#new saber technology

[aniharas]

𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯

pairing: anakin skywalker x jedi!fem!reader

summary: in the soul-shattering aftermath of geonosis, anakin finds solace in forbidden affection, risking everything for a stolen moment under the moonlight.

warnings: angst, ptsd, trauma, phantom pains. anakin just needs a hug.

wc: 4k+ oneshot

a/n: this is mainly written from anakin's pov and detailing his thoughts. i was just craving an angst fest don't mind me. likes and reblogs deeply appreciated :) inbox is open! enjoy <3

The light-polluted nights of Coruscant were not very kind to the Chosen One.

It was becoming a ritual: stirring at the latest hour in a sweat in the night. Almost an hourly occurrence. Poor Anakin would cry out, reaching for the ghost of an arm that was no longer there. The memories of the dreadful incident came around often like an old acquaintance, one who didn't quite get the hint that their presence was not wanted.

The terrors were definitely unwanted. Each nightmare that plagued his mind, almost every waking moment, every phantom pain was a painstaking reminder of his own incompetence. He was too weak, too blind to stop what happened. The flash of the red saber. The brief, agonizing, piercing hot sensation in his right arm followed by a sharp breeze. The unmistakable smell of his own charred flesh. The events of Geonosis were far too grisly to forget. The monstrous nature of his failure grasped and invaded his mind with its tendrils, ensuring nothing but pain as it threatened to pull him down under. 

What made matters worse was the useless words of the Jedi Council when he sought their advice. Anakin nearly trudged out of the Council Room in laughter. Did they know how ridiculous they sounded? Firstly, he couldn't confide in anyone or simply desire their comfort. Secondly, his own limbs were considered part of things that he couldn't stay attached to, and the young Jedi found that piece of grim advice hilarious. He wondered if their powers with the Force and their lightsabers were the only reason that they were respected.

The cybernetic arm that he was given only did so much. It functioned like a normal arm and hand; it simulated the sense of touch. It was a piece of technology revered by many and saved those who used it. Whenever he retired to his quarters, he would simply stare at it, desperately hoping that it would complete him, hoping that the many credits invested into his new limb would save his soul from the relentless torment that lurked whenever the sun when down.

It was never the same. How could it ever be the same? Despite the fact that Dooku had severed his right arm, Anakin felt like he had broken his whole body and spirit. One would describe his state as one of constant grieving, for his arm, for himself. He dreaded training, missions, meditating. Eating seemed to be a monumental chore for the boy who was destined to save the galaxy.

His body was at a disconnect with his own mind, and no amount of tinkering or relentless practice with the replacement would help.  It was like everyone else was above ground, moving at a normal pace, and he was stuck at the bottom of the ocean, unable to control the chaos of the water around him.

He had hoped that the nightly perils would cease in their frequency with time. As the years passed, his hope diminished, at the very least wishing that he could get used to the feeling. 

On another lonely, sleepless night, Anakin had woken from phantom pain. Defeated, he slid himself off the edge of his bed, letting his body slump to the floor. He was the phrase 'human wreck' incarnate, his now grown-out hair askew; sweat and tears mingling as they slid down his face and neck; the pale, vein-ridden skin of his half-bare body being proof of his negligence towards himself. It was only on occasion that he could sleep alongside the moon, with no troubling thoughts to bother him. The rest of those nights were akin to psychological torture.

"Maybe it was karma for all the times I used the Force to extract a confession from somebody. Is that what that felt like?" he said to himself.

At times, he liked to pause as if there was someone there who would respond.

He wanted a response, longed for someone to just be there. Someone could sit across from him and say that his pain was superficial, that he was being overdramatic, and Anakin would still be grateful for the words. Intimate touch was constantly on his mind; not the kind of touch that led to something amorous, but the kind that could leave his battle-torn skin covered in goosebumps, the kind that would make him hyper-aware of every inch of his body.

He brushed his human fingers over the forearm of his replacement, wanting to know if there was some way he could make himself feel that intimacy. His desperation to simply feel was slowly driving him mad, and he once again let himself lose to his rage. A tear seemed to poetically slip down Anakin's cheek as his sweat-ridden fingers fumbled around with the latches, dislodging his mechno-arm and flinging it towards his wall with enough strength he could muster. A pained grunt escaped his lips.

As it slammed against the wall, it made a loud, yet unsatisfying 'thud'. Some of the casing popped off, the wires and inner mechanisms becoming exposed as it fell unceremoniously to the floor. The emotional toll and the sudden action it wrought had left Anakin out of breath. His glossy eyes trailed from the wreckage down to the emptiness where it should have been, and at that moment, he felt truly pathetic. He desperately wanted to blame anything else, but it seemed that with every obstacle, he only had himself to blame. Did he truly deserve this? He started to believe so.

It was then that his ears picked up a soft knock at his door. Anakin had shot up from his seat on the floor, hurrying over to retrieve his arm and fix it back into place. Disoriented from the absence of sleep, he managed to trudge his way to his door, carefully watching his own feet so he wouldn't stumble. Almost like a child.

When he opened the door, the last thing he expected was to see her. Why was she even here this late at night? She didn't even live in this part of the Knights' Billet. Had one of the masters sent her? Her expression and her body language were timid, seemingly afraid to cross the line; but her ever-so-captivating eyes shone with curiosity. Anakin caught those eyes trying to sneak a glance behind him, tilting his head as he made himself comfortable leaning against his doorway.

"Did someone send you? Tell them I'm not in the mood," he said rather curtly without another glance, taking a step back as he moved to close the door. He was growing exhausted with how the Jedi expected so much of him but didn't even respect him.

Her hand seemed to spring out to hold the door open in retaliation. He was growing tired of the antics, ready to glare her down with daggers, until he saw something different in the girl. Her stance was firm as she held open the door. He saw that her eyes held a brewing mix of resolve and desperation as if silently pleading for him to hear her out.

"I was walking by, and I heard a noise. Are you okay?"

Time seemed to stop as she voiced her concern, leaving Anakin breathless once again. There was an undeniable pang in his heart, threatening to set loose what had been building up inside of him. Any other day, he would've brushed her off and forced the door shut without a care in the world. She was jeopardizing her place in the Jedi Order, and his as well. How could she afford to be so careless?

So careless about her duties…but she cared about him.

Struggling to voice his answer, he found himself nearly paralyzed with uncertainty, not knowing how to proceed. The mere act of them meeting this late at night had already broken so many rules...but was he willing to sacrifice some rules to save his own sanity? He saw a look of pity flash over her eyes, and he stayed frozen as she quietly shuffled in, closing the door behind her in a similar matter.

Anakin was sure about the fact that he needed someone to confide in, to share his agony, to comfort his long-tortured soul. It was only until she had uttered her first words to him that night that it dawned on him: she would see him as weak, and not the Chosen One. The dichotomy of his needs and fears clashed about in his brain. He needed a companion, but he was afraid of losing her approval, anyone's approval. Everyone's approval.

"What's wrong, Anakin?"

Her voice had cut through the growing torment of his thoughts, leaving it silent, those three words alone threatening to unravel him. He avoided the piercing gaze that was threatening to see right through him.

"Just insomnia," he muttered.

When his eyes returned to her, he immediately knew that his answer wasn't good enough. Who was he kidding? He realized that he hadn't even bothered to look presentable, hair messy and skin glistening with sweat. As if to mock his own thoughts, a gust of air blew in from his conditioning unit, making the tear streaks down his face feel like they were freezing. He watched her carefully as her eyes examined these very things, a flush gracing her cheeks as she briefly glanced at his bare chest. The faint glow of the stars pouring in from the window only seemed to accentuate it, illuminating her skin. She was pretty.

The very thought angered him. Why did beauty distract him so in such a vulnerable moment of his life? It was a weakness he was not proud of, not only because it represented what he could not have, but what he struggled to be himself. Every rule in his life seemed like it was set in place to keep him from having beauty, being beautiful. He couldn't help but break those rules as his eyes raked over her figure. He saw how her hair cascaded down to delicately frame her face, skin that was once covered modestly by Jedi robes, eyes that seemed to tantalize him even if her intentions meant otherwise.

Would it be so terrible if he indulged in these desires in his moment of need?

Anakin shook his head to his own thoughts, causing her to tilt hers in confusion. Of course, it would be terrible, but why was it terrible in the first place? He was suffering, feeling pathetic with his appearance and in his mind. It was not terrible to need someone, but why was guilt beginning to consume these selfish desires? Maybe it was terrible to need her. He barely knew her, and she took the same vows as he did.

"I understand," she whispered, seeming rather awkward and sheepish compared to before. She avoided his gaze as she turned her back on him. As she began to reach for the doorknob, Anakin was surprised to see that she hesitated. Was it too hopeful to think that she felt the same? He called out for her, more despairingly than he intended to.

"Wait, I..." He hesitated, not sure if he wanted to take the plunge. It would be the start of a slippery slope he couldn't hope to dig her or himself out of. He knew that if he tried, it would be futile, so that must've been why he had the nagging feeling that he didn't even want out.

"I need you here."

He watched closely as her brows furrowed and her grip on the doorknob tensed, immediately realizing that his request might have been too bold, to say the least. His gaze fell to the floor as a wave of humiliation washed over him. If she had run off at that moment, he would've understood. However, as he gathered the courage to look up once more, he saw that she had stood still, eyes continuing to prod him for a better explanation. Swallowing the ever-growing lump in his throat, he leaned against the wall of his dormitory as he tried to find the words that would lead him down the slope. If it meant that he could find peace for one night, one hour, or even one minute, so be it.

"I need you here because…I am cursed. I'm cursed with an affliction I can't ever hope to cure. I feel like I'm at war with myself, and it haunts me to my soul."

Anakin paused, subconsciously holding his breath, unsure if he wanted to continue. All of this was most likely too heavy to hear, especially since she barely knew him. Did she care?

At that moment, as if to answer his silent query, she stepped forward and placed herself in front of him, standing so close he felt the warmth of her body. The scent of her freshly-washed hair polluted his senses, leaving him feeling melancholy. He watched in a trance as her brows furrowed in worry, tentatively lifting up her hand. Her fingers gently prodded at his cybernetic, outlining the broken casing. Once her curious eyes rose back up to meet his, there was a silent acknowledgment. Understanding. It gave him the push to keep going, to muster the strength to hold open the floodgates of his heart. He stopped holding his breath, his sorrowful gaze falling to the floor.

“I'm...completely lost. I've strayed so far from the path of the Jedi that I can no longer see it…and I am afraid I don't even want it. I'm constantly told that I shouldn't feel this way...that hurting is selfish, and that I should focus on the needs of others before my own, to live up to my prophecy," Anakin muttered, his tone turning bitter and his brows furrowing in anger at the last word.

"But how can I do that when I am disconnected from myself? When I don’t feel like the Chosen One? I don’t feel like anyone is choosing me.”

Anakin’s eyes traveled up her figure once more, her minuscule and simple movements making them glaze over with desperation. He found the way her shoulders gradually moved up and down with each breath captivating, the flutter of her lashes with each blink. He took her by the hand that was calmly tracing his forearm, enveloping it firmly in his. She watched him as her breath halted in suspense, her fingers seeming hesitant to move.

“I need you here, not because I expect you to fix me, but because I just need someone. Anyone. I need you to choose me, to touch me,” he whispered, his voice shaking as he watched her lace her fingers with his own. “Please, I need this...bittersweet taste of relief. I can't bear this alone anymore.”

After what seemed like an eternity of silence with their hands in each other’s, she let go, much to Anakin’s chagrin. However, she lifted her hand once again, gradually bringing her hand to his chest, laying it flat above his heart. The sensation sent waves of warmth across the bare skin of his chest, the rippling feeling leaving goosebumps in its wake. He was certain that she could feel the deafening pounding of his heart. A faint gasp left his lips as she began to slide her hand down to his abdomen, his muscles in that area tensing. He didn’t expect to feel this hyper-sensitive to someone’s touch.

She flinched a little at his reaction, causing her to stop her motions. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she looked up at him timidly.

“Is that okay?” she asked, her voice unsure, as if she was testing the waters.

Hearing her words, Anakin’s vision was obscured by his own tears…tears of relief. He savored the straining feeling in his chest and throat as he fought to hold back his sobs, thankful he was even feeling anything like that at all. A slow blink of his eyes betrayed him as a brief stream of hot tears slid down his cheeks, which she quickly wiped away with her free hand. She seemed rather flustered when that very action caused more tears to fall in succession, awkwardly wiping more tears as quickly as she should.

The act made Anakin chuckle briefly, nearly surprising himself with the sound. It seemed to surprise her too, in turn making her laugh along with him. Realizing that this warming feeling was contagious, they both began to erupt into giggling fits, ending with a hush from her, muttering something about “quiet hours”. Though it had seemed silly, Anakin had wished they never stopped.

Again, damn the Jedi with all their rules.

During her stay, they sat together at the foot of his bed as Anakin slowly began to unravel the darkness that had been plaguing him since Geonosis. They spoke in hushed murmurs, afraid that someone might find them together. Their conversation would cease at the mere sound of a distant footstep, the creak of the conditioning vent, and muffled voices from the other side of his dorm wall. 

However, Anakin thought all the sneaking around to be worth it. Her presence and her conversation proved to help more than he could have hoped for. Soon enough, he was pleading for her to come back the next night. A shy expression overtook her features. Something around the lines of “You like me that much?” was uttered, and those very words ignited the beginning of an insatiable fire within him. Her wide, curious, and sparkling eyes continued to feed that very fire.

Anakin wasn’t too sure when he started to kiss her.

He wasn’t even aware of when they had closed so much distance between each other. However, her receptiveness pushed those questions far away, his thoughts taking form in the shape of her. A rush of emotions flooded through him, momentarily drowning out the misery that consumed his existence. In that singular, stolen moment, he felt a profound peace, something that he thought he might never experience again.

Every touch, every gentle brush against him sent electric currents coursing through his body. His senses were enveloped by her, reveling in the taste of her, the softness of her lips, the warmth of her breath mingling with his. Her hands began to clutch onto his frame desperately, her nails digging in and leaving red trails in their wake. The world around him slowly began to fade into insignificance, his focus narrowing to the raw sensation of being alive, of feeling something so intensely beautiful. For that fleeting moment, Anakin allowed himself to be consumed by this sinful, blissful indulgence of the present. It was a sanctuary from his own mind. After a lifetime of monochrome, he was overjoyed to feel anything at all. It was a bittersweet joy, knowing that this kiss was fleeting, and that it came at a heavy cost. As their lips reluctantly parted, Anakin’s mind was only filled with anticipation for the next. He watched her, his eyes filled with a mixture of reluctance and longing, as she began to pull away, her breath slightly ragged. A part of him wants to hold onto her desperately, to stop the inevitable departure. “Wait,” he called out, his voice feeble and vulnerable as he cautiously took her hand in his. “I-i…don’t want you to go. This is…it's everything to me.”

Anakin hated how desperate he sounded in his pleas, embarrassed at the state Geonosis had reduced him to. He almost despised the fact that he needed this…that the Chosen One needed someone else to feel so alive. But the way she flooded his mind was such a high for him, and he never wanted to come down.

“Please,” he begged, his voice nearly giving out as his eyes began to glisten. “I know the risk you’d be taking, but…one more night, please. The same time, tomorrow night. We can figure out what to do then.” He watched as her resolve wavered, noting the longing in her eyes. Anakin knew she felt a pull to him as well, it’s what caused her to come and investigate him in the first place. As she took a deep breath, his thoughts came to a halt, ensuring utter silence to hear what she had to say. “Okay, Skywalker. One more night. But…if we get caught, it’s on you,” she scolded, her arms crossing.

Anakin found her attitude endearing, answering her with a simple nod. Despite her playful nature, he understood the weight of her words. He leaned in, allowing his forehead to rest against hers, enjoying the subtle heat that radiated from her, a stark contrast to the cold room they were in. Pulling away with a lingering touch and a final gaze, they parted ways. As the door closed behind her, a profound sense of emptiness washed over Anakin. Her absence only made him feel the weight of his desperation. The taste of her still lingered on his lips, and it nearly made him want to throw the door open and chase after her. However, as much as he desired that, he couldn’t bring himself to.

As he returned to his empty bed, he decided he would just have to wait until she would return, his newly found moonlight, who had illuminated his dark and harrowing night, who had caused the waves in his heart to surge and swell.

He found comfort in the fact that the moon would always return to the sky.

-

As each night passed, their next clandestine meeting was what occupied Anakin’s thoughts. Every single moment until then felt like an eternity, nearly stretching his patience to the limit. His thoughts were never without her.

It was especially bad whenever he would sit in the Temple’s garden and meditate with Obi-Wan. 

The afternoon after that encounter with her, Anakin and Obi-Wan sat cross-legged across from each other, eyes closed as they sought inner peace with the Force.

Anakin struggled to quiet his mind, to let go of the constant longing that plagued him. He tried focusing on his breathing, to sink into stillness, but the image of her under the moon invaded his every thought. Her face, her touch, her taste, her warmth–it consumed his mind like a raging wildfire.

As Obi-Wan searched through his own mind, he couldn’t help but sense a disturbance. A subtle ripple, a flicker of distraction that emanated from his young apprentice. His brows furrowed slightly as he tried to search for what was troubling Anakin.

After a while, Obi-Wan slowly opened his eyes, gaze fixed on his padawan as his gentle voice broke the silence. “Anakin, I sense something is weighing on your mind. Is everything alright?”

Anakin’s eyes remained closed, feeling sweat break out on the nape of his neck as he fought to maintain his composure. Why did Obi-Wan even bother asking? He was never going to tell his master, and he knew that. That didn’t prevent the feeling of guilt that started to accompany the flurry of his emotions. “I’m sorry, Master,” Anakin responded after a beat of silence. “I’m just…worried about my knighthood. That is all.”

Obi-Wan’s expression softened, his eyes taking on a knowing, yet understanding look. Of course, he knew his apprentice hiding something. He would consider himself a bad master otherwise. He could feel the turmoil radiating from Anakin, yet his desire to remain elusive. He wanted to respect his privacy, but his duty as a mentor compelled him to push further.

“Anakin, you know it is one of my many responsibilities to guide and support you, but I cannot do that if you hide things from me,” Obi-Wan said. “Whatever it is, just remember you don’t have to face it alone.”

With that, Anakin’s eyes fluttered open before meeting his master’s, a mixture of guilt and longing to open up to him. He hated that he was in an order where judgment and the potential consequences of desire prevented him from confiding in his mentor, his best friend, his brother.

“Believe me, master, I am more than thankful for your concern. But this…this is something I have to figure out on my own,” Anakin replied, his voice displaying a hint of vulnerability. “I will be fine.”

Obi-Wan sighed inwardly. He knew that part of becoming a Jedi involved navigating your own path, but he couldn’t help but feel like there were deeper issues at play. However, he was willing to let it go for the sake of supporting his apprentice.

“Very well, young Skywalker,” he conceded, a touch of sadness in his voice. He reached over to give a reaffirming pat to Anakin’s shoulder. “I trust that you find your way, as you always do. Don’t forget that I am here, whenever you need me.”

Anakin nodded, letting his eyes fall shut once more as he continued to “meditate”.

Still, his moonlight danced through his mind, and he could only think about how long it would be until he could see her shine again.

a/n: ao3 saw it first! inbox is open!!

[aurosoulart]

EVERYBODY MEET SUNLITH - my new Beam Saber campaign character!! 🐬

he’s an ‘uplifted’ dolphin, meaning a genetically modified version of his species made more suitable for space travel and technological adaptation.

before enlisting as a frame (mech) pilot, Sunlith worked as a xenobiologist on Europa and studied alien lifeforms there while overseeing the moon’s mining operations. he gets around on land using an exopod filled with hyper-oxygenated fluid:

when not out grappling with the horros of war, Sunlith enjoys cephalopods, cymatic artwork, and ethically dubious psychic emotional manipulation. ✨

[noticiasarquelogicasjaponesas]

Sean bienvenidos amantes del mundo japonés a una nueva publicación, en este caso voy a dar mi opinión sobre uno de los hallazgos que se han hecho en el país del sol naciente y que tiene que ver con el rostro del niño reconstruido y de cómo la genética se aplica a la arqueología espero que os guste.

-

Antes que nada, el periodo yayoi abarca las siguientes fechas, 300a. C 300 d.C estas fechas son las tradicionales, aunque hay estudios más recientes del siglo IX antes de Cristo desde la península de Kyūshū, pero bueno, eso serán otras publicaciones que realizaré sobre el tema, pero en este caso nos vamos a centrar en este hallazgo este hombre se llama Aoya kamijiro.

-

Fue creado en octubre de 2021, ya que 1998 se encontraron unos restos arqueológicos de más de cien huesos humanos por lo cual es una tarea complicada, pero que nos permite reconstruir las facciones y no solo de la gente prehistórica, sino también de la propia historia como del mundo antiguo y de muchas épocas históricas.

-

Esto se obtiene a raíz de los huesos de los que se pueden extraer pequeñas muestras que son las que nos permitirán, saber si el individuo en cuestión era masculino era femenino y si padecía patologías.

-

Las nuevas tecnologías nos permitirán reconstruir fiel miente de alguna forma u otra el rostro, a la cual parece, ya que esto es un avance muy notable, tanto en la genética como en la arqueología porque podemos reconstruir bastante bien a la gente del pasado no sobre toda la población, que suele estar olvida en un segundo plano.

-

Espero que os haya gustado que pasen una buena semana.

-

日本を愛する皆さん、新しい出版物へようこそ。今回は、日出ずる国で行われた、復元された子供の顔と遺伝学に関係する発見の 1 つについて、私の意見を述べたいと思います。考古学にも応用できると思います。

-

まず、弥生時代は以下の300aの年代になります。 西暦 300 年頃 これらの日付は伝統的なものですが、九州半島からは紀元前 9 世紀に関するより最近の研究もありますが、それはまた別の出版物でこのテーマについて行う予定ですが、この場合は次のようにします。この発見に焦点を当ててください この男の名前は青谷神代です。

-

1998年に100体以上の人骨の考古学的遺跡が発見されて以来、この計画は2021年10月に作成された。そのため複雑な作業ではあるが、先史時代の人々の派閥だけでなく、古代世界や歴史上のさまざまな時代からの歴史そのものです。

-

これは骨から得られるもので、少量のサンプルを抽出することで、問題の人物が男性か女性か、また病状を患っていたかどうかを知ることができます。

-

新しいテクノロジーにより、何らかの方法で、その顔に見える顔を忠実に復元できるようになります。これは、遺伝学と考古学の両方において非常に注目に値する進歩です。なぜなら、私たちは過去の人々についてではなく、非常によく復元できるからです。国民全体が、通常は背景に隠れて忘れ去られています。

-

気に入っていただければ幸いです。良い一週間をお過ごしください。

-

Welcome lovers of the Japanese world to a new publication, in this case I am going to give my opinion on one of the discoveries that have been made in the country of the rising sun and that has to do with the reconstructed child's face and how genetics It applies to archeology. I hope you like it.

-

First of all, the yayoi period covers the following dates, 300a. C 300 AD These dates are the traditional ones, although there are more recent studies from the 9th century BC from the Kyūshū peninsula, but well, that will be other publications that I will make on the subject, but in this case we are going to focus on this discovery This man's name is Aoya kamijiro.

-

It was created in October 2021, since archaeological remains of more than one hundred human bones were found in 1998, which is why it is a complicated task, but it allows us to reconstruct the factions and not only of the prehistoric people, but also of history itself. as from the ancient world and from many historical periods.

-

This is obtained from the bones from which small samples can be extracted that will allow us to know if the individual in question was male or female and if he suffered from pathologies.

-

New technologies will allow us to faithfully reconstruct the face, in some way or another, to which it appears, since this is a very notable advance, both in genetics and in archeology because we can reconstruct quite well the people of the past not about the entire population, which is usually forgotten in the background.

-

I hope you liked it and have a good week.

[hc-werner]

The Dialectical Humanism of Big-Ass Robots: An Intro

“There’s a deep, earnest seriousness to most mecha shows (especially within the “real robot” subgenre) that implores the audience to grapple with intricate ideas and themes drawn from philosophers like Aristotle, Nietzche, and Rousseau, oftentimes complete with allegorical mouthpieces for competing ideologies.”

My high school students always lose their shit when I tell them that I, Coach Werner, also watch anime. I kinda feel bad about it. By now, I know I’ll see the excitement die from their eyes little by little as they pepper me with questions, searching for a connection with show after show after show. 

“Coach, have you seen Jojo?”

“Nope.”

“What about DBZ or Naruto?”

“Not since before you were born.”

“Attack on Titan? Utena? Tokyo Ghoul?”

“Not yet, though they’re on my list.”

“The fuck Coach? I thought you said you watch anime!”

When I tell them I mostly watch mecha, they get confused. After I explain that mecha are the ones with jumbo-sized robots, they groan. I’ve even had one kid say that didn’t count. As a general rule, I try to not let the opinions of 15 year olds hurt my feelings; I only docked his grade a couple points. 

Whatever my students may think, oversized anthropomorphized robots have fascinated me since I was a kid. Over the years, as I’ve revisited shows from my youth and found new mechanized, cel shaded rabbit holes to tumble down, I’ve tried to figure out what exactly was so appealing about the genre. There’s definitely a bit of wish fulfillment, a sorta kaiju-sized power fantasy, sure, but that’s not all of it. Same with intricate sci-fi world building, and of course the thrill of pew-pew dogfights and beam saber duels. But none of those alone seemed to account for the whole thing. They’re all fun set dressing, definitely worth a watch on their own but not enough, I don’t think, to capture my imagination for nearly a quarter of a century.

This series, The Dialectical Humanism of Big-Ass Robots, started off as a rambling, borderline incoherent and definitely substance enhanced diatribe that tried to explain how excited I was for the first episodes of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury. It feels right, though, both the name and the bigger through line.

There’s a deep, earnest seriousness to most mecha shows (especially within the “real robot” subgenre) that implores the audience to grapple with intricate ideas and themes drawn from philosophers like Aristotle, Nietzche, and Rousseau, oftentimes complete with allegorical mouthpieces for competing ideologies. There’s also the slightly goofy and always physics-defying “rule of cool” concepts of the robots themselves–I mean, who doesn’t want to see a boom cannon with angel wings, or a crucified rage monster, or transforming karaoke jets?–that can easily be laughed off as a kid’s cartoon. Any foolhardy (read: hubristic and dumbasstic) attempt to try to find unifying threads within such a wide and varied genre has to address both of those tendencies. Here, friend, you will find one such foolhardy attempt. 

Mecha anime, more than any other subgenre, has a fundamental tension summarized by two infuriatingly simultaneous, contradictory truths:

Anthropomorphized mechs bring out the best in humanity, allowing us to overcome our flaws and leap forward into a better future.

Anthropomorphized mechs feed into the worst traits of humanity, allowing us to destroy ourselves in new and technologically advanced ways.

Those two overwhelmingly common truths, when taken together, can be summarized in fancy philosophy jargon with just two words: dialectical humanism.

Dialectics is a concept pioneered (in the West, at least) by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel during the late 18th and early 19th century. There’s literally a whole field of study called “Hegelian Dialectics” that we’ll touch on from time to time, but the main thing to know is that two mutually exclusive and contradictory ideas are often both true at the same time. 

Humanism has a long, fraught history, but the most common Western interpretations stem from Enlightenment-era ideals. Essentially, humanism boils down to the belief that humankind can progress beyond its animalistic nature through a combination of empathy and rational thinking. Again, we’ll be touching on a whole slew of humanist thinkers throughout this series.

So that’s The Dialectical Humanism of Big-Ass Robots. I feel like mecha shows–from Astro Boy to Zeta Gundam, and almost everything in between–play with this dialectic, where the mechs themselves represent humanity’s ultimate destruction and ultimate salvation simultaneously. Sometimes we struggle to survive, sometimes we overcome and thrive, and sometimes we find ourselves transformed into an ocean of pink goo.

In this series, we’ll look at:

Magical Newtype Bullshit and radical empathy

Depression, memory, and trauma, and why Shinji can’t just get in the fucking robot

The power of music (and love, hope, and propaganda) in a transforming space city

And much, much more.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go watch a Tanuki pilot a Gundam.

[askagamedev]

In this age of remasters, something I appreciate with The Master Chief Collection is how you can switch between old and new graphics instantaneously. Can you explain how this mechanic works? Big thanks!

Once upon a time, back in the ancient years of 2009 and 2010, Bungie was developing its final Halo game - Halo: Reach - with intentions to then go their own way. Microsoft created a new studio named 343 Industries to take over after the split from Bungie. 343 co-developed the Halo Legends animated series and worked with Bungie on Halo: Reach to learn the Halo development ropes, and then worked with Saber Interactive and Certain Affinity to develop Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. Halo Anniversary (2011) was the first appearance of the classic graphics toggle feature.

From what I've been told, the way it works is that modern hardware is capable of doing much more than simply running the old game engine with upscaled visuals, so Saber Interactive built a "secondary engine" to work in tandem with the original. This technology basically uses the extra memory and cycles to load and handle the computations needed for both old and new graphics simultaneously so you can hot swap between them with load time since both sets of graphics are loaded at all times. Saber also worked on Halo 2 Anniversary and brought their hot swapping tech to H2A as well.

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[honestlywtfisgoingon]

Soft — Obi-Wan Kenobi

OBI-WAN KENOBI x PADAWAN!READER

description: exhausted from training, you and obi-wan take a break together

warnings: none rly, basically just fluff :)

a/n: idk i’m always too horny to leave it at fluff and i mean it obv alludes to some shmexy stuff at the end but i just liked laying w sweaty obi. also the diff lightsaber form i’m talking abt is form v which is mine. also watching HIS HAND in this gif is making me FERAL

words: 1,279

It was that time of year for the sun to wreak havoc on Coruscant to where even the air felt stifling. You were thankful to be inside the Jedi Temple where you had the technology to be kept cool. It allowed you to train with your master, which would otherwise have been impossible if you were subjected to the weather, and yet you still found yourself blinking as a drop of sweat dripped down from your forehead and into your eye.

You continued to parry Obi-Wan’s attacks, even with your muscles on fire and your throat dry, no doubt dehydrated as all of your body’s water was working to cool you down on the outside.

Meanwhile, your master looked perfect as ever. The only sign of exertion was his hair, pushed back from his face and held out of the way by his sweat, and even then, it looked…good. Usually, you would’ve beaten him or he would’ve called off your training by now, but he was only doing what you asked.

A bit ago, you had also started to train separately with Master Windu. He used a different lightsaber form than Master Kenobi and you had taken an interest in learning it. Even though you had been taught Obi-Wan’s way your whole life, you felt that it suited you better. It allowed you to pursue your opponent more, getting rid of useless time spent in the defense position just waiting for an opportunity. It’s just who you were. You didn’t have the patience Obi-Wan had, but you didn’t want to be reckless. You had to find the best way to fight both quick and clean, and that was it.

The fact that you strived for precision and knowledge made you his pride and joy but he’d be lying if he said he was fond of the idea of you learning this new way of fighting. He worried that you would be open to getting hurt, and that could never happen. Not ever.

So here you were, slashing your sabers without stopping. You didn’t know whether he was trying to convince you his way was better, or if he wanted to push you to mastery as quickly as possible. If you truly were set on battling in that form, the latter would ease his mind a lot more. The higher your skill, the higher your chances of remaining safe.

You were up to the task, but you were worried that perhaps your body wasn’t. That question was answered when you dropped to your knees, letting your lightsaber slip from your hands as well.

“y/n!” Obi-Wan ran to you immediately, bending down and placing his hand on your back for support. He tilted your chin up to look at him with his finger. His concern was considerably lessened when he saw that, even though you looked exhausted and a little dazed, you were laughing.

“You could’ve won right now if you weren’t so soft for me.”

“Attacking my opponent while they’re on the ground wouldn’t be very honorable, my padawan”

“and because you’re soft!” you poked your finger into his chest.

“Would a man who is soft for you do this?” a split second of confusion showed on your face, not knowing his meaning until he dragged the knuckle under your chin closer and kissed you gently. Just as your eyes fluttered shut, he pulled away. The smile he gave you was sweet but there was the signature Kenobi glint in his eye.

He moved the hand on your back up to support your neck, the other snaking around your waist as he laid you down gently. His lips didn’t make contact with yours, but they were never more than an inch behind as he continued to lean over you.

“Oh no you’re not soft at all,” you rolled your eyes in joking as you slipped your fingers in between his auburn locks.

“No,” he brushed a hair off your forehead, “just completely in love with you,” he leaned in to kiss you once more, more firmly this time. Both of you sighed into it, your bodies relaxing after the physical exertion of training. One of your hands tugged at the side he wasn’t lying on, asking him to get on top of you. He obliged, and as he shifted over you took the opportunity to place kisses along his cheekbones, his beard brushing along your face, tickling you.

“Darling I’m all sweaty!” he laughed.

“With the way things are going right now, we’d be all sweaty soon anyway,”

“Good point,”

He dipped into your neck and began to suck lightly, causing you to giggle. You stopped him by tugging on his hair so that you could kiss him directly instead. A light moan escaped him when you slipped your tongue in between his lips. Fingertips brushed over your skin as he pulled open your robes slowly, your shoulders and most of your chest now exposed. Calloused hands cupped your shoulders, his thumbs rubbing back and forth softly.

It was your turn to explore more of him by slipping your hand down the neck of his robes and pressing your palm flat against his broad back. You retracted your fingers, scraping his skin lightly, another sweet sound of affirmation coming from Obi-Wan.

Both of you bestowed your touches slowly, so familiar with each other in both body and mind that you felt no need to rush. Even if you did want to speed things up, your bodies had settled and soreness was creeping in soon.

“I want you, Obi,” you kissed down the bridge of his nose then nudged the tip with yours. It might’ve been from the exercise but you could’ve sworn his cheeks got even redder. For the great warrior he was, he enjoyed the most subtle and intimate of gestures, reminding him it wasn’t just carnal desire between you two, but real love in which he could, in fact, be soft.

“and you can have me. All of me. Unreservedly,” he closed his eyes and touched his forehead against yours. “But for that, I’d rather have you in my room. I'd like to take my time with you. Is that alright?” you simply nodded. Even though he knew your answer would be yes, the way he asked permission reminded you of how gentlemanly he was.

Obi-Wan rolled off of you and stood up. Your hand was already out, assuming he would offer his to lift you from the ground. Instead, he swooped you up in his arms and carried you towards the door.

“Obi-Wan! Someone could see!” you whispered to him as he went to press the button of the door.

“It's alright. It’s not far and everyone’s taking a break because of the heat. Even if there is someone we’ll sense them,” he whispered back in mocking. The two of you were still completely alone, but you dropped your voice when you thought of getting caught, simply out of habit. His teasing caused you to pinch his side in playful retaliation. “Ow! If someone does come you’re on your own now,” he joked again. You laughed but didn’t take the time to quip back, wanting him more and more by the second. He was taking what you deemed as too long to open the door, so you leaned over and pressed the button for him.

Once it slid open, he strode out into the hallway with you in his arms. You took the opportunity that came with this short walk to let your eyes close and lay your head against his chest. You heard his heartbeat, but what you didn’t know was that it was beating for you.

[andmaybegayer]

Last Monday of the Week 2024-05-06

Forgotten how to be

Listening: Band Camp Fri Day. Haul listed here.

I'd be lying if I said some of the appeal of Perennial is sublimated Friends at the Table vibes. Skeleton Dance is so good. The In Other Waters soundtrack is one of those albums where sometimes you just get overcome with a desire to hear a particular track because you are feeling a certain way. Baby is so loud. Love them all.

Reading: Stared A Memory Called Empire, I always forget how much I love big stupid space operas with complicated cultural and technological and social bullshit, I need to read more of these.

Extremely bold move opening with a character whose weird quirk to us is that she has a consciousness riding shotgun in her brain and then to twist it by taking that away.

I sometimes get. Not annoyed, but curious, about the idea of a story that plays its weird world straight. So often a story is about a fantastical world and something is going horribly awry there. This is good, this is storytelling, but like, it would be fun to read about a Homestuck Session that goes completely according to the game, or a Hunger Games year where no one became a symbol of rebellion, or the fourth dimensional chess of an emissary to the Space Empire conducting her business as usual. There's enough drama in there to write a book. This is nothing.

Watching: More Gundam, Amuro has deserted. I feel like something big is coming.

Playing: figured out how to easily do the Beat Saber link from my PC, unfortunately currently in Windows. Beat Saber actually runs fine from Linux but coercing the link without it crashing constantly is a bit more finicky because you can't get a good virtual desktop up. I'll have to work on that.

I am having a good time with Beat Saber, it scratches a lot of itches at once, I like games of precision and timing and reflex, and it's also really rewarding to get better at something.

Making: Working on the us-demeanor, a little dumb timer watch based on ms-demeanor's post. I might still get it made even if it isn't needed just as a PCB design thing, I haven't made a PCB in a while and with some tweaks it would be a nice smart-watch platform.

A couple big tyre-kicking days with the new camera, once doing some video at Hurka metro, another shooting birds and wildlife in the park. So very good at being a camera, astounding.

Tools and Equipment: When quickly putting something together, avoid new things as much as possible, so that you can do the actually interesting thing faster.

[mjhartwork]

from left to right and top down, all my art of Nixie in order of when it was drawn (i think!). It was a wild 4 years of rping her across 4 discord servers (same world and story, but we had to change servers for Reasons)... though to her, the first and last artwork are set 100 years apart!

below is a very curt (300+ word) summary of her life thus far. this IS the TL;DR.

Nixie was originally an olmfolk crystallographer named Masha who explored the surface during the great olmish reform movement, and then became a golemancer whilst on the surface. She got kidnapped by a crazy tyrant baron and was forced to make a golem that would rule the barony like the baron did. She instead made an altruistic golem, named him DonsKrakos, and escaped, but got seperated from her golem son whilst escaping. 

She hung around in Astrax for a while before befriending the exiled prince of a small autonomous region of Astrax. They have a run-in with a demon lord. The prince took back his throne and put Masha in charge of the ministry for public infrastructure. Masha starts working on a gigantic arena that’s also a golem, because who needs boring static structures? 39 years later, Masha hears that her golem son, Donskrakos, went crazy after killing the insane baron that kidnapped her. She makes a mistake out of greif while writing the arena’s scriptcore. Then she finishes the arena, and on opening day, it goes crazy like DonsKrakos did and killed thousands of spectators. Masha runs away because she knew the prince was too soft of a leader to even exile her, so she had to do it herself. She makes contact with the demon lord and exchanges all her golemantic knowledge for a permanent draconian form. This results in her losing most of her golem-related memories, including DonsKrakos, and she renamed herself Nixie.

Then she wandered to Etharia, joined the Azure Wings guild, fled with them to Askana whent he golden capital was attacked, and started developing technology that would help them defeat cultists, such as explosives, crys-comms, light cannons, and thunder sabers, while funding their operations with her new business providing crystal-based technology to surface folk. After helping the Voidwings guild (combination of Voidwalkers and Azure Wings guilds) defeat the demonic god Zhaitan, she married Slyva Runehart and continued to grow her company into the monolith it is today for the next 50 years.

However, hidden from the public eye by her smiling face and the magic dagger that maintains an illusion of normalcy, cracks are forming in her life. Her busy corporate lifestyle cannot reconcile itself with her wife's adventurous spirit, so their marriage is crumbling. With Zhaitan dead, demonic power was weakened, and so was the spell that gave her her draconian form. She is turning into a being made purely of crystal by her own magic as a result.

[novafire-is-thinking]

Per aspera ad astra: “through adversity, to the stars”

The Vision

“You see a future in the stars?" Alpha Trion asked him quietly.

. . .

“The stars look endless to me,” he [Orion] said eventually. “Out there, you could just go and go, and there’d be enough space for everyone, and things to do and see that go on forever.” (CoP)

In an earlier post (Orion the Dreamer), I shared the full scene where Orion reveals his hopes and dreams to Alpha Trion.

And I mentioned in the previous post (Desire vs. Destiny) that it was Optimus’ deepest desire to peer behind the veil of life and study its secrets by collecting stories and seeking knowledge wherever he could find it.

Putting together both of these, one can see that Orion/Optimus’ personal vision for his life was to be a lifelong learner—one who learned through exploration, discovery of new life, the seeking of stories, and deep reflection.

Change of Plans

I will recover the AllSpark, thought Optimus Prime. Then I will retrace my steps across the galaxy and sow peace on my return wherever our initial exodus has inadvertently fomented division and war. (Exiles)

Life rarely goes as planned, as Optimus found out as the war dragged on.

Where a young Orion dreamt of setting out on his journey with curiosity and hope, a war-torn Optimus came to expect nothing more than a future quest of reparation and what he determined to be a moral duty.

A Fresh Glimpse of Hope

After so long, it was strange indeed to reach this planet again. Although I had heard it was full of life, I did not expect what we found—civilizations, technologies. For the last months, as we have been on final approach, we have learned to know them by their broadcasts, and though the others say nothing about it, what amazes me is how alike we are. Our bodies are different, our lifespans and our needs unalike, but what drives us and moves us is very much the same: humans talk about the heart, and Cybertronians the Spark; they love and fear, think and fight one another, as we do.

I looked for signs as we came within the light of their sun, and I find them everywhere—the many readings of Cybertronian technology on their world, the intensity of their struggles, the strange richness of their stories—against all odds, Unicron the Destroyer of Worlds has borne eons of life. I feel everything hangs in the balance. The Nemesis still pursues. We still track the AllSpark. So long this journey has been, and in spite of all its battles, so unchanging. (CoP)

Upon meeting and observing humans for himself, Optimus saw a glimpse of future potential—a future in which two very different, yet oddly similar species could learn and grow together, just as he’d wanted before the war. After all, Earth was also home to Unicron—the antithesis of Primus. There had to be a connection somewhere, and if not, Optimus intended to create one.

Of course, the war prevented him from getting his hopes too high, but judging from the fact that he trusted a human with the Key to Vector Sigma, it seems he allowed himself to hold onto a sliver of hope that humanity would not only survive the Cybertronian war, but would be part of Cybertron’s future in some way.

Endings and Epiphanies

I saw my death in the descent of the Dark Saber in Megatron's hand. I was surprised a little, disappointed. And then suddenly Megatron was no more. The reprieve was beyond belief. It shook me to my Spark and I felt suddenly with incredible force the fool I had been. I was not alone. I had never been alone, Prime or not. We, the Autobots, were one. (CoP)

After eons of hardship and carrying what he thought was primarily his burden to carry, Optimus was reminded that he was part of a greater whole.

The bigger goal was to see Autobots and Decepticons become one again, but this monumental shift in awareness was a necessary first step on Optimus’ journey to heal and open himself up to possibilities involving Cybertronians of either faction and humans.

A Shared Destiny

Thus ends the story of the Age of the Primes and of the origins of the Cybertronians, though not the whole story of course, for that is still being written in time and space on Earth, and all over the galaxy where the seeds and the sparks of life are growing.

I, Alpha Trion, one of the last Primes, now give this book into your hands, human friend, so that you shall know who your allies are, and your enemies also, how they are made, and where they have come from. Be sure that wherever and whenever you need our aid, the Autobots will respond to your call.

This is the Covenant of Primus, as given to all Cybertronians by right, and to humans by the last wish of Optimus, the Thirteenth Prime, so let it be.

TILL ALL ARE ONE.

Alpha Trion’s wording tells me humanity is probably the only other species that was given the Covenant of Primus.

This is incredible, to say the least. Of all the races Optimus encountered, he asked that humans be given one of the most sacred texts of the Cybertronian race.

But why humanity?

Well, Optimus firmly believed humans and Cybertronians shared a common destiny.

Alpha Trion, the relics, Unicron, the end of the war.

To Optimus, all of it pointed to Earth and humanity being an excellent starting point to launch into his original dream. He saw in humanity the future he’d endured so much hardship for: a future of learning and growing—not just alongside fellow Cybertronians, but alongside other races as well.

And depending on what each fan chooses to believe is the end of Optimus’ story, he either never got to see the fulfillment of his dream, or he did in some imagined way outside of canon.

Dreamers suffer more, but they also live more.

✧ ✧ ✧

Today, this post and the entire series are dedicated to Peter Cullen on his 82nd birthday, and to one of several beloved Optimi he’s poured so much of his heart and soul into. ❤️

[metataxy]

Rebels S2 Finale Drabble

Canon divergence I want:

What if, instead of blinding Kanan in an attempt to get Ahsoka and him out of the way, Maul just decided that powerful Force Users who also had it in for Palpatine were a bit scarce these days, and he probably shouldn't throw away the extra help?

----------------------------------------------

"Where's Ezra," Kanan seethed.

Maul bared his teeth in a grin. "Our apprentice is currently activating the battlestation."

"Our apprentice?" the Knight sputtered. Maul ignored him, flicking his eyes to Ahsoka.

"Surely, Lady Tano, you Rebels could find a use for a Battle Station of this size? The technology is a little outdated, to be sure, but it's not as though they have so many other options."

Lady Tano's lips curled. "As though you wouldn't just stab us in the back the moment it became convenient."

Maul smiled at her. "Lady Tano, at what point would it be convenient now for me to stab you in the back?" Tano paused. Apparently the years had taught them both the benefit of reflection. "Our goals are one and the same."

"And what goals are those?" the Togruta Knight demanded, looking as though she'd cross her arms, if it wouldn't slow down her draw on her saber.

"Why, to kill our former Masters, of course." Maul consciously relaxed his posture. "After all, we've hardly been successful in dispatching Palpatine and Vader alone."

Jarrus' eyes darted sideways at Ahsoka. Maul itched to use the Knight's distraction to take him out. It would be so much easier to mold Ezra without Jedi interference--but no. Jarrus had proven his usefulness against the Inquisitors, and even if his Jedi precepts held the man back now from his full potential, he'd seen man's fighting style. When pressed, his Soresu flowed abruptly into Juyo strikes and back again. Their brief conversations proved him easy to rile, fast to anger, impatient.

He could work with this.

"Asides," Maul said, opening himself to the Force, so they could feel his honesty. "I find I have... struggled... with managing the needs and expectations of my forces in the past."

"You mean you treated everyone as disposable and they mutinied to save their own lives."

"Reductive, but yes. A collaboration would benefit us both. You cannot deny my expertise in war or my knowledge of our foe, Lady Tano. You would gain the resources of this battlestation, the Black Sun, and," his eyes flicked to Jarrus, "a much needed sparring partner."

"No," Jarrus said as the battlestation continued to rise around them. The man's eyes flicked back to Ahsoka, who looked pensive. "It's a no. Right, Ahsoka?"

She clicked her tongue against her teeth, hesitating.

"Right, Ahsoka?"

"Kanan! What's happening--" Ezra all but tumbled down the stairs towards them.

"He's a cutthroat who will kill you in your sleep the moment it serves him, but for now, he's got a point," Ahsoka decided. Kanan gaped at her. Another jolt went through the battle station, and they all fought to keep their footing, Ezra all but bowling Kanan over as he ran to him. "What's happening?"

"We'll discuss this later," Ahsoka told them definitively. "For now, we have to get this battlestation out of the Emperor's hands."

"Battlestation?" echoed Ezra incredulously, glancing wide-eyed at Maul.

Maul smiled. "Indeed, young apprentice," he said, cherishing the surge of irritation his words triggered in Jarrus. "Let me show you all to the control room."

And the Jedi followed him.

------------------------------------------

Despite his resolve to play the long game and become the new Emperor and do the galactic domination thing, having realized he needs to cooperate at least some people and acknowledge them as more than tools in order to accomplish his goals results in Maul actually bonding with people. The Jedi manage to talk him out of his worst impulses. He still pulls shit that makes some of them refuse to talk with him for months on end (eg. sacrificing less important Rebel groups as bait in order to take out larger Imperial forces, using hostages to ensure compliance of Imperial officials, endangering civilian lives by compromising Imperial supply lines, etc.) but veterans like Saw Guerrera and Airen Cracken end up respecting his effectiveness.

As for the Jedi themselves, under Maul's influence they end up developing a new Force tradition, something both Jedi and Sith and neither. To Kanan's initial displeasure, he finds himself leaning far more dark than Ezra grows to become. They all have another run-in with Leia, Maul recognizes her as Sensitive and trains her, while Ahsoka figures out she's Anakin's daughter. When Vader tries to murder everyone on board the Tantine, Sith Leia is there to stop him.

And Kenobi never has the opportunity to do suicide by Sith because Maul is just like, fuck no, let's admit we've just been into each other all this time and deal with that in a less murdery way--and they make geriatric cybernetic love and weird everyone the fuck out.

The end :P

[peniswizard69]

Something I've been thinking about re sci fi is that the future is stupid. Like, you know when you microwave something and the dish is too hot to touch but the food inside is still cold? Like, that's just goddamn stupid innit. That's just what technology does, when they invented the nail they invented hammering your thumb, and when they invented the ad personalization algorithm they invented asking you to buy a toilet seat for the next month, every step into the future is a discovery of some new dumb shit you have to deal with

And we don't really see that with sci-fi, right? I can think of One example, which is Doctor Who's sonic screwdriver thay can hack into anything or open any lock just doesn't work on wood. But I'd love to see a story where light sabers sometimes come out really short and you have to turn them on and off again, or maybe faster than light travel that leaves everything on the ship smelling like cheese. Maybe the AI controlling your vessel develops a glitch where it refuses to turn left

[cienie-isengardu]

Cienie’s take on Mandalorian Culture: Kad Ha’rangir and mandalorian traditional weapons, p.1

Foreword

Tie-in Legends source materials are in general agreement that Taungs, the alien species that created Mandalorian culture ~7000  BBY, originally worshiped many gods. With passing time their belief system morphed into the concept of War being itself divine and reverential. In the period after the Sith War (3996 BBY) and before the early raids (3976 BBY) leading to start of Mandalorian Wars (3964 BBY), humans and other Aliens who proved themselves in battle and followed Mandalorian Canons of Honor were allowed into warrior ranks on an equal right, however Taungs themselves were already a dying out species.

The last Taung Mandalore, known as the Mandalore the Ultimate, died in the final battle of Mandalorian Wars in 3960 BBY and this military conflict ended both Taung hegemony and their religious beliefs in “holy carnage”. The new brand of Mandalorians kept combat and fighting skills in high regard, sought challenges to improve themselves and gain an honor but a great number of warriors went into mercenary work solely for money or the thrill of the hunt. This mercenary mindset lasted to modern days while the old faith faded away into obscurity although some knowledge and the echo of original religion remained in (human) Mandalorian culture. 

Thus to understand forgotten religion better, the original mythology should be analyzed based on Taung and early Mandalorian culture. This is especially important since the knowledge that survived to current times may be greatly distorted as the proper context can be lost due to abrupt social changes that happened to Mandalorian culture, especially in the last seven hundred years, starting with Republic attack in 738 BBY (known also as Mandalorian Excision) that divided society into two opposite faction (pacifists and warriors loyal to Old Ways) and ending with Imperial occupation that brought much destruction to Mandalore and its people. The Mandalorian Excision especially led to devastating social-economic changes, as New Mandalorians rejected the warrior traditions in favor of safe neutrality and in result, those loyal to Old Ways became a (religious?) minority that over time lost its influence on official Mandalore politics, at least up to the Clone Wars and Imperial occupation era. 

For those unfamiliar with Mandalorian lore, the three most known gods are:

Kad Ha’rangir - the all-seeing creator of tests and trials

Arasuum - the god of stagnation and sloth

Hod Haran - the trickster, agent of fickle fortune

The first two deities were introduced in an article Mandalorians: People and Culture (Insider #86) while the last was revealed in Death Watch Manifesto (Bounty Hunter Code) and both sources suggest modern (human) Mandalorians do not worship those gods like their forefathers did, if ever at all they pay attention to any religious side of their culture. This raises a question though, how much modern interpretation of those gods - the only one we truly have - is in fact compatible with their original form? 

Let's start with Kad Ha'rangir. 

My main problem with seeing Kad Ha'rangir as the most important deity worshiped by warriors during Taung!Mandalorian hegemony comes down to his name itself.

”Ha’rangir“ can be easily tie down to words for hell and destruction such like haran and raangir (the command raangir! means literally go to hell! as the original mando’a dictionary states) which makes sense why the god’s epitome is Destructor while "Kad" in the mandalorian language means "sword" or "saber"[1]. However none of those types of blades were associated with the first Mandalorians. The older sources made it clear Taungs held in high regard axes as their traditional and/or ceremonial weapon and still used them (alongside spear-like and other atypical blades) on the battlefield despite access to technologically advanced weaponry. 

This can be observed through:

Tales of the Jedi: Sith War, during duel between Mandalore the Indomitable and Ulic Qel-Droma (issue #1)

Mandalore: You fight unfairly Qel-Droma! Put away your blood-thirsty weapon... use this, the simple weapon of my forefathers.

Ulic Qel Droma: "Perhaps I’ll fight with one of your weapons”

when Mandalore the Indomitable fought on Dxun moon against native predators

and with plenty of frames of Mandalorian warriors using axes and spear-like weapons during battles - including air battles -  despite the advanced technology.

The period of time covered by comics precedes the Great Adoption that officially opened Mandalorian ranks to non-Taung people, including humans. Even if Knights of the Old Republic tie-in sources are true and during this war humans already took part in the conflict as Mandalore the Indomitable’s supporters - whatever as full-fledged warriors or just vassals - Mandalorians presented in comics clearly favored axes and spear-like weapon and unless I missed some vital details from six issues, there was no weapons resembling typical looking sword or saber. 

Knights of the Old Republic, whose story and characters are greatly influenced by the previous Sith War, mentioned Mandalore the Indomitable’s duel with Ulic Qel-Droma. The same as in original comics, the Fallen Jedi used a traditional mythosaur axe (KotOR #48).

Another example comes from Mandalore the Ultimate (KotOR#20)

“Recognize this axe? It was forged from your so-called Courageous—when we began melting it down for scrap!"

There is a 30 year time interval between Sith Wars (3996 BBY) and Mandalorian Wars (3964 BBY), Taungs were dying out species already yet Mandalore the Ultimate still chose a traditional Mandalorian weapon as his own. Upgraded and made of cortosis[2], but keeping the characteristic shape.

The authors of comics on purpose tied Mandalore the Ultimate’s weapon to those of Taungs from Sith Wars, as was mentioned by J. J. Miller:

The design of Mandalore’s axeblade goes all the way back to Mandalore the Indomitable, many, many comic books ago. Another one of our Tales of the Jedi links... Dario Carrasco’s design, I think. Clearly the main function of the version seen here, with the ceremonial staff, is as a battlefield standard, and the huge blade size serves that purpose well. (Though as we can see, it has other capabilities, yet to be described...)

Star Wars Miniatures too presented Mandalore the Indomitable with a characteristic axe and spear known from original comics. 

(Photo and more details on rebelscum.com)

We know only three Taung miniatures, one that may represent even the pre-Mandalorian era?, and two Mandalores. The first uses an unusual weapon (no sword or axe), the Indomitable has mentioned axe and spear while the Ultimate is presented with a blaster. No directly established Taungs, though coming from different times, carry a sword.

Another mention comes from History of the Mandalorians [insider #80]  

Named for an extinct, gargantuan monster of the Mandalorian past, the Mythosaur Axe is a traditional Mandalorian weapon. With overlapping blades of calcified mythosaur bone on either side of the handle, this shell-like pattern makes any point on the razor-sharp axe deadly.

or Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide:

Crafte from the calcified bones of the extinct monster for which it is named, the Mythosaur axe is one ceremonial weapon that can be deadly. Mandalore the Ultimate’s Variation, atop a staff, uses modern metals and an energy cell to achieve double the damage.

Additionally, Mandalore the Indomitable and the Ultimate both have mythosaur axes written into their respective character stats data in melee category & possession (and spear, for Indomitable) while other presented Mandalorians are A) in majority described as humans and B) their stats vary and so there are options like: unarmed, dragger, knife, mace, vibroblade, vibrodagger or bayonet but none ax mentioned directly.

Hasbro’s STAR WARS EVOLUTIONS (The Fett Legacy) set presented a figure of Mandalore the Indomitable, again with battle ax and spear:

more photos and details on rebelscum.com

[The Next Part]: There are in theory contradicting sources about Taungs...

SIDENOTES:

[1] As far as I know, there is no official word for ax in the original mando’a dictionary published by Karen Traviss. One could argue that the kad word could include all blades in general yet though mando’a lacks a certain terms such like “hero”, it has many different words for “stab” thus I believe Mandalorian knowledge and dedication to weapons should generated an individual name to each type of melee weapons, the same as the language already differentiate between sword (kad) and knife (kal).

[2] cortosis, metal that may whistand lightsaber

[melishade]

I imagine Smokescreen and wheeljack together with the US army with a fauler. they would find all the relics of cybertron and abandoned decepticon technology...what to optimus using the forge to improve 3D equipment.I also think that Marleyans and Eldians would manage to escape from Marley. among them the new warriors. calvin porco and pick taves on boats and sailing asia paradis. surprise that they all sealed

Previous Episode of the War Timeline

Okay so the English is...clunky in some parts, but I'll do my best to answer. Also, Optimus doesn't have the Forge. It's in the hands of the Decepticons right now.

Okay, so Wheeljack does notice that something is off when he picks up a high energy reading that quickly goes dark. Wheeljack goes to investigate, clearly sees that there was a battle, but no one is there. That's when he gets Agent Fowler screaming at him from the Jackhammer demanding that he get to the Autobot base. Wheeljack does arrive and Fowler demands to know what happened to the Autobots, but Wheeljack states he was about to ask the same thing. After a few days of investigating, they realize that there was a bridge accident and the Autobots got flung somewhere else. Wheeljack says he hasn't picked up the Nemesis on the Jackhammer, so maybe the Decepticons got warped there.

It's a problem that Agent Fowler has to explain to the US government. On top of that June is furious and terrified at the fact that her son is somewhere unknown, no doubt fighting for his life. She was scared her son was going to die. Meanwhile Wheeljack is worried about Bulkhead, since the loss of Seaspray is still fresh in his mind. He doesn't want to lose Bulkhead when there are so few Wreckers left.

So now Wheeljack is working together with the US Government to gather resources and find out where the Autobots have gone. Wheeljack gets to work dismantling Decepticon run mines and seizing the energon for himself as a resource. On top of that, Fowler brings up the Iacon Hall of Records about special relics and Wheeljack puts in the effort to track a few of them down. But it's hard to do without the exact coordinates. It's a lot of guess work and finding the right frequency. But he does manage to get the Resonance Blaster while the US government stumbles across the Apex Armor and dig it up like in the show. Once Wheeljack manages to replicate the frequency from the previous relics located, he does manage to find Toxic Energon (Which he chucks in the volcano), The Star Saber, which he leaves alone because he can't pull it out of the mountain (He tried blowing it up. Didn't work), and the Phase Shifter required a lot of government interference to get. Wheeljack and Agent Fowler makes sure all items stay in Autobot custody. However the Omega Keys have yet to be located.

The Nemesis Prime incident does still happen, but Wheeljack is able to quickly dispose of it and because there's no Breakdown body to hijack, Silas dies of his wounds and the rest of MECH is quickly apprehended.

Wheeljack finds Smokescreen when he's scouting in the same area the pod is set to crash in. Wheeljack aims his blasters at the pod, but is absolutely stunned to see Smokescreen blast and stumble his way out of the pod. Wheeljack realizes that Smokescreen is a kid and cautiously asks for Smokescreen's story. Smokescreen explains and just...he can't tell if he feels jealous or feels bad at the fact that Smokescreen managed to dodge the war. When he sees Smokescreen constantly trying to prove himself and make up for lost time, he feels bad. He resonates with that helplessness and wanting to make it right. So Wheeljack mentors Smokescreen, which Smokescreen is more than happy to accept because he's learning from a Wrecker.

Whether or not Ultra Magnus finds Earth is up in the air, since the Commander was called to Earth due to the energy from the Omega Lock. But Smokescreen does get into a freak accident one day and Wheeljack discovers the Omega Key in Smokescreen's chest (Which he safely takes out with the phase shifter, but neither know what it is.)

Meanwhile on Paradis, the people who have joined the Survey Corps are nearly the same with an increase in the numbers due to the Autobots being here. Jean and Annie (cause remember, they don't know that Eren has the Founding and Attack Titan) go to the Military Police while Marco and the others join the Survey Corps. Marco is trying his best to not look nervous around Reiner and Bertholdt because he's not too sure of what they might do to him. Once Marco gets a good idea of what military command is like in the Survey Corps and who he can trust, Marco makes the gut decision to warn Erwin, and Erwin immediately gets on a plan. Based on experiments, they know that need to get those two underground, so that is going to be the plan that Erwin tells the Autobots. The Autobots do discuss this in private, since half of them aren't comfortable with harming teens. And if that intel is wrong, they could be accusing teens of the 104th of the death of over 300,000 people. But they have no choice. If they don't contain them, more lives can be lost.

Hanji, Ratchet, and Rafael make massive improvements to the 3D gear. They fix the material to make it lighter and more flexible while also using just a small amount of energon as an emergency power source once the gas runs out. (They really have to do the measurements because a few things have blown up in response. Hanji is more than ecstatic while Ratchet is admonishing her for her recklessness. Also fun little thing, Hanji gets Raf the goggles for seeing and flying around in the 3D gear. It's a cute bonding moment between them.)

Meanwhile, Eren does get training on how to fight from the other Autobots. While it is brutal, Eren improves significantly compared to the AOP timeline where it's just Optimus teaching him. Eren actually likes the fact that he has other role models to look up to. It's nice to be treated with respect instead of fear.

Because of the fire power, the Survey Corps and Autobots go directly to Shinganshina, knowing that they need to close the wall as soon as possible. Because of the knowledge Erwin and the Autobots now have, Erwin still goes with the plan of giving out fake locations for Eren. They are told where Reiner and Bertholdt are placed before giving the fake coordinates. An Autobot is stationed on the outside of the circle formation as they make their way to Shinganshina. Reiner still gives the information to Annie and Annie attacks the right flank, but Bulkhead is there to stop her from causing too much damage. He tells the Autobots through the comm. that a titan shifter is in the formation and Reiner and Bertholdt were a threat. Orders are given to detain Reiner and Bertholdt. Before Reiner can transform, Ratchet activates a shock mechanism implanted in his and Bertholdt's 3D gear to stop a transformation (which was part of the plan). Reiner is quickly detained, Bertholdt is not, and Bertholdt quickly transforms and a large explosion takes place, taking out a good portion of the Survey Corps.

Now it's a full on battle. Whoever's still standing goes after Annie while the rest go after Bertholdt. Reiner can only watch helplessly as Annie and Bertholdt are fending for themselves. Annie summons titans to her aid to hold them off, killing a few people including Connie, Eld, and Gunther. Meanwhile Bertholdt is losing body mass from an extended titan transformation, and no one can reach him and are getting severe burns. Annie realizes her losses with her running out of titans and there's still Survey Corps and Autobots and quickly crystalizes herself to prevent a loss. But for Bertholdt it's too late as with Optimus' help, Eren manages to cut Bertholdt out of his titan form.

Now the Autobots and Survey Corps have Bertholdt and Reiner, both weak and defenseless. Half of who remains in the Survey Corps take the titan trio back to the Walls to lock them underground. The rest go to Shinganshia and to the basement. And they find out that humanity isn't extinct.

"Plot twist of the century," Miko commented, trying to distract from her near death experience.

"Miko, not the time," Jack scolded.

But Bertholdt's titan transformation triggers the sensors of the Decepticon warship and Megatron, wanting to hopefully get rid of Airachnid, sends her to Scout the area by herself.

(Okay, stopping here for now. Other stuff will be addressed later.)

[transingthoseformers]

I promised Star Saber Background for the Rodimus's Exile AU but finally got down to writing it.

Star Saber's Backstory 

Star Saber in this was evacuated during the Exodus from Cybertron and grew up in a small priory in the Alyon that was generally somewhat isolated and spartan but largely peaceful and somewhat separate from the way the rest of Cybertron worked. When tensions rose on Cybertron they started they opened their doors to allow travelers to rest and to help treat the injured and displaced. Star Saber was very young and one of the first new Sparks found when the hot spot near them ignited. The monastery reported it and came into their crosshairs. Sensing danger the Prior had them all back and move.

He explained the reason for the move and the danger they were in to Star Saber in a very religious way talking about greed and power and how those who had it were constantly terrified of losing it and so they hurt others they oppressed. He did a lot of comparisons to the ancient Primes and such. Star Saber who hadn't chosen a designation yet, the Priory had a tradition of allowing their initiates to choose, decides that he would protect them "like Prima had his siblings" and named himself Star Saber which made the older mechs laugh but smile. 

They were a, largely, pacifistic order by attitude but not doctrine, so when he became determined to learn to fight those among them with more colorful pasts before they'd joined up started teaching him. As they'd now become a wandering group they still helped others along the way and Star Saber began to get a bit of a reputation for being someone who couldn't keep his nose out of trouble or turn away help.

When the war happened, they didn't take sides and instead simply continued their wanderings and accepted anyone who came to them. When the exodus with Dai Atlus and Tyrest occurred, they left on their own ship.

During their travels, they were largely happy with Star Saber continuing to get into trouble. 

And then the Civil War left Cybertron. 

Megatron's actions soured the reputation of Cybertronians abroad quickly, and places they'd met generations before and been welcomed were suddenly hostile or gone. 

Star Saber wanted to become more active in helping others instead of passively doing so, but his family was going to settle. They split up, the Prior heading to join Dai Atlus and his Circle and Star Saber becoming a "wandering do gooder" as a ship himself. They left Star Saber with the path they were following in case he wanted to join them.

He received a distress signal from a Cybertronian Colony vessel trying to convince someone not to fire on them because they were a "crèche vessel heading home" and part of a tech-organic alliance in their local system. The group, pirates, continued to fire, and Star Saber interfered and saved the ship, finding very small Cybertronians on board. He'd gone onto the pirate ship and retrieved the protoform pods they'd already stolen but one started to crack so he'd simply grabbed the protoform, blew up the pirate ship, and joined the Prion colonists on their vessel.

The protoform had bonded with him, and so he went with the Prion colonists until he was fully grown. It was the first time he'd spent extended time with those out of the Priory, and he quickly became good friends with them. 

He ended up staying on Prion as his main base and acting as their guardian and the one for the local planets they'd allied with who had been long and good friends to them. He raised his Mentee and built a family of what would have basically been his crew in Victory, patrolling the area.

Times grew worse, though. The Cybertronian Civil War dragged many others into it, wiping them out, the Galactic Council and Black Box Consortium formed, Prion's allies became more distant with subsequent generations as technological races gained a reputation and they faced more and more repercussions for staying a staunch ally. Prion, though, remained peaceful and protected.

Star Saber, meanwhile, was a one man army maintaining peace in the region, and the reason the alliance remained was largely his sterling reputation. He grew a little less actively practicing, though he still followed the tenets of helping others and compassion he was taught. Then the Black Box Consortium started pressing and basically started a personal war against him for making people want to stay in the alliance he protected with his group.

It was making it hard for both the BBC and GC to push their protection racket with him being a shining example of others and Prion's alliance being one of the longest standing.

They decided they needed to take down Star Saber and faked a distress call from a great distance from the Priory. 

Holli, one of Star Sabers closest companions had just taken on a protoform to raise, and Star Saber's oldest, he couldn't resist children and somehow always ended up with another every time he got it in his mind to leave, convinced him to go saying they could handle it. Star Saber agreed and left.

He very pointedly remembers not praying before he left like he used to.

Things quickly escalated. The BBC had been pressuring Prion's allies, and one of them turned on them. The alliance collapsed and didn't answer their distress calls as the BBC attacked having been courted secretly through bribes, blackmail, and threats for ages. Prion held out as long as they could. 

Star Saber returned to find the planet devastated and its corpse being picked clean. He was horrified and sickened and fought in a blind rage. He found no survivors and his children and friends' bodies. He left in a daze to follow the Priory's old path. He found them, buried and murdered as well and a distress signal active. They'd never made it to the Circle.

When he found the Circle of Light wandering around in a semi-suicidal daze and dragged in by Wing, he discovered they had heard the Priory's signal but not approached thinking it a trap. They helped care for him, apologized for his loss, and gave him space to heal. 

He threw himself into religion and found comfort in it but all the loss and rage and unresolved guilt got twisted up into fanaticism and he deeply resented Dai Atlus, who had once helped save them by getting them off planet and who the Prior had respected, for not going out. Drift and the decisions surrounding him only brought that to a head. He loathed Decepticons and blamed them for what they'd done destroying his people twice over.

He left the Circle because he saw them as hypocrites and blamed lack of faith for everything and mostly himself and a lot, Primus. 

Tyrest, who had given the Priory the shuttle they left on and Star Saber remembered as kind, was a last link who found him targeting Decepticons for his crusade who were loudly and proudly anti-religion which also tangled up his views. He happily gave up the Circle and joined him desperate for direction.

Side Note:

Holli, hid his young daughter Nickel, and gave her a Cybertronian distress beacon telling her that when everything cleared to turn it on and someone would come for her and the crèche they'd tried to hide.

It didn't work. The crèche was bombed thanks to their allies betrayal and Prion was slaughtered. Nickel was knocked into stasis without activating her signal and by the time she woke up it was in the ruins of her home being picked apart. She was alone for a very, very long time studying medicine and smelting the dead when she could to prevent their former allies and the BBC from taking them and scavenging their remains like they had the cities. She saw explosions one day but avoided it only to approach later and find a bunch of dead but no explanation and no further visitors.

She didn't see anyone but the dead in home movies, pictures, and remains until the DJD showed up as the planet was abandoned.

OwO

So he's absolutely fucking went through it, and he's a specific recipe

And also fuck the black box consorta

I just had a horrible (funny) image in my head and I'm gonna shut up about it because it's related to the black box consorta

[luvtonique]

I wanna show everyone the definition, the CROWN JEWEL DEFINITION of CORPORATE LAZINESS.

See this right here? This is a preview of the Expert difficulty (mind you, "Expert+" is above that) of the Technologic song from the new Daft Punk music pack.

Perfectly fine video. Reasonable, shows off the track, etc.

They've been doing ads like this since the game came out, little snippets of new tracks.

But this came out 9 days ago.

Let's look at the video they just uploaded today.

Now the title of THIS video is "The Technologic Expert+ level from the Daft Punk Music Pack has 325 chains"

See, that's a fine title, except

The footage is LITERALLY THE SAME FOOTAGE AS THE PREVIOUS VIDEO FROM 9 DAYS AGO

WHICH IS EXPERT DIFFICULTY, NOT EXPERT+

AND THERE'S NOT ONE

NOT TWO

NOT THREE HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE

BUT A WHOPPING

ZERO CHAINS

SHOWN IN THE VIDEO

[wordsandrobots]

IBO reference notes on . . . the Gundams (part 2)

[Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Addendum 1]

The way I've broken this down, the different Gundams group nicely into vague categories, with this set of middle-sequence machines showcasing a variety of additional enhancements compared to the more straightforward early-sequence entries from the last post.

It appears the engineers became increasingly creative as the ID numbers escalated. At first blush, that makes sense, since presumably the mobile armours didn't take the appearance of a new fighting force lying down. An arms race of sorts might well have been a natural outcome. However, with both Bael and Gamigin right at the start of the list, we have to conclude that pilot ability was of paramount importance when it came to racking up kills.

Again, spoilers for everything.

ASW-G-29 Astaroth

Astaroth seems to have been intended for independent aerial operations in atmosphere. As such it was equipped with wings that deploy from the shoulders and an elongated backpack that can flip-up to act as a stabiliser (seen below in an official promotional shot of the HG kit).

Basically, it came with its own in-built Base Jabber/Tickbalang. This afforded it much greater range than a standard Gundam. Interestingly, the wings are sufficiently tough they could be repurposed as shields/blades for close-quarters combat, presumably because they were manufactured using the same techniques as the rest of the armour.

I should note that while we can take the red colour scheme as original, the Warren Family crest on the chest and wings is explicitly a later addition. The Warrens gained status in Gjallarhorn by digging up Astaroth on the Moon after the Calamity War was over; we know nothing about its first pilot beyond where they left their machine.

The additional gimmick here is the sword, which uses Ahab particles in combination with a special nanolaminate coating to disrupt standard nanolaminate armour. This is probably the nearest IBO gets to a beam saber-like weapon and while we haven't seen it in action at any point in canon, it required hooking the sword direct into the 'suit's reactor via a connector plug built into Astaroth's arm. According to the kit manual, this technology was not especially stable, hence why it didn't see wider deployment.

When not in use, the sword sheathes inside a giant club, which continues a trend for Gundams to be armed with either piercing or smashing weapons as the primary means of attack. This is not to say they eschew guns completely; you can see here Astaroth came with a shotgun and obviously there's Gamigin's Gatling gun. But these are likely meant mainly for dealing with plumas, which we see in Season 2 are relatively vulnerable to normal bullets -- unlike a mobile armour, which requires something capable of breaching its defences and destroying its central processor as quickly as possible.

From the Ars Goetia:

The Twenty-ninth Spirit is Astaroth. He is a Mighty, Strong Duke, and appeareth in the form of an hurtful Angel riding on an Infernal Beast like a Dragon, and carrying in his right hand a Viper. Thou must in no wise let him approach too near unto thee, lest he do thee damage by his Noisome Breath. Wherefore the Magician must hold the Magical Ring near his face, and that will defend him. He giveth true answers of things Past, Present, and to Come, and can discover all Secrets. He will declare wittingly how the Spirits fell, if desired, and the reason of his own fall. He can make men wonderfully knowing in all Liberal Sciences. He ruleth 40 Legions of Spirits. His Seal is this, which wear thou as a Lamen before thee, or else he will not appear nor yet obey thee, etc.

'Riding a dragon' certainly fits the self-propelled flight option quite well, as the winged form does with Astaroth appearing as an angel, and we might interpret the γ nanolaminate sword as a viper if we squint -- or possibly this is the 'noisome breath'. Additionally, the idea of declaring how a spirit fell sits interestingly in the context of Gundam Astaroth's modern history, with it having been the prized possession of the Warren Family until they were framed for embezzlement and disgraced, and subsequently becoming involved in the mafia-like internal strife of the Tanto Tempo shipping company.

ASW-G-32 Asmoday

Found mint-in-box, Asmoday seems to have never actually been deployed in battle. Indeed, it is discovered repurposed as a secondary power supply for an Ariadne Network relay station. This is a unique case, since every other Gundam frame we know about either definitely saw combat or is heavily implied to have done so.

With respect to the previous comment about armaments, Asmoday comes equipped with giant tonfas that can extend to a frankly ludicrous length and are designed to act as armour-breaching pile-drivers. It also has claws built into its feet, allowing it to grab on to targets, marking a further development in how weapons are integrated into the 'suits. This feature is similar to one found on the Hugo mobile suit, which was developed in the middle of the Calamity War for space-combat. Possibly this means Asmoday was intended for the same purpose.

Its hand-held weapons are a sword/javelin combination that can shoot out on a cable and a mid-range rifle. Both are relatively uninteresting in their own right, but fit the standard pattern of the setting for mobile suits to carry both a melee weapon and a gun. It also carries smoke-screen grenades.

Asmoday's status when found provides a rare glimpse into the Calamity War's immediate aftermath. The Ariadne route leading to its location was long abandoned by the present and passed through the middle of a debris zone. The space station in which Asmoday was stored bore the Falk Family coat of arms; indeed, Kalf Falk, a Seven Star, was its administrator. This suggests that by the point Asmoday was plugged into the power grid, the Seven Stars were already established as ranking members of Gjallarhorn, placing that development right at the end of the War or perhaps even before it was over.

That they would need to use Asmoday in this manner also implies power sources were thin on the ground at the time. Given the sheer scope of the War, that's not an unlikely outcome. The artificial gravity effects of Ahab reactors continue to hold debris zones together three hundred years later, so we know a great many of them were lost in battle. Furthermore, in the present day, Gjallarhorn has come to completely monopolise the manufacture of Ahab reactors. A contributing factor to this may have been the destruction of the infrastructure that previously existed to produce them. This is pure speculation on my part, but it would gel with someone so highly placed in their organisation needing to deploy a Gundam as a glorified back-up generator.

From the Ars Goetia:

The Thirty-second Spirit is Asmoday, or Asmodai. He is a Great King, Strong, and Powerful. He appeareth with Three Heads, whereof the first is like a Bull, the second like a Man, and the third like a Ram; he hath also the tail of a Serpent, and from his mouth issue Flames of Fire. His Feet are webbed like those of a Goose. He sitteth upon an Infernal Dragon, and beareth in his hand a Lance with a Banner. He is first and choicest under the power of Amaymon, he goeth before all other. When the Exorcist hath a mind to call him, let it be abroad, and let him stand on his feet all the time of action, with his Cap or Head-dress off; for if it be on, Amaymon will deceive him and cause all his actions to be bewrayed.* But as soon as the Exorcist seeth Asmoday in the shape aforesaid, he shall call him by his Name, saying: “Art thou Asmoday?” and he will not deny it, and by-and-by he will bow down unto the ground. He given the Ring of Virtues; he teacheth the Arts of Arithmetic, Astronomy, Geometry, and all handicrafts absolutely. He giveth true and full answers unto thy demands. He maketh one Invincible**. He showeth the place where Treasures lie, and guardeth it. He, amongst the Legions of Amaymon, governeth 72 Legions of Spirits Inferior. His Seal is this which thou must wear as a Lamen upon thy breast, etc.

*This sentence was apparently badly translated and should more accurately run: "When the exorcist employs his [Asmodai’s] offices, let him [the exorcist] be strong, wary [lit. “warned”], standing on his feet, for should he be overwhelmed, he will be exposed in everything: but if the exorcist does not do this he will be deceived in everything by Amaymon." Just in case any of you were going to attempt the invocation.

**copyist's error, apparently: should be 'invisible'.

Head of a ram? Check. Lance? Eh, a tonfa that big is basically a blunt lance. Webbed feet? Kind of. And the bit about guarding the place where treasures lie does fit with where Gundam Asmoday was found.

[Note: I am aware the Japanese materials use the more common spelling 'Asmodeus', making this the only instance where the name of a Gundam varies between languages. But the official English text all uses Asmoday so I'm sticking with that.]

ASW-G-35 Marchosias

And then there's this thing. Do you like swords? How about some more swords on your swords? Well, Marchosias has you covered!

Oh, and we know at least one thing about its original pilot: she took duelling etiquette to heart. Or just thought zooming around like Zorro on steroids looked incredibly cool.

Like Astaroth, Marchosias' main sword stows in a sheath that could be used as a club. But it was also equipped with extra arms for better slicing/dicing action. The result is a one-mecha army that can take down a mobile armour with incredible efficiency.

We already knew from the Gusion refits that Gundam frames can support additional sets of limbs. That this should be the case is worth pausing over. Gundams are designed to allow people to surpass their limits. Marchosias gives us a view into just how far they could go beyond the human-like starting point.

What effect would this have on the pilot? Did this set-up place a higher load upon them during battle? We see nothing similar among the other Calamity War Gundam configurations. Only Kimaris' trooper form comes close and that seems more about increasing stability than adding extra offensive options. Perhaps therefore this approach was deemed too risky or too complicated to pursue further.

Moreover, Mikazuki starts to miss his tail when outside Barbatos Lupus Rex; was it the same for Marchosias's pilot? Having four additional limbs to keep track of must have done some wacky things to her sense of self. And how was that seen by her comrades? In light of later attempts to dehumanise augmented people, it's hard not to suspect this Gundam would be excellent propaganda for that cause.

Perhaps this explains why she retreated to Venus after the War was over. I've been saying 'she' because the current leading candidate for the identity of Marchosias's pilot is Erda Afam, great-grandmother to Wistario Afam, protagonist of the Urdr Hunt game. Marchosias -- in its rebuilt form as Hajiroboshi -- was not abandoned like Asmoday but deliberately hidden in the depths of the Radonitsa Colony. While we have yet to learn the full story, the details so far point to at least one Gundam pilot who didn't want to be part of the Seven Stars' post-war reorganisation of the world.

From the Ars Goetia:

The Thirty-fifth Spirit is Marchosias. He is a Great and Mighty Marquis, appearing at first in the form of a Wolf having Gryphon’s Wings, and a Serpent’s Tail, and Vomiting Fire out of his mouth. But after a time, at the command of the Exorcist he putteth on the Shape of a Man. And he is a strong fighter. He was of the Order of Dominations. He governeth 30 Legions of Spirits. He told his Chief, who was Solomon, that after 1,200 years he had hopes to return unto the Seventh Throne. And his Seal is this, to be made and worn as a Lamen, etc.

Following its rebuild into Hajiroboshi, we get a glimpse of the underlying operating system, so we can see that again, the IBO sigil has been reworked from the original seal.

'Strong fighter' might well be an understatement here! The griffon elements described also find expression in the winged appearance of the 'suit.

ASW-G-47 Vual

Vual is the odd Gundam out. By which I mean, it adds absolutely nothing to our understanding of them whatsoever. Like Gusion, we have no hints as to what its original configuration was. Unlike Gusion, this is explicitly stated to be because it was discovered without any armour. The above is a hodge-podge of Astaroth components and other elements of unknown provenance. Indeed, while you can't see it in this shot, its left arm is basically naked.

Of the parts seen here, the torso, right arm, waist armour, thighs, left shin, feet, and backpack are all from Astaroth. The rest, it seems, comes from Tanto Tempo's stores as a more complete set of the armour can be seen on the rebuild, Vual Yuhana.

But yes. We know zilch about the original Vual, what it was designed for, or what happened to it during the War. Which itself speaks to the ways in which the past can be erased over the course of three hundred years. As significant as the Gundams were, only people invested in that long-gone history (McGillis Fareed, Uso Mendou, Cyclase Meyer etc.) care to look into the details. To a businessman like Rosario Leone, this is merely a particularly powerful mobile frame that can be repurposed for his use.

From the Ars Goetia:

The Forty-Seventh Spirit is Uvall, or Vual, or Voval. He is a Duke, Great, Mighty, and Strong; and appeareth in the form of a Mighty Dromedary at the first, but after a while at the Command of the Exorcist he putteth on Human Shape, and speaketh the Egyptian Tongue, but not perfectly. His Office is to Procure the Love of Women, and to tell Things Past, Present, and to Come. He also procureth Friendship between Friends and Foes. He was in the Order of Potestates or Powers. He governeth 37 Legions of Spirits, and his Seal is this, to be made and worn before thee, etc.

I'd probably do use the first seal as the basis for the IBO equivalent. The angle on the offset cross is more interesting and aligning the middle pair looks nicer. The promotion of friendship between foes in the Ars Goetia text works nicely for Vual being rebuilt and deployed to help the protagonists of the Moon Steel manga, piloted by on-again, off-again foe-turned-ally Sampo Hakuri.

ASW-G-48 Haagenti

To get this out of the way: yes, they gave the only confirmed lady in the original Seven Stars a mobile suit with a dainty, curving aesthetic and inbuilt stiletto heels (they look somewhat more practical from the back but even so).

However, to give it its due, Haagenti is actually a really cool and unique design. First we've got frankly over-sized thrusters on an otherwise light-weight machine, implying this is an exceptionally nippy fighter. Then we have the twin swords which are noted to be heavier than they appear, allowing it to deal a lot of damage. And finally, there are the fan-blades built into its forearms.

I'm sorry, allow me to rephrase that. There are the RAZOR DOOM YO-YOS built into its forearms.

I, personally, would not question Angelica Elion's aesthetic choices to her face, even if I genuinely dislike that much salmon pink on a war robot (I stress the problem is it being *salmon* pink. Urgh).

Its official bio mentions it used a large-bore gun as well, but oddly not the yo-yos, so given the gun hasn't been shown, I wonder if there was a mix-up there. In any case, this is a rare case of bladed ranged weaponry on a Gundam frame. The only equivalent I can think of are the disc-launchers on Kimaris, which are clearly not as reusable.

Going back to Asmoday's implementation of something seen on another mobile suit, Hugos are also equipped with grappling hooks, so cable-mounted weapons have precedent. Whether Haagenti employed the kind of smart-cables seen on mobile armours, however, is an open question. The animation from Iron-Blooded Orphans G suggests not, but I wonder if something like these yo-yos would be practical without the ability to control them more precisely.

Indeed, given how effective Barbatos Lupus Rex is in battle, it's curious we don't see any Calamity War Gundams explicitly using a technology that would have been available at the time. Hashmal's tail and Harael's claws represent the closest the Post Disaster setting comes to implementing the 'funnel' drone technology found in other Gundam shows (plumas being more autonomous than funnels/bits are usually depicted). Yet Haagenti is the only Gundam we can even hypothesise as using something similar.

Were smart cable-mounted weapons less effective against mobile armours and pluma swarms than they proved against individual mobile suits? Was the technology less available than its existence aboard the armours implies? Or was it too closely associated with the enemy to use, either out of principle or because the armours were intimately familiar with how it worked? So far, no clues are available.

What we can be certain of is that Haagenti's dainty appearance belies an incredibly strong showing during the War. The Elions wound up becoming an immensely powerful member of the Seven Stars, commanding Gjallarhorn's single biggest fleet. Their Gundam itself, however, was consigned to storage in the vaults on Vingolf, a relic of a by-gone age.

From the Ars Goetia:

The Forty-eighth Spirit is Haagenti. He is a President, appearing in the Form of a Mighty Bull with Gryphon’s Wings. This is at first, but after, at the Command of the Exorcist he putteth on Human Shape. His Office is to make Men wise, and to instruct them in divers things; also to Transmute all Metals into Gold; and to change Wine into Water, and Water into Wine. He governeth 33 Legions of Spirits, and his Seal is this, etc.

It's certainly got the bull horns, though no wings to speak of. Beyond that, this seems to be another case where the Gundam doesn't inherit much from the demon.

And that's where we'll leave it for this instalment. Not sure if I will have the third part up tomorrow but I will try to post it soon in any case.

Other reference posts include:

IBO reference notes on … Gjallarhorn (Part 1)

IBO reference notes on … Gjallarhorn (Part 2)

IBO reference notes on … Gjallarhorn (corrigendum) [mainly covering my inability to recognise mythical wolves]

IBO reference notes on … three key Yamagi scenes

IBO reference notes on … three key Shino scenes

IBO reference notes on … three key Eugene scenes

IBO reference notes on … three key Ride scenes

IBO reference notes on … the tone of the setting

IBO reference notes on … character parallels and counterpoints

IBO reference notes on … a perfect villain

IBO reference notes on … Iron-Blooded Orphans: Gekko

IBO reference notes on … an act of unspeakable cruelty

IBO reference notes on … original(ish) characters [this one is mainly fanfic]

IBO reference notes on … Kudelia’s decisions

IBO reference notes on … assorted head-canons

IBO reference notes on … actual, proper original characters [explicit fanfic – as in, actually fanfic. None of them have turned up in the smut yet]

IBO reference notes on … the aesthetics of the mobile frame

IBO reference notes on … mobile suit designations

IBO reference notes on … the Gundams (part 1)