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oliveroctavius · 9 months

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I got this ask on main but thought I'd pick it up here, my comics history/fashion ramble blog. I'd been wondering this exact same thing recently, and Google initially wasn't much help—Rocketeer replica jackets describe themselves only as "Rocketeer jackets" and the one Lobster Johnson cosplay thread just suggested ordering one of those.

The most curious part is the double seam and horizonal row of buttons that mark out the entire front as possibly being an unbuttonable "bib", like a plastron front. (Please don't ask how late in the game I worked out that "plastron" is the right word for that.)

The closest genuine Golden Age example of a plastron jacket I found was the military tunic style uniform of Blackhawk, created in 1941.

(Pics from the '52 movie serial (right) really show how awkward it is to combine open lapels + plastron. On a double breasted coat, that chest panel IS the bottom lapel, folded shut.)

Here's the thing: This outfit mirrors that of the Nazi ace pilot he fights in the origin issue, von Tepp (middle). And compare further to the far right: real life WWI flying ace Manfred von Richthofen, AKA the Red Baron, in imperial German Uhlan (lance cavalry) uniform.

"The Germans had designed such great costumes, we decided to use them ourselves," co-creator Cuidera is quoted as saying in Steranko's History of Comics, which (more dubiously, in my opinion) compares the look to the Gestapo or SS. Breeches or jodhpurs weren't strictly a Nazi thing at the time, but they do add to the overall effect.

Compare two other military tunic themed costumes from 1940, on Captain Marvel and Bucky Barnes. These are asymmetrically buttoned, and switch to a more classic circus strongman look below the waist.

But somewhere around 1975, with the Invaders book, Bucky gets a buttoned bib! There's something infectious about it—the symmetry, maybe. (Even re: the characters we started with; Mignola didn't draw Lobster Johnson with buttons down the right side, but every artist after does. And Spider-Noir wore a sweater under his coat until Shattered Dimensions introduced the double-breasted vest.)

If it didn't reach his belt, Barnes' button-on front + shirt collar combo would resemble a bib-front western shirt, like the one that became the Rawhide Kid's signature look in '56. (Or Texas Twister's in '76.)

This shirt entered the old-West-obsessed public imagination in the 1940s/50s largely because John Wayne wore it in several cowboy movies. In reality it was rare among cowboys, more common with firefighters and civil war era militia.

Military tunics, Western shirts, alright, but does anything match the style and material and era, or are these jackets a total anachronism? I tried looking into 1930s leather flight jackets and was surprised when the closest-looking results were marked as Luftwaffe.

It took me a bit to work out why: USAF and RAF issued standard flight jackets with a center closure. The Luftwaffe instead let their pilots buy non-standardized ones. The 'weird' double-breasted black German flight jackets were in fact fairly normal (but repurposed) motorcycle racing jackets.

Far left is an English biker's jacket that dates back to the 1920s. Even without the bib, this may be as close as you'll get to an authentic Rocketeer. The jodhpurs were pretty common to complete the look. (What was an early motorcycle anyways, if not a weird metal horse?) The first biker jacket with the now iconic off-center diagonal zip was designed in America in 1928 and yet as far as I can tell, not a single actual pre-war pulp hero wore one.

The greatest weakness of this post is that I haven't been able to find any of these artists' notes on how, exactly, they arrived at similar versions of this iconic Pulp Front Panel Jacket. I'm sure I've missed some things. But as far as I can tell, this jacket is an odd bit of convergent stylistic evolution from the above influences that's picked up enough momentum to now be self-perpetuating.

The problem with pulp heroes is that for the most part, they just wore clothes. The appeal of this jacket is actually very similar to what the 1940s thought the appeal of the bib-front shirt in westerns was: It's alien enough to feel "old". It looks like something invented before zippers or synthetic fabrics. It looks formal and militant but also renegade, rebellious. It also looks a little mad-sciencey*. It's a costume, but you can nearly fool yourself into thinking the past was weird enough that you could find something this cool on the rack.

If I wanted to end on some grand point, I could try to argue that there's a thematic throughline between fascist fashion, John Wayne movies, and throwback pulp. A manufactured aesthetic valorizing the violence of a fictional golden age... but I think the noir stylings of the post-Rocketeer comics in this lineup mean that, at least on some level, they know the "good guys" didn't dress like this.

*If I had another couple weeks of time to burn, I'd try to trace the visual history of the Howie coat in popular culture and investigate its possible connections to this. Alas, I do actually have a life.

#thank you for reading. also don't read golden age blackhawks the racism is awful even by era standards.#comics history #costume taxonomy #<- forgot I had that tag.#not to be like ''in MY favorite comics...'' again but may I point out that Hellboy and Robo and Tom Strong just wear... clothes #like. yknow. A pulp series that had confidence in itself rather than trying to cosplay as eras it thinks were cooler might do-#[I am yanked offstage before I can restart that rant]#the rocketeer

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belit0 · 1 year

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Can I request Itachi x reader where reader is Sasuke's friend and has a crush on Itachi but she thinks that Itachi sees her as a little sister only?!?

Don't we all love a marvelous destruction of dreams and hopes?

I certainly do

(Y/N)'s attraction started as a game, a way to tease her best friend when he got angry, a way to make fun of him, and material to tease him. Her jokes regarding Itachi were simply that, jokes, of course, at least until she started to pay real attention.

During adolescence, when premature crushes and the first signs of development hit, she found herself entertaining the idea of Itachi as a boyfriend in a private way. Her usual banter began to mutate into something real, imagining a life with him before sleep, how his lips would feel on hers, whether she would let him touch her for the first time.

Her fantasies culminated in real goals, genuinely desiring the man who was once merely a prank in her mind, suddenly feeling self-conscious in front of him. Sasuke was the first to notice the changes, how (Y/N)'s cheeks would turn red every time his brother's name was mentioned, nervously playing with her hands, looking in all directions and waiting for the Uchiha to abruptly arrive.

While before the girl wouldn't stop talking and bragging about how she would marry the next clan leader just to piss him off, now she is unable to mention him without looking like she's about to pee herself.

As years go by and they finally enter adulthood, he expected his friend's crush to go away, but it only seems to intensify. Sasuke could choose to be selfish, a bad friend, to separate her from her fantasies, yet today he prefers the path of companionship, doing her a favor. He'll do his best to give her a chance, and if it doesn't work out, at least he'll rest assured knowing he did the best he could.

It would be fun to have her as a sister-in-law, though, he has no real idea whether or not his brother is interested in her either.

Itachi is a mystery even to those close to him, always off on some mission, rarely sharing dinner with them, constantly busy with different things. No one knows much about him or his personal life, least of all his younger brother, who thinks himself incapable of inquiring about his romantic interests. He prefers to assume fate is in (Y/N)'s favor, that Itachi has no secret girlfriend in another village, and that his absences are not due to anything of the sort.

When he asks his mother whether she has any idea of his older brother's whereabouts, he eats for breakfast some news about him being at home all afternoon resting, arriving shortly from a long mission. It's the perfect scenario for things to happen as they should, considering his father will be at the police station and Mikoto is busy with her women's club.

The house will be empty, only populated by Itachi, and Sasuke thinks of a million ways to make everything turn out. He wouldn't go to such extreme lengths for anyone but his best friend, determined to repay her extensive years of loyal friendship with a wonderful favor.

He arranges to meet her at his home once he has secured his older brother's arrival, having heard him say goodbye to Shisui at the entrance, take off his shoes, and lock himself in his room. When (Y/N) shows up, it is with the idea of drinking tea, sitting and chatting in the courtyard, oblivious to any agenda her friend may have.

The afternoon proceeds uneventfully at first, hot kettle and too much liquid in the small cups. The snacks they enjoy with their drinks soon drop in quantity, and it's the perfect excuse Sasuke uses to disappear from the place. They can't go on enjoying such a beautiful afternoon with nothing to eat, can they?

With the last pawn off the board, (Y/N) and Itachi are left alone for at least a good few hours, plenty of time for them to do what they have to do. Of course, if life wills it.

...

Bladder loaded with too much hot tea, (Y/N) feels the compelling need to go to the bathroom. She moves through the halls of the home as if it were her own, habituated to spend more time there than with her own family, a more than frequent face for those Uchiha.

It is Mikoto herself who often jokes about her being more of a daughter than her own eldest child, counting more on the girl's presence than his. Sleepovers at that place became a weekend routine, and (Y/N) cringes at the thought of how nervous she would get about walking past Itachi's door, even if he wasn't there.

A shiver of self-repulsion runs through her body at the thought of her younger self's wanderings, and she follows the familiar path to the bathroom.

She thinks she is alone, which leads her to confidently open the door, and wish she could die right there. If she had been paying attention she would have noticed the sounds inside, the shower turning off and the light on, the steam, but nothing stopped her from coming face to face with her crush drying his body, wet hair and totally naked in front of her.

Paralyzed and with a huge emptiness in her stomach, a sudden nervousness runs through the entirety of her body, unable to react and still standing with the door in her grip. Itachi, unmoved and turning his back to her, beams at her and smiles, wrapping the towel around his waist and taking another for his hair.

"It's been a while, (Y/N)." He says before finally turning around, the doorway separating them. The girl reacts enough to move her hand, allowing him passage out of the bathroom.

Hair disheveled and in a raw, vulnerable state, an image that no one but his family ever got to see, he watches as warm drops of water run down his chest, leaving a wet trail on his skin and giving him an appetizing appearance, water that (Y/N) suddenly wants to lick its way up to his neck, take him by the nape and fiercely kiss him-.

The world spins again as the Uchiha places a hand on her head.

"You've grown so much, keep up the good work." His expression is friendly, sober, innocent, not the one you would use to try and conquer anyone, and the way he pets her hair reminds her of how one would spoil one's dog.

Trying to process everything at the same time, she can't get words out of her mouth, watching him walk to his room half-naked and close the door behind him. Her fantasies begin and end in the same place, and she has no face to stay and wait for Sasuke to come back with more food for their tea.

The girl runs out of the house hoping either the earth swallows her on the way or some stray kunai buries itself in her throat, undone by shattered dreams and trampled hopes under the foot of the world's most beautiful Uchiha.

Life sucks.

#uchiha itachi x reader #itachi uchiha x reader #itachi x reader #uchiha itachi #itachi uchiha #itachi #uchiha clan #sasuke uchiha #uchiha sasuke #sasuke #naruto #naruto imagines #naruto shippuden #naruto x reader

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obislittleone · 7 months

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The Winner Takes It All

Episode 10

Pairing: Finnick Odair x Tribute(OC)!Reader

Chapter Warnings: more death, more canon typical violence, some bonding between allies because they gotta survive this bitch as long as they can...

Chapter Summary: Danger lies in places you least expect it. Whether that be in the form of a small animal, or in a harmless capitol citizen. No one is safe from anything in the hunger games.

Word Count: 3.2k

howdy ho, pls excuse my laziness as of lately and enjoy some daily updates (i am not lazy i swear i have been launching a literal fashion brand ToT)

He snapped out of his trance when he heard the tail end of a half whispered conversation behind him. “I imagine with her it would be marvelous, she certainly has the stamina,” one of the men behind him chuckled, the one on his left nodding in agreement before slamming back his drink. “Not to mention the flexibility.”

Finnick was restless, watching the screen, as usual.

He’d only gone into the viewing party to stir some chatter, enough to get a sponsor, but then he’d been back on his couch, Mags close by in a chair that was far too large for a sweet little old woman such as herself. She did not care to move, either.

It hurt her, to know that all this work, all this dedication, and all this commitment to the girl that came here from four might be in vain. But she kept a smile of optimism on her face for him, because she hadn’t seen him care so much about something in a long time. He had almost been numbed to these occasions, dulled to their effects. She held onto the same sliver of hope that he had been clinging to, praying that he would not be crushed if she were to lose. She couldn’t bear to watch him go through something like that again. The first time being when he watched the girl from his district die in the arena beside him. They trained together, they were allies together, and they had known each other before the reaping. Just like you and Lukas.

Lukas, the dear boy with the longing for a loving mother. Mags hoped she gave him a taste of what it was like, to have someone wrap their arms around you and to be proud of you without any cause or reason. Lukas needed that. Lukas needed a lot of things. She hated the rules of these games, hated the games more than anything. That boy deserves to live, deserves to finally be shown respect from the one person he craves the most… but Finnick’s girl. One who also deserves to live, to come home and to let Finnick hold you in his arms. Mags would never bring it up to him, but she knows the glint in his eye is more than just the protection of a mentor. The look of genuine fear when he feels his prized girl may be in danger is not just one of sympathy for another tribute. He’s latched onto this one, she can feel it. She only hopes that when the time comes for one of them to die, that she will not have to face the streams of tears… her own or Finnicks.

She watches him, the way he studies your every movement when the screen returns to the career pack, now depleted to three careers and a district seven tribute. A wild bunch they are, but hopefully the game makers will not overestimate their abilities. Lukas may have killed one tribute already, but Mercedes hasn’t. Mags doesn’t think she even could if she tried to. She knows that Finnick thinks the same thing.

His smile when he leans forward is sweet, seeing her open the note she had crumpled into her pocket. She mirrors his smile on the other side of the camera, not even realizing it. His heart melts as she reads it, and rereads it, and then once more. She’s clinging to it, holding onto that little piece of paper. It’s the only communication she can get from him on the inside of this damned arena.

“We should save those, we need to be using this time to gather other sources of food before more tributes come back to the cornucopia.”

Lukas was taking the lead again, and for good reason. There was little debate when it came to who was pulling the strings of this makeshift operation. He’d been the most confident with his survival knowledge, although he lacked in combat from the other careers.

“He’s right, by tomorrow, the last tributes are going to try and find us. It’s best we stock up everything we’re going to need before that happens,” Lyra said, throwing on one of the backpacks, one of the smaller ones full of Kunai knives and hunting lures.

“I w-wove this last night, it’s n-not standard, but it should w-work,” you held up to Lukas the fishing net you’d conjured before you’d gotten so tired the night before. It was far smaller than what he was used to, but it would work nonetheless.

“It’s perfect,” he smiled, packing it up into another backpack, slinging it over his shoulder as he nodded his head towards the trail ahead.

You all were going to need to find a river, but luckily for you, Rodey had claimed to see one earlier yesterday, when you were all barely limping back to the cornucopia.

He was doing really well this morning, probably on account of the sponsor he’d gotten. A new pair of shoes to replace the ones that were torn to bits from running yesterday. His blisters were killing him until those new shoes arrived. Now he was chipper as ever.

“It was a bit further out, had a waterfall behind it…” he trailed, leading you all in a twisting and turning hike through the foggy forest of vines and trees that were tall enough to be skyscrapers.

The scenery was something out of an old adventure book, something of an era you wished was alive today. Something where the hero gets the girl, and the danger comes to an end. You don’t see that happening at the conclusion of your story. You see your picture in the sky and the boom of cannonfire, ringing out in your ears before it all goes dark. You just hope it won’t be too horrible, too violent or too messy.

By the time you reached the river, which was barely even a river, you went to the edge to stand by Lukas. You looked out to the waterfall that was sitting at the edge of the river bank, creating the endless flow. It was pretty, or it would be, under different circumstances. The other two of the group had taken off, finding bushes full of Echinacea flowers, and started harvesting those in case of any possible infections occurring in the future.

“W-what do I need to do?” You asked the boy next to you, helping him take the net out of the backpack and unfold it enough that it will work to catch.

“Not much. Can you stand in this shallow part over here?”

You used his help to step down into the water, the surface level barely reaching your hips. The coolness drenching your clothes was a nice contrast to the constantly warm and overly humid environment. You’d been feeling sticky and gross for the past two days, and this was like a little bath of sorts. It rid you of that nasty feeling, and for once, you were happy to be standing in water.

“You’re good?”

“Yeah, I’m g-good.”

He nodded, hopping in as well and handing you one end of the net, beginning to walk over towards the further side of the small river. It was far deeper on his side, but it didn’t deter him. He kept steady, opening the net and allowing it to start blocking the flow of anything swimming through. There weren’t many fish in the water, so it would take a minute of waiting.

Meanwhile, Lyra and Rodey had stuffed their pockets full of the flowers and other plants that may be useful to them.

“So, Mercedes,” Lyra began, looking towards the riverbank and seeing you splash your hair into the water. She found it amusing, considering she heard one of the boys comment about her lack of swimming abilities. Maybe they’d been joking. She was from four, so it didn’t quite make sense.

“What about her?” Rodey’s brows strewn with confusion, he turned to face Lyra completely, setting his backpack down for a moment to sit and rest. It had been a longer journey than expected to get here.

“You call her Mercy, right?” She asked, and he nodded in return. What was she getting at? He didn’t care to interject yet. “Do you think…?”

“Do I think what?”

She sighed, looking once more to yourself and Lukas, before settling her eyes on Rodey.

“Do you think she’s actually merciful? I have to think she’d kill either of us if she had to, but something tells me she’s not so sure of herself… She’s strong, man… she’s really strong. But she doesn’t exert it. When she fought me in training, it’s like she didn’t care if she won or lost.”

Rodey’s eyes found your smile by the riverbank, something sweet and warm and full of life, the exact opposite of what these games are supposed to be. You contradicted the meaning the capitol gave them, and he wondered if that would be in more ways than one.

“She hasn’t killed anyone yet. I think when the time comes she’ll do what she has to, but until then, I wouldn’t bet on it being either of us.”

Lyra nodded, seemingly having the same thought. Rodey likes you, he wasn’t going to say something about you that could get you killed before you had to be. That’s the game, but for as long as he can he wants to take a page out of your book, avoiding the rules.

Finnick was standing as straight and tall as he could, his confidence on the outside rivaling that which had been seen for years. The side of him that people knew and loved. His cocky gestures and snarky remarks, the slight arrogance and acceptance of man worship at his feet. It had always been a facade, but it was harder to wear recently. Now he did his best to show that he was back, his original self was on display for everyone to see.

He’d taken the day to become a little more serious about sponsors. So far, there was only one need of a Capitol gift, but as the last days roll around, he knows that he needs to start racking up the funds. You and Lukas have dwindling supplies, and soon, he’s sure the game makers will be using that against you.

Mags never felt herself useful for this sort of thing, she always sat quietly in the corner and tried to simply read the room, giving tips to Finnick if he needed them. She was so thankful to have him by her side. He was so much better at being the talkative presence in these Capitol functions. Especially ones that had so much riding on them. Today, yours and Lukas’ lives. Next year, another pair of tributes who will need the same supplies, sponsors, and supporters. It was a crucial part of the games, and now more than ever, Finnick sought after these wealthy citizen’s personal assistance.

He’d taken a break from circling for a moment, standing before the screen, watching you help Lukas with the fishing net. The water was shallow enough to stand in, and you seemed to be doing alright, the current of the stream not pulling or pushing you in any which direction. You’d even dunked your hair into the water, bringing some relief to your body, having thoroughly been exposed to the heat and humidity of this rainforest. Even though it rained often, it was still warm and humid.

You’d whipped your hair back over your head, splashing Lukas in the face. He playfully scooped a hand into the water and threw it up in your direction, and you laughed with a wide smile.

You were so beautiful, your smile was stunning. He was momentarily frozen in wonder… awestruck wonder. Like a moment where you gaze upon a magnificent sunset or a calming scene of nature. Something that you have to sit and admire for a second, because damn… you didn’t think anything could be so lovely without even trying.

He snapped out of his trance when he heard the tail end of a half whispered conversation behind him.

“I imagine with her it would be marvelous, she certainly has the stamina,” one of the men behind him chuckled, the one on his left nodding in agreement before slamming back his drink. “Not to mention the flexibility.”

Finnick turned on his heels, staring down the gentleman’s face, and acting as though he didn’t know what was going on.

“I’m sorry, what was that?” He played, tilting his head to entice some sort of response.

“Oh, nothing. We were just talking about how agile and athletic your tributes are. You must be very proud.”

“I am, and I’m going to do everything I can to keep bad things from happening to them,” he said with a sarcastic tone on the last bit. He knew that with the look he shot the man to speak, they would consider another topic of conversation.

Finnick only turned back around when they moved on to talk about other tributes.

What he’d heard pretty much cemented in stone what he already thought to be true. If you made it out of that arena, you’d be doomed to a life the same as him. Being called into the Capitol for nightly visits until they grow tired of you. It took finnick five whole years to become old news… he can’t even imagine how loved you would be for many years beyond that. You’d somehow charmed him without even trying, and here he was on a mission to save your life because of it. He couldn’t fathom how anyone could grow tired of you. There’s no other tribute, past, present, or even future that has a chance of beating you in sweetness and beauty. There’s no other tribute who has your compassion, your mercy… as much as he hated that nickname for you, he now found himself clinging to it in hopes of repeating it back to you.

The people around him continue to speak of you, and he knows that his selfishness will use it to his advantage. Your life out of the arena would be filled with comments like these, and the repercussions of them, the work and practical slavery of them, not one ever being your fault. But even through all of it, he still wants you to live. He wants you to come home and have a house across from his and beside Mags’. He wants to keep giving you swimming lessons until you feel confident to go into the water without him. He wants to teach you how to fish like he and his father used to do. He wants to take you into the market and show you all his favorite places to get food. He wants to watch you thrive and grow beyond these games and forget about all the bad things. His want for your happiness, his need for your presence to return… It's what drives him.

He doesn’t linger on the screen for too much longer before he continues making his rounds.

The looks on the other tribute's faces when you offer them a piece of split open fish is hilarious. You can’t help but giggle. You have to sit for a moment and think, because no, other districts probably don’t just tear open a fish and eat it. How strange, that the tributes can be so different in culture, but still all the same.

You’ve grown up eating fish, grown up being around the smell and feeling the texture. It doesn’t bother you because it is familiar, and mundane.

They eventually sucked it up and tried some, knowing that by tomorrow they would have to eat it anyway.

“It’s not terrible, could use some salt,” Rodey joked around, twisting his face into different expressions with every bite he took.

“My m-mama cooks fish better than a-anyone I’ve ever met. Bakes it with lemon juice a-and pepper.” You smiled, willing yourself to remember your mother and her home cooked meals.

She hadn’t been able to cook in very large quantities lately, one of the primary reasons you’d been hungry so often.The loss of your dad’s paycheck was bound to take a toll.

“Sounds pretty good to me,” He laughed, leaning his shoulder into yours playfully. His attempts at affection were becoming more pronounced as the day went on. Offering you his hand to step out of the river, handing you one of the blankets to dry off with, his lingering touches and prolonged stares that lasted just a bit too long. You didn’t mind it. He made being in this hellhole a decent experience. You’re going to die anyways, might as well enjoy the time you have left.

Out of nowhere, Lukas’ yell of warning stirred everyone.

“Lyra, watch out!”

But it was too late. There was a long and colorful snake that had just sunk its teeth into her arm. Lukas immediately grabbed one of the short swords and cut it in half, ridding her of the animal… but the damage had already been done.

“What was that thing?” She grabbed her arm in pain, writhing around on the ground after feeling the spread of its venom in her veins. It turned them dark, the webbing of black inky venom had already sunk too far into her system.

“Lyra,” Rodey tried to still her movements, her screams of terror going in one ear and out the other. Lukas rummaged through the backpacks, along with you, to try and find some of that healing ointment that the sponsors had given you the day before. You’d found it at the bottom of the last pack, turning around quickly and trying to help her.

“Hold her still,” Lukas told Rodey, opening the canister, and applying some of the medical treatment over the entry wound, but it didn’t do anything. She still shook like a leaf, and wasn’t stopping.

You knelt down and grabbed one of the bandage rolls from the same pack, trying to tie off her arm and create a tourniquet from it. The venom didn’t spread as fast, but it was still going, slowly reaching the top of her arm as it crawled over every vein she had. She had stopped screaming, but took your arm with her other hand. She pulled your forwards, and your eyes widened momentarily in fear.

“Take it off, please,” she cried, her voice now slightly hoarse from the screams. You shook your head, about to protest, but she nodded. “I’m one less person to kill. Take it off.”

You looked at Lukas and Rodey, and they looked upset, but didn’t tell you anything. They didn’t know what to say. They had been happy to have this girl as an ally, but this is the hunger games. All will die but one, and this is Lyra’s time.

You looked back to her, your eyes welling up with tears. With a heavy heart, you untied the bandaging, letting the venom spread quickly again. Her flailing movements and screaming returned, but you had to step back, turning away and ducking your head into Rodey’s shoulder to keep her out of your eyeline. Once again the screaming stopped, and you looked back… Lyra had a look of peace in her now still eyes. She was gone, and the cannon fired synonymously after. You didn’t stop crying, and neither Rodey nor Lukas said anything to you about it. You felt like it was you. You felt like you’d killed her…

That’s the thing about mercy. It isn’t always about showing restraint, or holding back. Sometimes, it’s about giving in, and letting things take their course.

tags(open): @thepassionatereader @i-voluntears @secretsicanthideanymore @mystargirl-interlude @c4ttheart @lilibrn

#finnick odair x oc #finnick imagine #finnick odair thg #thg finnick #finnick odair #finnick x reader #finnick x you #finnick odair x reader #finnick odair fluff #finnick odair imagine #sam claflin #sam claflin x reader #the hunger games #thg series #thg #katniss everdeen

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itsalwaysalmostchristmas · 26 days

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Rework of Viconia Devir

So, I had been working on two different ideas: How to rework Viconia where her whole story arc from the previous games doesn't get shat on and how to make the Tadpole Troupe more diverse.

I don't know why the thought came to me but it did: Shadowheart should've (or I think it would've been fun) been Viconia's daughter.

Please hear me out!

If you don't know, Viconia has literally the worse luck in the world it seems, like read her wiki page history I'm sure that's just then tip of the iceberg.

When travelling with Gorion's Ward she is a cleric of Shar, and if not romanced, after their adventures she goes to Waterdeep to run an enclave there, which Viconia in BG3 does tell us:

[Viconia DeVir: I had an enclave in Waterdeep, you know. Much grander than this. Shar ordered me to raze it, kill all who followed me - claim they betrayed me, when in fact I slew those who showed nothing but loyalty.]

I really think Viconia remaining with Shar sucks major balls. Literally, she goes on to be a hero in her own right in her epilogue:

[No longer with Protagonist, Viconia went on to found a cult dedicated to Shar in the city of Waterdeep. One of her followers betrayed her, however, prompting the slaughter of the whole tainted lot. Shar admonished Viconia strongly for this, but she was unrepentant and again wandered the Realms. Viconia was still formidable, and went on to prevent an attempt by the Knights of the Shield to take over Calimport, even worked with Drizzt Do'Urden to save the elven city of Suldanessalar from a Zhentarim plot. For this last act, the elves accepted her, and Queen Ellesime bestowed the highest honors of the Seldarine, an accolade never before given to one of her dark kind. Viconia reportedly bowed without emotion, and then left. Her fate remains unknown.]

Does that sound like someone who would continue to follow Shar?? My gal work with Drizzt Do'Urden! Saved at least two cities! Bestowed the highest award that no drow had ever received!?

Seriously, to me Viconia DeVir and Mother Superior are two completely different characters.

So, how does this work out for her to be Shadowheart's mother? I've got two alternatives that I could see the story using both at the same time, which they do with Gorion's Ward and Abdel Adrian.

Option 1: Viconia had a relationship with a human Selûnite

It could've been in Viconia's wanderings she save a town/village and a human took a keen liking to her. Either a fling or a genuine relationship, Viconia ends up pregnant and out shoots Jenevelle. You could still have it that her dad was a werewolf, but because he's human the years of torture on that torture disk thing caused him to perish.

(whatever that thing is)

Option 2: Shadowheart is the daughter of Viconia and Gorion's Ward

So, in Viconia's romanced ending she has a son with Gorion's Ward and fucking dies.

[Protagonist and Viconia continued adventuring long after leaving Tethyr. He became an important political figure, and she was his trusted counsel. Eventually Viconia bore Protagonist's child, which first served to strain their relationship. The birth, however, changed her, and she dedicated herself to raising the boy, teaching both the ways of the drow and of Protagonist's people. She marvelled at the understanding in his eyes, but unfortunately, didn't live to see him grow. Viconia was poisoned by a servant of Lolth, her last words whispered to her loving mate in private. Protagonist raised his son in secret, and tales vary on the result. Some say they waged a crusade against the drow, but all agree that the former child of Bhaal never forgot the love of his dark maiden.]

Obviously this isn't canon anymore, I guess? But, we've seen in the game Larian picks and chooses bits n pieces from the source material. I also don't like how Gorion's Ward isn't mentioned too much, I did hear that apparently Tav was meant to be a child of Gorion's Ward before it got scrapped and I do like the idea of descentants being part of the party.

If they had chosen this route of Shadowheart being Gorion's Ward and Viconia's child they could twist it in a few ways:

Viconia and Gorion's Ward did have a son but he was killed by Lolth servants rather than Viconia, making Shadowheart their second child.

Viconia and Gorion's Ward did have a son and they had Shadowheart as well but Gorion's Ward was killed by Lolth servants rather than Viconia, making the son still alive.

They never had a son, Lolth servant still kills Gorion's Ward

They never had a son, no Lolth servant kills anyone but Gorion's Ward still dies before we see Viconia again because people would not like a retconned CHARNAME we hate you abdel adrian fuck you

I think option 3 or 4 would make more sense game wise because you could still be vague on whether or not Shadowheart's other parent was Gorion's Ward, that way the player can decide based on who they romanced in their playthroughs. I do like option 2, either the brother could've spent all these years looking for his mother and sister and trying to save them or on the torture disk with his mother.

Also I don't think Viconia would become a Selûnite herself, honestly. I feel like two goddess' fucking you over would put you off worshipping another. However, I could see her wanting the best for her children, it says so in her epilogue she is a dedicated mother and I could imagine her wanting to set her child on the right path, some insecurity of poisoning her child's chance of a good life by being their mother.

I've said this in a post before but I genuinely didn't realise that Shadowheart's dad was a werewolf until I read it in a wiki article. I thought it was a manipulated memory and her dad (who we could switch out for Viconia) was illusion or replaced by a wolf to instil a fear in Shadowheart and make it seem like Mother Superior had saved her.

And, could you imagine the scene! You've defeated Mother Superior and her enclave, you got to where Shadowheart's parents are, with Minisc and Jaheira in your party, and hanging limp on the torture disk thing is the familiar face of Viconia DeVir.

Also Viconia's child being a target of Shar feels more possible than some random Selûnite couple. Honestly, you could take the whole Selûnite bit out. Could you imagine how pissed a god, especially one like Shar, would be if someone who had just killed a whole enclave of followers just shrugged of being scorned by you? Wouldn't you want to make them suffer for years? Make them remember what kind of god you are?

Anyways, here's half-drow Shadowheart!

(please excuse spelling mistakes and grammar I'm dyslexic)

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updatebug · 11 months

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Hmm, I watched Fall of the House Usher and one thing that I was thinking was that, I mean, comparatively, Leo doesn't really seem to bad? I mean he has the drugs, and he gives them to his siblings but both times he tries to convince them not to take them (or at least not to take too much). He cheats on his boyfriend which we can all agree is a massive douche move but is sort of just your normal asshollary. He genuinely seems to care about his siblings and is cut up when they die, even his business (which we don't see much about) is to do with video games, which seems much less harmful than what the others have going on.

But all of the worst stuff he does, killing the cat, and yes replacing it and lying about it, those are things prompted by Verna, and the hallucinations. Whereas all his siblings, their horrible things predate Verna, she didn't make Prospero plan a blackmail party in a chemical nightmare zone that he didn't check properly. She didn't make Camille go into the lab looking to screw her sister. Sure she stepped in with Froderick but she made a point that that was cause he was an absolute bellend. And without the actual cat murder, (which he hallucinated) Leo really doesn't seem that bad.

So I was thinking about it, and I started thinking that maybe that's the point? Both times when one of the siblings dies, they make a point that Leo is the one dealing with the press. He is meant to be first up for interviews after Prospero, he was the one chosen to announce Camille's death. All the Ushers are monsters. They say that again and again. But Leo's the personable one. He's the one that's meant to get you onside. The just one of the guys. The one who makes you think, yeah, they're billionaires, but he's just like us, he likes video games, he loves Marvel, he's got a boyfriend, and an apartment, he's the one that makes the Ushers seem human and relatable. Even when he is just as involved, and just as culpable in all the terrible things that the family does to keep themselves on top.

#Fall of the house Usher #Usher Family #Netflix #Update Bug's musings #My thoughts #Meta #Napoleon Usher #Camille Usher #Verna #Usher Siblings #The Raven #House of Usher Thoughts

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alotofpockets · 11 months

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Coming out | Yelena Belova

Pairing: Yelena Belova x Reader

Summary: Yelena comes out as ace to her best friend. Based on Legends of Tomorrow's episode 7x10.

Warnings: alcohol consumption, and coming out.

A/n: This is a repost from an old account.

Masterlist | Marvel masterlist | Words: 720

After a long mission the team finds their way to a bar. At first the group sits down for a quick bite to eat all together talking about the mission together. It had been a while since they had all worked together on the same mission, so it was nice to close out the night like this.

When the drinks were added to the equation, the team split into smaller groups. Bucky challenged Tony to a game of darts, Natasha, Wanda and Pietro found a quiet corner and continued their conversation. Kate and Peter were poking fun at Steve and Clint, the older of the four didn’t seem to go for any of their antics, though it was hilarious to look at still. The rest of the team was scattered all around the establishment. You and Yelena had taken a seat at the bar, as suggested by the Russian, this way she would be as close to the drinks as possible. She loved her alcohol, especially her vodka, which she was throwing back shots of as you speak.

You were both looking around the room, appreciating the group of people around you. The people that had become your found family over the years. After some more looking around you decided to play a game. “Okay, enough looking at our friends, let’s play a game.” You opted. Yelena turned your way, ready for whatever you were going to throw her way. That’s one of the reasons the two of you were best friends. You worked together so well because the both of you were always up for whatever the other person had in mind. “Fuck, marry, kill out of Bucky, Cap and Tony?”

Yelena narrowed her eyes at your question. “Ehm I’m not really into any of them.” You were quick to fall into your next question. “Okay, copy. How about Kate, Wanda and Valkyrie?” Again Yelena’s face filled with a questioning look. “Actually, not really into any of them either.” She sighed. “Also copy.” You said to reassure her that her feelings or lack thereof were okay. “What is your type then?” You ask, genuinely interested. You wonder why neither one of you had really talked about the topic before, but you left it at the work that you do and how quickly you had been thrown into a mission together, giving your friendship a rocket start, skipping the small talk.

“I don’t really get those types of feelings for anyone. Maybe it’s one of those things that the Red Room took away from me, with the brainwashing, controlling, and what not.” Yelena looks down at her hands that she has folded in her lap. “Hey, no no no, what you’re describing is totally normal.” You quickly reassure her, placing your hand on her shoulder. “It just means that maybe you are ace, asexual. People who identify as ace have little to no interest in sex, but many of them still want to be in relationships.” You explain to the best of your abilities, knowing you’re not an expert on the matter.

Yelena’s eyes light up at the words you speak. “Oh, I guess that makes me ace then.” She says with a content look on her face, like a whole world of possibilities just opened up to her. It was amazing to see your best friend realize that what they’re feeling isn’t something they’re alone in. If it has a name, other people must be experiencing similar feelings.

You give her a moment to let it all sink in before asking, “Did you just come out to me?” Yelena laughs and looks at you with a big smile on her face, “I think so.” You lean in to give her a sideways hug. “Okay, copy.” You say with a wink. “Haha without jokes, I am very proud of you, and you know that I will love you no matter what, right?” She nods, “Right back at you.”

“Excuse me, can we get two more of these?” You ask the bartender. When he puts the drinks down in front of you, you thank him before raising your class towards Yelena. “A toast to you, and to figuring out who you are.” Yelena clinks her glass with yours and you each take a sip, enjoying the rest of the night with the team.

💗 If you enjoyed this fic, please consider leaving a tip 💗

#yelena belova #yelena belova x reader #yelena belova x female reader #yelena belova x you #yelena x reader #yelena black widow #marvel #marvel imagine #mcu #mcu x reader #yelena belova imagine #yelena belova x gender neutral reader #marvel x reader

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martiya · 5 months

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EXCERPT ONE: HOW THEY CAME TO BE

entry for @kirbyoctournament

One peaceful Tuesday, on a starry night, a boy heads to his bed after a very stressful day at night school. Exhausted, he crawls into his bedsheets without even changing his clothes, and rapidly falls asleep. Very few ticks later, he awakens in what seems to be the human representation of the inner area of a wormhole. He also wakes to what seems to be an abnormal mix of both extremely negative and positive thoughts. This deviant behavior of the brain wouldn’t be considered usual. But it didn’t really matter, for he probably was not even in his own reality anymore. Two instants later, he starts feeling as though various different-sized sharp objects were ripping a vertical line on his body… Yet, he removes his clothes while groaning in excruciating pain only to find nothing out of the ordinary on his body. Not even a scratch. As he lays there, staring at the somehow visually appealing walls of the wormhole’s throat, he hears a very loud “PLLKKKCCHHHH!”. He screams in visible agony. He knows that feeling is too realistic to be a dream… “It can’t be real, can it?!” mutters the little kid as his body is being ripped vertically in half. He then blacks out. The mysterious force finally manages to rip the entire body in half… BUT… Instead of the two halves drifting away and eventually disintegrating like a normal person’s, one half becomes this ball of blinding light, and the other turns into this ball of… dark matter? Then, as if this scene wasn’t already confusing enough, two star shaped portals appear. Just after the two spheres start to take shape, each disappears into one portal. The portals then close, leaving only the distant echo of an ear-piercing scream…

EXCERPT 1.1: POSITIVITY

After quite the episode, the ball of light enters the portal at the left face of the wormhole’s throat. The scenery, wouldn’t you say it’s gorgeous? Filled with beautiful cumuli of stars here and there, some black holes over there, star-shaped planets over here… You would marvel at the variety of spacey objects lying around. The sphere of light then travels to one unnamed planet at the time. As it starts taking shape, two pointy cat-like ears start to form. They would remind any Nintendo player of something… A certain character. The sphere starts taking the shape of that character, with his exact clothes and glowing eyes, or so it seems… When finally revealed, the character looks almost identical to Mahoroa, a famously known character for his adorable appearance and wicked personality. What sets this particular character apart from his video-game counterpart is his clothes and eyes. The yellow of both the eyes and hood is replaced with a fluorescent green, while the blue part is replaced by a dark, yet vivid purple. Mahoroa is known as well for having a gear pattern sewn on the inner part of his hood. This particular clone (?) however, has a spike pattern with an uneven number of spikes, rumored to symbolize the incident that took place a few moments before. Aside from that, he seamlessly resembles his video-game counterpart. But… Where did the other half go…?

EXCERPT 1.1.1: ANGEL

This somewhat mysterious character usually presents himself as Nitiya, though his actual name is unknown to all. The denizens of this equally unusual universe are aware of his spine-chilling past, however. Residents of this universe have described him as “a powerful, adorable angel with seemingly zero negativity present inside his mind.” And, residents are always genuine when talking about his positive attitude, because it shows. Nitiya has the same voice as Mahoroa, yet a very different mindset. Nitiya doesn’t seek power. Nitiya is a truly honest being. Nitiya does everything to help those in need, one way or the other. Nitiya hasn’t shown a frown, or expressed any signs of negativity in his mind. Nitiya is always positive. Whenever his past comes up while he’s around, he always says the same thing:

“Oh! The past is just a crumpling memory, trying to haunt us, trying to slow us down. Even if my past may not match my present, who cares? What matters is the present, always!”

He also quite enjoys demonstrating his abilities, some believe he may be even more powerful than Mahoroa himself.

^ appearance for those wondering, creds to my wonderful suleiman for the art!!

#kirby oc #kirby oc tournament

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togglesbloggle · 11 months

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Is it just me, or is there a pretty under-explored niche for a massive D&D fantasy franchise along the lines of Star Wars and Marvel? The sort of missing third genre leg beside science fiction and comics, so to speak.

They've clearly tried this with Tolkien, at least as far as extending the LotR movies to the Hobbit trilogy and the Amazon show which is kinda-sorta in the same lineage. And those things had more than none traction. But the Tolkien estate isn't making it easy with rights licensing, and there's an awkward founder effect they have to contend with- the Jackson LotR trilogy gave the entire franchise a very distinct 'vibe' in the popular imagination, and in practice it seems to be hard to recapture given current production constraints. It seems like it's really hard to make a Tolkien movie or show that 'feels like' the Jackson movies unless you sink a lot in to costuming and practical effects, but the current trends are in the opposite direction, with elaborate greenscreening and digital everything.

But in any case, Middle-Earth really isn't the brand you want for a mass-media culture juggernaut, is it? It's literary when it needs to be pulpy, mournful when it needs to be exciting, pensive when it needs to be strident. The world is vast, but delicate, and written by a single author exploring a narrow, coherent set of themes and styles.

Surely D&D- which is to say, the Forgotten Realms, realistically- is better for this all-around. It has a truly massive baked-in fanbase that's clearly (through 'actual play' podcasts etc.) already chomping at the bit for high production value experiences, a vast backlog of source material to draw on owned by corporate entities rather than a single brittle family estate, a wide variety of scenarios allowing for multiple sub-genres and directoral styles all under the same umbrella. It's just as popular but less sacred, meaning the audience will be more tolerant of failures. It has merchandising options for days, already has beautiful examples of video game and multimedia tie-ins, and has established and successful writing patterns for epic-scale crossover movies, long-running multi-season campaigns, one-shots, and everything in between.

There's one weakness, which is that compared to Star Wars and Marvel, individual characters are less central in the existing property. D&D has some, such as Drizzt, that rose to prominence in the novel spin-offs, so of course this isn't totally wrecked. However, the brand was originally built fundamentally as a game system and as a set of places, with the heroes to be assembled by the consumers themselves; it must be said that iconic characters are somewhat sparse, and awkwardly spread across multiple settings and continuities. But I think if you got the thing really roaring, this might give it longevity that Star Wars and Marvel ultimately lack- Robert Downey Jr. is Iron Man, Mark Hammil is Luke, and notwithstanding AI representations, once those actors are gone, the franchises themselves flounder awkwardly. But if audiences come to identify their enthusiasm for D&D franchise movies with the world and brand itself, then the turnover in the cast is much less damaging to that brand, because the whole thing is already built from the ground up without overly relying on a specific group of 8-10 actors as a lynchpin of the whole operation. Even the leveling mechanic allows for franchise tentpole actors to grow in prominence as they emerge as audience favorites, then conveniently transition in to CG apotheosis or some other suitable end as the actors age out and new favorites are found.

I mean, far be it from me to give advice to the goliaths of culture, but I'm genuinely puzzled about why Disney hasn't bought D&D yet, or why Hasbro hasn't made some kind of big push to do this outside the single (pretty good!) movie. I think I'd even kind of enjoy it.

#I'm still hoping that I can make 'commedia' stick #as the name for these giant culture-dominating media franchises #but alas #not all wishes come true

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stars-and-cows · 2 months

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Can we just appreciate everything V3 has to offer not even regarding it's wonderful writing?

Cuz it offers so much gameplay besides the main story it's very impressive. And the visual appeal is just through the roof. And the music MHMM THE MUSIC.

The trial games are very fucking good. Except Hangman Gambit but none of the games really got it right cuz it just sucks. But listen here, how can you tell me V3 doesn't have the best trial games when you can run over hookers as Shuichi??? But yeah.

The logic in the trials is fine ig (I played on normal and now am playing on Mean). I only got lost in Ch 2 with not knowing who wore gloves cuz I genuinely didn't notice it at all. But this is still better than me dying 4 times in THH in trial 3 for not getting the right answers EVEN THO I KNEW WHO THE MURDERER WAS AND WHAT HAPPEN BEAT BY BEAT????

The casino alone has a lot of content I legit spent at least 10h just in there (no I am not addicted I just want to get 100% of the game and that requires beating the casino games on hardest difficulty)

The post game content is also just incredible. Ultimate Talent Development plan is just a fun game of strategizing that then let's you play another fun game, Monokuma's Dungeon. Both of these are just very well executed and balanced and just are good games that totally could stand on their own. I am legitimately farming this (100%ing the game) and it's just genuinely fun. Tho tbh Ulitmate Talent Development plan is sometimes confusing

Love hotel just fucking rocks. The rng can be annoying but all of the scenes are just a showcase of very incredible writing in this game. They are quirky and entertaining but also tell us so much about the characters. Even the more infamous ones (Korekiyo's kink or Miu in general) actually give us some fun stuff to know about the characters. I actually felt like I knew Miu a bit better after her scene (if it was good or not is another thing)

Another great thing? School exploration. For the first time in Danganronpa Game I actually liked the environment to just walk around and enjoy it.

(Minor hate on the settings in THH/Dr2, skip two paragraphs if you don't wanna read it)

THH had those, tho iconic, eye-hurting epileptic walls and floors that personally just made me very confused since everything looked like everything else but also like nothing and genuinely hurt my eyes. Unironically my fav places in THH is the sauna and that brutal classroom cuz they are way more appealing.

Dr2 had a more toned down aesthetic that made the place just so much more appealing to look at. But the way they added that 2d running just kinda lost the vibe and appeal of just looking at and walking through this place as the protagonist. Even further connecting me to him.

But in V3 the places are so unique without being overwhelming. The beautifully lit overgrown school is just so pretty to look at. That one hallway next to Kirumi's lab is so pretty I would genuinely just walk there to stare at it. AND DON'T GET ME STARTED AT THE PLACE NEAR KOREKIYO AND ANGIE'S LAB. Plus the cathedral? Or the big tower for Kaito? Marvelous. And making you actually have to explore the school and unlock new places yourself? Imo that's a hit! You can see the new places yourself, feeling like you earned it. You get to witness the vibe, the labs, the music.

Speaking of music. It slaps. Objectively the best soundtrack. I may have gone so autistic about it I just kept listening to it on repeat to memorize all of the tracks and their names. Spirit, Praise and Beauty, Beautiful Lie, DANGANVEGAS, PSYCHE TAXI, Hope of Spring, Becoming friends, Rise and Shine, Urusine!, Living in a Lazy Parallel world. Just those tracks are so fucking good they deserve to be praised for eternity. And this is coming from a person who doesn't really notice music in games. It's one of those moments: "You realise the music is playing when it's either crazy bad or crazy good". V3 is the latter.

Not gonna talk too much about the designs (this post is long already) but they are alright. I know, weird for me to say about my favourite game. But for every great one there is a bad one. And the most are just ok I guess. Kirumi could use a bit of a color pop since she is a bit forgettable with her design, Kokichi just has black and white and I dunno why because he's the most morally grey character in the game (Maybe cuz it's supposed to be ironic? Dunno), TENKO NEEDS A FUCKING LONGER SKIRT WTF IS THAT, Angie just walking around in a bra and a big overcoat doesn't make much sense since she works with clay and paint, Kiibo could heva a bit more going on with his costume. Just generally ranges from miss to ok to I actually enjoy. Except Ryoma cuz his design is my top 3 favourites from the whole series.

So yeah. Praise V3 ✌️

#I just wanted ro ramble #Ignore the typos or weird side tangents my head hurts #danganronpa #danganronpa v3 #dr v3 #v3 #drv3 #drv3 killing harmony #talky talk

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marisoft-paint-adventures · 2 years

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Pgs. 214-247

it’s her.

Rope Lalope.

icon for weird goths who for some reason decide to live in the Midwest, those who can somehow still enjoy Lovecraft while knowing the truth of his fucking cat, and

I don’t think WLW ships have ever been the same since the advent of The Rosemary from The Homestuck,

or if I want to sound like a fuckin goofy ass oldhead, femslash.

the thing is that I cannot identify any actual concrete change in general fandom and shipping post-HS, I just feel it. I can feel that something within the universe’s structure changed the moment grimdark gorl and sparkly gay vampire got together.

but I’m talking about a character that hasn’t even shown up yet.

also front facing Rose is fucking haunting stop please.

[insert dabbing joke here.]

the fucking haunting violin refrain flash is so good I love how her movements sync up with the song.

not gonna gush about Aggrieve the same way as Showtime because come on it’s fucking Showtime, but Aggrieve is still very much up there.

Since your good for nothing friend is obviously not going to bail you out in time, you issue words of parting fondness to dear, sweet Liv. Oh, if only Affleck could have been the one to make the final sacrifice instead of her stubborn, blue collar, salt-of-the-earth father. Then she would fall into your arms for consolation, and YOU would be the one to make the deceased Bruce Willis proud.

the crush on Liv Tyler is not explored enough in fandom, I need to know how much John imprints her on his other romance options. how much of a Liv Tyler is Vriska, these are the fucking questions people.

Your panoramic window offers a view of your yard below, and the mausoleum housing your dead cat, JASPERS, who died when you were young. Your MOM had the structure erected with a spirit of scornful IRONY in response to your youthfully innocent request to hold a funeral for the animal. At least, that is how you have come to interpret the gesture in retrospect.

compared to John’s struggle with the clownkind, Rose has a much more grounded strife with her parental figure.

I say that but Rose takes this shit to an 11.

regardless, a parent that constantly performs malicious compliance with a hint of irony isn’t unbelievable, neither is someone fooling themselves into thinking their guardian is operating as such due to a general disconnect and the feeling of not having enough attention.

with all of this established,

it’s still really fucking funny,

because Rose will stare down Mom with sheer contempt thinking “SHE’S FUCKING WITH YOU! SHE’S TRYING TO GET TO YOU! DO NOT GIVE IN TO HER GAMES!” as she stands around vacuuming jackshit, probably having no thoughts in her fucking head except for “I love household chores. :))))))”

WIZARDS.RAR.

genuinely the funniest story surrounding Homestuck, Andrew Hussie risked their entire PC for a bunch of fucking stupid wizard pngs.

the Egberts do high action cake forcefeeding, the Lalondes do drunken covert operations, the Striders DO MAD NINJA TRICKS.

GIRL IS DRENCHED.

early HS art is so fucking pretty. everyone’s always on about the kids looking like bobbleheads and that’s good but the environments are so fucking good as well.

iconic panel, banger panel. look at how her knees do the swirly thing.

CRINGE MAC USER.

you’re making the John nervous!!! Egberts only do this under high stress!!! help him!!!

TT: And the content of the card appears to be variable from session to session. TT: In one instance it was described as an "eggy loking thign" [sic].

presenting without comment.

“John: Take bite of apple.” is a really good ending flash in which John takes a bite out of an apple

and then gets fucking nuked.

the act then ends there.

a marvel that the only reason John lived was because he did what looked like the goofiest option ever. did the apple even taste good? what the fuck is cruxite made of???? I guess it’s edible??? might be candy, is it candy??? do they come in different flavors???

after way too long, Act 1 is finally fucking done, yet the more I read it, the shorter it feels. I can’t tell if it’s because I don’t need to absorb the tutorial stuff due to being familiar with the comic already, or because I’m anticipating when shit really goes crazy later on. maybe a bit of both. it certainly preps me for the art style, the flowery language, the weird humor, and so on.

I can say that Act 1 is

fine.

it is of good quality.

nothing groundbreaking and not the best,

but enjoyable nonetheless.

I get that it’s a bit slow and nothing really happens, but I’m able to entertain myself with the page to page shenanigans and good character interactions.

honestly I don’t understand how people skipped this act at all, how the fuck do you skip the start of the story??? don’t you want to like

understand

what is happening

and who these people are???

especially the later part, so much Homestuck skipping was for the sake of immediately getting to the character interactions, but

there are character interactions here,

and

you learn who the characters even are.

like what the fuck, the introduction to the characters and their dynamics should be key to being invested in them, but I guess not because some people were able to just jump in the middle and grow attached while not knowing what the fuck is going on.

in conclusion: people who skipped Act 1 are cringe, and have doomed themselves. Act 1 good.

#homestuck liveblog #hs liveblog #hs reread #liveblog #reread #live read #liveread #homestuck #hs1 #hs #home22tuck #Act 1 #Flash #john egbert #june egbert #rose lalonde #Beta Kids #end of act

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ducktastic · 9 months

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Gameological Awards 2023

Game of the Year

Cocoon is a perfect game. There aren’t many of those. It’s a tight four-hour adventure that steadily introduces new ideas and mechanics, explores those ideas, and challenges the player to think critically, then move on to the next new idea. And it does all of this without a single spoken or written word. The language barrier is non-existent. The player is constantly immersed in a series of environmental puzzles that expertly straddle the line between Zelda dungeons and Portal test rooms, with genuinely some of the biggest “NO WAY” moments I’ve experienced in years. Just a marvelous game. Nothing else came close this year to the sheer exuberance in interactive experience as Cocoon.

Multiplayer

Super Mario Bros Wonder did something that had long seemed impossible. It made online multiplayer Super Mario Bros not only sensible, but advantageous over single-player. By turning the other players into “ghosts” like a racing time trial, we no longer had to worry about bumping into one another and ruining our experience of precision platforming. Rather, by observing the other players and allowing them to see us at the same time, we could point out helpful tips and hidden secrets to help one another along. If one player was hurt, other players could go back and revive them. We’d get bonus points for reaching the finish pole at the same time. Finally, 14 years after New Super Mario Bros Wii first tried the multiplayer Mario experience, Super Mario Bros Wonder made it feel truly cooperative rather than combative.

Backlog

Guardians of the Galaxy is better than it has any right to be. Especially considering what a mind-numbing mess of monotony the previous year’s Avengers game was from the same studio at Eidos. Perhaps it was the lowered perceived marketing value of the Guardians over the box-office-topping Avengers brand that reduced corporate oversight and allowed the developers to actually deliver a game that had a compelling narrative with will-written dialogue, varied environments with slick and entertaining combat, and that all-too-essential sense of player agency that makes the audience feel like they’re actually contributing in some small way rather than just watching an incredibly drawn-out movie. Whatever the circumstances, Guardians of the Galaxy came out as a genuinely solid action-adventure game. I played it twice, just to see how my decisions changed the story. AND THEY DID, and I was pleased. Great job.

Didn’t Click

I really want to like Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon. The watercolor storybook aesthetic is lovely, the dual-character controls seem compelling, and I generally enjoy the world of Bayonetta and love most things Platinum work on. The opening hours of this game just bored the heck out of me. I was constantly getting caught on invisible geometry in the environment and the slow storybook segments inspired me to grab a pillow and blanket more than adventure forward. I’m hoping the rest of the game after the opening hours is far more engaging but I took a break from this title months ago and haven’t been back yet.

Unexpected Joy

Suika Game appeared almost as a meme. My first exposure was on TikTok, as a group of people settled into a ramen restaurant in Japan smaller than your average American studio apartment all looked up from their drinks to observe a television over the bar where, instead of live sports, the news, or the drama du jour, there was a collection of cartoon fruit struggling to merge similarly sized fruits into larger ones, clearing space in their confines. I was instantly charmed. OF COURSE I would rather watch this in a bar or restaurant over literally anything else. Weeks later, videos of the game were slowly infiltrating my feed, with links to blog posts about this game available exclusively on the Japanese Nintendo Switch eShop. Within days, I’d convinced myself to buy Japanese eshop credits through an import retailer and download the two-year-old cult title for approximately two dollars. I showed it to friends. I showed it to co-workers. I told pretty much anybody I could about this impossibly addictive kawaii fruit arcade game. And then, finally, in late October, the game suddenly appeared on international stores, followed days later by an English patch. Everyone could play. Everyone SHOULD play. It’s the definition of joy. Uncomplicated, bright, surprising and, above all else, delightful. And if Baldur’s Gate III can count as a 2023 game after being in Early Access since 2020, then surely the global release of Suika Game counts as a 2023 game after being locked to Japan for one fewer year than that.

Best Mechanic

Crafting my own divination deck in The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood was the single most personally empowering experience I felt in any game this year. It was easy enough to do the “game math” of “well, if I use components with more red crystals then I’ll get more red mana back when I used this card” but I found it far more compelling to read all of the descriptions for every component available and craft a narrative where the locations, characters, and artifacts complimented one another and told stories within themselves. Like the traditional major arcana of the tarot, generating a narrative that made sense in my own mind outside of the game made it all the more intuitive to read the cards’ “meanings” when they were pulled from the deck. It genuinely felt like tiny pieces of my own soul were being spread throughout the deck of cards, that these were unique to me and my own experiences. The deck was personal both to my character and to myself, and that intimate connection made the high fantasy all the more tangible.

Favorite Game Encounter

The Master Sword. It’s a common element in pretty much all the major Zelda games. Getting your hands on it has always been an empowering and inspiring moment of Link’s journey, whichever version of Link this may be. But Tears of the Kingdom makes it special in a way it’s never been before. The moment when Link collects the Master Sword in Tears is not simply a culmination of his many trials, no longer merely a symbol of his accomplishments and various macguffins collected so far in the game. Sure, it’s still those things just like every time before, but this time it’s more. It’s a relationship. It’s a bond. It’s a loved one’s deepest wound, a burden for you to bear on their behalf. It’s the physical embodiment of timeless suffering, of timeless love, of timeless faith. And you picked it up. You struggled, it struggled, but now it’s in your hands, and now you carry the burden. And it doesn’t weigh you down.

Best DLC

youtube

Remember when MediaMolecule made great games? I know a lot of focus over the years has been on their democratization of game design tools, from LittleBigPlanet to their latest title Dreams, but their self-contained adventures like Tearaway are just incredible. MediaMolecule went ahead and dropped their next unbelievably addictive, polished, original standalone game COMPLETELY FOR FREE inside of Dreams this year, and the model train arcade challenge Tren stands tall amongst not only their own titles but possibly even the entire history of Sony-exclusives. The only reason more people aren’t completely obsessed with Tren is that the overall package of Dreams intimidates them, and with Sony shutting it down soon, Tren seems destined to be lost forever. Here’s hoping MediaMolecule release it as a standalone title, and soon.

#video games #nintendo #gameological society #gaming #playstation #mario #super mario bros #zelda #legend of zelda #cosmic wheel sisterhood #tren #suika game #bayonetta #guardians of the galaxy #cocoon #Youtube

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randomthefox · 4 months

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I wanted to love IDW when it came out, but then realized it never truly got me hooked with anything it attempted. The lack of humans bothers me too because Sonic's world just doesn't seem complete without them. I mean, what's Shadow's backstory is supposed to be now...? I'm glad it exists though because 1) it gives the fandom more characters to go wild with and 2) everything that can get people interested in the franchise is a good thing in my book. Heck, who am I to judge the comic enjoyers if I got introduced to Sonic through Sonic X and cannot objectively judge The Metarex Saga till this day. But your points are valid and I'm lowkey mad realizing that there were so many talented people working on things that somehow ended up being considered Ian's sole achievements...

IF the comics actually served the function of getting people "into" the video games then they wouldn't bother me. But that is clearly not what they're doing and not what they have ever done. People view the comics as a SUBSTITUTE for the video games, if not an overt superior replacement over them. So many of them flat out admit they want the video games to be turned into adaptations of the comics. They view the comics as the primary property and the video games are an albatross around its neck that they barely tolerate at best and actively cry for the downfall of at worst. The comics do not create Sonic fans, quite the opposite. The Sonic comics are made BY people who hate Sonic, FOR people who hate Sonic.

The other Sonic spin off media adaptations I don't care for but I can pretty easily ignore them. The only time they bother me is when people conflate them with the video games. It does genuinely annoy me when someone is talking about Game stuff and they just go off on a tangent talking about Sonic X as if that isn't a completely different continuity.

They should definitely be treated AS gateway drugs to get people Into Sonic. That is absolutely the purpose of a multi media franchise. They work as advertisements for one another. That's why they added a Movie Sonic skin to Sonic Colors Ultimate, it was a "hey you liked that movie? Well come check out the game look see this cosmetic makes him resemble the movie you're familiar with!" and stuff like that. SEGA doesn't own paramount or IDW the way Marvel/Disney owns their movie studio, they get the payout for the license but they don't make a dime on ticket or comic sales, so it doesn't benefit them to have the games act as an advertisement for the movies and comics - it needs to be the other way around, those alternative media projects need to direct people towards the games for SEGA to monetarily benefit from the advertisement. So if the movie or cartoon or whatever successfully brings people over to start playing the games, then they are doing their job successfully and I can't rag on them for that.

The comics are definitely NOT doing their job successfully. Nobody and I mean NOBODY puts down a copy of the comic and then decides "I'm gonna go buy that new Sonic video game." NOBODY finished reading Fang the Hunter and decided to buy Sonic Superstars to see how his story concluded. the comics are NOT acting as a gateway to Sonic. Because the comics are BY people who hate Sonic FOR people who hate Sonic. I find them intolerable. I refuse to tolerate them.

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bvrningseas · 2 months

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the last witness before the wave hits marvelling at god, before he feels alone one final time and marries the sea— imagine being loved by me.

full name: theodore griswold

nicknames: teddy, teds, tj, teej, grizz, theodore junior (if you want to be mean)

faceclaim: oliver stark

birthdate: july 22nd

species: siren

gender: cis man

pronouns: he/him

occupation: firefighter at the crestle cove fire department (volunteer lifeguard & swimming coach)

hometown: crestle cove

sexual orientation: bisexual disaster

relationship status: single

height: 6'4"

TRAITS: EASY-GOING, CHARMING, VAIN, LOYAL, GOOFY, BRAVE, SELF CONSCIOUS, GROUNDED, DISORGANISED, JEALOUS, BLUNT, OBLIVIOUS, GUARDED, ADVENTUROUS, SELF-SUFFICIENT, CLINGY, RECKLESS, AIMLESS, FACETIOUS, FAIR, HONEST, OVERPROTECTIVE, ARROGANT, WOOLLY, SELF-SABOTAGING.

crestle cove born and raised, teddy is the third eldest of many kids. full of sunshine from the moment he appeared and at his most happy when surrounded by other people.

when he turned ten his then eighteen year old brother, luke, died in a quad biking accident while on vacation with his friend from high school. his eldest brother went off the rails, leaving the house and town soon after. [wanted connect tba]

once luke died the family slowly started to fall apart at the seams. his ma went to bed one day and didn’t get up again for the next eight years, like a zombie when she could peel open her eyes.

teddy shouldered the burden. he showered his younger siblings every morning, made them breakfast, got them to doctors appointments and ran the house though they hated him for acting like a parent when he wasn’t. though he always showed up for the younger twins [wanted connect tba], he wouldn’t do the same for himself and nearly got kicked out of high school a few times for his acting out and ditching.

didn't work out he had dyslexia until his final year of high school. works fucking hard.

when teddy turned nineteen, their ma lost her battle with addiction and teddy started working full time to cover everything.

as far as he knows he's human and fully blood related to his siblings: so what if he could taste the discord brimming in a roomful of kids, how they felt steaming off them in waves before they ever opened their mouths? so what if he gets 200 miles inland from the coast he starts to feel queasy, like something is hooked deep in his gut there? he likes it in town, thank you. so what if people are drawn into him as if by magnets but don't stick around long? he'll deal. he has no idea he is a siren. that information died with his parents.

theo is used to being completely reliant on himself and appreciates but isn’t the best at accepting help. has come to terms with the fact that passing on his scholarship at eighteen was one of the worst things he ever did and that he’ll probably never make it out of crestle cove.

tj hates being alone more than anything and doesn’t really know who he is when he’s by himself. teddy tends to just mirror what he thinks people want from him and is easily taken advantage of because he’s always giving and giving.

genuinely good at what he does, has an excellent bedside manner. (offers under the table triage/medical care to those without insurance/in dangerous situations)

takes too many shifts because he can’t stand the sound of an empty house, can’t stand having no one left to take care of, even though getting the others to college was all he ever wanted.

talented swimmer who could have turned pro a long time ago, misses it every single day of his life and spends a lot of time lifeguarding or teaching at the local pool.

plays the bass and used to have a band in high school that inevitably wound up going nowhere.

seeming happy-go-lucky to those around him and able to “i’m fine.” his way out of answering questions or by deflecting back to the other person, teddy is viewed generally as a good time and pretty untroubled to the reams of acquaintances that would slap him on the shoulder after a game in high school.

has a rescue dog, a bull terrier mutt with three legs named spud who he loves more than anything. always wears a daisy yellow neckerchief.

CONNECTION IDEAS

TBA

#crestleintro #pinned

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