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#also I'm inherently lazy

mittysins · 11 months

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Ok this isn't kink content, it's a WIP of an oil on wood portrait I was doing a few weeks back.

However.

I wonder how ambitious of a project it would be to do a kink piece in traditional oil.

#my oil style is inherently more detailed sooooooo #maybe this could be an end of the summer goal? 👀#I'll want to do some studies before I fully commit because I want it to be up to its potential #but mmmmmm this is tempting.#this may have also been a way of me making sure y'all know that I CAN render a portrait #I'm just lazy

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swordsonnet · 11 months

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self-proclaimed radical leftists: in the communist utopia that exists only in my head, everyone will work, by which i mean a full-time job in the post-industrial revolution sense. this is because work is obviously the only way one can contribute to society, and everyone who doesn't work is a parasite that will be eradicated in my Communist Utopia™. i don't even care about the products or purpose of people's labour because, as everyone knows, employment equals morality and so having a job is inherently virtuous and not having a job makes you a lazy leech who doesn't deserve to live. trust me, this is a very communist idea. i'm practically an expert because i read 1.5 tweets about marx.

what? omg why are you making this about disability, i was obviously talking about normal people 🙄 if you're disabled, you have an excuse to be a useless waste of resources who can't contribute anything 😊 in my ✨ Communist Utopia ✨, you don't have to work if you're not able to. don't worry, we'll have rigorous and dehumanising tests to determine if you're disabled enough or if you're just a lazy faker! this process is infallible and has no drawbacks whatsoever for disabled people. have you considered that maybe you're the real ableist for criticising me? 🤔 anyway, have i mentioned how much i love employment and also the taste of boot leather

#so many internet 'leftists' are actually just deeply reactionary if you look even a millimeter below the surface #and it clearly shows in their complete refusal to treat disabled people as even remotely human #anyway if someone needs to disclose their diagnosis to you for you to treat them with even a modicum of respect #then you dont respect disabled people at all. period.#just as mocking people for being harmlessly weird is always wrong and not just when you know for a fact theyre autistic #you can't just act like having a job is the only way to contribute to society and then go 'but it's okay if you're disabled'#because you're still saying that we're useless. and going 'okay but you cant help it' is not as supportive as you might think #disability #ableism

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spacelazarwolf · 1 year

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i keep seeing non jewish atheists talk about jewish atheists as if they're some sort of weird "best of both worlds" where you still get to acknowledge their marginalized status as jews (which means you can't be antisemitic!) but you also don't have to engage with the inherent and complex spirituality of jewish culture — because in your mind, a jewish atheist will have rejected anything religious, spiritual, or mystical and Embraced Western Logic — and tbh it's really pissing me off.

gentiles have actively tried to eradicate our culture (which is inherently tied to things like religion, spirituality, and mysticism) for centuries, including non religious people, so to watch especially white gentiles create this Ideal Jew in their mind who has no connection to jewishness other than Things Gentiles Can Relate To Too like food and commercialized/christianized versions of our holidays feels uh. a little familiar! and honestly it also feels like a way for gentiles who are uncomfortable with non western cultures to get out of actually learning about jews and our culture on a deeper level than just latkes and candles. it's lazy and tbh i'm kinda sick of it.

basically, if you’re not jewish, please stop talking about jewish atheists and atheism, religion, and spirituality within jewish culture with any sort of authority, because you just don’t have the cultural literacy to do so.

#jewish #jumblr

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rjalker · 8 months

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A helpful chart.

[ID: A venn diagram with one circle labled, "Neurodivergent - no neurotypicals allowed", with the inside marked, "Madpunk, Idiotpunk, Neuropunk". The space in the middle of the diagram where the circles overlap is labeled "people who are both". The other circle is labled "Physically disabled - no ablebodied allowed", and is marked, "Cripplepunk". Text below the chart reads: "(Tip: Most people who are physically disabled are also neurodivergent because it's almost impossible to stay neurotypical when faced with the physical and mental trauma of becoming physicall disabled in an accident, medical trauma, and the trauma of being physically disabled in a society that wants you dead.)" End ID.]

Tip: if you wouldn't argue that allistic people should be able to use the "actually autistic" tag because they say, "we're all a little autistic", then you shouldn't argue that ablebodied people should be able to use the "cripplepunk" tag because they say "technically we're all a little physically disabled".

Edit 14 hours later:

If you're going to go "But what about people who are both??" to act like I'm forgetting that people with brain damage exist...

(sarcasm) Congratulations! (/sarcasm)

[ID: A cropped, zoomed version of the image above, with the focus now in the center of the diagram labled "people who are both", with the text now in dark red and motion blurred slightly, with a red lens flare explosion in the center. End ID.]

This is a venn diagram for a reason!

Some things that make you neurodivergent also inherently make you physically disabled! But not all of them do! Which is why this is a venn diagram and not any other sort of chart!

If you have a brain injury, you're both neurodivergent and physically disabled!

If you only have ADHD, you're neurodivergent and ablebodied!

Venn! Diagram!

Edit again October 21st 2023:

If you think that Cripplepunk is "extremely hostile to autistic people" because *ablebodied* autistic people are not allowed in, just fuck off right now! Don't comment! Don't reblog! Don't waste my fucking time! There are so fucking many physically disabled autistic people in Cripplepunk.

Crupplepunk is not "hostile to autistic people" because ablebodied people are not allowed in and are not allowed to speak over physically disabled people. That is not how this fucking works and you are just straight up lying.

And secondly if you are not ablebodied you are physically disabled. If you're physically disabled, then you're not ablebodied.

You cannot have a physical disability and still be able-bodied. That's the sort of shit my ablest mom would say to tell me to stop being so lazy.

And if you're not neurotypical then you are literally by definition neurodivergent.

That is what these words mean. They are in fact mutually exclusive categories.

You choosing not to identify as neurodivergent because of your mental illness that you personally don't consider to be a neurodivergency doesn't mean that mental illnesses aren't neurodivergent. That is not how this works.

Furthermore if you send me anons about "well the brain is a physical organ" I'm just going to block you. I'm not even going to read the rest of your fucking message I'm just going to block you. Yes the brain is a physical organ. No, that does not mean all neurodivergencies are physically disabilities because that is not what those fucking words mean.

#cripplepunk #cpunk #cripple punk #madpunk #neuropunk #idiotpunk #described images #disabled #disability

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lowoliet · 2 months

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so I saw a post a few days ago that mentioned the way the western death note fandom perceives Light as having a quote unquote god complex (which obviously. I cant find. because it's impossible to find anything on here), and I thought I'd just expand on that a little.

TLDR, while you could probably use other evidence to claim he has a god complex, him literally calling himself a god is more of a translation error than anything else

the post was basically explaining that Light calling himself the "shinsekai no kami da" wasn't the same as if he had called himself a 'god' in the western sense, which. I honestly feel I should have realised before, but translation issues are a bitch and its easy to take sub/dub as gospel when you don't understand the context of the original Japanese.

this article sums up the concept of kami better than most of the other sites I could find, but if you're too lazy to read that (real) here are the main points

kami aren't divine, omnipotent, perfect, or necessarily good

they also aren't inherently different to other living beings, just a higher manifestation of them

while the term can refer to "gods" like amaterasu, izanagi and izanami, it also refers to spirits, forces of nature, humans who became kami after dying, and even elements of the landscape itself

some of the details on this site conflict with other sources I've found but the ones I've listed above seem to be pretty consistent.

basically, the term kami gets misconstrued as always meaning "god" in the Christian (? idk I'm not religious maybe just western in general) sense in most translations of Japanese media into English (and vice versa), which has resulted in a pretty widespread misinterpretation of how Light actually views himself, at least in the English speaking fandom.

also this is largely unrelated to this particular discussion but another thing that probably should have indicated that he doesn't see himself as some omnipotent omniscient being was this panel lmao

^chapter six

you could argue that he thought this at first and then gradually became more delusional except. you couldn't because he already giving the whole shinsekai no kami da spiel in chapter one.

anyway people who probably know more than me about Shinto and Japanese mythology I'm sorry if I got anything wrong 😔 I'm getting my information from pretty dubiously reliable websites here feel free to correct me

#not to ramble in the tags but #even if he did see himself as a god #it wouldnt. really be that unjustified?#similarly to his supposed superiority complex in which he. pretty much is actually quote unquote better than most of the people around him #he does literally have access to the power of the gods???#which is a detail i feel gets slightly overlooked in this discussion #death note #death note meta #light yagami #shinto #japanese mythology

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horce-divorce · 2 months

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something something about the power imbalance inherent to being an unhoused person, how similar it is to the dependency that abusers intentionally foster in their relationships to keep victims from leaving. but if you're homeless and someone is putting you up, especially if it's for free/some kind of exchange other than rent, you're basically expected to put up with whatever indignity they can imagine for you and still just be grateful. And if you set a boundary or speak up for yourself in any kind of way, that's Taking Advantage of this poor kind person who's doing SO much for you already, how could you?

sorry its 2am and I'm trying to write a better draft about this for later too but its like. being homeless is a huge, huge vulnerability. ppl people will look to exploit that, intentionally or not. and doubly so if you're homeless because you're disabled.

also something the ableism involved... about how I know so many fellow disabled people who have struggled with homelessness, and we all have similar stories about people we trusted, friends or loved ones who seemed all too happy to help and take us in, and how we repeatedly impressed upon them the nature of our health and the situation, and they swore up and down that they understood and that we were on the same page about boundaries and expectations... only to have them blow up and kick us out at the absolute first sign of conflict or miscommunication, or because we didn't get jobs fast enough, or because we didn't contribute financially even after being told that wasn't expected, and so on.

and how, I know so many housed people who have never been through this, who all have very similar stories about how they tried to help a friend in need once, and they were SO lazy and horrible and took SO long to get their shit together that they clearly were just a freeloader taking advantage who should've never been trusted, just like all homeless people, and that's why we give them socks and canned beans instead of money.

I was never allowed to complain about ableist expectations or abled people ignoring my boundaries in my parents' home. Especially not after I became a disabled adult who still needed help with housing. And that's been true of most of the couch-hopping I've done since then, too.

Currently we have a fairly nice situation... we live with a trusted and pleasant friend. It's a whole house, not an apartment. Not even in the city. We have our own entire room. We don't have to pay rent or anything. It's temporary even aside from our discomfort, it's just been a nice place to land for the cold months.

However. Friends parents are not so chill. Their dad is the most disgusting man alive and has repeatedly gotten us sick bc he's always got something, bleeds all over and never cleans it up, never washes his hands, leaves his dentures on countertops and tables with food still stuck on them, coughs all over our stuff and never masks, is actively making the mouse infestation worse with all the food he leaves out, and puts our health at risk in SO many ways.

he used to work in Healthcare btw. His wife still does. They know we're here bc we're homeless; they know we're both disabled and immunocompromised; neither of them will wear a mask. Both of them are constantly coughing everywhere and not even covering their mouths. We've tried to politely bring this to their attention multiple times and nothing changes. They just ignore us.

We could literally die from this. We could get lifelong health complications even worse than what we have now. Bel lost his sense of taste today and now we're terrified that it's gonna be long covid or something else that sucks what little joy is left from our daily lives.

You lose everything, and then you're supposed to just say nothing and accept your lot, no matter how much danger you're in, because beggars can't be choosers. If you're disabled and poor you'd better just be fine with people abusing you and putting your health and safety at risk indefinitely, because you're lucky they're even helping you at all instead of JUST abusing you.

You dont get to have a home. You dont get to collect things, or keep sentimental things, or have a whole, adequate wardrobe. You get what you can carry with you and what won't get stolen or destroyed by others, or by the nature of moving so much. You dont get to have safety and stability and roots and community. You dont get the dignity of boundaries or your own space. You get what you get and you don't throw a fit. And be happy and say "thank you" if people are merely ignoring you instead of actively silencing you. And if the people "helping" you actually give you the thing that kills you, at least you didn't die of exposure, I guess? Or something?

Its just. Every single thing you do as both a homeless & disabled person reminds you how utterly worthless you are to the """normal""" people around you. Every day. It's so demoralizing.

#me #prsnl #disability stuff #homelessness

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ataleofcrowns · 8 months

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Don't wanna write an ex love interest? Go off, not sure why you have to imply other authors are lazy for it. I get having that energy for clearly entitled asks, but a fan wanting to see a trope they like? God forbid you not make them feel stupid for asking

Tumblr dot com users don't invent things I never said challenge, failed yet again.

I never said writing an ex is inherently bad. I said in my personal experience as a writer who critically reads the works of other writers, more often than not, the trope is used as a shortcut to manufacture cheap conflict. That is quite literally what the anon was asking for, for me to invent more drama by introducing an otherwise pointless ex lover.

If you enjoy that trope, good for you. There's plenty of media I consume that I can also recognize is lacking in quality. Your personal enjoyment of a trope doesn't suddenly make it not bad writing. It IS bad writing, and it IS lazy, period.

This isn't even touching on the way it can glorify unhealthy views of how adult relationships are supposed to work, in the way I've often seen it been used. I'm sorry to tell you this, but being upset that your partner dated other people in the past is irrational at best and toxic at worst. A story that uses this subplot as an "omg don't you LOVE how possessive and stalkerish your love interest is for your MC" is poorly written smut.

If you as a writer utilize the trope in such a way where it has actual depth and purpose in a story, or you as a reader have enjoyed this trope in a way where it was written well, then there's no reason for you to get personally offended when that post clearly wasn't talking about you.

Then again, a hit dog will holler 🤷‍♀️

#ask #anonymous #feeling stupid yet?

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tarotenvelhecida · 2 years

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pick a card– your next (platonic or romantic) love

"It's pouring, the trees are getting greener before my eyes, I love you. I'm almost afraid of the intensity of this happiness." — Vladmir Nabokov, Letters to Véra.

Whether a friend, a lover, a companion – platonic or romantic – who is going to love you next? who are you loving next?

1. THE FIRST.

A young woman or a girl, maybe younger than you - or at least seems to be. This is definitely a platonic relationship, something that has been going on for a few lifetimes already. Quiet, almost melancholic. Tired all the time. Water sign; Cancer or Scorpio. “Weird little girl” vibes, but has the mentality of a 90-year-old grandmother. Likes reading or is just generally smart, almost crossing the line to “a little bit cunning”. The type of friend that doesn’t like going out of the house; a good listener, loyal to a fault. You two will end up very close friends. Probably the youngest of the friend group, someone who everyone is extremely protective of. Introvert. Sensitive, intuitive. Been through a lot.

If you’re pregnant, planning to be or considering adopting, this might even reference a future child. For people who have no interest in having children themselves, there’s a possibility of this being about a future sister, a niece, someone from your family or related to someone you consider family.

Words associated with both this pile and this person are — Melancholy. Knowledge. Guidance. Magic. Fate. Water. Beach. Rain, summer thunderstorms. Butterfly. Lamb. The moon.

2. THE SECOND.

A man around your age, maybe just a few years older than you. Trustworthy, calm. The lighthouse in the middle of a sea storm, a beacon of cold light. Earth or fire sign. For most of you, this is going to be a fraternal relationship - to others it will end up romantic. Might also be a relevant past life connection.

He might be a teacher, a lawyer, a writer. Has high standards, prides himself on working hard. Honest, but compassionate. Might appear aloof or distant sometimes - a little bit boring. Has the tendency to bury himself on his job or hobbies. Likes to be alone; an introvert, with a tendency for isolation. He resembles a pine tree, standing tall, watching the world both grow and die around him.

Words associated with both this pile and this person — Glasses. Magnifying glass. Winter. Fireplace. Smoke. The coldness of burning. Ink.

3. THE THIRD.

A woman - a butterfly, the type that lives just one day; but lives either way. You two might have a platonic or romantic relationship, depending on who you are. She’s an ambivert, with strong Leo and Capricorn vibes. She feels like a comfortable Café, like the throes of a warm affection, fondness, dripping gold.

Fiercely loyal to all of her friends, capable of being almost apologetic. Probably has some unhealthy tendencies regarding relationships and understanding boundaries, though is not inherently malicious. Likes meeting new people and hanging out in calm, family-like places.

Might be an artist, a painter, someone that enjoys doing things with her hands. Other people may see her as lazy, but, really, she just enjoys life and enjoys doing nothing but that. I have the image of a cat basking on the sun coming from the kitchen window. And The Caterpillar, from Alice in Wonderland. A true wild heart.

Words associated with both this pile and this person — Gold. Summer. Warmhearted. Lion. Laughter. Sand. Garden. Hands. Secrets. Breeze. Fondness.

#pac #pick a card #pick a card reading #pick a card readings #tarot reading #tarot #tarot reader #cartomancy #divination #witchblr #witchcraft #witch #tarotblr #tarotdaily #intuitive #tarot community #tarot cards #pick a deck #tarotonline

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flowerbloom-arts · 5 months

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If you don't mind me asking? Can you elaborate more on the problematic aspect of Mumrik please?

Don't take too much of my word for it because this isn't very researched and this is more of a stream of consciousness than anything but fanon "Mumriks" (Joxter and Snufkin), as I've seen here and there, fall dangerously close to antisemitic caricatures and Romani stereotypes.

For one thing, Joxter and Snufkin's personalities being equated leads to a mash of their negative traits, and their negative traits being laziness, deceitfulness, uncleanliness and tendency for thievery/utter disregard for the law to the point of amorality or indecency applied to both with either "natural explanations" (saying that's just an Inherent Part Of Their Species) or dubious motivations is deeply entrenched in stereotypes of the Roma throughout Europe.

The fandom tends to mystify Joxter and Snufkin alot on very shaky ground, with forebodings (gut feelings) that are treated as a magic litmus test for things to come or having a connection with ghosts or using divination like tarot which is based on either throwaway lines or background details that don't particularly affect the plot yet the fandom treats as one of their major traits that get used in plots alot. Romani people get stereotyped with that sort of mysticism alot, especially in association with the Fortune Telling business and to a lesser extent Mediumship and general superstition. I could also chalk this up to the mystic cat stereotype, particularly in association with witches and the like.

Joxter gets (or at least got, a while back) casted as the malevolent counterpart to Snufkin for the sake of Daddy Issues Angst, and that combined with people's dissatisfaction with Joxter and Snufkin's more human designs gave way to very impish or even monsterous depictions of Joxter (and sometimes Snufkin), which we can make parallels to antisemitic caricatures of Jewish people; sharp teeth, pointy ears, strange eyes, predominant nose, hind legs, tails, claws, generally untrustworthy vibes all around. Unclean and tattered, not to be trusted by others in any proximity; good for nothing thieves and tricksters.

People like to make "Mumriks" this massively marginalized group, afterall the two fellas we know are like... Hrm. But Joxter's lifestyle is hopelessly conflated with Snufkin's... Darn. People try to draw lines where they think they are but in doing so, it trying to replicate Tove's style of "some behaviors being inherent to a species" (which one can debunk with some critical thought and literacy) they accidentally create these stereotypes, they don't draw clear distinctions between Joxter and Snufkin even though Snufkin's mother is a Mymble, they don't consider how weird it would be within the context of our culture or even the context of these characters, yet somehow...

But this is just my thoughts as they currently are, I have thought about it alot but I do need to be on the lookout for more examples and do more proper digging. Again, I'm not accusing anyone of bigotry and purposefully baking them into characters who are clearly their darling faves, I'm just saying that there are certain things one must keep in mind when it comes to characterization and headcanons, or else one could accidentally recreate malicious bigotry without any malice.

#moomins #mumrik #moominvalley #snufkin #joxter #fb answers #antisemitism #racism

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jozor-johai · 2 months

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Dorne, Shown not Told: how Darkstar is more than his reputation.

Darkstar used to bug me as a character—not necessarily because of his edgy dialogue, but because the way he was written: he's not on-page for very long, so we're really told much more about him than we are shown anything.

I've seen this same complaint voiced before, and almost always it's brushed over as an inherent failure of Gerold as a character, or other arguments that presuppose a lack of faith in Martin.

I can understand why, without deeper analysis, some people try to make the Doylist argument that Darkstar must be lazy writing by Martin, something along the lines of "I have to introduce this guy quick, so here's a bunch of backstory told by a bunch of characters". Instead, though, I argue that this situation of being "told" so much about Darkstar is actually the Watsonian perspective of his character; it is Arianne who has been told so much about him, and we're experiencing her misconceptions.

I've come to realize that the feeling of being "told" about Darkstar, with a focus away from what we're "shown," is fully intentional. With this different approach to interpreting Darkstar's character, I've found that not only do I like him so much more as a character in-universe, but I also like him so much more as an element in George R R Martin's writing. Melisandre might be his "most misunderstood character," but I think Gerold Dayne must be up there too.

I don't understand why it took me so long to see it: ASOIAF is all about the way that information—or misinformation—spreads and changes the course of action and history. Of course this would be a theme to look out for. Once I started to dig more into this idea in relation to Darkstar, I realized just how prevalent this theme was in the Dornish arc, which is entirely about the way that people are told something, and the way that being told these things—even without evidence—has such an impact. That's what the companion post to this one is about.

If you've read that post already, and now I've got you on board to doubt the reputation that Darkstar has, and to doubt the story Arianne was told about him, this is the post where I rebuild Gerold's character from scratch, and convince you that he's actually an alright guy, a trustworthy one, and possibly even a true knight. Maybe, even, he's worthy of Dawn, and the title of "Sword of the Morning."

I'm sure I'm not the first to suggest this, as it's been so many years, but it's exciting to experience a moment of realization that makes me see the writing itself in a new light, so I wanted to share my thought process here.

2.0 Gerold Dayne, shown not told.

In this part, I attempt to look at Gerold Dayne as if I were Areo Hotah, not Arianne: to watch what he does and says, on page, rather than take anyone's word for it, and rather than interpret his actions against a prejudice that he is as dark and dangerous as Arianne thinks. This way, I want to see what kind of man Gerold Dayne actually shows us he is, through his actions and interactions, rather than who we're told he is.

Beyond just doubting Doran's story because I don't believe Doran to be trustworthy, here I'll be explaining why I think that once we get to know Darkstar as best as we can, maiming Myrcella doesn't even really sound like something he would do.

This is a long one too, like the other one, so the rest is after the cut

2.1 Early good impressions—by being early

We don't see very much of Darkstar on-page, so let's start with our very first impression of him, in the second paragraph of the chapter:

Arianne Martell arrived with Drey and Sylva just as the sun was going down, with the west a tapestry of gold and purple and the clouds all glowing crimson. The ruins seemed aglow as well; the fallen columns glimmered pinkly, red shadows crept across the cracked stone floors, and the sands themselves turned from gold to orange to purple as the light faded. Garin had arrived a few hours earlier, and the knight called Darkstar the day before.

We don't know when they arranged to meet, but I think there's room for a symbolic meaning to Arianne arriving just as the sun goes down. Symbolically, the day ending as soon as she arrives mirrors the way that her plan is going to end as soon as it begins.

In addition, it's a signature of Arianne's character this chapter, moving just slightly too slowly. In this way, Arianne is already more like her father than she wants to admit—remember the overripe oranges falling in The Captain of the Guards, or how Areo knew that Doran saying they would leave at dawn meant midday. Arianne is the same—she arrives to her own plan at dusk.

Even without that comparison, Arianne's late arrival is emblematic of her inability to structure a plan as carefully as she believes she can, which is also something that haunts her for the rest of his arc. Consider the meaning of this for her: she is the head of this plan, and yet she and her two companions are the last to arrive. Garin beats her to the rendezvous place by a few hours... and Darkstar is almost the opposite extreme. He gets there a whole day early.

Perhaps that's suspect, perhaps that's responsible; this alone is not enough to say. For a certainty, though, this clearly positions Darkstar as someone who is, say, the opposite of the "Late" Lord Walder Frey. He's a man who comes early, not late.

As the chapter continues, it's not the only time that Arianne lags carelessly while Darkstar vouches for a more responsible course of action, so keep this in mind. This passage sets the tone for the rest of the chapter.

2.2 What makes a man "Great"?

The next time we see Darkstar on page, we get his first line of dialogue and his first actual on-page action. He juts in while the others are talking about the storied hero who is Garin's namesake:

"Garin the Great," offered Drey, "the wonder of the Rhoyne." "That's the one. He made Valyria tremble." "They trembled," said Ser Gerold, "then they killed him. If I led a quarter of a million men to death, would they call me Gerold the Great?" He snorted. "I shall remain Darkstar, I think. At least it is mine own." He unsheathed his longsword, sat upon the lip of the dry well, and began to hone the blade with an oilstone.

There's a lot to unpack here for such a short passage. To begin with, we can interpret some of Darkstar's values from his additions to this conversation. He clearly has a certain pragmatism, because he chooses to see through the veneration that the stories have afforded "Garin the Great", and points out that his cause was actually poorly met. In this way, Gerold might come off like a humorless spoilsport, but we can also consider the fact that he's already learned some of the lessons that other characters, like Sansa, have been forced to face: reality does not match the songs, and not all "heroes" are good people.

Gerold also shows a concern for the ranks of the military. It's not about one man's veneration for him, it's about the success of the plan—and the survival of the men who act on it. This is actually the same concern for Dorne that Doran is obsessed with, at the end of The Watcher:

"Until the Mountain crushed my brother's skull, no Dornishmen had died in this War of the Five Kings," the prince murmured softly, as Hotah pulled a blanket over him. "Tell me, Captain, is that my shame or my glory?"

Doran has spent a lifetime hemming and hawing over this notion, unsure of whether to act or to wait, and choosing inaction over decision. By stark contrast, Gerold speaks with a casual certainty: "Garin the Great" was no good at all, because all his men died, and he lost. It might make him sound like a cynic, but Dayne knows what he believes in. Leading men to their death is no greatness at all.

2.3 Choosing one's own name

And, now knowing his thoughts on blind veneration, we might reinterpret his decision to invent his own nickname. Rather than grasping for approval from in songs (like Tywin's Rains of Castamere), his act of naming himself could be seen as a sign of honor, not blind pride.

"If I led a quarter of a million men to death, would they call me Gerold the Great?" He snorted. "I shall remain Darkstar, I think. At least it is mine own."

He does not believe in misjudged "bravery" for the sake of a title, and therefore is unlike so many others who we see across ASOIAF ready to die fighting in their desire for glory. Rather than dreaming of becoming immortalized in a song, Darkstar has no lust for public approval—he's given himself his own title, and means to prove himself against his own standard.

And at least it is his own. ASOIAF is a story where so much weight is put into names and epithets—Arya and Sansa losing their names and even their chapter titles, Brienne and Jaime fighting against the disparaging nicknames they are given. Here, Darkstar has already proven himself past all of those troubles with this one action—regardless of whatever names others should call him, or even remember him by, he shall go by this one, the name, and the fate, that he chose for himself.

2.4 Honing the blade

And then, immediately, Gerold starts caring for his blade.

He unsheathed his longsword, sat upon the lip of the dry well, and began to hone the blade with an oilstone.

Interestingly, the list of people who hone their blade on-page is surprisingly short. This shared action puts Gerold in league with the likes of Brienne:

I will, she promised his shade, there in the piney wood. She sat down on a rock, took out her sword, and began to hone its edge. I will remember, and I pray I will not flinch.

And also the likes of Yoren, Arya, Jon, Meera, Barristan, and Hotah himself; all of whom are dutiful if not also generally good-hearted. Ilyn Payne and Rakharo, care for their blades on-page, too, and though I'm not sure if they get enough story time to argue whether or not they are good-hearted, they are certainly pragmatic, skilled, and committed. Bronn, too, hones his blade on-page, and even if not good-hearted, he's these other positive qualities, the ones that make him likeable even in his scoundrel status: Bronn is skilled, pragmatic, dedicated to his craft, and even committed after his own fashion (he does name his adoptive child Tyrion, after all).

Better tying this to a morality case, the first time we see Sandor Clegane caring for his blade is after the Red Wedding, after he fully commits to taking in Arya. Similarly, Jaime is only seen caring for his blade in Feast and later, after he begins to have his own character turn towards searching for honor.

In stark contrast, Theon pulls out his blade to "sharpen" it before facing his father in Clash, but he only "gave it a few licks" with the whetstone ... what a total poser.

(It's a silly thing, but the most minor character we see sharpening a blade is a stray Blackwood... so you know these are the good guys, haha. Oswell Whent, too, which I don't make much of myself but I know others have.)

So, when we see Gerold Dayne start to sharpen his blade as his first on-page action, we might think: here is a man who is responsible, who is committed to duty, who believes in taking care of his person and his honor. Tying little actions like this to character qualities is the kind of thing GRRM does frequently.

2.5 Sober attitude

To a similar end, we also see that Gerold Dayne doesn't drink, preferring water with lemon.

Once the kindling caught, they sat around the flames and passed a skin of summerwine from hand to hand . . . all but Darkstar, who preferred to drink unsweetened lemonwater.

Which puts him in league with Brienne again:

"I would prefer water," said Brienne. "Elmar, the red for Ser Jaime, water for the Lady Brienne, and hippocras for myself." Bolton waved a hand at their escort, dismissing them, and the men beat a silent retreat.

As well as Stannis, paragon of "duty":

But not today, I think—ah, here's your son with our water." Devan set the tray on the table and filled two clay cups. The king sprinkled a pinch of salt in his cup before he drank; Davos took his water straight, wishing it were wine.

Again, this is the kind of quality that is associated with people who are attached to their sense of duty. (Note also that as Brienne feels increasingly lost during her search for Sansa, we see her increasingly drink wine. Roose, for his part, doesn't just drink wine, but wants wine sweetened with sugar and spices, which, like Littlefinger's minty breath, covers up his harsh reality).

So Gerold Dayne, in word and action, seems to have more in common with duty- and honor-bound characters, rather than being the heartless rogue which the Martells seem to believe he is.

2.6 Arianne's imagination versus Gerold's reality

Arianne asserts that Gerold would go so far as to exterminate an entire clan... but it's while she's fantasizing about ruling Sunspear with Myrcella as Queen:

Once I crown Myrcella and free the Sand Snakes, all Dorne will rally to my banners. The Yronwoods might declare for Quentyn, but alone they were no threat. If they went over to Tommen and the Lannisters, she would have Darkstar destroy them root and branch.

So we know what Arianne thinks he's capable of, but we also have heard Dayne's own thoughts that war for its own sake is not laudable. Would he really be the type to eradicate a whole family, like Arianne says? So far, he seems otherwise like an alright guy, and potentially even a true knight, so far: he takes care of his sword, he stays sober, he arrives early, he's not searching for glory from others, and he doesn't believe one should be rewarded for idiotic wars.

If I were to put this in a single quote—if I could create a single moment where I might show that Arianne's mental image of Darkstar is one way (hard, dangerous, mean) and his reality was a different way (dutiful, pragmatic, and good-hearted)—I might show it like this:

He has a cruel mouth, though, and a crueler tongue. His eyes seemed black as he sat outlined against the dying sun, sharpening his steel, but she had looked at them from a closer vantage and she knew that they were purple. Dark purple. Dark and angry. He must have felt her gaze upon him, for he looked up from his sword, met her eyes, and smiled.

Does he have a cruel mouth, and dark, angry eyes? Or does he have an easy smile? Arianne tells us the former... but so far, we are shown the latter.

And what does Gerold himself say with that "cruel tongue"? What counsel does he give, what courses does he suggest?

2.7 Gerold's bloody suggestion

Before Myrcella arrives, Gerold Dayne has the chance to offer counsel to Arianne. This moment comes directly following that moment where all of Arianne's other conspirators confide that they don't trust him, and that they don't need him for the plan. Immediately afterward, Darkstar returns and suggests that the plan isn't very good to begin with.

Dayne put a foot upon the head of a statue that might have been the Maiden till the sands had scoured her face away. "It occurred to me as I was pissing that this plan of yours may not yield you what you want."

While all of Arianne's friends have warned her of Darkstar, why is it that Darkstar is the only one to warn Arianne that this is a poor plan? It's important to remember that he's right, after all, because this plan gets thwarted, and as he goes on to say, was ill-concieved to begin with. If he can see it, why have none of Arianne's other allies considered this? Or, more interestingly, why have none of them told her?

This conversation continues, and notice how Arianne is never straightforward with Gerold about how she feels in response to his questioning. She says one thing, and then thinks another to herself. Already, we are being shown how we might be distrustful of what we are told—and again, Arianne has more in common with her father than she thinks. She knows how to speak carefully when she really has another objective.

"And what is it I want, ser?" "The Sand Snakes freed. Vengeance for Oberyn and Elia. Do I know the song? You want a little taste of lion blood." That, and my birthright. I want Sunspear, and my father's seat. I want Dorne. "I want justice." "Call it what you will. Crowning the Lannister girl is a hollow gesture. She will never sit the Iron Throne. Nor will you get the war you want. The lion is not so easily provoked." "The lion's dead. Who knows which cub the lioness prefers?" "The one in her own den." Ser Gerold drew his sword. It glimmered in the starlight, sharp as lies. "This is how you start a war. Not with a crown of gold, but with a blade of steel."

At first blush, it's easy to get caught up in the notion that Darkstar is simply offering to kill Myrcella for the ease of it all. We're told the whole chapter that Darkstar is a violent man, and here's the evidence.

Arianne herself only considers this interpretation, and it's how she remembers the conversation once she's imprisoned:

He wanted to kill her instead of crowning her, he said as much at Shandystone. He said that was how I'd get the war I wanted.

However, this conversation, though brief, is not so simple as that. Instead, while Gerold's advice to Arianne here at first seems unnecessarily violent, he's actually displaying wisdoms that we learn elsewhere in the story.

For a start, we see Gerold's disdain for vengeance for it's own sake—and his suggestion to Arianne that this quest of revenge and authority will not actually get her what she wants. In Gerold's words, she wants "a taste of lion's blood." He knows this song, as he says, as well as Ellaria, who gives an identical warning with far more impassioned language to the same audience ADWD The Watcher:

"Oberyn wanted vengeance for Elia. Now the three of you want vengeance for him. I have four daughters, I remind you. Your sisters. My Elia is fourteen, almost a woman. Obella is twelve, on the brink of maidenhood. They worship you, as Dorea and Loreza worship them. If you should die, must El and Obella seek vengeance for you, then Dorea and Loree for them? Is that how it goes, round and round forever? I ask again, where does it end?" Ellaria Sand laid her hand on the Mountain's head. "I saw your father die. Here is his killer. Can I take a skull to bed with me, to give me comfort in the night? Will it make me laugh, write me songs, care for me when I am old and sick?"

Gerold says it more simply, and more harshly: this quest for vengeance and lion's blood will not get you what you want.

He then tries another angle, saying that "Crowning the Lannister girl is a hollow gesture. She will never sit the Iron Throne. Nor will you get the war you want." This sounds, at first, like a complaint of the plan's futility, but he offers a suggestion of how to achieve said war instead: "Not with a crown of gold, but with a blade of steel."

I have to point out the metaphor at use in this moment:

Ser Gerold drew his sword. It glimmered in the starlight, sharp as lies.

A blade as sharp as lies—yet another allusion to this constant Dornish theme of lying and deadly misinformation. Seen from another perspective, we might put it another way: that lies are as deadly as a blade. This, too, is Doran's message: that the grass which hides the snake is just as deadly.

This too is Gerold's message, because in combination, his suggestion that crowning her is empty and to kill her is simpler sounds like an allusion to another wisdom we learn later in ADWD Tyrion I, given by Illyrio when Tyrion alights on the same bright idea as Arianne, to crown Myrcella:

"In Volantis they use a coin with a crown on one face and a death's-head on the other. Yet it is the same coin. To queen her is to kill her."

Gerold understands this, and he displays it in this conversation. His offer here, then, is to skip the trouble in between—the girl will never sit the Iron Throne in any case, so Arianne should just kill her and be done with it, and have your war that way.

Rather than a threat against Myrcella's life, the way Arianne remembers it, we might see this as a challenge: if Gerold sees that both acts end in Myrcella's death, and both in war, he's presenting Arianne reality of the lack of choice.

In a way, this is consistent with his earlier complaints about Garin the Great—was it worth it to make Valyria "tremble" at the cost of so many of his own? Gerold's question, though harshly put, makes Arianne face that question now, before they start off with the plans.

Like her father, though, Arianne defers the problem, preferring not to address it this night.

I am no murderer of children. "Put that away. Myrcella is under my protection. And Ser Arys will permit no harm to come to his precious princess, you know that."

Arianne makes the choice, but she does not say it aloud. Why? Because even she sees that it's contradictory to raise her up and expect her to live?

As we see so often with Arianne, she foolishly answers that it's not her responsibility. Myrcella may be under her protection, but Arianne relies on Ser Arys' action to keep it that way. Arianne tries to argue that the weight of this threat to Myrcella is not Arianne's burden to take, but rather Arys'.

Darkstar disagrees, pointing out the longstanding rivalry between the Dornish and the Marcher Lords.

"No, my lady. What I know is that Daynes have been killing Oakhearts for several thousand years." His arrogance took her breath away. "It seems to me that Oakhearts have been killing Daynes for just as long." "We all have our family traditions." Darkstar sheathed his sword. "The moon is rising, and I see your paragon approaching."

Finally, though, actions once again speak louder than words. Rather than pull his sword here against Arys, like he was just threatening to do, he sheathes his sword when he spots Arys, obeying Arianne's command. So far, whatever he's said, Gerold is still committed to following Arianne's wishes.

His threats about Daynes killing Oakhearts has another layer of meaning, though, in this complete context: Daynes have been killing Oakhearts, yes, but it's not just Daynes who wouldn't blink at killing a Marcher, it's all of the Dornish—as Arys is so intimately aware of in his one chapter.

As much as Arianne is dodging responsibility, she's also right that Arys is the final obstacle in anyone's way should they wish to do harm to Myrcella. Note, though, that despite the story Doran and Arianne later tell the Sand Snakes, it is not Darkstar who slays Arys—it's Areo Hotah. If we say that actions speak louder than words, hear this: Gerold sheathes his sword when Arys approaches, and it is Doran (through Areo) who kills Myrcella's most leal protector.

Given all the trouble Doran later goes to in an attempt to smooth over Arys' death, Gerold is probably right here that a dead Arys means war. Once again, Gerold is a pragmatic thinker, in theory. In my opinion, despite the cruelty of his suggestion, his conversation about the death of Myrcella is a reality check, not a call for wanton violence.

2.8 Gerold's good counsel and care

Later comes the second time where Arianne lags carelessly... and here, Gerold steps in to give Arianne good counsel.

Arianne had hoped to reach the river before the sun came up, but they had started much later than she'd planned, so they were still in the saddle when the eastern sky turned red. Darkstar cantered up beside her. "Princess," he said, "I'd set a faster pace, unless you mean to kill the child after all. We have no tents, and by day the sands are cruel."

Here, contradicting the stories of Gerold Dayne as a cruel man, Darkstar seems to show more direct concern for Myrcella's wellbeing than any of the other plotters. Arianne—like her father—moves to slow, and Gerold wants to make sure that the girl isn't killed. He's not just pragmatic in theory, he can also be pragmatic and considerate when it comes to the young girl with them.

Here, also, we see that Gerold does not actually mean the girl harm. The accusation that Darkstar slashed Myrcella implies this narrative where Darkstar took advantage of the chaos to finally take his chance to kill the girl and make good on his threat. If that were the case, then here Darkstar could have simply said nothing, and let the girl suffer or even die from the heat. Instead, he speaks up in order to spare Myrcella from the sand's cruelty.

2.9 Gerold's opinion of Arthur Dayne

With all of this context, I'll finally take a look at Gerold's opinion of Arthur Dayne.

As she led the princess to the fire, Arianne found Ser Gerold behind her. "My House goes back ten thousand years, unto the dawn of days," he complained. "Why is it that my cousin is the only Dayne that anyone remembers?" "He was a great knight," Ser Arys Oakheart put in. "He had a great sword," Darkstar said. "And a great heart."

He clearly loves the Dayne house, but seems to have less respect than most for Arthur. Many and more have taken this to be a sign of petty envy, that Darkstar is questioning Arthur's skill at swordplay, perhaps in comparison to his own.

But consider the quote another way: we know from his opinion of "Garin the Great" that Gerold resists the idea of blindly idolizing heroes only because they have become great in the telling. This newer hero, Arthur, is no more special to him. What has he actually done, not what stories have been told of him?

Once again, this is a return of our theming: being shown, not told. Gerold is quick to resist the allure of the songs of Arthur Dayne—to Gerold, there are plenty of other Daynes just as special, or perhaps even more so. This is not a lack of love for his house, nor for honor and glory—quite the opposite. Like with choosing his own name, Darkstar wants to create his own context to see Arthur in, as part of a ten thousand year old lineage of great Daynes (ha) and not some special, magic knight.

Perhaps Gerold Dayne is pointing out that there is more to a knight than having a sword; perhaps he is condemning the idea of equating "swordplay" with "greatness".

What we hear about Arthur is more often than not about his prowress with a sword, but consider the context in which Arthur Dayne was brought up in this chapter. When Myrcella brings him up, his reputation is marred by the fact it's own existence:

"There was an Arthur Dayne," Myrcella said. "He was a knight of the Kingsguard in the days of Mad King Aerys."

Not the most good-hearted of details to remember him by, truth be told.

I suggest that this passage instead serves to suggest that Gerold has a stricter sense of what is valorous than most. Even the great, seemingly infallible Arthur Dayne was a sword in defense of the Mad King. Does serving the Mad King still make for a "great knight"? Or only a "great sword"?

Of course, there's another interesting aspect to this quote: despite his disregard for the particular qualities of Arthur, Gerold is more than willing to acknowledge the greatness of the sword Dawn. I'll get into that at the end.

2.10 Gerold sues for peace

Finally, in his final appearance on-page, we get a last word from Gerold Dayne, who, this time, says exactly what Arianne is thinking... when she, again, is too slow to act, and is unable to say anything herself.

You reckless fool, was all that Arianne had time to think, what do you think you're doing? Darkstar's laughter rang out. "Are you blind or stupid, Oakheart? There are too many. Put up your sword."

Darkstar suggests to all that they surrender. He suggests they put up their swords. Yet again, this is a consistent characterization for Darkstar: a man who speaks against the honor of leading others in a death charge, a man who is a sober thinker, a man who plans to arrive early, and a man who considers heavily the consequences of the actions at hand, especially when they end in the death of a young girl.

After all this, I don't think it sounds like Darkstar to make a wild, reckless, opportune grasp for Myrcella's life, no matter whatever Doran says. Instead, Gerold Dayne has all the trappings of a dutiful knight, and even his brusque edges come from a certain brutal realism, not a sense of jilted pride. He may even be a good and caring man at times.

3.0 My predictions for TWOW: GRRM's next moves

I used to really not like Darkstar. I don't mind him being a little cringe, because this whole series, as well written as it is, still has plenty of pulpy 80s underpinnings which I love just as much as the highbrow stuff. I can handle a little melodrama, fine... but why is Darkstar so flat, I wondered. It felt so incredibly—uncharacteristically—clumsy to have this hurried introduction of a character, and have everyone in the chapter rush to tell the reader how dangerous he is, just so he could do the "dangerous guy" thing and run off to become the next MacGuffin of Dorne.

That is, if everything, or anything, that we were told about him is true.

If we understand that not all we're told is true, then GRRM hasn't actually spent a whole chapter telling without showing. Instead, he's been consistently playing with the same notions of actual reality vs. stories and lies that the rest of the Dornish plot revolves around (and the rest of the series, for that matter, but I'm staying focused here).

In addition, all of that telling we got about Gerold Dayne wasn't at all for the purpose of giving us a quick, surface level introduction to the character (which makes sense, because George is otherwise so good with character). Instead, all that telling is part of a larger, longer plot about Doran's scheming and lying, and Arianne's own susceptibility to Doran's stories.

Finally, and most of all, it all sets up one of GRRM's favorite things to do: a subversion of a character in a twist that involves a sudden change of perspective.

If Arianne and Doran have spent 4 (or 5, including TWOW previews) chapters now telling us what a nasty guy Gerold Dayne is, won't it be a shock once he's granted Dawn rightfully and is named the next Sword of the Morning? What's even better is that, looking back, it will be clear to see how much he isn't a nasty guy—he's actually a pretty good candidate, dutiful, smart, aware of the consequences. He's the kind of guy to take care of himself, keeping his mind and blade sharp, and to be considerate of those lesser than him, as with Myrcella or Garin's army. He may not be a nice guy, but being nice and kind are not always the same. That character of Darkstar, the knight worthy of Dawn, was there all along—except that it was all obfuscated under Arianne internal narration and Doran's repeated lying.

After all, he is of the night... which sounds super edgy, but is foreshadowing too. What comes after the night? The Morning.

Being "of the night" might not be Darkstar being an antihero, but instead being anti- heroes, he's against the concept of the overinflated hero. Like Sandor Clegane, who starts to seem more and more a true knight despite despising knights, Darkstar may be set up to take on a legendary mantle, like Sword of the Morning, despite his utter disdain for legendary heroes, like Ser Arthur and Garin the Great.

And actually, I suspect that Darkstar is quite familiar with Dawn already—after all, despite his cool words about Ser Arthur, Gerold Dayne does seem to recognize the greatness of Dawn. I expect that he's seen its value for himself.

Gerold is the type of man to take himself seriously ... and while that's very easy to make fun of from a reader's perspective, it's a very admirable quality in a knight. It's the same trajectory Jaime has been on: everything used to be a joke to him, but no longer: Jaime is learning how to shed that shield of humor and to take himself and his honor seriously. Can we begrudge Ser Gerold the same?

Rather than hunting down a villain, Areo Hotah, Obara, and Balon Swann are on Doran's truth-suppression mission. For after all, as Lady Nym pointed out, loose ends make for exposed lies. If I replace some of the names of her cautionary message from The Watcher:

If Gerold Dayne is alive, soon or late the truth will out. If he appears again, Doran Martell will be exposed as a liar before all the Seven Kingdoms. He would be an utter fool to risk that.

And so Doran sends his unbeatable Hotah, with his massive and lethal axe that already killed one Kingsguard and might well kill another. How is Gerold Dayne going to match up against that?

Well, he'll have a great sword.

#jozor thoughts #asoiaf meta #asoiaf analysis #Doran Martell and Gerold Dayne #valyrianscrolls #twow speculation #darkstar #Dorne Told not Shown

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the1entirecircus · 2 months

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The kind of Pokémon team I think each member of the Justice League would have and why:

Batman

Marowak- This one is obvious, but Batman having a Marowak seems like a no-brainer. They both lost their parents at an early age (or at least before Cubone evolved into a Marowak since age does not equal level) and they're both seen as angry fighters.

Crobat- another obvious pick, out of all the bat pokemon, Crobat felt like the best choice as it was the first.

Urshifu (Single-Strike)- I know some are going to feel iffy about me picking a legendary pokemon for Batman. But considering how much in common this pokemon has with the Dark Knight, I had to pick him. It mostly involves the one-punch it took for Batman to knock out Guy Gardner and the fact Batman can surpass most enemy defenses.

Zangoose- To compare his relationship with the joker, Zangoose has the natural rivalry with Seviper.

Dragapult- Dragapult reflects the combined elements of Batman's stealth, his batwing, and his Robins. Sure, batman doesn't launch Dick Grayson at supersonic speeds, but he has him along with the others fight alongside him.

Greninja- A stealthy pokemon which incorporates projectiles into its attacks

I can also see Batman having a direct access to his Pokemon Boxes so he can swap in other pokemon. Knowing him, he'd probably have an Annihilape, Tyrantrum, and a bunch of Zubat and other bat pokemon. He would also have various pokemon that would be useful for crime-fighting like Gumshoos (Although Jim Gordon would most definitely have one already).

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Superman

Solgaleo- Considering his alien origins, it would be of no surprise that Clark would have obtained an alien pokemon. Especially one that is associated with the Sun. Also, given that Solgaleo is prone to possession from Necrozma, it also reflects Superman's reoccurring problem of being used as an evil character in writing.

Infernape- Given that Infernape is based on Son Goku, the japanese version of Sun Wukong, and that Goku is based on Son Goku, it would be natural for him to have this pokemon.

Krypotnian Boltund- On Krypton, a variant of Boltund existed that could perform similar feats compared to that of the regular Boltund. Except instead of being Electric type, its a fire type. Superman has this pokemon as a reference to Krypto the Super Dog.

Palafin- This one is an obvious choice as Palafin is just a Superman Dolphin. I think Clark would have either been inspired by or found it humorous that its transformation method is similar to his own.

Dragonite- Another obvious pick, given that Superman is seen as an all powerful person, many tend to forget he's also just a nice guy. Dragonite is also a nice fellow that is very powerful.

Snorlax- Superman of course needs a Normal type pokemon to reflect his normalness, and I think that Snorlax is inherently the best option here. Snorlax is often seen as lazy and lethargic but is powerful when needed to be.

Superman would also keep many extra-terrestrial and other kinds of Pokemon in his Fortress of Solitude. He might even lend a few to Ma and Pa Kent. Imagine that! Pa Kent having Buzzwole help him with the farm.

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Wonder Woman

Themysciran Nidoqueen- A Fairy/Fighting type, Nidoqueen on Themyscira are more than capable fighters. Their bodily armor on its wrists can withstand many attacks due to a mystical aura they have. They have one of two abilities: Magic Guard or Battle Armor. They even have a new move called Wrist Clang, a special fairy-type move which hits all opponents.

Falinks- Wonder Woman's father is Zeus in the current continuity of DC Comics. Since Falinks is based on the ancient Greek Battle Formation called a Phalanx, its connection to Greece is perfect for Diana. Since, she is also a warrior taught in Greek combat-style.

Armarouge- Another warrior pokemon, Armarouge is meant to reflect the explosion attack Diana can do with her gauntlets.

Chestnaught- Yeah, I know theres type overlap, but Chestnaught is a living shield pokemon, of course I'm going to pick it to replace Diana's shield.

Kangaskan- Everyone remebers Diana's Kangaroo, Kanga, right? Because this is the only Kangaroo-Adjacent pokemon I could choose.

Zacian- On Themyscira, Zacian and Zamazenta are a two sisters rather than a brother and a sister (still genderless in the pokedex tho). In this island hidden away from man, Zacian is regularly a Fairy type, but with the Sword of Athena, her strength is increased ten fold. Different from her counterpart in Galar, this form of Zacian is referred to as the Wondrous Sword. With its new move, Warrior Strike, a critical hit is landed on the enemy.

Most of these pokemon are female as Themyscira is consisted of only women. So, the pokemon of the island would also consist of only female pokemon that would fit Diana's personality. A Salazzle, Tsareena, or a Hatterene wouldn't fit as they don't have attributes that fit Diana (unless we're talking the Frank Miller version, which we aren't).

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The Flash (Barry Allen)

Alolan Raichu- This feels like an obvious pick because Raichu's tail resembles the lightning bolt symbol on his chest. I would also say that his Raichu is a meta-pokemon with the Speed-Force Ability, which gives priorty to all attacks.

Midday Lycanroc- Not only is it a quick-moving pokemon, but being a wolf pokemon, its hunting skill would be useful for investigating a crime-scene.

Cinderace- Another pokemon that would be imbued with Speed-Force ability, Cinderace has similar design elements that remind me of the Flash (check his belt).

Pawmot- Barry Allen is often seen as slow-moving until he becomes the Flash in which he is lightning-fast. Its similar acts in battle. You also need to evolve it by walking with it. Barry would've evolved Pawmot in no time.

Linoone- This pokemon would probably be used when Barry is in his civilian form. Yes, Linoone is fast, but thats besides the point

Miraidon- Barry created the cosmic treadmil, which in an alternate universe was bike. Barry's Miraidon has that ability as well, and we're going to say he travels with the speed force naturally.

I wish I had come up with a better team for him, but this is the best I could come up with. I considered pokemon like Gardevoir and Gallade, but neither felt fitting for him to me. Zeraora was chosen because, while a fitting pokemon, felt too obvious to me. Suggestions for Barry's pokemon would be helpful.

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Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) (Yes, I'm picking him over the others, cry about it)

Garchomp- Being a pilot, Hal having a Garchomp made sense to me considering its also a fast-flying pokemon inspired by a jet plane.

Celesteela- Considering he's a space cop, Hal was bound to run across an Ultra Beast at some point. Celesteela was chosen because of its connection to spaceships.

Shiny Lurantis- Not only does this pokemon reflect the phrase of the GL oath "in brightest day" as this pokemon needs to evolve in the day, but it also reflects green lantern ring constructs. When it was first introduced, Lurantis was shown using its signature move: Solar Blade. a solid green beam which slices its enemies.

Gallade- Given that Gallade can sense thoughts and evolved from a pokemon sensitive to the emotions around it, it feels like a good pokemon for Hal Jordan to have.

Dusknoir- This is a subtle reference to the time when Hal Jordan had to be the Specter after his whole Parallax arc.

Gigalith- Considering that Gigalith is a waking laser canon, this would make sense for Hal. But due to its weak Special Attack, Hal's Gigalith is now a Meta-Pokemon now imbued with immense will power to achieve its new form. The green crystals on its body have provided a stronger special attack.

Like with Barry, this one was a little hard to do. Not a lot of pokemon share similarities with Hal or the Green Lanterns in general.

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Cyborg

Passimian- Due to the accident that gave Victor his appearance and abilities, it affected some of his pokemon. One of them being Passimian. Now a Steel/Fighting type, Meta Passimian utilizes spheres of energy to fight. Its new ability Cannon Hand increases the power of special attacks. This pokemon was chosen because of Victor being into sports.

Apokolipsian Bronzong- Bronzong from Apokolips are the ancestors of the Bronzong and Bronzor found on earth. They can open gateways to other worlds, including ultra space. They're a Electric/Psychic type with the ability Levitate/Steelworker. So because of his merging with both the Mother Box and Father Box, Cyborg has lots of cosmic power at hand. So much so that he can create boom and hush tubes as well as have a connection to the multiverse.

Leafeon- I wanted to give him a pokemon that's relatively normal but also reflected one of his powers. And wouldn't you know, Cyborg has the ability to photosynthesize (its a summary of one of his powers, but you get the point).

Golurk- Golurk is a giant machine pokemon said to have a source of infinite energy powering it. Cyborg is also capable of producing infinite energy.

Iron Hands- If you look at the origin of Iron Hands, you can clearly tell that the pokemon is based off Cyborg.

Mega Blastoise- A reflection of Cyborg's cybernetic abilities and his large cannon gun that he can form with his hand.

Initially, I partly struggled with making his team until I did some edits.

---

Martian Manhunter

Beeheeyem- I wasn't initially certain if I should give this pokemon to J'onn because of how Beeheeyem are sentient Pokemon who can build their own space ships. Then again, humans have Beeheeyem, so why not?

Naganadel- Another alien pokemon, Naganadel's pre-evolution, Poipole, is said to be the starter pokemon of many trainers in Ultra Megalopis. Now, I know that place isn't on Mars, but given that its an alien pokemon, I would not be surprised if they found their way there.

Grappoloct- While not an alien Pokemon, Octopuses are seen as very alien-like animals. I could see M.M.'s Grappoloct being a meta-pokemon with great control of not only its muscular strength but its mind too, being capable of psychic attacks.

Ditto- One of Martian Manhunter's most famous abilities is his capability to Shape-Shift. Ditto is also iconic for this power.

Clefable- Another alien Pokemon, I can see Clefable being one of the first pokemon that J'onn obtained alonged with Beeheeyem.

Deoxys- The Mythical Pokemon Deoxys is known for its ability to change its form to improve its Attack, Defense, and Speed. While Ditto also reflects his ability to shape-shift, Deoxys reflects the form Martian Manhunter takes to better beat down opponents when he needs to get physical.

I'm overall satisfied with what I did here with Martian Manhunter.

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Aquaman (Almost forgot about him lol)

Kingdra- Everyone remember's Storm the Seahorse, right?

Wishiwashi- Aquaman's main ability is to command sea life, this ability is reflected through Wishiwashi's ability to form giant creatures.

Poliwrath- "Although its skilled in a style of dynamic swimming that uses all its muscles, for some reason, it lives on land."

Golisopod- Everyone's opinion on Aquaman was initially that he was a wimpy, pathetic, good-for-nothing superhero. That changed obviously

Swampert- Originally I was going to pick Empoleon for his starter, but I realized that Swampert made more sense given that it reflects how Aquaman is a child of both the sea and Land.

Kyogre- He's the king of the sea, of course he has this pokemon

Aquaman's pokemon were fairly easy to do. My only problem is that have type-overlap.

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Green Arrow

Decidueye- Oliver Queen's backstory fits very well with Decidueye's evolution line. Specifically with Dartrix being snobby and fussy to evolving into a more deadly pokemon.

Barraskewda- On Starfish island, Oliver gained sustenance from fishing. Given that Arrokewda is partially based on an arrow, this is a reflection of that.

Hitmonchan- Punching glove arrow

Sirfetch'd- Oliver considers himself more honorable that the other heroes.

More pokemon will be added soon.

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Meta-Pokemon: Pokemon that have gone through significant alterations during rapid environmental changes, exposure to certain elements, etc. Things that can change in these pokemon vary widely from small stat changes to the changing of types, appearance, and abilities. In the actual Pokemon continuity there are pokemon similar to this discription such as Blood Moon Ursaluna and Rockruff with the ability Own Tempo.

Comment down what you think of these.

Legion of Doom Pokémon Teams

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stuckinapril · 3 months

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I know studying and learning is your thing but I can't help but feel unmotivated with university. I know I'm extremely privileged to be able to attend it but I always feel like my classes aren't that fulfilling (overall I think nothing would ever be that fulfilling to me) very much wish I were studying something more practical:'( I know there are way in which I can try and improve my life but I don't know if I'll ever be satisfied (I also think the odds of getting those things™ like a good job once I graduate are very unlikely but I'll still try)

And like university makes me feel so bad to the point where I'm almost depressive and want to stay at home, do very little etc

It’s my thing bc I love what I’m studying—and love the act of studying in and of itself! I’ve truly been this way since I was a child, and it really helps that I’ve felt called to science and medicine from a very young age. I also view studying as a fun skill/game/challenge, as opposed to demonizing it into something I have to do but don’t enjoy (a symptom of the US education system for sure, so I don’t blame anyone for feeling this way, but I’ve managed to break past it). Passion has never been the issue for me.

If I ever slacked w school, it honestly always originated from a place of being distracted by other things—phone, people, circumstances… it was never a matter of dragging my feet about learning, unless it was something I didn’t understand right away lmao (I literally hate not understanding something off the bat). Doing hard things attracts me at this point of my life, but it hasn’t always been this way, and isn’t always this way. Everyone has down days.

To not be passionate about what you’re studying is a completely different matter, and something you should absolutely dig deeper into without feeling guilty for doing it. It doesn’t mean you’re lazy or unmotivated. And please don’t let the fallacy of sunk costs stop you. It doesn’t matter how far into your degree you’ve gotten; no time is better than the present when it comes to changing paths. You don’t want to be shackled to something you don’t like doing for the rest of your life. Also consider other factors that might be preventing you from studying efficiently, like phone addiction or other intrinsic problems, and try to address those in turn. Maybe it’s a combination of making lifestyle changes and a degree change, maybe it’s just changing degrees, or maybe you’re better off looking at other avenues. Whatever works best for you.

Overall we’re all very different people, and just bc one path is working for someone doesn’t mean it’ll work equally well for somebody else. I love school, but I can still recognize it’s not the perfect fit for everybody—and it’s very much far from being the only fit. There are so many ways to go about your life these days. No way is inherently better than the other. I hope you figure it out & do what you love friend

#ask

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