#maybe the god was unecessary

[woahajimes]

grah

[fluffylino]

soft!hyunjin

you never liked arguments

-very fluffy, pure fluffiness

water ran down your body. you didn't like this feeling that you felt. nothing made sense anymore. your mind was a mess.

arguments.

you despised it so much because of how your parents were.

unecessary. things could be cleared quietly without shouting and getting angry with eachother. it reminded you of your father. his harsh words. the shouting. the swearing. the silent treatment.

although what hyunjin did was minor. he would never curse at you or call you names regardless of whether he was annoyed.

what happened today was a mistake. it had escalated to the point that hyunjin was ignoring you. at this point you couldn't even blame him. maybe you were being emotional. but it did bring back bad memories of arguments.

you hadn't even realised your breath had got stuck in your throat. tears blurred your vision. your head felt light as the water became hotter. steam filling up the bathroom.

"baby!" hyunjin yelled, kicking the door open. you hadn't even heard him. his hand tugged you out, before you could even comprehend anything.

"thank god you left the door unlocked. i was searching for you"

he pulled you flush against him. you couldn't hold your tears in anymore.

"I don't like this, i hate it" you sobbed out, shaking against hyunjin's body that was embracing you.

"i'm sorry, my angel...i'm so sorry my sweetheart" you could feel the pain in his voice. you couldn't help it. everything was triggering and you were unable to control your emotions.

"i don't want to fight. i can't...it hurts"

without caring, he pulled you out not bothering if you were naked. he sat you down on the counter near the sink. your legs dangled down, and he wasted no time to hug you. not bothering that his clothes were getting wet.

"its okay you're okay we're okay" hyunjin reassured, his arms wrapped around you. his fingers stroking your back.

"breathe baby..i'm here" he whispered, pulling his head back to wipe your tears.

"we're never arguing again" you shivered, suddenly hit with a cold draft. you wrapped your legs around his hips.

"im cold hyunnie" you muttered, voice cracking while pushing yourself against his body. he was warm and his soft shirt felt nice against your bare skin.

"lets shower together, hm" he suggested, hands steadily holding you. he rubbed your bare back soothingly. you couldn't bring myself to nod, instead opting to try and look at him.

his eyes were teary and his eyebrows furrowed with worry.

"my pretty baby, don't cry please. i'm sorry" he kissed your forehead.

"i'm so stupid. please forgive me." hyunjin softly pecked your nose.

a small gesture that made your heart hurt with how genuinely heart felt he was being. carefully he carried you, making you stand under the shower. it was perfect. you watched as he took his soaking wet shirt off and tugged his pants and everything else off. hurriedly stepping into the shower. to be as close to you as possible. his body pressed against yours in the misr intimate lovely way possible.

"my gorgeous darling" you cried harder when he cupped your face to place a chaste kiss on your lips.

"i'm sorry...i'm sorry for not talking to you. it was childish and dramatic of me to do that"

"i'm s-sorry too" you mumbled. maybe you were being a teeny weeny bit emotional.

"i'm the one whose sorry baby...you did nothing wrong"

another kiss to your face. the water was hot against your skin but his body provided you with a warmth that reached your heart.

"I love you so much, my love...please never forget that"

[vvingcolleen]

A rant about the blatant transphobia/non-binary phobia going on in the "The Summer I turned Pretty" Fandom right now.

FOR GOD'S SAKE. I AM DONE DONE with this fandom hating on Elsie. The things people say online are legit hate speech or bordering on hate speech. There is a HUGE DIFFERENCE between simply disliking a character for their characterization and what the fandom does online ((1) targetting the characters apperance, (2) referring to Skye as "it"?!??!?!, and they refer to Elsie the same way too especially in press junket vids).

Firstly, I hate all the comments that are like "Did you see Chris' face, he probably hates them." Or like "The cast probably has a gc without them." Like I could be petty and be like "Well ELSIE PROBS HAS A GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINEES GC WITHOUT ANY OF THEM IN IT" but also its pathetic to assume things about people you dont personally know. And if you really wanna based things through a screen then as we can see on social media they hangout and get along with Elsie JUST FINE OKAY.

Also, Minnie and Elsie are friends, so trying to constantly default to "I just hate that they replaced Shayla" and trying to seem like hating Elsie is some form of justice isnt the white knight-ing they think it is (also the two characters arent even equivalent to each other so its a nullified argument).

Thirdly, I feel like the hate is too far (people try to justify it bc they dislike Skye as a character but all the tiktoks I see are about their appearance, which I feel is so unecessary). Considering that the character is a socially, anxious teenager, who seemingly has no friends but their mom then YEAH plot wise of course they're only going to know their mom's side first and defend their only trusted person in life first. When the Fisher bros do legit anything, everyone is proud of their "character growth" but the same people won't even give Skye a chance to maybe undergo the same growth.

Also IDK in my opinion its easier to morally defend this socially anxious teenage defending her closest friend/mom with a snarky comment rather than a girl who DATES BETWEEN TWO BROTHERS. So, lets maybe not be to harsh on them.

All I'm saying is PLEASE lets be kinder. It legit costs nothing to be a little nicer or at least restrain what you say about people online.

[katerinaaqu]

Assuming Odysseus’ character was kept consistent with Homer’s characterization of him in epic do you think he would’ve chosen to sacrifice himself instead of his crew in thunder bringer?

I think if Epic was consistent with Homer then we wouldn't even have this because Homer is a totally different animal in plot and such.

The plot of Homer is massively different than that. However if one assumes somehow we got that moment while keeping the rest of the plot intact (and even then this moment seems again weird to say the very least) I am not sure if Odysseus would make a choice to begin with.

He wants to survive and we know from the Laestrygonians misadventure that he is capable of making the necessary sacrifice on the go to save himself and what he can from his men. He also made the painful choice or rather had the painful acceptance to go through the two rocks of Skylla and Charybdis because again Circe told him he had no choice and that is better to lose 6 than lose them all. At that moment Circe more or less told us that Odysseus would never be one of the 6 victims and I am sure Odysseus knew it too. Somehow he knew he was destined to watch the brutal sight.

We know Odysseus would want to survive not only to go back to his wife and child but because like every human being he wants to live. As Eurylochus said all humans fear death and mind you Odysseus already knows what it looks like. So humanly speaking I am not sure if Odysseus would be able to make a clear cut choice in the first place.

Remembering also the prophecy or rather the curse that was given to him by Polyphemus that he shall never see his land but IF he were to see it he would remain without companions, arriving to his land at a foreign vessel. So he knows that there is a high chance if he doesn't lose his men he will never see his land again. Would that mean he would die or that he would forever be stranded somewhere? He doesn't know.

So I am not sure he would be even able to make a choice like that. Maybe that would cause the further anger of gods if anything else. However like I said I doubt that if Epic followed the Odyssey and Odysseus's character that we would have a clear choice coming out of his mouth in that situation. Which would eventually lead to the anger of gods.

Because the prophecy he received from Tiresias was clear enough. That if they slay or ate the cattle of Helios then they would all die. The question there would be a trick question in the first place because it would imply it would change destiny which would be impossible. In the original Odyssey Odysseus knew they were doomed and yet he tried to save them and change their fate anyways. Which as we know never happened

So again I doubt he would be able to answer in a "choice" that wasn't really a choice if his character development and story was already consistent with the Odyssey. Choosing his men to die would seem unecessary given their fate was already sealed so that would mean Odysseus would be given the illusion of a choice to possibly torment him or test his character. Choosing himself over them could be seen as hubris and arrogance that he considers himself more important than many lives or that he thinks that he can change their fate.

I hope that makes sense.

[ikram1909]

i have genuinely never seen a hate train as terrible as gavis, maybe i’m wrong, but in the years to at i’ve been into the sport, the unecessary hate train gavi received was insane. he went through so much at such a young age, not just the media was saying shit about him, but so were players. later one in his career i want to here him talk about how he felt during this time, especially because he was so young

It was genuinely horrible. The worst insults, the death threats, the career ending injury wishes it was too much. Just way too much and he did absolutely nothing to deserve it. So yeah I can never forget anyone who took part in it and I hope to god they pay for it one way or another. It would be unfair if they didn't.

[papirouge]

I feel like lately I've seen a lot more Christians being accepting of homosexuality or gender identity. What's up with that? Another thing is that many also seem to be into things like horoscopes or tarot like wtf. I used to believe that like half the people who say they're Christians are actually Christian, but now I'm believing is like 5%.

Okay but how do you even define "accepting of homosexuality"?

Because saying stuff like "Jesus didn't say to hate gay people" ≠ accepting homosexuality. A church accepting a gay person among them isn't "gay acceptance" neither - that's Christianity 101. Aren't Christians constantly boasting about Jesus hanging around prostitutes and tax collectors to show how merciful and tolerant he was? But it's a problem when churches display the same Christlike behavior? 🤔

I mean the simple fact that Christians are taking offense "hey don't hate [group they decided it was okay to hate on] shows how EVIL the average Christian has become. Especially on social media where the foulest behaviors are becoming normalized. Jesus was soooo right to warn us to guard our hearts in the end times because some many of 'us' went off the rails with unprovoked anger, hate and malice.

I am SICK of seeing Christians fake outrage at "gay acceptance" when they are the same ones joking about killing communists/liberals/FBI/gouvernment agents and whatnot. So homosexuality bad cause it's a sin but call for murder & hate aren't?

Like- I'll never come around why some of you are so unecessary weird about sexual sins acting like they were somehow a significantly bigger menace than any other ones. Like yeah drag queen in schools are a problem but I never see the same flock of Christians have the same energy to seethe against the epidemic of (sexual) violence, addictions, social inequality, poverty, etc. that are significantly affecting & damaging society more... Most people on this planet will never see a trans person IRL, let alone in their school.... let's get real. However I can bet that they're more exposed to any of the issues I've just put out.

Their outrage is extremely performative and hypocrite and I hope I'm not the only one to see through it. That's why I don't f*ck with conservative Christians. They are raging hypocrites and I get brain damage whenever I stumble on their stupid posts raging about objectively insignificant shit that would likely disappear if they touched some grass.

You're right in that the majority of self professed Christians actually aren't though. Maybe like 2% of us are actually genuinely trying to follow Christ teachi6ng without trying to find excuses for our shortcomings and cultural bias (hi pro gun American Christians 👋🏾 friendly reminder that murder is a sin, and that none of your shitty amendments to justify your sinful entitlement to death will fly before God on Judgment Day🩵)

[castleofthade]

it's difficult to properly annunciate an anagram so that the listener knows each letter that's in it (differentiating K and C and god forbid ck together phonetically without visuals? good lird) so I think that when eliv "speaks" a puzzle he's also putting the concept of it into your mind clearly. LIke "how are you making me visualize individual letters with your mouth" well its easy! but its also a secret ;)

in his game proper I think it's more reasonable that maybe he writes out letters on the wall in blood or something but he HAS been shown to just speak fully scrambled sentences so shhh

neopets is a text and comic based piece of media website so this is unecessary but I kept thinking about it. He also seems to not speak in anagrams sometimes so it's definitely a conscious thing he does. idk if he can do this with other puzzles or just like manifest a picture of a skull in your mind but that would be so fucked up

[soul-dwelling]

I received a few asks related to the newest Zelda game, Tears of the Kingdom. 

Seeing as I haven’t played the game, and I have only read spoilers and a plot synopsis, nothing I say can be a very educated response to criticisms of the game. 

…Not that this will stop me from still saying something, but, you know, like I said, I haven’t played the game, so anything I say below will be uninformed, so, take this as you will. 

Spoilers for the game, and I will just copy and paste the asks I got below. 

Yeah the new Zelda story is bad on every level - from the themes, to originality, surface appeal, charachters, consistency, nostalgia-baiting, to its mystery and execution and redundancy and missed potential. Like for example it shows Zelda reapearing and doing questionable things. One thinks that maybe she has some motives, maybe her experience twisted her worldview or maybe her actions get misinterprated - but no its the most generic "just a puppet that looks like her by evil guy lol" obvious

Also the new Zelda can't decide if it just wants to ignore all the "lore" and focus on a self contained world or if it wants to bait people with names, terms and events that have significance for super-fans. Like "oh its about the imprisoning war, you 'member that! But actually it has nothing to do with it just randomly the same event lol!"

Maybe the worse thing about totk is how it just repeats the same theme and arc of the previous game but worse. Botw dealt with lose and grief and how one has to sacrifice and prevail for the future generations to rebuild a better tommorow - so totk does the same just with a ridicoulous time span and plot devices while introducing unecessary timetravel that just confuses why thing happend in that way and doesnt say anything new or leads to any new charachter introspection.

Also sad with how much missed potential it had - it seemed like Ganondorf looked like the ancient hero from 10k in the past (even had the same pose) and the whole theme with circles and reversing things and fusing could have lead to a reaximination about these eternal roles of good and bad, about reconsiliation, breaking the circle, fusing into a synthesis that leads to a revolution - but nah its generic good guys vs bad guys

Also its just stupid on a surface level - things like Space bunny alien super-god races founding hyrule (like its Naruto again, the whole Kaguya myth is geting overplayed...), turning into goody dragons is a major plotpoint that you cant take serious because how stupid it looks, weird things like romance between quasi-humans and literal rabbits on two legs, timetravel, generic artifacts and energy beams and undercooked worlds

Too ad to the weird relationship to if it wants to ignore lore or not - Botw was original in atleast with the whole divine beasts and sheikah tech backstory, while this game kinda ignores it even if it is a direct sequel while going back to rehashing Oot and Lbw while also making an unecesary new origin for Hyrule even though Skyward sword got just recently rereleased. If they didnt care about story they should just have some random new country or aliens or demons invade.

In Botw atleast the calamity was the consequence of the failures of the past, of the arogance of the king, of the strife between people, their hubris and overconfidence. People suffered consequences and made sacrifices while in Botw the good guys are perfect and just "lose" because of out of charachter stupidity for a moment and then just dont do anything for thousands of years and dont prepare. Also zeldas sacrificed gets reversed and she doesnt even remember experiencing all the time she spent

The execution of the story is bad too, with the four sages dungeons repeating the same thing just with a different voice actor as opposed to botw which was connected with links experience in the past and moving on from their lose. Also the new little story arcs either get imediatly resolved or are just things like "he was greedy because of brainwashing and imediatly turns good after that with no consequences!" Also finding memories out of order spoil twistd and feels rushed and disconected

Also it just all feels generic and boring - wow evil "Demon King" (is that even a thing, seems more like something from anime that doesnt fit an western localization), magic stones, super secret furrie aliens and flawless generic goodguys - with the only theme of connection not even really being that deep and just basically turning into "yeah helping and trusting each other is good I guess?"

Also it makes weird plotholes like two masterswords existing at the same time, the whole calamity ganon not meshing with the newn Ganon, things disapearing without explanation making some people think it retconed botw while it actually seems like its a closed loop, how it fits with the other games, if its repeating events or a new continuity or the real new origin and things actually repeat after that, etc

There’s a lot here, so I’m going to tackle as much as I can. 

The timeline stuff in this game doesn’t bother me--because I don’t understand anything about the timeline in Zelda anyway. 

That’s a dickish comment on my part, but it’s also pretty much why I never got into the games, and it’s a bit of an insult on my part towards the entire Zelda franchise, but also why “the timeline doesn’t make sense in Tears” wouldn’t dissuade me from playing the game--because I’m already going in thinking, “The timeline shit never makes sense in this franchise, why should I start caring about it now?” 

(I’m not asking for anyone to explain the timeline to me: I can go read explanations on my own.) 

So, if the timeline right now doesn’t make sense, I take that either as, “Well, it never made sense to me anyway, so I don’t care,” or “Oh, shit, if Zelda fans and experts are poking holes in the time travel details, this may not be as well thought out.” 

But as I said before, I don’t worry about story when it comes to video games--and on a related note, I don’t really care about whether the time travel rules make sense if the story is good enough. I appreciate that, the longer you enjoy something, the more you will criticize details in the lore that don’t make sense: that is valid, that is a sign of intense engagement with something you like, I would be a hypocrite to criticize someone doing that given what I’ve done with content I enjoy (I wouldn’t be writing about what works and doesn’t work in Soul Eater if I hadn’t engaged deeply with this work upon initial reading and watching). 

But even as I get criticizing those details, as I just said, if the story is good enough, and has its characters progress, and has a beginning, middle, and end, and doesn’t screw up the message it was trying to tell, I can ignore the mechanics not working. It’s science fiction or fantasy fiction enough: the science is what allows the fiction to persist, the fantasy is what allows the fiction to persist, if the science or the fantasy is sound enough for me to keep reading the story, I don’t care, it’s about believability, not realism. 

The twist about who this Zelda really is, from what I read of the plot summary, works for me on paper: it sounds cool to have an evil Zelda who is not real. Maybe the execution just doesn’t work--again, I haven’t played this game to see whether the payoff works. Granted, I do think, “And then the real Zelda turns into a dragon,” is a little too out-there. 

The nostalgia-baiting: using names, events, people, etc, from other parts of the franchise is not a bad thing--that sounds really cool, if the story works. It’s like how I think MCU films used to be: “Here’s a decent story, we make sure that story works--then we’ll name characters, places, etc, after stuff from the comics.” More recent MCU stuff should be great because it finally gets to just bring in stuff from the comics…and yet that stuff right now feels like the real deep cuts-baiting the audience, where name-dropping someone is a substitution for story and plot progression. 

(As an aside, this is probably why I soured so much on DuckTales 2017: that series felt much more like nostalgia-baiting that you’re describing, where I think parts of the story and characterization are not working--but, oh, look, here are references to the Disney Afternoon, that should shut up you 1980s/1990s kids and make you love this series. …No, it didn’t. Like, how do you fuck up Kit Cloudkicker that badly? How do you make Don Carnage so boring? Numerous references to original stuff from Darkwing Duck is where I start acting like I think you are about Zelda, where I just want to say, “That’s not what the original show was like,” or, at least with what they do with the two Darkwings in the show, how DuckTales 2017 really felt like it was positioning viewers who just didn’t like the show’s direction as being a hater and the equivalent of the homicidal Darkwing with the chainsaw--which, nah, that’s a pretty petty characterization of viewers who just aren’t a fan of how cynical and mean-spirited this iteration feels (when it comes to making Kit into somehow who just fails despite the talents already shown, that makes up a reason for him to be a sad adult, that makes Launchpad just the worst).)

You point out how you think Tears is repeating what Breath already did with themes, only it makes it worse by adding the time travel. Would Tears have been better if the time travel was held off until halfway through the game? If the big twist was that this was all time travel, would that work? 

I ask in part because I remember a commercial for what I think was one of the Zelda games, that was just one of the most effective commercials I saw--because of how creepy it was. It’s a first-person POV video, as you are walking through the castle, but once you reach the destination in that castle, the commercial announcer says you’re going to go through this entire game--and then have to repeat it all over again to get it right this time. Would that have worked better for Tears, where you feel a bigger connection to this story--then have everything about it ripped away from you when you have to travel back in time to do it again? 

I do think removing some great complexities about what Past!Ganondorf was up to feels like a missed opportunity. Then again, sometimes you just want your bad guys to be bad guys, not to keep giving them noble reasons or sympathetic back stories, just have them be cruel awful people that need to be stopped. This is probably also why I’m not too bothered by “yeah helping and trusting each other is good I guess”: yeah, sometimes you need a story that says it is good to help others, it is good to look for the good in others--but, as paradoxical as it may seem, there are just some bad people out there, and while obviously we can’t settle differences as you would in a game, or respond to evil as you would in a game, we do have an obligation to identify cruelty and do what we can to minimize its harm. 

It’s not like I don’t have my fair share of complaints about origin stories that just do not hold up: see my complaints about Fire Force, or I can go on a rant about the weird choices the various Sonic the Hedgehog comics have made for origin stories that no one asked for. 

I don’t want to criticize details about the origins or the romances of the aliens too much, if only because I find most designs in newer Zelda stuff to not be my taste. Zelda works best for me when the designs look like plants and animals from our world; some designs like the Zoras just don’t fit the setting for me. 

The various conflicting origin stories: isn’t Zelda as a franchise all about how nothing makes sense? Again, this is a series where it feels like there are so many timelines that having different origins feels less troublesome. In fact, that was what a post I read recently said: this is the _Legend_ of Zelda, so with each iteration, we are getting a different spin on that legend, because it is so far removed from the truth that we are just making up new legends, telling new tales of the same characters and themes, hence why so much stuff conflicts across different games. 

(Granted, just because this theory gives an explanation, and makes the title better suited, doesn’t negate the problem: just because you made up an excuse for inconsistencies doesn’t mean that the inconsistencies you created aren’t in themselves bad. At best, it is an opportunity for the game developers to say, “First, we are focused on gameplay and visuals, and we’ll alter the story to make those as effective as possible. And second, we are allowed to ignore continuity to fix what wasn’t working before.”) 

(And, granted, I’m also a Star Trek fan--and I remain livid how much newer Trek is just fucking up continuity and canon because “we wanted to do this instead.”)

I do think the ending of Tears just undoing what went wrong, with little obvious ramifications, is frustrating. At least show something that indicates that this experience affected Link in some real emotional way--and if you have to add a physical reminder to him for how that real emotional change will persist, then do that, too, for visual storytelling. 

“Demon King” is fine with me as phrasing: this is just the reality of trying to take the Japanese suffix -o and translating it as best as possible. 

I don’t know enough about the lore of the Master Sword: is it really a big problem to have two existing at the same time, or is there lore that it can’t happen? I mean, again, there are so many timeline shenanigans and multiple Ganons and multiple Links and multiple Zeldas that I am ready to just throw up my hands and say, “Sure, Master Swords for everyone.”

[idontwanttospoiltheparty]

I would really like to hear any more swiftles thoughts you have on Midnights. I feel like I've seen you say Anti-Hero = John (with some Paul moments), Sweet Nothing = Paul/Linda, and Bigger Than The Whole Sky = John (maybe?). But are there any songs or lines that you've been thinking about that I haven't seen you post? Or anything you've fleshed out more? Thanks!

The latter was @pennielane actually!

Okay here's some more, even though I've actually been psychoanalysing babygirl Herself quite a bit heheh

Maroon in just like.... the vibes fit the break up era, not that much the specific lyrics (or depending on your version of events). "The rust that grew between telephones" HOT DAMN

You're On Your Own, Kid is a George song :( and also :') OUCH!!!! but like feeling used and let down but then realizing YOU are worthy all by YOURSELF!

Midnight Rain feels like kind of applicable to all of them, thinking about what it might've been like to just have a Normal Life™

Karma is George but epic actually it's In Fact insanely Paul coded. Being Friendly Pays! (BITCH!)

The Great War is like her Jealous Guy, tbh! Just a very vulnerable song about how you caused an unecessary conflict and sabotaged your own relationship.

Also lowkey I have reservations about making this comparison because I don't especially like comparing Taylor's very specific experience being taken advantage of by older men at a vulnerable age, but Would've, Could've, Should've kind of reminds me of God and other POB songs in its raw expression of anger and a feeling of having been robbed + linking this to a loss of faith.

[mayordeas-clone]

extremely random musings that only appeal to me regarding byleth in smash

me not wanting byleth before he was revealed and the aftermath of the reveal

okay so byleth, or any three houses character, getting into smash was very obvious. one would have been in the base game had the game released during ultimate's development cycle. and as awesome as it would have been to see one of the cool tri-colored lords who DIDNT wield a sword nor had blue hair (or in edelgard and claude's case, had no blue in their color scheme at all, a trait only shared with robin in smash), we all knew they couldn't pick one over the other. if they had to go on a neutral major character from three houses to put in smash with no accidental slant towards one route of the game, it had to have been byleth, the avatar. (i heard some people say they could have handled this by doing a pokemon trainer style character where byleth switches between all three but i think we all knew that was super unrealistic)

i remember before he was revealed that i was vehemently anti-byleth. i literally loved three houses when it came out so much (main personality trait from summer-fall of 2019) but i really wanted dimitri cuz he was my favorite lord (yeah the white male of the three lords was my fave 😔 maybe it's me or maybe it goes to show how they handled the other two in comparison). i was sort of prepping for a three houses character in the game by temporarily implementing dimitri into my headcanons and getting a small bromance started between him and link. i also wanted an air of mystique surrounding the professor (byleth) he brings up, so having him involved in smash was unideal. however, i was also aware of the previously mentioned point of them not picking one lord over another. dimitri was not gonna happen, but i still wanted byleth to not be in smash, so my mindset was "if no three houses lords, then no three houses rep at all"

so anyway byleth got into smash and i remember it so vividly. i could not watch the reveal live (with how the reveal was handled, thank god) because i was in class but during down time one of my friends who also liked smash ran up to me to tell me. i heard whispers online but i was in denial until he straight up told me unprompted. i kind of screamed "WHAT" a little too loudly (cuz i was still in a classroom we just weren't working 😭). and when i saw their renders online (which tbh look sick as hell like the rest of ultimate's renders) i think i temporarily started spiraling but i couldnt explain why i was acting funky because the reason why was so stupid lmao

(sort of reminds me of a time when i was anticipating persona 5 on switch in like, 2019 and heard an announcement was SURELY gonna reveal it, but then it didn't that and i was visibly disappointed during my morning math class to the point where my teacher TOLD MY COUNSELOR and i had to get pulled during the day to see her so she could check up on me LMAOOOO)

~

the reveal trailer that seemed to have been lab-tested to reflect as poorly on the character and fire emblem in smash as possible

it should go without saying that byleth might have one of the most unfortunate reveal trailers for smash, especially with the standards smash ultimate and especially the fighters pass had set. the fact that he was the LAST fighter of the first fighters pass is crazy in hindsight, imagine if it just ended there.

the only other character that could compare to the disparity between "expectation vs reality" was corrin who was revealed in the final smash 4 presentation (which promised to reveal the winner of the smash ballot so corrin just padded the runtime). corrin was also from a game that was not yet released outside of japan (i dont think it was even revealed to get a localization yet????) so not only was it kind of unecessary it felt like a very blatant ad for The New And Upcoming Fire Emblem Game!! (i know roy did this first, melee predates the release of binding blade after all, but it hits different when the character is revealed in a presentation loaded with expectations)

and of course, the awkwardness of corrin's reveal was the main start to souring people's opinions towards fire emblem in smash. i like corrin and i even like fates but... deserved. even if corrin's moveset was cool as hell.... nothing short of unfortunate

but back to byleth. both avatars actually have similar issues in their reveal trailers actually. the main sticking point is that they both just recycle a cutscene from their home game 💀💀 byleth at least got some new scenes in the style as the ""story"" of the trailer progressed but yeah the opening is straight up ripped from three houses. and crucial context is that this reveal wasn't revealed in a direct where general nintendo news was expected; this was revealed during a dedicated smash reveal, revealing the FINAL character of the first wave of dlc, so expectations were crazy high. the previous four dlc fighters were also ALL third parties that were either out of left-field or miracle picks, so byleth coming in was both mundane and comically funny with how out of place he looked in the lineup.

there was also the awkwardness of byleth's female alt being given her own splash screen, which some people watching thought was wierd since this wasn't extended to previous fe avatars revealed or even the other dragon quest heroes. this was because in japan male and female byleth have different names, so another splash screen for girl byleth was necessary, but that kinda got lost in english so now the trailer has an awkward pause revealing an alternate costume that was expected 😭

in general even if the trailer was plopped in a less... i guess high-stakes context (a mystery presentation dedicated to revealing the final FP1 character) and instead in a nintendo direct, it still would be a bad trailer because i must reiterate THEY REUSED A THREE HOUSES CUTSCENE TO OPEN THE REVEAL. like you could tell it was for smash and not say the three houses dlc since it's pulled from a random ass part of the game's story. there's no suspense since byleth is one of the first characters seen in the video too... maybe it could have been interesting if sothis, instead of helping byleth out of his bind, says "fuck you i'm joining smash" and then the splash card is like "SOTHIS DIVINELY INTERVENES" or some other shit but sothis doesnt really do anything in three houses so that does not seem plausible.....

uh but anyway, given the context and how mid their reveal trailers were i always toss up between corrin and byleth between who is worse. i guess corrin since he didn't get any new animated material in his trailer (after the ripped cutscene it's just gameplay footage), plus byleth being revealed to use the different hero's relics did surprise some people. corrin also being super unknown at the time also didn't help and he did poison the well when it came to fan reaction towards fire emblem characters.... but to be honest i kinda get a kick out of the "why side with one of the kingdoms when you can JOIN SMASH INSTEAD!!!" hook of the trailer/the reason why corrin joined smash. he's like jill in path of radiance, he recruited himself into the roster without anyone asking.

ok this section became more about corrin than byleth but the point is that byleth's reveal is similar to corrin in that it was so underwhelming given the context they were revealed in and the actual execution of their entrance into smash. unfortunate.

~

male byleth's voice actor

a fun bit of trivia i know as an english voice actor enjoyer: male byleth in english has been portrayed by two voice actors. in the launch of three houses he was voiced by chris niosi (who i only knew from octopath traveler but that's neither here nor there), but starting in a post launch patch onwards (including smash brothers) he's voiced by zach aguilar. why the change?

well i think there's been some word floating around that niosi was a kind of shitty person, but i think the more concrete reason was that he broke nda with nintendo by revealing he was the voice of byleth before he was allowed to announce it. i think i heard that he specifically said in some discord server that he was voicing a character that was guaranteed to be in smash.

now look at byleth now. he's in smash and not voiced by him. it's just really funny to me.

another thing that kind of tickles me is i recall when i used to watch zach aguilar's streams he'd usually introduce himself by stating the major characters he's voiced, as a voice actor may understandably do. and among his most important roles he always brings up byleth. makes sense since three houses was really popular and also he's in freaking smash! and sometimes i can only imagine chris niosi punching the air seeing someone else always state he voices byleth constantly when that could have been him if he didn't brag about it too early 🙃 (or idk maybe he doesn't care, i'm not really invested in whatever's going on with some random guy, i'm mostly just amused by the irony of it all and how it turned out in the end)

~

that's all. byleth was a very expected and mundane addition to the smash roster from a franchise that is not exactly well favored by smash fans, coming after two fire emblem characters who disappointed a lot of people (corrin, due to the circumstances previously mentioned, and chrom, the infamous Clone of a Clone), yet i always have so much to say about his existence in relation to smash.

[fumikomiyasaki]

“A lover out of this world” for any of our pairings :)

Become as gods

With a sigh the goddess of Luck frowned up that huge line forming in front of her temple... to not strain her own powers to much she had to send away one after the other about unecessary small wishes and felt strained just walking around... sitting down eventually looking at the empty box of sweets next to her... looking at her guardian, Tiam.

"People nowadays sadly don't have these hopefull wishes anymore I hoped they would have... all is the hope for being rich or selfishness in own interest..."

As the door opened again a green haired girl walked in... far less nervous than many others who came here to face the godess of Luck and approaching her more like a friend than an authority figure.

"Sup Miss Luck, do you have maybe an actual name I can use better?"

"You really ask a godess her real name?"

"I don't know how the rules are but I do want to get to know you actually before I ask of anything."

A warm smile appeared on Komes face as she looked down to her.

"It is Kome... how about you, dear?"

"Camilla... its an honor to meetcha Kome. Must be a tough crowd you get in here... some of those wishes do not sound well."

"You are correct... I have a reason I only grant those wishes I feel would do good for others... so what is your wish my dear."

She smiled warm at the mortal but phased into surprised as Camilla spoke up.

"I want luck for a friend... their dream was to have this job and the college exam only chooses randomly so I want to help them..."

"You won't use your wish for yourself?"

"I am happy as I am... why should I not use it for them?"

Something about this answer warmed her heart as she gave a firm nod.

"Your wish will be granted... As selfless as you are you deserved it."

With a smile she got up and hugged the godess who turned red slightly before looking back at her... as soon as Camilla left Tiam spoke up.

"C-could it be that you-"

"Don't worry about it but.... I wish half of these followers were this gratefull and energetic."

She sat down again a little in thoughts but at least her mood was better.

Many feared the Lower god guarding the star of wishes... rumored to be a cold blooded Soldier who will take out anyone who fails his trail.... yet what many didn't know was how much he disdained his own task...being puppeteered to bring hurt... not being able to see the light outside of this cave again... his eyes teared up leaving a black trail all over his face... he slumped on the ground holding his blade and canon as suddenly he heard another step into this cave.... this time neither a warrior nor a selfish soul... it was just a pretty girl, dusting off her dress as she walked into seeing him on the ground.

"Oh no.... what happened to you. Did you got attacked?"

"You really... don't knowwhere you are right?"

"No... I got lost on my way here... my Name is Faline, what about you?"

"My name... I... forgot it a while ago... but they call me the god of the lost star..."

"A god?"

She kneeled down before him politely and checked his face, whiping a bit of the black tears off with a tissue.

"You are different."

"What do you mean?"

"Usually when somebody comes in here... something takes control of me and makes me fight anyone out of this cave but... this force hasn't reacted yet... maybe it senses your intentions are pure."

"Or it knows I don't know where I am..."

"Don't you have a wish?"

She smiled kindly at him and stroked his face with the tissue before removing it.

"Is there a way to get you out of here?"

"You don't even know me.... and you care about that."

"Either way you look like you been through a lot of pain... and being controlled by something is not a great life so... could I use the wish to ease your pain?"

He suddenly opened his blue eyes, tearing up again looking at her.

"To think I'd life long enough.... to find this...."

She looked around his body just to find an engraving on his sword.

"Kuze... is that your name?"

He looked at it a little worried but gave her a nod.

"I lost most of my memory but if you want to call me that I would be gratefull... I ... want to be more than just a sword... a killing machine..."

She took his hand and helped him up.

"Then... lets use this wish to make your life better, Kuze."

Its been for the first time he ever felt Human touch... something warm... something comfortable... he wanted to cherish it... rather the wish would work or not.

[chalemee]

Dear God

Hey I am honestly very idk, but I have been feeling your around me today so thank you but I must confess my back hurts a lot I know it is probably my fault but I wanted to ask you to take this pain away this is and forever will be my safe place. I wonder ... Honestly i wish I was more in my self to speak to you but I am just cooling down from a long day honestly I probably should go to the gym again my work out was weak today and my calories where more then anticipated. Father I have received many revelations and answers to the things I had been asking because they do not make sense in my heart I dont understand the unecessary deaths. I can not judge them because they did not know better but did you disappear those nations the fallen ones truly for the desire in their heart in honesty I feel like it was their ignorance that doomed them but idk beuase I dont know what it was like to be them soo many years so millenias so many centuries and I am here today. I dont hold judgement against you but I do ask why so much darkness why has that been allowed my father why not free them from the cages in their heart and mind what is the point of free will if nothing is as it seems is the truth really deep inside of us all are they really choosing to follow those steps I am gaining my willingness to live through you God because I myself had lost it so as the insignificant spec in the unverse me with my heart and my soul with all that I am look at the things that I suffere and endure look at the things I go through some are beyond imagination and purely amazing but others are not so great honestly back then I felt like I had more of understanding maybe I realy just need to meditate in you this week was not good.. I should pray more seek you more often I have sinned in my spirit form and been bad and I am sorry creator I an disgusted at my actions in the spirit realms these things no longer ecxute me nore attract my passion nor desire it use too but pure heart and honest to my self and God I dont want it I rather pledge my unrevocable loyalty and my bloods loyalty to you I ask that you forgive. my ancestors and those who came before me and who will come after to forgive our ways and hope you always humble us and take care of our hearts to always serve the highest good of you conciousness your love and light I dont want the riches of the earth but I want the freedom of the universe I dont want to live in abundance bt harmony in a place where the songs that play are those of love creation and magic where the water flow and the spirit is free father please....... do not forget about us. I pray that you shower us with yur gold with your grace love and health and I hope that every part of my being honors you and serves you in every way shape or for I ask that my existence be one of love and creation t serve all those around me in aiding a better existence for the universe. I ask that with every breath the wheel of time trancends those things that make reality into something better and I ask that the course of time with every flutter of my eyes by stillness of my breath this aids the universe and my creator in carying the purest essence of love and washing that we no longer wish to see or feel in this world one far greator where all the kings and queens of the land are safe and never forgotten but honored and celebrated for their unques that where created for the fullfillment of our God in the name of the son the father and the holy spirit amen. 

[superjakethegreat]

Cease striving

November 9, 2022

Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

Psalm 46:10

What kind of pressure are we applying to our life?

Who is asking us to do more than we can do?

Yes, the soil must be plowed, but we are to find our ultimate joy in the work we are provided and to remember that God is the authority over our life.

If we have unecessary stress in our life, maybe it's time to put it down and get back on track with God's vision for us -- to live abundantly in His truth and mercy.

Cease striving, be still and know that He is God.

Put everything in Gods hands.

[llycaons]

just got a hankering to read the fic I had marked for later but I quickly remembered that the majority of fanfic sucks

[the-lily-flower]

wow i love it when a series confirms a character as gay in one scene and then kills them in the next scene like,,,,,

you didn’t have to make me feel welcome and get my hopes up lmao you could’ve just killed them without that

[damthosefandoms]

you know who I miss on Flash? Eddie. I mean sure if he was still around we probably wouldn’t have Westallen but like,,, I’m rewatching old episodes from season one and I’m really starting to miss him help