catwithstrawberryheadphones

[catwithstrawberryheadphones]

Riptide Ep 1

I refuse to work on this anymore. It’s not perfect but I’m pretty proud of it. Now I just need to find a way for it to never smudge :)

#jrwi fanart #jrwi riptide #jrwi riptide fanart #riptide fanart #gillion tidestrider #jay ferin #jrwi chip #sketch

[catwithstrawberryheadphones]

RIPTIDE THEORY!!!!!!

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS IN GENERAL

Have you ever wondered why Chip, Jay, and Gillion—a wannabe pirate, a soldier in training, and the champion of the Undersea, respectively—form such a fucking random assortment of people? The only thread connecting them seems to be their association with the Black Rose members.

Their meeting feels like destiny, doesn't it?

What if I told you it's not destiny at all, but rather the aftermath of Captain Rose's failed deal with Niklaus?

Join me on my yapping as I put together a theory that I wrote in my notes app at 4 in the morning!

Firstly, let's look at everything in a grand scale of things.

I believe that the world of Mana, at its core, is fuelled by desire that got corrupted by the darkness that slithered its way from the abyss into this world. For millennia or centuries, these same desires have driven its cycles, repeating history in one way or another, compelling many generations to follow suit to ensure the safety of their world. Keeping the darkness at bay. 

What if I told you that the prophecy isn't solely about Gillion? Instead, it’s about thousands of other chosen ones over centuries, all destined for the same purpose: to protect, to fight, and to avenge the darkness.

The descendants of Aster, children of the sun, were also born to always follow the same mission— to seal away the darkness.

Regarding the descendants of elemental casters, it's VERY speculative since we don't know enough about them. However, I believe they were destined to control the darkness, to take hold of it.

And for as long as this entity, this darkness, had such an effect on Mana, they joined forces to seal it away and safeguard their world.

But what if those cycles of history get suddenly shattered? Perhaps due to an unfulfilled deal, or maybe a deal never meant to be fulfilled… What if one of the descendants of the sun, blessed by Aster, who was meant to seal the darkness away, inadvertently unleashed it? Causing a disturbance in the universe, so violent and so unpredictable that it changes everything?

This disruption could make those united against the darkness to turn on each other, inadvertently allowing the darkness to thrive.

Rather than sealing the darkness, the descendants of the sun are harnessing it for destruction.

Instead of engaging in battle, the Tritons have retreated to the ocean's deepest depths, selecting a sacrificial lamb who would single-handedly play the role of a protector and bear the burden of this fight alone.

While the knowledge about the casters is limited, judging by this pattern, they likely grew weaker, most likely losing their ability to control the darkness altogether. It's probable that it became concealed. 

(May explain why Chip's powers manifested very late—they were hidden away.)

Now, consider this. Jay Ferin, a child of the sun and descendant of those olympians, blessed by Aster; Gillion Tidestrider, a descendant of the Tritons or the Leviathans, blessed by Lunadeyis' light; and Chip, likely a descendant of the elemental casters mentioned in the prophecy, capable of grasping the darkness…

They stand as the ideal heroes of the story, maybe one of the only ones with the original, uncorrupted desire still burning within them, the ones to single-handedly save the world.

It makes a good story, doesn't it?

The sun, the moon, the elements.

Descendants of the three main bloodlines.

The unborn kings?

Now, let’s move to Niklaus for a moment.

Didn’t he say that he likes a good story? 

But first, I'd like to believe that in the grand scheme of things, Niklaus is merely a vessel, born in the abyss, for this entity, this darkness that threatens the world. He is bound to be the one to further its corrupting influence. And maybe with all this power in his hands, many centuries ago, he even self-proclaimed himself as a prince.

Didn't Niklaus once describe himself as a storyteller? What if this storyteller is fated to witness a tale that endlessly repeats itself? Such repetition can grow tedious and mundane. So eventually, a simple desire emerges—to instigate change, to sow chaos, and perhaps to find an opportunity to break free from the chains binding him to this world.

A vessel for darkness, born in the abyss,

Bound to spread corruption,

A nameless prince:

Niklaus.

And then we have the guarding giant, still clinging to his original desire,

Holding the darkness at bay for as long as he can:

Arlin.

Does it make more sense now?

Now let’s take a look at things on a much smaller scale.

Have you ever wondered why Chip, Jay, and Gillion—a wannabe pirate, a soldier, and the champion of the Undersea, respectively—form such a fucking random assortment of people? The only thread connecting them seems to be their association with the Black Rose members. And their meeting feels like destiny, doesn't it? What if I told you it's not destiny at all, but rather the aftermath of Captain Rose's failed deal with Niklaus?

(Was the deal intentionally unfulfillable? Was it by accident? I dont fucking know!)

We know that whatever deal Captain Rose struck with Niklaus aimed to leave behind a legacy that would change the world. However, Rose failed to uphold his end of the deal, leading to his corruption and transformation into a goopy yucky—essentially, his deal backfired.

You might wonder, in what way it backfired? What better way to leave a lasting legacy than to trigger an event so impactful that it halts the endless cycle of history, disrupting the very mechanism that powers this world? To plunge the world into chaos, only to mend it once more, by bringing together the remaining group of individuals to retrace the steps of their ancestors—different people bound by the same desires as those that came before them.

Yes, the same desires.

The last thing Arlin, Drey, and Finn heard after releasing the entity from the egg was,

"What do you desire?"

What did Arlin James desire most?

I'd have two guesses.

Firstly, while discussing their desires on the staircase, Arlin expresses his desire to find the rest of the crew. Later, after Drey kills Rose, Arlin's words are: "There's still others that need our help [...] Adventure's not over."

Secondly, Arlin clearly wanted the best for Chip. He wanted to be there for this scrawny kid with no family or home, offering him something solid to hold onto.

Why do I bring this up? Because Arlin's desires have been passed down to Chip.

Firstly, hasn't Chip been chasing this his entire life? To locate the members of the Black Rose Pirates, to reassemble the crew, and to relive the old days.

Secondly, the dynamic between Chip and Ollie mirrors this relationship. While Ollie might be more like a brother to Chip and vice versa, it's evident to me that Chip cared for Ollie much like Arlin would for him. Just as Arlin gave Chip a coin, Chip passed that same coin on to Ollie.

What did Drey Ferin desire the most?

I believe he yearned to prove himself—not just to be another Ferin, but to establish his independence, to carve out a name for himself. Maybe he harboured hopes of achieving something significant, something that would make his father proud upon his return home.

Why do I bring this up? Because Drey's desires influenced Jay.

Jay Ferin ventures out with a mission: to uncover her sister's killer and exact justice upon the pirates that are responsible. And in doing so, she hoped to earn her father's pride. Maybe she also sought a sense of freedom and independence, desiring not to be entirely under the navy's influence.

What did Finn Tidestrider desire the most?

GAY SEX /J

Finn yearned to leave the Undersea, to broaden his research, and to witness the wonders of the world above first-hand. He aimed to dispel the notion that the surface was as intimidating as the Undersea made it out to be.

Why do I bring this up? Because Finn's desires influenced Gillion.

Who wouldn't, after years of rigorous training to become a champion—enduring beatings, breaking under relentless training, and being moulded into someone you're not—wish for it to cease, to break free and see the world for oneself? Upon witnessing the Elders negotiating with a human, perhaps it was that sight that pushed him over the edge. Maybe it was an impulsive decision, or perhaps it was his destiny all along. And once on the surface, Gillion's curiosity becomes evident. He wants to learn, experience, and judge for himself. Perhaps he also wishes to someday show his people that the surface isn't as menacing as they've been led to believe.

Niklaus was aware of all of this; he knows far more than he ever lets on. That's why, even before arriving in the town on Loffinlot, he was already trailing Chip, Jay and Gillion—the supposed heroes destined to save the world, or maybe aid him in fulfilling his own desire for freedom.

Closing thoughts? 

This might be a load of bullshit!

I'm going to take a nap!

[catwithstrawberryheadphones]

LITERALLY ME

*gnawing hungrily on my laptop as I rewatch Sanders Sides episodes* why the FUCK does virgil hate janus so much there is a STORY there and i want to know it RIGHT NOW

[catwithstrawberryheadphones]

TS tweet october 20, 2023:

Chatted with Joan a bit ago, and we came to the conclusion that the amount of plot/writing that went into "Are There Healthy Distractions?", "Flirting with Social Anxiety", and "Working Through Intrusive Thoughts" actually qualifies them as official Sanders Sides episodes.

The things that I've been doing this past year like "The Sides Need a Nice Day", "Wes Anderson Sides", and "Into the Unknown" are what we always originally intended for Sanders Asides to be!

SO, a bit back, I made the official change in the video descriptions, titles, and playlists. And, though the three videos mentioned up top have big "A"s in front of the "Sides" in their intro, we ask you now disregard that lol cause we personally view them as official episodes 💜

[catwithstrawberryheadphones]

The Devil Wants to Make a Deal (Based off the song Devil's Train)

Very recent sketches...kinda. Guess they're not completely sketches but they're certainly not complete drawings. Need to relearn side-profiles. Anyway, I love pre AA Virgil and I thought it would be a neat idea if he got more and more fed up with Janus and the others so he starts to be a bit more...prickly. But he makes a deal with Thomas saying he'll go back to being friendly if Thomas gives him more control. Thus giving him the power to deal with 'the others' in his own way. Ooooh spooky. Got a cool idea for an animatic but that's for Future Me.

#sanders sides #virgil sanders #tss fanart #thomas sanders #thomas sanders fanart #virgil sanders fanart

[catwithstrawberryheadphones]

This scene made me tear up. I love him so much T~T

#jrwi spoilers #jrwi prime defenders #william wisp #jrwi william #he got back up! #jrwi season 2 #jrwi fanart

[catwithstrawberryheadphones]

I just wanted to draw no-thoughts Gillion. First colored drawing I'm proud of. Which is why I'm posting it.

#jrwi fanart #gillion tidestrider #pretzel jrwi #no thoughts head empty #i hope instagram burns #jrwi riptide #jrwi gillion

[catwithstrawberryheadphones]

heyyyyy guys anybody else thinking of how after dakota experienced ripping himself apart he was momentarily convinced that every hero and every person he loved was going to experience the same agony. and then he watched william get ripped in half. 😁

[catwithstrawberryheadphones]

This is beautiful

i think the reason that i love william wisp so much is that hes literally me when i was younger, like back when i was depressed, self-hating and refused to try cuz i was scared. i felt hollow, like there wasnt any personality left under that pain. at some point, the idea of getting better felt terrifying to me, cuz i didnt know what id find under all the pain and trauma, if there was even anything left under there.

// JRWI prime defenders S2 EP39 spoilers, tw for psychosis, derealisation and dissociation mentions

with this new era of william wisp, i wouldnt be surprised if I ended up relating to him even more. I think theres a lot of directions he could go towards, personality-wise, and even if he ends up not going the same route as me, i know that the idea itself of having to find yourself after so long spent hiding is gonna resonate with me no matter what.

another thing i find interesting is that i also got that moment when i realised that everything i wanted was at my fingertips, which was the catalyst for me eventually getting better. it was during my psychosis, this friend of mine (who i held in very high regards) ended up telling me off, i dont remember for what exactly (psychosis does funny things to your brain) but it was something related to me not trying to get better. they said something that triggered my derealisation, which of course, sent me into a derealisation/dissociation spiral for some months, and basically straight to rock bottom. of course, i wouldnt recommend that you do that for your friends who are going through similar stuff, im pretty sure i could have died multiple times back then, but in the end, its what pulled me through to where im at now.

i dont remember everything, but basically, the thought process was : nothing is real, its all made up in my head, so theres nothing stopping me from imagining a world where im happy and living in it. i wrote a poem about it, not my best work for obvious reasons, but theres still something to it i think. here :

I want to see tomorrow

I’ve been wishing my whole life for the strength to say "I'm doing great!" when someone ask me how I am

I've always had that strength

I can just say it

It's just 4 words

I

am

Doing

Great

Easy, see?

It doesn't matter if it's false

Or if the tone of my voice was off

Or if the way my eyes naturally met the ground as soon as you entered the room

It doesn't matter

So what, if I'm lying?

In a fraction of second, I might not be lying anymore

No

In a fraction of second, I won't be lying

I've been making planets and universes in my head since I could think

I never thought of making one where I was happy

Why should it matter if it's only in my head

My head is real, it's right there

And in the end, all the other stuff too was in my head

I can trust you

I can have friends

I can be myself

I can have my body back

I can be beautiful

Inside and out

I choose what is true and what is not

It doesn't matter if I'm lying to you

It doesn't matter if I'm lying to myself

In the end, we could be both only in my head

It wouldn't matter

So yeah

I want to see tomorrow

Even if it's raining and even if I don't even notice it's raining

I'll just close my eyes, and I'll have everything I've always wanted

so yea ! even if of course the superpower thing and coming back to life thing isnt very realistic, as a metaphor, williams story makes complete sense. i felt dead, back then. and i truly feel like a different person now.

and im looking forward to see where the story takes him in the future !

[catwithstrawberryheadphones]

no more shame, no more fear, no more dread. i am, i am, i am, i am the truth.

[catwithstrawberryheadphones]

Never realized this but this is so true lol

Why do all of Charlie’s DnD characters self-actualize in pocket dimensions?

[catwithstrawberryheadphones]

I think at this point it would make sense for William to confess soon since his cowardice had more or left left him based on the rolled

My biggest takeaway from episode 39 is that ghostknife is still alive and kicking

And now Will has the confidence to get the ball rolling, right?

RIGHT???

[catwithstrawberryheadphones]

I LOVED THIS MINI MONOLOGUE SO MUCH IT WAS SO CONEMATIC AND SOOOO BIG FOR HIS CHARCATER YOU CNA NEVER UNDERSTAAAAND

guys. guys. guys.guys. william wisp the posterboy of depression and being passively suicidal saying the line AND I QUOTE "even if i fail, i get the choice no one else gets when they fucking die. i get to get back up." i am on the fucking floor.

[catwithstrawberryheadphones]

a fate you can’t quite shake

[catwithstrawberryheadphones]

SOMEHOW EVEN MORE SCARED THANKS TO THIS KNOWLEDGE

GUYS I THINK THE PD SEASON FINALE MIGHT HAVE BEEN (mostly) IN PERSON. MILO POSTED ON HIS INSTA WITH YAKKO, CONDI AND GRIZZ

[catwithstrawberryheadphones]

Yeeeeeesss!!! I want flashbacks of her training days or something so bad pleeeease

obsessed with navy seal jay ferin

[catwithstrawberryheadphones]

obsessed with navy seal jay ferin