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#spearhead games
rochenn · 1 month
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1. for the choose violence ask game?
1. the character everyone gets wrong
ONE THOUSAND YEARS JAIL FOR TCW WRITERS for getting that absolutely GOLDEN layup in AotC and then NOT doing jack fuck with Dooku. They looked right at Christopher Lee's deliberately nuanced portrayal in that movie (within the script's and direction's limitations which were indeed very limiting. Have I ever mentioned that George wasn't too good at writing Dooku either?) and did NOTHING. They made him a Saturday evening cartoon guy in the Saturday evening cartoon and I am inconsolable
I cannot get over how they squandered his potential!! And Asajj's by extension, too. And why do I have to cling to CW 03 for any screentime of them both even just existing in the same room? Like genuinely do we ever see them physically next to each other? They're supposed to be master and apprentice bro something went terribly wrong here!!
Also to bend this back to the fandom and to beat a dead bloated decomposing horse: Obi-Wan. Novels have been written about his fanon alter-ego so I'll just say that most people actually write him just fine until any type of relationship emerges! Ppl want to swaddle this spiritual master and veteran shock formation leader in a blanket so bad they gotta nerf him to hell so someone can take loving care of the shadow of his former self lmao
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dorianwolfforest · 4 months
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ah. goblin uprising,,,,, pesky, green, greedy capran-looking-but-not-actually-caprans that cannot be trusted who rose up against the good, nice caprans,,,,,,,, sse why
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polarfarina · 6 months
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Spotify just notified me that the music artist credited as "Aperture Science Psychoacoustic Laboratories," which is what the portal soundtracks are listed under, just released new music. This year. I'm listening to it now and im SO confused
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themoonking · 2 years
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watching that video m*tp*t made on “are theories killing video games” (yes, idiot) and he really goes “developers not knowing where the story is going and instead writing it as they go along in response to fan reaction is not a bad thing” BRO. YES IT IS.
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seawitchkaraoke · 4 days
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I do really love people who have no idea what dropout is going "well why don't the watcher guys just join dropout then" that's not how dropout works, you're thinking of Nebula
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bmpmp3 · 14 days
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why does everything i get really into always end up being so god damn niche. by the year 2035 i am going to be blogging exclusively about the interpersonal relationships between the pillbugs and snails hiding underneath the bricks lining the flowerbeds in my parent's garden.
#im falling hard into the virvox guys rn sowwy. i like em a lot hee hee. i didnt realize just how small the fanbase for em was tho#actually i didnt realize how small the company that makes them were either. i got so used to the yamahas and cryptons of the vsynth world#that i forgot that like honestly. a lot of the voicebank makers and some of the software makers themselves#theyre like companies of like barely 10 employees with like no funding LOL not a bad thing but i forgor#but yeah i was looking up to see if there was like. a fanon reason why people shipped takehiro and ryusei? not judging because i get it#i like took one look at the virvox guys and immediately slotted them as a very strange boyband (a catboy and a middle aged dragon man....)#and also took a second look at takehiro and ryusei and assumed they were childhood friends. i saw the doujin flash before my eyes#but also looking into it it seems the fanbase is also like. 20 people. and like 3 of them ship that#and at least one person ships whiteCUL and ryusei? why not LOL when it comes to vsynths sometimes a ship can be spearheaded by like#one very prolific artist HGDJKDFSHDJK which actually reminds me. honestly i dont really have many vsynth ships#i guess i dont really partake in a lot of shipping stuff deeply but i like romance!! you know i like love stories. you know this#i mean i keep calling the eclipsed sounds characters the celestial polycule for a reason tho. im not joking around about this#this is serious to me. they are stars and moons and suns and together they hang out and kiss. in the sky. this is serious to me#also i do like solaria x eleanor forte actually. its a bit random but i understand it. i understand it#and of course the aformentioned takehiro x ryusei. and also the whole virvox polycule. get that old man in here too#(what do they call people like me. a multishipper? i do that a lot. you know this from my otome game fanart LOL)#OH and i dont remember either of their names rn but i like that the cevio bank anju inami voiced has like a big fat crush on like#that girl with the brown hair. i like that theyre like. besties (turning into something more wink wonk)#thinks with all my brain. i think thats it. i dont know why theres so little. i think its because i think of them as like#audio sample libraries first and foremost and i forget about their characters and relationships LOL#but im not against the idea of making some audio sample libraries kiss...... not at all#picks up a guitar sampler and a sound effect cd. presses them together.#hee hee. they kiss
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In honor of the forum that shut down today, and my favorite game on it, my two favorite memes of all time that live rent-free in my head:
(The context for this one is that, in a game where you are supposed to be as active as possible every day [24 hour cycles] in a Day [3-5 24-hour days], loveit would come on about once a Day to leave one message and vanish again. It became a meme among the other players.)
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.
(And the context for this one was that I, a Townie, wouldn't keep my mouth shut and kept getting the Scums killed. XD)
(This is my favorite meme of all time. I love it so much.)
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(I should probably mention that I made neither of these. I just really love them.)
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sibyl-of-space · 4 months
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someday if i am feeling salty enough i will write a Post TM about how my wrist issues and a very specific "speedrun community" have made me fully reject the idea that having an "official" leaderboard is at all useful anymore, but for now it will suffice to say that im almost glad the top runner in A Game became impossible to stay friends with because it got me to rethink my relationship with the hobby and go become a fishing expert in majora's mask 3d instead of having my entire identity be "a top NG+ runner in [Game]"
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junkyardbluebox · 8 months
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this looks impressive: https://youtu.be/e7hO8Zx4ATs
That was very well done!
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kirbyddd · 8 months
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remembering this video i watched about the history of Mario 3 that ended with sentimental music and text saying "Shigeru Miyamoto is considered one of the greatest game designers of all time"
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#how can you say that in a video about MARIO 3 OF ALL GAMES. TEZUKA'S BABY#there was another one that credited him with Ocarina of Time's themes#like he hasnt spent the last 20 years explicitly denouncing the idea of themes and stories in games and the standards OoT set for Zelda#god#ok it's time for the Miyamoto Rant#he's the grandfather of modern video games#but he's a drunk barely functional grandfather whose primary contribution was conceiving the infant#he's been taking credit for other people's work the moment he got promoted#his actual game design looks like donkey kong arcade zelda 1 color splash star fox zero#even in mario the actual physics and interactions that made the game what it was were created by several different devs...#he never Richard Garriot'ed any of “his” games and wasnt even a proper dev on the real groundbreakers like Mario 3 and World#he hasnt gotten his hands dirty since the early famicom days with primitive games like Mario and Zelda 1#absolutely he played a vital role in the history of the medium#directing the projects that spearheaded the transition from tablegame-like repetitive rounds to more art-like full experiences#but he wasnt responsible for the later masterpieces people tend to credit him for. Mario 3. World. 64. Star Fox. OoT. Pikmin. and so on#in fact he often actively hindered projects and caused them to drag. It didnt start with color splash. See the history of World and 64#I'd call him Japan's Peter Molyneux but honestly he's closer to George Lucas. His underlings often ended up actively working AGAINST him#anyways.... there's my rant about the cult of Shiggy M#he finally had his free reign influence neutered after his Wii U era travesties... better late than never#next time on Video Game Myths.... Eiji Aonuma is an illustrator who has never written a line of code in his life#Masahiro Sakurai's game design youtube channel is an attempt to restore his reputation#after his last projects earned him universal praise from investors as a producer but destroyed his reputation as a game designer#Reggie Fils-Aime's post retirement attempts to wash his hands of the failures that transpired under his leadership and cement his legacy#and how Satoru Iwata was personally responsible for the company's early 2010s crisis through dishonest and anticonsumer business philosophy#(and how he spent the rest of his life attempting to right his wrongs and lead the company back into alignment with Yamachi's vision RIP)#as for Yamachi himself....#I think the fact that he kept the company free of yakuza influence in the era that they OWNED the industry is testament to his principles.#Yamachi is the one Nintendo exec name i respect#also shoutouts to Kondo the one guy at nintendo who ACTUALLY personally creates the things he's credited with
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🌹?
-🍂
:0 hello!!
a snippet of a wip for you ^v^
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Shelby first saw the princess when they went to the End.
She held herself with a quiet confidence, and walked with grace. Despite carrying no sword, she held her own against the endermen, placing water around her feet with no concern for the pretty pink dress she wore. The silk hem got wet, endstone dust clinging to it by the time they were done. 
Shelby, inexperienced, lesser witch Shelby, didn’t stand a chance. 
And yet…
The princess smiled so kindly, so brightly, offering information about her kingdom. 
Dawn. 
It fit her. A radiant ruler for the Kingdom of the Sun.
---
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verruguitens · 1 year
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Medal of Honor Breakthrough. Stalingrad Snow 2.
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pucksandpower · 8 months
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Grid Kids: y/n pregnency!!
Grid Kids: Bun in the Oven
Sebastian Vettel x wife!Reader x platonic!drivers
Summary: moments with the grid kids during your pregnancy
Series Masterlist
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Kicking Up a Storm
“Did the little one just ...” Charles’ eyes widen as he pulls back his hand abruptly from where it had been resting on your stomach.
Lando, lounging on the other side of the room with a video game controller in hand, smirks, “Did what? Tried to escape? Can’t blame it, considering the rest of its siblings."
You swat playfully at Lando as Max and George, engrossed in assembling a nursery chair, look up in anticipation. “Come on, let us feel!” Max pleads, abandoning the chair pieces on the floor.
As everyone gathers around, taking turns to gently place their hands on your baby bump, you feel a flutter, a gentle kick responding to their touch. The room fills with gasps of wonder and joy.
“Feels like a future driver if you ask me,” George grins, looking at Sebastian, who chuckles, already imagining another Vettel on the tracks.
Lance, feeling a tad left out, decides to jump in. “Can it hear us? Hello in there, it’s your brother Lance! Remember to pick me as the fun brother, okay?”
Mick, who has been reading every pregnancy book he could get his hands on, chimes in, “You do realize the baby can’t differentiate voices yet, right?”
Lance waves him off, “Details, details.”
Cravings Are No Joke
“Pickles and chocolate? Seriously?” Max raises an eyebrow, holding up the two seemingly mismatched items as he stands in the middle of a grocery store aisle.
Lance, pushing the cart, shrugs. “Don’t question the cravings, just go with it.”
Charles, scrolling through the list on his phone, adds, “Oh and don’t forget the spicy ramen, blueberry pie, and ... pineapple pizza?”
George groans, “Pineapple pizza? Come on! Anything but that. I’m not even Italian and I’m still offended.”
Lando, with an impish grin, quips, “Remember when she wanted the mango gelato at 3 am? That was a fun drive.”
Mick chuckles, “Or the time we went to five different bakeries just to find that particular lemon cake she couldn’t live without.”
Lance pauses, looking thoughtful, “And wasn’t there a phase where she only wanted foods that were purple?”
George nods, “Yep, aubergines, purple potatoes, grapes ... I still can’t look at a plum without laughing.”
As the grid kids continue shopping, picking out items based on the rather diverse list you gave them, they share more anecdotes of the past months. The store’s other patrons watch in amusement as the young men navigate the aisles, often debating the merits of various brands or flavors, all to ensure they get it just right for you.
Later, back home, your grid kids proudly present their haul. You and Sebastian look on with affection as they lay out the eclectic mix of food.
“Did you guys get everything?” You ask, trying to hide your laughter.
Max feigns offense at being questioned, “Of course, we’re professionals.”
Sebastian leans in to whisper in your ear, “I’m just glad they didn’t try cooking this time. Remember the schnitzel incident?”
You giggle, recalling the disastrous attempt. “Of course I do. I was cleaning flour off the cabinets and ceiling for weeks. But hey, it’s the thought that counts.”
It’s a …
The preparations for your gender reveal are in full swing at the local park and your grid kids are at the heart of it. They’ve split into two factions: Team Girl, led by Charles and Lance, and Team Boy, spearheaded by Max and Lando.
Charles and Lance have laid out a series of pink challenges, including a three-legged race where participants wear pink tutus. “It’s going to be a girl, no doubt about it!” Lance proclaims confidently.
Max and Lando, on the other hand, have a blue-themed obstacle course, complete with a mini kart race. Lando, wearing a blue bandana, shouts over the ruckus, “I have no idea what you’re talking about because it’s definitely a boy.”
George has taken on the role of referee. Dressed in a striped shirt, whistle in hand, he’s ensuring that the competition remains friendly. “Remember, it’s all in good fun!” he reminds everyone, though his “Team Girl” badge suggests where his loyalties lie.
Mick, though undecided, has tie-dye patches of both blue and pink on his shirt. “I just want a healthy sibling for all of us,” he says with a gentle smile, standing back and enjoying the antics.
Sebastian, watching the chaos unfold, leans over and whispers in your ear, “Did we really think letting them plan this was a good idea?”
You laugh, “It’s a bit crazy but look at them. They’re having the time of their lives!”
The moment everyone’s been waiting for finally arrives. At the center of the park, a large, sealed box waits. As you and Sebastian approach, the grid kids form a circle around it, their playful banter coming to a halt.
With a shared look of excitement, you both pull on the ribbon. The box flaps open, releasing a cloud of ... green smoke?
The park erupts in a mixture of laughter and confusion.
Max looks baffled, “Green?”
Charles chuckles, “Guess neither team wins today!”
Lando, trying to waft away the smoke, jokes, “Alien? Oh my god, you’re having an alien!”
Mick wraps an arm around you, “Like I said, as long as it’s healthy.”
You smile, nestling into Sebastian’s side, “We thought we’d keep everyone guessing for a little longer.”
False Alarm
“Sebastian! The baby! I think it’s happening!” You exclaim, feeling a sudden tightening in your abdomen.
Sebastian, who was in the middle of mediating a lively debate with Max and Charles over who will be the baby’s favorite brother, nearly trips over the rug in his rush to get to you. “Okay, okay, okay. Deep breaths, in and out.”
Lance, eyes wide as saucers, frantically begins googling “how to deliver a baby” on his phone while George starts making a list of things needed for the hospital. “Towels! We need towels, right?”
Lando is somewhere on another planet, muttering to himself, “This isn’t happening. I am not ready to see a baby being born. Nope, nope, nope.”
Mick tries to restore some order. “Calm down everyone. Y/N, are you sure it’s really labor?"
Before you can respond, Charles bursts through the door, holding a bucket of ice. “I read somewhere you might need ice. Here!”
You laugh through the discomfort, appreciating the chaos ensuing because of your grid kids’ concern. "Actually guys, I think it’s just Braxton Hicks. False alarm.”
A collective sigh of relief sweeps the room. Sebastian, still slightly pale, pulls you into a hug, “You sure know how to keep things exciting.”
Lance looks up from his phone, “What’s Braxton Hicks?”
“It’s like a rehearsal for the real thing,” George explains, folding up his hastily made list.
Max, trying to regain his cool, smirks, “Well, if that was a rehearsal, the main event is going to be epic.”
You chuckle, patting your belly, “Guess the little one just wanted to see how quickly you all could jump into action.”
Putting the “Student” in “Student Drivers”
As you and Sebastian sit on the couch, going over your prenatal class schedule, a curious George peeks over. “What’s that? Are those the birthing classes?”
You nod, “Yep! We’re starting next week. It’ll help us prepare for the big day.”
Suddenly, Charles pops up beside George, eyes widening in interest. “Can we come?”
“That sounds cool! I’ve always wondered what those classes are like.” Lando chimes in from where he’s keeping an ear out in the kitchen.
Sebastian looks a bit overwhelmed, “I thought it was just going to be the two of us.”
Lance joins the group, scrolling through a magazine article about celebrity dads attending birthing classes. “Look at this! It’s a thing now. We could all go and support you both.”
Max adds, “Besides, we’re family. We’ve been there through everything else. Why not this?”
“Do they even allow so many people to join?” Mick ponders.
You can’t help but laugh at the eager faces in front of you. “I never thought I’d have to bring an entourage to a birthing class.”
Sebastian rubs his temples. “Okay, how about this? We’ll ask the instructor if it’s okay. If they allow it, you guys can join on one condition.”
Lando bounces on his toes, “What’s that?”
“No teasing or making jokes during the class. We’re there to learn and be supportive.”
Charles nudges Max, “That’s mainly directed at you.”
Max fakes innocence. “Me? I would never!”
You shake your head, “Alright, I’ll call tomorrow and see if our little ... or rather large group can attend.”
Your grid kids cheer, excited about the new adventure. As they scatter, already planning and discussing among themselves, Sebastian leans over to whisper in your ear, “This baby is already turning our world upside down and they’re not even here yet.”
You smile and squeeze his hand, “With this family, every moment is an adventure.”
***
The birthing center’s usual tranquil ambiance is slightly offset by the excited chatter of the grid kids as you all enter. The instructor, a calm and composed woman named Clara, raises an eyebrow at the large group but doesn’t comment. After all, it’s not every day that half of the Formula 1 grid walks into her class.
The session starts with everyone introducing themselves. Most couples share sweet stories of their relationship journey. When it's your turn, Sebastian starts, “I’m Sebastian, this is my wife, Y/N,” he pauses, motioning to the group, “and these are ... our sons.”
The room erupts in chuckles. One of the expectant mothers quips, “That’s a lot of kids! You two have been busy!”
Clara moves on with the class, demonstrating breathing techniques. Everyone’s earnest attempt to follow along results in a mix of deep breathing, snorts, and a few stifled laughs. At one point, Max, struggling to get the rhythm right, looks over at Lando and mutters, “I feel like I’m preparing to go underwater.”
When it comes time for practicing labor positions, the grid kids enthusiastically volunteer. George and Charles end up demonstrating a position, with George playing the supporting partner and Charles the laboring mom-to-be. The sight of Charles leaning into George, pretending to be in labor, has the room laughing, especially when Charles exaggerates with dramatic moans.
Lance and Mick take a turn next and when Lance offers words of encouragement to “pregnant” Mick, saying, “You’re doing great, sweetie,” you almost fall off your chair laughing.
Towards the end of the class, Clara demonstrates the use of a birthing ball. Lando decides to take a leap onto one only to bounce off, crashing into Max and sending both of them tumbling to the ground. The room is in stitches.
Despite their hilarious antics, your grid kids genuinely try to grasp the concepts, asking thoughtful questions and engaging in the exercises.
As the class wraps up, Clara approaches you with a smile. “I must say, this has been the most ... lively class I’ve ever taught.”
You grin, “That’s one way to put it.”
She chuckles, “But it’s clear they all care deeply for you and want to support you both in any way they can.”
Sebastian nods, wrapping an arm around you, “We’re very lucky to have them.”
For Real This Time
Lando and Charles are in the middle of a heated argument over the best way to make a sandwich (complete with props and charts) when you suddenly feel a warm sensation. Looking down, your eyes widen. “Uh, guys?”
“What is it?” Sebastian jumps up right away.
You swallow, “I think my water just broke.”
For a moment, there’s stunned silence. Then … mayhem.
Max yells, “To the car! Now!” while Lance scrambles to grab the pre-packed hospital bag.
George accidentally knocks over a vase in his attempt to find your phone. “Sorry! We can clean that up later, right?”
Mick tries to maintain calm, “Everyone, deep breaths, remember the class?”
Lando, eyes wide, mutters, “This is nothing like the class.”
Upon arriving at the hospital, the reception area becomes a scene of organized chaos. As Sebastian wheels you in, the grid kids follow in a flustered procession.
A nurse at the reception desk blinks in surprise. “Is there a convention in town?”
Mick, panting slightly, replies, “No, just family.”
Lando adds, “The biggest family you’ve ever seen.”
Another nurse, recognizing some of the faces, chuckles, “Formula 1 drivers in the maternity ward? Now I’ve seen everything.”
Inside, as the medical team preps you, the grid kids stand outside, pacing and nervously waiting. They take turns peeking through the small window, offering waves and thumbs-up.
Sebastian holds your hand and doesn’t complain once as you grab back hard enough to break every bone in it, “You know, I’ve faced pressure on the track but this ... this is on another level.”
You chuckle, squeezing his hand, “Just remember, I’m doing the hard part.”
Soon enough, after what feels like both a minute and a lifetime, the beautiful cry of your newborn fills the room. Your grid kids, hearing the sound, cheer loudly, causing several nurses to hush them.
Charles, tears in his eyes, says, “We’re big brothers now. Like, for real.”
“Wait,” Lando interjects, “aren’t you already a big brother?”
“Shush mate, let me have this moment.”
Max rolls his eyes but smiles, “Welcome to the family, little one. We’re a bit crazy but we already love you so much.”
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rallamajoop · 2 months
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That time Heisenberg stabbed Ethan with a rusty fencepost
Thanks to this one fic project that needed a pornographically detailed list of Ethan’s most memorable injuries, I've spent some time trying to figure out exactly what Heisenberg stabs him with when they first met. Working mostly from a free-camera version from youtube, I settled on calling a metal pipe with a square profile.
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Tumblr: I was wrong. The reality is so much worse.
Having cracked the game files and installed my own free-camera mod, I tracked down the original asset for this thing, and, well...
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No, really, this is it! Check out those matching cross-bars if you doubt me.
FWIW, it isn’t actually a spear. Those semi-mangled crossbars flag it instead as a spear-headed fence-post. (This may not be a distinction that Ethan would find very comforting after being stabbed with the thing, but there it is, regardless.)
In fact, if you poke around the cemetery area just outside the castle gate, you can even find the fence it presumably came from.
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Look in on the cemetery near the church from the lane leading up to the Duke's shop beside it, and this is what you'll see.
It's not a perfect match (in fact, it's even worse viewed from the opposite side, because someone has clearly stuffed up the textures on different sides of the same asset). I'll also note that if you go back to this fence again after meeting Heisenberg, you won’t find any suspicious gaps in it where a post was recently ripped out. So I’m going to just go ahead and assume this particular piece was lying in a pile of surplus scrap in the cellar somewhere, and Heisenberg did not, in fact, drag the thing all the way there from well outside the whole damn building. I mean, at that point, you’re just showing off.
The fence post is, admittedly, pretty hard to get a good look at in the actual game. Unlike all the other crap Heisenberg already has levitating around him in this scene, the fencepost doesn’t appear at all until Heisenberg stabs Ethan with it. It actually seems to emerge at speed from between a couple of barrels at the back. But if you’re enough of a lunatic to play around with the various slow motion/rewind settings that came with the free camera mod, you can get a decent shot of it in flight, cleaning up any remaining doubt that this is the same asset that was used in game.
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It even freaking spins in the air as it moves. FTR, yes, it does go in pointy-end first. And the whole fucking spearhead ends up buried in poor Ethan. (Please feel free to insert your own dick-joke here.) Those paying really close attention might even note that the blood on Ethan's shirt is present even before the spear hits him, but that's just going to be virtual-stunt-coordination having a normal one.
I can offer you no similarly definitive insight into why Heisenberg would think stabbing Ethan with this thing was a good idea. I can’t even tell you if he knew for sure that it was Ethan Winters he was talking to at this point (maybe he's just playing dumb, pretending not to recognise him. Or maybe he legit didn't know that Ethan himself had made an appearance until Miranda told him. Sure, he's already got that whole conspiracy board, but finding real pictures of this Ethan-guy is surprisingly hard.) But whether Heis was already testing out Ethan’s ‘interesting body’, or whether he’d just generally assumed that anyone who could survive a full lycan assault on the village wouldn’t be too seriously inconvenienced by a little stabbing, hoo boy was this one way to make a first impression.
I’m not even sure which of these losers is the bigger idiot here: the one who imagined Ethan might still agree to work with him even after inserting a very convincing imitation-spearhead into his intestines, or the one who never thought to seriously question how he keeps shrugging off injuries just as exciting as this one.
They probably deserve each other.
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pen-and-umbra · 3 days
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FFVII Rebirth introduces something never extensively explored in the original game or in the compilation of Final Fantasy VII: Sephiroth's anger towards Professor Gast’s experiment and the contempt he came to harbor towards ShinRA as an organization.
(Herein lurk spoilers.)
While the latter is something the fans have glimpsed on and off throughout previous installments, the second part of the Remake amplifies it ever so more. What began as admitting that the company had fabricated his legend and expressing a desire to live a normal life in Ever Crisis gradually transforms into a lack of clarity regarding his reasons for fighting in Before Crisis (as prompted by Elfe), followed by an open disgust towards Hojo's and Hollander's experiments when confronted with Mako pod entities during the hunt for Genesis. Sephiroth and Zack's ordeal during Crisis Core events appears to undercut his willingness to stay, as he famously considers leaving the corporation right before embarking on the ill-fated Nibelheim expedition.
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FFVIIRb picks off where we left off, painting a more complete picture of Sephiroth's dissatisfaction with ShinRA overall. Interestingly, one of the discarded sequences from the original game featured Sephiroth hinting at his lack of affection for his employer as early as the truck ride.
Narratively, the sequence spans the gap between OG and Crisis Core's departure cutscene, implying that Sephiroth used the time on the road to reflect on his current and future connection with ShinRA. His companion, however, does not appear to understand why he is bringing the topic up. What distinguishes Rebirth is the suggestion that Sephiroth came to view the entire ShinRA system as a problem, rather than just a few rotten apples. He no longer singles out Hojo, but rather the entire ShinRA branch, indicating that something's wrong with the system. When "Cloud" casually inquires about the problem with the Nibelheim reactor, Sephiroth responds that it is "people who run it," adding that this particular site is controlled by the Research and Development department. In addition, in response to "Cloud's" fair comment regrading the lack of transparency in company's operation, he rather sarcastically suggests to bring the issue with the President, thus implicitly conveying the futility of the endeavor.
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When the party encounters Mako pod residents, one can detect genuine rage in his voice. While Sephiroth had previously shown bitterness for the test subjects during CC, it was tinged with disgust/pity rather than wrath. And once again, I’m grateful to Tyler Hoechlin for broadening his range in this particular segment.
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"Cloud's" reaction to the contents of the pods, however, came off a little weird. The confusion appears out of place, because Zack had seen it all before — he had been there to watch the aftermath of Hollander's work; is it really odd that ShinRA's chief R&D scientist spearheaded the entire thing? Perhaps, unlike Sephiroth, Zack treated it as a rotten-apple issue, rather than a systemic issue. Or maybe this is an example of Cloud being an unreliable narrator, having conflated his own experience with that of Zack, which also explains Zack being sort of too green for the First Class throughout the Nibelheim portion of the game.
The shift in Sephiroth's perspective, from singling out Hojo's misdeeds to viewing ShinRA's itself as a systemic problem, is further highlighted during the mansion segment. This is no longer a strictly Hollander or Hojo issue. Human experimentation formed the fundamental core of what ShinRA is now, and those were approved from the very top. As Sephiroth puts it with barely concealed disgust, as soon as the company realized what had fallen into their hands, they became ambitious.
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The wording also strikes a contrast to how he used to refer to the company in the past; as such, when Angeal deserts, Sephiroth states that Angeal has betrayed “US”, which points at both his personal connection to the person and the fact that Sephiroth likely saw himself as part of ShinRA circle. In the library, however, he distances himself by referring to the company as THEM, thus no longer perceiving himself as a part of it.
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More important still is the rage he expresses when quoting excerpts from Gast's notes. The anger is new, never before seen touch. Sephiroth has been portrayed in the moment differently throughout earlier installments — dejected, perhaps overwhelmed, but never angry enough to snarl and nearly flip the table.
And it's wonderful. It's authentic, and it makes sense. It makes you question how much of that rage has been bottled up, compartmentalized, and never fully processed throughout the years. That rage should have existed, but was suppressed by ShinRA, before becoming internalized and sealed.
The scene is extremely on point on another level as well. As the flash of rage passes, and Sephiroth looks away, hiding eyes behind bangs — a gesture previously briefly appearing in Crisis Core.
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One could interpret the body language as being ashamed and unwilling to show his composure cracking. Even in this state he KNOWS he wasn't supposed to let anyone see hurt or anger, wasn't supposed to lose cool. The "wonder child" and the "poster boy" is not to be seen as something other than “efficacious” and “collected”. The habit of suppressing displays of emotion or physical/psychological ailment had apparently become a part of himself. It doesn't take a lot of imagination to deduce why the habit persists. The internalized compulsion to live up to the expectations placed on him by ShinRA and the myth it imposed on his character, as well as the internalized imperative not to reveal to someone like Hojo — anyone— the extent to which their acts or words affect him. There's also another layer to this shame — one of being an artificial creation, but that's for another write up.
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The anger towards Gast differs greatly from the way Sephiroth went “Why didn't you tell me?” in previous iterations of the Nibelheim incident. In retrospect, Gast's supervision of the project, involvement in Sephiroth's life, and unexpected departure seem like a betrayal. Gast had not only abandoned Sephiroth, who had likely come to see him as a salient figure in his youth, but had also been lying to him all along, until finally discarding him, as Sephiroth might believe. Gast therefore falls from grace, becoming yet another person who misled, attempted to exploit, and eventually abandoned him to deal with the consequences on his own.
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sp0o0kylights · 27 days
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I started writing an enemies to lovers Steddie fic that starts off as Tommy/Steve/Carol with this prompt except Im tired and I lost the plot lmao so instead let me float the images of:
Modern college town AU featuring frat president Steve, who's been convinced no one will ever really love him by his parents, his past relationships, and Tommy & Carol. The latter not only "date" him but regularly use him and his money by utilizing his self worth issues against him.
Hes barely scrapping by in class, kind of wants to pick up a side job to get out from under his parents financial thumb, and enjoys talking shit with his sort of new friend Robin at a retro vinyl store, but with Tommy and Carol reporting back to his parents/the frat he's not able to take up Robin's offer to work there with her.
The frat keeps him busy the rest of the time--he's a legacy, and several members are deeply entrenched into a competition against the other fraternities that frequently cause problems on campus due to their pranks, parties and general bullshit. Steve has to run shoulders with the college Dean and such a LOT to peace keep.
Eddie works at the major game shop across the road from the vinyl place, which helps pay for the automotive program he's in part time at the college. He runs all the D&D campaigns, including several for adults and kids. A lot of the events he tries to get going on campus get shut down as the school and police target him and the "scary kids" in a show of misdirected anger at the frats they can't touch without risk of losing out on their parents money.
Eddies particularly pissed at Steve after an infamous incident involving Eddie spearheading a pokemon go event that came into contact with some kind of frat beer run, which led to Eddie being wrongfully arrested.
Their enemies piece began with Eddie storming into Steve's frat, demanding he do something as he's one of the more influential presidents and Steve, goaded on by Tommy and Carol, refusing.
This is further cemented when Eddie finds out one of his favorite high school players, Dustin, is close with Steve and defends him constantly, refusing to elaborate much when pressed other than to tell Eddie that Steve used to watch Dustin a lot as a babysitting gig and he's a "really good guy under all the frat shit Eddie, seriously."
(Dustin does not elaborate that his mother was on the PTA with Steve's mother and that she clocked his parents abuse, and used the babysitting angle to get Steve out of that house as a kid, and Steve sees Ma Henderson more as a proper parental figure than his own parents.)
Throw in some light sub/dom dynamics, Eddie breaking into Steve's room as revenge only to overhear Tommy and Carol being downright vicious to him, and a "who did this to you" crying in the rain scene before the prompt line finally kicks in.
I wanted Tommy and Carol to be fucking gagging crying throwing up furious when Steve finally blows it all up, and for the fallout to be so insane for Steve that he ends up either starting his own frat with Eddie or throwing away his title entirely and having several of the not shit frat boys follow him out.
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