempts to find a way out and stumbles across the dark creatures from earlier, glowing red eyes their only feature. They painfully cry out for help, desperately hoping Kari will free them from the power of the evil Digimon Emperor. 

It’s all a trick however and important differences between the Japanese and English versions of the episode occur at this point. In the English version the dark creatures attempt to kidnap Kari, hauntingly telling her, “you’ll be our new queen. We need you.”

In the Japanese version it’s much more unsettling. They tell her, “you are worthy of being our bride. In order to fight the new god (the Digimon Emperor, it’s implied), we must create new offspring.”

In both versions Kari is saved by her Digimon partner Gatomon and the dark creatures retreat into the ocean. In the English version they woefully explain their foiled plan,

“We thought you would love to be our queen. With your power you could lead us in the battle against our undersea master. I guess we were wrong. Beware, our master can sense your power too and he will come for you.”

In the Japanese version they leave Kari with this parting message.

“Chosen one… we believed you would be glad to be our bride. Very well. We shall return to the depths, to our former god, and wait for the time.”

Kari escapes from the Dark Ocean but a giant Digimon, named Dragomon in the Japanese version, rises from the ocean. The master the dark creatures spoke of. Its eyes glow red. END OF EPISODE. What does it all mean? This seemed like it was going to be a major storyline. The end of the English episode even teases, “who is this evil dark undersea master? Don’t miss the upcoming Digimon!” But that question would never be answered.

The master/god would never be seen again and Kari never crossed paths with the dark creatures. It’s a massive cliffhanger that the franchise has never resolved and no one from the production has given any answers to. The Dark Ocean does show up again but only for brief appearances. 

A flashback in episode 23, ‘Genesis of Evil,’ shows a young Ken dipping his digivice into the Dark Ocean’s waters, transforming it into a Dark D3 digivice which would later give Ken the power to inhibit digivolution. Ken, as the Digimon Emperor, also draws on the power of the Dark Ocean to power his base.

Read more

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By Shamus Kelley

Kari, Ken Ichijouji, and Yolei Inoue stumble into the Dark Ocean through a “phase warp” in episode 31, ‘Opposites Attract.’ Yolei is unable to see the Dark Ocean until her frustration at that somehow makes it so she can. This seems to indicate that one’s emotions when entering the Dark Ocean can have a major impact on what happens to you there. Ken and Kari both have their share of trauma which may have influenced the Dark Ocean’s hold over them. Ken was originally pulled into the Dark Ocean after his brother died, a brother Ken had previously wished would “just disappear.” Kari watched Wizardmon, a kind Digimon that she’d grown close to, jump in front of an attack meant for her. She held him in her arms as he died. Yolei, her life comparatively easier, wasn’t affected by the Dark Ocean as much as them.

In the Japanese version of the episode Kari worriedly states, “they called me here… again.” It seems the master/god still wants Kari’s power. The three manage to escape through a “hole in space” and never return.

Later in episode 45, ‘The Dark Gate,’ Ken banishes the evil Digimon Daemon to the Dark Ocean. He opens a portal there by facing his darkest fears and with a little team friendship power. Curiously Daemon indicates he already knows what the Dark Ocean is, calling it Dragomon’s Ocean in the Japanese version. 

It’s briefly mentioned in episode 48, ‘Oikawa’s Shame’ when evil mastermind Oikawa reveals the Control Spire’s that plagued the team in the first half of the season and prevented regular digivolution are a “present” from the Dark Ocean. 

The Dark Ocean also gets a few fleeting moments in the Digimon Adventure tri. films. Previously unknown Digi Destined Himekawa becomes stranded in the Dark Ocean after her Digimon partner, Taprimon, couldn’t remember her. She fought back against the dark creatures there but was pulled into the ocean never to be seen again. The films also address the Daemon cliffhanger by hinting he could return as a villain but this never went anywhere. With the Digimon franchise well into a reboot of the original first season, it’s doubtful this or any other Dark Ocean plots will ever get resolved.

That leaves fans (including us) to try to make sense of it all. First off, let’s look at those key differences between the motivations of the dark creatures in the Japanese and English version of episode 13.

In the English version, the creatures seemingly tricked Kari into helping them by using the dark spirals. They knew this would make her sympathetic and hoped she would join them as their queen in a battle against their old undersea master. Why did they need Kari for this? They mention she has power they need but it isn’t clear what that power is. Previously in the series she had a connection to the crest of light so maybe they were hoping her light would be able to wipe out their master. There’s no clear answer to any of that question but it seems Kari, more than any other Digi Destined, has some special role to play in this conflict.

The Japanese version’s motivation for the dark creatures is much clearer. They aren’t fighting against their god; they’re working for him to fight the Digimon Emperor. They chose Kari because she was worthy of being their bride, a bride who would create new offspring to aid in the fight. This leads us to speculate that these dark creatures, which certainly aren’t Digimon, are offspring of some other bride.The horror of all that is off the charts and deeply uncomfortable, especially since Kari is a middle schooler. It’s no wonder this was changed for the English version and rightly so.

Putting that real life horror aside, the biggest lingering question at the end of the Japanese episode is what the dark creatures meant when they told Kari to, “wait for the time.” The time of what? What did this god want with her? 

In all this we also need to ask what the Dark Ocean itself even is. It’s implied to be a dimension or world that isn’t the Digital World, especially since Kari can get there without using one of the Digi-World gates. We only see a small section of the world. The ocean, a beach, the lighthouse, an abandoned town, and a tunnel.

The only other clues we have to try and decipher what the hell the Dark Ocean is comes from its clear influence, H.P. Lovecraft. Dragomon might as well be called Cthullumon given his appearance and the way he rises from the sea. A clear connection is drawn in the Japanese episode when a text card appears just before the title card, written in “digicode.” This is basically the Digimon alphabet and thanks to TMS over on the Digimon With the Will forums we know it translates to “Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn.”

In Lovecraft’s “The Call fo Cthulhu” story this translate to “In his house at R’lyeh, dead Cthulhu waits dreaming.” This would imply that Dagmon is actually Cthulhu! This could mean any number of things for the multiverse of Digimon but just reading it on the tin, it matches up with the dark creatures statement in the Japanese episode that they’d “wait for the time.” We can now reasonably extrapolate that they’re waiting for the time Dragomon aka their god will wake. Most likely to aid in their fight against the Digimon Emperor… or perhaps something bigger.

With all this information, fragmented as it is, what can we reasonably guess the Dark Ocean is? Perhaps, since the Digital World is made of data, the Dark Ocean is the black screen in-between the 1’s and 0’s in the Digital World’s code. A place that has to exist for more “code” to be written but that’s barren of any life. Dragomon and the dark creatures could have been banished there long ago but before that it was an empty world, only carrying fragments of the code around it (the town, the lighthouse, etc.) That also lines up with the Digital World, which also contains fragments of real world machines and structures (trains, buildings, etc.) This proximity to the code of the Digital World is further supported by the fact that people or Digimon could fall through “phase warps” into it like Kari, Ken, and Yolei did. The Dark Ocean is a world between a world. A world that needs to exist for the sake of another world but is not truly a world of its own. A world you almost never see but if you do… it’s nothingness.

It’s no surprise why the Dark Ocean continues to captivate and frustrate Digimon fans all these years later. A gigantic story was hinted at, one that held particular importance to fan favorite characters Kari and Ken. It could have expanded the scope of Digimon’s world, bringing in a power beyond anything else the team had ever faced. The “what if?” of it all holds great power over fans. It’s a shame the show abandoned something that could have been so compelling.

However, perhaps its lack of resolution isn’t a completely bad thing. It makes the world of Digimon more mysterious. There’s more going on than just the battles the kids are having. There are other forces at work. Powerful forces that have their own goals outside of simple destruction or desire for power.

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The more you get of a franchise like Digimon the more likely you are for its fantasy world to get overcomplicated or over explained. Things get too tidy, too neat, everything is related to each other or a small group of characters (looking at you, Star Wars.) The Dark Ocean breaks all that up. Sure our characters’ stories intersect with it but they’re only a small part of the mystery of the Dark Ocean. If it’s a mystery that’s even solvable. As much as fans want it solved, there’s something powerful about a mysterious force lurking at the edge of the Digimon universe.

The post Investigating Digimon’s Biggest Unanswered Question appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[fishychoo]

Book Review

Title: On the Wings of War Series: Soulbound #5 Author: Hailey Turner Release Date: September 2nd, 2020

Synopsis: Remembering the dead will always give them life. The coveted Morrígan’s staff is up for sale on the black market to the highest bidder, and SOA Special Agent Patrick Collins will do whatever it takes to ensure the Dominion Sect doesn’t get their hands on it. Returning the weapon to its rightful owner is another step on the long road toward clearing Patrick’s soul debt, but he won’t walk it alone. Jonothon de Vere won’t let him. Obeying the gods means Patrick must travel to London. For Jono, it means facing a past he thought he’d left behind forever. His return to England isn’t welcome, and neither is their pack, but Jono and Patrick will face the antagonism together. Politics aside, their priority must be the mission, but the bone-chilling secret they uncover in the London god pack will have far-reaching repercussions no one can ignore. A race against time takes Patrick and Jono from the streets of London to the bright lights of Paris, where hospitality is thin on the ground, the air is filled with whispered prayers for the missing, and the Morrígan’s staff will end up in the one place it should never have gone—a graveyard. For beneath Paris lie the long-forgotten dead, and when they rise to walk again, the living can only hope to die.

Personal Comments: So I fibbed a bit with my first review and I’ll be doing this book next since I’ve already written a Goodreads review for it to save me some time. I’ll start from the first book after this one but just like my review of An Echo in the Sorrow, Hailey the torturer strikes again with this entry. Also since all of her books minus her newest release have audiobooks I’ll be able to comment on the audio for this at the end for the first time.

Rating: [10/10] Honestly another amazing entry to an already hyped up series spanning only 2 years. Hailey is by far top tier urban fantasy author material and if my last review didn’t convince you to start reading her books your missing out big time. This time around instead of flying somewhere in the US which has been the local settings for previous books, Patrick and Jono (dreadfully) are taking a trip across the pond due to the a case popping up in England. We are introduced to a new god pack in London with a demon problem, much like the one Patrick and Jono are dealing with back home but in the form of a god pack alpha that wasn’t around when Jono was banished. We are also reunited with Nadine halfway through the story and are introduced to Spencer, who is brought in unofficially as our resident soulbreaker and was mentioned in earlier books but finally makes his entrance. At this point with an emphasis on gods in every entry and it’s been a while since I finished the book I’ve already forgotten with pantheon of gods show up in this book specifically. (Once a do a reread or another listen of the audio I’ll update this). One thing that I enjoy about this series, in particular, is that even though I love to read all the steamy details of every book I come across I appreciate the fact that it isn't the main focus in this series in particular, and that the main storyline takes center stage of every book (don't get me wrong whenever a smexy scene pops up I turn into a drooling mess). I also enjoy the further character development between Patrick and Jono and how their relationship as a whole is slowly growing, a jealous Pat was the most amusing thing I've read! Lastly, for me, the next star of this book besides our main protagonists of course goes to Wade and his food antics, though Spencer comes in at a close 2nd with his character finally being formally introduced. (If you see the amount of food related memes relating to Wade in Hailey’s reader group you’ll understand). 

Recommend?: [YES] With the local change in this entry it’s a nice departure from previous books in the sense that the reader can see how physical distance plays a key part in the soulbond between Patrick and Jono. I’ll say this over and over again but do yourselves a favor and just pick up all of Hailey’s books and spend a whole weekend reading.

Audio: [10/10] If reading isn’t your thing or you just don’t have the time to sit down for hours on end, here comes the audiobook to the rescue! Gary Furlong who has been the narrator for the entire series thus far will take you on an adventure without having to read the words right in your ears. Gary brings the characters to life in a way that no 2 people sound the same. Add in accents for characters with different backgrounds and you’ll be drooling for days. (I’m not kidding I think I developed a English accent fetish from listening to Gary voice Jono).  

[sometimesrosy]

hello rosy in your opinion do you think echo had a satisfying redemption arc ?

In my opinion, I do not think Echo ever NEEDED a redemption. I have been consistent about this interpretation. I don’t think her story is a redemption arc, AT ALL. We’re not watching a failed redemption arc or a poorly written redemption arc or a halfway there redemption arc. We’re not watching a redemption arc for her AT ALL. I feel like if we misinterpret (yes misinterpret) a story arc, we get stuck on feeling that narrative thread has failed, when really what happened is that we were LOOKING for a different story. I don’t think Echo was written as a villain who needed a redemption arc to be accepted after her past wrong doings, and continuously looking at her in this way makes it harder for us to understand the story for her character.

First of all, I’m not sure her character up to s5 was IMPORTANT enough to warrant the attention a redemption arc needs. I don’t think she has enough power. I think she was a minor character then a supporting character. Now she’s part of the main cast but she’s still only a secondary character and her story has not been about redemption at all. She’s more rediscovering her identity and her agency and facing her repressed trauma. This seems to be a recovery story? We don’t see her trauma because she has repressed it and shut it off. She was a child warrior and a slave to the throne. She was a victim of the oppressors and abusers. This doesn’t mean she’s innocent, and being a victim of abuse does not mean whatever you do is okay. Victims ALSO have to face their actions and be responsible for them. And so do followers and soldiers. This is a journey that I think we’ll get to see in season 7 but I don’t think it’s a redemption arc. Perhaps it’s a rehabilitation story which would fit with the OTHER minor/secondary characters in wonkru and sanctum and what they have to face.

Not everyone who makes a mistake or hurts someone needs a redemption. A redemption is a SERIOUS thing, like what Pike said to Octavia in her vision. What she did needed more than just forgiveness, it needed redemption. And what was it Shaw said a redemption needed? Good works? You need to ACT and do what you need to do to fix what you’ve done, to change and to never do that again. And not all character arcs SHOULD be redemption arcs. No one’s been looking for an Emori redemption arc and she was a literal thief.

Echo is not that kind of bad guy and she never was. She was an ENEMY warrior fighting for her people. She followed her leaders and did what she needed to for them. She did not cause undue harm. She did not attack innocents. She actually always seemed to be trying for the greater good even when she had to betray her king to do it. She also tried her best to minimize the damage to Bellamy, personally, from the very beginning even while betraying him and his people who were her enemies. She saved Bellamy and Octavia and Pike from MW, and apologized for not being able to save “the girl,” Gina. She spared Clarke when she could have killed her, because Clarke shut down the COL. She never intended to kill Octavia, she was trying to capture her alive but Octavia wouldn’t allow it. She listened when Bellamy tried to talk to her about not allowing another massacre and so he succeeded in stopping it. When her king banished her, she switched sides over to Clarke and Bellamy. Yes it was the survivors move, but she also knew them and believed in them and never hated them. She honored them as fellow warriors.

In seasons 3 and 4 Echo was an ‘echo’ of Clarke’s stories, she served as Bellamy’s version of Lxa’s betrayal. She echoed Clarke’s cheating in the conclave/with the bunker. She represented Clarke’s ability to forgive her enemy, which started with Bellamy in season 1, and allowed Echo to live, when Clarke gave up her radiation suit for her. This was embodied in the b/e relationship to show how BELLAMY has internalized Clarke’s lessons on leadership and forgiveness, leading to a relationship that, ironically, breaks Clarke’s heart when he comes back and he is no longer hers. WHICH leads into Echo’s role in season 5 and 6, which is as the third leg in a love triangle of C/B/E, forcing Bellamy and Clarke to face their feelings for each other while the obstacle of B/E is there in the way. HOWEVER. In season 6, we’ve finally gotten into Echo’s story and she finally has her own storyline which is NOT about any other character… not Bellamy and Clarke or Roan or Raven or spacekru, but herself.

So 6 and 7, I expect will be taking her out of being a supporting character and giving her the identity and recovery story I just mentioned. She is no longer the “Echo” of other people’s stories. She is ASH. From the ashes we rise. The earth is burnt to ash. Which makes me think that they are not treating her as a perpetrator or villain who needs redemption but as a victim who is coming back from the dead… which actually does echo Clarke’s story with praimfaya again, because I guess she’s still echo and besides, she’s not a main character, but a secondary character whose character arc reflects upon the rest of the story.

Which, if we recall, is a post apocalyptic science fiction survivor story. Echo is a survivor. Like the earth, I hope for her rebirth. If we’re talking symbolism, then it sounds like she is symbolic of the earth as opposed to Octavia’s symbolic representation of humanity, who DOES have an active role in burning the earth. Hmm.

I’m sorry, I just don’t think her story is about redemption at all. And I don’t think it should be. Expecting her to have a redemption arc and feeling dissatisfied with her story is like expecting a cat to be a dog. The cat is the cat, not the dog. It’s just as good just. not a dog. 

[demonsofhunting]

"Stay With Me" ( Destiel One Shot )

Summary: Dean struggles with the mark of Cain. He wants to leave. Cas is there for him, and shows him how much he's loved. ( or from "a solid amount of pain" to "fluffy fluffy" in one fic :D )

Warnings: language, angst, pain, dark/depressive thoughts (I mean, it's Dean...), hurt/comfort, fluff

Words: about 2000

A/N: Tadaaaa! There you go. This one is a bit longer than the last. I tried my best, and it was really interesting to write.♡ I love the mark of cain storyline, but in this fic it's just mentioned, so you can read it without knowing season 9/10, too.

I hope you'll like it! Enjoy! <3

"Dean. Calm down. You need to stop. We can fix this!" Sam says.

"No, we can't! I - I need to go," Dean cries out, his voice rough and full of pain. They're in the bunker, it must be around midnight. The lights are not as bright as they are during the day. Sometimes, they flicker because of the heavy unweather outside. Raindrops are falling down loudly, and the wind howls.

Inside, the air is filled with anger and fear. Dean is standing in the middle of the hall, ready to leave. Sam and Cas are blocking his way. He looks at them, fury in his eyes.

"Dean -"

"Shut up, Cas!" he growls and steps back. The angel winces, and Dean immediately feels the regret for his harsh words. His anger fades, and the look in his green eyes softens. He takes another step back, tugging his bag on the ground, slowly: "I'm...I'm sorry, Cas. I didn't mean to -"

The angel shakes his head, fastly.

"It's alright. The mark, I know that it affects you, Dean. You don't need to hide your feelings from us. From me. Please, don't push us away," Cas says, and he does that with so much desperation that Dean feels like somebody has stepped on his heart.

He's suffering because of me. Sam too. I'm such a burden.

The younger Winchester just stands there, nodding and glaring at Cas, carefully. Dean sighs.

Even this small movement hurts.

Everything hurts.

It was only a couple of weeks ago, since he has got the mark of Cain, and he already feels like he can't fight it much longer. It's like a constant, creepy whispering that crawls through his brain, ready to make him do terrible things.

Things he is definitely capable of doing.

And it scares the shit out of him.

The nightmares, the bad thoughts and visions, they're killing him slowly.

And there's no going back.

I can't escape. We're all going to die because of me.

Dean can feel tears coming up, but he fights hard to hold them back. He won't cry in front of his family, he won't allow himself such a breakdown. The hunter always fears that if tears start to come out, they're never going to stop streaming down his cheeks. Maybe they won't.

I'm such a weak piece of shit.

It's best if he takes some time off.

"Please," his voice breaks, "Let me go."

Cas crosses his arms, his face full of determination: "No."

"No," Sam adds.

That's it.

No.

NO?!

Dean can't help, and an ironic laughter bursts out of his lungs: "Really? You must be kidding me!" He throws his arms in the air, his tongue running over his bottom lip, uncomfortably.

"No, we're not," Sam tells him. He shakes his head and takes a step forth, "We're family, and since you're acting like a big suicidal idiot, we won't let you go alone. Anywhere."

Cas nods: "Exactly."

Dean growls. He balls his fists and can feel the mark pulsing. It's hungry.

I'll need something to kill soon. Someone.

Shit.

"Fine," he shrugs, "If you can't live without me, guys, I'll stay." Then he grabs his stuff, turns around and makes his way back to his room while Cas and Sam are staring at him.

---------------------------------------------------

Of course, Dean doesn't want to stay for real. If that means, that Cas and Sam will be safe, he's willing to do everything he can - before the mark finally manages to break him. And for now, this means to bring some distance between him and the others.

They will be safer without me.

The moment Sam finally turns the lights off and goes the fuck to sleep, Dean grabs his bag again and makes his way to the heavy door of the bunker. No one tries to stop him this time, and it almost seems a little too easy to be real, as he finally makes the first step out this prison of his.

The cold, deep air punches him in the face, and he breathes heavily as he makes his way to the Impala which is parked nearby.

"Hey, beautiful," he mutters, carefully, "Let's go on a ride." He makes his way inside and closes the door behind him. His heart hurts like hell, it's so damn difficult to let them go.

You can't stay and ruin their life. Drive. Now.

And he does.

Baby's purr helps a little to deal with all the different feelings that are raging inside him, but he already knows that things will probably only get worse.

"Fuck!" he screams in desperation.

Suddenly, tears are streaming down his cheeks, the air filled with his sobbing.

That's what I do. I let down the people I love.

His sight is going blurry, and Dean blinks to banish the pain again.

C'mon! Don't be a baby!

"I'm fucking trying to -"

He hits his hands on the steering wheel while driving. One time. Two times.

He hits it hard, until the pain in his fists finally manages to distract him a little. Rain is falling against the windows like it's never going to stop.

Dean tries to sing along to one of his favourite Led Zeppelin Songs, but he screws up - even more than usual.

The highways are dark and empty. He feels so lonely. Just as lonely as he felt when his dad left him alone back then in his twenties. His chest aches, it's like his body forgot how to breathe.

"Son of a bitch!"

That's enough. He stops the car on the side of the road and comes out of it.

Then he breaks down, falls to the ground.

The tears are flowing, his whole body is shaking, and he cries out, his hands buried in his hair. The cold wind blows over him, tugging on his clothes. Rain pours over him like it wants to drown him. The icy water makes Dean feel numb, and he just gives in, lets it all go. He just lies there in the mud, face towards the sky, rain running over his body.

In this moment, all he wants is to die.

--------------------------------------------------

When Dean wakes up the next morning, he lies in his own bed. His throat hurts, and he moans.

What the fuck?!

He can't remember how the hell he got here. There's a fluffy blanket wrapped around him, carefully, and a cup of tea near his head on his nightstand.

That's...disgusting.

Someone took off his shoes and put them next to the bed. The door to the floor is closed, but Dean can hear two voices whispering behind the wood.

He sights. Of course, they found him.

Suddenly, somebody knocks on the door. Even without seeing the person Dean just knows who it is. "No! " he rasps, his hands reaching for a pillow, fastly. When Cas enters the room, he covers his face with it.

"Hello, Dean," the angel says and sits next to him. After a moment of awkward silence, he asks, worried: "Dean, are you alright?"

"No, I'm everything else but that," the hunter growls underneath the pillow.

"Okay, but why do you hide your face?"

It seems like Cas' confusion is back at it again.

" 'Cause I want to!"

"This is not an answer, Dean. I need to take your temperature. Maybe you're having fever," Cas continues, one hand slowly resting on Dean's stomage, while the other one is reaching -

"Okay, fine!" Dean growls and throws the pillow across the room. He frowns at the blue - eyed angel, "See? I'm okay. No need to be creepy."

"Thank you, that's all I wanted" Cas smiles.

"Mmph."

"Dean...?" Cas begins, carefully.

"What?"

"What...What were you doing out there?" he asks, and there's so much pain in his eyes that Dean immendiately wants to smite himself.

He blinks, looking everywhere but not to Cas. "Nothing," he says, " I was just taking a break from driving, that's all."

"I don't believe you," the angel determines.

"And?!"

Suddenly, Cas leans over Dean and starts to kiss him. Dean gasps, surprised. But then he starts to kiss Cas back, his hands playing with the angel's dark, messy hair. He tastes like home, and Dean completely loses himself in his presence.

Damn.

It's not like Dean never thought about kissing his angel, but he hasn't done it yet. Every time he thought about making the first step there was the fear of Cas leaving him, or even worse - that something bad could happen to his love.

But in that moment all the worries are gone. There are only a hunter and an angel, being close, really close to each other. And it feels wonderful, magical.

I want this.

Cas pulls him closer, his hands running down Dean's waist.

Holy fuck.

Then he stops and retires. He looks at the green - eyed hunter, his cheeks turning as red as Dean's favourite cherry pie.

Dean feels like there are a thousand of butterflies trapped in his chest, and he breathes heavily.

"Woah," is all he manages to say, he doesn't even try to hide his excitement.

"Guys, I just wanted to -," a familiar voice comes from the door frame, but stops immendiately. Sam's mouth falls open, then he laughs, nervously, his hand running through his locks. "You know what, nevermind," he rasps and disappears, pulling the door shut behind him.

Awkward silence. Dean clears his throat.

"Uhm, what were you saying again?" he asks Cas, slightly biting his bottom lip.

Cas smiles, his cheeks turning even redder. "I - I...," he shakes his head, softly, his eyes wide and honest, "I knew you would sneak out...I knew it! Sam too. We wanted to lock the door, but he said, that this probably won't hold you back, so..."

"You - You followed me?"

Dean can't believe what he just heard.

What the -

"I did. I just wanted to -," he shivers, "Dean, I promised you, that I would watch over you, no matter what. I couldn't let you go! I lost you on the way, because of the bad weather, and when I found you I thought that...I thought you were dead."

He sniffs, his hand reaching out for Dean's, then stopping halfway through it. The hunter grabs it, softly. "I wasn't," he mutters.

"But you could have been," Cas says, his voice filled with pain, "I could never forgive me that. Never."

Dean swallows, his gaze searching for Cas'. "I'm alive. Yeah, I'm alive, maybe just because of you," he whispers. Then he chuckles: "Wow, I'm such an idiot."

"Yes, you are," Cas confirms.

Dean nods, slowly. "An idiot you're in love with, right?" he asks straight out. He bites his bottom lip, and can't hide his smile, as Cas' head flows up.

"Dean, I -"

He simply puts his hand over the other's mouth. "Don't. I don't wanna hear it," he tells the angel, while he just can't stop grinning.

"Dean!" mumbles Cas and shakes his head. Dean chuckles, then he just says it: "I think I'm in love with you too, Cas."

He takes his hand away, still smiling. Cas looks pretty confused at first, then he realises, and his face lightens up.

"Are...are you sure?" he blurts out.

"I am. All I want is for you and Sammy to be safe. That's the only reason why I tried to get away from you, Cas. 'Cause I love you way too much to lose you too."

The smile already fades again. His sight is getting blurry, and he blinks the upcoming tears away, hastily.

Don't cry again. Not now.

"Oh, Dean," Cas sights, and hugs him. After that, he kisses him gently on the top of the head, "You're so stupid."

"I know," Dean mutters, and closes his eyes, "Love it when you do that, though." He pats on his head where Cas lips have touched him.

"I hope so. And if you promise me to stay with us and help us to kick it in the ass - together -, I'll do more than just that."

Dean smirks, warmth filling his chest. And for a heartbeat, it all seems like the mountains of problems in his life can be solved one day. Like he still has a chance to win against the darkness that is already eating on him.

In that moment he wants nothing more than to believe that, while being with his family, working on a solution together.

Maybe there's still hope.

As an answer, he grabs Cas by the shoulders and pulls him into another long and passionate kiss.

"I promise," he whispers.

Cas smiles and kisses him again.

---------------------------------------------------

Aaaaand that's it! Thank you so much for reading and if you would like to leave a comment or reblog this shit I will love you forever! <3

Have another kiss from Misha!

Just like last time: feel free to tell me if you found mistakes, too. I know that this is far from perfect. :D

Tagging those who actually signed up for this mess ( including some new, brave volunteers ) @adoptdontshoppets @thedemoniccow @ablavalba @smodernlife @ignis-glaciesque @certaindeanwinchesterforcastiel @xsghn thank u❤

[sebeth]

Injustice #4

Warning, Spoilers Ahead…

 Injustice: Gods Among Us # 4 by Tom Taylor.

 Dick and Damian spar in the Batcave. Dick critiques Damian: “You keep aiming for that killing blow, you’re trying to hurt me, which I’m trying not to take personally by the way, but it’s not all about the body and head. Your opponent has sticky -outy bits that are easier to reach. Not only does your opponent have sticky-outy bits, they may also have had some bad circumstances that led them to a point where you’re fighting them. Some criminals deserve a second chance. Second chances are harder with a severe brain injury.”

An angered Damian hurls an escrima stick at Dick’s head, which is caught by the newly-arrived Superman.

“That’s not very sporting, Damian.”

Dick assures Clark: “It’s okay, Superman. I knew it was coming. He tries it all the time.”

The opening scene is foreshadowing for later events in the series. Damion’s routine hissy fit with the escrima sticks will end up having severe consequences.

Events before the beginning of the series in this universe are rather vague. We don’t know the circumstances of Damian’s introduction to the Bat Family. I would assume it’s similar to the mainstream universe. Damian appears older than 10, possibly in the 13-14 years old range.

Tim became Red Robin in this universe but we aren’t given details. Did Final Crisis happen? Was Bruce lost in time and presumed dead? Or is Dick’s mentorship of Damian similar to the animated movies?

Superman is at the cave to speak to Bruce. Damian says Bruce is “broodier than usual.”

Damian thanks Clark for killing the Joker: “Not that the Joker’s gone, everything just feels safer, you know?

Dick asks Clark if he’s okay. Clark says he’ll manage.

Clark demands to know where Bruce was when Ma & Pa Kent were kidnapped.

Bruce tells Clark that he has to “stop what you’re doing”.

“I have to stop what? Stop saving lives? Stop bringing dictators to justice?”

“You’re scaring them.”

“They should be scared. They should be too scared to press the button. They should be too scared to pull the trigger. They should be too scared to hurt each other. You taught me that. You’d do exactly what I’m doing if you were me, if you could do what I can.”

“You killed a man, Clark.”

“I did. And every time you let that madman live, how many more did you condemn? Did you even feel responsible? Did you even feel guilty?”

“Every time. But we don’t get to choose who dies.”

“One death. To save millions.”

“One. Death.”

“It always starts with one. That’s how justification works. But once you justify something once, you can do it again and again. It becomes easier. Right and wrong blur.”

I find myself on both sides of their argument. Bruce is absolutely correct on the slippery side nature of taking the law in your own hands. Superman and company have no right to run the world. On the other hand, killing the Joker is something that should have been done years ago. The Joker’s body count is in the hundreds if not more. There is no hope of redemption for him – and even if he suddenly regretted all of his previous actions, there is no way to atone for his scale of murder. And this is before the Metropolis massacre. The Joker – and Harley’s – death toll is now in the millions!

A Japanese fleet harpoons whales in the ocean only to encounter a very angry Aquaman.

Aquaman sinks the ship causing the Justice League to respond.

Diana urges Arthur to withdraw. Arthur refuses – the ocean is his kingdom and he will protect it as he sees fit.

A worried Atlantean soldier blasts Diana, starting an Altantean-Justice League brawl.

We return to the Batcave where Clark accuses Bruce of loving the Joker: “You’re not sitting in the dark mourning Metropolis, are you? You’re mourning him. You’re angry at me for taking the Joker away from you. You loved having him around. Your constant nemesis. The two of you played your stupid game and people died. Why did you let him do this to me, Bruce?”

While the suggestion of a Bruce/Joker love match is disgusting, Bruce should have ended the Joker years ago. Honestly, the Joker should have been killed – and left dead – in the Death of the Family storyline.  After the paralyzing Babs/murdering Jason combo act, the only thing the writers seem to do with the Joker is have him commit yet another atrocity. Boring and redundant.

Clark continues his rant, bemoaning the loss of his wife an unborn child. Clark specifically mentions the loss of his unborn child denying the world of another Kryptonian, “someone who would have made me feel less alone.”

Maybe Clark should try being nicer to Conner!

Clark criticizes Bruce’s parenting skills: “You’re sitting in the dark, ignoring Dick and Damian. How many friends did they have in Metropolis? Have you consoled them? Have you held them? Your parents died and left you, Bruce. What’s your excuse for not being a father?”

I don’t know if the events of a future Injustice annual were planned out at this point but if they were, Clark’s speech is rather ballsy and hypocritical considering his treatment of the Titans in the aftermath of the destruction of Metropolis.

Did Clark ever consider Bruce is “sitting in the dark” at the Batcomputer because he’s searching for his missing son? The one Clark banished to the Phantom Zone?

Dick and Damian wouldn’t normally have “friends in Metropolis”. Jon was never born and Dick doesn’t hang around in Metropolis. Is Clark’s “friends in Metropolis” rant the first clue Bruce has regarding the whereabouts of the missing Tim and the Titans? Is that the reason Bruce punches Clark at the end of his speech?

Clark switches from angry to concerned in a second, examining Bruce’s hand. Normally, I’d say it’s a typical Clark move, but in the Injustice-verse it’s a sign of Clark’s growing instability.

The Batcomputer alerts the duo to the brawl in the Atlantic Ocean. Clark decides to head over there.

Bruce warns Clark: “You can’t yourself above us, Clark. You’re right. I’m not saying I’d act differently if I had your abilities. I’m not saying I wouldn’t try to impose peace but you…you’re a better man than I am.”

Not anymore, Bruce.

Alfred asks “Master Kent” if he’s staying for tea.

“I’m afraid not, Alfred. And you don’t have to call me ‘Master’”.

“Good. Let’s remember that.”

Alfred is not fond of Clark’s shenanigans.

Aquaman has summoned a creature so huge that its arrival causes a tsunami. That’s right, the Kraken has been unleashed.

Batman warns Aquaman via a communicator: “Listen to me. He’s coming. He’s in angry. He’s in pain. You’re hurting his friends. You need to stop or there’s no telling what he may do. Do as he says.”

Superman wants Arthur to withdraw the Kraken.

Arthur does after reminding Clark the League started the brawl. Which they did. Arthur attempted to calm the situation down after his soldier blasted Diana. Diana decided she was “tired of words” and started the rumble.

Arthur and Clark argue.

“I called for a worldwide ceasefire.”

“Even your voice does not reach down into the deep, Superman. If you wish to rule the surface world…”

“I do not seek to rule, only to protect.”

“I understand, with the destruction of Metropolis, you lost your kingdom. But you can’t have mine.”

“I do not want…”

“Superman, whether you see it or not, your reign is beginning. But the sea is mine alone to command.

The League realizes “Atlantean armies are rising in countries across the world.”

Superman: “Arthur, what is this?”

“A reminder. I am not some self-appointed leader of an insignificant country who can be bullied into submission. Every port. Every ship. Everything that flies over the oceans does so with my blessing. Your world would halt grind to a halt if I willed it. Every land mass borders the sea. Your entire world is inside mine. Consider this a show of strength. Now get the hell out of my ocean.”

Bruce fumes: “You idiot. He’s not going to respond to an ultimatum!”

Clark orders Diana, Hal, and Billy to accompany him: “Aquaman is using his strength. It’s time we showed him our strength. It’s time we showed everyone who would threaten the world just how much power they’re dealing with. No more holding back.”

The foursome then lift Atlantis out of the ocean and re-locate it into the middle of the Sahara desert.

That’s the show of strength? Lifting a city containing thousands of civilians, women and children, and putting it in the middle of an environment where they are unable to breathe or tolerate the extreme heat. Sounds more like a murder plan.

It should be noted the panels containing the “rising Atlantean armies” only showed the Atlanteans standing in formation on the coasts – not actually attacking.

I’m not defending Arthur – he, along with Clark and Diana, all acted like immature toddlers having a fit.

The forcible removal of Atlantis is where any remaining sympathy for Clark went out the window. He acted like a terrorist. A “proper show of strength” would have been engaging the Atlantean armies not threatening unarmed civilians. It boggles my mind that the rest of the Justice League has been fine with Clark’s actions.

Diana is clearly a more sinister version of herself in this universe. She’s been egging Clark on the entire team and she is the cause of the Atlantean confrontation.

Hal should know better – Sinestro was removed from the Green Lantern Corps because of Superman-like actions – but he’s shown bad judgement in the past so I could maybe see him siding with Clark. It’s still iffy as Hal hasn’t been traumatized by the destruction of Coast City in this universe.

Hawkgirl – well, if she’s “Hawkworld” version of Shayera then she would be comfortable in a military-run world

Raven – will be shown to have fallen under Trigon’s influence so she’s clearly fallen to the “dark side”

Cyborg, Captain Marvel, and Flash are simply too good/sweet to fall in line with the dictator posse. Boggles my mind to see the trio blindly following Clark and Diana’s orders.

Diana informs Clark that Arthur is ready to speak to him. Clark demurs, stating “I’ve achieved nothing by talking today.”

More like cowardly refusing to own up to his actions.

Arthur urges Diana to steer Clark “away from this course of action”, warning her that “you will have scared a lot of people today. Ordinary people who will not want gods and aliens telling them what they can and can’t do.”

Diana refuses as she believes “this course of action is what’s best for the world.”

Diana returns to Clark and informs him that Arthur “will pull his armies back into the ocean”.

Clark has Billy and Hal return Atlantis to the ocean, nothing “this action didn’t sit well with either of them.”

Diana tells Clark “Don’t worry about what they think. You did the right thing. You did what needed to be done.”

“So you’ve said.”

“I won’t let you doubt yourself.”

“What else?”

“What?”

“Surely Arthur had more to say.”

“No. Nothing.”

Diana omits Arthur’s concers and his expressed sympathies for the loss of Lois.

Diana is quite the sinister manipulator in this universe. She’s all but hurling Clark down the “slippery slope” of his actions.

It’s easy to see the reasons of Clark’s descent. He’s lost his wife, unborn child, and his entire city. He’s isolated his parents in a fortress instead of mourning with them. He has a fierce anger towards his best friend because of the Joker and is unwilling to listen to Bruce. Diana, his other best friend, is urging him to indulge in his worst impulses. And the rest of the Justice League – minus Arthur – is too cowardly to call him out.

Next issue: It gets worse. Of course, that could be the summary for every issue.

[itakeaftermymother]

Rachel as a Phoenix Avatar

          Rachel is the One True Phoenix. That’s not me blowing smoke up my own muse’s ass, it’s canon (albeit canon that Marvel would prefer had never happened so they can continue to pursue their tired Phoenix storylines without stirring the ire of Rachel fans everywhere, but we’ll get to that).

What is her history with the Phoenix Force?

          Rachel is the only host/avatar in the history of the Phoenix Force that has ever successfully controlled it. 

          She first attracted the attention of the Phoenix when she psychically projected herself into Earth-616 from Earth-811, and it was the Phoenix that enabled her to physically move to Earth-616. She then purposefully sought out and took the power of the Phoenix for herself in order to bring honor to Jean’s name and her own. Rachel retained the Phoenix Force without incident until she sacrificed herself to the timestream to save Brian Braddock, even after the Phoenix entity itself decided to depart the physical plane but leave Rachel with its power. 

          Later, while with the Starjammers, Rachel received a small portion of the Phoenix from the Blade of the Phoenix wielded by the Shi’ar Korvus, and kept the power associated with it until Jean took it from her from the White Hot Room.

What makes her the one true host?

          I see there as being two things unique to Rachel that make her the One True Phoenix: her biology/genetics and her experiences in her dystopian future.

         Biology/Genetics         Earth-811 diverged from Earth-616 at the point at which the Phoenix replaced Jean Grey while she piloted a shuttle back to Earth following a mission with the X-Men. In Earth-811, Jean was not replaced by the Phoenix, but merged with it. So, years later, Rachel was conceived by and born from this amalgam of Jean and the Phoenix (whether or not she is also Scott’s is controversial, but given the traits they share it’s likely that she is). This biology makes her more a far more natural host to the Phoenix Force than anyone else, and its perhaps the reason that the Phoenix is attracted to her even when there are other hosts with a heritage of being an avatar available (e.g., Feron, the Blade of the Phoenix).

          Experiences           While naming Rachel the “one true Phoenix”, the Phoenix itself states that Rachel has been “reborn from the ashes of defeat”. Moreover, in one of the few panels during Avengers vs. X-Men in which Rachel’s experiences with the Phoenix Force are recalled, Brian attributes her ability to control it to the fact that she “grew up in hell”, unlike Jean. So it seems that there is something in everything that Rachel has endured that gives her the ability to control it. Perhaps because she has been controlled before, as a Hound, that Rachel is decidedly unwilling to be controlled again. Alternatively, Rachel has experienced so much death, destruction and suffering in Earth-811, that being in direct contact with a harbinger of that isn’t so shocking for her as it would be for others.

          Given the interplay between these two aspects of her character, Rachel seems more suited to be a host to the Phoenix Force than any of the other hosts. For example, other hosts who have had similarly hellish experiences (e.g., Illyana) are still unable to control the Phoenix because they are missing the biological aspect, and hosts who have been descendant from other hosts (e.g., the Rook’shirs), are missing the experiences Rachel has had.

What is Marvel doing?

          Of course,in recent comic history, Marvel prefers to ignore Rachel’s connection to the Phoenix Force and her suitability as a host, because it would stymie the advancement of their plots. 

          When the Phoenix Force comes for Hope, Rachel is depicted as being overwhelmed by the power and fainting along with Quentin Quire. Afterwards, she’s fine and is in support of Hope getting the Phoenix, but it’s never been clear to me why i) the Phoenix would even choose Hope when the “one true Phoenix” is right there, and ii) why Rachel can’t draw the Phoenix fragments out of the Phoenix Five, as she had done with the Blade of the Phoenix.

          When the Phoenix Force supposedly comes for teen Jean, Rachel seemingly has no advice for her at all, and never mentions the fact that the Phoenix can be controlled, because she did it. When the Phoenix does show up, albeit with older Jean, the extent of Rachel’s response is to mutter some random shit (which unscrambles to ‘better off dead’), get a nosebleed, and tap out. She’s not seen again in the whole story line, and isn’t mentioned in any of the conversations the team has about the Phoenix, or when it’s banished. Considering how strong Rachel’s connection to the Phoenix is, it stands to reason that Jean banishing it should have some kind of effect on her.

tl;dr

          Rachel is the one trust host of the Phoenix due to her biology and experiences, but Marvel likes to consistently ignore this and deny Rachel a whole in any of their Phoenix plots because it interfere with how they want things to play out.

[geek-gem]

Sonic Forces First Impressions

11:17 am just saying went to the submit thing twice but decided to click text the third time I went to it.

So I have finally played some Sonic Forces after months of waiting. Including I'm gonna say this. I can't play stage 15 or this secret mission 1 because the game is still installing. Even the first part of episode Shadow. It said the game has 55 more hours honestly over time it will get better hopefully I don't wanna doubt oh my head.

I'm gonna say I'm gonna post spoilers in this. Including I have a set of pictures mainly of the custom character. Including liked a ask about well fan indie thing taking over modern Sonic.

After playing for some hours but not long.

Now my opinions I honestly like it. I think it's very good. Just my head including I didn't wanna start off saying I honestly like it.

Yet really it's nice to play.

I'm gonna mainly say some good stuff.

First I wanna say the visuals are possibly some of the best in the franchise next to possibly Sonic Unleashed. Honestly I don't know which one is better. Mainly I wanna say that first because you really see it with this.

Now with gameplay. I'll talk about modern Sonic first.

I do like it. Yet honestly I've been thinking. This is mainly my opinion and I remember seeing this in the first gameplay video. But I don't like the idea that you have to get wisps instead of rings to boost. Unleashed started that first, Colors used wisps and Generations I think brought rings back. I feel it kind of holds me back.

Including the way the game is also I'm gonna mention this. Their are only two modes normal and hard. I'm surprised theirs only two modes. Yet in a way normal is basically the easier route also I'm playing the game on that difficulty. But I find it kind of stupid it doesn't record the time. You have to play on hard mode to do times. I'm guessing just they want you to play like that. I even question at times should I change the difficultly. Also maybe because they want to challenge you or I thought aware and some shit.

But back to gameplay. It's nice yet compared to Sonic Unleashed and Generations and I haven't played Colors in years and never played Lost World. The game feels a bit slow.

Yet it plays well. But also could be I have it on normal mode. It's the way it's set up where you get go to the extreme and even having to be careful when trying to spin dash well home attack enemies.

Including I'm gonna mention theirs no lives instead you can keep trying it doesn't matter how many times almost left lives but doesn't matter how many times you die. You still play the stage. In a way that's a nice thing. I died the most as modern Sonic on Egg Gate and Mystic Jungle seriously just....meh I think I like Sonic Unleashed a lot okay.

Now let's talk about Classic Sonic who comes up later in the story. It's kind of the same with updated visuals. Yet think theirs some new jump forgot what it is. But the gameplay is enjoyable. Including for anyone who likes the classic gameplay. Remember I didn't die as Classic Sonic on the boss with Eggman in his Egg Dragoon.

Yet honestly okay remember this. You need to be careful when getting close to enemies. Ether I thought I was pretty nice at classic stages a bit or whatever. Just be careful when getting close and using your jump and spin dash.

Yet despite that it still works well.

Honestly didn't die much as Classic Sonic yet Modern Sonic I seem to have that move fast while being awesome shit. No wonder I kept dying in Mystic Jungle even a part twice I think forgot where I had to just not jump and wait for the ramps.

Now the custom character something I've despise since the day it was announced.

It's honestly nice. Yet like I've said I'm just trying to play as the character we've been seeing the first time Buddy The Wolf and let me say this. I started over the game once to make sure if I didn't miss any gear and stuff. Turns out had to play without gear at first.

Including after completing stages and missions I'll talk about that later. You can unlock more gear for your character which is cool. Which is something makes playing levels worth it.

Honestly the custom character is okay. Yet even during that said in my head I still despise it. But honestly it's nice if your a big fan of customization. Yet it's honestly not for me.

Including I looked at my laptop first at the announcement trailer for the character and Google images but decided to look at my laptop to get a closer look. Seriously I tried to make it as the character from the cgi trailers and what we've seen. Because I just don't want to make my own version.

Luckily you can make your own character still while on this world map. Meaning you won't be stuck with the same get up the entire game.

Okay I chose this 2nd voice because I thought bit fit okay. I just really didn't wanna put any creativity alright.

Okay I should talk about the story. I wanna talk about other stuff. Yet I'll get to that later.

The story basically starts off with Eggman talking about so long Sonic has beaten him and he's found a way to beat Sonic.

Honestly the stages are short for some. Yet I did thought when writing that they are in the same place or whatever. So your not replaying levels.

Sonic is gonna save the day first saving Tails and civilians first. When all of a sudden Shadow stops Sonic from harming Eggman and Zavok, Metal Sonic, and Chaos in order. Honestly had a smile on my face hearing Sonic say Chaos's name again. Then we have Infinite appears yet because Infinite is too powerful and the help of these other villains.

They basically kick Sonic's ass before Sonic's eyes close when seeing Infinite's feet.

After that Eggman takes control most of the world because Sonic is gone. But what the game says a rag tag band of resistance members try to fight him off.

With people losing hope because Sonic is not around with characters doubting and hoping for a miracle. A character which is the custom character by the name of Rookie has joined the other characters to stop Eggman.

Really the custom character gameplay is nice and makes it different a bit compared to Sonic. Since it mainly plays like that without no boost.

Including during the story Classic Sonic appears out of nowhere to save Tails from Chaos. Along with Tails trying to fix Omega or something. Including before hand their were talks of Tails losing it without Sonic. Now happy to at least see another Sonic.

Also the other characters Sonic is still alive captive aboard a new Death Egg and Eggman kept him alive to have him see his finished empire. Then he would banish Sonic into space.

Including a boss I didn't die from yet difficult Zavok was pretty nice. Yet turns out that spoiler was true. Is that Zavok isn't real.....

Honestly before I was gonna write about Zavok I'm just thinking of Chaos and when I wrote a post talking about I want Tikal to return to try to relax Chaos..... really I'm fearing it might be the same thing for Chaos. Including I think over the course of the game just or that part how I feel it seems lazy for the developers to not even just I'm disappointed.

Yet honestly the Deadly Six hate Eggman but having to reason with them would be difficult. But it's idea that would make Eggman's empire more terrifying. Instead of this simple boss it's just lazy or some shit some what sorry wanna say not meh okay not sorry.

Oh wait I remember that comic with Chaos from IDW my God it is Chaos those comics better be damn canon. Seriously God damn I want at least Tikal in there. I can pass with Zavok but still.

Including the characters meet up later. I'm also gonna say really the game seems to have a problem with saying dead. Or the idea that Sonic could be dead. Honestly it seems to be quite hard for them. But I feel okay yeah even thought the developers are honestly panzies however that's spelt. Because seriously it's just the word dead. They can't even fucking said they when Lost World did exactly that saying stuff that was honestly dark. Yet the way the characters are it could make sense. I'm sorry or just was bothered. They don't even have to balls to say dead just some what sorry.

Also for the custom character I should just call him Buddy like those leaks months ago said do they still call the character that in this game I haven't heard it no head I need the name not sweet. Theirs this storyline or just a subplot along with Classic Sonic appearing.

Is that Infinite has met Buddy and basically let him live. Telling him he should just stop and be in fear. So from what I'm seeing theirs this subplot of Buddy trying to stand up against Infinite and basically just.... honestly that cutscene stuck with me. Basically this subplot of Buddy trying to brave and stand up to these larger then life threats. I'm guessing that is the arc yet I haven't played more of the game because it's still installing.

Now let's talk about well I should mention the tag team shit. It's basically both the custom character well Buddy and Sonic into one stage. It's don't lie just my head.... really I played it once I guess nice. Really I feel I should play it more after this.

Now to talk about something I wanted to talk about the missions. Also this is sounding like a review but it's not. I'm just being detailed about my first impressions that's all.

The missions is something nice. They give you tasks honestly simple as I've played it for the time being. Such as do a homing attack or slide as Sonic. Or use the astroid or lighting weapon as Buddy which I see doing these missions unlock more gear. Which gives me a reason to try them out. Basically making the experience different then the last sometimes.

Yet it's honestly nice and it's not that detailed as I've played it. But it gave me something to do while waiting for more of the game to install.

We also have these sos missions. Including the first time I saw you play as other people's custom characters. The green one shows you but as soon as I tried the red one on the Death Egg. I immediately paused the game and pressed give up seeing it wasn't mine.....

I really don't wanna play other people's character okay that's all.

Will say some other positive stuff yet I wanna talk about Infinite.

A character I honestly liked before the game was even released. I like him he's honestly cool. Also his song is still beautiful and just amazing to hear before the first boss fight against him. I didn't even die in the first boss against him.

His voice is great and he's a threat. Honestly very cool and something I wanted. Not like my extreme meme versions where he's the ultimate douchebag in history or this Darkseid/Thanos villain where he's just basically the devil. Basically stuff I thought about him.

Seriously the visuals are beautiful even when he appears it's lovely. Took off s behind villain but seriously he's super cool and kind of what I wanted from him. I'm just hoping during the game he gets better.

Including I wanna talk about this too. The voice acting is great said sucks in my head or just no or suck. Sorry just my random negative mind it was an emotional rollercoaster to get to this game why bother.

But honestly the voice acting is very nice. Despite some lines just... really from what I've heard that the characters don't take the situation as seriously. Yet at times they seem too. But it's not as extreme considering it's a E10 game but it's mainly Sonic at times. Despite I like his jokey nature to keep the stuff less stressful.

Really I shouldn't of thought this game being so stressful. Just that theme of Infinite's is beautiful and was expecting more of an end of the world situation where everyone seems to be out of control at times or some shit. Maybe not much.

Including the music is lovely even for the stages. Honestly just I never cared for Fist Bump yet I've been thinking about it and hearing exuse me burp in mouth. But hearing it in the tag team stage. Also it's the invincibility music for Classic Sonic it sounds nice. It's honestly my preference of metal music which is why I love Infinite's theme so much.

Also about the voice acting while I don't like Kirk Thornton as Shadow. Seems like he's gotten better. Even what I've seem with Lego Dimensions. Yet not as iconic or just good as David Humphrey and Jason Griffin. Really again all the voice acting is good. Even Roger Craig Smith as Sonic honestly. While quite a lot of the lines aren't the meaningful. It's still very nice to hear the voices.

Really I feel that's all of my first impressions. I'm gonna post a photo set after this. Overall good first impressions I honestly left my PS4 on to install the rest of the content

Got tags done honestly and retyped honestly oh God ticks and even typos. Just sorry yet again honestly good first impressions oh head seriously typos just I'm being weird. Again good first impressions 12:20 pm