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chernabogs · 10 days

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Styx, Fae, and Malleus—Oh my!

Okay I'm writing this more as a marker for myself because I keep breaking my brain with connecting C6 to C7, but I've included my notes down below to kind of trail through how things might go with the next C7 update. Since the Shroud brothers are back in business, we'll be seeing a lot more of Styx's hand too, so I also wanted to collect as much information (canon) as I can on them too. Because I just think they're neat, and combining all the information makes them that much neater!

Warning for a long-ish post.

All About Styx (Up to C7, April 2024)

Styx, originally serving as just the Watchman before the Age of Gods (which Malleus discusses in C6 part 18),

is an independently operating institution (non-government affiliated) that specifically focuses on research pertaining to blot. According to the welcome video narrated by Idia’s mother and father, Styx covers the following:

Safe use of technomantic technology

Magical power analysis

Preservation of ruins and mage stones

Blot emission reduction

Post OB treatment

Magical disaster prediction systems

Maintaining phantom databases

Styx operates off of the Isle of Woe, an area mostly inaccessible to outsiders due to its status as being below the ocean and only accessible via the Oceanus Gate. Styx is seemingly composed of multiple units and teams, including the Hex Team, with most of the employees living in the residential block of Oceanus and using chariots (technomantic vehicles) to get to the tower. Another unit that Styx controls are the Charon members. These appear to be the equivalent of armed forces under Styx’s command. They specifically act as retrievers of over blotted mages, or more specifically the phantoms involved in the overblot. Magic Marshals and the Arcane Response Unit often handle overblot cases, but in extreme incidents, Charon members step in.

It’s mentioned that they also arrive regardless of if they have authorization from the government of the location the overblot is occurring.

Regarding the technomantic equipment mentioned, this is what Styx seems to mainly use for all operations, likely due to the nature of its research. Technomantic technology has an ability to almost entirely nullify magic. Although not 100% effective, it was enough to even make Rooks UM limited, forcing him to only track the kidnapped students when there were second breaks in the tech. This tech was also used on the overblot students, with Riddle stating that it’s equivalent to his UM (C6 part 26).

The tower that Styx operates out of is a large structure located in the centre of the ancient city that was originally attached to the Kingdom of Heroes. Within this tower, Styx keeps phantoms preserved frozen in the lower layers. This area is referred to as Tartarus and hosts approximately 10,000 subjects split into 12 levels. A-class are considered exceedingly dangerous phantoms, according to Ortho. Sector 12 is where the original Phantoms are housed, known as the ‘Titans’. These are three phantoms that have been sealed in Tartarus by the original Jupiter family members since the Age of Gods.

The system designed to preserve these phantoms is known as the Cerberus System. This encapsulates the entire Isle, not just Styx. According to Idia, mages are taken and housed for testing in this region before being wiped by Lethe, another system operated by Styx that re-wires memories and implants false ones. Interestingly, Lethe works differently on fae than humans due to fae’s long lifespans. Idia states that it’s hard to adjust what information to remove and rewrite without making it obvious that there was an erasure. He does mention Malleus by name when discussing this, but not Lilia.

All About The Fae in Briar Valley (Up to April 2024, JP Spoilers)

Fae appear to live broadly across Twisted Wonderland, but a large majority do reside in Briar Valley (other additions such as Fairyland/Land of Fairy have been mentioned and seem to host diurnal fae. More of this can be found in the fairy gala events. Diurnal fae are considered to herald the coming of spring with this gala, which ties in with later discussions about fae and nature). Various species were also noted to exist, including:

Dragon fae (note: Dragons are mentioned to have arrived for Meleanor during her youth, however after her passing a decade later it appears that Dragons have either gone underground or extinct across the broader Twisted Wonderland area)

Raven fae

Bat fae

Crocodile fae

Subcategories of crafter fae and the likes exist too, but don’t quite count as species

There appears to be a hierarchy of value among fae. In one conversation by a Senate member (in Chapter 7, release 6), Lilia is referred to in derogatory terms due to his status as a bat fae. It is unknown if this bias is strictly the Senate member, Briar Valley, or if it spreads across broader fae populations. Fae also appear to have monarchies, although the only two known so far are the Queen of Fairyland and the Draconia Family. Fae also appear to age at different rates (Malleus states infant fae often take 30 years to walk, and it took him 20 years alone to gain his 2-legged form).

Due to Briar Valley being the major focus of C7, we’ll look at fae in this region specifically.

For context, constant conflict has arisen between fae and humans, specifically within Briar Valley. A major conflict and large plot point in C7 so far is the conflict between Briar Nation (former name of Briar Valley) and the Silver owls. The Silver Owls, run by Henrik, carried out mining operations throughout Briar Nation without permission from the royal family. Despite the name Silver Owls, it should be noted that they are also called Iron Ones due to their iron weapons and armor. According to Briar Nation soldiers, Silver Owls recklessly endangered fae by driving wildlife into villages in addition to colonizing the region. The Silver Owls (Henrik in particular) are aiming to attain Princess Glow. Henrik stated that he wanted it for his father (unlikely, lbr). Princess Glow appeared to be a gem associated with the Draconia Family that was capable of performing miracles like healing incurable ailments. It’s unknown if this is factual or not, but Meleanor does appear to put value on the gem when discussing it with Lilia.

Conflict with the Silver Owls extended across several regions in Briar Nation, including:

Verdant Moors (outside the present day borders—confirmed by Sebek in C7)

Canyon of Howling Winds (also called Valley of Howling winds in some translations)

Mystical Mountain/Forbidden Mountain

Thunderclap Mountains

Cape Sunrise

Tenebrae Forest/Dark Night Forest

Crimson plain

Dragon’s Tail Mountains

Wild Rose Palace

Black Scale Palace

Dragon Capital City (surrounding Black Scale Palace)

Cradle Tower

Note: present day Briar Valley is situated farther up north and is said to have a cold climate for the most part, including particularly harsh winters (confirmed by Silver in release 4 of C7). Double note: Names may be susceptible to change with EN release.

The conflict ended with Meleanor and Levan (Malleus’ parents) allegedly dead. Fae ceased intermingling with humans likely after this conflict according to Lilia in C6 part 18, leaving to heavy deficits in the validity of history surrounding the fae. This also means that a lot of human history books miss history that fae may have personally experienced or have to share (as spoken by Trein and Lilia).

In terms of powers, fae in Twisted Wonderland seem to rely on nature a great deal for their magical abilities. Idia’s father discusses the extent of what some fae can do due to their connection with ancient magic, including mentioning how fae have had control over climate change and diastrophism since the Age of Myths (presumably predating the Age of Gods). Malleus’ ability to alter the world in a designated area falls under this category. He is stated to have magic tied to the earth itself. Idia’s mother also mentions that fae can also draw magical energy from nature itself, building on Idia’s fathers statement about how fae’s magic directly connects to the earth. Generally, fae with elemental connections can do this, which proposes the idea that Malleus has such an ability.

It also appears that fae can lend this magic to humans. The Knight of Dawn frequently calls upon the blessings of diurnal fae to aid him in his fights throughout C7 (note: he says 'fairy guardians', so this could be just this specific instance).

So… what’s up with chapter 7, as of April 2024? (JP Spoilers)

Well… Malleus over blotted. Inconvenient, absolutely. Fortunately, his grandmother snitched and gave all of his information over to Styx, allowing them to formulate somewhat of a plan to use.

We know specifically that the Arcane Response Unit is unable to get access to Malleus through the thorns because, should the thorn wall be penetrated or collapse, it will kill whoever is caught inside of it. At the moment, ARU is likely on the borders of Malleus’ thorn wall while Ortho (acting as a stand-in Charon member, in this case) deals with the issue. Anyone who gets too close to the thorns (fae or human) are also being sucked into the barrier.

Silver, Sebek, Yuu and Grim are currently travelling through various dreams. This allowed some insight on fae (see Fae in Briar Valley for more) as well as the abilities that they possess. Ortho has pulled the group into Idia’s dream, stating that Malleus is using all resources to keep Lilia asleep. Ortho was able to penetrate into the barrier using a counter-spell barrier and ethereal slicers, in addition to a magical cannon honed by Styx.

We also know it’s confirmed that Malleus needs to either voluntarily end his spell or die in order to actually cause the barriers to drop.

What might happen, then? (JP Spoilers)

Who knows! Yana likes to keep us on our toes. That being said, one of the biggest takeaways that came from this is the technology (technomantic) that Styx has access to, as well as what fae seem to rely on to continually use their magic. Styx’s access to technology that can almost entirely nullify magic in combination with their isolation from ‘nature’ (based on the brutalism architecture their facility had) could be two avenues of mitigating Malleus enough to at least let the students get an upper hand.

However, Styx also did confirm that their technomantic equipment was not having as good of an effect on Malleus’ barrier as they anticipated. If technomantic equipment were to be used on Malleus, it would need to be something advanced, like Ortho’s Cerberus gear, but on a larger scale. Ortho has already shown that Malleus’ magic is ineffective when faced with the type of tech that Ortho is equipped with, positing the idea that this can be an avenue to take. In the battle with Ortho, Malleus does appear to freeze up and misses a hit.

The comment about Malleus needing to break the spell himself was emphasized a lot in this section. Styx confirmed they’ll reach out to Queen Maleficia to see if she can persuade Malleus to drop the spell, but they’re also convincing the dreamers to persuade Malleus as well.

So… it seems like a triple whammy of tech, Maleficia, and guilt tripping as a way to take Malleus down. Exciting!!

#twisted wonderland #twst #twst analysis #idia shroud #ortho shroud #malleus draconia #lilia vanrouge #twst silver #sebek zigvolt #idia's parents #twst spoilers #maleficia draconia #meleanor draconia #levan draconia #listen i just love styx and the fae lore that's been dropped and i'm eating it #i couldnt get my hands on fairy gala so if anyone has info on her... plz add #i spent 7 hours playing twst for these facts plz

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coldairballoons · 4 months

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i've seen a lot of people saying that saltburn (2023) isn't a commentary on class, and genuinely, i have to disagree.

keep in mind, i watched this at 3am last night with my sibling, but i'm also a literature major with a focus in literary criticism of popular culture (including film), so i do know what i'm talking about!

spoilers below the break

first of all, framing saltburn as a conflict between the upper class and lower class is incorrect. in fact, that in itself is one of the major criticisms that comes up throughout it! oliver is quite literally not lower class, but uses the preconception that the cattons will view anyone in a lower social class than them as a tool to manipulate his way into their life. despite this, he is not lower class. and you are not meant to root for him, especially not towards the end.

the marxist theory of literary criticism surrounds the idea that in every story, one of the key concepts is a class struggle. this could be between any class, but the most common is the rich vs poor duality that shows up in most stories - ex. titanic, the fall of the house of usher. the thing is, in both of those examples, the sympathy lies with the victims - the lower class. in titanic, you are meant to feel guilty on behalf of the rich leaving the lower class to die. in usher, you are meant to feel anger towards the mistreatment of those who seek out the treatment the family offers. but while usher is a clear criticism of class, is that its main genre? is is purely a class struggle movie? no. it is a story inspired by edgar allan poe that surrounds horrors of family, trauma, and yes, class, but also morality. meanwhile titanic is supposedly a romance. though jack dawson is young and poor, he is not the only sympathetic character. what i'm saying here is that media is incredibly layered, and while on the surface level, something may not be entirely a class conflict story, those undertones exist throughout, no matter what. even take hit series percy jackson for example. there is still a class discussion to be had there, with percy and his mom struggling with finances, while annabeth and her father live comfortably.

but saltburn is interesting, because the antagonist throughout the entirety of it is, as far as the audience knows, lower class. you are introduced to him, not through judgement for his living condition, but through compassion and generosity. felix offers him a hand, even when he isn't in the same group as him. that in itself is a criticism of class dynamics.

listen. i hate rich people as much as the next gen-z college student. i personally have a hit list with many a billionaire's name right at the very top. but it's undeniable that, despite the class difference, the cattons - at least venitia and felix - are kind to oliver at first. obviously, he is a part of the other, but he is still a person. elspeth enjoys his presence. james treats him as a son. farleigh feels threatened by his presence, because he knows that, if they so choose, they could replace him with oliver.

i want to talk about farleigh for a second.

i literally have not seen anyone talk about farleigh, and i am upset about it. not only is he one of the most compelling characters - a supposed american slacker who lives with his extended family and blows their money on lavish means -, but he is important in the class discussion because it affects him directly. the cattons do not support his mother. she is in america, and although they have the ability to, they actively choose not to. the reason felix is bothered when farleigh implies that it is, in fact, a "race thing", is because it is. why is farleigh the one dependent on the cattons, and risking expulsion from the family? because he is the first other that they encounter.

and then pamela, who not only has sought help from the cattons, but disappears midway through with no explanation. she goes directly from rehab to them, and although she is trying to find a place to live on her own, the cattons offer her no assistance. they offer her nothing, and complain when she is in their space. they offer her NO help, when they so easily could set her up with a small flat and monthly allowance to help her find a job.

and not only is this a criticism of the upper class - the inactivity and extremely single-minded worldview that the cattons have, the amount that they are out of touch with not only the outside world and the lower class, but their own emotions -, it's also a criticism of the upper middle class.

as someone currently in college, whose parents are a college professor and a high school teacher, i am fairly middle class. however, there are so many people in my immediate vicinity - folks i know from high school, in my classes, extended family, etc., - who are Extremely upper middle class. however, they have the comfort of certain things that i, and my family, don't have. that's just part of life. however, in saltburn, oliver milks the "middle" in his "upper middle" class. he milks it, and he runs it absolutely dry.

someone truly in his alleged position would not be able to spend the summer lavishly and hedonistically gallivanting around the countryside of england, playing tennis and smoking cigarettes by the lake. hell, someone in my middle class position wouldn't be able to do that either, especially not while attending oxford fucking university. he would likely need to work, not just to support himself, but to support his mother, especially after - again, allegedly - his father died. and not only is this coming from a place of an oversight on his part, not realizing what his privilege truly is, but it also comes from a place of oversight on the part of the cattons.

do i think that saltburn is a movie about class? nope. at its core, it's a story about a desire for power and possession, ownership and obsession. there is this intense, almost vampiric lust throughout the entire thing, and that's in part what makes it the perfect setting for discussions of sexuality, of madness, and, honestly, class. wealth is power, and the cattons have a lot of it.

#saltburn #saltburn 2023 #oliver quick #felix catton #barry keoghan #film #movies #saltburn movie #miles is dumb

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gingernut1314 · 4 months

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The Luck Child - Chapter 1: Superstitions of a Dying Age

Buggy x F!Reader

Summary: You are called back to Marine Headquarters after five years of working undercover within the crew of the Wild Wood Pirates. There, you are told by your superiors who they wish to grant the title of Warlord to and are assigned a new mission: join the Star Clown's crew and make sure he dies if he fails in his challenge.

Warnings: spoilers for the anime (Marineford Arc and onward), canon divergence

Word Count: 4.5K

A/N: This is done in collaboration with the wonderful @fanaticsnail and her Sapsorrow series--go read it if you haven't already!!! She also was brilliantly kind enough to beta-read this for me! And thank you @i-am-vita for creating the beautiful banner and storyteller collab masterlist!!

I actually haven't gotten to the Marineford Arc yet so please forgive me if anything is not completely right. I tried to leave things very vague for that reason but the events surrounding Buggy were just too perfect for this series! I hope you all enjoy!

“Not so long ago, in the depth of the Grand Line, where it is so cold, that very cold is considered quite warm, two cold hearts shadowed over the land. One beat cold in a cruel government, the other in a terrible beast: The Griffin. And it happened in a week with two Fridays, that the cruel government heard of a prophecy.”

The halls of Navy Headquarters were lit like they had allowed the very sun into its walls. No shadow graced its well-maintained halls, not even the likes of your own shadow to accompany you into the awaiting meeting hall. A meeting hall whose doors, which swirled with silver detailing, towered over you like some great, twin titans as you came to a stop before them.

Titans.

That was who sat, waiting for you behind those doors. Titans whose very will had sent for you days prior. Who had nearly torn the very delicate position in the pirate crew you had infiltrated to shreds.

The Wild Wood Pirates; a pack of wild women born from chaos and blood. Women whose power almost rivaled that of the Kuja Pirates and their Warlord Captain. They were a threat to the world government and all who bent the knee to their will.

A threat the government had not taken to so kindly.

Sending the Snake Princess of the Amazon Lily herself to destroy these wild women had been one of the many ideas sprung to deal with the hardened villains, but your superiors had thought of a different approach--a better, more calculated, and…gentler approach.

Spy on them. Become one of them. See how they slipped from the watchful eye of the Navy and how they could get from one side of the Grand Line to the other in a matter of hours.

And out of the thousands upon thousands of Marines to choose from for this task, they had chosen you.

You, the daughter of a well-respected Vice-Admiral and the strongest Marine produced from your class.

You, who was vicious in your attack upon the pirates that sailed the Grand Line.

You, who was bloodthirsty in your pursuit of the bandits and petty thieves that roamed the streets of the bases you occupied.

Wild. You were wild. Too wild, many a superior had spat, to be a Marine. So wild you had gotten yourself demoted and benched more times than you could care to count on your own two hands and feet.

It was why you had made the perfect candidate to infiltrate such a group of pirates. Unknown by most--overlooked--you and your savageness had been sent off to wander the Grand Line. Had been allowed to spread chaos and fear in your travels. Had been allowed to run wild.

You had earned your own little bounty, on the promise it would be cleared upon the success of your mission, and had been welcomed into the Wild Wood Pirates ranks with a few, messy kills.

It was crooked. Wicked of your superiors to allow you to do such horrid acts, but it was all in the name of discovery. Of committing little evils to behead that of a greater one.

You rose in rank gradually throughout the years you had joined their crew. Had gained favor with your new captain. Had gained such favor, you had been allowed on their main ship; The Robber’s Den. A grand vessel with a twisting and turning tunnel-like underbelly and home to a strange forest that grew over the deck.

Had just, after death and back-breaking labor, been allowed to be above deck as they traveled through the Grand Line at in-humanly fast speeds. The answers you sought had been in your grasp--your mission nearly complete when those very same superiors who had assigned you this years-long mission, sent a messenger bat to recall you.

You tugged at your white uniform. One you hadn’t worn in five years. Tugged and pulled and shifted it over your body, trying desperately to get comfortable in its hold.

Too tight, too thick, too itchy. It didn’t feel like your uniform any longer. It felt like a costume. A disguise. A poorly made disguise at that.

How had you ever had the patience to wear such a monstrosity?

The answer is you never had and coming fresh off the seas, where one did as they pleased, when they pleased it, the uniform was already trying your thin patience.

You shifted the cap upon your head, it having begun to itch right alongside your uniform, as you stared up at those giant doors before you.

In and out.

You willed--no prayed--for this meeting to be as swift as The Robber’s Den’s speed. An hour--an hour and a half at most is all you knew you had the tolerance for.

A progress report. That is what they had written in their letter. It would be a simple meeting. A very simple meeting, seeing as they had whisked you away from those Wild Wood Pirates before you could glean their biggest secret from them.

With a great, chest-expanding breath, you pushed your way into the meeting room full of glorified titans.

You wished beyond all hope to have your shadow by your side for company at that moment.

“Ah, so the feral girl finally makes her appearance.” The grating voice of Akainu spoke, stopping all idle conversation that had bounced around the rounded table and room. He was the first you spotted, signature pink rose on his breast and the basic, marine-sanctioned cap on his head, which led the eye to the large scars littering the right side of his body.

You let your eyes scan over the others around the table--all faces you recognized but many whose ranking seemed to have changed in your absence.

And Akainu, whose voice filled your ears with white-hot rage and made boiling magma to match that of his devil fruit powers roar through your veins, had been gifted the most gracious promotion. That of Fleet Admiral.

It did not surprise you he had climbed this high in rank. He was smart, cunning, and powerful. It did, however, have your curiosity stifling your coiling anger for a mere moment.

Why would a Fleet Admiral need to be present during a simple progress report?

You felt your muscles move on memory before your brain could rush to keep up with its sharp movements. Heels brought together, hips and shoulders on level, legs straight but not so firm as to lock up your knees, and right hand brought to meet your right brow in respect of your higher-ups.

“Forgive me, sir. I had been making my way to old headquarters before I realized its relocation.” The man let a mouth full of smoke escape his lips, which a half-smoked cigar still lay between.

“I didn’t expect anything else, Apprentice.” You hardly were able to refrain from outright snarling at the Fleet Admiral.

Seaman Apprentice. One rank up from being a lowly recruit. A rank you had received only a week before you were given your undercover assignment. “I see those wild women took every last ounce of civility from you.” He said, giving a wicked laugh at your reaction.

“With all due respect, Fleet Admiral.” Another member, sitting closest to the entrance, spoke up before you could lose your already lost temper. His chair blocked him from view, but you knew the dull voice of your father too well.

“Y/N took a great risk in joining the ranks of the Wild Wood Pirates. Took a greater risk still in coming here on such unexpected notice. It shows her dedication and devotion to our government.” Your father finished, making no such move as to look upon you. To see what had become of his only child in the time spent with the enemy.

Akainu let another mouthful of smoke filter out between his teeth, his dark eyes scanning over you from beneath his cap. Eyes that reignited that itch your uniform made crawl over your skin like a thousand ants had marched their way under it. It made your fingers twitch in want to relieve it.

“At ease.” He grated out, like he was disappointed in releasing you from the restricting position. You let your arm fall to your side before it joined your other behind your back, feet spread shoulders width apart. “I assume you have heard of the battle at Marineford and our…unfortunate happenings with the Warlords.”

Hardly. You had hardly heard such news had it not been for the News Coo bird you’d paid discreetly and at risk of your own personal being. You let your superiors know of your little knowledge of the battle.

“We are looking for others to fill the voids left by Teach, Jinbe, and Gecko Moria. We have filled two of these vacuums.” Akainu gestured for you to find a seat around the table. Your feet carried you to an opening next to the quiet likes of Tsuru, the Vice-Admiral hardly sparing you a glance. “The file before you holds all the information we currently hold on the pirate we believe might fill this last position.”

Your fingers smoothed over the fine-coursed blue file that sat before you, flipping it open you had not expected to be met with the sparkingly and laughing grin of a pirate whose reputation whispered around even the likes of the isolating Wild Wood Pirates. A reputation of cowardice and overall weakness that your crewmates had loathed.

A grin you had wanted to punch off his panted face ever since you had first met him in the flesh at the start of your five-year undercover mission.

You chuckled. No--not chuckled, laughed. A belly-shaking laugh as you grabbed at the edge of the wanted poster to tilt it towards your vision better.

“This is who you plan on granting the title of Warlord to? This bumbling fool?” You shook your head, wiping a stray tear from your eyes as your laughter continued to keep hold of you. “You are right, Fleet Admiral, I have been away from civilization far too long. You wish me to believe this clown is a threat to the Marines? To the World Government?”

“You have been gone far too long. You have forgotten your manners, Apprentice.” The rank had your laughter dying quickly in your throat. A rank hissed at you in a warning.

Manners. You truly did need to relearn your manners. If you didn’t, your higher-up would demote you to a lowly recruit--maybe even to that of chore boy and you would be nothing.

Nothing but a wild mess of a person--a failure. A reject. A disappointment.

“The Star Clown led a mass of prisoners out of Impel Down, of which he managed to escape with hardly a scratch.” You pursed your lips together to keep any remaining remarks down.

You hadn’t seen that in the news. Must have missed it in your isolation.

“He led those highly dangerous prisoners against us on the battlefield and still holds them under his command. He is becoming a threat.” Akainu all but spat your way.

“He’s just been lucky.” An admiral, sitting to the left of the Fleet Admiral, spoke, leaning back in his chair in dismission of the clown.

“Too lucky. We need to nib this luck at its source before it grows out of our power to control.” Akainu snapped at the admiral next to him, who hardly seemed phased. “If we--”

“A luck child,” Tsuru spoke from beside you, cutting off the Fleet Admiral. You almost threw the woman a wicked smile in approval had you not remembered she had a disliking of you right alongside the rest of her comrades. “Poor as penance, rich as snow, a great captain of a great captain. Wise men prophesied this child would one day achieve greatness.”

The room fell silent as the words fell heavy over the air. Words you had never heard once in your life, but ones that seemed to flicker in recognition in the eyes of the Marines around you.

“Have we fallen so low as to start believing old superstitions of a dying age?” The admiral to the left huffed. “It was no wise man who spoke those words. Gold Rodger was out of his mind by the time Death came for him. First this luck child, then that foolish proclamation about the One Piece. He was spewing utter nonsense.”

“Luck is a gift. A blessing. It cannot be undone.” The Admiral scoffed at Tsuru's words once more.

“Akainu, are you going to--”

“Then he is more of a threat than we originally thought. His escape, his ability to gather powerful individuals under his command, his connections to Red-Haired Shanks and the Rodger Pirates, and now this--prophecy.” The Admiral shook his head in disbelief at his superior’s words. “Something needs to be done about him.”

“Then why not just kill him?” You spoke on a gruff, gaining Akainu’s magma-filled gaze once more. “He is more trouble than he is worth. The other pirates mock him--he is their court jester, not their lord. Kill him and be done with it.” You all but hissed, throwing the clown's wanted poster down.

Akainu rapped his fingers against the marble table before him, deep in thought as he watched you. Watched you in a way you wished he would stop.

“You’ll find a map just beneath his bounty.” You pursed your lips together once more.

Manners. Remember your manners.

“As I am sure you have already gathered, we have not called you back for a simple progress report. You are to take that map to him as an offering to join his crew.” You pulled the map out from behind his bounty poster.

It was small. Old. Its detailing was lacking and few of the black lines that made up its image had faded with age.

How anyone was supposed to properly use it in its deteriorating state was beyond you.

“And what of the Wild Wood Pirates?” You asked, glancing back up to your superior.

“What of them?” He said, seeming utterly unworried. It fueled your anger once more.

“If they find out I left to join up with another crew they will not stop hunting me until I am dead.” You said, biting back the snap in your voice.

“Then sail clear of their territory.” Akainu snapped, uncaring to hold back his words’ own sharpness.

Sail clear of their territory--you almost scoffed. They had no territory. They didn’t care about such things. Power was all they cared about. Blood and chaos and pain. You went to tell him as such, but he was quick to shut your complaints down.

“You’re job, Apprentice, is to give him the map and join his crew. You are to take account of every last individual who has joined him, report it back to us, and make sure he finds this island. If he can find it and win the golden feather amongst its hordes of treasure, then he will receive a letter from us in due time telling of his new title. But if the beast that roams those lands defeats him, then we have nothing to worry about besides contacting the runner-up.”

You clenched your fist in your lap. Clenched it so hard you were almost certain you had broken the thin skin of your palm.

Join him. Join that fool? No. Never.

“Why would this feather be of any interest to him?” You asked, channeling all your frustrations into your grip.

“It is said to be of an opposing nature to that of the Devil Fruits. Legend says it frees its user from Mother Ocean’s hold forevermore. If the stories are to be believed, he would be able to swim as he pleased in her waters, never to drown. Maybe even be given the power to deify that of Seastone.” The Admiral to his left shook his head once more at the continued fairy tales and legends.

“And what happens when he fails to find this golden feather? When he fails to get eaten by this beast because he has run away like the slimy creature he is?” You asked, closing the file to keep those irritating green-blue eyes from staring at you any longer.

“Then you kill him as you see fit.” Akainu closed his own file. “You wild things do so love a bloody kill.”

Manners--oh but your manners were running very, very thin.

You pulled a thin-lipped smile to your features.

“As you command, Fleet Admiral.” Akainu chuckled darkly, releasing another mouthful of smoke.

“Very good.” He smirked, standing from his seat. “Then it is settled. Apprentice Y/N will see if our--Luck Child,” He said with another rumbling chuckle, “is fit for greatness as such wise men have prophecied. If not, he is better off dead and off the chess board.” You stood with the rest of the Marines around the table, right hand back on your brow as the Fleet Admiral moved through the room towards those great, giant doors.

The three admirals were quick to follow, and so on and so on until you were left standing in that too-bright, rounded meeting room with your father.

You felt no need for formal respect when it came to him, so you were quick to drop what little was left of your good manners and snarled like some raid animal in your frustrations.

You tugged and yanked at your uniform once more, loosening buttons and your necktie.

“Will you be--” You were quick to fix him with a daggered glare and a show of hissing teeth.

“I stopped needing your care long ago.” Your father hardly blinked at your wild behavior.

“You may have stopped needing it but I have yet to stop caring.” He sighed, standing from his seat.

Care. Like you were supposed to believe he truly cared for you.

You watched him pull something from the pocket of his white dress-pants. It was a rectangular envelope in a soft shade of periwinkle, with elegant and swirling handwriting that looped over the front.

You recognized it immediately for what it was. An invitation. One you had seen many times in the past.

“The Lady Aegea of the Magmere Isle is hosting her annual masquerade ball in three days time. Many ladies will be presented--” You held a hand up to stop him before he could continue to waste his breath.

“Have you forgotten I have been ordered to worm my way into yet another pirate crew by that time? If I am not killed for my betrayals, I will be no lady of any court you wish associations with.” Your father looked--tired. Older.

When had he gotten like that?

“I just want to see you happy.” That only had your anger spiking in your chest. A deep anger that had been building ever since your childhood.

“You raised me as if I was nothing more than another cadet under your command, remember?” They were words he had heard from you many times over. Words to rival that of the ballrooms and proper lady-like conversation and courtships he threw your way. Even when you had joined the Marines, he continued to offer you up on a silver platter to any lord brave enough to try for your hand and you continued to fight him. “I cannot help the path laid before me.”

“You can throw my biggest mistakes in my face, but it will not change my hopes for your future.” You scoffed at his words. Words that he spoke in a dull drawl that only had your anger coiling tighter around your heart. “Will you at least take the invitation? In case you change your mind. I will fight to have you removed from this assignment if you do.” Your eyes scanned over the invitation. You knew there was no way you would attend such an event, not unless it was forced upon you.

But if you took it now, it would keep him off your back for a little while longer.

“Fine.” You snapped, grabbing up the Star Clown’s file before making your way around the table to snag the invitation from your father’s awaiting grasp. “This means nothing of my attendance.” Your father only smiled--too excited for his own good.

“Of course, of course…though, I have been told Lady Aegea has invitited the great Lord Dacule Mihawk.” He was always invited. The swordsman was the most sought-after suitor in the blue sea and Lady Aegea had a strange fixation on him. Him and finding him a suitor. “And rumor has it he will be in attendance this year.”

“I find that very hard to believe.” You huffed, shoving the invitation amongst the rest of your newly gathered information, tucked away in the file you held. Though the Warlord had been invited to every last ball the Lady Aegea threw, he never once dared to show his face.

“He might be of some help to your mission. Him being a Warlord after all.” Your father said as you started out of the meeting hall, hardly sparing your father a final look. He was not saying this to be of any real help. It was his way of bringing the Warlord to your attention for potential courtship.

“Good day, Vice Admiral.”

“Wouldn’t you agree?” Your father called as you stormed out of those giant doors. Stormed out of those shadow-stealing lights and too-clean halls ways. Stormed passed fellow Marines making their way through the halls just as you did, though looking far less angered.

You yanked your cap from your head as you hit fresh air. Air that didn’t smell of cigar smoke and molten lava. Your uniform top was next, its persistent itching becoming far too much for you to handle.

Luck child, luck child, luck child.

Curse that foolish clown. Curse him and his horrid luck.

There was no reward in this for you. Nothing other than a death sentence, old wives' tales, your father's nags of marriage, and your submission to yet another power you had no interest in following.

Buggy the Clown was not that lucky. No man was that lucky and you would be the one to end this ridiculous string of good fortune.

Screams and shouting commands filled the roaring, storm-filled air as the Big Top was hit with yet another mountainous wave. Saltwater stung at Buggy’s eyes and made loose strands of blue hair stick to the sides of his face, which his make-up ran over, ruined. Saltwater that had his grip on the lines he had been retieing begin to grow weak, Mother Ocean’s power over him slowly starting to win.

“Shit, shit, shit!” Buggy screamed as he managed to retie the rigging despite his numbing fingers.

Screw Mother Ocean. Screw Devil Fruits and screw this freak storm that has come out of nowhere. A storm that had already claimed three of his men in its merciless hunger.

He spied Alvida, kneeling on the drenched deck, looking about ready to pass out. Her long, curling locks stuck to her smooth skin which looked all too pale in the muggy light the storm clouds allowed to slip through.

The water was no doubt taking its effect on her now, rendering her utterly useless.

Buggy grabbed for another loose line that was threatening to run free just as a large ball of wax rolled past dangerously, knocking a few of his freaks over as it headed toward the front of his ship.

Galdino, a fellow escapee from Impel Down and one of Buggy’s newest crew members, must have encapsulated himself before the water could do much to drain his own powers. Encapsulated himself in a rolling ball that, if didn’t kill someone, would surely roll straight into the ocean.

Stupid idiot.

Buggy’s muscles loosened then and, despite his best efforts, the line he had been holding fell from his grasp, shooting up into the rain and sea-spray-filled air. Something snapped and Buggy turned just in time to give a screeching curse as the main boom swayed low, knocking into him and sending Buggy flying.

“Captain!” The sound of his Chief of Staff, Cabaji, called as Buggy groaned at the pain zapping through his body.

“Get--get us out of this fucking storm!” Buggy hissed, his roaring coming out more breathy as he fought to regain the air in his lungs.

He hardly heard Cabaji’s response before the ship hit something solid.

Wood splintered and groaned and Buggy was, yet again, thrown through the air with a scream.

All he could do was scream as Mother Ocean stole all his fight and energy. Scream till his voice ran horse and his limp body was thrown overboard.

Buggy hit the cold water and was thrown in thrashing circles.

His lungs burned as he held his breath against the raging waters around him. Lungs and eyes and nostrils burned like fire had been poured into them. It was hell--and just when hell seemed to get the upper hand, to just begin to wrestle the air from his lungs, he was spat out onto a sandy shore.

Body unable to move, Buggy lay cursing the sea. Cursing Mother Ocean and the Grand Lines freakish weather. Weather that seemed was beginning to calm as if it had taken its pound of flesh from him, satisfied.

A wave crashed into Buggy, further numbing his body and sinking him into the wet sand beneath him.

Screw this. Screw sand. Screw water. Screw the air. Screw himself and his devil-blessed powers.

“Captain! Oh, thank the gods!” It was Cabaji’s voice again, growing nearer and nearer. Relief flooded through Buggy’s chest as his Chief of Staff came into view just as another wave crashed into him, stealing his breath once more before falling back into the vast sea.

“Get. Me. The hell. Up!” Buggy hissed as quickly as the saltwater would allow him.

“Right, yes. Yes, Captain.” Hands grabbed him under his shoulders and dragged his limp body further inland, away from the sea still wishing to drag him into their depths. “We thought you were dead, Captain,” Cabaji grunted as he continued to drag Buggy over the shore.

Of course he wasn’t dead. He was tougher then that.

The taste of salt water on his lips sent a shiver down Buggy’s spine.

From this angle, Buggy could just spot his precious ship laying on its side, beached like some great whale and looking like someone had taken some great hammer to its hull.

Whoever had been in the crow's nest was going to get murdered.

“You’re luck never ceases to amaze me, Captain Buggy.” Cabaji huffed, finally coming to a stop once he had made it to the rest of Buggy’s exhausted crew. He spotted Alvida slumped on the sand just as he was, teeth grit and hissing insults Mohji’s way, who had been trying to help her.

Luck--ha. Buggy laughed at such bullshit.

How was getting knocked into the ocean and nearly drowning lucky?

Tag list: @fanshavegottensotoxic , @lostfirefly

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spockvarietyhour · 1 year

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USS Titan-A in Star Trek Picard "Seventeen Seconds"

#Star Trek Picard #PIC #Seventeen Seconds #USS Titan #Titan A #Neo Constitution Class #Constitution Class III #starship #starfleet #spoilers #GIF #my gifs #startrekedit #picardedit #Danny and Renae watch PIC #Hide and Queue

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syresdcthings · 3 months

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Just trying to figure out my DC au timeline rq... Actual dates don't matter!!! This is a MESS by the way I am SORRY 😭 its just me jotting down my own stuff for my story's!!

Bruce's parents die when he is 10, he starts Karate classes at 12 but leaves gotham to train at 16. Bruce returns to Gotham 4 years later at 20

Now the important things..

So Bruce starts his career as Batman at 21, he adopts Dick Grayson, 11, at 22.

Dick is Robin for 5 years until he turns 16 and leaves for the Titans. D

Bruce adopts Jason Todd, 12, that same year. At this point, Bruce is 27 and has been Batman for 6 years.

Jason Todd is Robin for 3 years, before he disappears. He dies 1 year later, aged 16. Bruce is 31 and has been Batman for 10 years, Dick is 20 and becomes Nightwing.

Bruce takes Tim, 12, as Robin the same year Jason dies. Bruce adopts Tim less than a year into his Robin Career.

Jason is revived 1½ years into Tim's Robin Career, Damian is 5, Jason is trained by the LOA at 17. Bruce is 32 and has been Batman for 11 years, Dick is 21 and has been Nightwing for 1 year, Tim is 13 and has been Robin for 1½ years

Tim turns 14

Jason leaves the LOA 3 years later, he is 20. Damian is trained by the LOA since birth, he is 9. Bruce is 35 and has been Batman for 14 years, Dick is 24 and has been Nightwing for 4 years, Tim is 17 and has been Robin for 4 years

Jason Becomes Redhood the year he leaves. Tim becomes Red Rouge the year he leaves. Bruce adopts Cassandra Cain, Batgirl, 18. Tim dates Stephanie Brown, Robin, 17.

Jason reunites with Batman one year after at 21, Bruce takes in Damian, Robin, later the same year. Stephanie is no longer Robin, no longer dates Tim. Stephanie becomes Spoiler. Cassandra becomes Orphan. Tim dates Bernard. Bruce is 37 and has been Batman for 16 years, Dick is 25 and has been Nightwing for 5 years, Jason is 21 and has been Red Hood 1 year, Tim is 18 and has been Red Rouge for 1 year, Stephanie is 18, Cassandra is 19, Damian is 10.

OK... Ages now in present time I guess... 4 years later

Bruce: 41, Batman: 20

Dick: 29, Nightwing: 9

Jason: 26, Red Hood: 5

Tim: 23, Red Rouge: 5

Cass: 24, Orphan: 4

Steph: 23, Spoiler: 4

Damian: 14, Robin: 4

Alfred: Known no bounds (Became butler at 35, is currently 71)

Also yes Damian will get another hero title when he's older and it won't be Batman. Something like Great Dane or whatever I haven't figured it out yet.

THIS ISNT SUPPOSED TO BE COMIC CANON!!! Also I messed up with Bruce's age during this so don't mind if he's suddenly been Batman for a year longer than he should've been...

#dc #batman #dc au #bruce wayne #batfam #damian wayne #dick grayson #tim drake #jason todd #stephanie brown #cassandra cain #alfred pennyworth #not lore canon

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celaenaeiln · 10 months

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Teen Titans Academy is amazing!!! (Spoilers!)

I listed my favorites but there were a lot of favorites so this is a long post 😅

First you have Nightwing opening the class by introducing the lesson “Defense against the Dark Arts”

Kori and Dick are back together ❤️:

So, so many Titans shenanigans:

I always thought Tempest was a quiet one but what a lie!

Dick finds out about the son he never knew:

SIKE!

And then the all-star entrance….

The heck is that pose?! 🤣🤣🤣 Imagine trying to have a hard conversation with your not son-son and then this doofus shows up. Honest to God Deathstroke has nothing on Red X when it comes to annoying Dick:

He wishes he could have Dick’s attention like this. But Dick still becomes a real dad to the kid he never actually had anyway. Heart of gold. It’s at times like this that you’re grateful Dick doesn’t kill:

When the Titans are discussing it later Roy says wth I thought Red X was dead Dick basically goes hah. Like I’d ever forget that headache:

And here’s the surprising part: Dick greens flags the operation to conquer another planet but guess who the Titans work with?

The suicide squad.

Finally and most importantly: Dick’s butt is clearly still in great shape

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sneezypeasy · 2 years

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Original Script Analysis, Part 2: The Southern Raiders, The Finale, and What I Think About it All

Link to Part 1

So folks, when it comes to literary analysis, there are two categories that textual interpretations typically fall under: the Doylist explanation, and the Watsonian explanation.

Watsonian explanations will contextualise an issue solely within the bounds of the story it is told in, so the answer to any question will be, essentially, “in-universe”. Imagine interviewing a character in the story, and asking them, “why did x happen” or, “why did y character decide to do z”. The answer you get will be a Watsonian answer.

Doylist explanations, on the other hand, are explanations that take into account things the characters themselves wouldn’t “have access to”, so to speak. These explanations often touch on writing concepts like theme, character arcs, tropes, setup and payoff etc, sometimes even referring to “real-world” motivations, intentions, or constraints that the creators were working with (or against). If an explanation or an answer to a question doesn’t sound like anything the characters themselves could have come up with, it’s probably a Doylist explanation.

I’m going to give an example from Titanic that I hope isn’t a spoiler to anybody at this point given how much this film has been memed to shit:

Jack dies at the end of Titanic. Now, why did he die?

The Watsonian says: He died because there was no room on the door.

The more intelligent Watsonian says: No there WAS room on the bloody door you smooth-brained koala did you even watch the fucking movie? They tried to get them both on there, the door just couldn’t hold the two of them because of something called BUOYANCY you fucking idiot-

The Doylist says: Jack died because it was the culmination of his character arc, and because he and Rose symbolise the class disparity of the victims of that tragedy; Jack is the poorer third class, and Rose is the rich upper class. Upper class women were the likeliest demographic to survive the sinking of the Titanic, and lower class men were the likeliest demographic to die. Jack had to die and Rose had to live; it’s symbolic.

Here’s another example: on the r/DeathNote subreddit, someone asked why L fell off his chair in such an exaggerated and dramatic fashion upon hearing that shinigami could be real. The top comment provides a detailed Watsonian answer, followed by a Doylist one:

Basically, Watsonian commentary is consistent with how the characters, in-universe, might explain/contextualise something. Doylism explains how a plot point or character decision serves a purpose beyond what the characters themselves would be able to conceptualise, whether that’s narrative payoff, authorial intent, or even marketing/executive decisions/budget constraints.

Why am I explaining all of this? Because I want to play a game with you guys.

You ready?

The name of this game is: Why, in the original script of The Southern Raiders, is Katara somehow asleep while LITERAL BOMBS ARE GOING OFF AROUND HER(!!!)

Is it:

A) Katara trained herself to sleep through Fire Nation raids and bombs from a young age

B) Katara is just generally that deep of a sleeper

C) Elizabeth Ehasz wanted an excuse (any excuse, really) to force Zuko and Katara to interact (because this is their episode, after all-)

Yeah, maybe I’m just unimaginative but I’m pretty sure it’s C. I’d love to hear your best Watsonian take for this one though (please, go nuts, lmao)

Like all the other changes we’ve seen, nothing has been done to the dialogue, which plays out how it does in the show:

I’m sorry I just can’t get over this 🤣🤣 “Character A and Character B hate each other/are not talking to each other/are currently in the process of biting each other’s heads off, now let’s come up with some ridiculous excuse to make Character A and Character B play nice and help and warm up to each other” is a pretty solid fanfic trope but I think this is the first time I’ve seen “MAKE CHARACTER A SLEEP THROUGH A FUCKING MISSILE ATTACK” utilised for this specific purpose.

Logically I understand why this was changed for the show, but I’m ngl, I’m slightly sad we didn’t get to see this version. 🤣🤣🤣

Interestingly, Katara doesn’t catch Zuko after he gets blasted off the war blimp - the script doesn’t specify anyone catching Zuko, it just says that he “lands safely on the bison” (sorry, I thought I wrote this one down in full but I only wrote down that quote, my bad 💀).

(It does make me wonder though, whether the storyboarders/animators looked at the “Katara sleeps through bombs” bit and were like.... “ok how about no, but we’ll give you ‘Katara catches a skydiving Zuko’ instead, fair trade?” 😂😂)

Continuing on from that, I have to say that even with the voice lines unchanged, Elizabeth Ehasz’s vision for Zuko and Katara’s deepening connection and understanding continues to trickle through this episode at various moments:

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Katara sobbing as she recounts her trauma? Zuko getting teary himself hearing about Katara’s grief and love for her mother? Katara visibly relaxing as a result of unburdening some of her feelings onto him? Zuko pulling Katara back and making sure she’s okay before she ploughs on ahead?

😭😭🥰🥰

And then of course, there are times when Elizabeth’s subtlety is not so subtle at all (here you go, you guys have well and truly earned this one):

Welp. I can tell you I wasn’t expecting to see that - at all. I came to the WGF hoping, maybe, to find some small crumbs - tiny clues that might give a slight nudge to the rumours that Elizabeth Ehasz was a ZK shipper, and that shippy subtext viewers may have picked up in TSR maybe wasn’t entirely lacking in substance.

I wasn’t expecting to find a page where good ol’ Elizabeth had a zutara fangasm all over her own writing 🤣🤣🤣

On the hug itself, Elizabeth’s notes were very brief:

I was a touch disappointed not to see any more fangirling, though after that serotonin boost up above I really couldn’t be too greedy. 🤣

Zuko and Katara’s scenes together in Sozin’s Comet and the Agni Kai are generally the same as what we see in the show, though I thought you guys might like to read the lightning scene anyway:

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This might be a good time to mention that I had the pleasure of working alongside @korranguyen on one of the two days that I visited the WGF. If you found the descriptions of Azula’s downward spiral in the Agni Kai uncomfortable to read, you might appreciate her essays here and here.

Unfortunately folks, we are indeed near the end now. And we know how the story ends:

Wins, eh? Interesting choice of words there. Almost makes it seem like there was a competition? Like there were, oh I don’t know, other contenders?

Now there’s something else which I think some of you may find very interesting about the script of Sozin’s Comet Part 4, and I will get to that in due course, but for now I want to discuss the way the ships were treated by the show writers and creators. As I summarised earlier and as you probably noticed yourself from reading these scripts:

From season 1 up until Day of Black Sun, the writing was heading towards a Kataang conclusion. And development-wise, it wasn’t too shabby! There was a clear and steady progression. Maybe a little subtle, from Katara’s side, but nowhere near as ambiguous as in the show. And again maybe this is just me, but I wouldn’t have been frustrated with it either, if it was shown like that.

After Day of Black Sun, the writing takes a weird turn. Kataang takes a nosedive while Zutara gets a ton of positive development (reconciliation, forgiveness, synchronicity and cooperation* anyone? lmao), which is canon in the show too but it’s… even more pronounced in the script? Aang is more aggro, Zuko and Katara are more tender/vulnerable with one another, they don’t scoot away at the suggestion that they like, like each other – and these are the final drafts? What the heck were y’all writing in the first drafts?? (No that’s not a joke actually, I wanna know 😭)

Kataang “wins”. Wins?!? I thought y’all said there was never even a contest!!**

Okay, time for some speculation/theorising on my part. To me, it seems like, at some point after writing the “Kataang” episodes but before actually animating and producing them, and before writing the later episodes in season 3, and perhaps even right up until the writing of Sozin’s Comet Part 4, there was a collective (if not unanimous) decision to “keep things open”. The question is: why?

Did the writers disagree, or was it just shipbaiting? Or was it some combination of both?

If no-one else, Elizabeth Ehasz is quite clearly a Zutara fangirl; I don’t think anyone can deny that after reading the way she writes these kids 🤣 That paragraph does not read to me like a writer casually (or grudgingly) obeying directions to shiptease because it’s what the producers wanted, it reads like a writer unable to stay professional about how much she loves this one fucking ship. (We feel you Lizzie. We feel you.)

So was there actually some discord in the writer’s room about which direction to take the romance arcs? @zutarawasrobbed pointed out that given the narrative decision to hinge Aang’s internal struggle and character arc around the need to “let go” of an “attachment” to Katara, (some?) writers may have seen a potential in deconstructing Kataang to fulfil this arc. This is especially possible if, after writing Crossroads of Destiny and/or seeing audience feedback to that episode, Zutara was increasingly beginning to appear as a viable alternative.

I mean, even by Sozin’s Comet, it doesn’t seem like they’d figured out how to resolve Aang’s whole “blocked chakra” situation –

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Aang “somehow” just happens to untangle what had previously been set up as an internal struggle, with the conveniently timed activation of some “chi bending nonsense” (and reverse-glowing arrows and “such things”).

Uh huh.

(To be fair, you have to have a very high IQ to understand Rick and Morty -)

Of course, the other possibility is that most of the way through writing the script, and maybe about halfway through animating it, the creators simply recognized a clear potential for shipbaiting, and this is at least somewhat to blame for the hot mess that is the romance arcs of ATLA.

My personal theory is that writer disagreement did happen, and is at least partially why we ended up getting what we got. The fact that both ships are specifically referenced and granted “approval” so to speak, by different writers, and one of them ends up explicitly “winning”, sort of cinches it for me. Either way, the show was clearly pulling in different directions at different parts and under different creators, and in my opinion the scripts support these rumours.

One thing is for certain: whether this was just shipteasing, or actual production hell in the writer’s room, it is my opinion that Zutara AND Kataang were both robbed.

Kataang had a decent romance arc written out for it, and even if there may have been issues reconciling it with Aang’s internal conflict set up in the Guru and/or with the over-arching themes of the show, it would have been all right in the end if they had just kept it the way they originally wrote it. I can’t really see any but the most die-hard anti-Kataangers being mad about it, and Kataangers themselves would have loved it. They had a fine romance written out and they ruined it. If they did so because Zutara was being seriously considered as a possible outcome, then it’s just all the more frustrating that Zutara never ended up happening in the end. They put a lot of effort into sinking a perfectly serviceable ship and ultimately it was all for nothing. (Or worse, purely for shipbaiting). Just sad.

So, that’s my thoughts on that. And that concludes this essay- oh wait.

Right... there was that thing I kept mentioning about Sozin’s Comet Part 4. 😈

*Ahem.*

So you know how I said all these scripts were final drafts?

That’s because they are - except for two episodes: Sozin’s Comet Part 4, and Jet.

Unlike the other scripts, which have all been labelled “As Broadcast Drafts”, these two scripts are ADR drafts.

What is ADR, you ask?

According to @lady-of-bath, who works in the screenwriting industry, ADR stands for “Automated Dialogue Replacement” and is used when a script has gone through a process of re-recording or re-dubbing, because for whatever reason, the originally scripted and recorded lines are/were unsatisfactory.

(This is also something you can verify yourself actually, even if you don’t live in the LA area: when you search up ATLA in the WGF database***, even though you can’t access the scripts you can access basic details such as, the date the draft was finalised, the name of the writer, and - whether it was submitted as an “ADR” draft or an “As Broadcast Draft”.)

I even emailed the library to ask about this distinction as well:

So if I understand this correctly, all the ATLA scripts you can find in the guild were first submitted, and then lines were recorded, and then changes were made to the script that didn’t involve dialogue replacement, and then it went through animation and post-production and ended up being what you now see on screen. This is supported by the fact that A) I definitely found some changes, but B) the changes I did find were all in the action lines/shot descriptions etc.

All the scripts submitted to the guild went through this process - all of them, except these two scripts.

These two scripts were not final drafts; I guess they might be more accurately termed “final final drafts™”, because they were submitted after some(!) lines were re-recorded, (changed? added onto? cut?!?) and the script was then updated to reflect these changes that had been made in post-production.

Which just begs the question: what lines had to be re-recorded??

What did the final draft look like before this???

(Might it possibly contextualise why Dante Basco and Mae Whitman apparently both thought Zutara was going to be canon?)

This is conspiracy fodder galore, lmfao. Pardon the dramatics here for a moment, but with enough tinfoil-hatting this could easily turn into the Zutara fandom equivalent of 18½ missing minutes of Nixon tapes. 🤣

Anyway, that about sums up my detective effort on this whole thing. I did find some more tidbits which I’ll likely post in a Part 3/Epilogue type thing - mostly small changes (most of them not really zutara-related) that I found interesting or funny enough to jot down; I’ll be making a compilation of these for your reading pleasure as soon as I can. ^^

One last bonus for you guys: the “I’ll save you from the Pirates” scene:

I must confess, I never really read this scene as romantically framed or “shippy” when I first watched it. But the way it’s written here looks like it’s taken straight out of a fanfic. “Right into the arms of Zuko”? Oh no. (Oh yes.) Oh me oh my. 🤣

*Also, someone needs to write a Mr and Mrs Smith Zutara AU titled “Synchronicity and Cooperation”, I’m saying it now, this is my official decree. Write it, folks. We need it.

**Screenshot taken from: https://avatar.fandom.com/wiki/Avatar_Extras_(Book_One:_Water) (Under “Goofs”)

***I hope that link works, if it doesn’t, just navigate to their Library Catalogue and search up ATLA yourself.

Edit: There was a minor typo in one of the passages - it originally read “Katara has a lot of energy and momentum, and Zuko pulls her back and STOPS her before they read the door” instead of what it was supposed to say (“before they reach the door”, lol). The typo should be fixed now 😊

#zutara #atla #atla original scripts #writer's guild foundation #the southern raiders original script #sozin's comet original script #kinda???#tin foil hat bonanza #buy one sherlock hat get one free tin foil hat #lmao #long post #text post #meta #bryke critical #kataang critical #this was fun guys #now go forth and write more metas #and more fics #enjoy!!

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mortiferumsomnum · 2 years

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Soup Kitchens and Runaway Ghosts (Part 3)

*throws idea-fic at you guys* THANK YOU FOR LIKING THIS!!!! ASLDGKHSALKDGHLAKSDGH

Part 1, Part 2

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When your boss tells you to come to Apartment 304 in Schnapp Avenue along the Upper West Side of Gotham, you don’t question it. You especially don’t question the grocery list that your boss listed down for you, neither do you question the need for fluffy blankets, pillows and paper bags.

You have to gather up the things in a box, get into your (stolen) car, and drive to your second location.

It’s just something you do.

The less questions you ask, the less you have to deny. That’s what Bill had learned in his life as a professional henchman.

However, after a long career of being a henchman, none had ever compared to the experience of working under the Red Hood. Sure, the guy threatens you with his guns, and shoots and misses your feet as a joke, but the man had been changing the lower-class neighborhood for better with all the control he has in the Gotham Underworld.

Bill never had to fear for his life, either. He didn’t have to worry about living a new day, and he didn’t have to worry about what wacky idea his boss had just cooked up. Now, all he worried is what kind of soup they’ll be making for the next day at the soup kitchen, and what new recipe the Red Hood’s favorite person, Jason, was going to teach them.

Honestly, Bill didn’t feel like a henchman at all. Maybe a butler-in-training, even if there was no hope for him being employed as a butler.

(In the future, Bill would fondly look back at this moment as he serves tea to a graying Alfred, who is relaxing in his bed as Jason... well, Master Jason, retold his semi-mundane day to his grandfather.)

Finally, he arrives.

*****

- ‘Congratulations! You killed someone! But not just someone! It’s multiple people!’ a voice in Tim’s head laughs. It sounds like a mix between murder-hungry Jason and that lunatic Joker.

- There had been a time before he killed someone. Well, he thought he killed him. Johnny Warlock. Although in the end, the guy was actually alive the whole time, Tim remembers punching the guy’s fake until he couldn’t hear the fake’s grunts, until he couldn’t hear the fake’s heartbeats. Warlock hurt Spoiler, hurt Steph who he was in love with that time; he broke her leg and made her scream. He was so beat up over being a murderer, it took a while to get over it. (Source: Robin #123, Die Screaming, Boy Wonder!)

- It also doesn’t help that he even met a future version of himself who killed everyone, donned in a fucking Batsuit and acting like going far and killing your enemies was the norm. To be fair, in this future, every single teen titan were killing and taking things too far, but there is nothing more frightening than knowing that you have the potential to kill so efficiently without remorse. (Source: Teen Titans vol. 4 #17-19, Teen Titans of Tomorrow; Robin Today, Batman Tomorrow; Running Out of Time)

- Now, he killed people. On accident. Fuck.

- Before heading to the apartment, he decided to head to the scene, staking out in a shadowed area while observing what was going on. It wasn’t good. There were police everywhere. Jim Gordon was talking with a bunch of... investigators? Wait, they’re not Gotham-based investigators.

- He threw a tiny drone into the air, letting it catch wind before controlling it to fly closer to where the investigators were, planting a few bugs onto them and turning up the volume in his installed listening device. He was too far to lip-read. (I’d like people to know that in this au, he has some bugs on every officer in Gotham.)

- “Look,” that was Jim Gordon’s voice, “I get that you want to take over investigating this case, but I’m not handing it to you. You don’t understand the going-ons in this city. Red Hood is a crime-lord, yes. But this situation looks like the Red Hood was being chased for things not related to crime. Excessive how these ‘government based agents’ took to chasin’ after a single rogue without a single thought of avoiding civilians. It was the Red Hood leadin’ them to a civilian-less road, from how it looks like, rather than being chased into an environment where they could go all out. They didn’t hesitate to run-down a civilian, much less avoid children or seniors. In comparison to Red Hood who took great care to staying off of civilian roads and within GCPD territory.”

- “I don’t trust any of ‘ya folks who say yer from the government to keep my city safe.”

- “Like you have been keeping it safe for all the years you’ve been Commissioner?” one of the investigators scoffed. “Letting caped vigilantes beat up bad guys, and receiving weekly break-outs while your officers do nothing but sit pretty in their car with a gun?”

- Tim bristled. Jim Gordon is the only person who’s trying to do anything to make sure Gotham citizens stay safe, trying his best to weed out all the corrupt officers no matter how slow it had been going. Things ARE getting better. It’s not like Jim likes relying on vigilantes, either. The only time he relies on the Bat is when there is No Other Option. But he has mutual respect with all the Bats.

- Commissioner Gordon only raises an unimpressed brow, which looks so much like Barbara’s. “You’re still not getting it,” he said, turning around and doing a great impression of Batman walking away like a badass, letting his long coat billow in the wind. Unlike the Bats, however, he doesn’t disappear from sight and only enters his car, driving away.

- The investigators start talking to themselves. Here’s what Tim gathers: 35 men had been killed from his little accidental murder. (Breathe in, Tim. You can brood about it later...) They weren’t just chasing after Red Hood, but they were also after a ‘Daniel Fenton’ and an ‘unauthorized clone’ possibly made from Daniel’s genes. This ‘Daniel’ also can’t be brought back to his home, because his parents have also teamed up with them.

- They confirmed Jason’s claims about these people hunting down ghosts. But Tim finds out from them how they not only aim to hunt them down, they aim for complete extermination. It’s ‘Daniel’s’ parents who wants to conduct experiments, given that any findings will be reported to these people.

- There’s... there’s just no way these people are actually from the government. If ghosts were real and the government were involved... wouldn’t that mean that there are actual laws on how ghosts are treated and dealt with?

- “Make sure to report to the boss about how much we need to spend to catch these ghosts.” Tim almost growls, clenching his fists. Because not only were they talking about getting rid of ghosts, but including the extermination of his definitely-not-but-totally-is-brother. He can’t let this happen.

- Once these investigators were done talking, they went into their own car. Tim made sure that his bugs wouldn’t be tracked for at least the next 3 days. Then, he opened his comms to a private link to Oracle.

- “O, I need you to search something. Ectobiology laws.”

- “...What?”

- “Laws on how ghosts are dealt with.”

- “Tim... I... fine.”

- After a few moments, Oracle cursed. “This can’t be real. There are actual laws on--- Tim, how did you find out about this? Does Bruce know about this? What the actual--”

- “I don’t think even Harvey Dent knows about this, and he was an attorney. What did it say?”

- “In summary? It’s all ‘kill on sight’ for any ghost. They’re making reforms for some of them, though. None of them good. It mostly involves research.”

- “Are there any research on ghosts?”

- “That are not just narrative reports from Ghost Hunters? Yeah, from Madeline and Jack Fenton. They’ve written so many of them, they’re probably the only scientific source. Ectoplasm... it seems to be similar to the Lazarus Pits...”

- Tim pursed his lips. He doesn’t know how much Jason wants to share about Daniel and the clone. “O, these people want to catch Jason. He has the same ecto-signature as the ghosts that they seem to like tracking down.” He needs to update his safe-house to avoid Jason and his new wards from getting caught. But also, “We might want to see if Robin and Batman has some kind of ecto-signature on them... Maybe even Dick from how much time he spends with them. I’ll try to nab some of the gadgets from these vans and see if we can turn them into our own tech.

- “You do that. I’ll update Batman on what’s going on.”

- Tim cuts the line off and sighs. His body suddenly feels heavy, and it’s not because of anything physical. It was a weight in his mind that refuses to lighten, only growing heavier and heavier.

- But he remembers what he told Barbara, and he remembers that Jason is waiting for him with hot chocolate in the safe-house he needs to upgrade.

- He pushes his body forward. It’s probably thanks to his training that his body is able to do exactly he needs to do, staying out of the people’s eyes while snatching the tech before it could be loaded in some government trailer. his head felt foggy, and he couldn’t feel his hands and legs. But his body was moving. And the next thing he knows, he’s already changed out of his costume, headed to Jason on foot.

***

- The Doctor, Theodore “Teddy” Sturgeon (HEH. I named him after some author. Have you read To Marry Medusa? don’t remember much of the plot, but damn I remember loving it!), checked over Danny again.

- Everything was healed. The vivisection and blaster wounds have healed into scars. Other parts of his body also showed some light scars, but the most dangerous ones have been healed.

- He sighed, rubbed a hand down in his face, and took a spare pillow. Then, he screamed into it.

- The smell of chocolate wafted around the apartment, making him feel nauseous, so he laid on the cold floor. Which, of course, made his nausea worse.

- “Hey, Doctor Teddy! Do you want some hot chocolate?”

- No. Maybe some soup. But Teddy was too nauseous to talk. So, he only groaned back.

- “I’ll take that as a yes!”

- Of course groaning was a mistake.

- The Red Hood, who was now dressed like a civilian named Jason, came back inside with two mugs. He handed one of the mugs to Dani, who took it with a smile. Everyone in the room could tell how shaky her hands were, and that’s why ‘Jason’ led Dani to one of the smaller couches for her to sit down on.

- Then, Jason sat down at another couch and sipped from his own mug. Thank you Mr. Red Hood for thinking he was pathetic enough to not have any of his own hot chocolate.

- That was when there was a knock on the door. The Red Hood laid his mug on the wooden table that was also in the room, before getting up to answer the door, Dani doing the same thing and running right after him.

- [And I’d like everyone to know that Dani is smol. Like, she reaches until Jason’s hips smol.]

- He heard Dani gasp. “IT’S BILL!!!”

- He heard the Red Hood sigh. “Timmers, why are you burritoed and carried by my best chef?”

- “Hrrrrnnngggg...”

- “I’m not... I’m not that good, man.”

- Huh... that last voice sounds familiar. Doctor Teddy took a great effort to stand up, groaning and feeling his knees click. Then, finally, the people came back in, with Jason heading straight to the kitchen with a paper bag... probably full of groceries, and...

- “Oh, shit, Bill??”

- “Teddy??”

- Dani blinked at the both of them, sitting back down at the small couch while picking up her mug. “The two of you know each other?”

- Know each other? They used to work under the same bosses during the first Robin’s earlier years! Teddy was trying to get his degree while also getting paid doing all the easy stuff, y’know, like bandaging other henchmen up?? He was there when Bill had lost two of his femurs to Batman. He’s the one who brought him to Dr. Thompkins’ hospital.

- During those years, both he and Bill were so desperate to make a living, they refused to see exactly how deep in crime the both of them were getting. By the time the third Robin came into the picture, they drifted apart... well, it’s not like the two of them were close in the first place, but whichever boss Teddy was with, Bill was there too. It just felt weird not seeing the other whenever they were working under a new boss.

- Teddy got his degree, tried practicing in legal stuff, got too sentimental with some patients, and got arrested for doing unauthorized surgeries on people who definitely needed them. After being released, there was no hospital willing to accept him anymore... that’s when the Red Hood recruited him... and the rest was history.

- Bill chuckled. “Small world, huh?” he said. Then, gesturing to Danny with his chin, he smiled at Teddy. “Looks like we’re going back to old times, eh?”

- Teddy, who no longer felt the effects of nausea, only nodded. “Yeah,” he said, smiling back. Then, he gestured to the kid that Bill was carrying over his shoulder. “Does he need help?”

- Bill shook his head. “Nah. The kid just needs a cup of Jason’s hot chocolate. He looks like he’s been under the influence of Scarecrow’s fear toxin.”

- Teddy winced. “Yeah, okay,” he said, stepping aside so that Bill could place the kid wrapped in a fluffy blanket on the small couch the Red Hood was sitting on earlier.

- Teddy squinted. “Is that... Timothy Jackson Drake-Wayne?????”

- Bill nodded.

- Oh shit... he knew that the Red Hood, Jason, looked familiar. Does that mean that his name is actually, truthfully Jason?? THE Jason Peter Todd-Wayne??? Second adopted son of Bruce Wayne who died????? No... no... maybe they just look alike. And have the same name. Or the Red Hood chose that name specifically because he LOOKS like Jason.

- But that makes no sense! The Red Hood shoots anyone who disrespects the dead. He’d be a hypocrite if he wasn’t... Jason...

- Red Hood, who might also actually be known as Jason, walked into the room with a tray carrying three mugs. He handed one to Bill, then one to Timothy, who accepted it with a tired thank you, and then a mug towards Teddy. Upon accepting it (and no, Teddy did not squeak while he thanked him! *sobs* he didn’t!!), Teddy realizes that his mug was filled with good ol’ chicken soup.

- Okay, whatever. You don’t throw under the bus someone who feeds you well. Taking a sip, he inwardly cried at how good it was.

- “So, the kid sleeping on the couch is your brother?” Bill decided to ask, taking a seat on a chair he dragged from the kitchen.

- “Yeah... kinda... but we like thinking we’re siblings!”

- “Hm... how long has he been out?” Bill asked.

- Here, the small girl seemed to become smaller. Her face turned sad, and it broke Teddy’s heart because no small child is supposed to look that sad. The Red Hood... Jason patted the girl’s back to comfort her.

- “He’s been out even before she took me to check on him, Bill,” said Jason. “He’s also never woke up when the Red Hood brought him over to Doc.”

- Oh, ohhhhhh, so we’re keeping Jason and the Red Hood being the same person a secret? Okay, yeah, Teddy could do that. Wait, he called him Doc, and only Doc. He doesn’t want Bill to misunderstand that he’s being legal in his Doctor stuff. He’s as much in crime as Bill probably is.

- But he doesn’t have time to point that out, because Timothy Drake-Wayne grunted, bringing out from his blanket a plastic bag full of tech, looking a bit more lively now that he’s drunk the hot chocolate.

- “Is everyone in this room in the know about who’s chasing after... the kids?” he was looking at Jason for confirmation, who nodded.

- “The official story,” said Timothy, “is that the ‘Government Investigation Ward’ or GIW is after the Red Hood, due to his constitution being similar to that of a ghost.”

- Bill blinked. “I’m sorry... what?”

- Timothy ignored him. “Ghost is just a general term for anything that has ectoplasm. The real story is that they’re after the kids AND Red Hood, because all three of them have ectoplasmic components in their body.”

- Bill looked to Teddy with a question in his eyes. Ectoplasm? his gaze seemed to ask.

- “When I was treating Danny over here, he had some green substance in his blood,” he explained. “It both enhanced his healing and the infection, so his body was literally at war on the inside.” Turning his gaze to Timothy, he confirmed, “That green substance must be what you’re calling ectoplasm, right?”

- Timothy nodded. “It is. I don’t know the full description of what this ectoplasm does, but it seems that all three seem to naturally create ectoplasm in their bodies.”

- “When the Red Hood said to the Bats that the GIW seemed to follow him due to what he was, it mostly meant that the GIW was following them through their ectobiological signatures.” Timothy then shook the plastic to make all of their attention point to it. “The tech in this plastic bag? I took it directly from the vans before they were retrieved by the government. Once I figure out how they managed to sense ectoplasm with these things, I’m going to upgrade the security measures in this room... and then to the new safehouse we’re going to move into.”

- Bill whistled. “I knew that the Waynes were probably sponsoring the Bats behind the scenes, but to be the ones personally making their gadgets? That’s amazing.”

- Doc suddenly put the pieces together... techy... Timothy Drake-Wayne being Jason Todd-Wayne’s step-brother...

- Oh shit. That’s Red Robin, isn’t he?!?????

- “You okay, Doctor Teddy?? You’re looking a bit pale over there...” said Dani with worry on her face.

- “I’m... I’m fine.” NO I’M NOT!!! “I’m just... processing that the government... is using the people’s taxes to chase after people who are very clearly alive....”

- Dani snorted. “You don’t know the half of it! But, yeah! This IS where all the taxes are going. That’s why a whole bunch of people where me and Danny came from commit tax fraud!”

- Jason huffed. “Danny and I, Dani.”

- Dani gave Jason the stink-eye.

- Jason then pointed a thumb to the kitchen while looking at Timothy. “The dining table is clean. You could do your stuff there. There’s also extra hot chocolate on the stove.”

- Timothy gave a small thanks. But before Timothy could pass Jason, Jason took him by the shoulders and whispered into his ears that the Doctor couldn’t hear.

(”Thanks, Tim... I’ll chat with you later, yeah?”

Tim shrugged. “Or we don’t have to talk about it.”

Jason pats his shoulder. “Whatever makes you comfortable...” What else would Dick say, Jason wondered. Then, he added, “Just know that I’m here to listen when you do wanna talk.” Because there’s no fucking way he’s letting Bruce talk to Tim about what happened.

Tim was quiet, eyes shining under the dim light of the living room. “Yeah... thanks.

Nailed it.)

- Timothy then briskly disappeared into the kitchen.

***

- The investigators, who are actually known as Operative J and Operative K, using the aliases John Jones and Keith Keys, stopped their car in front of Wayne Manor, their gadget blinking and beeping softly as they stood in front of the gates. “Two ectoplasmic signatures here, over,” Operative J, John Jones, said into his comms.

- Operatives L, M and N were in front of Arkham Asylum, their own gadgets beeping softly. “One in Arkham, over.”

- Operative O, who was staking out in Schnapp Avenue, put his binoculars down. “Three in Schnapp Avenue: Daniel, the clone and an unknown man. Apartme----”

- Operative O wasn’t able to complete his report, because he was thrown into a wall, wheezing as he slid down.

- Then, he felt an electric shock to his neck, putting him to unconsciousness.

- “Operative O. Operative O, respond!”

- The Operative’s comms were crushed. Then, Operative O received another electric shock, frying any trackers he may have on his body that may lead the other government freaks to his location.

- Nightwing turned on his own comms. “O. Message Hood and Red Robin. Tell them that their location has been compromised.”

- “On it.”

- Nightwing then walked up to the unconscious Operative, picking him up by the back of his collar, and dragging him out of the rooftop. Some interrogations were in order.

****

Taglist (holy fuck there’s a lot of you *wheeze* I’m stopping the requests for tags cuz *gestures*): @203moonysello @crimsonfreakshow @quirky-gardener @ultimatebluff @8000fangirl @ashoutinthedarkness @lady-time-lord- @deathssilentapproach-blog @slytherindemonqueen @akikoyuii @ depressed-bitchy-demon @ crazylittlemunchkin @ angelheartgamer @ spicyramenstuff @ cat-in-a-fedora @ kawaiikenna @ scaehime @ kotaleartzu @ blankliferain @ xarexraven @ roseunivers999 @ mysticalcomputerdetective @ icedoverdestiny @ mlpizza @ rhyme-is-sublime @ yurijay @ distractedducky @ rosiea184 @ tinybrie @ absol-01-blog @ crystaldrops20 @ emilytopaz @ ae-vixrose

****

<<PREVIOUS (Masterlist) NEXT>>

#ASLDGHASLGDKHLGHASLG NIGHTWING MY BELOVED AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH #dc x dp #dp x dc #bill the professional henchman #tim drake #barbara gordon #jim gordon #jason todd #dani fenton #danny fenton #danny phantom #dick grayson #DAMNNNNNN THIS GOT LONG HAHAHAHAHAHAHA #Danny needs to wake up soon cuz he's missing out on all the suffering #It would be so funny if Harvey Dent knew about the Ecto-laws but didn't bother too much on it because he didn't believe in ghosts #Yes the one ectoplasmic signature is Joker in Arkham #I REMEMBER SEEING A POST ABOUT JOKER HAVING ECTOPLASM TOO AND I REALLY LOVE THOSE POSTS #Maybe it's best if Danny stayed asleep bc he'll easily be able to defeat the joker #I really want to make a Tim Drake villain origin story in this au. I am SO gonna make Tim spiral in this.#It’s not even funny. I WANT JOKER JUNIOR DAMMIT. I NEED MORE JOKER JUNIOR CONTENT!#HOW JOKER JUNIOR WOULD BE FORMED IN THIS AU. Like Joker somehow manages to convince the GIW to put him among their ranks.#BUT we'll see how this story flows cuz like Joker Junior would be a whole different story from this #...nah. I'm keeping Joker Junior. I JUST NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW *EVIL LAUGH*#Anyways if I keep Joker Junior Jason will be in for a whole lot of hurt #Because even if I'm not that good at imagery and shit I REALLY want Jason to gain Danny and Dani only to lose Tim #Is it going to be like in Batman beyond where instead of killing batman joker has JJ try to kill Jason instead?#And Jason has to watch how Tim who in this au hates the idea of killing who became scared of killing after his accidental murder #he watches Tim murder Joker who laughs loudly because FINALLY the FUNNIEST JOKE HAD BEEN MADE #HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA YESSSSSSS YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS #but we'll see if joker junior fits this storyline (*sobs* i really hope it does)

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gaslightgatekeepgirlbosscombat · 4 months

Text

Group H, Round 5

Propaganda under the cut

Medea

Her husband divorced her so to get back at him she burned his new bride alive, murdered her own children and casually escaped justice in a chariot pulled by dragons and *made from the sun.* She is iconic and I love her.

propaganda from @apollosgiftofprophecy

Princess with Phenomenal Cosmic Powers, granddaughter of the Titan of the Sun, Helios, and Priestess of Hecate, the literal Goddess of MagicStarts out a classic fairy tale (with a few murders in the mix for flavor)Jason (the man/husband she sacrificed EVERYTHING for) thought it would be totally alright to cheat on his sorceress wife with some princess and - double whammy - he planned to keep Medea as his mistress after he married this random princess!When she confronts him, he shows his true colors as a world-class bastard and she reminds him that he's only still alive, and only completed his quest for the Golden Fleece, because of her. (WHICH IS TRUE)To get back at him, Medea orchestrates the death of said princess (and indirectly the king's too, whoopsies :) ) by sending a beautiful dress for her that was laced with poison that caused the princess to catch on fire, and also killed whoever touched her (the king)She then murders her and Jason's two kids (after some emotional dilemma because she actually cares about them while Jason Does Not) and exits the kingdom In Style - how? Like this:Rises into the air on a golden chariot pulled by dragons given to her by Helios When Jason says the gods with avenge him, she tells him "lol, good luck with that oathbreaker!" and flies off into the night Like A Bossa little more context here: Jason's godly patron was Hera, the literal goddess of family and marriage. And he was going to abandon his children and break his vows to Medea.Also, she never is punished for any of this stuff, meaning her actions have the (reluctant :) always good to be morally gray) approval of the gods. She's one of the only nuanced female characters in Greek Mythology, and by god is she interestingThis, my friends, is why Medea is the ultimate Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss.

Ianthe Tridentarius

She is trying so hard to be the main character by lying and manipulating her sister, her cavalier, her mentor, her ?love interests? (Spoiler???) And also god. Not sure how it's working out for her but she does love to lie and manipulate

Worstie Ianthe is the DEFINITION of gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss. She is one of a set of necromancer twins that are the heirs to their houses rule. Except wait, only she is a necromancer and she has spent their entire lives doing necromancy for the both of them. She is constantly mean to their cavalier, Naberius, who she occasionally nibbles on like a chew toy, before eventually killing and eating him to ascend to sainthood. She goes to gods spaceship with another woman who ascended to sainthood who she has a crush on, this other woman is like…. Both incredibly mentally unwell and also haunted by at least 211 ghosts. Ianthes method of flirting with her? Gaslighting her about the corpse that keeps moving around and hiding under her bed. For no real reason tbh. She is clearly plotting to overthrow god, and at the moment that consists of her manipulating him while he’s too sad about his long term partners betraying him and subsequently exploding to really care. She dresses in terrible outfits and makes soup by burning onions to the bottom of a pot, putting meat in and some vegetables and then it doesn’t taste like anything so she puts in a few teaspoons of salt so it tastes like a few teaspoons of salt. She had her crush amputate her arm and regrow her a new one out of bone and it’s one of the horniest things I’ve read in my life.

"Gaslight = told her lobotomized (she helped), schizophrenic girlobsession that there was no corpse under their bed, even tho there totally was. Gatekeep = girl did NOT share the secret to god-like ascension. She kept that shit to herself until it was time to eat her boytoy, and by then everyone knew already. Girlboss = she has a non-necromancer twin sister, and literally Everyone thinks they r both necromancers because Ianthe is so good at it. She reverse engineered ascending to the aforementioned ascension without even completing any of the supplementary tasks. She held her own in a fight against a 10k year old lyctor. She becomes the figurehead of her entire empire. "

She uses a man as a chewtoy in the first book, literally gaslights the protagonist of the second book about a corpse, and elder-abuses God when he gets depressed in the third book. Nobody is doing it like her.

Dives headfirst with no regrets while basically laughing and covered in blood into murdering her cavalier once she realizes what the gothic locked room mystery/competition leads to while everyone else is questioning it, helps perform lobotomy on harrow so she doesn't remember the person she loves, manipulates everyone to get to the top

idk just everything about her

her relationship with her sister is incredibly Bad, she fosters codependency and views Corona(the sister) as an extension of herself. This does not stop her from keeping up the con that Corona actually has magic (She doesn't, it was always just Ianthe) for 22ish years and every single person who interacts with them falls for it. She killed a man against his will (most dying for this purpose specifically go willingly) and she consumed him and she will be burning his soul for eternity. She's completely repulsive and still somehow incredibly hot.

she takes advantage of the fact that the main character is prone to hallucinations. at one point she gaslights the mc into believing that the corpse under her bed isn't real just because she can. she reverse engineered a set of very complex trials on her own without anyone realizing she had the skills to complete them normally. she's also babysat god through his drunk and pathetic era.

Artist: @marceline2174 (instagram)

#round 5 #group h #Medea #Greek Mythology #Euripedes #tlt #gideon the ninth #harrow the ninth #nona the ninth #the locked tomb #ianthe tridentarius #cw ianthe tridentarius #ianthe the first

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