#linked maze analysis

[majorproblems77]

Linked maze updated which means I'm back! :D

Hello Linked Maze fans! :D

Linked Maze returns with scent pt10, which means I am back to ramble about the small details in the comic because I enjoy it!

If you dont know what Linked Maze is, It's a links meet comic. About the links in a maze.... Self-explanatory really, but trust me it's amazing and I love it. It's great! But also for more mature audiences, so do take care and heed the creator's warnings before going in!

Importantly - Linked Maze and all the art belongs to @linked-maze and its artist @frulleboi, this chapter also had a guest artist, so the second page's art is done by @marenwithanm. And thanks again for the permission to do this! I really enjoy making them!

With that out of the way, My timer is set, grab some snacks and a drink of your choice! And lets get started! :D

We begin with the small bean

He looks so happy, okay, I love him

Aww four, just wanted his sword back. Also here to straight up appreciate the detail with the little ticktacktoe on the scabbard of his sword i love him dearly.

Wolfie looks both Done and worried at the same time.

Also, them discovering Sky's sailcloth! I'm so excited about this okay I want these two groups to find each other so bad.

Also, I was interested cause I dont think we've seen the sailcloth in the story yet. So it's fascinating that it's here. I blame Angel, she has shenanigans that I think work for this. Like imagine when we see Sky and he's like the fuck why do you have my sailcloth I've not seen it since I got here, type thing.

Wind taking charge as he should be.

There's a bunch to unpack here, so just give me a moment.

That's not Sky's sword.

That's Twilight's sword.

The wrappings on the blade and the markings we see on it later match Twilight's sword. (From the character reference sheets.)

Do you have any idea how excited I was when I saw this? Then saw Wolfie's face like

Why the fuck is that there?

I think this tells us two things.

Twilight/wolfie is now able to be armed. So he's got the capability to fight without the wolf form now. So he might transform soon!

Angel/ djævel are using the hero items to bring the groups together for some reason.

But now im considering the implications of having these specific items here. Like, Thats an item from a character from some of the major groups that we know off right now.

Twilight's sword(Twilight, wind) / Sky's sailcloth (Sky,wild,Time) / Four's sword (four, warrior)

Was the idea for them to find it, or for just one of the groups to find it so that they could find the others.

Something to think about.

Moving on!

Me too four... me too

Yes it does. He's sat about five feet from you

Look at his guilty face, he know's but he can't say and he's sad about it.

Warrior looks worried, you think he's thinking of war stuff right now?

A sword planted into the ground with an important item beside it... a sword who they dont know its owner. Its owner who to them could be dead?

Twilight is the only one who know's his sword after all.

Good call Mr. Captain Warrior sir!

Again with the sad wolfie ears, they give me life okay I love him.

Good on Wind for being the one to lead the charge, we need a good vibe like Wind to get us through the shenanigans that I'm sure are going to ensue.

Again Twilight is looking towards his sword. When you think he would be looking towards Wind at this point. But his eyes appear to be looking towards the markings on the sword.

I love his shocked face. He's like

I can't track myself...

Totally not me going to be using this reaction when someone asks me to do something.

Wolfie is the real MVP of this chapter let me tell you right now.

I love this lot they are wonderful

Yes, you look to your sword and think about what you've done.

Sniff sniff out the cinnamon roll wolfie, find him!

Oh man, this update was fun, I got so unbelievably excited about the sword like it's great to basically have a confirmation about something that's been rotating around in my brain since we saw it before.

Thanks again for listening to me ramble my way through another comic update! :D

And thank you again @linked-maze for letting me do this, i will be continuing them (as long as you let me:) ) cause this was so much fun!

Thats me done for this update tho, so I'll be headed out!

Have a great night! :D

[windylink]

Sailing Into Legend: How The Wind Waker Changed Zelda Forever

🌊✨ The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker - An Epic Analysis & Discussion! ✨🗡️

Hey Zelda fans! Let’s dive into one of the most beloved and talked-about games in the series: The Wind Waker. 🎮💙

🎨 Visual Masterpiece & Bold Choice When Wind Waker first launched, its bright, cel-shaded cartoon style shocked many fans expecting a darker, more realistic Zelda. But guess what? That bold art direction has stood the test of time! Its vibrant, expressive visuals make the world and characters pop like no other Zelda game. Toon Link’s iconic look has become a fan favorite and inspired many sequels and spin-offs. 🌟🖌️

⛵️ Sailing the Vast Ocean The game’s biggest innovation? The vast open sea! Instead of the usual Hyrule fields, you explore a sprawling ocean dotted with mysterious islands. Navigating the Mascarón Rojo (your trusty boat) gives a true sense of adventure and freedom. 🌅⚓️ Sure, some players found the sailing a bit slow or repetitive, especially hunting for Triforce shards, but the HD remaster fixed many pacing issues with faster travel and improved controls. 🚤💨

🧩 Puzzles, Mazes & Gameplay Classic Zelda magic is alive here: clever puzzles, epic dungeons, and memorable boss fights. Plus, new mechanics like controlling the wind with the Wind Waker baton add fresh layers of strategy and fun. 🌬️🗝️ The game balances challenge and charm perfectly, especially with the optional Hero Mode for those craving extra difficulty!

❤️ Story & Characters That Stick With You The narrative blends humor, emotion, and legend. Link’s journey from a peaceful island boy to a hero facing ancient evil is timeless. Characters like Tetra/Zelda and the Mascarón Rojo bring heart and personality, amplified by the expressive cel-shaded art style. It’s a tale about courage, friendship, and moving forward - literally and figuratively. 🌟👑

🎮 Legacy & Fan Debates The Wind Waker sparked tons of discussion:

Original vs. HD version - which do you prefer?

Is sailing a relaxing voyage or a tedious chore?

Favorite dungeon or boss?

The emotional impact of the ending?

This game perfectly shows how Zelda can reinvent itself while staying true to its roots. It’s a masterpiece of art, gameplay, and storytelling that continues to inspire fans worldwide. 🌍💫

Drop your thoughts, favorite moments, or fan theories below! Let’s celebrate the magic of The Wind Waker together! ⚓️💙✨

[henrysglock]

When Kate floated the idea of TFS and the theater being within the grasp of the Mindflayer, it immediately reminded me of these parts of the VR game:

You're playing as Vecna/doing the Mindflayer's bidding, and psychic connections with the kids are portrayed as this dissociation-like "watching life like an audience watching a show". The forest at the drive-in, Dustin's couch (not pictured: Will in Castle Byers viewing through a portal and Mike's version being real life playing out on a crytal ball)...they're all equivalent to the Phoenix Theater. They're within the grasp of the Mindflayer, like they're watching the world play out over the Mindflayer's shoulder.

It also reminded me of the instances in the VR where Henry is set apart from his own supposed memories by the Mindflayer—memories that don't fit with anything we see in TFS or filmed canon:

Like NINA, it's a memory—an inaccurate one, for whatever reason and to whatever end.

And all that ties me into a point I've made before:

Things the Mindflayer does in the VR (fake worlds, edited memories, etc.) are likened to NINA are likened to Vecna visions are likened to Henry's experiences in TFS.

It's all the same. Vecna visions, NINA, TFS, the VR game...it's all on the same beat of "enveloped by the Mindflayer".

This is something I've been saying for a very long time, though I only really laid it out in Chapters 3, 4, and 8 of my TFS analysis:

Equating the VR to NINA and linking it to TFS equates the Phoenix Theater AV setup to the security cameras in NINA...especially so in shots like the following.

Either:

a) beside the camera, much like the audience in the Phoenix Theater is beside the projector/"source"

or b) from a sidelong POV that doesn't line up with any corporeal characters, much like the audience viewing the entirety of the play sidelong in much the same way

Combine that with both NINA and TFS having instances of dialogue between actors and their audiences (on top of the earlier pic of Henry staring directly at the viewer):

We can see that it's exactly as I've been saying: TFS is like NINA is like the VR game. If/when TFS is filmed and brought to streaming, it will be fully equatable to NINA.

Anyway, as I've been saying: NINA is the theater is the Mindflayer's psychic maze—with varying degrees/modes of audience involvement, from the audience being separated by a screen like Brenner with NINA to being included yet separate like the audience of a play, or like the kids in the VR stationed alongside Vecna/the Mindflayer, watching things play out, involved by proximity, to being the actual player in the maze à la Chapter 5 of the VR/Shadow-NINA. You're outside the situation entirely, you're alongside the Mindflayer, or you're on equal footing with Henry. Taking it just one step further, Louis McCartney would, technically, be equivalent to a player of the VR game, would be nearly equivalent to El in NINA. (<- Which is what has always made it so interesting to me that there are TWO arcs of NINA in the VR game, one specifically being from El's POV and the other being from Henry's...and both of them being drastically different from each other)

In short: They're all the same thing—or rather, slight variations on the same thing. You're just in different roles depending on which media you consume.

That is what I took from Kate floating the concept of a Mindflayer-enveloped setting re: TFS. She's not saying anything new. This is all stuff that's deducible from the media that's been released.

[now-notyet]

My favourite non-standard half alive song intepretations - #1

I talk about what my interpretations are as fact a lot on this blog, but I also really like some of the non-standard or crack interpretations of the discography, so let's give them some flowers! 💐 I'll attempt to do one of these every couple of days - and feel free to submit some of your own interpretations too!

#1 - 'Creature' is about finding yourself (i.e. gender identity) and being okay with that.

More below cut

I like this one because I struggle with a lot of positivity surrounding myself and my gender identity. I know - for a fact - that creature is mostly about Christianity and the relation to being a creature, but one interpretation I've found from other half alive fans (particularly ones in the discord, subtle plug) is that it means a lot to them as a transitional anthem; "Look inside of me and see that I am not afraid" - look inside of me and see who I am without being afraid "Discovering the patterns of my soul and where it's placed" - i am finding myself and the fragments of my soul -- "I've been mapping many caverns, but it still feels like a maze" - but i have been looking for a while with no success The idea of looking for yourself in a cave where you can't find yourself, or having to collect fragments of yourself is something I believe a lot of trans/nb people experience - whereas our cishet friends might know who they are from a very young age, being trans, there is a very real part of not knowing who you are and deconstructing from what society has previously thought you to be. There is also something about having to be proud and not afraid of finding who you are - the world today is hostile towards those proud enough of their identity to live in it as opposed to hide it away - and declaring that you should "look... and see that [i] am not afraid" is such a powerful battlecry. Another really powerful bit of the song that resonates with people for a range of people is the Chorus;

I am creation both haunted and holy, made in glory Even the depths of the night cannot blind me, when you guide me Creature only

Whereas some might interpret this to being God's creation - which is, a fair and probably artistic interpretation - some and I choose to interpret this as "i am my own creation". The use of the contrast in the phrase 'haunted and holy' goes a long way in this metaphor - there is no exaltation of being a creation, of being a creature, but there is also no rejection of it. It is perfectly neutral - it is not good or bad, not right or wrong - it is simply presented as to be (whether between two states or not). It is quickly followed by the phrase 'made in glory' and in my interpretation that is a tacit acknowledgement of the pride of remaking yourself. Furthermore, there's a line in the second verse,

Standing in the balance of complete and incomplete

Although not as substantial as other bits of analysis, this really screams to me that the speaker (who in this interpretation, is transitioning)

The final part which I believe lends itself to this interpretation is the first half of the second pre-chorus. This section refers specifically to the process of creation, and putting your trust in this process.

I know I'm made of clay that's worn Blinded by imperfect form I will trust the artist molding me

'clay that's worn' implies creation already having already been done, and moulded, however it is explicitly linked to the next line with 'imperfect form' This can be interpreted to mean the form was imperfect as it was created, and though the clay is worn already, already created, the speaker will continue to trust themselves, the artist in remoulding their identity. This feels like an overt metaphor for any sort of self recreation - trusting the process in the hard times and recognising that what you are isn't what you want to be. Thanks for reading! Many pride Joshes be upon ye!

[summery-captain]

AuDHD traits Dirk Gently Displays - S1E4: Watkin

Hello friends!! It's been a WHILE but I'm back with this series - You may follow the google docs file I'm writing everything down in, also! If you haven't yet, links to the first three episodes:

S1E1 - Horizons / S1E2 - Lost and Found / S1E3 - Rogue Wall Enthusiasts

Click read more to read the analysis of the fourth episode! Tagging: @clockworkcheetah @urlocallesbiab @generalized-incompetence @amber-angel @goatygoat @frenchfriedgiraffe

 > When Todd catches up with him and Farah, he schools his expressions from excited to have seen him to bored/uninterested, both to show that he isn’t THAT excited he’s there - he seems to think having a bigger reaction to things he likes may cause unwanted reactions from those around him, so he constantly tones himself down

> When they get to the powerhouse, he’s SOOO excited about climbing the fence - I headcanon Dirk as a mix of sensory avoidant and sensory seeking, and his impulsivity is also very relatable

> “Push my bum!! Make me go up!!!” - I might die of second hand embarrassment everytime I watch this scene, but it’s so relatable! I, too, say things without noticing it might have double meaning and it doesn’t dawn on me until hours or years later

> When he isn’t able to climb up and then sees Farah just. Break the locks. It’s SO funny how he hadn’t even considered trying the more obvious steps first before just throwing himself onto the chain link fence, I love him!! Yes impulsive with no common sense king!!!

> As soon as they’re in he just grabs the map from Todd’s hand without even glancing at him - impulsivity but also hyperfocus on the task overriding the conscious effort to show courtesy by asking for things before taking them

> After he falls inside the maze, he tells Todd “Which was unsafe to do unsupervised, now that I think about it” - hard time thinking things through before doing it because, again, the hyperfocus ends up overriding common sense

> “Where are we?” / “Underground!” - WELL YES. Literal thinking icon

> Todd calls out to him, “Hey! Don’t wander off!” - elopping, we tend to wander off without noticing or letting others know, or stay behind because we stopped to look at something, often also involves not noticing danger

> “I think the message is… you’re going to die” - no filter, absolutely first thing that comes to mind is already halfway out his mouth, ADHD ambassador

> “You can’t just walk in blindly? You’re saying that to ME?” - Same trait as before, elopping all the way

> Todd goes, “When shit hits the fan, you fall apart!” - EXTREMELY common for us to not see the consequences or effects coming up until we have to deal with it, especially in situations we’ve never been through before, which is a constant

> *smiling * “...I hope you’re not smiling” DEEP frown - my beautiful son who has cartoonish expressions and can’t hide his emotions very well, we are one and the same

> In the strip down scene we see he wears a white undershirt, which could be providing deep pressure which is great for sensory seeking autistic people!! Also goes in hand with me headcanoning him as trans, double up tight shirt as a binder AND sensory stim

>  “Hope you’re not claustrophobic” / “No, I don’t even like coffee” - two things: he has audio processing issues and misunderstood what was said, AND he responded based on what he understood even if it didn’t make sense for the context of the situation at hand

[incohorace]

i don't like any of the analyses of saltburn i've seen so far so here's my interpretation (spoilers below obviously)

at the core of the film is the way oliver’s loneliness and oliver’s desire for felix play off one another.

his desire for felix intensifies his loneliness because it highlights all the ways he is lacking – he wants felix, but does not have him, and he wants to have what felix has (friends, popularity, effortless beauty), which again he does not – he simultaneously wants felix and wants to be felix

his loneliness intensifies his desire for felix in the same way – it is because he has no one else that his obsession is so intense, and it is because he feels like a ‘loser’ that felix’s popularity is so stark in his mind

the setting of saltburn is vital in that it acts as an amplifier for these emotions, and becomes a physical manifestation of oliver’s inner turmoil.

it highlights just how much of an outsider oliver is, looking completely out of place beside the sheer luxury and scale of the place (his clothes are often awkward to contrast with the grace and opulence of the cattons, e.g. that ghastly blue flannel shirt he wore)

we also see this in the way the cattons treat him – he is a friend, but fundamentally Other and Inferior

after we discover that oliver’s family is much better off than we were originally led to believe, his being pulled towards wealth reveals itself to be less of a desire for that which he is deprived of, and more a striving for the remarkable – for intensity and passion, which he begins to link to saltburn itself – and an escape from middle-class mundanity (his thoughts, not mine!) 

the interesting part is how it affects oliver’s obsession with felix.

saltburn mimics felix in a lot of ways: he's perfectly at home and yet vaguely ill at ease with all of its pomp & archaic pride & expensive art. the house and his attitude to it mirror his easy grace, charisma and casual wealth, and how he tries to play all that down

therefore oliver’s desire for felix extends into a desire for saltburn

the entire place is built for voyeurism – the door is cracked open while felix is masturbating, seemingly on purpose; the windows are huge and easy to watch people through; the maze is entirely visible from the long gallery. everything is perfectly arranged to be admired all the time, adding onto oliver’s lust 

saltburn lets oliver feel at home (sunny, beautiful, time spent lounging in the gardens etc.) but at the same time ensures that he will always feel like an outsider or even inferior – creates this sense that what he wants is always just out of his reach, again intensifying his obsession with felix 

therefore oliver’s desire for saltburn both extends and replaces his desire for felix, and also originates from it. 

i don’t think saltburn was oliver’s original goal – while his narration certainly gives that impression, the evidence suggests that at first he was only concerned with felix 

however, his obsession extends over the course of the first half, and eventually when oliver realises he can’t have felix, he decides to take saltburn instead

we see him change and become colder, more confident and self-assured in how he acts and talks

saltburn ends up consuming him – in his mind it gets more and more tied up with both felix (the original object of his desire and obsession) and with his loneliness & desperation to fit in (the apparent root of all his fixations, and of his calculations)

thus oliver’s infatuation with felix and his deep loneliness are both twisted and distorted by the setting of saltburn into something far more sinister.

(this analysis is pretty unfinished i know and i will eventually add more it’s just. The Brainworms required me to post this)

[iloveb1ur]

the significance of the minotaur imagery in Saltburn

One thing I did like about Saltburn was the layers of analysis you can do when both watching the film and after when reflecting on it and as a massive english nerd i ate that up.

I think the minotaur imagery is the most powerful in relation to Oliver who both represents the minotaur and thesus at different points in the film.

As the minotaur in the maze stalks his prey, oliver follows felix into the maze and kills him. But also, the maze is arguably Saltburn.

But it could also be argued after he kills felix, oliver becomes Thesus and usurps the throne and becomes the king of the castle the heir of Saltburn.

we discuss this and more on this week's episode of the confession club podcast which is all about Saltburn!

you can find the link above and the episode on spotify, apple podcasts and amazon podcasts.

we also have episodes on maxton hall, influencers, little women and more, hope u enjoy!

[anonymous-dentist]

actually wasn't richas' placenta found to be just a chemical preservative that was coating his shell? i don't think that proves the eggs are artificial. sure, we've gotten enough hints to think they are but that's not one of them. also when pomme's saliva sample was analyzed, it came back saying it was 100% organic with traces of inorganic elements (which is actually not true, the whole list of genetic material that sofia gave baghera can be found in any human life form). if you're curious, this was pomme's analysis results: 65% oxygen, 18% carbon, 10% hydrogen, 3% nitrogen, 1.5% calcium, 1% phosphorus. minuscules proportions of: potassium, sulfur, sodium, chlorine, and magnesium. traces of "unusual" elements (which aren't at all but sofia said they were): silicon, gold, cobalt, copper, palladium, cadmium, bismuth, and uranium. in this test she also said she couldn't find any link to known species, despite the composition being almost exactly the same as a human being.

But also the eggs are artificial because they have essentially been proven to have been created by the Federation for use in their experiments. Between Egg A1 and the “Hope” Egg and the story of the Maze Eggs, we can pretty safely assume that Eggs aren’t like. Born. They’re created. We’ve got Richas telling Bagi the other week that he basically doesn’t remember anything before blinking awake when the Brazilians first arrived- he didn’t even know Portuguese.

We have Egg Island, but that’s a Federation base. A farm, it seems, like how we have designated locations in our countries to raise cattle, or how scientists have secret kennels to raise dogs specifically for experimentation.

Artificial doesn’t mean inorganic. It just means ‘created’.

[welshoot]

Twisted Wonderland Dorm Names Analysis

Each of the dorms have intriguing names that link them to their respective Disney Movies that were used to their inspiration as well as to various other references. I thought it might be fun to take each name apart, piece by piece, and analyze them funsies. Analysis is below the cut due to length.

Heartslabyul, for me, calls to mind two words, “Heart” and “Labyrinth.”  The Queen of Hearts  is most likely the inspiration for the heart part. At Disneyland there's an attraction called “Alice’s Curious Labyrinth, however the labyrinth section of the name could also be a reference to the veritable maze, or labyrinth, of rules the dorm members are expected to know and follow. 

As for Savanaclaw, Savannah probably references the pride lands from The Lion King while claw might reference lions or even just beasts in general. 

Octavinelle is a bit trickier, but the prefix Octa means eight, like the eight tentacles of an octopus. Vin has two different possible implications. There is the more common one, typically linked to French, that implies ‘wine,’ but I highly doubt that wine has anything to do with this dorm's name. The other possibility for vin comes from the Latin word ‘veni’ or ‘venio’ which means ‘come.’ Finally, ‘elle’ often implies ‘she’ or sometimes ‘they.’ Putting all that together you could interpret Octavinelle as “She with eight (tentacles) comes,” which might link back to Ursula from “The Little Mermaid.”

 For Scarabia the Scarab references the Golden Scarab Beetle that Jafar uses to find the Cave of Wonders and Arabia is where Aladdin is set.

 Pomefiore basically translates out into apple flower, with apple no doubt being for the poisoned apple. As for the flower part of the name, that could be referencing that Snow White is often used to name white varieties of flowers. Additionally, it is the apple blossom, or the apple flower, that eventually becomes the fruit so referring to this dorm as an apple flower could be a way of saying the students there are still growing. 

For Ignihyde, Igni is latin for fire (Hades’ hair) as for -hyde, many chemicals end with this suffix. Interesting ‘Hyde’ is Middle English for a measure of land and it’s plural form is ‘Hydes’ which is very similar to Hades.

Finally, for Diasomnia,  the prefix “dia-” has Greek connections to meaning through or across as well as Latin connections, via the Latin word ‘dies’, to meaning day. “-Somnia'' is Latin for sleep, sleeping, dreams, or dreaming. Thus Diasomnia could means something along the lines of across dreams, across sleep, through dreams, or through sleep. However, it could also mean something akin to day sleeping or day dreaming. Both meanings line up surprisingly well with “Sleeping Beauty” and, additionally, Silver. Additionally, one could argue that the happy ending of “Sleeping Beauty” is reached through sleep and/or dreams since it isn’t until after Aurora has slept, and possibly dreamed, that she finds out she can be with the man she loves.

[majorproblems77]

Hey Linked Maze fans! It's me! :D

Another update another ramble from yours truly! :D

I love the smol updates just as much as the large ones cause it gets me thinking ngl. Makes me wonder what's gonna happen next!

(Especially in situations like this)

Okay enough from me

A link to the comic page can be found here! Please do go and check it out and give it a lil reblog to show your support! It's wonderful.

Importantly!

Linked maze belongs too @linked-maze and its creator @frulleboi. if you've not seen it note that it's for more mature audiences! :)

without further ado!

You might not need snacks for this one, but get some water, I know you need some right now. Got some? Awesome, let's begin!

We start with this panel!

First off the saturation of the image, we know that wind's outfit is like blue blue. So it's interesting to see it so discoloured. Makes me wonder if this is how wolfy sees generally or if it's just in wolf form.

(Ha you thought I was gonna go straight to the sents right, nope :D)

But now I will

So we can see 3 colours here. A reddish pink, A purple, and cream? I'm gonna call it cream.

So this confirms something

Three people have had enough contact with this object to leave an impression.

And here we can see two of them

If im understanding this correctly, Red belongs to Sky. The purple belongs to this second figure who I am going to assume is Zelda.

Also who I can assume is Wolfie seeing this red in his eyes. A cool touch!

A visual representation of whose scent he is following I can only assume., which would defo be useful later. For like when we oh I dont know

Go looking for the cream-coloured scent owner?

This is the only frame we see this cream-coloured scent. So I'm gonna call this now and assume that this scent belongs to Angel or djævel. Probably Angel since she's the one we've seen wandering around collecting the hero's items.

He sniffin

it's the windy boi

I love him, your honour

Also totally not Wolfie pretending that sword isn't his.

It's not mine what are you talking about :))))))))))

I like this shot, it's very nice.

I am a little worried as to why Warrior looks worried. Surely he must know about dog scenes. and I feel like Wolfy has proven himself by now as to not be a threat to him.

Unless...

Do you think Warrior noticed Wolfy does not smell the sword handle? And smell the random fabric instead.

A sword handle would have the most intense smell of something right? Because of the sweat. So...

Warrior is wondering and now so am I.

This is the face of a man who knows something is up with that wolf

Man is trying to be a good friendo

Warrior dont apologise you smol cinnamon roll it's fine let the kids lead

The mix of the colours here is interesting.

(Totally not me zooming in on the coloured lines to see if I can figure out what colours they are made from)

I see mainly that pinky red here.

But something in me wants to say that there's a little bit of cream in here.

You think they are gonna use the sailcloth to find Angel later? That could be cool. Maybe get Wolfy to smell a bunch of items to build a scent profile for Angel so they can go looking for her later?

Just a thought! let me know what you think! I love doing these and it's great. Thanks again to @linked-maze for the permission to do this. I love doing them.

Thats all tho so I hope you have a wonderful day/night! :D

[aquafire2008]

Disclaimer: I have not played Twilight Princess and have done minimal research, please take this with a grain of salt.

Look at the first page. The person that we see has orangey-red hair, gray skin, a tail, and markings on their arm. I've seen people try guessing as to who this person might be. I will be presenting the information that we know and pointing out a few different details that you might have missed.

First off, I would like to draw your attention to the markings on this person's elbow. The color seems to be quite similar to both the Zonai and the Twili, but it is closer to the color of the Twili. The style of the design looks like it has taken inspiration from technology. And who is known to use technology. Sheika and Zonai. But we know that Sheika look nothing like this. The closest we are going to get is the Zonai. If you look at the markings on Midna's imp form, the style of her markings is swirls and curves.

The next thing I would like you to notice is the nails. If you zoom in on the figure's hands, you can see long green-blue nails. The ends of Midna's fingers in her imp form are the same color as her markings. The nails on this figure are the same color as their markings. The Ancient Hero's Aspect does not have nails the same color as the few markings we can see. He does have long nails though!

Third, the thing I think we've all noticed. They have a tail. The Twili do not have tails, but the Ancient Hero's Aspect does. However, we do not see the tail on the tapestry in Breath of the Wild, but that's another can of worms for another day.

I would also like to point out the color of the hair. It's more of an orange than red. The Twili have mostly orange hair and the Ancient Hero's Aspect has more red hair than orange hair. The two both have long hair, so we can't use that at all.

The coloring of the skin is also quite interesting around the hands. Their skin is gray, which is something they have in common with the Twili but it's not quite the same. Same with the Ancient Hero's Aspect, but it's still closer to the Twili. They also look as though they have fur, which we can see with the Ancient Hero's Aspect but not with the Twili.

Finally, this series is about the Hero's of Courage and the Ancient Hero's Aspect was created the resemble a hero from the past who could have possibly had the Hero's Spirit.

There is evidence for this new person being either the Ancient Hero's Aspect or Midna, but it is still too soon to tell. They could also be an OC (original character) specifically for this series. Either way, let me know what you think, and if you think I missed something important.

oh my! Who could that be? .:ChuChu:. pt.10

 <<Previous |  Next>> coming soon

[evangelines-book]

!!! Alright, before we get onto the intro post, i need to say something — This blog is technically considered a ‘Secondary’ blog, which if you’re new to tumblr, that means that this was not the first blog that was created and is not the main one associated with my account. So this means I won’t be able to like posts, follow people back, or send asks to people without using anon! If you’re wondering why I made this my main blog, my blog that is considered the ‘Primary’ blog of this account, is old and cringey from 2013, and that’s super embarrassing and it’s not being used my big sister, but I didn’t want to delete it, as it holds lots of memories. So yes, please don’t be offended if you follow me and I don’t follow you back. If I don’t block you and I do interact with you, then it means that I do consider you a mutual!!!

Last Edited : 25/12/23 (D/M/Y)

Alright, on with the actual intro post !

Who am I? My name is Maya, pronounced my-uh not Maiya.

What are my pronouns? I go my She/Her pronouns.

How old am I? I’m 19 years old, turning 20 on the 7th of February.

MORE UNDER POST CUT !!

What do I do? On Tumblr I write fanfiction, do art, and tons more fun stuff! I’m in Uni, studying History! I don’t talk about that much here though, if that’s what you’re after.

What do I post about? I post mainly about Nanny McPhee, and that was the main thing I intended to post about on this blog, though this may change later on. I will also be posting about The Maze Runner quite often, as I’ve loved the books since I was a kid. I might even do a few fic rec posts for Nanny McPhee, The Maze Runner and anything else I might start posting about.

Why did I make this blog? The Nanny McPhee fandom is very devoid of well-written and structured fanfics, and has little to no art! I really love this movie, and I want to provide some from of media for it, as I know there are some fans who are struggling to find some. I doubt this blog will gain any popularity, but I know there are some fans out there dying to get some content. I just want to give this fandom some media, character analysis posts and expand the universe of Nanny McPhee! I want to explore the characters thoughts and feelings, they’ve all been through so much. And I know lots of younger people are getting into Nanny McPhee and watching it for the first time because of Thomas Brodie Sangster, and they have come to Tumblr to look for some fan content on it.

A few notes : I am autistic, and got diagnosed when I was 15! Sometimes I may be a little inactive on this blog, but that’s because I am so busy IRL right now, lol. I do take requests, but I may not do all of them.

Link will go here when I have posted the first panel.

What are my current projects? I may make a stand-alone post for this, but right now I’ll keep it here.

Currently I am qorking on :

- An AU of Nanny McPhee, in a fanfic format with some possible artwork!

Link will go here when I have posted the first chapter. (HINT: Very Soon!)

- A small comic of the domestic life after the events of Nanny McPhee.

Where am I from? I’m British 🇬🇧, and have lived in England my whole life.

I believe that is the end of my intro post, I do hope you will stick around !!!

— Maya xx

[amplifyme]

S2 AND BEYOND WORDS, BEYOND SILENCE ARE COMPLETE!

(Disclaimer: this is looooooooooooong and probably riddled with grammar errors; but I've chugged down a few eps. and a book, so I'm not as bothered about those as I probably should be. ;)) )

Okay, so, in a weird way, these episodes were the most straight-forward for me in S2 (probably because of our discussions and Nan's excellent writing as a primer.) Not too many thoughts that are "new", but definitely some worth sharing and chewing over with you.

The Hollow Men: Cameron and Dale, what an introduction-- interesting that Dale, though he has less direct taste for it, seems to be affirming Cameron's quest for happiness by spearheading opportunities for him to kill (usually, dark eyebrow murderers are the "strong" ones in the dynamic while their blond friends are the loose link-- which they both are, but not completely.) The girls, bless their hearts. Joe warning Cathy about her lack of proof. Vincent, traumatized and avenging, trailing the boys like a shadow (he waits for them in the darkness)--and this time leading danger back to Cathy instead of the other way around (although... Cathy, you didn't learn your lesson again. Antagonism and blatant threats will do you no favors, especially when you give away a lot of your cards without anything in your back pocket to protect yourself.) The showdown in the theatre (CATHY), and Vincent taking a shot and powering through it, so different than that time in The Outsiders. The dull and boring and disconnected rich parents; and their shameless flaunting of their connections, power, and privilege.

What Rough Beast: Hated Spirko the moment I saw him. Paracelsus his cigarette reveal, and the lengths he will go is both impressive and a little amusing (and fascinating in its scope.) STEVEN'S BACK-- you baited his return; and seeing him and hearing his own twisted version of events was excellently worked into the episode. CATHY FINALLY WONDERED IF SHE WAS RESPONSIBLE AND FATHER DIDN'T ANSWER. Listening to the music Below is back. And, of course, Elliot's back; both in person and in impersonation. Vincent and Father's conversation about what Vincent is (and Father's uncertainty here is juxtaposed perfectly to "his" unabashed certainty in a certain climactic moment in the next episode) and setting up his "educated the man" for the finale when they discussed how books were all that kept Vincent from falling off the ledge all those years ago. "Father, I cannot control my thoughts. Father, I'm afraid"-- powerful stuff. Cathy believes Elliot is in the wrong the ONE TIME that he's in the clear (and her "we are beyond" statement-- including herself in the "otherness" that is Vincent-- is touching and disjointed, because she has only ever embraced the parts of him that are "human"... which she says as much in the finale to Peter after the blood analysis.) Spirko having the gall to still publish his evidence after Vincent spared him from death and Cathy tried to reason with him (also... JUST SWIPE HIS EVIDENCE AWAY BEFORE HE CAN LEAVE. I understand Vincent was too wiped, but I'm sure he could summon something up or Cathy could put up more resistance.) Cathy choosing to say goodbye rather than fighting for their romance is... huge and frustrating and makes me look even more forward to Diana in S3. (Which reminds me of Nan's AWTN where Diana spent weeks down Below with Vincent in the maze-- and more times before and after-- without batting an eye for him. Makes me ponder, makes me think thoughts.) Paracelsus merked Spirko, whoop whoop! Vincent staring into the abyss in his dark room is FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORESHADOOOOOOOOOOWING, and a great eerie cap to this episode.

Ceremony of Innocence: Full disclosure-- I knew Vincent/Paracelsus/Anna's backstory from Nan's work and even the twist of Paracelsus's death, but this episode was so well-acted I got confused and doubted myself. Excellent. The opening shot of Vincent is so, so eerie (picking up from the prev ep's close, I see.) Cathy's nightmare-- a lot to unpack: "He’s an animal-- what does that make you?” is probably why Cathy resists that aspect of Vincent the most, because their bond is a reflection of each other (Vincent staring at his reflection in the lake while her nightmare plays out, for instance) and more particularly, she fears, a reflection of herself. And horror and ugliness is something she broke down and shied away from in the first episode, the voodoo episode (which was a missed opportunity for Vincent's Otherness to be explored, a shame in retrospect), Trial, and this ep (directly opposite, I might add, to Diana's low self-esteem and "who cares?" attitude to her looks and "ugliness" in general-- I assume.) Nan tackles and "tames" that aspect of Cathy at the end of Beyond Words, Beyond Silence and in AWTN in Kansas... but I have to wonder: I don't think Cathy truly, fully loved Vincent as a whole before the finale (because there was always a part that held her back unless everyone else held back from Vincent too, which summoned her "call to action" or stubborn insistence of his humanity.) Father's "It's been a wonderful... dream" followed by Vincent's "No Father-- this is my tomb" certainly set up for the aborted plans George R. R. Martin had for S3, as did Vincent's wandering the catacombs for answers (twisted in death, as Narcissa calls it.) Cathy's lack of poker face continues, as does Joe and Elliot's endless supply of understanding and patience. Elliot exercising important brain cells by hiring a private detective saved everyone but Vincent in the end. Vincent "moping" around the tunnels while Father digs up old treasures and poems and literature to steer his mind off his troubles sets up perfectly for their conversation in the finale (about his past fugues.) Mouse's "he needs Catherine" practicality opposed to Father's longwinded rationalizations further emphasize how tied everyone's hands are. Paracelsus inviting Father to 666 (you dramatic man you) and challenging Father to fire a gun in the light (oh, the drama) and overpowering him and leaving him for dead while he goes to "release" his son from the imprisonment of civilized humanity was a great crescendo (not to mention the subtle hints of sending Vincent on a paranoid quest for more answers and asking the community for weapons and flawlessly transitioning from acting like "Father" to pressuring like Paracelsus.) Cathy was right-- that it was a lie-- but that's not what he needed reassurance about: what if it did, what would she do? Vincent's cruel birth story, scaring Cathy and sending her away, Cathy leaving but ultimately wanting to make Paracelsus pay and inadvertently saving Father (and leading Father back down), and the two arriving in time to see the aftereffects in Father's study. "You and Father-- you wouldn't admit the truth even if it stood right in front of you" is both right and very wrong: Cathy will deny it in the name of love, but Father does love if not embrace or accept fully that side of his son. Vincent driven to madness (to the Other, really, which at this point is pretty equivalent) and then dulled to near catatonic responses is the heavily necessary outcome. (A touch here that Nan added in BWBS was excellent and wrenching, will chat about it below.)

The Rest Is Silence: Vincent losing command over himself and running his body to the limit and sweating and tearing himself apart trying to contain the Other was fantastic to watch. Waking in the park, getting around Mary (who cannot read subtext for the life of her) to get to Father and his comfort and guidance, and pouring at his desperation and fear was an excellent way to start. Father's fear of Vincent's loosening grip (for his son and secondarily for everyone's safety) and steady reassurance added so much throughout, especially Vincent almost lashed out again: so similar to but completely different from the drugged scene in S1, Father showed no fear (as he had not then nor in the past with Lisa); and just exemplifies how much love and care and faith he has in his son and their relationship. They mentioned restraints again (one other time, I think) and Nan's written about the incident a little more clearly in her flashbacks, but I don't believe? I've heard the characters talk extensively about Vincent's previous incident (when he separated the Other from himself after injuring Pascal's wrist); so, maybe S3? Seeing the world through Vincent's eyes as he worsens was also fantastic; and Cathy did excellently herself this episode, asking him what she can do rather than pressing for impossible details, demanding more thorough answers from Father the right way, and keeping by Vincent's side when he broke into her apartment (kept chuckling because I remembered Nan's Diana laughing how he broke into Cathy's and out of hers.) Cathy's a very elemental and nostalgic person; and I wonder if her "flying" with Vivaldi was a reference (indirectly) to her memory of climbing the trees in the park while her father watched (or it could just be in-character, like her soaking in the sea or wanting to take Vincent to the mountains, or climbing a tree to reconnect with her dead father, etc.) Vincent so strung out that he talked out loud, snapped about Paracelsus, tried to insist the worst was behind them, tore his room apart, and rushed to and "attacked" Cathy's apartment in an irrational haze was excellent; but it kept getting better and better during his fever and "hallucinations" and the Other's hovering (now I know visually what Nan meant when she captured Buster's hovering and insistence) and Cathy's help and his progression to the bed and his waking better to watch the sun go down. Also, Vincent's finally in her apartment and for more than one day (noticed you had me take particular note of that so I've been waiting for that moment to happen.) I almost didn't notice how important Vincent's "love" was until BWBS (so thank you, Nan, for bringing that more thoroughly to my attention); but I did notice how he didn't directly agree to Cathy's request. And, of course, things are not better. Samantha and her book, wounding some members to get out, collapsing into Father's arms and sending him off, saying goodbye to everyone and leaving before he and Cathy return (what a moving scene-- they all love him in their own ways), and fleeing below the catacombs to potentially die in the attempt to master or free himself (a literal descent into darkness) was the cherry on top. Mouse following Vincent anyway made me want to cheer; and Pascal keeping up with him on the pipes made me want to cheer even more. Father staying back while Cathy insists on descending, too, sets up that puzzling little dichotomy: I believe Father loves Vincent more "completely" as he acknowledges all aspects of his son; but I believe Cathy loves Vincent more deeply? sacrificially? because she does not fear Vincent in his Other form, determined to believe he will never harm her. Beauty's love killing and then rescuing the Beast make a full circle here; and I'm glad the writers at least had a closed arc (in a way) before the restrictions for S3 upended the show (though not in a bad or worse way. Excited to dig into it~.)

On a separate note: I'm not in the habit of making everything about The X-Files, but I can see why a fan fresh off BATB would be drawn to this other show. Mulder and Scully had that near-instant connection between them that transcended words, social norms and expectations, and both of their fixed perspectives or parameters. But I think Mulder and Scully succeeded where Vincent and Cathy failed because they disproved, together, Father's assessment which Peter quoted to Cathy: "Maybe Jacob was right: when you go beyond definitions, scientific knowledge can only break down." The breakdown, or the hitch, was in the lack of complete acceptance.

And now,

Beyond Words, Beyond Silence: Nan ties these episodes together brilliantly. She also captures Cathy sooooooooooo well, building more on her self-doubt than the little bits of cursory examination we were given ("In telling her what he believed, he'd also been telling her what she desperately wanted to hear - that their relationship existed on a different plane from anything she'd ever known"-- I CALLED IT. Proud of myself.) Fleshing out Paracelsus's thoughts and linking in Vincent's waxing and waning confidence in himself and his relationship with Cathy (if it should continue or not) ties directly back to AWTN and her other book that I can't for the life of me remember right now; and it makes me giddy to see the throughlines (including the children and swimming, the Other and the cave-- both wanting that undivided, appraising attention.) Vincent's poem tying to back to Cathy and his fervency in tearing apart his room, breaking into her place, and driving himself into a fever until she quoted the poem back was superb. Again, Nan dug deep with Cathy; and these are a few powerful quotes that I couldn't pass up on: building on Cathy's toxic past relationships and tying it to her current pattern of behavior-- "...love that gave, and gave, and asked for nothing in return, she need never fear any physical aggression - from him or anybody else. A strong inducement to be oblivious"-- paired perfectly with "Absurd to imagine Vincent hurting anyone he loved.... Those were only dreams and had nothing to do with her and Vincent" and "Now she wondered if she'd been right to discount the unfitting things. If refusing to acknowledge all the anomalies - the number and scope of them! - she'd been dismissing the forest to see only the one preferred tree.... But they weren't deformities: they were Vincent. Maybe even the most of Vincent." Nan gives Cathy an arc where she marries her loyalty to both aspects of Vincent; but I shall have to wait for confirmation, denial, or nothing at all in S3 (I hope it's touched on a little); and giving Cathy the chance to explore that unfairness she expected or took for granted in her relationship with Vincent was refreshing and gave me another, brief glimpse what a functioning, healthier relationship between these two would have looked like.

As a final note, when Vincent speaks with shame about parts of himself and Cathy assures him those parts aren't him, I wondered how that would sound if he were a normal man with a comparable struggle; and the quickest comparison that I could think of-- though clumsy-- was mental illness. I'm mostly ignorant on this topic, so pardon my thoughts if they're too off target; but I sat wondering how it would feel if he were in the midst of a mental health crisis with everyone treating him like he needs to be "fixed", with restraints or with their love. And the shame and closed-in aloneness of that experience seems comparable in a few degrees, though of course you can't factor in his primal nature. Cathy's grand gestures of sweeping dismissal in the name of "this" not being "him" hits pretty close, as it would be denying an aspect of who Vincent is by pretending it can be weathered and then ignored-- and more tragic, because it would be spoken through well-meaning ignorance.

FINGERS CROSSED I miiiiiiiiiiiiiight? be able to squeeze in S3 Ep 1 (had lots of free time today~); but we'll see. Do you recommend I watch episode 1 separate or immediately follow it up immediately with episode 2?

I'm going to go ahead and chop this discussion up into separate posts just to to help me keep things straight in my own head. I'll dig into The Hollow Men here and then address the trilogy and BW,BS in posts of their own.

Follow me down...

Vincent, traumatized and avenging, trailing the boys like a shadow (he waits for them in the darkness)--and this time leading danger back to Cathy instead of the other way around

That was an interesting little twist, wasn't it? In hindsight it's another sign that all is not well with Vincent, and hasn't been in some time. Because if he'd been thinking clearly, he would have been able to think several steps ahead and glean that his actions might put Cathy in danger. And he would never willingly do that.

I completely understand his feelings of disgust, anger, and helplessness at the actions of these two kids. I have no problem rationalizing his desire to take matters into his own hands, and I thought his lecture to Father about the connection that exists between the two worlds was spot-on and something Father needed to be reminded of. But having said that, there seems to be a disconnect in Vincent here, when it comes to the risk to himself and the risks his actions may pose to others. And that's not at all like him. He's acting rather like Cathy here, jumping straight into the fray without thought of the consequences.

The showdown in the theatre (CATHY), and Vincent taking a shot and powering through it, so different than that time in The Outsiders.

Oh, Cathy; dear, dumb Cathy. Whatever possessed you to take the word of a person you don't know and duck into a dark, deserted theater when you know you have two killers on your tail? Oh, wait, I forgot. You also have very large, very strong, fanged and clawed protector at your literal beck and call.

Vincent is so done with everything by the end of this episode. I feel worse for him than I did at the end of The Outsiders. His "Nothing but madness, nothing but blood. When will it end?" is so heartbreaking because I know what's coming. And I kind of think he does, too.

Okay, gonna start another post for What Rough Beast. Stay tuned.

[mushr0oms-and-m0ss]

🤝🧸❤️‍🩹

Ooh hi there! :D

I have a feeling that Warriors from Linked Maze, and Link from Limited Hero would get along together. Idk, they seem similar to me (then again, I'm bad at character analysis so)

Either Hyrule or Wind from Linked Universe, they'd be fun to be around!! (especially cus I relate to em :])

Tough question, especially cus the answer is actually all of them /j💚 But seriously, I like seeing Wild and Wind angst *glances at all the fics of Wind dying I've read* yep

[antigonewinchester]

15x01 (transcript @ the link) This ep is very clearly pulling from early seasons: not just the extended spooky ghost sequence that was much more common earlier on in the show, but literally bringing back ghosts who Sam & Dean had beaten in season 1.

Unsubtle with the symbolism of "spell it takes to trap ghosts is literally salt plus a human heart." It's love, caring around other people, all that jazz, that will help you trap and defeat the bad guys in the end. And, of course, it means someone has to die to get that human heart; sometimes protecting ppl comes at a sacrifice. One question I've had is if Dean's death really does 'come out of nowhere' as ppl say it does, but there’s arguably foreshadowing here in ep 1 of the season.

BELPHEGOR: I mean, the last time I was on Earth, I mean, I was human. Ah, it was a while ago. I mean, but, you know, we were all worshipping this giant rock that looked like a huge penis, and... Anyway, folks back then, you know? Had a lot of humps. I mean, a lot. Look at 'em now. I mean, look at you. I mean, you're, uh, you know, gorgeous. DEAN: What? Okay. When are you gonna get out of that body? BELPHEGOR: Eh, when I find another one.... So, uh... who was... he, anyway? DEAN: He was our kid. Kinda.

Even pulling in some (pseudo) incest subtext, hmm. Very early seasons indeed.

DEAN: Just when we thought we had a choice. You know, whenever we thought we had free will. We were just rats in a maze. Sure, we could go left. Sure, we could go right. But we were still in the damn maze. Just makes you think, if all of it... you know, everything that we've done... What did it even mean? SAM: It meant a lot. We still saved people. DEAN: Yeah, but what for? You know? Just so he could throw another End of the World at us and then sit back and chug popcorn? SAM: Maybe. Yeah, maybe. But... now he's gone. DEAN: You think? SAM: That's what he does. He gets bored and... and... and... and pulls the ripcord. I mean, that's what he did with Apocalypse World and... and probably with all of them. He moves on, starts another story. But you know what? Good. 'Cause if he bailed, it's just us. For the first time. It's just us. DEAN: And about three billion ghosts. SAM: Yeah, well, what's one more Apocalypse, right? But, seriously, if we win... When we win this, God's gone. Hm. There's no one to screw with us. There's no more maze. It's just us. And we're free. DEAN: So you and me versus every soul in Hell? I like those odds. SAM: Yeah, me too. DEAN: Well, you know what that means. We got work to do. [DEAN shuts the trunk, and the scene shifts to him shutting the trunk at the end of 1.01]

Most of the analysis of Chuck I've seen is as him as a metaphor for the creators/producers/metanarrative of the show. I think there’s also something of a deadbeat dad (the whole creating universes and then abandoning them for new ones) and, much more speculatively, as a "bad" fan, altho I'm going to expand more on that later.

Sam & Dean’s last exchange sets up the big questions of the season, meaning vs. meaninglessness, where does meaning come from if a shitty God can just wipe out all the things you did, or has been controlling your whole life. If Dean is the side of despair & hopelessness, then Sam is more faith & hope, and the show seems clearly to be on Sam’s side.

[xtn013]

Uncovering Hidden Fees: How Proactive Audits Boost Telecom Savings

Managing telecom expenses can feel like navigating a maze blindfolded; one wrong turn or missed detail can quickly lead to confusion and significant financial waste. Many mid-market enterprises manage dozens of service contracts, ranging from legacy copper POTS lines and VoIP trunks to MPLS circuits, cellular data plans, and cloud voice channels—each with its unique billing nuances and complexities. In the rush to keep operations running, finance and IT teams often approve invoices with minimal scrutiny, trusting that charges align with contractual agreements. Yet over time, minor discrepancies, redundant services, and unnoticed overage fees accumulate, quietly draining budgets.

This post explores how proactive telecom invoice audits can help businesses break this costly cycle. By systematically reviewing every charge, organizations can uncover hidden fees, recover lost dollars, and transform telecom expense management from a passive cost center into a powerful lever for financial control and strategic growth.

The Anatomy of Hidden Fees in Telecom Expense Management

Hidden fees can appear in many forms, often buried in the fine print of your telecom invoices. Carriers frequently include ongoing charges for disconnected lines, sometimes referred to as "ghost" or "phantom" fees, that continue to bill you long after the services should have ceased. Administrative and porting fees may be tacked onto your bill under vague descriptions, making them easy to overlook. Early-termination penalties or unbundled access charges can suddenly spike when contracts renew or services are reconfigured, catching finance teams off guard.

Usage-based fees introduce another layer of complexity. Per-minute billing often involves rounding practices, such as rounding up every call to the nearest minute, that inflate costs by as much as 30 seconds per call. Misapplied rate structures can occur when carriers bill international or long-distance calls at domestic rates, or vice versa, leading to substantial overcharges. In addition to these errors, taxes and regulatory surcharges—calculated as percentages of total service fees—can be miscomputed if a provider applies local taxes to non-local services. Only a proactive, detailed audit can uncover these discrepancies, enabling businesses to dispute unjust charges and recover meaningful savings.

Because these discrepancies often hide among thousands of invoice lines, they evade cursory reviews and bleed value from enterprise budgets.

5 Steps to Designing a Proactive Audit Framework

Building a repeatable, high-impact audit process involves three core pillars: data centralization, automated exception detection, and collaborative resolution workflows.

1. Centralized Billing Data

Aggregate all carrier invoices—POTS, VoIP, MPLS, cellular, and cloud voice—into a single Telecom Expense Management (TEM) system. By normalizing disparate billing formats into a standard structure, you create a consolidated data set that fuels every subsequent analysis.

2. Define Your Audit Baseline

Maintain an up-to-date repository of contract terms: per-unit rates, discount schedules, included usage thresholds, and SLA credits. When coupled with historical usage patterns, this baseline empowers automated tools to compare billed amounts against expected values.

3. Automate Exception Reporting

Configure your TEM platform to flag any deviations, such as rate variances exceeding a defined tolerance, duplicated service identifiers, or charges for assets not listed in your inventory. Priority-based dashboards surface the highest-impact anomalies for rapid human review.

4. Establish a Cadence of Review

Rather than waiting for quarterly audits, schedule monthly or even bi-weekly reviews. Frequent cycles shrink the window in which errors can accumulate, accelerating corrective actions and maximizing recovered dollars.

5. Embed Collaborative Remediation

Link each audit finding to a corresponding ticket in your vendor management system, assigning clear ownership to finance or procurement stakeholders. Automated reminders and escalation policies help keep disputes on track until they are resolved.

By institutionalizing these steps, you transform audits from an end-of-cycle scramble into a proactive cost-control mechanism woven into your operational rhythm.

Leveraging Analytics to Root Out Inefficiencies

Beyond basic exception reporting, advanced analytics unveil deeper cost-optimization opportunities:

Trend and Variance Analysis

Monitor spend categories—local voice, toll, data overage—over rolling 12-month periods. Persistent upward trends in any bucket often indicate misapplied discounts or unauthorized usage surges.

Peer Benchmarking

Compare your per-unit rates and overage charges against anonymized industry benchmarks. Significant gaps provide leverage in upcoming contract negotiations.

Utilization Heatmaps

Visualize line usage by department or location. Low-utilization circuits—those operating below a set percentage of capacity—emerge as candidates for right-sizing or decommissioning.

Scenario Modeling

Simulate the budgetary impact of shifting to alternative rate plans or metering models. What if you capped your monthly data usage or migrated to a blended voice and data bundle? Scenario tools quantify potential savings before you renegotiate.

When paired with proactive audits, these analytical lenses enable data-driven decisions that refine vendor discussions and foster sustained cost discipline.

Best Practices for Maximizing Audit ROI

To maximize the return on your telecom audit program, integrate its findings directly into your existing governance structure. By presenting audit results at regular finance and IT steering committee meetings, you maintain executive oversight, keep remediation efforts aligned with strategic goals, and ensure that cost-savings initiatives retain momentum over time.

Equally important is cross-functional training, which equips both finance and IT teams with a solid understanding of telecom rate structures, billing nuances, and vendor escalation processes. When stakeholders across departments share this domain knowledge, they can collaborate more effectively to validate discrepancies and resolve disputes swiftly.

Building "contractual guardrails" into your vendor agreements further protects your interests. By defining clear billing terms, specifying service-credit thresholds for SLA breaches, and embedding audit rights, you reduce ambiguity, reinforce vendor accountability, and guarantee your ability to verify charges in the future.

Executive dashboards play a crucial role in sustaining support for your audit efforts. Summarizing key metrics—such as dollars recovered, dispute resolution rates, and net cost reductions—in a concise, visual format ensures that C-suite leaders understand the financial impact and continue to invest resources in ongoing audit activities.

Finally, treat each audit cycle as an opportunity for continuous improvement. Capture lessons learned—common error patterns, process bottlenecks, and system limitations—and refine your framework accordingly. This iterative approach enables you to adapt to evolving billing practices and vendor behaviors, ensuring that your audit process becomes increasingly efficient and effective over time.

By marrying process rigor with expert human oversight, you move from ad-hoc error correction to a self-reinforcing culture of financial accountability.

Securing Lasting Telecom Savings Through Audit Excellence

Proactive telecom invoice audits unlock a steady stream of hidden savings, transforming expense management into a strategic advantage. By centralizing billing data, defining clear contractual baselines, and leveraging advanced analytics, organizations can identify overcharges, eliminate waste, and negotiate more favorable vendor agreements. When audits become a continuous business process—bolstered by cross-functional training, executive governance, and precise contract language—mid-market enterprises gain the transparency and control needed to optimize telecom spending and fund higher-impact initiatives.For businesses ready to elevate their audit program with industry-leading expertise and technology, zLinq offers comprehensive TEM solutions, including automated invoice ingestion and exception reporting, as well as hands-on dispute management and data-driven vendor negotiations. Partner with zLinq to implement a proactive audit framework that safeguards your budget, reinforces vendor accountability, and drives enduring cost efficiencies in an increasingly complex telecom landscape.