#revisiting the dialogue...true love is real

[cliji]

spontaneous combustion

[butchhamlet]

do you have any good shakespeare retelling book recs?

what a beautiful time to ask this, says guy who has left this ask collecting cobwebs in his inbox for months! because guess who has two thumbs and just finished queen goneril by erin shields! WHAT a fucking play, holy SHIT, this is some of the best characterization of the lear sisters that i've ever read and the exploration of womanhood as filtered through class + race + shitty families + political maneuvering is so so so good. also the things shields does with the og playtext... chef's fucking KISS

anyway, recency bias aside, i've been meaning to make a post about my favorite shakespeare retellings for a while, and i think i never actually did it because i wanted to make a lear retelling ranking list and then i never read some of the ones on my TBR. so whatever. the learlist will happen someday. here are my favorites in general. (here is my goodreads shelf for the retellings i've read, good and bad, and here is the shelf for the ones i have yet to read.)

in no particular order:

a thousand acres by jane smiley: outsold. epitome of what makes an effective retelling--a book that clearly has something to say about and to the original text, but that also isn't afraid to diverge, to exclude here and zoom in there. ungraciously, this is "lear on a farm" and it starts a little slow, but holy fucking shit, i can't do justice in a paragraph to the way this book unraveled me. one of the best books of all time mayhaps. also, introduced the edmund character by describing his ass. 10/10

the last true poets of the sea by julia drake: i don't read that much YA anymore but jesus fucking christ. books tailored for me specifically. twelfth night retelling about siblings + mental illness + being bisexual + love triangles that actually make sense (emotions are confusing!) instead of being contrived + beautiful description + excellent dialogue + THE MENTAL ILLNESS. books that made me start crying in zoom class in 2020

rosencrantz and guildenstern are dead by tom stoppard: kind of a cop-out answer because we all know this one. but that does not detract from how good it is. this is one of those plays, at least for me, that makes me think, "ohhhhhh, THIS is what theater can do. this is using its medium to the absolute utmost." it is so clever and it makes me want to cry. i think about "i don't know. it's the same sky" more often than i can say

american moor by keith hamilton cobb: not exactly a retelling, but a one-man play about a Black man auditioning for the lead role in Othello, tangling as he does with his relationship with shakespeare's work and cultural dominance. suuuuuch a good fucking play even beyond the analysis of othello (which is excellent); the language is so fucking incredible. everyone who likes shakespeare should read this.

teenage dick by mike lew: modern teenage richard iii; this one's more reimagining than retelling, because it diverges pretty sharply from the plot of richard iii, but god, it's so fucking fun. and upsetting! really upsetting also.

foul is fair by hannah capin: i will be so real. i read this in high school and some of the YA books i've revisited since did not hold up for me. so idk if i can tell you this is "good" with my full chest. but the pitch is "lady macbeth gets sexually assaulted at a party and decides to fucking kill the boys who did it" and i stayed up until like 1am to finish it because it was such a vicious gleaming wild ride

the stars undying by emery robin: does this count? hard to say, because it's just as much a retelling of roman history than shakespeare's antony and cleopatra (honestly, more, since it focuses on the era where caesar and cleopatra were lovers, which is before shakespeare's play). but i'm counting it anyway because it's bisexual space opera cleopatra and it's the best book i've read so far in 2024 and it's making me crazy and i'm writing a thesis on it < genuinely

peerless by jihae park: macbeth, but college applications, featuring asian macbeths (they're twin sisters >:3) who think their classmate has taken their place in their dream school because of affirmative action/DEI. this play is absolutely VICIOUS. it's macbeth x heathers. think it mirrors macbeth in faltering a little in its final stretch, but it still fucks hard

the wednesday wars by gary d. schmidt: okay, not a retelling; this is about a preteen boy in the 60s. but it's one of the best most genuine and heartwarming books i've ever read and it manages to be hilarious while also foregoing cheap slapstick punching-low humor for a hell of a lot of warmth and passion. and the main character interacts with shakespeare a lot as a running theme so i can justify putting it on this list. #evangelizing

of course, i would be remiss not to mention that @suits-of-woe / @mjulianwrites has written the best take on Two Gentlemen of Verona to ever exist, and i mean that quite seriously. unfortunately it hasn't been published yet so we'll all just have to prayer-circle about it. i would also be remiss not to take the opportunity to. uh. coughs. do a bit of casual self-promo. if you 1. have ocd 2. have gender or 3. think about malvolio a lot. boy do i have the novella for you

will definitely add to this when i read more retellings; feel free to drop recs in the tags/replies/reblogs/my askbox!

[loredrinker]

Why Inquisition Remains My Favorite Dragon Age Game

Having spent countless hours shaping my Inquisitor in Inquisition, I know why this game stands out as my favorite in the series. Its gameplay and dialogue systems weren’t universally beloved, but for me, they created a unique experience that offered freedom in shaping my protagonist. 

Inquisition moved away from tone and personality-based responses. The Inquisitor’s personality is player-driven, shaped by the choices you make rather than predefined personality traits. This flexibility allowed me to project certain ideas, motivations, and values onto my Inquisitor - a Lavellan. For me, this system fostered organic responses to the unfolding narrative without the rigidity of a fixed character personality type. 

I enjoy my imagination and don't have a strong stance one way or another on tone and personality indicators. Because I also enjoy analyzing dialogue and subtext, the Inquisitor’s blank-slate nature complemented my playstyle perfectly.

The lack of predefined tones also fit perfectly with the nature of the Inquisitor’s story. They aren’t just making personal choices - they’re leading a massive military and political organization. This leadership role challenged me to prioritize what was best for Southern Thedas, even when it clashed with my personal preferences.  Almost like a game within the game.

I found that Inquisition captured the tension between leadership and personal desires quite well. For example, I chose to banish the Wardens despite my deep love for Alistair. His gracious acceptance made me cry, but Lavellan, as I had shaped her, understood the risks of keeping the Wardens involved. Similarly, when faced with the Well of Sorrows, Cole’s warning about the voices being ever-present sealed my decision. My Lavellan couldn’t risk compromising her faculties while leading the Inquisition. These moments forced me to make tough, thoughtful decisions, balancing personal attachments with the weight of leadership. I found this dynamic to be one of the game’s most compelling elements. 

The approval system further enhanced my experience with Inquisition. Approval was earned through decisions and how you interacted with the world and your companions. I loved how this approach made relationships feel more natural, reflecting the complexities of real-world interactions.

In real life, decisions are judged differently by the people around you, and Inquisition mirrored that quite well. For instance, when Blackwall disapproved of Lavellan's decision to banish the Wardens, it felt like a gut punch. I imagined the argument they would have afterward, the tension it would cause within the group. Moments like that made it feel as though these companions were alive, with their own values and perspectives. It wasn’t just a team - it was a group of friends judging actions from diverse viewpoints, and it deepened my engagement with the story.

While I’ve played other Inquisitors and romanced Dorian and Blackwall (both satisfying in their own ways), my elven female Lavellan who romanced Solas remains my true Inquisitor. I’ve revisited her story many times, and her journey as an elf navigating the racism and political intricacies of Thedas added depth and complexity to her character. Leading the Inquisition as an elf felt layered and challenging, enriching my overall experience. 

As an elven woman among toxic male figures like Gaspard - whose arrogance and attitude stood out to me - Lavellan’s resilience as a leader felt particularly meaningful. Regarding Solas, I found this romance very intellectually seductive and sensual and it is my world state. This choice added an emotional weight to the game, as Lavellan grappled with heartbreak, betrayal, and the complicated dynamic between her values and Solas’s mission. Every decision, every conversation carries significance, which is why Inquisition remains such an emotional and memorable experience for me. 

Another thing that sets Inquisition apart is the scale of its decisions. I understand why many players were frustrated that these choices didn’t fully carry over into the Keep - there were simply too many variables to account for. 

At its core, Inquisition gave me the freedom to craft a character who felt personal, layered, and connected to the world of Thedas. It’s a game that resonates with me to this day, and while I recognize it’s not for everyone, it will always hold a special place in my heart. 

[biteghost]

So I just reread BACKLASH after seeing new stuff on the cast page, and I wanted to drop by and say how much I frickin LOVE your comic!! Your characters have been scratching an itch in my brain since high school. I love how expressive your writing and your art is- both in the snark and sass and funny moments, and the serious and impactful ones. Your dialogue especially feels very natural to me- in every interaction, every character feels like a Person with a complex personality and a much deeper life than what we get to see on the page, even the side characters. And your planting for future events is so well done! I love the way you drop hints about future characters and show off the connections between existing ones. It's especially cool to reread after becoming more familiar with your other work and listening to those episodes of Blueshift you had up a while back- there are so many little background cameos to catch and so many small details about the world that make it feel real and fleshed out when you know what to look for. Your writing and characters and art were a huge inspiration to me when I first came across your work, and they remain so to this day. It's cool seeing some of your work again, especially after you've gone so quiet here on tumblr. I'm really looking forward to reading more Backlash someday, whenever that may be.

This is such a kind and thoughtful ask that I can't really put together the words for how it hit me, but I'll try to stream something along here.

At the end of the day all my stories, characters and comics are made for myself. I make them because I love to make them, and because I have fun doing it. But if that were purely the case, I wouldn't have an online gallery at all. I share my work online for the potential enjoyment of others, too. The two truths are 1) I make what I want to as ways of expressing myself, sorting through my own life, feelings and experiences 2) I think that perhaps my own experiences, though unique to me, might have a relatable core that could help others like me feel seen.

My creative energy and artistic output fluctuate with the highs and lows of my life. The amount that personal tragedy (no matter how large or small) effects the mind, body and spirit always surprises me, even as it proves true again and again with the passing of the years. The older I get, the more road traveled I have to look back on. A lot of times I am really upset by what that road looks like to me.

Frankly, I've had a pretty hard couple of years and 2025 is shaping up to be a roller coaster too. Despite therapy and working on myself, I've felt a very strong disappointment. It feels like I've missed the opportunity to tell my stories effectively because of how long I've taken to make them. Surely anyone who was interested in the stories I weave have long hit the road for other stories with more consistent updates.

I'm not really cut out for an internet that 'requires' constant posting anymore. I either have things to share, or I don't. I'm either on, or I'm off. I'm so burnt out and unable to function at times that it's a miracle I get out of bed (shout out to my partner for flipping me out of bed like a pancake when it's that dire lol).

So all that to say that, it really does cheer me up to hear that you've gone out of your way to re-read my comic that hasn't updated since mid 2023. It makes me excited that upon a re-read you've been able to pick up on the little details I've sprinkled throughout earlier chapters. (I looove the feeling of "IT'S BEEN THERE THE WHOLE TIME" when I revisit a work, so I wanted to try making a series with that aspect to it, too. Really happy it's started paying off even if we're not even finished yet!) A lot of the specifics here are things I've purposefully tried to accomplish in my work, and it's very heartening to hear someone praise those things unprompted. It's like, woah! Someone noticed the effort! Yippee!

Thank you for your support and for taking the time to express that to me in ask-form. It lifts my spirits and encourages me to keep working through the low days! I'm not going to let BACKLASH go until the story is finished, even if it takes until I'm 70 years old, haha. (Hopefully it won't - it's only supposed to be 20 chapters long, but you get my point haha).

Long response is long - thank you again for your kindness and for reading!

[femalemonsterhunter]

FlapjackXUndertale AU info and lore

(Copied this from my old but revisited DeviantArt literature post I made in 2021)

Hi friends! I have more important things to come about about my old Undertale Crossover AU version to combine with my favorite Cartoon Network TV show from my childhood to adolescence, The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, which I just did in 2016-17 because of my speech delays and the weird obsessions through the internet. And that's why when I came to this, I just wanted to change them with some other characters to replace of the characters from titular indie game, as I haven't played this in my life right away because of my speech delay, , but in the future I plan to rewatch it better as gameplay videos on YouTube.

P.S. According to Undertale lore/pilot dialogues, some TMMoF characters (with the exception of Flapjack and some of my OCs for the show as humans) were sea monsters who lived for many years in the depths of a dead-end cave under a bare mountain beneath the sea through a fortified barrier after being defeated in a war conflict with humans.

Here are the lists of them to include if you're always interested in hearing this:

Flapjack - The Human Child/Frisk

Captain K’nuckles (But as a seal-like creature version than the original one; also, there aren't any Undertale characters to replace them at all, I just included K'nuckles as a key supporting and secondary character or smth who live homelessly in the sea cave near Helena’s ruin, but his relationship with Flapjack is more of a platonic father-son-like friendship than anything else)

Bubbie (But she should be as a human-like version than the original one; and again, there aren't any Undertale characters to replace them at all, I just included Bubbie as a key supporting and tertiary character along with K’nuckles, when she and Flapjack, at the beginning and end of the Neutral Route event, got into a cave by the sea and then began, as K'nuckles joined them, to go on a further adventure to the barrier as an exit from the dead-end cave)

Jellilly - Flowey (My OC; Sue Warmy’s, a whale-human-like sea monster girl OC, jellyfish form until the True Pacific Route event as she regained her real form with the help of human child souls in the form of rainbow caramel candies)

Helena - Toriel (My OC but as a sea creature version, as well you already knew, that she’s basically a love interest to Doctor Barber)

Dummy (I think it will be similar to Flapjack, yea)

The Professor - Napstablook

Creepy Cat (but it would be with a cute yet grumpy face than the original scary one) - Annoying Dog

Dr. Barber - Sans

Sir Tobias (My OC and even middle brother of Dr. Barber) - Papyrus

Unnamed merman kid - Monster Kid (My OC)

Kid Nickles - Mad Dummy

Green jelly dog-like creatures, that usually similar to Colonel Wagglebottoms The Dog - Temmie

Candy Wife - Undyne (Replaced her from Lolly Poopdeck, because I might have thought that Larry's candy sculpture would fit better as I decided)

Peppermint Larry - Alphys

Business Man - Muffet

Little Fish Head Monster - Burgerpants (My OC)

The Inventor - Mettaton (Literally replaced him from Punsie McKale for no apparent reasons)

Eight-Arm Willy - Asgore (But he still should as a human-like version, yet with the octopus tentacles on his legs)

Amalgamate (It is possible that they will be replaced by some monsters, ghosts and creatures in the TMMoF world but in an unnaturally ghostly corrupted forms like Amalgamates did, for example, hairy fish head monsters, ofc)

Sue Warmy - Asriel (My OC)

Pancake - The Fallen Human/Chara (We already know that he's originally a puppet version of Flapjack, which Larry once used it while working on his puppet show in “Panfake” episode, so it seemed to me that the puppet would be in the human version, and especially for Chara in his rage/killer mode which it was at the genocidal ending, I think Pancake would in the image of a spooky cat, so I would think about it)

Dr. Barber’s mother (In the original as we know about, she was in a drawer mostly her voice in Dr. Barber's head; however, according to one of my theories or my version, when she is revealed to be the invisible ghost of the first deceased mother who died in childbirth since she gave birth to Doctor Barber) - W. D. Gaster

I... I finally finished working as I could. And also, you have the opportunity to ask me or answer me in the comments about this thing or more ideas/suggestions that clearly interested me. Thanks for understanding and reading this! Have a nice day.

- Khrystyna A. Nahirna

[miloscat]

[Review] Sonic X Shadow Generations (PS5)

A wonderful 13th anniversary celebration of a 20th anniversary celebration.

The latest release in the Sonic series packs a remaster of Sonic Generations—considered by some to be the peak of the franchise—with a new game tying into the year of Luigi Shadow that revisits the concept from the ultimate Edgehog's perspective. Sonic Gens is still solid and benefits from a few tweaks but Shadow Gens rises above the level of side-content companion piece, feeling like a true next-generation (pun intended) Sonic game.

This is my second time playing through the [console version of] Sonic Generations, only this time I've actually played most of the games it's calling back to very recently. This let me appreciate much more what they're doing, creating new levels using iconic concepts from previous games. These levels definitely have the budget and design to be top-shelf 3D Sonic, and they gave Sonic Team the excuse to revisit cool ideas and up the ante, adding detail and bombast (like the souped-up City Escape truck chase, or the vibrant Rooftop Run with its new festival flair and Spagonia University being rendered within the level) or in some cases, actually make it good this time (like the Shadow and Silver boss fights). It's true that an unusually high proportion of stages are based in cities, but there's an effort to make them distinct. It is still a 3D Sonic game, so sure, I fell through the floor a few times, but this still remains excellent and highly polished, easily the best of the 3D boost formula, with some great [non-sluggish-feeling] classic-style takes on levels too.

As far as changes in this rerelease go, it's nice to see Generations shine with higher quality graphics, faster loading times, etc. The dialogue script has been updated a bit with new Ian Flynn writing replacing the Colours Chuckle Brothers quips; some of the changes have the anti-woke chuds up in arms, but Amy is in line with her more recent non-creepy characterisation and there's more acknowledgment of the past, fitting for a game built around that concept. Lives have been removed [yay!] but can be toggled back on, the drop dash is added to both Sonics, unique Chao have been added to each stage as collectibles, and the pinball DLC is included by default. The updates and additions are minor but they add up to make the package a bit smoother and more full-bodied. Like a fine wine, Generations has aged gracefully in 13 years.

This time I appreciated the selection of music that can be played over any stage or challenge; the vocal version of Endless Possibility is included despite not being available on streaming, and the vocal His World is also here despite not being in Frontiers, but Right There, Ride On from Rush has been removed, probably due to rights issues (this also affects Almost Dead in Shadow Gens, sadly).

My only real complaint is that this presented an opportunity to incorporate Dimps's 3DS version, and it's been completely and totally ignored for this release. I gave it a replay alongside this, and I love its Sonic 4-style take on Classic Sonic with a homing attack alongside its Rush-style Modern stages. I love its robust Mission mode, and the choices for stages that broaden the representation of the source games. It also has unique gallery images and unlockable music tracks that aren't in the console version. It has different boss choices, Special Stages, a Vs. mode, more fun Wisps in the Colours stage, and the final boss is less ass. None of that is in this remaster, and I think that's a shame.

Now, Shadow Generations is the other half of this package, and it's a doozy. Building on the events of Sonic Gens, it proposes that Shadow was in his own White Space thanks to the Time Eater while Sonic was doing his business. It complements the main event well by incorporating characters who were missing there: Omega, Big, Orbot & Cubot, [Rouge shows up too,] and a surprise time-shifted appearance by Maria and Gerald! The latter two in particular bring lots of opportunity for drama, character development, and lore, although all have interesting things to say as the plot progresses, so it's worth going back and chatting to them. Thanks Ian Flynn!

In Shadow's case, he has levels based on his major game roles: Adventure 2, Heroes, Sonic 06, and Forces... also there's a Frontiers level even though he had no presence in that game whatsoever?? It's a good level and cool to reinterpret that game's iconography into traditional-style gameplay, but it's an odd choice for a Shadow-focused game. Even odder is the lack of a specific Shadow 05 level, although there is overlap in that game with locations from SA2 and Heroes, I guess. The stages are lots of fun, mostly with Act 1 being a big setpiece-driven 3D affair and Act 2 being a more straightforward 2D experience. These are then fleshed out with smaller challenges just like in the Sonic portion, although all are mandatory this time. A DLC update also added a single-Act level based on the Sonic 3 movie, with Shadow (with a movie-inspired look and Keanu Reeves voice) running through Tokyo. It's inconsequential to either plot but still a fun level and a nice bonus.

In between levels the White Space is now an explorable 3D area, taking some cues from Frontiers' open zones. I loved zooming around this place, finding collectibles and doing little challenges, and it continues to open up as you make progress. Shadow's new abilities play into this as he gains new movement tech by accessing his Black Doom-derived biology. These are mostly contextual, like a water surfing power or a kind of octo-morph for traversing goop, which make for a change of pace within levels and exploration keys in the overworld. I thought these were implemented better than gimmicky Wisp powers, since they're always available once unlocked and don't intrusively change the gameplay too much. The equivalent to a Super state is some grody alien wings that sprout from his back; these cost rings to use but let Shadow fly in a straight line to totally cheese certain levels.

Just like Sonic Gens, the represented locations and setpieces are enhanced from their original appearances; everything looks fantastic! Aside from the explicit references, I thought I detected some Lost World influence in the tunnel sections, and even got some Rise of Lyric vibes from some of the overworld stuff... that might just be me projecting though. During most levels, Black Doom (he's back!) interrupts proceedings to taunt Shadow and warp the world, with some fun and surreal kaleidoscopic effects as the environment bends and shifts; this felt like an expansion on the idea of Inifinite doing similar things in a Metropolis level in Forces. Sequences like this and others are accompanied by brief cutscene-like events, which can be a little annoying if you're replaying the level for goodies or a better time, but they're pretty quick so it's not too bad.

Speaking of Infinite, I think it's a shame that he has no presence in this game at all when his conflict with Shadow is the most significant thing Shadow has done in a game since 2008 or 9. The game is otherwise pretty stacked with great boss encounters, with Biolizard (in a much more expanded fight than the Generations 3DS rehash), Metal Overlord, Mephiles (who wants to restore his existence to the timeline while Shadow doesn't remember him [Sonic does apparently remember the events of Sonic 06 though??]), and a final battle with Black Doom.

Shadow plays great, even with new abilities piled on like Chaos Spear projectiles and a Chaos Control time-stop. Unlike Sonic Gens, you can rail-hop with the shoulder buttons, although oddly you can't use the D-pad to move in 2D sections. Shadow Gens carries over some of the player-controlled movement tweaking that Frontiers had which is a nice touch. I didn't really use him much in Forces, but here in his own game with a raft of unique powers, Shadow does stand out as more than just a faker.

Giving an opportunity to delve into his character is very welcome too. Shadow Gens really makes a case for him as a compelling character in a way that very few Sonic games have before (Battle and Shadow 05 are the main ones I'm thinking of). This is aided by a 14-minute anime prologue called Dark Beginnings which showcases some awesome animation and sets up the premise, as well as flashing back to Shadow's time on the Ark. Don't miss the fight scene with Emerl! I'm glad I dipped back into the Dreamcast-and-beyond era, since this all hits that much harder with that context, and once again we have Ian Flynn to thank for bringing it home with the story and writing.

I wasn't too impressed by this package at its announcement, but the more I've immersed myself in the Sonic seas the more appealing it became. Revisiting Sonic Generations came at the perfect time for me, and Shadow Generations is a great expansion that brings so much more to the table... I just wish it was even bigger and not relegated to a kind of side dish! (My normal playthrough was a little shorter in Shadow's campaign, but doing all the extra side stuff doubled that length.) It also fires the imagination... what would a Blaze Generations look like?? Or a Big X Froggy Generations???? Keep an eye on those prolific fangame creators...

[lovecolibri]

SaL anon here friend, living for the insanity taking place on our screens every Thursday now. I don't even have words enough to explain except that there is nowhere for this "thing between them" to go anymore. We have two back-to-back episodes of these men acting very much NOT NORMAL about each other without any life threatening emergency as an excuse. We have some of the craziest dialogue choices happening between them that are absolutely not the way you talk to your bestest friend (see Hen and Chim for an example of that). We have the show two grown men trying to say goodbye and failing miserably and acting like they forgot what basic human interactions are. We are absolutely eating so, so well.

Also, how do you feel about "10000 miles" for this one 😭😭😭??

Sorry friend, I spent most of the day in post limit jail for *checks notes* reblogging things on the "reblogging things" website 🙄ANYWAY.

We've been watching a love story play out for years, but now we're watching Buck and Eddie start to figure out in real time that they've been in the middle of one! I'm *living* for this angst, (though annoyed we won't be seeing as much of Eddie, and worried about more unaddressed parental stuff where the kids just gotta forget and pretend it never happened) and I can't wait to see Buck become fully unhinged now that Eddie is gone! Hopefully he'll be back for whatever big emergency is happening in 13-14 (though honestly I'd rather have the regular opening ep followed by 2-part emergency, then actually seeing little calls every episode all season, and maybe a 1 episode big finale, like that pacing WORKED and I hate that we've barely have any emergency calls, but I digress), and hopefully we FINALLY get some movement on the Chris thing and they quit dragging that out!

I'm hoping for some good old fashioned pining from Buck next week so we can revisit West (my beloved), but 10,00 Miles is a *perfect* choice for this week. Fun little side story detour about me, I recognized the bits of these lyrics from the Robert Burns poem because when I was in school working on my composition minor, I wrote a song to it! I couldn't play it now, (it's been well over a decade and I don't play or write anymore) but I do still hum it occasionally and it was weird listening to a different song 🤣

Anywho, I'm not sure I have anything to add to these lyrics, they're simple and perfect!

Fare thee well My own true love Farewell for a while I'm going away But I'll be back Though I go 10, 000 miles

10, 000 miles My own true love 10, 000 miles or more The rocks may melt And the seas may burn If I should not return

Oh, don't you see That lonesome dove? Sitting on an ivy tree She's weeping for Her own true love As I shall weep for mine

Oh, come ye back My own true love And stay a while with me If I had a friend All on this Earth

You've been a friend to me You've been a friend to me You've been a friend to me

Fare thee well My own true love Farewell for a while I'm going away

[leon-stupid-kennedy]

Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles ➨Talking Evil (the blog by DSC's director) ➨ Reimagining Leon & The Leon of 1998

Reimagining Leon (2009.05.08)

If you watch the recent Darkside Chronicles trailer, you will see the names of some of our staff displayed at the end for a few seconds. We are a very enthusiastic team that is looking forward to bringing you a quality game. I’d like to introduce you to some of the really talented team members, hopefully illustrating some of the cool things about Darkside Chronicles along the way.

First I’d like to talk a bit about our scenario writer, Shotaro Suga.

Mr. Suga has written the scripts for some great Japanese anime such as the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series, Eureka Seven, and Darker Than Black. He has also worked here at Capcom on Devil May Cry 4 as well as Resident Evil: Degeneration.

Resident Evil: Degeneration is a story about Leon and Claire, set in 2005 after the events of Resident Evil 4. Mr Suga was the one who created an engaging drama in a rich setting which complimented the stunning CG visuals of the film.

In a previous post I explained one of our themes; that of presence (a heightened sense of reality that enhances the gameplay experience). With Darkside Chronicles we want that sense of presence to surpass what we did in Umbrella Chronicles. The scenario and all the lines of dialogue in the game play an important role in realizing this theme. I asked Mr. Suga to create a script with realistic dialogue filled with raw feeling.

The first big question we had to deal with in moving from drafts to the final scenario was how to portray Leon in this game. Since appearing in Resident Evil 2, Leon has starred in both Resident Evil 4 and the Degeneration film. Resident Evil 2 came out over 10 years ago so we wanted to re-envision Leon’s first adventure taking current expectations into account rather than just copying Resident Evil 2 verbatim.

In Umbrella Chronicles, and indeed the Chronicles series as a whole, we want to revisit the true stories of the characters’ motivations and intentions. Even if this isn’t directly related to the gameplay, it‘s very important to focus on these things to keep the characters and world of Resident Evil appealing.

However, this was unexpectedly difficult in Leon’s case. He’s not as simple as Chris or Jill, definitely a tough nut to crack.

Leon was nothing but a rookie police officer when he was caught up in the Raccoon City incident. When did he change so drastically? What do you think Leon’s real purpose and motivations are? Money? Love? Duty? Honor? Perhaps revenge?

Mr. Suga already has experience with Leon in writing the script for Degeneration. In re-imagining Leon’s Raccoon City exploits, he has strived to create a character that is more consistent with the “resourceful special-agent” Leon we know from newer Resident Evil stories. What happened to Leon that made him choose that life?

Mr. Suga and I have gone through many revisions trying different things with Leon’s character, and this process has yielded a great final scenario. The story of how Leon lives his life and the choices he makes is one of the themes I am very excited to explore with you in the Darkside Chronicles.

The Leon of 1998 (2009.05.22)

The Leon in Darkside Chronicles appears as he was in 1998. This was the year the T-Virus spread throughout Raccoon City and started the whole Resident Evil series. Leon must endure a bitter struggle to escape the doomed Raccoon City.

Leon looks a little different compared to his other appearances in Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 4. He’s a fresh rookie cop, and his looks are somewhat soft. But we wanted to leave hints of the man Leon would become in Resident Evil 4.

We debated long and hard about what kind of voice to give this young Leon and still maintain his character’s image.

Paul Mercier did most of the voice work for Leon in Resident Evil 4. He also played Leon in the CG movie Resident Evil: Degeneration. Paul has become our image of what Leon’s character is.

We did the voice recording in Los Angeles. Paul’s real voice is actually low and cool, as it is in Degeneration. But since for this setting we needed a very young Leon, we had him say his lines in a higher pitch. Early recording sessions were drawn out at times because during intense lines, sometimes Paul would revert back to his natural, low voice. But, he was very professional. Once he understood what we were trying to accomplish with the character, recording went quite smoothly with little need for multiple takes. In my mind, Paul’s voice as Leon is dazzling. It’s perfect.

In Resident Evil 2, we were shown a Leon who was serious (almost to a fault), and a sucker for the ladies. We tried to maintain those qualities for him in Darkside Chronicles. The aim of the scenario concept for Darkside Chronicles was to preserve the feeling of the old games while making them more interesting, and to retell those stories from the first person perspective. So, we’ve decide to give Leon a little girl trouble in this game as well.

With Claire, Ada, and Sherry as the scenario’s female characters, something is bound to happen. ;-)

More than 10 years has gone by since the release of Resident Evil 2, and graphics technology has come a long way since then. Likewise, advancements in sound technology have made equally great strides. As such, I knew I would have to take character dialogue very seriously. So, I got together with Mr. Suga, whom I mentioned before, to put together the script. We decided to use dialog to give the audience a deeper look into the characters.

How could we create an emotional drama between Leon and another female character?

I met with Cinematic Director Hide Gondoh over and over trying to come up with a solution.

I’ve worked with Mr. Gondoh before on titles like Resident Evil Remake, and Resident Evil 4. He’s an extremely talented director who can handle everything from event scene choreography, to staff coordination. It just so happens that he is fond of Leon’s character. And he wisely suggested that we write Leon with a focus on realism.

Will all this tension and realism Leon is feeling fit into the game’s overall theme of “presence”?

At first I thought that with a pre-existing Resident Evil scenario, the lines for that scenario would be, for the most part, already written. But, for Darkside Chronicles, we are taking it to another level.

We will continue to challenge ourselves and make this one of the most epic Resident Evil games yet!

[nicklloydnow]

“Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God.” - Aeschylus via Robert Kennedy (4 April 1968)

“The Oresteia, broadly speaking, is a mythological story about a fundamental shift from vengeful retribution to a new civic justice system based on dialogue and lawful process, and in that sense, Kennedy’s use of the verses to emphasize justice and reconciliation makes sense. The translation by Edith Hamilton that he quotes adds a Christian dimension of God’s mercy and compassion that doesn’t exist in the original, but as long as the overall idea of justice remains intact, there should be no issue with Kennedy viewing Aeschylus from his own perspective.

(…)

Agamemnon’s murder by his wife in retaliation for Iphigenia is imminent. She is to be killed by her son Orestes in the trilogy’s second installment, Libation Bearers. In the third act, Eumenides, Orestes is pursued by the vengeful Furies, and the goddess Athena does not institute the new justice system to adjudicate the conflict until the end of the play. So, the light at the end of the tunnel is far off. We are still trapped in the cycle of violence and vengeance, with no end in sight.

The word I translate as “favor”–“grace” in Kennedy’s quotation–is charis in Greek. The word refers to “grace” in the sense of beauty, as well as kindness or goodwill. It can mean “favor,” in the sense of thankfulness or gratitude toward someone, but it also refers to an actual favor–an action–performed to reciprocate another’s kindness.

The phrase “comes about by force” is really a single word in Greek, biaios, meaning “forcible” or “violent,” which clashes harshly with the idea of kindness attached to charis.

So we might very literally translate that sentence: “Perhaps the reciprocal response of the gods sitting on their sacred throne is violent.” This gives the entire passage a completely different meaning that instead suggests the so-called wisdom of the gods can only be achieved through greater violence. It foreshadows the vengeance for Iphigenia that is going to come for Agamemnon.

If this is true, then the words of Aeschylus clearly do not align with Robert Kennedy’s intention. He meant to say that our response to suffering and violence should be to rise above it, and to learn through the “awful grace of God” how to have the wisdom to respond with love and compassion. Instead, Aeschylus’ Chorus seems to be worried about “the violent favor of the gods,” and given Robert Kennedy’s assassination, maybe they are right after all.

But we know what the Chorus does not: that the end of the Oresteia holds the greater promise of a new worldview, one in which these traditional ideas of violence in response to violence no longer hold true. Vengeance will be put aside, and the new democratic justice system of Athens, based on open dialogue and debate, lawful procedure, and reconciliation will be established, perhaps in the way Robert Kennedy would have hoped for.

That message is what we see when we step back and take a broader look at the overall meaning of the Oresteia: while in the present moment of suffering it may seem as if there are only more struggles ahead, in the end it is possible to strive toward the greater ideals of justice. So, there is only a real disconnect in meaning if we look at these verses in isolation, in the specific part of the play’s story where they appear, but together with the rest of the play–and in the new context of Kennedy’s speech–they take on a new, optimistic meaning in the face of suffering and tragedy.”

[harrison-abbott]

Words can muck you up. You remember the insults far more poignantly than the compliments. There were far more of the former. 90% without provocation. Even your best friends. They just ripped you up without any pretence. And you can go into psychology; you can study projection and the reasons behind bullying. And can learn to understand why people say such things, act the way they do. But then: you’re the only one left with the memories. Snip and snap; they meant to attack you and they did so and they escaped into the night with their victory. Mean, wicked, foul, abhorrent. Meh. People just don’t care and that’s why fiends are elected in tall chambers and why a million bout by suicide each year. … To live with a mind is to row out on a brittle boat unto a pretty ocean with only these flagrant photos of horizons; the sketches of land in the distance; hills and houses and chimneys and of course the neon lights bobbling. It’s super hard to stay out there on the expanse of water, when everybody has bailed from you. They left. Ripped you mocked you beat you attacked you raped you left you bullied you jibed you raked you … may as well have tossed you in a medieval play. Man. Girl. … Dialogue in real time can last with you longer than the content within any book or film or play that you bought a mortal ticket for. When you listen to true crime podcasts or blink at headlines on the news; the snippets of what folks say to you, designed to blank your mentality. Those are way worse and better delivered than those spacked in the real time every day life; the ticktock realism that’s ignored in fiction: that fiction can’t quite replicate because of how awful people can be. Hmm. … One can go through human existence believing that it’s okay to sidle to the bullies, abandon the weak … easier to be a bad guy. What’s the issue with morals? This is why suicide seems a far finer option. Time out. Who cares? There’s a lovely woodland just outside the household with all of these historical trees. And the stairs of this house are beyond creaking value. … But, without words, we wouldn’t have been able to write this whole paragraph. Where you always a good man? No. You remember the string of iniquities in childhood. All of those evil deeds. Nasty stuff. Nothing to rear the angel that we can’t be in a modern portrait. … You just have to keep reading books and writing stories and poems. Because there’s nothing else going for you in existence. You are a complete muck up yourself. Nobody likes you for what you are. You were hated in school. The outcast of the family. Hey ho. … To exist is like going to sleep and wishing you won’t wake up. And the irony is that the dreams snip out the good bits and turn them into dramas that you don’t wish to revisit. Stop crying. They tell you. Stop being such a sensitive person. That’ll never get you anywhere. The wicked only go yonder.

[nsfwmiamiart]

(Second Draft Version) Incoming Text for Rihanna (@rihanna):

Dear Rihanna,

I saw your latest IG post from the 10th of November—you’re waiting for the bus.

At first, I didn’t understand what it meant. So, today, I revisited your page, and it was still the same picture of you waiting for a bus. Naturally, I had to put my thinking cap on to figure out the meaning behind it.

Question #1: Is she trying to tell me that she’s waiting for me? Nah, can’t be. I must be trippin’ balls right now. Question #2: This picture has been up for over five days. What’s the message? What’s she trying to say? Question #3: Maybe she’s saying I make her wait too long for conversations.

I’ve been asking myself all these questions because, you know, I’m a thinker. I had to solve this little puzzle.

Now, to be honest, the last time I had a proper conversation with you—on my blog, at least—was probably back in August. Remember the summer episodes? When I wrote to Laetitia Casta? Yeah, that was during the time I was misleading my enemies by spreading lies.

The real last time I addressed you directly was on the 26th of September in that dialogue with YesJulz. Here’s a clean link for easy access: Read this dialogue between YesJulz and Rihanna (click on the blue link)

I usually avoid talking to you to protect your privacy because you’re a mother now, and I respect your family. You and Asap are good people. But maybe my silence is pissing you off?

Honestly, I’m just trying to protect your peace. You should be happy I ignore you—it’s my way of safeguarding you. That’s why I post pictures of you and Asap but never write directly to either of you.

The same goes for Beyoncé and Jay-Z. I rarely mention them—maybe once every three months with Beyoncé, and with Jay-Z? Never. If I did, people might think he’s my co-conspirator, and they’d hurt him.

It’s the same with Asap. I ignore him on purpose.

The truth is, none of you have anything to do with me or my fight, so I ensure your names aren’t dragged into my blogs. It’s for your own good.

You may not see it this way, but I’m saving your lives and your families’ lives by staying silent. I’m a warrior of the apocalypse, and being associated with me could bring you trouble with the Anti-Christ’s army.

I write to the Hispanic community often because they resist. But the African-American community? Most don’t want to acknowledge the apocalypse—they live in denial.

That’s why I move with Europeans and Hispanics—they’re the true warriors in this fight. The few African-Americans who are resisting tend to align with the Hispanic community, and I respect that.

Here’s my advice to you: consider buying a home in Rome, Italy, near the Vatican. Relocate part of your Fenty business empire there—it’s a Christian-controlled environment.

Europe is resisting, while most of America is still in denial, brainwashed by the media. 85% of Americans don’t even realize what’s happening. The remaining 15% are either moving to Europe or fighting this Holy war, like POTUS Donald Trump and Elon Musk.

You could split Fenty into two headquarters:

Fenty HQ in Rome, Italy.

Fenty HQ in America.

That way, you’ll have a foothold in both regions. Encourage Selena Gomez to do the same—she’s half-Italian and should take advantage of her heritage by setting up part of her empire in Rome.

This gives you options: if you’re ever bullied in America, you can move everything to Rome.

I hope this message is helpful, Rihanna. This was a fun chat.

Love you! Big hugs! Prince Angelo

P.S.:

Synopsis of the Letter:

Prince Angelo writes to Rihanna, reflecting on her recent Instagram post of waiting at a bus stop and interpreting its possible meanings. He wonders if it symbolizes frustration over his long silence and explains his deliberate choice to avoid engaging with her or other prominent figures like Beyoncé, Jay-Z, or Asap Rocky. Angelo reveals that this avoidance stems from his desire to protect their privacy and shield them from being associated with his "warrior of the apocalypse" role, which could attract danger from the Anti-Christ's army.

He contrasts the African-American community's perceived denial of the ongoing "apocalypse" with the resistance shown by Europeans and Hispanics, emphasizing his preference to align with the latter groups.

Angelo advises Rihanna to move part of her Fenty business empire to Rome, Italy, near the Vatican, as a strategic move to ensure her family and business security in a Christian-controlled environment. He encourages her to consider splitting her headquarters between Europe and America to maintain flexibility and suggests Selena Gomez do the same.

The letter ends with a warm note of affection, reassuring Rihanna that his intentions are rooted in concern for her well-being.

[denimbex1986]

'All of Us Strangers may not have been everybody’s favorite gay movie of last year; however, to me, it was one of the saddest for sure. There’s a sense of dread throughout the film, and although it’s somewhat predictable, it doesn’t make the end any less poignant. I suppose one could debate that this film makes it seem as though growing up gay is every bit as horrifying as losing one’s parents. Personally, I think the experiences could be equally isolating. Adam isn’t lonely because he doesn’t have a partner; he’s isolated in his thoughts of the past, of the time he spent with his parents, happy or not. Honestly, when I started this movie, I felt I didn’t have the emotional intellect (yeah, I don’t think that’s a real thing, but you get what I mean?) to grasp the true depth of All of Us Strangers. Yes, it’s aesthetically stunning, and the dialogue is subtle but hilarious and equally hard-hitting, but in the bigger picture, it’s not something that I can really relate to. Don’t get me wrong, a movie doesn’t have to be relatable to be fantastic; in fact, we’re usually escaping reality through movies; however, this seems to be a very personal film, and I felt underprepared to watch it.

What’s reassuring, though, is Andrew Scott’s incredible performance as Adam. Yes, this man deserved a seat at the best actor nominee table, but I digress. In an interview, he said that as an actor, one needs to feel like a child and let go of all inhibitions to do their job because their work is play. I honestly saw this translate through this character perfectly. Adam is a forty-something-year-old man who lives alone in a building with almost no other residents, and I guess this is the bit that most young people can relate to. Isolation in an urban setting. Adam’s loneliness stems from his own behavior, and he knows it. He never tries to befriend his one neighbor, and the day the guy shows up at his house, he shuts the door in his face, but somehow it makes sense, no? Why should my door be open to others when they’re not really open for me? Okay, I’m not a literary genius, so what I’m trying to say is that the reason Adam doesn’t let Harry in is because he’s just failing to understand himself, and it’s just too much work even spending a little bit of time with someone else.

What Adam is searching for is not answers; he’s only looking for his parents to reply. Yes, Adam never got over his parents’ deaths. He was too young and asleep, and they died without saying goodbye. This is important because we get there at the end of All of Us Strangers. The reason he’s revisiting them is not because he wants to address everything he didn’t get to with them as a child, but because he never got to say goodbye. You see, if Adam had simply seen his parents before they died, maybe said he loved them, then he may have never wanted to revisit them in such a manner. He wouldn’t have been alone, because he would’ve given that space in his heart to someone who deserved his love. The reason he revisits the difficult moments with them is because it would simply help him get the closure he needs around their deaths. I guess this is why it isn’t a coincidence that Adam starts to visit his parents just after meeting Harry. Yes, he’s meant to be writing a script inspired by his father, but he’s also trying to make room for Harry because there’s definitely a part of him that doesn’t want to be alone forever.

I suppose it’s Adam’s wishful thinking that takes over then, because honestly, who doesn’t want to tell their parents how they’ve grown up? You know, for most, there is a joy in simply seeing your child become an adult, and that’s exactly what we’ve realized with Adam and his parents. Yes, he’s gay; it’s something they can’t really understand because they’re stuck in the 80s, but he’s also a scriptwriter who lives in London, as they’d have imagined.

Of course, what his parents can’t understand is why he’s so alone. What’s got him so stuck? In Adam’s head, he believes his parents need closure too, which is why they’re able to talk to him right now. Otherwise, he’d surely have seen them as aged up, no? Adam is trying to deal with his shame too. While the most hurtful part of the film is watching Adam say goodbye to his parents, it’s also how much has changed over the years, but somehow the seclusion remains the same. What I mean by this is, I suppose, Adam’s experiences could’ve been the same as Harry’s. In his dream sequence, Adam gets a warm hug from his father and reassurance from his mother, despite her not knowing how to react (this was quite the scene, really). When he tells them he’s gay, however, it’s highly probable they could’ve disowned him and cast him out to the periphery like Harry’s parents did. All Adam really wants is to move on, and the only way he can do that is by having a happy ending with his family.

So, would it have been any different if Adam was a straight man? In all honesty, I don’t think so. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to take away from his experiences as a gay man growing up in the 80s, but what I mean is that he’d still be trying to communicate to his parents the things that he might’ve thought would disappoint them. Despite getting it all out of the way, the only way for Adam to “move on” is to actually say goodbye. He protects his parents by telling them that their deaths were quick and painless because, right now, he’s the adult in the equation. He’s got 30-something years of more experience, and he’s also older than his parents were at the time they died. Something that’s just as heartbreaking on its own. I guess what I’m trying to say is that none of this can really help Adam feel less alone. What’s worse is that Harry is actually dead, and the worst part is watching Adam try to find companionship in their relationship when, in the end, you realize he was never there. I suppose imagination is a person’s best friend because, as a scriptwriter, it’s Adam’s creativity that helps him deal with his sadness for real. Maybe it’s right when they say work is your best distraction.

What I love about All of Us Strangers is how subjective it is, and what I might’ve seen as loneliness, someone else may see as liberation. This isn’t really a conclusive essay; it’s just a collection of my thoughts on this melancholic character who I feel for and understand despite our many differences.'

[nagdabbit]

20 Questions for Writers

tagged by the ever lovely and incomparable @sybilius 💜

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

22

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

251,933

3. What fandoms do you write for?

aew/wrestling right now, stranger things in the fairly recent past, marvel in the far distant past but those fics have been lost to time and we're not gonna revisit them ever

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

all of my top five are st harringrove fics, which checks out

lamp-bright rind - celebrity chef billy, unable to cook lawyer steve, they're neighbors, there's mistaken identities, there's cooking lessons, there's healing, there's kittens named after varying kinds of pasta

lit up like a match - soulmate au with trans billy. the idea being, what name would appear on your soulmate if you were trans

keep me in your glow - a sequel/companion to lit up like a match

sugar, butter, flour - the first st fic i wrote, a tiny stranger than fiction-ish au, but without the author narration

to carry within us an orchard - a prequel to lamp-bright rind where billy and robin get extremely drunk and bond

5. Do you respond to comments?

i used to be really good about it, but about the time i was finishing lamp-bright rind, i had what i affectionately refer to as a "hit burnout so goddamn hard i lost my entire mind and will to take part in the ever-loving hell of online existence" and just like. stopped writing for a long while. and as i started getting back into writing, and actually logged in to ao3, the number of comments in my inbox genuinely frightened me and the imposter syndrome portion of burnout recovery hit like a freight train, and i still just can't figure out how to make myself hit reply. i cherish the ones that i do get tho. like, so nuch

this has been ✨🌟 therapy appointments are only so long we haven't made it to that part yet 🌟✨ with your friend daggs

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

i don't think ive written anything with an angsty ending, now that i think about it. not posted, at the very least. the choked out series, if id ever got around to still caring about it enough to finish it, would have had an HELLA angsty ending (the draft after mox left wwe and popped up to attack elias)

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

lamp-bright rind. just pure golden softness. the dewy soft, morning light, quiet of a kitchen with your beloved, while a ring box weighs down your pocket kind of happy.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

not since the way back of the marvel fandom, when i could scarcely sting a sentence together

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

i have, but not well and i generally stay away from writing it

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

never been posted, but there is a hobbs and shaw/13 rounds 3: lockdown wip that lives forever in my docs and will never be published

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

not that ive ever seen

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

nope

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

no, but i think it would be fun!

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

oof. shit. eddie/mox (/renee). they compel me.

15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

i feel like the bookshop will never get finished and i hate it. like, i know how it's supposed to end, so, just gotta get there

16. What are your writing strengths?

pfft i have no goddamn idea

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

too many words for too little meaning

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

i don't think ive included other languages in what fics ive posted, so i haven't actually had to think about how id do it all that much recently. i dont speak a second language, despite my entire family being and speaking swedish, so i feel like i struggle with using other languages in my writing. like, i have no real or true context for how this conversation would go, so i feel like i fumble and use the wrong words or sentence structure

whatever language is being spoken, i like to actually see it in fics. like, i don't like to see it already translated and in english until I've reached the end of the fic. when im in it, i like to actually hear the language and use the context of the story to understand it. or if the narrator isn't the one speaking, have them translate it in character, however (un)reliable they might be. that's just a personal preference tho

19. First fandom you wrote for?

i was a bandom baby in the way back of middle school and that's as close as we're getting and we will speak no more of it

20. Favorite fic you've written?

probably come through callin'

it just. kinda happened very suddenly, at a time when i really needed it and it's just really, extremely important to me

tagging anyone and everyone reading this, if you can read it you have been tagged tell em daggs sent ya

[penultimatefan02]

The dialogue explanation makes so much sense! Yes, it was the second line that Pen used when confronting the builder. After reading through them, I'm glad I got that option as it left me feeling that Pen went out of his way to attempt a search and rescue. You are right that depending on the builder's relationship with him most of that dialogue would come across as cold.

Thank you for finding the screenshot.

Also, your thoughts about the Builder's side of the conversation ring true to me. When I play through that scene it's a visceral reaction because my builder knows things aren't right. Your observation that it could have been a branching moment, if options were available, to reveal the truth makes me want to explore it further. It's interesting to me that afterward, Pen chose the path that would lead to SOME honesty (proposal) only to have it foiled by the builder, who remained dishonest to help Logan instead. If that was his thought process, holy heck, he must have been fuming. It's surely food for thought.

My only counterpoint is that I don't believe Pen loved the builder because he couldn't see past himself enough to love anyone, yet. I'm hoping in the future Pathea creates a path leading to Pen's salvation instead of his damnation, so he gets the opportunity.

While I do think Pen was incredibly fond of and felt much affection for the builder, he's not mentally there yet. For example, when at the end of dates, he felt something deeper than a "space punch." I agree that Pen having the courage to let the builder know about the cave was a step forward for him.

Hopefully, he'll have an experience that will open the door to his learning to love someone other than himself. I've got a few thoughts on how that might go, which I've been contemplating. I'm not sure if Pathea will revisit the builder/Pen romance in a different setting or point him in another direction, but gosh I'd love to see it with the builder.

Everything you said about Pen keeping the persona for the letter, so he leaves the builder on the best terms possible seems right. He knew where he was going so that signoff was a harsh truth and very real.

Based on the comic, he's got longer to go as a supervillain. It's going to be interesting to discover what path he ultimately chooses, but I'm somewhat hopeful.

I really enjoyed reading your insights! Also, on a side note, I was a bit rusty with Tumblr, so I apologize for not putting my post in a reblog of yours. I've got it down now, so I'll do that from now on.

Pen's Missed Proposal - A Theory

SPOILERS AHEAD!

@chimerapartyhouse wrote an insightful post regarding Pen’s motivations for having the diamond ring he dropped after his defeat at the Starship ruins. Was it Pen’s intention to propose to the builder before leaving with the Duvos army? On its own, it does hint that Pen wanted the builder to join him. Moreso, the hint was strengthened by the event that took place in the mission, “Pen’s Last Words.”

After Pen was taken away, he mailed a goodbye letter to the builder where he directed them to a cave so they could obtain a treasure. For those who did not romance Pen, the cave was essentially a trap with many beasts inside.

The treasure included Gold (5), Diamond (1), and Gols (400). Here is the symbolism:

5 (五 wǔ) sounds like 呜 (wū), which is onomatopoeia for whimpering and crying. Therefore, it is generally considered an unlucky number.

1. Searching took me in several directions, but the closest match found was that its pronunciations in Chinese sounds similar to the phrase 一生一世 (lifetime or forever).

4 (四 sì) sounds like 死 (sǐ; to die). Because of its negative association with death, most people consider this number to be so unlucky that many buildings in China do not even have a “fourth” floor.

Basically, Pen wanted the builder to experience a very unpleasant death.

However, if the builder romanced Pen, it was a different story.

The romance goodbye letter read:

Having some time to think on things here in the maximum-security prison, I do sometimes regret not finding a way to bring you with me. Ah, well. My bad. Anyway, since you were easily one of the top three lovers I've ever known, and the only one I still have the address for, I've decided to offer a symbol of my forgiveness. That’s right, I forgive you. I don't think we can ever be together again, but at the end of the day, you were just doing your lame goodie-two-shoes thing that you do. I should have recruited you as soon as I started to have suspicions. So, I won't hold it against you. In fact, I have one last thing give you. A challenge! Deep in the core of the ruins, I've tucked away one of the most powerful possessions in existence! And it's yours for the taking! All you have to do is get past the waves and waves of ravenous beasts that guard it, but... that should be no problem for you, Skinny. Remember your training. We will not meet again, Pen.

Here, Pen was all over the place. He offered backhanded compliments. Regretted not “recruiting” them. He forgave them for fighting against him. Then, he warned the builder of the beasts waiting at the cave but assured them they would win.

He was really fucked up.

For this post, I’m not going to dissect his psyche (much). My focus is on his offered mission and what it represents to those who romance him.

When entering the cave, my first thought was, when did Pen set this up? It must have been before the first arrest because there would be no time after the invasion. It only made sense that it was after the builder fell from the cliff but before Pen caught Haru. That’s because once Haru was captured the chain of events was set into motion.

That fall from the cliff must have thrown Pen for a loop. After the builder returned Pen said he searched for them relentlessly but couldn’t find them. His personality shifted in that conversation because from then on, he suspected Logan got to the builder due to the cliff’s location.

[The dialogue is from memory as I couldn’t find a screenshot. On the wiki, Pen says the builder crawled back to him, but I think the dialogue was changed. If someone has a screenshot, please share. It’s been a while since I played that part of the game, but I remember the builder had options to respond. such as they hit a tree on the way down.]

At that point, Pen’s mission was in hyperdrive, and Logan was breathing down his neck. He only had a brief window to plan on how to “recruit” the builder. It was within that window that Pen bought the ring and set up the cave for the proposal. For Pen, I’d imagine the ravenous beasts were there as a challenge to deem the builder worthy of his hand in marriage. If the builder won, Pen would kneel in the blood, guts, and glory of battle to put a ring on it. The treasure was as follows: Gold (5), Diamond (2), The Protector (1), Gols (600).

Here is the symbolism:

2. According to Chinese numerology, pairs are auspicious. This helps explain why it's common to see 双喜 (shuāngxǐ “double happiness”) on wedding couplets.

(Using separate definitions, 5, 2, and 1 combined may mean something like crying in happiness at being together forever?)

6. Chinese culture views number six as auspicious since it resembles the words for "smooth" and "well-off." It is linked to prosperity, happiness, and good fortune. It is also thought that number six has fascinating meaning when it comes to relationships and love. It's a popular option for romantic occasions like wedding dates because it connotes the idea of a smooth and harmonious relationship.

521. Following the recognition of 520 as a symbol of romance, the number 521 also gradually became associated with love. Lovers in China have now bestowed the number 521 with the meaning "I am willing", and both May 20 and May 21 are celebrated as Online Valentine's Days in China every year.

600 (general meaning, not language specific). In Love and Relationships, 600 is a sign of balance, harmony, and stability. When this number appears to you it can indicate that your relationship is about to enter a new stage of growth. 

Pen surely had a plan to propose.

My headcanon is that when Pen saw the Builder, Logan, and Justice come to interrupt the excavation, he knew that not only was his mission in jeopardy but so was his proposal.

That is why I believe the builder’s involvement was one of the reasons Pen went super feral on Logan. We know that Howlett almost wrecked his mission, but now Logan was trying to wreck everything for him. It’s also why I think he was overly spiteful toward the builder at the jail. In Pen’s eyes, the builder betrayed him by taking Logan’s side.

After Pen had time to stew on it though he forgave the builder but then put all the blame on Logan.

[thebroccolination]

I saw you mentioned Queer As Folks recently. OMG how I missed Brian and Justin. When they went angst, they reeeeeaaaally served angst. I seriously don't have access to watch the entire series in my country, I can only watch snippets from youtube. I'm so sad 😭 Can you share with me what you like most about QaF and maybe if you have your favorite Ao3 fics about them. Thank you so much, Key ❤

Aaahhh, Anon!

You've unsurfaced some deep memories.

Okay, I just finished writing the thesis below. I'm back from the future. A lot of what you're about to read is pure emotion, so I apologize that it's not, uh. Well structured or especially rational. Queer as Folk was very formative for me, so my thoughts on it are very formless. \:D/

•

I watched Queer as Folk in high school, and it was a core experience. I vaguely remember writing Brian/Justin fic, but I think I mainly just read, and unfortunately, all of the fic I read was on LiveJournal, so I have no idea how to find it anymore. I'm really, really bad with names and titles, so I'd really only know them if I saw them again. :')

I have hot takes, though!

As far as fandom goes, the US version was phenomenal. So much fic. So much fic, and I loved it so much. The fanvids, the art, the meta, etc. It was such a great fandom.

BUT as a show, I preferred the UK version. I thought it was better crafted, the story and characters felt a lot stronger, and the dialogue was fantastic. It felt more inclusive in every way, and it had this…cozy warmth to it. Even at his worst, Stuart is nowhere near as much of a menace as Brian, and I think that's because he has Vince, and Brian has Michael.

(I didn't like Michael. At all. \:D/ The actor is lovely! I just regularly pined for the character to be pushed through a nineteenth floor window and then get stepped on by an elephant tourist visiting family at the Pittsburgh Zoo.)

The US version also screamed Written by White Cis Gay Men Who Held a Weird Grudge Against Lesbians and Didn't Believe Bisexuality Is Real. I was a "definitely straight except for that one time and that other time and that other other time I had suspiciously queer thoughts and also argued a shade too passionately about queer rights at the dinner table" teenager, and while I loved Brian and Justin as a ship, the UK version made me feel like I could find friends who'd feel like family one day. (And it came true, and they're queer, too.)

I think of the US version of Queer as Folk as fandom fodder. After every episode, I'd dive into LiveJournal, read fics, meta, look up fanvids, etc. I learned so much from Elder Queers who talked about safe sex and the importance of getting tested and all the things either referenced in the show or totally ignored that Elder Queers were like, "This was ignored but if you're ever in Justin's situation, here is what you do, please promise you'll do this."

The UK version is the one I rewatch when I want to revisit that warm, safe feeling.

And it'll always fuck my brain up that the US showrunners of Queer as Folk watched Stuart fuck a fifteen-year-old that was blatantly framed as "this is a bad thing, Stuart is doing a bad thing, everyone is aware that this is a bad thing, this is very bad, Stuart" and thought, "Okay, the bad thing is that he's fifteen, so let's age him up to seventeen and make him the love interest instead of the best friend who's the same age."

MIND. BLOWN.

I mean, it explains why Michael's all [evocative hand gestures]. His English counterpart actually ended up with his hot Irish best friend. And, like, Vince is obsessed with Dr. Who, so they gave Michael comic books? Like? Why not Star Trek? And he's obsessed with Brian and has the same soul-destroying crush that Vince has on Stuart, but there's a point to Vince's crush on Stuart the point is that they end up together and Nathan is a high school boy who is genuinely meant to be a blip on the radar in the background of their story.

It's been long enough that I don't hate Michael anymore, I'm just still fascinated by CowLip's bizarre story decisions.

Here's how I'll summarize my complicated relationship with the US version of Queer as Folk:

Season five was an insult to me personally, and I never watched the last episode. That stupid ending reversed all five seasons of Brian's character arc and landed him exactly where he was in the first episode, only multiple years older. And CowLip talked about it like it was brilliant and not a pathological misunderstanding of how storytelling is meant to operate to connect with audiences.

But.

I remember watching the Babylon bombing episode. Viscerally. I was staying at my sister's house, and I waited until everyone fell asleep. I snuck into their home office to watch the episode on their computer because I kept all queer media I watched secret from everyone in my very conservative family. I turned the volume down to one bar, kept the lights off, and held my shallow breath whenever the house made any kind of noise. Because Brian had never said "I love you" before, and this was it, because he thought Justin would be one of those corpses rolled out on a gurney from the club where they met, where their friends and family all gathered, the only place they felt safe being gay.

And many years later, when something similar happened far, far away at Pulse in Orlando, a memory surfaced of secretly watching an episode about love and desperation and grief. Of feeling caged inside a sexuality prescribed to me. And it was the first time I came out on social media.

Because it was a ridiculous show in some ways, and a terribly written one sometimes, but I think it also cut to the quick for many of us who just…didn't have anything else. We didn't have many options back then, and the fandom was massive, and it nudged me a little closer to understanding who I am and who I love.

[evelhak]

KnB fics by evelhak/glasssneaker on AO3

Hello! Welcome to my so called “TOTverse”.

My fics are dialogue heavy and mostly in first person pov. I promise you'll get used to it. They are also all interconnected, so it makes the most sense to read them chronologically (instructions appear naturally if you start from TOT), but I'm aware some people don't care, so... as long as you are aware of what you're doing and why things won’t make sense.

Most of my stories focus on relationships and personal development and there are a LOT of references to literature and particularly fairytales, also many quirky dreams.

🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀

KagaKuro:

The Other Things

Completed / Words: 346,975 / Chapters: 47 / Rating: Teen and Up

"No one should fall in love with me."

"There's no way I could be interested in someone I don't know."

Key words: canon continuation, romance, fluff, sexuality crisis, asexuality, demisexuality, pansexuality, falling in love with your best friend, friendship dynamics, homophobia, implied neurodiversity

💘🌈 ♠️♣️♦️♥️🥤🍫📚🌡️🎭🏚️🎡🐠🌌🏄🤜🤛🫂

Anything Can Happen

Completed / Words: 42,495 / Chapters: 25 / Rating: Teen and Up / Into the Woods parody

"I thought it was the longest night of my life. And then my dream had a voice-over."

"I sort of hate to ask it, but do you have a basket?"

Key words: dream fic, paraphrasing song lyrics, communication, relationship crisis, genderbending, nightmares, trauma, mental health, subconsciousness, crack with depth

👻💤🩸🫅💐🪵🌲🌳✨🐺🐮🫐🏰🧱👑👗❤️‍🩹🕛⚔️

The Hidden Things

Completed / Words: 302,123 / Chapters: 33 / Rating: Mature / The Other Things sequel

"We were supposed to have a year."

"The two sane ones of the bunch are going insane."

Key words: relationship development, family dynamics, health issues, identity crisis, love confessions, trauma, self-fulfilling prophecies, new players, unrequited love, neurodiversity

💮🌜💌🪄🐇🌧️🐞🌬️🕯️🗓️🪞🌊🌪️🐚🎼💔📝✈️🧊

Kuroko’s Fairytale

Completed / Words: 69,286 / Chapters: 16 / Rating: Mature / The Romance of Silence retelling

"What is your true nature?"

Key words: female Kuroko, dream fic, revisiting past from present perspective, unorthodox self therapy, fantasy, magic, knights

🫧♀️💓💮🌾🍂❄️🌱🔥✨🐻🏹🪡⛓️🔮🗡️⚪🪟🚪

The Luminous Things

On-going / Rating: Mature / The Hidden Things sequel

"In some way, I think... that kiss was the real flap of the butterfly's wings."

"Anything for the sport."

Key words: healing from trauma, family dynamics, neurodiversity, gender exploration, sexual exploration, new hobbies, new friends, end of high school, future plans

❤️‍🔥☀️🐛🍎🪂🎂🖨️🧹💍📖✉️🗝️🔞🌷🎶🧜💧🐯🎉

AoMomo:

The Snow Queen

Completed / Words: 22,453 / Chapters: 7 / Rating: Teen and Up

"There's a story I really like. It's about a boy and a girl who could go to each other's homes from their windows. They had a window-box garden to play at. They were best friends."

Key words: fairytale influences, self-hate, forgiveness, internalised misogyny, romance, friendship

🥶🙈🙉🙊💖💋✍️👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨🥀🌻🌼❄️🥪🍱👸🤴🏫📺🧺

MidoTaka:

Lucky

Completed / Words: 12,228 / Chapters: 3 /Rating: General Audiences / Standalone

"That day Cancer's lucky item was... a love interest."

Key words: romantic comedy, gay, misunderstandings, idiots in love

🏳️‍🌈⁉️♋💭💚📕🔎👓🧥🌆🚥🚲☕🥕🪶🌠🌥️🍀👀

Other:

Adjective Games

On-going / Rating: Teen and Up

Key words: crack, trolling

🥳🫠😅😆😂😭🤣🥲🥹🤪🥴😶‍🌫️🤔🧐😱🙄😵😩🤡