#sly cooper a master thief's end

[slylancey]

Greasy Sweet!!

[ms-scarletwings]

Other people: *mocking the assumed foolishness and negligence of Clockwerk to knowingly pull a Batman’s parents on Sly Cooper* *complaining about what is assumed to be a cheap writing excuse to explain Sly’s survival of the Fiendish’s Five’s attack on his home*

Me: But actually? No? It wouldn’t have been smarter on Clockwerk’s part to “finish the job” with Sly back then. Clockwerk pigeonholed himself into a fruitless job that is not meant to be finished.

Like if you really want to ponder on it, Clockwerk could be forced, in a way, to ensure the continuation of the cooper line, not the end of it. When you define and depend your whole existence on that which you hate, what do you have left when the object of your ire is no more? Clockwork would have died if his hate was ever allowed to diminish or find resolution. He’s like a ghost bound only to his power and body by a single remaining tether, and that tether is the drive to tread on the grave of the Cooper Clan’s legacy.

He doesn’t loathe them personally, he hates everything they represent and stand for, because he once envied it to the point of madness. That’s why he sundered the Thievious Raccoonus and left our Cooper untouched. He told you so himself. Notice how coincidentally the attack was timed on the very day Sly was meant to inherit the book? It was all about letting the boy learn what it meant to be a Cooper and then ripping away from him the access to everything his ancestors learned and built to help him carry that torch.

This gamble of his, this experiment he planned out that involved letting Connor’s son escape the slaughter, that’s the way he keeps himself going while staring down the barrel of the only real threat to his immortality. Killing them all, he reckoned in his centuries of reflection, wouldn’t fulfill his vendetta. He wanted to prove without any shadow of doubt that there was nothing about the Coopers that made them inherently superior to him- who himself was once only an owl. He was after their reputation. Murder was one of many methods, but complete humiliation was the actual goal. Clockwerk was probably snickering to himself all the way from the volcano for years, giddy at the thought of this child he reduced from the son of a master thief to an orphaned pauper. What he wanted was for Sly to live on… live on and be the last pathetic, miserable shred of the Cooper memory that Clockwerk could compare himself to once he has achieved everything him and the Five had set out to accomplish.

Giving their line the final glory of a tragic and sudden end like that after one unlucky slip of Connor’s vigilance was more than he could stomach. His greatest enemies don’t deserve to be remembered with that honor intact. Had Sly moved on and done literally anything else with his life but successfully take up that mantle and reap revenge, then the bird would have won. He would have never been bothered again by the owl either, I bet. Clockwerk just had to take that (astronomically unlikely) risk to see the boy’s potential through. It’s the only reason that dark force has kept him going literally up to and through the second game.

[guesswhattimeitis]

Here’s a draft for a rewrite of the Sly Cooper series I was thinking of at work. It’s not polished but damn I was thinking of what problems I had and needed to get them out.

Rewrite is focused on fixing the relationship between Carmelita and Sly, and their relationship to police/the law/justice. Also past the original trilogy it explores topics about family.

Sly 1:

Sly fights the Fiendish Five, ends with Clockwork fight.

Focus on Carmelita realizing not everything is black and white. Most of this one is the same/similar, but ends without Sly handcuffing Carmelita. Instead she lets him go anyways. Sly sets Carmelita up to catch the bad guys on purpose.

Sly 2:

Sly and the gang fight the Claww Gang, ends with Clock-la fight.

Largely the same, but focus on Carmelita recognizing the corruption within Interpol, and seeing how Sly cares and maybe what she’s fighting for isn’t the same as what other police do. She wants justice and fairness but the corruption goes so deep she doesn’t know where to start.

Sly 3:

Sly and the gang+ fight various enemies to gain allies, ends with Doctor M fight.

Carmelita accepts that fighting corruption will take time, and ultimately, decides to also be “corrupt”, working with Sly and helping him as he helps her. Focus on the feeling of wanting family and found family. Carmelita ends up pretending that Sly lost his memory, but both know that he hasn’t. He goes on to join her in Interpol, to work with her. More of Carmelita throughout the recruiting situations as more than just a wandering character.

Sly 4:

Sly and the gang, now “gone straight” work for Interpol, using master thief skills to bust bad guys (which is technically what he’s been doing since the first game but this time on purpose.) The game opens with Sly proposing to Carmelita, and focuses on thieving items for the upcoming wedding while simultaneously taking on cases with Carmelita (Designer wedding dress, the ring, Sly’s suit, etc.). Final “heist” is the wedding, busting the last bad guy together at their wedding, showing their shared interest.

Sly 5:

Sly and Carmelita’s daughter must save the Cooper gang after they’re all captured by a bad guy with a grudge. As she frees each member, they teach her some of their specialized skills (Bentley gives bombs, etc) and finishes with the daughter fighting alongside her parents individually and then together. Focus on Sly and Carmelita passing on their legacy to their daughter, as well as the “it takes a village” kind of view with the other gang members.

Sly 6:

Thieves in time, kind of. Bentley and Penelope invent a time machine, it’s stolen, and then twist the time machine is stolen by a Cooper ancestor who becomes the bad guy. Clockwork is back through different time periods? Cooper ancestor brings the family theme home; family is who you choose, whether you’re related or not.

[megashadowdragon]

sly cooper final boss clockwerk

youtube comments

I just realized that the Clockwerk is a metaphor. When you are always fueled by jealousy and hatred, especially for someone, you become a shell of your former self. Clockwerk's metal body represents the hollowness of what he once was. And that it can literally last forever.

It made me cry in sly 2 when they talked about the hate chip. Idk why it makes me cry but it’s just so incredible that someone could be fueled by that much hatred that it keeps them going no matter what. It reminds me of Dracula in the Castlevania games. He kept coming back game after game and then in one the later games you can fight his soul which is supposedly the reason he’s able to keep coming back from the dead. His soul is filled by hatred for humanity. One of the major shocks about Clockwerk is that he demonstrates how hatred can be far more powerful and enduring than love, but also the havock it ultimately reaps upon itself in the end. Those who embrace pride, greed, and hate will always have more power, but they will always underestimate how the simplicity of humility, hope, and love will cause their own schemes to backfire on themselves. Hatred is easy, but love is hard work, and that's the main difference between Clockwerk and Sly, and what makes Clockwerk so pitiful in the end. He created his own worst enemy, and even then that person didn't even consider Clockwerk to be as important as Sly was to him.

Not only is it hollow, but it’s consumed his identity. What do we know about Clockwerk’s former life, aside from his hatred of the Cooper family and desire to live as long as it took to end them?

How does a giant mechanical owl become a thief? I mean, Ridley being a space pirate I can buy. Pirating’s easy when you’re the size of a ship. But thieving? What, does Clockwerk just swoop in and steal whatever he wants? There’s nothing “masterful” about that!

i mean owls are known to fly practically silently, so being silent and hard to detect could be the thief inspiration Yeah, Clockwerk would've been better off as someone trying to take over the world, it actually suits him better then a master thief

I also agree why be a master thief when he can just take over the world as ruler instead.

Anybody here ever hear the saying "you can't always get what you want" Clockwerk is what you get when you can't accept that. He really wanted to be a good thief The coopers were just better

[krinsbez]

Pulptober 2022, Themes Elaborated, Part 3

Well, I’m not surprised part two got no traction, since I posted it after midnight last night, but after three days, part one has none either? Bah. Oh, well, on to Part 3!

11-Domino Lady/Outlaw Justice:

Some Pulp Heroes work alongside Johnny Law. Not these guys. They recognize that Law and Justice aren’t the same thing and are actively committing crimes and being hunted by the police. Alternate examples: Kapitan Mors*+, The Black Bat.

12-John Carter/Master of the Blade

Throwbacks to the genre are often referred to as “Two-Fisted Tales“, and some of the most iconic images involve a dude with a .45 in each hand...but despite that, there are plenty of Pulp Heroes who prefer to live by the sword, and make sure bad guys die by it (or at least are humiliated). Alternate examples: Zorro*, Elric+*

13-Hellboy/Paranormal Investigator:

Fairly straightforward, TBH. A guy or guys who, rather than crime, investigates the weird and spooky...and if they end up thwarting some crooks along the way, that’s a bonus! Alternate examples: Carnacki*+, Mystery, Inc.

14-Arsene Lupin/Gentleman Thief 

Another straightforward one. This guy is a professional thief, but they do it with style and a minimum of violence, they only steal from people who can afford it, and they will often end up helping defeat more villainous criminals, sometimes even actively helping the police! Alternate examples: The Saint, Sly Cooper*

15-Tintin/Justice and Journalism 

The archetypical Pulp Hero is independently wealthy, but some of them do work for a living. One of the most popular professions for ‘em is reporter; whether they keep stumbling on baddies needing thwarting whilst looking for a story, or they got tired sick of writing about bad guys doing horrible things and decided to do something, these guys get their man AND the story. Alternate examples: The Question, Carl Kolchak*.

And that’s this segment done. Will post at least one other later today!

*I have not consumed any or much of the source material

+Was suggested to me by @maxwell-grant, thanks buddy!

[themailedfist-blog]

For Pulptober 5th, I’m pushing the definition a little, but if the category is Wanted By the Law, and Arsene Lupin is generally considered a pulp character, then master thief, acrobat extraordinaire and eternal fugitive Sly Cooper definitely counts. the Sly Raccoon games were a huge part of my gaming childhood. I could probably recite the dialogue from the first game from memory. The Fiendish Five were the perfect mix of menacing and hilarious, the storyline was unashamedly pulpy and ridiculous, and the music was sublime. One of my favorite details, looking back, was the end cutscene for each world where Sly and his compatriots pulled off heists that would be considered legendary among regular thieves (such as stealing the Crown Jewels) as an afterthought, because, as the raccoon himself states:

‘There's no honor, no challenge, no fun in stealing from ordinary people. You rip off a master criminal, then you know you're a master thief’

[ebonysquib]

For the ask game - Super Mario and/or Sly Cooper?

since i love and rarely get attention like this i shall answer for both series >:)

Give me a fandom and I’ll tell you:

Super Mario Series

Favorite Male Character:

oh jeez i have to choose. um probably bowser. him or luigi and mario. i just like them. they are swell chaps.

Favorite Female Character:

in case it wasn't obvious; princess peach. i've always liked her since i was baby. i do like all the other female charcters like daisy, pauline, and rosalina but i like peach most of all uwu

Least Favorite Character:

mmm i dont think i have one??? if i had to choose then i guess yoshi??? i like yoshi of course i mean who doesn't but i honestly don't understand the appeal of him ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Favorite Ship:

princess peach with daisy, pauline, or rosalina. just princess peach x girls is thumbs up emoji ya know

Favorite Friendship:

bowser and his relationship with the main gang. like yeah i cause trouble for yall every week but im still invited to the golf club. i like that.

another one would be rosalina and mario. like rosalina didn't have to help mario at all in galaxy but she did and i just think thats sweet of her. i just think theyd make cool friends too.

Favorite Quote:

"So long, gay bowser!"

"Open salami!"

"May the stars shine down on you."

and honestly rosalina's whole speech at the end of galaxy. along with bowser and jr talking at the end of sunshine was cute too.

Worst Character Death (if any):

BABY LUMA. AND ALL THE OTHER LITTLE LUMAS THAT JOIN HIM.

when fludd breaks down thats sad too but she ends up all right in the end.

This Made Me So Happy You Have No Idea Moment:

The ending of super mario galaxy. its a good one yeah.

and all the characters you meet and help along the way during the thousand year door that come and save you in your most desperate moment was awesome too!

Saddest Moment:

BABY LUMA.

Rosalina's storybook too of course.

Favorite Location:

anywhere in super mario sunshine. that game is special to me.

i always liked the look of noki bay the most. i loved the purple water i thought it was so pretty. even tho its purple cuz its polluted orz but thats besides the point djvnskjd.

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

Sly Cooper Series

Favorite Male Character:

its a tie between sly, bentley and murray. i can't choose between the three of them! tho I also really adore Muggshot. He's just so endearing and charming to me lol

Favorite Female Character:

probably penelope. idk i just related to her a lot as a kid.

i like carmelita too but thats more like "i have a crush on you/im in love with you" kind of like lol

Least Favorite Character:

general tsao. and LeFwee. they just irritated me. they're probably the least likeable of all the villains. they are just bad cuz they suck. the other villains have a reason and a background and character and are just far more likeable.

Favorite Ship:

Sly x Carmelita of course uwu. its a classic. Bentley x Penelope as a close second of course.

tho i am interested in other ships too! like i prefer the main gang (sly, bentley, murray) as family but they'd be interesting as a romantic couple too! sly and neyla and sly and penelope are fun too. like in both cases they didnt happen for obvious reasons but i like to think on how those relationships would have played out if they worked out.

Favorite Friendship:

the cooper gang of course. i'm talking the main three but also i like the friendships between the other members that are added to the gang in 3. like murray and penelope had a cute little friendship i think. and i like to see the main 3 interacting with other characters besides each other.

Favorite Quote:

OMG SO MANY BUT HERES A FEW

"There's no honor, no challenge, no fun in stealing from ordinary people. You rip off a master criminal, then you know you're a master thief."

"What, are you kidding? You break into my place, steal my stuff, trash the joint. I feel transgressed and violated. Let's rock!"

"Ah, well, that's where you're wrong: the Thievius Raccoonus doesn't create great thieves, it takes great thieves to create the Thievius Raccoonus!"

"Inspector Fox, as beautiful and unpredictable as ever."

"Crime? I haven't stolen anything...yet."

"THAT DOES IT! I'll floss my teeth with your spine!"

"I'm about to head inside the vault... and I want you and Murray to come with me. We're a team, a family. We should do this together."

And it kinda doesn't count cuz it's not from the game but rather from Dev Madan and it's only part of the quote too not all of it but:

"I also believe what has kept Sly resonating with people is that while it may look like a simple and colorful show for kids at a first glance, there are some deeper issues to friendship that the guys deal with: the idea of loss, sacrifice, revenge, romance to name a few. These are things that a younger player might not immediately understand while playing the game, and in some cases even challenge them, but because of that, I think it’s something that stays with them and as they get older, return to and appreciate on a completely different level. At its heart the Sly Cooper gang is about creating lifelong relationships and having crazy adventures with your pals."

And of course I love the sillier ones too but then this would go one for too long lol. So these are just a few ;)

Worst Character Death (if any):

arpeggio. not cuz it made me cry or anything but like. how unfair it was. he didn't deserve that :(

otherwise i cant think of another death that bothered me. the majority of the deaths in the game are often well deserved or happen to charcters (like sly's dad) that we never got to form a bond with so.

This Made Me So Happy You Have No Idea Moment:

I really love the ending for sly 3. Like I would have loved a new game in the series cuz I love these characters and their stories but I'm also completely fine if it just ended like it did with the 3rd game. It's a happy resolution to me. I just thought sly giving up like, pretty much everything, to be with Carmelita was so sweet. And I like that Bentley and Murray know that this is something sly has wanted for some time so they are just happy for him and Carmelita.

I also believe that Carmelita knew sly was faking his amnesia. They've known each other for so long I think they can sorta figure out when one is lying or not. And Carmelita sounds too happy and too eager for sly to just have amnesia all of a sudden. because even tho it's not spoken between the two, they know he is just using it as an excuse so they can finally be together. And then sly 4 ruined it. :)

Saddest Moment:

Probably the ending to sly 2 and sly 3. They are both kinda bittersweet endings I think but thats what I like about them.

Favorite Location:

Aw jeez. I don't really have a favorite location for 1 like they are all nice levels but that's it for me. For 2 I would have to say the first level Paris and then rajan's ball, along with the Canadian levels cuz they are just so damn pretty and I like ice and stuff. I'm a northerner I love that snowy cold as fuck shit it feels like home. The other levels are cool too (especially arpeggios blimp that's fucking poggers) but they don't arent my most favorite like the ones I first listed. As for 3 I love Venice. It's just so pretty and I love the music and I just think it's a great first episode for the series. Other than that probably the cooper vault. Like not the entirety of Kane island just the inside of the vault that is so much fun dudes.

[pastelbrachypelma]

Sly has a lot to be proud of.

Sure, he didn’t add in any cool thief moves to the Thievious Raccoonus, but you know what he did do?

He protected it.

He preserved it.

He saved it. And in turn, he saved his legacy. He saved his history. That’s so important.

And you know what else happened? Sly changed the tune of his legacy. The Cooper Clan isn’t all about just being a master thief anymore. It’s about friendship, family, forgiveness, and love. It’s about unity and togetherness.

Sly’s contribution to the legacy was to save it, and to expand it. It’s not only about the Coopers anymore. Bentley and Murray have contributed to the Thievious Raccoonus now. Carmelita has been inside the Cooper vault. Hell, Carmelita “killed” Clockwerk!

Sly might not have invented “the next big thief move,” but he showed that his legacy could be shared. He offered more to his friends and family than other Coopers ever did. He shared his history with them.

So, in the end, Sly has nothing to be ashamed of. Not only did he save his legacy, but he changed it. No longer is it about a bunch of Coopers doing amazing things. Now it’s about a gang doing amazing things.

[starfirexuchiha]

Ya know I used to play old Sly Cooper games as a kid... looking back at that nostalgia now, I realized that those games share some things in common with Persona 5. If I recall correctly, the main character Sly is a master thief who is also the leader of a band of thieves. A lot of the gameplay involves sneaking around and not getting caught (and pickpocketing the guards lol).

I may not remember many things on what happened in those games, but I like to note that this master thief has an enemy-to-lovers relationship with a cop who “hates” him and was always tailing him, trying to get him arrested. I remembered that they temporarily worked together in some parts of the 1st and 2nd games to stop a common enemy and I heard they ended up being together in the later games that I haven’t played yet. That’s great because ngl... I think I used to ship them as a kid LOL

Am I saying all this cuz this reminds me of ShuAke? Yes.

[slylancey]

Sly Cooper: A Master Thief's End Issue 1 (FULL COMIC)

[slycooperconfessions]

Clockwerk: It ends here. I'll finish you like I finished your father. Then the Cooper line will be erased and the only master thief will be Clockwerk.

Sly: ok boomer

[inspector-montoya-fox]

is the Sly Cooper series misogynistic?

is it though?? throughout the series, we only have six major female characters (seven if we count Jing King): Carmelita, Mz Ruby, Neyla, the Contessa, Penelope and Henriette. that’s it, we’re not given anything else to work with. maybe i’m being a bit harsh by asking if it’s ‘misogynistic’ but you know what i’m getting at. there’s not enough female representation, that’s for sure. but from the few female characters we get, are we satisfied?

let’s talk about Carmelita. she’s a fucking powerhouse who also accepts help when needed. she’s not a flawless female, but she’s not a mean old witch either. she’s a well-written female character unfortunately stuck in a Romeo and Juliet type of plot. but it works. her constant interference in the story is at times the only female thing about the series, and we all love her (if you don’t love her unfollow me and block me). i’ve mentioned before that Sly and Carmelita are one of the few straight couples that don’t seem cheesy, forced, etc. we’re actually rooting for them to get together because, (a) Sly isn’t the stereotypical dude even though his flirty lines are extremely that dude-ish, and (b) he wants what’s best for Carmelita, and doesn’t undercut her as a female. he wants her because she’s a strong woman, because of the adrenaline rush she gives him when she chases after him. he doesn’t want her because she’s beautiful, hot, a woman; he wants her for what she is and for what she stands for, for what successful career she has and for what she means to him.

and then i thought about how Sly’s relationship with Carmelita might seem misogynist in that she becomes his subordinate... here’s the thing: we never actually see them together as a couple. Sly 3 ends there and the rest is left up to our imagination. Sly is kind of a jackass for letting her believe he has amnesia, but ignorance is bliss...? either way, in order for Carmelita to become his subordinate, she would have to be his superior in the first place, and i don’t think that’s the case. i think they are equals, on opposite sides of the law. they are both honourable and morally good, but they are fighting for different causes (when not uniting for the greater good) and have different aims and purposes. as the story progresses throughout all three games, Carmelita becomes more and more of an independent woman and character, escaping the confines of ‘romantic interest’. in Sly 1 she starts off as that annoying cop which Sly blatantly gets rid of in very questionable ways (sending her flying on a huge balloon, demolishing the huge dragon she’s standing on), but by the end of the trilogy she’s the one who smashes Clockwerk’s hate chip and she’s the one who comes to Sly’s rescue when trapped by Dr M. even if they get together, she’s still his equal. she doesn’t change for Sly, she’s still the feisty. hot-headed cop-lady, but she also has every right to fall for her target. she’s not undermined in any way.

let’s move on to a wider scope. i know that ‘women in professions’ is so 80s conservative US, but it shouldn’t be overlooked that almost all the women in the series are absolute pros at what they do. Carmelita is a top Interpol inspector, Neyla gets promoted to captain whilst being a criminal mastermind, the Contessa is a respected prison warden and “psychiatrist”, Penelope is a tech genius, and Henriette is a master thief (Mz Ruby... she’s doing her own thing). but at the same time, they’re not polished idolatry characters. when not chasing after the raccoon, Carmelita likes to read, listen to music and visit art galleries: things that ground and humanise her. Penelope is also presented in such a light, by having her be as much a nerd as Bentley, uploading a fake avi online, etc. having the two heroines interact with other characters also helps them break out of the ‘romantic interest’ mould. i’m thinking of the Penelope x Murray x Panda King dynamic, or when Carmelita abducts Murray. on the other side, we have female villains that outsmart everyone. the Contessa pretends to work for Interpol, when in reality she’s a member of the Klaww Gang, whereas Neyla manages to scam the Cooper Gang, Interpol and the Klaww Gang.

Sly 3 really set out to change some things. two new female characters were introduced (both bearing story arcs that had to do with sexuality), whilst Carmelita became a playable character. let’s analyse: first off, Carmelita as a playable character. although her gameplay was scarce, SP managed to leave an impression by making her a total force to be reckoned with. the shock pistol would burn the guards to a crisp with just a few hits, and the super jump was everything Sly never was, never could be. the missions were also memorable and very fun (the Muggshot bossfight, Turf War! and A Battery of Peril). and then we were introduced to Penelope, the first female gang member. sure, she added necessary diversity to the Cooper gang, but the focal point here is her storyline. dressing up as a male because no one would take her seriously otherwise? hmm... seems as if SP did some self-reflecting when writing the plot for Sly 3. dawning the persona of the Black Baron not only made her a tragic character, but it also helped push the game’s thematic depth (?) even further. lastly, Jing King might not have been a major character (we never even saw her face ffs), but her story arc was extremely impactful. subtle reminder: forced marriage. making her faceless might have made her seem like less of a victim and made Tsao seem like more of a monster, but the forced marriage was still there. then there’s also the innuendo of him being a huge cock, so... anyway, the Cooper gang rescuing Jing King and preventing the wedding, but also Carmelita being the one who puts an end to Tsao’s misogynistic she’s a woman! she doesn’t know up from down bullshit, is all SP needed to do. verdict: Sly 3 added the female diversity and empowerment the series was in desperate need of.

i don’t think the series is misogynistic btw. i just think it lacks diversity. i think it has well-written female characters and what really saves it from coming off as misogynistic is the variety. there’s a variety of women here, each one standing for something different. i mean... what else do y’all want?

[megashadowdragon]

Sly Cooper 5 Prediction: The Death of The Panda King.

Now, for some backstory behind the pic, for those who love fandom as much as I do: the return of the villainous Clockwerk, arch-nemesis of the Cooper family of master thieves!

"What? But Clockwerk was destroyed at the end of Sly 2!" I hear many who played Sly 2 exclaim. To this, I reply: "More specifically, his BODY was destroyed." Sure, the Hate Chip that fueled its indestructibility was crushed, causing the whole thing to age into nothingness. Killed Off for Real, right?

But wait! Those who paid attention to the espionage mission in Canada during "He Who Tames the Iron Horse" will remember Arpeggio mentioning a "Clockwerk Brain."--ostensibly, the one remaining piece of Clockwerk that was organic (though likely sealed inside a plexiglass bubble and preserved with sci-fi fluids). But we never actually SAW it...and, since Arpeggio planned to use Clockwerk's body for his own, I suspect he left that part out when putting the FRAME back together.

So sure, all the OTHER major Clockwerk parts were accounted for. But the question remains...what became of Clockwerk's BRAIN? What if it had still be active all this time--if CLOCKWERK had still been cognizant? And what if the Hate Chip was really just a CONDUIT for Clockwerk's hatred--something to gather the negative forces seething in his mind and channel it throughout his mechanical shell, just as he could once focus his hate through every fiber of his flesh and blood?

Which brings me to the events of my fandom--though few were ever aware of it, he secretly influenced events behind the scenes. For more details, I've got a fanfic up on FF.net called "A Cold-Hearted Interlude," via my handle: Lonephantom

Long story short, Clockwerk survived. And now he's returned in a new body--sleeker, more graceful, and far more worthy of his stated goal of surpassing the Cooper family's skill as master thieves. After all, his old body--large, heavily-armored, and equipped with heavy firepower--is suited more for outright warfare than for the stealth and subtlety of a master thief.

That isn't to say that he's a pushover now, though. Far from it. Clockwerk's new body includes, among other things, upgraded versions of his old body's weaponry...

--- -Integrated pulse blasters built into his palms, modified from the first weapon he employed during his duel with Sly back in the Krack-Karov Volcano.

-The razor-sharp talons on his feet and hands have been specially honed, allowing him to slice into plates of steel--and thanks to his new humanoid frame, it's much easier for Clockwerk to utilize them in hand-to-hand combat.

-His artificial eyes are equipped with multi-purpose camera lenses, allowing him to see in regular, nightvision, infra-red, and ultraviolet. More importantly, Clockwerk's improved upon the hypnotic qualities that made his old set of eyes so valuable to the Contessa--by making eye contact with his foe, he can emit an eerie pulse of light that disorients them, leaving them more susceptible to both physical and emotional attack.

-Fans of Sly 1 and 2 will remember one of Clockwerk's deadlier weapons--the electro-rings that Sly had to fly through in the first game and shoot out in the second. In his new body, the mechanical owl's pectoral plates can slide open to expose a pair of integrated launchers, from which they can be fired. Like in Sly 2, these rings can generate a building charge that bursts out in the immediate vicinity like a land-mine, or an inward current to zap anyone who gets caught in the loop. What's more, the rings now have the ability to constrict, trapping an opponent in a rope-less lasso before emitting their debilitating shock.

-See those darker panels on his wings? Clockwerk can focus energy into them to generate a protective shield, allowing him to withstand the likes of a full rocket barrage from the Panda King! However, using the shield eats up power, so the villainous owl can't keep up the same kind of perpetual force-field that he apparently had in the first game (the thing that Carmelita's Shock Pistol had to de-stabilize before Sly could get his shots through).

-Laser bits--just as his old body could unleash security lasers in a last-ditch effort to protect him if he was ever badly damaged, Clockwerk has installed a set of miniature drones equipped with multidirectional thrusters, each one capable of emitting a concentrated laser beam. While relatively easy to dodge separately, the drones have been designed to operate in tandem with one another, creating lethal patterns of scarlet energy or snapping off quick bursts. On the plus side, though, they're rather fragile--a deftly thrown projectile or explosive could short-circuit them. And, like Clockwerk's wing-mounted shield generators, the beam bits have to recharge now and then--they can't fire endlessly. ----

[whisker-biscuit]

Silent as the Grave Chapter 7: The Happy Camper Orphanage

Fandom: Sly Cooper

Summary: Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life.

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It’s getting real cloudy outside, Sly notices. He lies his cheek against the car window and watches houses go by without really seeing them. Weather is a weird thing to focus on, but it’s a neutral one. It’s an easy one to think about compared to everything else. His hands ache to pull out his dad’s cane for comfort, but he can see Campbell glancing at him through their rearview mirror when they think he doesn’t notice.

He’ll have to wait until it’s safer, when he’s no longer being watched. His fingers twitch against his knees.

The social worker meets his gaze on accident, and it’s enough to make them clear their throat and speak. “I understand how hard this must be for you, Sylvester, but I promise that it’ll get better soon.”

Oh, how he loathes that thing they’re calling him. “John” had been frustrating but understandable, because he had no way to tell anyone what his real name was, and the kind nurse had said it was a temporary thing to keep him safe. But now, everyone knows who he really is, and they’ve decided it’s safe enough to finally move him out of the hospital. Now, they’re doing this deliberately and it’s awful.

Even worse, he recognizes that last name. James. That had been his mom’s last name. He had once seen the hyphenated name on her driver’s license and asked her why it was like that, and she’d told him that she had chosen for it to be that way. Not because she was ashamed of the Cooper name, she’d promised him, but because she wasn’t a master thief like his dad, and it didn’t “feel right”.

Well, it definitely doesn’t feel right to be called anything other than Sly Cooper, and while he understands much more what his mother meant now, he’s already starting to dislike her decision. Because these adults are trying to use her last name to erase his and his dad’s, and he hates everything about it.

Campbell must have still been talking, but Sly only tunes back in to catch the tail end of it. “-phanage is a lovely place. I’m sure you’ll get settled there just fine.”

They wait, perhaps for a response. The raccoon doesn’t know why they even bother.

“...Well.” The lizard coughs and breaks eye contact to look back at the road. “At the very least, I’m sure you’ll find your voice again there.”

Sly doesn’t want to ever find his voice again if it means having to talk to Campbell, or those inspectors, or anyone who isn’t his parents. He wraps his arms around his duffel bag and stares out the window as silence fills the car once more.

They reach the far end of town where it’s more countryside than anything. A large, lone building stands tall at the top of a hill. It looks like an old farmhouse, painted in faded beige with a brown roof and a gated back property.

A wooden sign sits at the bottom of the driveway: Happy Camper Orphanage.

Sly’s stomach flips in place.

“Here we are!” His social worker says way too cheerfully for such a run-down place. “Come on, let’s not keep the headmistress waiting. She’s a very busy woman.”

The kit steps out of the car and immediately his father’s hat slides down over his eyes. He pushes it up with one hand as the other holds his bag close, and follows Campbell up the hill and onto the front porch. He can feel eyes on him from the many windows of the house, but they’re too dark to see back into. Apprehension makes his fur prickle.

An adult wearing a name tag with a smiley face answers the door, exchanging low words with the social worker with only a quick glance down at Sly before leading the two of them further into the house. The raccoon catches glimpses here and there of other children in the rooms they pass, but most are busy and don’t pay the visitors any attention.

They stop in front of a door that’s a little bigger and fancier than the others they’ve seen so far, and the staff member disappears after one more acknowledging nod to Campbell. The lizard crouches before Sly and gives him their most serious look.

“Now, Sylvester, I’m afraid I can’t stay very long,” they say as if it’s going to break his heart. He simply stares at them. “So I’ll only introduce you to the headmistress of this lovely place before I have to go. But I’m sure she’ll take good care of you, alright?”

Sly blinks, startled by the abruptness of this information, and can only give a dazed nod that Cambpell smiles at. They stand back up, knock on the door, then hold it open for the kit when they hear a muffled “come in”.

An elderly bird sits behind a desk, eyeing both guests as they enter. A nameplate sits straight in front of her and reads “Mrs. Puffin: Headmistress” in polished metal perfection.

She looks down her beak at Sly, and he knows immediately that he’s not going to get along with her.

“Mrs. Puffin,” the lizard greets her, cordial and brief.

“Campbell,” she responds in a scratchy, snobbish voice, confirming the raccoon’s initial impression. “Is this him, then? Sylvester James?”

“Yes,” comes the reply without even the slightest pause, and Sly feels his resentment grow. “Sylvester, this is the Happy Camper Orphanage’s headmistress, Mrs. Puffin. She’s owned this place for almost thirty years now. Isn’t that amazing?”

What’s amazing is the staring contest Sly has found himself in with her, but he doesn’t break eye contact until she does to look at the social worker.

“I’ve already received his case file. Is it true he can’t speak?”

“Can’t or won’t, we’re not sure which, but yes.”

“Hm.” She realigns a few papers on her desk and looks back at the raccoon. “I’ll take it from here, Campbell. I understand you’re very busy today.”

The social worker nods, gives Sly an awkward pat on the head - making the oversized hat slip again - and takes their leave with barely more than a goodbye.

Mrs. Puffin fixes the glasses balanced on her face as the kit does the same with his cap, and squints. “Let me make a few things clear, Sylvester.”

The way she says the fake name sounds like someone making fun of a snake’s accent. The kit hates it even more, now.

“While you are living at this institute, you will be abiding by my rules, understand?”

She doesn’t give him the chance to respond before listing said rules off.

“One: you will obey me, your social worker, the staff, and every other adult you see here. There is no room at the Happy Camper Orphanage for disobedience and disrespect. Two: proper manners, at all times. I will not tolerate slovenliness from any child under my care. It gives off a terrible impression, and no one will be willing to adopt you if you look like a heathen.”

Sly’s hands clench into fists, shocked not by the rules but by the mere suggestion that he could be pawned off to even more strangers. Adoption might as well be a word in a foreign language.

“Three,” Mrs. Puffin continues without noticing the raccoon’s reaction, “we have in-house schooling four days a week, and you will keep up with your studies, no matter the circumstances. Four: you are to get along with all the other children and work out any issues on your own. Do not expect me or the staff to take care of your problems for you. Frankly, we have bigger concerns than such petty little squabbles.”

Finally the woman stops speaking for a moment to stare down her beak at him, as if his mere existence is an irritation.

“And number five. Children,” she folds her hands and leans forward against her desk, “are meant to be seen. Not heard. Boys, in particular, are loud and messy and disobedient, and need to be corrected often.”

Sly wonders why she ever bothered to be the headmistress of an orphanage if that’s what she thinks. He wonders how a person like this was ever allowed around children to begin with.

The bird pauses, as if expecting him to complain or protest. When all he does is stand there and watch her silently, the feathers around her neck fluff up like she’s pleased that he’s docile but irritated that he isn’t proving her right. She looks back down at her precious papers.

“Your admission paperwork says you used to be an only child. You are probably used to having everything to yourself, aren’t you? Clothes, toys, your own room, even.”

This time when she pauses again, Sly gives a cautious nod. Mrs. Puffin sniffs the air.

“Not anymore. Here at the Happy Camper Orphanage, you’ll be expected to share everything. It builds character and keeps you from growing spoiled rotten. Not to mention, we don’t have the luxury of so much space like you’re obviously used to.”

The raccoon isn’t sure what kind of face he’s making, but it’s enough to make the old woman scoff and wag a scolding finger at him.

“I don’t want any attitude from you, Sylvester James. You’ll find rather quickly that such a revolting display won’t help you here.” She taps a pen against the papers on her desk. “Fortunately for you, a vacancy has just opened up in Room 8. I expect your things to be properly put away within fifteen minutes, as it is almost time for dinner and you’ll be joining us in the cafeteria for an official introduction. Off you go, now.”

She makes a shooing motion with one hand, not giving him anymore attention nor even bothering to direct him in the general direction of his new room. Sly wastes no time getting out of her office.

The hallway is dim and empty. He stands there with his bag, looking left and right, trying to guess which way to go while pushing down the awful feeling of panic bubbling up his throat. It’s okay. He’s okay. He’s always considered himself independent for his age, and now he has a chance to prove it.

If his dad could see him, he’d obviously be so proud.

The raccoon squares his shoulders before picking a direction. A few corner turns and he stumbles onto a row of closed doors with numbers on them, and releases the breath he hadn’t realized he’s been holding. Room 4, Room 5, Room 6. He chose the right way.

Room 8 isn’t locked, so Sly carefully opens the door and finds that there’s no one there - another relief.

The carpet is some weird, dull kind of reddish orange. That’s the first thing he notices as he enters his new room. The second thing he notices is that there are two sets of bunk beds lining opposite walls, and one of the bottom bunks is very obviously occupied. The blanket is rumpled and the space underneath the bed is lined with packed bags and shoes and other things.

None of the other beds seem to have been taken, so the raccoon tentatively steps to the other bunk bed and tries to lift his duffel bag onto its top bunk. It’s heavy, and he can’t quite find his balance, and he’s too busy trying to keep the hat from slipping down over his eyes again to hear the door swinging a little further open.

A shadow covers him from behind.

Sly whirls, heart pounding, only to come face to face with a wall of pink. His startled eyes rise to meet the big blinking ones of a hippo.

“Uh, hi,” offers the new boy standing barely two feet from him, along with a shy little wave.

Sly lifts a tentative hand in response.

“Sorry for scaring you. I didn’t mean to.” The way he says it implies that this isn’t the first time that’s happened, and the raccoon suddenly notices how he’s shrunken back as if to make himself smaller. “Did you, um, need help? WIth your bag, I mean.”

He hesitates, tightening his grip on the strap. The hippo plays with his hands and watches him anxiously.

“I won’t look through it or anything, promise. I just wanna help.”

It sounds sincere enough. With more than a little uncertainty, Sly hands the bag to him. He hefts it easily over his head and places it gently onto the top bunk, then gives an awkward smile.

“My name’s Murray. Are you my new roommate?”

The raccoon nods.

“Cool! What’s your name?”

He wavers, knowing what he wants to tell the other boy, but he’s unsure if it’s going to bring the headmistress’ wrath down on him. That would really, really suck on his first day here, especially if he’s going to try to keep his head down until he can get out of here. The notebook digs into Sly’s leg where it sits in his pocket.

Then he decides to screw that, because this is his name, darn it, and he’s not going to let anyone scare him into pretending otherwise.

So he pulls out his notebook and thrusts it forward. It’s already open to the most important page, and he watches as Murray leans down to squint at the words. His lips move, sounding it out to himself, before he looks back at the kit.

“Sly…Cooper?”

It’s an utter joy to hear his name said out loud again. Sly holds his notebook tight against his chest and nods vigorously. His delight seems to affect the hippo, who beams right back at him.

“Nice to meet you, Sly!” He lurches forward as if to shake his new roommate’s hand; a towering form of pink that takes up all space.

Sly tenses and takes a step back with wide eyes.

Hurt flashes across Murray’s entire face. His hands drop limply to his sides and he’s right back to making himself seem small again.

In any other instance, the raccoon would have felt bad about causing that reaction. But this boy is much, much bigger than him, and he’s far too close, and he’s blocking the way to the door and the carpet is red and his dad is -

“Hey, are you okay?”

Sly jolts back to himself, right out of a closet and into a room with a hippo looking at him like he’s crumbling into a million pieces. Maybe he is. His heart is pounding and his body is trembling and his head feels light. But he can’t let himself fall apart. Not here.

It’s not safe here.

The kit takes a deep, shaky breath, and nods. Yes, he’s fine. Look how easily he can calm himself down. He’s not even quite so faint anymore. Isn’t that proof that he’s fine?

Murray doesn’t look too convinced, but just as he starts to say something else, a bell blares out from the hallway, startling them both. The hippo jumps practically three feet in the air.

“Oh jeez! We’re gonna be late for dinner!” He scrambles out of the room. Sly follows only because he has no idea where the cafeteria is even supposed to be, much less how to find it from here, and the last thing he wants to do is get in trouble right off the bat.

And it’s a good thing he decided to do so - this building is bigger than it looks from the outside, or at least is built like a maze. Several twists, turns, and sets of stairs later, Murray steps into what’s probably the biggest room of the orphanage with the raccoon close on his heels. There’s a good twenty or so kids already there, in a line for food that borders two whole walls. Both boys step into it without anyone giving them much attention.

Murray looks back at Sly like he wants to make more conversation, but the raccoon wasn’t in the mood for it the first time. He avoids his eyes and scans the room instead, hoping the other boy will get the hint.

He does. Sly sees him sort of slump and turn away, dejected, and it makes him exhale in silent relief.

Five minutes and a tray of food later, the kit finds the emptiest, quietest corner to sit down and hopefully eat in peace. All these other people make him nervous, even the ones his age, and he keeps his back to the wall while he watches the activity in the cafeteria. He can see Murray sort of looking for him, but the hippo gives up way too easily before sitting at the end of another table halfway across the room.

Sly still feels a little bad about being so cold to the other boy, but he doesn’t want to make friends at this terrible place. The fewer attachments he makes, the better, because there’s no way he’s going to stay here any longer than strictly necessary. Just enough to get his feet back under him, figure out what all that…weirdness in his head is and get it under control, and make a plan to leave forever.

As for where he’s going, well. He’ll cross that bridge when he gets there.

Not long into the dinner period, he spies Mrs. Puffin’s hair bun bobbing as she steps to the very front of the room where everyone can see her. The chatter quickly dies down when she holds up a bell and rings it loudly.

“I have an announcement to make today, children.” The bird searches the cafeteria until her eyes land on the little raccoon doing his best to remain invisible. “Sylvester. Please come up here.”

She gives him a sharp look and points to the space on her left, where she obviously expects him to join her. Sly’s face burns as a sea of gazes turn to stare at him the moment he stands.

Making his way across the room sets off every alarm in his head. Thieves aren’t supposed to be the center of attention. Thieves aren’t meant to be seen at all. He resists the very powerful urge to bolt as he finally reaches the woman’s side and feels her feathery fingers settle heavily on his shoulder.

“This is Sylvester James, our newest resident,” she says. Sly stares at the far wall above everyone’s heads. “Make sure he feels welcome, and show him how things are done around here.”

The bird prods him forward in dismissal, and he marches back to his corner as best he can without looking like a scared wimp. Already he can feel the difference in the way the others are looking at him - some disinterested, some intrigued, and some downright mean. His dad’s hat slides down over his eyes as he takes his seat, and he pushes it back up just in time to catch the gaze of a group of bigger boys who are very obviously sizing him up.

He already has enemies. This is why thieves aren’t supposed to be seen!

Food doesn’t sound even remotely appetizing anymore. Sly pushes his tray away as nausea builds in his stomach and wraps his arms around his midsection, absolutely miserable. The moment everyone is dismissed from dinner, he rushes straight back to Room 8 before anyone can so much as say a single word to him.

Without brushing his teeth, without changing his clothes, without doing anything but fighting back tears, Sly closes the door and climbs to his bunk, pulling his father’s cane out. He burrows under the blanket and wraps himself around it, absolutely miserable. Grief and pain hit him hard in an unforgiving wave.

He doesn’t hear Murray entering the room. He doesn’t see him hesitate, standing below his bunk, before reluctantly getting ready for bed himself. He doesn’t notice anything but the feel of the cane and the smell of his dad in his hat.

He falls asleep with wet cheeks.

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A/N: We did it!! We finally made it to the orphanage after eight chapters and *checks watch*.......3 years! Ehehe, well, the important thing is that we got there at all, right? And we've finally met Murray! Bentley will be coming soon too, don't you worry.

Mrs. Puffin didn't have a lot of information beyond a few mentions from the comics, so I took inspiration from Trunchbull from Matilda with a dash of Ms. Hannigan from Anne. She's absolutely awful and I adore writing her.

I will forever adore the Sly 3 animation of little Sly's head being too small for Connor's hat.

[sodafrizz]

things i’ve recognized during my re-acquaintance with the sly trilogy

- World 4 in Sly 1 has much more (and very good) music maybe because it was supposed to be the first world

- The Guru and Mz Ruby are both recognized as mystics

- From Sly, to Bentley, to Murray, to Carmelita -- they’re all solid characters. Not once have Bentley and Murray been the side characters or as something less than Sly. Carmelita isn’t even the hand-off love interest; she has character.

- Bentley has a character arc, and so did Murray

- The missions made, like, no logical sense. But everything else that the Sly games are makes up for it

- Sly 2 objectively is the best

- The trilogy is the perfect trilogy and there was absolutely no point in making Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time

- Sly 1 went from a restrictive plat-former with a solid plot to Sly 2, a much improved game (now open world) with a just-as-good story-line And became a fan favorite (and Murray + Bentley have character development)! The art style was more solidified, too.

- Sly 2′s music incorporated Sly’s theme into each episode, if you listen to it. The music is pretty great also.

- The whole concept about being a Master Thief ended up being the sole cause of everything that went wrong. It did more harm than good, and Sly 3 recognized that, and gave us the best triloligous (? Lol) conclusion possible. It’s a good statement. Of course, how else could it have ended?

That’s about it.

With falling back into loving Sly Cooper again & replaying the games, I also have an even higher sense of appreciation for the trilogy after seeing parts 1, 2, & 3 to the Sly Trilogy Retrospective. You should totally watch it.

[seirei-bh]

My version of Sly’s mother! :3

And here you have her bio and also my headcanons about how Conner Cooper and she met each other and fell in love:

Full name: Rosemarie Fontaine/ Cooper.

Specie: cat.

Occupation: lawyer (and temporary masked vigilante and ally of the Original Cooper Gang)

Nicknames: Marie, Rose, Rosy, milady (by Conner), and “Rose Blanche” (her nickname as masked vigilante)

 Marie was born in Fontainebleau, Paris, France. Her parents died in a voyage because the ship was sunk by Raleigh and his crew of pirates and all their jewels and money were stolen. However, the police never found enough proofs and Raleigh's lawyer got a watertight alibi for him, so he didn't go to jail and the police just closed the case.

Marie was a kid, so she was raised by her grandparents, and was pretty close to her grandmother: Giselle Fontaine, a rich aritocat and ex member of Interpol. After Marie finds out what happened with Catherine's family (her best friend at highschool), she spent her teenage years finding proofs about Raleigh's crimes and Muggshot's, and she decided that she would become in lawyer some day.

Marie met Conner Cooper in the 70s, in a formal party previous of an auction. Marie had heard that Sir Raleigh was the one who organized the auction and she thought that probably everything that was going to be auctioned were stolen treassures, and it turned out to be true, because the necklace with a sapphire that belonged to her mother was there.

That night, Conner came to the party too, he was planning to steal all Raleigh's stolen treassures, he was in disguise and danced with Marie just for the fun of "conquer a heart of another naive aristocratic pretty girl", but Marie realized who really was him since the beginning. She teased him while both were dancing: "if you're a Master Thief so efficient as I've heard outhere and it's true that you only steal to criminals, then prove it to me, Cooper. Unless those were just a bunch of lies proclaimed by a kiddo with a big ego..." That mockery and her amused smirk were enough to convice him to make a deal.

Both worked together, she distracted the guests and showed the true identity of that villain to all of them, ending with Raleigh's good reputation in aristocracy while Conner was stealing his loot and defeating his guards. Unfortunately, Raleigh managed to scape, but Conner stole the necklace and returned it to Marie, as he promised, and Raleigh was chased by the police and had to remain hidden for the rest of his life.

Since that moment Conner usually visited her at night every weekend on her balcony, he told her stories about his adventures as master thief and they shared romantic dinners on the rooftops of Paris. But when both began to falling in love with each other, he got panic.

Conner broke up with her and left during two years. In that time, Marie's grandmother died but Marie carried on and became in lawyer. She fought for the triumph of  justice in her country, sent horrible criminals to jail and defended innocent people and sometimes also to people guilty of minor charges.  However, there were criminals who managed dodging the Justice thanks to their influences or because of lack of evidence about their crimes, so Marie decided to became in "Rose Blanche", a masked vigilante, to spy and defeat criminals during the night while she still kept working as lawyer during the day.

She grew up and became a strong-willed woman and she thoght she wouldn't see Cooper never again, until one day...

The Cooper Gang find out there is a band of criminals who were stealing and murdering innocent people and whom cheat the police to made them believe that was the Cooper Gang who did it. Between those crimes, it was also murdered a victim who Marie defended in the past in a case, and she wants to get justice, so she finds The Cooper Gang and worked together to find the truth and gather enough evidences against the real criminals. Months later, they found out who was behind those crimes: Clockwerk.

During those months, Conner often flirted with Marie and tries to impress her, but they didn't come together because she disliked his attitude with his comrades (specially with "M" Moureau) and his reputation of womanizer.

On a mission, Clockwerk found Conner, he manages to scape but ends up seriously injured. When Marie taking care of his injuries, Conner reveals to her that the main reason why he left was because Clockwerk finished with all his family and he couldn't stand the idea of losing her too, and tells her that she should leave the case now she's not fully involved yet and that she deserves to live a happy and long life with a good man.

However, Marie decided to stay with him because she had already got a lot of enemies as lawyer and masked vigilante anyways, because she was determined to defeat Clockwerk and his band, but foremost because she loves Conner and she didn't want to leave him alone in his worst moment. She told him: "No matter what happens, we will always have each other, so we'll never be alone. Any of us have a family anymore, but we could be a family. So what you say? Will you marry me, mon amour?"

They got married in secret and when Sly Cooper was born (in 1984), Marie donated almost all her money to orphanages and charities, and Conner and her bought a farm in somewhere in USA. When their enemies were too many and their lives were put in a worse danger, they left their jobs and dedicated the rest of their lives to raise and protect their son. Despite their difficult lifestyle, both were very happy in those years, Marie never lost her joy and Sly learned from her to always keep his positivity up even in the worst moments, to be loyal and to cherish his family and friends.