#i wonder how things will change in our perception of the character

[tillsfan]

this new vivinos sketch got me thinking.

what if till was way more infatuated with ivan than we thought? what if the whole time, till was actually focused on the both of them, yet due to ivan’s low self worth and unreliable storytelling, we had a complete different perception of him. maybe he was more transparent about his feelings to the both of them.

it would be genuinely insane if when we finally get till’s pov of his life, we get so much more of ivan and much less of mizi than expected. like an even distribution.. main reason i’m thinking this is because of his comic, where he’s seen so much. more chill? around her

he seems a lot more different than what we’d expect based off ivan’s perception of him. this is one of the only instances where his story has been told from someone outside of ivan. it’s very interesting to me.. they’re both pretty prevalent in his comic. they both were in his head. even though it was told by io, i think it’s still worth noting.

i fully believe till acted different and distant around ivan because of his guilt after the meteor scene, as he was likely ashamed of himself. convincing ivan that he wasn’t ever in till’s mind. maybe till felt he didn’t deserve ivan after the fact? i’m sure he was convinced that ivan hated him for it as well. till was probably DWELLING over what happened. it likely weighed him down a lot. in r6, he could’ve been so broken both because of mizi and because he was also going up against one of his loves, someone who tried to help him escape, but he went back on it. in r7, we also saw the meteor scene colors in his ivan flashback. the meteor scene is so heavily associated with ivan specifically, but we’ve seen till so affected by it in multiple instances. mostly in merch. but still.

maybe a lot of his actions were based off of ivan as well, and not just mizi. he’s been shown to be flustered around ivan on multiple occasions..

this is just a “what-if” scenario ramble. i just think it’d be very interesting if it was significantly more different than expected… very very curious for till pov of things. i wonder how much different it would be. we could see how ivan really ruined things for himself, seeing him inhabit till’s mind So Much more than we would’ve ever believed. not saying this is 100% what would happen at all! just ideas.. with how much they’re gatekeeping his pov, i wouldn’t be surprised if his pov completely changed our perception of his relationship with ivan, and till’s character as a whole.

anyways till bisexuality is so real We are so back.

a few more sketches where till is shown to be flustered around ivan. they mean so much to me. ivan you are so clueless

[annlyticalarchive]

CHAPTER FOUR: The Pod

”You will be different, sometimes you’ll feel like an outcast, but you’ll never be alone”

Mark Grayson X Kryptonian/Clark Kent! Reader

Prologue | Chapter Three| Chapter Four (Here) | Chapter Five

w/c: 3.1k

c/w: She/Her pronouns and the feminine Kryptonian naming convention used for the reader

a/n: so, revealing more about Y/N or Kent, I have written her to simply be a female version of Clark. Thus the weird version of Clark’s name. I normally wouldn’t change it, but I want to stick by the naming convention as more characters will be introduced using that.

“I’m thinking about going back to the country,” you said suddenly, placing your chopsticks down.

To say Mark froze would be an understatement. He flinched, barely perceptible if you were anyone else, but unmistakable for you, and went completely rigid. For a second, you weren’t even sure he was breathing.

“You’re moving back to the country?” he asked quietly, the hesitance in his voice making you feel instantly guilty for even bringing it up.

“Moving? No—no, that’s not…” you stammered, shaking your head, hunching your shoulders. “I’ve just… maybe I’ve been homesick? I don’t know—”

You sighed and ran a hand through your hair, accidentally tugging at it. “I’ve kinda been wanting to look into it. Into… into who I am.”

“You’re you,” Mark said immediately. The words came out too fast, too certain. His frown deepened, somewhere between a pout and genuine concern, as he tilted his head. Like you’d just tried to convince him the sky wasn’t blue and he was struggling to comprehend it.

“Well, yeah, but lately I’ve just felt this pull. Like I need to understand it all. Where I came from. What I am.”

You rubbed at the back of your neck, the old familiar guilt creeping in for laying this on him out of nowhere. But then he nodded.

“I get it.”

You blinked, surprised.

“I mean,” he continued, glancing down at his cup, fingers tapping once against the ceramic, “I think about that kind of stuff too. More than I let on.”

That caught your attention. Mark rarely cracked open that door. You leaned forward slightly, curious.

“Do you?”

He smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Yeah. Guess I know a thing or two about feeling… not normal.”

There was a pause. A quiet moment that buzzed with meaning. You both sat with it, with the unsaid truths you weren’t quite ready to voice.

“You don’t have to figure it all out,” he added. “But if going home helps? Then do it. Just don’t stay there, okay? I’ll miss my favorite reporter.”

You smiled, this one small but real. “I won’t. Hey, if it makes you feel better, I’ll give you updates. Tell you all about the baby cows.”

“Those fluffy ones?” He asked

“I think I remember our neighbor having one or two Highlands for shows,” You laughed softly.

Mark responded almost immediately after. “Deal.”

You clinked your glass lightly against his in a silent toast with a laugh.

He walked you back to the Daily Planet, and that’s where you parted ways with a hug and a quiet promise to text when you got home.

The rest of the day passed far more smoothly than the morning. No creepy visitors. No friends dragging you off to investigate something dangerous. Just painful, wonderful monotony.

You called Dr. Kim on your way home, asking about your dad’s progress and whether he might be able to come back home for a few days. She replied warmly, telling you there were no more tests to run for now and that it’d be a few months before all the results came in. If he kept up with his exercises, she added, he wouldn’t even need to come in for physical therapy. At least not as regularly as he had been.

The news lit you up. A weight lifted from your chest, replaced by something lighter. And a small, persistent voice in the back of your mind whispered, Now you can finally go home.

But you shook the thought away as quickly as it came.

You liked it here, in the city, despite how different it was, how loud and fast everything seemed. You had a job you actually enjoyed, even if it was more intern-level grunt work than real reporting. You had friends, good ones. Real ones. You had Jimmy Olsen and all his hijinks but always somehow snapping the best candids. Lois Lane and all her stubborn, persistent, but admirable search for the truth as the best journalist you knew.

And you had Mark. Who could go quiet for days but come back like no time had passed at all. Who made lunches and walks feel like something more than just a break from work. Who was a constant. The kind of constant you didn’t realize how much you needed until it was gone.

Still, as you reached your apartment and unlocked the door, a strange stillness greeted you. The kind that didn’t quite feel like peace.

You slipped off your shoes, hooked your bag onto the hooks near the door, and stood there for a moment in the quiet.

Then your phone buzzed and you pulled out your phone. One new message.

Pa: Dr. Kim says I’m in the clear for a while. Might go crazy without all the poking and prodding. Hope your day wasn’t too insane. Proud of you.

Your chest tightened, but in a good way. The way that it always felt when your dad would say he’s proud.

You: Don’t go getting into trouble without me. I’ll have dinner set when you get home. Love you.

You kept thinking of your lunch with Mark as you made dinner, how even though he did seem upset at the idea of you going back home for a bit, he supported and told you to do what’ll make you feel better.

So, once dinner was ready and plated, and while you waited for Pa to come home, you pulled out your phone again.

You called Perry White first. He grumbled about the timing and asked if you were quitting, to which you quickly replied, “Absolutely not,” and explained it was just a few days to reset. He let out a heavy sigh, muttered something about “damn kids needing breaks,” and told you to keep your phone nearby in case something big broke while you were gone.

Then you texted Lois and Jimmy.

You: Heading back home for a bit. Just a few days.

Jimmy: SEND PHOTOS. I wanna see the cows. Or goats. Or whatever you've got out there.

Lois: Ughhh but who’s going to stop me from punching Cat Grant during meetings?

I better get my partner in crime back in one piece. And no skipping out on post-trip gossip. I expect the full debrief.

You: You will, promise. And don’t actually punch him. I will, promise. And don’t actually punch her.

Lois: I make no promises

You smiled and set the phone down just as you heard the front door open.

“Smells good in here,” Pa called as he stepped inside, setting his keys in the dish near the door. “That your cooking or did someone sneak in and leave us dinner?”

You snorted. “Rude. You know I’ve got skills.”

“Sure, sure.” He grinned as he came into the kitchen, rolling up his sleeves. “Need me to set the table?”

“I’ve got that,” you said, gesturing to the already-prepped plates. “But… I wanted to ask you something.”

He paused, picking up two glasses to fill with water. “Shoot.”

You hesitated for just a second, then said, “Would it be okay if we went back to Smallville? Just for a few days. Nothing long, but… I think I need it.”

Pa glanced at you. His expression didn’t shift much, but you knew him well enough to spot the emotion under the surface.

“You okay?” he asked gently.

“Yeah,” you said, meaning it more than you expected to. “I just— I want to be home for a little while. Not just here, but home home.”

He nodded slowly, then gave you a half-smile. “I was wondering when you’d ask.”

You blinked. “What?”

“I’ve been waiting,” he said, shrugging as he handed you a glass. “Figured it’d hit you eventually.”

You took the water, your fingers brushing his. “So… that’s a yes?”

“That’s a yes. We’ll head back in the morning.”

You sat down with him, the quiet hum of the city outside your windows fading into the background as the comfort of dinner and company filled the space instead.

Tomorrow, you’d go home.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

The rest of Mark’s day went significantly worse.

It had started out completely normal.

Breakfast with his mom and brother. His mom made scrambled eggs, toast, and cut up fruit like it was any other day. Oliver spilled orange juice all over the table accidentally as he was talking animatedly with his hands, and Mark helped wipe it up while his mom shook her head fondly.

After that, he spent the morning hanging out with William, who insisted it had been way too long since they’d hung out and managed to wrangle a morning off from classes. They grabbed coffee,as William was telling Mark about the newest episode of the show he’d been trying to get Mark to watch with him.

It was nice.

Comfortable.

And then it all shifted.

Mark had barely said goodbye before his fingers were already moving over his phone, typing without thinking, like muscle memory.

Texting her.

Their lunch went mostly how he expected it to. Teasing, sarcasm, and soft smiles tucked in between bites of dumplings. The place had been a gamble, he hadn’t even been there before, heard about it and just had looked at the menu out of curiosity, but she’d liked it. That had been enough.

But when she told him about the man, some government guy, pressing too hard, asking too many personal questions, something in him snapped.

He didn’t show it. Not much. But every part of him had gone on high alert.

He asked calmly. Quietly. But he knew what she was talking about.

GDA.

He didn’t know for sure who the agent was, but if he had to guess, it had to be someone under Cecil’s umbrella.

When she said the guy made her feel like she’d never get to be normal, Mark had to restrain himself and keep back the urge to crush his glass in his hand.

She deserves better than that.

He wanted to tell her everything. About the GDA. About himself. But the words caught in his throat, because how could he ask her, a normal citizen, to carry his secrets that he had trouble keeping?

So he told her what he could. That she deserved a life of her own. That anyone who thought otherwise could deal with him.

And when she laughed. A quiet, real, soft around the edges type of laugh. And he felt something in his chest ease. Even just for a moment.

After lunch, Mark changed into his workout clothes and flew over to the Guardians' HQ.

He technically had to be there, anyway. They still him on this training extreme regiment. Plus working out helped him think.

The workout room was empty, it normally was since he was the only one to really use the ginormous weight lifting machine, which also was a relief. He quickly scaled it up three times before he cooled off enough to simply count the reps to his usual number.

But as he toweled off, breathing hard, he heard the door hiss open behind him.

Footsteps. Steady. Unfortunately familiar.

He didn’t have to turn around to know who it was.

“Cecil,” Mark said, voice flat. He grabbed his bottle and took a long drink, refusing to look over.

“Mark,” Cecil replied. Calm. Even. Always unreadable. “We need to talk.”

Mark finally turned, towel slung around his neck. His jaw was set.

“About?” Mark prompted with a raised eyebrow of his eyebrow.

“I think you know,” Cecil replied unamused, “That girl you hung out with today.”

Mark’s eyes narrowed, could feel his nose crinkle as his hackles raise. Turns out it wasn’t someone under Cecil’s umbrella. It was the umbrella.

Cecil clasped his hands behind his back. “She’s not in any danger. Yet. But I think we both know she’s not exactly ordinary. And if she’s going to be that close to you, we need to be sure she’s not a problem waiting to happen.”

Mark stepped forward, tension humming under his skin like a live wire. “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, but she’s not a problem.”

Cecil didn’t flinch. “So you don’t know what she is?”

“I want you to stay the fuck away from her,” Mark sneered as he all but stalked closer to Cecil. Catching what Cecil said but not questioning it in the moment, too caught up in his emotions.

They stared at each other for a long beat.

Then Cecil added, with that infuriating calm, “This isn’t a threat, Mark. Just awareness. We’re watching. That’s the job.”

Mark’s fists clenched.

He didn’t say another word.

He just turned and walked away. There wasn’t anything else to say. He gave Cecil his warning. And God help him if he doesn’t listen to it.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Home.

God, you missed home.

The warmth of the sun on your skin, the soft Kansas breeze rustling the fields, the distinct smell of grass and earth and fresh air. Everything. All of it.

“Ma!” you shouted, practically launching yourself into your mother’s arms.

She caught you with a laugh, and you wrapped her in the most careful hug you could manage, despite how desperately you’d wanted to squeeze her tight.

“Oh, it’s so good to see you, bug,” Ma murmured, holding you close. She only let go when Pa made it up the porch steps with a slow grin.

“Good to see you too, dear,” she added, pulling him in for a kiss and a quick hug.

Dinner was what you missed most of all.

You and Pa could hold your own in the kitchen, but Ma’s cooking? That was comfort wrapped in nostalgia, seasoned with a whole lifetime of love.

Later, when everyone was cleaning up. Ma elbow-deep in soap suds and Pa stacking dishes with practiced ease, then you finally cleared your throat.

“Hey, Ma? Pa?”

They both looked over.

You hesitated, then, “Do you think I could… go back to the pod?”

Ma froze, water still running from the faucet. Pa paused mid-stack, brows knitting.

“Is everything alright, bug?” Ma asked gently, drying her hands as she crossed the kitchen to you. She cupped your face in her warm hands, tilting your chin up like she used to when you were a kid, as if she could check for cracks or bruises just by looking into your eyes.

“I’m fine,” you said softly, resting your hands over hers. “I just… I think it’s time I figured out who I am.”

“You don’t have to go digging into your past just because you feel like you’re supposed to,” Pa said as he stepped over, voice quiet but steady. “You should do it because you want to. Not out of pressure.”

“I do want to,” you said, firmer now. “I want to understand. I want to know where I came from.”

There was a long pause, but then Pa nodded. He laid a gentle hand on your shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

“Alright,” he said. “Come on.”

He led you out the back door, through the soft golden light of early evening, across the yard and toward the barn.

The old barn creaked softly in the wind, just like it always had. The scent of hay, wood, and oil lingered in the air, familiar, grounding. And beneath it all, that other scent, faint, metallic, what you could only describe as, as cheesy as it sounded, not of this world.

Pa pulled open the sliding doors. The interior was shadowed but not dark, streaks of sunlight pouring in through slats in the walls. And there, nestled beneath a tarp and resting in the middle of a reinforced storage pit, was the pod.

Your pod.

You stepped toward it slowly.

“I dusted it off last week,” Ma said behind you both, near the doors still. “Just in case.”

You glanced back at her, a little surprised. She just shrugged. “Had a feeling. Call it mother’s intuition.”

You reached out, fingers brushing the smooth, curved surface. Even now, years later, it still thrummed faintly under your touch. Alive in some strange, alien way.

“You don’t have to do this all at once,” Pa said from behind, his voice soft, but not pulling you back as he walks back to the doors to stand next to your mother. “Take your time, we’ll be just back inside the house. If you need anything, yell.”

As they walked away, you were left with only the low creaks of the barn and the quiet whisper of wind through the open door.

Then you took a breath and laid your full palm on the pod.

And the world fell away.

It wasn’t dramatic. No burst of light. No whirlwind. Just one blink you were in the barn. The next, you weren’t.

You were standing in a chamber of light and crystal. Vast and cold and bright like starlight frozen into form. It wasn’t real, not physically, anyway. You knew that. But it felt real. The way dreams sometimes do.

Before you stood a man.

Tall. Broad-shouldered. Dressed in a blue and white suit that shimmered like glass. What you could only call a symbol in the middle of his chest, one that looked like an ‘S’ in the middle of a shield. Important, you could guess. His eyes held a sadness that reached across galaxies and through unknown languages. His face was vaguely familiar yet unfamiliar all at once.

He stepped forward and spoke, but you couldn’t understand a word.

The language was fluid, soft but dense. You could only infer the emotion behind each unknown word. Confusion. Urgency. Grief, maybe?

And then he said something you could only infer was a name, “Kala Zor-El”

You frowned. Shook your head.

He paused. Then started to repeat the same phrase over and over again. The only words you could distinguish that were proper nouns were Kala Zor-El, Zor-El by itself, and Krypton.

You took a tentative step forward.

“I don’t understand you,” you said, your voice echoing faintly in the crystalline space. “I’m sorry—I don’t—”

He didn’t seem frustrated, but maybe a bit saddened. Instead, he lifted a hand, and a soft blue light bloomed between his fingers. It expanded outward like a ripple on water, washing through the chamber. Across your skin.

And then.

What you could only guess was memories filled the space around you.

Not yours. His.

A planet. The skyline of a world lost to time. The odd solar rays of sun. The man in front of you taking a baby from a woman’s arms and placing it into what you recognized as your pod. A planet you could tell was dying.

The vision stuttered. Flickered.

The man, you now know was the one to place you in your pod, looked older now as he continued to speak. Less of a projection now, more of a ghost.

The language still didn’t make sense. But the emotion behind it did.

And who ever he was, he was important to you. And whatever it was he was trying to tell you, it wasn’t finished.

[sibillascribbles08]

Big Ol' Rottmnt Fic Rec List

Hi, I've needed to do this for a while, so here's a big bundle of fic recs from me !

I've broken it down between one shots, chaptered fics, and series. I'll try to mention what the character focus is along with a brief summary and some personal thoughts. If you need more details I encourage you to check the fics summary and tags for yourself! I will only include an author's tumblr account if it's easy for me to find haha

One Shots

Mama's Boy - ashtreelane: Technically two chapters but it feels like a one shot. Casey Jr. angst, involving him finding out that maybe you can fix kraang infections and that he failed to save his mother. I love when people really pile the grief on Junior after all the fighting is over and the fic does it so well.

Forget-Me-Nots - GibbousLunation (AKA @klunkcat ): Hi, oh my god??? Leo and Mikey centric angst, in which saving Leo from the prison dimension has an insane ripple effect. Mikey dying? Nah he's going to start getting erased from every timeline and Leo slowly watches it happen (and refuses to do nothing about it). I utterly adore how this fic handles this concept. You see almost all of it from Leo's POV, noticing the little changes but writing them off as memory failures, because of how subtle some of it is.

Fight or Flight - pickledcarrotsandradish: Leo centric, post movie, Leo keeps waiting for his family to start lecturing him about all the dumb stuff he did during the invasion, and they aren't, so it's getting to him. A very neat narrative about how self loathing can warp our perception of how others see us. A++++

The Friend Zone Sounds Pretty Good, Actually - Cryptvokeeper: Eating this, eating this. You probably already know I love aroace Leo and this fic is an INCREDIBLE exploration of that. Even as just an ace person it hit SO many notes where I was just like "Oh god... I've been there buddy". And as a bonus the dynamic between Leo and Yuichi is v sweet. Love this a lot I've read it like five times.

Pink in The Night - unnamedmystery: Incredible April/Sunita fic. Like seriously this author wrote April's crush so well I think I was starting to fall in love with Sunita. Just incredibly cute all the way through, and great April writing, adore it.

《 until then, matriarch 》 - chiangyorange: HI OH MY GOD A nice chunky oneshot about Karai, about her being a leader, and it's phenomenal. It hits and hits and does not miss, really going in depth about her emotions involving her father turning into something wicked and having to destroy him, and how it ruins all of her good memories.

The Kindness of Collision - SpoonerizedSwiftness (AKA @splickedylit ): Hi I still remember the fic and the art suddenly showing up in the tag and then I was thinking about it for the next like five weeks aslkdjf A very interesting idea that when the turtles reach the age they were in the doomed timeline before things got reset, all the memories of their other life more or less hit them like a train. All of them have to comb through that information and it's a wonderful and emotional ride.

Chaptered Fics

Hamartia - Punable (in progress): Hi this is one of my all time favorite rise fics, mainly because in a way, it helped me come to terms with my chronic pain. It's Donnie centric and smack full of angst in all the best ways. Shorthand summary, an explosion in Donnie's lab almost takes him out (or kind of DOES take him out) and the recovery is not only long and agonizing, it may only go so far, and Donnie doesn't cope well with that.

Kick It Up a Notch - Brokenpitchpipe (completed): Hi this is my other all time fav rise fic. Donnie centric separated AU in which Donnie is raised by Draxum. My love for it stems a lot from the characterization of Donnie though, and even Draxum in this case. Not to mention that in a lot of cases it matches the vibes of the show. And in spite of all the humor, there's a few really gut wrenching moments. 10/10 will re-read.

Lightning in Our Fingertips Today - DaFlangsLairde (AKA @daflangstlairde-art) (completed): Leo and Donnie centric, mostly angst, with body swapping between the twins which results in Donnie finding out that Leo's ninpo hurts him. Love love love the character writing in this, and also how the swap is written.

Under Pressure - ParvumAutomaton (completed): Not sure this is a single character focused fic, but basically April goes cave diving and is out for a while, and the turtles get worried and go looking for her. This might be personal bias but as someone who gets really into caving stories, this fic hits the spot for so many reasons. A really great emotional ride, and if you wanna see April go through it then I super recommend it.

Nothing Haunts Us (like the things we don't say) - mad_and_thick_as_theives (completed): A lot of great fics by this author btw, but this one personally stood out to me. It starts of silly and light only to sweep in with the emotional weight. Turtles are all cursed with a truth spell, basically, but I think my favorite bit is who gets out of it first (and why). V sweet.

Creation of a Philospher's Stone - IgnisCanis (completed): Whoooo boy, if you want some Draxum centric character exploration this is a great one. It really fleshes him out as a morally grey character and also does a fantastic job at writing Mikey when he finds out.

The Ol Switcheroo - radishhqueen (AKA @radishhqueen) (completed): Haha not going to lie I have a few by this author (so I'll only tag them once) but MAN. Hands down my favorite take on future leo coming to the past, and maybe I'm biased because I like when those fics actually explore Junior's character in the process buuuuut I love it. Junior's already struggling to adapt himself to the present, and after getting caught up in a foot clan spell which summons his sensei to the present too it really doesn't get any easier.

Vigilantism for Fun and Profit - radishhqueen (completed): The Cassandra Jones fic ever. Zero contest. If you're uncertain about writing Cassandra because she had so little development in the show I encourage you to read this for inspiration (I know it inspired me a lot). It does such a great deep dive into her character post show and a bit of the movie too. Honestly anytime radishh has a Cassandra fic I am clicking.

Tried to Grow Up Good - Sroloc_Elbisivni (AKA @sroloc--elbisivni )(completed): The Casey Jr. fic ever. CRAZY in love with this post movie take on him. It's messy, it's fun, it's so so real and you get a good chunk of Casey Sr. in here too. Adore it.

Hold On (Or Three Times Donatello's Soft Shell Almost Killed Him, and One Time it Saved His Life) - dunk_on_em (AKA @spockazilla )(completed): If you ever want a bit of angst involving Donnie's shell this is my go to. Every chapter has an emotional swing, even the positive ones. And shows something most people might see as a disadvantage as a good thing, actually.

Atlas, My Brother - swampcryptid (AKA @the-name-is-rizzotherat)(in progress): Get your Raph angst, specifically involving him always shielding his siblings, this time via a curse. My guy is already going through it and I think it'll get worse if a solution isn't found.

I've Got You Under My Skin - Cass_Phoenix (in progress): More Raph angst, and some Donnie, a truly chilling exploration of the possible consequences to connecting with the kraang. This fic constantly has me on the edge of my seat, and constantly stressing for Raph.

What We Leave Behind (How We Start Anew) - iam57311 (AKA @iam-57311)(in progress): Any Baronjitsu fans here? An alternate take on canon in which Draxum and Splinter co-parent the kids since they're first born (made?) Hilariously while I love the Baronjitsu content in here, I think some of my favorite parts are actually with the sisters, Big Mama, and Draxum's sister who is so so cool I love her.

Proof of Redemption - iam57311 (complete): Another one of theirs! A short and sweet lil close to canon fic about Draxum steadily gaining the trust and affection of the Hamatos, with each chapter focused on a different character. I love how they're all paced out from each other, really hits how some are much slower than others to trust Draxum hehe.

No Crime* Only Brooches - OllieTheScribe (AKA @olliethescribe) (in progress): Well I have to get THE HypnoWarren fic in here. Such a fun take on these characters, I love love love the backstory they built up for Warren too, plus the dynamic between these two and the turtles after (eventually) become friends haha.

Minor Interference - bambiraptorx (AKA @bambiraptorx) (in progress): What can I say? This fic is delightful. Between the hilarity of the turtles going with Draxum just to mess with him, the lore additions for yokai and the Hidden City, HoH Donnie, and their slowly building dynamic, always eager for a new chapter with this one.

Series

A Butterfly with a Mechanical Wing - Amethyst_Goldenwind (AKA @amethystgoldenwind ): Donnie centric series about being a non-verbal autistic. I'm always fond of non-verbal/mute explorations of characters, and so far I really like how, because his family has grown up with it, all of it is very normal for them. The various forms of communication are delightful. Excited to see further entries.

Analogous Hues - alwerakoo (AKA @alwerakoo): It's a separated AU with similar titling themes as my own, needed to check it out. The titles are just about all they have in common though! This AU focuses a lot on the turtles (Raph and Leo with Splinter and Donnie and Mikey with Draxum). I love how this explores not only the dynamics of the two groups and how different they are, but also the dynamics between each of the siblings, also how some magic sibling connections can influence that. Not to mention the different home life in more ways than one. If you're into separated AUs that really dig into the turtles dynamics try this one out !

[descendant-of-truth]

Anyone else find it fascinating that whenever we're shown Roxas's feelings through Sora, it's just kind of melancholic and wistful, but the reverse scenario always feels like you just walked into a psychological horror?

Seriously, the way it's presented, it's like we're meant to see Roxas as an old friend that we miss talking to, but Sora - our original "old friend" that we would have reasons to miss - is hardly even shown as a person. The contents of his memories feel less important than the effect they're having on Roxas, which is usually Extreme Distress and/or physical pain.

And it's insane to me because KH1 was so whimsical! The memories that Roxas and Xion are experiencing are literal Disney magic! But the way they're shown, with the fuzzy filters and the glitch effects, sort of removes the emotions you associate with them and makes them come across as eerie and unsettling.

Not to mention, Sora's memories rarely prompt any feelings of happiness, the way Roxas's might make Sora extra fond of the Twilight Town crew... which might say more about how KH1 affected Sora's mental health than anything.

(I personally stand by the idea that the story revisits it so much as an analogy for how repeating events in your head over and over can alter your perception of them)

But like. how wild is it that this series found a way to take its cheerful protagonist, and without changing anything about him, turned him into this constant, unnerving presence that haunts the lives of two other characters?

And I think another reason Roxas doesn't feel like he haunts Sora in the same way is because no one really... treats Sora like a person while he's asleep. He's either a tool or an object of affection, and regardless of which you pick, his feelings are seen as secondary to the goal of waking him up. As a result, the narrative focuses entirely on Roxas and Xion's personhood, and unlike Sora, they never stop being treated like people once they're made inaccessible due to the plot.

It's probably a bit late in the story to bring it up by now, but I still wonder if we'll ever see Sora be upset with Riku for sacrificing people in his name. Sure, it worked out in the end, and I'm not sure if Sora's even aware of what happened (how likely is it that he's properly sifted through all of Roxas's memories at this point?) but there's a list of things he could still conceivably be mad at Riku about that he hasn't processed, and I want this to be one of them

[steorrneleom]

BG3 Elven Names: A Watsonian Perspective

Amongst folks who like Astarion as a character, the meaning of his name is a common topic of discussion. The answer is typically that it is a variation of Astērion (Ἀστερίων), a Greek name meaning starry, which makes complete sense considering that he is likely a moon elf, but it is based in a language that does not actually exist in the Forgotten Realms. This isn’t a problem, a Doylist answer is completely valid, but I thought it would be fun to figure out what the meaning would be in Elvish (the D&D version), a Watsonian answer (1). After Astarion's, I set out to see if this could be done with Halsin and Cazador as well. I present here my results, with narrative. I have also included a TLDR at the end for those who want to skip the methodology.

(1) To any who may not be aware: Doylist means that it is what the author was thinking when writing / what their intention was. Watsonian means the in-universe perception / explanation. Example: Why did magic change so much between D&D 3.5e and D&D 4e? Doylist answer is that they wanted to simplify how magic worked to draw in new players. Watsonian answer is that Mystra was assassinated by Shar and Cyric resulting in arcane magic becoming unstable and changing its behavior.

In the Lack of Duolingo

First things first, I needed a resource for the Elven language in D&D. As with many collaborative canons, official uses of the language were spread through many mediums and over the course of decades. This makes hunting down sources difficult, but luckily a wonderful person by the name of Diane Morrison was kind enough to create ‘A Treatise on Espruar,’ which offers a complete dictionary. This is what I will be using:

A quick disclaimer that, also like with many collaborative canons, this language has inconsistencies and gaps which makes a true cannon language impossible until a complete conlang is officially released. What I present is to the best of our current resources.

Method to the Madness

I have the words, but next comes the challenge of using them. These names were not made to be interpreted in the lens I am using, so it is kind of like trying to fit a square peg in anything but a square hole. Some words can line up near perfect but have meanings that make absolutely no sense, like dragon royal world, or some words can have the right meanings but have the wrong letters. I resolved this with the following criteria:

The words used must be as close to the name as possible.

Sound shifts must be minimal and not drastic.

As few letter drops as possible.

A meaning that makes sense in context (as much as possible).

Key

Word / part of word Meaning

Astarion

Something noteworthy about Astarion’s name that I kept in mind when translating it is that it was his ‘child name’, the name that was given to him by his parents and not one he chose for himself (2). This means that the meaning wouldn’t necessarily be one that he himself liked, but rather one that a parent would like to ascribe to their child.

Searching for words, one almost seemed perfect at first: Aasterinian (meaning quicksilver). It was already so close to his name without having to Frankenstein words together, but sadly it broke nearly all of my rules. It had three letter drops and two sound shifts: er to ar and ian to ion. I also was of the opinion that while quicksilver was a fine name meaning, it wasn’t one that felt like it was meant for a child.

So, the next option was a combination of Aestar (meaning together or one heart) and -ion (meaning noble). I was hesitant of this one at first. The meaning I wanted to use for Aestar, heart, had seemed to be reserved for the context of marriage at first glance, but then I saw the name Araestar with its meaning of Goldheart. This is evidence that heart is valid for names as well.

Thus, my Watsonian idea is that Astarion’s name comes from Aestarion, which translates to noble heart. This only has one letter drop and a slight sound shift from Ae to A. I also personally think noble heart is a fitting meaning for a child’s name.

(2) Astarion’s tombstone has his name and states he was 39 when he ‘died’. Elves are typically considered adults and choose their new name when they reach the age of 100.

Halsin

Halsin was a bit of a hard one, where there were tons of possibilities but near all of them just didn’t fit right. Halsin is 350 years old, he would have presumably chosen his name with a meaning that represented him as a person. He, in my opinion, wouldn’t have a name that meant something random like weak brook or red. In addition, I had to find a combination of words that fit my rules.

So, I had to write down three prefix possibilities, five word possibilities, three suffix possibilities, and mix and match until I got something that met my criteria. I won't include my rejected combinations due to their number, but here are some reasons I rejected them: ‘r to l sound shift is too drastic’, ‘the on sound is too different from in’, and ‘though m and n are close in the IPA the sound shift feels too great’. Luckily, I did find a combination I was satisfied with in the end.

My Watsonian idea is that Halsin’s name comes from Halasan which translates to one who is free and wild. The ending of Halasan would likely be pronounced like in already so it would only be a letter change instead of a sound shift. The only other change needed would be a letter drop, the a in las.

Cazador

Now this name I went in thinking that it would be the true challenge, the 'z' felt distinctly non-elven to me, but much to my surprise D&D elven does have the z sound and letter. It was still hard to get a good meaning out of it, especially since it is unknown whether this would be his child name or his adult name and there was only one combination of words that worked.

The collection of words at my disposal were cas which means herald, -adar which means world, and za which means royal, of royalty. From this, I got Cazadar, which is a modification of Casadar that adds za. This would give a direct translation of herald of royalty world, which I feel would be interpreted as royal herald (to the world). It isn’t the cleanest meaning, but I feel like there is ego and world domination vibes to it, so it works.

A slight tangent, it is debatable how valid my overlapping construction is. It is possible that the shift from cas to caz would be seen as just a letter shift and not an addition of the word za. This wouldn’t be a problem, herald of the world is still a valid meaning for my purposes, despite it losing some of the ego. There is also the possibility that the za is seen but it results in the caz being interpreted as ca, a letter shift from ka which means dragon. Since there is no dor or dar in elvish, it is possible that it would be seen either as an ornamentation or a shortening of -adar, in which case the translation becomes dragon of royalty or dragon of royalty world. These meanings aren’t horrible in the case of a wrongful interpretation, but it doesn’t entirely make sense, and Kazaadar breaks the rules I imposed.

With all this being said, my Watsonian idea is that Cazador’s name comes from Cazadar, which can be translated to royal herald (to the world). This is the one name that I created that feels like a stretch, but I tried my best.

Last Names

I originally only did the first names when I decided to make this, but then I realized while typing all this that this probably wouldn’t be complete without trying the last names too... and so, I decided to give them a try. I sat down with the elven dictionary and felt the hope leave my body as soon as I wrote them down on my scrap paper. Ancunín, with a little accent on the ‘i’ and a super rare letter for D&D elvish, ‘u’; and Szarr, with two consonants (S and Z of all things) next to each other. I predicted a struggle, a struggle is what I got, and I fled the battle, unsuccessful. I was not able to find anything that met my rules… yet.

I will revisit this someday, but it will require a lot more research on Faerûn than I am able to put in right now, sadly. Here is the fun thing about last names, they are often more influenced by location as opposed to the ethnic origin of someone. Case and point: in the US a lot of folks changed their last name upon arrival to better fit in, or it was messed up enough times that they changed it for convenience sakes. Examples: Müller turning into Miller (a spelling change), Zimmermann becoming Carpenter (a direct translation), or going from Sadowski to Smith (A complete change to assimilate). They also have a different meaning convention compared to regular names to begin with, where they can be based on the location an ancestor lived, their occupation, or their nickname.

A Watsonian answer may exist for Ancunín and Szarr, but it would be rooted in where their families lived through the eras and other local languages that might have influenced the original elvish version. Like perhaps the location the Ancunín family is from has a predominant language which favors ‘u’ as a vowel. Maybe Szarr isn’t elvish at all and is an occupation name. I don’t know if I will be able to find a satisfying answer, but if I do one day I will be sure to post it.

Bonus

Espruar is the alphabet of the elvish language, which looks really cool in my opinion. Before I even started looking into the Watsonian origins of the names, I thought it would be cool to see what their names looked like written in it and so vectorized all the letters. Below are the character's names and their origin names written with Espruar.

Astarion

Aestarion

Halsin

Halasan

Cazador

Casadar

Cazadar

Little End Note

I want to thank everyone who read through my long explanations and tangents, I hope you enjoyed reading the thought process behind all of these ☺️. I also wanted to let you folks know that I am going to make another post soon with my vectorized Espruar alphabet so anyone can write with it should they want to.

TLDR

[decaffeinatedcandycane]

T1f1 bad traits (in my opinion. Not based on game lore.)

Starting strong with Captain John "I know what is best for you" Price

It has been talked about it in here a lot. This issue stems from John "knowing" everything and dictating people left and right. His partner is no exception.

Micromanagement king.

You gotta speak some serious boundaries with this man or he will guide you and correct you just as much as he will spoil you.

The captain is very perceptive and passionate. Sometimes this passion can turn into obsession. So be aware, if you lit a certain fire within him, he can accidentally burn you with it.

Simon Ghost Riley is our number two. Reboot version - creature of habit - his "own" habit. He will annoying you with his everyday routine and will take a long, long, long time to change it.

Not because he doesn't want to, but because it is hard for him to switch habits.

This includes "forgetting his partner exists", for like the first two weeks of your relationship.

He is loyal like a dog, but will literally your existence. May even tackle you to the ground, after you move in with him, because he though you are an intruder.

Will take your stuff, without asking, so he can have your scent and get used to you.

Also, very mean humor. If he likes you, he will make fun of you, with appropriate, only for him, jokes. (This is how he tests the waters)

Will move your relationship faster. Absolute cavemen behavior. (Blame it on efficiency)

Soap Mactavish. The Sergent, not the captain. ( for the captain, combine all you read about the sergent, minus the energy and passion. He has that tamed, since, well, he is a captain)

I am sorry, but he is a nuisance. Annoying boyfriend energy and clingy af. Loud, proud and always at your hip. On the plus side - he can do tricks on command.

Like a husky, he will whine and test your patience, and boundaries.

Has A LOT of energy. Basically Sanderson on steroids. Jumps and smacks you out of nowhere.

He does not know his own strength, sometimes you wondering he everything a human being, or how his bunkies are still alive?

He is just like an annoying younger sibling, with the exception that he is your boyfriend.

And but not least,

Gaz

Fire, fire, fire.

You see how he speaks in campaing?

Guess how bitchy in everyday life he is. And he gets easily pissed especially after a long deployment.

You can't win an argument against him, even if you strip naked.

He will still hit it, but.... will keep arguing while doing so.

Yes, you are not safe.

Gaz is sassy and feels things pretty deeply. So I would be careful if I was you. Do not piss that boy off.

Also, if he headbutts with Price, or Price offers his opinion on you (paw paw is also the king of unsolicited advice) and Gaz dislikes it, he will get snappy at you. So I would avoid him, if he is in a mood.

Konig is not in the task force, but idgaf so let's go.

Very straight forward, blunt and egotistical. Kind of like Price, minus the empathy.

Will refuse to help, after he told you something didn't work and you did it anyway.

Will cave in after he remembers you are not a soldier and are someone he loves. (Or when you get mad at him)

He will get to his emotional side, eventually and drop the ego act, but until then - you are stuck with him being an ass.

I wanna say narcissist, but not quite. Idk. (Will leave that undone here, not elaborate and fuck off to the next character)

Andre Nikto

Hehe

Lose screws. A lot of them scattered around on the floor.

He is psychotic, has voices in his head and takes his medication if they all feel like it.

Trusts no one.

Will make a move on you after he makes sure they (him plus the voices) won't accidentally or on purpose hurt, or kill you.

It is complicated.

Very forward. Takes decisions and acts fast. Some say, he is a daredevil, but nobody dares to dare him to say for sure. Hehe

Expect lots of jealousy, insecurity and macho energy for him. Traditional man.

Likes when you talk to him and ask how all of them are, and group discuss (yes, you have group discussions) about whatever you want. Soooo, that's a plus. And, you have more opinions on something, so you see more sides.

Also, some voices side with you all the time, so, yeah, you got it.

He isn't THAT disfigured, but he is disfigured. He has a face, but some parts may be missing.

And he is VERY sensitive about the issues. Proceed with caution.

Gabriel T. Rorke

He is the man and will not stop showing it. Chavilerity (can't spell that), handyman behavior....mansplaining who?

He means well, just doesn't realize how annoying he is being.

At least you house is fixed.

Also, lots of trauma. He has night terrors, which he says he doesn't have (loves being tough) and will use you as his therapist.

Sorry girl, but if you get him talking, he is Sharing...sharing.

Protective and will tell men to back off of you, when needed ( it is not needed, he is just jealous and wants the pricks away from you)

[babyangelsky]

It's always the yellow bars with Khun Jo, isn't it

We've got our dutiful blue and dangerous pink and unresolved orange and even a hint of familial green, but the yellow bars of the past are by far the most prominent, and they're trapping everyone.

But I'm not here to talk about that. This week at least. I've done a lot of yapping about mafia succession over the past couple episodes but so far I've only talked about it in relation to Jo's family. I haven't really talked about it in relation to Sun and Jack.

And I'm only bringing it up now because of this particular set of interactions in this scene.

Jo sends Jack to count the money with Jihoon and Junho and then asks Sun to stay and talk to him. Later on when Jo's talking to Sungmin he praises both Sun and Jack, but the way he treats them is very different and very interesting.

When talking about colors and about visual language in general, which color or motif or symbol appears is just as important as when it appears. That's essentially how one derives meaning from them. I mention that because behavior can do the same thing; it can give you insight into a character's perception.

What Jo chose to do in this scene tells us how he sees Jack and Sun. He keeps Sungmin by his side and sends his other two sons to do the work of accounting for the money. He tells--tells, not asks--Jack to go with them and help. Then, he tells Sun to stay behind and chat and proceeds to pour him a drink.

He thanks him. He praises him. He makes requests. He voices his concerns. He places weight on Sun's reassurances.

Put plainly, Jo treats Sun like the heir and so does everyone else.

Look at how this shot is blocked. Sun is literally the sun. He's in the center and everyone is orbiting around him including Jack because they're not Jack's people. They're Sun's. The defer to him, they take orders from him. He takes care of them.

Even when they work with Jack, they wait for him to leave and then make their own plan. Jack's role is symbolic at best and that's fascinating because Jack has been there the whole time. He's been running Songphum's old business and watching the neighborhood change and probably still talks to all his dad's old connections but we've already seen just how much he doesn't know.

We've also seen how much Sun has been able to accomplish and learn even having lost three years of his life to prison. He's put himself in rather an ideal position to take over his father's old territory.

By all the traditional rules of succession, Jack should be the heir. He's the first and eldest son. And if Songphum were still alive that probably would be the case but functionally? The heir is Sun.

Hell, Jack was the one who got them involved with Jo in the first place but rather than deliver the man who killed Songphum to him, Jo delivered him to SUN.

And I have to wonder if, at some point, that's going to become a bone of contention for them just like it is for Sungmin and his brothers.

[windvexer]

Hello chicken!

I come to you today with a question I've had for a long time, and I read a post a while ago where you gave tips on entering the astral for people who struggle with it. In this, you mentioned, if I remember correctly, that people who day dream a lot should find a way to tell apart their spiritual travels from daydreams.

The thing is—I'm not only a maladaptive daydreamer since I can remember but also a fiction writer. Meaning my mind comes up with random places and people and story fractures all the time. And when prompted with something, it can run pretty far. I have no way of determining wether or not my spiritual encounters with familiar spirits have been legit or a complete result of my own imagination.

I really wanna know if there's a way to determine if my experience are "real" or made up and how I can go about differentiating them. If you have anything that could help with that I'd be super grateful.

Have a wonderful day and thank you already

We're in reference to this, I think?

This is one of those situations where there are IME never any blanket tips, because everyone has their own needs.

"Real astral travel is fatiguing whereas daydreaming is not" is not a rule of thumb that is helpful to people that don't really get tired astral traveling, or who are exhausted by racing thoughts.

I believe it's vital to experiment for oneself to build up a system of checks and balances that works for you.

That being said here are some ways that travel can be tested (again, consider how these checks may be inadequate depending on the areas you travel, your innate skills, etc).

If you have tips or thoughts to add, please feel free!

You have valid experiences with your spirits if they pan out - if your spirits give you information, spells, techniques, etc., that work. A lot of valid techniques and lore aren't written down, so comparing it to other sources doesn't always work - you have to put it to the test. You can also ask spirits to do things for you - things that should be easily doable - and see if it happens (like, asking them to visit you at a certain time and setting a reminder after the fact).

You can't really control spirits in the astral the way you control daydream characters. Your daydream character can say or do whatever you think even on the slightest of whims. Spirits do not, and if you try to force them to say or do things they can become very upset.

In the astral, there is no story to fracture. It's not a story, there is no narrative. It's a lived experience.

Astral realms are causal, just like our normal physical reality. In a daydream if you realize a character has on the wrong outfit for this scene, based on that mere idea the story might retroactively correct to suddenly have the character be in the right outfit. But in the astral, for a spirit to have on different clothes, they have to go change clothes. And that takes time. They have to leave that location, go to where they keep their clothes, change their clothes, and come back.

There is no fracturing the story into two versions, one where the spirit has on the right outfit from the start, and one where they don't. There is no story.

In a daydream, you control the experience. At the perfect moment, it starts raining in the graveyard for the dramatic reveal. In the astral, you are experiencing something external. You can imagine it's raining, try to force it to rain, or project rain. You might even see rain for a few moments. But your perception will tend to snap back to the actual experience. And then the spirits might be looking at you weird, asking what you're doing. You can't restart the scene because there is no scene.

In a daydream if there is a locked door, that doesn't necessarily stop you in any way. You can know what's behind the locked door, where the key is, how difficult it is to open the door, if there are alternate routes, and so on. You can even know who made the door and the forest the wood came from. The characters might be stuck on one side but you are the omnipotent creator god of that reality and you have all the information you want.

In the astral if you encounter a locked door, you don't automatically know what's behind it. If you don't have the key, you can use magic to unlock it or you can try to break it down. But if you can't, then you can't. If your path is blocked, you won't automatically know any alternative paths forward. The narrative isn't going to be rewritten to account for plot holes; there is no plot. Do you want to know who made the door? Well, how do you intend to find out? Because that information isn't up to you; it exists externally from you.

The characters are at a gorge. The next part of the story is on the other side. Figuring out how to cross the gorge isn't interesting right now, the emotional energy is ready to carry us deeper into the plot. Let's just put a pin in the crossing and figure it out later. For now, we teleport into the future. The characters are on the other side of the gorge, ready to travel into the city.

In the astral, you are stuck on that side of the gorge until you figure out how to cross it. You can imagine or pretend you're on the other side, but eventually you will be bounced back to where you are actually standing.

Daydreams remain static unless you are there to change them. The changes may be sprawling and nigh instantaneous, but they come from you; you are making it up. You are never going to come back to a daydream and realized the fundamental reality of the daydream changed since monday and is irreversible to its prior state.

Astral realms will change on their own whether or not you're there for it. One day a new path appears that was never there before. You can't "switch back" to the other version because there is not more than one version, it's a living area. One day there is a blockage and you can't go to that location. The next day the blockage disappears, or it remains until you resolve it.

Daydreams tend to be low-energy. You can go through the epic history of an empire in 30 minutes. Astral travel tends to be energy-intensive. You can hang out for 15 minutes and talk to one fish in a fountain before you get tired and sleepy.

Similarly, changes in daydreams can be done with nothing more than the energy of a thought; you can raise up houses, neighborhoods, cities, empires, and solar systems with the blink of an eye. In the astral, if you want a bucket of water, you have to pick up the bucket, go to the well, get the water, and walk back. And if it takes you 15 actual IRL minutes, then that's how long it takes you.

My tl;dr is that if it feels like you're an omnipotent multiversal creator god having adventures in endless stories with clear narratives, side-quests, and character arcs, then I'd be more likely to hazard that you're daydreaming. If it feels like you are a person trying to live your got dang life, if you run into problems that require real time and energy to resolve, and if you drop the ball and the world moves on without you - it's more likely you're traveling.

(The only thing I will say is that time in the astral generally doesn't work like how it does here - time can scroll forward very quickly. But if you have time-god powers like editing the past, jumping around from past to present and into alternate timelines, or flash-freezing the universe to walk around in it, I'd be suspicious.

In addition, what worlds you're going to can have a huge impact - personal astral spaces you're fully in control over are, well, much easier to control than external spaces where you're a visitor.)

[dee3312t]

Dissecting Naruto’s Ending in Good Faith

Let's consider the possibility that Kishimoto's ending was deliberate—that things ended how they should've, and some plots weren't mistakes (looking at you, Kaguya).

Okay, hear me out. By assuming this, we can explore the series with a good-faith reading. Recently, I’ve been reflecting on the series as an adult, and it’s shaken up many of my beliefs and perceptions—it's somewhat distressing, so I’ve been processing all this in therapy too, and coming to key conclusions. I think It's crucial to understand the motivations behind Kishimoto's choices, not just within the Narutoverse but also within the Kishiverse. Why did he make the decisions he did?

Why did he suddenly introduce reincarnations and fate? Aliens? Why the couples that seemingly came out of nowhere? Why doesn't Naruto quite change the system, or help the Hyugas? The final arc, overall, just seemed quite jarring, with some plots (like fate) seemingly subverting the message of the series.

I wonder, then, if Kishimoto's ending shows more of a realistic world rather than an idealized one. Reality often unfolds messily and sadly, devoid of perfect resolutions. Whether intentional or not, Kishimoto's storytelling may reflect his acknowledgment of the imperfect nature of existence. His reality bleeds into his creation, and he's subject to the same harsh realities his characters face.

Fate, Justice, and Change

In this unideal depiction, Naruto and Sasuke's actions are tied to fate rather than free will, Sasuke doesn't achieve his revolution, Naruto doesn't dismantle the shinobi system, and both end up in marriages that seem sudden and unsatisfactory.

If Kishimoto indeed intended this, why? Well, change often takes time, and sometimes change doesn’t even happen at all. People can become tired of fighting for a cause in certain ways, and settle for smaller victories. Relationships may not always align with desires, leading to compromises for convenience.

It's intriguing that Kishimoto explores themes of defying fate while ultimately making Naruto destined to save the world anyway. By making even the protagonists constrained by destiny, Kishimoto echoes historical cycles of rise and fall. Perhaps there's something inevitable about human love and hatred. We can begin to see Kishimoto's philosophical musings on how the universe came to be—the First Cause theory, that there's a divine Creator behind the universe. Or, perhaps, no matter the circumstances or our destinies, we must try to make our own decisions.

And, Sasuke's lack of revolution may not be a complete surrender. He doesn't fully support the system, remaining detached from the bureaucratic and familial norms by traveling. He pursues justice by roaming the world as a vagabond, championing justice as a vigilante. Sasuke has never been one to adhere strictly to Konoha's rules; he eschews the headband and prioritizes loyalty to his morals and loved ones. His rebellion does not manifest as he initially envisioned because his youthful idealism inevitably wanes. But this doesn’t take away from his fight, because Kishimoto portrays him as insightful and intelligent, showing that Sasuke can recognize the pragmatic benefits of partial conformity. He forever remains committed to his pursuit of justice by traveling and aiding others. Thus, his true surrender lies in acknowledging that he can be loved without compromising his strength, refuting the notion of love as a weakness.

As for Naruto, he isn't ignorant—he does comprehend the situation fully, sharing a deep understanding with Sasuke that transcends words (“I know your heart, and you mine” telepathic conversations). While it doesn't seem like much has changed, the events in Boruto unfold merely two decades after Naruto's era, a short span in historical terms. Significant societal transformations typically require centuries, not mere decades. Nevertheless, Naruto succeeds in establishing an era of peace, which Kishimoto shows through the relatively low stakes in Boruto. And when there are threats, they often manifest on a cosmic scale involving gods and extraterrestrial beings. While Naruto and Sasuke have brokered peace among nations, they acknowledge the inevitability of conflicts and warfare. Naruto's focus shifts towards fortifying the system itself, striving for safety within the constraints of reality.

Unexpected and Reluctant Couples

To thoroughly analyze the series, we must also examine the role of romance, as Kishimoto's introduction of romantic pairings significantly impacts plot themes, character development, and motivations. Whether we embrace it or not, these pairings alter the essence of characters in ways previously unseen.

In the canon material (manga and anime main story only), Sasuke and Naruto exhibit no romantic interest in Sakura and Hinata throughout the series. In fact, neither actively pursues romance in general. Sasuke states as such to Kakashi, and Naruto tells Jiraiya he’s not interested in girls. While Naruto initially does have feelings for Sakura, he eventually relinquishes them. Both protagonists prioritize their ideological missions above all else, with exceptions made for their friendship with each other. Sasuke, for instance, abandons his vendetta against Itachi when he sacrifices himself for Naruto in the Land of Waves, while Naruto is willing to forsake his dream of becoming Hokage to die to save Sasuke from loneliness and hatred.

So, how does Kishimoto portray their eventual marriages? Sakura pursues Sasuke persistently, repeatedly confessing her feelings until he ultimately relents and agrees to a family life with her. Meanwhile, Naruto displays no romantic interest in Hinata, even disregarding her confession during the battle with Pain. When he eventually marries her and starts a family, it feels contrived and dispassionate, a jarring image contrasting the boisterous Naruto we know. These relationships seem to emerge out of duty and resignation rather than genuine affection. Both Sasuke and Naruto appear worn down by their wives' persistence, leading them to reluctantly accept their marriages.

These couples have sparked considerable debate within the fandom, and rightly so, because they are not healthy or truly romantic relationships; rather, the depiction reflects the harsh realities of many real-life relationships. Kishimoto portrays Naruto and Sasuke's marriages with little prior development; perhaps a deliberate narrative choice rather than an oversight, highlighting their dissatisfaction through their roles as absentee fathers.

And in terms of specifics, Naruto's marriage seems to revolve more around Hinata than anything else. Consider this: why is Naruto portrayed as uncharacteristically serious and subdued when interacting with Hinata? Even during the pivotal moment when he finally confesses his love to her, his demeanor remains stoic and solemn. Where is the goofy and expressive Naruto we know and love? Additionally, why does Kishimoto include comments from other characters urging Naruto to "treat her well"? Because Naruto's marriage is not primarily about him; Hinata simply happened to be there, and it’s his duty to follow up on that.

And for Sasuke, why do we see panels like the family dinner in Boruto where Sasuke appears utterly miserable? Why is Sasuke never around? Why didn’t Kishimoto even give them a kiss scene? Why does Sasuke mostly display emotions when he's engaged in combat or interacting with Naruto? It's because Sasuke finds purpose and vitality in fighting for his beliefs, and Naruto is the only character depicted by Kishimoto who truly understands Sasuke's innermost thoughts and feelings. Sakura doesn't get Sasuke's essence. Isn't a marriage supposed to be built on true understanding, and progression?

One way we can see it is, Kishimoto, as an artist, is deliberate with his drawings, and these details are not mistakes. Canonically, both Sasuke and Naruto are depicted as tired or subdued in their relationships. Despite Kishimoto drawing them blushing in various situations before, neither of them ever exhibits such reactions when interacting with their wives. This deliberate choice by Kishimoto, despite them being his beloved main characters, shows that Sasuke and Naruto are not in love with Sakura and Hinata.

Love and (lack of) Romance

Sasuke and Naruto are not portrayed as romantic individuals; rather, they are depicted as traumatized fighters and idealists driven by a desire to change the world.

Kishimoto remains true to this characterization throughout the series, extending into Boruto. While Naruto is largely a series about love, it's not focused on romantic love. Instead, it delves into the concept of transcendent love and optimism amidst adversity, encompassing love found in seeking revenge, striving to change the world, and fostering bonds of friendship and loyalty. The relationship between Naruto and Sasuke is the one Kishimoto gives the most development to in the series, and embodies nuances of love, rivalry, loyalty, and compromise. This love isn’t necessarily romantic, but it can also be anything because it is transcendent love. This part is up to you to decide and I believe doesn’t take away from their story either way.

Another question that arises is, does Kishimoto really just suck at writing romance? Well, not really. He’s demonstrated his ability to craft compelling romances, such as those between Minato and Kushina, and Asuma and Kurenai. However, he chose not to apply this to Naruto and Hinata or Sasuke and Sakura. Although, he does show that Sasuke cares for Karin at one point, even awakening a new power for her, but takes it back as their relationship ultimately falls victim to Sasuke's madness at the time (although I believe this relationship, along with Naruto x Sasuke, can tentatively be argued for, but I digress for now).

These decisions reflect 1) the fact that Naruto and Sasuke's characters are not about romantic love; their goals and convictions for justice are prioritized above all else 2) Hinata and Sakura are not The Ones for them. Thus, their seemingly unhappy relationships serve as a reflection of their de-prioritization of romantic love in favor of their greater missions.

Further, realistically, people don't always end up with their ideal partners. Many people settle in relationships because they desire families or because they are pursued by others, rather than actively seeking out their soulmates. Kishimoto chooses to depict Naruto and Sasuke with a lack of emotional expression with their respective spouses. Even in the presence of their own children, Naruto and Sasuke are not depicted with joyful expressions, suggesting a lack of fulfillment in their familial roles.

The Whitepill

Ultimately, the way things turned out seems disheartening at first because shows are meant to inspire and provide an escape from reality. Throughout the series, Kishimoto led us to believe in the possibility of an ideal ending, where change is attainable and love conquers all.

But, Kishimoto's decision to depict Naruto and Sasuke's inability to achieve 100% of what we desire is, in fact, profound. The truth is, we can't always get exactly what we want, but we can make small compromises and strive for justice in whatever ways we can. This struggle is something humanity has faced throughout its history. Our world is far from ideal. But, we are still able to achieve bits of justice in ways we can; we get just enough to keep us going, to leave us with the thirst for more.

Perhaps Kishimoto portrays Sasuke's surrender not because he believes Naruto is unequivocally right, but because Sasuke wants to choose love, and is inherently kind and idealistic. He cares deeply about his friend and desires to see positive change in the world. Sasuke's journey leads him to become a protector of not just Konoha, but all villages, reflecting his compassion for people everywhere.

Similarly, Kishimoto may depict Naruto continuing on as part of the existing system not because Naruto is complacent, but because he's someone who seeks to work within established frameworks rather than tearing them down completely. This approach doesn't diminish Naruto's convictions or his commitment to change; rather, it reflects his pragmatic approach to achieving his goals while minimizing disruption.

Naruto and Sasuke's best efforts serve as inspiration for us to take up the mantle and continue the fight.

Ideal World and Optimism

Despite this, Naruto’s ending does not really make sense in an ideal world. In an ideal world, there would be a more perfect compromise, we wouldn't be bound by our fate, and the oppressive shinobi system would be dismantled. Naruto and Sasuke would have more time to heal and explore the world alone, and eventually find fulfillment in their love lives; Sasuke would find someone who truly understands him, while Naruto would enjoy a relationship where he can be his true, expressive self. Sakura would be able to move past her childhood infatuation and grow personally, while Hinata would gain confidence and develop her own identity.

Therefore, reading from a purely Narutoverse standpoint, the issues I mentioned do, in fact, undermine the themes and relationships built over the course of the narrative. Maybe Kishimoto fumbled after all, and Boruto sucks, and is simply a cash grab. Or, he intentionally wanted to troll us—suddenly breaking all conventional storytelling rules is suspicious, right?

Perhaps what really happened is a mix of all these things. While there are many external influences that led to this bleak ending, Kishimoto's intentions surely play a vital role.

Regardless, Kishimoto's big mistake is being too subtle and abrupt in introducing the new concepts at the end. However, in doing so, he has successfully sparked ongoing disagreement and discourse that persists even a decade after the series concluded.

In this sense, he has effectively brought attention to the messages: make love, not war; seek change, not complacency; and find The One, don’t settle. And even if I’m wrong in everything and this whole essay is just a copium, it's a lot better to believe in my ideals than to accept defeat. Because, Naruto taught me one invaluable lesson—no matter the odds, never give up.

[miss0atae]

Random thoughts about The On1y One (EP4)  - How to live in the present, friendship and metaphors:

I'm so glad this episode showed us how fast the relationship between Tian and Wang has changed since Wang admitted he felt lonely and Tian finally decided he would get closer to him. It's like they opened a little door, but instead of having just a small opening, it is a wide open door. It shows how just a small acknowledgment can change so much. When you're seen, you are able to do so much more. You are not lonely again. Tian is man of his word. He offered to get closer to Wang and since he said it, he has decided to stick to his word. You can also see how it affected Wang's behavior. It felt like he was coming out of his shell because he knew he had Tian, not so far away. For example, when he woke up the next day and came for breakfast, he was more at ease than before (not perfect, but he is trying at least) with Tian's mom. Before, he couldn't even stand her sight. He tried and that's already a lot.

As the viewers we know that Tian and Wang will end up together, but the characters are not yet there. As for now, it is more friendship. I'm also adding that your significant one can also be your friend. They are not mutually exclusive. I would even dare to say, it's better if it's also your friend. I believe that the foundation for any healthy relationship is friendship. Anyway, having a solid friendship is important because they make life more enjoyable and help us through the difficult times by making it more tolerable. You can see how Wang is feeling happier in some way, now that he knows Tian wants to be closer to him. It makes it easier in class to work, but also when he got in this fight with the bully, he saw Tian had his back. Tian is taking his time and energy in this friendship, but he is also gaining something from it too.

I was really touched by how he said it changed his perception of life. I admitted he used to look at the past more and so he was unable to appreciate the present or to even perceive the future. It’s not good when you’re stuck in the past. Your whole life could go by and you would feel you miss everything because you can’t appreciate what you have. It’s not easy to appreciate the present when you can’t find any joy or reason to like it. However, Tian seems to think that now he has a reason to appreciate it. It was very well-said. I tend to forget they are playing teenagers because I know the actors are older. However, it’s a feeling you can relate to at any point in your life. I may be older than the character, but it’s a lesson that I shouldn’t forget too. It’s so easy to be caught up in our daily life and then we forget the most important thing.

I believe this episode allowed us to get to know Tian better. I can't forget the moment Wang noticed all his belonging are in suitcase. It's like Tian is ready to leave at any point. When you don't unpack, it means you're not ready to settle. There is also the metaphor of a suitcase where it's kind of an extension of himself: “open your suitcase and I will tell you who you are”. There are 3 dimensions of a suitcase: it is associated with emotion (happiness, joy, fear of living or leaving, temporary or permanent departure…), it is also associated with the mixed objects we can add inside and what they tell about us and finally it is associated with the story of its owner and his family, his identity, his encounters… It felt kind of poetic, but also a representation of Tian's state of mind. I wonder if at one point, he will take his belongings out of this suitcase to put it somewhere he feels like safe enough to settle.

Of course, we also got the metaphor of the closet and it is resonated so much more when it's a queer story. That's where Wang hid with Tian and even if the romantic feelings are not here yet, they will come and how will they live with it… that's what the story will show us.

I have to say this episode was charming and I'm really getting into the story. It's a very interesting series.

[therainscene]

i was just reading your theories and the time travel/never ending story one really gave me shivers. it works with the small scale of this story, whereas often time-based ideas in works of fiction involve sci fi or space travel where things are much more futuristic, like interstellar or arrival.

seeing as back to the future and a wrinkle in time are obviously referents, i am wondering what you think the narrative and artistic significance of a time loop storyline for the show would be? is it the duffers just paying homage to their fav exciting twists from cinema, or would this choice have another meaning other than being super cool? even shows like true detective explored the mystery of non-linear time, but none of these shows address the intrinsic paradox of a causal loop: namely, that it's impossible in a linear timeline (for e.g. the future person would have had to survive whatever the threat from the present is in order to live and be able to go back in time and save themself, etc). so stranger things would have to really hammer home its belief in non-linear time for this causal loop theory to work.

unless... their emphasis about time isn't going to be scientific at all, but about human emotion: aka perceived non-linear time? we have hints towards this in the show: most explicitly, el mentioning that time speeds up or slows down according to how you feel.

all the symbolism like henry's clocks and will's apparent week in the UD could reflect this, and i think this would also work well with all the experimentation themes: how el's sense of place and time differs compared to someone who hasnt lived in a lab, the way music changes your world, etc...

so basically what i'm asking is: do you think that the timey wimey stuff in the show is going to be revealed as perception-based, emotion-based, almost solipsistic from (possibly) will's pov? that time as an objective thing doesnt matter, because it's our experience of the world that we feel, and so 'real' and 'not real' don't matter because if something feels real to us, it IS real?

i personally would love this, because to me ST is a human drama not a sci-fi first and foremost, so i want the sci-fi aspects to reflect something about humanity, rather than be the main point of the story.

[Hi anon, thank you for your thoughtful ask! I'm really sorry it took me the better part of a year to get around to answering this; I wasn't ignoring you, the executive dysfunction just won this round.]

I would argue that time travel stories always reflect something about humanity, regardless of how focused on the sci-fi aspects they are.

Arrival's alien-induced visions of the future are about embracing the worst parts of life knowing that the best parts are worth it;

Terminator's self-creating time paradox is about the irresistible spark of hope in the face of insurmountable man-made horrors;

Interstellar's time dilation is about the love and sacrifice parents make to secure their children's futures.

Sci-fi is fundamentally about exploring humanity's relationship with the world around us -- how we manipulate it, how we survive it, how we help and hurt each other in the process -- and imo Stranger Things doesn't particularly depart from the conventions of the genre just because it's so character-focused.

So I don't think it would really make a difference whether its time shenanigans are "real" or just a trick of human perception -- so long as the Duffers can stick the landing, then it'll resonate with our emotional relationship to time and growing up either way.

But I also suspect you're right: the causal loop theory you liked was a fun idea but I don't think it reflects the show's foreshadowing all that well.

Like you said, El alluded to time travel being emotion-based--

--and Henry describes his frustration with time in terms of arbitrary human ways of structuring it.

Which is more likely: that there's some secret sci-fi time travel mechanic the show just hasn't revealed yet, or that Vecna's going to use the mind powers we already know he has to fuck with people's perceptions of time?

My honest opinion? ...I think it could be both.

For one thing, the Duffers are in the habit of hiding big reveals of what's really going on (e.g., Vecna's existence prior to S4); for another, The First Shadow revealed that Brenner's backstory has a lot in common with The Philadelphia Experiment, suggesting we might be in store for some sort of inter-dimensional timey-wimey mess created by the lab.

But equally, the perception-based foreshadowing is (1) blatant as hell; (2) a more promising avenue for explaining why the Upside Down is a copy of Hawkins frozen on the day Will lost his innocence; and (3) just generally a better fit for Henry and Will's connection.

Both at once sounds like the sort of thing ST would do: give a sci-fi plot to El, a psychological horror plot to Will, and have them dovetail satisfyingly at the end for a big emotional payoff.

[greenerteacups]

I cannot tell you just how obsessed I am with Lionheart - I have literally ranted about it with everyone who has even a remote interest in Harry Potter. It is the best thing I have read, it has made me fall in love with the series all over again, I feel like I'm reading and experiencing it all for the first time! I'm even trying to dabble in bookbinding just to actually have a hardcopy of your fics (hard emphasis on trying)

I love sweet cranky Draco and how you have so beautifully written him into the golden trio - I love how he balances Hermione out and matches her brilliance, I have always hated how she was always the odd one out whenever Ron decided to stop talking to her. I keep telling everyone I truly think you have a better understanding of the characters than JKR did - how you've written Harry as this very perceptive and gentle peacemaker who is craving so deeply for family (that scene end of book 4 where Arthur comes crashing in to save him? ugh, ab.so.lute.ly. heartwrenching!!) , how you've made Ron a wonderful character and brilliant in his own way (it's so easy for fanfic writers to bash him and make him this big dumb boy who doesn't get hermione- I love that even Draco recognizes that he has his strengths). I love how you've paralleled Snape as Draco's godfather to Sirius and Harry. I love the subtle ways you have changed the story to keep us on our toes. I love how slow and realistically they have grown page by page and I am so very excited to see where you take them next. Ugh I can go on and on. Everything is so well written and I love how you've expanded my vocabulary. You are such an exceptional writer!!

I do find it interesting (and I haven't been able to find any previous posts on this) that Book 2 is the chambers of secrets book and there is zero appearance of the basilisk, which seems a pretty glaring omission. Obviously this is what Theo is trying to find where we are in Book 5, but I was wondering why the delay and doesn't this mess with lining up events with the main series? I guess we wont' know until the grand reveal. But then that made me wonder if it's just "Book 1" and "Book 2" - are there no subtitles "Draco Malfoy and the Chamber of Secrets", etc?

Anyways, I'm all caught up now and just wanted to say - I'm so in love with your work and can't wait to see where you take us next!

Hi, thank you so much for this message! You are so kind to write it!

I would point out that Book 2 isn't really the "chamber of secrets" book — as you point out: he got no gotdamn Chamber in there. The plot of Chamber of Secrets doesn't really work without Lucius, so it's one of the places where the fic diverges the most. Books 6 and 7 will also diverge a lot more from the source material, just so you know! I view Lionheart as a reimagining of the Harry Potter story, not a beat-for-beat retelling. Obviously, some things will remain the same (contrary to what they may believe, neither Lucius nor Draco are so important that the plot totally collapses without them) but for the most part, I'd say I'm trying to re-tell the story in my own way, which means parking the basilisk for a few years while I sort out other things in the story. I promise I'll try to make all payoffs worthwhile, though. :)

[betty-fran]

I'm continuing my conversation about Kirk and Uhura's friendship that I started here, and finally responding to both reposts from two wonderful ladies:

Exactly 😤 Watching their first scene together, they seem to be having a sweet, pleasant flirtation that's probably not going anywhere, but which she doesn't mind. The fight seems to ruin her good opinion of him permanently, and she never really gets it back. Where's Uhura's kindness, her light heart, her singing? In trying to make her a girlboss they just made her a hardass. And in the typical role of One Girl in the Team, she's a buzzkill for our lovable silly male heroes, the one who always takes them down a peg. Literally none of her character was taken from her TOS character, it is 100% "what they thought a female character should be like" which isn't, honestly, any more feminist than what writers in the 60s thought a woman should be like.

(via @jennelikejennay)

Ugh I know! Why is Uhura better written and better represented as a woman in a show from the 60’s than from movies 40+ years later??? AOS just makes her the nagging girlfriend stereotype and it’s stupid and sexist. Honestly I don’t like that Spock and Kirk don’t even really feel like friends to me in AOS when they are soulmates in TOS. And all the men are so shouty and macho, and it’s just depressing because it feels like AOS is worse at portraying gender than TOS is. To me, AOS really highlights how radical TOS is.

(via @captainjanewaylovespuppies)

I completely agree!

Lately, I've been caught up in the (obviously) old discourse regarding the (culturally frightening) changes in the perception of Kirk as a character in the last ~sixty years (this is particularly well discussed in this article). And on that note, and the fact that I finally finished watching TOS, I might say that to me, TOS is very much a thing in itself, and I don't really think anything that's been made in the ST universe since the original series has really been able to replicate that. It could have been good or downright bad, but first and foremost, it was different. And I honestly don't know how people watched AOS after TOS without disappointment, especially if they knew the original, loved the original, and most importantly, understood what the original was all about. But at the same time, AOS, while it's frankly bad in relation to TOS, in itself just a product of its time, a very Marvel thing, and there's no point in expecting anything else from it. And considering that somehow I liked AOS so much that I wanted to see the original (and that whochick managed to write LNSB after it), something about it had to work. So there will be a very long little chatter next...

The thing that struck me the most after watching TOS was how unrepeatable it is. I mean, it certainly reminded me of a lot of things, and I often thought "damn, how relevant is this today", but in reality, it was the ultimate feeling of watching something I'd never seen before (especially) in terms of tv/cinema. All these utopian thoughts, the idea of ​​a lost paradise, the belief that people can become better, this purely Salingerian "love is a touch but not a touch", Kirk's speech in Metamorphosis, and the way TOS plays with ideas about gender and sexuality. Yes, it still has those badly awkward moments, but overall, as a full-fledged portrayal, it's much more open and free in its radicalism and queerness in the 60s than most of today's media.

And even when we talk about sexism in TOS, I have the feeling that it's often exaggerated. It's clearly there, but it's still clearly (and sometimes even rougher) present in most modern media, and in that regard, things haven't really moved much since the 60s, and Uhura's representation in AOS is just a result of that. [Not that modern society can really offer us the acceptance of women and men as equals in their uniqueness. It's just the same trap of destructive patriarchal gender differentiation, the same expectations of women and men to fit into certain roles, to conform to some unspoken "you should be like this," just now dressed up in a more inclusive cover. But, at least now women can get a doctorate.]

AOS Uhura is unmistakably written as a tough female character, she's sexy and bitchy, but at the same time intelligent, reserved and clearly knows what she wants and how to get it. She wants a guy - she gets him, she doesn't like a guy - she oppresses him no worse than school bullies (why do I have the feeling that I'm describing T'Pring?). In fact, she's actually very feminist for 2009; after all, she's both in a stable relationship and successful in her career. She's the only woman in a male team, and she has all the necessary qualities to feel like she belongs in it. But is that really so? This whole concept of "you have to be a bitch to be on equal footing with men" is kind of… not healthy. I think it's more of a product of the 2000s, when we had this image everywhere "she's a strong independent woman in a sexy tight suit who is clearly using it/but we only let her do it because we know that inside she's still the same submissive woman waiting for a man." This is clearly not about feminism, and neither is the cover of Sabrina Carpenter's latest album. She still gets lost behind the noisy expressiveness of the male characters, not giving the viewer a sense of true emotional attachment her to them/them to her, and apart from Spock, with whom she has a romantic relationship, she doesn't really build any other important relationships, not only because there isn't enough screen time for it, but because she is simply reduced to the golden standard "the main character's girlfriend". And while compared to many other f!characters of that time, she's still quite lucky to retain some authenticity, in the process of building this "character that fits", in this struggle to maintain her equal place, she loses some of her ordinary human sincerity, awkwardness, and kindness, those important things that made Uhura... well, Uhura.

Because Uhura in TOS is something special. We have discussed this with N (my sis) many times, and the main thing that makes her so different from most women is that she is NOT even a little bit of a bitch. Yes, she is cool, intelligent, and super professional, but she is also kind, gentle, and sweet. This is a really rare thing in the representation of a female character - her femininity doesn't prevent her from being completely equal to men, and just as her absolute professionalism and sharp mind don't prevent her from enjoying her femininity. She's a woman, and she's clearly comfortable with that.

I really like her dynamic with Kirk, not just as a "we're both professionals" team, but also a "we're very aware of how to use femininity" team. We seriously have these clearly emphasized parallels between them in "Mirror, Mirror" and "The Gamesters of Triskelion", where they are both shown through this objectified sexuality, and where they both use it to get out of the situation.

After AOS, I was really surprised by a) how many scenes and constant working-team-companionship dynamics Kirk actually has with Uhura in TOS, and b) how much they actually share this mutual admiration-excitement-understanding with each other. I know that fandom is much more focused on the Spock/Uhura friendship, and I've seen a lot of arts where Spock and Uhura paint each other's nails and discuss their crushes, but for me, it's definitely Kirk/Uhura brotp dynamic.

Kirk actually has a lot more in common with her than he does with Scotty, or even with McCoy. They are closer in their field of work, being responsible for the command/communication track; they are both very demanding of themselves and have many similar personality traits; they both easily appreciate other people's beauty and have a constant, unconscious, pleasant type of flirtatious expression of admiration; and they have (blatantly obvious) common tastes in men. [Interestingly, not in women: she was the only one who notices T'Pring's beauty (while Kirk was busy giving Spock those stunning looks) + she was undoubtedly interested in Elaan in Elaan of Troyius (who was clearly not Kirk's type)/My communications officer generously vacated the rooms hoping you would find it satisfactory./ + in "I, Mudd" in the scene when Mudd was showing his androids to her and Kirk, she was just blatantly obvious about her interest in female androids (while Kirk was as usual/Don't you believe in male androids, Harry?/.)] But overall, Kirk and Uhura clearly share this chaotic bisexual energy.

And of course, it all wasn't to be expected in AOS, which managed to simplify all the characters to a set of characteristics, not real people. And with each of its stereotypes, it actually only emphasizes more how groundbreaking TOS was. In its ideas, philosophy, and worldview, in its queerness and épater la bourgeoisie. So much so that even today, it turns out to be quite difficult to repeat on the big screen, because the average viewer won't accept it. But to be honest, this isn't just about AOS. Not that any ST project after TOS would be willing to take that risk.

[thegambitgazette]

Fear: Using Stoicism to Shape Characters

WC: 2,730

Introduction

Like many people, I suffer from severe panic and anxiety attacks. My heart races at what feels like a thousand beats per minute, I get a cold sweat, and my thoughts do not have a filter. The latter of which, I find the most dangerous and disturbing, especially when said attacks get triggered by something so small or nothing at all.

A lot of the time, they boil down to not feeling safe. I feel like I’m vulnerable, that the worst things that happened to me will happen again tenfold, or I’ve become the worst person in existence. Fear, as a lot of us know, can have us assume the worst.

I’m still working on managing my fear, if it can be managed at all, but a lot of what I’ve been practicing is essentially Stoicism. Epictetus, a Greek Stoic philosopher, often highlighted that it is not events themselves that disturb people, but rather their judgments about those events. One famous quote attributed to Epictetus that reflects this idea is: “People are not disturbed by things, but by the view they take of them.”

This sentiment suggests that fear and other negative emotions stem not from objective reality but from our interpretations and perceptions of reality.

I thought, “What a wonderful way to get to know our characters!” Not only do we have to have a grasp on the world around them, we have to understand the extent of how they perceive said reality and how it leads to their own fears as well as their ambitions, passions, hate, love, etc.

Amor Fati

One of my favorite phrases is “amor fati.” It’s what helped me most in navigating my own fears and, as a result, writing some ways in which my characters handle theirs.

The idea of “amor fati” is closely associated with philosophers like Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius, even though they didn't use those exact words. However, it was Nietzsche who made it a key part of his philosophy. He believed that true greatness comes from embracing fate and wanting nothing to change, not in the past, present, or future. In simple terms, it means loving and accepting everything that happens, rather than just enduring it.

When considering the relationship between “amor fati” and fear, several key points emerge:

Acceptance of the Uncontrollable: Fear often arises from the unknown or from circumstances beyond our control. “Amor fati” encourages individuals to relinquish their resistance to such uncertainties and to accept that life is inherently unpredictable. By embracing fate, individuals can find solace in the realization that some things are simply beyond their power to change or influence.

Facing Adversity with Resilience: Rather than viewing challenges as threats to be avoided or overcome, individuals can approach them with a sense of equanimity and resilience. Instead of succumbing to fear or anxiety in the face of challenges, one can choose to see them as opportunities for growth and self-discovery. By embracing adversity as an integral part of life’s journey, individuals can cultivate the strength and fortitude necessary to navigate difficult times with grace and composure.

Gratitude for All Experiences: Fear often stems from a sense of insecurity or dissatisfaction with one’s circumstances. “Amor fati” cultivates gratitude for all experiences, both positive and negative, recognizing that each contributes to the richness and depth of life. By embracing fate with gratitude and appreciation, individuals can mitigate the fear of the unknown and find peace and contentment in the present moment.

This idea is what helps form a “baseline” for my way of thinking and perceiving fear, which is what many people, fictional characters included, tend to mix up.

You don’t need to adopt the same mantra, of course, but I believe that having this Ground 0 in your own personal philosophy will add further depth and characterization in writing. It provides a deeper perspective on why your characters think the same or why they may deviate.

Distinction Between Events and Perceptions

Let’s go back to what Epictetus said: “People are not disturbed by things, but by the view they take of them.” Stoicism teaches that events themselves are neutral; it is our interpretation of those events that shapes our emotional responses. This concept is often referred to as “cognitive appraisal” or “judgment” in Stoic philosophy.

In practical terms, this means that two individuals may encounter the same external circumstance, yet react to it in vastly different ways based on their subjective interpretations. For example, consider a person who loses their job unexpectedly. While one individual may perceive this event as a devastating blow to their self-worth and security, another may view it as an opportunity for growth and new possibilities. The event itself—the loss of a job—remains the same, but the emotional response varies depending on the individual's perception of the situation.

Epictetus’s insight invites us to reflect on the role of our perceptions in shaping our emotional experiences. It suggests that our judgments, beliefs, and attitudes about the events we encounter play a crucial role in determining how we feel and behave in response to those events. By recognizing this distinction between events and perceptions, individuals can gain greater agency over their emotional lives.

Moreover, understanding this distinction empowers individuals to practice what Epictetus called the “dichotomy of control”—the Stoic principle of focusing only on what is within our power to control, namely our thoughts, attitudes, and responses, rather than becoming consumed by external circumstances beyond our control. By directing our attention inward and cultivating a mindset of resilience and rationality, we can navigate life's challenges with greater equanimity and inner peace.

Applying this to character development, particularly in relation to crafting a character’s fears, can add depth and complexity to the character.

Understanding the Character’s Perception of Fearful Events:

Explore how the character interprets and perceives the events or situations that evoke fear. What underlying beliefs, past experiences, or personal values shape their perception of these events?

Consider whether the character’s fear is rooted in the objective reality of the situation or in their subjective interpretation of it. For example, is their fear based on genuine physical danger, or is it driven by irrational beliefs or past traumas?

Revealing Character Traits and Beliefs:

A character’s response to fear can provide insight into their personality, values, and beliefs. For instance, do they confront their fears head-on with courage and resilience, or do they succumb to anxiety and avoidance?

Consider how the character’s fear reflects broader themes or conflicts in the story. For example, does their fear stem from a desire for control, a fear of vulnerability, or a struggle with existential questions?

External Manifestations of Fear:

Consider how the character’s perception of fear manifests in their actions, behaviors, and interactions with others. Do they exhibit outward signs of fear, such as trembling or avoidance, or do they mask their fears behind a facade of bravado?

Pay attention to how the character’s response to fear influences their relationships with other characters. For example, do they push others away in an attempt to protect themselves, or do they seek support and connection during times of fear and uncertainty?

Symbolism and Subtext:

Use the character’s fears as a vehicle for exploring deeper themes and subtext within the story. What do their fears symbolize in terms of larger narrative themes or character arcs?

Consider how the character’s perception of fear parallels or contrasts with other characters in the story, providing opportunities for reflection and exploration of different perspectives.

“Personal Truths” Are Not Necessarily Lawful

No matter how much a character is afraid of something, there is a line to be drawn on how valid that fear is when justifying a character’s actions and self-proclaimed motives. A person can say that they are afraid of someone else and that they are acting to protect others, but does that truly evade them from the law? In other words, a Villain can be completely convinced that what they are doing is noble and right, or that it stems from their own trauma, but, at the end of the day, they’re a murderous liar.

For example, in George Orwell's allegorical novel Animal Farm, Napoleon is a Berkshire boar who emerges as one of the leaders of the animal revolution against the human farmer, Mr. Jones. Initially, Napoleon is portrayed as a strategic thinker and persuasive speaker, working alongside Snowball, another pig, to rally the other animals and establish the principles of Animalism, which advocate for equality and freedom from human oppression.

As the story progresses, Napoleon’s character undergoes a transformation fueled by his ambitions for power and control.

Napoleon’s fear of losing control over the farm drives many of his actions. He becomes increasingly paranoid about potential threats to his authority, particularly from Snowball, whom he views as a rival. This fear prompts him to manipulate and eliminate anyone who opposes him, including orchestrating the expulsion of Snowball from the farm and later falsely accusing him of being a traitor.

He also utilizes propaganda and manipulation to maintain his grip on power. He gradually assumes control over the farm’s decision-making processes, consolidating power in his own hands and using fear tactics to suppress dissent among the other animals. For example, he employs the threat of the mysterious “Jones” returning to instill fear and obedience among the animals.

Napoleon’s lust for power leads him to betray the principles of Animalism that he once espoused. He progressively becomes more authoritarian and exploitative, engaging in corrupt practices such as trading with humans and altering the Seven Commandments to justify his actions. Despite initially advocating for equality, Napoleon begins to live a life of luxury while the other animals toil and suffer.

As his regime becomes more entrenched, he resorts to violence and oppression to maintain control. He establishes a reign of terror, using his loyal enforcers, the ferocious dogs he raised since they were puppies, to suppress dissent and punish any animal perceived as disloyal. Under his rule, the farm descends into a state of fear and tyranny, with Napoleon ruling with an iron fist.

Napoleon’s character serves as a symbol of totalitarianism and the corrupting influence of power. His transformation from a revolutionary leader to a despotic dictator mirrors the rise of real-life totalitarian rulers who exploit fear and propaganda to consolidate power and suppress dissent. There is not one moment of self-reflection, of him questioning that, perhaps, his fears are unfounded or his “personal truths” are not true at all.

Playing With Reality

Now, how can you utilize fear in order to create a character with as much depth and reflection (or lack thereof) like Napoleon?

Exaggerating a character’s fear involves manipulating elements of reality within the narrative to heighten the character’s sense of paranoia, insecurity, and authoritarianism.

Distorted Perceptions: Employ literary devices such as unreliable narration or distorted perspectives to amplify the character’s fears. By presenting events through the lens of the character’s paranoia, the narrative can create a sense of heightened tension and uncertainty. For example, descriptions of seemingly innocuous occurrences may be exaggerated or imbued with sinister undertones to reflect the character’s heightened state of fear.

Symbolism and Imagery: Symbolic imagery can be used to represent the character’s fears in a heightened and exaggerated manner. For instance, recurring symbols of oppression, surveillance, or impending doom can serve as visual metaphors for the character’s anxieties and insecurities. These symbols can be woven throughout the narrative to reinforce the character’s sense of paranoia and isolation.

Surreal Elements: Introducing surreal or fantastical elements into the narrative can create a sense of disorientation and unease, effectively amplifying the character's fear. By blurring the boundaries between reality and fantasy, the author can evoke a sense of psychological instability and existential dread. Surreal imagery, dream sequences, or hallucinatory experiences can all contribute to the character’s sense of dislocation and terror.

Manipulation of Time and Space: Playing with the conventions of time and space can further exaggerate the character’s fear and disorientation. Flashbacks, flash-forwards, or nonlinear storytelling techniques can create a sense of temporal dislocation, mirroring the character’s fractured mental state. Similarly, disorienting shifts in perspective or setting can contribute to the character's sense of being trapped or pursued by unseen forces.

Atmospheric Detailing: Careful attention to atmospheric detail can help to create a sense of oppressive dread and foreboding. Descriptions of the environment—such as gloomy weather, claustrophobic settings, or unsettling ambient sounds—can evoke a palpable sense of unease, intensifying the character's fear and paranoia.

Character Interaction and Dialogue: Dialogue and interaction with other characters can be used to reinforce the character’s fears and insecurities. Conversations may be laced with veiled threats, double entendres, or gaslighting tactics, leaving the character uncertain of whom to trust. Manipulative or menacing exchanges can heighten the character's sense of isolation and vulnerability.

Did anyone else get a little uneasy imagining all of that? I’d go rather mad if I had all of that happening to me, too. Now, what about the good guys? They are afraid of things, too, right?

Of course they are, and you can utilize the above methods for your heroes, as well! There might just be a little bit of extra work involved in ensuring that they don’t spiral into the villain role.

Establish Strong Moral Compass: From the outset, establish the hero’s core values and moral compass. Make it clear what principles guide their actions and decisions. This foundation will serve as a guiding light, helping to anchor the character and prevent them from straying into villainous territory.

Empathy and Compassion: Ensure that the hero retains their empathy and compassion towards others, even in the face of fear and adversity. By prioritizing the well-being of others and demonstrating empathy towards those in need, the hero reaffirms their commitment to noble ideals and reinforces their heroic identity.

Positive Support Systems: Surround the hero with positive support systems, including allies, mentors, and friends who can offer guidance, encouragement, and moral support. These relationships serve as anchors, providing the hero with strength and stability during moments of doubt and fear.

Consequences of Actions: Highlight the consequences of the hero’s actions and choices, emphasizing the impact they have on others and the world around them. By holding the hero accountable for their decisions and their effects, the narrative reinforces the importance of ethical behavior and reinforces their heroic identity.

Redemption and Forgiveness: If the hero does succumb to fear or makes mistakes along the way, provide opportunities for redemption and forgiveness. Allow the hero to acknowledge their faults, learn from their experiences, and strive to make amends. This narrative arc reinforces the hero’s humanity and resilience, emphasizing the possibility of growth and redemption.

Thematic Resonance: Ensure that the hero’s journey is thematically consistent and resonant, emphasizing themes of hope, courage, and resilience. By grounding the narrative in these overarching themes, the hero’s actions remain aligned with their fundamental nature, reinforcing their heroic identity and preventing them from veering into villainous territory.

Conclusion

Fear is a powerful and universal human experience that can shape both individuals and characters in profound ways. Drawing upon Stoic philosophy, particularly the concepts of “amor fati” and the distinction between events and perceptions, can provide valuable insights into understanding and managing fear. By exploring how characters perceive and respond to fear, writers can create nuanced and compelling portrayals that add depth and complexity to their stories.

“Amor fati,” or love of fate, encourages individuals to embrace and accept all aspects of their lives, including the uncertainties and challenges that provoke fear. By adopting an attitude of gratitude and acceptance towards fate, characters can navigate fear with resilience and courage, transforming adversity into opportunities for growth and self-discovery.

Furthermore, understanding the distinction between events and perceptions allows writers to delve into the subjective nature of fear, exploring how characters’ interpretations and judgments shape their emotional experiences. By depicting characters’ fears as rooted in their perceptions of reality, writers can add layers of complexity to their motivations and behaviors, enhancing the depth and authenticity of their characterization.

While fear can drive characters to make choices that lead them down dark paths, it is ultimately their moral compass, empathy, and support systems that determine whether they remain heroes or succumb to villainy. By emphasizing themes of redemption, forgiveness, and growth, writers can ensure that even in the face of fear, their characters' journeys ultimately lead to strength, resilience, and self-discovery.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for not texting my friend?

To be clear I have no intention of cutting off this person, I will not block or ghost them, and if they text me I WILL answer and not be dry or lame about it.

I just won't be the one to start any conversations.

Moving on:

The story is super complicated but I'll try to keep it coherent.

Three people in the story (fake names):

Me (20)

Alex (16) - friend

Luck (16) - younger sibling We are all the same gender.

Something to keep in mind about me: I have always been very sheltered, naive and distracted, people have told me so and the more I learn the more I realize how ignorant I am. So I have very little experience, perception and knowledge of worldly things. This makes it difficult for me to keep up with people my age and I spend most of my focus on stories I like to write. It's not an excuse for anything and I'm actively working to be better.

Something that doesn't contribute much to the story but may be nice to know: Pretty much everything happens online, I've only met Alex in person like 4 times for birthday parties and stuff.

Now the story: I met Alex three years ago during covid when I was doing school online (I was 17 and Alex and Luck were 13). I was introduced to Alex through my younger sibling. Luck added me to a group chat with a bunch of their classmates, and I got popular really fast. Alex took a particular liking to me, because they thought i was funny and we had many of the same hobbies. So Alex was the first of Luck's friends to start a chat with me directly. Alex was always online and so was I, so we ended up talking alot, like all the time. I noticed Luck got kind of jealous, and that was when I began to wonder if the friendship was right, but I did nothing about it.

Eventually Alex and I started writing a story together, it's something I try to do with all of my close friends and we got really into it. A big rule that I have is that the real world and fiction are separate, under no circumstances are they to entertwine, especially emotionally (ex. I have never and will never insert myself in a story or daydream, not even if reality sucks for me at that time) Alex was different, they got attached to the characters. So there I am, obsessed with progressing the story's plot, and I kill off one of my characters. Alex expresses discontent, but not much. It's through Luck that I find out later that Alex had been crying about it for days. I felt bad and brought the character back, and life went on.

A year and a half into our friendship and Luck seems to have gotten over her jealousy, while Alex and I spend more time writing and focusing on the story than anything else. There are some signs in the rare times that Alex and I talk about life that it become apparent that Alex is going through a rough time, but I don't think too much about it since the story is all that's on my mind. On top of this there's school and whatever.

One day Alex starts asking for breaks from story writing and plotting, and I agree without a fuss. It gets me thinking a bit more, and after a couple more days during a conversation about the real world Alex sends a long paragraph about how horrible things are. (I won't explain what exactly these horrible things were for privacy reasons) Now I realize how inconsiderate I've been so far and I tell Alex that I'm there to support them in whatever they need. I spend pretty much all of the next year texting them every hour of every day and this is what happens:

At the beginning of our friendship our conversations flowed wonderfully, we shared our achievements and showed genuine interest in each other's lives. But things changed and by this point In the story our conversations go like so:

Me: (asks a question) Alex: (responds) Me: (reacts to response) Alex: (dry response) -Repeat infinitely-

Aside from that we would always say goodnight and Goodmorning to each other.

One time. Only one. Alex texted me asking for help and I didn't see the message until hours later. I never really forgave myself for that.

At this point I'm 19 and Alex is 15, and it suddenly crosses my mind how our friendship might be perceived by others. I considered Alex another younger sibling, but with all the crazy things happening in the world I wondered what others would think. In the end I concluded that Alex needed me and it didn't matter. So life goes on. My entire life revolves around helping Alex, when I'm not texting them I am worrying, my own problems come second. My whole family thinks I'm addicted to my phone. I'm always tired and stressed. The stories were put on pause.

Time passes and soon I'm turning twenty. I'm starting to think I can't do it anymore, our friendship has turned kind of codependent (I didn't even know what that was until a month ago). I consider ghosting many times, changing my number, blocking, but only for a couple minutes at a time and I always hate myself for thinking it afterwards. I keep talking to Alex, but sometimes I'll answer a bit slower. Let them wait 3-5 minutes instead of 1-2, if I really steel myself I can hold back for 7 minutes.

One day without warning Alex doesn't text me at all. They've dissapeared before but never without sending a quick message to let me know about it, not until this day. Their status also worries me, only one word: "gone". There I am internally freaking out, losing it, trying to come up with reasons for which everything is fine. I don't ask Luck if they know anything because I know they'll get annoyed. It's not until late the next day that Alex lets me know they went a roadtrip. I tell them "I was worried lol" and immediately they ask why. I wasn't expecting an apology but the question struck me as weird, so I was reluctant to answer. Alex pushes for an answer, they haven't been this interested in what I've had to say for years. I with horror I realize that they liked that i was worried, they wanted to milk it as much as they could. I understand that people need validation, but I was already constantly complementing Alex and telling them how important they were. The fact that they preferred my panic (though in Alex's defense I never told them I was panicking) hit me hard. I didn't elaborate on why I was worried. Alex got upset. And i spent the next hour sobbing over my phone, realizing i needed some distance.

I started slow. I wouldn't say goodnight somedays, others I would forgo a Goodmorning, but I always answered (I swore to myself never to leave Alex on read). I went on a trip and I decided I would enjoy it for once, so I let Alex know i couldn't text much. Nevertheless this lack of contact didn't keep me from worrying and wondering endlessly.

After the trip we kept texting less, we expressed missing each other but neither of us did too much to keep things going. I tried to focus on my in-person relationships, and friendships with people my age. I went back to stories and published a novella.

Nowadays Alex and I talk maybe once every week and a half. The conversations are excruciating. Alex tells me how things still suck, my usual words of comfort seem to mean nothing to either of us anymore. Alex leaves me on read as soon as the conversation goes dry, usually after ten minutes worth of conversation, sometimes over the span of many hours. We don't talk again until I cave in and say hello. Then a couple days later Alex says hello. And then it's up to me again, and every time I tell myself I won't do it.

Luck has told me their opinion of Alex, they saw way before I did how self-centered Alex is. The thing is Alex doesn't do it on purpose, I am entirely sure of that and so is Luck. Luck treats Alex nicely but they're out of touch, more than I am. I am not mad at Alex. I still care deeply for them, but I feel like there's nothing I can do andour old dynamic just hurts both of us. Cutting them off is not an option, they're just a kid and I'm better than that. So I just don't start a conversation.

A couple days ago Alex texted me (even though it was my unspoken turn to text first) and we talked, and the conversation wasn't dry at all, and it wasn't that painful to deal with. They showed interest in my life and shared some sad stuff but also happy stuff about theirs, and it felt like old times. We texted the entire day. At one point the they mentioned that I could text them whenever I wanted, and I felt an underlying petition that I do. The conversation went on and eventually they left me on read the next morning when I answered a message from the night before.

Ever since then I've been actively holding back from texting them but I can't help but wonder if I'm a jerk for it.

These aren't even all the factors but this post has gotten too long lol.

So AITA?

[vixensdungeon]

Hi sorry, I was wondering if I could get your perspective on something, no worries if not-

What's the consensus on modifying/running-as-written prewritten adventure paths from modern DnD-adjacent games like Starfinder?

I've been in a starfinder game for the last two years slowly working through one of their APs and it's been driving me crazy - I feel like I'm given zero agency and I'm just experiencing the adventure as audience more than actor because every beat is scripted and failure would ruin the story too so things like 'falling off a platform into the atmosphere of a gas giant' aren't considered fatal.

That being said, as a lifelong GM I'm sympathetic to certain defenses of APs like this - primarily, that writing and balancing an adventure is HARD, and what's the point of having a prewritten adventure if you're going to diverge from the established plot wildly in the first two books of six? And of course, at some point you do have to say 'look this is what I prepped, come up with a reason to be invested because this is the game we're playing'.

That being said, I'm also a player, and I'm a player getting more and more frustrated with being told 'no' to everything, and especially to having certain encounters locked in no matter how much it doesn't make narrative sense (or in the case of starship combat, no matter how much no one in the party actually wants to play them).

Not to ask 'am I the asshole', but is there something I'm missing about these prewritten adventure paths? A lot of the adventure paths I grew up with were like, the 3rd Ed temple of elemental evil variety, setting up places and threads to be played out, with dungeons taking up most of the actual ordained content. Paizo's APs feel like they're scripts for movies, written explicitly to constrain player choice. I've been changing my opinion on DnD-adjacent games in the last six months due to reading more opinions from people who actually know what the system is good for as opposed to people financially interested in selling it to every single table regardless of playstyle, and I'm wondering if it's just one more thing I'm fundamentally misunderstanding (or is it really just the financial incentive of making you buy six books and then another six books a year later)?

Which is to say, I know that for some of the original prewritten adventures like Tomb of Horrors, replaying them and doing different things was the point, and it feels like that's been abandoned in favor of enormous year(s) long campaigns that have to be followed to the letter, and I feel like I'm forced into a playstyle more appropriate for something like Heavy Rain or Amnesia, where I'm just going from scripted fight to scripted fight and everything in between is preordained and I'm just supposed to keep my arms and legs in the vehicle at all times. And it feels like there has to be something I'm missing that would explain why anyone would ever want to do this?

Ah, the adventure path. As always I blame Dragonlance.

Let's do a little history lesson. While there were certainly adventure modules that could be played in sequence, or were even designed so, the first of what we might call a modern adventure path was the series of modules starting with DL1 Dragons of Despair. Going further than the ones we have today, the DL series had prewritten characters for the players to play as, and advised you to contrive some way to bring back any character who died before their part in the story was over. I have a not small amount of antipathy towards this series for what it did to the perception of what a D&D campaign ought to look like.

The next step on our journey is the Adventure Path, a semi-unofficial name for the series of adventures starting with The Sunless Citadel. How it differed from Dragonlance was that the adventures were only loosely connected, and you could easily run each of them as a stand-alone, but greater enjoyment would be gained by playing them in sequence and going oooh when something that was hinted at earlier comes back.

Then along came Paizo, who were publishing Dragon and, more importantly, Dungeon. Someone there thought that while they had previously published adventures that could be tied together into a campaign, what if they did all that for the DM? So they published three adventure paths, The Shackled City, The Age of Worms, and The Savage Tide. These would later form the basis for the Pathfinder adventure paths (Savage Tide even has the Seekers, an organization that clearly looks like a prototype for the Pathfinder Society).

So now that all the history is out of the way, what are we to do with it? Adventure paths are nowhere near the best way to play D&D. They're not even the best way to play Pathfinder. But I think it can be done, it just requires full buy-in from everyone involved. The GM and players must all agree that they're going to be playing someone else's story.

Why would anyone want this? A change of pace, perhaps. Or maybe they're perverts who think it would be a great idea to start running their friends through the entire catalogue of Pathfinder 1e adventure paths when they're in their thirties, I don't know.

The adventure path might have its place, but it should never ever be the main mode of play for your traditional dungeon games. I don't think you're missing anything, these might just not be for you, and Paizo has greatly overestimated how much they're for anyone.