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anonymoushouseplantfan · 3 years

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From The Telegraph, March 25th,

“Unlike Oprah, Tom Bower’s unauthorised Meghan Markle biography will pull no punches”

After scathing books on Prince Charles, Robert Maxwell and Simon Cowell, the bloodhound of biography has a new target: the Duchess of Sussex

by Jake Kerridge 25 March 2021 • 6:31pm

For a public figure they must be the five most terrifying words in the language: “Tom Bower’s writing your biography”. So there’s likely to be wailing and gnashing of teeth in Montecito today with the news that Bower has signed a six-figure deal to write the unofficial life of the Duchess of Sussex.

The book is likely to present a very different reading experience for the Duchess than last year’s joint biography of herself and her husband, Finding Freedom by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand. If that treacly hagiography was a soothing ego-massage, Bower’s book will feel more like going 10 rounds with Tyson Fury.

Bower has a reputation for taking no prisoners - one critic has called him “the undisputed Witchfinder General of contemporary biographers”. His twin specialities are mega-rich entrepreneurs (Robert Maxwell, Branson, Simon Cowell) and politicians (Blair, Brown, Corbyn, Johnson). But whoever he writes about, few readers come away with the impression that they’ve been reading about a thoroughly decent sort.

He’s been said to specialise in “men with something to hide”. Meghan Markle will be a rare female subject, but one assumes he wouldn’t be bothering with her unless he thought she had secrets to ferret out. It’s a safe bet that he won’t ignore the anomalies in the Duchess’s account of the past few years’ events, as Oprah Winfrey conspicuously did.

It won’t be Bower’s first attempt at a royal biography. He’s already given Meghan’s father-in-law a going-over in the uncompromisingly titled Rebel Prince: The Power, Passion and Defiance of Prince Charles (2018).

The critic Craig Brown, in The Mail on Sunday, quoted the entries in the index under Charles’s character in their entirety: “refusal to accept blame; self-doubt; disloyalty; victims of; dislike of criticism/dissenting views; scapegoats; self-pity; intolerance/bad temper; sense of superiority; grudges; selfishness; resentment of Diana; derogatory comments about Diana; on himself; discourteousness.” As Brown noted, not a single positive characteristic got a look-in.

The book also claimed to have unearthed private remarks that Camilla Parker Bowles (as she then was) made about Diana, Princess of Wales when the latter was alive - among them, that she was a “mad cow”.

And yet despite Bower’s clear antipathy to the Prince of Wales, I’m not going to bet on his taking Meghan’s side against Charles. In an article in The Sun earlier this month, Bower launched a broadside against her.

“Convinced of her own greatness, Meghan thinks she has, for years, been the victim of plots to destroy her destiny. While others shone in leading roles, Meghan had bit parts,” he declared, adding that after she was written out of the television series Suits, she “brilliantly… invented a new script” and “ruthlessly” carried out a carefully planned scheme to ensnare Prince Harry. In his view, Meghan never intended to “sacrifice her Californian lifestyle and serve as a member of the Royal Family in rainy Britain” for long.

“Refusing to show son Archie’s face to the camera after his birth and demanding privacy, while constantly speaking to US journalists, confirmed her hypocrisy,” he went on, before comparing her unfavourably with Wallis Simpson (“[unlike] the Duke and Duchess of Windsor… Meghan and Harry clearly do not care about the uproar they are causing”).

His final complaint is that “in her selfish manner, she believes that she is entitled to say what she wants to Oprah Winfrey [and] those who criticise her inventions are racist and sexist.” Nobody is going to mistake his biography for a love letter, I imagine.

Of course any number of newspaper columnists have spouted hot air about Meghan’s supposed hypocrisy and perfidy. The reason Bower is such a terrifying prospect is that he does the legwork to back up his assertions.

One doubts he will take the Piers Morgan line of directly accusing the Duchess of ‘lying’ in her claims to have suffered from mental illness - not out of sensitivity to the current national conversation about mental health, but because it would be an accusation very difficult to prove. Bower will not lash out in anger, but base any accusations he makes on the testimony of the eyewitnesses he tracks down.

He has already said he will spend a year working on the book, and he will use that time to the full. It’s a luxury for an investigative journalist to have that much time to spend on a single project, but Bower is able to do so because his biographies bring in a lot of money - not just because the gossip-hungry reading public buys them in droves, but also because newspapers pay huge sums for the serialisation rights.

And the more successful Bower becomes, the more people want to talk to him, and the better the scoops get. It’s true that he’s rarely granted interviews with his subjects these days - earlier in his career he got more material straight from the horse’s mouth. But it soon became clear that Mohamed Al-Fayed, Richard Branson or Simon Cowell were not getting to control the book’s narrative just because they gave Bower a lot of help; his subjects have generally stopped agreeing to collaborate.

Bower, however, has said that he actually prefers to work without his subject’s cooperation - or, indeed, approval. In his view, the ability to read and understand company accounts, or a nose for the former employee who might have reasons to feel disloyal, are more valuable than hours spent closeted with the star of the book. That’s fortunate, as a spokesman for the Duchess has made it clear already that she won’t be speaking to Bower.

So who is Bower? The 74-year-old author - whose long, mournful face has often been cited as perfectly suited to the bloodhound of modern biography - was born in London as Thomas Bauer, the son of Jewish refugees from Prague; “politics and history were there with my mother’s milk,” he once said. He was called to the Bar at Gray’s Inn in 1969, but soon left the law: “It was so class-ridden and depressing, and I realised what I really wanted to do was see things and travel and write about things.”

He then spent 25 years at the BBC, notably as a producer on Panorama, where he gained a reputation as a demanding colleague who would stop at nothing to make striking television journalism. For one story involving dodgy goings-on at a care home, he wanted to film the funeral of one of the residents, but the home’s owners kept the crew out; so he bribed the gravediggers afterwards to raise the coffin and then rebury it on camera.

On another occasion, when his crew confronted a sheep farmer accused of maltreating animals, the man caught hold of Bower with his crook and beat him up. “He just stood there, rather in the pose of Jesus Christ, and took it all,” a colleague recalled. “I suppose he knew it would make the film that much more dramatic.”

Bower started to make his name as an author with books on Nazis, notably The Paperclip Conspiracy (1987), in which he railed against the way in which Nazi rocket scientists were absolved for war crimes if they offered their services to the Allies’ nuclear weapons programmes.

He left the BBC in 1995, claiming to be outraged that a film he made about Robert Maxwell was de-fanged by the Corporation’s lawyers. He has rarely missed an opportunity since to complain about how Panorama and the rest of the BBC’s current affairs output has been “Birtised into banality” - John Birt being in his view “a Stalinist vandal who destroyed the old guard’s journalistic legacy”.

Meanwhile he went from strength to strength as a biographer - although this was not necessarily the view of his subjects. Robert Maxwell launched numerous lawsuits against Bower, who claims that Maxwell had private detectives break into his house and go through his records; and although Bower’s Maxwell: The Outsider (1991) was a huge success in hardback, Maxwell delayed the paperback edition by buying the publishing company that held the rights. After Maxwell’s death, Bower’s assertions about his questionable business dealings were fully vindicated.

Bower’s sharply critical 2000 biography of Richard Branson was widely thought to have scuppered Branson’s bid to run the National Lottery. Branson, who unsuccessfully sued Bower, declared of the biography: “What I have read has offended me on every single level … It is a foul, foul piece of work from the first words to the last – really rotten, nasty stuff,” - a quote that was proudly included on the book jacket.

Bower has since published a further volume on Branson, insisting that the Virgin tycoon is nowhere near as successful as he claims to be: “if he’s a billionaire why would he rent out his home on Necker? What other billionaire rents out their home? It’s like a bed and breakfast. It’s ridiculous,” Bower told the New Statesman.

Further legal trouble ensued after Bower published Dancing on the Edge (2005), a biography of the Canadian media tycoon Conrad Black and his wife Barbara Amiel. Black’s threats of legal action were curtailed by his conviction for fraud, but another media mogul, Richard Desmond, sued Bower over the way he was portrayed in the book. As usual, Bower was victorious in court, and afterwards the jurors mobbed Bower and asked him to sign their copies of his book; it’s obviously not easy to convince juries that Britain’s foremost crusading biographer should be put in his place.

What drives Bower? “He struck me as messianic, almost to the point of being unbalanced,” the Labour politician Geoffrey Robinson, subject of The Paymaster (2001), observed of his first meeting with Bower. But Bower’s zealous pursuit of anything he regards as unethical sometimes sits uneasily alongside his prurience when writing about sexual scandals - he’s not one for passing over the juicy details in silence. One sometimes wonders how proud he can be of some of his books - can he really have shared the newspapers’ excitement about his revelation that Simon Cowell once had an affair with his fellow X Factor judge Dannii Minogue?

Opinion remains divided about Bower. Readers love his books and many of his fellow journalists admire him: “The only problem with journalists like Tom Bower is that there are not enough of them,” John Humphrys has said.

But there has been criticism. The late Guardian editor Peter Preston said of his books: “you need a little human understanding in the mix as well. And that … is not Bower’s forte.” The Independent on Sunday quoted an anonymous academic in 2007 as saying: “There is a theory among some senior journalists and documentary makers that he has gone off the boil recently and replaced the evidence-gathering with which he made his name with bile and innuendo.”

The Right-leaning journalist Peter Oborne denounced Bower’s 2019 biography of Jeremy Corbyn as far too one-sided: “[it] systematically omits relevant facts in order to portray Corbyn as a ruthless Marxist and antisemite hellbent on destroying western liberal values.” His recent biography of Boris Johnson, The Gambler, was, conversely, accused by some of pulling its punches.

Bower’s views on these matters are unknown; he rarely talks to journalists, saying he does not wish to give his enemies ammunition against him by going on the public record. He lives quietly in Hampstead and Wiltshire - where he is said to be in with the horsey set. His wife is Veronica Wadley, former editor of the Evening Standard and subsequently an advisor to Boris Johnson when he was Mayor of London; last year she was made a Conservative peer under the appropriately journalistic title of Baroness Fleet.

My own advice to the Duchess of Sussex would be to follow Bower’s example and keep her own counsel: anything negative she says about him will only end up adorning the book jacket. And legal action would probably not be a wise move. As Bower once observed, “Robert Maxwell sued me many times - and look what happened to him.”

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LOL, Tom Bower is absolutely going to get sued. He’ll probably enjoy it too.

But I’m looking forward to the book because Bower usually gets into the money flows and I really hope we get some transparency about those. I hope he also writes about who was the delusional idiot in the royal household who championed the Harkles and sold everyone on the idea that they would stick around and actually do work, but I doubt we’ll get anything like that. I don’t think he has the contacts to cover than story properly. Maybe he’ll surprise me though.

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readermishok · 3 years

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Top 20: my favorite interactive stories

Hello, guys!

Once I saw that one of my popular and mostly likeable posts was about IF, I decided to share with you my personal top of the best IF authors I have known.

I read a lot of WIPs (work in progress) and finished novels since three long years, so I might recommend truly incredible stories. I apologies for adding pics and some additional info about my MC, but I wanted to bring spark of life into this top.

MC – Julia (deShanre), she|her.

I'll start with telling about quartet of works greatly affected on me. It was almost like… living my second life. It felt so real, so vibrant. In the darkest times it gave me the strenght to meet the next day.

1. Samurai of Hyuga, Books 1-4 by Devon Connell (WIP, planned 7 books). Patreon. Buy Book 1. Buy Book 2. Buy Book 3. Buy Book 4.

Samurai of Hyuga is a brutal, heart-pounding interactive tale. Prepare to enter the land of silk and steel, where fantasy clashes against grim reality, and where the good guys don't always win in the end. It's a harsh world with tough choices at every turn. Good thing you're the toughest ronin around.

My MC: Ronin, the master of the Jigoku Ittō-ryū, The Sword Who Cuts the Heavens

Jigoku:

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2. Fallen Hero by Malin Ryden (WIP, planned 4 books). Tumblr: @fallenhero-rebirth. Patreon. Buy Book 1.

Become the greatest telepathic villain Los Diablos has ever known! Once you were famous; soon you will be infamous. That is, unless your old friends in the Rangers stop you first. Juggle different identities and preserve your secrets as you build new alliances and try to forget the friendships you've left behind.

My MC: Sidestep Puppetmaster:

Jane (puppet):

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3. I, the Forgotten one by Bacondoneright (WIP, planned dilogy). No tumblr or Patreon|Ko-fi. Demo.

It has been five long years since the end of The Border Wars. Five long years without a purpose. Endlessly drifting around from one job to the next, serving your apathetic father only to receive no credit. Nobody in Kanton truly knows what you did. How you won The War, leading the armies of Kanton as a youth.

Nobody knows what it took out of you. Spending your formative years in war is not good for one’s outlook on life. Your emotions now lie behind a mask of stoicism. After all, all emotions do is cloud one’s judgement and wind up costing lives.

Nobody knows how much it hurt to be cast down from the throne and succession. To be disinherited, cast away from the family, and left aside to die.

My MC: The Marshal, the bastard child:

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4. The Exile by Pheo (WIP). Tumblr: @exilethegame. Patreon. Demo.

You’re the ex-commander of the Kingdom of Plaithus, and your name is known by all. It used to be whispered in fear by your enemies, and the very mention of it could send men fleeing. Your people had cried it out in battle, swords raised in your honor as they faced death fearlessly. You were a hero, and to some, a legend.

Until you weren’t.

You can’t remember what happened. All that’s left are blurry faces, screams, and the feeling of blood on your hands. The only reason you still have your head is because of the pity of an old friend.

And now? It’s only been a year since the incident, and already things are going wrong again when a rather peculiar sorcerer offers you absurd amounts of gold in exchange for protection from… well, that’s the problem, isn’t it? You don’t know.

My MC: the Commander:

Ex-commander.

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Shepherds of Haven by Lena Nguyen (WIP). Tumblr: @shepherds-of-haven Patreon. Demo.

Shepherds of Haven is a dark fantasy interactive fiction game. In it, you play as a Mage living in a world where magic is outlawed and your people—those possessing supernatural powers—are oppressed and reviled. The world is ruled by humans who believe in science, technology, and industry: at best, you and your kind are nothing more than a fairytale, and at worst you are the state’s greatest threat.

My MC: Human Mage, gunner

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God of the Red Mountain (WIP). Tumblr: @friendlybowlofsoup Demo.

You are a spirit born of the Red Mountain–though you’ve run away from it long ago. You’d be content to stay away, too, if not for the mountain god who suddenly comes looking for you. But what purpose do they have? And what exactly is your end goal?

Based on East Asian myths and folklore, you play as a powerful, nameless spirit in a shifting world. As a being caught between death and life, you are connected to a stream of limitless power, and the more you are known, the more powerful you become.

However, your journey will not be so smooth. You have been cursed by powerful, malignant beings known as Foxes, and it’s only a matter of time before you fall from sanity yourself.

My MC: Owl spirit, human appearance

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The Bastard of Camelot by Rebelgirl (WIP). Tumblr: @llamagirl28 Demo. Ko-fi.

Your child will be the undoing of Camelot. Born under an ominous prophecy, you are the incestuous bastard of King Arthur and Morgana Le Fay. Will you fulfill the prophecy, or rebel?

Be the villain they expect you to be, or the hero they don’t- be remorseful or unapologetic, make your destiny or be Morgana’s tool of revenge.

Arthur can’t have any more children, making you the sole blood heir, and sole other Pendragon. As a Pendragon, you have the power of dragons.

The Bastard of Camelot is a trilogy following Mordred as they become a knight of the Round Table, and save or destroy Camelot.

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The Seven Heirs of Ophaesia: Part One by (WIP). Tumblr: @fantasyfawkes Demo. Patreon.

The Seven Heirs of Ophaesia is a low-fantasy game set in a Renaissance-esque world where you play as one of seven heirs to a fictional kingdom rife with intrigue. As the King’s seventh child, you are a prince or princess of Ophaesia, a luxurious nation along the southern coast of Selanes. You are the first child of your father’s third wife, a woman hated throughout the realm due to the pervasive suspicion that she poisoned the previous queen, and her poor reputation taints your image in the eyes of the court and beyond. From your days in the palace nursery all the way to adulthood, you must navigate treacherous court politics and delicate foreign affairs while trying to find your place in the world — and your family.

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Attollo by A.E. Jendryke (WIP). Tumblr: @attollogame Demo. Patreon.

After several years of radio silence, you receive a message from your younger sibling that carries a strange sense of urgency to it. Either out of familial concern, or boredom, you embark on a journey from your residence to your siblings apartment in New Hampshire to see what’s wrong and then get on with your life. Too bad it’s never so simple.

Deal with cults, interdimensional entities, and far too many people with superpowers (where, for once, you’re the odd one out) in your journey to bring your sibling back from an underworld far out of your control.

My MC: lawyer

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Land of the Dragon (WIP) by Hilsee Foo. Demo. Last update was long ago... (crying)

Welcome to the Land of the Dragon! Here you shall experience an adventure in an ancient land, navigate court politics, forge friendships, and maybe even pursue romance if you so choose!

The Dragon Emperor sits upon the throne, as he inherited it from his father before him. But all is not well in the realm. In the provinces, an Uprising is gaining both strength and popularity. At court, the Elder Prince plots in secret to usurp his brother's throne. And within the Emperor's harem, the Empress and Imperial Consort vie for power.

As the Emperor and Empress' only trueborn child, you are at the centre of this power struggle. When all hell breaks lose on your 21st nameday, what will you do to find your place in this world?

All this, and more... In the Land of the Dragon.

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The Northern Passage by Kit H.J. (WIP). Tumblr: @northern-passage Demo.

The Northern Passage is a horror fantasy CYOA, where you play as a hunter sent up north to investigate a series of missing people along the border and in the port cities of the Blackwater.

Working with your handler, Lea, you will travel north and discover that things are far worse than you ever could have imagined, and that there is something powerful lurking out in the deep, dark sea…

My MC: Hunter

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The Nameless by Parker Lyn (WIP). Tumblr: @parkerlyn Demo. Ko-fi.

The Nameless is a low fantasy WIP that is character and romance driven, with your race (sheevra) loosely based on stories about the fey and other myths. Where deals are a weapon and a name is the most intimate secret someone can offer. You play as a sheevra investigating the city of Renescen after the complete disappearance of one of four sheevra Clans in the world, running across a ragtag group of both sheevra and mortalis along the way.

Will you find out what happened before it comes for you?

Mortalis appearance

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Virtue’s End by Crimsis (WIP). Tumblr: @virtuesend-if Demo. Patreon.

In a dark world overrun by monsters from the shadow plane, you exist as a hybrid monster hunter called a helvling, a human whose very soul has been Bound to one such entity. Travelling from warded settlement to warded settlement with your surly Keeper, Shea, you have the thankless task of defending the common folk against these horrors from Hel.

Usually, a fate such as yours is only reserved for the lowest of criminals, as penance for their loathsome deeds… You wouldn’t know if your fate has been deserved, however, since upon completion of your Binding seven years ago, all former memories of your human life have been lost.

You’ve been moulded into a weapon by the Virtuous Order, trained to be an unfeeling and ruthlessly efficient hunter… But is that who you are? Who are you, truly?

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A Tale of Crowns (WIP). Tumblr: @ataleofcrowns Itch.

A Tale of Crowns is a high fantasy love story with Middle Eastern roots, both on pc as well as mobile! It’s entirely text-based, with choices throughout to shape both your main character’s personality and skills as well as influence their relationships with others. There are four love interests for you to choose from, both female as well as male, each with their own stories and secrets for you to uncover!

Crown of Arsur

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Wayfarer (WIP). Tumblr: @idrellegames Demo. Patreon.

When your mercenary work backs you into a corner, you take the only option available and accept a contract: to travel to the city of Velantis and steal an ancient artifact said to be blessed by the gods. Simple, right?

But Velantis holds more than you bargained for. Gathering a ragtag party of malcontents and renegades from across the city, you must navigate enemy factions, meddling guilds, and escalating political tensions. Your choices will ultimately determine the city’s fate – and the fate of every person who lives there.

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When Twilight Strikes by evertidings (WIP). Tumblr: @evertidings Demo.

You are a bounty hunter. Responsible for taking in rogue supernaturals, you work for IAOS—the International Agency of Supernaturals—where, alongside your best friend and partner, you two have quickly become the best hunting duo of the branch. After a particular tricky hunt, you brief your boss, Caine Atheron, and come back to work the next day to find that he has mysteriously disappeared overnight, the company is now in the hands of his best friend, Sebastian Mai. And though no one else seems to question it, something tells you that there’s more to the story.

With bounty cases rising at an alarming rate and a second mystery unfolding, you and your ragtag team of allies set out to find the truth.

But as you go further and further, the secrets you uncover begin to make you question: who… or what exactly are you fighting for?

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Passanger by Pime (WIP). Tumblr: @the-passenger-if Demo. Ko-fi.

Do you like monsters? Do you think they are the best part of their respective movies, books, and shows? Then The Passenger might be the game for you.

The Passenger is a choice script work in progress in which you are an eldritch abomination that’s about to be devoured by another unthinkable creature. Good news is you are pretty crafty and know how to jump dimensions to escape your ghastly fate; bad news is, you’re now stuck on Earth, trapped inside a dumb human larva.

As years go by, you realize the amount of energy you need to leave this horrible dimension behind is a lot more than you anticipated. Not to mention the creature that almost ate you all those years ago never really stopped looking for you. But there’s no way it’ll pinpoint your actual location… right?

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Scout: An Apocalypse Story by Anya (WIP). Tumblr: @anya-dev Itch.

It has been over a decade since a worldwide natural disaster obliterated the natural planet and decimated human civilization. There are small groups of humans still alive, fending for themselves, trying to create communities amongst the rubble.

You are a 24-year old scout living in a small community on the edge of the Orange Plains. You lost your mother and your sister before finding your way here. You are primarily an academic, and you put your skills to use on regular scouting missions. With your best friend and your scouting team leader in tow, your small group is a pillar of the Community.

On your first scouting mission of the hot season, you meet the leader of the People Across the Orange Plains. Will you break from the Community you have known your whole life? Ask a romantic partner to join you? Discover secrets that your own people have been hiding? Become a leader yourself?

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Body Count by Nell Bolton (WIP). Tumblr: @bodycountgame Demo. Ko-fi.

Your life isn’t going how you’d hoped. Despite having big plans when you graduated, you’re stuck in a dead end job and a crappy flat with zero romantic life to speak of. All until a friend convinces you to join the cast of a new reality TV show.

The premise is simple: 12 singles are sent to a villa on a tropical island and they live there together for a month. After 28 days, the couple who is voted by the other islanders as being most likely to withstand the test of time will win £500,000. In addition, the couple with the highest body count will win £500,000. Total prize pool? £1,000,000.

In this context, “body count” refers to how many people you’ve slept with… right? Well, that’s what you think when you sign your contract. Turns out, though, that not all of your fellow cast members will be using that definition to get to the prize.

Fall in love, win big money, solve some murders and try to stay.

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Project Hadea by nyehilism (WIP). Tumblr: @nyehilismwriting Itch. Ko-fi.

You play as an OPERATIVE of Scytha Industries, a highly selective private security company. As their most elite Operative, you possess many skills and talents, not to mention top-of-the-line equipment - including your very own AI module, IVI.

This, of course, puts a price on your head. An AI module goes for billions on the black market; carrying one around in your skull is, perhaps, not the safest idea. Sure, you’re more than a match for anyone who might come after you - but no-one outside the high levels of Scytha knows about it, so you should be safe anyway, right?

Wrong.

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

I do want to thank all these tremendously talented authors for creating such complex and beautiful worlds. I love it with all my soul.

Thanks for reading, I hope you will find story for yourself. I’ll gradually extand this top!

Stay tuned.

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technicallyr43 · 3 years

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I’ve had this stuck in my head for awhile, so let me lay out the bones of a story for y’all. Watch me obliterate canon for some fandoms.

The apocalypse, where Lucifer led some angels and rebelled against god and were subsequently banished from heaven. Some say that it was due to them not agreeing that humans should be a part of Gods love. Some say they didn’t agree with Gods plan. But the truth is that it was never about the humans. It was about a brother.

The Archangels were all brothers. The first born, Gabriel, the might of god, who was his first and spread his word making the others. Michael, who was like god, who carried out His wishes without hesitation . Raphael, who healed like god, a kind soul who treated anyone and everyone without prejudice. Lucifer, the light of god, who led the younger angels in worship and led them. Uriel, the judgement of god, who sought justice for all and burned with fire. Amenadiel, the warrior of god, who upheld the law of all that was foretold and wouldn’t lose a battle.

With the creation of Angels, and their sub-species, the archangels had a hand in governing over the younger brood. And then God created humans. The Angels viewed the humans as beneath them, and wondered why God would create a lesser being. Some questioned outright, others to themselves. Lucifer asked the most questions, raised the most concerns. But none that were enough to be exiled. Until a tragedy struck.

The first born, Gabriel, was murdered. His soul disappeared and his grace dispersed. It was such a shock that it caused unnatural disasters on earth, and all the beings felt it. Everyone was in shock. How could such a powerful angel suddenly die? The Archangels pleaded with God to ask what happened, but God remained silent. And so, the unrest continued until the 2 sides broke apart and started the War.

The apocalypse lasted years, until finally Michael struck down Lucifer and the other angels, causing them to fall to Earth, and then keep falling. They fell past the dirt and the stone into Hell, and then God spoke to Lucifer.

“This is your realm now. The deepest pit of the darkest corner contains an evil that even I cannot contain. Protect it and you shall have free will.”

And so Lucifer did. He raged against it but when he found out who was behind the prison, he reluctantly guarded it. The fallen angels became demons, and humanity grew.

With the fall of Lucifer, the death of Gabriel and the disappearance of Raphael, the upper echelons of Heaven scrambled to put it back in order. Angels were promoted to higher places, and prophecies were spoken as everyone knew that another war would happen. And then the events of Good Omen happen.

After Adam says no to the apocalypse, Heaven and Hell are making new plans, but then Lucifer leaves Hell, and the good TV show we know as Lucifer starts. And because it’s now been brought to my attention that Lucifer is also part of DC, Arrow, Flash, and Supergirl are here too. Superman finds a little girl and he takes her to Flash Bc she’s got some weird power to rewind stuff.

So one day, a battle starts out, and an evil creature named Lilith starts destroying the world. The heroes are trying to fight her but she’s too strong. Then Lucifer comes to fight, and the archangels too. They don’t know why they fee the need to fight, but they do. Crowley and Aziraphael are there too, and the battle rages on and everyone takes refuge in a crumpled church. They’re all tired and injured, some dying, and it’s clear they’ve lost. And then they hear someone ask them if the battle must go on.

Everyone looks up at the altar and see a long blonde haired man looking at them warmly. The flash crew recognize him and Cisco is like, “yo gabe! Wtf, you disappeared like months ago and ur showing up now. I got some shitty timing”. Gabe just laughs and Crowley is looking like he’s seen a ghost, and says, “did you call him Gabe?”.

Aziraphael asks if he’s alright and why that matters, but Gabe just answers, “it would be you to recognize me like this, Raphael.” The other archangels lose their shit, Bc they realize that Crowley is the missing Raphael and this man is their supposed-to-be-dead brother. They explain that the apocalypse happened Bc of Gabriel dying, and are understandably upset. Gabe just smiles and starts singing “You will be found” from Dear Evan Hansen. (I found that the lyrics are pretty spot on for what happens in this plot)

While he’s singing, their wounds start healing and they feel rejuvenated. And suddenly the little girl screams out “Papa”, and runs to Gabe. Her little horn activates and her rewind power envelopes the whole planet as it rewound to before Lilith started killin people. By the time they’re done, Lilith has noticed Gabe and is boiling in rage.

Because before the Archangels, God created something else. He created Leviathans, a grotesque creature that devours all good. Recognizing his mistake, he create the first archangel, Gabriel to fight them. The both of them successfully lock them up in the prison that the Goddess is locked up in, separated but contained. Well, after God created Humans, a Leviathan broke out due to a human being curious, and immediately went to Heaven to feast of the angel grace up there. Gabriel was able to stop them from entering the gates, but was seriously wounded by the beast. God entered the fray, and was able to immobilize Lilith, the leviathan, but was distracted by Gabriel quickly dying AO she escaped to another dimension. God immediately used an enormous amount of energy to take Gabriel’s soul and fling it to a dimension where he could be born again and find his grace when he’s ready. But after that, he was too weak to speak to the other angels without hurting them. So remained silent until he was able to gather strength to speak to Lucifer about the prison.

And Gabriel was reborn in the MHA world as Hizashi Yamada. He became a hero, a teacher, a radio host, a husband and a parent, before Lilith found him and yanked him and his daughter, Eri, into the dimension she was in. Gabe was able to get back his grace and flung Eri to somewhere she would be safe before ripping his grace out of him and flinging it back to his world and dropping from the dimension stream. He found himself in the Flash world, with no memory. His grace split apart, finding itself into his husband, Aizawa Shouta, and his children, shinsou Hitoshi and Eri. And then enough found it’s way back to him so he could remember and perform the miracle he did at the church. And when Eri found him again, he gained a large portion of his grace, allowing him to fight Lilith and cram her back in the prison, with the help of Lucifer.

And that’s the end of this book. The second part will be up tomorrow.

What the fuck have I done

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bangtancentricsblog · 3 years

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jhs/qw: 1

↳ with a war on the horizon, there is only one person who could take the throne when it all came to an end

❒ pairing: jung hoseok x reader

❒ genre: Angst(?) tbh idk

❒ alternative universe: historical, mythology,

❒ rating: PG 15

❒ word count: 3.3k+

warnings/disclosures: rebellions, it’s really more MC x bts than Hoseok but it has the potential to lead to mc x hoseok, greek gods because that is my thing, nothing bad, just some talks of death, nothing graphic i swear

main ml • AO3

The streets are dimly lit, shadows obscuring the tracks that the small group of armed soldiers have left. The air is damp, no doubt the scent of the oncoming rain, but the quiet of the night isn't all that's off putting as one would usually assume when it came to the Kingdom of Dionysia. There are no terrifying screams or wailing moans of the sick and injured, rumors of the rebellion grow louder the longer the royal family does nothing. Though this little band of men know that the rumors are not rumors at all, for they have done much work under the cover of shadows. The group turns a sharp corner leading them to an unmarked door, one that towers over the rest, an information guild, or at least an illegal one according to their sources. They knock their fist against the aged wood, a code to let them know they are friends looking for information or merely a place to rest for the night.

The door swings open slowly an eerie creak accompanies it, on the inside stands a burly man, tough looking but young. His features are pinched as his gaze rakes over the group, even the sole hooded figure among them, especially them for they have hidden their face from his sight. He grunts shooting a look to the side and no sooner is a new man standing before them. His build is different, he’s taller, leaner perhaps, packed with much less muscles but still looks just as strong, not as rugged but strong nonetheless. His gaze is trained on the hooded figure, eyes squinted in the little light provided by the candles. He can make out no features only knows that they are of much smaller build than any of the others in their party.

“The rest of you can come in, but they can’t.” he says with a furrow to his brow.

“They are one of us, we can vouch for them.”

“I don't know them, how can I trust your word.”

“You just can, their identity isn't important right now.”

“Reveal yourself, or leave.” He mutters narrowing his gaze on the hooded figure. The group seem unwilling to leave but it is out of their hands on whether they should reveal the identity of their companion. The man in the door gasps at the sight, beautiful ringlets of hair cascade down their back as the hood comes off, their eyes twinkling in the candlelight. He’s quick to bow his head, in shame or in fear he’s not sure because before him stands the crown princess.

“There’s no need to bow your head, I understand your hesitance, but don’t worry I am not your enemy.”

“I should be punished for my insolence, your highness should not be in a place like this.” He says head still bowed.

“Raise your head, I know you are still wary of my presence but if you will allow it, I shall prove to you that I come only to offer my help.” you smile placing a tentative hand on his shoulder watching as he rises to his full height, he towers over you almost like the titans of old. He says nothing more, instead meeting the gaze of your Major who stands too close for it to be proper.

“C’mon Johnny we have more pressing matters to attend to.” Yoongi says shoulder checking him not unkindly, more playful than anything in the way that men do. He steps aside following the older man further into the building as do the rest of your party. Johnny leads you all to a room in the back, one hidden with a small incantation that both shocks you and soothes you. He must be of elven descent you think following them through the door and finding a room filled with maps of the kingdom Dionysia, it’s split into four sections the North, East, South and West, red chalk has marked areas that have already joined the rebellion. Black chalk circles areas that have yet to be touched that much is obvious at least to you. In the center of it all is the largest map wooden figures sit in many places, most of them are located in the West and South. The East for the most part remains untouched by said wooden figures, a troubling idea for you and the rest of your party as you gather around the table.

“Our men have already taken the western and southern ports, just as you instructed Major Min. The merchants were eager to join our efforts to usurp the king. The North is proving to be the most difficult as the imperialist faction holds more influence in the area surrounding the capital.”

“And the East, what of their ports?” you ask, bringing the attention to you. You can feel the reluctance of the men who stand before you, truly you understand but there is one thing they have yet to understand.

“We have yet to send anyone.” a new man speaks up. His face betrays no emotion, but it’s one you recognize easily. A smirk tilts one side of your lips as you gaze back at him.

“Thank you Lieutenant Kim, it has been a long time has it not?”

“It certainly has, Commander, or would you rather I call you princess?” he says his own lips twitching up in a playful smile, one you relish in just the slightest. The room has gone quiet after your exchange, many of the unknown faces scream shock at the simple revelation. By now you have grown accustomed to such a reaction, for most men would liken you to a fragile bird who should be kept in it’s gilded cage only to be sold to the highest bidder.

“I think it’s about time I formally introduce myself.” you sigh, shooting Taehyung a glare before finally removing your cloak. They are surprised to see that you are not dressed in lace and silk, as one would assume a princess should be, no, you wear the colors of the rebellion. The knight uniform you wear is the same black trousers, and white shirt but the coat which once was black and red has now become white and a soft blue with gold embellishments.

“I am______, first princess of Dionysia, Commander and orchestrator of the rebellion, pleased to make your acquaintance.” you breathe bending at the waist in a bow. Surprisingly the rest of the meeting goes smoothly as you plan your next move.

The capital is in mourning some time after you visited the information guild. News of the princesses' untimely death has spread far and wide, the king has made it so that people believe it was the work of the rebellion. An attack on a royal carriage, one that took her life, the tale is well crafted you must say, on both parts. The rebels have played their part well, the king had taken the bait as you had said he would, and you were finally free of his reach, a pawn that no longer sat on his board. Now came the hardest part, the war really was looming on the horizon, your party has grown, and you have all taken refuge in the forest, setting up a camp far away from the capital. Your little group has grown vastly as there are more than 50 knights, healers and even priests helping to aid you in the fight for a new reign.

Currently you are in the main tent, the one used to talk strategy the one only higher ranked knights can enter and a few selected others. There aren’t many in the tent, only yourself, Major Min, Captain Park and a knight you have come to know as Yeonjun. Yeonjun is your shadow and apprentice, he’d once been a mercenary for hire but had joined the rebels when your small group passed through his hometown. His skills are more than ideal, in fact he is naturally gifted so much so you hardly have anything to teach him, yet he insists on learning from you. As it is your efforts in destroying the current ruling monarchy is going smoothly, you aren’t afraid of the imperialist faction, not by a long shot but there is something foreboding about their lack of movement in the last month.

“Yeonjun, take a small squad with you and travel to the capital, we need to know what the nobles are plotting.” you say as you stand over the map, something swirls in the pit of your stomach, something unpleasant. It seems that the time has finally come.

“As you wish, Commander.” he says with a bow exiting the tent, leaving you with Jimin and Yoongi.

“Major Min, I need you to travel to the East, take only the best men. I trust you to standby and await further instructions once you arrive.”

“If I may ask Commancer, what am I looking for?”

“There is someone in the east who you must protect, no matter the cost. Prepare for the ride, come here once you are ready to depart.” He bows leaving you alone with Jimin.

“Captain Park, send word to our men in the south and west, have them slowly cease all shipments of goods to the capital.”

“But Commander what about the commoners, they will starve.” he asks his tone filled with hesitation.

“Make sure all the commoners get their food rations, and carefully evacuate them to the hidden estate that resides in the north-west.”

“I shall do as you say Commander.” he says before turning to leave.

You take a seat after he’s gone, quickly scribbling down the name and location of the person Yoongi will be protecting. The unpleasant feeling from moments ago has yet to subside, it really is unsettling the longer it persists. It settles just the slightest, as Yoongi returns, the stoic look he usually carries is replaced with something softer.

“We are ready to depart, Commander.”

“I can see that, eager are we Major?” you tease playfully.

“Eager to carry out my task and quickly return to your side.” he says, and there’s this soft twinkle in his eyes. You recognize the emotion easily despite not having experienced it yourself, you know that he’s in love with you.

“I pray the goddess grants you safe travels.” your gaze is guarded, as if to keep him out.

“I will return to you safely Commander. I swear it, I will come back to you.” he takes a step forward, he’s standing too close but you don't mind. You cup his cheeks, smiling softly watching the slow blush color his cheeks. He looks almost bashful like this, it’s endearing.

“Save those feelings, for I am not worthy.” you whisper.

“You are.”

“No, keep them safe. Something so precious shouldn’t be wasted on me, one day you will find someone who will feel for you what you think you feel for me but it will be pure.” the words you speak sound cryptic to his ears but he will take them if that is what you wish. If you wish to push his confession away then so be it, but he will not find someone else like you.

“I will await your orders Commander, may the goddess bless you.” he says before leaving the tent. You offer a smile at his back, you know he will meet his one in the east, for the east holds many changes. Jimin announces his entrance, taking note of the way your skin has lost some of its color in the time he has been absent.

“Are you feeling well?” he asks, his concern evident in his tone the longer he stares watching your skin lose more of its color. You offer him a smile, one that doesn’t settle his being, you wave him off saying it’s fatigue and that you’ll be taking your leave. You ask him to call for Seokjin and direct him to your tent, you leave him in the tent alone hoping that he does as you asked.

Seokjin is bursting through your tent, gaze falling to your form easily as you stand near the desk in the back. You don’t look too good, your skin has lost much of its color, he can see the faint sheen of sweat that clings to your hairline. Something is wrong, so terribly wrong but he’s not sure what it could be.

“Are you feeling okay?” he asks, he watches intently as you open your mouth only to spit up blood. Your knees wobble and you're soon hurtling towards the ground, luckily Seokjin is quick to break your fall. His gaze has grown wide watching as you continue to cough up blood, it stains your hands and your shirt. There’s a water bowl sitting on a table beside your bed as he sits you down dunking the cloth that sits beside it in the bowl and cleaning your face and hands. The shirt you wear is ruined, but he supposes he can get you a clean one. He waits till you’ve cleaned up and changed clothes to ask.

“Have you been taking your medicine? Your symptoms shouldn’t be this severe with the medicine i’ve given you.” he says taking your pulse.

“They hinder my abilities.”

“So what? Do you want to die?”

“I need to be able to use my abilities to their full capacity, especially if we expect to win the oncoming war.”

“And we will, we have neighboring kingdoms support. The knights are loyal and will follow you onto the battlefield. There is the small matter of the man you are hiding in the east. So please take your medicine, our efforts will be for naught if you leave us before your time.”

“My dear friend, it seems you have yet to understand. This vessel is deteriorating, and I’m afraid my end will come sooner than we’d like.”

“What do you mean by vessel, is your body not your own?”

“Do you know the story of how our kingdom came to be?” You ask and the way you speak has always confused Seokjin, it’s almost like a riddle, it’s something that has persisted throughout your life. A trait he cannot say he’s fond of.

“Of course, but that is more fairytale than history.” He answers.

“As the story goes, the goddess Hera allowed for the twin prince and princess to reign over this land if and only if they could conquer it together. Prince Ares, god of War and princess Eris, goddess of Strife were surely set up to fail as their mother did not want to part with them. So she watched over them in wonder as slowly but surely they conquered all, winning the wars that had plagued this land for far too long and so when the final war was won she had no choice but to allow them to rule over the kingdom they had forged and fought for themselves. Loyal followers were given titles of nobility, Ares became king and Eris queen regent until Ares finally took a wife. They ruled together for many years following their victory, until Ares finally married, and Eris just vanished, as if she had never been there at all.”

“That is how it has always been, which is why no one thinks it’s history.”

“But it wasn’t, there is more, in the palace there is a book that tells the full tale. Eris, happy for her brother, did not mind the lack of authority she would hold but Ares would not have it, for she had been the most crucial part in forging this great kingdom. So in return for her years of service gifted her a title of nobility on par with that of the king. She became the sole Arch Duchess of Dionysia, with a vast amount of land in the north west that would be her duchy.”

“We don’t have an Arch Dutchy, at least not one that I know of.”

“Not anymore, I removed all traces of the land and title. Eris became Arch Duchess, and while Ares sired an abundance of children, Eris fell in love with an oracle. She gave birth to a single child, one that gained the power of their father. For many years after, Eris' true descendants gained the power of the oracle, a power that was kept secret hidden from that of the Kings that came after Ares. Like Eris, the children of Ares’ line gained his power, a sign of their divine right to rule, another legend no one truly believes, but one that very much still exists.” you sigh heavily, the air wheezes out of your being and it troubles Seokjin. He’s never seen you look so fragile, not for years.

“Unfortunately, my mother couldn't avoid the gaze of the king. She wed him, knowing she possessed the power of the oracle, and the king remained none the wiser. He only thought he’d married himself a beautiful concubine. The power of Ares never manifested in the king, the same goes for the crown prince, neither of them showed any signs of being worthy to hold Ares’ power. The truth is the king isn’t my father.”

“That cannot be.” Jin gasps at the simple way you’ve uttered such a thing. He’d known of the rumors, the whole kingdom knew, idle gossip spread by the noble women. He never believed them, no one had since your mother had only spent her time in her home and in the palace.

“It is, my mother was already with child when she married the king. There was a man she had loved, one she’d left behind to keep her family safe. Unfortunately the king still destroyed her family, virtually erasing it’s once long and noble bloodline. The line of Eris will end with me, but not before I put the true king on the throne.”

“What are you saying?”

“I hold the power of the oracle, and Eris, but none of those are the reason for my deteriorating body. I may not be the daughter of the current royal bloodline, but the king’s brother, a man he would have me call uncle, was my father. The power of Ares did not manifest in the king and the crown prince because I already held that as well.” Your skin has warmed significantly. It's almost too warm, Jin is growing more and more worried the longer you go without being treated.

“We should treat you, we still need you commander.” he says, tightening his grip on your hands.

“I won’t leave you yet, the goddess awaits me once I cross the threshold, but not yet, my time hasn’t come we still need him.” you whisper slumping forward into his hold, the fever you run is too high he’s afraid that they’ll lose you. He’s begun to chant quietly over you in the hopes to help alleviate the pain if only for a bit. The war is yet to be over and he doesn't know what will come if they were to lose you so soon.

Yoongi arrived in the east four days after his departure, the village is small, smaller than even his own before he’d become a knight. He sees no sign of anyone matching the description you had given him, and for once he thinks you might’ve been wrong. It would be the first, though he’s not sure what to make of it if you are. Still he sends the other knights to search for this person, he clicks his tongue directing his horse towards the meadow he sees. He thinks of the description written in your pretty penmanship, golden skin kissed by the sun god Helios himself, dark hair gifted to him by Erebus, blessed with beauty by Aphrodite, strength like that of Hercules, he goes by the name of Hoseok.

In the field he came upon a man, one whose description matched that of the one you’d given and yet there was something that you’d left out. Something much more terrifying than anything he had encountered in all his life. For as Yoongi gazed upon the man named Hoseok only one word came to mind, one that had been buried deep in a fairytale but one he knew on a personal level, for he was just like you, this man was a “Demigod.”

tagging @boymeetsweevil because I’ve been teasing her with this since February 🤭 this one is for you bb🤪

#bangtanedu #heartsforbtsnet #bangtanarmynet #mine #emm writes #an emm writes production #jung hoseok x reader #emms hoseok content #mine writings #alternative universe: royalty #alternative universe: mythology #quick writes

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holyhellpod · 3 years

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Holy Hell: 3. Metanarrativity: Who’s the Deleuze and who’s the Guattari in your relationship? aka the analysis no one asked for.

In this ep, we delve into authorship, narrative, fandom and narrative meaning. And somehow, as always, bring it back to Cas and Misha Collins.

(Note: the reason I didn’t talk about Billie’s authorship and library is because I completely forgot it existed until I watched season 13 “Advanced Thanatology” again, while waiting for this episode to upload. I’ll find a way to work her into later episodes tho!)

I had to upload it as a new podcast to Spotify so if you could just re-subscribe that would be great! Or listen to it at these other links.

Please listen to the bit at the beginning about monetisation and if you have any questions don’t hesitate to message me here.

Apple | Spotify | Google

Transcript under the cut!

Warnings: discussions of incest, date rape, rpf, war, 9/11, the bush administration, abuse, mental health, addiction, homelessness. Most of these are just one off comments, they’re not full discussions.

Meta-Textuality: Who’s the Deleuze and who’s the Guattari in your relationship?

In the third episode of Season 6, “The Third Man,” Balthazar says to Cas, “you tore up the whole script and burned the pages.” That is the fundamental idea the writers of the first five seasons were trying to sell us: whatever grand plan the biblical God had cooking up is worth nothing in face of the love these men have—for each other and the world. Sam, Bobby, Cas and Dean will go to any lengths to protect one another and keep people safe. What’s real? What’s worth saving? People are real. Families are worth saving.

This show plugs free will as the most important thing a person, angel, demon or otherwise can have. The fact of the matter is that Dean was always going to fight against the status quo, Sam was always going to go his own way, and Bobby was always going to do his best for his boys. The only uncertainty in the entire narrative is Cas. He was never meant to rebel. He was never meant to fall from Heaven. He was supposed to fall in line, be a good soldier, and help bring on the apocalypse, but Cas was the first agent of free will in the show’s timeline. Sam followed Lucifer, Dean followed Michael, and John gave himself up for the sins of his children, at once both a God and Jesus figure. But Cas wasn’t modelled off anyone else. He is original. There are definitely some parallels to Ruby, but I would argue those are largely unintentional. Cas broke the mold.

That’s to say nothing of the impact he’s had on the fanbase, and the show itself, which would not have reached 15 seasons and be able to end the way they wanted it to without Cas and Misha Collins. His back must be breaking from carrying the entire show.

But what the holy hell are we doing here today? Not just talking about Cas. We’re talking about metanarrativity: as I define it, and for purposes of this episode, the story within a story, and the act of storytelling. We’re going to go through a select few episodes which I think exemplify the best of what this show has to offer in terms of framing the narrative. We’ll talk about characters like Chuck and Becky and the baby dykes in season 10. And most importantly we’ll talk about the audience’s role, our role, in the reciprocal relationship of storytelling. After all, a tv show is nothing without the viewer.

I was in fact introduced to the concept of metanarrativity by Supernatural, so the fact that I’m revisiting it six years after I finished my degree to talk about the show is one of life’s little jokes.

I’m brushing off my degree and bringing out the big guns (aka literary theorists) to examine this concept. This will be yet another piece of analysis that would’ve gone well in my English Lit degree, but I’ll try not to make it dry as dog shit.

First off, I’m going to argue that the relationship between the creators of Supernatural and the fans has always been a dialogue, albeit with a power imbalance. Throughout the series, even before explicitly metanarrative episodes like season 10 “Fan Fiction” and season 4 “the monster at the end of this book,” the creators have always engaged in conversations with the fans through the show. This includes but is not limited to fan conventions, where the creators have actual, live conversations with the fans. Misha Collins admitted at a con that he’d read fanfiction of Cas while he was filming season 4, but it’s pretty clear even from the first season that the creators, at the very least Eric Kripke, were engaging with fans. The show aired around the same time as Twitter and Tumblr were created, both of which opened up new passageways for fans to interact with each other, and for Twitter and Facebook especially, new passageways for fans to interact with creators and celebrities.

But being the creators, they have ultimate control over what is written, filmed and aired, while we can only speculate and make our own transformative interpretations. But at least since s4, they have engaged in meta narrative construction that at once speaks to fans as well as expands the universe in fun and creative ways. My favourite episodes are the ones where we see the Winchesters through the lens of other characters, such as the season 3 episode “Jus In Bello,” in which Sam and Dean are arrested by Victor Henriksen, and the season 7 episode “Slash Fiction” in which Dean and Sam’s dopplegangers rob banks and kill a bunch of people, loathe as I am to admit that season 7 had an effect on any part of me except my upchuck reflex. My second favourite episodes are the meta episodes, and for this episode of Holy Hell, we’ll be discussing a few: The French Mistake, he Monster at the end of this book, the real ghostbusters, Fan Fiction, Metafiction, and Don’t Call Me Shurley. I’ll also discuss Becky more broadly, because, like, of course I’ll be discussing Becky, she died for our sins.

Let’s take it back. The Monster At The End Of This Book — written by Julie Siege and Nancy Weiner and directed by Mike Rohl. Inarguably one of the better episodes in the first five seasons. Not only is Cas in it, looking so beautiful, but Sam gets something to do, thank god, and it introduces the character of Chuck, who becomes a source of comic relief over the next two seasons. The episode starts with Chuck Shurley, pen named Carver Edlund after my besties, having a vision while passed out drunk. He dreams of Sam and Dean larping as Feds and finding a series of books based on their lives that Chuck has written. They eventually track Chuck down, interrogate him, and realise that he’s a prophet of the lord, tasked with writing the Winchester Gospels. The B plot is Sam plotting to kill Lilith while Dean fails to get them out of the town to escape her. The C plot is Dean and Cas having a moment that strengthens their friendship and leads further into Cas’s eventual disobedience for Dean. Like the movie Disobedience. Exactly like the movie Disobedience. Cas definitely spits in Dean’s mouth, it’s kinda gross to be honest. Maybe I’m just not allo enough to appreciate art.

When Eric Kripke was showrunner of the first five seasons of Supernatural, he conceptualised the character of Chuck. Kripke as the author-god introduced the character of the author-prophet who would later become in Jeremy Carver’s showrun seasons the biblical God. Judith May Fathallah writes in “I’m A God: The Author and the Writing Fan in Supernatural” that Kripke writes himself both into and out of the text, ending his era with Chuck winking at the camera, saying, “nothing really ends,” and disappearing. Kripke stayed on as producer, continuing to write episodes through Sera Gamble’s era, and was even inserted in text in the season 6 episode “The French Mistake”. So nothing really does end, not Kripke’s grip on the show he created, not even the show itself, which fans have jokingly referred to as continuing into its 16th season. Except we’re not joking. It will die when all of us are dead, when there is no one left to remember it. According to W R Fisher, humans are homo narrans, natural storytellers. The Supernatural fandom is telling a fidelitous narrative, one which matches our own beliefs, values and experiences instead of that of canon. Instead of, at Fathallah says, “the Greek tradition, that we should struggle to do the right thing simply because it is right, though we will suffer and be punished anyway,” the fans have created an ending for the characters that satisfies each and every one of our desires, because we each create our own endings. It’s better because we get to share them with each other, in the tradition of campfire stories, each telling our own version and building upon the others. If that’s not the epitome of mythmaking then I don’t know. It’s just great. Dean and Cas are married, Eileen and Sam are married, Jack is sometimes a baby who Claire and Kaia are forced to babysit, Jody and Donna are gonna get hitched soon. It’s season 17, time for many weddings, and Kevin Tran is alive. Kripke, you have no control over this anymore, you crusty hag.

Chuck is introduced as someone with power, but not influence over the story, only how the story is told through the medium of the novels. It’s basically a very badly written, non authorised biography, and Charlie reading literally every book and referencing things she should have no knowledge of is so damn creepy and funny. At first Chuck is surprised by his characters coming to life, despite having written it already, and when shown the intimidating array of weapons in Baby’s trunk he gets real scared. Which is the appropriate response for a skinny 5-foot-8 white guy in a bathrobe who writes terrible fantasy novels for a living.

As far as I can remember, this is the first explicitly metanarrative episode in the series, or at least the first one with in world consequences. It builds upon the lore of Christianity, angels, and God, while teasing what’s to come. Chuck and Sam have a conversation about how the rest of the season is going to play out, and Sam comes away with the impression that he’ll go down with the ship. They touch on Sam’s addiction to demon blood, which Chuck admits he didn’t write into the books, because in the world of supernatural, addiction should be demonised ha ha at every opportunity, except for Dean’s alcoholism which is cool and manly and should never be analysed as an unhealthy trauma coping mechanism.

Chuck is mostly impotent in the story of Sam and Dean, but his very presence presents an element of good luck that turns quickly into a force of antagonism in the series four finale, “Lucifer Rising”, when the archangel Raphael who defeats Lilith in this episode also kills Cas in the finale. It’s Cas’s quick thinking and Dean’s quick doing that resolve the episode and save them from Lilith, once again proving that free will is the greatest force in the universe. Cas is already tearing up pages and burning scripts. The fandom does the same, acting as gods of their own making in taking canon and transforming it into fan art. The fans aren’t impotent like Chuck, but neither do we have sway over the story in the way that Cas and Dean do. Sam isn’t interested in changing the story in the same way—he wants to kill Lilith and save the world, but in doing so continues the story in the way it was always supposed to go, the way the angels and the demons and even God wanted him to.

Neither of them are author-gods in the way that God is. We find out later that Chuck is in fact the real biblical god, and he engineers everything. The one thing he doesn’t engineer, however, is Castiel, and I’ll get to that in a minute.

The Real Ghostbusters

Season 5’s “The real ghostbusters,” written by Nancy Weiner and Erik Kripke, and directed by James L Conway, situates the Winchesters at a fan convention for the Supernatural books. While there, they are confronted by a slew of fans cosplaying as Sam, Dean, Bobby, the scarecrow, Azazel, and more. They happen to stumble upon a case, in the midst of the game where the fans pretend to be on a case, and with the help of two fans cosplaying as Sam and Dean, they put to rest a group of homicidal ghost children and save the day. Chuck as the special guest of the con has a hero moment that spurs Becky on to return his affections. And at the end, we learn that the Colt, which they’ve been hunting down to kill the devil, was given to a demon named Crowley. It’s a fun episode, but ultimately skippable. This episode isn’t so much metanarrative as it is metatextual—metatextual meaning more than one layer of text but not necessarily about the storytelling in those texts—but let’s take a look at it anyway.

The metanarrative element of a show about a series of books about the brothers the show is based on is dope and expands upon what we saw in “the monster at the end of this book”. But the episode tells a tale about about the show itself, and the fandom that surrounds it.

Where “The Monster At The End Of This Book” and the season 5 premiere “Sympathy For The Devil” poked at the coiled snake of fans and the concept of fandom, “the real ghostbusters” drags them into the harsh light of an enclosure and antagonises them in front of an audience. The metanarrative element revolves around not only the books themselves, but the stories concocted within the episode: namely Barnes and Demian the cosplayers and the story of the ghosts. The Winchester brothers’s history that we’ve seen throughout the first five seasons of the show is bared in a tongue in cheek way: while we cried with them when Sam and Dean fought with John, now the story is thrown out in such a way as to mock both the story and the fans’ relationship to it. Let me tell you, there is a lot to be made fun of on this show, but the fans’ relationship to the story of Sam, Dean and everyone they encounter along the way isn’t part of it. I don’t mean to be like, wow you can’t make fun of us ever because we’re special little snowflakes and we take everything so seriously, because you are welcome to make fun of us, but when the creators do it, I can’t help but notice a hint of malice. And I think that’s understandable in a way. Like The relationship between creator and fan is both layered and symbiotic. While Kripke and co no doubt owe the show’s popularity to the fans, especially as the fandom has grown and evolved over time, we’re not exactly free of sin. And don’t get me wrong, no fandom is. But the bad apples always seem to outweigh the good ones, and bad experiences can stick with us long past their due.

However, portraying us as losers with no lives who get too obsessed with this show — well, you know, actually, maybe they’re right. I am a loser with no life and I am too obsessed with this show. So maybe they have a point. But they’re so harsh about it. From wincestie Becky who they paint as a desperate shrew to these cosplayers who threaten Dean’s very perception of himself, we’re not painted in a very good light.

Dean says to Demian and Barnes, “It must be nice to get out of your mom’s basement.” He’s judging them for deriving pleasure from dressing up and pretending to be someone else for a night. He doesn’t seem to get the irony that he does that for a living. As the seasons wore on, the creators made sure to include episodes where Dean’s inner geek could run rampant, often in the form of dressing up like a cowboy, such as season six “Frontierland” and season 13 “Tombstone”. I had to take a break from writing this to laugh for five minutes because Dean is so funny. He’s a car gay but he only likes one car. He doesn’t follow sports. His echolalia causes him to blurt out lines from his favourite movies. He’s a posse magnet. And he loves cosplay. But he will continually degrade and insult anyone who expresses interest in role play, fandom, or interests in general. Maybe that’s why Sam is such a boring person, because Dean as his mother didn’t allow him to have any interests outside of hunting. And when Sam does express interests, Dean insults him too. What a dick. He’s my soulmate, but I am not going to stop listening to hair metal for him. That’s where I draw the line.

Where “the monster at the end of this book” is concerned with narrative and authorship, “the real ghostbusters” is concerned with fandom and fan reactions to the show. It’s not really the best example to talk about in an episode about metanarrativity, but I wanted to include it anyway. It veers from talk of narrative by focusing on the people in the periphery of the narrative—the fans and the author. In season 9 “Metafiction,” Metatron asks the question, who gives the story meaning? The text would have you believe it’s the characters. The angels think it’s God. The fandom think it’s us. The creators think it’s them. Perhaps we will never come to a consensus or even a satisfactory answer to this question. Perhaps that’s the point.

The ultimate takeaway from this episode is that ordinary people, the people Sam and Dean save, the people they save the world for, the people they die for again and again, are what give their story meaning. Chuck defeats a ghost and saves the people in the conference room from being murdered. Demian and Barnes, don’t ask me which is which, burn the bodies of the ghost children and lay their spirits to rest. The text says that ordinary, every day people can rise to the challenge of becoming extraordinary. It’s not a bad note to end on, by any means. And then we find out that Demian and Barnes are a couple, which of course Dean is surprised at, because he lacks object permanence.

This is no doubt influenced by how a good portion of the transformative fandom are queer, and also a nod to the wincesties and RPF writers like Becky who continue to bottom feed off the wrong message of this show. But then, the creators encourage that sort of thing, so who are the real clowns here? Everyone. Everyone involved with this show in any way is a clown, except for the crew, who were able to feed their families for more than a decade.

Okay side note… over the past year or so I’ve been in process of realising that even in fandom queers are in the minority. I know the statistic is that 10% of the world population is queer, but that doesn’t seem right to me? Maybe because 4/5 closest friends are queer and I hang around queers online, but I also think I lack object permanence when it comes to straight people. Like I just do not interact with straight people on a regular basis outside of my best friend and parents and school. So when I hear that someone in fandom is straight I’m like, what the fuck… can you keep that to yourself please? Like if I saw Misha Collins coming out as straight I would be like, I didn’t ask and you didn’t have to tell. Okay I’m mostly joking, but I do forget straight people exist. Mostly I don’t think about whether people are gay or trans or cis or straight unless they’ve explicitly said it and then yes it does colour my perception of them, because of course it would. If they’re part of the queer community, they’re my people. And if they’re straight and cis, then they could very well pose a threat to me and my wellbeing. But I never ask people because it’s not my business to ask. If they feel comfortable enough to tell me, that’s awesome. I think Dean feels the same way. Towards the later seasons at least, he has a good reaction when it’s revealed that someone is queer, even if it is mostly played off as a joke. It’s just that he doesn’t have a frame of reference in his own life to having a gay relationship, either his or someone he’s close to. He says to Cesar and Jesse in season 11 “The Critters” that they fight like brothers, because that’s the only way he knows how to conceptualise it. He doesn’t have a way to categorise his and Cas’s relationship, which is in many ways, long before season 15 “Despair,” harking back even to the parallels between Ruby and Cas in season 3 and 4, a romantic one, aside from that Cas is like a brother to him. Because he’s never had anyone in his life care for him the way Cas does that wasn’t Sam and Bobby, and he doesn’t recognise the romantic element of their relationship until literally Cas says it to him in the third last episode, he just—doesn’t know what his and Cas’s relationship is. He just really doesn’t know. And he grew up with a father who despised him for taking the mom and wife role in their family, the role that John placed him in, for being subservient to John’s wishes where Sam was more rebellious, so of course he wouldn’t understand either his own desires or those of anyone around him who isn’t explicitly shoving their tits in his face. He moulded his entire personality around what he thought John wanted of him, and John says to him explicitly in season 14 “Lebanon”, “I thought you’d have a family,” meaning, like him, wife and two rugrats. And then, dear god, Dean says, thinking of Sam, Cas, Jack, Claire, and Mary, “I have a family.” God that hurts so much. But since for most of his life he hasn’t been himself, he’s been the man he thought his father wanted him to be, he’s never been able to examine his own desires, wants and goals. So even though he’s really good at reading people, he is not good at reading other people’s desires unless they have nefarious intentions. Because he doesn’t recognise what he feels is attraction to men, he doesn’t recognise that in anyone else.

Okay that’s completely off topic, wow. Getting back to metanarrativity in “The Real Ghostbusters,” I’ll just cap it off by saying that the books in this episode are more a frame for the events than the events themselves. However, there are some good outtakes where Chuck answers some questions, and I’m not sure how much of that is scripted and how much is Rob Benedict just going for it, but it lends another element to the idea of Kripke as author-god. The idea of a fan convention is really cool, because at this point Supernatural conventions had been running for about 4 years, since 2006. It’s definitely a tribute to the fans, but also to their own self importance. So it’s a mixed bag, considering there were plenty of elements in there that show the good side of fandom and fans, but ultimately the Winchesters want nothing to do with it, consider it weird, and threaten Chuck when he says he’ll start releasing books again, which as far as they know is his only source of income. But it’s a fun episode and Dean is a grouchy bitch, so who the holy hell cares?

Season 10 episode “fanfiction” written by my close personal friend Robbie Thompson and directed by Phil Sgriccia is one of the funniest episodes this show has ever done. Not only is it full of metatextual and metanarrative jokes, the entire premise revolves around fanservice, but in like a fun and interesting way, not fanservice like killing the band Kansas so that Dean can listen to “Carry On My Wayward Son” in heaven twice. Twice. One version after another. Like I would watch this musical seven times in theatre, I would buy the soundtrack, I would listen to it on repeat and make all my friends listen to it when they attend my online Jitsi birthday party. This musical is my Hamilton. Top ten episodes of this show for sure. The only way it could be better is if Cas was there. And he deserved to be there. He deserved to watch little dyke Castiel make out with her girlfriend with her cute little wings, after which he and Dean share uncomfortable eye contact. Dean himself is forever coming to terms with the fact that gay people exist, but Cas should get every opportunity he can to hear that it’s super cool and great and awesome to be queer. But really he should be in every episode, all of them, all 300 plus episodes including the ones before angels were introduced. I’m going to commission the guy who edits Paddington into every movie to superimpose Cas standing on the highway into every episode at least once.

“Fan Fiction” starts with a tv script and the words “Supernatural pilot created by Eric Kripke”. This Immediately sets up the idea that it’s toying with narrative. Blah blah blah, some people go missing, they stumble into a scene from their worst nightmares: the school is putting on a musical production of a show inspired by the Supernatural books. It’s a comedy of errors. When people continue to go missing, Sam and Dean have to convince the girls that something supernatural is happening, while retaining their dignity and respect. They reveal that they are the real Sam and Dean, and Dean gives the director Marie a summary of their lives over the last five seasons, but they aren’t taken seriously. Because, like, of course they aren’t. Even when the girls realise that something supernatural is happening, they don’t actually believe that the musical they’ve made and the series of books they’re basing it on are real. Despite how Sam and Dean Winchester were literal fugitives for many years at many different times, and this was on the news, and they were wanted by the FBI, despite how they pretend to be FBI, and no one mentions it??? Did any of the staffwriters do the required reading or just do what I used to do for my 40 plus page readings of Baudrillard and just skim the first sentence of every paragraph? Neat hack for you: paragraphs are set up in a logical order of Topic, Example, Elaboration, Linking sentence. Do you have to read 60 pages of some crusty French dude waxing poetic about how his best friend Pierre wants to shag his wife and making that your problem? Read the first and last sentence of every paragraph. Boom, done. Just cut your work in half.

The musical highlights a lot of the important moments of the show so far. The brothers have, as Charlie Bradbury says, their “broment,” and as Marie says, their “boy melodrama scene,” while she insinuates that there is a sexual element to their relationship. This show never passed up an opportunity to mention incest. It’s like: mentioning incest 5000 km, not being disgusting 1 km, what a hard decision. Actually, they do have to walk on their knees for 100 miles through the desert repenting. But there are other moments—such as Mary burning on the ceiling, a classic, Castiel waiting for Dean at the side of the highway, and Azazel poisoning Sam. With the help of the high schoolers, Sam and Dean overcome Calliope, the muse and bad guy of the episode, and save the day. What began as their lives reinterpreted and told back to them turns into a story they have some agency over.

In this episode, as opposed to “The Monster At The End Of This Book,” The storytelling has transferred from an alcoholic in a bathrobe into the hands of an overbearing and overachieving teenage girl, and honestly why not. Transformative fiction is by and large run by women, and queer women, so Marie and her stage manager slash Jody Mills’s understudy Maeve are just following in the footsteps of legends. This kind of really succinctly summarises the difference between curative fandom and transformative fandom, the former of which is populated mostly by men, and the latter mostly by women. As defined by LordByronic in 2015, Curative fandom is more like enjoying the text, collecting the merchandise, organising the knowledge — basically Reddit in terms of fandom curation. Transformative fandom is transforming the source text in some way — making fanart, fanfic, mvs, or a musical — basically Tumblr in general, and Archive of our own specifically. Like what do non fandom people even do on Tumblr? It is a complete mystery to me. Whereas Chuck literally writes himself into the narrative he receives through visions, Marie and co have agency and control over the narrative by writing it themselves.

Chuck does appear in the episode towards the end, his first appearance after five seasons. The theory that he killed those lesbian theatre girls makes me wanna curl up and die, so I don’t subscribe to it. Chuck watched the musical and he liked it and he gave unwarranted notes and then he left, the end.

The Supernatural creative team is explicitly acknowledging the fandom’s efforts by making this episode. They’re writing us in again, with more obsessive fans, but with lethbians this time, which makes it infinitely better. And instead of showing us as potential date rapists, we’re just cool chicks who like to make art. And that’s fucken awesome.

I just have to note that the characters literally say the word Destiel after Dean sees the actors playing Dean and Cas making out. He storms off and tells Sam to shut the fuck up when Sam makes fun of him, because Dean’s sexuality is NOT threatened he just needs to assert his dominance as a straight hetero man who has NEVER looked at another man’s lips and licked his own. He just… forgets that gay people exist until someone reminds him. BUT THEN, after a rousing speech that is stolen from Rent or Wicked or something, he echoes Marie’s words back, saying “put as much sub into that text as you possibly can.” What does Dean know about subbing, I wonder. Okay I’m suddenly reminded that he did literally go to a kink bar and get hit on by a leather daddy. Oh Dean, the experiences you have as a broad-shouldered, pixie-faced man with cowboy legs. You were born for this role.

Metatron is my favourite villain. As one tumblr user pointed out, he is an evil English literature major, which is just a normal English literature major. The season nine episode “Meta Fiction” written by my main man robbie thompson and directed by thomas j wright, happens within a curious season. Castiel, once again, becomes the leader of a portion of the heavenly host to take down Metatron, and Dean is affected by the Mark Of Cain. Sam was recently possessed by Gadreel, who killed Kevin in Sam’s body and then decided to run off with Metatron. Metatron himself is recruiting angels to join him, in the hopes that he can become the new God. It’s the first introduction of Hannah, who encourages Cas to recruit angels himself to take on Metatron. Also, we get to see Gabriel again, who is always a delight.

This episode is a lot of fun. Metatron poses questions like, who tells a story and who is the most important person in the telling? Is it the writer? The audience? He starts off staring over his typewriter to address the camera, like a pompous dickhead. No longer content with consuming stories, he’s started to write his own. And they are hubristic ones about becoming God, a better god than Chuck ever was, but to do it he needs to kill a bunch of people and blame it on Cas. So really, he’s actually exactly like Chuck who blamed everything on Lucifer.

But I think the most apt analogy we can use for this in terms of who is the creator is to think of Metatron as a fanfiction writer. He consumes the media—the Winchester Gospels—and starts to write his own version of events—leading an army to become God and kill Cas. Nevermind that no one has been able to kill Cas in a way that matters or a way that sticks. Which is canon, and what Metatron is trying to do is—well not fanon because it actually does impact the Winchesters’ storyline. It would be like if one of the writers of Supernatural began writing Supernatural fanfiction before they got a job on the show. Which as my generation and the generations coming after me get more comfortable with fanfiction and fandom, is going to be the case for a lot of shows. I think it’s already the case for Riverdale. Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t the woman who wrote the bi Dean essay go to work on Riverdale? Or something? I dunno, I have the post saved in my tumblr likes but that is quagmire of epic proportions that I will easily get lost in if I try to find it.

Okay let me flex my literary degree. As Englund and Leach say in “Ethnography and the metanarratives of modernity,” “The influential “literary turn,” in which the problems of ethnography were seen as largely textual and their solutions as lying in experimental writing seems to have lost its impetus.” This can be taken to mean, in the context of Supernatural, that while Metatron’s writings seek to forge a new path in history, forgoing fate for a new kind of divine intervention, the problem with Metatron is that he’s too caught up in the textual, too caught up in the writing, to be effectual. And this as we see throughout seasons 9, 10 and 11, has no lasting effect. Cas gets his grace back, Dean survives, and Metatron becomes a powerless human. In this case, the impetus is his grace, which he loses when Cas cuts it out of him, a mirror to Metatron cutting out Cas’s grace.

However, I realise that the concept of ethnography in Supernatural is a flawed one, ethnography being the observation of another culture: a lot of the angels observe humanity and seem to fit in. However, Cas has to slowly acclimatise to the Winchesters as they tame him, but he never quite fit in—missing cues, not understanding jokes or Dean’s personal space, the scene where he says, “We have a guinea pig? Where?” Show him the guinea pig Sam!!! He wants to see it!!! At most he passes as a human with autism. Cas doesn’t really observe humanity—he observes nature, as seen in season 7 “reading is fundamental” and “survival of the fittest”. Even the human acts he talks about in season 6 “the man who would be king” are from hundreds or thousands of years ago. He certainly doesn’t observe popular culture, which puts him at odds with Dean, who is made up of 90 per cent pop culture references and 10 per cent flannel. Metatron doesn’t seek to blend in with humanity so much as control it, which actually is the most apt example of ethnography for white people in the last—you know, forever. But of course the writers didn’t seek to make this analogy. It is purely by chance, and maybe I’m the only person insane enough to realise it. But probably not. There are a lot of cookies much smarter than me in the Supernatural fandom and they’ve like me have grown up and gone to university and gotten real jobs in the real world and real haircuts. I’m probably the only person to apply Englund and Leach to it though.

And yes, as I read this paper I did need to have one tab open on Google, with the word “define” in the search bar.

Metatron has a few lines in this that I really like. He says:

“The universe is made up of stories, not atoms.”

“You’re going to have to follow my script.”

“I’m an entity of my word.”

It’s really obvious, but they’re pushing the idea that Metatron has become an agent of authorship instead of just a consumer of media. He even throws a Supernatural book into his fire — a symbolic act of burning the script and flipping the writer off, much like Cas did to God and the angels in season 5. He’s not a Kripke figure so much as maybe a Gamble, Carver or Dabb figure, in that he usurps Chuck and becomes the author-god. This would be extremely postmodern of him if he didn’t just do exactly what Chuck was doing, except worse somehow. In fact, it’s postmodern of Cas to reject heaven’s narrative and fall for Dean. As one tumblr user points out, Cas really said “What’s fate compared to Dean Winchester?”

Okay this transcript is almost 8000 words already, and I still have two more episodes to review, and more things to say, so I’ll leave you with this. Metatron says to Cas, “Out of all of God’s wind up toys, you’re the only one with any spunk.” Why Cas has captured his attention comes down more than anything to a process of elimination. Most angels fucking suck. They follow the rules of whoever puts themselves in charge, and they either love Cas or hate him, or just plainly wanna fuck him, and there have been few angels who stood out. Balthazar was awesome, even though I hated him the first time I watched season 6. He UNSUNK the Titanic. Legend status. And Gabriel was of course the OG who loves to fuck shit up. But they’re gone at this stage in the narrative, and Cas survives. Cas always survives. He does have spunk. And everyone wants to fuck him.

Season 11 episode 20 “Don’t Call Me Shurley,” the last episode written by the Christ like figure of Robbie Thompson — are we sensing a theme here? — and directed by my divine enemy Robert Singer, starts with Metatron dumpster diving for food. I’m not even going to bother commenting on this because like… it’s supernatural and it treats complex issues like homelessness and poverty with zero nuance. Like the Winchesters live in poverty but it’s fun and cool because they always scrape by but Metatron lives in poverty and it’s funny. Cas was homeless and it was hard but he needed to do it to atone for his sins, and Metatron is homeless and it’s funny because he brought it on himself by being a murderous dick. Fucking hell. Robbie, come on. The plot focuses on God, also known as Chuck Shurley, making himself known to Metatron and asking for Metatron’s opinion on his memoir. Meanwhile, the Winchesters battle another bout of infectious serial killer fog sent by Amara. At the end of the episode, Chuck heals everyone affected by the fog and reveals himself to Sam and Dean.

Chuck says that he didn’t foresee Metatron trying to become god, but the idea of Season 15 is that Chuck has been writing the Winchesters’ story all their lives. When Metatron tries, he fails miserably, is locked up in prison, tortured by Dean, then rendered useless as a human and thrown into the world without a safety net. His authorship is reduced to nothing, and he is reduced to dumpster diving for food. He does actually attempt to live his life as someone who records tragedies as they happen and sells the footage to news stations, which is honestly hilarious and amazing and completely unsurprising because Metatron is, at the heart of it, an English Literature major. In true bastard style, he insults Chuck’s work and complains about the bar, but slips into his old role of editor when Chuck asks him to.

The theory I’m consulting for this uses the term metanarrative in a different way than I am. They consider it an overarching narrative, a grand narrative like religion. Chuck’s biography is in a sense most loyal to Middleton and Walsh’s view of metanarrative: “the universal story of the world from arche to telos, a grand narrative encompassing world history from beginning to end.” Except instead of world history, it’s God’s history, and since God is construed in Supernatural as just some guy with some powers who is as fallible as the next some guy with some powers, his story has biases and agendas. Okay so in the analysis I’m getting Middleton and Walsh’s quotes from, James K A Smith’s “A little story about metanarratives,” Smith dunks on them pretty bad, but for Supernatural purposes their words ring true. Think of them as the BuckLeming of Lyotard’s postmodern metanarrative analysis: a stopped clock right twice a day. Is anyone except me understanding the sequence of words I’m saying right now. Do I just have the most specific case of brain worms ever found in human history. I’m currently wearing my oversized Keith Haring shirt and dipping pretzels into peanut butter because it’s 3.18 in the morning and the homosexuals got to me. The total claims a comprehensive metanarrative of world history make do indeed, as Middleton and Walsh claim, lead to violence, stay with me here, because Chuck’s legacy is violence, and so is Metatron’s, and in trying to reject the metanarrative, Sam and Dean enact violence. Mostly Dean, because in season 15 he sacrifices his own son twice to defeat Chuck. But that means literally fighting violence with violence. Violence is, after all, all they know. Violence is the lens through which they interact with the world. If the writers wanted to do literally anything else, they could have continued Dean’s natural character progression into someone who eschews the violence that stems from intergeneration trauma — yes I will continue to use the phrase intergenerational trauma whenever I refer to Dean — and becomes a loving father and husband. Sam could eschew violence and start a monster rehabilitation centre with Eileen.

This episode of Holy Hell is me frantically grabbing at straws to make sense of a narrative that actively hates me and wants to kick me to death. But the violence Sam and Dean enact is not at a metanarrative level, because they are not author-gods of their own narrative. In season 15 “Atomic Monsters,” Becky points out that the ending of the Supernatural book series is bad because the brothers die, and then, in a shocking twist of fate, Dean does die, and the narrative is bad. The writers set themselves a goal post to kick through and instead just slammed their heat into the bars. They set up the dartboard and were like, let’s aim the darts at ourselves. Wouldn’t that be fun. Season 15’s writing is so grossly incompetent that I believe every single conspiracy theory that’s come out of the finale since November, because it’s so much more compelling than whatever the fuck happened on the road so far. Carry on? Why yes, I think I will carry on, carry on like a pork chop, screaming at the bars of my enclosure until I crack my voice open like an egg and spill out all my rage and frustration. The world will never know peace again. It’s now 3.29 and I’ve written over 9000 words of this transcript. And I’m not done.

Middleton and Walsh claim that metanarratives are merely social constructions masquerading as universal truths. Which is, exactly, Supernatural. The creators have constructed this elaborate web of narrative that they want to sell us as the be all and end all. They won’t let the actors discuss how they really feel about the finale. They won’t let Misha Collins talk about Destiel. They want us to believe it was good, actually, that Dean, a recovering alcoholic with a 30 year old infant son and a husband who loves him, deserved to die by getting NAILED, while Sam, who spent the last four seasons, the entirety of Andrew Dabb’s run as showrunner, excelling at creating a hunter network and romancing both the queen of hell and his deaf hunter girlfriend, should have lived a normie life with a normie faceless wife. Am I done? Not even close. I started this episode and I’m going to finish it.

When we find out that Chuck is God in the episode of season 11, it turns everything we knew about Chuck on its head. We find out in Season 15 that Chuck has been writing the Winchesters’ story all along, that everything that happened to them is his doing. The one thing he couldn’t control was Cas’s choice to rebel. If we take him at his word, Cas is the only true force of free will in the entire universe, and more specifically, the love that Cas had for Dean which caused him to rebel and fall from heaven. — This theory has holes of course. Why would Lucifer torture Lilith into becoming the first demon if he didn’t have free will? Did Chuck make him do that? And why? So that Chuck could be the hero and Lucifer the bad guy, like Lucifer claimed all along? That’s to say nothing of Adam and Eve, both characters the show introduced in different ways, one as an antagonist and the other as the narrative foil to Dean and Cas’s romance. Thinking about it makes my head hurt, so I’m just not gunna.

So Chuck was doing the writing all along. And as Becky claims in “Atomic Monsters,” it’s bad writing. The writers explicitly said, the ending Chuck wrote is bad because there’s no Cas and everyone dies, and then they wrote an ending where there is no Cas and everyone dies. So talk about self-fulfilling prophecies. Talk about giant craters in the earth you could see from 800 kilometres away but you still fell into. Meanwhile fan writers have the opportunity to write a million different endings, all of which satisfy at least one person. The fandom is a hydra, prolific and unstoppable, and we’ll keep rewriting the ending a million more times.

And all this is not even talking about the fact that Chuck is a man, Metatron is a man, Sam and Dean and Cas are men, and the writers and directors of the show are, by an overwhelming majority, men. Most of them are white, straight, cis men. Feminist scholarship has done a lot to unpack the damage done by paternalistic approaches to theory, sociology, ethnography, all the -ys, but I propose we go a step further with these men. Kill them. Metanarratively, of course. Amara, the Darkness, God’s sister, had a chance to write her own story without Chuck, after killing everything in the universe, and I think she had the right idea. Knock it all down to build it from the ground up. Billie also had the opportunity to write a narrative, but her folly was, of course, putting any kind of faith in the Winchesters who are also grossly incompetent and often fail up. She is, as all author-gods on this show are, undone by Castiel. The only one with any spunk, the only one who exists outside of his own narrative confines, the only one the author-gods don’t have any control over. The one who died for love, and in dying, gave life.

The French Mistake

Let’s change the channel. Let’s calm ourselves and cleanse our libras. Let’s commune with nature and chug some sage bongs.

“The French Mistake” is a song from the Mel Brooks film Blazing Saddles. In the iconic second last scene of the film, as the cowboys fight amongst themselves, the camera pans back to reveal a studio lot and a door through which a chorus of gay dancersingers perform “the French Mistake”. The lyrics go, “Throw out your hands, stick out your tush, hands on your hips, give ‘em a push. You’ll be surprised you’re doing the French Mistake.”

I’m not sure what went through the heads of the Supernatural creators when they came up with the season 6 episode, “The French Mistake,” written by the love of my life Ben Edlund and directed by some guy Charles Beeson. Just reading the Wikipedia summary is so batshit incomprehensible. In short: Balthazar sends Sam and Dean to an alternate universe where they are the actors Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, who play Sam and Dean on the tv show Supernatural. I don’t think this had ever been done in television history before. The first seven seasons of this show are certifiable. Like this was ten years ago. Think about the things that have happened in the last 10 slutty, slutty years. We have lived through atrocities and upheaval and the entire world stopping to mourn, but also we had twitter throughout that entire time, which makes it infinitely worse.

In this universe, Sam and Dean wear makeup, Cas is played by attractive crying man Misha Collins, and Genevieve Padalecki nee Cortese makes an appearance. Magic doesn’t exist, Serge has good ideas, and the two leads have to act in order to get through the day. Sorry man I do not know how to pronounce your name.

Sidenote: I don’t know if me being attracted aesthetically to Misha Collins is because he’s attractive, because this show has gaslighted me into thinking he’s attractive, or because Castiel’s iconic entrance in 2008 hit my developing mind like a torpedo full of spaghetti and blew my fucking brains all over the place. It’s one of life’s little mysteries and God’s little gifts.

Let’s talk about therapy. More specifically, “Agency and purpose in narrative therapy: questioning the postmodern rejection of metanarrative” by Cameron Lee. In this paper, Lee outlines four key ideas as proposed by Freedman and Combs:

Realities are socially constructed

Realities are constituted through language

Realities are organised and maintained through narrative

And there are no essential truths.

Let’s break this down in the case of this episode. Realities are socially constructed: the reality of Sam and Dean arose from the Bush era. Do I even need to elaborate? From what I understand with my limited Australian perception, and being a child at the time, 9/11 really was a prominent shifting point in the last twenty years. As Americans describe it, sometimes jokingly, it was the last time they were really truly innocent. That means to me that until they saw the repercussions of their government’s actions in funding turf wars throughout the middle east for a good chunk of the 20th Century, they allowed themselves to be hindered by their own ignorance. The threat of terrorism ran rampant throughout the States, spurred on by right wing nationalists and gun-toting NRA supporters, so it’s really no surprise that the show Supernatural started with the premise of killing everything in sight and driving around with only your closest kin and a trunk full of guns. Kripke constructed that reality from the social-political climate of the time, and it has wrought untold horrors on the minds of lesbians who lived through the noughties, in that we are now attracted to Misha Collins.

Number two: Realities are constituted through language. Before a show can become a show, it needs to be a script. It’s written down, typed up, and given to actors who say the lines out loud. In this respect, they are using the language of speech and words to convey meaning. But tv shows are not all about words, and they’re barely about scripts. From what I understand of being raised by television, they are about action, visuals, imagery, and behaviours. All of the work that goes into them—the scripts, the lighting, the audio, the sound mixing, the cameras, the extras, the ADs, the gaffing, the props, the stunts, everything—is about conveying a story through the medium of images. In that way, images are the language. The reality of the show Supernatural, inside the show Supernatural, is constituted through words: the script, the journalists talking to Sam, the makeup artist taking off Dean’s makeup, the conversations between the creators, the tweets Misha sends. But also through imagery: the fish tank in Jensen’s trailer, the model poses on the front cover of the magazine, the opulence of Jared’s house, Misha’s iconic sweater. Words and images are the language that constitutes both of these realities. Okay for real, I feel like I’ve only seen this episode max three times, including when I watched it for research for this episode, but I remember so much about it.

Number three: realities are organised and maintained through narrative. In this universe of the French Mistake, their lives are structured around two narratives: the internal narrative of the show within the show, in which they are two actors on a tv set; and the episode narrative in which they need to keep the key safe and return to their own universe. This is made difficult by the revelation that magic doesn’t work in this universe, however, they find a way. Before they can get back, though, an avenging angel by the name of Virgil guns down author-god Eric Kripke and tries to kill the Winchesters. However, they are saved by Balthazar and the freeze frame and brought back into their own world, the world of Supernatural the show, not Supernatural the show within the show within the nesting doll. And then that reality is done with, never to be revisited or even mentioned, but with an impact that has lasted longer than the second Bush administration.

And number four: there are no essential truths. This one is a bit tricky because I can’t find what Lee means by essential truths, so I’m just going to interpret that. To me, essential truths means what lies beneath the narratives we tell ourselves. Supernatural was a show that ran for 15 years. Supernatural had actors. Supernatural was showrun by four different writers. In the show within a show, there is nothing, because that ceases to exist for longer than the forty two minute episode “The French Mistake”. And since Supernatural no longer exists except in our computers, it is nothing too. It is only the narratives we tell ourselves to sleep better at night, to wake up in the morning with a smile, to get through the day, to connect with other people, to understand ourselves better. It’s not even the narrative that the showrunners told, because they have no agency over it as soon as it shows up on our screens. The essential truth of the show is lost in the translation from creating to consuming. Who gives the story meaning? The people watching it and the people creating it. We all do.

Lee says that humans are predisposed to construct narratives in order to make sense of the world. We see this in cultures from all over the world: from cave paintings to vases, from The Dreaming to Beowulf, humans have always constructed stories. The way you think about yourself is a story that you’ve constructed. The way you interact with your loved ones and the furries you rightfully cyberbully on Twitter is influenced by the narratives you tell yourself about them. And these narratives are intricate, expansive, personalised, and can colour our perceptions completely, so that we turn into a different person when we interact with one person as opposed to another.

Whatever happened in season 6, most of which I want to forget, doesn’t interest me in the way I’m telling myself the writers intended. For me, the entirety of season 6 was based around the premise of Cas being in love with Dean, and the complete impotence of this love. He turns up when Dean calls, he agonises as he watches Dean rake leaves and live his apple pie life with Lisa, and Dean is the person he feels most horribly about betraying. He says, verbatim, to Sam, “Dean and I do share a more profound bond.” And Balthazar says, “You’re confusing me with the other angel, the one in the dirty trenchcoat who’s in love with you.” He says this in season 6, and we couldn’t do a fucken thing about it.

The song “The French Mistake” shines a light on the hidden scene of gay men performing a gay narrative, in the midst of a scene about the manliest profession you can have: professional horse wrangler, poncho wearer, and rodeo meister, the cowboy. If this isn’t a perfect encapsulation of the lovestory between Dean and Cas, which Ben Edlund has been championing from day fucking one of Misha Collins walking onto that set with his sex hair and chapped lips, then I don’t know what the fuck we’re even doing here. What in the hell else could it possibly mean. The layers to this. The intricacy. The agendas. The subtextual AND blatant queerness. The micro aggressions Crowley aimed at Car in “The Man Who Would Be King,” another Bedlund special. Bed Edlund is a fucking genius. Bed Edlund is cool girl. Ben Edlund is the missing link. Bed Edlund IS wikileaks. Ben Edlund is a cool breeze on a humid summer day. Ben Edlund is the stop loading button on a browser tab. Ben Edlund is the perfect cross between Spotify and Apple Music, in which you can search for good playlists, but without having to be on Spotify. He can take my keys and fuck my wife. You best believe I’m doing an entire episode of Holy Hell on Bedlund’s top five. He is the reason I want to get into staffwriting on a tv show. I saw season 4 episode “On the head of a pin” when my brain was still torpedoed spaghetti mush from the premiere, and it nestled its way deep into my exposed bones, so that when I finally recovered from that, I was a changed person. My god, this transcript is 11,000 words, and I haven’t even finished the Becky section. Which is a good transition.

Oh, Becky. She is an incarnation of how the writers, or at least Kripke, view the fans. Watching season 5 “Sympathy for the Devil” live in 2009 was a whole fucking trip that I as a baby gay was not prepared for. Figuring out my sexuality was a journey that started with the Supernatural fandom and is in some aspects still raging against the dying of the light today. Add to that, this conception of the audience was this, like, personification of the librarian cellist from Juno, but also completely without boundaries, common sense, or shame. It made me wonder about my position in the narrative as a consumer consuming. Is that how Kripke saw me, specifically? Was I like Becky? Did my forays into DeanCasNatural on El Jay dot com make me a fucking loser whose only claim to fame is writing some nasty fanfiction that I’ve since deleted all traces of? Don’t get me wrong, me and my unhinged Casgirl friends loved Becky. I can’t remember if I ever wrote any fanfiction with her in it because I was mostly writing smut, which is extremely Becky coded of me, but I read some and my friends and I would always chat about her when she came up. She was great entertainment value before season 7. But in the eyes of the powers that be, Becky, like the fans themselves, are expendable. First they turned her into a desperate bride wannabe who drugs Sam so that he’ll be with her, then Chuck waves his hand and she disappears. We’re seeing now with regards to Destiel, Cas, and Misha Collins this erasure of them from the narrative. Becky says in season 15 “Atomic Monsters” that the ending Chuck writes is bad because, for one, there’s no Cas, and that’s exactly what’s happening to the text post-finale. It literally makes me insane akin to the throes of mania to think about the layers of this. They literally said, “No Cas = bad” and now Misha isn’t even allowed to talk in his Cassona voice—at least at the time I wrote that—to the detriment of the fans who care about him. It’s the same shit over and over. They introduce something we like, they realise they have no control over how much we like it, and then they pretend they never introduced it in the first place. Season 7, my god. The only reason Gamble brought back Cas was because the ratings were tanking the show. I didn’t even bother watching most of it live, and would just hear from my friends whether Cas was in the episodes or not. And then Sera, dear Sera, had the gall to say it was a Homer’s Odyssey narrative. I’m rusty on Homer aka I’ve never read it but apparently Odysseus goes away, ends up with a wife on an island somewhere, and then comes back to Terabithia like it never happened. How convenient. But since Sera Gamble loves to bury her gays, we can all guess why Cas was written out of the show: Cas being gay is a threat to the toxic heteronormativity spouted by both the show and the characters themselves. In season 15, after Becky gets her life together, has kids, gets married, and starts a business, she is outgrowing the narrative and Chuck kills her. The fans got Destiel Wedding trending on Twitter, and now the creators are acting like he doesn’t exist. New liver, same eagles.

I have to add an adendum: as of this morning, Sunday 11th, don’t ask me what time that is in Americaland, Misha Collins did an online con/Q&A thing and answered a bunch of questions about Cas and Dean, which goes to show that he cannot be silenced. So the narrative wants to be told. It’s continuing well into it’s 16th or 17th season. It’s going to keep happening and they have no recourse to stop it. So fuck you, Supernatural.

I did write the start of a speech about representation but, who the holy hell cares. I also read some disappointing Masters theses that I hope didn’t take them longer to research and write than this episode of a podcast I’m making for funsies took me, considering it’s the same number of pages. Then again I have the last four months and another 8 years of fandom fuelling my obsession, and when I don’t sleep I write, hence the 4,000 words I knocked out in the last 12 hours.

Some final words. Lyotard defines postmodernism, the age we live in, as an incredulity towards metanarratives. Modernism was obsessed with order and meaning, but postmodernism seeks to disrupt that. Modernists lived within the frame of the narrative of their society, but postmodernists seek to destroy the frame and live within our own self-written contexts. Okay I love postmodernist theory so this has been a real treat for me. Yoghurt, Sam? Postmodernist theory? Could I BE more gay?

Middleton and Walsh in their analysis of postmodernism claim that biblical faith is grounded in metanarrative, and explore how this intersects with an era that rejects metanarrative. This is one of the fundamental ideas Supernatural is getting at throughout definitely the last season, but other seasons as well. The narratives of Good vs Evil, Michael vs Lucifer, Dean vs Sam, were encoded into the overarching story of the show from season 1, and since then Sam and Dean have sought to break free of them. Sam broke free of John’s narrative, which was the hunting life, and revenge, and this moralistic machismo that they wrapped themselves up in. If they’re killing the evil, then they’re not the evil. That’s the story they told, and the impetus of the show that Sam was sucked back into. But this thread unravelled in later seasons when Dean became friends with Benny and the idea that all supernatural creatures are inherently evil unravelled as well. While they never completely broke free of John’s hold over them, welcoming Jack into their lives meant confronting a bias that had been ingrained in them since Dean was 4 years old and Sam 6 months. In the face of the question, “are all monsters monstrous?” the narrative loosens its control. Even by questioning it, it throws into doubt the overarching narrative of John’s plan, which is usurped at the end of season 2 when they kill Azazel by Dean’s demon deal and a new narrative unfolds. John as author-god is usurped by the actual God in season 4, who has his own narrative that controls the lives of Sam, Dean and Cas.

Okay like for real, I do actually think the metanarrativity in Supernatural is something that should be studied by someone other than me, unless you wanna pay me for it and then shit yeah. It is extremely cool to introduce a biographical narrative about the fictional narrative it’s in. It’s cool that the characters are constantly calling this narrative into focus by fighting against it, struggling to break free from their textual confines to live a life outside of the external forces that control them. And the thing is? The really real, honest thing? They have. Sam, Dean and Cas have broken free of the narrative that Kripke, Carver, Gamble and Dabb wrote for them. The very fact that the textual confession of love that Cas has for Dean ushered in a resurgence of fans, fandom and activity that has kept the show trending for five months after it ended, is just phenomenal. People have pointed out that fans stopped caring about Game of Thrones as soon as it ended. Despite the hold they had over tv watchers everywhere, their cultural currency has been spent. The opposite is true for Supernatural. Despite how the finale of the show angered and confused people, it gains more momentum every day. More fanworks, more videos, more fics, more art, more ire, more merch is being generated by the fans still. The Supernatural subreddit, which was averaging a few posts a week by season 15, has been incensed by the finale. And yours truly happily traipsed back into the fandom snake pit after 8 years with a smile on my face and a skip in my step ready to pump that dopamine straight into my veins babeeeeeeyyyyy. It’s been WILD. I recently reconnected with one of my mutuals from 2010 and it’s like nothing’s changed. We’re both still unhinged and we both still simp for Supernatural. Even before season 15, I was obsessed with the podcast Ride Or Die, which I started listening to in late 2019, and Supernatural was always in the back of my mind. You just don’t get over your first fandom. Actually, Danny Phantom was my first fandom, and I remember being 12 talking on Danny Phantom forums to people much too old to be the target audience of the show. So I guess that hasn’t left me either. And the fondest memories I have of Supernatural is how the characters have usurped their creators to become mythic, long past the point they were supposed to die a quiet death. The myth weaving that the Supernatural fandom is doing right now is the legacy that will endure.

References

I got all of these for free from Google Scholar!

Judith May Fathallah, “I’m A God: The Author and the Writing Fan in Supernatural.”

James K A Smith, “A Little Story About Metanarratives: Lyotard, Religion and Postmodernism Revisited.” 2001.

Cameron Lee, “Agency and Purpose in Narrative Therapy: Questioning the Postmodern Rejection of Metanarrative.” 2004.

Harri Englund and James Leach, “Ethnography and the Meta Narratives of Modernity.” 2000.

https://uproxx.com/filmdrunk/mel-brooks-explains-french-mistake-blazing-saddles-blu-ray/

#transcripts #supernatural #supernatural podcast #<60mins #this is first and foremost a podcast about cas and misha collins

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josmarney23 · 3 years

Text

Miraculous Ladybug: Future Madness

Ok....So ... I've been thinking about this idea for a long time and it would be the first time I published a concrete and concise idea like this, even more so for a very direct fandom such as the Miraculous Ladybug fandom. It should be clarified that this is an IDEA or CONCEPT, it is not something real.

Making that clear, I continue to continue.

This idea for a video game based on the Miraculous Ladybug universe came up while I was trying to remaster the TMNT: Turtles In Time soundtrack (the Arcade version, not the SNES version).

At first I started as a very basic idea but then it evolved to the concept that I want to share with you, but before continuing, I must first divide the content into parts, to better understand how I imagine a Miraculous Ladybug video game would be.

1. THE GAMEPLAY:

Introducing you to my crazy idea, we have the most important and crucial thing, the gameplay.

This video game, from my perspective, I feel that it would be a Beat 'Em Up, a classic genre of games like Streets Of Rage, Final Fight, Kunio-Kun Saga, Double Dragon, etc. Its specific gameplay would drink a lot from the aforementioned games but would also add mechanics such as, for example, the semi-3D scenes of TMNT: Turtles In Time from the SNES and a bit of the gameplay of Cadillacs and Dinosaurs.

The number of players would be 4 for a maximum of 4 characters and among the main controllable characters would be:

-Marinette (Ladybug)

-Adrien (Chat Noir)

-Kagami (Ryuko)

-Nino (Carapace)

Later, more playable characters and surprises would be unlocked.

The scenarios would have to be a little more elaborate and long than the average Beat 'Em Up, to encourage exploration but without too much open world, to find a balance between the old arcade gameplay Beat' Em Up and the new exploration sensation of the more Recent Beat 'Em Up like Streets Of Rage 4 or River City Girls.

2. THE HISTORY:

The story is why I really do this blog and this idea, since, as I said previously, it was something that evolved over time and now it is somewhat complex.

To sum up the whole general plot, the game begins with the player controlling Ladybug and her friends (Chat Noir, Carapace and Ryuko) to fight Lila and Shadowmoth (Before Hawkmoth) and the army of minions that Lila is creating with her powers of Volpina to wreak havoc and keep the heroes busy, as well as separated so she can have a chance to get hold of the Miraculous from Ladybug and Chat Noir.

The player finishes the introductory level and defeats these two bosses while getting used to the gameplay. Once Shadowmoth is defeated along with Lila, the heroes are about to unmask our villain but then a time portal appears and a very badly wounded Bunnyx and a mysterious villain who has the same powers as Shadowmoth but still leaves almost flying. notorious much stronger than the mentioned one. The villain shows her strength despite being very hurt, making it clear how strong she is, in order to take Bunnyx through the portal. The heroes chase the villain through the portal to end up in an alternate universe / future where this villain controls Paris from the shadows, with her akumas powered by microtechnology that allow her to keep akumatized who will be the game's zone bosses.

The heroes thus, would meet the very limited and small resistance whose leaders would be a mysterious heroine who would call herself "Savage Rouge" and an aging Gabriel Agreste. After some somewhat limited and mysterious explanations, the heroes would go to work to defeat each boss who controls an area of the City of Paris.

While the player defeats each boss and deakumatizes them, little by little it is discovered that each boss is actually a friend and acquaintance of our heroes and they are discovering little by little things of this alternate future, the mysterious villain, Lady Darkmoth, as they know her, is healing her wounds and gaining more energy in her secret and private laboratory while her two mysterious assistants are taking care that the " government "of his lady and boss does not fall apart.

Once the heroes have managed to free almost all of Paris from the control of Lady Darkmoth, the heroes in their hiding place of the resistance are celebrating without knowing that one of their friends has a tracker that reveals the location to the villain, to top it off the mysterious villain is already completely healthy and with more power than before. Lady Darkmoth takes advantage of the fact that everyone is celebrating the victory to give a wild surprise with hers, two mysterious helpers of hers. Lady Darkmoth sends her assistants to take care of the resistance members and who were deakumatized while Lady Darkmoth takes care of Ladybug, Chat Noir, Carapace, Kagami, Savage Rouge, Gabriel Agreste and Emilie Di Vanille (who in this alternate future has been saved and awakened by Ladybug and has separated from Gabriel Agreste), defeating everyone with great ease, being only Emilie, Lila and Gabriel who end up giving her the most fight but defeating them in the end. Lady Darkmoth reveals to heroes the truth about who Gabriel Agreste is and reveals the identity of Savage Rouge, being neither more nor less than Lila Rossi. After that she would reveal her true identity, Emma Duppain-Agreste, the middle daughter of Marinette Duppain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste.

Emma would charge a powerful attack with which she would destroy the base of the resistance, taking with her Gabriel, Emilie and Lila, thinking that with her great charged attack she managed to kill the heroes, who have been narrowly saved.

The heroes and the rebels who were left alive decide to go to the secret facilities following the villain, taking advantage of a trace that the villain's power generates and that they have just discovered to their secret laboratories, waging a tough battle against the huge arsenal of sentimonsters modified with Futuristic technology that Emma has at her disposal. There the heroes manage to enter the depths of the secret laboratory and free Gabriel, Alyx, Lila and Emilie, Lila being the only conscious one and which explains that Emma became the villain they know because of the Marinette of the future. denied her middle daughter being a superhero for fear that all her children could end up hurt or even traumatized as she suffered with that stressful life, taking it to somewhat radical extremes that ended up taking Emma away from her mother and causing her to she became more friends with Lila, which little by little would end up giving her the wrong ideas. Lila would tell them that Emma would end up misinterpreting an advice that she would give to a very moody and angry Emma and would end up attacking her parents when they were off guard, thereby assuming the blame as well and that for that she had taken the mantle of Savage Rouge , to at least try to repair the damage, freeing Gabriel Agreste from jail so that he could also help him by his knowledge of the Miraculous. After the explanation, the heroes go to try to defeat Emma before she carries out her plan to expand her control to more cities in the world but in it they face the mysterious helpers who turn out to be crazed and adult versions of Marinette and Adrien, which were used by Emma as guinea pigs to perfect her mecha akumas to control people by way of revenge.

The heroes finally arrive with Emma and fight her but in the middle of the first fight Emma cheats using an unfinished special machine to greatly weaken the heroes until Lila intervenes and sacrifices herself to expose the weak point of the girl. Emma's machine and dies, causing the heroes to overcome the final battle, defeating the young villain, who survives weakened and Ladybug and her friends destroy the laboratory while taking Emma and the others who were inside the laboratory. Emma is imprisoned for life like Gabriel (who must pay her perpetual sentence). Ladybug and the heroes are dedicated to helping rebuild the Paris of the alternate future but are later taken by a Bunnyx recovered in time, but not before Marinette writing on a paper what mistakes she should not make in the future (without revealing much of his alternate future or what he has experienced in the game). Bunnyx takes them back in time after erasing them all from her memory and ends the story.

Yes, yes, I know, the story is very long, but that does not prevent it from being used in a game and even more so in a Beat 'Em Up game. It would just be a matter of simplifying a few things. Let me know in the comments if you like the story or your suggestions.

3. THE MUSIC:

The music would have to be a fusion of styles that would be based on the musical style of the TMNT game: Turtles In Time (Arcade Version) with some musical ideas from some games like Sega's Out Run (Arcade) or some works by composer Luke McQueen.

Here is some of his best works:

youtube

(This will be a perfect Older Akumatized Chloe Level)

youtube

(Older Akumatized Chloe Boss Theme or Theme 2)

youtube

(This Would be a Perfect Akumatized Older Luka Boss Theme)

youtube

(This will be a Cementary Level Theme)

youtube

(This will be a perfect Police Station Theme Level)

4. UNLOCKABLE EXTRAS:

For this part, I got to think about what I could put as unlockable content (I don't like DLC, I prefer unlockable content and that the game is worth the money it demands). These would be the unlockables of my hypothetical game:

-Unlock characters and kwamis for heroes but post-campaign (New Game +)

-Small Playable Campaign where we explore the perspective of Gabriel, Lila and two rebellious characters that in the future will end up becoming the Ladybug and Chat Noir.

-An art gallery where you can see the concept arts of the series and the video game.

-Small Playable Campaign where we can play as Emma Agreste when she tries to be Ladybug (part of the story that tells you different characters in the base campaign) and her friends, who only two survived to be akumatized in the future by Emma, the other he died and was a major factor in Emma's fall from grace.

-Extra soundtrack but in SNES and Sega Genesis version.

-A small animated mini series that explains in detail the one that led to all the characters of the alternate future ending up as they were.

-Play maybe a little glimpse into Gabriel and Emilie's past.

5. VISUAL STYLE:

I have thought of the visual style in a very pixel art style but that borders on the almost cartoonish HD, something similar to the beautiful Pixel Art that was used for SNK's King Of Fighters XIII and the pixel art style that will be used for the new one. game that will arrive this year from the Ninja Turtles (Here are some videos to give you an idea of the visual style: https://youtu.be/yyMjlO5Ao7M and https://youtu.be/GemOAwU-9fo)

Obviously the level design would have to adjust to imagine a futuristic half Paris with things like the famous Hoverboards (Flying Skateboards) or flying cars, drones and a long etc.

I thinks this is all folks. This idea from a hypothetical videogame of Miraculous Ladybug have so much time in my crazy mind and I hope you like it. Give me your suggestions and your critics. I hear you.

#chat noir #adrien agreste #kagami tsuguri #miraculous ryuko #nino lahiffe #miraculous ladybug #Marinette Duppain-Cheng #Emma Agreste #Future AU #Youtube

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letusmeetagain · 3 years

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First i wanna say i really like all your analysis and theories because you put so much effort into them and im really gratful we have someone like you who like i said again have wonderful theories that make so much sense so please i have a question for you regarding a certain well...very dragged topic so if you wouldnt like to awswer i will totally understand it just i wanted to hear YOUR opinion because i really do appreciate your analysis of snk anyway my question is regarding erehisu...not i dislike it but its just im so tired can isayama make em or eh canon already so this clownery end...BUT i really do believe eremika will be the endgame because of all the proof that we have in the manga but people tend to make it as if its a crack ship ugh...what do you think hisu's final role will be? What do you think eren awswered her? Though i dont believe hisu's question meant any romantic undertones what do you make out of her question to eren?

Hi anon!!

Thank you for your kind words T.T

Well... the question focuses on my opinion on which ship has more chances to become canon, right?

I’ve spent some time thinking about my answer to this question, how I could go direct to the point while giving enough arguments to defend my opinion. Prepare yourself because I couldn’t and this will be very long. Sorry...

1. Eren’s characterization + romance

First of all, there is a very important point about Eren that shipers (even me sometimes) forget. A friend that loves and understand Eren the most pointed this many times when I was starting to forget about it... I dare to say that nobody surpasses her understanding of his characterization.

Eren isn’t a romantic person. We all have to keep in mind that his priorities aren’t the priorities a normal person would have. He is like Rick from Casablanca. There’s the duty and then dreams and then, maybe, romantic love (If we take for granted that he knows what it is). Erwin loved Marie but he had a priority. (There’s me finding more similarities between Erwin and Eren). Eren’s current development is more about his mission than a romantic one. Although he plays with romance, he does it while being blatantly blind about it.

Eren got caught in the middle of his normal development from a child that gets annoyed by romance and has some kind of allergy against cheesy moments (for ex. in ch. 3 with Franz and Hannah) to a teenager that blooms to feel romantic love as something important and unavoidable. It’s normal for kids. But Eren hasn’t a normal life. There was always something more important than learning how to love, be loved and express it openly. It’s not that he isn’t able to love, more likely the opposite. He knows how to love and he has his own ways to do it... but the way the world is restricted his possibilities to live a different life. Even in the way EMA never got to communicate properly most of the times. Communication runs sometimes as a question, a statement and no back question (for ex. ch. 3). Eren asked about Mikasa’s reasons to follow him, about Armin’s reasons, where he threw that line about his death being meaningless. Nobody said anything, neither Mikasa nor Eren reacted stating the opposite. They usually don’t have the time nor oportunity to talk or even think about essential topics as feelings of love or labeling their feelings.

Given Eren’s lack of experience and maturity that we could see until Marley arc. Is it even possible that he developed a carnal relationship with Historia before going to Marley? No. No, because it would contradict somehow his characterization. Eren is depicted exactly as someone that took this decision because he lost every single deep bond that would have stopped him. This lack of understanding brought him to this point. The lack of value he places on life and a comfortable life with friends and family.

2. The baby

The whole baby plot point is from my perspective just about the curse and a new generation (maybe) free from being SoY but just normal human beings.

Historia choosing this way was also the safest way to oppose her destiny... strategically speaking. She could trick everyone without being called openly a traitor. So I’m agree with you. Her question wasn’t romantic.

3. The father and his meaning

The father is, as I pointed out once in my Twitter acc., the farmer. My reasons are that there is a meaning behind his existence. He was a boy that dared Historia to break the rules and stop being submissive. He is aligned with Historia’s current role as someone who stopped being the good girl that follows stupid and detrimental rules in disregard of her own life. He is also a man that decided to redeem himself by helping her with the orphanage without trying to get her attention at all. Being a normal person who enjoys a normal life and also redemption. I’m not saying necessarily that it’s about love, but he isn’t just a nobody. He holds a deep, positive meaning for the story. Isayama pairs usually a sinner and an “innocent”: Annie and Armin, Eren and Mikasa, Erwin and Levi, Ymir and Krista, Historia and the Farmer. Eren and Historia are the current sinners on the matter that both chose the rumbling... let’s say.

Why this kind of pairing? Because one has to contribute to the improvement of the other. Two sinners (with the same crime and perspective) can’t help each other. It’s opposition what will bring them to overcome their weaknesses.

4. Development of the couples

That being said, Eren and Mikasa as pair are in the focus. Isayama went through 10 years of development of most of the pairs to build up a support for EreMika. He build parallels with YumiHisu and Falbi and gave us hints to understand EM better. The vow he made to her was probably one of those moments when he started to be romantic without noticing.

5. Eren and Historia: their moments

EH interactions are, conversely, of other nature. Both feel related about the point of carrying a big burden. While Eren has to save humanity fighting, Historia has the role of a founder who has to assure humanity’s survival by having children and keeping the royal family alive. Both want to be free from that burden and end up being “partners in crime” by betraying everyone. I’m missing the romantic interactions to be very honest. It’s because Eren is so self-focused that he anchors here when someone who is alone and having the same problems and feelings appears. But... where did the fandom start to see something between them?

Two moments. The moment when he said “she is admirable” and the moment when he insisted to spare her life. That obsession that is so tricky to even be explained.

The first one made a difference between how Eren acknowledges Historia’s attributes and disregards Mikasa’s. The fandom uses this to point out that Eren likes Historia more. Well, no. His relationship towards Mikasa was characterized by jealousy. He won’t admit anything.

Regarding his “obsession” to save her... this started when he knew the existence of Eren Krüger, his thoughts and the whole story about Dina. It wasn’t before that. We must also admit that Historia’s safety was related to more characters than just Eren. Since the very beginning, her safety was conveniently displayed by Frieda, Ymir and Reiner, what makes me believe that her destiny was to give birth to this baby (aka. plot armor). Her role is to avoid becoming a titan by her own choice, that’s her arc. With Krüger we also knew the importance of a royal: they can give birth to more convenient instruments for war. Knowing that he was devoted to the mission, I believe that Eren is being influenced by him (I want to highlight the word “influenced” as something different to manipulated). So this is all related to the mission and the final outcome about Ymir, the curse, the power and the baby. Eren partly wants to grant her the chance to choose, but he also pushes her to do so based on part of her desires because of the mission as he did with Grisha.

Add here the fact that Historia was prepared to sacrifice his life at the cave if it was needed. That shows her priorities.

A lot of EH shippers claim that she saved him. Regarding her role as savior, I’m more objective and skeptical. She spared his life, but emotionally speaking, she didn’t really save him. The proof is that he was still low, thinking that he was a nobody. Carla’s words were the message with enough impact to relieve him and make him open himself to Armin and Mikasa and tell them about his sorrows. This shows the difference on the impact on him when it comes to Historia and when it comes to Carla... this happens again in ch. 131. He thinks about his mother instead of Historia who was the one reproving his plan. To me, Historia is his friend and inspired him to fight just for his sake against the system and rebel those who are over him and oppressing him. But his soft side is related to Carla, Armin and Mikasa: his family and those, who appreciate his life over his fate and urge of freedom and to be acknowledged.

Bonus: when Eren told Historia that she saved him was more like “You chose this path once and I’m sorry. I’ll be starting the rumbling and you contributed”. Historia’s face to that looks like this: “Oh no...I fucked up”. It doesn’t look like “Oh no... I don’t regret saving you because I love you and I can’t live without you”. On the contrary, that’s when she realizes that she was part of this since the beginning and that by saving him, she chose to let the rumbling happen once in the past. Then she goes along with the plan for her own reasons and because she hasn’t better options to choose either.

Summary:

Eren didn’t develop as a romantic person yet nor prioritized romantic love over his mission. It goes against a previous explicit development of EH before the trip to Marley. The farmer has a positive meaning as the father. EM is more developed and shows romantic undertones and common tropes. EH hasn’t romantic undertones and it’s more related to the mission to save the eldians.

So... that was it. Sorry again for the length and thank you for the ask!

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laufire · 3 years

Text

Supernatural s5

I finished it a little while ago, but I haven’t had the time to make an involved post about it -or watch that much of s6 yet; I’m trying to be Resposible and the time I have has been spent in advancing fics a little bit or answering short asks lol.

-I have really enjoyed this season for the most part, but there’s something I need to get of my chest LOL: all through it, the song “Too Many Dicks (On The Dance Floor)” played in my head xDD. Like, listen, I knew what I was signing up for with this show!! I didn’t expect NOT to find it offensive or regressive on multiple occasions!! But I guess s3-4 must have spoiled me lmao. I’m not saying those seasons are the height of feminism, but if you removed its most important female characters, ESPECIALLY Ruby, the plot of the season would fall apart. That’s not something you can say for s5 and preventing the Apocalypse, just sayin’.

It wouldn’t’ve been that hard to expand Meg’s, Anna’s or the Harvelle’s part (they had good material to go there -Meg as the faithful possibly opening her eyes, Anna as the betrayed and the juror jury and executioner, the Harvelles as normal hunters fighting something way too big for them-, but barely any time and like I said, no incidence in the actual plot of the season). Hell, I’m biased but bringing back Ruby would’ve at least taken care of the problem lol. Or if the show had indulged me and kept Bellamy Young as Lucifer, at least. But everyone with a real say in the plot is a dude, or at least wearing one as a vessel (angel’s conception of gender is clearly different from humans, but in terms of ~~representation the results are the same lbr).

-My constant frustrations with Supernatural’s bigotry-related stuff lol, like I said, I really enjoyed the season (that combination is one of the most frustrating things about the show lmao). Especially Castiel’s plot. The guy has reached Potential Hall of Faves status and that’s hum. A Problem xD

But seriously, he was breaking my heart in all the best ways. His search for God (the Absent Father that the show specifically compared to John añsldkfjasf. This show ISTG!!), his disappointment and sense of betrayal at being let down (he called God Himself “son of a bitch”!!!). I was especially fascinated by his Endverse version -that AU will have its own section lol-, although it resulted in making me reaaaally nervous whenever he was close to an addictive substance :). Like yes, those scenes were lowkey humourous and adorable (like when he drinks shots with the Harvelles and Ellen is fascinated and Jo delighted -... lowkey shipping this too btw. Lowkey shipping Castiel with lots of people-, or his combo with Sam when he got drunk), but also, you know, WORRYING xD

Some of my favourite scenes of his were, predictably, his interactions with Meg or Lucifer in 5x10. The Megstiel scene was SUPER HOT (both their voices are very unf-y lol), I can’t wait to edit it. And having Lucifer call Castiel “a peculiar thing” sure was something xD (although lbr, this Lucifer isn’t keeping with his rebel angel reputation, Castiel is carrying that all by himself smh).

Another scene I couldn’t get out of my head if I wanted to is when he uhhhh... completely LOSES IT and starts beating the crap out of Dean when he was ready to give it up to Michael. “I gave everything for you, and this is what you give me?!?” ooooooof. It was hard to watch, and fascinating and intense. I shamelessly loved it lmfao.

Though my favourite moment of his is one that can only be appreciated when you know certain things about s6. It’s the scene where, unlike everyone else, he shows appreciation for Sam’s plan of sacrificing himself to get rid of Lucifer. Because yes, at this point it’s the only thing that can save the world. But Castiel isn’t saying, “Sam’s life is a small price to pay in comparison”, because he will go into s6 and snatch Sam out of the cage immediately. s5 established Sam got out, so with that in mind, he didn’t bring it up because he didn’t want to create false hope in case he failed, but he backed the plan with the intention of saving Sam anyway. I love that. I love him.

-The entire season was Missing Ruby Hours for me lmfao. Like I said, some of the problems in the season wrt female characters would’ve been at the very least lessened if she’d gotten to be here wrecking havoc. But generally I just miss her and What Could Have Been with her here. I enjoyed some of the crumbs (Sam using the witchcraft skillz he learned from her! Sam immediately knowing Meg isn’t Ruby, unlike Dean! Her knife! The ARCHANGEL GABRIEL referencing her as “the demon Sam chose over his brother”!! The callbacks with Crowley or Brady!!), but I would’ve wanted her here, dammit xD.

-Aaaaand we’re finally getting to Sam, who is without a doubt the star of the season, if you ask me. His plan at the end, to let Lucifer possess him in the hopes he can fight back for just long enough to overpower him and throw them both into the cage, with no hopes for himself? This is the kind of Big Damn Hero stunt I’m a sucker for, I won’t lie. And I love that the show felt the need to confirm he was still alive at the end of the season hehe.

He really Went Through It this season and he held on lmfao. On top of everything (the apocalypse, the guilt of being its final trigger, the addiction recovery, etc.), he also had to deal with Dean’s usual bullshit, which is no small feat xDD. Like, sure, from an audience stand-point all those things are interesting (some fave/the fuck moments are when Dean is obviously peeved that Bobby still supports Sam because he wanted Bobby in HIS corner, or when he has the nerve to say he wants to say yes to Michael because he doesn’t trust SAM not to say yes to Lucifer lmfaoooo), BUT IT’S STILL A FEAT XD

One note: for all the talk about bi!Dean, bi!Sam is so SEEN this season xDD. AFAIC he totally hooked up with that bartender Paul (RIP Paul. At least in your last moments you enjoyed Sam, who’s clearly an energetic, attentive lover 😔). And Crowley refers to Brady as Sam’s demon ex-boyfriend and nobody bats and eye lmfao (that story is so angsty... the parallels to Ruby, how he ingratiated himself with Sam by pretending to have fallen off the wagon... ouch).

-I have mixed feelings on Crowley. On his own, I fell absolutely in love with the guy on his first appearance. A demon that DOUBTS Lucifer and doesn’t kiss his ass?? That wants to get rid of him and do his own thing?? And clearly enjoys ~earthly pleasures to the fullest (his complains about how the other demons ate his tailor had me rolling laksjdfa)? The way he turned the tables on Brady? OFC I love him. OTOH boy, does it annoy me knowing that fandom GLADLY embraced him when they condemned characters like Bela or Ruby for similar things. It’s not his fault so I still like him (he’s like Gabriel in that sense), but it’s annoying!

It also annoys me how Dean Must Be Right All The Time syndrome interacts with him lol. This season Dean decides they can trust Crowley (despite Crowley killing two humans in front of him and getting him beat up by Brady lol), so they can. Next season he decides they can’t, so Castiel will be WrongTM because Dean Says So. Ugggggh xD

-To be fair, however, this season has my fave Dean so far LOL. In the love/hate scale, this one has been almost solely in camp love, barring some of those moments of irksome hypocrisy that he’s so prone to xD.

But there was something about how this season’s plot chipped away at him, you know? For all the traits he has that drive me up the wall or unsettle me, I appreciate a lot of his personality because it makes him a unique and interesting character driving the narrative -his irreverence, his ability to think on the fly and get out of shitty situations, his disbelief. Seeing all of those things under siege this season made me hurt for him in a way I hadn’t anticipated LOL. By the time he was ready to give in to Michael (and I love that what made him step away from that choice was Sam showing a trust in him he patently didn’t deserve lbr), sometimes I felt terribly for the guy.

I also wonder if this season kind of marked like... the beginning of the end for him, narrative-wise? Making him Michael’s vessel (his angel condom) is the kind of thing that turns him from subject into object, and that can doom characters ime. The fact that he ~resigns himself to Sam’s death when his identity as a character came with being His Brother’s Keeper is another slight.

-I continue having mixed feelings about Destiel too LMAO. I’ve decided I’m just going to try to enjoy the good and interesting parts while I can, while trying not to think of future developments that’ll likely sour the ship for me lol.

Because in truth, yeah, I enjoy their interactions a lot here! The Endverse was particularly enjoyable for me (back to that in a moment), but the entire season had a lot of gems. That moment in the finale, when Dean is wounded on his knees after Sam sacrifices himself, and Castiel resurrects and heals him with a touch? And Dean is staring in awe and asks him if he’s become God?? Like wtf am I supposed to do with that. WHO SAYS THAT. XDD

-The Endverse. Omgggggggg. The Endverse. I doubt I can say anything about it that hasn’t been said a thousand times, but seriously. I loooove it, all of it. My favourite was endverse!Castiel, ofc. The way he was in No Man’s Land, not an angel and not quite a human, his ways of trying to cope with that, how burned he was... I uncomfortably related to some of it too lmfao, but let’s not get into that xD.

Seeing both Deans interact was gr10 too. They really couldn’t stand each other lmfao (do you understand me now Dean?? They actually reminded me of two OCs in an original WIP of mine that are in a similar situation -in this case it’s the future version purposefully traveling to the past though-, which made me even fonder of the AU). And the Destiel? *chef’s kiss*. The bitterness, like when Castiel laughs when present!Dean berates endverse!Dean about the tortures and then purposefully says “I like past you” to hurt him asñldkfjasf. Or those looks when Dean returns to the past and tells Castiel to “never change” d’aw.

I loved Lucifer!Sam in this episode too (and personally, I think in the finale Lucifer -and Michael- should’ve changed his outfit too. Sam’s clothes just don’t get to The Devil’s levels, but that white suit was perfect). He was terrifying xD.

BTW: I’ve decided that, since we never see endverse!Castiel die, well. He didn’t xD. I could see Lucifer keeping him alive and captive out of a sense of nostalgia, as Castiel is the only other thing close to a fellow angel left. Might even decide to return his powers with time, or to ~entice him with such an offer lol. And ofc I headcanon Sam is still inside, occasionally trying to fight. Cue in all the Castiel/Lucifer and Castiel/Sam fic ideas too (I have waaaaay too many of those for this mini-verse. It’s very inspiring).

-I’m still on the fence at Lucifer’s motivations but I can’t question how the family issues fit so, so well into this ‘verse. “Family is hell” is the show’s thesis, after all xD. IMO the angels in general don’t feel like a family, they’re a military body/cult lol, but the Archangels are another matter. I guess is the whole “only four angels have seen God-slash-Dad” thing, the rest were... well, the help, apparently.

But Lucifer, Michael, and Gabriel do feel like brothers when they interact (I’m guessing here Gabriel is the Adam: discarded by the other two like nothing :)))). Raphael too, but since he doesn’t interact with them... does he get to later? Or is he the odd one out? Did the others avoid him because he kept quoting Nietzsche at dinner?? LOL.

-There are no words to explain how terribly I feel for Adam. JFC that poor KID. Who was kind and helpful and intuitive, and only wanted his mother back and to help stop the end of the world. And that Sam and Dean will leave rotting in Hell for a millennia :))). It’s kiiiiiiiiind of hard to do for your show’s “heroes” when they do shit like that lmfao. It’d be different if they never tried to make him feel he’s family, but Sam tried to convince him with the bs “because we’re blood” and they did a half-baked attempt at saving him from Zacharias, and then... yeah. At least he had Michael in the cage, but still.

-I was already spoiled of this, but the reveal that cupids made John and Mary fall in love is so chilling (good on Dean for punching that cupid asshole, btw). It puts what Mary says about John in flashbacks, about how much she loves him and how perfect he is, in such a terrifying light. And I’m under the impression that the show didn’t bother to deal with this properly when they resurrected Mary and just... I hate that tbh. It’s a narrative choice that should have a huuuge impact, dammit.

-I kind of loved how bitter and angry Bobby was about (temporarily, thanks to Crowley, his new demon bf -watch out Rufus) ending up in a wheelchair. That there were no platitudes or false sentimentality and it just... was.

-The Harvelles’ had a good send off. I can respect Kripke for wanting his faves to go on his terms lol. Having Jo refuse Dean’s offer of a fuck on their possible last night on Earth with “I rather spent it with a little thing I have self-respect”? Not because she doesn’t have feelings for him, but because she thinks she deserves better from him? I love it. This guy knows his pettiness xD

-The fact that this fandom seems to have ignored Gabriel x Kali is one of the reasons I’m never going to vibe with it, sns. Immortal exes? Check. She tricked him and killed him... but then it turns out HE tricked and he’s alive? Check. BUT THEN HE STILL GOES BACK AND SAVES HER, DYING BY HIS BROTHER’S HAND?? CHECK CHECK CHECK. Ugh, why can’t they come back to me. I know, I know, Kali is a WoC and those are only allowed one (1) appearance before they’re killed off, apparently. So it might be a good thing that she doesn’t return xD. But gosh, they were gr10.

-Death the Horseman’s intro cleared my skin. I love him. I love how utterly terrifying he is and how chilling his and Dean’s scene was. And I yearn to find a picture of the guy a little younger and with a goatee, because he’s the most perfect Discworld’s Vetinari fancast I’ve ever found xDD

-I’ve seen tons of commentary over the years, and especially lately for obvious reasons, about how this season finale would’ve been a much better ending for the show. I’m not there yet, and it does sound like the finale was a mess and this one’s was a very well constructed episode (and, ofc, the Final Love Interest was NOT blurry!!). But even if by the end I come to loathe the finale, there’s one reason I already know won’t let me agree on the s5 ending being perfect: God xDD

The episode makes Chuck come across as a ~benevolent figure and no, fuck that, do NOT want, take it away from me!! Give me God as the Big Bad Wolf, the last evil to conquer any day. It’s like Dumbledore all over again: I enjoy the character a lot more if I feel canon and I are on the same page wrt his shadiness xDD

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jackdawyt · 4 years

Video

youtube

Today I’m continuing my new mini-series paving the road for the anticipated release of the next Dragon Age game. Through these videos, I’ll be delving into very particular honed-in lore and plot threads that are rather telling for the future narrative of Dragon Age.

Last episode I discussed the blighted mineral known as Red Lyrium as it spreads throughout the land, tainting everything it touches, wreaking havoc on the eco-system of Thedas. However, today we have a subjectively worse rival that already has plans for Thedas and its people.

A most prideful, hot-headed fool lingers. One who you could consider to be an enemy, friend or lover. But ultimately, and most importantly, he’s a man who in the end is sorry, and believes he’s only doing what he must for the sake of his people. Of course, we talking about Solas and his plans for Thedas.

In order for us to look forward regarding what Solas’ future scheme may entail; we’ve got to recollect everything that has been instrumental in his plan to restore the elvhen kingdom by destroying the Veil.

“Cry havoc in the moonlight, let the fire of vengeance burn, the cause is clear.” (Solas, DA:I).

Solas comes from a time when everything sang the same. A time before the Veil was created. When the ancient elven kingdom of Arlathan flourished. Elves were seen as immortal, powerful mages that ruled the lands. The most impressive of their kind were the Evanuris, whom the Dalish call "The Creators".

The Creators

“Long ago, there were two clans of gods. The Creators looked after the People. The Forgotten Ones preyed upon us. And one god who was neither. Fen’Harel, the Dread Wolf. He was kin to the Creators, and in the days of old, often helped them with their endless war against the Forgotten Ones.” (Merril, DA2).

The Evanuris “were said to bestow all life's gifts and dole out its punishments” (WoT V.1). The pantheon consisted of nine “gods”:

Elgar'nan: God of Vengeance

Mythal: the Great Protector

Falon'Din: Friend of the Dead, the Guide

Dirthamen: Keeper of Secrets

Andruil: Goddess of the Hunt

Sylaise: the Hearthkeeper

June: God of the Craft

Ghilan'nain: Mother of the Halla

Fen'Harel: The Dread Wolf

“Fen’Harel was clever. He could walk among both clans of gods without fear, and both believed he was one of them.” (Merril, DA2).

While it’s unclear what exactly happened, the Elven Pantheon declared war on anyone who dare oppose them.

"It started with a war. War breeds fear. Fear breeds a desire for simplicity. Good and evil. Right and wrong. Chains of command. After the war ended, generals became respected elders, then kings, then finally gods. The Evanuris." (Solas, DA:I).

Codex entries point to a longing feud with both the Titans and the Forgotten Ones:

“One day Andruil grew tired of hunting mortal men and beasts. She began stalking The Forgotten Ones, wicked things that thrive in the abyss.” (Codex entry: Elven God Andruil).

"Hail Mythal, adjudicator and savior! She has struck down the pillars of the earth and rendered their demesne unto the People! Praise her name forever!" (Codex entry: Veilfire Runes in the Deep Roads).

Regardless of who or what was defeated, the Evanuris were victorious in their conquest. This triumph was the beginning of the pantheons’ corruption - with their hubris - the Evanuris became a villainous tyranny.

In their lust for power, members of the Evnauris plotted against Mythal and killed her. This act would bring forth the elven kingdoms doom known as “the Betrayal.”

The Betrayal

“You said the elven gods went too far. What did they do that made you move against them?” (Inquisitor).

“They killed Mythal. She was the best of them. She cared for her people. She protected them. She was a voice of reason. And in their lust for power, they killed her.”

A crime for which an eternity of torment is the only fitting punishment. (Solas).

This chain of events set Solas’ scheme in motion – to avenge Mythal and right the Evanuris’ wrongdoings.

Solas rebelled against the pantheon, he worked to free slaves bound by vallaslin, granting them sanctuary from their tyrannical masters.

He created the Veil, a magical barrier that separated the foundations of magic that Arlathan was built on. The Veil’s creation brought destruction to the Elvhen, countless marvels reliant on the Fade crumbled, the people lost their immortality and the majority of their magic.

Then Solas banished each of the Evnauris to the Beyond, where they linger forever in torment.

This was the great quickening that the Dalish elves in Thedas still believe today. The disarrayment and destruction of the elven empire. However, ‘twas not Tevinter, nor the pride of mortal man who destroyed the elves.

A few even claim their ancestors were immortal, and it was only the arrival of humans- "shemlen" or "quicklings” that brought death to the "elvhen" people. (WoT V.1).

It was indeed Solas who destroyed the elvhen world.

"It was not the arrival of humans that caused us to begin aging. It was me. The Veil took everything from the elves, even themselves.” (Solas, DA:I)

After creating the Veil, Solas fell into a deep slumber.

"I lay in dark and dreaming sleep while countless wars and ages passed. I woke still weak a year before I joined you." (Solas, DA:I).

Having slept for many years, Solas awoke. He witnessed the transition of his proud and immortal people, now reduced to the fringes of human society.

Once the greatest empire in Thedas, now a cluster of baboons with a false understanding of their existence. They spread false tales of the Evanuris’ feud, praising the false gods, and condemning Fen’Harel. Wearing vallaslin as worship, without realising their slave mark origin.

The elves today can’t even speak the same complexities of their old language, while the remains of Arlathan are nothing but a shallow husk, its memory long since gone, along with the majority of magic.

“My people fell for what I did to strike the Evanuris down, but still some hope remains for restoration. I will save the elven people, even if it means this world must die.” (Solas, DA:I).

While the blame falls to Solas for the elven people’s decimation, what the Evanuris had planned would’ve destroyed the entire world. Solas believed creating the Veil was the lesser of two evils.

“Had I not created the Veil the Evanuris would have destroyed the entire world.” (Solas, DA:I).

While Solas woke up still weak, he has plans to restore the elven people to their former glory. Originally, Solas planned to use his orb of destruction to destroy the Veil, re-establishing the world of his time. However, his slumber had made him too weak to unlock the orb, so using his agents, Solas indirectly gave his orb to Corypheus.

Corypheus, being an ancient and powerful darkspawn would then unlock the orb and die in the resulting explosion. However, that didn’t happen.

Instead, Corypheus uncovered the secrets of effective immortality, and the Inquisitor was the one who gained the orb’s power – the Anchor.

The Anchor

As a result, Solas joined the Inquisition with the sole purpose of defeating Corypheus and getting his unlocked orb back, so he could resume his plan to destroy the Veil. (which explains why he knew so much about the Anchor in the first place).

Of course, this plan too was unsuccessful because the orb was destroyed by failing rocks with the defeat of Corypheus. However, Solas did not expect to find someone he could relate to, as much as he did with the Inquisitor.

“You change everything.” (Solas, DA:I).

He cared for this world, and some of the people in it. And that truly surprised him. But that vulnerability is only going to make his plan harder. No matter how much the Inquisitor tried to sway him, Solas walks the journey of death, he would not have anyone close to him see what he will become.

“I walk the dinan'shiral. There is only death on this journey. I would not have you see what I become.” (Solas, DA:I).

If the Veil is successfully destroyed, the Evanuris (and whatever else lingers in the Beyond) will be released, after suffering years of torment. With their freedom, surely, they’ll unleash havoc on Thedas once again, exacting revenge at the one responsible for their imprisonment.

"Wouldn't the false gods be free?" (The Inquisitor, DA:I).

"I had plans." (Solas, DA:I).

In order for Solas to grant Mythal vengeance, he will need to silence the Evanuris for good. For this plan, Solas has taken an aspect of Mythal’s power so he can rise as the Dread Wolf.

The Dread Wolf

With that power now invested, Solas can transform into the Dread Wolf. In this form, the wolf is “lupine in appearance, but the size of a high dragon, with shaggy spiked hide and six burning eyes like a pride demon.” (The Dread Wolf Take You, Page 496).

Solas as the Dread Wolf has taken residence in the Fade where spirits and demons serve him willingly. He has an enigmatic ritual for the Fade that has been set in motion. Since his orb’s destruction, Solas has been looking at other alternatives for tearing down the Veil.

“As the Avvar do. But whatever fear the name Dread Wolf carries, he has earned. While we might visit the Fade, it is his natural home, and the spirits there serve him gladly. They whisper in my dreams now, accusing me of crimes I never.” (The Dread Wolf Take You, Page 498).

Currently, Solas hunts the Red Lyrium Idol, which apparently belongs to him, and he has a purpose for it. Other than that, not much else is known about it, not even its location.

"The Dread Wolf wants that idol, and he’s not afraid to get his hands bloody to get it." (The Dread Wolf Take You, Page 490).

“He intends something for the Fade, and if he wants the idol, then whatever he intends will be terrible.” (The Dread Wolf Take You, Page 498).

Solas has always had a network of agents working for him behind the curtains. However, the length of Solas’s spies has greatly increased. Many of the Dalish Elves truly believe in Solas's cause and have joined his fight and even the Ancient Elves have been acquired for his schemes.

“And now we know that the Dread Wolf has agents working for him.” (The Bard, The Dread Wolf Take You).

The elves who haven’t joined his ranks have begun to call his army - “Fen’Harel cultists”

Fen’Harel Cultists

“Each one of those damned Fen’Harel cultists. ‘Ooh, if we blow up enough people, ancient Elvhenan is definitely coming back.’” She caught my questioning glance. “They tried to recruit me a few years ago. I said no.” (Half Up Front, page 470)

Solas’ agents, or cultists, whichever takes your liking, already tried to manipulate a war between the Qunari Ben-Hassrath and Tevinter kinsman. An agent of Fen’Harel placed a Tevinter rogue on Qunari lands as a bomb destroyed the Qun’s new darvaarad.

Fortunately, the Ben-Hassrath discovered this plot before it was too late. However, If this plan was successful, it would’ve caused immediate chaos for all of Thedas.

“A Tevinter altus, striking at a Qunari settlement that had yet to enter hostilities? Ben- Hassrath wouldn’t be able to sit the war out anymore. Utter and complete chaos.” I felt nauseous. What I’d almost done, almost been responsible for. (Half Up Front, page 478).

And finally, most recently in a desperate attempt to intercept Thedas’ top spy factions, Solas disguised himself as an Orlesian Bard with a blonde wig and all the trimmings.

Interception

An Executor, Carta Assassin, Mortalitasi Mage, Inquisition Spy and, of course, Solas were present.

He listened as each faction shared their knowledge on the Dread Wolf, before the Executor could speak, Solas killed them. Then he attempted to lie about his knowledge on the Wolf, but was quickly caught out.

He turned the Mortalitasi and Carta Assassin to stone, and revealed himself to the Inquisition Spy known as Chater.

Out of his disguise, Solas appeared tired and sad. He knows that many oppose him and that they are not fools. Telling the Inquisitor what he intended to do was a moment of weakness.

“He sighed. “It was a moment of weakness. I told myself that it was because you all deserved to know, to live a few years in peace before my ritual was complete. Before this world ended.” (The Dread Wolf Take You, Page 506).

He admitted he’s prideful, hot-headed and foolish. Most importantly that he’s sorry for what is to come next.

“I am prideful, hotheaded, and foolish, and I am doing what I must. When you report back to the Inquisitor . . .” His voice faltered. “Say that I am sorry.” (The Dread Wolf Take You, Page 506).

I’ve already addressed the most apparent plot points that regard Solas’s future scheme like the potential destruction of the Veil and dealing with the Evnauris. But other plot points linger that intertwine with Solas’s plan:

Solas's Ritual

As I already stated, Solas has started a ritual ongoing in the Fade with the help of spirits and demons. It’s a very ambiguous ritual, however, we do know that binding spirits and using blood magic undoes both the work that Solas has planned for the Fade, and the ritual that has been set in motion.

“And as clear as the Dread Wolf’s anger at what we had done— the Mortalitasi binding spirits he considered his own, the Tevinter mage using forbidden blood magic— was the feeling that we had disrupted his own work.” (The Dread Wolf Take You, Page 498).

Perhaps more of these types of magic is needed to disrupt his ritual? This would make the Mortalitasi and Tevinter Magisters great allies in the coming war.

The Inquisitor

Solas’ journey in modern day Thedas started with our Inquisitor, surely his journey should end with them too. The Inquisitor swore to either attempt to redeem or stop Solas, this narrative needs to reach its end. Will Solas and the Inquisitor reach a happy climax? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean our Inquisitor will easily give up. The two characters need closure to end their story for good.

Mythal’s Vengeance

I feel like I need to reiterate that Solas did not absorb Mythal’s spirt, he only took an aspect of her power before she placed a piece of herself in an eluvian, as she finds her next vessel. This means that whoever drank from the Well of Sorrows are still bound to Mythal, Solas did not possess or absorb her soul, she is still alive.

All Solas did, with Mythal willing, was absorb an unknown quantity of her power so he could rise as the Dread Wolf and fulfil her bidding to slay the rest of the pantheon. I truly believe Mythal has a greater scheme at play, and Solas has fallen ridicule to her, he’s blind sighted because of the bond they share, but I believe Mythal has darker intentions, and they’ll soon come to play once Solas destroys the Veil.

So, what does come next for Solas? There are a lot of future topics we’ve touched on, but all I can say is we should expect to see him transform into the most villainous Dread Wolf as he stops anyone who dare intercede with his scheme. Not only that, but he has an army of spirts and demons in the Fade, with his agents on the field in Thedas. The tensions are rising, perhaps soon enough we’ll witness the magic come back, as Solas rises to destroy the Veil. The Evanuris are too going to be out for vengeance, only time will tell if we can save our friend before it’s too late.

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thessaliah · 3 years

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The God of a Different Planet (Work in Progress)

A reminder and a wip, of the things we know about "the God of a Different Planet."

The "God of a Different Planet"

It has no physical body and may not “exist.”

According to Kirschtaria in Atlantis, it is an Illusionary or Fantasy God nobody has seen (before Olympus). Not even the Apostles. In Olympus, Kadoc agrees it has no physical form noticing its behavior different from Lostbelt Zeus, who does not need to hide and shows his power.

The “God” is Beast VII, that is their Class Saint Graph

Before the god “manifests” in Olympus, it is compared as similar to both Goetia as Beast I and Koyanskaya TV is regarded as a peer. Rasputin also confirmed the proper manifestation of its Saint Graph in Olympus. In Hell World Mandala, Douman, who also refers the “god” as “Satan who Art as Lucifero” attempts to create a new god of a different star, repeating the process using a pseudo tree of fantasy, this would turn someone into Beast and make a new advent for another God of a Different Star. Douman fails to achieve this because they lack love toward Humanity. It may be simply the “name” for the Class Beast VII saint graph, the Horned Crown (as Mara is the name for Beast III which is flavored as the representation of the opponent to the Buddha and its teachings).

It did not target Humanity

While is probably connected to the Tabula Rasa, it was not an operation that wipe out humanity as targets, but rather because they were “on the way”, to the true purpose: install the Lostbelts. Means to an end, similar to Goetia’s Human Incineration. Kirschtaria and Kadoc mention the “God” does not know history or cares about humans, however Kadoc thinks the one who attacked Chaldea knew very well about humanity. There is not a contradiction between these statements, or indifference toward humanity could not make a Beast, because those could be surface readings. The God could have a distorted meaning of who are humans but love humanity (what they consider human) as Kiara (who only sees herself as human), and because is a being of fantasy, it is not very aware of Panhistory. Because it is the result of the operation, it does not mean they were at helm. Much like the Beast of Revelations 666 in Fate/Prototype, the monstrous dragon from the tainted Holy Grail was born due to Manaka’s, his Master and mother, sacrifices. In Hell World Mandalda, before Limbo changed their mind, they were going to elevate Ibuki Douji to the role of Beast/God of a Different Planet, while the whole operation was carried by their plans and efforts. Or so he claimed to lured her and assimilated her.

Whatever Manifests inside the Tree of Fantasy is the “God of a Different Planet” (Beast VII) as long it meets the requirements

Since the "God" has no physical form, it only is birthed from the tree, using pre-existing things. The Advent of the God is why Lostbelts exist, and why Kirschtaria Wodime was resurrected to serve as Crypter. There seems to be requirements and compatibility to such feat. Douman failed because they lacked love toward humanity to qualify as Beast. So there’s one. Another I speculate is related to the “legend” the tree grows and who plants it: Ibuki Douji was a qualifier for the Hell World Mandala Tree, flowered in a Pseudo Japanese Lostbelt set in Heian era, where oni still lived and thrived. The third requisite, aside of considerable power, must be a compatibility to the Evil or Sin of the Beast. The sin is currently unknown, though Shame/Regret and anything related of being on the “loser side” and discarded one from those “seats of happiness” and “history” Nasu chooses, seems plausible. This might explain why Kirschtaria said to the priestess her body would manifest soon. While he was amicable to Olga-as-priestess, he was against the manifestation of any God of a Different Star (Beast). Perhaps Kirschtaria was chosen to cultivate the tree because, as an unofficial Animusphere heir, he and his magecraft serve as a catalyst for an Animusphere to fill the void within the Tree. Perhaps it did not have to be Olga, but Olga was the Animusphere who was more afflicted by the Sin/Evil if it was Shame and Regret.

(Extra: Why would Animuspheres qualify as Humanity Evils? See Chaldeas theory, and Laplace Demon asks).

The God as Invader: The Invasion began from Area 51

Ongoing plot threads, but the Tabula Rasa began in Area 51 (in Kirschtaria’s notes) which is, according to Mr. Bluebook, unaffected by the bleaching. I will not speculate here about Chaldeas and Animusphere conspiracy because this is about the God in general (but is not confirmed the Light is the God, as Kadoc believed, or someone/something who simply wished to create it). I will point out that Kadoc state the “god” is only a “God” because is how we can label a powerful being, so might not be that, however is an invading force. Invading from where? It is a space invasion as U-Olgamarie’s “backstory” seem to hint? What were Lostbelts called as well? Invasion. From a lost record to proper history.

Who is the culprit?

We have the God (Beast), the apostles, the Crypters, Animusphere, potential mastermind, but are they the real responsible for this situation? Rasputin challenged Holmes to tell him who is truly responsible for this? In Cosmos in the Lostbelt PV, Sugita’s baritone ominous warning was: this was the result of the system Humanity chose for themselves. We will face the malice from lost history. What is discarded, erased, pruned, culled, trampled until nothing is left for the sake of prosperity, it may not be completely gone. It’s tossed into the Void.

In the Void, like Animusphere spell chants, there is God.

It can only born from fantasy, because is the Beast of those who were denied, those who lost and could not reach the future. In history, there are winners and losers. Perhaps Beast VII is called “God of another Planet”* because is a plea to remake the planet, it does not care for the humanity that were winners, but those voices in the Void who never had a chance to live, it uses the past of Earth but specifically a past that was denied that is bloomed in the Tree of Fantasy. And Satan nickname from Douman is because is a rebel against the current “God” (System/Order) and attempts to replace it with a new one.

“Why.Why.Why.Why” is the repeated plea written in the “survivors” last words. It’s an emphasis that to solve the mystery, one has to look why happened, rather than how first. And before being shot Bluebook was skeptical the reason was torturing some supposed “alien” in Area 51.

(*Double pun connection to Chaldeas aside, as it works in a double sense - current Beast VII saint graph and lifespan is similar to an astronomical object like a star or a planet).

#fgo meta #wip #for me #correct me if I misremember something

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ngikutintrend · 3 years

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4 Ready to Release New Games For PS5 !

The PlayStation 5 console was officially launched in Indonesia on January 22. Because it is still relatively new, not so many types of games can be played on this Next-gen console made by Sony. However, PS5 players need not worry. Because, a number of game developers and publishers have officially announced a game launch schedule for the PS5 console. This year, their newest console, the PlayStation 5, is the main focus. An extraordinary line of exclusive games are ready to launch this year also into the hands of gamers who are curious about their quality. Let's see below some of the newest 2021 games for PS5

The first new 2021 games are Horizon Forbidden West. The long-awaited sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West, will continue Aloy's story in a world where the primitive side of the past and the futuristic future are merged into one. This game will still present a giant robot monster but of course with more variants than its predecessor. For the story, Aloy now has a mission to find out a mysterious plague that kills all who are infected. Developed by Guerilla Games, Horizon Forbidden West is slated to launch this year at an undetermined date.

Since no screenshots or gameplay trailers have been released yet, God Of War Ragnarok remains one of the most awaited games of the year, going to be a direct sequel to the God Of War soft-reboot which was released in 2018. Ragnarok is planned to be released this year, although until now there is no certainty about the release date. In addition, although there is also no information regarding the plot of the story, the game is expected to start a series of events depicting the deaths of the gods of Norse mythology also known as "Ragnarok".

For lovers of interactive story games, you must be impatient with this one game. Square Enix and Deck Nine Games as developers of the Life is Strange game revealed that Life is Strange: true Colors will be released September 10 this year. This game will invite players to interact with many characters to uncover the death of Alex Chen's older brother. In addition, this game also features Indie songs from Novo Amor, Phoebe Bridgers, and Gabrielle Aplin. If you often listen to the musicians above, you can definitely imagine how the atmosphere will be built by the soundtrack of Life is Strange: True Colors.

Ubisoft's Far Cry first person shooter franchise is back this year. The game is called Far Cry 6. Ubisoft seems to have decided not to make Far Cry 5 a trilogy. Far Cry 6 will carry a fictional country ruled by tyrants. Players will help the rebel movement on the Island Nation of Yara who wants to overthrow the power of Anton Castillo. The president in power will pass his leadership to his son. When will Far Cry 6 be released? Ubisoft has scheduled this game to be available on February 18, 2021.

That's the review from AdminNT regarding the latest 2021 games for PS5 that are ready to be released this year. Of the games above, which one do you anticipate the most?

Source : ngikutintrend

#ps5 #games #gaming

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strangeratthewindow · 3 years

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Arianne Week Day 7: Free Choice

Here’s my meager contribution for Arianne Week. It’s written in Arianne’s POV and is part of a story I have planned set in my American Civil War ISOT ‘verse, just after Robert’s Rebellion. It alludes to plot points and stories that have been written (or are still WIPs) but remain unpublished. And it also features quite a few OCs.

Since I know that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, it’ll be left under the cut for those of you who are still curious.

It’s also a first draft, so I hope you’ll be merciful.

ARIANNE I

Arianne hated reading.

It was not that she failed to understand the importance of the activity as a whole. Rather, it was that she found the books that the maester had deemed important for her lessons to be unbearably dull. “The lessons in these ‘dusty old tomes’, as you so eloquently put it, will service you well once you inherit your father’s seat.” Maester Caleotte had said. But she could only tolerate the grim, unrelenting march of history for so long.

As far as she was concerned, it was the people who wrote the histories that were lacking. Daeron’s Conquest, the uprising of the first Vulture King, the court of Myriah, all histories that were chalk full to the brim with romance, adventure, intrigue, and passion. And yet, they were written as if they were no more exciting than a trip to the marketplace.

“Arianne, you must pay attention.” Maester Caleotte had scolded.

But her attention had drifted off back to the stories, only this time told through her imagination. Her mind produced images of Nymeria’s conquest of the Yronwood Royals, of Rhaenys and Meraxes burning a swath through Dorne until they fell in the skies above Hellholt, of Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Prince Aegon’s adventures through her country.

She even fantasized about her auntie’s rescue from King’s Landing. She still remembered hearing the story from her father. How the American officer, Hal Celliers, had defied the orders of his commanders and the rebel lords and rescued her aunt Elia and her children, all as a promise to his love and Elia’s friend, the Lady Ashara Dayne. How after his chastisement from his superiors, he was berated and knighted by the Usurper himself and was finally suitable in status to ask for the hand of Lady Ashara. And how after their betrothal, he was appointed by Lord Alaric as the castellan of the new city he had founded beneath Starfall, Stillhaven, and thus was known throughout Dorne and all Westeros by the name his people had called him: the Azure Angel.

It was all terribly romantic and the thought of it managed to swell Arianne’s heart every time.

She cherished the book that the Major Celliers had given her for her last nameday. It was a collection of stories from his world translated into the Common Tongue, all about kings and queens and knights and princesses from his world. The Legends of King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table, her book was called. It was as large as the histories she was forced to read, but endlessly more interesting.

This was the excitement that she craved from reading.

Arianne had found that the Americans were very generous in their stories. She knew that they would have to have some boring books as well. After all – every country seemed to have too much history. But in their stories, they seemed more wondrous than anything that was available in Westeros.

And when her parents had told her one day that they would be receiving ambassadors from that far-away land, she almost leapt from her seat in joy.

She wanted to know everything about these new people from the world beyond Rickard’s Gate.

When the maester announced that their lessons were finished, she all but rushed out the door, her two cousins laughing and trailing behind.

“Slow down, Ari!” Tyene called to her, her golden hair billowing as she ran.

“I can’t! The new guests are coming today!” She called back.

It was a miracle that she didn’t run into any of the servants as they went about their routines. Entering her room, she quickly washed her face, and put on the clothes that her mama had lain out for her. The red and orange silks felt cool against her skin, as she dressed herself. Looking in the mirror, she couldn’t help but frown at what she saw.

The redspots she had contracted last year had mostly gone away, but they left scarring on her skin that did little to flatter her appearance. She had never given much thought about her appearance until she had gotten the redspots. But ever since, it was like a veil was lifted and she was never comfortable with how she looked ever since. In the mirror, she saw a fat and ugly girl as opposed to the beauties that her cousins had been.

Of course, Obara, Nymeria, and Tyene never considered her as such, but she knew the truth. She would pray to the Seven each day and night to make her beautiful.

Would the Yankees think the same? She had thought, her excitement dwindling slightly.

“They would be foolish to think as such.” Her mother had told her when Arianne asked.

Her mama’s answer made her feel somewhat better, but she still held concerns. She knew that the Americans cared not about the difference between noble and commoner, but she didn’t know if the same held true for the beautiful and ugly.

The thought of such an end made her grateful that the clothes her mama had chosen for her had concealed her baby fat. The last thing she needed was for their new guests to think she was pudgy.

From her room in the Sun Tower, she could see the wheelhouse carrying their new guests approaching, accompanied by riders under two banners. One showing a golden spear piercing a red sun on an orange field, and the other – a roundel of white stars on a field of blue leading out to alternating red and white stripes. She could hear the cheers of the people from high atop in her rooms, each one praising her father and the Americans.

They’re here!

Tying up her hair, she walked out to the courtroom with her septa and made her way to the courtroom where the rest of the household had assembled. Seeing Tyene and Nymeria already there added some nerves to her excitement. They looked far more beautiful than she, but Arianne would not let her envy get to her. She was a Princess of Dorne and heir to the Sunspear.

I will not let them see me falter.

The last of the Threefold Gates were opened, the adulations of the people of the Shadow City echoing from outside, and in came the yellow-clad honor guard for her father’s men followed closely by the blue-coated honor guard of their new guests.

She stared in awe at the blue-coated soldiers. Everything about them seemed like they came out of the pages of a song. Their brass buttons and high boots along with their fabled magic staves seemed to hide a hundred wondrous stories from their world.

The doors of the wheelhouse opening, she saw her father step out followed closely by her mother. And from behind them, an old, balding man in a grey coat and a skirt? It was a queer choice, but she would not judge the man yet. He at least appeared to be somewhat nice, for he didn’t seem to stop smiling since he exited the wheelhouse. Although that could have been explained by who followed him.

From behind the man, he saw two young boys. They both seemed a little older than her and Tyene, perhaps closer to Nym’s age. The one in the straw hat seemed just as shocked as the older man, his eyes wide and his mouth in an O – shape. The other boy, with the woolen cap, seemed to be a bit sterner, his eyes no less curious though. And it was to be expected. She remembered her father telling her that there were no castles in America.

Guiding the three forward to their household, her father was greeted by her uncle, Ser Manfrey.

“My prince.” Her uncle greeted with a bow.

“Manfrey,” Her father acknowledged in return. “These are our guests, all the way from the United States.”

Stepping forward, her father introduced the three. “This is Minister Montgomery Munro, his son Michael, and nephew Concord.”

“It’s an honor, my lord.” Her uncle bowed. “Ser Manfrey Martell, I am the castellan of Sunspear.”

“Och, none of this ‘my lord’ nonsense, good ser.” He waived his response out with an air of casualness. “Just ‘Minister’ is enough. And might I say, ser, you’ve done a bloody good job at keeping this place together.”

“My thanks, Minister.” Her uncle nodded with a smile, as he shook the man’s hand.

“And this is my daughter, Arianne.” Her father introduced her.

“My aren’t you a pretty one.” He said in his strange, foreign accent. It was enough to make her blush. She didn’t often receive such complements from strangers. “Aye, the boys will definitely take to you.”

He turned to the two boys who were looking straight at her now. “Well, lads? Where’s ye’re manners? Aren’t ye gaun tae say hello?”

The one with the straw hat – Michael – stepped forward and grabbed her hand, placing a kiss on it. “Hello, my princess.”

His smile was something else, and she could feel herself grow more flushed as he looked at her. His eyes were a light blue, bluer than even Tyene’s, and his hair was a series of dark brown waves. To her mind, the boy was definitely pretty. He looked as if he held something of a mischievous streak.

The one with the wool cap – Concord – followed close behind and did the same, only his expression was more nervous. “Greetings, my princess.”

His smile was subtle, but there. She couldn’t seem to read him, his face keeping that serious stern look that reminded her so often of her father. His eyes were an odd blue-gray that seemed almost supernatural in his presence, and his hair was a strong reddish-auburn color. But what caught her attention was the odd rash on his face. It seemed to cover most of his right eye, going down to his lower cheek. She would feel bad to admit as such, but it made her feel better about the scarring on her cheeks that the redspots had left.

Overall, she regarded both boys as quite attractive.

After the proper introductions were held, she asked her mother if she and her cousins could show the two young boys around the castle.

“Ari, I’m sure Michael and Concord will be quite tired from their journey and would like to take some time to recover.”

“My love, perhaps we should ask the boys what they want to do?” Her father had proffered.

“Oh, alright. Minister?” Her mother’s gaze shifted to the bald man who only turned to the boys.

“What say you, lads?”

“We wanna go! We wanna explore the castle! Right Concord?” He asked his cousin.

A simple nod, with a small smile was enough of a response from him to satisfy the grown-ups.

“Oh, alright then. You may show them the keep, but just remember to be back before dinner.”

Her face broke out into a huge smile as she turned to Tyene and Nym who held the same bright smiles on their faces. “Thank you! Thank you!”

And with out hesitation, she grabbed one of the boy’s hands, while her cousins each grabbed the other boy’s hands and sped off to show them Sunspear. She could only just hear the minister’s laugh at her and her cousins’ antics as they dragged the two boys off to show them around the keep.

Gods, what will we show them first? The Sandship? The Golden Arches? Maybe we can take them to the Sun Tower so they can see the thrones!

“Ari! Where are we going?” Tyene asked, still tugging Michael along.

“We’re going to show them the Twin Thrones!” She answered back, as they entered the stairwell that would lead them there.

The commotion they caused would’ve earned her a scolding from her septa, but she figured she could take the risk just this once. Besides, she was a Princess of Dorne. She was allowed certain liberties.

The trek up the Tower of the Sun, is filled with questions from the boys, rather one boy.

“How far up is it?”

“Why is it called the Sun Tower?”

“Who is Nymeria?”

“How come she left the Rhoyne?”

“Did she really conquer all of Dorne?”

Michael’s excitement was infectious. From the bottom of the stairs, up until they reached the door to the main hall, he asked endless questions about Dorne and its history. Arianne and her cousins were only happy to oblige. But the other boy, Concord, remained silent throughout their ascent. Right up until he asked, “Why did Nymeria burn all ten thousand of her ships?”

The suddenness of the question was enough to make Arianne pause. Didn’t I already tell him why?

“Because she wanted to send a message to the world that her people had found their new home.”

“I know that, but why did she burn all ten thousand of her ships?”

It was a strange question to ask, and one she didn’t entirely understand.

“What do you mean?”

“A ship is very useful but costs a lot of money.” He started, still staring up at the golden sun motifs. “If Nymeria was planning to help Mors Martell conquer the rest of Dorne, wouldn’t it have been more useful for her to keep some of those ships around?”

Arianne frowned at Concord’s question. Of course, she had heard the stories about the Rhoynar Exodus and how Nymeria brought the petty kings of Dorne to heel, but she never wondered about this. After all, who would care so much about ships?

“Oh, don’t mind him.” Michael interrupted. “Connie’s always asking about boats and ships and sailing. He wants to be a pirate when he’s all grown up.”

“I do not.” Concord shot back, scowling at his cousin’s teasing.

“Yeah, you do.” Michael said, crossing his arms in that way she would often see her uncle do. “On the trip here, you wouldn’t stop talking to the other sailors. You even wanted to climb up the lookout’s nest too.”

Nymeria and Tyene laughed freely as they watched the two cousins bickering, as if they hadn’t shared the same kind of arguments with her. It was only when Arianne realized that their eyes were on her rather than the American boys that she realized. Looking down, she noted that she was still holding Concord’s hand.

Thankfully neither boy had noticed the fact, nor did they see how flushed Arianne’s cheeks had become. Rolling her eyes at her cousins’ amused smiles, she pushed the doors open and led the group into the Hall of the Twin Thrones.

She watched in amusement as the two boys gawked at the high seats of Dorne. To the left, the Sun Throne, emblazoned with a copper edifice of the Rhoynar sun. And to the right, the Spear Throne, carved in gold with the emblem of the spear of Martell. Both were a sight to behold to any who visited Sunspear.

“Wow!” Michael exclaimed, as he ran ahead of the others. “I’ve never seen a throne before.”

“They’re beautiful.” Concord said, plainly.

Arianne couldn’t help but smile in victory. She was worried that the American boys wouldn’t be impressed with her family’s keep, but their words and awestruck faces soothed her concerns.

“Can we sit on them?” Michael asked.

Her smile turned into a smirk as she huffed and answered, “Not without my permission.”

“You would be wise to gain the favor of the princess before asking for such things.” Tyene supplied, giggling at her cousin’s answer. “She will rule Dorne one day.”

Before the boys could speak, she walked over to the Sun Throne with the same regal poise that she had seen her mother do, and promptly sat down. “You may sit down on the Spear Throne, Michael. That is if you agree to be my consort.”

“Consort? Is that like a prince?”

“In a way,” Nymeria answered, “but you would not rule Dorne. You would have to answer to Ari.”

“Never mind, then.” Michael replied, his disappointment clear. “I wanted to be a prince.”

Arianne’s unladylike huff brought out more laughter from her cousins, and whilst she knew that it was all just pretend and play, a part of her couldn’t help but feel angered that another boy wouldn’t want to have to answer to her.

“What about you Connie?” Tyene asked, using the newly revealed nickname. “Would you like to sit on the Spear Throne?”

“Or do you not want to submit to a girl?” Nymeria teased, her smirk prodding at the older boy.

“May I?” Concord asked, looking straight in Arianne’s eyes.

“If you do not object to only being consort.” She tested, a single brow arched and ready to deal with any defiance.

“I don’t mind. Besides, I’d rather not be a prince.” Concord answered plainly, stepping forward and sitting down on the throne.

Whatever answer she expected, it certainly wasn’t that. Her cousins also appeared to be of the same mind if their shocked expressions conveyed anything. Michael seemed unsurprised by his cousin’s answer, but then they seemed close enough as family where one could correctly guess the actions of the other.

“Strange.” She remarked as she looked over to him. “I had thought all boys would want nothing more than to be a dashing prince.”

“Not me,” He answered absently as he set his hands on the armrests. “I don’t think I’d like that kind of life.”

For a brief moment, she recalled something of interest that her father once told her. He had said that the Americans’ realm had no nobility of any kind, and that they choose their leaders from the people. She was curious and wanted to press him further but was hesitant. So, she chose instead to ask, “So, your cousin is correct? You’d rather be a pirate?”

“Not a pirate.”

“A sailor, then?” She ventured.

“No, I – ”

“Oh, don’t lie Connie.” Michael interrupted. “It’s not proper to do so to a princess.”

Concord only rolled his eyes at him, as Nymeria and Tyene ran up to her and asked her if they could show them the hidden chambers in the Sandship. Arianne conceded, the two grabbing Michael’s hand once more, and running back into the maze of halls. Looking back over to Concord, she noted how shy he had become, left alone in the throne room with no one but her.

His blushing face was a comfort to Arianne.

It gave her enough confidence to ask, “There are no kings in America, right? Or queens?”

“That’s right.”

“Or princes and princesses?”

By his crestfallen look, a stranger to their conversation would have assumed that he had said the insulting words and nor her.

“I’m not offended.” She explained with a giggle, “I just…”

“Just…?”

“I just wanted to know what it’s like living in a place like that.”

Concord paused for a moment as he scratched his red hair, himself looking quite unsure about the question.

“If I had to say, it’s for sure a lot less exciting than Dorne.”

Arianne gave a barking laugh, the kind of unladylike laugh that would’ve gotten her chastised by her mother and septa. She didn’t think much of the red headed boy at first, but she had to admit that he would certainly prove to be interesting. Sliding off the copper colored throne, she reached her hand out to Concord.

“Will you be my escort then, seeing as you’re my loyal consort?”

With a soft smile, he slid off the throne and bowed fancily, removing his hat in respect. “My princess, it would be an honor.”

“You can call me Ari, if you’d like.” She smiled, as he took her hand. “But only if I can call you Connie.”

“Oh, fine.” He muttered. “But only because you asked.”

“I did not ask. I commanded, as is my right as a Princess of Dorne.” Arianne replied. “But I will ask this: what were you going to say earlier before your cousin interrupted?”

“Oh?” He paused briefly, recalling the moment. “Oh! I was going to say that I didn’t want to be just a sailor. I want to be a captain of my own ship.”

Arianne couldn’t help but laugh at the boy’s nautical interests, not that she found them to be foolish. Rather, she was amused that he would rather be content to rule over a floating hunk of hammered wood than a whole kingdom.

“Well, then.” She started, looking up straight into his eyes. “We should make haste to the Sandship! Our cousins will already be there, and there is no better place in Dorne to learn the art of captaining.”

“Very well, my pri – …Ari.”

“You learn fast... Connie.”

Hand in hand, they ran off through the halls of the castle.

I guess he’s not so bad.

#arianne martell #arianneweek2020

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mymysticbouquet · 3 years

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Find on Amazon

Twenty-four stories of gay sex, gay love, gay mystery, gay fantasy, gay demons, gay science fiction, and gay transformations of gender. This book contains stories of alien invasion, reincarnation, murder and other crimes, emasculation, masturbation, switching gender, catamites, sodomites, romance, enforced chastity, humor, romance, nostalgia, interesting cures for toxic masculinity, retaliation against bullies, and over-the-top gay sex. In one tale, a man is transported to another dimension to compete in an inter-dimensional masturbation contest. In another, college boys employ a stolen militarized gay sex weapon against their former high school bullies. Several men are kidnapped by demons and carried to Hell where good times are had by all. There’s a story involving a male chastity device, a story about boys required to wear thong bottoms at all times, six gay mystery stories starring a promiscuous private investigator, and several enforced male emasculation stories. Then, of course, there are those wily space aliens who have their own plans for humanity, and human reproduction is not on their agenda.

The Business

For his obvious gayness, Bill Saroyan had been cruelly bullied in high school, particularly by his nemesis Rolf Dangler. Upon arriving in college, Bill joins the Uranus Club whose president has access to the military’s gay sex weapons, which can turn latent homosexuals fully gay. By then, Rolf has become the captain of the college’s swim team, so Bill proves that he can outswim Rolf and turns the tables on his former bullies.

Forgive Us Our Trespasses

Harry is a famous author, but his partner and lover Bradley is subject to occasional violent fits. After one of Bradley’s irrational moments, Harry takes a walk that grows increasingly surreal. Returning home, he finds Bradley murdered and himself arrested. This story was a finalist in the 2020 Saints and Sinners Fiction Contest and printed in Saints+Sinners: New Fiction from the Festival, Edited by Tracy Cunningham and Paul J. Willis. (Bold Strokes Books, April 2020)

Thinking of Him Always

Clark is a elderly gay man romanticizing his first love, Davy, an amoral scalawag. As was true of many gay males in 1978, Clark must conquer his internalized homophobia, find his bliss, and turn away from a toxic relationship.

You’re Next

A demon transports college English professor Larry Tarr to Hell where Satan opens Larry to his slutty nature, and he learns the truth of his satanic ancestry.

Locked in the Zero

A gay hotel manager and supporter of his community, Peter awakens one morning to find himself hungover and sick with flu. However those afflictions pale when he discovers that his cock has been mysteriously enclosed in an unbreakable male chastity device. As all attempts at removing permanent cock cage fail, Peter must unravel the mystery of who inflicted this torture upon him and why.

The Upsilon Incursion

After the Upsilons invade and assume control of Earth, they establish laws against procreation. Men are summoned to Espollo, the floating city in the sky, for genital mounding. However, when Roy’s appointment date arrives, he discovers that the Upsilons have a different plan for him. The aliens have discovered that they are allergic to human females, which has left them sexually frustrated. Thus Roy is included in a select group of males for an experiment to transform them into adequate vessels for Upsilon lusts.

Demons Can Be Tricky

Tristan’s Satan-worshiping grandmother had warned him against summoning demons, but Tristan hopes to bind a demon into giving him a larger dick. But when Lord Dantalion appears in Tristan’s ritual circle, the demon convinces Tristan that he can fix the mortal’s short-dick problem only if he is released. Tristan falls for the demon’s trickery, and after being butt-fucked to death, ends up as the demon’s spouse in Hell. However, in the end, Tristan faces a bright and productive future in service to the Great Beast. The moral of this comic story is that when you make a request of a demon, it pays to be specific.

The Flirtatious Twist Mysteries

In The Flirtatious Twist Mysteries, (“The Green Wrapper Case,” “The Government Truck Affair,” “The Dead Redhead Problem,” “The Japanese Garden Situation,” “The Orange Juice Caper,” & “The Red Suitcase Business”) gay private detective Flirtatious Twist solves six weirdly bizarre mysteries. In each case, written with tongue in cheek, “Flirty” ends up having over-the-top gay sex with an attractive man involved in the case, a secret he keeps from his lover and partner Sparky.

Processed

For some reason, when space aliens invade Earth, their first inclination is to put an end to human reproduction. Ritchie is a college student, living with his sister Denise and her husband while attending Portland State University. In early April, Denise receives a summons to report to Benevolence Hospital for processing. Mystified, she goes as ordered and returns a sexless being, indistinguishable from all other processed humans. Ritchie joins a resistance movement, but the rebels numbers are daily diminished as their processing dates arrive.

Into the Whirlwind

In this story of reincarnation, a soul experiences lifetime after lifetime in the bodies of gay men.

Postcards from the Orgy Deck

When Dave and his lover Bill embark on a gay cruise around the Caribbean, Dave’s sexual excesses and intoxicated behaviors are revealed in a series of post cards that lead to his downfall.

The Hand

Derek is an edger, a gooner, a pornosexual, a compulsive masturbator, who is dragged out of his mundane Earthly life by the gambler and promotor Mirdor and transported to the planet Asinel, the media giant of all the dimensions, to compete in an inter-dimensional masturbation contest. Masturbating without coming is the most popular sporting event in every galaxy and every dimension, with countless trillions of enthusiastic fans. Derek must compete against thirty-one other masculine beings, champion masturbators all, with the last “man” to ejaculate winning the grand prize.

Chillin’ for a Jillin’

The proceedings in this story are set shortly after the events related in David Holly’s novel I Shall Not Be Jilled. Claude and his friends attend a small, private high school in the Oregon Coast Range where Claude’s parents own a winery. Thus far the administrators of Maggie Fell High School have resisted the national jilling mandates, but the time has come when they can hold out no longer against the national emasculation movement.

The Lair of the Salt Demons

Hort and his friends are flying over Holy Devil Swamp when their scoot stick crashes. The men of the swamp, the so-called Salt Demons, rescue them, and three lucky Salt Demons select a boy to become his “pretty girl.” Hort is taken to Water Snake’s home where he becomes Water Snake’s lover while Water Snake trains him in the ways of the swamp.

Bradley’s Special Day

After the Radical Gynocracy gains control of all levels of government, the women promptly legislate the final solution to masculinity. Boys are required by law to begin measuring down in their sixteenth year. By the time any male turns seventeen, he must have popped his muff. Bradley’s special day is fast approaching, and he must find a way to cope with the regulations that outlaw his masculine appendages.

The Harvesting of Humanity

A world-wide pandemic is raging, while the government wages war against an alien race who came to save us. Tucker, a draftee, takes his platoon into battle only to be captured by the enemy. Shipped to the enemy’s home planet, Tucker and his cohort discover that they were selected because they were not of the breeder stock. Soon the so-called captives learn that they are honored guests of the aliens and that their earthly government was cruel, exploitive, and totalitarian.

Occom’s Razor

Some conclusions are obvious, so toxic masculinity must again be tossed on its head in a perverse twist on sexism. Markie lives in a sizzling-hot futuristic climate. Minimal dress is preferred, but human society creates demands. Each boy of a certain age is required by law to wear thong bottoms in public.

Fair Exchange

Alfrie, a farm boy just turned eighteen, is bartered by his parents to a money lender who wants a catamite. Alfrie’s parents find their son’s fate amusing, but Alfrie is hardly amused. Though filled with trepidation, Alfrie finds gay sex to his liking, and he gains urbane sophistication, business acumen, and social advancement. The plot thickens with many incidents of gay lovemaking, along with kidnapping, arson, murder, mutilation, and political shenanigans.

Not Another Minibate Story!

Myles is a student at an exclusive academy where the boys are told that they must measure down in order to conform to the new social norms. Myles and a friend attempt to escape their fate, but the tide of history is against them. Finally, Myles’ family sends him to Adjustment Camp where he can prepare for his future as a muff in an emasculated society. (Note: These male emasculation tales from the world of Minibate are a direct attack on the masculinist, penetrationist, militaristic, paternalistic, androcentric, protectionist ethos, and they offer a satire and social commentary on that conformist, uniformist culture.)

Find on Amazon

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bladekindeyewear · 4 years

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HS^2 bloggin’ mainline 2020-04-02

Alright I’ll fix the broken images later right now lets goooooo read the updaaaate I’ve been only spoiled on the chapter title

I don’t even wanna guess. Jake? This makes me think of Jake for some reason, even though that doesn’t make much se-- oh right the Vriskas are locked in a school closet with a dead clown.

> CHAPTER 7. Distress Call From the Closet

Yep.

Also, this is how a car design looks when it was invented to have its first appearance be it flying with a human named Tavros looking out from an open side door.

(I’m not ENTIRELY against designing something for its immediate-art-use-purpose first and functional or historical-origination thought later, but usually when you make it that obvious that that’s what your doing it’s best to make that fact funny. Like the Conveniently Shaped Lamp.)

Also I appreciate this using of Candy as kind of more lighthearted breaks in the action?

> (==>)

I thoguht that protruding fang (?) was drool for a second and wondered what the fuck they were up to in this closet all of a sudden.

Vriska, thriving on it, has not felt so decadently alive in a very long time. Tavros has never in his tragic existence felt so close to death, which is surprising to him.

Vrissy is trying her best not to grapple with any cosmic truths at the moment, since she’s getting a phone call in the middle of hiding for her life.

Vrissy’s implied to be somewhere in-between all that by this joke. I bet she’ll be comparing herself to Vriska and Tavros alike throughout this mess, wondering where on the spectrum she lands and being ashamed of it AND both of them regardless. Vriska Original had a ghost version who went on a fair bit of a Page dress-up thing and personality shift, so maybe we could expect Vrissy to struggle with being caught in the middle of the scales... or does that qualify as overthinking it classpectways?

VRISSY: Yeah Harry I would say we are Extremely Aware of the Situ8ion. VRISSY: As it Unfolded the fuck all around us.

Good Christ, Vrissy’s selectively-capitalized Kanaya-isms continue to be cute.

Oh, he’s on speakerphone.

> (==>)

Yep, telling Rose and Kanaya would be the smart thing to do, but it isn’t the Them thing to do.

--ROXY’S PLACE?!?? Hoo boy. On the other hand, though, we get more Roxy, so it evens out.

Also, I like how Harry Anderson has to spell out Harry Anderson’s entire name for his Harry Anderson chat tag every single time. Harry Anderson.

> (==>)

Part of the reason, Tavros thinks, that he’s been so game to continue on with the worst plan anyone has ever concocted, is that the more bullshit they endure, the longer they can put off actually doing anything that matters.

If he’s getting sprayed with a sprinkler and getting clown feet in his face, it’s a farce. It can’t hurt him. But if they get to the part where he’s shoving the uncooperative weight of his uncle’s corpse in an incinerator, he will stop floating in protective semi-consciousness above his body and it will all be real.

Ouch.

Can’t one of you assholes just captchalogue him? Or did you leave all the appropriate-strength moduses at home? Even you Vriska??

Oh, right. Everyone knows and you can just leave him here. Good call. I mean you don’t really have to worry about forensic evidence with the pictures circulating.

> (==>)

VRISKA: 8ye 8itch.

Oooh! That feels satisfying! Yeah, tell off Gamzee’s corpse!

...Wait.

If they just leave Gamzee there, Jane can revive him, can’t she.

Fuck. Maybe it’s up to Jake to try and stop that.

> (==>)

Karkat and Meenah resistance-time, then, with them presumably hearing about this development on the internet. Wow, Meenah’s horns are getting long fast. Plus a hint more of her grown-up self’s height. I didn’t think she’d keep maturing so fast with her absurd lifespan ahead of her.

Oh shit, I didn’t see at first--

Right, Candy might still be lighthearted compared to the broader plot just due to lowered stakes, but it’s still the Carpet-Bombing-and-War-Filled Shituniverse.

Trolls are made for the battlefield.

From the moment a troll oozes out of the mother grub’s pulsating sphincter, through the trials of the brooding caverns, across the brutal day to day slog of Alternian society, all the way to their Ordeals, to the sucking void of space. They are bred for nothing but endless war.

But Commander Vantas...Commander Vantas is different.

Is... is Meenah narrating right now? Because fuck.

Or so all the pamphlets say.

The actual Commander Vantas has blisters on his heel and has been taking pot-shots at scouting drones for the last six hours. He could use a bath, honestly.

Or is this one of the trolls on the side narrating who’s kind of internalized the stories of trolls’ prior warlike nature?

> (==>)

MEENAH: yo nubs is that u MEENAH: pretty rank KARKAT: OH MY GOD. KARKAT: I FLATLY REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN SMELL MY NATURAL MUSK OVER THE STENCH OF BLOOD AND BURNING FLESH.

I guess it probably was Meenah narrating, then. Unless it’s a really biased alt!Callie doing the talking.

MEENAH: didnt i warn u bout thinking tho? KARKAT: GOD DAMMIT MEENAH, DON’T MEME AT ME.

I don’t know what meme this is and I really don’t want to know.

They have had this argument more than once. In fact, both of them could play either side of it. Karkat has done his time in the field, of course, leading small guerilla operations to free prisoners and sabotage Crocker’s supply chains, but Meenah and the rest of the council is right. Which is why he’s here, instead of at the front lines with his rebels, where he belongs.

His true value is his face. His symbology. At the end of the day, he is a fucking ad campaign.

...is KARKAT narrating here???

SWIFER: boss check the news!

Oh shit, right, Swifer is in the resistance in Candy instead of just a breeding assistant in Meat as the bonuses remind us.

KARKAT: OH FUCK. MEENAH: what KARKAT: JESUS CHRIST. MEENAH: nubs i swear 2 god KARKAT: IT’S GAMZEE. KARKAT: HE’S DEAD. MEENAH: oh MEENAH: well shit KARKAT: I CAN’T FUCKING BELIEVE THIS. MEENAH: u okay KARKAT: NO!

Huh. Them’s some complicated feelings that could fall in basically all directions at once.

Also, I can’t believe Karkat has hung around humans enough to fully internalize the full-throated exclamation “JESUS CHRIST”, which wouldn’t even really be a thing on Earth C with people who aren’t from Earths B or A.

MEENAH: u outlawed fishpuns i gotta make my own fun

How could you, Karkat.

KARKAT: AND I GUESS IF YOU CALL AN OBSCENELY PUBLIC PALE ACT, PERFORMED IN A FUGUE OF DESPERATE PANIC INTENDED TO PREVENT HIM FROM MURDERING ALL OF MY FRIENDS INSTEAD OF JUST HALF OF THEM “A THING”. KARKAT: THEN YES, I GUESS WE HAD A THING. KARKAT: BUT IF YOU’RE ASKING ME IF I’M SAD THAT HE’S DEAD? KARKAT: ABSOLUTELY THE FUCK NOT.

Okay, I’d hoped not, good...

KARKAT: THAT’S NOT WHY I’M SAYING FUCK A BUNCH OF TIMES. MEENAH: u need a reason to say fuck a buncha times KARKAT: SHUT UP. KARKAT: LOOK AT THE PICTURE.

--Right! That’s a good reason to not be okay.

KARKAT: I DON’T THINK SO? I CAN’T SEE HER EYES IN THIS PICTURE, BUT SHE’S COVERED IN BLOOD, AND SHE’S CARRYING GAMZEE, SO SHE’S CORPOREAL AT LEAST.

I love this form of analysis somehow.

KARKAT: OKAY...HERE. OH. OF COURSE. CROCKER IS CLAIMING HER SON WAS KIDNAPPED AND FORCED TO PARTICIPATE. KARKAT: AND THEY’VE NAMED ME AS THE MASTERMIND. MEENAH: well we woulda taken credit for it anyway so this saves us the time MEENAH: thanks jane owe u one

Meenah isn’t the “concerned” type. Lemonade out of lemons.

> (==>)

That middle tweet is my favorite.

Oh dear, “#GamzeeAnon”...

KARKAT: SHIT. OF COURSE THIS WOULD HAVE TO DO WITH FUCKING SERKET. KARKAT: LITERAL MONTHS OF PLANNING, HOURS AND HOURS OF LOGISTICS, AND ALL OF IT GOES UP IN SMOKE BECAUSE OF ONE SPIDERY ASSHOLE. KARKAT: SHE *WOULD* FIND SOME WAY TO WRECK MY SHIT FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE.

indisputable

KARKAT: NOW? KARKAT: NOW WE PIVOT FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE RIDICULOUS.

Um...

What does that mean?

I’m having a lot of trouble not only understanding the basic meaning of what he’s saying, here, but understanding why KARKAT of all people would employ it.

......it’s a meme, isn’t it. Gotta be.

> (==>)

(Ooh, an eyepatch designed to invoke a Strider-shade. Nice.)

KARKAT: I NEED TO TALK TO EGBERT.

But....... why??

> (==>)

Oh right, cause his son’s girlfriend is involved.

> (==>)

Oh my goooood what a pair of John and Roxy caaaars! :D

He is too busy with these mental gymnastics to notice his father’s car parked outside.

Ah right. John’s... not on the best terms with him, I recall that.

> (==>)

Ohhhh myyyy goooood what an image!!!

John, Roxy, and Harry Anderson proceed to have the tail end of a conversation they had before, in another medium.

What the fuck!? Harry had that conversation WHILE this dead body situation was going on?! Let me reread that linked bit...

(And she has such a somber smile on her face, but given the conversation content it’s not surprising.)

Harry Anderson looks at the two of them all teary and laughing and hikes his bag higher on his shoulder, shifting his weight. Roxy sees a muscle tighten in his jaw. Her beautiful, smart boy. She wants to run over and hug him, to protect him from the possibility of pain at talking to his father, but she doesn’t. She knows how much he’s wanted this, no matter how much he jokes about it.

She looks back at John, and sees her own awe mirrored in his face. She wills him not to cry, not to fall back on his self-imposed suffering and blame loop. Something about the last hour must have done the trick, though. John stands up, brushes his hands on his jeans, and walks, back straight, toward his son.

JOHN: hey harry anderson. JOHN: it’s really, really good to see you. JOHN: do you wanna go for a drive?

The muscle in Harry Anderson’s jaw clenches a few more times, but when he smiles, it is genuine.

HARRY ANDERSON: yeah, dad. HARRY ANDERSON: that could be cool.

Oh son of a bitch. Well isn’t that entertaining. Harry you’re just going to ditch your friends for I’m kidding, this is life fulfillment you’re aiming for, of COURSE you’re going to agree. (Too bad bringing the current situation in is gonna throw a wrench in things.)

> (==>)

Oh right, that means more of THIS Vriska and THIS John. They’ve had a good start talking already, I wonder what more they can learn from each other.

HARRY ANDERSON: but no worries, i asked my mom to pick me up some snacks so she’ll leave to go to the store in a sec. HARRY ANDERSON: just sneak in after she leaves and hide in my room, and i’ll be back in a bit.

Harry you enormous shortsighted asshole. And John’s about to learn all this from Karkat over the phone to blow his cover.

> (==>)

aaaaa roxy art i cannot :D

Wonder if her stealthiness attunement is gonna catch them in the act?

> (==>)

From this jealousy bit, I wonder to what degree Earth C humans are used to Troll quadrants and their various interplay mores.

> (Room: Examine yourself.)

Oh, a proper room introduction for Harry Anderson! Very fashion-focused, very liking the spotlight--

Oh wait, shit. This is traditionally where classpect associations are hinted more obviously than anywhere else. Time to stop holding back on the classpect stuff and take in every fucking word with capital-C Classpect fully in mind.

A bedroom stands empty. There is no boy standing in this bedroom, or indeed anyone else. However, if the boy whose bedroom it was were here, one might remark that his name was HARRY ANDERSON.

And FUCK, one might say, does he like MUSICAL THEATER.

Spotlight, definitely. But is it for the attention? The possibilities? The acting?

He has been in his fair share of school plays, but he has LOFTY ASPIRATIONS to STAR in bigger and better productions. He especially appreciates modern MUSICAL REMAKES of classic OLD EARTH MOVIES. It's a craze that not everyone is happy about, but in the absent boy they have found a DEVOTED FAN. There is also just enough overlap between his taste and his father’s to allow for SOMEWHAT STILTED CONVERSATIONAL BONDING from time to time.

Hmmmm. Is it about the majesty of important works of media (I see “Pokémon” and “Alien vs Predator” up there...), or is it about the fact that they’re remakes of past works? Those are a lot of awards and stage lights now that I zoom in to look... and hats... hats could be important......

The boy who is not yet here has also been known to dabble in ACCESSORIZATION. He could be described as a COBBLER ASPIRANT, a NEOPHYTE MILLINER, or even a BIT OF A WHIZZ WITH A NEEDLE AND THREAD.

Oh, interesting! Not just putting out different outfits, but making them? And Milliner is hat-specific creation...

His mother got him his first SEWING MACHINE when he was 10, to keep him from using hers all the time. His looks are HAND-CRAFTED, often IMITATED, but never DUPLICATED.

Space is obviously possible from sewing, but-- A focus on uniqueness!!! The broader theme is getting VERY specific. You might feel where I’m leaning already.

His COSTUMES appear in various AMATEUR PRODUCTIONS, the devising of which takes up most of his FREE TIME. His friends are usually LESS APPRECIATIVE of his attempts to dress them up than he would like, though.

Holy fucking shit. He dresses up and makes unique HATS for his friends and others. Specifically so they can use them as COSTUMES to act parts!!!!

And the other unique thing mentioned about him here took the time aside to note how he appreciated the intersection in personal interests between him and his father for it.

So you all know what I’m thinking, right? HATS??? It’s got to be Heart, isn’t it. Maybe even a Page of Heart, with his long-off aspirations and talent for arming others with it. Any other additive/giving class might do the trick, too, like Sylph or possibly Maid. Knight could technically still fit pretty well, but I feel Page is better given what little we know so far, what with so much outward focus bleeding out.

(You can comb through the saga on my infamous hats tag or the summary on the Aspect Duality post, but the gist is that hats (and others’ clothes, but especially the hats. even shoes -- SO many shoes in that picture!) represent the gist of an expressed identity, personal uniqueness whether innate or affected ala a costume. Nepeta, Dirk, Terezi, and even Stitch have given us examples, some of them deeper than we realized, MOST of them probably overthought bullshit like I thought when I first created the hats tag and started tracking the wonderful importance of hats. ¬_¬)

I’d like to see anyone else’s interpretation. (EDIT: One more potential Nep-allusion in this room.)

> (==>)

Oh nooooooo!!!! Tavros’s sprite is the saddest looking thing I’ve ever seen!! D: Like a mix of Jane and Jake that thoroughly regrets his entire existence! Which he practically does! D: Why the Caliborn-like clothes though?

(Some hint at “how different alt!Callie’s Caliborn must have been” like the commentary suggested exploring in fanfiction? Was the suggestion meant to divert attention from the idea that it’d be addressed in the plot? Andrew pulled that trick a time or two, why not these authors?)

Also:

Pffff. Vriska just accessorizing immediately-- Oh, wait. That might just be a bandana she had at some point coated in Gamzee’s blood.

Tavros is looking at the news on a borrowed phone -- nice call on disabling the tracking on yours, Tavros.

> (==>)

TAVROS: It’s getting a bit surreal to see my, uh,, frozen mask of horror on every news site,, TAVROS: It’s a good shot of you,,, though, Vrissy, VRISSY: It really is Shockingly well composed.

Heheheh. It’s fun that Tavros knows exactly what Vrissy/ka would care about.

And yes, Vriska is over there trying out ALL the bandanas.

> (==>)

VRISSY: Oh, is trying on all my 8oyfriend’s accessories not passing the time well enough for you? VRISKA: Desper8 times call for desper8 measures, Vrissy. VRISKA: And this is some dire shit.

They stare each other down. Did she mean the fugitive situation, or Harry Anderson’s fashion choices? Vrissy feels silly wondering this, but despite the situation they’re in, she can’t help but feel more acutely anxious about Vriska’s presence.

She likes her life, and she trusts her own choices. But now, looking at everything from Vriska’s vantage point, it all feels silly. Unimportant. Childish.

She can’t tell if she wants Vriska to rip in to Harry Anderson or if she wants her to stay silent. To put off the moment where she has to defend him or join in.

Real interesting. Like she’s caught between these worlds after all.

> (==>)

They say it was a long drive, but...?

...WOW. What a chill, disinterested-looking affect his sprite makes for. Huh.

He kisses Vrissy’s temple and she leans in to the warmth of him.

HARRY ANDERSON: aren’t you a sight for sore eyes. HARRY ANDERSON: so sorry it took so long. HARRY ANDERSON: can’t rush a heart to heart, you know how it is.

Stop making me deliberate whether you’re trying to drop teasing Heart-aspect hints. You already know I’m going to be obsessively scrutinizing every word of dialogue around Harry to see if it fits, story. No need to rub it in.

VRISSY: You actually had a Heart to Heart with your dad? How many times did he Cry?

I DIDN’T EVEN READ THE NEXT LINE QUIT SAYING HEART TO HEART YOU EVEN GAVE IT PROPER CAPS THAT TIME

HARRY ANDERSON: but god, it was a mess. i had to keep talking to keep him from looking at his phone or turning on the radio. HARRY ANDERSON: i may have told him more about my deep passions and emotions in the last hour than the whole rest of my life combined, just to keep him from hearing the fucking news.

Holy shit. You exploited conversation about your deep passions and interests for a separate goal???

Aaargh! Classpect everywhere! I’ve relapsed!!! D:

> (==>)

JOHN IS SO HAPPY

John Egbert has not had a day like this in a very long time. He can barely keep track of this series of epiphanies he’s having. He stretches out on his couch to relax and process the gifts of advice and connection his friends and family and ex-family have just given him.

OH RIGHT TIME TO RUIN IT WITH MAXIMUM SHENANIGANS

JOHN: hey karkat! great timing! JOHN: so much just happened and im kind of reeling about it. KARKAT: YEAH NO SHIT.

Ohhhh. Much of the time I hate dramatic irony, but those moments before someone is about to be let in on the discrepancy... oh man I love that.

JOHN: is something going on? i just spent the afternoon with my son, and i think he would have told me if something was up with his friends? KARKAT: OH MY LUSCIOUS SHITTING CHRIST JOHN LISTEN TO ME. JOHN: listening!

"Luscious”?? Did they try to type “Lusus” and get autocorrected?

Who’s writing Homestuck on their phone???

> (==>)

J...John?? Are you okay?? XD

This picture. These two paragraphs. I fucking love them.

(Wow, being closer to the “canon” story due to ridiculous shenanigans right after his back-to-back self-insights and outlook changes have really been healthy for him huh. He can probably sense HS^2 reaching him out here. And you can see the helpless comedian his probably-still-depressed ass became on Earth B in his reaction here. EDIT: Also, how appropriate that even by DYING, the Bard of Rage managed to fulfill his role and shatter the last vestiges of John's narrow-outlooked despair?)

John can’t answer. He can’t speak. His body has given itself over to the long-lost feeling of manic euphoria. It had felt like Harry Anderson was holding something back on the drive earlier, but he had already told John so much. He hadn’t wanted to press for more.

Yeah... after what John’s gone through across his life and session, finding out Harry managed to hide THIS for a whole car-ride is the best sort of punch-line for him.

John can’t breathe. Something is happening. Something is finally fucking happening, and he’s finally awake enough to appreciate it.

--yep. I was just guessing earlier, but this kind of confirms it’s in part a closer-to-relevance, closer-to-canon feeling bleeding in. Something is happening that’s important enough to SHOW onscreen and not skip over. I guess he really does like being anchored in Light after all.

> (==>)

John wheezes himself into relative calm. He has to get Karkat to understand. He clears his throat and breathes.

JOHN: karkat, this can be how we win. JOHN: i know what we need to do.

...holy SHIT.

Karkat, how did you know calling JOHN about this would work out this well??

John actually taking confident action to solve a problem, in a way that isn’t going to end up depressing like his attempt to provide Tavros escape in the Epilogues... this should be interesting.

See you next time. (I had to image-fix some stupid linked hat posts for this blogpost and I’m out of energy, so I’ll fix the other old post I promised that asker to fix in like, a day or two; I’ll post when I do.)

#Homestuck #hs2 #Homestuck Liveblog #upd8 #Homestuck^2 #bladekindeyewear #blastyoboots #hats #Heart and Mind #Harry Anderson

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