#like there are so many parts of his development that could/should have been highlighted

[thawthebeez]

haikyuu movie so good i'm gonna watch it 30 more times until it is absorbed into my brain

[seb-boo]

Highlights from Seb's Interview with Sky Germany (Jeddah 2025):

Seb's kids don't want him driving (cause they like him home so much)

He regretted that when he got the chance to ask Michael a question, he asked about what he did to stay fit

He apparently hates swimming?

He recently broke his finger doing handy work

His son has started to ask about his career

How self-doubt played a role in his career and ultimately poor results were not satisfying to him in the end, especially when he could have been spending time with his kids

He was surprised at his first drivers' briefing how catty everyone was—this later, in addition to safety, was a motivator to reform the GDPA and actually have community amongst the drivers

He feels that Multi 21 made him and Mark closer (ala Baku 2017)

He is open to the idea of taking over Marko's job and discussed how their approaches are very different

He texted Lewis after his China sprint win

His projects allow him to be involved with F1, but keep enough distance to feel comfortable

His favorite thing to do is psychoanalyze the drivers (he also thinks reading people is his greatest gift)

He is struggling with grasses and herbs at agricultural school (but seems to do well on an impromptu quiz)

He's a control freak (he trusts his choice in restaurant and music over everyone else in F1 for a party—oh, and he would pay)

Direct quotes ↴

"I would say, well. It's my own perception, but I think pretty well. The, how do you say, the family peace still exists. [You're not annoying at home?] *laughing* I don't think so. I am still wanted. The kids also said I shouldn't start driving again because it's so nice that I'm there. That's great to hear something like that."

---

"When I imagine myself as a little boy, I can remember the key moments when suddenly Michael was standing there, maybe said something, and the question I asked was, 'what do you do to be fit?' And then you think afterwards or later I thought again, I should have asked so many other things. And then he told me that he does this and that and swims and so on, and I thought, 'oh no, I don't like swimming at all!' These are such small things, but yes, it meant the world to me at the time[...] because my hero listened to me in that sense."

---

"It's about intuition and what really drives you and what you really want, and yes, I think I might not be able to fully answer that question for a long time, or ever, but that's also what triggers curiosity somewhere. But to feel it and, yes, to develop more intuition, I think, was a big point for me and perhaps still is. And it's exciting to get to know yourself again like that. I don't know why I had this drive, after stopping, not to commit myself to a task or a job or, I don't know, partnership XY, but to be free first, for myself, to then feel myself and see, okay, what do I want at all, where is my journey going, and how do I deal with this, in quotes 'emptiness first,' before I immediately jump into the next project?"

"Agriculture has kept me quite busy in the last year with the training that I am now hopefully successfully completing and passing, and I have learned a lot of new things. Yes, there is always something to do around the house and things that have maybe been left undone in recent years, where I am still, yes, skilled. It's relative, I recently broke my finger, but yes, I do a lot and try a lot, and so the days actually pass quickly. I enjoy that. I enjoy the time as well, and this other life, but of course, I watch and follow what is happening and how the guys are doing, and I am still in contact here and there, so yes, it is a big part of me, and it will remain so."

[So the identity as a racing driver will remain. How is that now, for example, at home? For the children, they are 10, 11, I think, then six or so, five?] "Yes, five." [Do they also ask about moments from your career, or is that not a topic at all?]

"Yes, it's funny. We were watching recently, just now, the race in Bahrain or qualifying, and then when it was finished, my youngest said something like, 'I would like to see where you were driving.' Then I said, 'Okay, I have to look first.' I couldn't find anything quickly in the media library, I had to rummage around, but yes, it is interesting. The girls, I think, have taken it in and perceived it a bit more. He was still too young. Yes, it would sometimes be interesting to know what the children think. Here or there, they notice it when we are out and about and perhaps meet people who remember and you stop for a moment and have a chat. But yes, my own perception and then the perception from the children's point of view is very interesting. I think we are coping well with the situation and of course we are trying to give the children a childhood similar to the one we had, in a normal sense, really."

[I also looked at how you have developed as a personality over the years, starting with your time in Formula 1. If you look back at your early years at Toro Rosso, maybe also a bit of the time at Red Bull, how would you describe yourself then?]

"Well, I think very focused, very goal-oriented. I knew exactly what I wanted. I had a very clear vision of where I wanted to go, and then of course I had this incredible time, the years when it felt like everything went well for me. Then with the move to Ferrari, of course, a big challenge, but also a lifelong dream that I could fulfill. The big success, the very big success that I had firmly set my sights on, the title, did not materialize. Now, of course, you can talk for a long time about why and how and why not, but I believe that in retrospect, the time was much more important, the people I met, the experiences I had, and the lessons as well."

"From, I don't know, a certain insecurity, self-doubt also played a big role, then to the last part of my career where I think I opened up more and also came out of myself more in the sense that I not only talked about racing but also addressed other topics and topics that were important to me, and so I gave room to a new side of myself and could develop. And yes, of course, I had a great privilege associated with it, that I was in a position where people might have listened to me or perceived me in that sense, and I actually had very, very many positive experiences with that. Of course, there were also people who said, 'That doesn't belong to you now, and you shouldn't focus on that, and rather focus on driving because things aren't going well there,' and so on. I think there was also a lot of humility in the sense of, yes, when you have a good run at the beginning and then everything picks up speed and you are in teams where things are always moving forward and faster and in big teams, then in that sense, I don't want to say falling behind, but switching to a team that is in this building phase and getting the momentum back was a nice time. "

"But of course, in terms of results, it was a very tough time, a tough pill to swallow, because suddenly you are, I don't know, not in oblivion, but from my point of view and own feelings, you have slipped to results that no longer matter, that are no longer relevant. Whether I was 8th or 12th or 14th, was for me, insufficient for me. Especially when you have already been at the very top, then that is no real fulfillment. But also dealing with that and getting to know that side of myself, I think I have matured extremely in recent years and knew more and more what I wanted. And then in that sense, that I see and want other things in my life and want to have time, especially for the children. Time is limited, and then I had the courage, I think, to say, okay, I know I can do more and I know maybe more is yet to come, but yes, I want to have time for other things and get to know other sides of myself."

---

"And I think our society has changed, that yes, young people or generally, that you now address certain topics and don't stop before certain topics anymore. And that you have to take a position in a certain way. Perhaps a piece of the freedom to withdraw has been lost, but I think that has a very positive overall effect. When you address topics in sport that are perhaps more political or play a role outside of sport, I think it has a lot of impact. So if the values are the right ones that you represent and it is good topics that you address, of course, it's not for me to judge what is good and bad and right and wrong, but I think if you stand up for others and draw attention to things, then that is a good thing."

---

"I remember my first drivers' briefing as a Formula 1 driver. I was somewhat shocked that no one was talking to each other, but rather talking about each other, sometimes with a bit of arrogance, and this difference in status, "I am here, you are there." Yet in sport, in Formula 1 or in life generally, our passion connects us, and then to seek points of attack instead of the things that perhaps distinguish us, I find much more sympathetic, because even if we weren't the best friends in that room of 20 back then and still are today as drivers, even if we weren't the best friends, there was still this great connection and the passion that we all shared or cared about, right?"

[Or I mean, towards the end of your career, you brought the drivers together, but this is now commonplace, right?]

"Because I simply thought or felt that this community was missing, and also to help establish the GPDA, and I went to Alex, to Alex Wurz, who is still involved, and said, 'Alex, we somehow have to manage to bring the drivers together.' Of course, safety is a topic that connects us all, but also generally, let's talk about the other topics when we feel that something is wrong, or that we simply get into an exchange. I think the space is good that you can, apart from statements you have heard about others, find this space to also go out for dinner in the evening and exchange ideas and get to know each other better. You spend so much time together, it feels like, and at the same time, everyone is so absorbed in their team with meetings and, I don't know, meet and greets and appearances here and there, that you actually don't have any time together, and that is really a shame."

[With Multi 21, for example, with Mark Webber back then, such an action, how do you see that now, from your past, do you say that was totally okay, or do you think it was difficult?]

"Especially, I think, that our relationship was strained until then. Or very, yes, we were very big competitors, so Mark. Of course, then also within the team, but I think that ultimately, clearly, it wasn't a nice event, but I think it led to us understanding each other much better today and having much more respect for each other. So, we talked afterwards, I told him what I didn't like about it and why I felt it was unjustified. He expressed his opinion, and yes, even if you don't completely agree with and adopt the other person's opinion, that's not what it's about. It's about talking to each other in the first step, and we were much better at that afterwards."

[Sebastian, when you look at the situation right now at Red Bull, it's funny that your name came up today because I was talking to Ralf about what you yourself once mentioned as a potential successor. Is that a role you could fundamentally imagine?]

"I think there is only one Helmut, and his role, clearly, is his. But yes, I think that generally, the exchange is also very inspiring, and of course, you have the experiences you have, and Helmut is similar in a way. He also grew up in motorsport, a completely different time, but the wheel still turns the same way in a way, and the similar and same things matter today as they did, I don't know, how many years ago, even if Formula 1 has changed significantly."

"Yes, I think there are many things and perspectives or parallels or things that one could pass on. Whether that will be something in the future, we'll see. I am still in contact with him, I also asked him a few years ago how much longer he wanted to do it, and he said not much longer, and he is still here. *laughs* So as long as he still enjoys it and feels up to the job, I think, yes, he is in a unique role, especially with the experience and the team dynamics. He knows that best, and from the outside, it is always difficult to judge, and perhaps you sometimes wonder here or there how this happened or what's the point, but of course, he has a completely different perspective and completely different experiences. And yes, it will be a shame when he leaves or steps down from the position at some point, but of course, then, yes, it has to develop in a new, different direction."

[I visited him recently in Graz, he had just come from the forest, it was 11 in the morning, he said he had already been there for 3 hours, and then he said he talks about it often with you too because you are also a forester and you have different approaches, right?]

"Yes, completely different views, but we both have respect for each other. He is more of the old school. I am more of the modern perspective, that you sometimes leave the tree lying there, and thereby cultivate or promote the beneficial insects, or in his view, pests, and thus ensure balance. But yes, neither of our views is just right and just wrong."

---

[I also said recently, after three races we say someone is great, and then they make a mistake again, and then they go down again. So this patience also to have with development, for example, with Lewis Hamilton. I think you wrote to him after the sprint victory in China, didn't you?]

"Yes, of course."

[Yes, he was probably happy because you texted him. How do you see that? I mean, you also made this move from Red Bull to Ferrari. What is this big adjustment that you need as a driver, and why does it take so long, maybe half a year, as Ralf, for example, said?]

"Well, maybe it takes even longer, depending. I think so many things depend on it. I think the car was less of a change for me back then. Everything was different. The car drove completely differently. But yes, I was able to get used to it quite quickly in that sense. But of course, it's other people, a different environment, a different language, a different culture. So I think the whole thing overwhelms you, and everyone is different. One person might need longer, another less long with one situation or another. I don't think there's any doubt that he can drive. There's no doubt that he can do all the things that are now demanded of him. But it's also completely normal to need a little time. And I think nothing is lost there either, in that sense. If the development suddenly takes the right path, then I think Ferrari is in a completely different position again. They were very strong last year, narrowly missed the Constructors' Championship, so you shouldn't write off the whole team and the two drivers now."

---

[If you could choose a role again in Formula 1, I know that you were, for example, in Monaco, we saw each other very briefly there, you came out of the Red Bull hospitality, you had an appointment with Stefano Domenicali. When people see you now, also with your experience regarding social projects, everyone would ask, why isn't Sebastian integrated into Formula 1 anymore with his past? What's the answer to that?]

"I have many, but would you like to do that? I am in contact with Stefano, we are talking about it and perhaps still refining and tinkering with what it would look like exactly. Yes, but I also don't want to push myself in any way. I think ultimately it has to fit for both sides. I don't know. I mean, I follow the sport with great interest, and now also with enough distance that I don't feel like it's a problem anymore. The first few races were perhaps a bit more difficult, but now after a relatively long time, it is no longer a problem."

"Yes, I don't know what it could be in the future. Of course, it would be nice to see that the goals that Formula 1 sets for itself are realistically approached and achieved regarding the future and regarding responsibility. So whether it's climate neutrality by 2030 or certain projects and aspects to use the impact of Formula 1 to really live, exemplify, and bring about good change. On the other hand, of course, as I said, staying close to the drivers in a certain role, I don't know what kind of role that will be in the future, is certainly something one can imagine, which I can also imagine."

[Simply because you have had so many experiences that you couldn't evaluate during your active time, but now I think with more distance, you see many things.]

"I watch the races, of course, I see the same things as everyone else, which tires, which strategy, and so on. But I think what tactic or what mindset is behind it, what is going on in the driver's head, I think I already have more insight, perhaps not better than everyone else, but more insight. And of course, yes, because it's perhaps still so fresh, I can still draw more from it. 'Does he feel comfortable now, and where is perhaps the problem? Maybe it's not the tire set or the strategy, but perhaps something else.' That's what I find interesting, the person behind it."

[I just wanted to ask you a few quick short questions at the end, including a quiz question about your training. I'm curious if you can answer it. Perhaps first, what are you learning right now that you are not yet good at?]

"Grasses and herbs."

[Okay...alphorn playing?]

"Alphorn playing! I still remember that, I put it aside but haven't completely given up. I heard something again recently and thought, oh yes, I must get it out again."

[What is your greatest gift?]

"Of course, you could talk about racing because I had some success there and so on, but I think, yes, this reading people, it sounds a bit much, but I think I can sense what is going on in people and in certain situations, and then, of course, when it comes to sport and performance or results in that sense."

[Looking back at your Formula 1 time with all the people you met, regardless of who they are, a really good evening, a final evening, perhaps. Who chooses the restaurant?]

"Me!" [Ja?] "Ja!"

[Do you have good taste?]

"I don't know, but I think I have learned over the years that, yes, I really enjoy doing that. Let's put it that way."

[Who is responsible for the music?]

"Also me. If I'm throwing the party, then at least the food and music. Music can either be right and you don't really notice it, it's in the background and it fits. But if it's wrong, it's already too late when you notice it. So, yes."

[What do you like to listen to? What's your favorite?]

"Everything. But when eating, yes, it has to be something calmer and something that fits the time and the setting."

[Yes, who pays?]

"I would also like to, I wouldn't have a problem." *laughs*

[Who leaves first?]

"That depends on how many people are there."

[But who would be the one you'd say, yes, okay, the slightly grumpy one.]

"Christian always left first!"

[Okay, okay, okay. And who locks the door at the end?]

"Adrian."

[Really? Such a party person?]

"Yes, well, there are others there too, but yes, he always had fun anyway."

[So Sebastian, the last question now. Now I'm curious. I hope I'm not putting you on the spot. So you are doing your training now in Switzerland, right? Agriculture? I think you are in the vocational school in Pfäffikon. Did I pronounce that correctly?] "Ja." [Watch out, now I have picked out a question. So, which plant is often referred to as "green gold" because it improves the soil and serves as animal fodder? Is it A) Wheat, B) Clover, C) Corn, or D) Rapeseed?]

"It's clover because it's a legume and the only plant that can store nitrogen in the form of nodule bacteria on the roots. You can even see them with the naked eye, and it's not only good for the soil and the plant, but also good for the animals."

[That's great. You passed the test!]

[nightfurmoon]

HIGHLIGHTS FROM ALAN ITURIEL'S TWITCH STREAM ON DEC 5 2024

The show is a co-production between AI animation and now Warner, the rights to the show are owned by Alan, they have been in talks with Warner to be able to continue the show. It's a matter of patience to see the continuation of the show

3 Villainous spin-offs are being worked on/planned, exclusive on AI Animation's YouTube channel! All 3 will deal with stories that Alan really likes, 1 of the spin-offs is already being worked on and is in the animation stage but he can't show anything yet

Miss Heed's book is also being worked on.

On November 9th Alan will be at a book signing, there the trailer for the audio book of Black Hat's completely harmless book will be shown and an AXO video game is being developed, the first AI animation video game.

Q&A Section:

Will Flug and Heed meet again? Alan: It's possible… What is your favorite chapter? Alan: It's very difficult to choose one, I like them all. I like the wrestling one because it represents Mexico and the Heed one because it begins to cover part of Flug's history. How is Penumbra and Curie? Alan: Good! One is bald and the other is not What will happen to the characters' Instagram accounts? Alan: There are plans with the accounts but we haven't been able to do much yet, but you should keep an eye on Miss Heed's account because her book is coming and with some other updates Will Black Hot be back? Alan: YES, he will be back Will we see Flug's airplane suit from episode 6 again? Alan: Yes! But to see it you'll have to be very attentive, I just can't reveal in which chapter you'll see it again Are you going to adapt more myths and legends like that of the black charro? Alan: Yes, I would like to adapt more myths or legends Will we see more of King Cassino, Cricket or any other character from the comics? Alan: Yes! There are plans for King Cassino, not so much for Cricket because he is an agent but we can do something. Would you like to see the characters in the Warner Bros. Multiversus video game? Alan: Yes, I would love to, I would like Demencia to be in the game Will we see more of Creepy Charlie? Alan: Yes! Apparently many liked her so we plan to bring her back

When will we see Flug's face? Alan: I haven't even seen it yet, because Black Hat would punish me. Will we see more about the mafia groups of Risky Heist? Alan: Yes, now that you know them we can tell more about them Miss Valdoom and King Cassino know each other and are they related? Alan: They are not related, but they know each other because of the rivalry between mafias. How far along is Miss Heed's book? Alan: I can't say! What other series would you like to do a Crossover with Villains? Alan: There are many series that I would like to do a Crossover with, but part 2 of the Crossover with Victor and Valentino is still pending

Alan could you put background OC's for the series? Alan: We've discussed that idea, but we haven't decided yet. How many seasons do you have in mind for villains? Alan: There is no season estimate for the show yet because we are looking for ways to complete each character's arc (Alan estimates that Miss Heed's arc could last 2 seasons) Would you like to do a Villains movie? Alan: Yes I would! Who are your favorite supporting characters at the time of writing? Alan: On the hero side it's G-LO, his story is my favorite and on the villain side it's Illuminarrow, she's so much fun to write. Which characters are canonically attractive? Alan: It could be Sunblast and Miss Heed, but who is not canonically attractive is Gold Heart. What was your inspiration for King Cassino? Alan: Classic mobsters, like "The Godfather" Have you ever dreamed about your characters? Alan: Yes, but it's weird because I've only dreamed about Black Hat the puppet. Which characters from the series that haven't been cosplayed yet would you like to see? Alan: G-Lo I've only come across one girl with that cosplay, King Cassino, although I think it would be difficult, and Illuminarrow, although the point is that those who do it want to do it.

Do you want to make a Villainous game? Alan: Yes we want to make a Villainous game but we have to finish Axo Runner first, we will play it before it comes out live.

Credit to Navy on twitter for making the thread in Spanish, I just translated it. Source below!

[cynthiav06]

Percy is a dude from the category of screaming "what the hell did you do!" and solve all the problems in 5 minutes. Everyone would have been dead a long time ago if it wasn't for him.

I have mixed opinions on this. On one hand, Percy is the type of person to wait about for the problem to disappear by itself just so he doesn't have to deal with it. Cause even before he found out he was a demigod, he was 100% done with everyone's shit.

But I do agree that he would be able to solve all problems because through so many books we have seen that no matter how much prior planning Annabeth or the Seven or anyone else does, Percy always does his own thing at the end. And it works out mostly for the better than whatever initial situation anyone else had in mind because Percy thinks almost too well on his feet. Every time.

But Percy has such low self esteem that he sees the fact that he has to make so many improvisations more so as his plans never working as less so as an exceptional ability to adapt. Especially when at times he can easily sense that some titan/giant is too powerful so he maneuvers around a direct fight and ends up defeating them by pure strategy and still ends up thinking of himself as "Oh shit I seriously had no plans. I am so reckless and stupid".

His whole character arc could have been evolving into a more confident and self assured but still the usual sarcastic laid back version of himself who no longer doubts his own abilities and becomes the great leader he showed many signs of being. But no, Rick had to ruin it all because, for some reason, 10+ books later and almost all the characters are still the same, just decorated with even more trauma. Rick being Rick, and instead of showing characters working out their traumas and insecurities, he just slaps a relationship on them, and lo and behold, all is better again somehow.

I am kind of disappointed that we never got to see Percy or any other members of the Seven do any solo missions(aside from Annabeth in MoA) . She almost had the very quintessential realization about how she needs others and how her hubris will ruin everything if she doesn't keep it in check only for whatever she was doing in the later parts House of Hades and all of Chalice of the Gods to take away even that little bit of character development.

And cause solo missions working out perfectly well for Percy while most other demigods struggle a bit to make it work might finally make him realize that his plans don't suck and he is actually a really really good strategist and somehow an even better manipulator. (Though more on that and his observational skills later).

Or make characters like Frank and Leo whose unique abilities and perspectives on combat could have been shown off more, making them all become more self-reliant.

And even so we could finally get proper idea of limits of certain characters like Piper (cause charmspeak isn't going to get her everywhere) or Hazel (we so need more scenes of her surprising demigods and monsters with not only her unique jewel abilities and her magic.) Plus Nico's combat limits, Jason's stamina limits (no I am not considering his death part of canon, you can't tell me it's true, I refuse to stand by it), Thalia's character development as well as her honing her powers and combat abilities more.

So yeah, we really should have gotten a few solo missions instead of so many short stories and all. And a bit more cross-over highlighting the power levels between the Norse, Greek, Roman, and Egyptian demigods/magicians/Valhalla residents/Valkyrie and so on.

To sum it up, tons of missed opportunities by Riordan and even more tragic and terrible progression of previously great characters who just needed a well-made character arc or even some favoritism. (I am looking at Grover and Rachel, who both could have done so so much if Rick had only realized the awesome potential they had).

I have said it many times that it's #percy jackson supremacy. So hell yes everyone would be dead without him, and he is arguably the best protagonist out of any other fantasy action book series. All hail Percy Jackson, the master of sass, and the most beloved but somehow still the most misinterpreted character in the fandom. Really liked this ask, would love more of these regarding Percy or any other characters.

[kurishiri]

my thoughts on the presence (or rather, lack thereof) of dub-con in alfons’ route in en

thank you for the ask anon! since it contains spoilers for al’s route, i will put under a cut. also it is a long post!

hi anon! i did notice this, yes! they also made changes to some other scenes as well for a similar purpose. as far as i heard, it is sort of a general trend for the en localization to water down scenes that may be considered dub- or non-con; apparently, they have done this with other ikémen series games like iképri.

in alfons’ case, though, i have some mixed feelings overall abt doing so in this route. i hope i can explain myself ok!

on one hand, i think making it more “soft” so to speak does make it feel more accessible for readers in the western fanbase, who in general seem more sensitive (?) to the presence of dub- or non-con, compared to japan. i would honestly love for many people to be able to read his route and not feel super uncomfy? while doing so. so in this respect, i can get behind this decision.

that said.

i feel like other aspects of the story have been sacrificed as a result of this. i believe that, in the original story, scenes play out the way they do for a reason. if there is dub-con, they probably arent putting it all in just for the teehee dubious consent teehees. for example, part of what made this story interesting to me in the japanese version was that against the so-called conventional notion, sex was not used as a means to bring characters closer together, but more so as a way to make them more distant. theres this sort of irony and a theme of isolation (ironically in part due to sex) that i felt was more apparent in japan, in part highlighted due to the dub-con. i feel like making kate want this beforehand is more safe, yes, but also it sort of waters down this irony a bit compared to japan imho.

another consequence is in kate’s character. i think its kind of a strange change that in some parts of the story surrounding those scenes, kate is pretty insistent on facing reality to the fullest, but then one ask from alfons and shes ready to indulge in a fantasy, away from reality, as she asked for it. but despite that, she tries to push him as far away as she can. it sort of makes me feel there’s a gap or blip in her character if that makes sense. part of what made these scenes dub-con maybe is how alfons wanted to give an escape to kate via sex, but kate didn’t want that escape bc she wants to face reality. it creates more conflict between them.

part of kates character development in alfons’ route, too, is going from being staunch in the start of the story, to learning, questioning, and deciding for herself what is considered right? and what is considered wrong? as the story progresses. but with the whole kate wanting it since the beginning, this flaw is sort of lost since the start, making her development feel a bit more static, as by her saying yes to alfons since the beginning, it already establishes her as someone who wants to see reality, but also knows to see the benefit in an escape or a fantasy, when this is sort of what she is meant to develop into by the end.

ftr im not saying these things r completely lost! just that they feel a bit watered down? a bit less engaging? if thats the word, as a kinda byproduct of softening up the dub-con scenes. so i feel the impact may be a bit less compared to japan. but, again, i do understand why they chose to make such changes as well to en.

overall, i dont hold very negative thoughts abt it. nor do i really fully like it either. maybe its bc i play on both servers, but i feel like en just… doesn’t get an experience you could get in japan, which kinda gives me mixed feelings in a way as well, i suppose. i kind of feel that en deserves to read what was dished out in japan, without it being chosen for the fanbase what should be hidden from them (had there not been fan translators translating stuff more “word for word.”)

[the-yellow-in-the-sky]

Cinderella Boy Musical (cont).

I wrote some songs last year about CB which is why it says "cont" but I hid them in a reblog so ik not many people saw them.

Part 1 here

Most of the song ideas came either from @squeer-el's post or the tags left.

I format songs by humming/whistling the lyrics and having a lyric sheet to follow along; there's one exception 'cause there was no good way to do the overlay.

First song takes place during the beach boys arc, the night of Chase and Buddy's fight. Highlighted in teal are Chase's parts, purple highlights means Buddy, and white is for both. To help keep track, there's a pause when Chase and Buddy first switch parts, as well as during the "spoken" section which is skipped in the audio. It picks up at, "Were you really just gonna...?"

The // indicates singing simultaneously; pick whoever's lyrics to read.

And then they make up literally the next day.

In this one- the parts where Buddy and Chase are alternating lyrics you'll notice neither is listening and each just doing his own thing. That was intentional- What was unintentional is how musically discordant it sounds so I would like to go back later and fix it.

As if coordinating two singers wasn't hard enough you bet your bottom dollar I tried to do 3. The setup I imagine for this is sometime soon after Goldie arrives- our keys are having a chat and my hc is he's the hype man of the siblings. Pink is Silver, green Bronze, blue Goldie, and white is everyone who has sung up to that point (basically Goldie isn't singing in the first chorus). Skip over stanzas that say [spoken] while reading.

The key images come from PNGtree

This song has gone through the wringer so many times- I swear I've tried to cut it down so it stays on point but auuugh I could not part with the bridge... Ik it sounds out of place. Maybe I'll find another place to put it-but for now- it stays.

Last song is also an expansion on an idea from my first post, the duet for Chase and Buddy that's supposed to be "For Good" coded. Again, there are small pauses when singers switch, or when it switches to both.

This is the only song so far that has no canon placement. I assume it'd be at a later point than we're at in the webtoon. Will update cause the lyrics may no longer make sense as the story progresses.

Unfinished ideas/bonus:

Still waters song about all 4 main character's fears coming to a head and pressure building up as they race to make it out. Narratively, it'd be like "Ready as I'll ever be" from Tangled. Think of the humor potential: we cut from Deacon and smol child panicking to bickering husbands.

Not a song idea so much as a production idea. I think the theater equivalent of Deacon and Prunella getting turned into paper should be covering them in TP.

In part 1, I mentioned at the end of "A Mysterious Key" that Chase got cut off as he was about to say "happy after all." Well. I wanted to write a song for the end of this musical surrounding that idea- maybe give each character a line summing up their arc when we get to that point. Below is what the last stanza of the song would look like.

Happy after all

Is said and done

We've overcome

The worst of night

Happy after all

That we've been through

Our wish came true

Happy after all

If I add to this concept in the future, it'll just be expanding on the songs already developed.

You guys have fun now :)

[witchyafterdark]

Consolidated HL Character Profile #1:

— Ominis Gaunt —

Note: The following information on this post are a combination of my personal headcanons and canon-compliant resources. I have done research on this but, of course, these are pure speculation since we do not have actual canon information about this character. I hope you all enjoy this! 💕

Tags and shout-outs are at the end of this post!

This is a very, very long post! Take your time.

—---—---—---—---—

I. Possible Birth Place

The last of the Gaunts, as we know it, have lived in poverty. The members of this once noble house trickled down to Marvolo Gaunt and his two children — Merope and Morfin.

According to the book, (Half-Blood Prince; Chapter 10, "The House of Gaunt") the family was living in a rundown shack that Harry Potter wondered whether it was inhabited, or not.

"... its walls were mossy and so many tiles had fallen off the roof that the rafters were visible in places. Nettles grew all around it, their tips reaching the windows, which were tiny and thick with grime."

The description of the Gaunts' living conditions were shown during Bob Ogden's visit in Little Hangleton around the early 1920's. As the wiki suggests, Ominis should already be in his late 40's (and close to his supposed death). It was also said that due to their vein of instability, arrogance, and pride, the family gold has been squandered well before the last generations were born.

Now, based on the canon timeline, there is a high chance that Ominis and Marvolo were siblings — something this fandom seems to agree on.

"Chronologically, Marvolo Gaunt could be one of the elder siblings who tortured Ominis with the Cruciatus Curse."

However, I personally find it hard to picture him having been born and raised in that same shack in Little Hangleton. While it's very possible to have a family living together in a small, decrepit house, it seems like there are more than four members of the second-to-the-last generation of Gaunts.

Ominis had both parents present, his Aunt Noctua, and older siblings (one of which could be Marvolo himself). That would be at least five family members living under one roof. I just find it a little difficult to believe that someone who is as kempt and posh-looking as Ominis would be living in a shack.

Also, he seems to be the least-favorite child based on how his parents and siblings have treated him. So, why would he have neat school robes if they couldn't really afford it, right? And why give the good clothes to the blind, black-sheep of the family?

This led me to think that maybe, they did have some money to spare during those times. Another accepted headcanon of the fandom is that the Gaunts needed to keep up with the façade that they are still rich and prominent by dressing up aristocratically and by speaking in a posh accent (which is called Received Pronunciation, also called the Queen's Accent).

Furthermore, we literally almost got the Gaunt Manor questline, with a courtyard, in the game but the developers cancelled it. This could be the proof that they have also thought of the fact that Ominis did not grow up, nor was he born, in a dilapidated shack.

—

But wait!

How and where did I start pinpointing the Gaunts' possible ancestral origins? Well, I found a theorized Timeline of Salazar Slytherin's Descendants compiled and analyzed by Obversa (whom I am a long-time fan of, and usual source of information). Please take a moment to check this part out:

[This is the Reddit link to the whole post!]

—

So... where do we start with Ominis' theoretical birth place? I have attached a map that is highlighted in different colors to make it easier to understand.

1. Derbyshire or Nottinghamshire (Highlighted in blue)

Situated at the center of the English map, one of the possible birthplaces of Ominis Gaunt is either Derbyshire or Nottinghamshire.

We know that the Gaunts were descendants of Cadmus Peverell, the original owner of the Resurrection Stone (a.k.a. The Heirloom Gaunt Ring). So, I got to trace back the origins of the last name Peverell, where they're from and which period they came to be.

According to House of Names, the Peverell line is one of the thousand new names that the Norman Conquest brought to England in the year 1066 CE.

William Peverell, the "natural son of William the Conqueror," received his share of 162 manors; many of which were in these two counties.

As stated from the pictured timeline above, Cadmus Peverell had been born at around the year 1214 CE.

A hundred and sixty-two manors under the Peverell family name alone seem like it's a possibility that the three Peverell brothers (Antioch, Cadmus, and Ignotus) inherited at least one of these manors as part of familial land distribution.

And once again, citing the timeline above, the Peverell line (at least in Cadmus' side) possibly ended with a female; who married a male Gaunt. It's likely that they moved to one of these manors as a start of the foundation of the House of Gaunt.

— An example in Derbyshire:

— An example in Nottinghamshire:

These two examples look like Gaunt Manor style, in my opinion. So far, I'm highly convinced that it's either Derbyshire or Nottinghamshire due to the manors being quite sequestered from city propers and large, populated towns.

2. Yorkshire (Encircled in red on the map)

This one is actually the suggestion of the lovely @diligentcranberry (Thank you for entertaining my unhinged obsession about the Gaunts origins).

It is said that Little Hangleton is approximately 200 miles north of Privet Drive. Now, Privet Drive is in Surrey. When I checked on the maps, York is directly north of Surrey; at around 203 miles, if you travel by foot.

There is also the possibility that perhaps the Gaunts simply moved towns instead of counties and cities. Maybe there is a magically hidden part of Yorkshire that is isolated enough to be far away from the muggles (or muggleborns) and nosy neighbors for them to conduct their wicked and inhumane past time activities: torturing muggles for sport.

Not only would this place be an ideal location for illicit activities, the density of trees around this area sounded like something the Gaunt family would like to have so that they are not easily accessible to anyone, including Ministry officials.

—

Runner-up Place: Godric's Hollow (Lined in pink on the map; the whole West Countryside)

There has been speculation that the Gaunts once resided in Godric's Hollow (as did other Wizarding families). Most people would also think that the Gaunts have ties to this place since one Peverell was buried here.

"Every now and then, he [Harry] recognized a surname that, like Abbott, he had met at Hogwarts. Sometimes, there were several generations of the same Wizarding family represented in the graveyard: Harry could tell from the dates that it had either died out, or the current members had moved away from Godric's Hollow."

The wiki even suggested that Godric's Hollow is Cadmus Peverell's final resting place. However, there is no canonical reference to this speculation. According to the book (The Deathly Hallows; Chapter 16, "Godric's Hollow"), Hermione only confirmed seeing Ignotus' tombstone. And while it was the norm to bury family members together in the same graveyard, we have no evidence that Cadmus was, in fact, buried alongside his brothers.

Lastly, official information from Wizarding World states that it was only Ignotus that had been found buried there, but no evidence pointed to where the others may be.

Runner-up Place: Leicestershire (Highlight in orange on the map)

This is actually the last place I researched because I remember that there was a man named John of Gaunt (1340-1399). He was the father of King Henry IV, and used to be one of the richest men of this century. I didn't find anything about him at first... until I saw who his wife was.

John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, had been married thrice in his lifetime. But it was his second wife, Constance of Castile (1354-1394) that piqued my interest.

Now, this sounds like a long-shot. But the theorized Timeline above proposed that Salazar Slytherin could be from Burgos, Castile, Spain. It wouldn't be totally impossible that Slytherin himself had children back in Spain; or that some of the children he sired during his stay in Scotland possibly moved back to Spain.

At least in my mind, there is a chance that Constance of Castile might be one of the descendants of Salazar Slytherin who ended up marrying a Gaunt.

Then again, Constance and John only had a surviving daughter, and the canonical information about the Peverell line was completely thrown out of the window with this theory. So, it's highly unlikely that this place was the ancestral origins of the future Gaunts. Still, this was fun to include!

—

End Results:

There is strong evidence that Ominis Gaunt may have been born in either Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, or Yorkshire. I know there's so much information to consider regarding this, so it's your decision which county you would use that fits your headcanons.

As for my personal headcanon, I'd say he's born in an ancestral manor that once belonged to the Peverells, which was located in Derbyshire.

But as the family fortune started to dwindle due to poor management, it ultimately fell unto Marvolo to sell the property and find another place to move to. And since Marvolo doesn't seem to be the type to find employment, the money he had gotten from the sold property almost immediately got used up. In the end, he and his remaining family had to move to that dilapidated shack in Little Hangleton, Yorkshire.

—---—---—---—---—

II. Possible Date of Birth

Note: If you're not interested in astrology, you can just skip this one, and go to Part 3, 4, and 5!

This section of the post is pure speculation, and no solid proof at all. But we do know that Ominis should be born between September 1, 1874 and August 31, 1875 if he was to be eleven years-old during the start of his first year at Hogwarts. Therefore, all of the following information is gathered by astrological observations of his character.

(I have a personal tarot and astrology account, @tarotwitchy, if you guys are interested in knowing more about this type of content).

Based on character analysis, I believe that Ominis is a Capricorn Sun, Pisces Moon, and Scorpio Rising.

Now, what does that mean?

Let's break down his character one astrological placement at a time.

1. Capricorn Sun

— a person with their Sun in Capricorn is someone who is determined to make the most out of their life. Hard working, perseverant, and resilient, they don't allow themselves to succumb in to their losses and admit defeat.

— Ominis surely displayed these characteristics throughout the game. He doesn't let his disability stop him from accomplishing the things he set his mind to. He doesn't want his traumatic beginnings to inhibit his potentiality for success and happiness outside of his family's customs. When he sets his mind on something, he sees through it (no pun intended).

— Also, he is loyal to the good cause. He knows what's right and what's wrong. He isn't afraid of calling out anyone for their wrongdoings, nor does he back off from confrontation. This behavior of his was very apparent when he secretly followed the new fifth-year and Sebastian to the catacombs.

— There's also a bit of a savior-complex in him; wherein he feels he could set someone straight, tell them what to do or what not to do, can have a demanding demeanor at times, and could perhaps want to control his environment to make it easier for him to navigate. (So, yes. All of those Dominis stories can actually be a canonical behavior of his).

2. Pisces Moon

— With all that was said about his Sun Sign, his Pisces Moon is the reason we get a softer, gentler version of his Capricorn. People with Pisces Moons are known to be emotionally wise beyond their years. Their ability to empathize people's experiences are astounding, and their compassion is matched only by their fellow water signs.

— This admirable kindness that Ominis possesses is what we eventually understand and come to associate with him. When faced with the opportunity to torture muggles like his family does, his first instinct is to refuse. In spite of his blindness, he doesn't need sight to see how all of that was very immoral and apathetic. And even as he was forced to cast the Cruciatus Curse, he still laments and regrets that event up to the present time.

— One more thing to note is that Ominis could have simply reported Sebastian as soon as the latter displayed interest in the Dark Arts. But he didn't because of three reasons: He didn't want to lose his best friend, he still believed in Sebastian's chance to redeem and pull himself out of the darkness, and he empathized with Sebastian's desperation to find a cure for Anne. This altruistic attitude is what's best about him.

— It also affirms my previous headcanon about Ominis' sleeping habits, as Pisces rules over the realms of sleep.

3. Capricorn Mercury

— It's very obvious that Ominis is quite mature for his age. The way he talks, thinks, and carries himself is trademark Capricorn Mercury. He is also straightforward and he plans ahead not just for himself but for others. At the end of the game, he literally said, "whatever lies ahead, we must face it together."

— Mercury is the planet of communication, intellect, memory, and learning. Ominis' style of communication is quite formal and authoritative in nature, and he keeps it that way. He is able to express himself in a put-together manner that conveys his thoughts crystal-clear. He doesn't speak in riddles (👀) and he wants to be understood the first time around.

4. Sagittarius Venus

— Alright, this one is a surprising placement for Ominis. But after a while, I found this to be quite fitting for him! While he is someone who we consider as "docile" or "serene" on most days, having his Venus in Sagittarius gives him a streak of curiosity and a yearning for exploration; as Sagittarius is the sign of higher learning and traveling.

— The first time we see him (if you're a Slytherin) is in the common room being cheeky about the first-years who are trying to spot mermaids through the windows. He has a playful side to him that balances out majority of his more serious and somber placements. The fact that he is closest to Sebastian (who is really fiery and passionate) is proof that Ominis can hold his own when it comes to his best friend's fervent personality.

— Of course, Venus is the planet of love and romance. Majority of the stories I've read, Ominis is the kind of man who will study his partner's personality, routine, habits, quirks, likes and dislikes, special interests, and goals and dreams. This is the behavior of a well-developed Sagittarius Venus. They will absolutely love to get to know their partner's personhood beyond the superficial. They will also keep their partnership alive by sharing life experiences together and encouraging their partner to explore more novel and romantic moments with them.

5. Scorpio Mars

— Where to begin with this placement? It's quite hard to believe, at first, that Ominis would have his Mars in Scorpio. That would entail someone who is traditionally brusque, aggressive, and would embody the combination of Martian-Plutonian qualities.

— But in his case, there is a reason why people are compelled to write, draw, and express him as Dominis. It's because even if he haven't actually seen him being a dominant man, we instinctively know that he is capable of it. That's the effect of Scorpio Mars. The evidence of this placement is not always "in your face." It can be subtle, it can be a secret. His dominance and assertiveness is just dancing along the edge of his skin.

— But one of the most important things to remember about them is that once a Scorpio Mars has had enough, they snap. And they will always get the last word after they have put people in their place, snapped some bones, and razed the earth. And this is something Ominis is very much capable of doing. But his self-control is immaculate.

6. Scorpio Rising

— Again, this seems very unlikely at first glance. But upon further observation, Ominis is the type of guy you don't really know much about unless he purposefully let you in on his private circle, explicitly says something about himself. He also has strong eyes that pierce through others in spite of his blindness. His striking face and cheekbones are unforgettable, and he doesn't look like anyone else. Others also can't help but feel compelled to want to know more about him, as his enigmatic aura inevitably pulls them in (whether he likes it, or not. That's why most Scorpio Risings have trouble with unsolicited attention).

— To drive this point further, if you check out this video of other NPC's talking about him, they all seem to come to a polarized conclusion, with the common thread of 'Ominis is hiding something.' Granted that the name Gaunt, in and of itself, strikes fear and wary in people's hearts, others have really strong opinions about him without even getting to know him personally. That, too, is something most Scorpio Risings struggle with.

—

End Results:

Ominis Gaunt was born on January 11, 1875 at around 03:00AM, during the winter season.

Of course, this is only my personal headcanon, and based on my astrological research and experience. The runner-up dates I had in mind would make him fall in the Sun Sign of Pisces, Cancer, Aquarius, and even Scorpio! But the rest of the chart doesn't really align with the rest of his personality. Ultimately, January 11th is the final date I believe suits him most.

—---—---—---—---—

III. Psychometric Analysis

Note: I will be linking the sites for these tests should you want to take them yourself! 😊 Have fun!

1. MBTI

— ISTJ (Introvert, Sensing, Thinking, Judging)

"They rely on their past experience to guide them, and are most comfortable in familiar surroundings. On personality trait measures, they score as Calm, Stable, Steady, Cautious, and Conventional. The ISTJ’s main and most admirable strength is perseverance; people of this type simply do not give up. They also have a natural instinct to protect and defend, as they are loyal, reliable and committed."

These descriptions speak for themselves when it comes to knowing Ominis' personality type. People who have a lack of sight (or those who are legally blind) rely on fixed structures and routines to help ease their everyday needs. While it is possible for them to be spontaneous, they still have to have familiarity and past experience in the spontaneity they'll participate in.

He is very loyal, to a fault sometimes. He's committed in making sure that his beloved friends are not dallying in things they shouldn't be. He knows the difference between right and wrong, and trusts his life experiences to guide him to proper decisions.

2. Enneagram

— Type 6 with wing 5; SP/SX (The Defender)

"The committed, security-oriented type, sixes are reliable, hard-working, responsible, and trustworthy. Excellent "troubleshooters," they foresee problems and foster cooperation, but can also become defensive, evasive, and anxious—running on stress while complaining about it. They can be cautious and indecisive, but also reactive, defiant and rebellious."

"Their basic fear is being without support and guidance, having nowhere or no one to hold onto. This is why their basic desire is to have security and support from their chosen people."

This one is very obvious. It's quite apparent that he is the type of person who can be anxious if things and people aren't where he wanted them to be. While he yearns for cooperation due to his need for security, other people who aren't used to this kind of behavior will find him controlling; and perhaps, even smothering.

Nevertheless, Ominis' intentions come from a good place. He doesn't want his people to be hurt or harmed. He also has an impeccable intuition to predict outcomes of certain situations, which makes him look paranoid. But his assumptions, more often than not, are proven to be correct!

3. Four Temperaments

— Melancholic–Phlegmatic (The Analyst)

"The Melancholy-Phlegmatic is a pleasant and accommodating person who tends to seek a structured environment requiring attention to detail. They have a self-sacrificing, self-critical nature, and struggle with guilt feelings about things that are not often their fault. The Melancholy-Phlegmatic is more conscientious and private than the other Melancholy blends."

This is quite self-explanatory. Ominis has two distinct behavior: the calm and peaceful, and the anxious and prickly. When things are going the way it's supposed to be (in his definition), he would be placated and docile. We see him as approachable and a little more open. But when things aren't going according to plan, or when things suddenly happen unexpectedly, he's like a rolling wheel going in different directions trying to extinguish the uncontrollable fires of disaster.

He's the first to respond by going to Headmaster Black to fabricate a story to hide what really happened between the Sallows, and make it look like a family argument instead. He's the one to alert MC that Anne went to get Solomon, and that we should do something about it immediately. He is the safety net of all these people in his life.

—---—---—---—---—

IV. Corporeal Patronus

I want to give a shout out to @ponfarrdraws for discussing this with me!

We were wondering what Ominis' corporeal Patronus would be, should he be able to cast one. I've had a lot of speculation, going through one animal at a time. But ultimately settled with a Mongoose. This animal is not on the official list of Patronuses but it still has a lot of weight and meaning.

This article states that mongooses are a symbol of protection and are considered to be wards against evil. To quote:

"As a totem, the mongoose has the magical attributes of defense, protection, and destroying evil. The mongoose symbolizes action, adventure, boldness, fearlessness, impulsiveness, independence, optimism, rebellion, resistance, resourcefulness, speed, and adaptation. As a spirit animal, it encourages us to confront our enemies because we can overcome much stronger rivals than ourselves."

If Ominis were to find himself facing a dementor, he would probably be the first to sense its presence, and probably the most affected. Even though he wouldn't be able to see the frightening features of a dementor, he would be feeling the immediate change in his senses — his environment growing cold, no sounds of animals around, and the overall sensation of hopelessness and misery. He would be completely thrown off by the sudden change in his surroundings; something that would send him into a state of panic.

But with this Patronus, it represents his determination to stand firm in the face of adversity, to not give in easily without putting up a fight, and to prove that he is as deadly as any dementor that would stand in his way.

I personally headcanon this animal for obvious reasons. He truly is a fighter in a den of snakes. No matter how many times his family strikes against him, he just takes his time to recover and stand back up again. He is clearly outnumbered by his family members. No one else can support him in his opposition ever since his Aunt Noctua passed away. Regardless, he doesn't seem the kind to bow his head in defeat just to save his skin. He fights back until he can't anymore; something the mongoose is well-known for.

And let's just say that Ominis did die at 50-years of age. He still got the last laugh out of them all since he got to pass away on his own terms, away from the very people he loathed since childhood. That's still a victory in his book, and that's what this patronus represents.

—---—---—---—---—

V. Wand Information

1. Wand Wood

Based on the physical characteristics of this wand and the meaning of the wood, it's highly possible that Ominis' wand is made from Ebony Wood.

According to the wand wood information:

"This jet-black wand wood has an impressive appearance and reputation, being highly suited to all manner of combative magic, and to Transfiguration. Ebony is happiest in the hand of those with the courage to be themselves. Frequently non-conformist, highly individual or comfortable with the status of outsider, ebony wand owners have been found both among the ranks of the Order of the Phoenix and among the Death Eaters. [...] the ebony wand’s perfect match is one who will hold fast to his or her beliefs, no matter what the external pressure, and will not be swayed lightly from their purpose."

This type of wand wood, in my opinion, is a reflection of Ominis' conviction in his views. I find it fascinating and admirable that even in the face of losing his friendship with Sebastian, he didn't bow down and agree with Sebastian's methods. Sure, he gets convinced by the MC to let them deal with it. But at the end of the day, Ominis is strictly against the use of the Dark Arts. Furthermore, he does everything to maintain his moral compass despite being surrounded by people (friends and family) who practice and preach about the unforgivable curses.

Also! I'd like to add the conversation I had with @tennoujinerin about Ominis' godly self-restraint. We believe that while most of us admire Ominis for his kindness, temperance, compassion, and commitment to the good cause, he is someone who can easily turn it all around. He is born in a family of pureblood supremacists who have no qualms in utilizing the Dark Arts like it's a daily chore. He most definitely is very, very familiar with Dark Spells that maybe even Sebastian isn't aware of. If pushed to the brink of survival, there's a possibility that Ominis could reconsider his relationship with the Dark Arts. And this wand wood is perfect for that kind of change of heart.

2. Wand Core

For this part, I admit I was stumped for a while. I believe all the three cores that Ollivanders usually has could be a good fit for Ominis for a plethora of different reasons. But it still feels... lacking. Like, something was missing for this special wand to work.

That's why in the end, I think Ominis has two wand cores that were needed to suit his special needs. He needs a core that reflects his personality and another to aid him with his magical abilities. And for that, the cores of his wand are a combination of Unicorn Hair and Horned Serpent Horn.

"Unicorn Hair generally produces the most consistent magic. These wands are the hardest to turn to the Dark Arts. The most faithful wands have unicorn hair, making them bond strongly with their owner. They are prone to melancholy if seriously mishandled, meaning that the hair may ‘die’ and need replacing."

While this core could technically be enough, it just doesn't feel customized enough. We know that his wand emits a red pulse at the tip to help him navigate his surroundings. Therefore, this wand needs another core to bolster its utility.

"Wands made with Horned Serpent Horn are exceptionally power, creating massive spell effects regards of the user's skill. Sensitive to Parseltongue and would vibrate when Parseltounge is being spoken near it, and can warn their owners of danger by emitting a low musical tone. These wands were said to only bond with one user through it's lifetime, but this is only a rumor for now."

These two cores encased in ebony wood make for such a personalized wand. The fact that Horned Serpent Horn core warns its owner about incoming danger is an important factor for Ominis' safety and security. He needs to be alerted for when hexes and spells are being blasted in his way. And as for all serpentine cores, it's also sensitive to Parseltongue.

(Maybe it's just me but I believe that Horned Serpents are the antithesis of Basilisks. Having this creature's horn as Ominis' wand core would be the ultimate and tangible symbol of his rebellion against Salazar Slytherin's secret weapon, that lies in the Chamber of Secrets, and everything his family taught him to uphold).

3. Wand Flexibility and Length

According to the official source:

"Wand flexibility or rigidity denotes the degree of adaptability and willingness to change possessed by the wand-and-owner pair."

Because of that, his wand is most likely Rigid. This source had explained it perfectly:

"A wand of this flexibility will only give its complete loyalty to an owner who has faced great personal tragedy. It is particularly good for practical magic use, and thus usually doesn't perform well for magic that is frivolous or silly. Rigid wand owners are cautious and have difficulty trusting others, but they are not usually unkind people. Generally, they prefer to be left alone so that they can do what they want to do, regardless of what anyone else says."

(If you're not a Slytherin in the game, your first interaction with Ominis is surely abrasive and tense. And that's because he truly is cautious, and wants his private spaces to be left alone).

Lastly, this wand is on the longer side, measuring at around 14 inches. He needs a wand that can act like an extension of himself; just like blind muggles need a mobility cane.

TL;DR:

Ebony with Unicorn Hair and Horned Serpent Horn Core, Rigid and 14 inches.

—---—---—---—---—

Phew! 😮‍💨 This post took a very, very long time to make. But I am extremely glad for the assistance, conversations, and opinions of other wonderful people here on Tumblr and Discord! I swear, I love you all.

I want to give love and credit to the following:

@damn-it-a-hogwarts-legacy-blog (You're the one who really inspired me to finally get my mind together and put my brain cells to use. I admire your creativity towards your headcanons so much, and I want to share this with you!) 🫡

@tennoujinerin (Our conversations are the highlight of my obsession in this fandom. I love our collaborative thoughts, and I hope you enjoyed this one. See you in the basement! 😈)

@ponfarrdraws (I think my delusions have reached its peak with this long-ass post. But I just have to let out my aggressive emotions about Ominis! I know you get it, and I'm glad I got to know you).

@diligentcranberry (Thank you once again for entertaining my craziness. My OCD is now satiated with these information out in the open. I originally didn't want to post anything about this until you talked to me about the locations. So, thank you!)

Update (October 29, 2024): I recently finished Sebastian's version of this post, as a companion post for this one.

[isthepame]

Blue Lock VS. U-20 JAPAN Serialised Interview, Part 2

Makoto Furukawa as Tabito Karasu – Exploring Karasu’s ‘Calculating Nature’ and ‘Aura of Dominance’

Interviewer: Could you share your thoughts on the story’s focus in Season 2, particularly the "U-20 Japan National Team Match"? What aspects of it do you find most striking or appealing?

Makoto Furukawa (voice of Tabito Karasu): Seeing the individuals who have previously clashed so fiercely now come together as teammates to face the U-20 players has a certain emotional depth to it.

When you think of the U-20 Japan National Team in real life, it’s often seen as a dream team, made up of players selected from across various regions. But in a way, the Blue Lock players are no less of a dream team themselves. This makes for an incredibly thrilling and dynamic development in the story.

Interviewer: What was your first impression of Tabito Karasu as a character, and what do you focus on when portraying him?

M. Furukawa: One of the key directions I received was to emphasise his "calculating nature." I try to incorporate that subtly throughout my performance. While his surname, "Karasu," means "crow," his personality and troublesome nature remind me more of a "snake" a comparison that was also highlighted in the direction I received.

Another important aspect is his Kansai dialect. I was provided with guide audio beforehand, and adapting its nuances to match the character's pace and the visuals was quite challenging. I’ve also had the opportunity to learn from people on set who are from the Kansai region, which has been incredibly helpful and much appreciated.

Interviewer: In Episode 2, we saw Team A face off against Team B in a match to decide the regular players for the "U-20 Japan National Team Match." There was also a scene where Karasu and Kageya Otoya stood together as the team's two forwards. Could you share your impressions of Episode 2 and any scenes that stood out to you?

M. Furukawa: Looking back after recording, I feel that this episode served as an introduction for characters who hadn’t yet had much opportunity to shine in the story. I hoped to convey the "aura of strength" that comes with surviving Blue Lock. In a sense, this episode felt like a self-introduction for many characters, so I hope viewers will continue to support them moving forward.

Interviewer: In this episode, Karasu’s sharp analytical skills and his knack for being a disruptor were on full display, such as when he referred to Isagi as "ordinary." How did you approach these aspects in your performance?

M. Furukawa: I focused on creating the sense that Karasu could "disable" his target player (functionally speaking). By subtly hinting at malice and applying pressure bit by bit, I aimed to build that tension in the performance.

Since I also considered the physical aspects of his character, it’s possible that the sense of pressure came across even stronger than intended.

Interviewer: Lastly, could you share what viewers should look forward to in the coming episodes?

M. Furukawa: As many already know, the match against the U-20 players is a major highlight. However, what excites me most is the personal growth and human drama that unfolds throughout the series it’s truly inspiring.

Personally, I was particularly struck by Ego’s long monologue.

Of course, the individual moments of brilliance from each character are also something to look forward to. Please enjoy the broadcast!

Interview by Chihiro Sasamoto.

Edited by Inari Ogawa.

Translated by isthepame (X)

Source: animateTimes

[midnight-in-town]

Hey =) how do you think that Coco will feel when she'll know what happened to Galga? Considering that she has indirectly caused this situation? Of course it's not her and Tarta fault but Ininia wouldn't have been able to erase Galga's memories if he had not been unable to move. Especially that he was just doing his job, is a very kind man, and wasn't as extreme that mister rampage that they had to drug to calm him (and i hope HE will be punished for what he did because he got a lot too far).

Hey Anon ! My apologies for the delay :) The pace has been on and off in WHA, so I admit I haven't been keeping up seriously with the recent releases !

To answer your questions :

"how do you think that Coco will feel when she'll know what happened to Galga?"

Since Coco is a very nice girl, I'm sure she'll feel guilty about Galga, though I'd like to emphasize that I don't think any of the children (Coco, Tartar, Ininia and Coustas) should be blamed for what happened.

As I’ve been saying in the past, children don’t know better and can’t be blamed for being manipulated by adults, which was clearly the case for Ininia and Coustas. As for Coco, she and Tartar were trying to protect their friends (and rightful victims of the current system, let's be clear) and neither meant for Galga to lose his memories.

Galga's amnesia is the fault of Lord Restis and, more generally, I believe the Knights Moralis are fully to blame for evicting their comrade with barely an afterthought because "that's the law".

Again, WHA is about being allowed to criticize an unfair magic system that benefits only a few, since the system causes victims to be blamed instead of being protected, meaning it's beyond flawed and needs changing.

And children like Coco (especially Coco-chan who used to be ignorant of what magic is in this universe) innocently try to provoke change, to make mentalities change, offering creative solutions to a rigid issue.

It's that simple : to most adults, there is no creativity, the law can't be changed, obviously because they benefit from it. To children, it needs changing, because children will naturally wonder about the rules and about the world they live in ; that's why they want to learn and understand why "forbidden" spells are forbidden.

Ultimately though, what's important in this arc is that Coco figured out that they all share the same purpose, as Qifrey taught her, and it's why she's so determined to help Coustas :

So no, while I think Coco could feel guilty because she's a good child, she's in no way to blame for what happened to Galga and I hope many adults will reassure her.

Overall, I find it ironic that, despite Galga really being such a nice man, being a part of such a rigid and oppressing system cost him not only his memory but his whole life, as he was evicted from his own community the second he started needing their help. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

That's why I can't forgive Estheath for now. Speaking of him:

"do you think that what [Estheath] did will have consequence ?"

Shirahama-sensei is a good and consistent writer, so yeah, I sure damn hope so !

First of all, I think an institution like the Knights Moralis was written specifically to highlight what's unfair in the current magic system and that doesn't mean characters can't develop or get redemption, on the contrary !

Take my girl Lulucy for instance : she was a victim of one part of the system and she chose to join the Knights Moralis because they rescued her. Now confronted by the reality of the current crisis and the proposed solutions, she admits that change can be good :

Because, as a character, Lulucy is capable of understanding and accepting that change is a necessity given the situation ; that's why she went against the same Knights Moralis who saved her, as soon as Estheath went on a legal rampage against his own boss and a 12 year old little girl.

So yes, I'm sure consequences (and maybe even redemption ?) will come for Estheath, seeing as he was proven wrong before he even decided to erase everyone's memories. Because yes, fighting for change can be hard, but if everyone works on it, it will often lead to more positive results than refusing change altogether.

In the current arc, it's the sum of Coco fighting for her ideas in front of Beldarut, Agathe's love for decorative sigils, Riche's talent with tiny spells and Tetia's final idea that created "the opportunity for overcoming diversity" :

Estheath' big issue is that, unlike Lulucy, he doesn't see past the fear of the pact being broken. They taught him "beware of the dark days before the pact" and that's literally all he cares about, because "change" represents an unknown concept that he can't handle.

Estheath fears change, because he has no control over what dozens of witches will do with a knowledge he considers dangerous.

As a character entirely lost in his own subjectivity, he stagnates and thus he will face consequences for refusing to change, preferring to attack his own mentor and a 12 year old instead of confronting his fears.

Don't get me wrong though, as I've written before, I believe it's entirely possible that the 3 Sages and Estheath are aware of a dark (and still unknown to us) truth hiding behind that pact. Maybe the disappearance of magic altogether if the pact is broken and dark days arise once more ? That would explain why Estheath is so afraid of change and why the Brim Hats are indeed a threat...

...but that still doesn't mean he had the right to attack all these people.

There is a lot we still don't know, but WHA still stands strong on the idea that knowledge, or lack thereof, being the justification for blaming the victims and the vulnerable is wrong.

Sorry for rambling, I hope it made sense, haha ! Last but not least, I'd like to show everyone these pages depicting Coco's resolve, because they were breathtakingly beautiful !

Despite not knowing every little dark secret, my girl is not in the wrong and that's probably why she's Iguin's hope still (as bad as it sounds, admittedly).

I hope I answered your questions, have a good day Anon ! :D

[delawaredetroit]

If you don't mind me asking a similar question as last time, is there anything you would change or rewrite in Act II? (For me, I would've made the Nighteye Agency arc a training arc where izuku learns prediction and analysis, and have it run parallel to Ochako's internship (which gets a bigger focus here and highlights other aspects in heroics like emergency logistics or communications) and Shouto/Bakugou's makeup classes/final exam and gotten rid of the Joint Training Arc altogether.)

Hmm, believe it or not, I wouldn't make as many changes to Act Two. Horikoshi is better at setups compared to executions, and most of Act Two is set ups.

In retrospect, the Provisional Licensing Exam wasn't a bad Arc. It brings the Commission and how they quantify good heroics out into the forefront. Bakugou not getting his license was a good choice. Shouto failing also made sense under the circumstances, though it would have been more meaningful if Inasa's motivations were a bit more compelling than you're dad was mean to me once as a kid.

Deku versus Kacchan Part Two: It needed more from Izuku. Izuku needed to be able to air his grievances to make this fight tolerable. Also, less coddling of Bakugou right afterwards from All Might would have helped. Bakugou finding out about One for All wasn't the end of the world. It allowed someone to think about the gravity of the situation but still not care enough about Izuku as a person to stop the downward spiral Horikoshi had planned for him.

Overhaul/Shie Hassaikai: I wouldn't change much of anything about the Nighteye, Mirio, and Izuku aspect of this arc. It was a good character conflict for Izuku, but the issue is that he never got to really resolve the insecurity he gains from this arc. The character backstory for Nejire that Horikoshi put in the final arc should have been placed here with the rest of the Big Three's backstories. The final arc was too late to make the readers care about Nejire and because her backstory parallels Shouto and Bakugou's backstories in some ways, it could have made the transition to their little Babysitter's Club Arc less janky. Ochako had a key moment of character development at the end about her goals as a hero that would have been more effective if there was more focus on her work study throughout the arc. The pacing of the hideout raid portion of this arc was a mess and some of it could have been cut out without affecting the story in any meaningful way.

I wouldn't change much about the make up classes/babysitter's club arc. All Might and Endeavor's conversation on what it means to be a symbol matters. This arc could have done more with Camie and Inasa considering it was the last time there was time to make the reader care about them. Both Bakugou and Shouto had good character development too.

School Festival Arc: Something about the pacing of it just felt off. The main beats of saving someone's spirit as well as physically were all well and good, but for a Class 1A arc it mostly only did anything interesting with Jirou and Aoyama (and Izuku). It's also unclear to me why La Brava was set up as a redeemable villain in this arc. More would need to be added about her and her goals/ideals to make that believable or thematically consistent.

Pro hero arc: Hawks' introduction was on point and the Commission was originally an interesting potential antagonist. Some of the Endeavor stuff from this arc was really jarring when it initially came out, but it's less of an issue given how Endeavor's arc ends. It would have been better if there was more dialogue from Shouto, Fuyumi, and Natsuo about their misgivings about the situation.

Joint Training Arc: Just remove this arc entirely outside of the One for All lore. Almost none of this was necessary. It was far too late in the story to introduce Class 1B. This should have already happened in the Sports Festival and the Forest Training Arcs.

This post is already long and Act Two covers around half the manga, so I'll end it here. These were the arcs that covered the immediate aftermath of All Might's retirement and normal hero society. Everything after this point was the set up for the war that destroys everything later.

[johanna-swann]

What do you mean they’re playing both sides? I have the same thoughts, but I’d like to hear your take on it if you don’t mind

Oh, careful what you wish for. I love these kinds of questions and usually use them as an excuse to go on particularly long rants.

What I'm referring to specifically here is some tweets I saw screenshots of in the 911 tag earlier and that made me think: "Oh the buddie baiting is strong in this one." There are different levels to this, different players or stakeholders if you will each with their own agenda.

First we have the interviewer. If he wanted to actually focus on Eddie as an individual character you'd think he'd at least mention Eddie's child by name. I mean, nobody has spoken the names "Marisol", "Kim" or "Shannon" all season - Christopher is the part of this story line they've decided to focus on so far and basically all of Eddie's important scenes in 8a featured a conversation with or about Chris. But instead of bringing that up the interviewer makes sure to specifically mention that he asked about "what's going on between [...] Eddie & Buck" and in a follow-up tweet even promises that not once in his interview were they described as "brothers". The clickbait could not be more obvious, he's pandering to a very specific sub-group of the fandom here. This is an interview for the Buddie shippers. People who care about Eddie's development outside of the shipping question? They can cope without details. It's a Ryan Guzman interview, what more do you need to know?

This has become very normal for 911 related interviews in a way, at least as far as Oliver Stark and Ryan Guzman are concerned. Them not being asked about the ship has become the exception, interviews with at least one Buddie question are the norm. Even other cast and crew members get asked about this on a regular basis, especially Tim Minear. And I sort of get it, I don't like or approve of these clickbait articles, but I get the logic behind it. These online tv articles are mostly read by fans who spend time online as fans and shippers make up a big part of that crowd. There have been many Buddie themed interviews and so far it hasn't meant anything or led anywhere.

This ambiguity also means that Ryan Guzman himself went into the interview with the intention of keeping Buddie shippers' hopes up (no judgement intended). Last year we got several interviews in which he mentioned how important it is to him to portray the "friendship" between a "straight" and a "bisexual" man, etc. In this newest interview he seems to be aiming for a different tone - or at least so the interviewer suggests in his tweets. Why would Ryan Guzman change or adjust his stance on this topic? Probably because Tim Minear or somebody else with similar amount of relevance told him to.

Actors do not just say whatever they like in these interviews. They are told by the higher-ups if there are important things they should bring up or, the other way around, if there are things they absolute cannot say. If "the powers that be" of 911 didn't want the Buddie shippers to think there's something going on then they would take a clearer stance (and they wouldn't film scenes like that leaked good-bye hug out in the open). Then again the interviewer highlights the "open" answers he got from RG, so I'm almost sure that there is nothing in that interview that would actually indicate imminent Buddie canon to anyone looking at it at least a little objectively. Keeping us guessing is keeping the buzz alive in the long run and that's what they need more than anything: For the show to be talked about.

In-universe there are also Buck's and Eddie's unfinished story lines to consider. Eddie is still a complete mess and Buck has not stopped baking or thinking about Tommy yet. Not that 911 has been writing particularly sensible plots recently, but throwing a new relationship into the mix on top of everything else doesn't make much sense to me.

Thinking further into the future, I don't even think that Buddie has zero chances and is under no circumstances ever going to happen. Personally I think that maybe no final decision has been made about it yet either way and everyone involved acts and speaks accordingly.

That's an interesting philosophical question though: Is it still baiting if the 911 gods themselves don't know what they're going to do yet?

I put a cut here because I got side tracked thinking about why I don't believe Buddie will go canon unless the show is about to end.

Eddie and Buck are the two characters on the show where the writers still have a lot of wiggle room in regards of where their journeys are going. Athena and Bobby are going to stay married and keep doing their jobs because otherwise what is the show going to do with them? Hen will stay married with kids, she'll keep her job with the 118 and maybe they'll bring back the work vs. family conflict (the show has been very uncreative in writing exciting stories for her), but what else are they going to do with her character? Chimney and Maddie are going to stay together, they're married now, they have a second kid on the way - what more is the show going to do with them?

There will be short story lines about struggles or disasters or maybe some fun B-plots, but that's it. The show is not going to kill off or break up any of these couples. Maybe Athena or Bobby or both of them will retire / take a desk job shortly before the show ends for good, but until then they won't make any major changes to their lives. Same goes for job opportunities for Hen and Chim. Hen might take over as Captain of the 118 eventually, Chim might take a job at the academy, but none of that is going to happen before the show ends for good because they can't very well split the 118 up before then. Maddie might become floor manager or something, but she needs to stay with the call centre because 911 needs a main character at the call centre to keep functioning.

Either way, a happy end for all 5 of will include them staying with the partner they've been with since forever, still doing the job they love and have had since forever (maybe pepper in a well earned promotion or retirement towards the end) and still being part of the firefam that has existed since forever. We know where their stories end because they're already there.

Buck and Eddie? There is room here, but only if they keep the Buddie question unanswered for now. The very second those two get together we'll know they're endgame - just like we new Madney would be endgame the second they met and just like we knew Bathena would stick together from the start. The moment they answer the Buddie question with "yes", they close every and each opportunity on any surprise twists with serious long term effects. With every other love interest there would be a "will they or won't they last" phase, but Buddie? If they actually went canon then the answer would be "they will". We could still watch Buddie pass the relationship milestones, but there wouldn't be anymore big surprises. 911 would have all their main characters backed into corners with no more room for actual twists to their stories and what kind of show would that be?

Right now we know nothing. Buck might end up dating a woman again. He could end up with a guy. Or a non-binary third option. He might end up moving out of the loft for a different reason. He could decide to adopt a kid without having a partner. Eddie might decide to stay single and concentrate on other things. He might go to therapy again, finally bury Shannon's ghost. The point is we don't know yet, anything could happen and that's part of what keeps the show exciting.

Aside from "keeping their options fluid", the show might also tread carefully on account of the (current) political climate in the US. The show is often described, praised even as very diverse, but is it really?

All the important female characters on the show are married and have children. Actually all the couples are married and have (step) children. Many of the the female characters' story lines revolve around being caretakers: For Carla it's literally her job, Abby is taking care of her mother, Ana is a teacher and Eddie dates her in an attempt to replace his wife, Hen & Karen always get settled with a custody battle story line, Eva only ever comes back to stir up trouble because of Denny, Shannon to this day is mostly the mother of his child in Eddie's mind.

There's exactly one disabled character who is still a child and logically not a first responder. Mental illnesses like Eddie's ptsd and Maddie's ppd are very temporary struggles that can be dropped when a plot line is over and not chronic illnesses. [This makes a little sense for Maddie's ppd, but she also mentions in 5x12 that she has often struggled with depression and suicidal ideation since Daniel died. Yet we never see her have a depressive episode outside tof the season 5 arc.] Buck's chronic pain issues post-ladder truck explosion are purely fanon and Bobby's chronic back pain is only mentioned in a single flashback.

The only religious characters are (Catholic) Christians.

Recently the show has focused a lot on the characters in their nuclear families instead of strengthening the friendships, I'm far from the first or only person to have noticed that.

They gave Captain Arsehole Gerrard a make-over in between seasons which turned him from a slur-spouting bigot into a grumpy grandpa who got his own happy ending working on a tv show with an actor he admires while Ortiz, a woman of colour in a political leadership position, was revealed to be the devil incarnate who got all the blame and all the punishment. Not sure I would've done it that way.

Then there is of course the never-ending copaganda.

Specifically on the topic of queer 911 characters: Until very recently the show had only one type of queer character: "Cut and dried cases" of homosexual characters who appeared rather gender-conforming, led amatonormative life styles (married with kids) and as black characters were already part of 911's "woke agenda" anyway, if I may put it that drastically. Oh, and Josh was there, but as Maddie's personal gay bbf / sidekick with barely any story lines for himself he isn't exactly ground breaking representation in my humble opinion. Of course it's still great to have these characters, especially a couple of black lesbians, but up until season 7 911 represented only gender- and amatonormal gays and lesbians. No trans characters, no aro or ace characters, no m-spec characters, no polyam characters, no ambiguously/unlabeled queer characters. I wanted to point that out.

Now we also have Buck which I count as a big win. They took thee cis-het white man of the show and made him queer 7 seasons into the show. There was some backlash about this last year though and I really am doubtful that 911 would turn both their young single macho men queer while they're already wrestling with slowly declining viewing figures and getting their frankly ridiculous budget approved which they need to keep this show running. That all on top of the recent and ongoing political events. DEI who?

Again, I'm not saying there is no way, but even if they do want to get there (Buddie canon) eventually - if the show wants to keep running for a couple more seasons they will probably wait before making any irreversible decisions on Eddie's sexuality. Until then they will allow more Buddie centric interviews and give vague non-answers, appeasing both people who don't want the ship to go canon and those who want nothing more.

[sapphic-agent]

I really hope my ask won't be seen as mean, hope to word correctly....bc your last post about how Eri and Shig do share some common ground. I agree but it irks me how LoV stans use this to make shig sound not so bad.

Many fics and arts where "shig saved Eri" exists as Eri is an accessory for Shig and nothing else.

I do see the paralels here. I do wonder about the mother....did overhaul killed her?

It's very convenient for the heroes to label Eri's quirk as good ...bc if she had just decay...she would be label as having a bad quirk. Maybe the heroes wouldn't care much. (Makes me wonder where are the healing quirks or medical advancement in this world)

But while they have a similar backstory...how Izu would possible know? I sincerely ask here bc AM went radio silence regards Shig to Izu, same with Gran and the police did a really lousy investigation (I'm assuming is lousy bc we don't see what they did and whatever they did it was one time thing) and didn't share the infos with Izu.

Does Izu knows about the nomus?

Im even surprised he knows shig is TENKO...but of course, such reveal is underwealming as fuck and him and Nana don't take at all.

Izu is mistreated by the narrative and no one talks to him ever.

Not to harpy on your post bc I agree this could have been useful....but like how Izu would know anything about Shig? Unless Shig tells or Izu becames the best hacker ever...or reads mind...he can't know. Ever.

I've said this before, but the reason Izuku doesn't understand Shigaraki is because they haven't interacted enough prior to the Final War.

Their conversation at the mall was a good moment. It shows that a) Izuku has the capacity to resonate with a villain's intent AND disagree with their actions (Stain), b) Shigaraki at this point didn't have a goal or direction, and c) it IS possible for Izuku to understand why hero society is corrupt. It also highlights the differences between them, attempting to show them as complete opposites.

The mall scene was a great way to explain the dynamic between them. And it's something that should have been expanded on throughout the story.

Admittedly, I don't know how Shigaraki's backstory would come up. But I'm sure it wouldn't be a hard thing to do. Didn't All Might pull up Tenko Shimura's disappearance? Maybe Izuku figures it out on his own somehow. Idk.

But to me, it doesn't even specifically have to be Tenko's actual past. It could be an implied thing that Izuku learns from watching how people treat Eri. Hell, part of him already has a clue from his fight with Shinsou.

(One thing I actually hate about Izuku's character is his inability to acknowledge the corruption of society despite being a victim of it. He started off being able to do this with Stain, but for some reason that just went away. He studies under Endeavor, even defends him to Dabi and tells Todoroki he's ready to forgive him. Lady Nagant spelled it out for him and he just... Doesn't react. Doesn't even think about what she said. This is on Horikoshi's awful writing decisions, but it's the one criticism of Izuku that's 100% valid)

Eri shouldn't be used for Shigaraki's redemption. I honestly wouldn't want her around any of the LOV, that's putting her in danger to make another character look better. It's the same issue that I have with Aizawa making Bakugou watch her.

But I do think that Izuku's experiences with the people around him- which includes Eri- should give him a broader worldview. That's typically how development and growth work. If Izuku was going to reach out and try to save Shigaraki, it should have been with an understanding of how society failed Shigaraki.

Saving him also could have meant a lot of different things. Saving Shigaraki from AFO's influence/brainwashing wasn't a bad goal. Saving him from himself, though, is different. People have to want to change, you can't make them. You can give them support, but Izuku wasn't in a position to do so because he's, y'know, a sixteen year old who isn't even an official pro hero. Of course he wasn't equipped for this. Most actual pros wouldn't have been

[itsnobodysproblem]

Alright. This is part 1 of a list with the questions already addressed in mailbag episodes on patreon. I've shortened or paraphrased some of them, for space and clarity.

I'll also eventually have all of them in this google doc. Hopefully. Ok let's go.

Mailbag Questions 1-10

Mailbag 1

23 Jan 2024, aired between Redh & Glor

Where to go when visiting London?

What are your hobbies?

How did Archie get his name?

Sherlock, [...] have you ever handled cases in New Zealand?

Is Sherlock's hugging machine based on that of Temple Grandin's?

Why did Sherlock need John's shoelaces?

John, if you miss an upload, should we assume you and Sherlock have been arrested or are dead?

Favourite Shakespeare play?

Favourite tv show?

(For Sherlock) Do you have a sweet tooth?

(For John) Do you use a cane for your leg injury?

30 Jan 2024, aired between Redh & Glor

Mailbag 2

If you could make a Spotify playlist for each other [...] what would some of the highlights be?

Has Sherlock ever hit a vape? What flavour?

(For Sherlock) Do you have a favourite classical piece or a favourite composer?

(For John) If you were an animal, what animal would you be? +

What kitchen appliance would you be?

Sherlock, what kinds of biscuits are the best?

Favourite supermarket, Tesco or Sainsbury's?

What is the story behind the theme tune?

Mailbag 3

13 Feb 2024, aired between Glor & Soli

If you go to Subway, what do you usually order?

If you guys want another pet, what animal would it be? 

Favorite case you’ve solved so far?

(For Sherlock) Any specific reason you started smoking a pipe?

Does Archie get human food? Who feeds it to him?

(For Sherlock) Do you have any piercings? If you don’t, do you want any? Which ones?

(For Sherlock) Your deductive skills, was it a talent you were born with or a skill that you developed [...]?

(For John) Has your mother finally listened to the podcast? If yes, what does she think of it? 

The flowers on my orchids are gone, but the plants themselves are thriving. [...] Will the flowers ever come back?

(For John) Any funny memories from your childhood that you’d like to share with us?

Mailbag 4

27 Feb 2024, aired between Soli & Cree

Favorite tube line?

How do you both know Stamford?

Do you believe in ghosts?

(For John) Did you suffer any hearing loss during your army days?

Dogs or Cats?

Favorite musical?

Did you feel bad for Violet Caruthers?

How many languages do you know?

(For Sherlock) Have you seen any of the fan content?

Does the fingerprint in your logo make an ‘S’ and is that deliberate?

What’s your spice tolerance?

Multiple questions about John describing a woman as ‘tasty’.

(For John) Thoughts on ranch dressing?

Does Sherlock have any tattoos?

What is your advice about dealing with a noisy flatmate?

Mailbag 5

12 Mar 2024, aired between Cree & Reti

Who has been your favourite client so far?

John, which football position do you prefer?

What superpower would you have?

Favourite book genre?

Favourite hobbit characters?

(For John and Mariana) Are you partial to karaoke? If so, what songs?

Sherlock, would you still love Watson if he was a worm?

John, will you make a tumblr?

How many cases have you not published on the podcast? [...]

(For John and Sherlock) How do you keep your bedroom? Are you more organised or messy? [...] 

Dream jobs as kids?

Did Sherlock share a room at home or in school? How about you, John?

Mailbag 6

19 Mar 2024, aired between Cree & Reti

(For Mariana) ¿Cómo es vivir con John y Sherlock? ¿Tienen hábitos que te molestan?

Where is Mariana from?

Did you bury Ratthew?

(For Sherlock) Why do you like maps?

(For all) What was the moment you realised your job was right for you? +

What has been your favourite moment with Sherlock & Co?*

Could we let Sherlock choose a question?

Favourite tube stations? Over and/or underground. 

How is Violet doing? Has she ditched Zach yet?

(For John) Do you have the mic running majority of the time just in case something happens? Or do you have a bit of a spidey sense [...]?

(For Sherlock) Do you know every tube station with a toilet?

* They didn't actually answer this one.

Mailbag 7

16 Apr 2024, aired between Silv & Reig

No questions. They got distracted by a possible shoplifter.

Mailbag 8 

23 Apr 2024, aired between Silv & Reig

Dr Watson, do you have a favourite pigeon?

Do any of you have any siblings?*

Favourite fictional detective?

Height?

What do you look like?**

Sherlock, how do you cope when you think you aren't real?

John, do you have any collections?

How frequently are you on cases? Are there more cases than there is downtime or viceversa [...]?

(For John) How did Waterfalls become your toothbrushing song? Do you have songs for any other routines?

If Carol Watson's phone number was an amount of money, how much money would you have-

Would you rather have toes as long as fingers or fingers as long as toes?

Sherlock, have you ever thought about keeping bees? + 

John, have you ever rode a horse?

Sherlock, what's your favourite stim ever or at the moment?

Favourite museum in London?

Favourite hot beverage? What food would you eat for a week straight? +

If you could travel to one moment in the entire human past, which moment would it be?

Favourite place to visit?

Opinions on Pirates of the Caribbean? 

Apart from the violin, what is Sherlock's favourite orchestral instrument?

Would you rather fight one horse-sized duck or a hundred duck-sized horses?

Worm question, other way round: Would John still love Sherlock if he was a worm?

* Sherlock wasn't actually in the room so only John answered.

** They don't answer that. 

Mailbag 9

30 Apr 2024, aired between Silv & Reig

Tesco meal deal of choice? + What are your nightly routines?

Hogwarts houses?

(For Sherlock) How did you start helping the police with investigations?

Did John do any writing of fiction beforehand, or journaling?

(For John) Is Guinness your main poison or are you partial to anything else?

(For Sherlock) [...] What is the highest thing you have or would plan to climb?

Bonus: "And why were you climbing outside my window that time?"

(For Sherlock) Were you ever stunned by police incompetence?

Trolley problem, but it's five people against your roomie. Do you pull the lever?

(For John) If you were to face Sherlock as an opponent in either chess, go, or poker, which game do you think you would have the best chance of winning in?

Mailbag 10

14 May 2024, aired between Reig & Iden

John asks Sherlock how he pronounces "scone".

Do you have a favourite memory?

Did you have any 'phases' in your adolescence or young adulthood?

What was lockdown for you?

Did you ever get caught, as a kid, doing something you were not supposed to? And if so, what was it?

[biohazard-4ever]

I got into RE during the RE7/8/Remakes era and honestly that may be one of the reasons why I dislike aeon as a romantic ship. Their dynamic is interesting, but RE2make AND RE4make had me thinking that their relationship was so shaky, and Leon’s distrusting now (compared to OG). Well, that’s the impression I got. The kiss scene made me uncomfortable, but that’s an unpopular opinion, I think.

Maybe I could’ve tolerated them more if I got to know OG aeon first. I guess this is also the reason why there are more shipwars in recent time—since you got some aeons defending them by using the OG material, then others (like me) who don’t favor them as much because of the remake changes.

But then again, I have irl friends who despises aeon because of RE6 too…

I got into RE during the RE7/8/Remakes era and honestly that may be one of the reasons why I dislike aeon as a romantic ship.

Well, I have been in the fandom since God-knows-when, and I never shipped them. I just think the dynamic isn't well-developed, to be honest. They focused more on Ada as Leon's counterpart than on making her a genuine and independent character, so I never liked it. Many others feel the same way.

The kiss scene made me uncomfortable, but that’s an unpopular opinion, I think.

Nah. Even some A/eon shippers are not huge fans of the kiss in RE2Remake. It is not just you.

Maybe I could’ve tolerated them more if I got to know OG aeon first. I guess this is also the reason why there are more shipwars in recent time

Actually, the ship wars have become more intense because plenty of 'YouTube players' (i.e., people who don’t play the games but just watch gameplays) are now a big part of the shipping community. You know, those who follow the franchise solely because of a ship or character, giving the impression of an 'increase in fans' when they’re really just 'YouTube game watchers.' That, combined with the fact that Cleon got a bit more 'love' from Capcom—dropping pieces and bits for fans to nibble on—has created two polar opposites in the fandom.

But then again, I have irl friends who despises aeon because of RE6 too…

Leon faced a lot of hate during his RE6 era, to be honest. That’s when his haters really started to show up, with people complaining and calling him a 'simp,' and some even labeling him an 'incel,' yada yada. RE2 Remake helped people warm up to him a bit, and RE4 Remake made his popularity skyrocket. Fans especially highlight, 'He’s not a simp anymore.'

As for me, my main issues with RE6 are the quick-time events, the gameplay, and the graphics. In both RE6 and Revelations 2, the character models look odd. Their mouths give them this weird 'frog face'—I don’t know how else to explain it. I absolutely hate it.

and also to add: it’s quite interesting that they also changed Leon and Claire’s interactions to have a little more… affection towards each other?

Cleon isn’t exactly unheard of in the community. In the OG timeline, they have more of a sibling-like dynamic—though not entirely. For instance, in Degeneration, Claire kind of flirts with Leon, but not in a serious way. Also, in the novels written by S.D. Perry—while not considered canon by the fandom—she was a hired writer, paid by Capcom, and even received early character designs and unreleased information to use in her work.

In the S.D. Perry novels, you could argue that Cleon is kind of canon. They’re often described as being close to 'lovers,' and there’s even a moment where Chris mentally notes that he should ask Leon how far things have gone with his sister and what’s going on between them.

So, Cleon isn’t unheard of. I think it’s only natural that they would play with this dynamic more in the Remake Era.

I haven’t played the OG, but from what I’ve seen/heard, it seemed that Claire wasn’t interested in Leon at all, but they did develop a strong bond. (Please correct me if I’m wrong)

I’m a Cleon shipper, so take my 'opinion' with a grain of salt. That said, I do believe they share a strong bond. They’re 'friends-in-arms,' and in Leon’s character file from Death Island (unfortunately, the site was taken down, but I used the translation to read the info), Claire is described by Leon as 'his partner in this.' By 'in this,' I interpret it as Claire being Leon’s go-to choice if he absolutely had to pick someone to survive with him in an apocalyptic crisis.

Additionally, Claire is the one who introduces Leon and Chris to each other—this is mentioned in the RE6 files. It happened during a Terra Save conference or something along those lines. And we all know that Terra Save is an anti-governmental NGO. So, call it whatever you want, but it’s not entirely untrue to say Leon was, like, her plus-one.

But in the remake, when I first got to the fence scene, I was like “ARE YOU GUYS SERIOUSLY LOWKEY AWKWARD FLIRTING HERE?!” I thought it was ridiculous at first, but now I found it pretty cute lol…

To be honest, same. But I love how that scene always brings a smile to people’s faces when they get to it. It’s a game that starts off so tense, and those two breaking the tension a bit easily becomes the 'highlight' moment for most players. My friends (two of them) absolutely refuse to skip that cutscene, no matter how many times they’ve seen it during their runs. They just love it.

They also got Sherry to say “Are you guys like boyfriend and girlfriend?” “You guys can adopt me!” when it wasn’t in the OG too. It was a line that’s not really needed right—like the writers could not include it and nothing would change—but they did. That made me curious about the direction the remakes were heading with Claire-Sherry-Leon tbh. But knowing Crapcom, it’s probably not gonna lead to nowhere now…

Yeah. Don't overthink it. In my opinion, that final interaction was a nod to the fandom as a whole, because even before the remakes, there were plenty of people actually HCing exactly that -, Sherry working as Cleon's "adopted child", and more often than not was Claire described as the "motherly figure" for Sherry while leaving it to us to interpret about her and Leon's relationship (Sherry and Leon's). Leaving it in the open.

Capcom will never compromise themselves with something that serious: "Oh, Sherry sees Leon and Claire as their parents" That... Would make people jump into conclusions that should NOT be taken.

So, in my opinion, as a CLEON lover/shipper, I think Capcom is just teasing and nodding at us—they’re not 'cooking something.' As Nick Apostolides(N.A) said in an interview about the ending of Infinite Darkness:

N.A: "I think that was a very intentional move by capcom because, of course, they left it open, it was short and I think they left a lot of fans wanting more. A lot of people who are disappointed about what happened with Leon and Claire - Im sure they wanna see some kind of resolution to that, y'know? You gotta leave'em hanging! That's why they call it a cliffhanger isn't it not?"

(AND NICK'S OPINION ABOUT THEIR RELATIONSHIP AT THIS STATE:)

N.A: "I think it is interesting! They can do anything they want with it. I think if it was all like neat and tidy at the end... It'd be cliche. I like complex, I'm a complex person so I like complex plots"

Essentially, he’s saying that the ending was strategically designed to keep fans engaged without giving away all the answers or fully developing Leon and Claire’s relationship. It’s a way to maintain interest in the franchise and perhaps set the stage for future exploration of their bond.

Here are SOME of S.D Perry's novel words about Leon and Claire's relationship:

[seerofmike]

Mike's Media Medley; September and October 2024

so it turns out having 3 jobs and being a part time student means i dont wanna do anything ever so this will be kind of a lightning round in which i just state some brief thoughts and give a score on all the things i experienced for the very first time in september and october 2024.

Movies (2024 releases): Blink Twice, My Old Ass, Transformers One, Saturday Night, The Wild Robot

Movies (non-2024 releases): Rear Window (1954), In The Heat of the Night (1967), Tár (2022)

Video games: Touhou Mystia's Izakaya (2021), Cult of the Lamb (2022), Sonic x Shadow Generations, Balatro, and Mouthwashing (2024)

Blink Twice

this is zoe kravitz's directorial debut and im gonna be honest this kind of slayed. i saw some people complain about how long the build up goes but i think the build up makes the twist work even better. speaking of the twist PLEASE take the warning at the beginning of the movie very seriously.

really enjoyed it and might watch it a second time to see if i can pick up new details but i think seeing it two times will exhaust its appeal to me, i think that's like the max i can enjoy it. really good movie but it hinges on the twist.

btw the title card popping up EXTREMELY briefly during a camera flash? 10/10 no notes

77.5/100

In The Heat of the Night (1967)

i think this movie is like, Fine. definitely a solid movie with good performances. i think the cultural context it was made in elevates it and i understand how BOLD this movie would've been back in the 60s (especially when sidney poitier slaps a white man) but as far as like. police procedurals/mystery solving etc goes its not my favorite but that's not necessarily the point.

decent watch, made better with the cultural context of its time

65/100

My Old Ass

this movie was ALRIGHT and i barely remember anything about it. i didn't hate it i don't think. i didn't love it. i think only one moment made me truly laugh and i can't even remember what that moment was.

40/100 on the basis of me liking it i.e it didnt piss me off like some other movies ive watched but maybe the score should be lower because i dont remember a thing about it idk

Rear Window (1954)

i meant to watch this in theaters for its 70th anniversary but i had to work both days it was showing so i rented it from my local library. this is my first hitchcock film and i thought it was REALLY good, definitely way better than i was expecting based on plot synopsis alone but that just shows i was a fool sorry for doubting alfred hitchcock

that being said watching old movies rly makes you notice how many young women get paired up with men twice their age and its narsty and i wanted the mc to die for most of the movie. im only half kidding. didn't care so much for the personal drama side between crusty ass man and his girl tbh

incredibly good suspense. might watch it again but idk if i would like it as much on repeat viewings

80/100

Saturday Night

i couldnt understand a word anyone was saying in this movie because of weird sound mixing and how intrusive the music was especially at the beginning which feels rly uh bad considering how talky this movie is.

wish i could give it a higher score but alas i didnt hear 75% of the plot or jokes which SUCKS because I AM RACHEL SENNOTTS BIGGEST SHOOTERRRRRR

40/100

Tár (2022)

i was kinda bored by this. i got the point i just got bored. i dont rly remember much except thinking it was incredibly funny she got punished by the narrative into orchestrating video game concerts

technically very well made and cate is obviously putting her pussy into this it was just not for me.

45/100

Transformers One

now this is what im fucking talking about

i didnt think i remembered much about transformers but i watched this w my mom and the whole time we were going omg starscream omg soundwave omg i am optimus prime yassssss

choreography is fucking epic. jokes landed for me 75% of the time. but the obvious highlights are the character development and backstories for optimus and megatron. this movie was epic and you should watch it for free on your favorite pirate website because fuck paramount lives and SHOUT OUT TO BRIAN TYREE HENRY OF LEMON FAME WHO HASNT MISSED YET IM GONNA WATCH ATLANTA ONE DAY KING I PROMISE

85/100

The Wild Robot

gorgeous movie. lupita fucking killed it. cried at the end. dont think i would rewatch it much but i greatly enjoyed it. no notes go watch it

85/100

viddy games

Balatro (2024)

girl help

Cult of the Lamb (2022)

ADORABLE art style, lots of mechanics but not necessarily very in depth. the perks just feel kinda eh but i love the aesthetic and the music. also usually not big on things with religious themes but i let this one slide cuz its a cult doing. bad cult things LOL. also i love my little guys

Mouthwashing (2024)

theres literally so much i want to say about mouthwashing but what can i say that hasnt been said already...ill save it for my end of the year review because it is DEFINITELY making my top 7 unless these final 6ish weeks of the year are full of fucking bangers

Sonic x Shadow Generations (2024)

ok so i never played the og sonic generations much, i rented it on redbox once and my brother rented batman arkham city at the same time and we had one xbox so i barely played that thing before we had to return it becuz his stupid ass hogged it all weekend and im not bitter about this still at ALLLLLLLL but god i fucking love shadow the hedgehog so much hes truly the little guy ever

Touhou Mystia's Izayaka (2022)

so i haven't sunk a WHOLE lot of hours into this game because i keep getting distracted by other things but i think its VERY cute and chill and pretty fun and i might be tempted into the touhou project dark side maybe

[pokenoire]

The themes of "Pokemon" are the relationship between humans and the fictional creatures known as Pokémon, and the growth of a boy called Satoshi (which means the childhood of all humans) into adulthood, for better or for worse. At least that was the theme I decided on intuitively when I took on the job of composing the Pokémon series.

　I've already mentioned in this column that an important theme of ``Pokémon'' is the so-called ``Stand by Me''.

　Growing old and becoming an adult, even if we don't like it, is a very universal human theme, and I've mentioned it many times in episodes of "Magical Princess Minky Momo".

　In "Pokémon", the relationship with the fictional Pokémon creatures is added to this as the most important theme.

　As a child, Satoshi had a reliable partner called Pikachu.

　Even if Kasumi developed romantic feelings for Satoshi, she wouldn't be able to intervene in the relationship between Satoshi and Pikachu.

　Even if Kasumi develops childish romantic feelings for Satoshi, if this were portrayed, Pokémon would have a different theme embedded, and the basic theme would not only become complicated, but diluted.

　Even if Kasumi had romantic feelings in ``Pokémon'', it would only have the meaning of a condiment for cooking, and to be frank, condiments that complicate the taste of ``Pokémon'' are an obstacle to the theme of ``Pokémon.'' ``Pokémon.'')"

Shudo said this as an opinion. Well even if Shudo didn't have that intention he left the writing of Pokémon in Jotho

Any other romantic implications that came after him (Side story - AG even Sun and Moon and Mezase Pokémon Master) is from other writers and people Shudo is just ONE single and chief writer

If other writers have written scenes that are romantic now, Shudo is not the only one. We can tell from the scene in the movie 2000 that some of the writers did not share this opinion and wanted emotional scenes between them.

Atsuhiko and Yuyama are Ash Misty fans as a good couple in retrospect

Just like Yajima and Kanda were more in sync in what they were writing but if Yajima didn't like Kanda's suggestion anymore he could have the same fate/conflict

An example of how things can be complicated in a production and not everything is "yes yes and no no"

Also he is saying in general that romance ruins the Pokemon anime and that no one should be between Satoshi and Pikachu. which makes me think that if he were alive he would have his criticisms of Amourshipping to give. He said it as if a character's love for Satoshi was a bad spice to add and that it ruins Pokemon because it's not the topic. So we don't even have any evidence that he would be happy with the choices of Amour or Serena. Even though I'm an Amourshipper I'm being realistic about how he thinks about the romance topic in Pokemon it's not just about Misty it's about her because she's the only character at the moment he didn't think of May or anyone else as being of interest to Ash.

This can all be said about Serena and Amourshipping or any other romantic implication the parts I have highlighted are the ones I consider should be analyzed with caution and can simply be taken to be perceived as Shudo's opinion on romance between Ash and someone.

My thoughts on the part that Shudo was bitter about Pokeshipping before the show ended but I also don't think from his talk he's approved Amourshipping since it simply also goes under "add one more romance"

I think Shudo's opinion on Pokeshipping shouldn't dictate what others can ship or not either. I know his words have been used by Amourshippers for years to get Ash x Misty out of the way.

Analyzing his words in essence. He would not be in favor of this