#very insightful read

[superduperkas]

[bingqiuhateabortion]

The way thousand statues cave scene gets such vastly different reactions and gets interpreted from every different vievpoint is kind of fascinating. My friend told me it was funny af and i've seen people say it was really creepy (iykyk that's why i'm writing this post now) but for me it was just really, really, really damn sad?? Maybe I relate to HC way too much but just imagine two people who you mutually hate and who also have biased opinions towards you and the person you love the most finding your deepest darkest secret you lowkey are ashamed of yourself. The two bitches you despise do everything they can to alienate and turn your crush against you and there's nothing in your power you can do not to make the situation worse than it already is. THAT's fucking horror not a guy having a weird but harmless hobby which he engages in mind you to cope with trauma and eternity of loneliness. And you really thought he's the bad guy bc he was "acting weird" huh

[sithblu]

i really despise THOSE rdr2 fans because they’re all like “arthur morgan is a sigma!!! he’s the goat!! he has no care for others and murders freely!!! low honor arthur is canon!!”

that man draws hearts in his journal when he writes about mary. be serious

[ryssbelle]

Poppy for N2 au, it took me so long to make her design cuz I didn't really know what I wanted to do only because I feel like her design is pretty perfect.

But then I just thought about fun outfits to give her or outfits that I would find comfortable if I was wearing them and it all came together.

Poppy here is pretty much the same as here movie counterpart, as nothing really changes on her end of things other than having more insight on Branch through his brothers, and through Lief. Shes also a bit more understanding a bit earlier on because of it but it doesnt do much to change her own character arc I would say.

Bonus

Part of Poppys design was based off a design I had made for previous rulers of Troll Village/Tree

Namely Queen Protea who I designed as Poppys grandmother

Named after the Protea flower which part of her design is based off :D

In the context of this Au Protea was the one who conceptualized the tunnels while her son, King Peppy, was the one to follow through after her death

[cemeterything]

I think your posts are often trite cliches presented as a sort of original insight (the crucifix as an icon of christianity is morbid, like wearing a guillotine around your neck) and your references are limited (guy who’s only read hamlet: this is just like hamlet)

But your joke posts are funny.

harsh but entirely true and correct

[pythoria]

i keep thinking about that line after you ascend astarion, when you pass that check to reveal he thinks you're degrading yourself if you continue to be with him. something about it seemed a little off to me, at least considering how ppl were saying it's because he sees you as beneath him, and it ties a little bit into some more general facts about his ascension. namely, that he didn't really get any powers out of it, and any powers seem to still be theoretical or projected into the future. he seems... excited about those prospective powers, but i can't help but notice an undercurrent of desperation. after all, why did 7000 people die for him if he can't even do the cool stuff like summoning wolves or walking on ceilings? sure, he can walk in the sun, but the worm already did that so there's no immediate difference. he can turn into mist, create spawn and has a more powerful bite, but isn't it all a little... underwhelming? imo after the ascension he's right back to posturing to hide his insecurities, which is why he says stuff about ruling the world (and i'm not saying he couldn't, but he definitely doesn't have that power immediately after his ascension).

i don't think the ascension is satisfying for him, i don't think he feels powerful (enough), and i think the reason he thinks you're degrading yourself isn't because you're beneath him, but because he thinks, deep down, that you're *better* than him. after all, you can't degrade yourself if you're already lowly. to degrade yourself, one has to have a height from which to fall. i think he sees you, either good and pure as tav or empowered by bhaal as durge and feels intimidated, either by your powers or by your inherent goodness. idk how people can look at ascended astarion and see a confident vampire lord, because all i see is someone whose worst nightmares came true and he doesn't even have the privilege of waking up.

[uhbasicallyjustmilex]

quotes from alex turner's favourite authors that make me want to put my face through a wall:

"although i have never been an actor in the strict sense of the word, i have nevertheless, in real life, always carried about with me a small folding theatre" - vladimir nabokov, despair

"there is a terrible emptiness in me, an indifference that hurts," - albert camus

"there is no trap so deadly as the trap you set for yourself" - raymond chandler

"at eight, he had once told his mother that he wanted to paint air" - vladimir nabokov

"no man ever understands quite his own artful dodges to escape from the grim shadow of self-knowledge" - joseph conrad

"everything i've ever let go of has claw marks on it" - david foster wallace

"we're all lonely for something we don't know we're lonely for. how else to explain the curious feeling that goes around feeling like missing somebody we've never even met?" - david foster wallace

"i turn over a new leaf every day, but the blots show through" - keith waterhouse

"the truth will set you free. but not until it's finished with you" - david foster wallace

"curiosity is insubordination in its purest form" - vladimir nabokov

"i'm me and nobody else; and whatever people think i am or say i am, that's what i'm not, because they don't know a bloody thing about me" - alan sillitoe

"we live as we dream; alone” - joseph conrad

"i liked, as i like still, to make words look self-conscious and foolish, to bind them by mock marriage of a pun, to turn them inside out, to come upon them unwares" - vladimir nabokov, despair

"whatever you get paid attention to for is never what you think is most important about yourself" - david foster wallace

"i continued to stir my tea long after it had done all it could with the milk” - vladimir nabokov, despair

"i remained too much inside my head and ended up losing my mind" - edgar allan poe

"all the information i have about myself is from forged documents" - vladimir nabokov, despair

"how odd i can have all this inside me and to you its just words" - david foster wallace

"you will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. you will never live if you're looking for the meaning of life" - albert camus

[13eyond13]

love it when a character that's hard to read intuitively for you has like a dedicated fandom interpreter who can just glance at their blank face in a panel and then give you a 3k word essay on their innermost thoughts & desires & fears and neatly tie it back into the themes & whatnot as if it's the most obvious thing in the world

[ofswordsandpens]

i admire the work you and your mutuals are doing by criticising the pjo show because i've seen a few people on tiktok saying that the show is a rewrite rather than a faithful adaptation and they got TORN APART by the comment section, like seriously kudos to you for fighting off the piss poor reading comprehension crowd

it ain't much, but it's honest work....

no but thank you lol and honestly I have such respect for people criticizing the show on tiktok or twitter of all places, at least on tumblr there's a slightly higher tolerance for criticism in general (not much, but more)... I could not imagine trying to put some of these opinions on tiktok just to have the top liked comment be like "actually the show is perfect" and then only have like 150 characters or whatever to expand on anything. I've also seen a creator on tiktok criticize the show, and despite them articulating their criticisms really well alongside their compliments for the show (and giving a tw for opinions lmao) they consistently get ripped to shreds in the comments :/

[nonsenseofyesteryear]

thinking about how juvenile detention made everyone in the vicious generation worse, and how they're probably all bonded by the shared trauma of incarceration in a way that most of them probably don't even consciously realize and would definitely never admit to even if they did.

[drawnfamiliarfaces]

Do you know how to fix the "Shloomp. There It Is" episode? This can be done MIS style by putting Chase Young in Nomicon's place. After all, Chase Young was able to obtain the evil essence Omi of the Yin-Yang World. Why doesn't he do the same to Randy for a chance to get to the First Ninja? This idea addresses many important issues. Firstly, a dubious lesson from Nomicon (he put the guys in danger in the original plot development), and secondly, the very existence of NomiRandy. Where did he come from? Thirdly, this will limit Randy’s activities, which means he will not be able to get out of the Yin-Yang world on his own and get into someone else’s body. Poof! I forbid rc9gn characters from moving into other people’s bodies so easily!Randy's fall to the side of darkness will infuriate the First Ninja, which fits perfectly with the concept of his relationship with Chase Young. In addition, it will be a kind of bitter reminder: “Look, I took from you the one who at one time took from me the best chance to win you over to my side.” The First Ninja was at his most vulnerable mentally when he was going through a crisis, and only the appearance of Randy made him perk up. The First Ninja will not be able to come to terms with the fact that Randy has become evil (and even more arrogant).NomiRandy may be more than just arrogant. He may represent the vengeful part of Randy. He will probably say something that will plunge the First Ninja into long thoughts, because he will not be able to deny what he said, since it is a part of Randy, and not just his opposite. NomiRandy is everything that the First Ninja never wanted to accept in Randy himself, so this will be some kind of test for him? Very high quality test. Another plus in the karma of this idea.NomiRandy is not stupid, but he is a brutal teenager who doesn't need anyone. Because of this value system, he will not be able to become a part of society, because when he grows up with his peers, his brutality will lose its meaning. Deep down, Randy wants to show others his rebellious nature, what he can really be, but he will have to understand that being NomiRandy all the time is depriving himself of a future. Then this thirst will stop snowballing. A good lesson for any teenager, including Ninjas.So this idea is great, it has conflict, meaning and a "little" Chase Young/First Ninja feud of course. Chase Young is going to give morals for once (especially for the First Ninja), even if that wasn't his intention in the first place, because damn it, Chase Young was never JUST evil. He is many hundreds of years old, he is wise enough so that he does not have to prove it to others. That's why in this scenario I put him in the place of Nomicon, who was supposed to teach the Ninja. He could have locked Randy's moral self in the Yin-Yang world, not just to annoy the First Ninja and force him to accept his terms, but because "I may take YOUR place in the eyes of YOUR students, but the outcome will be the same as the outcome of the one that NomiRandy has taken Randy's place" (that is, a crossed out future for the whole world), or "we can feud not only physically" (Chase Young is a manipulator; he can not only give dubious advice to Randy, but also really important lessons for both him, same for the First Ninja; a kind of care, similar to medicine: whether you like it or not, sooner or later you will need it, but by taking it, you are slowly destroying yourself, because it contains a small dose of poison, and Chase Young will give for his own purposes you just enough to destroy you). What happened will also hit the value system of the First Ninja, which he chose in the afterlife. Chase Young has never been susceptible to petty mischief. In a ship with someone like the First Ninja, this should be emphasized more often.

What other episodes would you like to fix in this way?

Oh, wow, this is a very intriguing and very detailed idea that is certainly worth exploring!

There is a lot to process, and I've been thinking about it for...like a week, and I'm not sure if I got everything, so if I misunderstood anything I apologize (my brain no work so good sometimes lol sorry), but I wanted to offer you my opinion if you want it!

In general I prefer to leave canon alone and just loosely refer to events that happen in cartoon, especially RC9GN, so I never thought of rewriting/fixing an episode (I mean they are sort of 'rewritten' in my head with better lore and just cooler but like nothing definite). With MIS I tend to concentrate primarly on Finja and Chase first, and the kids are sort of in the background for me. I only had like two? three? ideas that are episode & Randy/Monks related and those are mostly in Xiaolin Showdown, and one of them is in Favorite Warrior AU, lol. And even those are not rewrites/fixers but crossover fusion - the events happen almost exactly the same but just with more characters involved. So I can't say I have many idea for rewrites/fixers in RC9GN that would involve MIS.

But what I do like, is using canon to suppliment idea for 'after' cartoon canon, so after reading your idea, I wanted to offer you a slightly different take: let the canon episode happen, but then use it to build an even more serious situation with Chase, like you described and it would hit everyone involved even harder.

Let me explain my reasoning more (this might get a bit long, be warned!):

Let's start with canon first - In my opinion 'Shloomp There it is' episode is fine by itself, however dumb it might seem at first.

I kind of agree with you on the first point, about it being a dubious way to teach a lesson, but to be absolutely fair - it was a very dubious and silly problem originally, that Randy created by being a little bit of an idiot himself. So as in theme with the show, the problem and solution kind of fit each other.

Secondly, NomiRandy. I also agree about your point of Where did he come from and where the heck did he go? Well I have (most likely unpopular) opinions about that.

Personally I believe that NomiRandy is not an actual evil representation Ninjanomicon somehow created from Randy himself, but rather it is a caricature of him that Nomicon created by itself. It's an absolutely fake doppleganger that only looks like Randy on the surface - with many of his negative and opposite traits amplified to a comical degree, but not really an evil entity made of Randy's deepest dark desires. It's nothing more but a papermache puppet Ninjanomicon used to teach a lesson and later discarded, and thats why we never see him again, because he wasn't real in any shape or form so after returning to Nomicon he doesn't exist anymore.

(I am very much aware that my headcanons about NomiRandy are probably in minority, because this fandom absolutely adores NomiRandy, lol)

So, NomiRandy was a relatively mild threat used as a mild solution to fix a problem created by Randy being a bit of an idiot.

Your third point, about Randy being limited in his activities, is where I have to disagree with you a bit more. Because what's the point of teaching the lesson if a big part of Randy is not there to learn it? I mean, in canon version Randy actually witnessed NomiRandy act as an asshole which helped him realize that he himself was acting foolishly. And him having to fight himself but in Howard's body was actually pretty interesting concept of Randy having to actually physically confront his failings and bad traits head on.

There is also something to say about the fact that the only ones involved into body swap were people who were in the Nomicon at first , so one could argue that the body/mind swap was controlled by Ninjanomicon, that it used to make a point for Randy. (But that would be a thought for another time, lol.)

So, as you can see, in my opinion the episode is relatively fine by itself, and if we replace Ninjanomicon with Chase - the total tone shift will change all of it drastically. Not to mention the lesson itself will change, becoming more serious and with actual consequences - all of it would be something completely different.

And while it absolutely could work and the idea of this rewrite by itself is incredibly intriguing, I think it would work better as a continuation, as more dire development for after the end of the series.

You might ask why the end of the series? Well primarily because of my own headcanon that Chase in general tends to stay out of Norrisville Ninja business out of respect to First and also because they change so fast, (I mean what are 4 years to immortal??) he rarely gets to pay attention to them, let alone get interested in them and their usefullness to his agenda with First. But if something big happens, like I dunno, Randy defeating Ghoulian and unmaking the Sorcerer himself it would make Chase pay attention to Randy and realize how useful he can be.

The other important reason, is because of episode 'Winner Takes Ball' where we catch the tiniest glimpse of the actual evil side of Randy that appeared thanks to influence of Chaos Ball. He is power hungry, he is so sure of himself, he is cocky, he is merciless and ruthless and most importantly he still loves being THE Ninja. There is no annoyed apathy and uncaringness that NomiRandy displayed, this Evil Randy would have been just as hyper as normal Randy, enjoying his newfound powers just as much, but also would be unburdened with morals of using those powers.

Because, you see, I think Actual Evil version of Randy is in many ways would be a lot like an Evil version of Omi. Evil Omi was hyper pumped, thriving on newfound power, in this new freedom from morals, ruthless and doing what he wanted, rather than what is right. And what he wanted is to fight, to show everyone how talented he was, that he was the best warrior there ever was.

And what does Randy want? Constantly throughout the show Randy expresses his delight at being the Ninja (unlike some protagonists that find themselves suddenly thrust into a hero role, Randy takes to it instantly, there is literally ZERO hesitation from this boy), he loves it and most importantly he wants to be this strong, powerful, capable and amazing.

But that is also one of the most important Ninjanomicon continues to impart on the Ninjas - not to be this prideful and arrogant, and chase after power with such disregard to everything else.

So, now picture it like this:

Chase learns about Randy and what he has done, and how talented and powerful this new ninja is. At some point he discovers about NomiRandy and what happened, and it gives him an idea.

Chase Reverse Chi-s Randy, and this Evil Randy is still Randy in many ways, and it would absolutely devastate First to see him like this - power-hungry and ruthless, disregarding everything that Ninjanomicon taught him to prevent exactly this fall to Darkness and Evil, and the worst part is he has been taken under Chase's wing not only to nurture and encourage this new evil seedling - but to taunt First and Ninjanomicon, because - isn't it what you once wanted to teach him by creating NomiRandy? About his dark self that should be kept in check and balanced in a good warrior, good ninja? But your lesson was deeply flawed and now look at me, I will do a so much better job than you ever attempted, and I will show this young Ninja, that it's not only the bad side that needs to be balanced but the good side as well.

Which would play into what you said earlier - NomiRandy, or in this case just Evil Randy - will be so power-hungry and thirsty for fighting, he will disregard many things, like the fact that existing like that is impossible - even such urges must be tampered in order to actually live a fullfilling (if evil) life. And who is better to show and teach it to him than Chase Young, who (most likely) spent centuries in the beginning of his immortal life so hungry for battle, he served as an attack dog for Hannibal Roy Bean. But with time Chase has found balance in his new evil existence, and that helped him to overcome Roy Bean and rise to new heights.

That comparison about how Roy Bean controlled Chase, can also can influence how Randy views Ninjanomicon (and by extension First), and how tightly it tries to hold reigns of Ninjas it teaches. I mean, Randy sometimes resented the lessons and rules Ninjanomicon gives, we've seen it a few times, but Evil Randy will feel all of that frustration and annoyance even more, like a rebelious teenager that saw how controlling the authoriive figure in their life is and it will poison his relationship with Ninjanomicon.

And First? Well, Evil Randy could also bring up how Randy, a supposedly not-good enough for your high-and-mighty Ninja Rules and Forbidden Powers managed to do what the original oh-so-powerful Ninja could not - finally defeat the Sorcerer. About how a teenager that you dumped your mask on, your responsibility, and kept holding back with all your stupid rules and limitations - did what you couldn't in 800 years. And what can First even answer to that? Because its all true, no matter how poisoned Evil Randy's view may be, the bare facts are all true.

So, First can only watch, helpless and angry and so so sad, how Chase takes under his wing the one who saved the world from Sorcerer (not even once, but twice) and twists that raw power and energy that served for good into something that will serve evil. ( And the worst part, is that it all happened because of First - because of Chase's initial interest in First. All in an attempt to get to him.)

And well, like you said, there could be two endings - where Evil Randy is here to stay (aka Very Bad Ending lol), or where Good Randy makes it out of Ying-Yang world and reunites with his Evil self again.

But even then, the damage will be done. Because Chase's lessons could still continue. I mentioned earlier about lessons in balance, and how in good warrior, not only his dark side should be kept in check, but his good side also. In a way, I think Good Randy will lack a very important part to being a Ninja - and its the ruthlessness that Evil Randy brandishes like a blunt weapon, but with Chase it could be sharpened into a precise tool, and if Good and Evil reunite, the lesson will be still carried over.

And not only that will be carried over, but all the words and feelings that Evil Randy experienced -Randy will remember, and that can forever change and/or damage his relationship with Ninjanomicon and First. And Chase? Well, Randy will also remember that Chase was not just an Evil Jerk that split him in half - he actually tried to help and teach his Evil self to control himself better, so the seedling of mentor&mentee relationship will still be there.

After all of this, I have to admit, unlike you, I have a harder time imagining how exactly the situtation will help Chase sway/manipulate First to his side. I mean, this way Chase might probably sway Randy to his side, especially if he somehow orchestrates the return of Good Randy and says that all of this was just a lesson to help Randy be a better warrior, because he just couldn't watch all this talent wither away under Ninjanomicon's dubious tutelage.

But when it comes to First, If anything, I think it will actually backfire horribly. First is already constantly unstable in his regards to Chase, but something like this will only solidify his belief in Chase being a manipulator that could never be trusted, because its one thing to try and manipulate First to his side, but its another to involve his kid successor. First might even lose whatever respect he had for the immortal, because he would view manipulation of children as beneath him (of course I think Chase will argue, that those young warriors are hardly children).

I think I mentioned it before in some ask, but I personally believe that if Chase will try to get to Randy it will just send First into apocleptic levels of anger, and destroy any slim chances Chase had, and will literally set him back to zero in his progress with First, lol.

But that's just my personal view, you probably have some really good ideas about that! ;D

On another note, a tiny thing I got to disagree with a little - is about Chase being above 'petty mischief'. I can agree about Chase not being particularly petty, but mischief? In my opinion, this immortal lizard is very much into mischief, albeit a more strategic type of mischief. xD This is the man who continuously taunted pre-teens while trying to manipulate one of them to his side, and also continuously made poor Jack's life hell.

Though admittiedly, I like to think that being around First Ninja brings out more of Chase's mischevious side (opposite to his cruel and uncaring sides) - partially because First Ninja doesn't always reacts the way Chase expects him to. And sometimes Ninja catches Chase before he gets into a scheme and that sometimes leaves Chase himself wrong-footed. And partially because, Chase grew to enjoy testing Ninja's patience a little too much, after the got to know each other better.

But you are right about the fact that in this ship it should empathized more how much of a threat and manipulator Chase could be, the problem is i can't write this type of characters like at all, lol, to my great dissapointment i just don't know how to do it well. xD So that version of Chase just kind of exists half-baked in my mind, and meanwhile in my art and fics he just turns into a mischevious asshole with all his schemes in background, haha.

Anyway, I tried really hard to adress everything you mentioned and offer some insights and ideas, but i still feel like i might have missed something, so - sorry about that! I know its probably not the answer you quite expected, but I do hope it was sufficient, and if not - that at least it was entertainin to read! ;3

[nyaskitten]

It's so funny when people take random scenes at face value and don't do any further thinking At All. Girl the Overlord is not confirming Harumi secretly loves Lloyd, he is Lego Satan, and he's lying to and manipulating Harumi, trying to keep her on his side by guilting her. He is LYING! Also Lloyd and Harumi are Not siblings . They aren't. They are not.

[dunmertitty]

i love internet brainrot because you’ll see someone type out a genuinely well thought-out and written comment critiquing how american prisons/justice system work and how they keep people in a cycle of poverty/crime and do nothing to actually rehabilitate people and how mental institutions don’t really rehabilitate people either and then someone responds with “we get it 🙄 americans are the only ones who ever suffer”❕❕

like congrats on the dogshit take of all time

[dreamerslovechaos]

the applicant, sylvia plath // revolutionary girl utena

[firstroseofspring]

memory, death and life as komerex zha, the perpetual game; klingon culture as depicted in the final reflection, by john m. ford

[calypsolemon]

every time someone describes perrito as puss and kitty's "son" or like he's a child in some capacity im like that man is 30 in dog years