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alexandermanes · 9 months

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hi. hello, if you haven’t seen good omens’ last season (and you want to) you can sit this one out (or come back to it later i don’t know)

are they gone? good. so

*lights up a metaphorical cigarette* how are we feeling about that finale, huh?

well, i certainly do have thoughts about it.

let’s start with the elephant in the room shall we? was it in character for them to act like they did in the last 10 minutes? yes

let’s start with crowley. upon hearing the earth-shattering news that he and aziraphale might have not been communicating properly in the last six thousand years, what does he do? he thinks about it and flips out a little, cue to the rash little confession that was rudely (not really!) interrupted. and evidently, it’s par for the course that it was interrupted by the worst possible news he could have ever received. (well…)

because really, who could have thought that aziraphale would refuse to run away with him again? who would've thought aziraphale would choose heaven again? actually, at any other opportunity aziraphale might've not (i’m pretty sure) refused his proposal. but crowley's timing couldn’t have been worse. anyways, it hits the nail on the head of their issues.

because faced with an opportunity he couldn’t miss, of course, aziraphale chose what he believed was the right thing, though, as usual, his overall well-being came in second. and to even ask crowley to go to heaven with him, to restore heaven and be restored as angel is such naivety. such naivety of aziraphale to think crowley would accept that, regardless of his feelings towards aziraphale himself. which is pretty much in character. crowley doesn’t believe it to be possible: to restore heaven, to make it better. and what’s more is that he feels as though he was wronged (he was) and isn't willing to forgive and forget (he shouldn’t be, not in this case). where aziraphale is all about being good and doing good, crowley is all about self preservation.

where aziraphale is all about seing the best in everyone, crowley would doubt his own shadow if possible. so, that means that he can't ask crowley to put (blind or otherwise) faith in the place that cast him down for asking questions (!!!). but if aziraphale was even to have considered crowley could put his personal feelings towards heaven aside in the name of doing the right thing, crowley wouldn't. he didn't.

because crowley doesn't owe heaven a thing. more than that, he doesn't trust the angels in charge. he doesn't need them, neither does aziraphale. he'd said it as much.

but to aziraphale this is isn't about needing heaven necessarily, it's about what heaven should stand for. the metatron puts all sorts of ideas in his head about making a difference and, fundamentally, i refuse to believe that this is him striving for power, since never in six thousand years has he shown any interest in leading or climbing up the celestial business ladder.

so improving heaven it is. besides kindess and positivity, aziraphale cares about his comfort. he really does care about humans and the earth (he wouldn't have bothered with stopping the armageddon otherwise) but, he also likes the comfort and simple pleasures that the planet provides. he doesn't strike me as the kind of guy that would overthrow gabriel, or the metatron, for that matter, just so that he can rule over heaven and earth (and possibly hell). he wants to help, even if does inconvenience him a bit. which comes back to the issue: crowley doesn't see things the same way he does. crowley cares about the earth and the humans that inhabit it, that much is obvious, but he does care a lot more about himself. more accurately, he cares about keeping himself alive and preferably out of harm's way. the whole issue with gabriel shows us that much. it's also fair to point out that maybe he was more than a little insistent about keeping gabriel away from them since it was gabriel that showed up on aziraphale's doorway naked and devoid of any memories, and not any other angel who hadn't told aziraphale!crowley to shut-up-and-die-already.

he is also self-aware enough that he knows his feelings towards aziraphale aren't purely platonic. so, faced with the possibility that he had wasted time in not telling aziraphale how he really feels, he also wants to be away from anything that might, at best, be nuisance and, at worst, put them in danger. “we're a team, a group. a group of the two of us, and we've spent our existence pretending we aren't"

to me it also indicates that, not only is he conscious about his feelings towards aziraphale, he believes aziraphale might reciprocate them (which he does, though, based on solid evidence, i.e his living experience, crowley isn't 100% confident about it). and, even though, he is heaving and terrified of being vulnerable (and rejected!), crowley, in a very i-better-say-my-piece-now-or-i'll-forever-be-silent way makes his little speech. bravely so.

"just be an us. you and me. what do you say?"

this is mostly stream of conscioussness, so i forgot to mention that despite being all about self-preservation, crowley makes a very generous exception for aziraphale. he will do the impossible as long as he can keep aziraphale safe. it goes without saying that he won't do or let anything jeopardize the precious, peaceful, fragile existence he had carved out for himself, unless he has to.

"come with me. to heaven, i'll run it, you'll be my second in command", says aziraphale it makes me insane that this rift that is spreading now in their relationship isn't due to any emotional confusion (not in any way that matters); this is about them operating in a different framework and not being able to translate it to the other one. crowley wants to be safe and run away with aziraphale, aziraphale wants to do good and have crowley by his side. neither of them is willing to give that up. and even if i think crowley is in the right, that heaven can't be fixed and it's not up to aziraphale to fix it, if they talked, if they communicated this wouldn't be such a huge issue.

"you can't leave this bookshop", you can't leave me

"oh, crowley. nothing lasts forever", it's time for a change, will you come with me?

"no. no, i suppose it doesn't", so much for being honest about my feelings and what i want

(crowley putting his sunglasses back on, hiding his eyes that are beacon of emotion was such a powerful move btw) where aziraphale had hope, crowley's withered and died.

"crowley, come back! come to heaven, work with me. we can be together."

now, this part kills me because aziraphale says it with such hope, it's hard for me to even think of it as being a temptation (even if it sounds like one). it's clear that aziraphale isn't rejecting crowley as a romantic prospect, but he is rejecting his proposal. and, as stated before, crowley isn't interested in his either.

"angels. doing good."

the first time i watched this scene it felt like a punch to the gut. it felt like that probably because i'd heard it the same way crowley did: i want you, but only if you're something other than what you are. because you see, even if crowley was restored as an angel, he would still be fundamentally crowley, but he wouldn't be a demon. nevertheless, being a demon is also a fundamental part of who he is. i-don't-know-how-many-thousands-of-years since the fall and six thousand years living as a demon, of course it's part of who he is. plus, crowley sees himself as irredeemable, and theoretically, in the eyes of god and the angels, he is. there's no saving him, and even if there was, he wouldn't be interested in it.

but in saying that, aziraphale hadn't meant he would only want crowley if he wasn't a demon. he meant that being an angel would make crowley happy. if we are to believe that they had met when both were still angels, having witnessed crowley's delight in helping create the universe, he thought being an angel made him happy. he already knows with bone-deep certainty that crowley is good, he has witnessed it for thousands of years. therefore, 1 + 1 = 2: crowley being an angel in heaven with aziraphale would make him happy again. heaven could be a good place again with the both of them restoring it side by side.

"i need you!"

there's so much to unpack there, i don't think i have the ability to make it justice.

crowley's hesitance also is so interesting. for all intents and purposes he has already rejected aziraphale's proposal, so why does he linger? if you ask me, it's almost like he is either waiting for aziraphale to convince him into acquiescence, or he hopes aziraphale will change his mind. how, you ask me? i don't know.

"i don't think you understand what i'm offering you", i'm offering you my love, a chance at doing the right thing, i'm offering you happiness again

"i understand. and i understand a whole lot better than you do." you can't fix something that can't be fixed.

"then, there's nothing more to say"

and the irony is: there were so many things left unsaid that needed to be said. and yet...

"you idiot, we could've been us."

and that's the thing, isn't it? crowley doesn't need themto be in any way other than what they are. well, with the added tones of romance and wine-and-dining, of course. but, he just wants them to be, together. outside of the restraints of heaven and hell.

god, and the kiss. the awful, dreaded kiss that i saw from a mile away. it was so revolting and visceral in its suplication. it was beautiful, it was horrible. i think it's a work of art, i hate it so much. crowley grappling aziraphale by his lapels, aziraphale not knowing whether to bring him closer or push him away, the sheer duration of the kiss, the devastation in their eyes afterwards... jesus christ.

the kiss was done out of sheer desperation on crowley's part, and i don't really know what was going through his head tbh. i don't know if he thought the kiss was supposed to mend the rift they essentially created between themselves or if it was his well-if-it's-my-last-chance-to-do-it moment. i'm leaning towards the first option though; crowley thought the kiss might've convinced aziraphale to change his mind, but instead...

"i forgive you", a final temptation you have applied on me.

"don't bother", i gues we don't want the same things after all.

i don't think holy water or hellfire could've burned them this much.

and then: aziraphale hesitates and for a singular moment there i was convinced he was going after crowley and apologize, confess. but then, of course, he didn't.

it's funny, i didn't think a man could have made so many facial expressions in the span of ten seconds (devastation, hurt, anger, sorrow, sobriety) and yet, michael sheen is a master at his craft. well, after all was said and done (literally), crowley still waited, aziraphale still hesitated. our very own orpheus and eurydice.

what a tragedy. in conclusion, i'm unwell.

#good omens #good omens spoilers #aziraphale #crowley #ineffable husbands #shut up izzy

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alrightsnaps · 2 years

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the maesters are biased against every character and that includes daemon. even mushrooms accounts are only in favor of people when they benefit himself

Sure.

Maybe they could be biased about his reputation for sleeping with barely pubescent girls in brothels. Maybe they were biased in alleging he could be behind Harwin Strong’s death. Maybe they were biased about Nettles being his lover rather than her being his bastard daughter.

But how can bias on the Maesters’ part excuse marrying a girl he knew since she was a baby or the grooming patterns he exhibited when she was young? How do you explain the scandal that broke out according to which he either took Rhaenyra’s virginity when she was just a teenager or gave her a very thorough and very hands on sex education? How does bias excuse sending two cretins after literally the ONE person among the Greens who was innocent in all of this? How does bias excuse him openly cheating on Rhaenyra with his mistress?

Even so, I'd have no issue forgetting all about the source material altogether and keeping an open mind about his character in the show– at the end of the day I've been willing to do the same with other characters and I've definitely welcomed certain changes (ie no Rhaenys/Corlys age gap).

Except it doesn't seem like HotD is particularly interested in straying from his book version all that much.

They didn't even bother with the bare minimum, like casting a younger Daemon (say in his early 20s) along the rest of the younger versions of the characters– at least that would have made his dynamic with Milly’s Rhaenyra more palatable! And I am seriously expected to not be creeped the fuck out by a man pushing 40 flirting with a girl half his age (playing a 15-year-old btw) whose character he's known from the cradle? Am I supposed to be fine by the fact that his second on screen wife is currently at the ripe old age of 12 and will marry him as a teenager?!

Other than that, the show has done nothing but confirm the worst we see reported of his character in F&B:

1. Him lusting after a 15-year-old Rhaenyra (Mysaria commenting on how she could find a virgin who could even have “silver hair” for him to fuck) 💀💀💀

2. Him being a misogynistic dick with his first wife

3. Him toasting to Baelon as the “heir for a day” the very day his sister-in-law died in childbirth in the most brutal manner

4. Him openly coveting Rhaenyra’s birthright and considering himself heir to the throne

And of course there's the things we may or may not have to look forward to by the end of the season (depending on how accurate the leaks have been):

1. The infamous brothel scene where he takes his teenage niece to watch people fuck together (again HE'S KNOWN THIS GIRL SINCE SHE WAS A FUCKING BABY AND HE WAS A GROWN MAN)

2. The possibility of him being responsible for the death of Laenor/Harwin in order to clear the way for a wedding to Rhaenyra (which I'm sure was motivated by the deepest, most selfless love and not at all by a desire for the throne)

3. Him fucking Rhaenyra before Laena’s body has grown cold

And that's all before the Dance even breaks out.

So again I'm asking: how the hell am I supposed to like this guy when there are barely any scenes where he doesn't make my skin crawl?

#hotd asks #house of the dragon #anti daemon targaryen

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wybielune · 2 years

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Always read the spell's fine print...

Hey guys! It's been a while, I'll explain.

I watched Hocus Pocus 2 today, and what I'm about to go into has spoilers for the ending, so, only read ahead if you've seen it, or if you're like me and spoilers don't bother you.

Something in this film reminded me of something spell related that happened to me in real life.

So, toward the end of the film, Winnie starts a spell for ultimate power that requires the head of her lover, and for the caster to give up that which they love most in exchange.

She assumed that the head of a man she kissed once would be enough, but was wrong. She completed the spell, but her sisters were taken as the toll, and here is where my point starts.

I love it when films actually say or do something that's accurate to Witchcraft because they likely don't even know they did it, and I love this ending in particular because it reminded me of a 'magickal moment,' that happened not long ago in my own life.

I'm not well.

I haven't been for a long time. I won't go into details since someone reading this might be squeamish, but long story short, I have a genetic condition that's caused me pain for years, and last year, it became too much.

I contacted doctors in order to start a series of surgeries that would hopefully take that pain away, if not, just alleviate it.

The list for surgery was chockablock though. It would be sometime next year that I would be called for the first surgery.

Naturally, I was devastated, but they told me that I would be put on an emergency contact list. If someone else cancelled their booked surgery, I'd be contacted and booked instead.

So all I could do at this point was wait, and it was horrific. I was on constant alert, knowing the call could come anytime, but probably wouldn't for the five or six months-

So I considered using magick to speed it along.

I could do it. I knew how to, and I was in so much pain that I wanted to do it, but here is the problem.

When you cast, you have to think of all of the potential affects of your spell, not just your favoured outcome.

If I had gone along with the spell, I'd have pushed the appointment forward, but it also meant that someone who's surgery is already booked would need to have their appointment cancelled, and as they were on the list for the same thing as me, the only reason they'd cancel is if they or a relative became massively unwell, to the point that they couldn't attend.

If I hadn't thought about it, I could have accidentally cursed someone to illness, and held their necessary surgery back in favour of my own.

I couldn't do it. I don't curse. That's not me. I couldn't take another person's appointment by force, and I was upset of course. This could have been the way to make my pain stop, faster.

Most think that magick is the answer to all problems, and if I hadn't thought about it, it might have been the answer to mine, but as witches, as people who alter reality, we have a duty to consider all the potential effects of a spell, and whether we feel okay with accepting the burden of those effects.

I was not okay with it, so I didn't cast, and I'll probably never forget it.

Now, most stories from real life don't have happy endings. That's just the way it is, however... I'm currently writing this from my recovery bed, post surgery.

I wanted the surgery so badly to make myself feel better, but I wasn't willing to hurt or make another ill to do it, so, I guess, I unconsciously manifested the appointment. I got the call 3 weeks later, and now I'm in recovery.

Only time will tell if I need another to fix the problem, but we're there. It's started.

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drewandareview · 3 months

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This is the End (2013) and Monsters University (2013)

Originally published June 21st, 2013

Featuring an all-star cast against the background of the apocalypse, This is the End had all the potential to be a great popcorn movie. It also had the potential to be ruined if put in the wrong hands. Thankfully, it was put into the hands of people who love popcorn movies. What the audience was hoping for is what the audience got, and I might even say they got more than the bargained for.

It's still just a popcorn movie. It didn't do anything particularly clever or extraordinary. It was flawed. There was one part toward the end I particularly hated where two characters I liked considerably were defeated by a character I disliked considerably, and without comeuppance. But while not being anything historic, the movie still might be groundbreaking. The big producers might finally begin realizing the obvious: Movies are successful when made by people who deliver everything the audience wants.

However, there was something very distinct about this movie to me. All of the actors were playing themselves. Maybe not accurate versions of themselves, but they went by their name and went by their backgrounds. It's not as if movies featuring cameo performances haven't been done before. That's not what's distinct. But I don't think that there's been such a cameo-heavy movie that featured such dark and dramatic events. With the stakes as high as life or horrible death, you're quick to develop an emotional attachment to these characters.

And that's what's distinct: Just how quickly you can develop that emotional attachment. With fictional characters, you have to create some kind of a background and personality for them before you can really start caring. With This is the End, the backgrounds aren't needed because they've already been written by pop culture. You know these celebrities already and you know what they've done. Before you even hit the first frame, you have characters the audience is invested in.

And to me, that's fascinating because I have never seen such a layer of authenticity in a movie. In fact, it actually bothered me for a while. I could write the greatest fictional story ever, but it still wouldn't be as authentic as This is the End because my story would feature characters that are strangers to the audience. Naturally, they couldn't be as invested.

But I don't like to think that anything's hopeless, so I began brainstorming. Just how could you ascend to that level of authenticity without relying on celebrity cameos? Your characters would have to somehow be rooted in culture before your story came out. You'd have to have some kind of supplemental material prior to the events of your story that could establish your characters. Something like--a prequel.

To me, this is why Monsters University is so unique. It's not a movie that you should consider a part of the great Pixar canon because it really isn't. Monsters University feels more like a supplement to Monsters, Inc.; a bonus feature if you will. It notably creates a very dynamic origin for Mike and Sulley and tells the best story it can in the process. If you view this movie as a standalone, it's average. But if you view it as additional material to enrich your experience of the original story, it's extraordinary.

I had wanted to see both of these movies for a while, but I did not expect them to be any more related than "coming out in June 2013". One used pre-existing backgrounds to make its story more authentic while the other created backgrounds to make its established story more authentic. I had always thought of movies strictly within the boundaries of first scene to last scene, but my eyes have been opened to the incredible possibilities of building onto a story before it's even told.

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amaranthineoceans · 3 years

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Everything Weird About Deltarune!

Spoiler Warning for Undertale and Both Chapters of Deltarune! Really! I Literally Go Through Everything I Can Remember About Them!

This is a long post so get comfortable. Also note that my brain doesn't process thoughts into words very well so some of these might not be worded in the best way. :)

Deltarune. The first teaser chapter was released on October 31, 2018, and it came out of nowhere. We've all gone through this, but I'll try and go through every single painstaking detail I can remember. Feel free to reblog and add/correct things.

The weirdness begins right off the bat. The title is an anagram of UNDERTALE. We all know Toby likes to use anagrams when he wants to indirectly tell us when things are related, so it's no surprise that when you go to download DELTARUNE, it warns you that the game is designed for people who have played UNDERTALE. You think, "Cool, so it's a sequel? Or maybe a prequel? A different perspective of UNDERTALE perhaps?" You were wrong; so terribly, terribly wrong! I'll elaborate on this later.

Before you download the application, the terms of service that you must agree to beforehand reads simply and plainly, "You accept everything that will happen from now on." This detail was kinda brushed off in the beginning, because, hey, it's Toby Fox. He does weird stuff all the time. But even in the first chapter, it's apparent that the concept of choice, or more accurately, the lack of it, is a very present theme in the game. I would like to remind you that Toby has announced that there will be one ending in the game. One. I'll elaborate on this later.

The program (as in, what the game is called in your files) is named SURVEY PROGRAM. Why not just call it Deltarune like it is when you download chapter two?

The game launches you, without a title screen, without any setting adjustment options, straight into a reference to the theme of the entire franchise: the lack of choice. A strange formless voice guides you through "making a vessel", with what we know now as a fountain in the background. You have the option to make some very disturbing choices in this character creator, such as making its favorite flavor "pain" or expressing your feelings about it with options such as "fear" and "disgust." You name your "creation," tell the formless voice your name (which is different from your vessel's name) and watch as said formless voice muses over your name at an agonizing pace. It thanks you for your time and tells you that your wonderful creation, (cue music cutout and background removal) will now be discarded. "No one can choose who they are in this world." The screen slowly turns white as the voice says, "Your... name... is..."

It gets weirder. The next scene appears from the whiteness and showcases Toriel calling "Kris" out of bed. Kris' area of the room is very bare in contrast to the other side, which we later discover is Asriel's.

It's Toriel. Why is Toriel here?

Kris is kind of an anagram of Frisk (the protagonist of UNDERTALE) but without the F. I highly doubt this is a coincidence.

Speaking with Noelle is the only reason you can proceed (see what i did there?) while finding a partner in the classroom. This means you can't go through the 1st chapter without knowing who she is. Is it because of the Snowgrave route?

Ralsei is just suspicious to me. There's no way he was just waiting in that castle his whole life alone without some mental toil. So either he's insane or he wasn't alone the whole time. What happened? Is it related to how he can close his eyes and see what Susie is going through when she's apart from the party? Was he just watching everything? Is he related to the formless voice?

Susie's icon is the only one without color in the Dark World.

Jevil's fight is more difficult than Sans'.

Your actions have little consequence in the first chapter. If you choose to go genocide, the only difference in the ending is being run out of the kingdom, and this doesn't carry over to the next chapter. Again, lack of choice, people.

If at the end of chapter one, you walk around town, it's mentioned (notably by Noelle) that you're usually not this talkative. If you go to the hospital and speak with the receptionist, they mention that you used to play the piano in the corner. If you decide to attempt to play the said piano, an out-of-key bash can be heard and the receptionist comments on how you used to play beautifully. If you try this in chapter two, the result is the same. All this is confirmation that Kris is acting noticeably weird.

When you leave the Dark World and walk around town, you can find Sans. He "pretends" to recognize you, and if you tell him you recognize him, he tells you it's funny, considering that you two have never met before. He winks. I'm pretty sure he knows that the player is there.

The mention of Papyrus in both games, but the purposeful lack of him. Like he's avoiding you.

If you go upstairs while inside Asgore's flower shop, there are flowers in glass cases resembling his SOUL collection in UNDERTALE. There's a red flower.

You can't enter the church.

The clock in the storage closet shows a different time than all the others in the school.

If you go all the way south in town and into the woods, the music stops and you come across a rusty, double door is in a hill covered in crass. It's locked. If you go this way in chapter two, however, you watch a cutscene where you and susie happen to find Monster Kid from UNDERTALE (or someone resembling them) and an owl kid in front of the door. The owl kid is pressuring Monster Kid to (presumably) break inside, telling them that they don't want to be a wimp like Kris. Does this imply that Kris is connected to this strange door somehow?

The ending. You know what I'm talking about.

Did Kris actually rip out the SOUL (I say "the" because I'm not entirely sure it's Kris') and knife because they wanted to eat the pie? Did they only eat the pie because Toriel caught them?

Why did they look at the player? Are they sick of being controlled? Is that why they freaked out after the Spamton fight? (later)

Anyway, now we're at chapter two.

DELTARUNE Chapter Two was released on September 17th, 2021. 17. Entry Number 17. Sound familiar?

Asriel's part of the room is different from the last chapter. I don't think this means anything sinister, but I think it means Kris notices different things about the room as the story progresses. My theory is that it will become more sinister in each chapter.

Ralsei getting super excited to see Susie and Kris after a day. As in he has separation anxiety and it breaks my heart. not anything suspicious but it makes me sad so it's on the list.

Kris and Susie's rooms. Ralsei REALLY doesn't want them to leave. Seriously get this boy a therapist. Or a stuffed animal. SOMETHING.

Kris having to gather everything from the storage closet so that people appear in the Dark World????? Why??????????????? They had to do the same thing for the computer lab too.

The golden door. I don't trust it.

How/why the heck did Noelle and Berdley go into the Computer Lab Dark World? I don't see either of them just walking into pulsing void doors without Susie.

Apparently the knight has been gone for a bit and can corrupt people's minds? The king in the first chapter doesn't seem like he can be redeemed but Queen just seems,,, not bad, but a little crazy. I wonder what happened.

Then again, name ONE person in this franchise without trauma.

Spamton.

Horror doesn't bother me. Spamton? Spamton bothers me.

SPAMTON. ENOUGH SAID.

A Kromer is a type of hat invented in the '70s. Nobody named Mike is associated with it, that I can find.

SPAMPTON. HOW DO I EVEN DESCRIBE IT.

HIS SONG IS THE ONLY ONE WITH WORDS.

The way he asks Kris is they want to be a heart on a chain their whole life. Like, dude, no wonder they were screaming after the fight.

WHERE DID THE YELLOW HEART COME FROM. YELLOW MEANS JUSTICE. WHY DOES JUSTICE APPLY.

Kris screaming after the fight and the player not being able to hear it. Don't you dare tell me that's just how the game is designed. There are sound effects characters make throughout the game. None that I can think of apply to Kris, apart from when they rip their soul out.

Ralsei brushing off the Spamton fight. Either that's his coping mechanism or he was trying to shut Susie and Kris up to protect them from... something. I'll touch on that in a minute.

According to Queen, DETERMINATION is a key factor in creating a fountain.

Also according to Queen, Kris, Noelle, and Susie all have DETERMINATION SOULS.

Ralsei freaking out about Berdley making a fountain implies that he may also have DETERMINATION. Why I'm bringing all this up will make sense soon.

How was Noelle able to cast Snowgrave... a spell that she, according to her, didn't know?

The Snowgrave route is so twisted.

You manipulate Noelle into killing Berdley and then, when you get back to the computer lab and investigate his corpse, the text box says that he doesn't seem to be awake. As if you're in denial?

Burgerpants recognizes you. Not Kris. As in the player.

The ending. I don't think I need to describe it. Kris is very methodical without the SOUL. (I say "the" because, again, I'm not 100% convinced it's theirs.) I'm saying this about how they left clues that someone broke into the This proves that they are NOT a mindless, vengeful husk.

HOW DID THEY MAKE THE FOUNTAIN WITHOUT THE SOUL INSIDE OF THEM. DID THEY FEED THE SOUL TO IT AFTERWARDS? IS THAT WHAT THAT WAS?

Another point I would like to make is my theory that Ralsei knows much more than he would have us believe. I might put this into a different post because I have yet to gather my points into a coherent bullet point list, so keep an eye out for that.

Anyway apart from Toriel and Susie being VERY heavy sleepers, I think I've gone through everything. I have a few theories.

1. Kris is possessed by the player and figured out that they could make a fountain from Queen and related to Spamton freaking out about freedom. They then decided to make a fountain going by the logic that "this would tick the player off." This is one of my top theories that assumes that the SOUL is theirs.

And 2. Kris is possessed by both the player and the knight. I think the formless voice at the very beginning of the game is the knight, and they somehow needed the player to possess someone with DETERMINATION. If so, then why Kris? We know from Queen that Noelle and Susie, and maybe even Berdley also have DETERMINATION. The most plausible thing I can think of is the fact that human souls are stronger than monster ones.

I do think that the popular theory (about the one that suggests that the Dark Word is nothing but a figment of a child's imagination, and the events that occur in said Dark World are simply children playing with toys) has been thoroughly dashed due to Berdley's murder in the genocide route of the second chapter. Unless he's not dead. Regardless, how the events (or lack thereof) that occur in the second chapter play through the next will be interesting, especially considering Toby's announcement about how there will be one ending to the game. So either Berdley isn't dead, or he will be.

Aaaand I think that's it! Sorry for the long post; let me know your thoughts and if I missed anything!

#deltarune #deltarune chapter 2 #deltarune theory #deltarune theories #deltarune chapter two theory #deltarune chapter two theories #snowgrave #pipis route #deltarune snowgrave #video games #indie game #deltarune spoilers #ralsei #kris #susie #undertale #sans

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aspiringwarriorlibrarian · 3 years

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I sometimes think the real reason RWBY gets treated so poorly has to do with the fact that it's a web series that aspires to be more than the typical web series of the time, especially given when it originally started and the types of web series that existed at the time.

Off the top of my head, a lot of animated web series around the mid 2000s to mid 2010s tended to lean heavily towards crude humor, "ironic" bigotry and various "isms" that were casually accepted, sincerity was rarely accepted or was treated with mockery, or such series were just only seen as nonsensical internet lowbrow humor.

Basically, a dude bro boys club sort of environment, and where stories that were more sincere (like Super Mario Bros Z) never dared to tread into areas that could offend the kinds of people who were around in this environment (especially in regards to anything that could be considered politically left wing, or even just simply leaned outside of the dudebro culture), and usually stuck to a straightforward "save the world" escapism or something relatively simple and inoffensive.

And then you have RWBY, which seemingly starts out with a bunch of easy anime waifu stereotypes in a magical school for killing monsters that slowly evolved or revealed themselves to be far more than that, with side characters doing the same, but still being in that "safe", "cutesy/hot waifu" area that didn't offend anyone.

And then Volume 3 happened, and everything changed.

Suddenly those 2D stereotypes started to show uglier, more real aspects to their characters that didn't neatly fit into easy to swallow pop culture cliches and expectations of what a multi-dimensional character should be (ie easy, safe, and keeping the status quo). Suddenly you had the dude bros and the ideals they idolized being inspected and scrutinized in the story and on a metal level, as well as actively questioning a lot of the typically accepted anime and internet stereotypes and tropes that people online expect and would only accept. And it does all of this while telling a complex story with a lot of direct and often-times uncomfortable parallels to our increasingly torn real world on a relatively miniscule budget, while juggling a fairly hefty cast of increasingly complicated characters.

This isn't to say they did everything right, but I can imagine this would be immensely uncomfortable, given the internet is filled with people who can barely figure out how to critically analyze straightforward sentences or 2 minute long monologues that tell them exactly what's going on, let alone their own biases in regards to storytelling, or their own beliefs, ESPECIALLY in regards to anything that they deem even remotely "political". And with the easily disposable way we can treat media, many people likely can't even be bothered to do any in-depth analysis of a story to begin with or only bases their analysis on their deeply held stereotypes and cliches, something that really weakens their ability to "get" RWBY, which often needs to be re-watched just to really notice the details.

To cap things off, a lot of the people online have only developed (or perhaps "revealed" would be more accurate to say) a disturbingly strong sense of entitlement and impatience. For example, Super Mario Bros Z? The OG series got canceled because the series' fans kept pestering the creator to the point he got sick of it and lost motivation to keep going, taking years before he started the reboot again.

That kind of person in addition to everything else I've said above? It becomes far less surprising that they'd be put off by this scrappy little show that's somehow managed to be ridiculously popular. Especially since it has so many aspects that actively pokes and prods the things that they've held as online web series gospel, things that "just are" the status quo and that they "deserve" to have their say in any show they were fans of or hated.

Is it any wonder that the vitriol is so intense?

You know what? That actually explains a LOT, thank you.

#rwby analysis

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alexiaugustin · 3 years

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when eric said that they were "taking the big swings" in terms of body diversity he really made the joke of the century because i hope that he knows that even if they had casted a fat actress for nina he should have... casted so many more body diverse actors for it to be considered "taking the big swings". you can't just cast one fat actress as the token body diverse character then go ahead and cast a bunch of otherwise skinny people for the rest of the characters and call it taking the big swings. that would have literally just been sticking to canon and not being downright fatphobic but they didn't even bother to find an accurate casting for nina so ?!?!??!,@?!?!??!?!

#this man needs to shut up he literally reminds me of david hourrègue jdjdhrhrh #always talking a lot of shit without actually doing anything #shadow and bone #nina zenik #anti s&b

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thatonesadending · 3 years

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Molly gets to finally see his room in Caleb's tower, and it was more than he could handle - Chapter 4

He didn’t know what he had been expecting when he first crossed through the Tower’s door, but it definitely wasn't this. It had nearly knocked him down when he entered that first floor, and then he looked up and felt as though he couldn’t breathe. Eventually, he found his words again and asked Caleb where they were and what this place was, even though he knew he couldn't really take in any more information. As it was, he was having issues keeping up with just the Nien’s physical changes, let alone their achievements. The ones they earned without him.

When Caleb had taken him to the level that was floor to ceiling filled with books, and massive creation of light and color that was obviously a representation of his own artwork, he simply lost all ability to process at all. He couldn’t take in the mixing of both of them. Of Caleb and Molly. Here in this man’s home. He stared for a long time at the glass, and how it made the books around it dance with life. Thankfully Caduceus, whom Molly was pretty sure was just a saint cover in velvety fur, came and saved him.

��They found me after you were gone, but they never forgot you. They all mourned in their own ways, but this -” The firbog pointed his staff at the stained glass,”- this was Caleb’s way of honoring you and the way you impacted all of them. Showing the others that he shared their pain, and joy. It’s really what this whole place is about, Caleb showing through magic what he does not convey through words, how much he loves his friends. I think …” Caduceus paused, considering his words, “I think that you never really stopped being with them, in a way. Something about you changed them all. I think you will find that out on your own, in time.”

Molly was thankful but overwhelmed by the man’s wisdom. He continued to ask questions of him, not really taking in most of the answers, but feeling cared for nonetheless.

It wasn’t until Caleb had said he had a room for Molly, and for some reason that had bothered Beau, that he began to feel uneasy again. Not unwanted or unwelcomed, just that he didn't belong. He still took the wizard’s hand, and they floated to nearly the top.

“Ja, so, I must confess I should have thought ahead and moved your room with the others. I promise the next time I cast it, I will.” Good to know that Caleb was still self-deprecating.

“Darling, I had to float here like a feather for what, 5 extra seconds? I think I will survive. ” Molly tried to reassure him, but Caleb just wrinkled his nose a bit before responding.

“Nien. It’s not that. Ah, well - this is your door.” He pointed to one that looked the same as the other 8 doors. “It will only open for now for me. But I promise that if you have one of the cats come to get me, I will open it immediately. That is if you choose to stay, that is up to you.” There were too many questions that statement produced for Molly. Why would it only open for Caleb? Cats? Why would he refuse a bed and clean clothes? He just wanted to lay down, try to sleep, but also try and not think about the fact that apparently, he had been dead not just an hour ago, and Lucien had been trying to kill his friends using his face. He was too over his head though to ask any of his questions and just nodded his head in acceptance.

Nothing could have prepared him for this next door. Molly knew he had almost immediately frozen on entering, and he could hear Caleb asking him if he was ok. But he couldn’t move or speak, just …. stare.

He had just walked into a beautiful circus tent, the fabric striped with cream and sun-faded red. The top of which was impossibly tall, and had a trapeze of sorts, like that he used to adore practicing on while Yasha spotted him. Underneath was a ridiculously large bed, almost as though it was a mat to catch him if he fell from the swing above, but it was big enough to hold all of the Mighty Nien. But it was the swirl of colors that really struck him.

The bed was not made up neatly, but rather a pleasantly lived-in pile of pillows of every texture and shape he could have thought of, as well as different blankets of different designs that all seem to somehow compliment and contrast each other perfectly. It looked like the perfect embodiment of cozy and sensual.

There was also an overly ornate armoire that was the boldest shade of red Molly had ever seen, matched only by its accompanying vanity with more little drawers than Molly could count in common, and a large dresser that held the promise of holding anything he could think of putting in it. However, despite all of these wonderful things, none if it is what really caught Molly’s attention

He hadn't even realized that he had drifted to the middle of the room, pulled there by magic or aw, he didn't know nor care. He was gazing at the far side of the room, where 2/3s of the tent stopped and were interrupted by the far most beautiful part of the tower he had yet to see.

“Ja, yes let me open it for you.” Caleb said from behind him, but Molly wasn't sure he wanted Caleb to touch the artwork he was looking at. “Give me just a moment darling.”He whispered, Caleb stopped and patiently stood by his side once more, and waited. IIt matched in style to the same stained glad he had seen down in the library, only this window stretched and arched to meet the top of the canvas of the tent, and seemed to glow with the almost holy light that backlit it.

The glass was mostly that of a night sky, unrealistically peppered with close together stars. However, where the stars would have gathered to be galalexies, Molly could see images. Depictions of memories.

He stepped closer to get a better look and was shocked at the emotion that shards of colors glass could remind him of. Some of the art was scenes of him and moments with the Mighty Nien. Him teaching Jester how to read cards. His swords out in front of him protecting Nott. Him pushing Caleb incredibly close to a wall in a sewer. A bowl of fruit covering his most intimate parts while a crown teetered on his head. Beau flipping him off in one of their regular exchanges …. And Molly kissing Caleb on the forehead.

That last depiction wasn't quite how he remembered it. Caleb had a far off, terrified look about him, which was accurate. But he did not remember placing a hand to the redded cheek he had slapped while kissing Caleb almost reverently on the soft skin of his temple. Of course, he remembers the strike to stir him, and the kiss to bring him back, but the closeness ... It was most certainly from Caleb’s perspective, but the intimacy was more than Molly thought it had meant at the time.

However still, scattered amongst all the scenes, were ones that he had never shared with the wizard. Scenes from his life at the circus. Scenes depicting the first time he balanced on a rope. His first Ale. His first piercing. Him and Yasha lounging in a field of flowers, swapping stories of whatever had transpired the night before. She was the constant in all of these images. These were the stories she must have shared with Caleb to make these memories dance with the light of the glass. She didn't share the dark ones of finding him alone, covered in dirt, unable to speak. All of the horrible times where he struggled to find a place in the world when he didn't understand how to eat, or bathe, let alone carry a conversation. She chose to remember him as vibrant, fully appreciating life, and he was filled with so much love that he could no longer see the glass in front of him. His eyes too filled with tears.

“Ok.” That was all he managed to say, after several long moments of looking at his life depicted in artistry through the haze of tears that he pushed back before they could fall.

Caleb moved slowly and started to part the panes of glass with handles Molly hadn’t seen before. The incredible work bent and moved much like an accordion, Caleb pushing each side to meet the tent, until Molly was covered in Moonlight. She glowed impossibly large in the night sky, and the light kissed every inch of the magical space.

“This was my best attempt at recreating her, of course, it isn't really the Moonweaver, but I had hoped - thought …” Caleb drifted off in his excuses for why this wasn't the most incredible sight Molly could be beholding. “It is just that, ah - I do not know if you are able to pray here, but it is what I - well, imagined.” Caleb festered to the floor in front of the window. Molly finally looked at the ground, he hadn’t given it a second thought, as everything up and around him was already so much to take in. But stretched from wear the glass doors parted, to where his bed was, there were incredibly soft overlapping carpets of differing shades of lavender, cream and lilac. They all looked divine to stretch out on, to bask in the moonlight, and even to kneel and pray to the Moonweaver.

Molly didn't know what came first, the hot fall of tears, or him wrapping his arms around his wizard.

“Thank you.” He couldn't manage much more than that, as much as he wished he could. Somehow, Caleb had found a way to capture not only everything he loved about his life, but why he loved it, and make it into a space just for him right as he needed it the most. Right as he was feeling out of sorts and like he didn't belong with the living anymore.

“Of course Schatz, Ich wünschte nur, du hättest früher hier sein können.” Molly didn't care that he couldn't understand what Caleb said, he was too busy sobbing into the man’s neck, clinging to the second chance of life he had been given.

#widowmauk #mollymauk #mollymauk tealeaf #mollymauk is fine #caleb widogast #cr fanfic

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thewomanwhowatchedchristmas · 4 years

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The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

I've been nervous to review this one because it's my best friend's favorite movie, but I've never seen it before. I was worried it wouldn't be as good of I hadn't seen it until adulthood. But, to be fair, I was never into the Muppets, so I don't think I would have liked it.

There are several things I was not prepared for. I was not prepared for Michael Caine to play Ebeneezer Scrooge. Like I knew that actual people played on screen with the Muppets, but I wasn't ready for it here. I was also not prepared for it to be a musical with original songs. Mostly, I was not prepared to be impressed by this movie.

So I hope everyone knows the story of A Christmas Carol because I feel like it's common knowledge. Instead, we're gonna talk about the other elements of the film. As I said, Sir Michael Caine plays Ebeneezer Scrooge. Maybe it's because I already loved Michael Caine, but I feel like he wasn't mean enough for Scrooge. Like yes it's a kids' movie, but so is every version. It's a kids' story. Our other human cast members are Fred (Steven Mackintosh), Clara (Robin Weaver), and Belle (Meredith Brawn). I loved Fred for getting sassy with Scrooge, but Clara looked like a 12 year old.

Now for the Muppets. The Great Gonzo narrates as Charles Dickens with Rizzo the Rat as our comedic relief. I appreciated what they brought to the movie it's accurate to the book AND they're self-aware enough that it cracks the fourth wall, but doesn't totally beak it. Kermit the Frog plays Bob Cratchit because of course he does. Who else is that sad and sweet? Miss Piggy as Emily Cratchit was a bit much; Emily isn't quite that sassy, and definitely not conceited. But the little I do know about the Muppets, I know that Miss Piggy would have demanded that role. Their children Betina, Belinda, and Peter were all original to the film. Tiny Tim is played by Robin the Frog, a character I didn't know existed until I was doing my research. Regardless, the boys are frogs and the girls are pigs, and no one is a horrifying mix of the two. And you can tell me they're a different character but they all look like shrunken Kermits or Piggys. This might be why I never got into Muppets. Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker are the collectors for charity donations. Probably a good idea to give a small role to a character who famously doesn't talk. Jacob and Robert Marley are played by Statler and Waldorf. Having never seen this movie, I was very confused because there is no Robert Marley, but Statler and Waldorf fit the miserly roles, and it would be tough to separate them and maintain the essence of their character. The Ghost of Christmas Past is original to the movie. She's creepy, and I don't like her. But they kept the story the same for when she took Scrooge: to his school days where we see Sam the Eagle as Headmaster, to the Christmas party of his first boss Fozziewig played by Fozzie Bear where he meets Belle, to a few years after when Belle dumps him. Which like... Was that how relationships we're back then? You didn't talk about your concerns and try to work through it, you just left? Unless you were married of course. The Ghost of Christmas Present is also original to this movie, but I really liked him! I feel like he's the character that's the most difficult to portray, and they did an excellent job. I don't think I've seen another version that has even come close. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come was also original to the film and also very accurately portrayed (which means creepy).

The story and the language was surprisingly accurate compared to the book (minus the songs). My only complaint is that at no point is it said that Tiny Tim died because they couldn't afford treatment for him. And I guess the only reason that bothers me is that children don't understand how money works, so giving the Cratchits money because Tiny Tim is sick doesn't make sense. Or maybe children today are more desensitized to the world of privatized healthcare than I was.

The songs. I should count how many reviews I say this in, but I'm not a fan of modern Christmas songs 99% of the time. Although certain references do make sense to me now. And I guess 1992 isn't modern. This movie came out 13 1/2 months before I was born so... However the songs are cheesy. And let's be real, Kermit is not a songbird.

The visual effects were done well, especially considering the year and the characters. I'm still not into the Muppets, and I still think all puppets are creepy. But I'm impressed with the cinematography here.

Overall, I give it 3.5 stars.

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gunnerpalace · 7 years

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Thanks for being kind to my wallet man. Anyways, I'm sorry if I offended you in anyway by saying "you Ichirukis". I just came by your blog and you seem to be a pretty knowledgeable dude and thus I asked you a question. Hostile little shit? Really? I'm being called a godamn hopeless imbecile here. Maybe you've just read my msg in a different tone as there is an absence of non-verbal communication here. I didn't say anything about you owing me shit man, you just interpreted that way.

And when you are referring to normal people, there tends to be cross cultural differences sometimes. So whatever you consider as being a normal person might not be the same for somebody else. In your terms I sound and act like a hostile IH so I’m not considered a normal person right? I wasn’t paying too much attention to the Bleach media from start to finish so I don’t know all the nitty gritty details such as sales and such. But yeah you’re right. If you don’t want explain you don’t have to.

Oh my god, an apology. Well, now I’ve seen everything.

Alright, look. I’m having a bit of an experience at the moment, perhaps most accurately summarized by Jules from Pulp Fiction going “The truth is…you’re the weak, and I am the tyranny of evil men. But I’m trying, Ringo. I’m trying real hard to be the shepherd.” So I’m going to accept your apology, and take it for granted that you didn’t mean to come across nearly as condescendingly as you did.

Given that, I too will apologize for my behavior. When I see aggression, I get aggressive. It’s just habit. Trigger-happy IFF. So, I’m sorry for insulting you with gratuitous ad hominem. Let me advise that you consider your tone more carefully in the future.

With that said, let me attempt to answer your original question sincerely in a compact fashion without writing a goddamn thesis, because I still don’t want to put in the time to do that. Bleach had exactly three things going for it:

The uniqueness of the IchiRuki relationship and their individual characters. Ichigo and Rukia are unique because they are somewhere between being deuteragonists and Rukia being a supporting protagonist. I would say that she is a “hidden deuteragonist,” in that her influence is constantly felt, even when she isn’t present. Ichigo is not a normal shounen protagonist, like Gintoki, Luffy, Naruto, Goku, or Kenshiro. He doesn’t have a vision or a goal, and he’s a terrible tsundere. Rukia, however, does. Rukia sets Ichigo on his way and enables him to do what he does, and she repeatedly keeps him in check when he flounders. She is what enables him to function. He is what enables her to influence things. They are two parts of a whole, and neither is operational or very effective without the other. This “split soul” phenomenon is unique to them, was a hallmark of the early manga, and echoed on throughout. Although its promise was by no means always lived up to, it was there, and it’s a major part of why IR is a thing.

Character design in general. I’ll give Kubo this: he’s usually good at fashion and drafting relatively memorable characters. (Even if he starts to recycle faces after awhile; it’s not like Dragon Ball/Z/GT/etc., One Piece, and so on don’t.) They tend to have unique designs, if not wholly unique or fleshed out personalities. He’s very good at creating the illusion of depth using them. Over the run of the series, pretty much everyone was able to find a character they liked, if not several.

Mystery. A lot of the shit that happens in Bleach is unexplained, or was kicked down the road for as long as possible before being explained. A lot of it was never explained, stuff like “What was Yoruichi’s bankai? / What was her zanpakutou? / Why can she turn into a cat?” “Who were the other two Great Noble Houses?” “What was the deal with the Soul King?” “How did Soul Society really get started?” “What was up with Komamura?” “What was up with Don Kanonji?” “What was up with Ururu and Jinta?” The list goes on and on. Mystery is alluring, as the writers of Lost quickly figured out.

You will notice what I didn’t mention: fighting, worldbuilding, and plot. So let’s go over those quickly.

Fighting: Bleach’s fights suck. Someone dramatically teleports behind someone else leading to a shocked expression. Someone slices someone else’s arm off. Whoever reveals how their powers work first loses. Everybody gets new, “hiddener, worser” powers. It wasn’t so bad through the Soul Society arc because it was still fresh, but the more power-creep set in, the worse it got. Bleach doesn’t use powers in interesting ways like One Piece or JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. It doesn’t handle a constant ramping up of the stakes as well as Dragon Ball/etc. It doesn’t have the technical interest of Naruto. It’s extremely boring and repetitive. As a battle manga, it’s shit.

Worldbuilding: Bleach’s worldbuilding is a shadow puppet show. It’s literally Plato’s Allegory of the Cave: the illusion of depth and meaning which you only process as such because nothing calls it into question. This isn’t to say Kubo didn’t plan some things (I would say that the theological essence of Soul Society and its cycle of reincarnation makes more sense than most organized religions, since it answers a lot of basic questions like “Where do new souls come from?”) but there were many things he simply couldn’t be bothered with.

Plot: It’s rather apparent, and has been for a number of years, that Kubo reshuffled the plot on the way to the conclusion of the Soul Society arc. That said, the plot was still good up until then. The Arrancar arc was serviceable, Hueco Mundo was bad, and things went downhill from there. The reappearance of the Quincy in Thousand-Year Blood War was a massive retcon and plot hole that makes no real sense.

Now here’s the thing. The Mystery aspect of Bleach was bound up in the Plot and Worldbuilding. The more the latter two fell apart, the more the former became threadbare and could be clearly seen as an effort to string readers along. So much of Bleach’s “promise” turned out to be a polar bear on a tropical island.

The Character design also became wrapped up in Worldbuilding and Fighting, as characters often had no other means to advance, grow, or define themselves, and were relegated to bit parts other than to turn up every two years in some insignificant tussle. The continuing cast bloat only made this worse, as did the dramatically skewed nature of fan favorites.

What didn’t change was IchiRuki. I would argue it didn’t advance as it should have, and rather more objectively, every effort was made to push them into the background in favor of the other five elements, but they were at least consistent throughout, which is why so many people looked forward to their interactions, no matter how fleeting. It was solid all the way up until the final 5 or so chapters, once Kubo had clearly decided to implement his subversive “ending” (what with Tsukishima taking Rukia’s primary role, and so on).

Anybody who wasn’t around for that reason was holding onto vain hope about the Mystery, because of sunk cost fallacy, or were just trying to support their favorite characters or other ships. That’s the god’s honest truth. Bleach’s numbers started to tank after Soul Society and were abysmal by the time of Lost Substitute Shinigami. The sudden end of Bleach was Shueisha finally pulling the plug and disconnecting life support.

Now, you can say that nothing I’ve said here is proof, and that would be true, this is all summary. The proof is out there though (although I cannot be bothered to assemble it all for you), and I think any honest reader would admit the truth of my analysis even without it.

tl;dr IchiRuki is the only consistent positive of Bleach, which is otherwise a subpar fashion manga which never deserved to be counted among the big three on any other merits.

#Asks

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