#messier 95

[quiltofstars]

M95 // Shannon Calvert

Home to around 40 billion stars, the barred spiral galaxy M95 is currently forming even more stars! Deep within its core is a star-forming ring that is forming stars at a rate of 0.4 solar masses per year.

Discovered by Méchain in 1781, Admiral William Smyth (1788-1865) called it a "lucid white nebula."

[cosmicfocus]

Galactic Twins

An associated pair of spiral galaxies in the constellation of Leo.

[8infinite-space8]

Messier 95 (NGC 3351).

Distance: 32.6 ± 1.4 Mly

[alexandraisyes]

Eclipse Character Analysis (Sun and Moon Show)

Alternate Title: Why I'm 95% sure Eclipse is a sociopath EDITED TITLE: An Analysis of how Eclipse's ASPD is reflected in his character

A hopefully unnecessary disclaimer: - One, hi, hello I am a sociopath, I do know what I'm talking about. This also means that a lot of what I notice and will describe about Eclipse are similar or the same as my own experiences living life in this mortal realm. What I will touch on in the "redemption" section is heavily based on the kind of intensive treatment I had to get in order to improve my behavior when I was younger, so it's important to note that while Eclipse will never be able to change his personality (like how I can't change mine, and you can't change yours), he can change his thought patterns, mentality, and behavior. The saying that "sociopaths can't change" is specifically talking about how we can't change our personality, which is true for everyone. That doesn't mean we can't learn to function better in civilized society or be taught emotional awareness and morals. - Two, hi, hello this is just what I've noticed and does not mean it's canon unless Reed or Davis themselves come onto my Tumblr and go "Yes, this, this is what is correct", and even then, you're allowed to have your own opinions and views on these characters. I'm just theorizing here EDIT: Reed and Davis confirmed that Eclipse is indeed a sociopath a day after I posted this here, and a week after my initial post in their server that is basically this but slightly messier. - Three, hi, hello I'm also a psychology student so I also know what I'm talking about in that regard too. I've been studying psychology and general medicine for three and a half years now, so I like to think I have some idea of what I'm talking about - Four, I use the terms sociopath, ASPD, sociopathic disorder, and anti-social personality disorder interchangeably since they all describe the same personality disorder - Five, this analysis is long, I cover the basics, an in depth, some potential scenarios, a redemption arc possibility, and some other thoughts I have about him. - Six, I made this disclaimer to address any potential misunderstandings, or harmful stereotypes that I tend to be confronted with any time I talk about ASPD. Now onto the good stuff!

Too Long; Won't Read - Here's a Summary

Attachment and Pride: Eclipse initially cared about Lunar, and his reaction to Lunar leaving suggests a fragile pride. His inability to connect with others is evident in his strained relationships with KC and Bloodmoon.

Masking Emotions: Eclipse keeps his darker thoughts to himself at the beginning, and throughout the show as well. He masks both his emotions, and his intentions throughout the show, and is careful not to show when people have upset or offended him. This behavior stems from a learned experience that letting his guard down leads to resentment.

Manipulation and Brash Communication: Eclipse is straightforward and brash when expressing thoughts, feelings, or opinions. He employs manipulation when needed but is mostly disinterested in others.

Boredom and Stimulation: He seeks reactions from people, often causing chaos for entertainment. Boredom, especially when stuck as an AI, prompts him to instigate situations for amusement.

Lack of Empathy: He also appears to lack empathy, as evidenced by his inability to understand emotions and his focus on getting reactions rather than connecting with others.

Touch Aversion: Eclipse's lack of physical affection aligns with the common aversion to touch seen in individuals with ASPD.

Remorse and Growth: Eclipse shows remorse only in instances where he hurts Lunar in the beginning of the show, indicating a potential area for growth. A redemption arc could explore his struggles without completely erasing his apparent sociopathic nature.

Writer's note: A thoughtful portrayal of Eclipse's sociopathy, should my theory touch on the truth, if continued in a storyline, could provide an authentic exploration of mental health challenges and personal growth. Care should be taken to avoid stereotypes (DON'T USE GOOGLE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THIS I BEG)

Putting Him Under a Microscope - Full Analysis

1. Attachment and Pride:

Eclipse's initial connection with Lunar suggests a potential attachment, a notable aspect in individuals with ASPD who can form (highly) selective bonds. However, Lunar's departure significantly impacts Eclipse's pride. This reaction aligns with the fragile self-esteem often observed in those with ASPD. The departure becomes a perceived personal betrayal, triggering Eclipse's defensive response.

In individuals with ASPD, relationships often serve specific purposes, and Eclipse's attachment to Lunar may have been driven by a combination of genuine connection but also very clearly the utility Lunar provided in fulfilling certain needs or desires. (Which was helping Eclipse get the star of course)

Moreover, Eclipse's struggle with connecting to others, evident in strained relationships with KC and Bloodmoon, is a characteristic of ASPD. Individuals with this disorder often face challenges in forming and maintaining meaningful relationships due to their limited capacity for empathy and understanding of emotional nuances.

2. Masking Emotions:

Eclipse's tendency to keep darker thoughts to himself reflects a common coping mechanism associated with ASPD. Individuals with this disorder often learn to conceal their true emotions early on due to negative experiences when expressing genuine feelings. This learned behavior serves as a protective measure against potential backlash or social rejection.

The fear of vulnerability and subsequent consequences aligns with the interpersonal difficulties faced by those with ASPD. Eclipse's decision to hide his less socially acceptable thoughts is a strategic choice aimed at avoiding conflict and maintaining control over his image.

Professionally, the concealment of darker thoughts is recognized as a defense mechanism in individuals with ASPD. This protective facade, or 'mask,' becomes an integral part of their social interactions, allowing them to navigate social situations with greater ease. However, this constant need to mask one's true feelings can contribute to internal struggles and further isolate individuals with ASPD from genuine emotional connections.

One may ask, what 'darker thoughts' did Eclipse show, or receive backlash for? Well, let's see, when he was stuck in Sun for the beginning of his life, he was first confused, a bit scared, and completely disoriented. He was forgotten, and during the first parts we can see him trying to reconnect with Moon, however, his delivery, as individuals with ASPD tend to do, was brash. It didn't sugar coat what he wanted, and considering his earlier transgressions previously, they weren't taken well in the slightest. Instead of Moon trying to genuinely talk and explain, all he provided Eclipse with was "I changed, and you didn't." and in general was very annoyed and irate with Eclipse. There were several times during the beginning of Eclipse, where there could have been progress made with him, to help him work through his issues, his internalized fear of being forgotten again, and the accidental neglect, that just… didn't happen. Because Sun and Moon saw him as a virus.

Moon because Moon saw himself as a virus, so what else would he think of something that originated in his code, and acted like he used to? Acted like he still sometimes did, parts of himself that he didn't like about himself, living and breathing once again in the mind of his brother. Corrupting him.

And of course, Sun because he was just so tired and hurt and he finally thought he could have something only for this ball of code to make itself known? This peice of his brother that was left behind, that was formed from Moon's killcode? That was constructed from Moon's literal need to lash out, hurt others, and kill. I'm honestly a little horrified that this is never touched on in the show, because people aren't just born to be awful, that's not how this works. There were so many opportunities where toxic and awful behavior could have been stopped if it was handled properly.

Of course, I'm not blaming Sun and Moon. It's hard to help someone who doesn't understand they need help, and as a result the person won't want help either. Plus, they've said it themselves in the episodes where Lunar had returned from the dead. They were never programmed to understand mental health issues, and they have a hard enough time grasping the concepts of their own mental health issues to deal with other peoples. Especially other people who are actively hurting them, it's hard to feel sympathy for someone who causes you harm as far as I'm aware. (I personally wouldn't know)

But back to my main point, there absolutely were times in the beginning where Eclipse was just honest about his wants and desires, and was shown disgust and hatred for it. Which would absolutely make him be prone to masking, which he does a lot in the show from what I can tell.

3. Manipulation and Brash Communication:

Eclipse's communication style, characterized by being brash and straightforward, aligns with the speech patterns and tendencies often associated with ASPD. When he's not trying to pull a fast one over someone, he's very blunt, and he doesn't beat around the bush. Individuals with this disorder may utilize manipulation as a means to achieve personal goals or navigate social situations, but without a reason to sugar coat, they won't. Although sometimes not sugar coating is also employed as a manipulation tactic, which makes it tricky navigating conversation at times with sociopaths. Eclipse's lack of hesitation in employing manipulation reflects the calculated nature of his interactions, as we see him smoothly switch between fronts, acts he puts on to get people to agree with him.

His disinterest in others, apart from exploiting them for personal gain, is consistent with the self-serving behaviors commonly observed in sociopaths. The use of manipulation as a tool for control and amusement is a manifestation of the disorder's impact on interpersonal dynamics. When he contacts Moon for help with Killcode, even then he has his own motives that are only helped by Moon being distracted with Killcode, as well as having KC out of the picture.

Professionally, manipulation is recognized as a prominent feature of ASPD. Individuals with this disorder may lack the ability to form genuine emotional connections and, instead, view relationships as transactional opportunities. Eclipse's interactions, particularly with Sun and Moon, exemplify this transactional approach, where he derives amusement from creating chaos. This last bit (amusment) is important, and I'll cover it next.

Before I pop on over, this is where I'd like to touch on Servant Eclipse. He is very crafty, and very manipulative, but it doesn't fool Lunar, who he clearly cares about to some degree. (Again, will say it as many times as needed, people with ASPD can care about people, it's just a lot of effort at first, doesn't come naturally, and is reserved for a select few). Lunar in this reality probably knows Eclipse inside and out, and isn't fooled by the not very convincing "I'm just a husk now" act Eclipse is playing out with. I suspect that Eclipse also is aware the Lunar isn't fooled, but it amuses him to some degree to keep up the game. I can only imagine serving a "Lord Lunar" is a fairly excitable life, and it's unlikely he's extensively bored. He's also just as brash as the OG Eclipse, and doesn't sugar coat the truth, or tries to ease Gregory into topics.

4. Boredom and Stimulation:

Eclipse's constant quest for stimulation and amusement, even at the expense of creating chaos, reflects a key characteristic of individuals with ASPD. Boredom intolerance is common in this population, leading to a perpetual need for excitement and novel experiences. (Can speak from experience, I spend about 4-6 hours every day bored out of my freaking mind and it's absolutely torture - which is why I draw so much)

The portrayal of Eclipse as being "bored out of his mind" when stuck as an AI in KC's base underscores the challenge individuals with ASPD face in mundane or monotonous situations. The need for stimulation is a driving force behind their impulsive and sometimes risky behaviors. There's a certain kind of restlessness, and impulsivity associated with ASPD, very much an act before you think, get defensive when confronted, and maybe think about it two days later on the very small chance it triggers a sense of morals/remorse. (Then probably forget it happened, cause we are very good at not caring enough to remember half the stuff we do. This isn't a choice, by the way, people with sociopathic disorder just aren't wired to feel strong emotions like guilt and shame.)

Professionally, this behavior aligns with the clinical understanding of ASPD. Individuals with the disorder often engage in sensation-seeking activities to counteract feelings of boredom and emotional emptiness. Eclipse's enjoyment in hacking Moon's computer, causing reactions from Moon and Lunar, serves as an outlet for his need for stimulation and disruption, as well as fulfills other purposes in starting a conversation with Moon about KC.

And of course, now I get to touch on my two favorite things that just drill this in. When OG Eclipse gets the star… what does he do? He torments Sun and Moon instead of wiping everything away, and I'm aware this is mostly because he doens't have mastery over the star. But what does Sun say, when Eclipse shows up to torment them on top of the play structure. Something along the lines of, You're just bored at this point? Is that it?

And what does Eclipse do? He leaves. Because Sun is absolutely right, and it probably stings his ego to have someone he so fully has convinced himself of hating to be right about him. Even before he gets the star… just how much effort did he really put into getting the star? Sure, he had this big plan, but I think he was aware that the 'perfect world' would never make him happy to start with; he just felt the need to be something larger than life, so of course you must set the largest goals to achieve in order to be that. He could have gotten the star so much faster lets be honest. I fully believe he was just having too much fun messing with Sun and Moon, because it gave a reaction, and the reactions to his actions were exciting, breaking his boredom. He was bored a lot, stuck in Sun's head, stuck in Sun's body and pretending to be Sun, stuck as an AI, stuck with Solar Flare's AI fighting him, stuck being unable to use the star…….. seeing a pattern yet?

And of course, my second favorite thing. Lord Eclipse. Moon full out calls him out on how bored Eclipse is, and Eclipse first tries to deny it, then sees no tactical advantage to denying it, and admits that yeah, he is bored. He's been bored for ages and Moon is the first exciting thing in what feels like forever. He's not happy in his perfect world, but he isn't going to change is because that would cut his pride for Sun and Moon to be right about what he wants and needs after so many years. So many years of his Moon being dead. Of having Sun as an obedient servant, bound to his beck and call. He's bored, and it shows, and he knows that it shows.

5. Lack of Empathy:

Eclipse's consistent inability to understand and empathize with the emotions of others aligns with a central feature of Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD). Individuals with ASPD often struggle with recognizing and comprehending the feelings of those around them.

His focus on getting reactions rather than forming genuine connections reflects the hallmark trait of lacking empathy. Eclipse's interactions with Sun, Moon, and Lunar highlight his detached and indifferent approach, as he manipulates situations purely for personal amusement without regard for the emotional impact on others.

Professionally, the deficit in empathy is a well-documented aspect of ASPD. Those with the disorder may comprehend others' situations on a cognitive level but struggle to grasp the emotional nuances involved. Eclipse's inability to understand why Lunar is upset and his constant pursuit of reactions underscore the emotional disconnect inherent in individuals with ASPD.

Eclipse's interactions with Lunar provide a poignant illustration of his consistent lack of empathy. Despite a seemingly genuine attachment to Lunar in the beginning, Eclipse's emotional disconnect becomes evident as Lunar leaves. The impact of Lunar's departure on Eclipse's pride and subsequent defensive reaction highlights the absence of genuine understanding of Lunar's emotions. Eclipse struggles to comprehend the significance of Lunar's departure beyond a perceived personal betrayal, showcasing a lack of empathy toward Lunar's perspective.

Moreover, Eclipse's manipulation and attempts to provoke reactions from Lunar, even after Lunar has left, underscore his disregard for the emotional toll on Lunar. This behavior aligns with the typical patterns seen in individuals with ASPD, where the pursuit of personal amusement takes precedence over the emotional well-being of others.

Eclipse's inability to process and acknowledge his own damaged ego resulting from Lunar's departure further emphasizes his lack of emothional understanding. He doesn't want to admit that Lunar hurt him, so instead he just continues to shut it down, bottle it up, and let it churn into hatred instead of looking at what he did wrong. His resentment and refusal to acknowledge the emotional impact on Lunar highlight the emotional blindness inherent in individuals with ASPD, especially in the context of complex interpersonal relationships.

6. Touch Aversion:

Eclipse's noticeable lack of physical affection, as both seen throughout the show, and mentioned when Lunar clings to Sun and states that Eclipse never showed him physical affection, aligns with a common trait among individuals with ASPD. Touch aversion is a characteristic feature, as those with the disorder often lack the intrinsic desire for physical closeness or intimacy.

Eclipse's minimal physical interaction, even in what could be perceived as emotionally charged moments, is consistent with the general pattern observed in individuals with ASPD. The absence of hugging or comforting gestures suggests a limited appreciation for the emotional needs of others.

Professionally, touch aversion is recognized as part of the interpersonal challenges associated with ASPD. Individuals with this disorder may not instinctively seek physical connection unless it serves a specific purpose, such as manipulation or personal gain. Eclipse's avoidance of physical affection adds a layer to his character, illustrating how his interpersonal behaviors align with the clinical understanding of ASPD.

This aspect of Eclipse's character contributes to a nuanced portrayal of the disorder, showcasing how the lack of tactile expression can impact the dynamics of his relationships, particularly in situations where emotional support is expected. (Like seriously, even Sun and Moon hug when one of them are having an awful day, but Eclipse? He literally doesn't seem to understand why Lunar craves positive physical touch so bad, because he just… doesn't feel the need himself. You can never fully understand something you experience, and it's not like people were explaining these basic needs and wants to Eclipse… ever.)

7. Remorse and Growth:

Eclipse's occasional display of remorse, particularly in instances where he has harmed Lunar, offers a glimpse into a facet of his character that deviates from the (BAD DOWNRIGHT AWFUL) stereotypical image associated with ASPD. While individuals with ASPD are often poorly and harmfully characterized/stereotyped by a complete lack of guilt or remorse, Eclipse's moments of internal conflict suggest a degree of emotional complexity.

Professionally, the intermittent remorse aligns with the recognition that individuals with ASPD may experience moments of internal conflict, especially in relationships that hold personal significance. Eclipse's struggle with whether to apologize after hitting Lunar reveals a brief internal debate, questioning the severity of his actions against Lunar's emotional response.

However, Eclipse's ultimate decision not to apologize, driven by his failure to perceive the significance of Lunar's distress, reinforces the inherent challenges in navigating emotional landscapes for those with ASPD. This internal conflict and eventual dismissal of remorse contribute to a more realistic portrayal of the disorder, highlighting the ongoing tension between impulsive actions and moments of potential introspection.

Should Eclipse undergo a redemption arc, these moments of internal conflict could serve as a foundation for growth, illustrating that while individuals with ASPD may grapple with moments of remorse, their ability to sustain lasting change remains a complex and challenging journey. Of course, I'm going to cover this as well.

Redemption and Recovery

Eclipse's potential redemption could be approached with an understanding that a complete overhaul of his personality is near impossible, because as psychology has shown, you don't just change your personality. However, nuanced growth and positive change within the framework of his behaviors and thought patterns can be explored.

Increased Self-Awareness: Eclipse could undergo a process of heightened self-awareness, acknowledging the impact of his actions on others. This could involve introspection into the motivations behind his behaviors and the consequences they entail. This won't be something he does on his own, he's going to need someone behind him, pushing him to be better. Preferably someone who has no majorly poor history with him for the best results.

Therapeutic Support: In a realistic redemption arc, Eclipse might engage in therapy tailored to individuals with ASPD. This could involve developing coping mechanisms, enhancing emotional intelligence, and learning healthier ways to navigate interpersonal relationships. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a very affective type of therapy for people with personality disorders, or collections of disorders that combined provide the complications of a personality disorder.

Recognizing the Value of Relationships: Eclipse could gradually come to recognize the value of genuine connections beyond their utility. This may involve acknowledging the significance of relationships for emotional support and personal growth. This is going to be a process, and he will mess up. He will forget. It's something he will have to choose to work with in order for it to work, and even then he will make mistakes. It will be important to have patience with him, and instead of lashing out (cause that can cause a spiral back into poor behavior), working on these slip ups with him, and helping him relearn the significance of correcting it when he messes up.

Empathy Development: A full restoration of empathy is be unrealistic, Eclipse could work on developing cognitive empathy—understanding others' perspectives intellectually, even if not emotionally. This could improve his ability to navigate social situations more effectively. (This is what I do! <:happy_stim:867544047735275521>)

Establishing Boundaries: He should learn to set healthy boundaries in his relationships, understanding that manipulating and exploiting others for personal gain may provide short-term satisfaction but is detrimental in the long run.

Contributing Positively: As part of his redemption, he could find avenues to contribute positively to others' lives. This could involve utilizing his unique skills for constructive purposes, fostering a sense of accomplishment outside of manipulative endeavors.

Maintaining Accountability: Eclipse's growth would involve a commitment to being accountable for his actions. This includes acknowledging mistakes, making amends where possible, and actively working towards minimizing harm to others.

Embracing Personal Growth: Eclipse's redemption arc could focus on embracing personal growth within the constraints of his personality. It's about acknowledging that while he may not fundamentally change, he can adapt and evolve to lead a more balanced and fulfilling life.

Potential Future Scenario: Eclipse Apologizes

Brought to you by someone saying that Lunar would refuse Eclipse trying to apologize, but I respectfully disagree, and here's why.

I think that if Eclipse ever does apologize to Lunar, Lunar would have literally no choice but to accept, because we’ve seen early on that he does not apologize

To genuinely apologize and acknowledge his wrongdoing would be major character development that would take a lot of time and struggle to get to that point, based on my theories/analysis about him

So by the time he can actually, truthfully apologize, there would be evidence to prove his struggle with his own twisted nature, and probably how he failed at times during the journey, and had set backs and road bumps. The others would have most likely seen the effects and effort it takes to learn to change for him, and would most likely acknowledge that he’s being truthful.

If Lunar doesn’t accept at that point, if it ever got to that point, Lunar would be acting irrationally due to emotional complications, would probably just hurt Eclipse when he’s trying to be better for his brother, and would most likely set him back. There’s a very destructive pattern of thought when it comes to personality stuff (which is what I think Eclipse struggles with, a specific personality disorder I’m writing a comic thingy about), because you can’t change your personality. You can’t will yourself to be a certain way, and so it’s very easy to destroy progress people make on self improvement. So lunar refusing the apology would most likely not only hurt Eclipse’s pride (like it was hurt when Lunar left his side the first time) but would also further his belief of “why bother if they won’t accept the fact I’m trying for them” that he’d probably struggle with throughout a period of character growth.

Lunar’s smart, and pretty emotionally aware. He can be petty, but if Eclipse were to get to that point, I don’t think Lunar would refuse it because he would have already seen the struggle and effort Eclipse had put through just to get to that point

Logically, Solar would be the best person to help Eclipse, not Earth

This is partly copied/pasted from some conversations and does analyze Solar a bit as well

I really honestly doubt that Earth is going to be able to help him, if he comes back, and I’m suspecting that Solar would do a better job because he’s the only who can understand, properly, the absolute hell that was waking up inside of Sun’s mind with no idea what’s going on and how he got there. Earth can be sympathetic and show him pity, but that’s not going to help him very much at the end of the day. He doesn’t want sympathy, he doesn’t want pity because he has associated that with being weak and out of control. He needs some one who will understand him, and who will fully understand how one small thing changed so much due to the snow ball effect. Which Solar would understand. He’s “nice eclipse” after all, aka just an Eclipse without such bad formative trauma. So he never spiraled, but he’s just as blunt and analytical as Eclipse tends to be, and would be able to actually communicate with Eclipse about his issues since it’s a situation he could have easily been in had things gone slightly different

Solar is probably the only one who can understand, and I mean properly understand, Eclipse’s trauma and bottled up emotions. And I think that if they’re going to give Eclipse someone who will support him, they should do Solar. He’s got all boxes checked

The ability to fully understand Eclipse

No bad history with Eclipse that would really affect how Eclipse treats him (It’s not like Eclipse knows he built the satellite)

Similar base personality, his just wanted warped and twisted in the start, but if you strip away Eclipse’s issues, they’re practically the same person… for obvious reasons

The willingness to say what needs to be said, and not try to sugar coat. Earth would try to let Eclipse down easy about stuff, ease him into it, and he’s gonna see that as her being manipulative because that’s how he manipulates people. He needs someone who is just going to lay things out on the table

And of course, Solar most likely wouldn’t think Eclipse is too far gone to change. Because how do you think that of yourself? And they are the same person, just from different perspectives. It’s a similar dilemma I have to just writing off Eclipse, when I take him apart and see myself staring back at me. But I was able to improve, it just took work, and it took a situation dire enough to get me to realize that if I didn’t want to ruin the few things I cared about, I needed to get my crap together. And that’s probably what he’s gonna need to, something that threatens what he cares about to the point he realizes that this can’t go on. (And I’m suspecting that something will be control over his own life, just like it was for me.) We saw at the end of his life, that he was starting to self reflect and realize that he needs to change somehow, and this was because his control over his own life was being threatened I suspect.

Extra, Smaller Analysis on Solar and Eclipse

It is important to note that Solar doesn't have this issue (ASPD), and I believe it's because he didn't suffer the same beginning that Eclipse did. They resolved the Solar issue when he popped into existance very quickly from what we can tell, and so he wasn't left in the dark for months on end, left to stew in his own agony and emotions. Personality issues are caused by trauma, and specifically ASPD is directly tied to neglect during the most crucial formative stages in development. Sun and Moon had no idea Eclipse was there, and didn't mean to abandon him, because they didn't know he existed. But this complete, and utter abandoment, what is probably internalized as a personal betrayal because I can imagine Eclipse being destroyed by the idea that Moon left him behind on purpose. Which is just… not a good thought for my man to have, because that leads to feelings of worthlessness, and self-hatred for not being 'good enough' to keep/take care of/help. Which then just snowballs into other negative emotions, that gets him all worked up, and then he's fuming at the fact that they left him. That they decided he wasn't worth keeping around, and how dare they make that decision about him for him?!

You can see how it gets out of hand quickly, as he realizes the neglect he's suffering from, the abandonment he's facing, and the fact that he's now trapped. That Moon got to escape, but he can't and it's not fair. This is the perfect breeding ground for that funny little disorder called sociopathy, and boy, there's almost nothing at this point that can convince me that he doesn't have it because it's all just a little too perfect. And the worst part?

I really really doubt it was done on purpose, but holy heck it would be so cool if it was. Not just because of how beautifully crafted it is in his character, how it's so consistent and real, but also because if it was done on purpose, it would show that the writers took the time to do real research about a disorder that is so often done so poorly, and is commonly confused with a completely different issue (psychopathic disorder). Even knowing that it probably wasn't done on purpose, I'm still gonna just cling to him because I love him and I want him to get the happy ending he deserves. And I mean that genuinely, people who are suffering and lashing out because they're drowing in hate due to unfortunate circumstances that were really out of their control deserve to be given the tools to improve themselves and their lives, and it would be wonderful to see this sentiment reflected in the show.

Wrap-Up Ramble/Writer's Notes

This is, of course, my own personal observations, and it is definitely a lot to read. I had a lot of fun constructing this thread, because it is so rare to find a character that I feel I can properly connect to. I've struggled with a lot of the patterns Eclipse has shown in the show that I've called out, and I've had to go through the steps in the 'redemption arc' section myself. It's not an easy process, and as I mentioned, him realistically improving is going to be a process that is going to be draining on himself, and the people around him. He will have to wake up and choose to go against the walls he's thrown up around himself every single day if he's going to have a realistic redemption, and it's going to be exhausting. But I do genuinely believe that he can change, and improve, because I was able to change and improve as a person. It took time, years of intensive self examination and cognitive based therapy, and it required a strong support system. Which hopefully, if he comes back to the show, he can obtain, because otherwise he will continue to drown in his own bitter stew of resentment for others and himself. And that's no fun, that's just depressing.

A lot of people look at Eclipse and think the villain, but I just can't. His actions make him a bad person, but taking apart the psychology behind him, and seeing how glaringly similar a character is to you that is supposed to be the 'bad guy'… I want him to be able, if he comes back, to get the proper 'recovery arc' that he deserves, and I really hope that if they do try to save him from his own demons, they do it properly, instead of giving him a complete 180. Because you can't change your personality, and Davis and Reed seem to be aware of that with Moon. Even when old Moon tried to be better, he was still an awful person. And the 'new' Moon is still eerily similar to the old one, and as the time goes on, he just becomes more and more like the old one. Because it's the same AI, he just lost his memories. He didn't do a whole personality change because he got his memory card wiped, because he's the same person where it counts. He just has the benefit of not having all of the pain his past self was carrying. He's free of the hurt, and trauma, and self hatred old Moon carried, but he's still Moon.

So I'm really hoping that they continue to accurately display psychology in their characters if they bring Eclipse back, because it is such an immersive show due to the fact that it makes sense. These things make sense psychology wise, their behaviors, actions, patterns of thinking and speech. And I really am looking forward to seeing if they bring Eclipse back because he's such a beautifully constructed character.

You Made It

This is the end of my massive post. Congratulations if you made it this far. If you did, uh, the password is Dorito. Leave it in the comments/reblogs to let me know you made it, haha.

I'd love to see people's thoughts on this and on him, so feel free to leave your thoughts as well in comments/reblogs. I'll try to reply to every single one I see. Again, I love his character so much, it's so well crafted, and it was so fun to take this apart.

Edit: I have been asked about where to find the thread/join in on the convo, etc a few times: I have a thread in the SAMS server here if you want to join the conversation

[shrekgogurt]

far more than six sentences sunday (but! it’s six paragraphs!)

Hi y’all. I’m facing terrible writer’s block. These damn chapters just keep getting longer. I’m going to try to force myself to write a messier draft than usual. Perhaps that will help. What doesn’t help is that these flashbacks alone are shaping up to be 3k combined 🫠 but also they’re absolutely my favorite flashbacks I’ve written. You may find a snippet below!

Simon POV, past, age sixteen:

My jaw drops, stunning me into lengthy pauses between simple words.

“What…is… happening…”

“Shut up.” Baz orders, lifting his violin to his chin. “I’m proving something.”

A smirk spreads across my face.

“Yeah, something from four years ag—”

And then he starts playing. It’s the most effective way he’s ever shut me down. Better than outsmarting me. Or outmatching me. Because I don’t really feel like I’m losing. Because Baz is good at the violin. Not groundbreakingly so. He doesn’t have time for orchestra just like I wouldn’t have time for choir even if I wanted to. But I know he’s been taking private lessons with the music teacher. I followed him to one of them last year when I thought he was making a drug deal. (Turns out the drugs—in this instance—were fucking like Mozart or something.) (Swot.)

thank you for the tags these past few weeks! @cutestkilla @emeryhall @monbons @hushed-chorus @wellbelesbian @mooncello @prettygoododds @roomwithanopenfire @iamamythologicalcreature @artsyunderstudy @thewholelemon @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @forabeatofadrum

now adding to the tags @brilla-brilla-estrellita @excalisbury @ineffable-grimm-pitch @ileadacharmedlife @j-nipper-95 @letraspal @messofthejess @nightimedreamersworld @onepintobean @palimpsessed @rimeswithpurple @raenestee @theearlgreymage @theimpossibledemon @valeffelees @youarenevertooold @yellobb

[krissykakesss]

Infectious 91 - The First Night

-- Statuses --

Twilight Sparkle:

Status: Healthy, aware

Sanity: 98%

Health: 100%

Stress: 4%

Aggression: 1%

Docility: 99%

Rainbow Dash:

Status: Healthy, unaware

Sanity: 100%

Health: 99%

Stress: 1%

Aggression: 2%

Docility: 98%

Pinkie Pie:

Status: Healthy, aware?

Sanity: 100%

Health: 100%

Stress: 0%

Aggression: 1%

Docility: 100%

Princess Celestia:

Status: Healthy, aware

Sanity: 100%

Health: 100%

Stress: 6%

Aggression: 0%

Docility: 95%

Trying to warn Ponyville about the disease, she has a documentary podcast in the works :D

--- Story ---

Rainbow Dash was flying in the sky, just chilling like normal practicing her zigzag flying technique Celestia ordered her to practice a week ago for a tournament she was in. Suddenly a high-pitched screeching noise could be heard from behind. That made her shriek, she speedily flew a few metres higher, scared. She didn't know that she'd just avoided something catastrophic.

Upon entering Pinkie's house, Rainbow Dash caught a glimpse of Pinkie's unusually dead inside eyes.

"Are you ok?" Dash raised her hoove, confused. Pinkie stepped 1 foot away from the rainbow pony. She looked into her house with a frown, and then she bawled her eyes out.

"What's with the sudden mood change?" Dash asked, getting unsettled. "You're...kinda scaring me, girl.."

Pinkie dragged Dash into the house, hyperventilating, and then quickly closed the door.

"Something's happened to my sister. She's been acting sick and twisted..." The pink pony admitted. Rainbow Dash got concerned as she stepped further into the house, then suddenly noticed that Pinkie's hair was messier than usual.

"Have you combed your hair?" The fiery pony asked.

"Not really..." Pinkie replied, shyly with shame in her voice.

"Is...Twilight here?" Rainbow Dash asked again spontaneously, looking back and forth.

"Yeah..." the pink pony went over to her kitchen, with the constant glowing of neon lights, lively music and fake balloons. Dash decided to follow along. The two stopped dead in their tracks when a paper was flown into Rainbow Dash's face. When she took it off her face, it was a letter to her from Princess Celestia about how the tournament was cancelled, and the word "sorry" written in maroon-coloured chalk, standing out from the rest of the text.

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" The rainbow pony put the paper down as the TV from Pinkie's living room started playing a loud static noise and then, a faint deep voice, quite hoarse started speaking from it.

"Get out of your homeplace..now. Now. Now."

The voice repeated, distorted.

[emeritus-fuckers]

I'll try my luck for the Ministry role event 👀

Sibling of Sin. Mostly because ghouls seem chaotic and high-energy and I'm an anxious overthinker.

Papa Copia, because he is charismatic yet kind. He has a good vibe. Like he really cares and appreciates people around him and what they do.

Introvert. Like 95%. I have to force myself to go out and interact with people I'm not truly comfortable with.

Vacuuming and mopping floors. I don't actively hate it. I also don't hate cooking, but I have a tendency to set fire to my food.

I get stressed out easily and traveling is stressful… But I adore sightseeing. Especially big historical cities. Bonus if they have dark academia vibe to them. I thrive.

Daydreamer, I love to write stories, touch-starved dumbass. I'm "dad at the airport" type of person, but all the time. I always feel like a new tattoo would fix me. White Monster drinker.

The role in ministry event ended on July 20th

Your role in the Ministry is...Cleaner for Papa Emeritus IV.

There are a few of you who clean his rooms. You insisted on mopping and cleaning the floors and the others weren't that bothered so agreed. He has a lot of rooms in his private dwellings, where he lives and then rooms for work and entertaining people.

You go in last after the others have done their part, it's nice and calm in the early afternoon. Copia is mainly working in his study so you can peacefully get on with your work.

You also tidy things up for him, and put flowers out in the vases because he is always so nice to you.

While you clean in the study he'll often chat with you. You both enjoy this as a break from your work and he is genuinly interested in getting to know you.

He really apprecaites all you do for him. "Without you cara this place would be err a lot messier." He'll grin sheepishly "especially the flowers, you don't have to, but thank you."

He notices if you aren't there and makes sure you are okay. If you are off sick, he'll make sure to drop by with some medicine and to check on you.

When your work is done he's more than happy for you to write. He's found a room in his quaters that he rarely uses and left a desk in there for you. The room itself is old, painted in darker colours and has a book shelf full of dark old texts, its perfect.

~

Written by Nyx

[ts2-punk]

One of the weirdest things to happen in all my time playing Sims 2 has to be what just happened in the Curious household. Vidcund is deep in the red bar with Olive Specter, daily relationship is -95, and the lifelong one is -70. They basically hate each other. They're very close to getting the enemies icons. I didn't want them to fight anymore, so I got him to ask her to leave.

So, tell me why as he goes to do that, he and Olive start making out!? He just so happens to have 2 bolts with her, and I have ACR 2.0 installed, but still, they almost hate each other!? What makes it weirder is that she's Nervous's mother and Nervous is dating Pascal.

Vidcund Curious/Olive Specter is one of the most cursed potential ships I've ever come across in game. They're taking enemies to lovers a bit too seriously for my comfort. I'd rather he be a loser about Circe than date Olive. Plus, she's going to die of old age soon, maybe for the lore/banter I could let them marry and have her add him to her garden. Just to make the tea/lore of Strangetown even messier.

Nervous: I don't know how I feel about this.

Vidcund: It's not so bad, Nervous.

Nervous:

Vidcund: We'll be closer as a family.

Lazlo: We're already a bit too close.

Lazlo: Your kids are half siblings and cousins, and our half-siblings are half siblings with Jenny's kids.

Vidcund: Well, it's not our fault there's only 2 pollination technicians around town.

Pascal: You're marrying Nervous's mother.

Vidcund: Exactly. They'll get to bond now he's away from the Beakers.

Pascal: He's my boyfriend! First you're interested in Circe, one of his captors and now you're interested in his mom?

Pascal: We're sending you to therapy, Vidcund.

Lazlo: Happy grippy-sock vacation, man :)

Pascal: It's therapy, Lazlo.

Lazlo: For now. Just wait until he opens his mouth.

[recordbodycount]

tell me. about pavement. i always want new things to listen to

ohhh my god yes of course absolutely. i could give probably a whole presentation on this band they have been my biggest hyperfixation for the past like 6 months . i' i am going to attempt to format this so i don't go completely off track. take this as my personal guide to getting into them i guess. something like that

also beware you are poking the autism bear right now (affectionate)

okay first of all little bit of pre-ambling in terms of like. the musical background of the band. pavement is in a wonderful awkward spot where they don't really fit into a good sized genre, just like one huge genre (alt rock, which is like the broadest classification ever now) and a weird niche one that includes them and like, four other bands (slacker rock). but genres are not the point with them. they take more of a free creative route to writing songs, there's actually a pretty cool video with the band talking about their process when it comes to coming up with new material. to say the least, a lot of it is somewhat improv-ed. for an easier run-down of what's in their music they have a lot of fuzzy and jangly guitars, a lot of their songs are entirely nonsensical word association based lyrics. pavement is a band that really does kind of just sound like five guys jamming out in their basement, this is a good thing for some and that some is me

NOW onto the recommendations. i've got two different paths you could take to start listening to them based on just prior experience with pavement-like music. i'm being album focused with this because woo! albums

if you like kind of messier, dirtier lo-fi stuff i recommend starting with their first lp, slanted and enchanted, and just going chronologically through their discog from there (skip westing during this though because it's mostly really noisy b-sides and outtakes and stuff, spotify just lists it as a full album)

if you're more acclimated to just 90s alt rock in general though, i recommend starting with crooked rain, crooked rain. it's much more accessible for a wider audience and has most of their 'hits'. from there i'd go to brighten the corners, and after that maybe just listen to a song or two from other albums and see which one you'd like to listen to most :)

my personal favourite pavement album is wowee zowee, though i don't particularly recommend it as a first pavement album. it's 18 tracks long, and definitely their weirdest record, but it's really fantastic, and i think just the pure creative fun in their music really comes out in that album

stephen malkmus (the lead singer, guitarist, and song-writer) also has a bunch of solo stuff that's really good. he was also apart of the silver jews for awhile along with the drummer of pavement (bob nastovich), and the album they worked on with that band, starlite walker is really good. definitely very jammy however

a few things before you listen to them if you do, though. don't try to analyse pavement lyrics, they oftentimes are just nonsense. in fact there's an entire song that just takes the piss out of people who do this. also pavement is a grower band, in the sense that for me and lot of other people, we weren't instantly hooked by the band, and it took a bit to kind of.. get it and *really* appreciate their stuff. that can be a turn off for some people for sure but they're absolutely worth the time

thankkk you for letting me rant at you abt these guys my appreciation for their music is on my brain a good 95% of the time just sloshing around in there

[merv606]

I know Danny is suffering so much in Mercy, but I also can’t help but be reminded that he’s wearing Terry’s too-big clothes (adorable), finally wearing colors that flatter him immensely (red), and his hair has grown out and is longer, and presumably, shaggier/messier/floppier (pretty). He’s at his lowest but ironically looking his best. I’m sure he’s driving Terry absolutely craz(ier) with just how pretty he looks. My poor boy just can’t win!!!

Yes, anything but boring blue - seriously. So I k of theme sticking in nothing but blue 95% of the time.

It’s so boring 😑

Anyway - all valid points 💯

[aberooski]

Ain't gonna lie, I Hage complicated feelings at Zane. Like, how he treats Sy is not ok but also, I see him as someone who has a hard ass time being like, open with emotions or affection. (Like, he does care but is pretty not good at showing it coughatleastlikeatseason1)

Like look, this brotherhood is already messy, it gotta be very fuckin messy to snap Zane to his senses before they could be buddy buddy. (Like, a big snap moment for sy and Zane being the one to go and try and make things right cause mmmm I love that shit yesh angst that turns to comfort and also character growth)

Oh yeah. It would take a HUGE mess to make Zane come to his senses concerning Sy, especially depending on how late in the show said mess would take place.

Season 1 would be too early for it to happen and it would get undone in season 2 anyway, but also in season 2 there would be almost no chance. Zane is so far gone he would've had to have almost killed Syrus to bring him to his senses, and even then part of me worries even that wouldn’t be enough. Hurting Syrus during their duel didn't even remotely phase him, so it's not looking great for their relationship.

But I feel like episode 95 could've done something to ultimately hint at some kind of reconciliation between them later, but it wouldn't be apparent at the time. It kinda couldn't be because it's really important how Zane is so far gone that he doesn't even remotely care. The rollercoaster of him not being shown to care for him or be very nice to him at the beginning of the show to Zane sacrificing himself to protect Sy from Camula and their relationship starting on a healing path, only for Zane to fall down that rabbit hole in season 2 and go so dark that he's completely rejected anything and everyone other than victory and actively and knowingly and purposefully harms his brother for the sake of victory. Just that juxtaposition of sacrificing victory and potentially the entire world for his little brother's safety to personally being the one hurting his brother so that he can achieve victory???

Narratively? I love it.

Emotionally? I fucking hate it. 🙃

But I think their relationship should've been messier in season 3 then it was because um.... episode 95 happened.... they really should address that in a not dismissive way. And I think Zane realizing he's dying would be a good motivation to try and patch things up with Syrus. But Zane isn't the most emotionally expressive or available guy, he's not really a talker with that kinda stuff.

Zane is an acts of service kind of guy. For example, sacrificing himself to protect Sy from Camula in episode 32 though he does actually tell him he loves him beforehand at least in the dub and defending him from the Doom Dozerand just kinda generally going out of his way to help Syrus figure out his complicated feelings about Jaden because of everything that had been going on the last couple episodes in episode 137

In my mind if we were actually going to get to see Zane's turning point back from his lowest point in season 2 to his kinda happy middle season 3 self, 137 wouldn't be a bad place to see it come to a head. But I also think it could be touched on when they call upon Zane to help with the process of opening the portal to get them the Rainbow Dragon card to they can transport the school back to their dimension during the, as I call it, Zombie-Apocolypse-Survival-Horror arc. Because at that point the Duel Ghoul mess has begun and y'know who's a Duel Ghoul by then?

Syrus.

If they mentioned that to him I'd like to think season 3 Zane would care at least a little bit. I think he'd think helping them be able to bring the school back and revert the students back to normal would help redeem himself from episode 95 but ultimately when they get back it doesn't make either of them feel better it just makes things more awkward because even though Sy is kinda happy about it, it still doesn't make up for all the harm he did over the years and especially in 95. It really would be Dark World ultimately that would cause Zane to come to his damn senses for real I think. At least if we're talking about a loosely canon based scenario.

The thing also is that Zane trying to rescue Syrus from the Doom Dozer also causes him to get hurt due to the force of the explosions happening throwing him into a tree pretty damn hard after already having been knocked around a little bit by the Doom Dozer itself and the only reason Sy isn't immediately unconscious is the damn adrenaline keeping him going. Once Zane gets rid of the thing and shit calms down Sy is out.

Ultimately after everything he'd done and especially now knowing that he's dying and doesn't have a lot of time left, Zane having caused to get hurt while trying to help him would kinda speak to him at that point I think. And honestly it says something in my mind how everything Zane does, regardless of his intentions, brings Syrus some type of harm whether it be bodily harm or emotional pain.

Honestly if we're making stuff up I think it would be fun if it was Zane's fault the Doom Dozer was even out there and Aster realizes Syrus is in it's flight path and could be fucking killed and that's what gets Zane to have a like "oh shit" kinda realization moment and goes to fix this mess he created. He gets rod of the Doom Dozer before it can hurt Syrus but he got Sy hurt himself in the process.

I'd love to see him actually realize the harm he causes Syrus even if he's trying not to. That would also really add more weight to him passing the role of Syrus's big brother to Jaden before he dies. Because he's realized and accepted that Jaden is a better brother to Syrus than he could ever be.

[quiltofstars]

M95 (right) and M96 (left) // David Cheng

M95 and M96, along with M105 and several other galaxies, make up the M96 Group. An interaction between M96 and NGC 3384 (not shown) happened about a billion years ago. This drew out a huge cold ring of hydrogen gas into the group environment stretching out across 650,000 light years of space.

[f0point5]

I’m not freaking out about part 95 only because it’s setting up for something in part 96. I find it hard to believe max would do anything before he asks y/n what is going on. I know their communication can sometimes be flawed but I’m hoping for a fraction of a resolution. Or some peace of mind. Anyway, i have ice cream prepared for after dinner, if you’d kindly serve it ❤️❤️❤️ (and a side of popcorn incase things get even messier)

Now you know🧡🧡🧡

[theghostofashton]

So you said something in a previous post of the difference between how Blaine was written and how Darren portrayed him. Can you expand on that?

oooh hi anon! sure! i will admit i genuinely do not remember what i said so if this is not totally directly related i apologize, i've been looking for the post for the last few minutes and i cannot find it so we're gonna do this based off my vague memory lol

so i think first off, darren came in in s2 not really knowing how long blaine would be staying on the show. i think i heard somewhere the character was only supposed to be on for a few episodes, and darren wasn’t given too much about blaine’s background and had to kind of just roll with it. there’s been so much talk about blaine getting a “personality transplant” in the later seasons (i’ve talked pretty at length about how i disagree w that notion but it’s a really common one) and i think a lot of that may come from darren playing blaine to be older than kurt in s2, particularly? i’m not quite sure if he was written to be older than kurt (again..... this is contentious within the fandom, there are a lot of theories about how bad sadie hawkins was and whether blaine is actually the same age as kurt, just held back a year bc of his injuries. 6x12 also makes this even messier bc these writers did Not give us any kind of proper timeline lol) but i do think that’s what darren went with in s2. (also should add here that we do spend like 95% of s2 seeing blaine through kurt’s eyes which also makes up a lot of the difference in him then and in the later seasons, but overall, my point stands)

as for in the later seasons, i don’t think the writing necessarily changed as drastically as the way darren interpreted it did. after the breakup in s4, i think there’s a concerted effort on darren’s part to play blaine a little younger than he had previously? and i really love that as a character choice, honestly. even if we go in with the idea that he’s the same age as kurt, i think it’s such an incredible way to understand blaine. when we first meet him, he’s been through a trauma. we don’t really know what he was like before sadie hawkins. it’s likely he could’ve been very similar to s4-s6 blaine, but putting on a certain front after being gaybashed to protect himself. 4x07 is such a turning point for blaine, and i think this idea that he is allowing himself to get rid of some of the armor and be unapologetic about his interests, style, and hobbies is real growth and healing for him. 

[astroandry]

Hi!

This is my blog for talking about space, showing off my astronomy kit, and sharing advice with others! If you want some help, don't be afraid to ask! I have a fair amount of experience, but I'm always seeking to improve. I hope to see you around!

Messier (M) & Caldwell (C) Objects I've spotted:

M 4, 6, 7, 8, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 31, 42, 43, 44, 45, 54*, 56*, 69*, 70*, 80

C 20, 21, 41, 76, 80, 85, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98*, 99, 100, 102, 106

33/219 objects confidently identified

* unsure as to whether or not it was the object in mention or another object.

Planets (P) & Moons (M) Spotted:

P: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn

M: Luna, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Iapetus, Titan, Tethys, Rhea

Significant/Large constellations fully identified:

Andromeda, Aries, Aquarius, Boötes, Cancer, Canis Major, Capricornus, Carina, Centaurus, Cetus, Corona Australis, Corona Borealis, Crux, Eridanus, Hercules, Leo, Libra, Lupus, Lyra, Ophiuchus, Pisces Austrinus, Puppis, Sagittarius, Scorpius, Taurus, Triangulum, Vela

Small/Minor Constellations fully identified:

Apus, Ara, Aquila, Canis Minor, Chamaeleon, Circinus, Corvus, Delphinus, Equuleus, Fornax, Grus, Hydrus, Indus, Microscopium, Musca, Norma, Octans, Pavo, Pictor, Pyxis, Sagitta, Scutum, Telescopium, Triangulum Australe, Tucana, Volans, Vulpecula

54/88 constellations identified

Current setup:

Star map, Planisphere, Red light, Compass

Skywatcher 8" Collapsible Dobsonian with a 6x30 finderscope & 40mm eyepiece, 10x50 Urbanworx Binoculars, Saxon Laser Collimator.

[highbuttonsports]

The Complicated Nature of Goaltending in Edmonton

In Edmonton, the position of full-time, reliable starting goaltending has long stood vacant. Since the departure of Grant Fuhr in 1991, there’s been a revolving door of goaltenders, none of whom have truly established themselves as a reliable number one option consistently.

This is a retrospective of Oilers Goaltending since 1991.

The Fuhr Trade

On September 19th, 1991 the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers finalized a blockbuster trade that involved 7 players, two of which later were inducted into the hall of fame. The Oilers sent Grant Fuhr, Glen Anderson, and Craig Berube to Toronto in exchange for Vincent Damphuis, Scott Thornton, Luke Richardson, and Goaltender Peter Ing. 

It was Fuhr who backstopped the Oilers to five Stanley Cups throughout the franchise's golden years, providing above-league-average goaltending for an entire decade.

This marked the beginning of the post-Gretzky struggles for the Oilers franchise, as they saw another star of their ‘80s dynasty traded away for younger players and draft picks.

It would be a long and uncertain chapter in the Oilers' history, and the situation in goal would be even more challenging.

The Ranford Years

Fuhr wasn't the only high-profile trade the Oilers would make that season, as a deal with the Rangers would send long-time captain Mark Messier packing just a month later as the Oilers continued to dismantle the dynasty that once was. For the 91-92 season, the Oilers were backstopped by a duo of Bill Ranford and Peter Ing. (with brief appearances by Norm Foster and Ron Tugnett) Ranford was the bonafide starter who played 63 regular-season games and posted a 3.58 GAA and a .884 SV% while the league average at the time was 3.37 GAA and .888 SV%. The Oilers finished with a 37-37-6 record in 3rd place in the Smythe Division and 11th in the league overall.

As for the following season, it didn't get much better. In fact, it was the worst season in Oilers franchise history.

It was a full tank year, as the Oilers continued to dismantle the dynasty of the ’80s trading away names like Kevin Lowe, Bernie Nicholls, Craig Muni, and Essa Tikkanen

 The 1992-93 Oilers once again relied on Bill Ranford as the starter, this time backed up by Ron Tugnutt. The season was a complete disaster with a 26-50-8 record and a goal differential of -95. Ranford was once again below league average with a 3.84 GAA and a .884 SV% and Tugnutt was even worse with a 4.17 GAA and a .879.

The Oilers would continue to struggle throughout the ’90s and wouldn't make the playoffs again until 96-97. During that drought, Edmonton went through 5 different goaltenders in Fred Braithwaite, Wayne Cowley, Joaquin Gage, and Bob Essensa before GM Glen Sather made a blockbuster that would finally remedy the atrocious goaltending issues of the past decade. On August 4th, 1995 Sather pulled the trigger on another blockbuster goalie deal, acquiring Curtis Joseph from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for two first-round picks. 

The Joseph Years

The following year Sather would trade Bill Ranford back to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Mariusz Czerkawski, Sean Brown and a first-round draft pick to recoup one of the ones he had given up in the Joseph deal.

Two months into the season, with his rights owned by the Edmonton Oilers but no contract, Joseph joined the Las Vegas Thunder, of the IHL, in order to stay in shape. Halfway through the season, he signed a three-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers for $2.3M per year and joined the team.

Cujo had an immediate impact on the Oilers roster, guiding the team back to the playoffs for the first time in four seasons with an impressive .900 SV% and a 3.00 GAA, finishing just 5th in Vezina voting in 96-97 and 20th in Hart voting the following season. 

Joseph was a breath of fresh air for the Oilers, yet he wouldn't resign in Edmonton at the end of his contract, opting to sign a four-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs for $24M in 1998.

The end of the Joseph years marked the beginning of the goaltending turmoil the Edmonton Oilers still find themselves in to this day, as the very next year in 1998-99, the former backup to Curtis Joseph Bob Essensa was relied on to play 33 games alongside Mikhail Shtalenkov whom the Oilers acquired in a trade from the expansion Nashville Predators.

Shtalenkov and Essensa had a combined .899 SV% and a 2.76 GAA, while the league average for the two categories was .908 SV% and 2.56 GAA.

Not a great start to the post-Cujo era.

From 1999 to 2010 the Edmonton Oilers shuffled through goalies at breakneck speed, with a total of fifteen different netminders playing games for them in just ten years.

The most consistent throughout those years, however, was young Finnish goaltender Jussi Markkanen who the Oilers drafted in the 5th round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, and promptly threw into an NHL crease 101 days later.

Markkanen and Roloson 

How’d that go? About as well as you’d expect. In the five seasons Markkanen played more than 20 games for Edmonton he put up a .902 SV% and a 2.76 GAA while the league average during that stretch was .907 SV% and 2.64 GAA.

Despite the subpar play of the early 2000s, the Oilers did manage to make it all the way to game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2006 despite being the #8 seed in the western conference, all thanks to the unbelievable play of Dwayne Roloson.

During that cup run, it was Roloson who took the reigns as the Oilers’ starting goalie. He had an incredible run through the first three rounds posting a career-best sustained .925 SV% including a 24-save shutout in game six of the second round against the San Jose Sharks, sending the Oilers to the Conference finals and beyond where they would face off against the Carolina Hurricanes.

It was late in the third period of game one when Andrew Ladd gathered the puck in the offensive zone and drove hard to the net, and with Oilers defenseman, Marc-Andre Bergeron draped all over him, he collided hard with Roloson resulting in a series-ending knee injury.

This is where Jussi Markkanen had to come in. Throughout the next six games, Markkanen posted a 924 SV% and a 2.16 GAA with a 16-save shutout in game 6, but it wasn't enough to will the Oilers to a win in game seven, as they lost 2-1.

To this day many fans swear that if Roloson hadn't sustained that injury, the Oilers would have another Stanley Cup banner in the rafters. 

After such an incredible run to the finals, Roloson could have tested the unrestricted free agency market in the summer of 2006 but opted to re-sign with the Oilers on July 1, 2006, on a three-year contract.

The next season Roloson and Markkanen were back in as a starter/backup duo. The 37-year-old Roloson continued his success posting a .909 SV% and 2.75 GAA while Markkanen had a less impressive .886 SV% and a 3.14 GAA. The Oilers would not make the playoffs for the next 10 years until 2017. 

In that time, the Oilers would go through goaltenders such as Mathieu Garon, Nikolai Khabibulin, Devan Dubnyk, Jeff Deslauriers, Martin Gerber, Yann Danis, Ilya Bryzgalov, Ben Scrivens, Viktor Fasth, Jason Labarbera, Richard Bachman, Laurent Brossoit, Anders Nilsson, and eventually, Cam Talbot.

At the 2015 NHL draft the Oilers, in a desperate attempt to bring some stability to their constantly revolving goaltending carousel, paid the Rangers a second, third, and seventh-round pick for career backup Cam Talbot.

The Cam Talbot Campaign

Talbot was perhaps the biggest name on the goaltending market that offseason, coming off an impressive 23-game stretch in which Talbot took the starting role in New York after Henrik Lundquist was out of the lineup with a serious neck injury. Throughout that stretch, Talbot played 23 out of 25 games and posted a fantastic .929 SV% and a 2.21 GAA.

Looking at those numbers, it’s easy to see why the Oilers would be interested in Talbot. He put up solid numbers in his first three years as the Oilers’ starter. Through 196 games he posted a .914 SV% and a 2.65 GAA with 11 shutouts and was able to bring the Oilers back to the playoffs for the first time in 11 years in 2017 and finished 4th in Vezina voting. 

So it seemed the Oilers had finally found their answer in goal as in addition to the Talbot trade, the Oilers had just signed a promising goaltender in Mikko Koskinen out of the KHL. That was until February 2019 when for some reason the Oilers traded Cam Talbot to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for goaltender Anthony Stolarz.

Stolarz, a career backup, would only ever play six games with the franchise.

Smith And Koskinen

This brings us to the 2019-20 season when the Oilers signed Mike Smith to a one-year deal, presumably to back up their new star goaltender Mikko Koskinen. Little did they know Smith would prove to be the far better of the two options over the next three seasons posting a .913 SV% and a 2.17 GAA to Koskinen’s .907 SV% and 2.98 GAA. 

In summary, let's take a look at the current state of goaltending. Mike Smith has one season left on his two-year extension he signed at the beginning of the season but has hinted that he may consider retirement this offseason. Alternatively, Smith's contract could remain on LTIR for the entire season if retirement isn't the case.

It appears that Mikko Koskinen has parted ways with the Oilers and the NHL, having recently signed a deal to play in the DEL in Switzerland next season. 

It’s safe to say that the Oilers have an uncertain situation in net for the coming years.

For the next upcoming piece, we'll take an in-depth look at what the Oilers can do next in the goaltending department, as after a long and exciting playoff run, what happens next may be the difference between prolonged playoff success and championship contention, and fading into mediocrity.

- Dave