#much more interested in what they do with the characterisation

[kerubimcrepin]

Liveblog: Wakfu Season 1 (episodes 1-9)

NOTE: I will be doing rewatch liveblogs of multiple episodes per post, because the focus of this blog isn't on the Wakfu cast, and I am not as well versed in their characterisations, so I won't even have much analysis to show you. Sorry ^^;;

Episode 1 - The Child from the Mist

I promise not to get sappy, but seeing season 1 after all these years does make me quite emotional. Ah, how the time flies.

Thank god I'm not a Yugo lore blog. I'd have to translate this too, as if I didn't go through enough psychological trauma. 💀

The sheer Bitch Olympics that would happen if Ruel opened a restaurant and you-know-which-three-men entered it, would cause at least 5 casualties.

I need this so bad. You have no idea how much I need this.

Episode 2 - Yugo the Eliatrope

I hang onto every mention of Bonta like a lifeline. I know Ruel might be lying, but imagining him having some marginal connection though like, Ruel's buddies knowing some people who know buddies of Jurgen-Crepins, is making me giddy.

Remember this tree. It will be important later.

Episode 3 - The Black Crow

Guys I think Ruel likes Bonta.

Anyway now I'm imagining the Bitch Olympics that would happen if he tried to haggle with Kerubim. Pangaea would explode.

I like to imagine this is the sort of life that would await Kerubim, had Lou not been smart enough to flee from the relationship.

[remembers Joris canonically does cartography as a hobby] I think I hauve covid.

Also yes, this episode is the return of the one and only Grav'Mar'Av.

Episode 4 - The Ugly Pageant

[linguistics major voice] It's just that y'know I really wonder what Ecaflip tongue is like and and. Personally, I think Joris is fluent in Ecaflip tongue, but can be a bit rusty at reading and writing it, while—— [I am forcefully taken off stage by the police]

Episode 5 - The Magnificent Five

One of my life dreams is writing a fic that's set during the Wakfu manga, or shortly after it, with Joris on the ship from the manga, or with the Wakfu cast being quests at his home.

The reason I want to do this, is that political discussions between Evangelyne and Joris would go so hard, whether they agree or disagree. They're both the sort of person who can masterfully turn every innocuous topic to Ogrest's Chaos/Monarchy/Climate Change/War. That, and I am a big believer in Evanglelyne&Joris&Amalia friendship (since Amalia and Eva probably had known him as kids, due to politics.)

Episode 6 - Vampyro

I think everyone who wears an enchanted cape to look cooler is a bit of a try-hard edgelord. Sorry not sorry, but this applies to Julith as well.

Episode 7 - Poisonous Beauty

[approaches mic yet again, more haggard, obviously beaten] Rabies confirmed to exist in Krosmoz.

Episode 8 - Xav the Baker

This moment is so important to me. You have no idea how important it is. Yugo and Eva both know that there's not much that he can do to bribe her. And its hilarious.

[puts on tinfoil hat] We know that Chtibrout Town and Xav the Baker are in Amakna. This means that this town is very famous for its baking — enough for a foreign king to be interested, and for a person from Bonta to come to compete here.

That, or this line of thinking is just a sign of my declining mental state.

Episode 9 - Ruel's Bag

The map lore deepens.

A third underwear pervert has hit the pentagon.

#krosmoz #dofus #wakfu #wak1-2 #ro liveblogs dofus

[amorphous-binary]

RE: Starscream

Everything below the 'read more' may be considered a spoiler for the batch of new episodes (season two, episodes 1-9) which dropped in June 2024.

Proceed with caution!

I. foreword

I recently went and rewatched the new episodes. I had seen a little bit about Starscream being a lil bastard and I was curious.

I did not watch everythin in chronological order though! I went based on my own interest — by how interesting the episode synopses sounded.

II. Season One of Earthspark

A large part of S1 Earthspark was the end of the Autobot-Decepticon War. The Terrans were positioned as a bridge between the two factions and humanity. There is fighting, of course. Lots of skirmishes and such. But by and by, there is no War. Only Autobots and GHOST. The Decepticons are not in a position to serve as an opposition for much of the season. Their forces, like the Autobots' own, are scattered.

Another big theme of S1 was picking up the pieces of the War — good and bad. There was a spirit of atonement. Optimus rounding up other Cybertronians on GHOST's behalf was part of his atonement. Megatron assisting was part of his. The Terrans, per Megatron, also have some part to play in this (and which Thrash is frustrated with). And likewise, Starscream represents another, much more difficult part of atonement: accepting that not everyone will be willing to forgive and forget what was done to them.

Season One went to great lengths to emphasise that Decepticons are not inherently bad, just as Autobots are not inherently good. It did not always deliver this message cleanly or without narrative difficulty, but it was obvious the main anatagonist in S1 was not the Decepticons, but GHOST.

That's why we had episodes which focused on the Terrans interacting with the Cons. On Swindle and his brother. On Bumblebee and Breakdown's friendship. On Hashtag emphasising with Starscream.

Thus far, Earthspark has been a bit greyer than previous television entries in the franchise.

And Season 2, despite being okay so far, has gone against that. The Decepticons, after just one year, are now back to being more villainous than ever. And all for a new motivation that was never hinted at (based on my admittedly hazy recollection).

III. Starscream

S1 Starscream wnated nothing to do with Megatron. His aspiration at the time was escape first from GHOST and then from Earth. Fine, reasonable, whatever.

His scene with Hashtag was very sympathetic; acknowledgement that whatever pain he suffered st the hands of Megatron was a real and valid experience. Heart-warming, yes, but that acknowledgement wouldn't be enough to turn Starscream over to the 'good' side. Fair enough.

I have seen some people say that the only reason some fans dislike S2 is because Starscream is back to being a villain. I have to disagree. People dislike S2 Starscream because his actions make no sense based on the themes and characterisation of S1.

For me, the callousness of his execution of the Chaos Terrans came out of nowhere. It would be fine in a series like Animated or Prime, but Earthspark showed Starscream to be a sympathetic character who is rightfully suspicious of any haven Megatron offers to him.

Starscream's execution of Spitfire and Aftermath suited Starscream as a general character.

I can see his interpretation of "Take care of yourself". That makes sense.

His wanting to reformat Earth into New Cybertron makes sense, too. The Cons' best scientist (Shockwave) was unable to even so much as confirm that Cybertron still exists. From what we see, no one (Bot, Con or otherwise) has the capability to travel through space. The reformat also makes sense if we presume that Starscream was corrupted somehow — either by assuming leadership (which has been a key part of his general character) or by working with Chaos Energy.

It also makes sense that he would kill others to achieve his goals. He's Starscream.

But for specifically Earthspark Starscream, it is just ... jarring. I would not be so bothered by it if this version of Starscream showed some hint of the sympathetic portrayal from S1. A moment of hesitance. Maybe deciding not to go through with the execution at the last minute because he saw Hashtag or something.

I dunno.

Like, if S1 Earthspark had not gone to such a great length to humanise the Decepticons, I wouldn't be as frustrated as I am now writing this.

Why bother humanisng them if you are just going to fall back on the "They are all actually 100% evil lol" schtick?

I am not saying that humanisation = morally good characters. Soundwave's affection with Ravage (feeding her energon treats and petting and holding her as one would an actual cat) are humanising details, but I have never once went "Hm! :) Redemption Arc! Soundwave!".

Starscream's sudden heel-face-turn was immensely disappointing, but I did enjoy a couple of this drop's episodes.

#transformers #transformers earthspark #earthspark spoilers #spoilers #i will stand by it: ES!Starscream feels OOC in S2 #as do a LOT of the cast — esp Mo #tf starscream

[avayarising]

Thoughts on the first episode of ATLA live action

The sacking of the Southern Air Temple was very dramatic, and in the scenes leading up to it I loved the shots of the approaching comet in the sky. I liked Gyatso trying to protect the children – very The Storming of the Jedi Temple vibes. I did feel it wasn’t crowded enough – it felt like maybe fifty firebenders killing perhaps up to two hundred air nomads, rather than the thousands upon thousands it really needed to be.

Conversely, the ‘Wolf Cove’ village was larger than I expected, but then I do think the cartoon version was too small to be realistically viable, so that’s reasonable. I did wonder why Sokka was supposed to be in charge given that there seemed to be a fair number of capable adults though.

Sokka has some great lines and he delivered them well; it looks like they’re going to make something good of his character and I look forward to seeing more of him. There were some lovely scene transitions involving him too.

But the removal of tension between Sokka and Katara means there’s nothing for her to display her righteous anger on, and without that she becomes very Ember Island Players. She didn’t even get to talk Aang down from his Avatar State – that role went to a flashback of Gyatso – which meant that we also lose that scene of transition for Aang from his old family and his old life to his new one. I hope that Katara will display more character in future episodes, and that this isn’t a case of removing the sexism from Sokka and giving it to the narrative as a whole instead.

Zuko’s actor is very good – some lovely facial expressions displaying his internal conflict. And I did like his conspiracy board – it really shows how much effort and drive he’s been putting in to his search. That’s not any sort of burn scar he has on his face though. If he’d even just lost the eyebrow it would have worked better.

Iroh doesn’t work, at all. He’s far too blunt and straightforward. And without the proverbs and cryptic speech and humour, the tea comments feel very artificially tacked on. I get the impression the writers went ‘Ah, it’s obvious the writers of the animated series didn’t know what Iroh was about to start with, so we’ll make it clear we know what he’s up to from the start’, and went far too far with it. Again, maybe he’ll improve in future episodes.

Aang has lost his denial arc, completely, and become much more serious and determined. While I think the denial arc was good, I also like this reworking of his character. I did enjoy him helping Katara with her bending. But I did wonder why everyone else so easily accepted that Aang was the Avatar, when he gives them absolutely no proof whatsoever other than being an airbender.

I still think they could have made Appa look more like an Earth land bison. But the fur blowing in the wind was beautiful.

(Was that supposed to be Jee? He looks awfully young and scruffy to be Jee.)

#natla #atla live action #so far so good #i don't expect it to be the same so i don't mind if they change the plot #much more interested in what they do with the characterisation

[shittywriterbrain]

im only at season 1 episode 7 but you CANNOT convince me dr james wilson is real. that man is a CONSTRUCT. a HALLUCINATION

#and im going insane over this #very interesting to hear that the ending points to the exact opposite #what im wondering is how does this medical drama that is 95% finding out the sickness of the week and 5% characterisation of the main cast #have an ending that can be read as house being wilsons hallucination (as in. how do we get that much characterisation) #like i guess im on s 1 of 8 and maybe it gets way more personal than this #but yk. im just wondering #(btw this isnt in any way a reply to/stab at the person who pointed this out to me on my first post!! #i just feel less confident ab my interpretation because theres EIGHT SEASONS and also im just going insane with that info now) #house md #hatecrimes md #james wilson #sorry that im making the exact same post as yesterday but ive watched another episode and its Bothering Me

[sucharide]

God every time Sympathy for the Devil plays I just. Fuck man. Of all Ghost's covers, I think that one just fucks the absolute hardest. In part because I just think his vocals are SO much better live (love all the studio recordings, but I think he just digs a little deeper for live performances? I think Forge is a born performer, I guess! Comes alive on the stage.) -- but also like. Damn, he just truly turns that song from being a cheeky, tongue-in-cheek groove that sort of teases the listener, to something rich and deep and powerful looming over the listener as the song builds. Fuck I love that song. So much.

#roach rambles #it's so good okay god I cannot express how much I love this cover #it's so good #It's just ASEOIJSJKGJKLGJLKSGJKL #SO POWERFUL. #He's slowly unveiling himself in all his glory as the lord of hell ya know? #idk i know silly copia is very popular and there's a lot of 'canon' content to support that but Symp for the Devil just #oof #Love him powerful and power hungry #I suppose it's sort of two ways of looking at the band and the characters? #I like to look at through a lens of the music and its tone because that just appeals to me more #i'm not really very interested in the silly stuff though I have no issue with it! It's just not for me. #I like to create my own world with the characters based on what I get from the music #Peppered with inspiration from stage shows and chapters as I please #I really like the gothic tone #and gothic imagery #so I just like to take that and the base characters and do my thing hahaha #And sympathy for the devil has a lot to do with how I like to characterise papa <3

[fragmentedblade]

Torn between "they're woobifying Aventurine too much to appeal to people who can't stand the idea of liking villainous characters" and "they're heathclif.fying Aventurine and that's catnip to me"

#If they do keep heathclif.fying him this is going to suck for me because I would have two Heathclif.f adjacent characters #and one would lean more towards the orphic and Jack side #while the other perhaps more towards the Odysseu.s/all for keeping alive/that other side of Jack/plays with words side #I adore both sides #And I think it's exceedingly interesting what they're doing with those thought experiments/game theory eidolons #What it brings to his characterisation and even the concept of deals/gambling #This game made Divination in the Luofu mainly a thing of analysing patterns and is making gambles so much a thing of game theory #And it fits so much with Aventurine over and over saying he's trustworthy because if you do have trust in the other person in some of those #thoughts experiments‚ then the outcome is often overall more convenient for both parties. It's super super interesting #The fact that it's or can be so closely related to logic is such an interesting choice and yet so fitting #and goes so well with again Penacony and ironically so well with Aventurine's whole deal. I'm so down for it #Anyway... I'm loving him. I only hope they don't make him so much of a sob story he ends up being only a wet dog so to speak #That they don't forget he can also be ruthless and all that. Because I do love that side of him too #And as I said before‚ he can do whatever he wants at this point‚ set on fire the IPC‚ Penacony or the Express for convenience #Or revenge #He has gained the right haha #I talk too much #I should probably delete this later

[marxistgnome]

Ive been watching alot of enterprise recently and one of the things that strikes me, especially in the latter seasons is how focused it is on captain archers heroism. It seems like every other episode is concluded by him risking his life in a feat of daring do to save the day. It kinda has the effect of making him seem a bit more like an all american action hero rather than a starfleet captain who is a part of a cohesive crew. This is a little jarring, especially when compared with other star trek captains (who have their action hero life risking moments but they are 1 much more scarce and 2 have alot more justification beforehand) but I do think it works quite well character-wise. Archers relentless self sacrifice and die hard (the movie) approach to alot of situations really draws attention to the fact he is the first person to be the captain of the starships we know and love from other shows - and especially the fact that the role and code of behaviour of later captains has not by any means been established. It shows how he acts more on emotion than protocol because there are no protocols yet for how a captain should behave and it shows how he reacts to encountering dangerous and chaotic circumstances there are no precedence for - by putting his life on the line rather than risk anyone else, even to the point of irrationality. And this makes sense! In the tos/tng era we have things like the kobayashi maru and command simulations where you have to send a crew member into a life threatening situation, but enterprise didnt even expect to see heavy combat, they barely left space dock with weapons, there is no way archer was prepared to this extent and his actions show this. So yes, the heroism is very focus is very interesting character wise however narrative wise its fucking annoying. Making Archer the go to guy who has to jump on every grenade and has to take every bullet gets old pretty quick. For one thing it really takes the drama out of it because we know Archer will get out unscathed cos he did in every other virtual suicide attempt so far. And for another thing the self sacrifice stops feeling earned because its just a go to - and you can definitely maintain a balance between showcasing how archer is reckless with his own life and keep the emotional weight by not having it be such a frequent thing. But my main gripe is that this focus on archer saving the day absorbs so many other cool opportunities. like in immunity syndrome kirk had to choose to send spock or mccoy on a suicide mission - and also had to concede that he couldn't do it himself cos he also has similar self sacrificing herosim streak - and that could be something so cool to see on enterprise but the archer focus gets in teh way. ( i am now realising i am only midway thru season 4 so if this does happen at some point keep it to urself). And it gets in the way of so many chances to explore other characters. Travis Mayweather is criminally underutilised i want to see how he behaves in a life or death situation!!!! I already know how archer would cos ive seen it a bunch of times!!! And there are so many instances where it would have been more interesting if another character was in the grenade jumping position - like what if phlox had to test the cure for the klingon virus on hoshi instead that would have been so interesting to see cos of how close they are. I maintain that if like a 3rd or even a 5th of big captain archer hero moments had been devoted to exploring other characters or other options enterprise would be so much better. Truly society if

#at times it is kinda the captain archer show and it drives me mildy insane #especially cos i personally find him kinda annoying not as cool as other characters #so the fact he gets so much screentime and focus in comparison is suhhhgughgughgh #another archer characterisation thing tho is how many wild non suicidal captaining decisions he makes #like so many times im like bro wtf what possessed u to do that #sighs wistfully picard would never do this #or if tehy did it would have been way more of a thing #like in daedalus he is purely acting based on emotion and not in the interests of a crew #he is highkey not a good captain but i dont mean that in a badly written way it is a very juicy delicious character choice #star trek #star trek enterprise #captain archer

[akkivee]

i enjoy seeing everyone’s lists of wants for the new season of rhyme anima lmao like they all highballin for the impossible anyway i hope we get an nmcd song thru rhyme anima kinda like how we got tdd working together but better—

#this is vee speaking #FLASHBACK EPISODE BABEY LMAO #the bat stans in jp are wildin too dw lmao #idk what to expect from rhyme anima➕ but i firmly believe that i will be watching stage kuukou animated rather than his canon self #but i’ve also been thinking that since track 3 happened lol so i have come to terms with it for a while now lol #i had fun despite hang ups about characterisations and lore consistency so let’s go round two lol!!!!!!!!!! #i am very interested in how the 2nd drb will be interpreted tho!!!!! what changes????? like do they honobono at all????? #do………. we touch on nb?????? mcd????? 👉👈 i hope we do lol imagine rhyme anima ichiro trying to talk about kuukou 😭😭😭 #he was more adjusted in rhyme anima than his canon counterpart (so much so i questioned if he could make up with samatoki at all lol) #i’d love to know if that stays true with kuukou lol but let’s not jump to any conclusions here #we’re dealing with a BLOATED cast for 12/13 episodes lmao esp if we get chuuoku and secret aliens involved #i’m always down for well handled original stories!!!!! a branched path!!!!! hypmic’s multiverse LOL #c: rapping boys

[lollitree]

I’m 14 episodes away from the XYZ anime season and it cannot come sooner I’m so sick of Team Rocket

#this series got stale SO fast it's just the same thing over and over and over #team rocket stalking children and doing the exact same thing every episode to the point I get really excited when they're not in an episode #normally I love jesse and james but please #stop shoehorning them into everything it's so annoying #I've only watched 10 episodes of sun/moon so far but I've enjoyed it SO much more because every episode is different enough #the worst episodes are when the gang go to places that had team flare plot in the games #because it's just a lamer version with team rocket #why are they there doing that they have no reason to their plots are always so plot convenient #I'm REALLY hoping XYZ will be different because at the very least it has team flare and alain in it #I just want to finish it so I can get to sun/moon #and then journeys #because from what I've seen of journeys it looks really good #plus the characterisation and world building in sun moon is reaaally good so far #and also the few battles I've seen so far have been really interesting #also I might just be grumpy because the whole reason I was watching the anime in the first place was to see what they did with characters #specifically the rival friends sycamore and diantha #I was at first curious about the flare plot but after learning sycamore and lysandre aren't friends in the anime what's the point #plus I've read Lysandre is just a straight up horrible person in the anime ahaha #so I don't think I'll learn anything or get any inspiration from watching that plot #but might as well

[elodieunderglass]

changes and trends in horror-genre films are linked to the anxieties of the culture in its time and place. Vampires are the manifestation of grappling with sexuality; aliens, of foreign influence. Horror from the Cold War is about apathy and annihilation; classic Japanese horror is characterised by “nature’s revenge”; psychological horror plays with anxieties that absorbed its audience, like pregnancy/abortion, mental illness, femininity. Some horror presses on the bruise of being trapped in a situation with upsetting tasks to complete, especially ones that compromise you as a person - reflecting the horrors and anxieties of capitalism etc etc etc. Cosmic horror is slightly out of fashion because our culture is more comfortable with, even wistful for, “the unknown.” Monster horror now has to be aware of itself, as a contingent of people now live in the freedom and comfort of saying “I would willingly, gladly, even preferentially fuck that monster.” But I don’t know much about films or genres: that ground has been covered by cleverer people.

I don’t actually like horror or movies. What interests me at the moment is how horror of the 2020s has an element of perception and paying attention.

Multiple movies in one year discussed monsters that killed you if you perceived them. There are monsters you can’t look at; monsters that kill you instantly if you get their attention. Monsters where you have to be silent, look down, hold still: pray that they pass over you. M Zombies have changed from a hand-waved virus that covers extras in splashy gore, to insidious spores. A disaster film is called Don’t Look Up, a horror film is called Nope. Even trashy nun horror sets up strange premises of keeping your eyes fixed on something as the devil GETS you.

No idea if this is anything. (I haven’t seen any of these things because, unfortunately, I hate them.) Someone who understands better than me could say something clever here, and I hope they do.

But the thing I’m thinking about is what this will look like to the future, as the Victorian sex vampires and Cold War anxieties look to us. I think they’ll have a little sympathy, but they probably won’t. You poor little prey animals, the kids will say, you were awfully afraid of facing up to things, weren’t you?

#this is the sort of observation I make here that people #go off and write their thesis about #so while I’m not expecting to be the first or cleverest person to say this #if you do use it as a springboard #tell me if you get a good grade ok? #I’ll be tremendously proud of you #like if you take a shitpost and use it to craft deep attentive thought on something important #I just think that’s probably the most noble use of a human brain #it makes me want to take off my hat and slam it to the ground in inexpressible emotion #it’s a cowboy hat btw #and I say something like GOLDURN IT THAT KID SURE HAS DELIVERED. #ok so don’t deny me this #especially if you correct me after a long research journey #GOLDURN IT THE KID IS RIGHT!

[vadlings]

Represention of Autistic Frustration in Laios Dungeon Meshi

Like many other autistic people, I related strongly to Laios Touden while reading Dungeon Meshi. This post isn't going to spend time disputing whether he displays autistic traits or not—while I could do that, I want to focus on why specifically his portrayal struck a chord with me in a way the writing of most other autistic-coded characters has not.

Disclaimer: as the above suggests, this post is strongly informed by my own experiences as an autistic person, as well as the experiences of my neurodivergent friends with whom I have spoken about this subject. I want to clarify that in no way am I asserting my personal experience to be some Universal Autistic Experience. This post is about why Laios' character feels distinct and significant to me in regard to autistic representation, and while I'm at it, I do feel that I have interesting things to say about autistic representation in media generally. This also got a bit long, so I'm sticking it under a read more. Spoilers for up to the end of chapter 88 below.

The thing that stands out most to me in regard to Laios' characterisation is the open anger he displays when someone points out his inability to read other people. This comes up prominently in his interactions with "Shuro" (Toshiro Nakamoto):

The frustration pictured above (Laios continuing to physically tussle with Toshiro, using crude language toward him) becomes even more notable when you remember that this is Laios, who, outside of these interactions, is not easily fazed and often exists as a lighthearted contrast to the rest of the cast. Then we get to Laios' nightmare.

In Falin's words: "Nightmares love emotional wounds. Wounds you hold in your heart. Things that give you stress, or things that were traumatic for you. They aggravate memories like that and cause the dreamer to have terrible dreams." (chapter 42, page 10.) (damn. i'm properly citing for this post and everything.)

Thus, Laios' nightmare establishes an important fact: even if he is unable to recognise social blunders while he's making them, he's at least subconsciously aware that other people operate on a different wavelength to him, and that he's an outsider in many of his social circles (both past and present). His dream-father's disparaging words stress the impact this has had upon his ability to live up to the expectations set out for him, and we also get a panel of kids who smirk at him (presumably former bullies to some degree). Toshiro's appearance only hammers home how much Laios is still both humiliated and angered by his misunderstanding of their relationship.

I've thought a lot about anger as concomitant to the autistic experience. When autistic representation portrays ostracization, it's generally from an angle of the autistic character being upset at how conforming to neurotypical norms doesn't come easily to them; as a result, they express a desire to 'get better' at meeting neurotypical standards, a desire to become more 'normal' (whether the writing implies this is a good thing or not). In contrast, not once does Laios go, "I need to perform better in my social interactions, and try to care less about monsters, because that's what other people find weird." His frustration is directed outward rather than inward, and as a result, it's the people around him who are framed as nonsensical.

The Winged Lion starts delineating Laios' anger, and Laios' reaction is to think to himself, "It can sense all my thoughts, huh?" (chapter 88, page 16.) This is the scene that really resonated with me. I'm not saying I have never felt the desire to conform to neurotypical norms that is borne from insecurity, but primarily, I know that I don't want to work toward becoming 'normal'—I don't want to change myself for people who follow rules I find nonsensical. It's the difference between, "Oh god, why can't I get it," and, "WHY CAN'T YOU GET IT?" (phrasing here courtesy of my friend Miles @dogwoodbite). And for me personally, Dungeon Meshi is the first time I've seen this frustration and the resultant voluntary isolation from other people portrayed in media so candidly. Laios' anger is not downplayed or written to be easily palatable, either.

The culmination of Laios' frustrations in this scene wherein we learn that Laios has fantasised about "a pack of monsters attacking a village" drives home just how alienated he really feels. I need not go into his wish to become a monster himself, redolent of how many autistic people identify/have identified with non-humans to some degree as a result of a percieved disconnect from society (when I was younger, I wanted to be a robot. I still kind of do.)

Obviously, wishing death upon other people is a weighty thing, but the unfiltered nature of this page is what deeply resonated with me. The Winged Lion is laying Laios' deepest and most transgressive desires bare, and they are desires that are a product of lifelong ostracization by others (whether intentional or unintentional). This is the brand of anger I'm familiar with, and that my neurodivergent friends express being familiar with, but that I haven't seen portrayed in writing so explicitly before—in fact, it surprised me because most well-meaning autistic representation I've experienced veers toward infantilisation in trying make the autistic character's struggles easy for neurotypicals to sympathise with.

Let's also not neglect the symbolism inherent to Laios' daydream. "A pack of monsters attacking a village". Functionally, monsters are Laios' special interest—he percieves everything first and foremost through his passion for monsters. His daydream of monsters attacking—killing—humans, is fundamentally a daydream of the world he understands (monsters) overthrowing the world that is so illogical to him, that has repeatedly shunned him (other people). I joked to my friends that it's an autistic power fantasy, and it actually sort of is. And in it, his identity is aligned with that of the monsters, while his anger manifests in a palpable dissociation from the rest of humanity. This is one manga page. It's brief. It's also very, very raw to me. I think about it often.

To conclude, I love Laios Dungeon Meshi. This portrayal of open frustration in an autistic character meant a lot to me, and I hope I've sufficiently outlined why. Also, feel free to recommend media with autistic representation in the notes if you've read this far—I would really like to see if there is more of this nature. Thank you for reading. I'm very tired and should probably sleep now.

#dungeon meshi #dunmeshi #laios touden #shuro #toshiro nakamoto #the winged lion #autistic #autism #clay writes #i GUESS #this was so spur of the moment. im so busy right now i dont have time to be analysing laios touden #i wuont angry autistic rep..

[ochibrochi]

spontaneous magic manifestation was NOT mentioned in the parenting handbook 😬

I know this isn’t how magic in dc works, but the fact that Damian’s ancestry includes some pretty powerful magic users is… INTERESTING 🤔? Drabble under the cut!

I wanna preface that I'M NOT SAYIN' that Damian should/does have magic powers, but there’s still so much unexplored potential with Damian's character, and the thought that he has a dormant adeptness in magic is somewhat compelling to me. Most importantly it would FREAK! BRUCE! OUT!!!!! What is this, magic puberty 😭??

By DC laws, anyone has the ability to learn magic, but it is also possible to be an innate ability. The Al Ghuls are no strangers to the occult-- Ra's has had increasingly been portrayed as a magic user, and the recent establishment of his mother being a sorceress/witch?? Even Talia dabbled in a bit of magic, I think. There is a catch that their power is suggested to be due to Lazarus exposure, but for arguments sake let's say the Al Ghul lineage is inherently proficient in magic (and Lazarus exposure simply enhances it).

I can't recall "magic" being a part of Damian's training/upbringing (I'm still slowly catching-up on Damian comics so apologies if I miss any canon examples of magic use). Not sure why Talia wouldn't want her little "heir to an ancient assassin empire baby" to learn magic, but it would at least give reason to Damian not knowing about his magic potential, or lack of interest in it.

Through the power of pseudo storytelling, what if Damian's encounter with Mother Soul could have triggered a manifestation of magic that was once dormant; like a pressure cooker waiting to explode with energy when it hasn't been given a safe outlet.

I've yet to read a satisfying arc where Damian truly gets to contemplate his Al Ghul roots outside of "dad is good guy, mum is bad guy". Damian's initial character growth stems from him running away from, and renouncing his association with the League (i.e. "I'm nothing like you, mother and grandfather!").

The most recent thing I've read was Robin (2021), and whilst Damian is much more cordial with his mother, there's still an emotional distance and sense of distrust/resentment (for good reason, even if the context was some cartoonishly evil writing). But there is a silver-lining that they still appear to be fond of each other, in a melancholy kind of way.

Realizing he's "genetically" primed for magic would be especially confronting to Damian. There's no denying his Al Ghul blood, forcing him to confront a facet of himself he can no longer ignore or reject. A family that he likely has to approach for help/guidance.

Damian is put in a position of acknowledging this power could be used for good, to be stronger, to fight crime, balancing it with the implication that what he possesses could be rooted in dark magic (Lazarus enchantment).

If he decides to embrace it, would that be too much of an endorsement of the Al Ghul's dark occultism? Can he separate the two ideas? What if he can't control it? What if he accidentally hurts someone? What if has the ability to save someone where his other skills fall short?

Ideally, I'd love for this hypothetical story to lead into Damian exploring his Al Ghul heritage more intimately, historically, and spiritually (à la RSoB: Year of Redemption adventures). Another little coming-of-age self discovery journey.

I have my own little personal thoughts on what Damian decides to do with his magic powers, but I'd like to leave that open to interpretation... By the end of it I hope that he will at least find some forgiveness over resentment, and a balance between accepting that side of his family a little easier. It is finally a sense of inner peace :)

Any thoughts? Did I get any characterisation wrong? Let's talk over on my DC blog @arkhamochi! I'm currently trying to read all Damian-centric comics until I catch up with the current run. I'm hungry for discussion and analysis!!!!!!

#batman #batman and robin #damian wayne #bruce wayne #dc comics #P.S. drabble is kinda LONG so DO NOT read more unless you want the inconvenience of scrolling

[braveveth]

chewing on some thoughts regarding last night’s tlou episode and then chewing some more i think

#tlou #the last of us #i did enjoy it #but i didnt really like the pacing #and personally im not really satisfied with what they did vis-a-vis characterisation of bill and frank #wish bill had been more of an asshole #i’m very much hoping that they will come up again in later episodes #so it also feels a bit more embedded in the story? rather than a detour #tbh i’m thinking i would’ve liked it better if they had used the game’s starting point and worked from there to change things #feels like that could’ve done a subtler and more interesting job of telling a backstory #bc i do like that we’re expanding on characters! this just felt very heavy handed #idk do we have thoughts folks #zilver watches tlou

[azfell-ajcrowley]

Something we didn't notice (part 2)

part 1

Overall, the meta is based on close observation of Aziraphale (for the most part) and Crowley. Without speculation or trying to guess what we haven't been shown (well, almost).

The Metatron makes it clear that he is watching Aziraphale delivering the "good news". Aziraphale looks back at him.

The first thing I'd like to explain. The Metatron is talking to Muriel, and then he stares at the window of the bookshop duplicating that gaze toward Crowley. The frame changes and we see Aziraphale looking out the same window, just for a second, but he will do it repeatedly.

As Crowley starts his monologue, Aziraphale tries to stop him by gesturing for him not to say too much, while looking out the window himself. Aziraphale continues to turn to the window with every meaningful attempt to speak.

Let's also note that Aziraphale doesn't usually behave in a similar way in conversations with Crowley. Yes, Aziraphale is characterised by active gesticulation, but the constant pauses, averting his eyes from the interlocutor, nervous and jerky movements - these are messengers that angel is holding something back, hiding or simply doesn't want to tell. Most often we see this Aziraphale in conversations with the leadership - God and Archangels.

https://commonmexicanname.tumblr.com/post/734305363759890432/good-omens-thoughts

Here's a prime example, comparing his interaction with Archangels when he's caught off guard and frantically trying to figure out how to get out of the situation.

I don't think Aziraphale is just lying to Crowley here, no. He just has an audience beyond Crowley. He tries to tell everything, knowing he has more than one viewer.

When Aziraphale mentions the Metatron, he is not just hinting, he points his index fingers - one at the window, another at Heaven, and then in a distinctly active quick motion once more at the WINDOW.

And again - turns his face to the window at the words about Gabriel failing, and then tilts his head towards the transparent panes of the bookshop.

The conversation with the Metatron is important, among other things, to assess Aziraphale's behaviour when Crowley is mentioned by his superiors. At the words about their partnership Aziraphale looks frightened: his facial muscles are tense, his forehead and eyebrows are furrowed, and there is a terror in his eyes.

When the God's spokesman concludes his really suspicious speech, Aziraphale swallows nervously and averts his eyes. He certainly doesn't look like someone who's been offered the fulfilment of his cherished dream. And not like someone who believes it.

Aziraphale looks like someone who has just found out what an enormous amount of incriminating information is in his opponent's possession.

"Tell me you said no. Tell me you said NO." Crowley is definitely shocked and horrified, he thinks the best of his angel. He can't believe what's going on (and he isn't supposed to).

Aziraphale turns his head towards the window again as an answer.

He actually said:

And

We see him right before he walks into the bookshop, he never says yes to the Metatron.

Aziraphale utters his most delusional words while looking out the window. Of course, they're not meant for Crowley. Aziraphale hasn't believed it for a long time, Crowley even more so.

And then Crowley says "Oh, God", without correcting himself afterwards, because this demon can only hope in God here.

For a second Aziraphale has a look of hope on his face that Crowley has realised what he's getting at. Then Aziraphale realises that Crowley is trying to confess. He's waited for so long not to realise. He was about to confess too.

Aziraphale already knows everything Crowley is about to tell him, but more importantly, literally everyone already knows it. It's impossible to stay and start pretending again that there's nothing between them.

Aziraphale has a completely blank stare past Crowley, and then he looks out the window. Again.

And then the most interesting thing happens. Crowley starts his line "And I would like to spend…" But he turns his head and finally looks out the window, where Aziraphale has been pointing so hard since the beginning of their conversation.

Maybe that's the reason Crowley doesn't complete the sentence. And he begins to pick up different words. Maybe not, maybe the sun from the outside is preventing him from seeing the Metatron.

In the final part of their conversation, when they move closer to the bookshop's door, Aziraphale looks towards the window again.

After "no nightingales" line he turns away to hide his feelings and pain.

The cherry on the cake is the kiss, Aziraphale is falling into the abyss. He averts his eyes trying to figure out if the Metatron could have seen what just happened.

When Crowley leaves, Aziraphale thinks he's lost him. But then, even when the Metatron walks in and says devaluing words about Crowley, Aziraphale can't tear himself away from the window, because now he can see Crowley there. Maybe not everything is lost.

Aziraphale retreats back to the clock - to the very spot where Crowley was standing a few minutes ago. He looks out the window at Crowley, as if to say, "I stand where you stood, you stand where the Metatron stood."

#aziraphale #crowley #good omens #good omens meta #ineffable husbands #final fifteen #good ineffable omens #good omens 2 #good omens analysis #good omens parallels #ineffable divorce #ineffable spouses #the final fifteen #the metatron #good omens finale #good omens theories #good omens thoughts #good omens theory #good omens clues

[dragonpropaganda]

The Architecture of Rain World: Layers of History

A major theme in Rain World's world design that often goes overlooked is the theme of, as James Primate, the level designer, composer and writer calls it, "Layers of History." This is about how the places in the game feel lived-in, and as though they have been built over each other. Here's what he said on the matter as far back as 2014!

The best example of this is Subterranean, the final area of the base game and a climax of the theme. Subterranean is pretty cleanly slpit vertically, there's the modern subway built over the ancient ruins, which are themselves built over the primordial ruins of the depths. Piercing through these layers is Filtration System, a high tech intrusion that cuts through the ground and visibly drills through the ceiling of the depths.

Two Sprouts, Twelve Brackets, the friendly local ghost, tells the player of the "bones of forgotten civilisations, heaped like so many sticks," highlighting this theme of layering as one of the first impressions the player gets of Subterranean. Barely minutes later, the player enters the room SB_H02, where the modern train lines crumble away into a cavern filled with older ruins, which themselves are invaded by the head machines seen prior in outskirts and farm arrays, some of which appear to have been installed destructively into the ruins, some breaking through floors.

These layers flow into each other, highlighting each other's decrepit state.

The filtration system, most likely the latest "layer," is always set apart from the spaces around it. At its top, the train tunnels give way to a vast chasm, where filtration system stands as a tower over the trains, while at the bottom in depths, it penetrates the ceiling of the temple, a destructive presence. (it's also a parallel to the way the leg does something similar in memory crypts, subterranean is full of callbacks like that!)

Filtration system is an interesting kind of transition, in that it is much later and more advanced than both of the areas it cuts between. This is a really interesting choice from James! It would be more "natural" to transition smoothly from the caves of upper subterranean to the depths, but by putting filtration system in between, the two are clearly demarcated as separate. The difference in era becomes palpable, the player has truly found something different and strange.

Depths itself is, obviously, the oldest layer not only of subterranean but of the game itself. The architecture of Depths has little to do with the rest of the game around it, it's a clear sign of the forgotten civilisations that our friend Two Sprouts, Twelve Brackets showed us, there's not actually that much to say about it itself, it's mostly about how it interacts with the other layers of subterranean.

That said, Subterranean is far from the only case of the theme of layers of history. It's present as soon as the player starts the game!

The very first room of the game, SU_C04, is seemingly a cave. It is below the surface, the shapes of it are distinctly amorphous rather than geometric. (well. kind of, it doesn't do a very good job of hiding the tile grid with its 45 degree angles.)

But let's take a closer look, shall we?

See that ground? it's made of bricks. The entire cave area of outskirts is characterised by this, the "chaotic stone" masonry asset is mixed with brickwork, unlike the surface ruins which are mostly stone. This, seemingly, is an inversion of common sense! The caves are bricks and the buildings are stone. This is not, however, a strange and unique aspect but a recurring motif.

This occurs enough in the game for it to be clearly intentional, but why would materials such as bricks be used in otherwise natural looking terrain?

The answer lies in the "Layers of History" theme. This is in fact, something that happens in real life, and it's called a tell

To be specific, a tell is a kind of mound formed by settlements building over the ruins of previous iterations of themselves. Centuries of rubble and detritus form until a hill grows from the city. Cities such as Troy and Jericho are famous examples. The connections to the layers of history theme are pretty clear here, I think. Cities growing, then dying, then becoming the bedrock of the next city. The ground, then, is made of bricks, because the ground is the rubble of past buildings. The bones of forgotten civilisations, heaped like so many sticks!

#rain world #rainworld #rain world lore #rainworld lore #rw lore #rw #subterranean my beloved #thank you to videocult for making the first survival game themed around stratigraphy and new york city rats #i would've gone on for another paragraph about how OE relates to this but like. #that's dlc stuff #and i still think of the dlc stuff as modded content lol #better to keep it separate #also this analysis is not comprehensive! the layers of history stuff is common throughout #there's farm arrays there's the relationship between shaded citadel and five pebbles there's the stuff buried under garbage wastes #so much more #unfortunately i do not have much energy lol

[xoxo-ren-xoxo]

Hermitcraft / Life Series Fic Recs

Because I love so many of them...

I'll split the fics into completed and updating fics, and try to only recommend currently updating fics (i.e., not abandoned). I'm going to write a little about why I like each fic and what the general vibes are - so this is also a kind of review I guess?

I've tried to @ the authors if they have a public tumblr. Sorry to anyone who didn't want to be tagged, I can remove any @ if you ask (or if I have embarrassingly tagged the wrong person). Anyway, enjoy, and I appreciate reblogs because I want as many people to see these fics as possible!!

This ended up being incredibly long so I'm putting a divider here. Click to keep reading!!! Also, fair warning: shipping ahead! Some fics will have mild sexual content, please read the tags if you are unsure <3

Updating Fics

I have already recommended Help Me To Breathe, lost in the dark (he's got a heavy heart), and There Are Monsters Nearby in this post, so I won't explain why I like them a second time, but definitely check them out!!

Death's A Good Gig by @mawofthemagnetar is probably going to be finished by the time this post gets to you, reader, but I'm putting it here anyway. It's short and sweet, one of my favourite representations of Zedaph (or, Zedeath) I've read, and just a joy to experience. If you like grim reapers and discussions of unions, this one is for you. Also I need more Zedaph in my life.

Look, I'm Sorry, Please Stop Scaring Everyone by @cat-in-the-desert reminds me a lot of a particular TV drama I liked when I was younger, which followed a similar premise. This fic follows Mumbo (vampire) and Grian (ghost) as they get up to various housemate shenanigans and meet their local magic-expert and salesman Scar. This fic is fun, but still includes a nice amount of Feelings and hinted-at Angst which I really love. It's lighthearted, but never boring.

It Hurts To Hope by Inquillitory is my favourite of the "Grian crash lands into Hermitcraft and causes problems for everyone" genre. Seeing how many fics there are with that premise, I think that says a lot. It handles Grian's weird Watcher stuff really well. Honestly, I just want to know what happens next!

killing the boy in the tv by @raspberrystruck is like a sickfic on steroids. If you want Grian with so much past trauma he forgets how to function in society, this is basically the fic for you. I really love how hybrid traits affect the characters' interactions in this fic, and how everyone is kind of messed up because of the imbalance Grian brings. It is wonderfully descriptive in all the right places!

Love Me Like I'm Dead by @daniofcrows is such a gem. You know how hard it is to find good Xisuma whump? It's impossible. I absolutely love how Xisuma and Evil X are characterised in this, and I am obsessed with the unique take on hanahaki disease which I have never seen handled in this way before. The balance between flashbacks and present day is maintained wonderfully and I cannot wait to continue reading this one. Wow.

Oh, you wanted me to do a verse? by @bugbbear is... kind of indescribable. It's horror. It's comedy. It's the apocalypse. It's boatem. Scar eats someone. One of the most interesting and unique apocalypse stories I have read. Slowly updating but worth the wait, in my opinion. This one NEEDS more attention.

So Much For Stardust by @a-plethora-of-peters is basically one of my all-time favourites. Which is a damn good achievement seeing as I don't usually read ZITS fics. Like, ever. In this fic, Skizz is a human abducted and hurt badly by aliens, now recovering in the care of good aliens who don't know how 'sentient' he is. Every update of this one makes me smile, it is wonderful. I love how the characters are written and how the different perspectives are shown. It is just great.

Solar Waltz by @raspberrystruck and aroundtheclock is a brilliant and very very sad regression fic. I love fluffy regression fics as much as the next guy, but this one just... hits different. The hurt/comfort levels are off the charts. Grian is so damn cute the whole time, while also being harrowingly complicated and sad. I am so ready for whatever comes next.

Tango's Castle of Cards by @evilrat-sabre is the one where Tango is a BUG. He's just a little guy (horror). This one is so beautifully written, with poetry-type interludes and perspective changes that really make everything feel so much more impactful. Finding out your buddy is a murder bug isn't the easiest thing in the world. I love this so much.

Traveling Thieves {Dark Fantasy AU} (series) by @amethystfairy1 is basically one of the series of all time. I know I keep saying that but it really really is. I love a good fantasy au, and I love an au with hybrids even more. In this world, hybrids are treated like slaves, but it isn't all doom and gloom for the main characters of each installment. There is a lot of hurt/comfort and the different stories feed into each other in really interesting ways. I try to read as much as I can, though I've missed a few because my emails are buggy. Definitely worth reading these fics, especially since now they're all starting to come together!

Completed Fics

Solving Counting Sheep by @theminecraftbee might have rearranged my brain chemistry a little. Another strong contender for 'fics that inspire me to kill Grian', this time with a more concrete notion of "replacement". Three is my favourite fucked up living weapon. It's so rare to find Evo fics in this day and age, too. This fic had me immediately clicking on every update as soon as I got the emails.

Rescue Fire by @imaginethat0327 is one of the most unique takes on a fictionalised life series game that I have ever read. The whole concept is explained in a realistic and easy-to-follow way, as we learn what's happening with the characters. There are several brilliant storylines happening in this one, but my particular favourites are Jimmy & Tango, Joel, and of course Scar & Grian. This fic is full of whump and, well, read the tags, it isn't always pleasant, but those are my favourite things ever. Definitely worth checking out this fic and its currently updating sequel.

don't you know about me? by takenbadgering is a wonderful comedy of errors with just the right amount of angst for a realistic setting type of fic. If you enjoy polyamory miscommunications, rave aesthetics, kandi, school teacher dynamics, and a lovely blend between grumbo, cubscar, and mumscar, this is the one.

Eventually the Birds Must Land by @milo-hypno follows a polyam ship I would have never thought of, and I cannot believe how much I loved it. This married-as-friends fic premise is wonderful, and captures the main trio (Grian, Mumbo, Impulse)'s personalities so well, while balancing them with the incredibly terrifying descriptions of the Watchers and their power. There's a lot of angst here, but it is ultimately hurt/comfort to the maximum degree. I loved reading it as it updated. Yay for gay marriage!

From The Archives (series) by @sixteenth-days was the absolute inspiration for my own Comms AU, and I will never forget its influence on me. As someone basically unfamiliar with TMA, I thought this series might be hard to follow, but it was not! I read all 57 parts in the span of two days, and I think it altered my brain chemistry. Please read it, even if (especially if) you don't know anything about TMA. The Cleo and Grian storyline lives in my head rent free. I mean it. This is horror at its finest. Also there's an audio series of this fic being released rn, which is very cool.

SUPERCRITICAL by @masque-of-plague hits different. It is such a wonderful take on the superhero/HotGuy trope, and it gets so super dark at some points! This one really takes swings at it's fictional government, which of course I love, while at the same time building this brilliantly emotional relationship between Scar and Grian. I do enjoy a bit of enemies to lovers, but the actual plot mixed into the story makes this one extra special. It is thrilling, with action that I don't get to see too often! Great work.

I am weary with contending! is one of the mumscarian fics of all time. From 'this house has people in it'-type horror, to magic gone wrong, to childhood trauma, to attempted assassination, to gender fuckery, this fic has it all. Usually I don't go for convex siblings, but this one is good enough to get a pass from me. Amazingly detailed worldbuilding alongside a brilliantly creative story.

It Spreads by @foxxology may not count as a fic, actually. It's a comic. But it's posted on ao3 so it counts. I was obsessed with this one as it was updating, honestly. It rocked me to my core. The art is phenomenal. The writing is brilliant. I love sculk.

Luck of the sea by Sleepy_Duck is a lovely take on mermaid and human interactions, with Grian as a marine life conservator and Scar as a very neglected mer. This one takes us emotionally in all sorts of directions, and offers lots of hope for the future of the characters. I heavily enjoyed this fic - if you like mermaids and marine biology, check it out.

there are many downsides to being a marine biologist by donnerstag is another mermaid fic but with a pretty different vibe. First of all, it follows what I would consider a rarepair Doc/Martyn. Second of all, reading this as it updated was a thrilling experience that nearly made me cry at certain points. I love how the relationship builds in this fic. It is honestly amazing. The whole idea of experimenting on a sentient sea creature, learning that he can communicate, then losing funding and having to save him from being dissected?!?! It's crazy. I love it.

Thus concludes my fic recommendations. I hope you enjoy at least some of these, and consider reblogging to spread these wonderful fics around <3

#ben chats shit on the internet #hermitcraft #hermitblr #hermitshipping #fanfiction #fic recs #life series #trafficblr #traffic smp #trafficshipping #traffic series #traffic life #??? what else do i tag this uhh #long post