#lmk theme: using vs being

[imminent-danger-came]

tip toes here im probably just gonna ramble incoherently but

i know youve talked about the theme of other people stealing mks power and using it for their own gain, im gonna add my two cents in with the simple fact that, them taking his power backfired. badly.

spider queen tried to rule the world using that power, ended up getting her mech destroyed and would’ve probably crawled back to the sewers if not for lbd.

lbd basically built her ass mech by taking a BUNCH of mks power, ended up being super mega deluxe dead.

Azure well. Yeah, “… but it wasnt in my power, it was in yours.” He DIRECTLY manipulated mk, and mk destroyed that guy, putting the world at risk of being torn apart i might add. (rest in peace azure lion beach episode featuring you wouldve been too powerful). Yknow it kinda seems like his power is getting more unstable throughout the show, i might talk about that later not rn.

NOW FINALLY TO THE POINT. We may not know much about the hooded underworld figure, but if their objective is to use mk and his for their own means? to control chaos itself? i dont think thats going to go very well. not for the antagonist, not for the world, definitely not for mk and his friends.

oki das it srry if that was unclear n stuff i dont talk ab my thoughts much baiiii

Haaaiiiii

Yeah, there is a pattern in lmk of someone taking/using MK's powers, succeeding for a little while, before MK, and partially themselves, are ultimately their undoing (Macaque in 1x09, SQ in s1-ROTSQ, LBD in s2-s3, Azure in s4). Like we are 4 for 4 on each season including this trend, I doubt s5 is gonna be different. This is the "stories repeat over and over again" show

And like, our next antagonist is probably going to continue the "fixing the world/removing pain" pattern, this time through chaos, but using MK like everyone else did. It didn't go well the last few times, and it's not going to go well this time.

Personally, I think it'll go a step further and have MK feel the repercussions for using his own power you know. It's not going to go well for him either, in whatever way he's trying to control the world ("So as long as I have my friends by my side; this world is perfect!" , "I'm kinda liking the world as it is right now. So if it could just stay like this forever? That would be awesome.")

[the-real-loser-otaku-girl]

Different fashions reddit user say is the same thing and why they are not

i cant believe this is a post i am making lol but ima clear up how these reddit users r wrong lol (pls dont harass anyone this is just for educational purposes)

Dark girly vs Jirai

Dark girly kei is a fashion that predates jirai (jirai is a lifestyle!!!) The only reason Girly kei is associated with jirai is cuz the girly kei style is what was trending when jirai became a thing. i go more in depth about jirai here

with the next sections i do not know as much sadly but i shall use the knowledge i do have and please feel to jump in!

Cutecore vs Jojifuku

cutecore 1 2

jojifuku 1 2

As we can see there is a lot of overlap. Cutecore is a style that emerged around 2020 (🩷) meanwhile jojifuku is from the 2010s (🩷)

Cutecore often has themes of spookier stuff (not always tho!!!)

Jojifuku (女児服) translates to girls clothing. the look of it is to look like youre wearing kids clothes.

(again i dont know much about these styles so feel free to correct me!)

Coquette vs Hime kei

Honestly I dont know what they are really talking about here lol. Hime gyaru? Hime lolita? Himekaji? So ill show how each one is different form one another

Coquette 1 2

Hime gyaru 1 2

Hime lolita 1 2

Himekaji 1 2

Coquette is a style thats super popular on this app (tumblr) and imo its recently gotten pretty popular. meanwhile ive seen styles like himekaji dwindle in popularity (at least from what ive seen) i think its pretty obvious to see the difference with just pictures so i wont go into a lot of detail (unless you would like me to)

yes all styles of similarities but they also have noticeable differences. Some similarities include 1. all being a more feminine style 2. all often having pink colours 3. all are fashions (and more) But some differences include 1. where/when they originate 2. the silhouette/certain parts of the look 3. the popularity (and more)

Kidcore vs Decora

kidcore 1 2

Decora 1 2

Kidcore as the name states is a more "childish" style. Its very colourful and gives off nostalgic vibes.

Decora is a style that is about decorations/accessories. You cant have a decora fit without them.

Cottagecore vs Mori kei

Cottagecore 1 2

Mori kei 1 2

I dont even know where they got the idea these were the same thing lol

Cottagecore is based around wildlife, farming, cottages, nature. it has a "rural and pioneer" vibe

Mori kei is is more earthy. The best way i can think to describe the difference without rambling is cottagecore is the ppl living in the forest and mori kei is the forest? idk lol.

Rococo vs Lolita

if anything its flipped. Rococo inspired lolita. Also there is so many different types of lolita. sigh.

If you take anything from this I hope its to do your research. And not just listen to the voices you agree with. Listen to the history. Listen to the people who know what they are talking about. Pls lmk if I can explain anything better and feel free to add on! have a good day! (also i am just one source pls go do ur own research!!/nf)

[ophelisstuff]

GOODLUCK CHARM | P.B x C.C x Reader

authors note : first smut ever written! Had to channel my inner freak for this one LMAO. lmk how y’all like this and feel free to request more

requested by : anon

summery : Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers have a little fun with their girlfriend before the Iowa vs Uconn basketball game.

word count : 1.2k

warnings : sexual themes, cursing, degrading, slightly mean Caitlin, mention of straps, mentions of uconn vs iowa 😔.

“Strip.” Caitlin demanded, startling you as she stormed into the hotel room with Paige following close behind her.

Their unexpected arrival bringing you back into reality as you expected them to be gone out longer.

With the upcoming game between Iowa and Uconn, both Paige and Caitlin had been at each others necks for the past few days.

Giving one another smart remarks and starting petty arguments about who would win. And even daring to ask which team you were rooting for.

Never feeding into the disagreements and laughing at them instead, you enjoyed the few hours of peace you had while they were both away at practice.

Though on the other hand, it seemed as if Caitlin and Paige hated being away from you for the period of time.

Numerous text’s being sent to the groupchat between the three of you. Mostly consisting of Paige and Caitlin’s nonsense while discussing how much they missed you.

“What?” You questioned, your response delayed as you were yet to register Caitlin’s words.

“You heard her, strip.” Paige told you, repeating the words that had exited Caitlin’s mouth — watching as you looked at both of them in confusion.

Nevertheless, you followed the demand. Stripping your clothes off and standing before the two of them — their eyes hungrily trailing up and down your body.

“on your back.” Paige instructed, you finding your place on the bed. Laying as the blond had instructed, watching as both your girlfriends hovered over your bare body.

“Such a good listener.” Caitlin began, her fingers running through your loose hair as she looked at Paige. “Should I get the strap?”

You laid in silence a look of desperation displayed in your face as you listened to the two talk. The urge to satisfy your heat growing in response the unexpected situation.

“No. Save it for later on tonight.” Paige told the brunette, deciding to give you a little piece of the experience. Saving the rest for after the basketball game.

Noticing your neediness, Paige moved her hand down to your pussy — clothed by the damp silk underwear. Her fingertips rubbing light circles on your clit.

Caitlin sucking on your neck, her hands tenderly squeezing your breasts — you couldn’t hold in the loose moans that’s slipped out of your mouth.

“Look at her.” Caitlin scoffed, parting ways with your neck as she looked at both you and Paige. “Barely touched her and she’s moaning like a slut”

Paige smiled at the girls words, sliding her hand into your underwear. Running a finger through your folds — being met with a familiar slick.

“Feel her Cait. Already wet for us” Paige shook her head at you, moving to the side so Caitlin could feel the slick between your folds.

Instead of slipping her hand in your underwear, Caitlin slid the fabric off of you. Absentmindedly setting it somewhere as she smirked at you.

“Look at that. All for us” Caitlin spoke, keeping your legs spread open as both she and Paige looked at your pussy like a piece of artwork.

A short whine exited your mouth, growing desperate for either one of their touches. Wanting to feel something that would take the ache away.

“Needy brat.” Caitlin scolded, grabbing your legs and pulling you closer to her — on her knees as she sat face to face with your pussy.

Paige on the bed beside you, fully clothed as her teeth unexpectedly tugged at your nipples. Causing a gasp to exit your mouth in return.

“Keep her still” Caitlin instructed Paige — who gave no answer due to attacking your breasts with her mouth.

Aware of how squirmy you happened to be when getting ate out. The girls often took turns holding the upper part of your body down.

Rolling her eyes, the brunette licked a stripe of your pussy. Watching as you squirmed beneath her, the girl couldn’t help but smirk.

Spitting on your pussy, Caitlin dove in — her tongue sliding over every aching area that you wanted to be touched.

“Caitlin!” You yelled, a string of moans immediately exiting your mouth, Paige’s assault on your breasts making the moans louder.

Unable to fight the pleasure, you tried to hold the moans in. Aware that your hotel neighbors could be in their room — you tried to be quiet out of respect for them.

“Bet no one makes her feel as good as we do” Paige confidently spoke, watching as Caitlin stopped eating you out — lining two fingers up with your entrance.

“I know, and she knows that shit too” Caitlin slowly slid her fingers in glaring at you. Your eyes shut, allowing moans to flow out.

“Look at her, it’s pathetic” Paige said, placing her fingers back on your clit to rub rapid paced circles on the sensitive area.

Slipping her fingers out and slipping them back in, Caitlin pumped her digits in and out of you — meeting Paige’s pace.

Sitting up using your elbows as support, you tried to look at your girlfriends — close to a release that you’d been craving.

“I’m gonna cum!” You announced through a moan, though most the pleasure had slowed down as soon as you did.

“Who’s pussy is this.” Caitlin asked you — Paige beginning to slow down the action on your clit to hear the answer.

Their eyes set on you, almost as if they were daring you to say the wrong answer. Though in the moment, all you wanted was the release you’d been waiting for.

“It’s yours, all for you and Paige!” You spoke nearly immediately, satisfied once the rapid paces had resumed.

Your legs beginning to rapidly shake, a tight knot began to form in your stomach. A throaty moan exiting your mouth as you were met with your release.

“There we go” Paige muttered as both of the girl’s removed their hands from your pussy to gaze at you — out of breath from the orgasm.

“That’s nothing. Just wait until the games over.” Caitlin told you as Paige laughed — the brunette walking into the bathroom to grab a rag to wipe you off with.

“We’ll have to see who our good luck charm’s gonna help win first” Paige reminded Caitlin who rolled her eyes in response — chuckling as she immediately replied

“Yeah, which will be iowa” She looked at you with a grin on her face. “Isn’t that right baby?”

“No, don’t agree with her.” Paige jumped in immediately, setting a pair of lounge clothes that came from your suitcase on the bed. “Everyone knows Uconn is winning this time.

“Oh yeah. and Who told you that — your delousins?” Caitlin replied to her girlfriend, an unwavering smirk on her face as she knew how to get under Paige’s skin.

“You know what. I’m gonna-” Paige began, a threat nearly coming out of her mouth before being silence by you.

“Both of you, shut up and stop acting like toddlers!” You scolded your girlfriends, who immediately dropped the disagreement and moved on as if it were nothing.

[minibatson]

Using my frustration towards the New 52 to create a better story for Shazam!

That title is misleading, slightly. But I have been workshopping ways to keep the New 52 additions (Darla, Pedro and Eugene) while also returning Billy and Freddy to their former feral street urchin glory.

I'm British, so if there's any major cultural or political things that make this questionable, lmk. I try to stay updated on American politics, but oh well.

Character rewrites under the cut!

Billy Batson/Captain Marvel

The front liner himself.

For me, at least, I think it's best if Billy is kept a homeless orphan. I would have him camping out in some abandoned apartment block with Freddy, even before he gets his powers. Billy is a very resourceful boy, and should be written as such.

Billy, to me, is a character that represents hope and kindness even in the face of adversity, and I'd make that the secondary theme of the comics- with family as the main.

I would have him and Captain Marvel be separate entities, like in the 40s run, but I'd take Marvel's personality from specifically Shazam vs The Monster Society of Evil from the 2000s. The concern he shows for Billy makes my heart happy. Billy still has influence over Captain Marvel, but they are technically separate. Marvel could exist in a different host, if a more suited one existed.

I won't talk about trans Billy Batson right now. But it's there. I promise.

Mary Bromfield (Batson)/Mary Marvel

I'm returning Mary to being Billy's age. In fact, to being Billy's twin sister. As strange as the whole 'given away at birth to a wealthier family for the sake money' is, it is possible. That is something I could imagine happening. And it works as a critique on what happens when medical facilities put profit over people!

I would also keep Mary as the "smart" one of the group, in the sense that she is the most academically gifted. Which isn't hard when three out of the six haven't been in school for a while (but we'll talk about that in a bit). I'd say Mary excels in the sciences, where it mostly recall and application, and that she struggles more with more abstract concepts- that's a Billy thing.

As she was raised by a wealthy family, Mary is slightly distanced from the rest of the group, and is far more oblivious to things that the others notice quickly.

As for her hero persona, I think she'd remain in child form. Somewhere around thirteen. I'd make her fighting style based more on kicking, inspired by that one panel of her kicking a guy in teeth while saying 'I'll show you a dance lesson'. She's a difficult fight if only because she's so strong and yet so easy to underestimate.

Freddy Freeman/Captain Marvel Junior

My baby boy!

I'd make him the oldest. Mary and Billy are thirteen in this universe, so I'd put Freddy at fifteen.

Freddy plays the protective older brother role towards the entire group. He will physically wrap his body around Billy or Eugene or Darla or Kit while he sleeps. He can't help it. They're his babies.

I'd make Freddy similar to how he was in the 40s- theatrical and brash and impulsive and angry. Freddy would beat a nazi to a pulp.

Freddy is the mentor when he's talking to Billy. An older street kid who's seen the horrors and made it out alive. He gives out advice and comfort while expecting to receive none back.

Except he does. Because they're his family. And they love him.

Also, I'm giving him his black curly hair back.

Bonus: Kit Freeman.

Kit is Freddy's younger brother, actually called Christopher, who died in Freddy's place when Billy revived (?) Freddy with his magic when Freddy got his powers.

Instead of that, I'd have Kit be alive and well. Just little. I'd put Kit at eight or nine years old. A fairly large age gap with Freddy. Oh, and I'd have Kit's hair be the same loose curls as Freddy, but slightly lighter. A dark brown, like in the comics.

They'd both die for each other.

Darla Dudley/ (???)

Why don't the 52 trio have hero names? At least, I can't find them anywhere.

Anyway, she's ten. A little older than Kit. I imagine that they're friends.

She's the heart of the group. Billy brings the power, Mary brings the smarts, Freddy brings wisdom, she brings love and compassion.

Now, how to get this one onto the streets? I decided to go with something similar to her family's current canon. Rather than abandoning her outright, however, they are just incredibly neglectful and quite poor. This puts Darla in contact with Kit, by virtue of playing on the street together.

I'd say that's how she meets the others. Possibly after the other three get their powers. Definitely after Billy does. Kit just brings a little girl into their (Billy and Freddy's) apartment and declares her 'sister'.

Eugene Choi

I said Mary Brings the smarts in terms of academics, however that's only because Eugene isn't in school in this universe.

I'd put Eugene as the third Street kid, with Billy and Freddy (or fourth, because Kit). I don't believe there is any canon information about his parents, so I decided to put them in prison for unknown crimes and gave Eugene be a kid running from the foster care system. He eventually joins Freddy, Billy and Kit in their apartment and lives with them full time.

He is still brilliant with tech in this universe. Before leaving a foster home, he'd study as much of the technology available to him as he could, as well as taking the occasional pieces. He's made a hobby of making small, useful gadgets for himself.

I'd make him twelve. Younger than Billy and Mary, older than Darla.

Pedro Peña

Second oldest, at fourteen. He's mothered by Freddy the least.

Much like Mary, Pedro has a loving family. Though, made up of his aunt, whom he migrated with a few years ago. His aunt works a relatively reasonable job that pays a reasonable wage. They aren't wealthy, they aren't poor.

Pedro meets the group mostly by accident. He's just wandering around when he sees Billy stealing food from the back bin of a restaurant, and offers him his food.

He got close to the group after that. His aunt cooks food specifically for him to take to them.

He and Mary are yet to go a week without receiving a glare from Freddy.

[quitealotofsodapop]

In the Wukongverse, who are the bigger Disney fans??

(asking since I've been on a metal Disney kick)

Smokey would rock Poor Unfortunate Souls by Jonathan Young but would get so into it he needs his Macaque cuddles afterwards to right his head (self demon issues, he is a hero but he also tricked people in the past and is on his journey to change and be good)

While Cherry on the other hand would hands down have fun singing Peyton Parrish's version of I'll make a man out of you since he just started his journey and his pilgrim brothers could use the advice.

The LMK Wukongs love themselves some animation goodness! Mostly to chill after a rough day. Wrap up in a blanket, stick on a film he's seen a million times, Eat some peach chips; he's a happy monkey.

LMK Macaques get distracted by the animation!! Cus? "Peaches look! They're using layered paintings to simulate movement!!" Their faves are Fantasia ( Original and 2000) naturally cus of the high animation quality set to classical music. Dawn/Peach walk in one day and find their Dusk/Plum on the ground crying while watching the cut Dali "Destino" segment.

MK's fave is "Treasure Planet". Try not to ask why or he will change the subject and switch on "Princess and the Frog".

Dasheng doesn't really care, but he watches them anyway cus Liuer and the rest of the kids really like them. He's embarassed to admit that he can sing every line of "Beauty and the Beast" perfectly. Also good date night movies - Zhanshi's fave are the fairytale romances. <3

Smokey don't care about the cartoons, but he does get down to the villain songs. Blasting "Poor Unfortunate Souls" and "Hellfire" so hard that his LEM has to step in to calm him down. Liang is more interested in the technical side of the works, but he just beams with joy whenever the babies chirp/bark excitedly at that opening logo. Shared fave is "The Little Mermaid" naturally (though Sandy argues that it's not an accurate depiction of sea fish demons).

Ace and Joker pretend that they don't care, but you know these goobers take the kids and grandkids to Disneyland whenever they have the excuse. Lots of the classics (since they just got made in their universe) and shared infodumping. Ace will send the other SWK's classic Donald Ducks and Goofy cartoons in the group chat without context.

Cherry and Olive are equally super excited cus "Moving paintings!! Heck yeah!". Cherry's faves are the og animated "Mulan" and "Lilo and Stitch" without question. The latter caught him by surprise cus it made him remember who he's always felt like "a weird little alien" on earth, and Lilo and Nani remind him of Lin. ;_; Olive is just delighted to watch anything Cherry is super-hyped about, and they both hoot happily at the tv together.

Shihou and Mihou are kids and they love cartoons no question. Shihou likes the Milt Kahl-era ones like "Sword in the Stone" and "The Jungle Book" cus he vibes with the themes of growing up, but he finds the romantic ones boring. Mihou in contrast secretly adores the classic "princess" movies like "Sleeping Beauty" and "Cinderella" cus of the sweet stories and music. Shihou will watch Mihou's "boring" films with him without complaint cus he knows how much his opal love them.

Sugar likes the "roadtrip" movies the most; "Atlantis", "Treasure Planet" etc. He's still technically on his Journey, and he loves hearing/seeing tales of others. Spice is pretty shy to voice his opinions but... he likes "Pinocchio" the best - the concept of being created and having to adapt to the world mostly-made tickles his brain in a good way.

Starfruit don't care. Why should he? He knows the real guys! He sees Peter Pan on the regular in the Library! Lilac is the complete opposite, they hold streaming parties with associated Legends to watch their "adaptations" and critique them based on accuracy vs execution. Starfruit joins in, only because he, Goldie, and Peter get to read the movies to filth in the group chat XD

Two movies that hold a place in all their hearts are:

Hercules: Themes of obtaining godhood, heroism, an unclear purpose, goth gf, and weird horses.

Moana: Island life, wanting to explore farther, doing what you can for your people, the inherit tragedy of demi-gods, the whole Te Kā situation...

[octodrawn]

Hmmmm.... I'm thinking about making a video essay on the gendered themes of LPS 2012 in a similar vein to Lily Simpson but with a wider scope including the girls vs boys plot lines, feminist vs misogynist moments and general episodes about gender roles along with anything trans related (I'm not entirely sure if there's much of that, though)

Below, I'm gonna put the episodes/moments I'd include. If there's any you think I missed lmk! (warning for mentions of breif misogyny and transphobia)

GENERAL GENDER STUFF

-short "just not into it" interesting rebuttal of popular conception of gender roles at the time

-short "girls night" emphasizes the importance female friendship and comradery

-s1, e9 "Dumb Dumbwaiter" (I'd need to rewatch before writing) kinda represents the ideas of what a feminist episode was at the time.

-s4,e20 "On the Same Page" I don't think I've seen this one yet actually but from what I can tell it's about the pets splitting up over perceived gender differences and then coming back together when they figure out they're not so different after all or something

-s3, e2 "Secret Cupet" EUgghhhh..... Probably the most problematic episode of the series misogyny wise. I'm pretty sure this episode has been covered to death before but I think it's important to mention in a video about feminism. I can't understand how they made this Pepe Le Pew ass episode in 2014 without ANYONE in the studio being like hmmmmm.... maybe this is a bad idea. AND they put it as the second episode of the season??????

CROSSDRESSING

-overall pretty normalized. Not USUALLY used for a punchline from what I remember. At some points it's not even mentioned like Sunil's Ball outfit where he just comments on the color (the punchline might be the fact he's not mentioning it though so???). I think having a range of gender expression is important for a show that features a lot of fashion. (may need more specific examples though)

TRANS THINGS???

-s1, e19 "what did you say" It's kind of a small thing but at the end when Vinnie is like "call me princess precious" and everyone is like "lol no that's the dumbest thing ever lol". It probably wasn't intentional but this could be a bad message for kids to dismiss their friends who share something they want to be called.

-It's a punchline that happens an odd amount of times where a pet thought to be a girl is actually a boy... which might be questionable but I don't think the pets react badly (would need specific examples though)

-um... I'm not sure if there are many more... might scrap this section.

Thank you for reading this <33 Please let tell me if I missed something or if you have any thoughts on the episodes I already have here!

[onychespherein]

Sooooooo…

you say you want questions about this new AU…?

well here ya go!

(also you don’t need to answer all at once, take it at your own pace)

who’s the castor and who’s the pollux

do they just replace Gemini?

what happenes to cannon Gemini?

how do they all meet lunar and solar

Do the celestials and Astrals just swap roles? Are their names different from the cannon?

will you make comics/fanfics about it?

do sun and moon merge? If so, what are they when combined

how would this work, bc lunar only exists because of eclipse making them to suppres moon?

(I have more, lmk if you want them)

hi before we start i just wanted to say i love you. you're my favourite person rn i hope you know ❤️❤️❤️ i want any questions you might have!! i might not answer all of them because spoilers dfjfhfh but i welcome all of them anyway <3

so for the sake of simplicity (and to avoid spoilers!!) moon's castor and sun's pollux in the sense they're two halves of a whole, with moon being the more cold/clinical one and sun the upbeat/emotional one. brain vs heart etc

i wouldn't say they replace gemini, exactly? i mean, the lore is very much different— i'm basically overhauling the entire system to suit my needs, with the example of wither storm not being a natural thing every universe ends in but a disease the creator manufactured specifically for his Evil Plans™ and sun & moon's backstory is very much tied to it. i don't think that's how it goes in the show, i mean i am several months behind so idk really but from what i remember the wither storm was supposed to be this natural thing that happened anyway but could be sped up via use of the newton star/star power? at least i'm pretty sure that's how it went

also yes the creator IS an astral in this au too :)

the astrals are all animatronics! they take the place of the celestial family in the sense that all crazy shit that happens is centered mostly around them instead — except for the lunar blowing up thing, but it's one of them that blows him up instead of eclipse. they're not daycare attendants though, i actually made a new attraction in the pizzaplex specifically of them. it's basically a bit like this super large space themed jungle gym with zero-gravity tech.

castor and pollux take the role of sun and moon, with them initially being the main (and only) animatronic in there and sharing a body — they had been known as gemini at the time but changed their names after separating. i admit i don't have their lore as thought out as the celestial fam xhrjdh but it's ok because solar (from whose pov i'm writing most of the fics) has no idea what's going with them either!!

lunar & solar are the daycare attendants fazbear had commissioned in this universe instead of sun and moon, so they've been in the pizzaplex since the start — no eclipse needed for lunar to be a thing. the kill code moon had isn't really a thing either, at least not where they are concerned; they've always been two separate people. kill code the person is an astral tho!!

so lunar died and came back with star power, catching attention of the astrals much like in canon. and like i said sun and moon are as gemini here but it's eclipse instead who was then sent to "take care" of him aka the threat assessment turned training etc (they hate each other SO MUCH), some others (including sun & moon and earth!!) tagged along after earth (the planet) became a place of interest to them because of lunar's existence. and obviously since solar is lunar's brother they decided to bother him too— after stalking him for a while (moon) and deciding he was interesting enough to warrant a conversation (sun). and then because these two (three, technically) hang out around them so much, they meet the rest of the astrals at some point too.

the names are the same, or at least i can't think of one that's different right now, and yes sun and moon merge! i don't wanna say what cuz it's a ✨secret✨ but it's not a two minds one body type of thing

i am writing fics about this au tho i don't know when i'll post them. most of them are oneshots focused on sun & moon bonding w/ solar and there's one about eclipse torturing i mean training lunar haha,, also multichapter with eclipse's backstory too

i don't know about comics, i never really drew one before but i'll def post more art!! i've seen people doing stuff like "ask this and that character from au" and i wanna do that too but we'll see how it goes lol

[m1ckeyb3rry]

OH MY GOD THE RHYMING PING PONG one — my Karasu looked so STRESSED, I think Nagi said “orange” (I think?). I can sooooo see it Karasu going like “bro what are you doing!?” Given his competitive nature🤣 betya he cheered THE LOUDEST when Nagi hit a strike and it shows (i can see his oesophagus wait what— that was an expression hahaha)

I just love these tiny panels of them (i cannot wait for this to be animated 🥺 this is honestly what I am most excited for in S2 hahaha). When I saw that panel again, i immediately thought of you tbh 😆

Karasu — looks like could kill and is actually a cinnamon roll. I wanted to think that Karasu was trying to pull the same treatment with Hiori to Nagi when he said “those who seldomly think that they’re prodigies arent the real deal” (something like that). To me, it felt like he was trying to tell Nagi to be more confident??

The gaming aspect — Karasu only plays like idle/management type of games, i guess not so much RPGs?? He attracts the gamers to him HAHAHAHA the fact that he is sooooooo into stocks makes sense why he be networking and learning from Reo.

Also also, been thinking lately— if episode nagi had chigiri in vol 5, maybe maybe we’ll get a Barou and Nagi cover too? 👀 its a given I can just tell.

On that note, I might… and probably getting there slowly but surely, when I decided I wanted a jumper like Nagi’s lol because I just changed my phone bg to a nagi themed one (used to be chigiri, then karasu lol).

Jee wheeez my asks are getting longer hahahaha

LMAOOO no karasu was sooo mad!! and yeah nagi did say orange 😭 they’re literally opposites like dark haired competitive ass vs pale haired idgaf warrior HAHA that panel also cracks me up because nagi is just like 😟❔ and everyone else is losing it meanwhile barou is trying to give off nonchalant and cool vibes but yk deep down he’s proud of nagi 🥹 they give such sibling vibes i love them

YESS i love the cute small moments in the u20 arc!! like nagi calling barou the stripper king 😭 there’s this element of all of the players somehow being friends and having their own individual dynamics that isn’t there as much in nel sadly

it feels like he was probably testing nagi too a bit!! like trying to see if he would live up to the hype or not LMAOAO he also gives very much older sibling vibes his trash talk is actually just him being a bossy big bro

yeah iirc he plays like hotel management games and whatnot 😭 imo he def says he games though so the gamers (nagi niko hiori) are like “oh word??” and ask him what he plays and he’s just like merge mansion or hay day or smth and they’re like WTF you’re not even a gamer stop calling yourself one 😓 LMAOO but him being friends with reo is so real like YES tabito get that linkedin!! build your network bby!!

BAROU AND NAGI COVER MIGHT BE THE END OF ME like actually i’ll scream…epinagi covers are always slays i love the one w rin especially because it gives such manhwa vibes JFKDSK like looks-wise those two are THE male leads ykwim

LMAO if you ever need help converting lmk i’m always happy to yap abt nagi 🤩 and dwww i think my responses are always 10x as long as your asks so it works ✊🏻

[imminent-danger-came]

I was rewatching s2 last night, and ohhh man mk looks over mei so much it's not even funny. times mei has been ignored:

maybe you need to really listen! (during the blindfold ep)

mk just? grabs stuff she's using out of her hands all the time? (video game ep)

maybe you shouldn't skip the tutorials? (video game ep again)

the way he addresses her in dumpling destruction and then immediately pushes her aside for tang

i honestly remember it lowkey kinda bothering me on first watch but now it's REALLY egregious on rewatch. are you scared? I'm so scared. do you WANT to end up like shadowpeach MK

2x03 is so rude because the whole fucking episode they're like "MK you don't listen" and it's so true. He doesn't. Pigsy literally points it out again at the end of 4x14 with the whole sun screen bit:

Pigsy: "Tch, don't bother, I've been telling him that for years but he LITERALLY never listens." Sun Wukong: "Yep! That's how we role."

-

THEY'RE SO FUCKING RUDE. "That's how we role." We. We????? Wukong and MK???? Like WHATEVER. FINE. (("I told you going against the Jade Emperor was a bad idea, but no. Wukong doesn't listen to ANYONE! He just does whatever he wants" Like shut up. Shut up!))

MK gets so stuck in his own head ("You're all stuck up in your own head! None of this is your fault!" +1 to the MK ignoring Mei counter from 4x08) and I think that really contributes to his s2 scramble to get more powerful.

LIKE:

MK: "Stop? Now? Never! I just have to try harder. It's just like the Monkey King said! *laughs manically* I just need to get stronger!"

(2x06 Game On)

VS

MK: "Why didn't he just stop, right here? He was already so much stronger than anyone ever needed to be!" Macaque: "Wukong didn't think so, he always felt he had to be stronger—more immortal."

(4x11 A Lifetime of Mistakes)

-

(Bonus thing between eps 2x03 and 2x06, look at 0:42 in this video for MK hearing Mei but not listening to her. Because of course that's what he would do. *head in my hands .png*)

The terrible s2 choices both Wukong and MK make in relation to their friends is just absolutely delicious after 4x11. Like, OH. This has been a lifelong pattern of Wukong's—paranoia is one of his fatal flaws (paired with his terrible communication and self-sacrificial nature), and while he had the power to stop LBD before he still feel's the need to go after the Samadhi Fire to stop her now, and to protect MK.

Hold on look at this parallel that I don't know what to do with:

MK: "Ugh, I can't do it!"

Mei: "It's alright MK—you did it before, you'll do it again!" Sandy: "Yeah! Maybe it's like Monkey King said: the power will come when you need it most!"

(3x04 The Winning Side)

-

MK: "What! But you said the Samadhi fire was the only thing that could stop her!" Sun Wukong: "I KNOW WHAT I SAID! But I've beaten her before I'll- I'll do it again! Mei was right—I need to stop dragging you into my fights, all of you."

(3x10 The Samadhi Fire)

-

Wukong and MK's reach for power inspires a lot of fear in me! It does! Because, well, MK's current reach for power is going to lead him to his Monkey Form, and uh:

Like I'm scared. I'm scared!

"All doomed to play a role in tearing this world apart!" ; "This is Azure's utopia, and this barren wasteland is the price he paid to build it." ; "I'd do anything for my friends! But at the cost of the world?" "I'm sorry pal, ain't NOTHIN' worth that price!"

[pastelbatfandoms]

First Sentence Tag

Rules: List 10 of your published fics and their first sentences, and then tag other writers to do it.

Idk any other writers on here,personally,so I’ll be either skipping that or tagging just my favorites. I also may do this again,because I have more then just 10 fics! may also do more than one sentence.

Most of these are series,will put my one shots in another post. LMK if I should showcase more then one chapter!

~~

Wells of Hearts (The Flash Fic, Reverse Flash, Polyamoures Wells, meta OC, eventual smut, Soulmates and Twin flames,series)

He came out of the portal in a flash, All Bolero hat and black with his Drumsticks and ‘Cool Cat’ attitude. I’ll admit while I found him as attractive as all the other Wells, this Harrison or “HR” as he liked to be called, seemed like he was trying too hard.

Mischief on Wings (Loki x OC, Valkyrie soulmate,shield maiden, childhood friends,series)

Loki was here she could feel it. “That’s impossible…” Amara whispered to herself.

The Alpha (Teen Wolf fic, Peter Hale’s mate, Werewolf, possibly toxic, Alpha/Beta dynamic, eventual smut, age gap,series)

Marianna heard footsteps behind her,slow,confident,methodical. Who would dare just stroll into her and Peter’s den like this? Well her den now.

Kings and Queen of Disaster (The Walking Dead, Post apocalyptic, OC, Merle Dixon, The Govenar, Negan, smut, toxic relationship, Cheating, D/S dynamic, angst, age gap, series)

It was sunny,birds were chirping. I sat in My favorite chair,reading my favorite book. It was a nice calming day,well as nice as it could be being The zombie Apocalypse and all.

Half God Half Devil (AHS, Apocalypse as well as Murder House & Freakshow with the coven witches, Michael Langdon soulmate, toxic Dandy Mott with OC, reincarnation, angst, trauma, satanic themes, smut, series)

She was dead. Had been for 11 years now,at 21 Helena never thought she’d be here.

The Kings of Hell (Supernatural smut, My character from AHS is crossing over, Crowley, Lucifer, threesome, power play, slight blood play, Queen of Hell,one shot. Will be more.)

I was The Queen of Hell,I could do whatever I wanted and I had. Ordering the lesser demons about,torturing deserving humans,hell even giving a few hunters a run for their money,and yet I was bored.

The Dream Lovers (Nightmare on Elm Street, Robert is actually Freddy Krueger, split personality, age gap romance, trauma, toxic relationships, eventual smut, series.)

I first met Robert Englund on the set of Freddy Vs Jason. I had always been a fan of The NOES Movies and an even bigger fangirl of Freddy Krueger. I was always a different child and as a Teenager not much had changed.

Gods and Pirates (The Descendants, not pg, age gap but their gods, Hades, Harry Hook, The Daughter of Hercules and Meg, songs,fluff, smut, angst, love triangle, VK’s make an appearance. Series)  

It’s hard only being a Half God. Half on Earth Half on Olympus,Half Powers that she barely knew how to use. Out of everyone she knew her Father understood the most.

A Perfect Distraction ( Harry Potter one shot. Will become a series, Lucius Malfoy x OC, Slytherin x Ravenclaw, polyamory,high school sweethearts, lovers to enemies to lovers, angst, smut, fluff, Surprise appearance by a certain professor.) 

They were a sight to behold,Rhiannon and Lucius,as he led her to the center of the ballroom. Rhiannon in a long midnight blue silk dress,Lucius decked out in a crushed velvet black suit with a Slytherin broach attached to one lapel,his long platinum hair tied back with a black satin ribbon.

Mughead (Riverdale fic, teenage angst, Jughead Jones x OC, FP Jones, High school sweethearts, fluff,love triangle, alcoholism, cheating, eventual smut, Jughead is ASexual, gang wars,series.)

I had known The Core Four as they were affectionately called,since Middle School,6th grade to be exact,when I was transferred to Riverdale from Washington. 

I became fast friends with Kevin Keller who introduced me to Archie Andrews,Betty Cooper,Veronica Lodge and Jughead Jones.

[diabeticlichen-thropy]

Story with diabetic OC

I’m actually terrified to post this, so if it stays up for more than 48 hours that will be an achievement but here is my WIP. I got incredibly frustrated by the lack of accurate diabetes representation in fiction, and coupled with my current Criminal Minds obsession, this came into existence. Thanks @diabets for helping me with proofreading. If anyone has title ideas please LMK. Chapter 1 below the cut

Part 2:

https://diabeticlichen-thropy.tumblr.com/post/646031442020859904/resolution-through-dialogue-and-fists-if-needed

@diabadass-vs-the-world

Chapter I

Theo walked through the atrium and jogged up a flight of stairs, down a corridor, left, right and then knocked on a door. She walked through without waiting for an answer and proceeded to dump a pile of files on a desk before collapsing into a chair causing it to spin. A man sitting at the next-door desk chuckled under his breath at Theo’s dramatics causing her to turn and face him. 

“What crawled under your skin Wilson?” He asked 

“I’m back from the field and you know what that means” she said, dropping her head to the desk

“Paperwork” the two agents said in unison, although Theo’s was distorted by her arms

Penzias laughed at Theo as he pulled a short stack of files from his desk drawer, “Why is your pile so tiny?” Theo whined 

“I do paperwork as I go, you know on the flight back or whatever? You should try it sometime”

Theo rolled her eyes at her friend, “but paperwork is the worst”, she pulled pile after pile of files from her drawers and up off the floor under her desk. Penzias’ jaw dropped watching his friend almost disappear under the pile of work she had to do. “That’s going to take more than one day to catch up on Theo” he warned her,

“That’s what I have this for!” Theo exclaimed happily pulling out a coffee the size of her head, “a triple shot cappuccino” she took a sip before suddenly swearing under her breath and pulling a small device out of her pocket, pressing a few buttons she relaxed back in her chair and swigged from her coffee. 

“Theodora Wilson, you’d think after however many decades this has been you’d remember with your unholy coffee addiction”

Theo just rolled her eyes at Daniel and slammed open her first file sighing dramatically and clicking her pen repeatedly as she read. The information in the file brought back memories of her case and she lost herself in the details. She filled out the forms for weapon use, use of force, and other accountability checks with one hand while turning the pages with her other. She and Daniel worked in silence the only sounds, the turn of a page, scratch of a pen or sip of coffee as the hours ticked by. 

The comfortable silence was interrupted by a beeping from Theo’s hip. She pulled the device out again, checked the screen and put it away, going back to to work. The quiet rhythm had been broken though and Daniel stretched loudly. His pile had dwindled to one, and although Theo had powered through a significant number of files she still had two large piles on her desk. “I’m gonna go grab some lunch, want anything?” Daniel asked

“Nah, I’ve got a sandwich somewhere” Theo responded looking up from her work. “Thanks though” 

The door swung shut with a click behind Daniel and the space was once again quiet, thanks to the empty bullpen in which their desks were situated. Their unit had been given a few days of leave after a particularly difficult case but their Unit Chief had told Theo to get her paperwork done or she’d be grounded from field work. This was a recurring theme throughout Theo’s career but her work in and off the field (minus her paperwork) was stellar and even her paperwork eventually got done to an appropriate standard. She was mildly irritated that she was in the mostly-empty office on a weekend but with the high-intensity work with long and irregular hours it wasn’t like she had anywhere else to be. At least in the office she was being productive. She looked back down at the case open in front of her. The photos were gory but after five years in the job she’d achieved the necessary levels of desensitisation, enough that she could cope but she had enough empathy to feel the importance of what she did. She picked up her pen and began to write as the door opened “you’re back from lunch quickly” she remarked, assuming Daniel had returned. Instead, it was the voice of her boss, Unit Chief Lucas Secman that sounded throughout the empty office. “How’s that paperwork coming along Wilson?” He asked. The grin was audible in his voice, he knew just how much she hated it and although Theo was often a source of exasperation, they had a good relationship. Some might even call them friends although neither of them would ever admit to it. “How do you think?” Theo retorted, rolling her eyes and turning her chair to meet her boss face to face. He returned the gesture as he surveyed the piles of folders and paper on her desk, “how long have you been putting this off again?” he asked, slightly astonished at the sheer amount in front of him. “You should know sir, you’re the reason I’m here” she responded lifting her coffee cup, she tilted it to see if there was any left. “How many of those have you had today?” Secman asked, “based on your handwriting I’d say too many”. Theo thought for a second “We talking shots or coffees?” 

“Wrong answer” Secman responded, he turned to face the door as Daniel walked through “Penzias, your new mission is to prevent Wilson from drinking any more coffee, one more shot of espresso and her handwriting will be even more illegible than it already is” 

“Yes sir” Daniel responded, grinning at Theo as she groaned, her head thudding on her desk. 

“You two are the worst” 

“Sorry for keeping you alive Wilson” Daniel grinned at her, suddenly checking his watch “speaking of your absolute lack of self-preservation, when did you last eat?” Theo groaned again, only lifting her head when the rustle of a paper bag sounded. “I grabbed you lunch, its pasta from that place down the road you love” 

“Marry me” Theo said, opening the bag and smelling the warm food. A cough sounded from behind her, Secman was slightly flushed, “marriage proposals after paperwork is done Wilson, I’ll be in my office if you need anything” 

“Yes sir” the two agents said in unison watching their boss’ back until the door to his office closed. Theo pulled the cutlery out of the lunch bag, quickly eyeballing her food and typing the carb count for the lunch into her insulin pump before beginning eating with a moan. “You’re an angel Daniel”, Daniel just chuckled under his breath, sitting in his own chair and opening the final case file. Theo switched her pen for a fork and twirled the spaghetti getting lost in her work yet again. 

When she finally finished, hours after Daniel left, it was well and truly night outside the windows of the office and the only light came from her desk light, and through the blinds of Secman’s office facing into the bullpen. She stood up, wincing as her muscles stretched and joints cracked after hours hunched over her desk. She picked up the first pile of now-completed cases and walked over to Secman’s door, loosening up further with each step. She knocked quietly, waiting for permission from the Head Agent before entering. After the signal had been given she cracked open the door, “I have a gift for you” she announced walking in and dumping the pile in front of her boss. “The first of many” she threw over her shoulder walking back to her desk and grabbing another stack. Soon the pile on Secman’s desk was too tall and precarious so she began stacking them on the floor instead. After six such trips back and forth, a significant portion of Secman’s floor was now hidden underneath piles of papers and folders, her boss sat in his desk chair, full body laughs shook his body as he marvelled at the mess she had made. Theo’s eyes met his and suddenly she too was giggling, sitting on the carpet as the two of them laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation. Wiping his eyes, Secman remarked “this is the last time I let you go this long without doing your paperwork Wilson” 

“If you say so sir” Theo responded, lying back on the floor, “what time is it?” Secman checked his watch, “just after nine”. Theo made a noise of disgust, 

“I should eat something”

“Want to go grab something for dinner? That new diner opened just down the block” 

“Sure, why not? I’m always down to try something new”

The two of them stood up and stretched, Secman grabbed his jacket of the back of his chair, slipping his phone into the pocket. He held the door open for Theo, before locking it as they walked over to her desk. She quickly tidied up her desk, swiping her pens into a drawer, the takeout container from lunch and coffee cups into the trash. She shrugged her jacket on and picked her backpack up from under her desk, “let’s go” she turned to Secman, shoving her hands in her pockets. He let Theo through the door first and then followed, the door automatically locked behind them. The high security of the building was necessary after an attempted break in of multiple intelligence agencies worldwide almost a decade ago. The two agents walked out of the building and into the cold night air, the noise and lights of the city wrapped around Theo like a blanket. This time, Secman led the way down the road. True to his word, only a few minutes walk away he held open the door to a well lit diner with a few people inside. They were greeted at the door by a girl who showed them to a booth. Both agents sat on the same side of the booth, their backs against the wall and facing the door. Secman handed her a menu from where the waitress had placed them on the table and the two of them proceeded to read them, Theo was scanning the room, a hold over from years in the field and she knew that Secman was doing the same. Once she was sure that the room was safe, but keeping one eye on the door, she took the time to actually check out the meal options. The food was typical diner fare but she was in the mood for some salt and grease tonight after the long day she’d had. The room held a few other people, a couple sat in a booth diagonally across from Theo and Secman. Judging by their mannerisms and the food, it was a first date. Theo noted the neat meal the woman had ordered while the man was eating wings with his fingers, it was highly unlikely the date would result in a second. Closer to the door there was a college student, Theo suspected a late-night deadline, paying attention to the multiple empty coffee mugs and the knee bouncing that betrayed the student’s stress. All of the diner’s occupants were similarly non-threatening and Theo relaxed as the waitress approached. 

“What can I get started for you guys tonight?” She asked them. Secman ordered nachos and Theo, a chicken burger with mozzarella sticks. The Head Agent glared at her when she tried to order coffee so she switched it out for a diet soda, emphasis on the diet. Once their orders were placed and the waitress had left the table, the two settled into easy conversation. Topics ranged from Theo’s current reading material, to Secman (call me Lucas, we’re not at work)’s cat, to who in the unit would be most likely to start a cult. Their food arrived relatively quickly and both agents continued to talk for over an hour after their meals were complete. As they left, Theo made sure to ask the waitress to give compliments to the chef, the simple diner food had been done incredibly well. The night air was cool and Theo wrapped her jacket tighter around her. They walked back to the office and parted with a slightly awkward handshake as Secman drove off in his government issued SUV. Theo on the other hand walked over to her pride and joy, a black 1962 Chevy Corvette. The car had been parked under a street light in the lot and Theo unlocked it. She revved the engine, smiling to herself before she drove off into the night. 

Fifteen-or-so minutes later Theo’s car pulled up to a small house in a quiet street. The lights in the house were on as she cut the engine and the front door swung open as she walked up the front steps. A tall man greeted Theo with a kiss and the two of them walked into the house together. 

“How was work honey?” Chris, Theo’s husband of five years, asked

“You know how paper work days are” she responded, “sorry I’m home late, Lucas asked me to go grab dinner at a new diner” 

“It’s all good, I saw your text. Fork and I had takeout” Chris responded, gesturing to the cat sitting on the kitchen counter next to a couple of empty Chinese takeout containers. 

“Awww” Theo cooed, walking over and lifting the rather grumpy cat into her arms, Chris chuckled at his indignant meow. “How is Lucas?” 

“Eh, Secman is Secman, same old. Penzias bought me lunch though” 

“That was nice of him, we should have him around for dinner again sometime” Chris told her, moving to clean up some of the mess

“We really should, I think he’s got a new girl, Kylie or something?” Theo said, stroking Fork. 

Chris grinned at that, Penzias had a reputation for having a new girl every other month, not out of anything malicious, he just didn’t have longterm relationships. “How was your day?” 

“It was pretty quiet, I got some gardening and lesson prep done”. Chris was a botany professor at the local community college. He adored his job and Theo loved hearing his rants about various interest plant facts he would discover through his research, or about the weird emails his students sent him (there were lots of those). “How are those new waterlilies doing?” Theo asked her husband, smiling softly as he proceeded to update her on the progress his various plants. 

She woke on Monday to the smell of coffee and Chris climbing back into bed, two steaming mugs in his hands, “Good morning sweetheart” he said handing her a mug and settling back against the pillows. “Thanks sweet pea”, she sat up and began to sip at the coffee, scrolling through the news for the morning. “What time do you have to be in the office today?” Chris asked. “Secman wants us to be in by nine” Theo informed him “he got tired of Daniel showing up forty-five minutes late with coffee”. Chris grinned at the image,

“I don’t have a class until ten so I can drop you at work if you like?”

Theo kissed her husband on the cheek, thanking him as she rolled out of bed to shower. Once she was showered and dressed in a pair of black slacks and a cropped woollen blazer, she joined Chris in the kitchen for breakfast. He slid a plate of waffles in her direction, “there’s fifty grams in that, I used the new sugar-free syrup you picked up the other day”, Theo gave herself her insulin and then dug into her food. 

The ride into her office was quiet except for the couple’s shared playlist playing quietly in the background. The SUV pulled into the parking lot of the J. Edgar Hoover Building, “I’ll text you when I finish? If it’s going to be late I’ll get a lift with Penzias” 

“Sounds good, if Daniel does bring you home, send me a text and I’ll make enough dinner for the three of us”

“He’ll love that” Theo laughed “I don’t think he’s eaten anything except takeout since the last time he came for dinner” 

“Have a good day sweetheart” Chris kissed her forehead as she climbed out of the car

“You too honey” 

The door shut and Chris watched his wife head through the sliding doors into the atrium.

[sillyguyhotline]

i hate when people compare shin tsukimi to kokichi ouma/nagito komaeda and here’s why

hi first off spoilers for yttd up to chapter 2-2 and for chapter 5 of sdr2 and ndrv3

hi, this is a little disorganized because it was one of my first analysis posts on here lmao. it’s in lapslock and kinda rushed because i wrote this rant to my friends and then decided to post it here!!

ok so!! first of all, sou has very distinct and established reasons for why he acts the way he does: the survival rates. the game shows us that, prior to the death game, sou (shin tsukimi) was very pleasant, even compassionate, and was generally a good dude.

 but the identity he adopted for himself, sou hiyori, the one who trusts nobody and lies to everyone and is a pretty huge dick, is a direct consequence of miley telling him he had no chance at survival. the antagonist characters in danganronpa are just...like that. yeah, they probably have their reasons (we know that nagito lost his parents and has a very weird relationship with luck, and we can infer that kokichi doesnt have parents and probably hasnt for a decent amount of time) but they were turned into their more manipulative selves over time, and that's who they are, whereas "sou hiyori" is more of a mask or an alternate identity than anything

secondly, i know a lot of people lump him in with the dr antags bc they consider him an "antagonist" character, but honestly?? he's really not. (either way, the term antag doesnt really fit kokichi or nagito cuz junko is the antag, they're still technically on our side and id consider them antiheroes). but,,,sou honestly doesnt do the things kokichi and nagito do. those two fuck with you in the trials and then they both have chapter 5, where they stage a murder that is directly intended to confuse either you or the mastermind. 

but sou doesn't do any of that shit! yeah, he declares himself as the keymaster and lies about that kind of stuff, but it's not intended to directly oppose you, he's just trying to survive. it just so happens that sara is the keymaster in the first main game, so sara is the one who has to expose his lies. he's a liar, but especially in the first main game (not as much in the second but i'll get to that later) he's more concerned with his survival than anything. both kokichi and nagito, however, have other goals (expose the traitor from the future foundation and get them out alive/end the killing game) and even when they arent executing those goals they go out of their way to oppose the protag.

thirdly, sou embodies his own, very distinct themes. he's still a foil to sara, as the antags are with the dr protags, but in quite a different way. (oh also ive seen some people point out that sou is also a foil to keiji). kokichi, most distinctly, embodies the theme of truth vs. lies; he's a liar and his entire personality is developed out of him constantly lying to everyone including himself, while shuichi, the protag, struggles throughout the game with the burden of exposing the truth of the murders. 

a lot of people look at sou and immediately think that the main point of his character is his lies (which is fair, as he lies to both sara and himself, similar to kokichi) but it's not- it's his inability to trust anyone. you'd think that him hiding his true personality and fabricating the "sou hiyori" personality would demonstrate that he is, at his core, a liar, but "sou hiyori," especially in comparison to the "shin tsukimi" he once was, is characterized by how little he trusts everyone. this is how he is different from sara, and why he envies her: sara has managed to gain the trust of the entire group, despite being nothing but a high school girl, and is able to utilize this to her advantage (hence why he breaks down in the first main game; he has already separated himself from the group for his own survival, but panics upon seeing everyone choosing to believe sara instead of him). his separation from the rest of the group and the way he loathes sara for the trust she's gained is what's at the core of his character, not his lies. his lies only aid his lack of trust for everyone else. 

also, another thing that separates sou from the other antags is something i outlined earlier: when they die, it is to serve a purpose greater than them. when sou dies, it is to save kanna. he's always been identifiable due to his desire to survive. this is why he becomes sou hiyori, this is why he is unable to trust anyone, this is why we view him as an "antagonist," because we as the player, usually, automatically want as many people as possible to make it out alive. but he forms such a bond with kanna, despite pushing aside everyone else, that he is willing to lose his life, which he's fought so hard to protect, in order to save her. this is also representative of how much more yttd focuses on its characters; nagito and kokichi refuse to die unless it ends the killing game because that is danganronpa's endgame and it's the only reliable point of dr's admittedly shoddy plot. yttd, however, focuses on how the characters grow as people and how relationships between individuals develop, which is why sou's character is so heavily dependent on kanna. he either dies for her or identifies himself as a true threat in order to avenge her, which makes him much more compelling.

sou may be a liar, but he's much more of a human than the danganronpa antags, he presents much less of a threat to the character, and he's able to actually develop bonds with kanna. 

i also find it pretty interesting how both nagito and kokichi's relationships with the protag reflect the main themes of their respective games (hope vs despair, truth vs lies) whereas sou's relationship with sara revolves around trust as opposed to the game's overarching theme of logic vs emotion (which he also helps to embody, but through his actions, not his relationship with sara).

this was very long and probably didnt convey my thoughts as well as it could have but in essence sou and the dr antags are very very different from each other, in both character and their role in the game, and when people compare them it feels like they're looking at a sou that they want to see rather than the sou who actually exists.

as an afterthought i find it sort of ironic that most of the humanization and development of the danganronpa characters occurs in fan circles, whereas sou is already developed and humanized by yttd to the extent that fans instead have to boil him down to danganronpa stereotypes.

if you made it this far, tysm!! this was kinda rushed so if there are any flaws in what i said please lmk and i’d like to hear if anyone else has any other thoughts on this topic!!

[quitealotofsodapop]

So one thing about Canon LMK I find absolutely hilarious is the fact Ruyi Jingu Bang was quite literally found in some rundown alley. Like, the opening scene of the first episode shows how Sun Wukong used it to seal DBK underground and how the Megapolis was built around it, and based on all the various merch seen in background and such Sun Wukong is a very popular character in the city. Yet his famous staff is just... sitting there. In some alleyway. Like it isn't the most famous treasure he owns and the reason their city could even be built!

Not only that, but we then get to see another city with a similar treasure of Wukong's in Lantern City. The absolute difference between how they treat the Ring of Samhadi that Wukong hadn't even intended to gift them and how Megapolis treats Ruyi Jingu Bang is absolutely insane! They literally gave festival's held for the ring, they built a shrine for it! Yet Ruyi Jingu Bang gets and alleyway and a peach tree

Yeah thats kinda odd...

Compare to where; The Monkey King's literal Golden Staff sealing a giant demon in Megapolis was kept vs some hot glowy ring he dropped in a hole;

My first thoughts were that maybe it was a case of hiding in plain site; SWK could have bought the area and pretended it was under construction forever so nobody would ask questions. But MK, PIF and Red Son just sorta walk in there, no magical barriers present. One stray urbex explorer could have found the Staff and circulated what they saw online.

Like, the Staff is stuck in what appears to be the remnants of a hill or mountain. Wouldn't it make more sense for the people nearby to turn the surrounding area into a city park/shrine?

I've been to parks/botanical gardens in Singapore before that had shrines and statues to different gods. They were pretty beautiful and tended to be in small alcoves just off the path. It would be easy for SWK or a city planner to be like; "Oh yeah thats a cool-looking staff. We can build a little shrine around it and say it's a recreation of the Ruyi Jingu Bang. Tourists will love it." (now my hc for what the Staff do be looking like at the start of the TMKATI au)

More confusingly for me though; is why the "Ring of Light", the literal treasure and power source of Lantern City, was the top prize in a talent contest?? Thats not something you just *give* someone like the Stanley Cup!

It would have been funny if when the Monkie Kid gang actually won the contest, they quickly find that the Ring of Light they got was a trophy replica. ("You honestly thought we'd give you the real Ring of Light for song?! No!! Thats our city's relic! Gtfo!") Then Tang's background mission would have had a much bigger payoff.

Also idea for a gag where trophy ring(s) is used to fakeout whoever wants the Rings of Samadhi. XD

Fun fact, the location of where the Ring was being kept occording to the Lego sets is apparently a hotel called the "Lotus Hotel". While in the show it was a large suspended lantern.

Making think of *another* infamous (lotus-themed) light relic associated with chinese folklore that SWK could have buried there...

[a-deadly-serenade]

overall this season was pretty decent. i have some thots whats new so im gonna share them below the cut if anyone’s interested :)

so!! first off i’ll say that there were a lot of things i did really enjoy from season 4!

the action was super fun as always!! i loved all the crazy enemies and callbacks! the skeleton fight and all those little goblins they kept killing throughout were a nice touch ;) sypha’s use of her powers is INSANE her ice-chainsaw?? her WALL of fire?? electric balls?? come on. and the animation was NICE. i really wanna know who did most of the fight scenes bcuz the style is so different and it just POPS but in a really good way? 

my favorite fight has to be ofc when everyone is REUNITED yes im basic. but the THEME song going off and well, im a whore for sotn references and i CAME when i saw the leap stone ref w the winged cape or when alucard turned into a hoard of batss AND THEN HIS WOLF FORM OOOOHH BABY!!! actually episode 9 is just a straight banger.

STRIGAAA. STRIGA. oh mama i was sweating during that fight. mad kudos to her va for them growlsss

carmilla vs isaac was a lot of fun and i loved the visuals but my hype was instantly ruined when i saw her kill herself 😭but thats smth i’ll complain about later.

not all the lines were bangers, some of sypha’s swearing seemed even a bit too much at times, and it was especially jarring to be having a face-to-face death-math with literal Death and hes acting like a naughty little 5 year old thats just learnt to swear. maybe cut back on the fuck-isms? just a bit? BUT when they hit they did GOOD. “the fuck what now?” yes

ISAAC. you weren’t in this season as much but man do u still shine through. i loved his introduction back in the town where he has his night creatures digging graves and rebuilding the city 😭 and then the conversation he shares w his flyman?? obsessed.

Hector chopping his finger off and giving lenore and carmilla a good ol FUCK YOU!! as he helps isaac. we love to see it

Trevor and Sypha’s “I love you!” “I know.” <3

DEATHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

oh! alucard actually having a story & purpose in the plot? :) luv it love to see it. that being said... the Plot. 

its... ok? it’s kind of split up into 3/4 parts, as the story progresses, one eventually merges with several of the others kind of? cohesively? while leaving the other to sort itself out.

now, i didnt have too many qualms with it, it was pretty straight forward. dracula is going to be resurrected and we have sypha and trevor looking in on it, while alucard helps the nearby village and hector and isaac go on about bringing on their inevitable showdown. however, the way the story was paced and some of the decisions they made... werent so great.

st. germain for example, brought the ENTIRE momentum from the last few episodes to a halt. you have sypha and trevor fighting through heaps and heaps of monsters only to find themselves back in Targoviste where they meet the mysterious Zamfir!! and Alucard!! he’s been asked to help save this village!! all jam-packed with crazy action and animation that leaves you fired up!! and then episode 5 comes to a screeching halt and we spend nearly the entire thing on st. germain’s backstory and explaining his motives for the rest of the season

like. imma be real with you chief: he didnt need to be here lol. you could have just left varney as the main vamp in charge of bringing back big daddy drac and he could reveal to his.. idk henchmen or something that he’s death. but u gotta fill them ten 20 minute slots somehow!! he just fell so flat and unfortunately, a lot of the side-characters suffer from this this season.

i enjoyed great and zamfir, i love their desgins esp, but they really could have been fleshed out more. zamfir is shown as nothing but a spoiled brat the majority of the time she’s on screen but they wait till she’s about to die to try and turn her character around? huh? greta is given a bit more screentime but this sudden confession of feelings in the last episode felt so... huh?? why couldnt she just be dedicated to her people and show that u can love someone w/out necessarily being their partnr? i thot that was her whole thing; taking care of her people. it’s like. where did this come from. they cant have known each other more than a week at most dog 😭

it sucks they dedicated to much time to scenes that didnt really need to be there where we could have gotten this proper development, like maybe have a scene zamfir and sypha connect over struggles they’ve dealt with in the past and that has her open up about how traumatizing dracula’s attack on her city was. u could have expanded upon her role in the court and WHY she worshipped the monarchy so much instead of making it a throwaway gag about her being “crazy”. but why have that when we could instead spend the first 5 minutes of said episode watching a monotonous back-and-forth b/w varney and that big burly russian vampire who’s name im sure mor than 98% of the audience cant even remember? 

just a lot of fat that needed to be trimmed so that the actual MEAT of the story could be slow cooked to perfection. people really arent kidding when they say less is more. 

another big problem i had was there... i dont even know what to call it, re-humanization? redemption? of Lenore. like lmk if im wrong but she manipulated hector, yeah? coerced sex to slip on that ring that binds him to her?? orr whatever weird shit warren’s into. but the way they interacted, ESPECIALLY in their first major scene together was sooo uncomfortable to watch lol at first i thought perhaps hector was only playing along because well. hes enslaved to do her and carmilla’s bidding. but no, he actually LIKES her. he spares her when isaac comes around, he says that he wants to keep her as his own. and in the meantime, lenore finds time to complain to a man that’s been beaten and enslaved how upset it makes her that carmilla got angry at her 😭 or says thats she tired of isaac keeping tabs on her and wants to escape this ‘cage’. to  aman thats literally been imprisoned since youve known him 😭her death is seen as peaceful, calm, they even try and tug at ur heartstrings by swelling this sad, dramatic music as the sun rises. really? LENORE?

and carmilla’s death happened WAYY too early imo. she was the villain for practically 3 seasons and this is how she goes? isaac couldnt get more than a stab at her? his night creatures couldnt take a nibble? HECTOR couldnt even be given a chance to do somethng like come on

the resolution was... strange? it was cute!! and happy!! but i dunno if they really needed to have lisa and vlad coming back, but, like i said; it was cute! definitely not the ending i was expecting. 

i’m glad that they put their focus back on what made the show so much fun and that was the FIGHTS. they definitely helped add some much needed spice to things when scenes started to drag, but im a gal that really luvs a good story and even though reviews were raving that this season helped closed the lid on all the themes theyd been exploring, i just didnt really see that. which isnt necessarily a BAD thing, i knew i wasnt gonna find some deep introspective themes in this hack n slash horror-fantasy, its just what can turn somethng like this from an ok show to a GREAT one. 

in the end, im glad they stopped at this one and im curious to see if they really DO go ahead on making spin-offs. bcuz unfortunately, i will always be down for som new castlevania content

[notesofarichlycolorednight]

eyooo!! i listened to firesorrow girl [TUMBLR | SOUNDCLOUD] by @gerrydelano and HAD A MIGHTY NEED (to also analyze this)

disclaimer: I have only listened to TMA through one (1), read it ONE time, so if you read something that seems wrong it probably is because my memory is not The Best (the seasons are 40 eps long and 30 mins each, Jonny why) and I’m probably straight-up not remembering or misremembering some aspect or detail about a character/a relationship/a part of their narrative

(and before you say it, i absolutely CANNOT just go relisten to an ep out of order. my nd brain Will Not Let Me until i have listened thru all 4 seasons, In Order, several times)

ALSO: i speak very definitively here, but it doesn’t mean i’m right abt my analysis

italics and bold are lyrics, normal is analysis. if there’s a way i can make this more accessible, lmk!

analysis under cut

little girl tries sleeping in the fireplace at home no one banished her inside it, she just lay down on her own she stares up into the darkness of the chimney and she hopes that someday she may go up in smoke this makes me think abt hilltop road first and foremost (but i have a feeling i’m missing something aljlkdjf) this is also the first hint to agnes’s wavering thoughts abt her being “the chosen one” for the lightless flame she’s already wishing she could burn, or in other words be normal

oh, the ends of her hair curl into embers in the wood beneath her head like a pillow, splintered shoulders in the soot flickers turn to flame and moves in kisses up her arms it loves her, so refuses her a scar i really like the imagery here bc, aside from the splinters, it evokes a softness embers are pretty, pillows are soft, “moves in kisses up her arms” really evokes a gentle intimacy, even before the line “it loves her” but then the last line really solidifies agnes’s relationship with fire--she wishes it would burn her but it loves her too much to do that, so she doesn’t

she doesn't burn oh, she learns again, reinforcing the motif agnes’s relationship with fire--the layers of 1) her not wanting this but 2) the first doesn’t care and loves her anyway i also see it as foreshadowing, or at least leading up to what she learns (put a pin in this)

pretty girl sits quiet in the coffee shop alone staring empty out the window like she used to do at home she feels his eyes fall down upon her from the counter, like a doe the ache of yearning blisters in her bones jack barnabas! hilltop road the use of doe, evokes the visual of “wide eyes,” which, in turn, evokes naivety--jack doesn’t know who agnes is, what she is, or that she could hurt him, even if she didn’t want to love, love, LOVE the fire motif here and used throughout the song--using fire metaphors bc it’s so fitting (put a pin in this)

he follows her up to the hill where water never works to send him down she broke his crown and blessed him with a curse her only kiss a smear of kerosene, a desperation unrehearsed and love made sure to let her know it hurts (love made sure it hurt) this only hit me like after the 5th time listening in a row, but LISTEN, “jack and jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water.” i think it could also mean hilltop road, but i do think the stronger theme lies in that nursery rhyme. his name is jack and then to solidify that, “to send him down she broke his crown” vs. “jack fell down and broke his crown” i really love the contradiction of “blessed him with a curse” *ben from parks and rec voice* it’s about the layers. so listen, love is often seen as a blessing. but coming from agnes it’s a curse bc she burns anyone she touches. this is also in reference to her momentarily transferring her curse (the love from the lightless flame/fire) to him through her kiss “smear of kerosene”--another way of using a metaphor that evokes images of fire, and I LOVE IT “a desperation unrehearsed” MORE LAYERS YO. she knows what her touch will do to him but she’s so desperate to feel normal for even a second, she kisses him anyway “and love made sure to let her know it hurts”--going back to her curse, the love from fire/flame, and the destruction is causes bc of this. it could also be representative of how love can be very destructive. ppl often describe “the fires of passion” or passion as being like fire/hot *eyes emoji* i think the addition of “love made sure it hurt” could also communicate how the fire’s love for agnes is possessive--she cannot be normal or human or have any other relationship except with the lightless flame

he burns oh, she learns a parallel to “she doesn’t burn”--the striking difference between her and jack (the lightless flame and the rest of the world) what she learns here, tho, is also a parallel between what she learns at the beginning of the song there she is learning abt herself, here is is learning about everyone else

learns that breathing screamsmoke blackens hearts as much as lungs a heart motif, representative of love another fire-related metaphor that breathing in smoke doesn’t just fill your lungs with soot, but also covers the heart (love) in soot, as well a toxic love, as soot is bad for lungs and hearts it can’t be coughed back out and she can’t glisten like the sun using fire-related metaphors--the soot in her lungs and on her heart cannot be “cleaned” or cleared from her body with the body’s natural reaction to something obstructing breathing, which is coughing listen, i’ve said this before AND YOU’LL HEAR IT AGAIN: i really love “she can’t glisten like the sun” bc the whole point of fire, as the lightless flame sees it, is what the fear is named for: desolation. BUT fire is ultimately a neutral thing. if you respect and carefully control it, it can give warmth and life--like the sun (tho you can’t control the sun lmao). so there are positive aspects to. but not for agnes, given her upbringing and literally how she was conceived there’s no one left to save with love and no one she can touch affection is the pyre built on wildfire in the brush reinforcing her being unable to connect with normal humans bc of who she is ALSO i’m pretty sure this is referencing the bonfire she was born in--the ritual that made her the lightless flame’s messiah also, also, the use of the word “affection” uses the theme that fire itself love agnes, in it’s own, twisted way

her hands were only ever made to press through burning flesh and boiling tears won’t put it out but scald it like the rest referencing her birth again--that she was made to be this messiah for the lightless flame, for their ritual to remake the world through the lens of the desolation also more fire-related metaphors that i am IN LOVE with ugh, and, okay “boiling tears” communicates what agnes is feeling again--that she Does Not want to be their messiah, she just wants to be normal. she doesn’t want what the fire has given her but even her tears burn bc that’s what she is, what she was made for and the love of waxen women makes no difference in the end if never she can make and keep a simple human friend reference to jude, specifically, but other members of the lightless flame, as well. from what i remember, they all loved her but in the way that the fire loves her: possessive and toxic (like soot in the lungs) and then the reinforcement that she’s not human and cannot have the connection with humans she desperately craves, even if it’s just a tiny sliver

she can’t burn oh, she’s learned YO the difference between “she doesn’t burn” and “she can’t burn”--there’s a passiveness to it in the first line, but it’s more active in the second. here me out: as i said before, the “learn” lines communicate the inner thoughts of what agnes is thinking, the revelations she makes as he grows and lives. so “she doesn’t burn” communicates her learning and get used to the fact that fire doesn’t hurt her. versus “she can’t burn” communicates her knowing and accepting that the fire doesn’t hurt her, but she can hurt others with that very same fire. lowkey it’s so hard to articulate this difference, but this is the best my brain came up, hope it makes sense

YOOOO GIVE ME A MOMENT THIS NEXT PART IS MY FAVORITE PART

firesorrow girl says, “hang me up; i’d like to go” (i would like to go) referencing her death--her realizing that bc she’s fallen in love with jack, she can no longer lead the ritual for the lightless flame. but bro, listen, the addition  of “i would like to go” is a direct line to what agnes is thinking and feeling. more than not being able to lead the ritual, she doesn’t want to live like this anymore; doesn’t want to live her life unable to make connections with humans this isn’t quite a chimney she can column up to choke (i choose now to choke) a throwback to the first lines about her lying down in the fireplace and looking up through the chimney ALSO has a double meaning here, reinforced by what agnes is thinking: you can choke on smoke. her death involves literal choking the “i choose now to choke” again is a direct line to what agnes is thinking/feeling BUT ALSO a decision she finally gets to make autonomously the weighted hand upon her waist is chained there like a ghost, (always been a ghost) i know you’re probably tired of hearing but i ain’t gonna stop saying it. I REALLY LOVE THIS LINE. the lyrics say one thing, agnes’s internal thoughts say another bc raymond fielding is a ghost. not just like a ghost. he is one to her. i believe it was distortion helen who said that there was a scar on hilltop road. and we find out later that it’s bc hilltop road belonged to the web and even tho agnes burnt the house down, the web still left a mark on her. part of that mark is fielding, who i assume, was an avatar for the web. and it’s quite literal, as agnes never got rid of his hand he literally is a ghost haunting her bc of this but the rope she wears is woven cold with hope (yearning to be cold) THIS LINE BRO,,, i’m gonna say it I FUCKING LOVE IT. of course, referencing the rope she uses to hang herself BUT LISTEN “woven cold with hope” YOOOO THIS IS TAKING THE FIRE LOVES HER THEME AND TURNING IT ON ITS HEAD COMPLETELY she has been burning with fire this entire song, her body a raging inferno, contained in a body that appears human but hurts anything she touches. BUT AT THE END OF THE SONG WE GET THE COLD fire is often associated with warmth is often associated with hope, right?? but this time bc of the circumstances and what fire means to agnes and the lightless flame, being cold, not burning everyone she touches horribly, is her hope ”yearning to be cold” strengthens that message coldness is also associated with death, and here it’s quite literal but it’s also important to note that it’s also still agnes’s hope. so it’s still a very positive thing, even tho it’s associated with very negative things. bro,,, i gotta go lie down

those who can remember sing her name out like a prayer (i am not your prayer) the lightless flame, of course, bc they are a cult. don’t @ me, i’m right BUT “i am not your prayer”: again, a direct line into agnes’s thoughts. she never wanted, nor asked to be their messiah. she was thrust into the position against her will as she was literally borne in flames. from birth she had this shouldered on her. and she doesn’t want it, even in death the music to it hollow of the truth in her despair (hollow with despair) goes along with the “prayer” for her above: the lightless flame sing and mourn her but they’re not mourning her, not agnes, they’re mourning their messiah, the one who was going to lead them through a ritual that would remake the world. their words ring hollow bc of this. and it hurts even more with “in her despair” bc even in agnes’s despair at not being able to connect with a human, as well as not being able to lead the lightless flame like they wanted her too, they’re only mourning the idea of agnes they’ve created in their minds, not who agnes really was in wickerwind the crackleburn of candles cries for fate (i rewrite my fate) and firesorrow girl may someday be chosen again (firechosen girl, again) i LOVE the use of “wickerwind” and “crackleburn.” no analysis i just love the way they sound okay but the “cries for fate.” i think this has a lot of meanings. one is the fire crying out either about agne’s ultimate fate (having to kill herself or die, anyway) and/or crying out for another to fill her position (putting agnes’s fate onto someone else’s shoulders). another is the lightless flame also crying out for the same reasons. and the third is agnes, herself, crying out about her unfair fate. i think that last one is strengthened by “i rewrite my fate.” a common but powerful theme in many stories of a character defying fate bc it’s unacceptable to them. it’s also wholly contradictory to what the lightless flame wanted and then, of course, the second line strengthens the idea that they’re already looking for another messiah for their ritual

and so the wheel turns ‘round and ‘round

final note abt the music that is probably wrong bc i’m not musically inclined BUT i have been listing to sideways on youtube, who is very musically inclined. and that makes me an expert right? /s anyway, what i wanted to note abt this musical structure is that the beats aren’t the usual 4/4 that most popular songs use these days.

and what that means is that you get gratification ever 4 beats. (sideways describes it way better than i ever could here) this song doesn’t follow that structure (i think lakjlkdjf again, i’m not musically inclined at all) and i think it really adds to the theme of how agnes feels: trapped with this fire burning inside her until she finally chooses freedom (tho i know it’s more complicated than that in-verse).

now whether was was purposeful or not, i have no idea. but still a cool detail i, personally, noticed.

--

again hope it was semi-coherent. as with my other analysis, i just listened to the song and wrote what i was thinking, stream of consciousness

bloodwater ballad analysis | bonus meme i made for these analyses bc it’s funny and i wanted to share

[inspector-montoya-fox]

#5 - The Cold Heart of Hate

Setting: well that was fast... we make it to Russia, where we’re greeted to the evilest of evil lairs. when not dodging robo-falcons and burning boulders, the first mission acts as a tour and establishes the fact that we’re legit in a volcano. i don’t want to say that this is anticlimactic because the missions in this episode are truly hard, but there’s no hub to explore. instead, it’s a chain of missions that lead to the Clockwerk battle, and i guess that makes sense since there’s no time to waste, the stakes are high, etc. if you weren’t able to piece the clues together about Clockwerk’s identity up to this point, the missions do not help. unlike some of the game’s other episodes where the baddies’ personalities are reflected by the settings, Clockwerk remains a shadow up until the very end (and that’s kinda ironic when you think about how he has a huge fucking tower with his face on it). considering the absence of a main hub, the missions do a pretty good job in establishing the mood. we see the outside and inside of the volcano while controlling the van, and then Bentley’s hacking and Sly’s journey into the lab exhibit the level’s technological/ science-y aesthetic. on that note, let’s talk a bit about that lab. i’ve mentioned this before on my account but Cold Heart of Hate is a slave to the early platformer tradition of having an evil lab as the final stage. i don’t blame the game for that - here’s what’s weird though: if Clockwerk is so much larger than Sly, he couldn’t possibly fit into that lab. so... who works there? the robo-falcons? or is Clockwerk actually a ship for someone else? i uh *removes tin foil hat* ...... the huge Clockwerk tower is great for exposition, given that Clockwerk, although a rotting owl corpse stuffed inside a machine, has a huge ego. Sinking Peril is my favorite mission in the episode because it sets up the perfect atmosphere for the final bossfight. fighting the bird over its sinking tower of a replica not only ups the ante but also makes it feel even more satisfying when we finally get to drop it into the lava. lastly, i said Sunset Snake Eyes represented red and i kinda regret it now because that should have been orange and Cold Heart of Hate should have been red. welp! Cold Heart of Hate can be black. seems fitting.

Characters: i lied - the setting does reflect Clockwerk’s character in a very specific way: we’re literally inside a cottdamn volcano. tensions are brewing, the veil is about to be removed. Clockwerk is great. no, he’s more than great. he’s a satisfying and deserving final boss. he’s a maniacal, narcissistic, eGoMaNiAc that really gets under your skin when he keeps on pulling off the reveals. not ONLY has he killed Sly’s entire lineage, the QUEEN had the AUDACITY to stay alive for centuries! Clock-werk it baby! we have no choice but to STAN. the bitch is evil and that’s made crystal clear. his source of youth? hatred. the bird literally killed to remain healthy. and i’m glad he knows no shame because the monologue at the beginning of the bossfight is everything i ever wanted. i guess, Clockwerk has the shortest appearance in the game but still manages to make it impactful. whoever played the game during their childhood knows what i’m talking about - the music, the dialogue, the purple shooting cues: they all remain fresh in the head. the bossfight is the stuff of nightmares. Carmelita makes her final comeback in the perfect recipe for a climactic clash. she starts off as the damsel in distress that can’t be trusted because of her profession, but ultimately helps Sly take down Clockwerk. and i love that this is the beginning of Carmelita putting an end to Sly’s nemeses. her role is great here. yes, she’s the love interest that gets shamelessly left behind at the very end, but she’s the one that helps Sly get back his cain. actually, here’s something i’ve never thought of before: we make such a huge deal out of Carmelita being a playable character in Sly 3, that we all forgot she was playable in Sly 1 as well. i’m lowkey shocked. i don’t know how i overlooked this BUT ALSO shocked to just realise that in both Sly 1 and 3, Sly loses his cain (SP stuck to the original formula for final level suspense, i guess). and let me use that revelation to segue to Sly. he’s made it y’all!!! he’s finally here, ready to extract vengeance. and it shows. we might take his valour and chivalry for granted because this is the Sly we all know and love, but if this was your first time playing the game and somehow escaped all possible clichés by living under a rock your entire life, you’ll appreciate the raccoon’s persistence to save Carmelita. he didn’t have to do it, but he did it. let me praise Kevin Miller here for a sec, because without his voice-acting this would mean nothing. but it’s because of him that it means so much. when you finally beat Clockwerk and the cutscene starts playing and Sly says how he’s made it, it really feels like home, y’know? damn. also: Bentley and Murray finally come into the spotlight. i don’t want to go into detail because i’d rather talk about friendship in the cottdamn Themes section, but Cold Heart of Hate is what makes them true characters.

Themes: off the top of my head? legacy, revenge, friendship, love trumps hate, climax, heat, honour, the past, and many more. i’ll go with my favs because this deserves a post on its own. friendship goes hand-to-hand with love trumps hate because it’s represented by everyone that came out to support Sly. Bentley, Murray and Carmelita come through. they put their fears and differences aside and prevail to help Sly get to the top. they all play their roles, their motivation being love for the raccoon, and that comes into stark contrast with Clockwerk’s preachings. the age-old “good vs evil”. Clockwerk stayed alive by feeding on hatred and got his ass kicked by a group of friends and the love interest (not yet a woman on her own). it’s traditional and it works. similarly to Tide of Terror, the theme of heat ensures that the player is kept engaged. there’s no time to roam around, find clue-bottles, etc. the need to finish this as quickly as possible is enhanced by the volcano landscape and the high temperature. this is especially seen in Sinking Peril because of the rising lava. if you waste time you will literally get gobbled up. the lava encapsulates Sly’s progress and his temper as well. he’s burning inside, itching to finally get revenge (you’ll notice that Sly 1 has no operations and that presents the gang’s early days, Sly’s rash attitude and his persistence to just go up to the main baddie and fight). and the heat’s significance is ultimately shown when Clockwerk sinks into the lava. he doesn’t only get blown up - he “dies”, sinking into the volcano, deteriorating in the heat, showing how time is inescapable. there’s some karmic energy going on here, as Clockwerk cheated the Coopers of a normal death and in turn got served, showing that even if you find a way to stay alive it ultimately won’t work. i also want to touch on motifs, and the motif of technology is a nice one. it doesn’t only showcase Clockwerk’s genius, but it also allows for Bentley to go head-to-head with the owl. there’s something truly cyber about Cold Heart of Hate, but not in the traditional sense. like, the collapsing computer screens during Burning Rubber feel absurdly surreal, pushing the cyber-ness to its limits. i don’t even know anymore, i’m tired.

What I Like: hmmm... i like traversing Clockwerk’s lab. i love Sinking Peril. i love that the end cutscene gifted humanity with those Japanese Barbie Girl rainbow videos. there’s no room for likes and dislikes here, but favourite detail would definitely have to be Clockwerk’s health-bar animations during the bossfight, slowly turning from owl to computer brain thing. very reminiscent of a purple yak toy in a Cartoon Network show which i’m dying trying to remember. if anyone knows what i’m going on about lmk please.

What I Don’t Like: the lack of a hub to explore kinda irks me but i won’t say i don’t like it because i understand why they didn’t include one. instead, this spot goes to Murray’s driving and Bentley’s hacking. thematics aside, i literally do not want to replay Cold Heart of Hate because of the Murray section with the slime monsters. the controls continue to be clunky, the slime monsters are annoying and look like they have raisins for eyes. Bentley’s hacking isn’t as annoying, but it’s definitely frustrating. it’s a far cry from Sly 2 and 3′s hacking parts... yea.........

Quote: Perfection has no age...