#she doesn't. literally nothing she has said has indicated that.

[cryptidghostgirl]

Here is a fic ask? Or an idea that popped into my head! Soo I got this idea of Fem! Reader being this Nephalem thing, she made some deal with God, and God lost, she was aloud to make some corrupt angels.

More on reader, she works at the hotel, posing as a normal demon, but she doesn't sing nor dance, how odd because everyone does!..

Adam being her next target, they strike a deal that if he gets the idea of Extermination he can have one thing of whatever he wanted of course reader wanted something in return, his wings. It happened but than he soon died, and before he truly died, Adam could hear he voice, and this holy but demonic chain and parper appeared, indicating he made a deal made literally everyone freeze.

Singing this song, is basically Reader angel and demon side debating what to do! https://youtu.be/0Y9rL6xpvlk?si=i_rjScHV8Kg2qwjp

I can imagine the reactions of the others that where there. 🤩💃🕺

Her taking Adam's precious wings instead of his soul, I can imagine she probably has Lucifer, the other deadly sins and even lillith under a contract as well.

Also take your time with this! I know it a lot to take in haha! Drink water okay!!

A/N I hate Adam so this request is very fun :) Also, I just went off the vibes of the song rather than incorporating lyrics for the most part, I hope that is okay. Also I made her and Lucifer friends because I wanted to.

Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely (Adam x Reader)

Pairing: Adam x Reader

Warnings: So many. Um, gore, abuse, just generally Y/n being evil and malicious. Adam.

Word Count: 2,432

Master Lists:

Master Lists 

Hazbin Hotel Master List

Click here and leave a comment if you want to be added to any taglists or send me an ask about it.

Y/n wasn't supposed to exist. Then again, souls trapped in Purgatory weren't supposed to challenge God, but she had done that too. It had been a simple bet, based entirely on God's belief that absolute power does not corrupt absolutely. He had lost and so, Y/n had become something else.

Not quite good, not quite bad. Neither a sinner nor a winner, a demon or an angel. She was something in the the middle, something worse. She called herself the God of Prospects, she was known as a nephalem.

A traveler between worlds, Y/n found herself the perfect fit when she had first heard of Lucifer's daughter's hotel. The two were friends of a sort and she had been quite bored of late, when he had mentioned it off hand her eyes had lit up with hunger. Lucifer had known that look, the irreversible calamity that always seemed to follow not far behind it.

"Just don't make a deal with Charlie, please." was all he had said on the matter, his voice bleeding.

Y/n had hummed a noncommittal response but took his plea to heart.

The others at the hotel were generally wary of Y/n. Even in her demon form, she cut an intimidating figure. Half a head taller than Charlie, thin muscles tracking the course of her limbs - she radiated power. Her steps were quiet and determined, the crowd never failed to part for her.

Charlie knew nothing of Y/n's truth of course, only that she was a friend of her father's. This was confirmed when Lucifer eventually visited the hotel and the pair greeted one another warmly and so, Charlie trusted her implicitly despite every sign not to. Still, she was wary. She was wary because Alastor gave Y/n a wide birth at all times and Alastor never feared anyone. When Charlie had questioned him on the matter, he always carefully changed the subject.

When Lucifer had gotten Charlie the meeting in Heaven, he had asked Y/n to go with. Neither Charlie nor Vaggie knew why save for the fact that maybe Lucifer wanted to keep an eye on his daughter. He had, after all, had a tone steeped in regret when he had told the pair he would be unable to come with himself and Y/n was his friend. It kind of made sense. Kind of.

It was there Y/n met Adam. He had pulled her aside before the chaos of the trial, making brazen advances towards her. Never having had the pleasure of meeting the first man before, she was amused to no extent by his bravado. He didn't suit Heaven at all, in her opinion, yet another example of the opinion she had proven to God all those years before. He might've been a good man once, but he was no longer. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

"So what do you say, sweet cheeks?" Adam had asked, his hands on his hips after having described everything he could 'do to her.'

Y/n had stared at him so long and hard he had almost begun to shake. Only then had she spoken, her voice like sharp gravel on bare feet, hot asphalt on hands in the dead of summer. It tore the world around it, it burned.

"Do you have any idea who I am?"

"Uh, hot demon snatch?"

Y/n had laughed at this, her teeth sharpened into points. Her head thrown back in glee, Adam had watched in confusion. When she had finally calmed her wild and uncalled for, in his opinion, joy, she had met his eyes once again, hers burning lazy fire.

"I am the God of Prospects. I will be your doom."

He hadn't known it then, but she had been right. It was strange. Adam had always liked women with a temper, hence his picks for the exorcists he worked with, but he had never liked being outshined, overpowered. It made him uncomfortable, he stayed away from women like that. Yet, something about Y/n in all her carefree composure, all her spiraling damnation, drew him to her.

"Let's make a bet."

She had held her hand out to him then, her nails sharp enough to draw blood.

"A deal?"

Adam had heard of deals in Hell, what an overlord could do through such a thing. He eyed her in suspicion.

"Did you listen to what I said? No, a bet." Y/n corrected tactfully.

"You're not an overlord, are you?"

"No."

Y/n's grin widened, unsettling him further.

"Then what is it?"

"If you win this war that is bound to happen, I will go with you. If you do not, I will take something from you."

"And how do you know it is going to be a war?"

All pretense was gone, he was nothing but a man in her scorching gaze. A shiver traveled its way down his spine, unbidden.

"I told you." she replied, as if speaking to an ignorant child, "I am the God of Prospects."

Y/n had been suspiciously absent from the battle until its very end. She appeared beside Angel Dust as Lucifer and Charlie stood before Adam, laying beaten and bloody on the ground.

"Where the hell have you been?" Angel asked and Y/n smiled, her arms crossed.

"I told you," and she had indeed told them all, the night before at the bar, "I would have made it unfair."

"Like any of us beleive you're actually that powerful." Angel scoffed and Y/n just shrugged, watching the scene play out before her in anticipation.

This was what she had been waiting for all along. She hadn't realized it until she had met Adam in person but, Y/n knew the cure to her boredom and it was not the hotel. No, the hotel was just part of the gateway, same as Adam. Really, the last time she could recall being genuinely entertained was when she had first placed that bet against God. New challenges to face, new mountains to climb, whisked past her minds eye. Plans formed and reformed, she made matter out of nothing.

"How does mercy taste you little bitch?" Lucifer said as he and Charlie turned their backs on Adam, joining the small group of people who had congregated behind them.

"No..." Adam weakly replied, slowly getting to his feet, "You don't get to end this."

Y/n could see his face now, for the first time, without his mask blocking it. She had been right all along, he had always just been a man. Mythologized, but a man none the less.

"I am fucking Adam!" he yelled, pulling himself from the crater, "I am the fucking man, and you're just some fucking clown or something! I started everything on Earth! All of mankind came from these fucking nuts. You all should be worshiping me, you ungrateful, disgusting, fucking..."

He trailed off as he caught sight of Y/n. She stood near the back, her arms crossed. Everyone looked around, trying to figure out what had him so out of it when they realized his frantic gaze was being met by none other than Y/n.

As she stepped between Vaggie and Lucifer, she began to change. Large black wings sprouted from her back, a black halo, similar to the one the exorcists wore, appeared above her head. Then there were the thorns, black vines twisting their way around her limbs. She leered over the now trembling Adam.

"Y/n..." Lucifer began, the smile long since having vanished from his face, "what did you do."

"I made a bet, that is all." she placidly replied, not bothering to look at the man.

She licked her lips in hunger, her mouth full of razors. Adam stumbled a step back.

"No!" he yelled, "It's not over! The war is not over! I... I..."

"This is your fate now."

The group watched in horror as Y/n grew taller, her limbs and torso stretching out thin and monstrous. She looked emaciated, she looked like death.

"NO, it's not!"

"I choose your fate now or did you forget about your side of the bargain? I will get what I am owed."

With a flick of her finger, Adam was raised into the air by glowing black, thorny vines. He struggled against the bonds as she turned his back towards her. Even now, he couldn't help but find something compelling in her, something that drew him to her.

"What are you doing? What are yo-"

He cut himself off in a terrible, protracted scream. The sound of tearing flesh and cracking bone was nauseating as Y/n slowly ripped the wings from his back. She let him fall, whimpering and bloodied, to the ground. Turning the wings over before her eyes, she examined them carefully as she shrunk back to her normal size and body shape.

"Beautiful but... I already have a pair." she mused before throwing them to the side.

"What are you?" Vaggie asked, breathless, as Y/n turned back to the group.

Her hands were stained golden in blood as were her teeth. She grinned.

"I am the God of Prospects. I am corrupted by absolute power."

"Jesus, Y/n." Lucifer sighed, a hand to his head, "You're scaring them."

"Good."

"You knew?" Charlie asked her father in shock and he nodded softly.

"But I've never..."

"Seen me like this before." Y/n finished the thought for her friend, "In my true form. It is a lot to digest, I try to be kind."

"You try to be kind?" Husk repeated.

"Oh I like her." Cherri smiled brightly and Y/n tilted her head to the side in thanks.

It was now, as Lute pulled herself from the wreckage and Adam took his last stuttering breaths that she screamed, rushing to her master's side.

"Sir? Sir?!" she asked, flipping him over with her good arm.

Y/n turned to the scene, smiling. If this was the sort of thing her newfound passion would bring her, life was certainly about to become much more enjoyable.

"Stay with me, sir." Lute begged the dying man.

The last thing he did was smile up at her before falling dead. Charlie stepped forward with Vaggie not far behind her, her eyes glowing red with power and matching those of her father as he followed in her steps.

"Adam!" Lute yelled.

"It's over." Charlie announced, and the exorcist looked up.

"Take your little friends and go home." Lucifer added forcefully, "Please."

Lute looked between them for a moment before obeying, calling the retreat. The exorcists rose into the air, disappearing back through the portal. but not before she had grabbed Adam's fallen halo.

Charlie now turned to Y/n, the same fire burning in her eyes.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

Y/n shrugged noncommitally.

"I was bored, you all are interesting."

Charlie took a deep breath.

"What are you?"

"I am the God of Prospects."

"She is a nephalem. Well, sort of." Lucifer corrected and Y/n pouted.

"A nephalem?" Vaggie asked.

"Neither an angel nor a demon."

"How... shouldn't you be in purgatory?" Angel asked, taking a step forward.

"Does she look like she should be in purgatory?" Husk countered.

"I was there for a while."

"Really? What happened?" Cherri asked in excitment.

Y/n turned to her.

"I made a bet with God."

"And she won. Hooray, now, who is up for pancakes?"

After some conversation, it was determined that Y/n would be allowed to continue her stay at the hotel as long as she promised to protect it should the battle return. Y/n knew it would and told everyone as much, she agreed to the terms. Then the subject at hand had turned to lamentation. For the hotel, for their friends - the minute Charlie had brought up Alastor and his supposed death, Y/n had stopped her.

Holding a hand out to the demon princess, Y/n closed her eyes.

"He's injured, but alive." she announced after a moment, "I will go get him."

Before anyone had the chance to ask her how she knew or what she meant, Y/n had taken off into the sky on her wings of night.

The radio tower was in pieces, and Alastor sulked within. He looked up at the sound of her entry, his eyes wide and wild.

"Took a beating there, huh." Y/n mused playfully and Alastor scoffed, "I have a new job for you."

"What." he spat back, "Something else to get me almost killed?"

"Maybe." Y/n shrugged, "Either way, you know you can't refuse."

Vines, the same ones that had held Adam, appeared on Alastor, wrapping their way around him, bringing him to his knees. He grunted softly as they hit the ground. He knew she was right. He had been vain and a fool, he had been cocky. He had made a bet, and now had to lay in the grave she dug for him.

"What is that job?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"You're going to help me get a meeting with God."

Y/n hopped up onto a mostly intact table, taking a seat upon it. Alastor watched her, speechless.

"Yeah, he's sorta been, you know, avoiding my calls? Between you and me, I think he's pissy he lost our bet."

"Why do you want a meeting with him? Don't you already have everything?"

"Almost everything. I want to play a game."

"With God."

"With God."

"What for?"

Y/n hummed in thought, kicking her legs slightly.

"I want to be corrupted absolutely."

Alastor could read between the lines, he had known her long enough. His eyes widened with surprise. Y/n wanted power, to replace the man upstairs. She wanted to be God, not just a nephalem. She was always crossing boundaries, doing things she wasn't supposed to do, being things she wasn't supposed to be. Who was to say she couldn't do this too? Still, the fear and uncertainty ate away at him. He had no choice but to bend to her will but that didn't mean he had to have complete faith.

Y/n stood again in response to Alastor's doubtful look, her vines dragging him to his feet. She stared him dead in the eyes, her hands on her hips.

"Remember, foolish man, if not for my kindness you too would be gone. Don't try anything, just keep holding up that lovely facade of yours at the Hotel. I will alert you to when your skills are needed."

[lux-ishii]

Episode 6 dropped and love is literally in the air... so let's dive in...

We start the episode with an interesting story of a Romeo and Juliette trope. Specifically, a Captain and a Calamari Prince fell in love and run away together, causing danger of war between their species by doing so.

You may think it has nothing to do with either Din or Bo, but if you read my previous post you already know everything is intentional.

They could put here anything, absolutely anything. A pirate, bounty hunter, escaped prisoner... But they put two lovers who with their actions could bring harm to others. It's not truly a happy story, as the woman said before her love confession:

You see, after rewatching previous seasons I noticed that The Mandoverse likes to foreshadow what will happen in one way or another. Mythosaur discovery was foreshadowed by The Armorer in The Book of Boba Fett, for example. So this story here could be a potential warning, or hint at what may happen to Bo and Din. A Princess with a fleet, and a man who isn't considered a true Mandalorian because of his origin (Axe's words). After this episode, I'm pretty sure that Din and Bo are already in love. However, they didn't take any on-screen action to solidify the things we see between the lines. I do believe their relationship will progress further, and...

They may reach the point where things get complicated just because of who they are. You see the lovers from this episode can foreshadow Bo's or Din's dilemma about what they should do for the greater good. They may fall apart if the cause of their interest won't align, or be on the way.

HOWEVER, it may also be used as a future contrast that despite these odds and differences, they would not give up on what they feel for each other. Which I think would go together with true Mandalorian nature. This season is all about what it means to be a true Mandalorian, which is not just a fight for power. It's about caring for one another, especially a family. Mandalorians are stronger together, after all.

More under the cut!

Can we take a moment to talk about how Din IS JUST THERE?

We were making theories if he will go with Bo or not when the show... literally treats them as one already. Whenever she goes, he goes, and vice versa. Without empty promises, they just do it.

And they "moved" to Bo's ship!

To dig into it further, this episode they were constantly walking side by side, to the point of going thru the doors together too if the space allowed it. You can check out this post >here< with more scenes

Glances.

As I mentioned in my previous posts, this form is a subtle tool for storytelling, yet it can hide a whole ton of meaning or can be truly innocent. This episode is full of glances, specifically put in interesting places and I will touch on those later.

Like this one is innocent, just saying "Where the hell we are?" without words.

I mention in the title of this post that "love is in the air" and here's another indication of it, a bizarre one to be sure as ex imperialist and a democrat fell in love despite their differences.

But... Grogu may be the biggest giveaway here:

We don't see Bo's or Din's reaction here at all, only the enthusiastic cooing of Grogu. I asked myself why? Because he matters too, as Din's son. Grogu could be excited about the couple and how happy they are together. He knows both Din and Bo struggle a lot, and they have dark, rather gloomy lives. What if his father was blessed with a love that would make him happy?

In this episode, we also have the first instance of someone recognizing Bo as a Mandalorian Royalty, despite the fact, there's technically nothing to rule for her. No planet, no people.

An indicator that for the outsiders she is still a rightful ruler, despite her own people not believing in her anymore.

Glances. She is not going to make this decision alone, looking for assurance in Din.

An then, at the mention of her ruling Mandalore again she responds with:

Bo doesn't want to rule Mandalore anymore. A theme that goes on since the beginning of the season. But I think just this episode we got a glimpse of the true reason why those plans truly changed.

We got a great sequence with Good Cop - Bad Cop trope. Bo and Din gave us some Detective AU right here, make it black and white and we get a whole Noir setup ready to launch...

But back to the topic. This was yet another example of how they complement each other. Bo's more soft and rational approach would lead to nowhere or would take way longer if not Din's aggressive and hostile take on the matter, and vice versa.

They aren't only a great team, they need each other.

Glances.

Bo for the first time saw the darker side of Din. We knew he had one, but she's pretty taken aback by his hatred of droids. Nonetheless, it doesn't make her fearful of him.

Quite the opposite in fact

as she becomes his voice of reason to hold his horses. She's not scared he would get back at her with this attitude at all.

They had a brief conversation about his hostility, and I'm glad they allowed Bo-Katan to remove her helmet because what Katee is doing with expressing her emotions is phenomenal.

This innocent sentence awakens a lot if you know where to look. And if not I will just show you.

Glances. After the droid, a machine that can outlast probably generations if maintained properly puts importance on human life, and how short it truly is Bo and Din look at each other, accompanied by a romantic melody.

Devil is in the details, as Bo took a deep breath before breaking contact with Din.

What does it mean? As per usual it can mean nothing, or it can mean a thing, and you know me already, I will talk about the thing. You never know when someone's words might hit you, and I think that droid hit Bo and Din pretty strongly. In this lifestyle, they both share, life is even more dangerous than the citizens of that planet. It's a constant battle for survival. Wars, monsters, your own kind... Everything can kill you if you are Mandalorian.

So they might think that there's no time to waste. An indicator that the actions may be taken soon. A way of saying "Life is short so we can as well live together".

The investigation is a success, DinBo detectives can be proud of themselves for solving the issue, and as they came back to the Duchess with the results, we are once again struck with something. The motives of a man responsible for malfunction have their core in his hatred for the ex-imperial husband of the Duchess. So Duchess Lizzo blesses us with this line:

You see, both Din and Bo have past. And those who know TCW know that Bo's past is terrible. She made huge mistakes when she was younger, and she pays for them to this day.

I don't have a gif here, but at this moment you can see how Bo is moved by the exchange of these words, and you can see it all over her face, as her gaze is running away somewhere else.

Lizzo then recognizes the efforts, Bo and Din made, which put a smile on Bo's face. A rare sign, but it only gets better.

You see, I think Bo-Katan is genuinely happy here because she did something good, and her efforts are recognized.

It's safe to say that back at Kalevala, she was severely depressed. Thinking of herself as a failure that caused the doom of her planet and everyone she loved. Everyone left her, no one cared for her, and she was all alone. Then Din needed her help, and from then she was on a streak of doing good. I'm pretty sure that if not for the helmet we would see her smiling similar way after rescuing Rengar. Here, she not only helped people but also secured an alliance with another planet, simply by doing good, with no corruption or violence needed.

Look how proud she is when Grogu becomes a knight! @ladyzirkonia Already noticed in her post >here< that Bo is happier than ever. And It's absolutely true! We haven't seen her as happy ever before. Not when she was getting a new addition to her fleet back in Season 2, or not even when the Armorer announced she is the one to unite them all.

This leads us adress to the bantha in the room...

Where something important happens.

You see, there were many theories that what Bo's doing with Din is just a long play to challenge him when he least expects it, but this disproved it. And later it gets even more interesting.

You see... Axe is accusing Bo of intentionally refusing to challenge Din. Which would mean her people demanded it from her at some point.

Her refusal could be what lead them to leave, claiming she's weak, not only as a leader but also as a warrior, probably thinking she's afraid of challenging him.

However, Bo's motive may be rooted somewhere else.

Bo-Katan had no problem challenging Axe for her fleet, so why would she struggle so much to challenge Din? It was as necessary as getting the fleet back, so what was stopping her?

But she really didn't have to kill him to claim the blade. We saw it as Din and Paz fought for the Darksaber, and Vizsla is still alive.

(gifs by @itberice) Do you remember what I said about love in the air? Now, look back at the Captain and the Prince from the beginning, and Duchess Lizzo and her ex-imperial husband. Do you notice the similarity?

Bo-Katan stands up in front of so-called Mandalorians, that are ready to outcast someone like Din, just because his blood is not Mandalorian enough. Just like Lizzo stood up against Commissioner in defense of her ex-imperial partner.

Again @ladyzirkonia made a great post >here< saying what I'm gonna mention.

This is a great sign of what kind of leader Bo is going to be. She walks both ways, she took her time to understand Din's perspective, and because of everything that happened, he is the one who showed her The Way. The right one.

He let her understand what it means to be Mandalorian, and it's not the blood, but the heart and faith of a warrior.

Din Djarin, with all his adventures, made Bo-Katan the person she is now. And she is really fond of him, to the point of standing in his defense, even if before she was among the people who laughed at him.

I know everyone has mixed feelings about the Darksaber, and I fully myself don't sit right with it either, BUT it happened, and I'm here to make surgery on the symbolism here.

I know a lot of people think if Din gave the Darksaber like that, make it look pointless...

But I beg to differ.

You see, the Darksaber for Din and Bo actually lost its value. For him, it was a burden, and for Bo-Katan a symbol of everything she lost. But for everyone else? It still was a symbol of power.

I may sound here like I'm trying to defend the outcome, but I rather like to think I'm just taking a different perspective on it.

Hear me out, the point of Din getting the Darksaber maybe never was to show him as a potential leader, but rather put him on his path with someone who will make his life... better.

The Darksaber is something that put Din and Bo-Katan on the same way. A catalyst for everything we saw this season. Nothing of it wouldn't happened if Din didn't have the Darksaber. Just think about it, if in season 2 Bo got the Darksaber from Gideon, she would have her fleet, and wouldn't rot in her sadness on Kalevala, so there would be no one to save Din on his way to redeem himself. Giving this one sample to just show how big of a butterfly effect we are dealing here with.

So as much as I don't like the way the Darksaber was claimed, I truly don't think it makes everything pointless. For me, quite the opposite really. It's the reason why everything we see is happening.

[linka-from-captain-planet]

Florrickology, Part 4: Florrick, Wyll, Ulder, and Character Assassination

We all know it, we all hate it. They did my beloved dirty, used her to shit all over Wyll's quest at what should be a climactic moment, and I will never forgive never forget it.

In Act 3, if Wyll rejects Mizora's offer to rescue his father from the Iron Throne in favor of keeping his pact broken, Florrick will ambush the party, inform them that "Lady Mizora" told her what he did, and seek retribution unless talked down.

This is stupid, makes no sense, assassinates Florrick's character for no good reason, and represents some of Larian's laziest NPC writing--unsurprisingly, in the midst of Wyll's personal quest, and smack dab in what's supposed to be the climax of one of the longest quests in the game.

As I said in previous posts, Florrick being willing to go to the mat for Ulder any day or time of the week is consistent with her other characterization.

Up to the point of this confrontation, the player has observed that she'll follow Ulder to literal hell and back, chase him across half a continent, and become so disappointed in her perceived failure to save him and, by extension, the entire city, that she completely gives up and quietly awaits execution, without even trying to escape (which she probably could do, as a level 11, probably Enchantment School wizard).

All her voice lines and all the things others say about her paint the picture of a loyal and true-blue friend, and a public servant of the highest caliber, "as steady as Tyr's heartbeat" and "as upstanding as the Sword Mountains." She may be sharp and shrewd, and perhaps a bit domineering and curt, but she's not cruel. She may be a bit cavalier, but she's never rash.

She's not stupid. She may be more emotional than she seems.

She has killed someone before, on the spot, for coming after Ulder. It's consistent that she would do it again, even if she had to hunt them down this time and risk being caught by the Steel Watch. In her mind, she has nothing left to lose.

What is not consistent is her being willing to kill Wyll on a flimsy accusation (that she doesn't even really believe if you read her thoughts).

Now as I've mentioned, Florrick doesn't seem to feel any particular way about Wyll; she seems to regard him simply as her friend and boss' son, just a good kid she patted on the head at parades, and when they meet again in Waukeen's Rest, as a valuable asset in rescuing Ulder and saving the city.

And I like this! It highlights that Ulder was Wyll's entire world, and it was Ulder, alone, who failed him and cast him aside. I think this is also part of why there's never any indication that Florrick and Ulder are/were romantically involved, because this would change the expectations for how she treats/feels about Wyll. But as it stands, simply being a woman in the vicinity of a child, even one in need, didn't obligate her to be a mother.

And this the feeling is mutual. In-game, there's also no indication that Wyll had or desired had any sort of personal relationship with her, as he talks about her accomplishments but not, say, seeking her out for advice or spending time with her. He mentions crushing on Stellmayne, but when asked about Florrick, he goes right to "yeah she fucks, she sniped a guy right in front of me once." He only regards her in relation to his father and the city, never himself. She's his dad's confidant and advisor, and an exemplary public servant, but nothing in particular to him.

So, it's not how Florrick feels about Wyll that makes it out of character for her to attack him, but because of how she knows Ulder feels about Wyll.

She says herself, when talked down in that confrontation, that Ulder wanted her to find Wyll and pass his birthright on if he fell, because as many mistakes as Ulder made, and as wrong as he was, and as unacceptable as his behavior was, in the end, he trusted his boy with the fate of his beloved city.

So, Florrick would never betray Ulder by attacking his son, without irrefutable evidence, especially when she'd been told explicitly to trust and help Wyll by the person she respects and reveres the most in the entire world.

As one of the most prominent NPCs in the game, appearing with a fairly significant role in all three acts, and who's been demonstrated to be an unquestionable heroic figure all along, Florrick deserved better than what she got in this blatantly lazy, formulaic scene.

And that's the answer to the question of 'why is this scene so bad?' - lazy, formulaic writing.

That's also probably the answer to any 'why is this Act 3 moment and/or NPC interaction so clunky?' question. This confrontation is Like That because it's how every every NPC Confrontation is: someone is willing to kill you for variably logical reasons, unless you talk your way out of it, and the end result is only nominally different, so it was pointless from the jump. It's the illusion of drama and conflict and a plot twist, not real drama and conflict and plot twist. Of course she (andWyllcoughcough) isn't safe from the "uh oh this game isn't done but we're shipping it anyway so we better make this story beat messy, both under-and over-whelming, and confusing to match the overall tone of Act 3" curse.

So you might then move on to, "okay, well, what's the in-universe explanation for this? How can we make it make sense, considering what we know about Florrick?"

I won't give them credit for implying anything they didn't bother to imply, even though they could have gone several other routes with about 2 lines of better dialogue and a simple animation. So, I think the only true, canonical reason Florrick does this is exactly what's presented in the text. She was approached by "Lady" Mizora, a stranger, told a lie, only half-believed it, slapped a fuckass hood on over her very distinctive freakum dress, went on the hunt, and ambushed the party in front of like 50 human, 5 cat, and 3 Steel Watch witnesses even though she's a fugitive marked for execution.

That's it. There's no further context. Again, nothing implied. As you can tell by this entire series, I will read into anything, and there's simply nothing to read into here.

No indication that Mizora charmed or is controlling Florrick, a simple explanation that could have been easily been introduced with about 1 line, a special effect, and a mocap of her "snapping out of it."

No revelation that "Lady" Mizora has been posing as a patriar and pulling strings in Baldur's Gate for the last seven years, working closely with and maybe kissin haha jk... unless Florrick, making it perfectly reasonable why she'd believe Mizora over Wyll, who's been not only missing BUT cavorting with devils for those same seven years, which is ironic because Florrick had unknowingly been doing the same thing (juicy!). (more thoughts on this)

There's not even really a feeling that Florrick, who again did all that mentioned above for Ulder and her city, is simply just so heartbroken and grieving and demoralized that she's experiencing a mental breakdown and a critical lapse in judgement, grasping at anything to make it make sense or to make her feel in control again, even if she has her doubts deep down. Again, this could have easily been written in with a few lines and some body language. I feel like this is what they thought they did, but the fact is they didn't even though it would have been easy and cost basically 0 extra resources or time.

Clearly, this scene got rubber-stamped because they (painfully correctly) assumed that nobody would care about Wyll's storyline at this point, and his supporting character Florrick with it. They probably just figured that we'd all forget how wack it was when we continued the quest and got gagged by the Emporer being a gay dragon-fucker and also Balduran.

So, what would have made this scene/part of the quest better?

To be clear, better is a pretty low bar as the canonical version full-on sucks. The above suggestions are only what could have made this specific scene (Florrick Confronts Wyll About Killing His Father) better. But really, Wyll's quest, as we all know, needs an overhaul. So, below is what's overall needed to make Wyll's entire quest in Act 3 better.

maintain Florrick's characterization (this post is about Florrick after all)

give Wyll a chance to be a hero in his own story

actually utilize Mizora, who's truly been pretty pointless all this time

provide a sense of stakes--it has to matter what happens

get everything the fuck away from that fucking magic show

I had a whole alternative Act 3 storyline written to suggest, Boss Fight Mizora Avernus and all, but realized just before posting that it doesn't work because it ends with Wyll destroying his pact, and he does sort of need that to remain a warlock for the endgame (being forced to re-class at the 11th hour would be a bit of a bold move). But trust me it was cool and better than what we got.

[sunshine-jesse]

The Incest End is Not The Bad End, Part 3: The Only End I Know For Real

Alt title: We're roleplaying the endings, not choosing them.

I've focused a lot before on how sickly sweet the chemistry between Ashley and Andrew is and how unproblematic their relationship would actually be under different circumstances, mostly societal ones. I mostly did so to counter the idea that the incest end was primarily a bad end and bring up the assertion that it was the one with the most hope. In doing so, I basically interpreted all of the text within the game in a very positive light, giving off the impression that I think it'll be all sunshine and roses. The reality couldn't be further from the truth? While I think it's the end with the most hope, I ALSO think it'll be incredibly difficult for everyone involved.

As a matter of fact, I think the Questionable end will be the most difficult one to navigate through for Ashley herself.

"But wait," you say, alarm bells ringing in your head, "doesn't she literally fucking die in the Decay ending?"

And I don't think it's that obvious.

First off, why do I think the Questionable end will be difficult to navigate through? After all, Andrew is calm, collected, and Ashley is just a little bit nervous about how he's changing. She also has that ultimate leverage over him, knowing that he's sexually attracted to her and she can use it to keep him by her side. There's little for anyone to worry about, right? Well, no. Not really. As another analyst has pointed out, in the Questionable ending, Ashley has no OTHER leverage over Andrew.

The trinket? Shown to be only situationally useful to them. The future visions don't always show danger, sometimes the demon can just troll them. Sleep? No, he no longer needs Ashley for that. A scapegoat? Not even that. In the Burial ending, he starts to take responsibility for the violence he inflicts on others and has no need to pin the blame on Ashley.

Outside of sex, Ashley is more or less useless to him now, at least in her own mind. Truthfully, Ashley is still the most important person in the world to Andrew and doesn't seem to need a reason to keep her around anymore, but Ashley doesn't realize that; it's part of why she's so confused and uncertain. Their dynamic is changing, and she doesn't like it. But in the Questionable ending, all Andrew has to do is not have sex with Ashley (easier said than done if the fanbase [myself] is any indication) and she'll have nothing left. She'll likely have no other choice but to look inward at this point, especially if Andrew doesn't give off any of the usual red flags that make her think he'd leave her.

There's a good chance at this point that their dynamic will flip entirely. Ashley will be the one who needs comfort, and Andrew shows every indication of being emotionally stable enough to provide it. We'll see some Real Mental Illness instead of Possible To Infer But Maybe Problematic To Do So Mental Illness. Whether or not she changes for the better or worse will likely determine the ending we'll get.

…

Except probably not.

Sane vs Questionable can't be THAT different, or we'd be getting 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D instead of 3A and 3B. And, y'know what? Now I'm gonna start reaching really hard into theory territory rather than just analysis. So, hear me out here.

Both dreams are canon no matter the ending. The only difference is whether or not Andrew sleeps or not; if he does, the vision he gets is for HIM, and Ashley only incidentally sees it. It's much more important to him than to Ashley, because Ashley doesn't get a clear vision like she did in the motel. If them fucking was actually relevant to Ashley, she likely would've seen it no matter the ending. Her reactions reflect this; at first, she appears weirded out, maybe uncomfortable. Then she finds it hilarious. She considers it as a means of manipulation, sure, but the writing is on the wall: She won't NEED to do so no matter what.

Unfortunately, due to her not being able to open both doors, she won't be able to realize this. Oops!

At this point in time it's basically impossible to ascertain what her own personal vision means. I've given my interpretation before, but I ultimately have my doubts that the specific sequence of events is all to relevant. Most weird dream metaphors are clear parallels to past events, but the dream seems to be a metaphor for what the future will hold. The most relevant part is not the ghosts, but instead how Ashley reacts to what is clearly Andrew's soul. She jokes about trapping it in the bottle, but it being as a joke more than anything is a far cry from how desperate her attempts to keep him normally seem. So what gives? What does this mean?

I think, funnily enough, the Decay ending holds the answer.

My most-distanced-from-a-literal-or-metaphorical-reading-of-the-text-but-is-relatively-easy-to-accept theory is that the choices we are given in the game aren't asking us what we want to see from them, but rather, how we see the characters and their relationship. People are distracted by the idea of choice, but the reality is that we're being asked to roleplay (this is an RPG after all) as the siblings and do what we expect them to do. This isn't about choice. This is about BEING them and DOING WHAT WE THINK THEY'D DO.

Here's what I mean.

If we interpret Ashley as having trust in Andrew and his judgment, then it makes perfect sense she'd trust him with her parents. She might be a little worried, but it's pretty clear that her overwhelming desire to keep Andrew by her side is underscored by genuine love and trust. From there, if we interpret Andrew as having genuine love for his sister and a desire to take care of her, then it becomes everyone else's problem that they can't be together; not his. In killing their parents, he comes to terms with this and self-actualizes. He's willing to take responsibility for the violence he inflicts on others and has no discomfort with dismembering them.

But if you interpret Andrew as viewing Ashley as a burden and a problem, he can't bring himself to save their parents and have a better life because he views himself as too far gone. He hates himself as much as Ashley hates herself for being unable to break free from her influence. He still feels like she's his responsibility, but the love that exists there is greatly muted and overshadowed by his sense of responsibility and a carnal, physical desire for her. Knowing this is likely part of the reason he hates himself; part of the reason he can't let go.

He, crucially, also squanders Ashley's genuine display of trust. It's HIS fault that things break apart, which is why the skull appears over his head when you accept the mom's offer. Ashley genuinely, seriously loves Andrew and wants what's best for him. She's posessive, but her care is a lot less selfish than Andrew thinks, and he can't see that because he's too blinded by his hatred and (partially sexual) frustration to see who she really is.

On the other side of things, if you view Ashley as being a primarily toxic influence that views Andrew as more of an object than anything, she doesn't trust Andrew to deal with their parents and it's HER fault that things break apart, as the skull appears over her head. She sees him as an object, as a child or toy. She sees him as Andy, not Andrew, and can't process the fact that he can change. It's very overbearingly maternalistic, and I believe this specific choice is the only one where Ashley is actually more like their mother than Andrew, eye colors be damned.

In Burial, she wants to share the vision with Andrew, and he wants to share it with her, because their feelings are genuine and mutual and they want to share the experience (because they might get two visions from it, sure, but the principle isn't that much different) But in Decay, she keeps it to herself. She doesn't trust him or his input, either because she doesn't view his feelings as important or because he either almost squandered her trust (if she was listening in), or because he was generally hostile and disincentivized her from wanting to share.

There are other examples too, like when we're allowed to control Andrew to kill the hitman. If we view him as unprepared or unwilling to kill, we empty the whole clip because he's nervous and doesn't want to do this. If we view him as prepared, calm, and in control, he kills in one clean shot without much of an issue. Washing the [REDACTED] out of the shower drain? We basically get to see if Ashley is actually all that competent at housework or not, and if we don't know the right order, neither does she.

This comes to a head in both of the endings.

In the Questionable ending, we're shown that Andrew slept through the dream. We see what he really wants and the depths of his true feelings. He has very obvious romantic feelings for Ashley, and it's not just physical desire. Ashley's very obviously obsessed with Andrew still, but the fact that he can be present in every painting shows that she ACTUALLY views him that way. She's not just seeking validation; her feelings are real, and she knows it.

Remember, this dream is SHARED. We are seeing how BOTH of them feel.

In the Sane ending, Andrew isn't present, and Ashley is never given a chance to view their relationship as anything other than platonic. We don't know how Andrew feels, and we're arguably never given a view into Ashley's true feelings either, because that would-be revelation is cut off by a vision (indicated by eyes). We're just shown what she should do, needs to do, or will do.

Because we don't view their relationship as romantic, light is never shone on the reality of their dynamic. We never see how obsessed Ashley really is (if anything, we're being misdirected by being shown the opposite), and we never see that Andrew has romantic- if buried- feelings for Ashley that can't just be passed off as carnal physical desire. But since it's still the Burial ending, the dynamic still clearly exists; the endings would be too different otherwise. We CHOSE how we see their dynamic in the basement scene.

In other words…

Without love, the truth cannot be seen.

Reader who is in the know: "…hey wait a fuckin' minute" Me: "MOVING ON"

At some point- probably early on- the Sane and Questionable endings have to converge. Andrew and Ashley will have to have the nature of their dynamic laid out for them in a way they can't deny, and the likely only difference between Sane and Questionable will be whether or not Andrew is surprised/embarrassed, or just goes "I guess that dickhead demon wasn't just tricking us after all" and then the route will proceed as normal. Whether or not they have sex will likely be determined by your choices in Chapter 3 itself rather than Chapter 2 with this in mind. Either way, I think Ashley will go through most of the chapter confused and uncertain and will be forced to develop as a person, for better or worse.

In the Decay ending, as said, we're shown that Ashley doesn't even attempt to share a vision with Andrew, so we get to see a vision where Ashley's frame of mind isn't one driven by mutual affection. In this route, we see Ashley constantly running from -something,- and given dreams are metaphors, I think it's reasonable to assume that it's showing us that Ashley is primarily motivated by a fear of Andrew. Fear of what, exactly, isn't really clear; we know for a fact that she's afraid of losing him, but she's also afraid of the violence he can inflict upon her. Either way, she runs away, we can see the demon say "hmmm how interesting," and then we get a vision of the future.

But it's important to note, that vision is a metaphor, not a literal vision of the future. It takes place in the dream world- unlike any other vision, which takes place in the real world- and there are no out-of-frame eyes in the CGs like there are in the Questionable route. Also, (albeit less convincingly), all the eyes are in the background rather than on the map themselves, like they are when we see the hitman vision. The eyes only exist in the background in the Sane vision too, further adding to the idea that they're a metaphor.

So. If it's not a literal depiction of what will happen, then what exactly is it a metaphor for? Okay. Hear me out. This is my wildest fucking theory yet.

It's a metaphor for the Burial route. Or rather, the kind of event that happened in the Burial route.

What we are being shown in the metaphor is a reconciliation of their relationship, where their true feelings are laid bare. We are put in a situation where they are forced to decide how they feel for each other once and for all. If Andrew holds all the power in the relationship but has no control or awareness of his feelings- represented by whether he was composed enough or not to unload his entire clip-, he unceremoniously kills Ashley. Without that awareness, Ashley cannot even defend herself. She has no control because she isn't dealing with someone who has any either.

(Whether he actually kills Ashley or just some abstract representation of Leyley isn't clear, but it doesn't matter much for the purpose of analysis.)

But if Andrew does have that awareness of his feelings- represented by only shooting one bullet- they can negotiate. Because Andrew is in control, Ashley is also in control, and she can make one of two choices:

She can choose to save herself (and either maintain the status quo or just fucking kill Andrew depending on how literal the vision is). With this choice, she lets her fear overtake her and discards Andrew- the cause of her fear- like trash. He is an object that only exists for her sake, after all, and she can discard him just as easily as he seemed like her could discard her during the strangulation scene.

She can choose to trust and accept Andrew. And given a heart appears over her head, she can choose to love him, and overcome her fear, even at the cost of either her life or their prior dynamic (once more, depending on how literal it is).

Decay is asking us if we think Ashley is primarily motivated by selfish fear or genuine selfless love. But both exist either way, and their relationship must be understood and reconciled at some point; this route might honestly be their only hope for a platonic good ending, but it's going to be dismal and painful either way.

So with that in mind, why is the gun not relevant to the Burial route (yet) if it's such a strong metaphor?

Because the reconciling event WAS the basement scene.

We had to make that same choice there. Was Ashley too afraid of Andrew's interaction with her parents to let him handle it? Or did she love and trust him enough to make that choice? In choosing yes, the ball in Andrew's court. If he chooses to care for her needs, their relationship evolves. If he or Ashley refuse make that choice, that can is kicked down the road, and their relationship continues to deteriorate.

Or decay, as it may.

But in Burial, with that reconciling event having happened, the ball is in Ashley's court. With Andrew having come to terms with many of his feelings (minus his sexual desire), most of his arc is finished. There's probably still a lot of him to unpack on the Burial route, but in the Decay ending, as long as Ashley shows love for him, the final choice always falls on his shoulders. And with his final choice having been made in Burial, all that's left is Ashley's.

And what final choice will she have to make?

I don't know, I'm not a prophet.

But either way, she'll still have to make the choice of whether or not to be ruled by her fear of losing him, and desperately try to grasp for control she no longer needs, or cast aside that fear and allow for genuine, mutual love to flourish. Think about it this way: When you see a corpse, how do you react? If you don't care for the corpse or fear it, you stay away and let it decay. If the corpse belongs to someone you love, you tend to it and bury it.

And what do I think the best case scenario is? Well, I've made my opinion obvious, but I think there's one final thing I need to emphasize:

You don't claw at someone's back like a wild fucking animal if you're not really into it.

[starmistz]

HxH - Dodgeball Scene

Note: This isn't really an analysis but more of a rant, hence it being messy, haha .. (^^ ;) Everything is based on my own opinion too, so I don't guarantee it would satisfy everyone. But anyway, enjoy ur read! :3

(Chapter 166, episode 70.)

If someone asks me which HxH scene is the most misunderstood one, I would say it's this:

I've seen almost EVERYONE in this fandom say that this scene was very "selfish" and "insensitive" of Gon. But dude, c'mon. Do you really think Gon wouldn't give a flying fuck about Killua getting hurt just for his own benefit? He isn't that type of friend. In fact, he literally hates it when Killua willingly hurts himself, like he gets so mad and bothered.

Take this scene for example:

But what piqued my interest was how he still kept this moment in mind after a bunch of chapters later:

It shows how he still didn't forget about that situation, and thought about this self-destructive trait of Killua carefully. Pretty ironic for getting mad at Killua for being like this when Gon himself is also self-destructive, haha. It's like it's indicating that Gon knows how it feels like being self-destructive, so he's trying to stop Killua from feeling that aswell. Keep that in mind though, I'll be talking about it later on. :3

In the mean time, I think it's important to look carefully on to details even if it's tiny. I noticed a few things about this panel too:

Only Gon is drawn with a 💢, and he's also doing a ❌️ finger sign (it's so funny.) I get it probably doesn't have any deeper meaning but the fact that it's like that shows how much he dislikes it if u ask me. 😭😭 I mean, bisky just looks disappointed, not mad. Why not add a 💢 on her too? That's 'cause she's not THAT bothered by it, and it's implying the difference of how they take this trait. And well, Gon takes it SERIOUSLY. So point is, he's not insensitive when it comes to Killua intentionally hurting himself as we see him clearly despising it.

Anyway, remember how I told u to keep that one thing in mind? Yeah, Gon knowing how it feels like being self-destructive and all. We all know that the reason he does this is because he feels weak, and so he has this need to prove himself strong and useful to feel better, right? Well.. I feel like as time goes by, Gon thinks that Killua is also doing this because of the same reason. He notices how far Killua goes just to prove himself worthy too. So when he voluntarily decides to take painful hits in the dodgeball game, Gon encourages it instead. He knows how it feels to be seen as weak, not useful, and not needed. Taking risks for something, but people don't encourage that. They just tell you to stop, not knowing that it would just make you feel even more useless, making you feel like you did all of that for nothing because it was never enough. Gon is aware of that, so he does the opposite to Killua. Don't you guys get it? If he told Killua to just stop, Killua would feel unworthy and not good enough. He's going out of his way to help Gon, he free-willingly decides to take those hits. If Gon told him to stop, it would feel like rejection–that Gon didn't appreciate all that effort, and is techincally telling Killua that his help meant nothing. You can see how Killua was so desperate, he was so pushy with the "I can take one more hit!!! Gon, let me do it!!" and now imagine if Gon said no💀 That would be rejecting his help/an act out of love (platonic or romantic idc.) THAT would be the one that's ACTUALLY insensitive to Killua.

So Gon shows appreciation and encouragement instead, letting Killua's effort not be in vain. Saying stuff like how he NEEDS Killua to be the one that holds the ball for him, how he can't focus if it's not Killua–he needs Killua's help and Killua himself. All of that, is definitely what Killua needed to know too. It literally made him smile and felt more upbeat after, how could people say it was insensitive and would hurt Killua's feelings? 😭 He's happy to know that Gon does care about his efforts for him after all. ᵔᴗᵔ ♡

One thing I'd like to say though is that; That was still unhealthy for both of them. They think self-destructing is the only way they'll feel loved. 🙁 Of course I agree that it was most definitely bad, and it's not a good thing that Gon just fueled up Killua's self-destructive tendencies even more..😭🙏 BUT the point here is that, it wasn't insensitive and selfish of Gon in that moment, okay!?!? They both saw it in a positive light, even though.. it was definitely bad... but uhm anyways yeah, everyone should stop being so upset with this scene. You all are misunderstanding it and it's painful. 😔

But hooray thanks for listening!

[buckybarnesss]

I was literally thinking about all the fics where Stiles is like "and then Derek pushed me around 🥺" like... Derek did the steering wheel thing because Stiles made him STRIP FOR A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD BOY.

I started to read an article that opened up by criticizing the "physically abusive sterek ship" and backed out immediately, like you people need to remember that the show exists and that is not based in reality.

Pack mom Stiles.... gah. Stiles would never help Isaac with his homework. Derek would!! But Stiles? Hell no.

Stiles is literally a fucking creep. He walks around telling everyone that he loves Lydia. He has no boundaries. I love him that way. He's a snarky little asshole who would definitely just show up in Derek's apartment one day and Derek would be like "how did you get in here?" And then Stiles reveals that he pretended to be a doordash driver with a delivery and then picked the lock on Derek's front door.

fun fact my url before this one was creeperderek. i am fond of that url. he of loitering at tree lines and creepily disappearing into shadows in the boy's locker room for no fucking reason.

stiles does have a lack of boundaries and really intense anxiety about the people he cares about.

he listens to the police scanner regularly and monitors his father's diet due to his intense, almost uncontrollable anxiety about his father. he's terrified his dad will die and has an intense fear it will because of him.

all of that of course stems from his mother's death when he was so, so young and how claudia in her cognitive decline blamed stiles and accused him of trying to kill her.

this anxiety also extends to scott and melissa to various degrees due to their significance to the stability of his life for so long and why he's irrationally scared to tell his father the truth despite knowing if the sheriff understood what was really happening it would help more than hinder.

than there's other things like how he has a copy to the key to the mccall house that melissa isn't aware of and it's made pretty clear that stiles took the imitative. scott didn't give it to him.

scott doesn't seem all that bothered by this but scott is one of the few people who knows and mostly understand stiles. they live in each other's pockets. scott would be oddly touched but also be like bro what in the fuck? because really, stiles what the fuck?

people find that fucking weird and creepy.

it truly wouldn't surprise me at all if stiles had a copy of the loft key and derek knew he did and said nothing about it because these two are weird little freaks that probably have frequently creeped on each other.

we do get indications they speak outside of what we're shown. two little maladjusted bastards sharing one brain cell to creep on each other.

if stiles showed up in derek's loft derek probably wouldn't even be surprised. in fact he'd tell stiles he took longer than expected, peter did it better and he sucked.

it's so funny that fandom developed the idea that derek sneaks into stiles's bedroom all the time via the window and we literally never see this. it never canonically happens. though it's not said how derek got inside in wolf's bane so maybe a window but frankly i find it more plausible derek just, you know, broke in the house via a door.

putting a read more on this because i had a lot to say lol

stiles and lydia. ooh boy.

sentiment within fandom swayed a lot on these two and i've seen the common argument that sterek fans don't like stydia as a paring because it's not gay, or something to which i say lol no. i, personally, don't ship them romantically because for like 2 seasons stiles didn't see her as person and she mostly ignored his entire existence.

he fixated on lydia in the 3rd grade which would've been around the time claudia declined and than passed away. he held onto that crush tightly, put lydia on a pedestal making her more into an ideal than a person.

there's moments where we see them genuinely connect but there's so many scenes between the two of them until like season 3 that are cringe and uncomfortable. my main issue is that lydia never really says much about it either.

it's like until she becomes a real girl to stiles her position doesn't matter even when we see her be uncomfortable or weirded out around stiles.

we actually do see stiles and derek develop boundaries with each other. stiles uses derek to literally queerbait danny in wolf's bane. both derek and danny seem to realize this as it occurs and derek pointedly, purposefully retaliates with violence which isn't great but it makes it clear that derek is not okay with what stiles did and a line had been crossed. s2 has derek also indicate to stiles it's not okay to touch without permission.

remember the finger tippy taps stiles's gives derek when boyd dies? that's stiles having learned derek's physical boundaries over 3 seasons so that he is able to offer him comfort in a awful, terrible moment.

in conclusion derek and stiles aren't abusive and it's odd people latched onto that idea. they're abrasive assholes to each other and lack boundaries in the beginning because their maladjusted people for various reasons while also just being two little freaks about each other.

[barelynotsinking]

Gen V theories

Memory Loss:

I don't think it was rufus, it is too obvious and also he said that "it wasn't what it looked like" which I am skeptical of because he was LITERALLY NAKED, and is sooooooooooo slimy, but it is so obvious that I think they might do an expectation subversion and have him have a part of the puzzle. Hes been getting a lot of pointless attention, nothing he has done so far has furthered the plot despite getting so much screentime, so I think he'll be more important in the future (and probably pissed at Marie).

I am suspicious of the dean, tek knight said she doesnt have powers but it seems like the kind of thing she'd hide (victoria nueman style). Even if she doesn't have powers she has plenty of supes at her disposal. Doctor Cardoza seemed a bit too wimpy to mind wipe them. She seems to have a lot of secrets, and is the one who is gonna take the fall for Sam, so despite her soft spot for Marie (is it real? idk but it seems sweet for now) she'd still do that.

It would make the most sense if it was all of them were mindwiped because then giving them amnesia would serve the purpose of having them all forget about Sam.

Working off the theory that it was all of them I dont think it was cate, its been established that pushing to many people tire her out and she has been over working herself.

Jordan/Marie

Marie is full on gay panicking, and I don't think she would've ever been in a proper relationship before given her childhood which adds another layer of shit into their relationship. Its gonna be rocky for a bit, but I think that they won't break up because of Jordans gender. Their flirting in the hallway and also their general vibe makes me think she is attracted to them, and she doesn't seem like the kind of person who would run from that, but idk, my point is i dont think she's straight.

Jordan is prob panicking about if Marie is straight, given that they switched genders, which makes sense, would also indicate that they geniunely like her.

Jordan doesn't seem like an asshole to me they just seem introverted and very driven, Marie just met them in the worst possible circumstance where their goals were incompatable but I don't think they are.

Marie's sister

there is a chance she could have powers, the parents did it for her so why not her sister too, there is the question of why it didnt manifest by then, but maybe powers are genetic so they developed late like marie's

maybe she went to the woods like sam

Cate lying about Sam

I think maybe her and luke were actually both mind wiped, luke got really upset when he found out sam was being hidden, maybe both he and cate were brainwashed to forget.

[lakesbian]

As he left, Tattletale joined me, taking a few wrist-ties from me, and helping me with others.  She was grinning. “What?” “Nothing.” “You’re reading too much into it,” I told her.

this entire plot is insane because it's never going to be explicitly stated but.

there's no way lisa would have teased taylor earlier about her sparring w/ brian wrt the Implications unless she was fully already aware brian was into taylor--shes not gonna Fuck Around and setting the girl she's trying to manipulate-fix up for disappointment by insinuating a boy she looks up to is into her when he isn't

brian has already done many many things to indicate that he's into taylor that are obvious even to the readers, like being an insane person who gets so flustered from watching her effectively follow his orders re strangulating someone that he calls her "good girl" like thats fucking normal

from lisa's PoV brian has just asked taylor out on a date, wahoo, exciting news for pumping some self esteem into taylor and making her life nicey

now she can't actually explicitly say "i can tell with my power Dip Shit* your insecurities are wrong and he does like you" because taylor isn't supposed to find out her powers are that accurate until she's actually fully discarded the idea of turning them in. so lisa just has to Heavily Strongly Hint about this to taylor. but she's like whatever it's okay i'll just dress taylor up cutely and send her off to brian's apartmence and surely she'll find out there. but what she doesn't realize is that brian is genuinely mentally unwell enough to do this:

and is going to literally 'could be like a sister to me' zone taylor during the date that he invited her on because he has something wrong with him and doesn't actually know that he likes her. and hes not going to find out until after hes gotten crucified on the fucking meat freezer cross. so i mean if i were lisa i would have strangled him. how do you manage to be so repressed you accidentally trick lisa wilbourn into believing youre consciously courting someone when you dont even know you fucking like them.i know exactly whats wrong with him but that said what the FUCK is wrong with him

*she wouldnt say this she would say 'honey muffin' or some shit like that becauset heres something wrong with her too

[tobiasdrake]

Random thought about the final episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender and Ozai's means of defeat.

The role of the Avatar is to preserve the balance between the Four Nations. The show never really delves too deeply into, like, what that actually means. What is the balance between the nations?

We know what it's not. It's not committing genocide and conquest. It's not taking everyone's bending away so that nobody has powers anymore. It's not letting Spirit Satan eat the planet or whatever.

But there's not really much of an indication for what it is. What is the balance? And that's because there's not really an answer to that. As Legend of Korra goes on to show us through the origins of Avatar Wan, the Avatar isn't really charged by anyone to do anything. This is entirely a self-imposed task. The closest thing to some kind of patron deity or whatever that the Avatar has is Raava, and she's mainly just there to chill with her bestie and enable the Avatar's unique powers.

There is no real definition to what the balance is. No correct state of the world, that the Avatar must preserve. The Avatar just. Like. Has to use their best judgment. They are not a servant of the supreme authority in the world; They are the supreme authority. And they have to use that wisely.

This is why Aang wrestles with the concept of the balance in the comics with regard to Fire Nation colonies in the Earth Kingdom, and why Republic City can be born into the world as a fifth nation without disrupting the balance. Because the balance is a flexible concept; It doesn't really mean anything. It's just an easy way of codifying the idea that the Avatar will fuck you up if you use your power irresponsibly.

The role of the Avatar, in actuality, is about the legitimization of beneficial systems of power and the eradication of harmful ones. That is the balance. I said above that the Avatar is the supreme authority but in truth, they aren't even that. They're the validator of authority. They possess no real political power; They are a spiritual leader, recognized as the supreme political influence, and so serve as a check on the existing structures of political power.

That brings us to Ozai.

The Firelord is a monarch. His right to govern is derived not from his people, but by the inherent specialness of his bloodline. He was born into power because the circumstances of his birth automatically recognize him as a better class of human than the common person. This is what's known as the Divine Right of Kings or Divine Right to Rule; Something that Azula even name-drops in "The Crossroads of Destiny".

"You were born with nothing, so you've had to struggle, and connive, and claw your way to power. But true power, the divine right to rule, is something you're born with."

But what is the Divine Right? What is this special recognition? It exists in many different cultures and speaks to the faith of the region and era. In Ancient Egypt, the Pharoah was the mortal incarnation of the god Ra. In European monarchies, the Divine Right is the Christian God's recognition of the monarch's specialness. In China, the Mandate of Heaven states that the emperor is blessed by heaven.

The Divine Right has manifested in many ways across many cultures but the idea is always the same: Our supreme deity acknowledges that my family is supernaturally qualified to lead our nation, like none other.

But Avatar doesn't have deities. It has spirits. And it has the Avatar, spiritual leader and supreme political validator.

That is what brings us to the power in this moment.

Shorthand is the artistic practice of using small literal details to convey greater symbolic and metaphorical meaning. What happens onscreen is representative of something greater.

The literal text of this scene is that Aang, given a shiny new power-up by a passing Lion Turtle, takes away Ozai's superpowers and now he can't fight anymore. Then they lock him away in prison.

But taken within the context of their political and spiritual roles, Aang's energybending means more than its literal interpretation. Because Ozai is a king. He even trades out his Firelord title for the more blatant Phoenix King, just to make sure that the meaning isn't lost.

This moment is more than Aang taking Ozai's powers away. It's simultaneously a humanist and religious denouncement. It is the revocation of Ozai's Divine Right, taken from him by the one being in the human world of Avatar most closely associated to divinity. Ozai declared that the Mandate of Heaven permits him to burn the Earth Kingdom from the face of this world. And in this moment, the man named "Heaven" looks down on him and says, "No."

This is what the Avatar is, and what they mean to the world.

[hwanghyunjinenthusiast]

Tripped and fell into VerDi brainrot and, this is the result. Had this in the drafts for awhile now and I was initially going to post another piece before it but, I want to work on posting works in chronological order from when I start them. Honestly, this might be my favourite piece that I've written so far. Enjoy the filth.

Lee Chan x Fem! Reader x Hansol Vernon Chwe, Chan and Reader are in a relationship, voyeurism, exhibitionism, Vernon watches Chan and Reader have sex, praise kink (f. and m. receiving), unprotected piv sex, spanking (f. receiving), creampie, oral sex (m. receiving), Dom! Chan, Switch! Reader, Sub(ish)! Vernon and Chan being an overall menace to both Reader and Vernon.

I will block you if you are a minor and/or have no easily visible indication of your age on your blog if you interact with me in any way.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

When your boyfriend first suggested this, you were more than a little uncertain. Not that you had any issues with Vernon, quite the opposite actually. You two got along incredibly well, much to Chan's relief, and have become relatively good friends in your own right. However, being good friends with your boyfriend's best friend doesn't magically equate to being comfortable with involving him as a third during sex. Vernon is a good looking man, to put it simply. You weren't blind to that. It also didn't help that you found his more shy and reserved personality endearing. Sometimes wondering how he became best friends with your loud ass boyfriend. The two of them feeling like complete opposites at times. Regardless, while you were attracted to him, you did had your reservations about including him in your sex life when your boyfriend brought it up.

"I- what brought this on?" You asked Chan, completely bewildered by this suggestion to let Vernon watch the two of you. Chan's ears are a bright red as he explains what his friend confessed to him one night after one too many drinks, "He thinks you're hot. Always has. He said one night he overheard us fucking in the dance studio and, got off on hearing us. He said after that he's been curious about what watching us would be like." All of this information hits you like a truck. Learning far more about Vernon's sexual interests than you ever expected to in your lifetime. While you can see the appeal for yourself and Vernon, you do wonder what's in it for Chan. "Why do you want to do it?" You finally ask when you remember how to formulate words. Your brain still reeling from all of this. Chan just smirks before answering, "I thought you'd notice by now, I like showing off."

That's how you find yourself thighs spread wide with Chan fucking into while Vernon sits across from you two on a chair, watching. Chan's hands grip your thighs tightly to make sure they stay open. Making sure Vernon can see ever movement of his girthy cock inside of you. His chest is hot and sweaty against your back, his breaths against your shoulder and neck giving rise to goosebumps. A particularly hard thrust from him has you throwing your head back and, moaning long and loud for both men to hear. "Isn't she so pretty?" Chan asks the older man over your shoulder, moving one of his hands to toy with your hardened nipple. "Yeah, so fucking pretty," Vernon responds completely transfixed by the sight of the two of you.

Vernon is yet to do anything other than sit there and watch, in nothing but his boxers. Both men agreeing to let you take the reins in that regard. Honestly, he's just happy you both agreed to let him watch. You're quite literally making one of his wildest fantasies a reality. He wasn't going to get all greedy now. Trying his best to ignore the painful ache of his profusely leaking cock in his boxers, he struggles to choose where to focus his gaze. One part of him desperately wants to watch the way your tight pussy eagerly swallows his best friend's (kind of intimidating) cock. The other part of him wants to watch your tits jump and bounce and jiggle with each of Chan's precise thrusts. The final part of him wants to watch your beautiful face. Eyes lidded in pleasure, lips bruised and swollen from how thoroughly Chan had kissed you and, every little noise you make shooting straight to his cock. Vernon would never tell Chan this because the younger man's ego is enormous enough as it is but, he thinks he finally understands why you're so willing and eager to spread your thighs for him, any and everywhere. Chan is nothing if not thorough at making sure you're fucked out.

He settles on alternating between looking at every part of you but, he finds his eyes wondering to your pussy more than anywhere else. You may be becoming too dazed to notice but, Chan notices and he pounces.

He fucks into you particularly hard, biting back a groan at how you tighten around him and dig your nails into the skin of his arms as he holds onto you firmly. "She's so tight. I can barely move," he tells Vernon, enjoying the way his words wash over his friend. His grip on the arms of the chair he's been sitting for what feels like hours tightening slightly as he swallows thickly. "Chan," you whine out in embarrassment at his words, turning your head in an attempt to hide from Vernon's scorching gaze. Chan won't be having any of it, however. The hand that had been toying with your nipple moves to cup your jaw, turning you back to face his best friend, whispering in your ear, "There's no need to be shy, baby. Look at how hard Vernon is from watching us. From watching you."

You shyly let your eyes wander to Vernon and are immediately struck with how delectable he looks. His brown locks sticking to his sweaty forehead, face flushed an adorable shade of pink and his cock straining against his boxers with a noticeable wet spot. The sight of him causing you clench around Chan's cock and moan out far louder than you intended to. "Y-you look so pretty, Ver-Vernon," you stutter out, taking great pleasure in watching his blush darken and spread down to his neck. "She means it. I almost came from how hard she clenched around me just now," Chan adds over your shoulder, moving his hand from your jaw to your clit.

"Th-Thanks," comes Vernon's bashful response, his cock throbbing from the praise. He watches intently as Chan makes quick work of your clit, still fucking you incessantly while encouraging you to cum on his cock. Cum while Vernon watches.

"Don't you want to show Vernon how much of a good girl you are? How beautiful you look when you cum?" Chan asks loud enough for both of you to hear clear as day, his fingers and his cock not giving you much of a choice. You hold Vernon's gaze as you cum. Insides tightening around Chan like a vice while your juices gush down his cock and his balls onto your shared bed, mouth open as you cry out for both men to hear.

Vernon has never cum untouched but, he thinks he just might from watching how hard you cum. You're arching and squirming so attractively, all your sounds of pleasure making his boxers even more of a sticky mess. Chan was right, you do look beautiful when you cum. Speaking of the younger man, this is probably the first time he isn't running his mouth all night. His own moans mixing with yours from how hard you try and milk him for his cum but, he resists. He still has other ideas in mind for how he wants this evening to go. Steeling his resolve to not fill you with his cum, he does keep you steady against his chest as you ride out your climax. Slowing his thrusts down as to not completely overwhelm you and, cooing encouragements and praise at you for how well you did, how pretty you looked and how good you were for him.

"Are you okay? Do you want to take a break?" Chan asks you softly, hands now rubbing your thighs soothingly. Once you finally start to regain the ability to formulate words you respond, "No, I don't want to stop. I have an idea actually. I want you to fuck me while I suck off Vernon." It's a desire of yours that's been building as you've watched Vernon squirm in that chair while Chan makes you take him. You want to touch Vernon, to taste him. You'd even be okay with letting him fuck you too but, you know Chan probably wouldn't be comfortable with that. Atleast for now. "That's if you're both okay with that," you add hurriedly, giving both men ample opportunity to back out. They seem to have a silent conversation with one another for a moment. Communicating through eye contact and nothing else. You try not to squirm too much on Chan's lap, his cock still very much rock hard inside of you while the two of them communicate. Finally, Chan's hands gravitate to your hips and he kisses the side of your head before say, "I'm down and something tells me Vernon is too. How do you want us, baby?"

That's how you find yourself with your face in Vernon's lap while Chan gradually fucks into you from behind. His hands holding your hips while he thrusts into you slowly. Giving you time to adjust to the new angle and focus on Vernon with minimal distractions. Vernon watches you in a mixture of fascination and shyness, your face centimetres from his still covered cock. You slowly reach for his boxers, giving him the chance to stop you if he wants to. He doesn't. You watch through half-lidded eyes how his lengthy cock smacks against his stomach, smearing pre-cum on his skin. Chan's grip on your hips tightens for a moment when you clench around him at the sight of Vernon's cock, picking up the pace behind you gradually. "Is it o-okay if I touch you now?" You ask him, hand hovering just above his cock that is flushed a rather angry looking red. "Yeah," he breathes out and, it takes everything in him not to cum on the spot when you finally do touch him. Wrapping your hand around him and stroking slowly to become accustomed to the weight of him.

Vernon is a little embarrassed at the noise he makes when you experimentally lick him, his taste a little salty but, otherwise not unpleasant. "You can touch me too, okay?" You tell him softly with a smile before easing your mouth onto his cock, feeling him pulse violently against your tongue for a few beats. Vernon's shaky hands find themselves in your hair, being careful not to tug too hard as you begin to well and truly suck him off. "You can be more rough. Not only can she take it, she loves it. Isn't that right, princess?" Chan asks you, giving your ass a harsh slap to prove his point. Your answering moan with a mouthful of Vernon's cock and attempts at nodding make Chan smirk before he focuses his attention back on making sure you're fucked thoroughly. Watching the way your pussy takes ever bit of his cock and your ass kisses his abs with ever thrust have him steadily heading towards his orgasm. Vernon isn't fairing much better. Even while partially distracted by Chan, you still try your utmost to make sure the older man is enjoying himself. Taking him as far as you can, swallowing around him and deliberately slowly easing off of him until his tip rests against your tongue once more. He thinks he might just lose his mind with how much of a tease you're being. "I- please" he begs hoarsely, grip tightening on your hair as you ease down onto his cock once again. At his plea, you meet his wild eyes, stilling your mouth momentarily while you stare at him with a glint of amusement. He knows what you want him to do and Vernon has never been too proud of a man to beg for what he wants. "Please. Please l-let me cum. Please," he whines, trying his best to stay still and behave for you.

Chan groans from behind you at how you clench around him at Vernon's words, fucking into your faster. His grip on your hip and ass bruising now. You wouldn't be surprised to find indents of his fingers on your skin when he was finished with you. Deciding to treat Vernon with a little kindness since he asked so nicely, you continue your ministrations on him. This time not slowing down or taking it easy on him in the slightest. Your bedroom filled with the sounds of skin slapping against skin, you gagging on Vernon's cock and the moans of pleasure from the two men.

To the surprise of everyone, Chan is the first to cum. You know before he informs you based on the way his cock pulses incessantly inside of you and he keeps you still against his hips that he's going to cum. His cum is warm and familiar inside of you and, the vibrations from your moans at being being filled up by your lovely boyfriend quickly send Vernon over the edge as well. You do appreciate his attempts in trying to warn you but, you were more than happy to swallow his cum. You try your best to swallow all of it but, there's just too much of it so bits of it dribble past your lips and down your chin. You lap at him softly until he moans from the oversensitivity so, eventually you stop and give him some time to catch his breath. Vernon watches you scoop up all his cum that made it past your lips with your fingers and push them into your mouth until they're licked completely clean.

God, you're so hot.

Chan gently eases out of you. Both of you shuddering at the feeling and, he takes a moment to admire the view of his cum leaking out of your pretty pussy. Honestly, you don't think you've felt this full of cum and well-fucked in your life. Which is really saying something because your boyfriend is an extremely thorough man when it comes to sex. Even on the verge of blacking out, you're so glad you decided to say yes to this idea.

[ineffablydelighted]

[How exploring the Ineffable Husbands' dynamic in Good Omens can help us figure out what the show/book is all about, Part 3.1/?]

Also called: This human has, apparently, too much time on her hands and will be trying to Effable the Ineffable for [...] hours.

Hiya, Angels! 👋

Hope you're all doing well!

First of all, if you randomly came across this analysis, I guess you would expect me to entice you to read the first two parts beforehand... And you would be absolutely right.

"Obviosleh."

And since I'm nice [and because I fully understand the importance of saving people as much effort as possible to catch a larger audience - Duh 😇], here are the links for Part 1 and Part 2 🥰 so that everyone is on the same page as we dive into Part 3.

As I previously announced, we'll dissect our favorite pair's next two encounters today which are S1 3004 BC (Noa's Arch, The Flood) and S2 2500 BC (Job's ca-

[future me rereading this before dropping - Yep, nope, not happening just yet]

By doing that, I will try my best to prove to you the main point of my analysis I've revealed at the end of Part 2.

Repeat after me: Good Omens is a philosophical essay disguised as comedic/satyric/romantic fiction.

[Yeah... here she is, already giving orders strong recommendations... I'm so Metatroning you right now.]

[And, since I'm at my best when I'm Metatroning people, this is the moment I'm gonna take to strongly recommend you to ingest the human matter of your choosing - Num num num.]

*In Crowley's voice* OOookaay, let's start!

3004 BC (Mesopotamia - Noa's Arch, The Flood)

In S1, Right before this encounter happens, the scene starts by making us, the audience, witness Aziraphale very badly lying to God about the flaming sword, an event that I already mentioned in part 2 because of the contrast it was considering he did tell the truth to a newly Demonized Crawley in comparison.

BUT [Yay, first "but" of Part 3! Are you having fun?], I really want to talk about this bit some more because that remains one of the scenes that, to this day, bugs me THE MOST in Good Omens as a whole.

To sum things up, you're telling me that GOD:

BOTHERED to pop in to ask one of their Angels a question.

That the said Angel seemed suuuuper anxious about from the start: looking everywhere aimlessly, almost asking them WHAT A DAMN SWORD EVEN WAS... basically giving away EVERY TELLTALE SIGN, both in their voice, mannerisms, and the simple fact that they were literally back to the wall, that they were about to LIE, proceeded to give God the UNanswerest answer EVER:

"Oh, must have, uh, must have put it down here somewhere."

And God just... just... LEFT THAT LYING ANGEL ALONE?! Just as quickly as they arrived?! No arguments, no further questions, no reckoning, just... NOTHING. HAPPENED?!

HUH?

WOT?!

WHO?!

WHO THE F DOES THAT?!

WHO DOES THAT?! That is a real question! WHO?!

IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY. SENSE!

THE F-

I mea-

I'll never recover from it.

Oof. Okay, I'm fini-

I NEED an answer in Season 3! This is all I ask! I don't need the world to be saved, I don't need Alpha Centauri, man, I don't even need Aziracrow to reuni- [okay, no, can't say that, even if I like being dramatic, I take that back, this is all I want and all I've ever wanted, please, I just need to see Aziraphale in a white dress and Crowley demanding him to remove his 200 yo jacket on top of it because it "absolutely ruins it", please!] I. NEED. ANSWERS.

*clears her throat* Yeah. So. I'm perfectly fine with this scene. Moving on!

Aziraphale and Crawley meet in Mesopotamia during the year 3004 BC.

Crawley is the first to notice and to greet Aziraphale VERY enthusiastically. Which is, first of all, cute, but also an indicator that they haven't seen each other in a very long time, more precisely, since Eden (a thousand years prior to be exact). We know that because the first thing Crawley says after his "Hello, Aziraphale!" is the direct continuation of their conversation back in Eden:

"So, giving the mortals a flaming sword. How did that work out for you?"

Aziraphale answers what will never cease to bug me:

"The Almighty has never actually mentioned it again."

Which still peaks my interest because it could mean two things, and pretty different things at that:

One, God and Aziraphale never directly interacted again and nobody from the Main Office ever asked him about the flaming sword at all, which made Aziraphale believe that God never asked them anything about it.

OR

Two, God and Aziraphale DID directly interact again but the flaming sword subject has never been brought up once more.

Given the way this sentence is constructed and the emphasis on "actually mentioned it again," I'm more inclined to believe in the second option, which would be a very interesting thing to pounder:

Aziraphale might have a "privileged" relationship with God considering they probably interacted somewhat directly and more than once.

I'll go back to it later because we need to keep that in mind for the Job's case encounter.

Crawley says that it is "probably a good thing" until his attention is drawn to what is happening around them.

Then, they will debate the subject of the day, which is pretty much the same thing as before but formulated differently and condensed:

What is the point of Good and Bad? Do these concepts even have a meaning or not?

The main difference between the two previous encounters compared to this one is that this time, Aziraphale and Crawley are both active in the debate and do find common grounds here and there. It is shown cinematographically: they share the screen.

Aziraphale explains to Crawley that God got "a bit tetchy" and wants to drown the human race (well, at least the Middle Eastern humans) and Crawley takes that announcement astonishingly, which still aligns with his creator-at-heart persona.

"All of them?"

Insists Crawley.

Aziraphale first tries to mitigate what appears to Crawley as an extreme reaction by stating that Noah, his family, and their spouses will be spared but you can see that he, himself, doesn't really believe in what he tries to say.

"But they're drowning everybody else?"

Crawley really, really cannot comprehend what is happening.

"Not the kids. You can't kill kids."

This reminds us of their very first meeting because Crawley, here, judges God and tries to put himself in their place. Again.

Aziraphale answers with a worried nod: both because he is scared (his Fear of God cannot be anything but present at that moment) and because... he agrees.

And THEN, Crawley says that:

"Well, that's more the kind of thing you'd expect my lot to do."

Now that Aziraphale is more inclined to be part of the debate, Crawley tends to be more forthright about his opinion:

If God can do what Satan and his demons do, what is the point of separating the two? Are they, really, that different?

And, more so:

Is God a Good being anyway?

If Good or Bad exists, of course. [Oh, yes, I know I'm annoying. 100% aware. 😁]

To Aziraphale, it is clearly the case, and that is why he tries, again, to mitigate God's actions:

"The Almighty's going to put up a new thing, called a rainbow. As a promise not to drown everyone again."

A rainbow, huh? How interesting...

A rainbow is basically a demonstration of the union between Water and Fire. God and Satan. Good and Bad. Blah blah blah.

Almost as if...

Nahhh...

Almost as if they both needed to exist at all times!

Also, Aziraphale almost sounds like he is interpreting the rainbow as God's excuse for having a tantrum.

Which Crawley responds with a very sarcastic:

"How kind."

That's when Aziraphale cannot bring himself to follow Crawley's opinion any further (even if it is clearly shown he DOES agree, he is just SCARED to be).

After telling Crawley that he cannot judge God, that's when the "Ineffable" word is brought up again. This time, by Crawley. Because he already knows what Ineffable means to Aziraphale:

I am not important, or mighty enough to judge God and I am not supposed to. I am supposed to do what I am told, no questions asked.

Does it sound repetitive? Yeah, because it is 😅 That is Good Omen's main theme, after all.

This story is, as I mentioned before, a satire. Of religion, but also, of the concept of hierarchy, and the danger of ideologies as a whole. "Ineffable" is an ideology. "Ineffable" literally means "so emotionally overwhelming and powerful that you cannot translate into words"...

But Good Omens wants to bring you to ask yourself: cannot or don't want to?

Aziraphale is a character who doesn't want to think by himself because he is scared of a higher power (hierarchy). But he cannot just... stop thinking. Oppositely to Crowley, who kind of always, naturally had that ability.

Therefore, that makes it difficult for the both of them to understand each other [Oh yes, we'll talk about that further when we finally talk about that S2 finale that left us traumatized. According to my rhythm and how my Muse is an erratic bench, I'd say this conversation will occur in about a year or two.] Just as it is difficult for any of us to understand the people who think dramatically differently than us. Good Omens is an invitation to debate with people who do not share our views. That is how we stay open-minded and prompt to change.

Basically, folks: don't blindly stay in the boxes you're in.

Hierarchy is heavily criticized too, because it is a big cause - if not the main one - of people staying put in their respective boxes. Religion is a box among many others, hence the fact I prefer to say that GO mocks ideologies as a whole.

But hierarchy can be different things, and, more so, can use many different tones towards its subordinates: hierarchy can be nice, and affectionate (family, for instance - or not, definitely not always). Hierarchy can also be threatening, physically or mentally, or both (dictatorship, for instance).

Basically: hierarchy can either come from love or fear.

Or... well, both. That's how you get... propaganda? That is the most blatant example that came to my mind. We tend to associate love with good. We also tend to forget how often love has been used as a weapon.

Good and bad are...

[You know the end of the sentence, now, do you? If not, it means I haven't harassed you enough, so let me remind you]

Good and Bad are always mixed up. If they exist.

Anyway, I feel like I'm starting to digress.

.... Actually? I'm not done with that segment just yet.

[You right now.]

Hierarchy can also come from... habits. History. Some hierarchies that we are under today are still there because of how long they have been installed, but not really because they are that relevant anymore. I am not going to bring examples here because I do not want to offend anybody and because you are more than capable of interpreting this statement in a way that speaks to you.

We'll talk about this more when we'll reach the... Jim/Gabriel subject. [In about a year and a half.]

ANYWAY. Moving on to a lighter reflection:

Romantically speaking, Aziraphale remembers that encounter because Crawley displayed strong empathy and concern during that whole meeting.

He asked Aziraphale how he was after the flaming sword incident,

He could not comprehend how killing kids was okay,

He bothered to alert Noah about the escaping unicorn.

[Also, maybe, because damn - Also, it might come as a surprise to you who have seen me fangirling over Crowley for the last 3 parts but my favorite is actually Aziraphale 🤣]

After this conversation, The Flood starts and neither of them is protecting the other from it. Because of habits (after a thousand years spent on earth, they know this will not hurt any of them), but also as a way to tell us, the audience: they have started to realize they were in this together.

[Insert the "We're all in this together" Disney's High School Musical song right here... Yeah! I'm a Millennial, how could you possibly have guessed?!]

They are Equals.

Another really important topic in Good Omens, by the way, but it is time to dive into one of my favorite encounters between Aziraphale and Crowley and-

Huhhhh. I feel like analyzing two meetings including a whole episode in only one part might feel too heavy (to me, at least). So... I guess see you next time? 😅

Bye, Angels!

[No, no, I'm not saying you are "sssuckersss" okay? Just wanted a Crowley gif.]

Need help to find the rest of this analysis? I've got you covered! Follow me, Angel 😇

Previous - Beginning - Next

[averageanonymous]

Summary: The new Grand Duke of Hell has requested an Audience with the recently appointed Supreme Archangel.

This is somewhat of a sequel to This Post/Ficlet. It doesn't need to be read in order though. More info at the end.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“The Grand Duke of Hell has requested an audience,” Uriel says, just short of a sneer, as he enters Aziraphale’s ‘office’. (Of course, it isn’t really an office. Just a desk in a secluded corner of heaven. Gabriel hadn't even had a desk, apparently. Aziraphale had insisted on one.) He tosses a folder in front of him. 

“Always nice to see you, Uriel,” Aziraphale greets his fellow archangel without looking up from the documents he is working on, pointedly ignoring the not-remotely-subtle roll of Uriel's eyes. “You said an audience with the Grand Duke? Somewhat irregular…but in light of recent developments, I suppose an audience isn't unjustified.” 

“Mm,” Uriel turns to leave, barely pausing to throw over his shoulder, “First floor boardroom, five minutes.” 

Aziraphale looks up sharply, sputtering, “Five minutes!?” But the other angel is already too far away to bother answering, if he even heard at all. Aziraphale shuffles his papers together in a rush and places them in a desk drawer before gathering up the folder left by Uriel and starting quickly towards the lift. 

Honestly, he thinks as the lift door opens, I don't expect them to like the situation, but this is ridiculous. He steps in and presses the button to take him to the first floor. It's as close to “neutral” as exists in the building shared by Heaven and Hell with the exception of the lobby.

As the lift begins the long drop down, he flips open the folder and scans through the pages. They’re basic audience request forms, followed by a contractual agreement to refrain from all hostilities including but not limited to maiming, dismembering, beheading and spontaneous combustion. The section on the request form where it's meant to indicate the reason for the meeting has been left blank. Aziraphale checks the signatures, but doesn't recognize a name in the messy scrawl. 

He assumes that Shax took up the role of Grand Duke. She seemed quite ambitious… though perhaps she would have taken on Dagon’s responsibilities on the Dark Council and the Lord of the Files would have moved into the coveted position. Either way, it didn't make much difference which demon was in the seat. They were all cut from the same cloth. 

Something in him twists at that thought. Not all, he amends. There were exceptions to every rule. 

As the lift approaches the first floor, he straightens his bowtie, adjusts his coat, rolls his shoulders back. He lets just a little bit of Heaven's Grace shine in his skin, not too much, but enough to remind whoever it is he is meeting just who it is they're dealing with. He's not just an angel who spent most of his years on earth. He's not the Angel of the Eastern Gate of Eden. He's no Cherubim or Principality. He is The Supreme Archangel of Heaven. With that, the lift doors open.

A hall with several gray doors greets him. The gray tile floor is accented by intricate patterns of black and white. At the end of the hall, the largest door is flanked by angelic guards on one side, and a pair of mid-level demons on the other. Standard procedure for any officially sanctioned meeting of the representatives of Heaven and Hell. 

Aziraphale approaches the door quickly. His internal clock indicates that he is three minutes late. He tells himself that there's nothing wrong with making Hell wait a few minutes, though. After all, with how they run things Downstairs, waiting is surely quite familiar to them. 

With a nod to the angels, who respectfully nod in return (at least the lower angelic ranks don't seem to hold the same ire towards him as the upper ranks), Aziraphale pushes open the door and enters the room- 

His heart literally stops beating, the physical functions of his corporation all stalling as his mind freezes, attempts to re-process what he is seeing, and fails miserably. There must be a mistake, or someone is playing a great bloody joke, or SOME other explanation that makes who is seated before him, lounging at the head of the table with his legs up like he owns the place, make sense. 

It doesn't make sense. It can’t make sense. 

Aziraphale finally finds it in him to choke out, “Crowley??”  

“Don't think I've ever seen you so speechless, angel,” Crowley drawls, uncrossing his ankles and uncoiling from his chair, every bit the Serpent. “Something got your feathers in a twist?” 

Aziraphale tries to take in the demon as he steps around the table. There's so much to take in, though, that Aziraphale finds it difficult to even look at him. He forces himself to anyway. His gaze is immediately drawn to Crowley’s wings in their full manifestation. Even folded tightly against his back, they're huge and lustrous, shining like polished obsidian. It’s clearly a statement. And so is the rest of his appearance. He has a black metal circlet on his head, two curling horns giving the illusion of Crowley himself having horns. His dark red hair is longer than it has been in years, curling around his shoulders. Aziraphale can see black snake skin on the sides of his neck, disappearing under the collar of his shirt and reappearing on the back of his hands. And at the ends of his fingers he's got claws, for Heaven's sake. His gaze travels back to Crowley's face, to his eyes, hidden behind his usual dark lenses, and then, unbidden, to his lips. His eyes snap down, but he knows Crowley saw. 

He inhales shakily, trying to gather himself. Memories of the last time they were together are themselves almost a physical blow. Aziraphale can recall with perfect clarity the feel of those lips pressed to his. He can remember the array of unfamiliar sensations and emotions it elicited. 

Aziraphale finally steels himself and looks back up at Crowley, Grand Duke of Hell. 

“I know we didn’t leave things on the best of terms, but whatever it is you think you're playing at, this isn't funny,” Aziraphale finally snaps at him, dropping the file on the table. 

“Not meant to be,” Crowley shrugs, “I saw an opportunity, and I took it.” 

“After everything you said to me about- about not rejoining their side-” 

“I'm a demon,” Crowley cuts him off. “I lied.” 

Aziraphale purses his lips. “So that's how it is,” he says, not sure where this leaves them. 

“That's how it is,” Crowley agrees. He claps his hands together, “Right. Now that's out of the way. I didn't come here just to shock you, Supreme Archangel. There's things that need to be discussed. Now this Second Coming nonsense your lot have cooked up -” 

Aziraphale shakes his head and holds up his hands, confusion and betrayal warring within him, “Crowley, you can't expect me to play this charade with you.”

“Not a charade, angel,” Crowley corrects him. 

Aziraphale huffs in frustration and steps closer, eyes darting to the sides of the room as though the walls are listening, and says with quiet vehemence, “Oh, really? You’re the actual Grand Duke of Hell, and you think that we can, what?”

“Work together. Obviously,” Crowley hisses back in a stage whisper, “You and me against the forces of Heaven and Hell, working towards the common good of humanity.” 

“Oh, Crowley,” Aziraphale sighs, “You know it isn’t that simple.” 

“It can be,” Crowley says, taking a step towards Aziraphale. They’re close now, close enough to touch. Crowley hesitantly reaches across the space between them. When Aziraphale doesn't pull back, he tentatively curls his pinky around Aziraphale’s. Aziraphale looks down at their hands, joined by that smallest touch, and feels his heart beating a quick rhythm in his chest.

“You and me, angel,” Crowley says again, his voice sure. The mockery is gone now, the act vanished. Beneath the gaudy costume he is simply himself. Crowley continues seriously, “We have an opportunity here. You at the top of your totem pole, me at the top of mine. What do you say?” 

Aziraphale meets his gaze. 

For the first time since before the Metatron came to his shop, Aziraphale feels…

Hope.

He curls his pinky around Crowley’s in return, their fingers linked in a promise.   

“Where do we start?”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thank you for reading! This (even more so than its prequel ficlet) is essentially a first-draft mini-scene from a multi-chapter fic that I'll likely never write in entirety. I figure I can let them gather dust on my computer, WIPs dead in the water, or I can release them to the internet. I'd rather let them be free. But hey, maybe someday I'll write enough of them to string together into an actual story.

[jalwyn21]

The thing that pisses me off the most about Swifties talking about Joe using public transport as a British person is how oblivious they clearly are to how class even works in the UK. I know some other people have said this but it just really shows their ignorance. Joe is from what would be considered an upper middle class background which is literally just a couple of steps below aristocracy in Britain. If you actually look at his family history, he's got some very influential family members. Plus, his family is clearly in a position to support not only his but Patrick's goals of acting. In Patrick's case studying internationally. And I believe Tom went to Cambridge. That's three children from London (one of the most expensive cities in the world) who've had a very expensive education.

There is such a disparity in class in Britain and London especially. Generally speaking, the people that get to have careers in acting are the ones that have the resources to fund it as well as the connections. While there are certainly working class people who become successful in the field, most don't even get the chance because of the class disparity. James McAvoy has spoken on this. Now this isn't shading Joe or his family because they are clearly good people and Joe is very talented (and I'm sure Patrick is too) and has worked hard but the fact is they have had resources and privileges that many other British people don't have. So for these swifties who would obviously know what the Alwyn's actual financial background is and the connections they have (because they seem to stalk Joe's every move) to use him travelling on the tube as something to prove how poor he is and make fun of him, is truly offensive to me personally as someone who grew up working class. I like Joe and I have nothing against his family at all but it bothers me that these swifties would take what is a genuine issue that so many people in Britain deal with and apply it to a man that most definitely has not dealt with it for the sole purpose of making fun of him.

Also, for all Taylor likes to talk about having to move to a foreign country and live in a rental house, if her relationship with Joe is any indication, she obviously did not live the life a regular British person would live. Hell even if she hadn't been with Joe at the time, she wouldn't have experienced that regular life because while Joe at the time was just a normal person, she was still Taylor Swift.

I think swifties in particular but most Americans in general can't wrap their heads around the concept of Europe. Seriously, it's a thing.. 🤷‍♀️

And yes, Joe is lucky enough to have had a good life and a good family and the best education money can buy.

The thing with Joe, is that you don't feel it. You don't feel how privileged he is because he is not disconnected from reality and he doesn't rub it in people's faces.

He genuinely doesn't think he is better than other people. Joe knows how to be normal. You know the yogurt boy jokes? Yeah, it only shows that even as a teenager he was more grounded than she will ever be. He built character. She built billions. 🤷‍♀️

And to be fair about Europe.. the public transportation is not bad so I think everyone uses it, regardless of how much money they have. 🤭

But yeah, the Joe is poor jokes are very offensive and in the poor taste I've come to expect from swifties.

Also, bragging about someone else being a billionaire is not the win they think it is. Especially if you consider that the people who made her a billionaire are probably struggling with the cost of living... 🙄

[heeseung-min]

Can you do a very clingy yandere jungwon who had a toxic partner before he met you and when he realized that you're so different from his previous partner he says that he can't love w/o you(literally) and he's just so dependent on you

[05:53]

You love your boyfriend so much however sometimes he being ridiculous when you wanted to do something.

"Y/n, can we go home?"

"Oh, Jungwon. I am sorry but I have group task with my classmates. We need to complete it today."

"Are you- are you going to leave me? Please y/n- I- don't leave me. I'm sorry I became like this-"

"Jungwon."

Jungwon stop sobbing at your voice and stared at your face. You sighed tried to calm yourself because you knew how bad Jungwon got treated in the past relationship so it still leaves him trauma.

"I am not going to leave you. I love you so much. I just need to do a work with my classmates."

You stared at his face that was lowkey begging you to let him go with you. You sighed at the sight and hold his hand so he can stop overthinking.

"You know what? Let's go to the library together."

Jungwon slowly changed his frown to smile face when hearing those words from you. He knew that you will never leave him. You love him so much as he loves you too.

Ting!

Jungwon looked at his side that has your phone. Since you were showering, he can't help but to curious on who was sending the message. But, he controlled himself from checking it.

Ting!

Ting!

Ting!

Jungwon tapped his feet on the floor few times indicated he was impatient and too curious but afraid at the same time to check your phone.

"Jungwon, just take a look. Don't worry."

The boy slowly took the phone and slide it up. You didn't bother to put a passcode because you don't want Jungwon to overthink about it.

Jungwon looked at the messages you have been received. If it was a girl, it's okay Jungwon didn't really care about it but it wasn't. It was your male classmate, Daniel. Jungwon knew him because he was part of your group members.

Hi y/n. This is me Daniel.

Are you busy right now?

I had cooked your favourite dish.

If you want, maybe I can bring it to you tomorrow?

Now, your boyfriend were furious. Why the fuck this human suddenly make you your favourite dish? When he heard the tap water was off, he quickly deleted all the messages and put the phone back at the place as like it didn't get touched before.

"What are you doing, won?"

"Nothing, just waiting for you so we can eat together."

"Does your friends always bring food for you?"

"Ehh? Why so sudden?"

"I'm just asking."

"Well, they never do. We always buy our food at the cafeteria. Why?"

"Nothing."

"Are you worrying about me getting stomachache?"

You teasingly asked him because of his protectiveness. He forbid you other people's food because he doesn't want you to get sick.

'No, I just hate the fact there is someone really tried to get your attention when it should only be me."

Jungwon wanted to say that out loud but he kept his mouth close and just agree with what you said.

"Won, don't worry. I will really take care of myself."

Jungwon never worry because he knew he can count in you but he is worry about your classmate. It gives him bad vibe that made him need to eliminate that person.

You were staying in your class with Jungwon and Daniel to finish the last part of your project. Jungwon didn't do anything but just laying his head on the table while holding you closer to him. After hours focused on the task, you excused yourself to go to the toilet and for the first time Jungwon didn't follow you. You were proud of him cause maybe he started to get better.

But actually he had other plan when you went out from the place.

"Do you really think Y/N will likes you when you cooked her favourite meals?"

Daniel was shocked at stop playing with his phone. He turned to looked at Jungwon who was waiting for his answer.

"Look, I'm sorry. I- I didn't know she is your girlfriend."

"Bullshit. Everyone here knew who we are but you didn't? How brave you are to lie on my face."

Jungwon has already stood up with a sharp knife on his hand. Daniel thought the knife will go to him but instead Jungwon slit his own hand and screamed out loud.

"Help me!!! Help!!"

Daniel was confused at what Jungwon did but before he can do something, he was startled at your scream.

"Jungwon!! What happen?!!"

"Daniel, I-I'm sorry. I know I'm annoying because I always follow y/n wherever she goes but why would you do this?"

Jungwon asked him with tears in his eyes. The blood keeps dripping and you quickly take a cloth and wrapped it around his wrist to stop the bleeding. You turned to Daniel with angry face and slapped him.

"What the fuck are you doing, Daniel?"

"I- I didn't do anything.He did that to himself!!"

"Oh yeah? Then, why would you holding the knife?"

Daniel quickly throwed the knife that he didn't know he was holding. He looked back at Jungwon who actually was smirked at him and quickly changed to a hurt expression when you helped him got up.

"Y/n, I-I swear."

"Shut the fuck up, Daniel. I will report this to the principal."

You left the room with Jungwon while holding tightly on his bleeding wrist. Daniel couldn't say anything but can only catch how Jungwon smirked at him for the last time.

I think beside Jake and Sunoo, Jungwon is also good on being manipulative. What do you guys think?🤭🤔🤔

taglist💗: @stacey-stonem

[musicalhell]

So this is a silly question, and you can disregard it, but I was watching your cats video, and you talked about literal visuals in musicals. I was just curious about how you tow the line and navigate with visuals like that.

For instance, if you made a song called How the Tables Have Turned and had it in a fictional space in the characters heads with turntables involved, would that be considered too literal? I’m just curious how that works

That's a good question, and the fact is a lot of it is up to interpretation, but it mainly has to do with understanding that lyrics tell a story while at the same time being, well, lyrical. There are occasions when lyrics indicate specific imagery or actions, for example in "Color and Light:"

More red... And a little more red... Blue blue blue blue Blue blue blue blue Even... even... Good Bumbum bum bumbumbum Bumbum bum... More red... More blue... More beer...

The lyrics are a direct representation to what George is doing--dotting the canvas, changing colors, evaluating the work, grabbing a drink. But more often lyrical imagery tends to be abstract, like in "Till There Was You:"

There were bells On the hill But I never heard them ringing No, I never heard them at all Till there was you

There were birds In the sky But I never saw them winging No, I never saw them at all Till there was you...

Marian is not singing about literal bells and birds, but of the wonderful world she'd been missing out on and that her eyes have been opened to through her relationship with Harold. To have birds suddenly swooping around and twittering in the middle of her song would push the moment from sentimental to absurd.

Literal interpretation can also miss important nuances in the material. Why, for example, does Eponine sing about "A Little Fall of Rain" when nothing else in the setting suggests it's been raining? Because her skin feels wet. Why does her skin feel wet? Because she's been shot and is bleeding out, and also probably because Marius is crying over her. The song works much better as her dying delirium interpreting the blood and tears as a gentle rainfall, rather than having a literal rain shower come through just for the sake of the song (looking at you Tom Hooper). Likewise, Joel Schumacher's interpretation of "Masquerade" doesn't work not because he doesn't mirror the lyrics (neither did Hal Prince) but because he misses the mood they convey, which is one of astonishing variety and hedonistic sensory overload.

All that said, theatrical staging isn't necessarily literal either and you can do fun stuff with it. "Hurricane" in Hamilton makes generous use of the turntable, tying the image of the hurricane that helped launch Alexander's career with the whirlwind of history he's caught up in. You have to decide how the action on the stage or screen complements the lyrics and the story they're telling, and whether it adds to the mood, detracts from it, or is just gilding the lily.

[mofffun]

Translator's note on suzuracles post-wedding dialogue

It's hard to direct-translate Suzume's tone indicators to English so I could only do my best to imitate her playful tone at the end of each sentence (even though the content/first half is serious she kept the lovestruck persona ending it in "wah~!")

This passage is a bit difficult to me so I checked the dictionary twice. I spent a long time on Suzume's last line. I can't be sure if it is i-u-hou (the speaker) or i-u-kata (the tone+diction) but combining Suzume's tone I think it's the latter one. And, "tsumi". I'm aware of the better-known from W as "sins" but the word has duality and what is sinful may not be illegal, what is illegal may not be sinful (off-track). And we are talking about a morally grey character.

Analysis

The most intriguing suzuracles to me is, they might be the closest in position in terms of sacrificing their personal self for their country, to present a public persona yet they could never confide in anyone, not even to each other, especailly not, even though they knew the other is in the same position as themself. Yet, they have lived under the same roof with each other longer than they did with their own family. That real? not real? love into hatred? hatred into love? into mutual understanding? The quantum state of it is the most captivating to me for them as foils.

I think Suzume is conscious in keeping referring to Racules as "Racules-sama" instead of in second person to keep a distance between them. Let alone "anata" in the "[my] husband" sense. It's okay to love "Racules-sama", it's easy to play the innocent captive of "Racules-sama", but she has seen Racules. Late at night, in between schemes, behind polite threats. Can one fully hate a worthy opponent?

observations:

ラ 「間に合わせだ。売ったところで二束三文にしかならない」

ス 「私を何だと思ってらっしゃるの！？私とラクレス様の愛の結晶に、値段などつけられませんわ」

Racules is testing Suzume. He has no need to play games with her. He knew she was there for Toufu to profit from the start (alt-shugod aid to Toufu in wake of Wrath of Gods).

Translated: Hold on to the ring (game-changer item)

ラ 「…時に君の正気を疑うことがある」

ス 「無理もありません。ラクレス様への愛が、私を狂わせるんですもの！」

ラ 「愛ではなく、憎しみだろう。スズメ・ディボウスキ」

Racules is letting himself show, if a little, if vulnerability, to gain her trust? Suzume DYBOWSKI. DYBOWSKI. THIS MAN CALLED HIS NEWLY WEDDED WIFE HER FAMILY NAME. He knows Suzume will always put Toufu/Dybowski before him or Shugoddom, but she's the only one he can count on now. Because she said it herself, her devotion (to "Racules-sama") is mad unwavered.

ラ 「国のため、道具にされ続け、それでも正気でいられる道理は何だ」

Convince me Racules is not talking about himself. Do, try.

ス 「…トウフの女は、地に足ついてこそ。信ずる道を、踏み外したりはしませんわ」

This line is so hardcore?? More importantly, I can totally see Kamura-san's delievery. Quiet at first, the cold in her eyes, then the naive switch grin at the end!

ラクレスがふっと微笑む。 ラ 「やはり度し難いな」

Suzume managed to make Racules smile! It doesn't specify if he was amused or relieved Suzume caught his metaphor. This is what we are talking about the actor filling in for the script. Then Yano-san's performance can be interpreted a thousand ways based on each viewer! A more literal translation of 度し難い is "beyond help". I think it can also mean the person is beyond salvage as in nothing can change their determination (positive). Racules is talking about himself too! if wryly!

Translated: "you are part of my plan. don't ever change."

ラ 「その指輪は、太陽を浴びて輝く。目を焼かれぬよう、気をつけろ」

Racules-sama, can you be more obvious. Put the wedding ring under the sun to read my secret message, just like I did with what Vetaria left me in my spin-off. The fire imagery!! (re: inferno, re: takamina's "he who shines on the world must burn himself to do so" tweet!!)