#riddler analysis

[falbrightsplace]

What of Riddles and Murder?

I think I’ve left my Tumblr dormant long enough, don’t you? So let’s get into some analysis! Delve deep and see what we can see! And what better subject than one Edward Nygma! The Riddler!

But not just any Eddie.

No.

No.

No…

My favorite Riddler, the one who my own interpretation blends into the most (combined with a dash of Arkham and a fair bit of Pre-New 52 continuity rearranged)! Who, you ask! Who!!!

This smug bastard:

Zero Year Nygma is special for a lot of reasons. For one he’s a great amalgamation of what was old (the facial structure, nose, and being...well, ginger lend themselves to BTAS) and something delightfully new while touching on some beautiful, horrid symbolism (the Zorro mask is a prime example for the story he’s ‘debuting’ in). He’s also exceptionally violent in a way that simultaneously suits the Riddler in cavalier execution while being somewhat divergent in the sheer scale he inflicts said violence. That extends not just to the big event, but from his very introduction to the story.

The whole idea emerged due to talking with my roommate, a longtime friend who has been privy to every permutation and head canon I’ve carried for that gremlin over the years. In that moment I started to outline every single way he implies, instigates, or outright exacts some violence upon a person or the greater populace of Gotham City. Let’s walk through them, shall we?

From the outset of the story he was suggesting to Philip that the most efficient application of Occam's Razor is to Bruce’s throat. That it was the only option with the prodigal son setting a showdown with what had become a disgraced company in his absence. Even if the matter is tabled, rejected, and ultimately thrown back in his face it was one presented simply to prove that Eddie could read the board. A bone thrown on the pile as a means to validate himself and the clandestine power he held within that little cat’s cradle.

Not only does he push such an agenda with one of the more intense expressions of the arc (a stark contrast to his glib ennui at a baseline or the absolute mania of Savage City), he hints at that fact to Bruce himself after riling the young fledermaus up. Even if, contextually, he can’t understand it there’s a flex of “I know something you don’t know. Something you’d probably like to know. Something you need to know.” with deadly implications. All presented dull eyed and with a smirk after their game, a game he feels he’s thoroughly won on and off the board because those final words in the museum suggest that Mr. Wayne is in check and Edward will never have to see that particularly annoying piece ever again courtesy of the Red Hood Gang.

Then there’s the fact that he essentially pushed a very ill man to not only self experimentation, a deadly prospect in and of itself, but inspired what essentially became one of the most prolific (and horrific) strings of serial killings up to that point in the City’s history. All with silver tongued promises. All to cover for the theft of one Pamela Isley’s research in the panic between his own (comparatively) benign blackouts. And a guaranteed end to the murder weapon he had chosen, come hell or (literal) high water.

We’re already seeing a pattern within the violence of choice, yes? Before even arriving at the big ones it has the Riddler hallmark of being hands off. Yet there is something to be said of the frequency this young version of the villain chooses to employ it. Often while employing a sociopathic bit of emotional sleight of hand, putting on an impish face that can be perceived, at times, as downright goofy or even charming. That can truly mask how awful he is. Yet unlike some variants of the villain, he’s not pushed by a literal demon within the city’s heart or some deeply disturbing event which further cracked his psyche. He’s doing this from the outset and moving towards the trickster that people think of (we’re discounting King and some dismal attempts during the mid 2010’s to try and create a ‘dark’ Riddler renaissance in storytelling) rather than being pushed towards this outcome. Put a pin in that thought, it’ll come into the discussion as we move towards (petty, petty...petty) motivation in explaining how this creates a truly unique, petulant, bombastic and subtly terrifying version of this classic.

Back to the crimes for people who need a refresher!

After having effectively Karl Hellfern for everything his failing body and soul could take, he makes a show to Jim Gordon. We know the one. The string game. With a boulder. A more classic Riddler tact to be sure. Very in line with the death traps that cover an escape and yet the exception here is that there is no riddle. It’s simply physics: a promise of enough force to completely collapse a great part of that floor of a sturdily built office building. It’s a blunt statement wherein the only one playing is Edward himself. Which already suggests he’s stepping further and further into his persona while showing that vicious streak, now sparing that toxic green curtain he’d hide behind while putting on a performance that would put the Mighty Oz to shame. And there’s a glee to it. Literally holding something over someone’s head.

What can I say about the rupturing of the retaining walls? Of essentially setting up an impossible game on only the slimmest of chances. Eddie, your carnie background may have been struck from your resume but it definitely showed here. The results are catastrophic. If you’ve watched The Penguin, go take in the first scenes of Episode 3 again and imagine that while the city is under siege by a super storm of historic proportions. In a blackout. With no hope of anyone coming to save them. There are no pumps to steadily restore even vestigial use of not just certain sectors, but the city as a whole.The visuals are horrific in a way I do not think that the illustration team on this run could have depicted. Nor should anyone have to endure the sheer heartbreak of such grandiose tragedy presented in as visceral a manner as it could be. All played off to a man who comments only to himself, answers to only himself. With that same glibness he applies to all potential casualties. A dull look. A haphazard smirk that is absolutely at home for a Riddler, but given the circumstances? Might have been wiped off the faces of others if presented with such an option. Even for clout.

Savage City is simultaneously where Eddie truly goes from simply himself to elevating into The Riddler. His M.O. is established with the same odds as always: near nil. The difference is that rather than focusing the crime upon a target (either an object or a person as is often the case), he is indiscriminate and demanding that people play his game. In essence he is the Sphinx demanding souls step forward for sacrifice, languidly looking on and pondering what measures to employ. Lions. Truly. The man lives for circuses of his own making.

Then there’s the deployment of weaponized drones, a planned one given his understanding of the weapons tech at his disposal after essentially leaving the back door open to steal everything from under Kane’s nose. These are suppressive, deadly automatons. And while there is some whimsy, it is, perhaps, a much more brutal arm to employ to a darker end than say...Arkham Knight Riddler. They are there to snuff out the competition, to keep the game in perpetuity. If anyone works outside the parameters the promise is humiliation and death.

And let’s talk about that promise, shall we? He is not only a typical sore loser of a Riddler, he is violently so. Basically creating a MAD scenario in which the only way to not essentially ring out the death knell for Gotham was for the would be hero to have lethal current run through them. That wasn’t even a sure shot. Death surrounds Edward Nygma at this point. He is a Rube Goldberg machine of it. By design.

Basic summary, doesn’t quite do the horrors he inflicts justice. He honestly deserves his little cocoon at the end of the arc. Truly. And I say that with certainty. Because not only do we have his body of work for this stretch but we have blatant motivation. If BTAS Eddie grabbed a scalpel to take to Mockridge upon receiving his pink slip, what would you say ZY! Nygma grabbed? And more importantly, why? Because I can tell you that man did not load a several megaton bomb (comparatively) with razor edged bits of esoteric trivia due to being fired. No, the job was always something that could be tossed away. It was the fact that Philip suggested he wasn’t something extraordinary. It was the fact that in suggesting that Edward Nygma was no one at all, a mere cog that tied together greater machines (machines that could move on without him), little Eddie had an identity crisis. A terrible tantrum that turned all that focused calculation into a deathtrap for the world that his mind had could not fathom going on without acknowledging him. His work. His greatness. And in rampaging like a toddler, moving in the reverse trajectory of just about every other Riddler (who again, often are pushed) finds what actually brings him joy. The acclaim of Zero Year? Oh, boy, does he cling onto that like a washed up high school quarter back. Even going so far as to recreate aspects to spook people so they don’t forget. And yet it’s the game that keeps him going. The constant back and forth with the Bat. The joy of a diversion with stakes that demand complexity. And, perhaps, in this manic, destructive regression, the New 52 Riddler was born hanging in that special ward of Arkham in his defeat. Emerging more focused, perhaps a bit more cautious. Still mildly more violent than other iterations...but more historically himself.

And I find that fascinating.

[unrestrainedbalderdash]

[Little ramble because I thought about it one night while trying to fall asleep and I'm currently tired]

Riddler in Arkham City puts a contraption on the hostages' heads to force them to keep walking or explode. It's kind of like experiencing OCD in a way - you have to keep walking (the compulsion) in order to not have the bad thing happening (dying - the obsession). Walking might start off easy, but if you keep walking, it gets very tiring, and you're stuck in an endless cycle of doing this to stop the horrible thing from happening, and it gets so frustrating, being trapped forever, held hostage by your brain. Maybe Edward could be crying for help (or maybe it's just me by making this analysis 🙃). He feels like he has to keep facing Batman, no matter how bad it always ends up for him, no matter how much he suffers, he can't stop, he has to win. And when Batman shows up, he rescues these people, but for Edward he has to suffer, because he ultimately can't win, his compulsion to prove his intellect always makes him suffer and makes things worse. This could also link to how in Arkham Knight he reveals he has intrusive thoughts about Batman hurting him - Batman IS the obsession made worse by the compulsions and the cycle.

[zombieparasites]

The Batman (2022)

Psychoanalyzation of Batman and the Riddler

This movie is about the corrupt officials running the crime ridden city of Gotham. Batman is trying to uncover it all, as the Riddler brings everything into public attention. He wants to show the truth of the lying, murder, and corruption that is behind public officials in their city. He wants them to pay for their sins, as he says. Batman wants to protect the city from crime, be a figure to scare it away–he stands for justice. They both want to stand for justice, unmasking the truth, and bringing vengeance–something good. They do this through secret identities, personas, scare tactics, violence, and in the riddlers case murder. In that way, Batman and the riddler both represent something so similar yet slightly different.

Bruce Wayne – a millionaire's son, parents murdered on the street, and from a young age was forced to take on the responsibility of being a Wayne. Carrying a family legacy, being part of the big public eye, businesses, etc. When he took on the role of being Batman, it was a subconscious comfort for him. Something more therapeutic than realized. It became his main identity, his life. “Two years of nights have turned me into a nocturnal animal,” he says.

Bruce Wayne is secluded, wasn’t seen often. Growing up in such a dark place, no father, no mother, no support other than money–you’re bound to be this depressive figure. It’s an interesting depiction of depression, the loss of motivation to work, to follow those forced schedules that only drain you. Like Alfred tells him, “you have to keep up appearances, you’re still a Wayne.” Depression isn’t noticed in someone like this. Growing up with so much fear, in a city like this, he developed a complex. This conversation he has with Alfred, about the Wayne family legacy and what he’s doing; “I don’t care about that. Any of that,” he says.

“You don’t care about your family’s legacy?”

“What I'm doing is my family's legacy. If I can't change things here, if I can't have an effect, then I don’t care what happens to me.” He’s enraptured in his life as Batman, but he believes it’s what is needed. His family were public officials, trying to change the city for the better–that’s what he wants as well. It’s a cycle; Losing his parents at a young age → becoming an orphan, not having a healthy childhood with key protections → learning to fight fear on his own → protecting other people from danger to feel complete → still afraid, but subconsciously unaware and trying to fight it with public vigilance and inflicting fear. “Fear is a tool.”

The riddler has a better read on Batman then is really noted by Batman’s actual character. Perhaps he did know these things, just suppressed it, or perhaps it was all subconscious. Both the Riddler and Batman grew up as orphans. The difference is one was poor, and one was very privileged. The similarities they carried sparked the Riddlers' interest in him. He said that he was inspired by Batman; “you showed me all it takes is fear and a little focused violence–you inspired me.” Batman tries to avoid the realization his actions of trying to make things better inspired terrorism and the birth of a criminal who destroyed the city, it angers him. But eventually, he realizes what he needed to do differently. It only took the near death of a father-figure, falling in love then losing that love, a demolished city, and a few crazy criminals to make him say, “vengeance won’t change the past.”

Unlike Batman, the Riddler is actually aware of the similarities in their psyche, and believes they are almost the same. “Your mask is amazing. I wish you could of seen me in mine. Ain’t it funny? All everyone wants to do is unmask you, but they’re missing the point. You and I both know I’m looking at the real you right now.” He believes that he can read him, connect to them on a level of their actions and trauma. He sees the similarity between them. Batman, on the other hand, refuses to see it that way. He recognizes that yes, they were both orphans, both grew up in a melancholic, crime ridden city, and developed trauma because they were never properly taken care of. Alongside that, the truth of his fathers death being revealed is also making him come to his own reality. But if he has to face that reality, that everything he has devoted his life, his coping to for the past 2 years was pretty much a huge infringement, he has to reevaluate everything he was afraid of.

Edward Nashton, the Riddler, is a character shaped by systemic neglect and the corruption of Gotham City. Unlike Batman, whose trauma stems from the privileged position of a very wealthy orphan, the riddler represents the unseen stuffing masses of people of Gotham. He verbalates this anger and disparity with his very emotionally charged monologues:

“Do you know what being an orphan is? It's thirty kids to a room, twelve year olds and already a drophead, numbing the pain. You wake up screaming with rats chewing your fingers, and every winter one of the babies dies because it's so cold. But, oh no! Let's talk about the billionaire with the lying, dead daddy because at least money makes it go down easy, doesn't it? Bruce Wayne.”

The Riddler discreetly confronts the hypocrisy of Gotham's social and societal hierarchy. His hatred towards Bruce Wayne is just personal jealousy—it's ideological. He sees Bruce Wanye as a symbol of the privileged elite who willingly remain ignorant to the suffering of those less fortunate than others. Unlike Batman, the Riddler has no moral code to limit his actions. His belief in vengeance is absolute which leads him to enact what he sees as justice through sadistic and almost theatrical murders. The quote, “It can be cruel, poetic, or blind. But when it is denied, it's your violence you may find.” really encapsulates his perspective that justice is an obligation and when it's absent, chaos and discretion are the only recourse.

Despite their big ideological differences, the Riddler and Batman share a lot of disturbing similarities: they are both productions of Gothams’ corruption, both operate in the shadows, and both seek to expose the city's darkest and most corrupt secrets. The Riddler takes Batman's methods to an extreme, demonstrating how close the line between villain and hero can be. One of the most chilling moments in the film is when the Riddler expresses admiration for Batman, claiming he was inspired by him: “You showed me what was possible. You showed me all it takes is fear and a little focused violence. You inspired me!” This statement forces Batman to confront the possible consequences of his actions. His presence in Gotham, meant to be a force of good and a beacon of hope, has bred figures such as the Riddler, who takes his ideology and distorts it into something more sinister.

While Batman is known to only work alone, he does surround himself with allies but he keeps them at arm's length, while the Riddler is defined by his isolation. He is a man who has spent his whole life feeling invisible, his pain is ignored by the very system he tries to dismantle. His belief in his cause is so strong that he assumes Batman will join him in his big plan and mission, further emphasizing his detachment of reality and his furtherment into delusion. In his final monologue he says: “Oh, if only you knew how long I've been waiting for this day, for this moment. I've been inisale my whole life. I guess I Won't be anymore, will I? They remember me now. They'll remember both of us.” This moment really cements the Riddler as a tragic figure. His entire life has been consumed by the needs for recognition, and in his mind, his grand plan has finally achieved that. He doesn't want to be remembered—he wants to be understood.

The Riddler serves as a reminder of gothams failures. Where Batman chooses to fight against corruption while adhering to a strict moral code, the Riddler embraces the city's darkness. He forces both Batman and the audience to confront the uncomfortable truths about systemic inequality. In the end, the Riddler stands alone, not because of his lack of purpose, but because his means of achieving justice are too extreme even for Gothams dark savior.

By the end of the movie Batman won the battle, but the Riddlers message still stands—justice in Gotham is not just about vengeance; it's about understanding who is allowed to suffer and why

Notes - This is our first essay we have written together!! Half was written by me (scout) and half was written by maddie. We love watching these movies and digging deeper into the characters and plot. If you have any recommendations—please share! - S+M

[knight-says-nanana]

An analysis on Ed’s comic childhood, how that impacted his OCD*, and how that translated to the Gotham TV show

Alternatively: GTV Ed’s Biography

*(and also how it very clearly gave him cptsd but they don’t explicitly Say that bc DC is full of cowards)

Normally I’d say comics don’t impact tv continuity, especially for a show like Gotham where so many things are changed, but the thing is? Cory Michael Smith specifically went out of his way to read the riddler comics when he accepted the role of Ed Nygma. He acted accordingly and did an amazing job trying to salvage the show’s poor writing. There are many tiny moments where he does things that reference Ed’s typical backstory despite the show, in all its 5 seasons, never bringing it up

Childhood wise there are typically two widely accepted routes

1 - his mom was around but neglectful and off her head with drugs n alcohol

2 - his mom left when he was a toddler due to not being able to handle his father anymore, which kinda kickstarted the abuse being focused onto Ed instead

I will be continuing this analysis with #2 because it is the most popular and explains his abandonment issues

Comic Based Childhood

So this guy basically grew up with Only his father. His father who is a dumbass, an alcoholic, blames Ed for his mother leaving, incredibly abusive physically, and couldn’t accept that 1) his kid is smarter than him or that 2) a kid so Weird cough traumatized and neurodivergent cough is anything but an idiot

A major sticking point was that he always thought Ed was lying, constantly, about everything. This will be important later.

And when Ed finally started going to school and getting A’s?? Yeah no Obviously he had to have been cheating so Mr Nashton just got More angry with him. Could Ed have dropped his grades on purpose to avoid this? Yeah. Did he? Absolutely not. Academic success was the one thing he could be proud of and the only thing that gave him any sort of praise or validation. He was clinging to it for dear life.

No matter the universe, this is a guy who craves attention.

There is difference between academic success and school life itself, because Ed is awkward n dorky n, especially at this point in time, anxious n quiet. So he didn’t have friends. In fact it’s usually written as either him having been bullied or being ignored entirely

The boy was not doing ok at all. So understandably he ran away as soon as possible and changed his name.

Now, this is the first point where Gotham’s canon ties into this in a Very interesting way

We know Ed’s official birth year from the ID card in the show. It’s canon. In season one he is 26. We know this. And it’s is insane for a few reasons!!

He is So Much Younger than his coworkers holy shit

Bullock is old enough to be his dad and he’s not nice, no wonder Ed doesn’t like him

He works in forensics. At 26. And he’s implied to have been working there a year or two before Jim joined the precinct.

Now, I had GENUINELY assumed that he was in his 30s like Jim. BECAUSE HE WORKS IN FORENSICS. But no he’s just actually a botched Spencer Reid because he’s 26 in season one.

A degree in forensic science takes 4 years.

If you want a masters it’s an extra 2 years.

Factoring in the time he would’ve needed to spend interning and working just to QUALIFY for a job at the GCPD???

If we assume he ran away n got into college at age 17 and got his bachelor's he’d be 21 by the time he graduated, 23 if he got his masters which of course he would, and then that leaves us only 3 or 1 year/s for internships and stuff before he joins the GCPD. What. What.

No wonder his apartment is so shitty!!! This is a man with hella student loans

But yeah! Hes only 26 and his 40 year old coworkers are bulling him for being weird. I’d hate my job too.

Bullock is 48 and I’m fully convinced he, like me, thinks Ed is at least 32 (Jim’s age) because. What.

So yeah that’s his general backstory, NOW the ways that plays into his mental state and how his actor managed to fit it into the show

So, you can reasonably assume he’s traumatized.

And!? There are so many subtle moments in the show where Cory acts his character accordingly for this. He flinches when people raise their voice, he’s visibly spooked when men in the GCPD get huffy (usually it’s Mr James Anger Issues Gordon). He’s skittish as a mouse. In the watermelon scene, when Gordon busts into the room, Ed immediately falls over himself to explain what he’s doing in there. The guy was terrified. Of James. Who’s never done a thing to him.

Beyond that? CPTSD -beyond the regular symptoms of flashbacks, triggers, and hyper awareness- also includes difficulty regulating emotions, feelings of shame/guilt, and trouble staying in relationships.

Ed Nygma is a damn textbook case. He has meltdowns, he falls into substances, he does ANYTHING but cope when he’s overwhelmed. He is constantly trying to prove he’s smart, there’s a gut deep shame when he doesn’t hold up to genius standards. And you’ve seen his relationships.

Basic info ab OCD: it’s an anxiety disorder and the two main things are obsessive compulsions and intrusive thoughts, both of which are present in Gotham but not handled nearly as well as they are in the comics

Compulsions first!

These tend to stem from subconscious thoughts and people won’t always know Why they have a compulsion but they’re generally a way of preventing a vague yet all consuming Bad Thing.

Now, with Ed one of his major sticking points in comics AND the show is he cannot tell blatant lies, especially not with yes/no answers.

This is part of why he compulsively leaves clues for absolutely everything and tries to be so vague when he is lying. He also jumps through hoops so that he won’t need to lie.

Lying = incredible all consuming dread and anxiety, so he just Doesn’t and uses his little hints and clues as a loophole. Very obviously from his father’s influence.

In the show this is shown multiple times but just for a few:

Lucious asking if Jim is at Ed’s house and when Ed tries to say no he seems almost forced to correct himself

The compulsive clue in “Tom’s” note, even when no one had asked him if he knew anything he still couldn’t keep it entirely to himself. The note is a loophole. Technically he told on himself. They just didn’t figure it out. (Well. Kristen kinda did but denying it aka lying sent him into an anxiety attack the moment she left. So.)

When Sofia Falcone was torturing him to find out where Oswald was, he told her. He just told her via a riddler he knew she didn’t understand! No need to lie!

In the car ride to the docks Oswald also calls him out directly by saying he’s so predictable because he’s driven by obsessive compulsion. This is the most the show acknowledges it.

Beyond his compulsions he’s got explicit intrusive thoughts regarding a few big things. (Should be noted that these tend to drive compulsions but not always.)

being viewed as stupid

Ergo his criminal history just being a big show to prove how smart he is. Again, his fathers influence.

being actually stupid

Not knowing things stresses him out So Bad and he takes it So Personally. He NEEDS to know everything. The world is a puzzle and he is Going to solve it.

Side note: That’s why I do LOVE that Gotham made him a forensics specialist!! He’s always had, to quote a DC podcast where he’s talking to Batgirl “-and you have that terrible all consuming pathology which comples you to find answers” “AnD i HaVe tHaT tErRiBlE aLL cOnsUmiNG PaThOLoGy wHiCh coMpELs mE tO FiNd AnSwErS- Yes.”

Biggest for last: being like his dad

This one is specifically fun because it was almost represented so well. ALMOST. His entire relationship with Kristen was downright molded by it, as shown in the file room anxiety attack. Yes that’s what I’m going to call it.

He is constantly fretting over being like Tom, even when he clearly isn’t because he is disgusted by Tom. No mysoginist is going to see someone with the same thoughts as gross. No guy who thinks women should be “put in their place” is going to have such a physical reaction to hearing that be said. No abusive pos is going to have that reaction at all. At least, not in the way that situation went down or in the way Ed’s afraid of being. We aren’t discussing emotional harm or Nygmobblepot today. But he frets anyway. And if we chose to interpret his riddler hallucination as a Really poor way of representing intrusive thoughts? Yeah. Yeah. His brain is making him panic about doing exactly what he hates so much.

*it should be noted that compulsions are often reinforced by intrusive thoughts. specific example: if he lies he will be saying something wrong, he can not be wrong, everyone is going to think he’s an idiot if he’s wrong. You can see how the two things connect. This applies to the majority of compilations in some way.

Now, a moment where I deviate from discussing what Did happened because I’ll forever mourn this particular writing fuck up:

His thing with Kristen could’ve been perfect. It could’ve been the best live action riddler origin to date. Because this is a guy with OCD who’s very traumatized and would have a strong personal reaction to finding out a friend is facing domestic abuse. That would make his relationships complicated too because of the thought loop it would create off the risk of “turning out to be the type of person he hates” or “what if I hurt her like I was hurt.” That would have been so compelling? AND? AND YKNOW WHAT? MY BIGGEST GRIPE? HIS FIRST PUSH INTO VIOLENT CRIME BEING STABBING AN ABUSER WOULD BE PERFECT. It would be on point. Exceptional foray into crime and murder. BUT THEY DIDNT PLAY IT LIKE THAT. No instead it’s highly tainted by “who gets the girl” and I just. N o. Ugh. They fumbled it!! They fumbled it So Hard. THEY MAKE HIM CREEPY AS FUCK TOWARDS KRISTEN. Like- physically blocking her into small spaces and imposing on her and talking over her when, if they HAD actually leaned into the OCD on purpose, he would probably be hyper aware of not doing.

[it-happened-once-in-a-meme]

Fun Little Gotham Detail (Season 3 Edward Nygma)

In episode 17, we see a picture of Ed on television:

The photograph in question is from the GCPD scene where he makes a big entrance and sarcastically says that he's glad to be back 😂

Meaning that there was either a photographer there that day who was told to take a picture of the sassy ex employee or that they had the idea themselves.

[helpfandom]

Batwheels Season 2 analysis:

I honestly just want to hear your thoughts about this from @lonleydweller and @artisticdoofusxx You two matter to me <3.

I AM AUTISTIC. I THINK CHARACTERS ARE AUTISTIC. Sorry not sorry about it, but Batwheels has a lot of characters that could be perceived as autistic.

Season 2 introduced a lot of new adaptations of characters, some adapted well, some adapted... not so well (Looking at you Clayface). Here I will talk about the episodes that went well, the ones that did poorly, and the adaptations on characters (Focused on the villains).

I acknowledge that this show is for preschoolers//children, definitely out of my age range, but it's one of my fixations right now so I can't help the fact that I get really passionate about this. I will concede that they have to make things more child friendly, with morals at the end of (almost) every episode. As such, I take this into consideration in my judgement of episodes. I just wanted to put that out there before going into my analysis.

The Good, the Bad, and the Characters! I will discuss the good episodes first, choosing the best three, then the worst, choosing the worst three, and the adaptations.

The best episodes: in order of what I think were the best. 1: Lend Me Your Volunteer. 2: The Bestah Way. 3: Wish Upon a Car.

1: Lend Me Your Volunteer is about Buff going around volunteering, roping Batwing in to help volunteer to help Gotham's needy, when Buff's trailer full of food gets stolen by Jestah and Quizz. After it gets stolen, they go all around Gotham trying to get it back, with the people they volunteered and helped also helping "Batman" get the trailer back. In the end, when it's revealed to be food that the Batwheels were guarding, the two villains then help Buff and Wing volunteer. It's a straightforward episode in terms of plot. Volunteering is good, it makes you feel good and helps out other people who could help you out in the future. So why is the episode so good if it is so basic? Well, having the notorious diva of the group not knowing what volunteering is and having Buff explain it to her partially explains Bat-Light Blow-Out and why she had such a hard time with giving up some of her belongings. (As seen by the photo down below).

She is notoriously selfish and has several episodes about her selfishness!! As seen in: Condiment Chaos! (Made a music video instead of patrol), Air-Show Don't Tell (Went to the Gotham City Air Show instead of patrol), Bat-Light Blow-Out (Doesn't want to get rid of her excessive material possessions), Batwing and the Nets (Wants to keep her old net even at the expense of saving the day), and Flight of the Kitty (Having no patience to listen to what Kitty wants to learn or practice) JUST IN SEASON 2! As such, the plot of volunteering becomes a lot more effective than if it was Redbird or Bibi. By having a selfish character want to do something with such fervor that the villains mistake this action as a top secret mission, it carries how important volunteering is! Having her learn what volunteering is from the most caring Batwheel-

-Highlights how volunteering to help others out is often essential in a city where misfortune can befall others easily! (Jestah and Quizz stealing the food and how often times the help that others need is often not given) and even having the villains themselves help out hammers in to little kids how good and important volunteering is! 9/10 Best episode in season 2 for me. Minus point because the scene where Jestah and Quizz wait for red light doesn't make sense. They are CRIMINALS, they DO NOT care about the traffic laws in previous episodes! WHY ARE THEY WAITING??? Besides that, perfect episode.

2: The Bestah Way. Harley Quinn's pet hyena Giggles (established in a previous episode) goes missing. In Harley's search for Giggles, she runs into Batgirl who promises to help her out if she quits recklessly driving. (Another point as to why Jestah and Quizz stopped?? Their owners don't follow the law of the road, why are they for this specific time??) They then go all over to figure out where Giggles has gone, with Bibi being upset because she thinks that Jestah is playing games when they should be searching for Giggles. It turns out that Jestah is searching her way, and Bibi is searching her way. They then team together to stop Penguin's dirigible that has Harley and Batgirl stuck on the blimp. This episode works because it shows that simply assuming-

-Like Bibi does, is harmful, because Jestah was actually looking for more clues, in her own special way, whereas Bibi simply assumed that Jestah was playing around. Beyond that, the episode works because it shows a new side to the characters. Previously, we had only seen Jestah taunting, fighting, and overall being a menace to Bibi. This episode highlights the complexity of her character, as well teaching Bibi (and the audience of preschool children) that simply assuming that other people are doing something wrong simply because they don't do things your way is not actually a good though process. 7/10, Why does Penguin have something against Harley Quinn? Overall, a pretty good episode though.

3: Wish Upon a Car: This episode starts with Buff and the Batwheels on a trail playing around in the mud, Redbird gets stuck in the mud due to not being meant for this type of terrain, and while Buff is pulling him out, offhandedly mentions that he wishes that the Batwheels were a little more like him, as "it gets lonely being the only truck." They then get an alert that King Tut, a themed villain I will speak of later in this passage, stole the "wish stones" which grant someone's wish, or reverses that wish. Although King Tut gets away, they had gotten the wishing stone, where Buff wishes that all of the Batwheels were monster trucks like him. The episode then continues with them going through and adapting to being monster trucks until they find King Tut's lair and get trapped. Luckily, they got the reversing stone and reverse Buff's wish, then giving them their original bodies. This episode is certainly straightforward with it's meanings, to Buff dealing with body dysmorphia, to the fact that everybody is okay in their own bodies. All this episode does is reaffirm that everybody has their own body, but it's okay to be different. 7/10, the meaning of the episode means a lot to me as it's a struggle I deal with, and I think it would mean a lot to the young children watching this show.

Now the worst three episodes were 1: Clay Date, 2: T-Rexcellent Adventure, and 3: Spiffledipped.

1: Claydate is an actual bad episode in terms of what they were trying to do. Now, I don't mind some of the characters that they adapted to the show, but Clayface is one that actually makes me upset. Besides the adaptation of the character, the plot doesn't make sense! There is no connection to previous episodes with Redbird's supposed dislike of taking a bath, which by itself is a weird concept as they are cars, but whatever, and the whole 'villain song' with Clayface is poorly done. A lot of Batwheels episodes have songs, but Clayface's is always chopped up and doesn't fit any theme within the show. Besides this, his design doesn't make sense, nor does the fact that he can hear the Batwheels and interact with them because he's... part car??? Not even that was clear in the show!

His design isn't bad for what they were trying to do, but his character being dumbed down to "I like mess!" Is annoying and disrespectful to his complex character. His gimmick is that he transforms into other people and objects, and they took that away to make him a character for a plot that isn't developed or good. According to this interview, "Simon J. Smith: That's what was great about the writing, because when I came onboard, Michael had written the first few scripts, and that's what I loved about it. It wasn't bashing people over the head with messages or anything, and it wasn't kiddifying anything. It was just staying authentic, and true, to Batman and Gotham and all the Bat villains, it was fantastic."

"[I]t wasn't kiddifying anything." "It wasn't bashing people over the head with messages or anything,"

Are you sure about that? Because we could have had an episode about Clayface pretending to be someone in the Justice League or something and Redbird notices that Green Arrow (OR somebody else, Batwheels just loves to use Green Arrow though), is acting weird and the big reveal was that Clayface was pretending to be Green Arrow (or somebody else) in order to steal some Bat-Tech. It would have been a great episode within the context of the show and shown off Redbird's mystery solving skills that they ignore.

But no, instead we have:

This is a stupid stupid episode and plotline with a stupid stupid song that is only enhanced by their stupid stupid version of Clayface. 3/10 I skip this episode and only mildly enjoy this because Clayface has stupid lines that actually kind of work for about 2 seconds before fizzling off.

2: T-Rexcellent Adventure. Not a bad episode, lots of egg puns. Not a lot of actual continuation between the episodes, but that's okay because there isn't anything that should be connected (UNLIKE Redbird's ""dislike"" of baths). The episode is bogged down because of this factual discrepancy.

Which doesn't make sense because the episode's plot is solved by them making a dinosaur figure that they have in the batcave "come to life" by robotics and he is scared off by it because he thinks Dinosaurs are alive again... How idiotic. Also, if he's the smartest of all the Batman enemies, then what about Riddler (A character known for being intelligent AND was only in BTAS for a few episodes because they hated making riddles up for him), or Mad Hatter (A character who IS in this universe as he is mentioned by Nightbike several times who works with psychology!), Or Harley Quinn (A PSYCHOLOGIST WITH A DEGREE!), or King Tut (A professor at a college - which you can only be if you have a masters or doctorate). Mr. Freeze is not listed here as they likely went with his original origin story which was just him being a thief with a ice motif, the Dr. Freeze with Nora was only created in BTAS which is why they then retconned the original origin story, but is still a honorable mention. Those mentioned are only the ones who are in Batwheels.

The egg puns were funny for longer than Clayface's story, and he sounds homosexual, 4/10. This scene and factual error pisses me off but not bad episode.

3: Spiffledipped. Boring episode, has nothing really going on with it like a good message, and I actually forgot this episode exists until I remembered there is a black Green Lantern, which is cool. I guess.

4/10, boring but fun to watch because it shows more into the characters that could show up later. I really hope Green Lantern does show up more because it was cool to see more than Green Arrow. I really wish this show would include more than just Green Arrow. (Yes, I know Captain Atom was there too, but he was for one episode, Green Arrow has been in four!).

Now, the new villains that they adapted are

Clayface: 1/10 The voice actor puts a lot of effort into voicing him and that's the one thing that he's got going for him. I've... said a lot about him, so that's it.

Solomon Grundy: 4/10, They keep his motif and gimmick while still making him new and connects back to the cars in the universe and at least makes sense. I just think Solomon Grundy is flavorless though, so that's why it's four instead of 5. Also, his design makes sense with the character, solid design.

Egghead: 5/10 His voice actor really works with what he's got and makes him sound gay, I just wish he had a better episode. His design makes sense with his motif and even at a glance or in a lineup, you wold know what his character is about.

Music Meister + Voice Box (His villain vehicle): Silly silly silly man! My Blorbo along with Toyman. I routinely watch this episode just to see him and Voice box. 10/10 I love him, he has a great design. Voice Box: 8/10 kinda stupid but whatever, he has to be for the plot to progress. It's a good, solid design. Music Meister and his little music notes for his eyes was an interesting choice but I love it! It works really well and I really really hope he is in more episodes.

King Tut: 7/10, Love the name Car-cophagus instead of sarcophagus. He's not a bad design, it's solid and works and looks the same throughout different series' so... Sorry about the bad photo.

Condiment King: 8/10 His design is messy and has a lot of stuff going on with it, but conveys what he's about, and is recognizable as Condiment King.

Banebuggy: HE'S SO SILLY! Blorbo #3*, his design has a lot of different things that work together well, and so does his character. I didn't think he would work but he fits as more than just a one episode character, and they maintain the core things around the character, which is something they didn't do with Clayface, hence why Clayface is flat and boring and can only work in one episode (that didn't even work very well.)

*My Blorbos in this show are Toyman, Music Meister and Banebuggy in that order.

[rainbowmewz]

thinking about gotham edward nygma DID/OSDD representation so hard rn and how the show wasn't perfect with it but was on a pretty alright track and probably just needed a single diversity editor who's well in tune with DID/OSDD to make it amazing representation...

i feel like a big thing that people debate about is how "oh, gotham shows negative representation by having ed have an evil alter!!" no no no no. i get it, riddler's brash and not a good person but... ed isn't either? i feel like the babying of season 1 ed is kind of what leads people to have this thought process in the first place. ed is creepy, ed is offputting, ed shouldn't be getting just the reaction of "aww sweet bby who doesn't understand social cues :((". i love the guy and treat him like my sweet little blorbo too, but come on guys. feel free to disagree all you want, but i actually like how the dynamic of ed and riddler is portrayed because NEITHER of them are good people. one isn't the "evil alter" of the other.

the writing was... genuinely trying in this aspect i feel? at some points at least. lines like riddler saying he was "in the driver's seat so to speak" to explain him fronting over ed? perfect! including riddler's need to front because of ed's self destructive and lowkey suicidal behaviors in season 4? amazing!! cmon, more please gotham writing team i beg for more crumbs. sure, season 5 was confusing with who was fronting but.. i feel like its a really realistic experience to not be able to tell who's taken over? fronting is confusing at times, and the guy was literally put under microchip command to destroy a whole safehaven at one point during the season.

another thing, CMS did a PHENOMENAL job at portraying switching, especially in that scene at arkham in season 4. its not erratic, and is really only noticeable if you're looking for it. the slight change in facial expression and the way his hands move? this guy needs to win some award for acting please

[aslightaddity]

Ed isn’t a cold logician he’s just autistic.

I could leave it there but I have to expand on this if only to be able to explain why I resonate with him.

We’ve seen him referred to as cold or unfeeling since like the start, in the first few seasons it’s not even overtly it’s just implied that that’s how people view him. But he isn’t. He’s incredibly emotional in actuality, to a point where I could put him as a second place for Gotham’s most emotional character.

He only gets called cold because people don’t see how logical and factual his feels are to him, like the pier scene in season 4 or 5 where Oswald tells him that if he listened to his heart more than his head he’d understand, but in season 5 he even admits that he rarely ever harmed a person who didn’t wrong him in someway! When you stop the look at all his major moments in the show it’s all very clearly emotional. Season 3 possibly shows this the best after Ed finds out Oswald killed Isabella, with his violent fantasy where he stabs Oswald. Or when despite everything in season 5 he stays. Practically every major event per season for him is emotionally driven.

He’s seen as always taking into account every fact and detail he can and one of his most driving facts that isn’t mention is his why. His emotions are, to him, factual and are taken into account. Even if he can’t fully understand them, like in season 4 as we see with Lee, or denies them, like how he cares for Oswald, he analyzes them and uses them like he would any other factual thing. And the only reason others don’t see this is the fact that he expresses his emotions in a different way than other people and when he enacts plans that are based on his emotions he’s already gone through feeling them viscerally enough to cause anything that would show it so he basically seems emotionless during it.

And when we put his kind of emotional and juxtapose it against say Oswald’s kind of emotional, most would immediately point out how in this comparison Ed looks emotionless and cold but when you take a closer look it more shows that they’re sides of the same coin. They are cunning, dangerous, and motivated by their heart but act with their heads. For Oswald his heart is stronger than his head and it’s the opposite for Ed but they are both emotionally driven.

TLDR- Ed is very personally emotionally intelligent and a emotional person but people see him as cold because he’s autistic.

[ambriel-angstwitch]

Batman Hush Thoughts Part 7

(Batman 619)

Ahhh! I love Harvey Dent. Poor Bruce just keeps getting betrayed by his friends.

I sure hope so! Bruce/Batman deserve more friends and Harvey was friends with both sides of him

I love Harvey’s absolute lack of remorse. Like he admitted to shooting Tommy the first time after just shot him again and this time he wasn’t clay.

Poor Jim Gordon looks so done with this shit though

I love how Harvey’s only goal was to save his friend. I need them to have a Happy ending (even though I know they won’t). Bat’s is still searching for a way for it not to be Tommy but there was no hope for that.

Have I mentioned I love the female rep in this? Like I know this comic purposefully does fan service like it says on the back cover that Catwoman has never looked so seductive

But still they don’t write them terribly. The women get to have meaningful conversations.

Here’s an older person of the cape society giving advice to a younger one who feels terrible after being messed with which Catwoman can relate to.

Idk I just like it

You know Clark does kind of have a point.

I love how Bruce goes to Clark for help thinking through all of this. I didn’t take a picture of it but Bruce says he goes to Clark because he can be more emotionally detached in a way. And that’s just so fantastic because so many people incorrectly assume that Batman is this purely cold logical hero. But even though he might not show it on his face or with his words, his actions demonstrate how much his actions are fueled by feeling, his love for people, his fear that he’ll lose them.

Superman is by no means not an emotional superhero but he wasn’t friends with Tommy which means he can be more impartial than Bruce.

I love how they’d do anything for eachother. Like all Superman doesn’t want to hurt him but he’ll still do what Bruce asks.

He wants to stay behind and help. Bruce thanks him even if he hesitates. I love their relationship

I love how threatening Bruce is when it comes to his secret.

Riddler 100% deserved that punch for how antagonistic he was being about Jason.

“He fell.” Is iconic stuff.

Agh! Bruce ruining his relationships once again. Selina had a point. What you have going is good, let it be good even if the beginnings aren’t that happy

< Prev.

[mybellabellabella]

“But…You’re Ed Nygma…”

“I’m also the Riddler!”

After going through five seasons with Edward Nygma, I forget that there are some people in Gotham who don’t know that the Riddler wasn’t always the Riddler.

“Well, I was not aware of your alter egos”

Strange would have came 💦 if he had known just how interesting Ed really was. But when Strange poses that Ed and Riddler are the same person, I’m just like… Ed has a point.

Strange only sees Ed Nygma transformed/transforming into the Riddler, while others can identify whether he’s Ed or Riddler—

It’s actually one of my favorite things about Ed being Ed and Riddler. Because some people pick it up, like Butch. Butch, to my recollection, has never been in the room while we knowingly watched Dark Nygma/ Riddler (respectively, pending on which season we’re watching) speak to Ed.

Yet, when Riddler goes searching for Grundy to take on Sofia Falcone, Butch is back to normal, so Ed tries to reason with Grundy as his friend, Ed. But Butch says “But you’re not Ed anymore. And I’m not Grundy.”

By the time outsiders come in, like Eduardo who hasn’t spent time in Gotham, to us Edward Nygma traipsing around Gotham in a green suit and bowler hat putting the GCPD on a cat and mouse chase with puzzles and games with an alter ego is actually rather docile in Gotham.

And here’s my absolute FAVORITE thing about Cory Michael Smith’s portrayal of Edward Nygma: the same happens with Lee, though she only knows something is up when Ed calls for Oswald and Oswald enters the room. But for us, we know Riddler is Riddler not just because we literally watched the reunion; but as Riddler and Oswald are going to meet with Lee to take down Sofia Falcone, we watch Riddler loosen his tie, take his gloves off, hand his hat to Oswald, unbutton his jacket—These things specifically are what Riddler himself believes tips people off that the Switch has happened. So when Riddler pretends to be Ed when he steps through the door, he even copies “Ed’s” mannerisms—he raises his pitch in his voice, he’s a hell a lot of nicer and courteous, polite and reserved. Until the moment passes where pretending to be Ed is no longer applicable, in which case his voice drops, he buttons his jacket, he’s fixing his tie, smoothing down his suit, and domes his signature hat. Even as he’s speaking to Oswald and Sofia, he’s putting on his gloves, adjusting his sleeves—

However, give me a second on this one: 👇🏻

I’m convinced that Ed’s theory about the whole “you won’t know where you end and I begin” might be spot on because Riddler is the Riddler, but now he’s not wearing his gloves. Later on, he’s rarely wearing his hat. “Love of a good woman and all”—I think that Riddler was right about saying the words “I love you”. Because symbolism applicable, Riddler and Ed are still trying to fight for dominance of who’s in the driver’s seat: Riddler, who influences their thoughts; or Ed, who, Riddler discovers, has the ability to influence his emotions.

So by this point, when Strange says that he doesn’t know that Ed Nygma has an alter, it’s like…

BRUH. Where have you been??

But, if I had to explain to Strange the difference between Eddie and Riddler, I’d do this:

Ed: 🤤💚🫀😍🤓🔬☕️🔦📓✍️☺️😊👔🤡🎹🎮🪚

Riddler : 🤤🫦🧠🍸😎👌🏻✌🏻👍🏻🧩🍦😏😆👨‍✈️🔪💭

[abiscuit]

what’s your favorite version of the riddler?

I have been thinking about this cause I made my friend read Zero Year and then was like damn what’s my ranking of them ??

Batman Zero Year was the first like full big comic I read so that version of the Riddler is probably my favorite? I like his outfit and design a lot. His personality/story is also really good as he’s very much still theatrical and silly while not being too over the top, so he can still make an intimidating villain.

On a side note my Batman obsession began upon one fateful viewing of Batman Forever, and while I can’t tell you that Jim Carrey’s depiction of the riddler is “good” I do think he’s very silly and feel fondly for him. Going farther back I decided the riddler was my favorite Batman villain upon watching Gotham, and I’d say Cory Michael Smith’s is maybe my favorite live action? He is also in a nice middle spot, not too over the top but he definitely still has his fun and can be generally silly. The Batman (2022) was not for me personally, though I do appreciate Paul Dano’s version and he was certainly my favorite part of that movie. Frank Gorshin is lovely and a really great live action version of the silly golden age comics, though I need to watch more of that show to really evaluate him (I have watched the first two episodes, which both feature him)

Thank you for reading my long ass rant sometimes a girl has to be insane about some guy. Thank you for the ask <3333

(More rant under the cut)

^ love of my life right here

Random side notes: I love the Batman the animated series version, I’ve seen all his episodes and appreciate them but he does not have enough screen time for him to be my true favorite. The version in the animated Harley Quinn is fun, I don’t like that he’s bald (mean, I know) but I’m so glad he’s canonically queer. Also the Killing Time version is a favorite, once again it feels like a smaller one-off appearance so I feel like he can’t be my favorite (also cause people don’t like Tom King ?) but he feels very Zero Year to me so I didn’t mention him earlier, I enjoy his design a LOT and love his smugness <3

Okay I’m coming back to edit this to say I forgot to mention the golden age of comics version (like classic riddler) he is also very silly but those comics are also very much written for kids so all of them I have ever read I feel like I am being beaten over the head with theming and over-explanation (the two face theming is particularly brutal) but I just wanted to mention him :]

[froot-batty]

I'd read an analysis of their relationship...

Bet?

So the best way I'd describe Steph and Ed's relationship is kind of like an ouroboros, or a self-fulfilling prophecy. When Steph comes into the picture and tries to help Ed not be.....himself, it results in him acting out even more in rebellion of a perceived attempt to control him, just as their parents had tried to do. Steph, growing increasingly frustrated with his refusal and more and more violent in her attempts, basically becomes her father. She's coming from a genuine place of wanting to help him, but it begins to resemble their dad's attempts to "fix" him. And their ways of trying to help Ed become more and more the same

Of course, Ed is at fault too. He doesn't even want Steph to go away like he's desperately trying to get her to do. He craves attention, and getting it from his sister - who'd basically outshined him their entire childhood - feels good. So does hurting her and stressing her out. He's bitter and childish and he can't punish his parents so he punishes the closest approximation of them, his sister

So for most of their relationship, Steph trying to help makes Ed do even more shit, which makes Steph have to try harder, and so on and so forth. It's a feedback loop

...Uuuntil Steph gets paralyzed

Then it's like, oh shit. Steph wants nothing to do with Ed anymore; she'd been trying so hard to get him back on a good, sane path, and now her life has been changed irreparably. She can't wear her costume anymore and do the one thing that made her feel like she was making a difference. That made her feel worthy of being alive. And she HATES Ed for it

Ed feels absolutely terrible for it. It was unplanned and, deep down, that was still his sister. They used to be close once, a very long time ago, and he never meant for it to go this far. To hurt her so badly she'd never come chasing back after him. He's lost his only source of devoted attention and, in some ways, the only hope he ever had of being someone other than The Riddler. He never wanted to go back anyway, but, still. It's the point where he realizes there's no hope for him anymore

Ed tries to get in contact with her in the hospital and afterward when she returns home, but she's pretty firm in never seeing him again

[unrestrainedbalderdash]

Batman's experience with Joker in Arkham Knight is pretty relatable to my OCD (for anyone who hasn't played it: he has infected Joker blood in him, and after being dosed with Fear Toxin he hallucinates Joker being with him and talking to him). It's like you're stuck with this horrible person living in your brain who you can't get rid of and says the shittiest things (except at least Joker is occasionally funny). You're terrified that you will become this person, that you might be becoming this person, that one day you will start doing the horrible things it says you want to. You're plagued with thoughts of killing the [thing that triggers you, is your brain's "enemy"] It's sometimes at the point where you can't tell what thoughts are "yours" anymore, is it the intrusive thoughts or do you genuinely think this way, are you turning into a horrible monster?

Everyone's reactions to Batman are what you fear society might start acting like - will they shun you, lock you in a cell to stop you, because they think you're turning into the monster?

But the important thing - the Joker doesn't win. Batman doesn't end up killing people. He does manage to get rid of Joker in the end, which might not be that possible in real life, but more importantly, even when Joker is saying these horrible things, Batman keeps going, keeps moving through life, he doesn't let it stop him from being a hero.

It's hard living with someone saying horrible things in your head, but to anyone with OCD reading this: They don't define your real thoughts/values/opinions. You are strong enough to get through this, I believe in you. You're not a monster.

[also disclaimer: if you have (or are questioning if you have) OCD and your experience doesn't match up with this, that's ok, peoples' experiences of the same disorder can be different! (putting this disclaimer because OCD self-doubt is a pain)]

[knight-says-nanana]

Early seasons Ed Nygma and Valerie Vale should, by all means, know eachother

We have canon evidence that he writes science articles to earn money on the side. He has written for the Gotham Gazette!!! Where Valarie is a top reporter!!! She is also the most well connected journalist in the city. The woman is a menace she can get in anywhere and has involved herself with multiple in progress cases, that’s literally how she met Jim. She also defaulted to black mailing Jim for the sake of getting the information she needed.

There’s an article on the Gotham Gazette website from season one talking about how a reporter stopped by the precinct on a routine visit and found Ed smashing watermelons to test dense matter splat patterns.

Why would a reporter be in the forensics lab if they only needed to interview the scientist??Furthermore, he wasn’t doing those tests in the forensics lab in the first place, they only would’ve found him if they knew to check the coroners room!!

And yet there is ZERO content for Ed & Valarie!!! Not in canon and not in fanon!!!

They are Friends off screen, it’s So Clearly There and their personalities would mesh great. Vaguely unhinged ppl with a Goal are exactly who Ed gets along with, just like how focused people with a Speciality are who Valarie meshes with. They’re also both rabid for Knowing Things. Put some mysterious information under a box with a stick and they will both be trapped immediately.

I believe in my heart of hearts that they proof read each other’s articles

Val hooks Ed up with science journals offering cash, Ed gets Val updates on new cases as soon as the information’s discovered

Though I do think 45% of their friendship is just comprised of emails and another 35% is over text bc they are fellow workaholics and almost Never in the same physical place to actually hang out

Like?? Come onnnnn people, Friendship of the century, right around the corner!

Mentioned article:

[shyjusticewarrior]

Oswald taught Martin to drive his blade upwards "into the heart"

Ed told Oswald if they became enemies again "I will look you in the eyes as I stab you in the heart"

During the knife hug Oswald held his blade upward.

[tavtiers]

could you analyze a Prince of Mind with a potential planet? thanks

The Prince of Mind [symbols: crown, neuron]

The Prince class has its basis in Machiavelli's The Prince. An example would be Prince Hamlet from the Shakespeare play.

The Mind aspect’s main theme is intuition. You can find its official description here.

A Prince of Mind is among those who alter the individual’s impact. This is the “classpect group” they belong to. Members include: the Sylph, Maid, Bard, and Prince of Heart/Mind. These classes are all opposites or inverses of each other that alter the Heart/Mind dichotomy (the individual’s impact). A description of classpect groupings can be found here.

The Prince of Mind actively destroys the Mind aspect. Active classes tell themselves what to do and do so for their own benefit. They are more likely to stand up for themselves, but more likely to be cruel. Princes and Bards destroy their aspect and everything it symbolizes, while using that same aspect as a weapon. In doing so, they leave their opposite aspect in their wake. Due to their actions, they come across as their opposite aspect. Simplified, the Prince of Mind is motivated by themselves to destroy intuition. In personality, they come across as the Heart aspect, seemingly defined by instinct.

On the subject of personality, the Prince of Mind wants to have control over things and enjoys challenges. Personality descriptions can be found here.

Their archetype is the Promised Genius, defined by control and intuition. Archetypes are explained here.

Their opposite is the Bard of Heart, who passively destroys instinct.

Their inverse is the Sylph of Heart, who passively assists instinct.

A classpect or “god tier” is an individual’s best self. All classpects go through a journey from unrealized, to struggle, to realized. When a character is unrealized, they neutrally exist as their inverse. On their struggle, they will wildly flip back and forth between their inverse and true classpect. In their worst moments they will act as their inverse, in their best their true classpect. When realized, they will stabilize as their true classpect. They will still have room to grow, but will become happier, more successful people.

This means that the Prince of Mind begins life motivated by others to assist instinct. When their struggle arrives and they are at their worst, they will continue this behavior in negative extremes. However, when at their best, they will find purpose in instead destroying intuition for themselves. When realized, they will stabilize and continue to destroy the Mind aspect actively, in a positive way.

They share their archetype with the Mage of Blood, the Genius Promised.

The Prince of Mind would quest on a planet similar to the Land of Heart [Opposite Aspect] and Mind [Aspect]. An example would be the Land of Clones and Chess. An explanation of planet naming conventions can be found here.

Two possible gods, or denizens, to reign over their planet would be Athena (Goddess of Justice) or the Sphinx (the legendary creature who posed riddles to travelers). Other Mind aspect denizens can be found here.

When the Prince of Mind completes their planet quests and dies on their quest bed, they would rise to ascension on the wings of dragonflies (symbols of mental maturity). A list of soul animals can be found here.

The characters that I have currently classpected as Princes of Mind are: Steve Dayton from Doom Patrol, Vislor Turlough from Doctor Who, Noiz from DRAMAtical Murder, Riddler from Batman, Imshael from Dragon Age, Napoleon Bonaparte from Night at the Museum, Dr. Bubby from HLVRAI, and Windom Earle from Twin Peaks.

If any of the links not connected to my blog break, the content can be found on my Google Drive.

Official Aspect Descriptions

Personality Descriptions

Aspect Denizens