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misccy27 · 1 year

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Since everyone is talking about Belos' past anyway with the Hollow Mind portraits, I thought I might as well share my ideas/receipts about how Belos concealed his past when presenting himself as Emperor.

Like he's been a public figure in the Boiling Isles for a long time. So I was wondering how much others knew or suspected about the truth. Here's what I've come up with:

1. There are traces of Philip still around.

S2E4 Gwendolyn tells Luz, “Humans are rare. My great-grandmother told me about a human who once lived here. But one day he just vanished. Rumor has it he left something in the library.”

S2E5 Luz finds an article in the library that tells her: “Hundreds of years ago, there was a human named Philip Wittebane living in Bonesborough. And he donated his diary to this library.”

The diary is so old that it’s kept in the Forbidden Stacks, only accessible by library staff members. It seems unlikely that many people have read it. But even if they did, there doesn’t seem to be anything really connecting it to Belos. Because:

2. Others think Belos is a witch

S1E18 Willow says, “the Emperor is the most skilled witch that's ever lived.”

S1E19 King says, “a mysterious witch appeared who declared that he, and he alone, could speak to the island.”

S1E19 King also says, "He's the Emperor! He's the most powerful witch alive!"

S1E19 Lilith says, "Being in the Emperor's Coven was my dream. I wanted to work alongside the most powerful witch on the Isles and make the world a better place."

I don't remember anything contradicting this. There are demons on the BI that look pretty similar to witches, and demons (like Hooty) can be immortal ig, so it matters to me that Belos was specifically presenting himself as a witch.

That said, the lifespan of witches is never officially confirmed afaik (and I do hate that thanks). Bump gets that throwaway line about 300 years until retirement or whatever. But since we are shipping witches and humans, they have to have similar lifespans. You cannot convince me otherwise lol.

So that makes it even more implausible that the human that showed up and vanished centuries ago is at all related to Belos, the ~most powerful~ witch on the Boiling Isles.

The fact that the Emperor also has a 16 year old nephew lends further credence to the idea that he's a normal witch, aging normally, with normal (if mysterious) family ties.

3. Belos’ appearance

S1E19 The Unauthorized Boiling Isles History reads, “Before he ascended to the throne, Emperor Belos gained prominence as a crusader for unity during the Savage Ages.”

S2E16 We get to see Belos during this crusade period. He definitely already looks old:

We also know that Belos has been Emperor for ~50 years:

S1E17 a Hexside teacher says, “Over 50 years ago, Emperor Belos appointed a head witch to each coven.” [Bonus fun: this means Terra could be the first head of the plant coven]

S1E18 Kikimora says, “Up until 50 years ago, witches and demons practiced wild magic during what we called the Savage Ages [...] until our great Emperor ascended to the throne, and taught witches how to use magic properly.”

So that's 50 years on top of his age when he was crusading. Hasn’t anybody noticed that Belos is unreasonably old for a witch yet? (And if so, what did they think he was?)

I think Belos could have handled this discrepancy by carefully planning how he travels around the island and changing his name as he goes; standard secret immortality stuff. This would also serve the double benefit of making it seem like he has a broader base of support from the start, if there’s the appearance of several crusaders going around spreading the ~good word~.

At some point, though, he did start covering his tracks. By present day (s1), Belos’ Emperor outfit makes his age much more ambiguous:

This is also how he appears in all the official, state-sanctioned portrayals of the Emperor that I remember seeing. Examples:

Which brings me to my main point:

4. History is written by Belos

Lilith is a historian and the former head of the Emperor's Coven. She didn't seem to know any truths about Belos' past. Hunter had access to and was actively reading restricted books about wild magic from the Savage Ages. We get no hint that he came across anything, either.

But they also weren't looking. So let's say you're highly suspicious of Belos and actively digging into his past. How much could you find out about him? We already have the official narrative: Belos ended the Savage Ages and united witchkind 50 years ago. So what about the unofficial narrative?

This brings us back to The Unauthorized Boiling Isles History from S1E19. This is a book owned by Eda, the most infamous wild witch on the Boiling Isles. Here's King's full narration from this scene:

A mysterious witch appeared who declared that he, and he alone, could speak to the island. He said that we were using magic all wrong. His teachings took hold, his strength grew, and he became... Emperor Belos. Belos said that mixing magic was wrong, that only he had that right. So he created the coven system. And there, our knowledge was restricted, and our potential sealed away. Those who resist are called wild witches, and they face harsh punishment. Emperor Belos has since retreated into his castle. There are whispers that say he's planning something big.

King's narration is different from the text on the page. Here's the page on Belos:

“He rules by fear and an iron fist, and his past remains largely unknown.”

So it sounds like Belos has indeed done a very good job of establishing and maintaining information control. He has erased his past so thoroughly that even an unauthorized history book offers no real rumors or speculation. Both inside the castle and in pockets of dissent, we find no trace of the truth of Belos' past. It is believable to me that even highly-ranked coven officials who are suspicious of Belos and actively looking for information about his past from inside the castle still wouldn't be able to find anything at this point.

With that said: there are probably rumors. There probably are witches who remember Belos from his crusades and grew suspicious. They probably did try to spread the word and warn others.

At the same time, I’m sure that there are plenty of witches saying plenty of things about Belos. Belos is the most influential and powerful witch on the Boiling Isles, after all. So looking at it from the perspective of someone trying to piece together the truth:

How plausible does it sound that the witch ruling the Boiling Isles is actually a human? How plausible does it sound that he’s actually 400+ years old? How do either or both of those rumors weigh up against all of the other scraps of information and official propaganda and baseless conspiracy theories that you’re also coming across?

How much are either of these rumors worth considering if your primary concern is to, say, try to figure out what’s actually going to happen on the Day of Unity?

(At what point do you decide to just go straight to the source?)

#toh belos #toh meta #jokes on you i had an ulterior motive #and that motive is always darius #and eber and raine ofc #love the rebels #i will not be putting in the HM portrait of flora d'esplora as an example of information control #solely because that portrait makes me so uncomfortable lol #but beyond that i genuinely do not care about belos' tragic backstory at all #i just hate him too much tbh

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let-us-cultivate-our-garden · 1 year

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I’ve seen people state that Dana Terrace has a tendency to emasculate the characters she doesn’t like, especially villains . Like often making them be defeated incredibly easily or making them do things that go against their established characters. From what you’ve seen do you think this is true?

Honestly, I think you can make the case that she does this to characters she DOES like as well; not the emasculation part, but the out-of-character moments. The most recent offender is The Collector who was previously established as enjoying watching Belos abuse and murder grimwalkers and is looking forward to the Day of Unity, but in For the Future, none of these malicious traits are present, and he seemingly does a 180 in his characterization. They're just a Lonely Kid with superpowers instead of the chaotic god child who apparently delights in misery.

It's one thing to present a character one way and gradually reveal the layers underneath but such a drastic change with seemingly no explanation is not character development, it's a retcon.

The show also has a problem with setting up how some characters change: Darius was initially presented as being contemptuous of Hunter but warms up to him once he stands up to him. Considering his history with the previous Golden Guard, shouldn't Darius know what Hunter goes through instead of assuming Hunter is spoiled? Darius' rebellion against Belos is also muddled; he becomes a fully-fledged CATs member because he cares about people and is suspicious of the Day of Unity. Except, I don't believe we're ever shown why this is the case. Darius is a Coven Head and it's his job to get more recruits and was trained by the previous Golden Guard. Logically, he should be a firm believer, but instead he uses his status to climb the ranks to act as a mole. This is a great starting point but we're missing what triggered this in the first place. The only hint is that the death of his mentor is what started his rebellion against Belos. But this isn't really expanded upon and it raises more questions. How did he find out that it was Belos who killed his mentor? How much did the Golden Guard tell him? If the death of the previous GG is what made him turn on Belos, then why does he treat Hunter poorly? If you're going to have a character act as a mole, then at least explain what their motives are and how they were developed.

This shows how fundamentally flawed the world-building in The Owl House is; characters only follow Belos when it's convenient to the plot. So in the end, you have characters who oppose Belos because they're on Team Good Guy (Darius, Raine, Eberwolf), the ones who support him because they've always been Evil (Kiki and Terra) and the rest of the isles who either celebrate him at a parade or denounce Eda's potential execution because two teenagers said so.

Anyway, onto the villains...

Odalia is essentially a war profiteer who doesn't care that her entire species is about to be wiped out by the DOU, even though logically she should. She cares about her company and a company can't profit if the majority of your customers are dead. She is tyrannical, cruel, and greedy and it's fun to watch her be reduced to a mere servant. I don't mind this development for Odalia, however, it does point to the trend of taking powerful enemies and reducing them to a shadow of themselves for comedic purposes.

Kikimora was presented as a terrifying enforcer of the Emperor's laws but she got progressively more pathetic to the point where she had to impersonate a teenager and serve as the right hand to Boscha, a character we haven't seen properly since Season 1. She is presented as power-hungry, pathologically ambitious, and has an intense desire to earn Belos' favor, but when he turns against her, she helps King find the Collector, effectively helping defeat Belos. But recently, she is back to her Season 2 shenanigans by taking over Hexside and the question is why exactly? We saw her world crumble before her and she reverts back to her previous traits instead of actual characterization. A common interpretation is that she is just THAT obsessed with power that nothing can break it, which isn't...realistic. FtF doesn't show why Kiki does this, she just does. Perhaps because of the psychological damage of Belos betraying her she decides to continue with what she's always done, except that this isn't telegraphed clearly. Instead, she just comes off as a mini-boss before the final showdown.

That leaves Belos as the only real credible threat and while he is terrifying on a personal level, we never see him at his full power; for apparently being the most powerful "witch" in the isles, his magic doesn't really stand out from what was seen before. And in King's Tide, he was just playing with Luz. He is ultimately brought down by his own hubris and misplaced trust, and an over-powered god child. Belos' defeat is thematically appropriate so it's not as egregious as Kiki's but it does fall into the category of "Easily Defeated." Obviously, we'll have to wait for the finale to see if that trend continues.

Belos' defeat by the Collector seemed to set them up as the new threat in town, that Belos, for all of his power, was ultimately nothing and the mysterious Collector is a force to contend with. But no, the Collector is largely kept in check by King. So Belos' defeat doesn't do anything for either character; we don't get any reaction from Belos about his centuries-long plan blowing up in his face and the Collector isn't even bad, just misguided. As for the misunderstanding between King and the Collector and their "new game"? I don't think the Collector will actually do anything that will have lasting damage, not while Belos still breathes.

And that's a common problem the villains in this show have, any attempt at interiority or psychological depth is explicitly rejected by the show (remember Kiki and her family, how she was worried about being disowned? Psyche! She'll drop everything for even a smidge of more power!) and the lesson seems to be "these characters have always been Evil and nothing will change that."

It can be fun watching villains go from intimidating to pathetic, but if that's all you do with them then it becomes boring fast, at least for me. Ultimately, I think the biggest problem with the villains is that you're supposed to take them at face value: Belos, Kiki, Odalia, are Evil for petty reasons and will do anything for power. Not all villains need to be nuanced with complex characterization but if all of your villains are just Evil all the time and the text explicitly does not want you sympathizing with them or even showing a different side to them, then that's just a wasted opportunity to flesh out your world with interesting characters.

#the owl house #toh critical #toh criticism #emperor belos #philip wittebane #kikimora #darius deamonne #odalia blight #toh collector #asks #long post

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thesupreme316 · 1 year

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Hey👋. I know it’s have been a short time since my last request. Life has been a little tough for me lately but I’ve returned.

So I was thinking of some platonic AEW wrestlers helping the fem!reader ( a young fan maybe like 16-18 even 19 possibly) with a panic attack (claustrophobia) at a meet and greet.

The wrestler(s) could be either;

a commonly loved character that is a softie with fans( The Bucks, Cody, Jeff Hardy, Skye Blue, Danhansen)

a rougher wrestler that stays in character with fans but once sees the reader, they break( MJF, Mox, Eddie Kington)

the wrestlers that are on the younger(ish)side( Top flight, HOOK, Isaiah Kassidy)

or the older wrestlers( Chris Jericho, Billy Gunn, Sting, Taz)

Sincerely, sorry for such a long request

Ps. I love how you wrote my requests. Much Love🫶🏻🫶🏻

Hi sweetheart, I hope everything is going better for you. (and don't you dare apologize for your ideas)

AEW Stars React To You: Having a Panic Attack

Pairings: Jeff Hardy X Fem!Reader (Platonic), Eddie Kingston X Fem!Reader (Platonic), Hook X Fem!Reader (Platonic), Dante Martin X Fem!Reader (Platonic), Darius Martin X Fem!Reader (Platonic), Sting X Fem!Reader (Platonic)

Warnings: mentions of claustrophobia, mentions of panic attacks, slightly proofread

Supreme Speaks: Thank you to @hookerforhook for requesting and again I hope life is treating you much better as you deserve the best things. As always, my inbox and requests is open for everyone. If anyone needs to talk or just need someone to listen, my dms are open. P.S you are loved and greatly appreciated.

Word Count: 952

Taglist: @wwenhlimagines @triscillal @sheinthatfandom @hooks-martin @hookerforhook @eddie-kingstons-wifey

Backstory:

You were waiting in line to meet your favorite wrestler, as everyone was. But it was really special for you as it was your first time going to a live wrestling event. AEW was hosting a meet and greet before Dynamite and you were fortunate that it was in your town and you saved enough money to go.

This wrestler meant a lot to you; they helped you during a rough time, motivated you, and inspired you to do better in your life every day.

While waiting you’re waiting in line, you started to get sweaty palms and immediately started to guard yourself; you’re breath started to stagger and you started to hyperventilate.

Most people would think it’s because you’re really excited. But it was because you were claustrophobic, you couldn’t stand crowds, and you actually hated and dreaded them.

People started pushing you around, meshing you against other people in line. Soon, it began to feel like walls were being built around you and they were cutting off your oxygen.

As you were hyperventilating, your chest started to swell with tightness as you began to shake. But soon…a figure, that you thought you would never meet, saved you…

The commonly loved character that is a softie with fans…Jeff Hardy:

This man would jump into action and ask the crowd to give you some space

Would immediately give you space while also checking on you

“Darling, are you okay?” (MY MAN WITH THE CAROLINIAN ACCENT)

Would give you water and wait until you stated your name before getting close to you

You were able to skip the line as Jeff really wanted to make sure you were okay

Wants to distract you so he’s rambling about anything and everything

“When I’m up on the top rope, it feels like I’m so free and gone with the wind”

Will constantly ask if you’re feeling alright

After you’re okay, you talk to him about how he’s impacted your life as he signs your picture

He smiles at you and takes a picture with you

Afterward, he would give you a backstage pass, so you have all the space you need to watch the show

The rougher wrestler that stays in character with fans but once sees the reader, they break…Eddie Kingston:

It has been said by Eddie himself that he suffers from panic attacks so I think he would take your situation very seriously

Would immediately yell at the line to disperse as you fell to the ground, going straight into an attack

He would jump down and use some methods that helped him through panic attacks

This would include naming 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, etc.

Will be completely transparent with you as he is with everyone “You’re okay. Everything is okay. Those idiots don’t understand personal space.”

Will have a heart-to-heart with you about panic attacks (I feel like ya’ll will get so into the conversation that it would feel like y’all just knew each other for years)

“What medicine do you take?….Oh, that doesn’t work for shit…I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ME!”

Like Jeff, Eddie will distract you with stories about who he has beef with (also to let out his frustrations)

His heart would grow after hearing how much of an impact he has made on your life

Eddie would definitely have a conversation with whoever didn’t monitor the capacity

The wrestlers that are on the younger(ish)side…Hook, Dante and Darius Martin (3/4ths of The Lads):

Okay, I hope this doesn’t sound bad but I feel like they would freak out first…well at least

But only because they wouldn’t know how how to help

Hook would be kind of frozen to help at first

All of them would ask you yes or no questions to try not to overwhelm you

They would quickly give you water and instruct you to take deep breaths

Darius: You’re doing great

Dante: Do you need more water?

Hook: Here's more chips. hands you a whole unopened bag

Top Flight would try to distract you with music, giving you recommendations

Wants you to stay near their table so they check on you throughout the invite

“We are friends now”

(Call me trying to give you a Y/N moment) But I really do feel like they would become genuine friends with you

I also think they would look up more resources on how to help you and others who might have panic attacks

The veteran wrestler…Sting (his might be short, sorry):

Sting is an understanding and supportive grandpa and I refuse to elaborate

Anyways, would definitely pull you to a corner (to give you space) and shut down his booth for a little bit

I feel like he would use the RAIN method to help you calm down and have you take deep breaths

“It’s okay kid. It happens to most of us.”

After you’re feeling better, he would take pictures with you, give you a long letter of encouraging words

I feel like even after you leave the booth, he would still check up on you and keep an eye on you

Like Jeff, he would also give you a backstage path

Would definitely post something on Twitter about giving people a respectable amount of space and not shoving when at meet and greets

You would forever live in his mind and he would constantly hope that you’re safe

#aew #all elite wrestling #aew imagine #jeff hardy #jeff hardy imagine #eddie kingston #aew hook imagine #eddie kingston imagine #sting aew #aew hook #top flight #darius martin x reader #dante martin imagine #darius martin imagine #aew hook x reader #eddie kingston x reader #aew reactions

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whumpsoda · 4 months

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Bad Days - Malak and Nevan

WOHEO Masterlist

This is inspired by a recent ask!!! I really wanted to write a couple short things about these two in recovery just because I couldn’t get their ask out of my head :3

These two snippets take place proceeding Malak and Nevan’s captivity, after a hunter frees them!!

Taglist- @softvampirewhump

cw: conditioned/brainwashed whumpees

———————————————————————

Malak’s eyes remained fixed on the glowing screen of the television, lazily glossing over each flick of the visuals. He blocked out the drawl of voices, reducing the sound to a hum in the back of his brain.

Besides that, the shared trailer was deathly silent.

Upon the revelation, Malak perked up a bit. Just minutes ago, or at least so he thought, Nevan had been dashing from room to room in a whirlwind of motivation, cleaning and taking care of whatever he could for most of the morning.

As much as Malak wished to help the younger man during his tough days, he wasn’t exactly equipped in that area of expertise. Sometimes letting Nevan do his own thing seemed to work best.

But now he’d stopped, and was nowhere to be heard. Silence during Nevan’s flare ups was never a good sign.

Draping his most prized blanket over his shoulders and around his neck, Malak made his way to the kitchen. His feet, covered in a pair of plush and fuzzy socks, shuffled over the crunchy rug.

Walking was still strange for Malak. His legs still wobbled, his knees still always threatened to buckle any second. He had the wall though, surroundings capable of stabilizing him as he made his way across the room. He would take any means of aid over crawling.

Hiding his body behind the doorway, he peered his head in, only for his vision to settle upon Nevan immediately.

The other man’s back was pressed against the wall next to him, a familiar sight. He stood in a trained position, flawless posture and hands perfectly intertwined above his midsection. Nevan didn’t take the slightest notice of Malak’s presence, eyes shut and ears closed, save for the search of his beloved bell.

Malak gently lifted a hand, stretching out a finger and tapping softly to Nevan’s shoulder.

Nevan twitched with the touch, eyes widening the smallest bit in reaction. “Master..?” He hazily questioned, head tilting to meet Malak with glassy, confusion tainted eyes.

He recognized that was not his master. That Malak was just another thrall, and a much farther valued one at that. Yet, the urge to serve someone, anyone, in any way possible did not dissipate.

Malak used his thumb to tenderly stroke Nevan’s skin. He easily leaned into it, awaiting for Malak to gift him a wonderfully mind numbing command. When he didn’t, instead continuing his tender motions, Nevan utilized one of Darius’ favorite phrases. “What may I do for you, sir?”

Malak stared for a moment, quietly deciding his next move while Nevan gladly waited. He released the plaster of the doorway, shifting his weight back to his two feet. Silently he held out his palm, looking to Nevan and signaling for him to take it.

Nevan’s lazy gaze fell to the hand and then back up to Malak, searching for approval, and Malak only nodded gingerly, gesturing again to his hand. Timidly, Nevan accepted the gesture, allowing for the other man’s thick fingers to envelop his own in a pool of warmth.

“Do you need something, um, sir? I can be of assistance.”

“Follow.” Malak instructed, but unlike Darius his voice was calm and leathery, not a hint of irritation. Nevan did so obediently, eager to allow anyone to give him a purpose.

He walked elegantly behind, contrasting his roommate's heavy steps, as Malak guided him to the floor of their living space where he had been seated just moments prior. “I can be a good boy and help you, sir. With, with, um, anything.” He insisted, head spinning with each graceful step.

His movements abruptly ceased with Malak’s, almost running into the larger man. Malak simply motioned to the deteriorating, itchy rug. “Sit, please.” He requested.

Nevan instantly dropped to his knees, a dizzied look on his face. Malak soon followed, gently making his way to the ground beside the other man. He wrung his muscled arm around Nevan’s shoulder and neck, tenderly pulling the man closer.

Malak shifted his attention, something on the television catching his eye. Nevan sat in stunned silence for a moment, savoring the warmth of his cheek against Malak’s fuzzy sweater. “Am, am I being good? Do you need anything? Am I being a good boy?” The pathetic pleas of questions spilled from his lips.

“Good. So good.” Malak soothed, tugging Nevan closer. Nevan nuzzled into Malak’s comforting, relaxing hold.

He sensed his face heating from the praise, his blurred brain recognizing the pleasant pulse of his heart. “Thank you, thank you, sir.”

“Shh. Relax.” Malak murmured, brushing a thick strand of hair behind the small man’s ear.

Startled from such a foreign request Nevan pulled away for a moment, the faint remembrance of his biddable objective resurfacing. “But, um, but I-” his fingers curled atop Malak’s lap, and his dark brows twisted.

“Please.” Malak whispered, soft gravel snaking its honeyed way over the word.

Nevan’s body numbed, limbs easing and falling back into place. “Oh. Um, okay, sir.” He stumbled, his cheek taking its place on Malak’s large shoulder.

Nevan was delighted to do anything as long as he could succeed in pleasing just one person.

——

Malak was having a bad day. He admittedly had a very frequent amount of days coated in bitterness and the everlasting effects of past events, and Nevan held the sole responsibility to get him through another one. He didn’t particularly mind, though, being well acquainted with the practice of waiting and serving upon others.

He entered the living room of the trailer, a bowl of mouth watering, savory macaroni wrapped inside of his grip. A sticky pool of cheese drooled over the noodles, steaming with warmth. He turned to the floor, Malak’s usual spot, and yet nothing sat atop the disturbed, crumbling rug.

His gaze wavered about the room, over the still black television, the scattered blankets, and yet Malak was nowhere to be seen. Nevan’s stomach tensed, and he quickly set down the food.

“Malak?” He exclaimed, making his way swiftly down the narrow hall, and peeking into the other rooms. “Malak?” He repeated. No answer. “Malak!” Silence.

He dug through each room, checking wherever he could, even spaces that wouldn’t have fit Malak’s bulking figure. No Malak.

He practically ran back to the minute living room, biting his lip warily and clawing at a strand of his hair. Horrified, his gaze quickly landed on the front door, a sliver of freezing air making its way in. His breath hitched.

Malak was gone. For all Nevan knew, he was escaping back to the vampires, no matter the fact that their masters were long dead. What if he was hurt? Scared? What if a different vampire had already plucked him off the streets for themself?

Dashing to the door, Nevan swung it open and stuck his head outside, icy wind chilling his cheeks. “Malak?” He called again, only for his vision to quickly land on the other man balled up on the edge of the porch.

Nevan inched closer, careful steps creaking the old and withered planks of wood. Malak sat atop the rim, shivering under a swaddle of several precious comforters. The one most recognizable was the meticulously pink one Adrastus had knit, which hugged Malak’s large waist.

“Hey, man. What’re you doing out here?” Nevan questioned softly, bending down to his knees and resting on Malak’s level.

Malak’s head was eagerly craned to one side, exposing the skin of his neck and chest, the only part of him not enveloped by a pillowy blanket. His lips quivered as he spoke, and his teeth slightly chattered. “Mm… Mah- Master…” he stumbled, eyes glassy and brows furrowed in puzzlement.

“What about Master?” Nevan pressed, placing a tender hand to the other man’s shoulder, a welcomed touch.

“Um…wuh, wait… ‘fer Master…” Malak drawled, tilting his neck ever so much further, desperate for the intimate bite he so craved. His still red rung bites were clearly visible, him having ripped off the usual bandages that covered them.

Nevan, despite the despair that hung on his heart, gave Malak a sweet smile. “You’re waiting for Master?” The other man took a moment to process the speech, before giving him the faintest of a nod. “Well it’s pretty dark and cold outside right now, and it’s not so safe to be out here. Can you wait inside with me?”

Malak thought the suggestion over, before distressfully shaking his head. “Mmng.. mm, mm… n- no…”

“Come on, man. Here.” From the corner of his eye Malak inspected Nevan’s outstretched hand, hesitant to take it. Ultimately though, he did as he was told.

“We can wait together inside where it’s nice and warm. I’ll turn on the television too and we can watch something while we wait.” He tenderly rubbed Malak’s fingers as the man rose to his feet, shivering. “Master would like that, wouldn’t they?”

Taking a beat to digest his friend’s saccharine words, Malak gave another feeble nod in agreement. “Yeah, yeah… Mm, Master…” his feet scuffled along the wood as he walked, and his pounds of blankets picked up dirt as they dragged behind him, all the while Nevan gingerly guided him along.

Once back indoors, Malak practically leaning on him, Nevan made a point to lock the doors. With intertwined fingers the two made their way to Malak’s spot on the floor, of which he drowsily plopped onto.

“Here, dude. I made you some food.” Nevan placed the still lukewarm bowl in Malak’s open lap, of which he eyed hungrily. “Mac and cheese.”

Malak rubbed his palms on the ceramic, reveling in the warmth it supplied to his freezing flesh. “Mm…mac and, and cheese…” he perked up only when Nevan switched on the TV, his favorite program quickly catching his cloudy attention.

Nevan returned again, resting beside the other man, speaking to him in his soothing, honey voice. “Do you need help eating that?” He asked.

Sometimes Malak did. Sometimes, often on the bad days, he imagined it was Adrastus feeding him. Placing sweet, loving spoonfuls of their rich cooking to his tongue, whispering affectionate praises and cooes that licked his ears.

To Nevan’s surprise, Malak lightly shook his head, vision still fixated on the screen. “Wah, um, wanna… wanna do it.” His doe eyes trailed over with unease to meet Nevan’s.

Nevan only gave him a satisfied grin. “Let me know if you need anything. I’m always happy to help.”

#Sorry for posting about my ocs so much #I had a crap day and writing them makes me happy #And I’m very self conscious about writing right now so I’m having a hard time writing other stuff #recovery #recovery whump #recovering whumpee #Nevan oc #Malak oc #conditioned whumpee #conditioning whump #brainwashing whump #My writing #whump #Whumpblr #Pet whump #we only have each other

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thousand-winters · 4 months

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Since Hunter likes to hide under Darius's cloak at the castle and people can easily see his little legs, Darius sews a pocket on his cloak that Hunter can sit in so nobody can tell he's there.

Does it look like he has a weird lump on his cloak when he walks? Probably. Does he care? Partially. Is he going to stop Hunter from crawling inside his cloak and making himself comfortable there? Most certainly not.

Hunter is just small enough that the weight doesn't really bother him, but he is aware that it might be too obvious. Perhaps with the help of some abomination magic they can make it look smoother. It's technically not such an important thing that Darius should be dedicating that much thought to it, but it makes Hunter happy, and by the Titan if that isn't motive enough for him.

Now the only thing that ever gives Hunter away is his little giggles if someone he likes asks about him, and it's always such an experience for whoever it is because Darius cracks a smile as well.

#starting the bonding through sewing since a young age #hunter deamonne #darius deamonne #dadrius #the owl house #toh

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episims · 3 months

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Amelia "Hi, Dari!"

Darius "Huh... what are you doing here, Amy?"

Amelia "Oh, I-I thought you could, um. Maybe help me...?"

Darius "No? I'm busy. We're going to travel today-"

Amelia "I know!! It's related. Um. Sorta?"

Darius *sigh* "Fine, whatever. What's it about?"

Amelia "So, um, when you got into that university... how did you do it?"

Darius "What do you mean, how? I filled an application, they accepted it. This isn't some fucking Académie Le Tour we're talking about, I doubt they even bothered reading the motivation letter."

Amelia "Ooh, great!! Could I do that, too?"

Darius "What... apply to a university?"

Amelia "Yep!"

Darius "They do check the grades, Amy. What the hell would you even want there for? You've always whined about school being boring."

Amelia "I-I've heard university is different. That you can choose what you study? That's not the same at all!"

Darius If this isn't a waste of time, I don't know what is. "It's still studying. You can't just fucking skip the bits you find boring."

Amelia "But people also go to university to figure out what they want to do, right...? Because, Ellie knows she wants to wait for Tristan, and Daph knows she wants to stay here, but I-I don't know anything. So I just thought... maybe if I go to a university, I'll know too."

Darius "Watcher... look, you can't just go in there. You need either good grades, which you don't have, or recommendations by significant people, which you don't have either, or some special talent-"

Amelia "Ahh!! I can draw?"

Darius "...How well?"

Amelia "Um... I'm not as good with paints as daddy is, but I'm almost as good with pencils, and I-I haven't practiced much."

Darius "Your dad is a nurse."

Amelia "He's an artist, too! He used to do it more, but then he wanted to be a nurse instead, but he still paints during nights! ...He says he gets more orders than he can do. So if I tell them he's my dad, m-maybe that would help...?"

Darius "Okay, fine. Sure. I guess it won't hurt to try." Or if she gets hurt when she won't get accepted, I won't be here so it's not my problem. "I have the site open, anyway. They're still filling in leftover seats for the next semester-"

#ts2 #ts2 gameplay #the sims 2 #the sims 2 gameplay #sims 2 #sims 2 gameplay #foxfire forest #playing foxfire forest #darius wells #amelia rhymes

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polyhexian · 4 months

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wait i think i might be a bit stupid but which one was the worst timeline again?? sorry i just mix them up sometimes—-

Noooo omg you're not stupid

Worst timeline is when jasper begs Belos to let Hunter live and he says he'll stay and never try to leave him again, he'll make sure Hunter stays loyal so that Belos doesn't have to kill him, only this time Belos takes him up on it. So Jasper doesn't get to RAISE him, he's his mentor and training him to replace him as the golden guard when he turns 18. He's particularly harsh because, again, he needs to make sure he stays loyal and never considers leaving because if Belos thinks he's questioning him, he'll kill him. He also needs to make sure Hunter is strong enough to survive so he pushes him hard training. Hunter only knows jasper as the golden guard and as his imposing, frightening mentor he's spent years desperately trying to earn the approval of.

Also after the night hunter was born he abruptly stopped speaking to Darius who was obviously quite flabbergasted by this development, but when he saw jasper suddenly being like this ruthless trainer to this sad little kid, he's like fuck you, what happened to you?? I thought I knew you. Cuz here he wasn't like, grieving, so he's actually paying attention. So Darius ends up becoming close with hunter really early on, being nice to him, helping him get to the healers coven after training, checking in on him, etc etc. so by the time we reach canon timeline Darius is basically already his dad, Darius hates jasper, jasper is miserable, and hunter is terrified of him.

After hollow mind hunter runs away and jasper is basically in full blown panic mode like he knows the day of unity is coming and he knows hunter has a sigil and he believes Belos has some way to save him and hunter the same way he does for the other coven heads, right, so he's hunting hunter (lol) down to drag him back and make SURE he never ever ever thinks about running away again and make SURE he is groveling enough that Belos will believe that and save him. Jasper shows up toward the end of labyrinth runners to snag him, but Darius has also shown up there and manages to keep jasper busy long enough with a huge super witch battle for him to get away.

It's only finally during that confrontation with Belos in the finale that Belos reveals he was never going to save anyone and he was never going to let Hunter live, so Jasper realizes everything he's done was meaningless and never for the greater good and he was always the bad guy, so he has his immediate heel turn and attacks belos, saving hunter from a big attack, and then like Belos shoots hunter off the cliff into the graveyard and jasper just straight up jumps after him, and they do the thing like the end of how to train your dragon so hunter survived the fall mostly uninjured but jasper is not so lucky. He has just enough strength left to tell hunter he's sorry for everything, including that he's never going to get any closure about this, then teleports him back upstairs just in time to make it through the portal with the others. Then he dies, alone, in the graveyard and Darius and Hunter never actually know what was going on with jasper, what his motivations were, why he did anything he did, why he heel turned at the end, what the fuck he was talking about with "I'm sorry and I love you." He just dies and it sucks and it's utterly miserable and it's the worst timeline

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fandomsandflyingstingrays · 8 months

Text

Stepping Stones: Chapter 12

Eda folds her arms, shaking her head at the woman in the mirror. “Oh, girl,” she sighs. “What have you become?”

She looks great, of course. She always does. The issue is the vibe. Usually, Eda has one of two philosophies for getting ready: let her natural beauty do all the work, or dress to impress. This time, for the first time in her life, she has done neither. For the first time in her life, she has dressed to look professional.

“They’ve already changed me,” she sighs.

“Who’s already changed you?” Raine opens the door to their bedroom, slipping inside— and then widens their eyes when they catch sight of her. “Wow. You look great.”

“I know,” she preens, and they roll their eyes good-naturedly.

“So what don’t you like about it?”

“Come on, Rainestorm. Have you ever seen me look this put-together? It’s not my brand. This business of having students, plural. It’s a menace.”

Raine smiles, coming to stand behind her and wrapping their arms around her. “I think it’s a good look.”

Eda sighs, even as she relaxes into their embrace. “I had to ask Lilith for advice on what to wear.”

Finally, Raine looks appropriately unnerved. “She picked that out for you? I didn’t think she had it in her.”

“Clearly you knew better than me. I figured all that time as a prissy coven head taught her something about professional dress. Turns out she called Darius for advice every time she went out.”

“Ah, so Headmaster Clawthorne’s look only came about through Darius’s intervention.”

“The sacrifices we make for power.”

Raine laughs, planting a kiss on her cheek and stepping back. “Well, I like it.”

“Then I suppose I can come to accept it,” Eda says with a world-weary sigh. “Yours is the only opinion that matters anyway.”

“It’s just missing one thing.”

Finally, Eda tears her gaze from the mirror, making peace with it. “And that is?”

She turns to find Raine holding out their earring.

The one they’ve worn since their first day at Hexside.

Eda’s humor falls away, and she meets their eyes. “Why?”

“Well,” they say, rubbing the back of their neck with their free hand, “I know we agreed a long time ago that we didn’t want rings.”

Eda isn’t surprised they remember. She let it slip when they were dating the first time, after Hexside but before their relationship had started going downhill, that she hated the idea that a relationship had to be witnessed by the proper authorities and bound by magic and paperwork in order to be considered real. She still remembers the relief she felt when Raine agreed— though she knows their motivation stemmed more from the fact that being stared at by a bunch of people for hours was not their idea of a romantic day.

“But,” Raine continues, “I know how nervous you’ve been for today. I wanted you to have something that will always tell you I’m with you, no matter what. Curse or no, magic or no, whether you have one student or one hundred— we’re in this together.”

Eda turns her face skyward, blinking fast, but the snort she makes trying to swallow back her tears belies any effort she could make to hide them. Raine has the audacity to laugh at the noise, and she shakes her head, wiping her eyes and beaming at them.

“Thanks, Rainestorm,” she says hoarsely, and they kiss her hand as she wraps it around the earring.

She takes a deep breath, drawing back some of her composure, and places the earring beside the mirror. “It’s only fair that I offer you some kind of token, too,” she says. She reaches for the gold stones she’s worn in her ears since graduation. Then, with a face as serious as death, she moves her hand past them, uses it to unscrew her prosthetic, and offers it to Raine.

They look from it to her, their face perfectly straight. “Eda,” they say flatly, “I’m not going to take your hand in marriage. We just talked about this.”

Eda throws back her head and laughs, replacing the hand, and then she really does take off her earrings. Both of them put their new earrings into their ears, and as Eda brushes her fingers along the metal, she realizes that Raine was right. This was what the outfit was missing; she’s no longer afraid of it.

And judging by the grin on Raine’s face, they know it. “Ready to go, Headmaster?”

“Ready when you are, Councilor,” she says, and slides her arm through theirs.

…

You’d never know it from the rate at which Belos consumed them, but palistrom trees grow at an almost terrifying speed. The seed Eda planted ten months ago has grown into a towering tree, with golden light seeping from windows that were painstakingly shaped in the wood so as to allow students to roam the inside of it without killing it. It’s grand, and magical, and everything Eda has always thought a school of magic should be. She passes the sign in front of it, running the tip of her hook along the logo Luz designed and the words University of Wild Magic below it. Part of her still can’t believe it’s actually real.

It brings her some relief to see that the people of the Isles seem as spellbound by it as she is. Her first incoming class and their parents, siblings, and friends are all milling around with wide eyes and grins. She only has eyes for five people, however, all standing at the foot of the tree.

“Eda!” Luz runs at her full-speed, sending her stumbling away from Raine and almost crashing to the ground with the force of her embrace. King is there a second later, clambering up her to wrap his arms around her neck.

“Look at this place!” Luz cries. “It’s incredible!”

“It really is,” Eda’s dad agrees softly. He extends a hand to steady her. “Well done, witchlet.”

Eda squeezes her hand. “Well, it wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you.”

“Oh, we’re just so proud,” her mom coos, wrapping her arms around her. Eda pats her back, her eyes finding Lilith over her shoulder, and lets go of her to embrace her sister.

“Aren’t you proud of me, Lily? I’m finally taking school seriously.”

“Truly, it gladdens my heart.” Lilith pulls back and places her hands on Eda’s shoulders, looking her over. “Darius helped you pick out a wonderful outfit, you look like a true leader. And—“ she pauses. “Is that Raine’s earring?”

Eda smiles. “Yeah. They gave it to me before we left. They knew I was nervous about today, and they wanted me to have something to remind me they love me, even if they weren’t physically with me.”

To Eda’s shock, Lilith’s eyes well with tears. “Lily?” she asks, unnerved. Lilith has never been much of a romantic.

“Sorry, I’m sorry.” Lilith hastily wipes her eyes. “It’s just— it’s really good to see the two of you together again. It was my fault that you broke up, I know it was— and they were the love of your life— and I was so worried it would never work out…”

Eda raises her hands, cupping Lilith’s face. “Lily.” She waits until her sister meets her eyes. “For someone who takes so much delight in foisting her knowledge on other people, you can be very stupid.”

Lilith lets out a short gasp of laughter.

“Raine and I broke up because of me,” Eda says clearly. “If the curse was the problem, we wouldn’t be together now. The problem was that I could never accept it. I tried to push away an enormous part of who I was— and in doing so, I gave them a relationship with someone who didn’t exist. I’ve made my peace with the curse, and because I care about all of myself, I can let them care about me. You need to make your peace with it, too.”

“I ruined your life—"

“You did not ruin my life.” Eda spreads her arms, trying to encompass herself, and the people behind her, and the school behind them. “I have a partner and two kids I love and who love me, parents and a sister I’m on good terms with, a government that doesn’t dictate what kind of magic I learn or teach, and a school I’m opening that looks to be very successful. Plus, I can grow wings on command. I’m really fine.” She reaches out again, taking Lilith’s hands and squeezing them. “The only person whose life you’re ruining because of this regret is your own.”

“Eda, I’m never going to stop regretting it—"

“I’m not asking you too. But regret and forgiveness aren’t mutually exclusive.”

“Eda!” She turns to find Darius waving to her. “Time to get ready.”

“Just think about it.” She squeezes Lilith’s hands and turns, following Darius inside the tree and closing the door behind them.

They wind their way through the halls and outside again to one of the platforms nestled in the tree’s branches, where Alador is waiting with a microphone he hands to her. Of course, he’s already thinking about the next thing, not sparing so much as a word for her before he shuffles inside. Eda smiles anyway.

She tightens her hands on the microphone and steps forward, glancing at Darius. He gives her a little nod.

“Hello, everyone,” she says, and her voice echoes down through the forest, effectively silencing the waiting crowd.

“Welcome to the University of Wild Magic. We’ll be open for classes next month. You’re all here because you’ve seen a broadcast on a crystal ball or a post on penstagram or picked up one of our brochures and decided the stuff we teach here was worth checking out. Thank you for that.”

She watches the crowd carefully as she speaks. Most of their faces are intent. Her friends and family are beaming openly. Except— where is Lilith? She was standing with their parents only ten minutes ago, but now she’s nowhere to be found.

Eda tries to shake it off, telling herself she must be elsewhere in the crowd. “I’m not much for speeches,” she continues, “so as an introduction, I thought I’d give you all the floor. What questions can I answer for you tonight?”

There’s a long pause— and then a hand in the middle of the crowd raises.

“Yes?”

“How are you going to teach us if you don’t have any powers?”

She told herself it was coming. It doesn’t make it hurt any less. She takes a deep breath, trying to remember the answer she prepared, refusing to let her voice shake—

“I wouldn’t call her powerless,” a voice says from behind her. Eda turns around to see Lilith flying down to the platform— flying down to the platform— because Lilith is a harpy—

“You did it,” Eda gasps, and her sister grins.

“I had a good teacher.”

They both turn back to the crowd, and Eda can see them piecing things together. Enough of them saw Eda go into harpy mode, enough of them know Lilith shares her curse, to understand what Lilith has managed to do.

“I’m afraid the harpy powers are a Clawthorne sister exclusive,” Eda says, and a laugh rolls through the crowd like a wave that breaks the tension. “But I can assure you that I have experience with many forms of magic. How much of that can I teach you?” She closes her eyes, has a few words with the Owl Beast. When she opens them, she stands just a little taller over the crowd, spreading her wings as wide as they’ll go. “As much as you’re willing to learn from a powerless witch.”

Raine gives a piercing whistle and Luz starts a fit of clapping that quickly spreads into a full round of applause. When the noise dies down, Eda continues, “but speaking of the curriculum, does anyone have any more specific questions on what it will entail?”

They do, of course, and the queries are phrased much more respectfully. People want to know about coven magic and how it will be taught, the ratio of knowledge to practical skill teaching, what new topics she’s going to cover. And to her surprise, she delights in thinking about it, in giving them the answers she prepared and thinking over the ones that she didn’t. It’s Darius who finally puts an end to it, sweeping up beside her and leaning into the microphone.

“Unfortunately, if we want to give you all ample time to tour the school, that’s all the time we’ve got,” he says. “Any further inquiries can be directed to the school Penstagram account, or you can ask Headmaster Clawthorne during the tour.”

Another round of applause follows this, and Eda lets out a long breath, suddenly tired. The crowd begins moving towards the doors, and she, Lilith, and Darius walk back inside.

“I am amazed that you went on for as long as you did,” Darius sighs as they walk.

“I’m not,” Lilith replies idly.

Eda glances at her. “You’re not?”

“I don’t think I can ever recall a full class at Hexside that she sat through without blowing something up,” Darius adds.

“Because she wanted to show off her magic. Eda, I'm sure you used your powers at... inopportune moments because you wanted people to notice them. To be as fascinated by that kind of magic as you were. Of course you’re going to be good at teaching it.”

That makes Eda pause, stopping in the middle of the hallway. It sounds so simple when she puts it like that.

For someone who takes so much delight in foisting her knowledge on other people, you can be very stupid, she hears herself telling Lilith, and she has to laugh. For all the knowledge they’re giving the next generation, they still have plenty to learn about themselves. Between each other and their curses, their allies and their enemies, they’ve had quite the array of teachers.

Eda supposes she’s about to welcome a new one.

“There’s only one way to find out,” she sighs, and pushes open the doors.

#the owl house #toh #eda clawthorne #raine whispers #raeda #lilith clawthorne #dell clawthorne #gwen clawthorne #king clawthorne #luz noceda #darius deamonne #alador blight #stepping stones #ray rambles #ray writes

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vrisrezis · 2 years

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Saw u reblog toh hcs posts so . I am wondering what your hcs are for Raine, darius, Eda, and lilith parent hcs? I am interested to see your take on them!

Thank you whoever sent this . You are god

What do you mean Darius’s is the longest no it isn’t

Eda is the #coolmom as we all already know. As you may see from how she is with Luz, she is the kinda mom that lets you do pretty much whatever you want, and she while she may say she doesn’t agree with certain things you do, she lets you be an individual and do things yourself. She likes to joke around with you, and while she’s not the most emotional and vulnerable mom out there she will always be there for you when things get rough. She’s protective when she needs to be, even if at times she can be a bit much when things are getting really messy. She tries her absolute hardest to be a mom you’ll look up to, be proud of, or simply think is the coolest ever. It may take some time, but she will teach you all about the magic she’s learned, and hopefully you’ll be as amazing as her one day. You, King, and Luz are her world.

Lilith is not used to parenting, but you may find she tries her best as a mother. Her parenting style changes quite a bit as she changes more and becomes more of her truest self. If we’re talking on s1 terms, Lilith is kinda strict on you joining the emperors coven. Well, she tries to be. She won’t force you to but she heavily encourages you to join as she thinks it might be good for you. Or at the very least to join a coven, she doesn’t want you ending up like your aunt. You’re her little apprentice, and she teaches you all the magic she can think to. It’s hard at times to live up to her expectations at times, and having lilith as a mother can prove to be a bit difficult at times but she does her best to provide a good life for you. The more she grows and progresses, she realizes her wrongs and apologizes to you for putting such high expectations on you. Nowadays, she’s much more emotional, and instead of trying to bond with you by training with you, she’s bonding with you through nerdy mutual interests.

Raine as a parent is just.. so sweet. They are a sweetheart truly. If there’s ever a time they upset you they blame themselves so quickly. They’re such a good parent but they think they’re terrible over the littlest mistakes. They would do absolutely anything for you though, and they are actually the perfect parent if you’re autistic or have adhd or something along those lines because they are so good at keeping you motivated and stuff like that. They’re a good support group, and boy do they try their absolute hardest to impress you and show off! They won’t force you to be in any bard related classes but would be so happy if you took any. They’re very silly, and like to poke fun and tease you at times. They’re very protective of you as well, if their attitude towards Eda is to account for anything lol. They hate spending too much time away from you, out of all the parents this one is the clingiest despite being a coven head and they want to be there with you much more often. You also may find that Raine has a bit of a habit of talking about you to literally anyone ever.

Darius isn’t the most emotional dad in the world, nor does he try to be. He does however show he adores you in other aspects. He is extremely protective (the most protective one on this list, so that’s really saying something lol). However he’s not overbearing in the slightest nor does he let it cloud his judgement (too much), he does have fists in you being able to protect yourself. If you’re interested in abomination magic at all, he will help teach you when he has the time. He likes to pick out your outfits, especially when you’re younger. He gets so sad when you get too old for him to pick out your outfits everyday and decide you be your own person finally :( you’re getting old!!! Now I know out of all parents I said Raine is the clingiest but he’s a close second. He enjoys lazy spa days with you, even though they literally never happen except for his one day off all year. However on those less busy work days he will try to make it work. He likes doing your nails and stuff like that if you like doing that! Would be the kinda dad to go to everything, or try to. Games, recitals, etc! He also loves to tease and poke fun at you for dumb shit that he knows will embarrass you. There are these moments where he shows some vulnerability and is sweet to you btw, he’s still your dad after all. He truly adores you so much. Btw did I mention your brother is hunter.

#toh x reader #the owl house x reader #the owl house darius x reader #toh darius x reader #darius x reader #Raine x reader #Raine whispers x reader #toh Raine x reader #toh lilith x reader #lilith x reader #toh eda x reader #eda clawthorne x reader #eda x reader

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drbtinglecannon · 2 years

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I just think about Flapjack, Dadrius, Huntlow, and Gus-Hunter-bros so much

How each dynamic Hunter has with them parallels a previous Caleb's story, and how each dynamic is a perfect reason in Belos' eyes to kill Hunter for "betraying him", let alone the way all of them are happening at once.

Flapjack being the first ever source of unconditional support in Hunter's life, as well as a gateway to wild magic, something Hunter adores but isn't permitted to be around -- just like they were for Caleb centuries ago. Flapjack is scarred and was abandoned for a long time, likely all from the day Caleb was killed, and the person who inflicted this pain onto them is the same person who abused Hunter. Flapjack didn't bond with Hunter because he is made from Caleb, but because Hunter's motivations line up with Flapjack's, and they have (literally) pulled Hunter along helping him eventually build the other supports he's made.

Flapjack represents the beginning of the end for both Caleb and Hunter in Belos' eyes, evident by his outburst upon seeing them. The very representation of the dangers of magic, leading Caleb away from his brother all over again.

Darius being the same witch that the Previous Golden Guard was the mentor of and became attached to, probably as something like a little brother or son, then ended up dying to protect. From the trauma and grief of loss, Darius kept a distant and strained relationship with Hunter for years until recently after a moment of rare rebellion from Hunter -- something we now know every grimwalker before him has also done. Now it has come full circle with Darius as the adult developing a similar attachment to Hunter as something like a son to him, and almost dying during the draining spell after sending Hunter away to protect him.

Belos had to have known about the Previous Golden Guard's dedication to Darius, just as Belos knew Darius was a rebel when no one else suspected him. And now here he is, ruining another perfectly good Caleb not even two decades later.

Willow being a witch that Hunter, a non-witch, develops feelings of some kind for, who is brave and strong and always protecting her loved ones, including Hunter himself a number of times. Hunter, a Caleb clone, who loves wild magic and the people he's bonded with in the Boiling Isles, with Willow being the very first to be positive from the start. A perfect reflection to Caleb, the original Caleb from centuries ago, who willingly fell in love with the Boiling Isles and the people there and -- most importantly -- the witch he started a family with, who bravely tried to protect Caleb in his final moments.

The original sin of Caleb that got him killed in cold blood, grave robbed, and cloned for centuries afterwards was falling in love with the Boiling Isles and a witch. The ultimate betrayal, when Caleb chose this hell over his own brother.

Gus being a little brother to Hunter, who is sheltered and cared for and protected by this older brother figure. This isn't the first Caleb to be an older brother to someone, blood-related or not, in fact that's how this story all started. Caleb was Philip's doting older brother, who sheltered and cared for and protected him their entire childhoods through the horrors of their upbringing. But this time it's not one-sided, Gus has sheltered and cared for and protected Hunter back, he was the safe haven for Hunter to confide in after he ran away from his home, and he shared a healthy coping mechanism with Hunter for his anxiety.

Gus' brothership with Hunter is a series of kindnesses that Philip didn't grant to Caleb in the end. After everything they've been through, how could Caleb choose a witch as a brother over him?

Willow and Gus reflect the original Caleb's story, Darius was directly involved in the last grimwalker story, and Flapjack was directly involved in the original Caleb's story. And all of them are here now for Hunter.

It was inevitable Hunter was going to be the Grimwalker to finally break the chain, with having so many direct and indirect ties to his predecessors all lined up together in his favor through a combination of extreme luck, coincidence, and his own actions to change.

It's beautiful and poetic, really.

#toh #the owl house #toh meta #toh analysis #toh hunter #hunter deamonne #huntlow #dadrius #toh flapjack #darius deamonne #willow park #gus porter #toh belos #emperor belos #philip wittebane #caleb wittebane #wittewife #toh wittewife #why are the so many variations of tags @_@ anyway hunter having 4 important dynamics that directly parallel caleb/other ggs warms my heart #im sure if we learn more of the wittebanes history theyll be a ton of parallels to hunter & luzs dynamic but we dont have those details yet #im 1 of like 2 ''dadrius & uncleber & huntlow & siblings w gus+luz & flapjack lived & bffs w amity & camila+raeda also coparent'' truthers #& im right for it haha. but yeah its just great writing the way so much of history repeats itself & all the parallels & callbacks to itself #ive been trying to write this meta for 3 days so im just gonna do it now or I'll never stop trying to rewrite it #tc posts #no rhyme or reason for who got 3 pics vs 2 btw. just. ive been dwelling too long so here it is

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feyinvestigations · 2 years

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I love the idea that Darius' mentor warned him abt Belos being evil and all that but like.

There is a repeated theme, throughout the show, of mentors hiding information from their students and pushing them away as an attempt to protect them.

My galaxy brain take? Darius' mentor, if they ever found out anything about Belos, would distance themselves from everyone as quickly as possible. Including Darius.

And I don't think it would be a slow distancing. It would be violent and fast. He would need for Darius to hate him quickly and effectively. Like. Disowning Darius as a student or telling him that he would never be a powerful witch. Something that would make Darius, a teenager, angry bitter enough that he would never chase down the Golden Guard.

And furthermore. This theme of Mentors pushing their students away to protect them? This has always backfired. Because the student, whether motivated by proving their mentor wrong or their own ego, ends up in the exact situation the mentor was trying to save them from.

So. Take that theme and combine it with a young, bitter Darius. A Darius who may have just been told, directly or indirectly, that he had no potential. A Darius who's mentor suddenly dropped him like yesterday's trash. Isn't it possible that Darius decided to prove his mentor wrong? That maybe he was dedicated to proving himself to be a great witch? One of the most powerful? Maybe even a Covenhead?

#yes this is mostly headcanob #but this is the only way darius and Hunters early interactions make sense #to me atleast #go gonzo go!#toh #toh posting #darius deamonne #toh headcanon #toh darius #queue are you really?

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lollytea · 1 year

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FIRMLY OBSESSED with all the grimwalkers falling in love in some shape and form- with a witch/other means- each time they're created, they're genetically unable to follow in Belos footsteps </3

Yeah!! I always liked the idea that every grimwalker has had someone, not always a romantic interest, but someone who loved them, opened their eyes to what real love feels like, with that love being what eventually drives them to turn on Belos.

So, a parental figure, a friend, a lover, a child, an animal etc. Love comes in so many forms. I feel like Evelyn, in Belos' eyes, was the personification of the Boiling Isles itself and how it tempts and destroys humans, when all she did was love a boy. So every grimwalker had an "Evelyn", who "destroyed" them even if it wasn't always romantic. (Though romantic cases do incite a rage in Belos like no other.)

I like to imagine that the former Golden Guard's "Evelyn" was Darius. He was his mentee and I suppose he sorta became like a little brother figure to him. He was the person who motivated him to eventually deflect.

I cannot stress enough that when I refer to the grimwalkers' loved ones as being an "Evelyn" I'm speaking from Belos' perspective. But the fact of the matter is that no grimwalker will ever truly have something that perfectly mirrors what Caleb and Evelyn had. Because Caleb and Evelyn are long dead. And no matter how hard Belos tries, Caleb will never truly live again. Neither of them will.

The only "fate" at play here regarding every single grimwalker finding someone to love and betraying Belos as a result is the work of the hypothetical writer who loves cosmic irony. (I say hypothetical because idek if this is the canon case. I just love to run my mouth.)

But in universe? It's a coincidence. There's no destiny to speak of that leads them to their soulmate, nor a curse from the Devil himself to torment poor Philip Wittebane. It's just because the grimwalkers are people and it's in peoples' nature to love and be loved. And Belos is just here scratching his head wondering why the fuck this has happened every single time without fail, because he doesn't understand people. He hasn't been a person in centuries.

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no-white-dress · 10 months

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Hunter Deamonne, Heart Of Novocaine

Warning: major spoilers for The Owl House seasons 2 and 3!

You made me tough, you made me numb

You are the maker of what I’ve become

There is no doubt that Hunter, prior to Hunting Palismen (and even after it, arguably), was this tough, young (too young) soldier, numb to everything that casted some shadows over his Emperor's actions. He justifies Belos in any way possible (the Titan's plans must be followed even when they're intricate, it's for the greater good), because it means to absolve himself too.

Belos is the maker of what he's become in so many ways. He literally made him from the bones of his brother, he molded his mind for who knows how many years (it is unclear how long it has been since Hunter's birth), keeping him isolated from anyone even inside the castle. Belos never wanted a brother, he wanted a puppet.

And now I am strong where I was weak

And I am unafraid of being me

But Hunter eventually slipped out of Belos' grip. He challenged Belos' rules. Sure, at first he did so to help him, to prove himself to him. By doing so, though, he did exactly what Belos feared: he became his own person, with passions and connections and his own thoughts, which ultimately didn't align with those of the Emperor. Maybe they aligned with his teachings (don't lie, Hunter, it pains the Titan. Always respect your superiors. Obey), but not with his will. Belos sure never wanted Hunter to get close to Darius, he didn't want the kid close to anyone other than him. He sure didn't want Hunter to end up in the human realm and discover what actual familial love looks like, how it feels like, that it doesn't have to be earned.

So say hello to the monster that you made

Thank you for the pain

Thank you for the hate

Thank you for the way

That you left me scarred

Thank you for the stain

That you left on my brain

Now because of you

I’ve got a heart of novocaine

A heart of novocaine

Things change so fast. They're really confusing. Suddenly multiple figures are uncomfortable with the way Hunter expresses his respect, which is the way Belos taught him. And yet these figures are just as worthy of respect as he used to be in Hunter's eyes, so why do they not want it? Why does Camila look embarrassed when Hunter kneels before her, why does she ask him to never do it again? Why is Darius so frustrated with him for following orders, when that is what is required of the weakest of soldiers?

There are so many ways his uncle got into Hunter's mind and skin. The way he flinches when someone touches him without proper warning or when he expects a punishment, the way he never asks for help because he should be able to do it on his own, even some of his speech patterns come from Belos.

Once upon a time you had control

And lorded over my poor soul

And I trusted you but now I see

You never knew the real me

Belos used to control everything in Hunter's life. He was suffocating, to the point where Hunter regards the trial on a mountain of his scout training as a fond memory, while Steve regards it as some nightmarish experience. His modus operandi is so ingrained in Hunter that we see in Hunting Palismen and Eclipse Lake that he sees everything as either worthy of being sought and thus earned through trials, or expendable. He uses the palismen as leverage with Luz, he uses Luz as leverage with Amity, and it doesn't feel wrong to him, because it's strategy, just a tool to get him what he wants. Clearly, he's seen this same game play out countless times in the throne room, standing by his uncle's side.

All that comes to an end, though. A visit to his uncle's mindscape reveals that not only his motives aren't the ones he flaunts, not only has he lied for ages about his identity and goal: he also lied about Hunter, about their family, about his goals for him. Hunter is a tool to Belos, or a replacement of someone else as best. But just like he failed to understand Caleb, Belos fails to understand Hunter.

To Belos, Caleb was probably the caregiver, the one who was there for him when he got a scraped knee or woke up from a nightmare. But they grew up and Caleb became his own person, because little Philip wasn’t so little anymore and could handle himself. Caleb challenged what they were taught, and found his own morals and beliefs. Philip was never able to do the same, for four hundred years. In fact, he expects Hunter to be just like his older brother, without realizing that Caleb was never the idea he had of him, so Hunter (and all the other grimwalkers) can't help but fail him. Because they will always end up growing into their own person.

Now I’m angry and you wonder why

You see the fire burning In my eyes

Once you had me but you lost me now

And there’s no going back

When he first faces the truth about Belos, Hunter is swarmed by fear. But I believe that, with time, especially in the human realm, he also develops resentment towards Belos. Resentment for being lied to, for being used, for being born even, for being barred from choosing his own path.

Belos may momentarily force himself on Hunter, possess him and even use his very hand to take the life of his first friend, Flapjack, but it's too late. Hunter learned who he is, he likes to be his own person with his own dreams and goals, and that freedom can only end on his own terms.

So say hello to the monster that you made

He knows he's a monster to Belos now. He embodies so many things he hates: witches, wild magic, autonomy, self-affirmation. And those are the things Hunter rubs in his face as he resists Belos' grip on his body and mind, before ending it on his own terms. That speech was his last act in his mind, and he chose to have it be a speech of hopes and dreams for the future and of love and tenderness for the unruly magic Belos despised, because Hunter isn't Belos, and Hunter loves those things and wants those things.

Thank you for the pain

Thank you for the hate

Thank you the way

That you left me scarred

Thank you for the stain

That you left on my brain

Now because of you

I’ve got a heart of novocaine

A heart of novocaine

My fear has died, my tears have dried, I don’t feel afraid and I won’t run away

I believe in me and now I see right through your lies hiding behind your eyes

Because of you I’ll make it through

Nothing can hurt me like you did anymore

Ever since Hollow Mind, Hunter was terrified of the very idea of being in Belos' presence again, and understandably so given his uncle had tried to kill him while he was still in his mindscape. In King's Tide he manages to fight him, but still stays on the sidelines. He talks back to him for probably the first time in his life, but he's still terrified.

At the end of Thanks To Them Hunter isn't afraid, not in the same way. Belos is in his blood, Flapjack is agonizing. It can't really get any worse, can it? Hunter knows what Belos' goals are, so he knows how to disrupt them. He knows how to keep his friends safe. And he does.

Thank you for the pain

Thank you for the hate

Thank you for the way that you

Left me scarred

Now there’s nothing you can say

To wash it all away

Yeah because of you

I’ve got a heart of novocaine

A heart of novocaine

#the owl house #hunter deamonne #halestorm #heart of novocaine #vicious #emperor belos #song analysis #hunter toh

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pespillo · 6 months

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Hello! I hope u don't mind my questions, but regarding the Emperor's Acolyte AU, is it possible for you to elaborate further about Raine's relationship with King and his position in the Kingdom of the Red Sun? And what of Edric and Emira and their position in the moon court (i think?) I absolutely LOVE the concept and the possible exploration in the day-to-day life of the people stuck within the kingdom, INCLUDING that incredibly interesting play! How did King even find Luz's manuscript, anyway?

first of all just posted smth explaining the militia so i think thats a good point on where to start thinking abt everyone´s places in all this vv

second of all , King´s been around Raine for as long as they been turned into head of the bard coven , King always holds a certain curiosity for everyone in the castle ,but his interest turned further when he took notice of Eda´s relationship with them when he was "kidnapped" in the Owl House for a bit (if you check my #emperor acolyte au tag for a sec youll see a small fic of a scene between luz n king transcurring at that time)

Since King starts seeing the Owl Lady as a maternal figure for him (it sorta starts off as wanting to get something Luz has but really, King just needs honest affection and Eda´s doesnt feel like it has any ulterior motive) , King sorta turns Raine into a royal "advisor" bard figure but in reality he sorta rlly just wants to matchmaking them n Eda so they can form his own idea of a family ,King likes to hear their music before sleeping and they unequivocally bond over extremely similar trauma in the hands of the Emperor´s Coven, to the point it makes Raine feel extremely guilty they didnt try getting him outta it much sooner considering they are realizing this is a 9 yr old whos been treated like a dog by the worse person in the Isles not even allowed to talk to other people besides the Emperor n Kikimora, in a way this guilt drives Raine further to not leave the castle to the small rebellion that Darius n Eber been forming.

Speaking of Darius n Eber, Darius n King has a small confrontation/argument that lead to their leave, Eber at first didnt actually mind the way King was running things since it was all sorta thrilling and battle oriented , but since hes inseparable from Darius he aint gnna be ditching his buddy ya know. Darius was just trying to get information of his old mentor, because King KNOWS about the way he died because Belos told him , at least his own version of it, but the more heated Darius got at King´s avoidance of the details, he ended up saying something that made the kid snap at him like "You care more about your mentor more than Hunter, where is he now? what would your mentor think about the way you treated him up until now?" which pretty much shut down that whole conversation, parting ways.

Regarding Luz´s manuscript, it was unfinished, she wanted to join that writer´s competition just as she did in the original episode but some other adventure ended up calling up to her ,so she just sorta forgot abt it or decided it leave it for other day. When the Owl House got raided by the Emperor´s coven n everything was sent to a warehouse, King came up to that warehouse to get Owl Lady´s stuff n move it into his new castle basically , he came upon it while just looking thru Luz stuff n decided to read it through because hes nosy ( he did the same with eda´s diary before), he´s never rlly been allowed to write his own stuff even when he was taught to write and read, so he decided to take it upon himself to make it "his" novel, and subsequently his play , as a way to vent all out his feelings of the world , his feelings towards Luz and everything else, plus to make a big statement culturally for the Isles.

for Edric n Emira, they were dragged into the Moon Court for Collector´s favor , because they were essentially living around them for a good while before turning into King´s Right Hand . Odalia´s been disposed off but not killed (because Emira convinced em to Not Kill their mom as much as the twins n Amity hate her because thats already so much trauma), Alador has run off to join Darius growing group as a way to find a solution to this whole, mess.

#asks #the owl house #emperor acolyte au #long post

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