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projectpandora · 2 months ago

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CHECK THE FOLLOWING FOR PREVIOUS LORE INSTALLMENTS :

CHAPTER ONE : RECALL.

EVENT : HELL WEEK.

CHAPTER TWO: THE MOLE.

HELL WEEK CLOSING BRIEF.

OPERATION WHAC-A-MOLE.

PANDORA DIRECTIVE MEMORANDUM CLASSIFIED — INTERNAL DISTRIBUTION ONLY

to : 𝙰𝙻𝙻 𝙰𝚄𝚃𝙷𝙾𝚁𝙸𝚉𝙴𝙳 𝙾𝙿𝙴𝚁𝙰𝚃𝙸𝚅𝙴𝚂 from : 𝙾𝙵𝙵𝙸𝙲𝙴 𝙾𝙵 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙳𝙸𝚁𝙴𝙲𝚃𝙾𝚁 subject : 𝙸𝙽𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚁𝙾𝙶𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽 𝚁𝙴𝚂𝚄𝙻𝚃𝚂 & 𝙲𝙾𝙽𝚃𝙸𝙽𝚄𝙴𝙳 𝙾𝙱𝚂𝙴𝚁𝚅𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽

[ DATE : MARCH 16, 2025 ] following the completion of all assigned interrogations, the office of the director hereby provides the following assessment and follow-up procedures for transparency's sake.

THE FOLLOWING AGENTS ARE NOW CLEARED FROM SUSPICION :

✅ WARLORD : although the subject exhibited frustration throughout the interrogation, the interrogator determined that warlord presented no indications of compromise or subversion. his responses were consistent with verified operational logs and expected behavior. FINAL ASSESSMENT : TRUSTWORTHY. ✅ PROMETHEUS : while the subject exhibited a low risk for covert czernobog activity, the interrogator has deemed it prudent to assign additional surveillance on the subject as a small precautionary measure. starting immediately, AGENT BLINK is granted full oversight of the subject's future operations, with authority to escalate should any inconsistent patterns arise. FINAL ASSESSMENT : TRUSTWORTHY. ✅ CASPER : after the initial introductions and a slight coercion tactic by the interrogator, the subject complied with the interrogator's line of questioning, providing consistent answers aligned with operational timelines and activity logs. FINAL ASSESSMENT : TRUSTWORTHY. ✅ TOXIN : the interrogator assessed that the subject displayed no indicators of deceit or ulterior motives during questioning. the subject's alibi was also confirmed t through corroborated surveillance footage and timeline analysis. FINAL ASSESSMENT : TRUSTWORTHY. ✅ LORALEI : the interrogation of the subject proceeded without incident, with the subject demonstrating full cooperation throughout the inquiry and all responses aligning with verified intelligence. FINAL ASSESSMENT : TRUSTWORTHY. ✅ GOSSAMER : the subject's interrogation revealed genuine loyalty and devotion to pandora's mission, with his statements passing all phases of lie detection and analysis. FINAL ASSESSMENT : TRUSTWORTHY.

THE FOLLOWING AGENTS ARE AWAITING FINAL ASSESMENT :

❓ PARASITE.

THE FOLLOWING AGENTS COULD BE POTENTIALLY COMPROMISED :

⚠️ COYOTE : the subject's interrogation revealed troubling inconsistencies and a concerning willingness to implicate a fellow operative without any substantial evidence. the interrogator expressed a lingering sense that something is amiss with the subject's behavior, suggesting possible compromise or coercion. better observation and / or expert psychological assessment is highly advised to determine the subject's operational integrity moving forward. FINAL ASSESSMENT : POTENTIALLY COMPROMISED. ⚠️ HIVE : the interrogator's assessment of the subject indicated pre-rehearsed answers and the calculated use of psychological manipulation throughout the interrogation. the subject's responses are also flagged as too refined and overly structured, suggesting a potential attempt to mislead or obscure certain truths. the subject's fondness for employing psychological games further raised concern regarding his allegiance. FINAL ASSESSMENT : POTENTIALLY COMPROMISED. ⚠️ CHIMERA : although the subject was not initially identified as a direct suspect, the interrogator's assessment emphasized that the subject's powers and previous affiliation with czernobog inherently categorizes him as high-risk for potential mole activity. while the subject's responses did not raise immediate concerns, his past conditioning and programming remain an unresolved variable. due to this latent threat potential, the subject is required to have additional surveillance and precautionary oversight. FINAL ASSESSMENT : SPECIAL STUDY NEEDED.

with credible concerns regarding their potential compromise and / or risk of being deep-cover czernobog assets, agents hive, coyote, and chimera are mandated to wear the fortitude division's newly developed security prototype device, the argus band, until they're clear of suspicion.

this metallic collar serves as a multi-functional security device equipped with :

real-time tracking — continuous location monitoring with internal uplink to pandora’s secure network.

audio and video recording — passive capture of ambient conversation and activity logs.

localized explosive mechanism — a safeguard protocol allowing for remote detonation in the event of unauthorized movement, breach of trust, or further corroboration of disloyalty.

** only authorized personnel will have the means to remove this device. anyone caught tampering with the device will face immediate punishment.

additionally, due to their meticulous and successful work as interrogators, the following agents are allowed a 72-hour vacation leave from atlantis, with an additional operative of their choice [ excluding potentially compromised agents ] : ONI, WILDSEER, LITTLE SPOON, HARBINGER, BLOODBORN, NIGHTSHADE, BLINK, AND ZERO.

MARCH 26, 2025. canon-typical violence, death tw. more info under the cut.

LEVEL 02 — COMMAND CENTER.

the prudence division quietly operated in level 02's command center, their eyes and ears stretched across every digital thread in and beyond atlantis. and seeing fragments of odd patterns, information coded in algorithms, and intelligence leaks between different pandora outposts and personnels were nothing new. after all, even the higher-ups had their own agendas— the castillos, the junipers, the albrights. but director marcus valance didn't see their attempts at gaining more power and authority to be a threat to the organization. but this ? it was a suspicion crystallized into confirmation when a meticulously encrypted message was intercepted, piggybacking off atlantis' auxiliary data stream, routed to a russian backchannel. it was clean, professional, and almost untraceable. almost. but there was no mistaking the signature embedded within the code— daemon. " all operatives, " the voice echoed across atlantis' vast, sterile corridors, crackling through the pa system as the emergency protocol engaged. " code black. immediate termination order issued for agent daemon. eliminate on sight. " but the fallout was immediate. security feeds scrambled. communications severed. a power blackout while the cloaking and perimeter defense pulled every available wattage from the backup generators, leaving only the cold glow of red emergency lights pulsing in the oppressive dimness. and deep within the network, daemon’s technopathy infected atlantis like a virus. hundreds of hours of surveillance footage deleted. the omnipresent androids— derek, porter, manny— turned against the agents like it was fucking hell week all over again, their programming hijacked, directive rewritten. hundreds of them attempting to hold back the agents from stopping daemon's escape.

LEVEL 05 — THE PLAYGROUND.

the playground was no sanctuary. a swarm of androids trapping the operatives before they could start looking for the supposed traitor. volt's pulse surged through the air, crackling arcs of electricity leaping from his fingertips, frying circuits⸻ but derek models were insulated against electromagnetic surges. they adapted. three advanced units closed in, attacking him from every angle. bloodborn fought differently, using his own blood as a weapon, whipping it into fine tendrils that slashed and coiled. but against a swarm of cold state-of-the-art machinery, it was almost ineffective. one android drove its blade through his thigh⸻ metal splitting flesh, almost grinding into bone. then another. and another. achilles was already moving. reactive adaptation kicked in, his body hardening against each blow, skin thickening to withstand the androids' relentless assault. but it was his newly acquired inanimation field that saved them, allowing him to suspend all objects in his immediate vicinity in an inanimate state. enough to drag bloodborn to safety as volt gathered enough power from empty air to bypass the androids' insulation and incinerate them attackers in a final lightning burst.

LEVEL 03 — R&D SECTOR

androids swarmed the lab, but thankfully two agents were present to protect the scientists and their latest breakthroughs. gossamer was a blur, clinging to walls, striking with lethal precision. webs of silk entangled the androids, holding them just long enough for dash to dart between them, a streak of motion that left cybernetic husks crumpling behind him. but even the fastest man in atlantis could be stopped. a porter unit had adapted⸻ its sensors anticipating dash's trajectory. it caught him mid-stride, a blade carving into his side. gossamer's danger sense screamed too late, and he barely managed to pull dash free, ripping the porter apart in a burst of adrenaline. but it managed to stab him too, before completely shutting down. dash's wound slowed him, but gossamer kept them moving, scaling walls and ceilings while they attempted to come up with a plan.

LEVEL 01 — WEAPONS & VEHICLES ENGINEERING LAB

goblin's exosuit was smoking. his prototype devices had been enough to down half a dozen mannys, but his suit was running on fumes. nurse was behind him, applying pressure to a gaping wound on goblin's shoulder, his hands steady despite the chaos. neither of them had powers, but his presence alone kept them grounded. another manny unit advanced. goblin's gauntlet flared one last time, an improvised energy cannon discharging straight into the android's core. it fell⸻ but two more took its place. goblin and nurse ran to his workshop table and tried every prototype weapon he had ever made, everything and anything to protect himself and nurse.

LEVEL 01 — HANGAR BAY.

daemon was cornered. he was bleeding, limping toward a quinjet, desperation etched into his face as blink slowly walked behind him, a bloody sword in hand. " i'm not the mole, " daemon rasped, eyes flickering with static as his technopathy fought to stay in control. " i fucking saved everyone during hell week. i warned everyone about the invasion. you have to believe me. " blink just tilted his head for a second. then, space ruptured. daemon's knees buckled as blink appeared in front of him, the blade pierced into his gut. " please— " daemon begged. but blink's eyes were cold. space ruptured again. blink appeared behind him this time. a slash. and daemon's head hit the floor, rolling to a stop, eyes wide with horror even in death.

the androids return to their official directive, helping the very agents they tried to stop. and the power returned, too. but hundreds of hours of surveillance footage has been deleted⸻ and no one can really fully know everything that happened before and during the blackout. but can it really be this easy ? is daemon really the mole ? as always, pandora is tight-lipped about what's going on. they tell everyone that daemon has been terminated by blink, but that's it.

the three potentially compromised agents continue to wear their argus bands as a precaution. though, rumor has it that the prudence division that the encrypted message that was intercepted is a list of agents who daemon thought were threats to czernobog, including their powers and weaknesses. and according to a particularly gossipy prudence agent, this is somewhat odd because pandora also recently discovered a similar message after hacking viktor sokolov's servers, but this one didn't have the same signature as daemon's message. the threats listed in that message are :

oleksander valentin [ hive ] : telepathy

geum ji-ho [ psynaut ] : telekinesis

jj juniper [ copycat ] : power replication

victor lundberg [ volt ] : electrokinesis

lucas choi [ blink ] : spatial manipulation

and in daemon's message were :

niko petrovic [ lifeweaver ] : life transference

theodore king [ achilles ] : reactive adaptation

adrian crane [ boogeyman ] : fear manifestation

david yoon [ bloodborn ] : blood manipulation

aleki lafaele [ pulse ] : vibration manipulation

but these are just rumors, the operatives aren't officially privy of these information yet.

𝙾𝙾𝙲 𝙸𝙽𝙵𝙾𝚁𝙼𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽.

and with that chapter two : the mole is officially over ! but fret not, just because the mole is an overarching story so expect throughlines for it to continue popping up. but since there's a bunch of new info here, i'm pushing our next chapter and event to april 5th, just to give what happened in this closing some adequate simmering and rp time ! if your muse isn't particularly involved in any of the above, feel free to headcanon their injuries or what they were doing during the blackout ! also just want to thank everyone for your continued activity in this little place < 3 there's a lot of interactive stuff involved especially in this chapter with our secret moles, detectives, and interrogators so i really just want to say i appreciate everyone's willingness to participate ! also if your name is on that threat list, that's all the mole's ( or is it moles ? ) work ! not mine ! so when it's time for what happens next, blame them 🤭

#pandora.plot #pandora.lore #a wee bit of a read but ... YAY TWO CHAPTERS DOWN !

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bihanslefttitty · 4 months ago

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Writing a scene for MK2 just because I'm bored. (Hire me)

Scene.

(A tall elegant building stands on all it's glory, the snow flows violently yet nobody who walks by seem to notice it or mind it. There is an air of deference and silence. It is Articka.)

(Camera pans into the doorway, where two guards stand with stone like faces. There is a special guest in the Lin Kuei compounds today, and he is going to be supervising a special class.)

Inside.

(A council of ministers, the Great Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei, and Lord Liu Kang sit in silence as twelve year old Bi-Han faces a scroll with a text written on it. He hums pensive for a moment, then stares back up at the Minister of Foreign Affairs)

Minister: Young heir, would you like me to repeat the question? (The man raises his eyebrow, questioning why did Bi-Han had spend so much time in silence. He gauges the reactions of his colleagues and the Grandmaster, then repeats himself) When faced with difficulties such as famine derived from international conflicts in which the Lin Kuei have no part, how would a good leader act in order to minimize the suffering of their people?

Bi-Han: (He stays on his position, almost as if he hadn't heard him. His mouth twitched for a moment and his eyes drifted towards his father, who looked cautious, and Lord Liu Kang, who had a calm smile on his face) ... It is impossible to say, that in earthrealm affairs, even in outworld affairs, The Lin Kuei aren't involved. (The boy assesed leaning back and crossing his arms) Minister: But it would be inexact to assume the Lin Kuei are actively involved, since our mission as a clan is to protect Earthrealm. Bi-Han: (Nods and gestures around, statues of the previous grandmasters, their old manuscripts stacked on the room's library) It is the mission Lord Liu Kang has assigned us, yes. Minister: (Notices Bi-Han's subtle scowl and animosity despite attempting at a neutral tone. Realizing it might be dangerous for the clan, he decides to guide Bi-Han's question into a more safe place) A leader's role is to guide their people into success and avoid their suffering, so young heir. When confronted by outside influence that you cannot control, what do you do? (There's a moment in which nobody said nothing. The council seemed to be absorbed in their own answer, what would they say. What would be their solution. It had dawned on the Great Grandmaster's mind that the question presented to his son, had been one that had raised to him recently in the form of a request of the Minister of Foreign affairs. A proposal to begin independence) -Camera pans at Lord Liu Kang, who notices the shift in tone and grows weary. Something is suddenly off. Like bad omens- Bi-Han: (The boy clicks his tongue and speaks firmly, confronting the counsil and indirectly his father) Some, might suggest to treat this issue as if a natural disaster. Another blizzard or an earthquake. To act as if this isn't preventable and foolishly attempt to rescue as much of our people after tragedy strikes. Minister: Isn't the Grandmaster's duty to save their people? Bi-Han: The Grandmaster would not have that burden if the problem did not exist. On the last 40 years, Articka's mortality rate has raised on a 30%, and proudly at the beginning of the year they announced less of those deaths came from warfare... As if more death people is a good thing as long as it does not come from Kombat. (The Grandmaster raised his head suddenly in surprise. His son had quoted his first speech and critized it openly. His eyebrow twitched as he thought to himself how blessed he would have been if only Kuai Liang had won the race against his brother by being born first) Minister: (Raises eyebrow, then smiles. The rest of the council, specially the master Armorer. Seem to agree, save from some loyalists) So, what do you suggest? (Bi-Han smiled for a moment, then returned to his serious expression as he was quick to answer) Bi-Han: If outer conflict would affect Articka and its people directly... As a leader I would put all my efforts to end said conflict. Lord Liu Kang: (Tilts his head to hear better Bi-Han's solution. Intrigued by the somewhat pacifist approach compared to his previous statement) How do you plan to do that, Bi-Han? (He interrupts the test, which makes the boy lock eyes with him) Bi-Han: (With sober determination) I would conquer them. Two nations that do not exist cannot possibly have a conflict of interest. (The counsil aggravates and begin speaking loudly for and against the idea. The Great Grandmaster bows his head to Lord Liu Kang in silent apology, but Lord Liu Kang was fixated on Bi-Han) Lord Liu Kang: That is certainly a way to end things. But not our way, a dangerous path that could lead you to death. -Camera pans into Bi-Han's youthful bright eyes as he speaks with determination- Bi-Han: If a leader has to die to save his nation from misery. So be it.

Camera pans to black.

Next frame followed by a milisecond is, Bi-Han's face as Noob Saibot with his eyes closed. He opens them. He's awake.

#mk1 #mortal kombat #bi han #bi han sub zero #lin kuei #mk1 sub zero #sub zero

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moodymisty · 1 year ago

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Continuing with "What could possibly happen, good and wrong, with one's daughters if they were born?" *and also my headcannons lol, sorry for it being long, I have brainrot now* I wonder If the task will be cut off due to sheer lenght.

akhem Those are on top of my head, there are surely more maybe even bordering on being possibly in male offsprings ,though it takes much more notice in women f.e. dressing inmodestly. Because I doubt misoginy had completly dissappeared in the fashist state that is the Imperium of Man. shrugs I imagine taking the genes of your biological demigod not chaos created father would copy their personality even more in offspring than in adeptus astartes, or even intensify it. Won't be in direct order, my mind cooks diffrently. Hope I don't overwhelm ya lol.

When it comes to the father being that one uncle who can drink whole mjod like it's nothing, I imagine possible daughter having complexes on about she cannot drink as much as her father or his astartes. (since women have lower alcohol tolerance, but it's still better than in her mortal mother...just to add into the angst, I am not really a fan of perpetual loved ones, though there are expections) That may or may not cause the offspring to be much more...provocative, just to show her worth and to get the name of Leman's daughter. Pushing herself to the limits and getting to even more dangerous territories, getting some regular poison doses to make her more invurnelable to those and laying in the most unconfortable places possible.

2. Cruze ah...Cruze daughter. Would be best described as Azula from Atla, though I belive mother would have to be an complete shadow in fathers terroristic tactics in controling the population negotiations or encourage it with her fanatic dogma and devoution to the Imperium. She'd be probably the one you'd call Daddy's daughter (with his borderline obsession to keep her safe, maybe even surveil her without her knowledge) and equally if not even more insane due to direct teachings and not consequences coming from the enviorment. I could imagine her martyrhood being percived as being even deeper into the primarch teachings than her own father despite the possibility of it being otherwise. Maybe she would develop a yes man syndrome after the mortal mother, causing incredible suffering of internal guilt and need for the justice, while being incapable of standing up.

3. Sanguinius daughter is fun. Cause peroid blood and stuff, I imagine her red thirst is fucking INTENSE when it's that time of the month, to the point of locking her up not to cause any harm. Like an actual lack of control, turning into feral dog. It hurts her greatly and I belive she could develop even more of...Dorn characteristic ie. the stoic behaviour and self-harm tendencies in secret. I imagine she could develop an terrific talent when it comes to the diplomatic skills, but that would be a very thin double edge sword.

4. Lions daughter would be paranoid and having some sort of martyr complex. With need to be noticed by the absent father figure napping. She'd be the one who'd devout to her duties with no signs of rest. Feeling as if she's absent, whole thing is falling apart. End of the discussion. is that a spy over there? No...or is it?

5. Fulgrims daughter would be an example of wanting to be a perfection incarnate. Think of the influencer slowly buying more and more things to correct the assesments to the point of being invisible to anyone outside of her. She'd fall to Slaanesh one day or another, though I also imagine her as being one of the more...suprisingly tolerant when it comes to xenos. Especially Aeldari, having some sort of fascination of them and having abilities to withhold the emotions. Even if that's due to risk being eaten from "princess of excess" as they call the chaos god. Oh and the complex of being the best, not an failure. I'd see her as fem Lucius the Eternal.

6. Perturabo's daughter would be best described as constant sterotypical old cat lady behaviour. I belive she'd hate the Iron Wariors even more. (as the biological offsprings were not really expected in this fuckwat plan...somehow though I belive in canon it actually was, I imagine due to the primarchs genes SM are infertile) She'd wish for them to be something more and with her not having as much of an ego to protect herself from, she'd be the #1 encourager for Iron Wariors to develop something beyond the war artistry. Thought it begun with prostetics to make them a bit more...approachable or with more mathematical like patterns. But still decorations, to then slowly develop them in more architechual sense. As much as they are bitter, I see them as being somewhat protective, being that one little sister that's somewhat mischevious (to them) but too adorable to refuse or not listen to her suggestions.

7. Perturabo is done now time for Dorn's daugther. She'd be the typical autistic lady that doesn't get exactly social clues, and has some weird ways to stim not inserting myself, not at all lmao. I honestly cannot imagine any deviations away from her father, like an complete copy of him when it comes to worldview and outside behaviour. Though there's my little thought that due to her bluntness she would be percived as someone "delayed" in development, possibly being a shame in the god-like family. A failure, simmiraly to Mortarion. I won't listen any objections. Though I imagine that she'd be incredibly loyal and liking uncle Horus, having even more hard time beliving that he was a traitor is she was birthed in HH times.

8. Ferrus child would be the description of trully the child of Omnisiah. She'd modify her body even more to the point of lack of recognition like to the point of cosmic horror, completly erasing her own gender due to feeling somewhat very dysphoric with how those stiff guys are. And being some sort of outcast while they are more so an example of unity.He's so barebones in canon I struggle to find any more ideas for the child, if he had anyone at all considering his focus. I wouldn't be surprised if the hypothetical child would end up as living saint and/or one's of possible Omnisiah in some sects. And yes, she gets a kick-ass titan.

9. Vulkans child would be also be the dipomat in all this fuck-up of the family. Much more persistent with father being...I belive the best father out of *points the primarchs* those. She's also fucking burning and it requires to have all windows and AC open to not be cooked alive.

10. Angron child would be best described as being the "empath to the point of pain" which surprises everyone who did not knew him before butcher nails. Well ,maybe expect the soulmate of his, like to headcannon if he got with someone, it would be one of the slaves in Nuceria with her being somewhat a light in the darkness. Returning to the topic at hand. She'd be incredibly intrested in anatomy, primarly due to her wanting to ease father's suffering. (though it can be noted to the male offspring). What is unique with gender of the child is her very close relationship with Lotara and deep seated hatred of the Kharn. While the son would be much more proffesional with her, the daughter would develop really close platonic relantionship. Maybe in alternate reality she'd try to set up her with Angron. Daddy's daughter ver. 2.0. TLDR.

11. Khan's daughter would be example of just chillin and grilling. No diffrence between the male possible offspring, simmirally to Vulkan. I'd see her though as one who loves aircraft and being a pilot for no particular reason. One rides the bike, one flies in the skies. Oddly supportive and kind, would SEETHE if anyone dares to be sexist piece of garbage to HIS daughter even more than the rest of those

12. Bobby G daughter would be best described as that one mean library lady who's very good at the job and knows the antic secrets of excell spreadsheets. While the possible son would still have those, he'd be much more paraded and shown, she'd be more in the shadow. Maybe possibly in adepta ministorium ranks incognito if she didn't had any outside characteristic that would show her connection to the XIII ( a rare chance tbh ), maybe even some preacher very fanatic of her grandfater godhood.

13. Lorgar ah Lorgars daugher would be the definition of being birthed into the worst of the primarch imo. With his zealousnes if the offspring did not belived or share his core belives. (though they surely will get into lots of disscusions considering the faith and such, but the window for discussion is very thin) He'd be the one to take a particullar notice of gender of his daughter, making her somewhat into the example the sororitas should be, molding her very harshly. Also also, if she ever came into contact with Erebus, he'd definitly catcall her if he knows that his genesire won't belive her and get insane powertrip from that. Kor would despite her HARD, being THE EXACT OPPOSITE of one's idea of zealousness and would percive her own little cult as heresy to be cleanesed. Of course in secret.

14. Horus daughter would best be described as one that goes into a path of her father. Since warmastery and shit stuff. Though she'll revice some problems with that, not being a son but a daughter of his, getting into quite some conflits with Luna Wolfes. Probably she'd try to be like little Horus, with her shaving her head and mimicking his speech that would come to her naturally if she was the male. She'd get quite hurtfull and her ego would be even more fragile than of her father, trying to procces it as best as she could. Her mortal mother wouldn't help AT ALL.

15. Magnus would be an epitome of typical asian, tiger parenting when it comes to the child, just a notch. But he'd also be the one to notice gender diffrences, due to him having that curiosity of one, well THOUSAND SONS and there's one exeption. I'd be hillarious if she was like one of the most powerfull blanks, just saying, like the mother sucked all the possible psycic powers the child would have. As long the child would share his personality and belives (though there's uch more leeway than in Lorgar's case), all will be fine. Well if not for that female range, since it seemed the psycic of such power being your father would cause the emotions to errupt and intensify. Would relate with Angorns daughter.

16. Alpharius/Omegon would be simirarly to Ferrus daughter when it comes to gender dysphoria, since the legion is also so unified, though she'd turn somewhere else. To the Callidus clan. And while the son would just be Alpharius 2.0, the daughter would get into much more personal discusions with Malcador, much more aware and being closer than any primarch and their sire would be.

17. I have no ideas for Morty and Corvus. :(

Thanks for the more detailed ideas, I really enjoyed the read. It’s always interesting to think about how each primarch could potentially affect their child’s personality.

#reply

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bringbackavac · 7 months ago

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i used to think i couldn’t hate the diaz parents because they reminded me of my parents (especially as a first born who also got dumped so much responsibility and expectations at a very young age) (i’m only a year older than my sister) + the fact that they actually had a whole unpacking and sincere apology episode had me softened up.

but!!! recently, the more i thought about it, about how long chris has been away and how up till now we still haven’t had ANY conversations/efforts on bringing him back got me SO IFFY about them. the way they just went and took christopher away without having a full fruitful conversation with eddie feels SO WRONG.

(not a single question about how is he, how did this even happen, how did even chris reach that solution to call them, is eddie okay? with everything that happened? with chris wanting to go to texas for the summer? discussing how long is chris gonna stay? what measures should they take as father + grandparents unit to approach an emotionally unstable and most possibly traumatized teen with escapism as a coping mechanism instead of talking it out, etc.)

they could’ve gave eddie the lead on what to do (AS THE FATHER??? which should be a given???), help him reach a decision, trying to help the father and son talk it out. maybe staying a few nights to see if a conversation really could be made to the kid and letting eddie handle it all first, with them as a middle man, instead of just up and dragging chris on the same day and leaving your ACTUAL child all alone in confusion and grief…

his whole life just got fucked sideways and you take his only stability, his only responsibility, the only pole of his nuclear family in keeping him the slightest bit sane, his single pride and joy, his main source of happiness, vice versa, thinking it would help them both???

all that and we see ZERO of the diaz parents not making an effort to check in, update on chris’s wellbeing, keeping a communication line open still. even if the kid doesnt want to talk to his dad, they could’ve been a facilitatior and (again) the middle man for these things, on really trying to patch up the father and child relationship instead of KEEPING SAID CHILD SITTING AND STEWING ON HIS FRAZZLED THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS!!!

i really can’t believe they really thought they were “helping eddie and chris” and “thinking whats best for them both”. because the request to temporarily move away to a state wayyy too far from his life—just so he can not-face his father after a gigantic issue—from a child?? a growing teenager!!! known for unstable growth hormones that affects their emotions and rational thinking abilities should’ve IMMEDIATELY activated red warning lights inside their brains.

never even seem to consider that after the summer break, chris still needs to go to school whether he likes it or not. chris still needs to face his father whether he likes it or not, because eddie is still his father. instead letting the teenager taking the reigns in all the decision making based on his rage, confusion and overwhelming emotions.

and eddie, obviously never having a great example of openly communicative and solutive parents who talks together instead of barging in gunz-a-blazin’ or throwing blame and shame towards their problems (exhibit Z: this whole tragedy) + the guilt + limited emotional processing as a child, is struggling to process his own internal issues and on how to be firm and strict to his own child;

who is still a TEEN btw.. who’s first thought to solving a problem was running away to a faraway state hundreds of miles from home with no concrete return time.

the diaz parents must really be believe they’re helping by jumping straight in the wagon with no communication and assesments, when in reality they’re HELPING NOTHING??? other than prolonging the issue… they’re just making it worse and worst: hindering both father/child NOT from the facilities to help start the healing/resolving process they so desperately need and deserve.

TLDR: i hate the diaz parents, and eddie needs to step up and take charge with boundaries and decisions

#911 abc #eddie diaz #edmundo diaz #helena diaz #ramon diaz #christopher diaz #pls give us crumbs on 8x08 #how did it get this long omg SORRY BOYS #911 season 8 #ITS ALMOST EPISODE DAY WDYM THERES STILL NO STILLS?????#abc plz im begging #let the father and son reunite!!!#and go to therapy!!!#sorry for bad grammar its 3am #bbaoriginals

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rickchung · 1 month ago

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The Assesment (dir. Fleur Fortuné) x TIFF 2024.

[Its] refreshingly lo-fi production of its high-concept premise makes for an intriguing backdrop for its effective authoritarian world-building. Fortuné's eye for design propels the invasive, state-controlled oppression of natural biological processes into a twisted quest for defiant worthiness.

Screened as the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival as part of the Special Presentations program.

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homosexual-radio-host · 2 years ago

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141 x male teen reader (Platonic)

Teen as in like 19. I know it's not military accurate but you're in the military, not 141 but a recruit that has wormed your way into their hearts. Enough so Price promises to let you in 141 once he thinks you're ready. Anyways they discover you're s/h and basically how they react/help. No use of y/n but I give you the callsign "Mouse" cause it's cute

Tws: Self harm obviously, suicidal ideation

You where doing your usual training, Ghost was spotting you- of course he refused to actually help until you where literal moments away from dropping the weights on yourself, you knew he was just pushing you but you where sweating like hell with your long sleeves. "Fucking hell Simon help me you useless arse" You cursed him out strained "You're fine" He said, a hint of amusement in his voice. as your arms violently shook- the moment was quickly ruined.

Simon grabbed the weight for you and put it in it's holder "What's that?" He asks, You had a moment of confusion before thte panic hit, Your sleeve had rolled up, you quickly fixed then "Uh nothing" you stammed "Mouse" He says, staring at you, you could see that look in his eyes, behind his mask.

He stared at you a moment, the air was tense, He sighs "Come" and so you did. You followed him out into the hall, internally screaming at yourself. Fuck he was going to tell Price and everyone and they would think you're so fucking pathetic and you'd be discharged and- "Mouse" His voice came, You where outside Price's office, you backed up "No- No Simon don't, I'm fine"

He sighs "Well clearly you're fucking not" He says "... I failed my psych, Price won't have you kicked for this" He says after a moment to assure you "... Alright well lets talk about that, why'd you fail-" "Not changing the subject, Mouse, c'mon" He says, practically dragging you into Price's office.

Price looked up "Mouse, Ghost" he nods in greeting, gesturing for the two of you to sit, which you do, staring at the ground, Price notices the tension and sits up straighter "What happened?" he asks with a more stern voice, Simon glances at you before turning back to Price "He's been cutting himself" he says bluntly.

Price is silent a moment before quietly saying "I see..." He sighs and rumaging on is desk for a cigar and lighting it, taking a drag. "Mouse, Son can I see?" he asks with a soft tone. You stare at the floor. "Why?" "I just want to see, please" he replies, outstretching his hand, you give in and give him your arm.

Price asseses the damage, Simon watches silently, you wish he didn't

And the worst fucking thing happens, Soap bursts into the room "Alright in my defense-" he begins as you tug your arm back. he pauses and looking between you three "What the fuck is happening in ere?"

"Kinda Busy in here, Johnny" Ghost says. Soap stands there for a second before sitting down "Alright what's goin on?"

You sit back in your chair, folding your arms "Well fuck lets just invite Gaz, get the whole crew in here"

Gaz poked his fucking head in the door "You called?" "Fucking hell" you groaned slumping into your chair. Price looked around the room, grunting "Mouse, it's your choice if you want to speak or not, either way you're getting help" you sigh "Fucking fine" you say

"i'm cutting myself, Simon found out. Great to have a crowd to hear it" you say sarcastically, pissed.

The room went quiet before you felt arms wrapped around you, you turned your head to see Soap looking at you, a look of concern, Gaz had his hand on your shoulder gently. "We're a team lad, what's going on?" Soap asked.

It was like the anger dissipated, seeing your team, they didn't pity you, they just loved you.

Soap remained hung over your shoulders as you began to speak "I don't know. I've always been like this"

"... you're not gonna... uh, you're not going to like..." Gaz stammered, trying to find the right words without outright saying it, you clocked it "I'm not going to kill myself, I don't think"

This didn't lower their worry.

"You don't think?" Price asked "Do I need to have you're psych eval done? Are you going to be a danger to yourself?" "No" you say. "I don't... please" Price sighs.

"I won't make you, but at least talk to us, please" He said.

"Fine"

And so you speak, you tell them your woes, You can't put it all to words, but you do your best, by the time you're finished your face feels stiff, you realize you've been crying.

"Oh m'eudail..." Soap says quietly. You felt like such a burden.

Gaz placed his hat on your head in an attempt to lighten the mood "Hey man, i'm here for you anytime, really, come to my room, I don't care if it's 3 am, just please I'd rather be sleep deprived than have you hurting yourself like this"

"I'm sorry" You say, you're met with a sea of "Don't be's"

"... I will ... see you guys if uh... you know" you say quietly, god this was so embarassing. They nod.

At some point Gaz and Soap leave upon Ghosts request, he turns to you "... Mate, I've been in the same place as you" he begins, you glance up at him, his eyes where watery. "It's gotten bad, But I got my family here right? So've you" You stare wordlessly a moment "I'm sorry if I brought up any old memories or urges or-" "Shut up" he interupts "Like we said. We're a team, you can speak to any of us, alright?" You nod and Ghost stands, you also stand.

He pulls you into a hug, before releasing you. "I expect you to come to me semi regularily for check ups" He says, heading out the office.

Only you and Price remained , He stands and pats your back. "Son, Listen, I know the military's hard, that alongside your life... I get it really. My doors always open" you only lean into him, he wraps his arms around you "There you go, I got you, you're alright" he says softly, holding you tightly, it felt warm, it felt safe.

"I can't expect you this to be easy, and i'm not going to pull any of that 'stop for me' bullshit, but I'm here to help you stop, and it's not really a choice, alright?" You nod "Understood, Captain" you say, with a hint of a smile, he chuckles an ruffles your hair "There's a good lad" You sigh "All this cause Ghosts a shit spotter" Price laughs "It's a good thing we caught you, can't have you doing anything drastic"

A brief silence "You should get to bed, soldier. Got training early tomorrow" you sigh and release yourself from the hug "Right, sorry- thanks" he smiles warmly. "Stop apologizing" he pats your shoulder and opens the door for you "Goodnight"

#call of duty #john price #simon ghost riley #john soap mactavish #kyle gaz garrick #male reader

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receivedhope · 5 months ago

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I’d love to hear some of your thoughts on Kurt, seasons 2 onwards.

Aw lmao, thank you for asking! Well... how long do you have lol.

Hm, trying to think about aspects of Kurt that are more present S2+ is a bit tricky because he is such a consistent character and is like the only person who is not constantly yanked around by the whims of whichever current episode writer to do whatever the plot demands. So I might take this opportunity to make a case for his more unpopular actions that are deemed ooc?

I think the biggest one of S3 is OMW - I've read multiple times that him seeking out the God Squad was kinda weird since he is atheistic, but I don't agree. It's kind of emotionally intense news to receive, that the homophobic bully who kissed you against your will last year and confessed to you on Vday just a few weeks ago is in the hospital for an attempted suicide - after deliberately ignoring his texts! So I think we could cut him some slack in any case.

I don't really agree with the assesment that he should've reached out to Blaine or Burt either, because Blaine would without question take Kurt's side (plus I'm actually not sure if Kurt ever told him about Karofsky's confession? Maybe I am just severely blanking and I'm only about to start rewatching S3, so. Feel free to correct me!) and I don't think Kurt wants to hear that right now. Kurt has a pretty active guilt conscience and internalizes all of his feelings before deciding to act on them. And Burt would take Kurt's side even more fiercely, plus I think he knows even less than Blaine - that is, Kurt never outed Dave to him so he does not know about the locker room kiss to begin with. Plus Burt already does not like Dave on top of that!

I'm not saying that Kurt wants to hear it's his fault, but he does blame himself, likely because he also struggled with passive suicidal thoughts (2009) and fully understands how alienating and downright dangerous it is to be known as the gay kid in Lima. So I think him reaching out to the God Squad (maybe even subconsciously to Mercedes, in a round about way) is very reasonable!

Oh S4 Hummelberry... I personally don't hate their friendship (or at least, don't like or hate it more than the average Kurt relationship) but I do wish Kurt didn't have to wear a muffler around her. I think that's also why Klaine is perceived so dysfunctional, because the story demands that Hummelberry don't go back into frenemies territory, so Blaine is like the only person Kurt is allowed to be messy with. But I also don't think it came out of left field, either?

I think Hummelberry was strongly hinted as early as Hairography. I think they are so similar in a lot of crucial ways that Kurt, who is insanely reserved and private, can open up to Rachel easily - he can externalize his feelings through her, bypassing this need to keep his heart strongly guarded with "I'm just giving advice to Rachel".

I do buy that they are so bipolar about each other too, flip-flopping between calling each other soulmates in the deleted yearbook scene and Rachel calling Kurt a "traitor who always secretly prayed for her downfall" in Trio. I actually wish we could've gotten more of this!

What I always found to be its saving grace is that I like this aspect of Kurt, that he is so sentimental for (and trauma bonded with) Rachel that it has the capacity to render him spineless? I find it really cute lol.

I also think Kurt is very susceptible to emotional manipulation - if you hit him with a sob enough story, he will 100% forgive you for whatever. And Rachel is so open about her misery it makes Kurt cave.

(Plus I think Rachel fits so neatly in Kurt's stan list so I buy that for that reason too.)

It just makes Kurt that much more sympathetic to me so I don't hate it as much, though I do wish that keeping him close to Rachel was not such a strong bottom line and could have been played around with more. I do prefer them as the frenemies they were in S1-2 and in the odd instances like Rachel running for senior class president as well and Diva.

As for S6, I don't hate that he is back at McKinley. The entirety of the season is themed around regression, so it makes sense that he runs back to the familiar misery of high school, in a way. What I find less talked about (perhaps due to S6 just not being a popular season) yet interesting enough to note here, is that I always thoight his inital plan for the work study year was so lazy to begin with (I say this with love because I think his laziness is also cute) since the retirement home did not have any high stakes to have to put on a great show and I feel most of the residents would go along with whatever Kurt wanted, so basically any complications or hardships you may face from a directing job are pretty much absent here LMAO. And then instead goes to coach a random ass glee club in the middle of nowhere like I KNOWWW his professors were like "Okay what the fuck is Kurt doing" between each other.

BUT! He is still stricken with grief plus went through another traumatic break up with Blaine. So, again, I'm willing to cut him slack.

I just think he is a pretty well rounded and well written character! And I get that I am lenient, maybe even blinded by favoritism masquerading as empathy, but I don't think his less rational choices are necessarily ooc.

Though I apologize if this response was not at all the one you were expecting LMAO...

#ask #and tysm for asking i LOVE sharing my kurt brainworms

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pinkacadessays · 2 years ago

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Twilight as a Spiritual Successor to Dracula

She's a problematic queen, but she didn't deserve the flack, and neither did the teenage girls having fun...

In the year 2005, Stephanie Meyer published what would become a teenage girl’s favourite fantasy novel, and a teenage boy’s favourite punching bag: Twilight, the first book in what would become a four-book, five-film saga, and then go on to add two more books to the series. Twilight, though much beloved by its target audience was criticised for many reasons, but the most pertinent being that it was a far-cry from the expectations held by fans of vampire fiction… but is it? Although certainly it has its differences to the vampiric standards set about in nineteenth century gothic horror, there are many aspects of it that can be seen as twenty-first century mirrors to the ancestral tradition epitomised by Polidori, Le Fanu, and, as discussed in greatest detail here, Stoker.

In analysing the first novel of the Twilight Saga, simply Twilight, there are a great deal of similarities to be seen in how the character Bella Swan interacts with the world of the supernatural, as well as the mutable parallels that can be drawn between Edward Cullen and various aspects of Dracula. The connections range from the oft-mocked as lacking vampiric qualities in Twilight, to the oft-overlooked romantic qualities of Dracula as percieved by the very audiences who suddenly became experts on the genre in order to antagonise Meyer and her work.

Now, though, it has become even more apt and timely to discuss the nature of both Dracula and Twilight and how they compare. Twilight had a resurgence in the last few years in the form of Twilightcore aesthetics on TikTok and Tumblr, and with Dracula Daily being two months into its second year, it is more than fitting to reexamine the connection between what is considered the quintessential vampire media and the mid-noughties laughing stock as herein lies the attempt to prove that maybe they’re not so diffrent after all.

Isabella Marie Swan Cullen

Let us begin with our gothic heroine Bella Swan, and her position as Twilight’s answer to Jonathan Harker.

Bella’s connection to Jonathan starts from the very opening of the book as she relays her personal thoughts in first person. Her narration reflects the epistolery style of Dracula, mimicking Jonathan’s personal journal as the internal and emotional conveyance of both characters’ experiences comes immediately to the forefront.

Even the way Bella and Jonathan narrate bare similarities in their styles.

Taking as an example one of the most iconic lines from Twilight, the lines that even made it to the blurb, Bella relays: “about three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him- and I didn’t know how dominant that part might be- that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.”

The above mirrors the following passage from Jonathan’s journal from th 16th May:

“Of one thing I am glad: (…)As I look round this room, although it has been to me so full of fear, it is now a sort of sanctuary, for nothing can be more dreadful than those awful women, who were—who are—waiting to suck my blood.”

Firstly, as Bella begins with “about three things I was certain” in her analysis of Edward, Jonathan, in his analysis of his encounter with Dracula’s brides begins with “of one thing I am glad” as the first similarity in their narative patterns. Next comes their assesment of fear, as Jonathan describes his room as a “sanctuary” from the vampiric, and Bella’s second thing of which she is certain is that Edward thirsts for her blood; that phrasing also mimics how Jonathan thinks of the brides as “dreadfcul” and “awful,” and as “waiting to suck [his] blood.” The verbs “thirst” and “suck” both conjure an animalistic and dangerous image that relays the power of the vampires over their victims, but also has a sensual implication- more on that later.

Similarly, the first chapter brings both characters to the start of the metaphorical journeys, of course, but also the literal journeys into the unknown, leading to the danger of the vampiric. Jonathan’s is across Europe to Romania, with his description of his journey further and further East featuring the descent into the chaos of the trainlines, beginning his journal entry for 3rd May with “Left Munich at 8:35 P. M., on 1st May, arriving at Vienna early next morning; should have arrived at 6:46, but train was an hour late.”

Jonathan’s necessity to comment relays how affected he is by his new environment, even already a few days into his trip, emphasizing how different his life gets before he has even encountered the Count. Conversely, Bella is leaving the chaos of her scatterbrained mother Renee and travelling with the semi-professional baseball player Phill, for the stability of her dad Charlie, the Chief of Police in the small town of Forks, Washington. Bella muses on the drizzle, stating that when she’d arrived in Washington, it had been raining, and noting that “[she] didn't see it as an omen — just unavoidable.” She also mentiones comedically that “she'd already said [her] goodbyes to the sun.”

Saying her goodbyes to the sun show the stark contrast of her home in Arizona to the drizzly small town for which she is bound.

Ultimately, both characters are approaching the new and diverse from their comfort zones, with Jonathan studying the cultures, albeit somewhat disparagingly, of Eastern Europe with fascination at their differences to England, and Bella’s incomprehension at the constant rain away from sunny Arizona.

Both Bella and Jonathan are alone in the world of the other, isolated from the world they know, and completely unaware of the darknss their respective new frontiers are hiding. This puts them in the perfect position to be victims of their respective vampires.

But they are not entirely alone.

On his journey to the castle, Jonathan is approached by many locals during his stay in Romania most notably including the old woman who ran the hotel in which he stayed the night of 3rd May, who knowing what could await Jonathan at Dracula’s Castle, wept for his safety and “taking a crucifix from her neck offered it to [him].” Although Jonathan would still face all the horrors at Castle Dracula’s disposal, the crucifix- and the kind act of bestowing it upon him by the old woman- kept him safe.

In much the same pattern, while Bella’s human friends in Forks never learn the truth of what lies just under all their noses, members of the Quilleute tribe are a great aid to Bella’s discovery that something is afoot with the warning that “The Cullens don’t come [to La Push beach].” It is from members of the tribe that she learns of the legend of “the Cold Ones,” and begins the research into what Edward is, leading to her uncovering the truth.

Finally, it is their positions in their respective stories that marks them as parallels, and shows that Bella is Jonathan’s spiritual succesor. Jonathan Harker and Bella Swan are both the gothic heroine of their stories, taken in the night by monsters into the world of the supernatural, and helpless to its allure, as well as caught up in the inescapable romance of the mysterious.

The blog halfmystic.com in positing what a gothic heroine was gave the following line: ”she will have simultaneously multiplied and withdrawn, a hundred women into one, a single woman fragmented in the shards of the memory and tragedy to come.”

Neither Jonathan nor Bella are the same after their adventures in the world of the vampires, with both of them having rushes with death before the last pages of their books are turned.

Jonathan starts his journey as a non-believer in the supernatural, a good, sensible, upstanding member of the Church of England, and of society. He states in the very first entry “I read that every known superstition in the world is gathered into the horseshoe of the Carpathians, as if it were the centre of some sort of imaginative whirlpool.” “Imaginitive” diminishes the notions that any of these “superstitions”are anything more than old wives’ tales, and though he seems to find them interesting, as noted by his memo to “ask the Count,” which is of course also a foreshadowing to his own fate, he does not initially believe in any of what he may have heard before the 3rd May. But by the 29th June, he is a quivvering mess, crying out onto the pages of his journal: “I came back to my room and threw myself on my knees.”

He has truly “fragmented,” his former self shattered, and he has become a manifestation of the “tragedy to come” in his dramatic linguistic tendencies.

Bella also can’t comprehend the mysteries of Edward Cullen, baffled that one being could be as fast and strong, comparing him to superheroes as she cannot fathom him. However, at the beach, when a member of the Quilleute tribe says “The Cullens don't come here,” Bella’s mind starts turning, and while she’s already found Edward to be beyond her comprehension, that line triggers her imagination truly, as Jacob Black tells her the stories of "the cold ones,” which pricks Bella’s ears. halfmystic.com also describes that “a gothic heroine moves slowly, then faster, lured away from any semblance of safety by that quiet promise of something new.”

Bella’s journey from intrigue to a full-blown deep-dive into the supernatural starts slow, but soon after her encounter with Jacob and his friends from his tribe, Bella ends up committing a great deal of time and energy into researching online, “lured way from any semblance of safety by that quiet promise of” knowledge, no matter how dangerous.

All in all, Bella is not only Jonathan’s spiritual successor as a gothic heroine, but as a character, a reimagined Jonathan Harker who explores a new world of mystery, with Bella walking in his footsteps, only to step even further by entering fully into the romance of vampirism… though that is not to say that Jonathan’s tale is not one of romantic daliances with the undead.

More on that later, as first, we must explore how Bella’s paramour Edward fits into the Draculaic parrallel.

Edward Anthony Masen Cullen

Edward Cullen is more mutable than his love interest. Where I immediately saw parallels between Bella and Jonathan, Edward’s position changes in relation to the characters of Dracula. He is the gothic hero to Bella’s heroine, but is also the most direct source of Bella’s danger. Therefore the key comparisons for Edward are of course his fellow vampire Count Dracula, and equally Mina Murray, who acts as Jonathan’s hero.

Beginning with the obvious, Dracula is a parallel for Edward, not merely as a member of the same species, but in their role in their respective stories in many aspects. To get the mentioned obvious out of the way first, the nature of their species as marked out by both Stoker and Meyer bare similarities to one another.

Firstly, key characteristics of Edward’s vampirism, and vampirism in general in Twilight, are laid out by Bella as she researches various myths from around the world, including the Romanian Varacolaci , a powerful undead being who could appear as a beautiful, pale-skinned human,” and “the Slovak Nelapsi , a creature so strong and fast it could massacre an entire village in the single hour after midnight,” all of which are traits that Edward has exhibited, though he may not be as inclined as Bella is to call himself “beautiful.”

Now how does this compare to the vampirism of Dracula?

Firstly, while, unless one has an interest in “long white moustache[s],” it is unlikely that Dracula himself is invisionable as “beautiful,” his oft-called brides, however, most certainly are. Two are described as having “piercing” eyes, and the third “as fair as fair can be,” much like Edward, and then Stoker’s language becomes so very romanticised as Jonathan describes her has having “great wavy masses of golden hair and eyes like pale sapphires.” Most beautiful indeed.

As a brief note, they are often described in terms relating to precious stones: “sapphire eyes,” “teeth that shone like pearls,” and “ruby lips.” Edward is often also associated with precious stones as, among the many shades of yellow used to describe his colour-changing eyes, “topaz” shows up with great frequency.

Next, Dracula’s strength is commented upon in the very scene in which the brides are also introduced, as Jonathan describes his “strong hand” with “giant’s power,” and the “fierce sweep of his arm.” Moreover, it is noted that Dracula carried Jonathan back to his room, just as Edward carries Bella to the nurse’s office, with Bella noting that it was “as easily as if [she] weighed ten pounds instead of a hundred and ten.”

And what of speed? Edward’s penchant for speed even translates to his desire to drive fast, stating “I hate driving slow,” even though Bella points out that they’re still going 80 miles per hour. Dracula similarly must travel at high speed to disguise that there are no servants in his castle, and even the other passengers on the 5th May entry reference Burger’s Lenore, “’Denn die Todten reiten schnell’— ("For the dead travel fast.")”

Edward is not exactly the same breed of vampire as plagues the Carpathians, and also makes a point of debunking certain myths that reference Dracula. Bella asks about “sleeping in coffins,” and why she’s seen him in the day, and he simply responds with a monosylabic “myth,” though eventually expands after some probing. Nonetheless, there aren’t as many differences as naysayers would believe.

Moving onto Dracula as a guide into the world of the supernatural, and Edward as his successor in this role. Dracula picked the wrong victim, as it is Jonathan who eventually becomes Dracula’s demise, and had he not exposed Jonathan to the world of the supernatural, he may have succeeded in his evil schemes. Jonathan knows truly what Dracula is, and knows that he is a being of destruction that he wants to stop. In his 30th June entry, Jonathan refers to Dracula as a “being,” implying his monstruousness, and has inferred that Dracula’s plan is to “for centuries to come […] satiate his lust for blood, and create a new and ever-widening circle of semi-demons to batten on the helpless.”

Jonathan states that “[t]he very thought drove [him] mad,” and that desperate insanity in Jonathan’s tone expresses truly the determination he has to move against the “vile” Dracula.

Meanwhile, Edward is equally catalystic, inviting Bella to meet his coven, which gives her powerful friends and enemies alike, but does not cause the demise of either party, instead leading to both parties gaining greater allyship beyond the story of the first book. Her interactions with the Cullens are friendly, with Alice “kiss[ing] [her] cheek” as an introductory greeting, and Jasper’s gift for empathetic manipulation rendering Bella with a “feeling of ease.” It is clear that these two especially will be friends of Bella’s as time passes,a contrast to Jonathan’s interactions with the vampiric, and yet a comparison to how he engages with the rest of what Tumblr affectionately calls “the Drac Pack.” Jonathan interacts with Dracula with rightful loathing one might have for a captor, but with Mina and everyone else as friend.

Moreover, both Dracula and Edward represent another realm to which Jonathan and Bella have little connection: Aristocracy.

Jonathan seems not to be poor by any means, and as a newly-qualified solicitor, he is likely in a reasonably secure financial position, but he is not an aristocrat. And it is Dracula’s introducing Jonathan to the world of aristocracy that emphasises the imbalance of power between Jonathan and his host, aiding his fall to victimhood. Actually, in one of the earliest interactions that Jonathan has with the count on the 7th May, Dracula speaks of how is status will not be percieved in London as it is in Transylvania, but he emphasises that “[he is] boyar; the common people know [him], and [he is] master.” He then almost immediately asks Jonathan about the house he shall be moving into in London, pulling Jonathan into the role of servant, as a reminder that, at least while they are here, the Count is Jonathan’s superior. The Count is in control.

Bella also is not particularly liable to have had financial struggles in her seventeen years of life, but she too is contrasted to Edward and the Cullens and their flash cars, the least flash of which is Edward’s own Volvo. But Carlisle Cullen spent some time among the vampires known as the Volturi, as described to Bella by Edward in Chapter Sixteen. While little is detailed about them in the first book, Edward notes that Carlisle“greatly admired their civility, their refinement,” giving a ghosting of an implication of the Volturi’s status that becomes imposing and dangerous as the Twilight Saga continues. While Bella is not the victim of the Cullens, or, indeed, the Voluturi, by this point in her journey into the supernaturl, she is in the position of an outsider in another way, which puts Edward in such a powerful position by contrast to her, and comparison to the Count.

It goes without saying that the Volturi read as a direct nod to the regal Dracula in his mysterious European castle. Of the three leaders, Bella’s narration describes them as “two black-haired, one snowy-white.” The dynamic of their coloration is a parallel to the brides also, as well as alluding to Dracula himself with their having the title of "Nighttime patrons of the arts.” Dracula’s love of the “sweet music” of nocturnal creatures is similar in tone.

It is through this wealth and power that the idea of Jonathan and Bella as victims of the vampiric, as it is with this wealth and power that Dracula and Edward can exert a control over their respective victims. The powerful and dangerous Dracula in his isolated castle where anyone else would fear to tread but the unknowing Jonathan, alone in the country in which he is a stranger; the rich and aristocratically-connected Edward who drives fast cars, and his only undoing being Bella herself, the one person whose mind he cannot read.

And it is on that note that the connection to characters other than the villain exists deeply within Edward’s parallels to Dracula.

Edward is as mentioned, a parallel also to Mina Murray, as both are the gothic hero to their respective heroine. Beginning with Mina, Tumblr user incorrectsmashbrosquotes, in frustration at adaptations of Dracula percieved not to do Mina justice vented “Gimme an adaptation where Mina loathes this pestilential demon with every fiber of her being.” I agree with this sentiment, as this is the Mina that I too see, and also the Mina that Edward reflects so brilliantly when Bella is in danger at the climax of the novel. Before the chase from the hunters has truly begun, Edward is described with animalistic rage, as Meyer’s language associates him with a non-human wilderness as he “roar[s] in frustration,” and “hiss[es],” exhibiting the traits of a Mina Murray “driven to stamp out this stain upon the world [that Dracula is] as her husband [Jonathan] is,” just as incorrectsmashbrosquotes desires. As Edward saves Bella from James’ venom, Bella notices “[his]doubt was suddenly replaced with a blazing determination,” reminding me instantly of incorrectsmashbrosquotes’ final assessment: Gimme a Mina with all the fury of Hell behind her.

Edward is not just the spiritual successor to Mina, but has moments of being the adaptation across centuries that Mina deserves.

A Comparison of Relationships

Moving onto how these characters interact, we see that there certainly are parallels to Bella and Edward’s romantic dynamic with how Jonathan interacts, of course with his fiancée and later wife Mina, but also how he interacts with the vampires.

Bella and Edward’s relationship builds through mystery to romance, and touches on a ghosting os sexual desire. The earlier stages of their knowing each other emphasize a forbidden allure that Edward associates with Bella, creating a romantic allure from the inherent temptation of forbiddance. When simply inviting Bella to sit with hi at lunch, Edward says"I decided as long as I was going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly.” Engaging with Bella is seen as sinfully tempting to him, as though it is she who is the supernatural temptress, and not he who is the dangerous creature. Yet, after only a few more sentences are exchanged in that same interaction, he says “But I'm warning you now that I'm not a good friend for you.”

Even early on, this is a forbidden relationship, tempting like the devil to Adam and Eve, as referenced with the bright red apple in Edward’s hands on the classic cover of the novel.

Jonathan is fed temptation as quickly by the count when he asks on the 7th May entry if he may enter the library as he wishes, and he is told in response:

“You may go anywhere you wish in the castle, except where the doors are locked, where of course you will not wish to go. There is reason that all things are as they are, and did you see with my eyes and know with my knowledge, you would perhaps better understand.”

There is extensive detail which is inherently intrigueing, telling Jonathan that he may go anywhere but where he will not wish to go… it is an intrigue, a tantalising temptation that, like is discussed earlier, moves in on him slowly and then quickly, all at once. On th 15th May, Jonathan’s intrigue has been amused so that, as soon as the count leaves the castlehe relays that he “thought to use the opportunity to explore more than [he] had dared to do as yet.”

Despite Edward’s warnings, Bella is still interested in pursuing at first friendship with Edward and then romantic relationship, just as Jonathan is only tempted to explore once he knows he is not to.

Finally, contact is breeched, entering into a sensual engagement between the parties. Dracula finds his emotions overwhelming, and as Jonathan cuts himself shaving, he describes the Count’s eyes “[blazing] with a sort of demoniac fury, and he suddenly made a grab at [his] throat.” Though through rage, Dracula is overwhelmed by one form of passion or another, marking the beginning of a short-lived pattern of behaviour wherein rage compels contact. Edward, however, has his movements constrained by fear- not of Bella, but of what he might do to her, afraid he might cause trauma as his literary ancestor caused to his own mortal counterpart- as he tentatively takes Bella’s hand, saying to her: "That's amazingly pleasant, the warmth." He is unused to this sensation after almost one hundred years without it, astounded by it. Edward and Bella are so aware of their own differences to one another that touch between them is a remarkable thing, reinforced with their first kiss as Bella’s narration notes: “And then his cold, marble lips pressed very softly against mine.”

While Jonathan never overtly kisses Dracula, the next instance of Dracula’s rage fuelling physical contact between them to address has a significant twist of implied lust underscored. After Jonathan’s encounter with the brides, Dracula rescues him from them, announcing:

"How dare you touch him, any of you? How dare you cast eyes on him when I had forbidden it? Back, I tell you all! This man belongs to me! Beware how you meddle with him, or you'll have to deal with me.”

Firstly, the repetition of “dare” highlights his rage beyond his own comprehension. Secondly, he is possesive over Jonathan as he cries “this man belongs to me,” marking him not just as Dracula’s personal victim and prey, but implying a sexual element to the relationship given the nature of Jonathan’s interaction with the brides. It brings to mind one of Twilight’s most famous quotes: “you are my life now,” which Edward says to Bella as they negotiate the terms of their own intimacy. Dracula and Edward’s possesiveness over Jonathan and Bella respectively has an inherit implied sexuality through their possesiveness, and through the conflicting emotions that charge their tactile encounters. From Jonathan’s perspective also, the touch is repulsive yet enticing, as he says “[he] shuddered as [he] bent over to touch [Dracula], and every sense in [Jonathan] revolted at the contact,” which is overflowing with negativity and revulsion, and yet this is the moment where he has to touch Dracula in order to gain his freedom from him. Conversely, Bella yet again refers to Edward’s touch as cold as “his cold lips pressed against [her] skin” as he saves her from the venom of her attacker James. Yet again, this is a moment in which the touch is described with the negative connotations of the cold, but Edward is saving Bella- moreover Bella describes the pain of the venom as like “fire” and the cold is welcome.

The touches between both dynamics are undesirable and yet tantilising, like a forbidden love. It is a lust that no involved party dares at first to admit. And as Bella and Edward confess their attraction to each other from as early as Bella’s admittance in the prologue, Dracula also reminds the brides that “[y]es, [he] too can love; [the brides] [them]selves can tell it from the past,” dragging involuntarily the notion of romantic love back into the conversation even between him and his latest victim Jonathan. In much the same vein, pun most definitely intended, Edward calls out desperately for Bella after finding her attacked, repeating her name ten times before he can help her, emphasising the desperate emotion.

And what of Jonathan and Mina?

With the comparison of Edward to Mina, we see the other side of his relationship with Bella. While the Dracula connection represents the physical and dangerous aspects of Edward navigating his feelings for Bella, his parallel to Mina shows the insity with which he cares deeply and tenderly for his delicate, too-human mate.

Mina’s heroism comes largely from her initiative, organisation, and intelligence as she rallies the group together, but a significant ammount of what makes her admirable is the way in which she cares so compassionately and selflessly for the sickly Jonathan in Transylvania.

On the 19th August when Mina finally receives news from Jonathan, she immidiately makes her plans to rush to him, even when Sister Agatha has warned she may needed away from home for some time as Jonathan is deathly ill. Mina watches over him and tends to him with the aid of the nuns which brings to mind how Edward watches over Bella.

We see that he watches her sleep, as Bella narrates that she “(…) drifted to sleep in [Edward’s]cold arms,” and the next morning she discovers that he has stayed with her and receives the realisation with great joy. Later, when Bella is in the hospital and the following interaction occurs:

"Bella."He stroked my face anxiously. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right here as long as you need me."

Like Mina is to Jonathan, Edward is a comforting presence to Bella and is dedicted to her care. Mina is there as quickly as she can be, setting off straightaway to be at the side of the man she loves. Edward is not only Bella’s saviour from James, but he also provides the comfort she needs by being there for her as she recovers from the ordeal.

With both of these relationship dynamics, what is seen is kindness, gentle care and comfort, and one party being willing to look after the other, embodying the tradtional vow of “in sickness and in health,” and showing one of the key aspects of both how Jonathan views Mina and how Bella views Edward: heroic, angelic, and comforting.

By comparing Mina to Edward, we see another interpretation of what the highest form of intimacy is between Mina and Edward, and their respective lovers. For the comparison between Edward and Dracula, touch- particularly sexual touch- is the apex of the illicit engagement between Dracula and Jonathan, and between Edward and Bella. But by seeking comparative aspects between Edward and Bella’s relationship to Jonathan and Mina’s another aspect of a relationship dynamic such as these is brought to the fore: not base, carnal desire and the intimacy of knowing another’s body, but the emotional and intelligent desire and deep intimacy of knowing the other’s mind.

Edward is established to be able to read minds in Port Angeles after saving Bella from unsavoury characters when she is separated from her friends. When he takes her to dinner, he says that he “heard what [the attackers] were thinking,” and Bella narrates her description of how his face contorts when he remembers their vile thoughts, relaying “he growled, his upper lip curling slightly back over his teeth.” Edward uses this ability to protect Bella, saving her from them in the nick of time.

Similarly, Mina, as she approaches the full throws of vampirism can be used as a sort of pendulum to hunt Dracula as she has developed a kind of psychic connection to him. On the 29th October, Dr Seward’s journal notes of how Mina, under hypnosis, has revealed that Dracula is being brought upsteam. On the 2nd November, Van Helsing uses hypnosis again to establish Dracula’s current position via Mina yet again.

Both Edward and Mina can use their vampiric telepathy for the good of others, especially for the protection of those they love, yet both of them share the same blockage to their gifts as neither can read the mind of their significant other. Edward has “one exception” to his gift, as implied to Bella in Port Angeles, and Mina’s connection to Dracula under hypnosis seems to be limited to that specific connection and under those specific conditions.

In order to discover the untimacies of their significant others’ minds, Edward and Mina both have to investigate beyond the use of their supernatural gifts. Edward and Bella talk and try to figure each other out, Bella as a mortal who cannot read minds, but Edward as a vampire who has only one mind he cannot read- the one he wants to read most- which places the knowledge of the mind on almost a higher level than the carnal knowledge of a body.

Edward and Bella make a habit of taking it in turns to ask each other questions to work the other out like a puzzle, and Mina uses her talents as a stenographer to piece together the journals and newspaper clippings and doctors’ logs that have been gathered over the months since Jonathan went to Transylvania, giving special importants to the diary of Jonathan himself.

Jonathan does not trust himself with the journal anymore, as revealed when Mina arrives in Budapest to take care of him. However, he trust her with the deepest intimacies of his most horrified mind. As if to emphasise the high pedestal on which intellectual intimacy is put in their relationship, Mina seals the journal with wax, promising not to read them unless she has to for Jonathan’s sake.

Mina and Jonathan’s relationship is one of trust, represented by the gift of Jonathan’s innermost thoughts, and Mina choosing not to read them unless she has to. Similarly, Edward has no choice but to respect Bella’s boundaries, and so Bella slowly opens up to him as they get closer.

It is the intimacy of knowledge of the mind, and the trust that comes with that.

Conclusion

For over a decade, Twilight has received flack, as have the girls who read it and watched the films, especcially from those who believed the vampires were neutered and that Twilight was too far-removed from the classics of the vampire genre. But by comparing it to the quintessential vampire novel Dracula, we see that Twilight has direct comparisons to the classics, as well as deep connections to one of the most revered contributions to the genre from over a hundred years before its publication.

Twilight acts as a far truer spiritual successor to Dracula than was believed by many, and contributes greatly to the vampire genre, earning its place rightfully.

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