#when the monologue started up it slayed me

[wandringaesthetic]

Here, look at this one too

[thealogie]

Ok here are just like top 6 things from Macbeth. There are so many more but just lightning round:

Right off the bat, Ross (Macbeth’s friend) lifts him off the ground in a hug when they greet each other and bounces him up and down a bit. Excellent. Even better that Ross is played by a woman. Good stuff.

David Tennant chemistry with his costars strikes again. I feel like this hasn’t been talked about enough in reviews I’ve read but the macbeths were like. In LOVE in love in this one. A lot of people have observed that in this production, it’s less “lady Macbeth pushes him to do murder and become king” and more “she’s enabling something that starts with him.” That’s very true but also (and this is just my reading) he does it because he loves her. He has this thought of killing Duncan and then he’s like “ok this is a bad idea” and then her “convincing him” speech is delivered in a way where she’s like “but you promised me and now I really want it I really want this and I can’t get over our dead child” and he’s just like does it because he loves her and hears her in that moment (soon it becomes for evil reasons but the “screw your courage to the sticking place” scene has so much tenderness to it here)

Along the same lines, when he’s having his breakdown and seeing Duncan’s figure in the room, he just clings to her and buries his face in pain into her shoulder. And Cush Jumbo in that scene just equally aghast/worried their plan is unraveling and also genuinely connected to and comforting him. They just so felt like a real toxic/tragic love story in a play that’s not usually interpreted that way

There’s this very cool cinematic technique that I love in theatre and it was employed very well here. It’s when the scene is in a big boisterous crowd and everyone starts acting in slow motion so the main character can give us an internal monologue and then the lighting goes back to normal and the acting goes back to normal speech to signify that the internal monologue only took a second in the real world. Good stuff

That was the single best “tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow” soliloquy I’ve ever seen. Like holy shit. I can’t even describe it except to say. The moment he learns that she’s dead his strings are just cut and he really delivers that soliloquy like there’s a black hole swallowing him.

This has been said by everyone by now but Cush Jumbo really slays this new angle on lady Macbeth where ambition is not really her motivating factor and she’s morally conflicted and feels like a real person

[forgottendolly]

Things I loved in Station Theatre’s RTC because I can’t stop thinking about it and I don’t think I ever will😔😔 (in no particular order whatsoever😇🙏)

- JANES REACTIONS TO HER BIRTHDAY SONG

- Virgil the rat chewing the power cable and his little ears and head just bobbed 😭😭

- JANES PIGTAILS

- The whole pre jawbreaker monologue (yes, I cried… sobbed more accurately)

- Mischa blowing a party blower at Jane and her getting scared x2

- Constance’s cotton Candy earrings 😞💗 I need them for myself!!!!!

- Ocean and Constance doing their little “improv” skit was done so perfectly I laughed so hard 💀

- Jane running and hugging Ocean during her “i love you guys” speech and just not letting her go LIKE FULL ON HOLDING ONTO HER AND DRAGGING ALONG AS OCEAN BACKED AWAY

- CONSTANCE RECORDER SOLO SLAYED I THINK I BURST MY LUNG SCREAMING

- Ricky and Jane ARE REAL

- Ricky coming out in all black with his head down at the start and half doing the choreo

- Noel laughing when Karnak tells Ocean that the person who wins will be decided by a unanimous vote

- Jane saying “for me? 🥺” when Constance offers her the hello Kitty cupcake

- Her proceeding to squish said cupcake in her hand and try to eat the paper decoration on top leading to the others having to stop her

- Mischa offering Jane a sip of vodka and she drinks like half the bottle 💀💀

- Jane making her doll dance

- NOEL APPLYING LIPSTICK BY A MIRROR HELD UP BY JANE (ICONIC ALONG WITH THE STAINED CIGARETTE)

- SBM COSTUME CHANGEEE 2012 FLASHBACKS

- Ricky teaching Jane how to ballroom dance after TNBS

- RICKY SLAYING THE ACCORDIANN

- Janes headless pose at the start and end of the show

- Janes little neck ribbon

- “Do you want to know what I find really super hurts?” DEATH STARE

- Mischa throwing money into the audience (yes I kept one sorry not sorry)

- Jane picking up two of the pieces of money and handing them to people in the audience

- someone getting picked up and spun around more than once??? YES. You heard me, more than once. I almost got knocked out by Janes shoe and honestly would have thanked her

- Monique ate the whole time

- Seriously OBSESSED with Noel’s Lament

- Spacedolls I repeat SPACEDOLLS

- Janes little bottom eyelashes

- Oceans cute little hair bow I LOVER HERR

- Mischa flipping everyone and everything off every 3 seconds

- Jane trying to bring Ricky with her to the other side

- Jane giving Ricky her doll before she leaves to the other side

- The group going over to hug Mischa after Talia, including Constance Jane and ofc Noel

- Ricky ASL 💗💗💗💗

- Clip on earrings (ifykyk)

- JANE GETTING THE HAT

- Penny lamb life compilation (I was in tears) AND THEN WITH THE BEAUTIFUL ITS NOT A GAME VOCALS?!! HEART SHATTERED!

- Having to hold back Jane from biting ocean after the “and she’s a freaky monster” line

- Noel saying hello to Jane and Jane moving her little dolls arm say hi back

- The ropes they used to make Jane look like a marionette doll during TBOJD

- Constance bring the puppet master during TBOJD

- The headless doll being on the side of the wall and the kid sitting next to me pointing it out cause my blind ass didn’t see it at first

- Talia skirts 💗💗

- The way Jane goes limp after her introduction song

- FORNICATION… UNDER CONSENT OF THE KINGGGG!!!! *holding long ass sword above her head*

[hubristicassholefight]

Hubristic Assholes tourney Round 1 part 3a

Herbert West (Re-Animator, both book and film) vs Victor Frankenstein (Frankenstein)

Propaganda below cut

Herbet

Literally has a whole monologue about defying god in the second movie. (https://youtu.be/BOt0rRhofuI?si=o7wCwAaT347jUmcp)

Playing God by defying death itself

Victor

"ouh im gonna create life from scratch and it's gonna be Pog and Slay" WRONG it wwas FUCKT . he didnt give that thang enough SKIN even . and then it killed his whole family, well he is just a silly guy .

Textbook definition of fuck around and find out. To his credit - yeah, he was a genius who sped through All Of Chemistry Classes in 2 years and revolutionized the field of natural sciences at his university while he was barely 20, arguably invented biochemistry (and then never told anyone) and created a human(ish) being from scratch (and again, never told anyone), BUT Honestly I don't even need to say anything here, I can literally just paste a direct quote: "Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through, and pour a torrent of light into our dark world. A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me. No father could claim the gratitude of his child so completely as I should deserve theirs." He saw LIFE AND DEATH ITSELF as just a STARTING POINT ffs Needless to say, the "find out" stage hit him like a freight train making the rest of his life just one long trauma conga line until he died completely alone before even hitting 30 Give it up to our king of hubris, Greatest pathetic wet meow meow of gothic literature tbh

thought he could be better than God by making his own man so that he could later bring people (his mother) back to life. whole thing blew up in his face cause 1. he made it way too big and way too able to kill people 2. he immediately got scared of it and ran away 3. he left it alone without teaching it how to actually function as a human, further adding to the murderous tendencies.

Thinks making life is easy. Does not consider the life he made actually worth anything, He's like the platonic ideal of a shitty parent who wants recognition for Being A Parent without actually having the ability to care for someone else, just taken to a cartoonish extreme. Look where that got him.

Tries to create a whole ass person from scratch. It does not go well; The guy needs no introduction. Guy tries creates a whole human person cobbled together from dead bodies, breathes life into it, immediately abandons his creation, and proceeds to have his life completely destroyed when said creation goes on a rampage of revenge. Subtitle of the book is literally the 'Modern Prometheus.'

Do I really have to explain this one. He made a Guy. He played God. Then the Guy killed his entire family and (boy)friend; He is Pathetic

Victor wanted to play god. Created monster. Monster tried to kill him. Killed his brother, his gf, and his BFF, and came after him. A horror icon, and the modern archetype of the mad scientist in fiction. He's a pathetic pissbaby that needs to be punched. Cunt dies in the end get rekked lol.

I mean come on, Please he's like the guy

[meekoftheweek]

**SPOILER WARNING FOR "SLAY THE PRINCESS"**

I know I said in my post from earlier that I didn't want to put anything out there that might be spoilers but I'm going more in depth because I can't just let these thoughts go away

the thing that resonated with me about this game and its characters and themes was the portrayal of gender roles and the way that they manifest in heterosexual relationships

now, I know that seems like weird connection to make and a bit out of left field but let me explain

we can start with a quick summary

you play as "The Long Quiet", who is told by his inner consciousness to seek out a princess, who we eventually discover is "The Shifting Mound"

Now, we have a man being told his only purpose has to come through a woman by his inner conscience, a predisposed expectation thrust upon our main character. Even worse, when attempting to leave this incredibly confined chain of events, the world collapses, unable to function without this key part of his destiny.

If we look at just the names of our two main characters, we can see that they fit nicely into the old fashioned problematic gender roles of men and women in a heterosexual relationship.

"The Long Quiet" never speaks a word throughout the game, his only form of communication is text based or inner monologue and although this may just be a tactic by the developers to make him more relatable to a wider audience I have trouble seeing this as non deliberate.

Although great progress has been made, men still struggle with talking openly and honestly about their feelings, dealing with the inner conflict of trying to tough things out and deal with their problems on their own and with their own experiences and wisdom instead of speaking up and asking for help. This is why the voices are such an important part of the story, they each represent a branch of possible advice for Quiet, a different perspective - commenting on what should happen next.

It is only through the use of the mirror that these inner voices dissapate, leaving us room to think about ourselves and the decisions we have made free of expectation and worry. It shows our true self and the consequences of our action, no good or bad biases.

Next, we get to "The Shifting Mound" dummed down and objectified as simply "The Princess" - already indicitve of the themes of pre assigned gender roles and ideas. We, as Quiet, in our very first run are encouraged to make a choice - kill or save the princess. It is through following the path of blind devotion and saving her without a second thought that we arrive at the path of The Smitten, a new voice that emerges within us that wants nothing more than to blindly love the princess for all of eternity. This kind of unhealthy attachment is directly addressed by the other voices and when we interact with the princess, she is shown to both physically and mentally simplify before our very eyes. In the mind of The Smitten, the princess is nothing more than a cardboard cutout, a vaugely womanly shaped being without an ounce of depth or meaning, and this is exactly what she becomes, through the conversation with her, she slowly begins to lose all of her meaning, loudly proclaiming after every question you ask that all she wants to do is make you happy - this eventually reaches a breaking point in which this is all she can say. becoming truly emotionless and void of any possible sign of humanity in order to fill our selfish idea of love.

this ties into her name and her role in the game - she's labelled as "The Shifting Mound" and depending on our choices - In another word "us", she will change her form and personailty in order to fit our expectations. This ties into the problematic old fashioned expectations of women to change themselves to fit the wants and needs of men, which cruelly removes them of the ability to genuinely express and be themselves. It is only through repeatedly exploring the different versions and facets of the princess that we eventually learn to truly love her, all of these parts must be accepted - the key to a healthy relationship being a mutual acceptance and understanding of both people involved - free of the societal expectations that bind the way we think and percieve one another.

this is why this game resonated so much with me. these beautiful themes of being more than your label and breaking free from the monotonous loop of holding yourself back in the case of Quiet or changing yourself in the case of Mound for the sake of your significant other I feel is a really important and valuable message, no mattter who you are.

anyway rant aside go play this game it's really good!

[botanybulbasaur]

love through fiction

stuff below cut because its just stuff im writing while i cry

a quote i keep remembering over adnd over and over again is tahta stupid "the love was there and it changed everything. if you even care" quote because. i dont like change. i like having positive impacts on people but i dont like when i change or when they change. it feels like im losing something, an aspect i cant gain back, a feature that people mightve counted on me for. even worse sometimes, it can feel like im losing people.

so its easier to just ignore change. act like the love and the hate is the only thing that changes, not time. act like we, humans, control how long we have and how the world changes what we love.

but we don't, and we never will. the world will keep spinning and the people will keep changing against their will, against the beat of their hearts. but the fiction i keep reading

it keeps sayingt hat the love doesn't need to change anything. the love being there in the first place is a miracle, a gift, proof that we mean something and that our actions give us something. thte change was there and it made love if you even care.

'slay the princess' does a good job at taking just what i fear and placing it before me. how terrifying it is to be the one who changes, and how terrifying it is to see people change before you. but despite that everybody tried to work together. the love was there. the love was there and it told you to try and change something

then there's the love that transcends change. dragon maid be damned because kobayashi (human character) tells. uak. tells this teenage dragon character "i am. im lying to you. im trying to charm a chaos dragon with sweet lies" after the teenager tells her that she's just a human and she'll die and she's inferior and she's lying to her dragon girlfriend. i think its been a while my memory is shitty. and the girl didnt leave her side later on when she was in bed for a while. she knew that kobayashi was ignoring their differences, keeping it stacked away that theyd die at different times and i cant stop crying. the love was there and it told you that you dont have to change anything. the love was there and it told you that to be happy you have to ignore the change sometimes

amd TOHRU (kobayashi's gf) dont get me fucking started. her short monologue in the train ride back home about how kobayashi will die soon but shes just trying to enjoy what she has now. her conversation with her dad knowing she'd get hurt when kobayashi dies, following her near breakdown just thinking of kobayashi dying. the love was there and it told you to hold on and slow down, that the change is later, you don't have to be scared yet. it's okay, the love says, because it was there.

last but certainly not least dunmeshi. i know i usually bring up marcille here because i resonate with her but i want to bring up senshi and his backstory. like youre telling me he too feels guilty about his family (i know theyre not related to him shut the fuck up theyre family thats what family is) sacrificing for him but it gave him the inspiration and the courage to be who it was. the love was there and it changed me from the inside if you even care. the love was there and it changed me for the better. the love was there and it saved me

yeah im just crying now. the love was there. the love was there and it meant cooking and exploring and selling your desires to the nearest demon and it meant befriending people you'd outlive by a couple hundred years if you even care. the love was there and it made more love despite the change if you even care. the love was there the love was there im jfn,. :( THE LOVE WAS TEHRE. THE LOVE WAS THERE

the love was there and it made kobayashi risk her life for tohru. the love was there and it made laios, marcille and chilchuck risk their lives to kill the red dragon and get fain back. the love was there and it made toshiro wander deep without food to try and find someone who exhibited warmth. the love was there and it made laios and toshiro really become friends because the love was in us all all along wasn't it. the love wasn't because of change the change was love. what made us what changed us was love. what we all have that leads us forward, even in fiction. god i need a minute.

[coraniaid]

Kendra shows up for the first time in What's My Line? and delivers several speeches about her past and her training to (maybe!) one day become a Slayer that boil down to:

"I don't really remember my parents except as pictures I've been shown, but I do know [somehow?] that they took slaying really seriously and they sent me to be trained as a Potential Slayer when I was very young. I know that if you want to be a good Slayer it's important not to be distracted by things like boys or friends or school or family, and I really want to be a good Slayer. And I know that a Slayer has to work in secret, and she musn't tell anybody else about vampires or being a Slayer (but again, my parents -- yeah, the ones I'm not allowed to talk to -- they really knew I was a Potential Slayer and they definitely approved of me being raised by my Watcher and never seeing them again ... No, I don't know their last names). You shouldn't feel sorry for me, though: I definitely don't feel sad or angry about this at all. My Watcher -- he's pretty much the only person I'm allowed to talk to, I guess -- he says that emotions are a weakness. I am a good Slayer. I definitely don't feel sad at all."

If you take Kendra seriously as a character for even a second, I'm not sure how you can hear all that and not think that something suspicious is going on. I'm not saying the Council had Kendra abducted or had her parents killed -- it doesn't seem quite their style -- but ... if her parents or her extended family (her "people", as the show puts it) know about Slaying and take it very seriously, why would the Council want them to send their daughter somewhere away from them where she isn't allowed to talk to anybody apart from her Watcher about being a Slayer? Was she going to be "distracted" by being brought up by people who were definitely 100% in favour of her being a Slayer? What real evidence does Kendra have that her Watcher can be trusted about anything he tells her about her parents? Why does this sound like the internal monologue of a character in the first third of a horror novel who doesn't quite yet realize they've been raised by a cult?

And so, you might think, this is where Kendra's arc is going to go. Next season is, after all, all about Buffy losing confidence in her own Watcher and the system of Watchers in general. Maybe Kendra will start to suspect she's been lied to. Maybe she'll try to track down her parents. Maybe they've been looking for her all this time; maybe they died in an accident and the Council decided it would be simpler to train Kendra as a Slayer if she didn't have anything else in her life to "distract" her. Maybe this is another Ampata situation, and Kendra's family really did give her up, and when she has some space away from her Watcher to think about it she realizes she's pretty angry about that. Maybe she'll go through the Cruciamentum, and lose her powers for a bit, and ask herself what would have happened to her if she'd waited and trained and gotten older and never been Called as a Slayer at all.

But instead the show means all this to be taken entirely at face value. Everything Kendra says is just supposed to stand in contrast with Buffy's own experience of becoming a Slayer, even though you can't really just reverse "Buffy's parents don't know anything about Slaying" and "Buffy lives with her Mom and has to try to hide her patrolling activites from her" and "Buffy never knew anything about the supernatural or vampire slayers until she was told she was one" and "Buffy still tries to go to school and socialize and date and have as much of a normal life as she can" and "Buffy isn't always perfect at keeping her Slaying secret from the people in her life" and hope to create anything coherent.

The next time we see or hear about Kendra it's literally just for about fifteen minutes so she can be killed off and written out of the show forever. And then pretty much nobody ever talks about her again (except for a brief mention the episode after she dies and a final fleeting reference early the next season. And then in Season 7 we meet Kennedy, the only other Potential with any real screen time who the Council seem to have trained from a young age, who definitely does remember her family and tells Willow about growing up as a relatively normal (if slightly spoiled) child and doesn't seem to have gone through anything like this.

[weaveandwood]

The Bard and The Blade Chapter 3: A Reckoning

Wyll/Named Tav | Slow Burn | Read on AO3 | Entire Work

Summary:

The gang meets Karlach and Wyll finds out that his pactholder has not been as forthcoming as he thought.

Suddenly, flames and an oily black substance surrounded Wyll, engulfing him. Lightning storms raced across his body, followed by a lick of flames, repeating over and over. He was screaming as if he was being dragged across all the Hells. She looked around - everyone was frozen in fear. Somebody had to do something, and who better than her? It was a lesson she learned throughout her childhood. She couldn’t depend on someone else to save the day - she had to do it herself. She lunged forward, only to be held back by Gale, who had moved closer while Mizora was monologuing

Wyll was adrift in a sea of doubt and half truths. Rosalind had immediately seen the situation for what it was and shouted at him to stand down, that Karlach was not a devil but a tiefling who had been enlisted into Zariel’s army against her will. Once he saw the tiefling’s memories through the tadpole connection, he knew . He knew Karlach wasn’t a devil. He knew he had been deceived. He knew he had been lied to by the person who held his strings, who controlled his contract, who allowed him to access his powers through their pact. And he knew the refusal to slay his charge would come at a steep price.

He was in a somber mood that night at camp. No matter how many jokes Gale tried to crack or how much teasing Astarion did, nothing could seem to raise his spirits. He was left waiting, wondering when his judgment would come. He knew it would, and likely soon - his patron didn’t like to wait. 

“Hey,” Rosalind said as she sat next to him on the ground in what he was starting to refer to as their spot in his head, as silly as it was. 

“I’m afraid you’ll find me in poor spirits tonight,” he said, sitting his still-full bowl down on the ground beside him and looking toward the heavens. If only he had been able to make a pact with a god and not a cambion on that fateful day so many years ago. Had he swung his blade at other beings that were undeserving while he was blinded by duty and without the one benefit of the tadpole connecting them all? The thought wouldn’t leave his mind, guilt gnawing at the corners of his conscience. 

“That’s okay, I just thought you’d like some company, even if it’s just to sit in silence together. Bad moods are likely to turn into worse moods when a person is left alone. Learned that one myself last night,” she smiled, leaning into him to bump his shoulder. He couldn’t help but smile. 

“Forgive me, then. A reckoning is coming, Rosalind. I suspect the veil will be lifted and I will be forced to pay my penance tonight,” he said wearily, thoughts of his punishment and how it would be exacted having run through his head since they began their walk toward camp that evening. 

“What kind of reckoning?” she asked. He could hear the nerves in her voice. 

He sighed, still staring at the stars, small pinpricks on a navy blanket. “You’re not in any danger, I promise you that. Though I can’t say the same for me.”

The ground started to rumble. Black, inky tendrils swirled, reaching toward the sky from a spot near the campfire. He heard Rosalind gasp, and saw the rest of the party snap their heads to the disturbance within the space they thought was safe, protected from the outside world. How he hated to be the one to break that illusion. 

“Hellfire. She’s coming,” he said with quiet resignation. He stood up and walked toward the disturbance, Rosalind and Karlach following closely behind. He still owed Karlach a proper apology for all of the torment he put her through - perhaps whatever was about to happen would be a first step in righting the wrongs he had directed her way. 

Fire erupted inside the inky disturbance, an oily black figure appearing in the center before revealing herself to be a cambion - Mizora, his patron. Gods, how he hated her. 

“Wyll, you’ve been naughty,” she cooed. “And you know what happens when you’ve been naughty.”

******

Rosalind looked the cambion up and down. Weirdly low cut dress, heavy gold jewelry, creepy seductive nature - it was all she could do to not roll her eyes, really. She took a deep breath, knowing she needed to take this seriously, even if the villain in question was a tacky try-hard. 

Mizora went on and on and on about something or other - Rosalind might have tuned out when she got into the specifics of the pact - contract law was never something that even registered as remotely interesting to her, but then something Wyll said brought her back to the conversation at hand, and she saw red. 

A technicality? 

Wyll was getting punished over a technicality. Fucking contracts, fucking cambions, fucking Mizora . Karlach didn’t have a beating heart in her chest, so that made her fair game. Rosalind made a mental note to figure out a way to make Mizora pay for whatever she was planning on doing to Wyll. 

Suddenly, flames and an oily black substance surrounded Wyll, engulfing him. Lightning storms raced across his body, followed by a lick of flames, repeating over and over. He was screaming as if he was being dragged across all the Hells. She looked around - everyone was frozen in fear. Somebody had to do something, and who better than her? It was a lesson she learned throughout her childhood. She couldn’t depend on someone else to save the day - she had to do it herself. She lunged forward, only to be held back by Gale, who had moved closer while Mizora was monologuing. 

“Rosalind, no!” he whispered. “Wyll will survive this. You would not.”

“You mean to tell me I should do nothing ? That we should just stand here and let her torture him?” she hissed as a bright glow erupted from the ground, swirling tightly around a now groaning Wyll. She pulled against Gale’s hold, but it only caused him to grip her arm tighter. Gods dammit, she thought, only able to watch as Wyll now stood up. He seemed uninjured, but he had…changed. Rosalind's eyes grew wide as she took in his new form - large horns sprouting from his forehead, ridges on his skin. A black eye with a red pupil instead of his large, beautiful brown one that she had grown so fond of looking into these past couple days. Her mind started flying, thumbing through all of the stories she had taken in through her life. Surely she knew something, anything of this type of magic. There had to be a way to reverse this, to get him back to his old self, to - 

“Get used to the new look, pet, there’ll be no going back. Even some magic I can’t undo,” Mizora said. Well, that answered that. Rosalind scowled at Mizora, though she doubted she was even noticed. All Mizora saw was Wyll. “Don’t forget, the pact still stands! Ta-ta!” she called out as that oily black substance coated her and she disappeared. Oh, she would be sure to make Mizora pay for this, somehow. 

She looked at Wyll, who glanced her way before shaking his head and taking off, out of the camp. 

“Wyll doesn’t even know me and he chose my life over his. No one has ever stood up for me like that,” Karlach said softly from beside her.

“He’s a good man,” Rosalind replied, watching the direction Wyll took off. “You must be relieved.”

“Absolutely, I could learn a thing or two from him,” she nodded, then her gaze followed Rosalind’s. “You should go. See how he is.”

 ******

Wyll was furious. He had never expected Mizora to be completely honest with him, but this? This seemed below even her. He hated her, but he had also misjudged her - even after all this time he still retained a bit of naivete about her. That was gone now, his guilt and shock now replaced with a burning anger. And the way Rosalind had looked at him would not escape his memory - eyes wide with shock as she took in his new form. She must think he was a monster. He hit the tree he was leaning against with his fist. Over before anything began , he thought, his good eye misting over as he blinked rapidly. 

“Wyll? Are you here?” he heard her call out. Part of him wanted to remain silent and stay hidden, but a bigger part of him wanted to see her. He stepped around the tree and his anger disappeared, gone without a trace. The moonlight was bright enough they didn’t need any spells or torches to light their way, and oh, did she look ever so beautiful bathed in it. Her hair had taken on a silvery hue and her skin was illuminated as if she were a star that had fallen from the heavens just to find him. He smiled to himself as he was taken right back to being a sixteen year-old boy again with a song in his heart and a crush he thought would last forever.

“Over here,” he called out, raising his hand. He could see the smile appear on her face when she turned to look at him. It wasn’t the smile of someone who thought the other person was a monster.

“How are you doing with all the…changes?” she asked when she got to his tree, motioning up to his horns with her eyes. 

He laughed a bitter laugh. “Well first of all, gods damn Mizora straight back to the Hells. I did the right thing, and she made me pay for it. I was to be hunting down evils - demons, devils, traitors, hypocrites. Not…not victims. Not innocent tieflings. Not people like Karlach.”

She nodded as she leaned her back against the tree beside him. “I mean, she is a devil - not exactly the most trustworthy. You’re probably lucky she didn’t take your soul or something. Why is she so interested in you? Why would she do this?”

He sighed. He wanted to tell her everything, but just the thought of doing so made a heavy weight fall on his chest, and it felt like his airway was cut off. His mind raced, quickly thinking of how to tell her about the pact without going into too many details. He took a deep breath. 

“Mizora is who grants me my power. Even though she is…well, you saw what she is, everything I have done has been for the good of the Coast. I do not regret pacting myself to her. It is one of my proudest moments, and has been worth the sacrifice - even this.” He paused before continuing, “please know that all I can give you is my solemn word about this, and I hope that’s enough.” Gods, he wanted to reach out and touch her - her hand, her arm, her face, anything for a brief bit of contact. A small comforting moment that he was not sure he deserved, but wanted anyway. 

He watched as she looked up at the moon, her brow furrowed in thought before she finally nodded. “I get it,” she said. “You wouldn’t have been able to do all the good you’ve been doing for all these years without it, even with its cost to yourself.” She looked at him. “Do you ever think, though…what your life might have been like had you not pacted with Mizora?” 

“Of course I have. Though every time I do, I realize my life would have been completely unremarkable, following in my father’s footsteps along a path he laid out for me, making no grand achievements of my own. No bards would sing songs about a normal man in Baldur’s Gate, though I’m not sure if many sing about the Blade of Frontiers,” he joked, bumping his shoulder against hers. “Besides, I would take one hundred punishments from Mizora if it meant I would be where I am right now, at this moment,” he said with a serious tone as he found himself drawn in to the way her eyes reflected the moonlight back at him, the way they creased when she smiled. They were ever-changing - now they shone silver and blue, but he knew when the sun broke the horizon they would shine blue and gold like the morning sky. 

He heard her breath catch while a soft smile lit up her face and her eyes darted back and forth between his own before traveling up to his horns, over the new ridges on his face, down to his lips, where they settled briefly before looking back into his eyes. He started to reach his hand out and over towards her, just for the slightest hope their pinkies would brush together. It would be so easy to play it off as an accident, an involuntary twitch that ended with their fingers interlaced. He pictured them walking hand in hand back to the camp, him pressing a gentle kiss to her hand as they parted to go back to their respective tents. He sighed and scolded himself internally. He could not give in to these desires on a night tainted by Mizora. Even though his heart practically leapt out of his chest every time he saw her. Even though he found himself never wanting to be apart from her. Even though it had only been a few days since they met officially, he felt like he had known her since he was sixteen. 

“We should probably head back,” she whispered after a moment’s silence, breaking eye contact and taking a step away from the tree they were both leaning on. This time she was the one putting distance between them. “Don’t want the others to get worried.” 

She started to walk down the path back to camp. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something white and luminous on the ground - a patch of moonflowers, their small petals surrounded by green leaves that were a brilliant blue in this moonlight, a flower reflecting the heavens themselves. These don’t typically grow this far south. What great fortune I have on such an abysmal night , he thought as he plucked one quickly and hurried to catch up to Rosalind, walking beside her in amiable silence as they made their way back. The glow from the campfire grew brighter and brighter, mimicking the smile on his own face as he anticipated giving her his small token of appreciation. Rosalind turned to look at him, catching his expression before he could mask it. 

“What is going on?” she asked, her eyes squinted at him in teasing suspicion. “You look like you’re about to play a trick on me.”

Wyll laughed, placing his empty hand over his heart in mock offense while the other remained firmly tucked behind his back. “Rosalind, you wound me!” He smiled as he held out the single moonflower. “No jest here, just my honest and sincere thanks to you. How glad I am that you see me as more than my patron's pet. You have shown me true friendship tonight. I will always remember this.”

She took the moonflower and smiled. He thought he noticed a hint of pink on her cheeks, though he couldn’t be positive if it wasn’t just the campfire’s glow. 

“Thank you, Wyll. It’s beautiful. I…I better go find some water for this,” she stammered as she started to back away, her smile growing larger and larger before she turned and walked toward her tent, only to be intercepted.

“ Elminster’s beard! Is that a moonflower? All the way down here - where did you find it? Did you know…” 

Wyll shook his head, throwing an apologetic look at Rosalind as she made eye contact with him from across the camp as he heard Gale starting to explain the history of the flower and its magical properties. He turned and went to his tent while Gale attempted to make the flower glow for Rosalind - “if it is a strain related to those in Silverymoon,” he heard the wizard say. 

As he drifted off to sleep that night, thoughts of Mizora were the furthest thing from his mind, replaced by a comforting melody that had been playing through his head for the past seven years.

[theoakleafpancake]

Okay so I think I've had enough time to get my thoughts together, and after watching the new season twice back to back, here are my highlights for each episode (Basically me taking the thoughts I had written down and condensing them) (Do not keep reading if you haven't watched it yet :)) This is going to be a very long post

Chapter 1: Startouched

First of all, still can't get over Aaravos's crying. Pack it up, Santa Claus 🤚

The new Viren intro? Hello? Is he dead? He must be

Was very disappointed to realize that he was, in fact, not dead

Terry is still thriving. We stan him

Rest in peace, Sir Sparklepuff

Claudia was abandoned by her mother and her brother (in her eyes), and now her father, too, whom she sacrificed so much to save.

Her sobs are chilling

Soren is an icon, as usual, he and Opeli are the best duo

"Fellowship of the Pearl" ELROND??

Stella is the number one Rayllum stan

Seriously, why does everyone sleep in full uniform?? Except Rayla. She gets comfort

"What have I done" my poor boy is never going to sleep again

"He took our blankie" LMAOO

Barius could be an award-winning baker in our world

"I'll be fine. I have my blankie." I'm going to live by this phrase

Claudia, PLEASE get some therapy

Chapter 2: Love, War and Mushrooms

Ayo we get a Claudia intro now??? Leave my girl alone

SORUVS CRUMBS LET'S GOOO

"I'm happy to see you, too." Good. Now kiss

Karim's reflection in the crown :( poor Janai

"What am I not seeing?" Corvus, honey. There are weirdly-colored mushrooms. EVERYWHERE.

Not him having to babysit Soren and Hat

"But I will do what I must" Karim stop trying to be Viren

Ezran and Zym being brothers <3

Soren's carrying the entire show with the modern references "Among Us"

"If I ever start to doubt you, I'll know I am truly lost" crying rn

I did not expect Soren to have beef with a mushroom

Hello?? The parallel scene with Janai and Karim's speeches?? I am speechless?? It's beautiful.

Fun sized Zym!

YES JANAYA IS GETTING MARRIED

Each group adopted a baitling and I'm here for it

Chapter 3: The Frozen Ship

AARAVOS FORCED HIM TO USE DARK MAGIC ON THE SHIP???? HE WAS POSSESSED AGAIN???

"Aww, look at that pair, Sneezles and Snoozles" as he's having a traumatic nightmare LMAO

Terry is still waiting for her...

SNEEZLES WHY'D YOU RUIN THE KISS (Very smooth, Callum)

I love Earthblood magic

"Evil black ice" preach, Rayla

They really put the ship monologue in, didn't they 😭

"I mean, you can sit here and draw pictures up the ship, but does that change anything?" hey, shut up <3

Y'know what, forget the plot twists and everything, I wanna know how Claudia's nails stay perfect

Rayla sobbing over a love tragedy while Callum's out in the freezing snow

"Rayla, I'm here!" *door slams in his face*

"Rayla..." *gives a super soft look* "all this time...you were READING?" Writers how dare you

WE GET DAD LORE, EVERYONE. HIS NAME IS DAMIEN. HE WAS A POET. AND HE HAD A BREATHING DISEASE. Maybe the same like Soren? Could he have been saved with Dark Magic????

Callum just share the blanket...YES

Stella the wingman

Callum nO—WHY WOULD YOU TELL HER ABOUT THE DARK MAGIC RIGHT WHEN YOU WERE ABOUT TO KISS?

Claudia is slaying with that new haircut

TERRY WAS COLLECTING THE STICKS TO MAKE HER A LEG HJLEFHKBEFAHKBEF "I did it for you!" kuhewfkhuefw "I would do anything for you." YES

Idk why but the animation during the argument was just *chef's kiss*

"I promise." Hey. No. Stop it.

"I am a humble servant!" How the turns have tabled

Aw, Viren's begging and sobbing on the ground like the pathetic man he is.

"Good. You don't deserve any." LET'S GO, EZRAN

Chapter 4: The Starscraper

I was expecting Callum to just be shot up in the sky like he was walking into a geyser, tbh

but the starscaper is giving minecraft beacons

I was kind of expecting a "BUT it's a living creature and deserves to not be used for parts" but ig we'll settle for a "BUT it's sooo cute"

"Hello, we need help." "Drop." Well alright then

Claudia, yes. Step away from Aaravos. No, he does not deserve your help. nO

"I need to see my dad, he can tell me the right path" Yeah, I don't think she's gonna see her dad again

"How do you all feel about spiders" haha nOPE I'm out

Oh, yay. Sol Regem.

"No" HA

"No horns! But greasy hair..." dang Astrid what did Callum do to you

THE STAFFS. AND VIREN'S SHOULD BE THERE

The novablade was given to a human girl?? The Orphan Queen, mayhaps?? 👀

AARAVOS CAN'T BE KILLED???

Thank you Terry, for saving Claudia from using that vial

ohhh, Soren's about to get severe whiplash

Chapter 5: Moonless Night

Soren's serious and I don't like it

LMAO not Stella trying to steal Callum's book

"Maybe I just want to see you suffer" As you should, Soren

"And I'm so proud of you" "Everything you're telling me is some kind of lie" OUCH

Viren being miserable brings me joy

Not the wet socks :(

Rayla girlbossing as usual

her seeing the good in the ones that everyone else thinks is a monster >>>>

I want to pet Esmeray

Moana who? I only know Rayla

"Luna's love is with you even if she's not" didn't Runaan say something similar to Ethari before he left??

What's the significance of the bells

THE QUASAR DIAMONDS

HE DID IT FOR HER. HE WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR HER. SHE GETS TO SEE HER FAMILY AGAIN

Imagine the first thing you see in your life is the stars...I think I'd transcend, too

THEY'RE SEEING EACH OTHER FOR THE FIRST TIME

Kosmo's getting his magical girl transformation

"Your star is...darkness" That wasn't very nice >:(

Lain's face is full of defiance while Tiadrin and Runaan are terrified

Poor Callum

The scene with Viren shouting to Aaravos he can't control him, and then panning to the fly caught in a spiderweb is a nice touch

Chapter 6: Moment of Truth

I'm sorry, what happened to "Hello?" "How are you?" WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S NOT THE REAL PEARL? WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S THE DECOY? WHAT DO YOU MEAN AARAVOS CONTROLLED HIM AGAIN?

The parallels of both Viren and Harrow writing a letter to their son

Lissa is gorgeous

Nooo, writers, stop trying to make me feel sympathy for the rat man

Kpp'Ar?!? Isn't actually a bad guy?

Kosmo you broke Callum

"You might have all the power of the cosmos but you're still dumb" Astrid ily

Did he just?? Hit the restart button? I want that. Give me the power of the cosmos :(

HARROW CAMEO

Callum's stronger than I am cause I would have walked out as soon as she mentioned the spider was going to bite me

"Without magic, you're just a frail old man" who's talking now, Viren

Oh. "I watched it fill with her tears" my hatred of you has increased tenfold, Viren

RAYLA IS HIS TRUTH. HIS LIGHT. THE ONE WHO BRINGS HIM BACK FROM THE DARKNESS

That letter needs to go to Claudia instead of Soren

Stella bringing out the popcorn lmao

THEY KISSED. THIS ISN'T A DRILL, THEY KISSED

"I love you" IOUHEFIUHGIUEGFIUGHEFWIUHEWIO THEY FINALLY SAID IT

Chapter 7: The Red Wedding

The way he caresses her face adiwefiijefjioef

MOON NEXUS. HER PARENTS. RUNAAN.

Not Stella being mean to Sneezles for messing up another Raylum kiss

Ooh, they're getting married! But Karim has to be a little POS and ruin it with an army

Aanya, beloved

Hmm I saw you moving closer to Ezran there

Janaya for life

"Specifically, we tried to kill each other" true love at it's finest

They keep bringing attention to Pharos's wound and I don't like it

Get married, kill your traitorous brother, and eat cake, all in a day's work

THE WAY THEY LOOK AT EACH OTHER they're literally perfect

"Of course I love my sister! I still want to take everything she ever loved from her!" Brother of the year award

So many of my problems could be fixed with an exploding arrow

Ezran didn't reach them in time IS HE GONNA DIE WITH THEM

Wait

LMAO SOL REGEM DITCHED THEM THAT'S HILARIOUS

Oh no he's heading for Katolis oh NO

Chapter 8: We All Fall Down

I am...I have no words for this. (Seriously, I didn't have a lot of notes for this bit. Just seeing Katolis being burned to the ground, the townspeople about to die...the writers were brilliant at letting us feel their horror and fear)

AARAVOS.

Hat survived tho

"Take good care of Hat" you act like you're about to die??

There are a lot of names I'd like to call Aaravos, but I won't say them

"I can't" oh do something for ONCE

"Take my heart." I'm sorry??? No???

Viren. Why is there blood on the knife what did you DO

He carved his own heart. He CARVED his OWN HEART

Soren's alive tho

THE PICTURES OF THE FAMILY JLKBEFJBKLFES

Ladies and gentlemen, Viren is finally dead. And even though I still hate him, his death sequence was top tier

CLAUDIA

Ew, pathetic beast (Sol Regem)

Aaravos, I hope you choke on your own tears <3

Claudia, the tragedy that you are

She lost her father TWICE

Nooo the pearl GET AWAY FROM HER AARAVOS

HE DID ALL OF THIS. ALL OF THIS BECAUSE THE PEARL WAS STILL THERE. HE KNEW SHE WOULD COME BACK FOR HER FATHER. AND HE NEEDED VIREN DEAD TO GIVE HER THAT FINAL PUSH.

I forgot Lujanne had a husband. Or boyfriend. Did she and Allen get married? I don't remember

Thank you for being the ONLY reasonable one here, Terry

Claudia and Callum are after the same spell??

He needed Sol Regem's bones :o

IT ISN'T THE REAL QUASAR DIAMOND?

"Veritas" hello Deltora Quest what are you doing here

HE HAD THE THIRD QUASAR DIAMOND IN HIS STAFF THE WHOLE TIME?? RAYLA HAS TO CHOOSE? WHY CAN'T YOU LET HER BE HAPPY DANGIT

Ooh Claudia's spell didn't work?

Chapter 9: Stardust

"It needs love" That was...not what I expected from you

Leola, cutie. Her and Claudia would have gotten along well

Callum made her a bracelet to bring her back <3

Rayllum!

RUNAAN? it wasn't the behemoth, he's there but he's corrupted? What???

LAIN AND TIADRIN!! And they're...dancing?

Ohhh the key was for a book

They're at peace. Runaan's not. I'm going to die

Leola looks so small standing before them

I love how the cosmic order is just like "oh this is the beginning of chaos" you are quite literally about to kickstart that chaos

The og trio looks so small in the flashback

THE REFLECTION IN THE POND SHOWS LITTLE RAYLA HUGGING HER PARENTS. ILUHEFIUGLEFIUHL

And thus, Leola's Last Wish was born

Oh Santa's back

They put his prison in his daughter's grave 😟

"You taught me to never break my promises!" Hey, so. Can you break the promise you made in Chapter 3?

"No!" Runaan get back here right now.

So Lain and Tiadrin have been dancing this whole time while Runaan's been living in a nightmare. That checks out

Ruthari <3

OOh the Aaravos/Runaan spell is just like the Janai/Karim speech sequence

RUNAAN IS BACK. RUNAAN IS ALIVE

OH NO CALLUM CAUGHT SIGHT OF KATOLIS BURNING

The wedding was supposed to be happy >:(

Aanya got to try her cake tho

Ezran, my poor boy. He was just going away for his aunt's wedding. Nothing was supposed to go wrong. He's still a kid.

Aaravos also gets his magical girl transformation

Hello?? He's literally a giant? Ohhh the "I swallowed her" makes sense now

Terry knows this is a horrible idea. What if Aaravos makes her turn on Terry?????

Is this why is voice is so deep?

Overall, season 6 was a ROLLERCOASTER and probably my new favorite season. There was so much going on, and it did not disappoint. I can't wait to see the next season, AND for those of you who don't know, there has been a mention of a third arc which means possibily 10 seasons instead of 7!!!!! But in order for that to happen we need to show as much support as possible so yeah! If we do get those 3 extra seasons I will never shut up about this series

[sadinasaphrite]

Oh no here's more fic. I like to think Tav talking Yurgir to death made Astarion a little weak in the knees, so here's a 1500 words of Astarion realizing he's catching actual feelings.

Read on AO3!

* * * * *

After all these years, Astarion could hardly believe he was so close. Just one murder, and he’d have his answers. Raphael would tell him the secrets engraved upon his back, secrets kept from him ever since that wretched night Cazador held him down and carved runes into his flesh. He was so close, he could taste it. The devil they were to kill stood before them, giving a fucking monologue of all things, and Astarion burned with the desire, the need to sink his blades into the devil’s heart. Nothing would stand in his way.

And yet, Astarion couldn’t help but feel Tav did not appreciate the urgency of the situation.

The bard was just… just standing there, chit-chatting about what Raphael smelled like or something, when they should be gutting this bastard!

“What are you doing?” Astarion interrupted with a hiss. “The devil told us to kill this thing, so let’s stop chatting and kill it!”

Astarion reached for his blades and Tav subtly waved a hand. Nothing more than a flick of two fingers, but enough to signal Astarion to hold. Astarion stopped.

Dammit. Dammit! If Astarion had any sense, he’d ignore Tav, or use the conversation as an opportunity for a distraction. If he could slip into the shadows and climb up to where Yurgir stood, lording over them and prattling on about his contract or some nonsense… but no. The devil and his followers had already spotted them, and only a supreme distraction would allow Astarion to slip out of sight.

What in the nine hells, now the bastard was singing.

“Spill all the blood sworn to the night,” the devil sang in a gravelly voice, “Silence all prayers; smother each rite. Wander Shar’s Halls hungry to slay, leave no Justiciar alive to obey…”

What was Tav playing at? Tav knew how important this was to him! Why was this conversation even happening? Once they’d confirmed the devil was the target, their merry little band should have started right on the murder, not… not whatever the hells was happening now!

Astarion should act. While Yurgir was distracted by a fucking song, he should raise his crossbow, fire a bolt right through his eye… but he didn’t. Astarion didn’t reach for his weapons.

All because Tav signaled for him to wait.

Dammit.

He shouldn’t give a shit about Tav. Tav meant nothing to him, Astarion firmly told himself. The bard was just a means to an end, a fool to be seduced and tricked into protecting Astarion until he had no further need of protection. He didn’t care about Tav. He didn’t care about anyone. And he certainly wasn’t influenced by those late night talks, gentle words of compassion and understanding, a reassuring hand on his shoulder, a playful, teasing smile thrown his way, or the idiotic, blind trust to submit to his fangs…

Astarion held, awaiting Tav’s signal.

“Leave none to hear it, then be set free. This song is your oath, swear, swear it to me.”

The fucking devil was still singing.

“So he’s the one who slaughtered the Justiciars,” Astarion snapped when the wretched song ended at last. “Can we kill him now? Because if he doesn’t die, then Raphael won’t tell me a damn thing about my scars.”

Tav didn’t respond, didn’t even look his way, but instead focused on Yurgir with a sharp, piercing look. Astarion froze. Something had shifted in Tav’s gaze during the last line of the song. He’d never seen Tav’s eyes like that. This wasn’t a warrior gauging their odds, or a tactician analyzing a battlefield. Tav looked At Yurgir like a predator ready to strike, a wolf waiting for the perfect opportunity to rip the throat out of a hare.

“Quite bloodthirsty, as lyrics go,” Tav said, a little too casually. “Have you considered some instrumental accompaniment?”

“I don’t want to make it pretty, I want to silence it!” Yurgir roared. The stench of sulfur flared through the room, and the small infernal army shifted eagerly in response. Battle was upon them. “Enough prattle. The lyrics are clear. All who hear the song must die. Time to die.”

Yurgir aimed his crossbow right at Tav’s heart. Something twisted uncomfortably in Astarion’s gut and his fingers twitched toward his blades.

Tav didn’t even blink.

“Raphael’s a sly lyricist. He tricked you. Your followers heard your song and still live.”

Astarion froze. He hadn’t been paying much attention to the song, focusing on how to end Yurgir as quickly as possible, but…

Yurgir looked as taken aback as Astarion felt.

“The merregons?” He asked. “They barely have a thought to share among themselves… but they do have ears.”

Hellfire flared behind the devil’s eyes, and he turned to the hellish soldiers around them.

“Kill yourselves. Back to the hells with you!” he roared. Without hesitation, the merregons all around them obeyed, axes swinging all around them with the wet sound of blades into flesh. The army all around them shrank from a dozen devils, to just one devil and his pet.

The barest hint of a smirk pulled at Tav’s lips.

Astarion’s heart hadn’t beat in two centuries, but something in his chest fluttered.

“I still hear it!” Yurgir seized his head with one hand and shook violently. “Seems your theory is wrong!”

“You’re not finished yet,” Tav said, eyes never leaving Yurgir. “The displacer can hear you, can’t she?”

The bard was doing well to hide the smirk threatening to come out, but there was something else in Tav’s eyes. Confidence. Hunger. Even with the devil looming over them, Astarion couldn’t tear his eyes away from Tav.

“Kill her.”

Astarion’s breath caught in his chest.

“Kill Nessa?” Yurgir hesitated, uncertain. The devil locked eyes with the bard. Tav’s gaze never wavered.

Slowly, Yurgir raised his crossbow, pointing it to the displacer beast lounging under the torchlight. “Stay very still, my beauty.”

The crossbow bolt pierced the beast’s heart and she collapsed, dead before she hit the floor. Tav’s eyes gleamed in victory, and Astarion had the wild, intrusive thought that he wanted to see that hungry, vicious gleam in Tav’s eyes a thousand times over. Standing side by side, interrogating information out of someone previously a threat, but now cowered under their combined might. He and Tav, working together, making sure no one would ever pose a danger to either of them ever again.

“I still hear it!” The devil roared.

“My dear hunter, isn’t it obvious?” Tav’s voice was sickly sweet, dripping from the bard’s lips like poisoned honey. The sound rolled down Astarion’s spine with a shiver. “You must kill yourself. Then you’ll be free.”

No. Surely not. There wasn’t a chance in the nine hells this would work. Astarion looked back at Yurgir, and was shocked to find the devil in a look of deep contemplation. Yurgir drew a sword from the scabbard on his back.

“If you’re wrong about this, I’ll claw my way out of Avernus and eat you alive, contract be damned!” Yurgir snarled. He placed the tip of the sword against his chest.

Tav smirked.

Astarion’s knees went weak.

“Nicely played, Raphael. Bastard.” Yurgir plunged the blade into his own heart, vanishing in an explosion of hellfire.

The room around them fell silent, filled only with the crackle of fire from the braziers.

Beside him, the other companions let out a sigh of relief, along with some laughter as the tension vanished from the air. Tav shot Astarion a smile and clapped him on the shoulder. This smile was closer to what Astarion was used to seeing, wide and open and honest, but there was still something in Tav’s eyes, a gleam of a successful hunt, the adrenaline still pumping through the bard’s veins.

“There you go. One devil, killed. Raphael should be happy.”

For the first time in a very long time, Astarion was speechless.

This was a side of Tav he never knew existed. Cunning. Manipulative. Even a touch sadistic and cruel. And Tav did all of it for him. All to help give Astarion what he wanted, to help him with Raphael’s deal.

As Astarion watched Tav leave the chamber, laughing with the others, he felt something akin to heat flush his cold body. Not desire. Certainly not lust. But… something. Something something more. Something dangerous. A hunger for Tav that had nothing to do with his vampiric thirst.

Astarion knew something within him had changed. He could no longer fool himself into thinking Tav was just another pawn or victim. Which only meant Tav was something else.

He let out a cold breath and ran a hand through his curls, then hurried to follow the others.

Shit.

[cielettosa]

Levi's monologue when he was beating the shit out of eren

I can't believe it. I mean, really, can you? It's like a twisted, messed-up joke that humanity's last hope is pinned on a group of bumbling, power-hungry, so-called leaders. These guys couldn't even lead a donkey to water without getting lost in the desert...

And don't get me started on the Yeager brat. Ugly as a Titan's backside, but they want to barbecue him like he's the main course at a Titan buffet. The poor brat is scared out of his mind, stuttering like a broken record, begging for his life every few seconds. Newsflash, brat: nobody understands you when you're gagged. It's like trying to have a deep philosophical debate with a brick wall.

Nile Dok, the shining beacon of all that is pig-headed and self-important. Head of the Military Police, they call him. But from where I'm standing, he's the grand poobah of all things nonsensical. And let's not forget Nick, the Minister Shitface, holding the prestigious title of vice-judge. It's like a match made in heaven – two peas in a pod of bureaucratic incompetence.

Erwin, on the other hand, well, he's got his own history with Dok. Something about stealing Erwin's girl, Marie, way back when. The details aren't clear, but you can bet your boots that it's a festering wound that still stings. You see, Eyebrows may look as calm as a tranquil lake, but beneath that serene exterior, there's a storm brewing.

Minister Nick and his never-ending religious sermons. He's all about that Walls mumbo-jumbo, but honestly, I've got more important things to do, like keeping your sorry butts alive in this Titan-infested world. If I did give a damn about religion, I'd want a better spokesperson than this guy. I mean, really, it's like having a dung beetle as your life coach. Nick's "inspirational" speeches would put even the most dedicated insomniac to sleep. But hey, maybe that's the secret to his survival – bore the Titans to tears. While he's preaching about the great beyond, I'm out here in the real world, making sure you have a future to even worry about.

If there's a heaven, hell, or purgatory, I hope they've got better entertainment than this holy bore. Dok's playing puppet master to Zackly, and it's a damn puppet show I'm not willing to watch any longer. The clock's ticking, and I can't let this charade continue. The jury needs a reality check before Dok's nonsense becomes law.

Erwin, my partner in crime, gives me that unspoken signal, and it's like we share the same damn brain. Twins, they call us, and they might be right. But let's get one thing straight – I got the looks, and I've got the, well, length, if you catch my drift.

It's time to step up, cut through the crap, and bring some order to this chaotic world. Because if there's one thing we don't need, it's more clowns in this circus of despair. It's time for the Survey Corps to do what we do best – kick some Titan ass and take names.

It's a damn shame that I have to resort to beating the living daylights out of Eren Yeager to make a point. But let me tell you, it's like a twisted kind of therapy for me. The kid's got a hair-trigger temper, and it doesn't take much to set him off. I mean, everything makes him lose his marbles.

You'd think we were living in a world where Titans are the least of our worries, with the way Eren goes ballistic over the smallest things. It's like he's got a personal grudge against serenity. But hey, if my fists can knock some sense into him, then I'll gladly be the bad guy. In this world, losing your cool can get you killed, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep this circus from turning into a bloody tragedy.

Mikasa, the black-haired girl, can't seem to stop gushing over "Ereh!" like she's some kind of Titan-slaying goddess. The way she clings to that Titan-spitface is almost comical. Kid's got herself a full-blown crush on Mr. Yeager.

And sure, I've heard it before, that Mikasa Ackerman looks a bit like me, despite us having zero ties. But let's get one thing straight – I'd rather be related to a sack of potatoes than be associated with a brat who's obsessed with Eren.

I'm not one to toot my own horn, but between her and me, I'm the hotter one in this messed-up circus. Beauty might not save the world, but it sure beats being infatuated with a Titan-transforming teenager.

It's not the stench of their porky existence that gets to me, although that's a close second. No, it's the fear that I feed on, thrive on, and let me tell you, it's a feast.

Dok and Minister Nick are probably soaking their pants, and also shitting right about now, knowing that in my mind's eye, I'm picturing them in Yeager's shoes. There's something satisfying about watching them squirm, knowing that their day of judgment might be just around the corner. It's like a sweet symphony, and I'm the conductor, orchestrating their fear, one crescendo at a time. This world is a savage playground, and I'm the merciless player.

Wait shit, was that a spit and blood covered tooth? Holy hell, it doesn't matter. I need to pull back. Just one more kick.

Okay, maybe one more for good measure. Can't leave things unfinished, right?

And one last one, just to make sure things are nice and tidy. It's not often I get to let loose like this, so might as well enjoy it while it lasts. Another kick for the sake of, well, cleanliness.

TLDR: Shipping between Levi and Eren won't be tolerated, it's disgusting.

[mxnzies]

NPMD thoughts! (SPOILERS UNDER CUT)

oh my god. the jump in quality from the digital ticket to the actual edited version is INCREDIBLE. fucking LOVED the details of costumes, the set, the lighting, the writing on the panels... everything was fantastic! starkid has come such a long way and it was incredible to see the seats filled for the show in the edited version!!!

spoiler thoughts, would love to hear what other people thought! warning for rambling and a lot of caps and excessive punctuation since i can't control my emo-shuns after watching a starkid show, as always 🤪

i was really hoping for the boy jerri/girl jerri moment AND the coffee shop bloopers from the digital ticket to be in this one, but every performance is unique and i'm glad we got to experience the new hatchet-town cameos!

GERALD AND ZIGS AND MAN IN A HURRY (JEFF CAMEO!!!!!) MY BELOVEDS <3

speaking of, i hope the bonus features include bts from the night where the power went out!

high school is killing me is STUCK IN MY HEAD

dirty girl was so fucking good HD. INCREDIBLE

sadly i really wanted some wider shots, especially when everyone was onstage and particularly during the lords in black scene - though it was AMAZING to see the details up close since from the digital ticket we couldn't really see what was happening.

THE SCREAMING WHEN JON STARTED TALKING AS WIGGLY... ME TOO!!!

fucking ADORE the "show me your hands" theme playing with curt's cop, and the "inevitable" piano playing when paul and emma were in Beanies. THEY'RE SO CUTE but it makes me sad BUT FOREVER AND ALWAYS RIGHT <3

also the nightmare time theme during the interval!!!

one thing i really miss about these new starkid recordings is that we don't get the stage bows :( i would have absolutely loved if they did something akin to TGWDLM in black friday and NPMD, where the credits roll over the footage of the cast bowing and the claps! the bows at the end of a show are always so fun, it's a great moment of catharsis for everyone and seeing the cast smiling and happy is something i missed here. ESPECIALLY WITH THE ENERGY IN THE HOMECOMING DANCE

will can STEP ON ME as Max. he's so meta and plays the part so well! apparently the role was rumoured to possibly be Jeff's but I'm so glad Will was Max. we needed the fresh blood onstage in the hatchetverse!

it's so incredible Bryce was able to perform onstage and that Jae got a cameo! HELL YES TO THE NIGHTMARE TIME GANG <3

really wish bryce and kim had bigger roles in this musical, especially bryce as before the digital ticket came out starkid hyped her up so much on the socials. BUT SHE NAILED HER VOCALS and when everyone started screaming/applauding when she hit That Note!!!!! YES!!!!!!

love how we can make comments on the recording, seeing everyone so hyped about the show and loving the show is so affirming! i hope everyone who worked on the show is feeling the love!

i still don't really understand the barbeque monologues and feel they're a bit out of place, maybe because it's an american school musical thing?? but lauren fucking owned it!

kim screaming after ruth died. GET IT SLAY ME WITH YOUR RANGE MAAM

compared to my first impressions from the digital ticket, this is a huge step up. some songs were a bit hit or miss, but man i was crying at the end about peter and steph. love how, like the other two hatchetverse musicals, the ending note was fucked up! that being said tho i am keen for starkid to move onto another potential parody OR a new IP outside of the hatchetverse. i'm super keen to see what the future holds for the company! it's absolutely on my bucket list to watch a starkid show live now <3

[caliburn-the-sword]

tlc winter reactions chapters 34-55

hi usually when i make these posts i go back and edit my points to be clear what i'm talking about (ie sometimes it will literally just be "fksjdfh i can't believe he did that" and i need to put in who what when where and why for context) but for some of these i cannot for the life of me remember what i was reacting to so you get to be as confused as i am about some of them LOL. also guess who's FINALLY using the keep reading feature so that this doesn't take up the entire dash when there are reblogs. in my defence i REALLY wasn't expecting to get reblogs all those other times lol i was just posting these for myself

wolf being tender and cleaning scarlet's wounds >>>

LOVE LOVE LOVE THAT SCARLET HAD A CELEBRITY CRUSH ON KAI WHEN SHE WAS YOUGNER GKDFSJHFSD

"he was staking a claim" EW. mayhaps that's how i feel because i've never been kissed but i'm still sticking by this judgement lol. sorry not even scarlet's girlboss internal monologue can fix this

"miniature friend" winter i love you

thorne absolutely should punch jacin but only cause i like to see tough people get punched

it doesn't take a genius to know that winter will defo be exposed as alive eventually lol and it WILL cause drama

winter calling wolf a wolf cub is HILARIOUS

damn maha picked out their feelings FAST lol

omg pearl chapter. interesting. let's see where this goes

i've no sympathy for adri. for pearl?? still debating myself

took long enough and it's not even in depth (note: i genuinely can't remember what that was about sorry)

LMAO WINTER IS CLEANING EVERYTHING. SNOW WHITE BEHAVIOUR

i literally have GOOSEBUMPS from cinder's girlboss speech (might just be the cold)

see kai goes on about how useless he is but without his diplomacy the lunars would never have gotten such a bomber af speech. slayed. he needs to give himself some credit

yikes. by exposing herself as being in RM-9 cinder has sentenced the entire sector to death. i love seeing the revolution happen but i regret to see all these people die soon (note: called it) omg i hope kai gets to see cinder's efforts

oh no kai don't worry about scarlet she's all good

uh oh kai is defo about to be majorly punished for cinder's doings. nevermind it's worse he's being used for her propaganda machine. hopefully cress intercepts the broadcast, but i fear it would put her in danger

levana is so damn cruel. now she would turn letumosis against her own people?? death to her

damn and here i thought cress would manage to interrupt the screening. where is she?? i want another chapter

glad to see levana's propaganda hasn't brainwashed anyone

between the quote at the start of the book (along the lines of "run girl and never come back") and all these soldiers running around, i'm very concerned for winter. hopefully iko gets to her in time

that whole sector is so brave. cinder needs to go in and stop this. the queen that would TRULY fight for her people unlike levana who kills and kills and kills

called it. knew maha would die. random out of place flowers never lie

THORNE AND SCARLET DID THE WOOKIE PRISONER GUARD winter istfg WHY WOULD SHE RUN OFF

winter to the rescue!! thank goodness she was in hiding all along guard choking winter = evil queen suffocating snow with the lace. wasn't expecting it to be a literal attempt even without levana there

YAY KINNEY. i feel like i remember making a comment on him in a previous post but i can't remember what about (note: now i remember, it was him standing up for jacin during trial and i pinned him down as important cause he's a Named Character)

“That’s the first time I pulled the trigger myself.” my brother in christ what about when you shot IKO (obviously she didn't die but still. would find it interesting to dive into how these guards feel about being forced to kill)

omg nooo cinder thinks iko has been taken offline

aimery has a pet kink confirmed?? (i'm sorry for making fun of wolf but if i don't make a joke i would smash my head open)

kinney is defo trying to figure out a plan (if he doesn't have one already) to save cinder and wolf. they're his best chance at saving winter after all (note: he did not LMAO)

uh oh wolf's been taken away. he's about to be mega brainwashed and/or tortured

omg it's adri and pearl. completely forgot about them whoopsies. the way cinder manages to be ANNOYED during this very stressful high stakes situation is so real of her

LEVANA IS HOLDING A COMB IN THE DREAM

scarlet is sitting on a chair backwards and she's NOT meant to be gay?? that's some of the gayest behaviour, not sitting right

poor kinney and his little sister

"No one important" interesting. jacin is such an interesting and guarded character. still demanding a pov chapter for him

the rampion is gone

is kai stupid?? if his entire palace was bugged then why would he talk freely with torin in the queen's own accommodations?? he's literally leaking all the top secret information. this feels a bit dumb

HOLY SHIT CINDER'S FINGER - also what is it with levana and her obsession with fingers lol (once again bad joke but i'm trying to cope)

i know that this is bad but i literally can't wait for the drama of cinder at levana and kai's wedding. idk if i'm reading too much into this but the queen seems to think that cinder's presence at the wedding would be a surprise. that's most likely because kai would expect to never see cinder or for a different execution date. but if someone was going around chopping of cinder's finger, then we SHOULD have gotten a pov chapter to show the entire violation even if she wouldn't feel pain. part of me wonders if it was actually an ally in the palace (kinney??) that managed to get the finger to give kai a warning (note: was hilariously wrong and definitely reading too much into it lmao)

why does marissa meyer hate parents so much lmao. i have a feeling that jacin will get his first pov chapter when his parents die

"Kai felt as if he were walking with iron shoes on his feet" hahaha wouldn't you know weatherboy

since the wedding is about to start jacin's parents are defo dead

holy shit levana that is a whole new level of manipulation, imitating cinder to keep herself safe

levana stop imitating the women that the man you're after is infatuated with challenge!! (challenge level: impossible)

jacin calling cress shortcake fksdjfhsdkjfhs

gunshots in the maglev?? defo someone from rampion YAY IT'S IKO AND THORNE

the way they all gotta say something only THEY would know sends me. between wolf and "called them swine" and cress and "tears dehydrate"

YESSSS THORNE PUNCHED JACIN. love to see it. a bit meh on him hugging jacin because personally i'd like more drama

FINALLY A CINDER CHAPTER. can't wait to see how she girlboss geniuses out of this one

family drama~ they finally know she's the lunar princess. let's see where this goes

i'm surprised cinder didn't try to ambush the thaumaturge the second they opened the cell

i love how cinder has more empathy for the servant carrying a tray over his head than her stepmother. that's so real of her

d a m n what is levana planning in regards to adri and pearl. i'm very interested to see how this turns out - ah she wants adri to kill cinder. i don't think levana realises how much she hates cinder

there is symbolism in levana trying to kill cinder by fire, and the second attempt ending up with cinder nearly drowning. i'm not elaborating because i'm still figuring it out, but it's defo meaningful

HOW DID THORNE EVEN FIND HER

i live for biblically accurate cpr. the most annoying thing is watching tv and a guy does two compressions before doing mouth to mouth. if you're not breaking ribs you're not doing it right

seeing cinder and iko reunited <3

love thorne suggesting rice to fix cinder fksdhfsdkh

help how did i completely forget about winter and scarlet whoopsies. they have it so chill compared to everyone else lol. like the spinning teacup ride meme. that said after all the shit scarlet's been through she deserves it

winter just heard a howl but thinks it's a hallucination since scarlet didn't notice. why do i get the feeling it's an ACTUAL genetically engineered wolf man soldier

btw i swear i didn't do this crazy amount of reading in one sitting LMAO this was across a few days cause i'm busy. i just got too lazy to post

@eddisfargo @francforever @winterrhayle @winterpinetrees @shellyseashell @luna-maximoff-22

[darkstar225]

Twice's 10th member acting as the villain in a drama

A/N: Heyyy, I'm alive! Sry for taking so long to post but finally the semester ended :D I hope the anon that gave me this idea on Tumblr likes it! :)

The request: Hello! Can I ask if you can make Twice reacting to 10th member acting as villain in drama/movie? Sorry my English not good😅

PS: Tysm for everyone that reads what I write, I hope I can bring a smile to your faces every time I post! I'd like to thank whoever sent me this idea 'cause I loved to write it <3

__________________________________________________________

In the bustling city of Seoul, TWICE, the world-renowned K-pop girl group was taking a well-deserved break from their busy schedules (please give our girls a break). The members had gathered in their cosy dorm to catch up on their favourite dramas and movies. Among them was their youngest member, Y/N, who had recently taken on a challenging acting role as a villain in a popular drama series. As the group settled on the couch, with bowls of popcorn in hand, the drama started playing on the large TV screen. The screen lit up, revealing TWICE's honey captivating presence. She portrayed a complex character with depth and intensity, leaving everyone in awe. Nayeon couldn't contain her excitement as the oldest and one of the moms from 3mix, she maintained her eyes glued to the screen. 

Nayeon - Our cutie pie is so talented! Look at her! She's nailing every scene.

Jeongyeon nodded in agreement while speaking. 

Jeongyeon - She's killing it! I can't believe our baby is playing such a convincing villain. She's a natural.

As the drama unfolded, Y/N's character revealed her cunning and manipulative nature, captivating the viewers. Momo, who loved dance and performances, was the first to speak up about how this one was incredible. 

Momo - The kiddo is so grown-up and mature in her acting. She's only going to get better with time. I can't wait to see what she does next!

Sana squealed in delight as she took note of how time was passing faster than they could see.

Sana - Our sugar is growing up right before our eyes! I'm so proud of her. She's like a little sister to all of us, and she'll always be our child, even when she's 40.

As the drama reached its climax, the maknae's character delivered a monologue that sent chills down the viewers' spines. Dahyun was moved to tears seeing her little sister being so mature and talented. 

Dahyun - Our lovebug is such a versatile actress. She's not just our maknae, she's a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry! Slay, sis <3

Jihyo couldn't agree more, with a motherly smile on her face she spoke about the youngest as her own child. 

Jihyo - Y/N's acting is so captivating. She's proven that she has the talent and charisma to take on any role. I'm excited to see her grow as an actress alongside her music career.

Y/N - Thank you, mama :D

Jihyo - Stop, you're gonna make me cry, bae!

Y/N - Fine... I'll shut up (for now)

The drama concluded, and the screen faded to black. The room erupted in applause and cheers as the members expressed their admiration for their sister's performance. Y/N, who had been watching their reactions with a mix of excitement and nervousness, blushed at the overwhelming praise making Chaeyoung grin mischievously. 

Chaeyoung - Darling, you were amazing! Can you teach me how to be such a convincing villain? Maybe we can even do a skit together.

Y/N chuckled, grateful for the support and love from her fellow TWICE members. 

Y/N - Of course, Chaeyoung unnie! We can practice whenever you want. But remember, I'm still your baby *pouts*

Mina spoke next, her voice as soft as a feather filled with sincerity. 

Mina - Love, you have truly grown into a phenomenal young woman. We're proud to have you as our maknae and even prouder to call you our sister.

The room fell into a comfortable silence as the members reflected on their kid's journey and their bond as a group. Tzuyu broke the silence with her signature smile. 

Tzuyu - No matter how successful you become, kiddo, we'll always be here to support you. We'll be your family, your unconditional support system, even when you're 40 and beyond!!

Y/N's heart swelled with gratitude and love for her TWICE family. She couldn't have asked for a better group of people to share her dreams and aspirations with. Their unwavering support made her feel invincible. Determined to express her gratitude, the youngest stood up and walked over to each member, hugging them tightly one by one. As she embraced each member, she whispered words of appreciation and love into their ears:

Y/N - Dahyun unnie, thank you for always making me laugh and bringing light into our lives.

Y/N - Nayeon unnie, thank you for being our fearless oldest and believing in me from the beginning while treating me as your child.

Y/N - Sana unnie, thank you for your infectious energy and for reminding me to always stay positive!

Y/N - Momo unnie, thank you for being my inspiration in dance and pushing me to explore my potential.

Y/N - Jeongyeon unnie, thank you for your honesty and straightforwardness. Your words always help me when I need to make a decision.

Y/N - Chaeyoung unnie, thank you for your creativity and for challenging me to step out of my comfort zone.

Y/N - Jihyo unnie or mama (:P), thank you for your guidance and for showing me what it means to be a strong and passionate leader.

Y/N - Mina unnie, thank you for your calm presence and for always being there as a shoulder I can lean on.

Y/N - Tzuyu unnie, thank you for your unwavering support and for being my first best friend in this family.

The room filled with warmth and affection as TWICE's petal heartfelt words resonated with each member. Tears of joy and love were shed, solidifying the unbreakable bond between them. As the night drew to a close, the members of TWICE gathered in a circle (not in a ritual way, just cute lol), their hands intertwined. They made a promise to continue supporting and encouraging each other, no matter what challenges lay ahead.

The maknae looked around at her family, feeling overwhelmed with gratitude as she gave her thanks again. The room erupted in cheers and laughter, their spirits lifted by the unbreakable bond they shared. They knew that with each other by their side, they could conquer any obstacle that came their way. And so, as Y/N's acting career soared to new heights, she carried the love and support of her TWICE sisters with her. With each success and achievement, they celebrated together, always reminding her that no matter how much she grew and matured, she would forever be their baby, cherished and loved. As the years passed, TWICE continued to dominate the K-pop industry, achieving new milestones and touching the hearts of millions. And through it all, Y/N remained their youngest member, a shining star who had proven her talent, versatility, and maturity time and time again. Together, they faced the world, armed with love, friendship, and unwavering support, forever embracing the bond that made them TWICE, the group that always makes their maknae think:

I love my dear unnies.

A/N: I apologise for any errors, English is not my first language. Pls, let me know if there's something wrong, ty for reading <3

[sophierequests]

🌷 not the ghost - send me a link to one of your fics and let me gush over it and point out my favourite lines (fandom doesn't matter, neither does the word count)!

this one pls<3

reading + reacting to my friends' fics // mine...one day - nikolai lantsov

yayy!! a nikolai fic! i love banter and teasing fics, so this was right up my alley today!!

live reaction:

nikolai!! 

everyone’s favourite golden boy (and nepo baby, but we’re ignoring that)

i just realised that i am so not ready to see him on screen tomorrow oh god

but anyways, back to the story

swordfighting yes yes yes

flirting while swordfighting - even better

nikolai being annoying <3

nikolai being a simp <333

god, he is down so bad, i can smell it

swordfights are an absolute pain to write, how tf do you make it look so easy djhgd

little shit nikolai is also very much slay

the reader matching his energy >>>

loverboy dhgsdjhgdkjhg

teasing nikolai will always be the best thing to write and read 

jdhgljhgskhgjdsfhgjdsf a kiss to the cheek

my favourite lines:

“No. I’m tired so I’m going to do this lovely thing you might’ve heard of called rest.” The blonde hummed as if thinking, “Never heard of it so you must be lying.”

-> 'rest' isn't in nikolai's vocabulary

Nikolai watched her as she let the door close behind her and sighed to himself, shaking his head with a lovestruck smile. “That girl… She’ll be mine.” The reminder of how stubborn she was flashed in his mind. “One day.”

-> simp

Y/N sighed as she slid her blade up to press against his neck, “You’re going easy on me.” A smirk appeared on his lips, “I thought maybe if you win you’d finally agree to go out with me.” She scoffed and leaned closer to him, “I’ll agree to go out with you once I win fairly. Don’t start treating me differently now, Lantsov.” A spark of competitive fire flared in Nikolai’s chest, “Alright, Y/L/N. Just know we may never go out then.” 

-> simp part two

Y/N smiled, “Nuhuh… I never said when I’d go out with you.” She spun on her heel and went to put the sword up, leaving the taller of the two to stare at her with a slack jaw.

-> and i oop-

Her lady-in-waiting hid her smile of amusement as she scurried behind, her voice quiet, “Yes, M’lady.”

-> maria's internal monologue: get fucked

Tomorrow morning seemed like the perfect time to surprise him with breakfast. He can wait a few hours more.

my god jkhgsadll

final review:

AMAZING AS ALWAYS!! the banter was just *mwuah* chef's kiss!! i loved the swordfighting bits (maybe because i can't write swordfighting for the life of me but still)!! and i'm a huge sucker for fucking with nikolai so this was perfect

[skaald-of-the-hearth-fires]

can you talk to me about Logan? was he retconned into being a simp or was he always a simp? what else do u like about him

AHO YES

thanks for the ask!! I have had MANY thoughts about this.

So. Logan's story started in 1319 when he met Rytlock, then Caithe, and they fought in an arena in Lion's Arch for a while. This is documented in the official, canonical book Edge of Destiny.

Queen Jennah came to watch a match as part of international relations or something, and Logan was smitten immediately and went to talk to her before the match. (His brother was the queen's guard so that may have given him some leeway lol.) He told her he would fight for her, his queen. He asked for a token, and she gave him a scarf, which he wore while he fought. He was injured so terribly that he was unconscious, but he did have victory.

Once he woke up, Logan received an official summons to Divinity's Reach in Kryta. He went and met with the queen, who presented him to all the nobles, ministers, and other politicians as 'her Champion,' raising both their hands in the air. He would be her warrior outside Kryta, her presence on foreign fields. Then she turned to him, squeezeed his hand, and whispered in his ear, "thank you for answering my summons" (she is a queen). Logan squeezed her hand in return and responded that he would always answer her summons.

So she, on the spur of the moment, magically bonded him to her, a process whereby she went into his mind (Logan's mental monologue describes her as a thief in the night, and yet he welcomed her and led her into his memories).

This rocks her back for a moment in awe at the things he has done, but she quickly recovers in the presence of her court and declares to Logan that if she summons him, he must come. Logan kneels and promises he will.

After this, Logan returns to Lion's Arch to continue fighting in the arena, meets the rest of Destiny's Edge and goes off to fight dragons.

During the rest of the book, Logan and Jennah exchange letters in which Jennah clearly returns his love. She is concerned for his wellbeing fighting dragons and their champions, which as well all know is not known for its health benefits. See the tail end of her first letter:

As your queen, I could forbid you to do this thing, but I have seen you defeat a legion of charr. I have seen you slay devourers and destroyers, centaurs and ettins and worse. If anyone could defeat the Dragonspawn, it would be you. So, I will not forbid it. I will trade fear for hope and look forward to congratulating you on this latest and greatest of your victories. -- your queen, Jennah

She calls him 'my dear Champion' and says her trust in him was well placed, and wishes he could return home (but he is too busy for this) and 'you are most alive in the heart of danger' anyway.

My heart tells me to forbid you to go. I should. [...] if I lose you to Morgus Lethe, it would be worse than losing an army. [...] I think of you often. I imagine you marching across blasted tundra, battling monsters in caves of ice, standing stalwart against our enemies. Perhaps I am just imagining the battles you fight, but I choose to believe we have a deeper bond.

After the second victory of Destiny's Edge, Jennah writes in exultation that a champion of a dragon cannot stand against the champion of a queen. I fear to lose you, and I want more than anything to see you again. But you cannot fight for me by standing around the halls of Divinity's reach. The last thing I need is another polished advisor. They are just statues compared to a flesh-and-blood champion. So, fight for me. Defeat the Destroyer of Life. And in our long separation, I will content myself with letters and with visions of your heroism. Your queen, Jennah

Later, she addresses a letter to the Most Magnificent Logan Thackeray, after spending the book dropping her own titles as they grow closer, and she calls her desire to summon him 'selfish.'

Then follows the incident with Glint, Kralkatorrik, and Logan leaving to protect Jennah. (Their magical bond allowed her to communicate with him via telepathy.) We know how that goes. Logan's brother is killed in the fighting, and we last see Logan Thackeray taking his place and bearing his sword as Captain of the Seraph, left hand of the queen.

And so we see Captain Thackeray in-game, often in his office doing paperwork or clinging to the queen's side (often in spite of her gentle persuasion to depart for adventure and glory). So the man who was most alive in battle becomes the polished advisor Jennah never needed him to be, for the sake of her own protection.

So much for Edge of Destiny! but even officially-canon sources are nothing compared to in-game sources. Off we go to Divinity's Reach, 1325, five years later, when the queen is in danger from one of her own soldiers who went mad from dragon corruption, and the Durmand Priory has stepped in to help defend her.

The player, who has recently been delegated the role of 'Advocate of the Queen' in dealing with the three Orders of Kryta, has this conversation with her.

Advocate: Captain Thackeray is very worried about you, Your Majesty. Queen Jennah: Logan? He mustn't worry... please, tell him I'll be fine. If he is distracted, and gets hurt, I don't know what I would do. Advocate: If I may be so bold, ma'am, the two of you seem to care about one another very much. Queen Jennah: He is like an angel sent from Dwayna to be at my side. If things were different, or if Kryta were at peace, then, perhaps... Advocate: Good luck, ma'am. To all of us.

after the battle, another conversation is had.

Advocate: Speaking of Captain [Logan] Thackeray... it doesn't bother you that he's going to Lion's Arch? Queen Jennah: I'm worried, I'll admit. Caithe has never been trustworthy even in the best of times, and lately... Please, tell me you'll watch over him? Advocate: You know that you could stop him, right? One word from you, and he'd stay. Queen Jennah: No, Advocate. I have enough servants - I want a partner. Logan must be free to make his own decisions.

Note that these dialogues are not available to characters who pick the Vigil path. The first one (and most important, imo) is only available in the Durmand Priory path. Don't ask me why, that's a stupid decision (and perhaps the wiki just failed to document them in the other two paths), but here we have the lore still perfectly intact, confirming the books and even increasing on them. The strongest declaration of the queen's love aside from the magical bond is found in the game itself. "He is like an angel sent from Dwayna?" please.

Logan didn't simp for Jennah, although he did embarrass himself a few times and he is most certainly quite sappy and focused on Jennah's welfare and protection. It's his whole vocation. He is a guardian, and guardians protect. He is Seraph Captain, and the Seraph Captain serves the queen and defends her and her people. And he loves her, and she loves him. She cares for him fiercely and worries about him just as much as she did five years ago.

Contrast that to Season 3, Head of the Snake, 1330, five years after, where the player Commander approaches the queen again.

Commander: After the incident with Estelle, I meant to ask you about Logan... Queen Jennah: Captain Thackeray has provided unwavering, invaluable service to the crown. I expect he will continue to do so, especially given the current situation with Caudecus. Commander: Apologies if I've given offense, Your Majesty. Queen Jennah: That's not necessary. I hear the whispers, and I see with my own eyes. Logan is... a loyal servant, and a friend. I think he's coming to terms with that. At last.

Logan was never a simp until they forced him to be by taking his full decade of service, love, and devotion and said it was never appreciated. They ripped his lover out of his arms and forced her to tell him, against her own expressed feelings, that she never loved him, that all his years of service and sacrifice meant nothing to her and never had, that he had wasted himself on nothing. It makes a mockery of him, turning him into a blind fool whose expressions of unashamed, raw love were the foolish delusions of a lovestruck boy who, apparently, spent ten years trying to win her love and failing to measure up.

This was in a main story instance that everyone who played that episode could see.

This of course, holds no candle in fandom discourse to an offscreen source (book) and a conversation that occured in 1/15th of all possible story paths (1/5 chance of playing human, 1/3 chance of choosing Priory). The real funny thing is that Anet never removed these dialogues when they made the retcon.

Logan was a hero. He was a champion. He is skilled and experienced in both combat and strategy, in leadership and military management. Logan was evenly matched with a Blood Legion Tribune, and for a human that is no mean feat. He slew beasts with a company of five that it took the whole dwarven race to kill. He is one of, if not the strongest hero, aside the Commander, to exist in the modern day. There's a reason he was snapped up by the Pact almost immediately. And this retcon turns Jennah into a blind fool as well, failing to see the strength, courage, and heroism in front of her face, who loved and was devoted to her, and foolishly spurned his love.

So much for the canon!

I do not like this retcon, not one bit. I also hate changing canon. Undoing this retcon would change a lot of things going forward from Season 3, such as him being Marshal of the Pact, him being a ladies' man with all the ladies who aren't as dumb and stupid as the retcon made Jennah to be, and so on.

So I will fix the retcon while preserving a respect for both Logan and Jennah, and it is this: that it is not a retcon - that is to say, it has no power going backwards - but that it is a development. Jennah has fallen out of love with Logan after his repeated refusal to leave her side and be the hero she fell in love with. He used to have utmost respect for her, and would take her suggestions as commands. But here he does not, and when he finally did leave to kill Zhaitan, it was only to come back in S1 and be just as stubborn as ever. (Which is technically a limitation of S1's timing and development IRL, but it works.) He leaves to fight dragons but he comes straight back and does not listen. This is a minor improvement, but it is not enough. The queen can not love a man who will not listen to his queen.

This could read either as Jennah falling out of love, or that she, for his own good, says that she doesn't love him anymore, in order to let him leave and be his most true, alive self in battle. And maybe she misses him and is torn apart when she dreams of his battles with the Pact, and of his adventures with other women, but he is happy, and there was a part of him that was not while he stayed by her side and did paperwork and sacrificed himself for her safety.

So much for the retcon!

What else do u like about him? -- dabenport

I'm glad you asked, I have no clue! He's not a particularly compelling character to me. I'm asexual and have never been in a relationship, so I don't relate to... much of his existence lol.

I'll say I've mained human all my life (despite my fave race being sylvari) and Logan is pretty great. He has a sense of humor (as Seraph Captain, I can't exactly jump up and down saying 'pick me! pick me!' but I can certainly think it) (oh dear! the White Mantle is upon me! oh woe! is this the end for poor Logan?).

I guess what I really like about him is his devotion to the queen. The queen serves the kingdom, and Logan serves the queen. They are united in their service to the people. That's a great picture to me.

You can tell how much a person cares about something by what they sacrifice for it. Logan sacrificed Snaff, Glint, and the chance of defeating Kralkatorrik. Logan sacrificed a life of adventure. He sacrificed his relationship with Rytlock, an honorary brother, as well as the rest of Destiny's Edge. (Jennah's side of the relationship is much more hidden, not well known aside from what I've just related; she is a shadow in the story compared to Logan's bright flare of a hero, a mentor to human characters and connection to Destiny's Edge.)

Logan also sacrifices for fighting the dragons: in Arah he stayed behind, and although by some miracle he survived, it was clear he did not expect to.

Sacrifice is like catnip to me. Give something up for the sake of that which you love; gimme. It's the theme of all my blorbos. Somehow it doesn't come through in making Logan a compelling character to me. I can feel strongly about his overall story and write about that, but the long-term drudgery of writing a narrative is much more difficult. Perhaps it is because I have never been in a relationship and don't know what to show/how to explore that. Write what you know, they say. I don't know the strength of the feelings involved or how they might express. (I've also never really been a fan of the romance genre, possibly for the same reason, and I've had very few friends in my life, so I really have no sources of knowledge on what is it like to love that deeply.

Possibly for these reasons, it's difficult for me to write about Logan. Despite my high regard for him, he's just not compelling to me the way other characters (cough Trahearne cough Forgal cough Taimi - whose stories may contain love in some amount but are not focused on them) are. I write about him because I concluded that his PoV would be the best to tell the opening acts of Dreams of Freedom from, chronicling Destiny's Edge's journey in this AU of mine. Sometimes I reconsider, although I'm sorta committed now, and I do enjoy it when I can buckle down to it.

~oOoOo~

This has been

Character Study: Logan Thackeray

thank you for asking and giving me this opportunity to talk! On some level, all GW2 characters are my blorbos and I could talk about any of them at length. Logan is less compelling than other GW2 characters, but that is like saying a giant is short for being 12ft tall and not 15 or 20.