#maxis ideology

[igorstory]

The Omni

Superhero or villain? Wear the beard of a conflicted family man and showcase your support for Viltrumite ideology! Eventually, maybe your sim will gain actual emotions.

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Inspired by Omni-Man from Invincible.

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[hoenn-pride]

Man do you ever just think about how.... hardenshipping was ALWAYS going to be the natural conclusion of the game from the moment they sat down and decided that the gimmick of the region was going to have two warring teams.

Like hardenshipping has some sort of pre-baked, innate canonicity with the way that Pokemon games always resolve themselves. Especially as it pertains to the way the Hoenn region was designed.

What I mean by this is,

In Pokemon, the lesson is always "working together makes us stronger." It is always about the power of friendship, it is always about found families, it is always about settling differences with love etc etc etc. Except. This is on STEROIDS in the Hoenn region because this is a theme and a message that was deliberately sought out when they designed the game.

The Hoenn region is a region of duality. It is all about opposites and counterbalance. The names of the cities are mostly two words put together as opposed to color names in the past. Team Aqua and Team Magma. Groudon and Kyogre. Plusle and Minun. Latios and Latias. Solrock and Lunatone. Zangoose and Seviper. Volbeat and Illumise. How Wurmple can evolve into either Silcoon or Cascoon. How Clamperl can evolve into either Huntail or Gorebyss, making both of those sets of Pokemon counterparts to one another.

The REGION itself is split almost evenly in physical makeup between land and water. Which is what made it seem like there was a shit ton of water because there was. There has never been as much water in a Pokemon game as there was in Hoenn, and it was because they were physically trying to balance the water and the land. There's a giant uninhabitable volcano in the center of the region perfectly counterbalanced on the map by a giant, habitable crater in the center of the ocean. Complements and counterparts color the entire region, often quite literally in red and blue. Like almost anywhere you look in Hoenn, it is ideologically (and sometimes physically) symmetrical in design.

The name of the region comes from love and relationships, for god's sake.

And so then you have the Hoenn region, named after a word that literally means love and relationships, being themed around this very concept, in a game series that ALREADY focuses on those things. As like. The core component of the franchise.

So the Hoenn region has "the power of love and friendship" on fucking STEROIDS.

And they DOUBLE and TRIPLE down on this metaphor that they already did not need to double and triple down on in the remakes with the inclusion of the "Hoenn Rangers Coexistence Force," whose sole existence seems only to be to call out Archie and Maxie specifically, as they are about promoting the peaceful coexistence of people, nature, and pokemon. Blatant passive-aggressive reference to Archie and Maxie, who are locked in some sort of odd, eco-ideological warfare with each other playing out over the large-scale arena of the entire fucking region.

And the fact that they canon used to be on a team together and clearly split due to their differences (you know. Like how a lot of these region's Pokemon have split evolutions and counterparts etc etc etc).

The Hoenn region is rife with all this fucking duality.

And so, naturally, the Pokemon plot does what Pokemon plots do, and uses like a 12 year old child to tell our bad guys that the power of love and friendship is actually all they need.

And for the most part, in most games, that would be where it would end. The villain and the evil team fades off into obscurity, after they learned their lesson.

Except, Archie and Maxie don't have that option. Because they have each other.

Team Rocket, while still technically present, disappears from the game after you beat them. Cyrus disappears. Ghetsis disappears. Colress just fucking hangs out with you, kind of. Lysander disappears. Lusamine disappears. I don't fucking know what Rose does but god in hell I'm sure he doesn't contribute anything meaningful. Turo and Sada go off to a different fucking reality altogether.

All of the other villains disappear because they have learned their lesson. What are they going to do? Be besties with the player in the post game? Colress is the only one who gets remotely close to this, and he's locked on a little ship in one area once you beat the game. These individual leaders rightfully learn their lesson, rightfully go off on their own to reflect and grow or go to prison or die, and we just assume that because we beat them, that's the end. There is nothing more for them to resolve, because they have resolved their conflict with us.

But not Archie and Maxie. Because Archie and Maxie's main point of conflict was not with you. It was with each other.

ALL of the other villains have NO ONE to amend with once you finish the main line story of the game, because they have already ended the conflict with you. Therefore, in all other iterations of them that exist (for example, in Masters) they can just be "Ho ho ho I am GenericEvilTeamLeader" who did a bad thing.

But not Archie and Maxie. Because Archie and Maxie were depicted having their main conflict with each other, and not you, any piece of media that wishes to depict them post-events of their games (aka, post their lessons-learned) MUST depict them together. In order to demonstrate that they have taken this lesson about the "true power of friendship" to heart, we must see them putting that into practice.

And due to the nature of Hoenn being about coexistence, natural complements, and duality, Archie and Maxie must then conclude to work together and harmonize with one another just as their opposing elements do, just as the entire rest of their fucking region does. They are the living embodiments of the inner conflict, the duality and complement and turmoil and harmony that the entire region of Hoenn was built upon.

And THIS is why, to this day, in the year of our good Groudon 2023, we are STILL getting new content of them being so close to one another. Why Pokemon Masters has just basically become Hardenshipping Truthers DLC. Because now, in order to demonstrate that Archie and Maxie have taken some semblance of their lesson to heart, they must be depicted working together. As they were always created to do.

Archie and Maxie were created to be at war with one another, but this was because they were also created to learn the lesson that they must work with one another, because that is the lesson of Hoenn, and that is the lesson of Pokemon as a whole.

So from the very moment the devs sat down and said "we are going to make two warring teams," Archie and Maxie's destinies were invariably linked together, and basically hardenshipping content was always going to be the natural conclusion of that.

They really invented gay people with this one. I just..,,

*slaps Hoenn region* this bad boy can fit so much fucking symbolism in it

[fallershipping]

Did you know Giovanni does have a canon Honchkrow? He only has it in the most secluded battle of the series: the Celebi event in HGSS!

That means that Giovanni, Lysandre, Guzma, and Cyrus all have Honchkrow, barring Maxie, Archie, and Ghetsis in the list of Rainbow Rocket. And if you count Maxie and Archie as married coming from the same game, only two out of six generations of evil teams do not have Honchkrow.

This makes Nanu very interesting as he was Looker and Anabel's boss, WITH a Honchkrow, typical of evil boss leaders or the leader of a bunch of loyal lackeys.

You could argue that Maxie, Archie, and Ghetsis not having Honchkrow is because they lead their teams by ideology rather than fanaticism? Most Team Magma, Aqua, and Plasma (at first) Grunts believed in the concept of environmental causes or what's best for Pokemon. (By all means, Ghetsis would have had Honchkrow by then)

So Honchkrow basically is so cool to see as a running theme of sorts, and that a HUGE chunk of evil team characters use one along with Nanu being notable for only using Honchkrow during the UB Mission.

BY THE WAY

Guzma only uses a Z-Move one time in the games, and it is not the bug type one. It is the Dark-Type Z-Move, used by his Honchkrow holding a Darkinium Z Crystal. :3c Only in the Battle Tree so it was because Honchkrow is from a list of set moves and stats given to Pokemon of that species, but still!

[masterhallmark]

You know, we all talk about how Maxie and Archie hate eachother...but do you know who else ORAS Maxie would despise?

Mr. "HuMaN sPiRiT iS bAd" Cyrus

In ORAS and Masters EX, Maxie firmly is all about humanity's accomplishments and spirit. He is very pro-human. In the latter game, he has a ton of quotes praising things like cities, technology, etc as proof of all the things humanity can accomplish.

"The beauty of city lights glimmering in the night is a triumph of human innovation and ingenuity."

"There is justice in fighting an old friend if it is to pursue your own ideologies."

"I'm the leader of Team Magma, an organization dedicated to finding paths upon which humanity may stride freely forward and evolve."

And then this whole monologue in Omega Ruby where he complimens the player's determination and believes people with strong spirits are the key to humanity's future:

"Hmm. Though you are but a child, your eyes tell me of your fierce determination. My heart is pounding in my chest... Yes, I think I can see why my lowly Grunts could not stand one minute against you. I am called Maxie. I stand as the head of Team Magma, a noble organization whose goal is to propel humanity to even greater heights of progress and evolution. Indeed. And you are one of the young persons who may shape our society's future. Considering that fact, I believe I shall educate you in the ways of the world. The land... It is the stage upon which humanity stands. The land exists so we humans might continue onward and upward, stepping into the future... For us to continue growing and evolving, humans require a grand stage upon which to stand. A land upon which we can stride forward... A land we can explore...develop...exploit... This is the basis for the growth of all human endeavor. That is why we, Team Magma, must increase the landmass of the world! Believe that this will lead to a future of eternal happiness for humanity... And consequently for all life!"

Now imagine him meeting Cyrus while Cyrus is ranting about how human spirit is bad, humans constantly screw up because of human spirit, people with strong wills are weak, and a world without human spirit would be better because humans are incomplete.

Maxie is throwing hands, setting Cyrus on fire, and possibly using this as an opportunity to show off the cool obsidian knife he made with an obsidian chunk he found by Mt Chimney....OK, maybe he wouldn't IMMEDIATELY resort to violence, but he WOULD decide Cyrus is Team Magma Enemy #1.

[baggebythesea]

Character concept: King Norton of Gotham

A man of modest origins who, without any fanfare, one day declared himself king. At first people laughed, but when he started a protection racket in the name of "taxation", police got involved. He did a stint in Blackgate where he recruited a gang - sorry - a 'royal army'. After an escalating criminal career, he was sent to psychiatric evaluation which eventually landed him in Arkham Asylum.

King Norton of Gotham is similar to Scarface in that his gang tolerate his antics due to a keen strategic mind and a ruthlessness that lends itself well to life as a gangster boss, especially for territory related crimes such as protection and drug trade. A firm believer in the feudal system, King Norton is generous with his lieutenants ('dukes') and a terror to his enemies.

King Norton is obviously based of the real life Emperor Norton of San Francisco (whom he regard as the last legitimate sovereign of the United State), but takes a much more Machiavellian approach to ruling. He draws from various 'Sovereign Citizen' ideologies in that he regards the government and those who draw power from it (such as the police) as illegitimate. For extra fun he could get started during the No Man's Land arc when Gotham was not a part of the United States.

King Norton of Gotham has a grudge against Batman, who he regards as a mutinous knight. He hates Bruce Wayne and - to a lesser degree - the Penguin (who sees him as an annoyance at best) who he regards as usurpers. He deeply loathes the KGBeast (who finds him hilarious). There is probably a conflict with the Court of Owls brewing in the future.

Regal, dignified and - when he puts his mind to it - rather charming, Norton plays the part his mind insist for him well. He gets along well with those who are willing to humour him or actually plays into his view of self. He is a good friend/rival with Maxie Zeus and King Tut. At one point he encounters Ra's al Ghul and treats him lavishly as a foreign fellow monarch in a way that actually impresses the old warlord.

Most people only respect him as far as his clout as a gangster boss affords, but sometimes there are incidents in interactions with the more mystical elements of Gotham that suggest that maybe he has a 'fisher king' aspect to him, and that on some metaphysical level, Norton is king in more than name only.

Oh, and the Joker takes his title 100% seriously, but as the good American boy he is, in a very 1775 kind of way. Batman has more than once saved Norton from the guillotine.

[maxknightley]

Miss Maxie, what's your favorite remix/cover of Bad Apple?

I am going to be honest. I only actually know the one Bad Apple cover, namely the famous one with the music video with the silhouettes and so on and so forth. I'm really more of a Reverse Ideology / Desire Drive girl.

[l-1-z-a]

The Story of SimCity - How Will Wright Created a Phenomenon | Kim Justice

From video description:

A documentary about how the genius Will Wright made SimCity, one of the most important computer games ever made. Going through his inspiration, his struggles, the formation of Maxis, the mainstream success, plus several versions of the game and some of its successors.

Timecodes:

0:00 Intro

2:28 Will Wright's Beginning: Raid on Bungeling Bay

9:46 SimCity's Inspiration: Urban Dynamics, Stainislaw Lem and the Game of Life

17:05 It's Good, but is it a Game?: Wright Struggles With Studios

23:38 Maxis Software Forms and SimCity Arrives

29:20 SimCity In-Depth: How The Game Plays

37:09 SimCity Ports: Windows, Amiga, Macintosh, SNES, C64, Acorn etc.

47:28 SimCity as a Mainstream and Political Phenomenon, and it's Infuence

53:30 The Follow-Ups: SimEarth, SimAnt, SimTower, SimHealth, SimRefinery etc.

1:01:24 Outro: Pulling The Sims Out of the Fire

FURTHER READING:

The Story of Maxis Business Simulations and SimRefinery:

Recovering Nintendo's Lost SimCity for the NES:

The Real Mayors of SimCity:

Will Wright's City In A Box:

The Ideology Hiding in SimCity's Black Box:

The Replay Interviews: Will Wright:

[theultimateultimateweapon]

YOU-You get me. I am too AroAce for the majority of this shipping stuff. If I want characters to have relationships I want it platonic! More friendship & familial stuff! I'll make it myself if I have to. (Also same with That Kirby Ship I am also tired of that)

YEAH I'm always stuck between enjoying the diversity of ships and trying avoid finding intense romantic stuff in a character tag OTL

I won't lie I've got a couple of smaller ships I enjoy seeing but I don't like seeing only ship content of them, they're more enjoyable when they have personalities beyond the other. I love the "This is a unit: do not separate" dynamic but it doesn't mean they have to start shoving their lips together 😔

We gotta see more complex relationships, I want choatic friendships, rivals that would never team up unless the fate of the world depended on it, allies with ideologies that conflict, some of these have such wonderful potential for character development and story beyond what a romantic relationship would do. Sometimes romance feels like a cheap answer.

And please please for the love of all stop pairing together people who genuinely hate each other and hurt each other, it's not as interesting as you think, sometimes they just hate each other (I still think the Redd/Nook and Archie/Maxie past relationship divorce thing is funny though, I don't yet have the words to describe why but I think it has something to do with it not being completely romantic? If you agree and have the words to say it I'm interested in knowing what you think because for whatever reason I can't analyze it atm)

That being said, there's been a lot of creativity from ships. I think everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy themselves with it and have their fun as long as it's not harmful and all that, just keep tagging your ships, it's respectful for everyone involved and let's us decide what we do and don't want to see.

[jerseydeanne]

JD NET or insight on this crap I don’t believe it William would never let her near the king without anybody to watch her

Max

Hey Max! 

The ball is in their (Sussex) court for now. The BRF will see what comes out of their mouths. An extensive courtesy was passed on to them. However, the Sussex’s didn’t bring their children. It won’t be forgotten. 

King Charles thinks he will become king of the world, with William being his right-hand man. Harry was supposed to be part of the scam, which is why they are still on the BRF lineup. 

With so much on the line, do you really think they’d want to blow that opportunity? Or will this all be a giant setup for the Succubus’s? 

You guys know that BRF will be the lead in the NWO, right? So far, they have ignored all protests and elections around the world. It just shows how sick and twisted the world leaders (NWO/WEF) have become. 

I, personally, wanted to give up and let the cards lie where they would fall, but Kitty reminded me we can’t give up. We have come this far. 

Think of this as World War III, a cyber war, limited wars, and starvation tactics to lower the population rates. The bullshit 4th industrial revolution is a scam. It’s crimes against humanity while being held in Switzerland. Think about that? 

Everyone has to look at the big pictures for now. The Succubus’s are the distraction (the man behind the curtain) while the real wizards (PR) for global stakeholder claims ruined the world with their ideological claims. 

These people need us, and we aren’t having any of it! The BRF has had its ears to the wall and stayed in power this long. Will they ruin it? Or will they remain in power? Real simple questions! 

For shits and giggles: Prince Philip said he was coming back as a virus, Covid virus! 

Why don’t we watch and see how the plans go, because they came out of grieving awfully fast, don’t you think? They had to, too, keep up with the Succubus’s. Does anyone believe that Megahoe going to stop? Hell, no. 

Sit back, get your popcorn and skittles, and laugh your ass off at the show. Lots of oohs and ahhs until they try to poke their eyes out with random sticks. 

Pray for humans and not these dumbass people. 

Love, always, Maxie baby! 

JD 💋😜🤟🏻💖

[crystalelemental]

I still don’t get Cyrus’s motives for helping out in the Villain Arc finale. Like, Maxie and Archie had been where Paulo was, Ghetsis was running on pure spite, Lysandre was ideologically against Team Rocket, Lusamine is from USUM, so not the drug addict we see in SM, Rose was hopelessly convinced only he could save Pasio/Galar, but otherwise seems a decent enough bloke, and Teams Skull and Yell are mere hooligans. So, what, was Cyrus just going along with MC and Co. because siding with Team Rocket against the other organizations was basically suicide? Was he just taking the path of least resistance? Because Cyrus really had no reason to help the good guys, all things considered!

He wasn't going to, but Dawn told him had to or she'd be sad and he caved.

In all seriousness, Cyrus in Pasio is pretty...hard reformed at this point. Like actively has given up on his goals and is searching for a means of fixing the failures of human spirit in more constructive methods. I forget exactly what was said, but Saturn talks a bit about it in the Galar VA, that they're working from a scientific angle rather than trying to annihilate reality. He doesn't have any specific beef with Team Rocket, since his organization is literally the only one they didn't mess with, but he's pretty clearly on our side, more or less. So either Dawn/Cynthia/Sophocles asked him to and he grumbled but caved, or his partnership with Rose drew him into the battle when Rose decided to take a stand as well.

[childasthama2]

Top Boho-Chic Dresses Ideas Perfect for a Resort Party

What is Bohemian Style and Why is it So Popular?

The hippie, an alternative way of dressing, is associated with the bohemian fashion trend. Boho is more than just a transient fashion fad. This fashion has a vast ideology and a complex history. 

Bohemian fashion is extremely popular, which is not surprising. We must wear comfortable clothing made of high-quality materials to fit our fast-paced modern lifestyle. That is why we should all have something bohemian in our closets.

What Are the Elements of Bohemian Style Dresses?

Although bohemian dresses are ideal for all seasons, summer is perhaps the best time to wear them. Boho fashion has something of a trademark in the form of lightweight maxi dresses with lace and patchwork accents.

Look for loose, A-line cuts that are relaxed. Typically, sleeves are large, puffy, and bishop-styled. They will make your neckline and shoulders look better. Off-the-shoulder necklines are typical for boho-style dresses, but you may also find standard necklines, deep V-necks, and square necklines.

The essential components of a boho dress include lace, patchwork, embroidery, and various colors. A dress in a solid color with a boho vibe is impossible to find. It must be constructed from sturdy materials that are vibrant, have a variety of prints, and are most importantly intriguing.

The Current Trends of Boho-Chic Dresses

1. Wrap Floral Dress

The floral pattern is closely associated with the bohemian look. Many dresses with wrap cuts and ruffle hems have a bohemian influence.

2. White Lace Dress

Boho dresses with white lace are exquisite. A white lace dress and cowboy boots are appropriate summertime outfits. Layer with a lot of bangles and necklaces.

3. Printed Dresses

Bright pink highlights the attractiveness of any bohemian outfit. The well-known paisley pattern is sometimes referred to as the boho print. With the ruffled hem, the sleeves are not too short.

4. Bright Colored Dresses

The bright colors are ideal for the style. It complements practically anything. It is ideal for everyday wear. 

5. Patchwork Dresses

Another common print for boho clothing is patchwork. Everything you need for this year is a dress with an earth-toned patchwork pattern. 

How to Get the Right Boho-Chic Style that Fit You

A more modernized version of bohemian fashion is called boho-chic. They both incorporate retro and vintage aspects while drawing inspiration from hippy aesthetics. You may be wondering how bohemian fashion can work for you.

It's important to understand that boho clothing is all about comfort, wide cuts, loose styles, and oversized pieces. Clean-cut lines and simple forms don't exactly meet the idea of boho fashion.

A boho wardrobe will undoubtedly have the loose fit that you seek. By wearing an eye-catching belt, you can make your waist look better. Add layers to achieve equilibrium. Maxi dress, shorts, or a knit pullover in a long length.

Accessories might draw attention away from body features that you don't want to flaunt. Rustic, pom poms, tassels, lace, and ribbon fringes are always acceptable.

How to Wear Boho Dresses for the Party

Boho is not casual, despite the fact that it may sound like something you can't wear in many situations. You can style a variety of boho-chic gowns for a party. Here are some ideas we have.

Boho Dresses for After Work Party

Yes, you can go out in a maxi boho dress! Many street style companies nowadays have succeeded in elevating boho without taking away from its allure. This gorgeous, midi-length pinkish floral dress is ideal for a party after work because of its length.  

Boho Dresses for Summer Party

This outfit makes everyone look at you.  What a striking blend of hues, the cut, and the pattern! The dress should have a V-neck, cold-shoulder sleeves, and should be above the knee in length. We advise you to put it on for a summer rooftop party. 

Boho Dresses for Casual Party

Maxi dresses are ideal to wear to informal parties. The bohemian dress will make you seem wonderful, so you don't need to worry about how to match your shirt and jeans. Go for a muted color scheme but a striking bohemian print and off-the-shoulder style. 

Boho Dresses for Beach Party

Beach party dresses are the ideal for flaunting your boho attire. Wearing a lot of jewelry, wooden shoes, and straw bags are acceptable. You will undoubtedly feel really cozy and boho-chic with this outfit.

The philosophy of boho never goes out of vogue. We adore it completely and consider it to be our way of life. You should definitely find a place for boho dresses in your wardrobe. Label Reyya is a bohemian resort wear brand that offers all types of boho chic clothes to make your next vacation or adventure comfortable and elegant with its resort wear. We focus on bright colors, and floral and tropical prints which make it ideal for you to wear anywhere you like.

[fifthdegreeus]

Channel Your Inner Rasta Queen with Our Exquisite Rastafarian Maxi Dress

Rastafarian culture is not only a way of life but also a vibrant source of inspiration for fashion enthusiasts around the world. Rooted in the ideologies of Jamaica, Rastafarianism embraces elements of African, Caribbean, and reggae influences, creating a rich and unique cultural tapestry. The Rasta movement, which gained prominence in the 1930s, continues to have a lasting impact on various…

[mariacallous]

If you are in politics and want a friend, get a dog. When Liz Truss was making her fateful advance on Downing Street, her friendship with Kwasi Kwarteng was touted as the foundation stone and guarantee of the successful programme they would deliver. Close, extremely close, both politically and personally, they certainly were. Give these passionate allies and ideological bedfellows the two most powerful jobs in Britain and what could possibly go wrong?

Absolutely everything. They are a textbook example of why friendship can be a terrible basis for relationships at the top of government, especially when it is fused in a mutual intoxication with recklessly utopian theories and a contempt for the opinions of anyone outside a little echo chamber occupied by a narrow sect of believers. The result was the maxi-disaster of the mini-budget that has inflicted so much financial carnage on Britain and reputational ruin on the Conservative party.

It is barely more than three weeks since we watched Mr Kwarteng swagger up to the dispatch box to claim that he possessed a miraculous concoction to rejuvenate Britain while Ms Truss sat beside him jeering and gurning at the many critics who forecast that a borrowing binge to pay for tax cuts would end in bitter tears. The fabled elixir duly transpired to be snake oil laced with poison. The markets gagged and the public were horrified. Now she has been impelled to sacrifice him in a grim gambit to save herself. Greater love hath no woman for the premiership than to lay down the life of her bosom friend in an attempt to save her own skin.

This was more an act of feverish desperation than one of cool calculation. I guess she thinks that firing him might buy her a bit more time at Number 10, but time to do what exactly except wait for Conservative MPs to organise her removal? She sank even further down in her party’s already low estimation during the excruciating news conference she gave after jettisoning both her chancellor and another chunk of their disintegrating plan. Despite this latest humiliating reverse, she offered neither acknowledgment of nor contrition for the havoc her government has unleashed. She expressed herself “incredibly sorry” to “lose” Mr Kwarteng as if someone else had chucked him under the bus. She was simply in denial for a lot of the brief time she stood at the podium, insisting that the “mission remains” when we can all see that the rocket has blown up on the launchpad.

Her hope must be that overboarding her old friend draws a line under the most catastrophic start to a modern premiership, but that would require everyone to believe he was solely culpable for what everyone knows was a crazy gamble that they jointly conceived and promoted. Mr Kwarteng was sacked not because he failed to deliver what Ms Truss expected. He was fired because he did exactly what she wanted him to do and it then exploded in their faces. His resignation letter had a tone that was surprisingly forgiving, but we will see how the former chancellor feels after he has had a few days to brood on being dispatched so brutally after just 38 days in post. That makes him the second briefest chancellor after Iain Macleod in the 1970s and he had the excuse that he died of a heart attack. Mr Kwarteng’s credibility is in shreds, but he will have a large and enthusiastic audience if he decides to repay Ms Truss in the same coin. In the view of one former Tory cabinet minister: “If he turns on her, he can destroy her.”

It is another sign of how enfeebled the prime minister has become that she offered the chancellorship to Jeremy Hunt, the type of experienced, centrist Tory she has previously and repeatedly scorned as a slave to “abacus economics” and “Treasury orthodoxy”. Once Mr Hunt had failed in his own bid to become Tory leader, he gave his support to Rishi Sunak whose warnings to his party about the perils of a Truss premiership have been so comprehensively vindicated. Mr Hunt’s appointment is a belated recognition – far too belated to revise opinions of Ms Truss among Tory MPs – that she ought to have reached out to other factions of her party when she first became prime minister.

Mr Hunt is the fourth – fourth! – Tory chancellor in the space of just four months. Caretaker managers of relegation zone football clubs enjoy greater life expectancy. He must draw up a convincing new fiscal plan and has very little time to do it. Scheduled to be unveiled at the end of the month, this will be a make-or-break moment for the new chancellor, for Ms Truss, if she manages to stagger on that far and for what remains of the Tory party’s reputation as a steward of the economy. Mr Hunt is going to have to display a touch of genius if he is to come up with a formula that restores faith in Britain in debt and currency markets, ameliorates the discontent of the public or at least prevents it from getting any more severe, and soothes the furies of Tory MPs.

The prime minister went for the easiest of the U-turns available to her when she ditched her pledge to hold down corporation tax. Most companies will happily pay more to the exchequer if that calms volatility in the markets. There is still a huge hole in the government’s finances that the new chancellor is somehow going to have to fill. To make the sums add up, he will have to abandon more of Ms Truss’s unfunded tax cuts or outline real-terms reductions in public spending or, most likely, propose a combination of both. Having just sacked one chancellor, her position is far too precarious to risk losing another one. That gives Mr Hunt a huge amount of potential clout. If he wants to pursue a strategy that is more aligned with that proposed by Mr Sunak during the leadership contest, then the prime minister will not be able to resist him. One former Tory cabinet minister remarks: “If Jeremy goes to her and says, ‘Sorry, we’re going to have to postpone the 1p income tax cut’, she won’t be able to say ‘no’.” A longstanding ally of Mr Hunt thinks: “He’s in a very powerful position. She’s going to have to do what the Treasury says. I don’t think she’s got any choice.” For connoisseurs of political ironies, this is one to savour. Ms Truss is now trussed. She is the prisoner of the Treasury, the Bank of England and the Office for Budget Responsibility, the very institutions she used to deride as “bean counters”.

Which has everyone, even the tiny minority who wanted her to be prime minister, asking: what is the point of her now? Her defining economic project has been rejected by markets, the public and her own MPs and she is being forced to junk its central planks. Does she look like an election winner? Hardly. The polls say the Tory party faces electoral annihilation. Does she have a mandate to be in Number 10 from the public? That’s a negative and forgetting this was one of her many mistakes. Does she even have a mandate from the Tory activists who put her there? Not any more, not now that she has been forced to mince her prospectus because contact with market and political realities have exposed the promises she made as the fairytales they always were. Does she enjoy the confidence of Tory MPs? Clearly not. The majority never wanted her and an even fiercer anger is felt among the minority who did because they liked her “pro-growth”, low-tax, small-state agenda. This group on the right are feeling betrayed because their lifetime convictions have been discredited by her calamitous attempt to put them into practice.

Even at his grisly end, Boris Johnson still had a constituency among Conservative MPs made up of those who thought they were better off keeping him in Number 10. There is no remaining constituency for Ms Truss. If Tory MPs possessed a wand they could wave to make her vanish, they’d instantly use it.

They don’t have a magical way out of their dilemmas. So there will now be a lot of agonised scheming about how to rid themselves of a zombie prime minister without making the Tory party look even more absurd or creating irresistible pressure for a general election. I think she’s finished. The outstanding question is how they will finish her off. It won’t be a regicide.

It will be an act of euthanasia.

[ribbononline]

Now that Desolation is up I can finally post the long awaited(kind of) rocket headcanon post

This is technically a sequel to this post about my HCs for their childhoods so some of these might not make as much sense unless you’ve read the previous part!

-After graduating, it became time to go job searching for a full time job. They went into it pretty excited and hopeful to get their life going together, but… things didn’t really work out that way. They struggled getting jobs that’d allow them to pay the bills, and they really didn’t want to rely on Archie’s family anymore then they already had.

It was a stressful time, but not one where they ever got upset at each other about it. They were in it together, and they’d get out of it together! And then Maxie got a job offer that sounded exactly like something he had been looking for… all the way in Kanto. After discussing some things, the company even extended an offer to Archie, albeit for a position he was less excited about. Neither of them were excited to leave Hoenn, but they did realise things just weren’t working out here for now, so they made the decision to go, get some job credits over in Kanto, and come back with the money and experience to get a better start in Hoenn.

-When they arrived in Kanto and got to work at the company of team Rocket, things started out relatively normal. Maxie had gotten a job as a scientist, researching evolution stones, how to recreate them, and to see if it was possible to make evolution stones that could trigger Pokémon that normally evolved trough other means to evolve with stones instead. Maxie didn’t truly see the point of the last part, but Rocket was very interested in seeing if they could force Pokémon to evolve. They had no interest in marine biology however, so Archie got stuck with odd jobs as a grunt. He didn’t really enjoy it, but he made do.

-That was… until things started going wrong. Higher ups got more aggressive, deals got more shady, news around Rocket got.. concerning… Eventually they both decided that it might be for the best to leave- only to be met the next day with another employee that mentioned they wanted to leave… with their arm entirely burnt up, refusing to talk about what happened.

After that, the higher ups on their branch started pulling aside employees one by one, explaining the data they had on them helping with Rocket projects and (unknowingly) helping with criminal acts. Threatening to leak that information to the police (and getting creative with a bunch of other side threats) leaving became a hard option.

-From that point on, things started going from bad to worse. Workload piled up for Maxie, and the tasks Archie was getting were more explicitly bad and illegal work.

-Due to Rocket’s nature, some of Archie’s tasks as a grunt included stealing or harming Pokémon in some way, which really tore his mental state in half. The depression he’d been struggling to keep under control got worse and worse and he often switched between states of apathy and states of just feeling horrible about the state of the world and his own position he was in.

-Maxie was being forced to work longer and longer hours, especially once a child with a Charizard started attacking other Rocket bases and the remaining ones had to work extra to make up for it. As a result he didn’t get to be home with Archie often, and even if he was, he was usually sleep deprived and stressed.

He did notice Archie wasn’t acting quite his usual self, but Archie didn’t seem to be too keen on talking about it, and Maxie usually ended up chalking it up due to the general stress of being here. Due to stress he was under himself he never really recognised anything more serious going on.

-Maxie never worked much with Pokémon, instead being more surrounded by other scientists in similar positions as himself. Seeing all control over his life slip out from under him and into a place he never wanted it to go for, he started feeling desperate to do something good. Something to prove that he was more then this, and that he could earn his place in the world. And thus, when accidentally stumbling over some articles about the red and blue orb when researching evolution stones the first thoughts to raise Groudon came up.

-Looking into Groudon and Kyogre on his own time, Maxie ended up being home even less, even less attentive due to sleep deprivation when he was there, and Archie ended up withdrawing more and more into himself. He was still doing his best to pretend he was fine for Maxie’s sake, but at this point he was also starting to have darker thoughts about the best way to deal with situations like Rocket that harmed Pokémon in the way he was being made to.

-So the day Maxie came home and finally explained to him what he’d been looking into- and the possibilities that Groudon could bring- made Archie very interested. Specifically however, into Kyogre.

-As Maxie was hatching his plan on how to make the world a better place by helping humanity to a better place, Archie saw it as a naïve idea. He understood where Maxie was coming from, but he couldn’t respect it. At the end of the day, Archie saw it as something that’d only worsen the problem- humans.

So one day, he confronted Maxie with that, and proposed an alternate solution; raise Kyogre and reset the world to its unspoiled beginnings.

-Maxie, who was still on the high of the idea of being able to do something good once they were out of this place, was not into the idea of genocide at all. Not understanding why Archie would ever suggest something like it, it just led to a lot of yelling about ‚why are you suggesting murder oh my god??', which caused Archie to draw into himself more, which led to more confused and upset yelling from Maxie because ‚why are you not talking to me and why did you suggest. MURDER?‘ , et cetera. When trying to approach it more rationally to see if he could talk Archie down and understand, Archie still never said much and Maxie due to the stress of everything only got upset again. It was a bad period for both of them.

Maxie didn’t get why his boyfriend was suddenly proposing mass murder and refusing to talk, Archie felt like his boyfriend would never be able to understand his point of view and would only worsen the state of the world with misguided idealism.

-This led to a couple weeks of this. Maxie trying to talk, Archie being unresponsive, Maxie getting upset, Archie still not really responding, cycle repeat. Still, Maxie kept feeling that eventually he’d just be able to snap Archie out of it- they never fought about anything else! The morality of genocide was just a pretty big topic to disagree on- and get everything back to ‚normal‘ again. Archie meanwhile was starting to feel like the only way to solve the current problem they were dealing with was to split ways.

That said, despite all their fighting as of late, he knew Maxie would be heartbroken if he broke that news to him, and just.. didn’t want to. So he didn’t.

-Instead, when Maxie was out late for work again one night, Archie packed his bags, his Pokémon, and without a single word left in the middle of the night on a ferry back to Hoenn. One of the two Poochyena pups Maxie had originally taken from home with him had grown close to Archie over the years and became his Pokémon back in college, so it stayed with him.

-When Maxie came home to a half empty apartment and realised what happened, he was in fact, heartbroken. After a bad freakout and desperately trying to contact Archie in some way, realisation settled in that his boyfriend just left him over genocide. And despair gave way to a deep, bitter hatefulness.

-Due to Archie having left and Rocket not being too pleased about potential insider information possibly being spilled, they upped security for a while making it harder to leave. This didn’t help the growing grudge for Maxie. When he did finally manage to sneak his way out due to Red causing Rocket to go entirely off balance, he left both with the desire to better the world, and the desire to win.

originally i was gonna add the hcs for how the teams got started here too but its already long enough like this so uhm. Next time!

Masterpost of ORAS HC stuff