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theminecraftbee · 5 months

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task: answer the following question. do you believe in curses? respond as completely with relevant information as possible.

Grian: Well, that's a lie. This isn't a task. I know it's not a task, I set the things up! Not sure why we're getting a question as pointless as this one, but sure, mysterious scroll, I'll answer. There's no such thing as curses, unless you're Timmy, in which case it's funny, yeah? Besides, I didn't actually kill Etho. Even if that did count, self-fulfilling prophecies aren't the same thing as curses, and I know which one I fall under.

Joel: Do I believe in bloody curses what kind of question is that? Do I really get hearts just for answering this? This feels like a prank or something... well, whatever. There are no such thing as curses, except the Boogeyman curse, which I sort of had today, but it wasn't actually the same at all. A lot of the bloodlust, sure, but a lot more... Etho had to be the one to do it, huh? And it's not the same. Not comforting. That's a stupid thing to say actually. Take it out of wherever you're putting this. Cut it out of the recording. Comforting. Please. As if it were ever... Yeah, I'm done actually. Don't have a good answer. Go away.

Scott: What, other than Jimmy? Bless that man, he may not have died first, but he sure tried his best. Sure, I'll believe Jimmy is cursed. I mean, mostly he's just kind of stupid. Lovingly so. I mean, despite him being stupid, I put up with him, right? That seems like a complete answer to this question. Jimmy's an omen but we put up with him anyway. That's all.

Mumbo: NO RESPONSE GIVEN.

Pearl: Oh, I mean, I'm probably cursed. That's what everyone liked to say at one point. I think... I mean, I think this time I have good friends, which is nice. They don't think I'm cursed. And it's not like I--I mean, it's surprisingly fun, acting cursed! And I am just acting. Acting scary, blowing up dance floors, all of that. And I don't really have to this time, so... Maybe I'm not cursed? And since it's acting, it's not real? This is a weird question.

Etho: Oh, man, that's a question. Um, do I have to answer? Because I feel like if I say no, that's really just asking for it, but if I say yes, I have to explain myself. Uh, I think I'm abstaining, unless the zombie thing from earlier counts. That was scary and I hated it. Curses are scary and I hate them in general, but apparently I'm good at them, if you ask everyone else. Um, it's not the only thing I find scary that apparently I'm good at.

Scar: Why, of course I believe in curses! Look at poor, poor... Timbert? Timmy? Jim? Gosh, sorry, I'm very tired right now. That's more proof of curses, by the way! That I'm tired. I've been tired straight since the desert, let me tell you what. And that, my friends, is a curse like no other. What a terrible beast, loneliness is. Wish me luck breaking it, because it's not happening this season!

Cleo: Oh, you mean the thing people like to blame instead of their own actions? Nah. My soulbond was kind of a curse, I guess, but even that's at least half just... bad people. Bad relationships. Good ones, too. We're all just doing what you can, you know? No script, no curses, no characters, just... Oh, I hope everything turns out tomorrow. Sorry, that's unrelated. It's just nicer to hope than to preemptively blame things on curses that don't exist.

Impulse: Well, I mean, I didn't until you just asked me that, but now I feel like I should. Wouldn't that be nice? Being cursed instead of just sort of unlovable? Sorry, no, that's mean to Gem. I shouldn't say that about Gem, she's been good this season. Super, super cursed, mind you, in the like, game mechanic sense? But she's been good, no backstabbing or inability to get love involved. Um, and I guess that's not fair to Bdubs, kind of, except it also totally is and I haven't forgiven him. So I guess if they ask I said I believed in curses, and that's why my life keeps circling clocks? Don't put any of that other stuff down, I'm trying to work on that.

Lizzie: NO RESPONSE GIVEN.

Gem: I was just cursed for a task, but that probably isn't what you're asking about, right? I'm new, so I don't know! A task is a concrete thing to believe in, like bloodshed or victory or fun and games. You don't have to believe in those to know they're real, either! They just are, whether you like it or not. I understand that much!

Tango: Gah, don't talk to me about... Deep breaths. Look, I don't care if it's a curse, or if it's just me being really bad, or what, I'm not going out pointlessly this time. Jimmy managed not to die first, I can manage to not go out to a stray arrow or my own bomb or a misstep this time, right? Is that so much to ask?

Skizz: Huh? Curses? I mean, I don't think so, and to be totally honest I think it's kind of mean the way people sometimes rag on people about them. Everyone's got so many good things about them! Why do people like to focus on the unfortunate luck, huh?

Bdubs: Hah! Curses! Let me tell you about curses. When I see curses, I eat them for breakfast. I don't got curses, I've got better things to do! I've got my buddies with the Mounders, and I've got-well, I'd say keeping Etho safe, but he's being weird at me again this season. Not that it matters. It never matters. Etho and I, we're... The point is, that doesn't matter anyway, because I have the Mounders, and they're the ones who matter here. And because I'm a strong, independent Bdubs, who doesn't need anyone but my bow and my perfect, flawless fighting prowess! Sorry, what was the question? I've been thinking so much lately that it's just sort of made everything else pop out of my head, so it's hard to keep track. I'm sure I answered it flawlessly, though.

Martyn: Of course there are curses. That's half the fun for you lot, isn't it? Putting your little curses on us and watching us rail against them. Bet you think it's real cute to ask us what we think of the things, too. "Oh, what do you think of curses," like we have any control over them. Please. If I had any control over curses, Jimmy--or, well, no, I guess that one was technically broken, wasn't it? Sure doesn't feel like it. Point is, curses are bad, and they're definitely real, and I hate you for them, got it?

BigB: Look, man, if you're trying to get me to write my character out for you, just say so! I won't tell anyone. We can come up with a hole thing about holes and red tasks and the Backrooms together! It'll be fun! After all, you probably don't know what kind of curse to say I have, right? Haha, just kidding. I have no idea what I'm talking about. Luckily, neither does anyone else, so I think that evens out between the lot of us.

Jimmy: NO RESPONSE GIVEN.

#secret life smp #a bee fic #not tagging everyone in this because it's. everyone #anyway i have wanted to write this for like TWO WEEKS so i figured that now's as good a time as any #anyway this is probably as thinly disguised as my character meta gets #we talk a LOT in this fandom about curses #we talk about whether we like them as fanon we talk about whether we dislike them we talk about who has them we talk about why #we talk about if they're here or broken or anything else #so i'd like to think the characters have an opinion on curses too after how much talking about them we've been doing #...at least the characters around to tell us their opinions do.#(anyway for all I claim this is thinly disguised character meta it IS actually of note that this isn’t actually about if they believe)#(but instead about how they’d respond if they were asked)#(hence why half of them don’t even answer the right question)#(this is why I’m not good at character meta btw)

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miquella-everywhere · 1 month

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Denizens of the Haligtree Analysis

Giant Ant

So ants.... There's really not much to say about these guys, but if anything their presence at the Haligtree is a good indicator of how bad off the divine tree is. Also their stupid acid attack always one-shots me and I hate them lol

Oracle Envoys

So the Oracle Envoys only show up in two places; Leyndell and the Haligtree, and as lore states their appearance basically heralds the coming of either a new Age or a new God. I've seen arguments stating that the Oracles are there for Malenia and her ascendance as the Goddess of Rot, but imo considering that Mal has only bloomed twice and is not yet a true Goddess(which she doesn't even want to be) the Oracles presence could indicate that they are actually heralding something else. maybe miquellas return? 🤞

Also the Haligtree is the only place were you can find the Giant variant, which I just think is neat lol

Misbegotten

The Haligtree is known throughout the Lands Between as a refuge for the forsaken and misbegotten, so the Misbegotten that have managed to make their way here are definitely the lucky ones. Although if you watch them carefully you can see from their mannerisms that many of the Misbegotten there are quite distressed, many are seen yelling at the sky in despair or kneeling down infront of the statues of Miquella in prayer. Either way, they may have made it to the promised land but all that remains is desperation.

Fungal Putrid Corpse

Fun fact about these guys is that this variant of the Putrid Corpses can only be found in the Haligtree. Other than that there isn't much else to say here, although I guess one thing to say would be the sheer prevalence of the Putrid Corpses found throughout the Lands Between. They're probably all the unfortunate commoners and regular people who got caught up in the Shattering and were reduced to... this.

Miranda Sprout

So according to their lore Miranda Powder has always been prized by the Perfumers, and from what we know about the Perfumers is that before the Shattering they used to be healers. So I'm spreading some propaganda here but at the Perfumers Ruins in Altus there is a secluded patch that has multiple Miquella's Lilys there, indicating that Miquella spent some time with the Perfumers, which makes perfect sense considering he wished to heal Malenia.

So it would make sense why there would be Miranda Blooms at the Haligtree, because Miquella had use for the properties of their pollen. A shame they've become infected with Scarlet Rot now...

Spirit Calling Snail

The Sprit Calling Snail is a snail that calls spirits. Go figure lol. But in all seriousness the Snails presence at the Haligtree somewhat adds another hint regarding Miquellas own connection to the spirits.

Haima Battle Mages

So the Haima Battles Mages are really cool when you read into their lore a bit:

"Scholars of the Haima Conspectus sought the power to quell conflict, and to this end studied the sorceries of cannon fire and the gavel."

Aside from further proving that Miquella had and interest in Glintstone, the fact that the Haima wish to quell conflict, and that the Haligtree, arguably, is the most peace focused of all the factions in the Lands Between it would make sense why these two mages would settle here and defend the Haligtree.

Cleanrot Knight

When Malenia departed on her campaign and took her Cleanrot Knights with her, these ones are likely the faction that stayed behind to defend the Haligtree. Like can you imagine being these guys?

Your General leaves with your comrades and you're tasked to defend Miquella while he slumbers within the Haligtree. But then this Omen with flaming blood shows up out of nowhere and kidnaps Miquella despite your best attempts to stop him, and you just...

You failed.

Your Lord that you were tasked to defend with your life has been taken, and you grieve your failure and also having to face your General when she returns and explain that her beloved brother has been taken...

But when Malenia does come back she's completely comatose, carried on the back of Finlay, your fiercest comrade, who quickly succumbs to the rot after bringing Malenia home safely, and now all you can do is put her within the roots to rest. And after all that you still commit yourself to defending the Haligtree despite Miquella being gone and the rot seeping into the tree and decaying it from the inside out...

Like damn, how depressing.

Haligtree Foot Soldier

Same thing as the Cleanrots above, but what makes the Haligtree soldiers interesting is that you can only find them at the Haligtree. Like in Liurnia you can find a Leyndell Knight wandering around, obviously deployed from Leyndell during the Shattering with the same thing on Mt. Gelmir, meaning that they are not one of the many factions of soldiers of the Shattering War, but in fact, strict defenders of the Haligtree. Like they dedicate their lives to one job, and that's defending Miquella and his Haligtree.

But then everything just went to shit in a single day. And it all just went downhill after that.

There really is a heavy sadness to these guys with the fact that they are so desperate for Miquella to return that they came to the conclusion that they need to explode with holy light in order to guide him home :'(

Haligtree Knight

Holy shit these guys are legitimately a Boss but without the fanfare, like goddamn. Its honestly shocking that Mohg managed to get Miquella with these guys at the defense, but well he got him 😔 Anyway these guys are interesting to two reasons; the first being that they can heal using flasks, the only other enemies in the game using healing items being other Tarnished or Perfumers, and the second is that these Knights can use Glintstone Sorceries, once again further hinting at Miquellas relationship with the Carians and his own interest in Glintstone.

Putrid Crystalian

Now what makes the Crystalians presence here at the Haligtree so interesting, involves this little tidbit about their lore:

"The inscrutable Crystalians have but one clear purpose; to safeguard their crystals unto the end. One theory posits that they yearn for the return of their creator who will carve for them new brethren."

And Miquella, who has been quoted as, "A meticulous, bold craftsman who grasps the essence of life," would seemingly fit the bill for someone who could potentially carve the Crystalians new brethren. And then there's also the fact that the Crystalians are the beings who are closest to the Primeval Current, and as I've said in a previous theory post, is something that Miquella definitely has an interest in. So perhaps Miq and the Crystalians here have a mutual relationship going on; with Miquella attempting to grant them new brethren, and the Crystalians giving Miquella insight into the Primeval Current.

A shame Miquella is no longer with them and that they've been infected with Scarlet Rot....

Royal Revenant

WHY

WHY ARE THERE FOUR OF YOU IN A ROW

WHY

Okay so bottom line the Revenants are weird. There is no enemy in the game with so much mystery surrounding them than these guys. What's their origin? What is their purpose? Are they suffering as a massive amalgamation of body parts and fucked up magic? I sure hope they are.

But what I can say about the Revenants is that their general locations sort of paints a picture regarding who they might belong too. They are predominantly found in Liurnia, with their most interesting location being that they seemingly guard the Lunar Estate on the plateau where the Cathedral of Manus Caelus is. The other notable locations are at the Shaded Castle, a place were Miquella likely frequented, and now at Elphael. So saying that they may have their origins either with the Carians or Miquella wouldn't be too much of a stretch... maybe.......

And then there is also the fact that they are usually accompanied by Wraith Callers, who bear a striking resemblance to the Revenants as well. Then also there's that little theory about how Ranni's master may have been a Wraith Caller..... 🤔

Kindred of Rot

These guys are clearly here because of Malenia, and it's interesting to see that they only show up in the rotten core of Elphael and the graveyard area which is closest to were she is slumbering. I made a post about these guys long ago about how they've seemingly peacefully assimilated into the Haligtree even though Malenia rejects them, and honestly I think that it's kind of poetic considering Miquella's philosophy.

Putrid Avatar

The Putrid Avatars are a Scarlet Rot infested variant of the Erdtree Avatars, but what really interests me about them the most is that the Putrid Avatars have a completely different staff compared to their normal counterparts.

The Putrid Staffs design is highly reminiscent to the Haligtree Sigil, and while the item description of the staff is the same as its regular variant, I can't help wonder if the design was intentional but the description was overlooked/forgotten in regards to that connection. Or maybe I'm just reading too much into it 🤷 In my opinion, I see it as Malenia's Rot being so deeply intertwined with Miquella's Abundance that even the Putrid Avatars adopt his iconography.

Either way, the fact that there are two Avatars defending the Haligtree really speaks volumes regarding the Haligtrees legitimacy as a type of Erdtree.

Putrid Tree Spirit

I hate these guys. What else is there to say lol

#i love the haligtree #this place is so wonderful #uri posts #elden ring #miquella the unalloyed #miquella's haligtree #elden ring theory #i forgot to add the pictures of the staffs im so dumb :P

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quarthly · 3 years

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Twilight characters as random animals that I think are oddly fitting

(Also yes, I am roasting the animals as well)

Edward: He would be a Cheetah. Now I know, seems like a cop out just because of his speed but hear me out. Cheetahs are, at face value, pretty cool. They used to be my favorite animal as a child, but then I grew up.

Cheetahs, through no fault of their own, are severely inbred. Now thats mainly because of poaching, but the cheetas anxiety also comes into play. In captivity, cheetahs are usually given emotional support dogs. I will admit it is cute but it negatively affects the population. Excluding one in the wild, cheetas can be to anxious to breed and thats not good for conservation efforts.

Cheetahs can hit up to 80 miles per hour in a couple of seconds. They are designed for fast running and agility. Their claws are similar to that of a dogs for better traction and they have elongated spines for longer strides. They have a thin build, long legs and a long tail for balance.

This has downsides though. Many times after making a kill, it will get stolen for them by larger predators. Thats right, they get absolutely bodied by the other animals. I should probably make these shorter but I'm on a rant now, so I guess this will be semi educational.

Throughout the series, we see Edward over estimated his abilities and value, constantly getting bodied by others. He's essentially a perfect mormon, though thats on S'meyers. He constantly judges others, dehumanizing them to their baser flaws, without doing any self reflecting. Him viewing himself as a monster doesn't really count to me. While he definitely hates himself, the only thing he is truly demonizing is being a vampire.

Bella: Picking up from Edwards, Bella is a Chocolate Labrador. Yes, she is his therapy dog. I feel like this is really fitting for her. I know Golden retriever would make more sense, as thats the most common breed for service animals. However, I kind of focused on her appearance. Only at first though! I just know that Edward raved about her human qualities and that would pass over as animals as well. Her chocolate eyes and brown fur, very average and boring. Thats essentially Bella. Even Edward wasn't into her until he got a wiff. Labradors a very loyal dogs and while they have more personality than Bella, I just couldn't shake it. Their also very stupid. Ok that's kind of mean, they're not stupid but when it comes to love, then yeah they are stupid.

I used to have a lab, loved him to death, but god he was something else. Very much danger prone, from their own stupidity or their lack of survival instincts. I know that labs are almost aquatic. They love water, swimming, all that jazz. We can just say that bella has a few screws loose in her dna and is just "not like other labs."

Rosalie: Now she was hard. There are quite a few animals that I think would fit for her. I'll list the other ones, but that one I went with is the Swan. Like Edward, seems a little on the nose, but I have my reasoning.

I was going to pick a predator for her, as she is shown to be very vengeful and viscous. I would have pick some type of cat, most likely a purebred, from a rich family. It could still work, but the swan just speaks to me on this one.

Swan's are known for being beautiful, graceful, and are pictured as the symbol of love. They are also very vain. Edward constantly brings up Rosalies vanity. She was constantly valued for her beauty as a human, so of course that crossed over in the transformation. She was raised to be married into wealth, she was used as a bargaining chip to increase the family's standing.

Rose has a very strong character and makes her opinions known. She's assertive and aggressive at times. She's not afraid to get dirty.

Swans mate for life and like geese, are known for being great parents. I was also going to choose geese as an option for the maternal instincts. I was wary at first because swans can be really aggressive. Like actually, you think geece are bad? Yikes bestie...

I was conflicted because swans are known for drowning dogs and sometimes people. However, I can actually see Rose drowning Bella. It's not that unbelievable lmao.

Emmett: Now this one is just ironic. I only associate him with bears. Its inevitable, but picking a Grizzly or Black bear is too obvious. So I went a slightly different route...

So I was going to pick the Sun bear just because of looks alone. Like, I'm not exaggerating, it looks like someone wearing a bear costume. I don't think it fits him but I know for a fact that he would dress up as a sun bear and sneak into a zoo to see if anyone would notice. I'll put a pic of it here

Like look at this thing. I have no words...

Anyway, what I picked was a Sloth Bear. Now Sloth bears are mostly nocturnal, which either way works consider vamps don't sleep. Their diet is also odd but honestly so is the cullens. They're native to the Indian subcontinent, and are known for being aggressive towards humans. Its said that for the most part they're pretty calm, so I think its just fear of humans that make them act aggressively. Honestly, that's a good thing because they are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red list.

They have some similarities with sloths, which is where they get the name. They have long claws and unusual teeth. They are known to hang upside down from tree branches, and is described as having a messy appearance. Honestly, Emmitt has a messy personality. Sorry bestie but you're a lot of work.

Now heres the biggest reason for choosing this bear. Aside from Baloo from the jungle book being a sloth bear, they are known to run fades with Tigers. Honestly, how fucking badass is that!? Now I don't think there are recorded instances of a Sloth bear killing a Tiger, but when push comes to shove, they can hold their own and I find that incredibly impressive.

Carlisle: This one was somehow the easiest as well as the toughest. I know Owl seems like the obvious choice, and I can see it. However, I believe Carlisle values emotional intelligence as much or if not more than academic intelligence. He is so charismatic and values other's above himself. He might not be as Saint like as Edward thinks, but he does try and I think he genuinely cares about others. For that reason alone, I choose a Elephant.

Elephant's are very social animals and are extremely intelligent. I could rave about them for ages, I love them so much.

Now elephants live in a familial unit and are usually matriarchal. Bulls usually are on the outer edges of the herd or form little groups with other males. Honestly, they're not that bad aside from when their in musk.

In the group of males, the elder ones will teach the younger where to get the best food, water, how to use things as tools, and every other thing that will increase their odds of survival. This is really cute to me tbh, they do this because the females usually choose the older males because they've proved that they are intelligent and strong, that they have survived and will continue to for awhile. Teaching the younger males these things are to make the odds of them getting chosen to mate more likely. The whole unit just reminds me of a father that has to deal with rowdy teens.

Carlisle likes to take in strays, he might not have a herd but he will make one and teach them to thrive. That's how he envisions it anyway. He just has a found family and is trying his best.

Esme: Now this might seem like an insult, but I promise it's not! This is in no way misogynistic. I love cattle and ever since I took animal science in highschool, I have appreciated these grass puppies like they deserve. Call me Castro because I love cows.

Yup! I chose a Cow for her. Specifically a beef cow. That might sound weird but its because beef cows have higher maternal instinct than dairy cows. I'm thinking Scottish Highland based on vibes alone.

They are nicknamed the Gentle Giants of Scotland. Super maternal and sweet and ugh look how cute they are!

Esme came from a abusive marriage and had just lost her child, she was depressed and desperate. Her changing was, in a way, salvation. She just fits in. She adopts all these strays along with him and will protect them to the death. She might be gentle by nature, but don't fuck with her family. She lost her first one and she isn't going to lose this one.

Alice: She's an odd one. There are so many possibilities and maybe I'm biased, but I feel like she would be a Crow.

Ok listen, I'm definitely biased but it just feels right. Crows get a bad rap, they are so cool! They are so intelligent and have the ability to actually sit and think about the past, prest, and future. I forget what its called, but this was only seem in humans! Maybe other apes, I can't remember exactly, but either way its awesome. They do live in groups, or murders, and remember people and faces. They remember locations and are able to pass down information through generations. They essentially have their own language! They are able to use tools too!

Alice's story is really sad. When we first meets her, it revolves around the death of her mother and her institutionalized. She was essentially tortured and forgot everything from her past. All she had was the future and even that wasn't constant. Crows a often viewed as omens, they are associated with death. I personally believe that instead of being the cause, they just know something is going to happen. They are very inquisitive and can be creative.

If you befriend a murder of crows, sometimes, depends or the group, they will bring gifts. Its can range from food to shiny metals and colorful plastic. Hell, I think I've seen a post of one stealing things from people just to gift it to their human.

Alice's love language is gifts. Even if they are focused around fashion, she still goes out of her way to get something that will look good and at least be a little comfortable. By that I mean she tends to forget peoples comfort zones, but she means well.

Jasper: Honestly not to sure what to put for him. I know a predator would be more fitting, but for some reason I can see a donkey working. I know, seems like I'm clowning on the confederate. Fair, but I'm serious about the donkey thing. Honestly, it would be perfect if it wasn't a herbivore. Porcupine would also work.

Being a predator would make more sense. Given his backstory and his characterization, it wouldn't make sense for him to be a prey animal. Usually I wouldn't count this, but given his gore filled past and trouble with the diet, it seemed fitting.

I see him as a Big Cat. Honestly, vamps in general just give cat vibes. Jasper though especially have some cat like qualities, which originates from hunting and being a soldier.

I specifically see him as a Mountain Lion. Aside from him being blonde, he just has the predatory stealth to him. In midnight sun, we see him use his gift to make the nomads overlook him. He's honestly really powerful.

Mountain lions are known for being stealthy with an air of grace and power to them. They are stong animals. And I mean strong. They can jump 40-45 feet.

They're very elusive and quite. They stalk their prey and tend to attack from behind but don't think they won't hold their ground if need be.

Jasper was changed during the Civil War and forced to fight in the Newborn wars. He was a soldier as a human and as a vampire. He's able to feel and manipulate others emotions. He's covered in scars and is very intimidating.

He still struggles with the diet and honestly I hate how the others handle it. Like they have no room to talk. I don't want to defend the confederate but it just pisses me off. He has to deal with his hunger on top of everyone else's. Like damn, besties always on edge! Everyone doubts him which I don't think helps any.

Also, Mountain lions and Cheetahs can purr!

@aquanova99 I'll do a Volturi one too. That one will be fun lmao

#twilight saga #the twilight saga #twilight au #bella swan #edward cullen #carlisle cullen #esme cullen #jasper hale #jasper cullen #alice cullen #rosalie hale #rosalie cullen #emmett cullen #the cullens #the volturi #honestly look at the muscle definition on that thing #jesus chriiiist

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placebogirl7 · 3 years

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Analysis of a character with wasted potential: why Jodie Starling isn't stupid as people say and Gosho's modus operandi

Yesterday night we had a live watch event on the Redstarling Discord server (if you want to join it, click on the following link https://discord.com/invite/7DAB329KGR ) and we watched episode 734 "Jodie's Memories and the Cherry Blossom Viewing Trap". While rewatching it I tought for the umpteenth time about the fact that a lot of people continue to say that after Gosho revealed that Jodie wasn't Vermouth, she has become usless and stupid. I can't deny that Gosho has half-ruined her, taking away all that cool and mysterious aura she had, but he did that with a lot of other characters. That's his modus operandi: he introduce a character has mysterious, he make him/her one of the suspects to be a new BO member or a bad person in general, and then he reveal that the person is actually one of the good guys. Once he did it, he transform the character into a lamb while before it was a wolf. This has been the sad destiny of many characters, included Jodie. Let's just think about Haibara: at the beginning her sixth sense towards MIB was infallible, she could sense a MIB at 1 kilometer of distance. But as the story goes on it seems her sixth sense isn't infallible as before and she doesn't always sense the MIB when they are next to her. In the cherry blossom case I mentioned above, there were both Amuro and Vermouth present and Haibara didn't sense none of them. They got close to her and the Detective Boys but she didn't sense anything. All this to say that not only Jodie has changed her personality and lost something cool she used to have.

Clarified this and returning to the topic "Jodie is usless and stupid", I guess the people who claim it don't remember (or don't want to remember because it's more convenient for them) that starting from the cherry blossom case until the Scarlet Arc she has been the only one who found out the tricks that Conan and Akai used in their plan. To be honest, she started already in the end of Clash of Red and Black. Let's see the moments in the details.

1) Clash of Red and Black

After one of th other FBI agents said that they announced on TV that a car exploded on Rahia Pass and a body was found burnt inside it, Jodie immediately said that it couldn't be sure and that he surely had used the body of another person to fool the Organization. She was right from the beginning and didn't even know that. She managed to think in the same was has Shuichi and Conan thought when they made the plan. This isn't being a stupid.

2) The Crisis Beckoned by the Red Omen / The Red Shaking Target

Jodie has the feeling that Conan is looking for the man resembling Shuichi with the scar and the black hat. You can tell from Conan's expression that he's very worried because she's getting more and more near the truth. This isn't being stupid.

3) Jodie's Memories and the Cherry Blossom Viewing Trap

And here's the part I mentioned at the beginning of this post. Jodie has a flashback in which she remembers all the people who have touched Conan's phone during the Clash of Red and Black case and she was so close to found out the trick of the glue on fingers that Akai used, but Conan stopped her because he understood she was near discovering the truth.

4) Scarlet Arc

Finally in the Scarlet Arc Jodie manages to reconstruct the plan Conan and Akai made (not to mention that she figures out the plan has been thought not by Akai but by Conan). And she does it ALL BY HERSELF. She also manages to understand people's face expression , like she did with Conan.

All this to say that calling her usless and stupid is a bit exaggerated, because she's the only one who managed to find out a plan made by the two biggest brains of the manga (if we exclude Yusaku). If that is being stupid, then I don't know how to define people like Yamamura (no offence if there are fans of Yamamura reading this post but...XD). And to all the people who after the last file with Akemi's flashback have said "Akemi as a kid was better than Jodie as an adult to make secret codes, no wonder why Akai chosed her"...Well, I want to remember you guys that the stratospheric code made by Akemi has been solved easily and quickly even by a simple firefighter without the help of Conan. It wasn't that complex if even an ordinary person managed to undestand it... Also, it is totally normal that a Japanese native person knows his/her native language better than a foreigner who learned it. I will always speak Italian better than a foreigner who studied Italian for years, it's totally normal, it's totally ok. That doesn't mean this foreigner is stupid if he/she makes mistakes while speaking Italian, it's something that can happen. The same applies for Jodie and hers wasn't even a "mistake", it was just that she wrote a thing like they teach you at elementary school because she has been taught Japanese by a elementary school teacher. What is strange is that Akai who is half Japanese and is supposed to be an invincible and perfect God didn't notice it, but no one cares about this, of course everyone has to blame Jodie because it's easier. Then I ask to all the Akemi supporters/Jodie haters if they have ever stopped for one moment to think about how much their beloved Akemi has been stupid to trust Gin. I mean Gin, the most evil character we know until now...how can you trust him even for one second when he tells you that he will let you go??? THIS is being stupid, trusting a man that you perfectly know you can't trust. Not crying for the loss of a person you love like Jodie did. Not making a "mistake" when you write in another language that isn't your native one like Jodie did. Not finding out a plan made by two amazing brains like Jodie did. So when you claim that Jodie is stupid or that Camel is stupid and should die because he's responsible for Akemi's death, please remember that Akemi herself is the one and only responsible for her death. She chose it and in a stupid way. No offence, it's a fact.

Jodie isn't stupid at all, actually she has lot of potential: it's Gosho who doesn't use it properly (and he does the same thing with many other characters unfortunately).

Thanks to everyone who has read all this long post, I really needed to do it.

#jodie starling #detective conan analysis #detective conan #jodie starling analysis #gosho aoyama #she's not stupid #but gosho should stop to ruin characters just to underline how other characters are intelligent and superior #jodie haters I can destroy you at any time with facts

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aria-i-adagio · 3 years

Text

Fandom: Dragon Age

Ship: Dorian x m!Trevelyan

Rating: T

read on A03 or below

(title from REM, 'Imitation of Life')

Meanwhile, in Haven.

Rhys has a list of sights he does not want to see as he’s dying. At the top (and a recent addition) are hurlocks - those are some ugly motherfuckers, and he suspects that they enjoy making death hurt. Most varieties of demons; although, perhaps a desire demon might not be too bad. Granted, he doesn’t know if the illusions they cast last up to the point of death, or if those are only good while being possessed. That might change the calculus a bit. One of the red lyrium crystal monsters the Templars were turning themselves into. A bear. He definitely does not want to see a bear while he’s dying.

As final sights go, the implosion of the Breach as the thing in his hand stitches the Veil back together isn’t a bad one. The outer edges turn magenta, then blue-violet. The cooler colors rush to the center, swirl together, drawing inward until there’s just a speck of black, more liquid than the darkest night. Then bright, morning sunlight pulses like a heartbeat from that center.

Rhys lets go of the breath he was holding. He thinks it worked, thinks the Breach is closed. It feels powerful enough - a wave of magic like fire and lightning pouring through him, in and out, like breathing in harsh, herbal smoke that messes with his head and makes the world swim, and at least, in his case, despite many promises to the contrary never makes him as sleepy as it just makes him keyed up and in want a good fuck.

The shockwave following the pulse of white light picks him up off his feet and sends him hurtling through the air and slamming him like a ragdoll into rocks and ice around Haven.

Still, the light is damned pretty. Until it fades.

He hears Dorian's voice through the ringing in his ears. “Rhys! Thank the Maker.”

Rhys hopes that he isn’t dead because if he is that implies that Dorian is dead too, and that would rather sad. The world needs Dorian smiling and making catty jokes. There’s been too much melancholy and death over the past few months. Rhys is getting tired of all the omens of doom and gloom.

There’s another little gap in time before his head recovers enough to remember how to open his eyes. When he does, Cassandra’s upside-down face greets him. Dorian's would have been a prettier sight, but there's something comfortingly familiar about seeing Cassie first thing after realizing that - despite there being every reason for him to be - he is not, in fact, dead.

Rhys's vision still spins, and his left arm feels like it’s burning from the inside out. Yes, he’s been here before. Best just to let go, disconnect from it, float a little bit. “Are you going to yell at me again?”

“What?” Cassie’s dark brows pull low over her eyes. “No!”

“Too bad. You’re kinda attractive when you look like you’re about to commit murder.”

“Herald!”

Cassie sounds scandalized. Rhys manages a grin. Not that scandalizing Cassie actually takes that much effort. Makes her easy to tease. Something to distract him from how much he’s hurting at the moment because pretending that the waves of pain radiating from his arm are the ocean doesn’t actually work very well. Maybe it’s because he hasn’t been in the ocean since he was a small child. The memory of floating in warm waves until they send you tumbling into rough sand isn’t fresh enough.

“Keep talking like that, Lucky, and you might yet manage to die tonight.”

“Hey, Varric.” Rhys tries to lift his head and the bastard offspring of fire and electricity shoots from his shoulder to neck and then down his spine. The muscles in his back spasm and his head hits the ground beneath him, blacking out his vision for another moment and sending the ringing in his ears a pitch higher. “Did it work?” he asks groggily.

“You did good, kid.”

“So it -”

“The Breach is sealed, Rhys.” Solas’s calm voice is reassuring to hear. “Try not to move, this will hurt more before it hurts less.”

“That story -” He means to say ‘again,’ but Cassandra grabs his shoulders very firmly and maybe he shouldn't waste breath on quips.

“Dorian, be ready.” Solas does something, and that something rips the fire out of his left arm, which is - as promised - worse than just letting it settle in like some magical, fatal addition to the marrow.

“Motherfucking, son of a bitch, what in the name of Andraste's flaming arse -”

“Language.” Cassie lets go of his shoulders and reprimands him with a light cuff on the side of his head. “Oh let the kid blaspheme a bit, Seeker. He's earned it.”

Rhys sits up and rubs his hand. Above him, the sky is still marked by a line of bright green, but it’s a seam in the darkness, not a whirling, pulsating storm. His arm doesn't hurt now, but there's the same fuzzy numb wrongness in his wrist and palm that he's gotten used to over the past few months. That's on a good day.

Solas arches his eyebrows and looks amused. “You know I do very little in the name of Andraste's arse, flaming or not.”

“Whatever your reason -” Rhys experimentally stretches out his left arm and reaches across his chest to rub his shoulder. It’s still aching, but just the banal ache of falling a bit too hard. “Thank you."

Nearby Dorian finishes casting with an elegant - and probably unnecessary - flourish of his elegant hands. One of the trees beside the Chantry behind to glow with the green of a Veil Rift, then warming to a color closer to chartreuse.

“What is that?”

“You absorbed a lot of energy while closing the Breach. I siphoned off what I could at the time. But still, far more than a human body is supposed can contain and remain alive.”

“Right.” Movement of energy had been his theory for some time. Massive amounts of magic were required to open or close a rift in the Veil, and something had to serve as a conduit. Whatever happened at the Conclave had left him as that conduit, but each time he felt the power come closer to burning through the bonds that held him together, made him human. Which was precisely why there was a stack of farewell letters sitting on the desk in Rhys's quarters. He hadn’t expected to live through whatever it took to close the Breach.

“Dorian and I pulled off some of what remained and redirected it. It's a rather beautiful effect, albeit transient.”

The tree turns to a brilliant brilliant gold and then quivers and collapses into a pile of shimmering dust. Rhys swallows hard. Not expecting to live isn’t quite the same as getting a glimpse of how you would have died. Or maybe a human body was messier than a tree. Typically were less graceful than plants. “I see.”

“Right then. Let's get you freshened up and then get some liquor in you.” Dorian grabs his forearms and hauls him to his feet. Face to face with the other mage, Rhys feels transparent. Like a plane of glass that can't hide fears and flaws. It's terrifying. Electrifying. “Everyone else has already started the party.”

Even nearly nose to nose with Dorian, Rhys still can't tame the small voice in the back of his head that says he's reading Dorian all wrong, that the man is just friendly, that there's certainly no way someone so beautiful and refined would be interested in a mudlark.

He hopes that voice is just being stupid.

Dorian slips him a flask of brandy as they walk away. Rhys flips the cap off and sips gratefully from it. His legs feel loose, off-balance, like he’s drunk already, and he suspects he would be staggering but for Dorian’s arm around his waist. The linen undergarments beneath his leather coat and woolen sweater are soaked with sweat and chilly even beneath the layers; he’s content enough to let Dorian drag him to the small cabin he’d been given. Really, actually, it is too much for a single person, much bigger than the room he had at Ostwick. And frankly, far too cold with only a single person’s body heat in the space at night.

He stumbles past the partition to the room in the back, trying to decide if he’d rather fall face-first onto the bed, or dig out a new base layer and go enjoy the party he can hear the rest of the Inquisition beginning outside. Leliana and Josephine will probably show up if he chooses the latter and drag him back out with a lecture on keeping up appearances and rallying the people. They might even be right.

Maker, he hopes his part in all this is over. Let Cassandra and Leliana continue trying to remake all of Thedas. He just wants to go home. If he has a home to go to.

“Oh look at this!” Dorian exclaims from the front. “Antivan red. And a halfway decent vintage. You’ve been holding out on me, Rhys.”

“Talk to Josie.” Rhys undoes the buttons down the front of his coat. Too many buttons, especially with hands that are stiff from the cold and shaking from an overdose of magic. He tosses it over the foot of the bed and takes off his sweater. He’s rather fond of the sweater actually, it’s nice and warm and the good kind of scratchy. The kind that kept you in the present place and time. “She’s not lying about her family connections.”

“Not sure she likes me. Yet. She’ll come around.”

“I’m sure she will.” Rhys smiles a little and cautiously - sometimes he has to recalibrate just how much magic to use after closing a Rift - casts a spell to melt the ice on the pitcher of water. Closing the Breach hadn’t done anything to improve Haven’s climate. Maker, why do people choose to live here? He splashes still chilly water over his face and leans his hands against the table, trying not to yawn so hard that his jaw cracks off.

His linen shirt is soaked to his skin; he has to virtually peel it off. It gets tossed to the floor, something that can be dealt with later and by someone else. He soaks a bit of toweling at rubs it over his chest and shoulders, glancing behind him, at least somewhat hoping that Dorian is surreptitiously peering around the partition.

He isn't. He’s turned away from the opening in the partition - polite, Rhys supposes - holding the stack of letters in his hands and shuffling through them. “Rhys. What are these?”

“Just... I need to burn those. They were just in case, well, you know, this wasn't exactly the guaranteed outcome.” He didn’t even know if half the people he had addressed them to were still alive, much less where to find them, but he assumed that Leliana would be able to figure that out if she needed to.

“How late were you up writing them?”

All night. “A while.”

“You were sitting here last night, by yourself, writing these because you thought you might die - Rhys, why didn't you say anything? You didn't have to sit in here drinking and contemplating death alone.”

“I thought the chance closing the Breach would kill was generally understood.” Just the kind of thing that no one talks about in polite society. Rhys combs his fingers through his hair and tries to put it into something akin to order and not just hanging unattractively lank around his face. Kind. Dorian might have a vicious tongue in his head, but he’s also kind when he wants to be. “Open the bottle if you want. If I was saving it for a special occasion, I think this qualifies.”

Rhys sits on the edge of the bed and undoes the buckles down the sides of his boots, tugging them off and rolling down the first of three pairs of socks. The other two are tucked under his trousers. Clean socks will be nice. He gets his trousers off - tight leather is really annoying. Decent armor. A good look on him too - even he can recognize that. But annoying to get on and off.

He finishes washing up quickly and dresses again, listening as Dorian pops the cork out of the bottle and the sound of wine being poured. Hopefully, it’s a decent vintage. He’d hate to disappoint.

Dorian is sitting in one of the chairs with his feet propped up on the desk. Rhys does it all the time himself; it’s a bizarrely satisfying act of delayed rebellion against the librarians who scolded him for doing the same thing in the Circle. The letters have been set aside in a much tidier stack than the one in which he had left them. He pulls the second chair out from the desk, sits down, and picks up the wine glass that Dorian isn’t twirling in his elegant hands.

Dorian stops him as he raises the glass to his lips. “Don’t drink it yet, silly. A red needs to breathe.”

“Right. Yes. Anyway, thanks. For saving my life back there. What is that, like the fiftieth time.”

Dorian raises his eyebrows, smiling over the cup in his hand. “Bad form to let someone die. Especially someone you rather -”

Bells begin clanging outside, interrupting whatever Dorian was about to say. He swings his feet from the desk to the floor and sets the cup violently down on the table. “Oh, Andraste’s quaking quim, what now?”

Rhys grins. “You’re getting as bad as a Ferelden.” Even if the bells are unlikely to signify anything good, he can enjoy a little humor.

“Worse, I think.” Dorian throws back the cup of wine as he gets up from the table, and Rhys follows suit. Yes. It is a more than decent vintage even without enough time to breathe, and he grabs the bottle as Dorian pushes the door open because whatever is about to happen will probably merit alcohol. Cullen is standing outside, still in full armor and fur and with the grim expression that Haven seems to have frozen on his features.

“We’re under attack. Grab your staves. Meet me at the gate.”

“Void take it.” Dorian takes the bottle from him and drinks. “Come on, Rhys. Looks like fate hasn’t given up fucking with us yet.”

Well, fuck.

#dragon age inquisition #dorian x trevelyan #dorian pavus #dragon age fanfiction #trevelyan #pavelyan

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valkerymillenia · 4 years

Text

@animecat33 tagged me for this

Rules: Name 10 characters from 10 different fandoms that you like, then tag 10 people.

I enjoyed this but... At first I thought, do I even have 10 I consider favs? And then I ended up with a list of, like, 25, and couldn’t pick 10 so I chose more or less at random. And I admit I cheated seeing as some kind of fit in the same fandom in some way.

It’s just too hard picking favorites.

Undercut, cause it’s gonna be a loooong post.

1. Morticia Addams (Addams Family)

My tattoo probably makes this one obvious.

I love Morticia so much, not only do I love her aesthetic, I just love her personality and attitude, not to mention her marriage is ‘goals’ and as a mother and matriarch she’s incredibly supportive and loving despite the unorthodox life the Addams’ live. I love a character that can be a mother without having it define her completely.

2. Catwoman/Selina Kyle (DC)

Selina was one of my OG crushes back before I even understood what I crush was or that being queer was even a thing (looking at you, Michelle Pfiffer).

I love her style and strength and personality (when she's well written), her grey morals and competence, and cats are just my thing, ok? Plus bisexual icon.

Have you noticed I have a thing for a dark women with grey morals?

3. Raven/Rachel Roth (Teen Titans/DC)

I kinda share a name with Raven but that's not why I like her. I've always loved the emotional complexity of this character, her incredible power (and how it's also her weakness), and style as well. I'm not too thrilled about some more recent incarnations of her but she'll always be an OG fav.

4. Nightwing/Dick Grayson (DC)

Yeah, yeah, DC again, look the other way, please (they have individual comics anyway).

I couldn't leave out my darling Dickie. I grew up with this dude and I love his backstory and relationship with his family. He's a beautiful ray of sunshine with a dark streak, a competent leader without being a broody bossy jerk like some and he's very well rounded and consistent in his characterization (plus that design is top notch). I know the Romani thing was a ret-con on something just vaguely implied in the past but honestly it was a good one and some much needed rep despite the constant whitewashing (though not as bad as others in his family).

Also, he drinks his 'respect woman juice', he's flawed without being edgy, and has been queer-coded and female-troped for decades which makes him much more likeable as a male character. He actually became an LGBT icon despite the cowards at DC constantly trying to shove heteronormativity into his storyline.

5. Rose Quartz/Pink Diamond (Steve Universe)

Is she problematic? Yes and that's part of the appeal.

I already loved Rose when she was this sweet, compassionate and wise old soul, this rebel and leader and mother with many secrets.

I guessed really early on that she was PD so that part didn't surprise me but when the backstory of her as PD finally appeared to give us so more in-depth knowledge I was surprised by the amount of hate the character got. To me, her flaws, pain, mistakes and growth were part of the allure.

Also, gorgeous and much needed plus-size rep. I loved cosplaying her more than anything.

6. Princess Leia (Star Wars)

Did I like her style or design? Nope, I much prefer her mother's but Leia is an immensely competent, wise, strong female character that takes no bullshit from the male-dominated plot around her, she deserved so much better. Honestly, she deserved her own goddamn movie.

Carrie Fisher was a feminist icon and an advocate for mental illness visibility. She's was also fucking hilarious. All this translated into Leia's character very well and she deserved so much better from society than being sexualized in a metal bikini and remembered that way forever.

7. Hela (Thor Ragnarok/Marvel)

I already loved Hela's character in the comics (except the arc where she sexually abuses Thor, that was shitty edgelord writing and I refuse to acknowledge it's existence) but Ragnarok gave her a whole new meaning.

Firstly, my God is she hot! Just.... Umpf! Step on me, queen.

Secondly, she's dark and evil but she has a goddamn point (people are hypocrites). And in the comics she's not even evil, she's neutral and only a villain because she opposes Thor on a personal level. She's also incredibly competent at what she does and if that isn't a turn-on idk what is.

8. Korra (Legend of Korra)

Korra will always be bae. There's a reason my behemoth of a fic revolved around her.

Not only is she incredibly well-rounded and fun, she's also very competent, has a fascinating backstory and is immensely powerful, plus she grows beautifully through her show. Not to mention she's GORGEOUS.

POC and LGBT rep, plus she showcased one of the most incredible arcs on disability and recovery that I've ever seen in a family show.

9. Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff (Marvel)

You can pry Wanda from my cold dead hands.

I'm not even the biggest fan of her movie version, I'm all about comic Wanda.

POC rep and an incredibly visceral portrayal of mental illness and trauma. And she's beautiful beyond reason, morally grey, and powerful as hell.

Most of all what I like about Wanda is how loyal and family-oriented she is without letting it diminish her as an individual or as a powerhouse character, so many female characters loose all agency and individuality when they have kids, they get delegated to role of mother and lose their heroics or become extensions of their husbands and children, Wanda was nothing like that. Her relationship with her brother is fascinating too (let's pretend the incesty vibes in certain alt universes don't exist).

I only hate that she and Pietro always get the short stick in adaptations and their origins keep getting needlessly retconned (Magneto's kids with his Romani wife, raised by someone else- that's it, stop trying to change it and then change it back over and over). That and how she's not allowed to have her well deserved relationship with her babies because of stupid old-fashioned comic rules that led to a needlessly convuloted and far-fetch story arc (the erasure, reencarnation and hyper-aging of her sons).

10. Jessica Rabbit (WFRR)

For most people, Jessica's appeal is "she's hot" and yes, this "pinup femme fatale" look really does things to me, I won't lie about that, but that's not why she's my favorite.

Jessica is fav because she's loyal and loving to her goofy husband, she completely turns the femme fatale trope upside down for love and doesn't give a damn about looks, she uses her appearance as a weapon and she's confident but she's clearly not vain ("I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way" and "He makes me laugh"). She's also hilarious in her own deadpan way.

Other worthy mentions to this list are:

Wednesday Addams

Mystique (Marvel)

Shuri (Marvel)

Maleficent (Disney)

Vanya Hargreeves (TUA)

Blind Mag (Repo!)

Venom (Marvel)

Lust (FMA)

Evelyn O'Connell (The Mummy)

Alice Lidell (Alice Madness)

Jessica Jones (Marvel)

The Kagamine twins (vocaloid)

Amon (LoK)

Sesshoumaru (Inuyasha)

Loki (Marvel comics)

Liadan (Sevenwaters)

Furiosa (Mad Max: Fury Road)

Crowley (Good Omens)

Jericho (Titans/DC)

Sadako Yamamura (from the Ring BOOKS)

Susan Sto-Helit (Discworld)

I tag... @dymosara @abnaxus @polyx @bluetalesoftheheart @adka2333 @shinladyanarki @i-have-all-these-freaking-uwus @frank-a-lank @fluffynexu @teddy-fluffnhugs

#tag game #10 fav characters

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purgatoryandme · 4 years

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Hey, I mean this as innocently as possible but aren't characters supposed to be complex? I mean if characters are a barely and not well hidden walking talking propaganda of a certain theme or idea, isn't that bad writing? It's possible I'm not completely understanding what you mean when you say you don't like people who say 'they're complex characters', so is there any way you can explain further? Also if you don't wanna respond and if this is rude in any way, please ignore this.

NO! This is like...the biggest quibble I have with internet meta creation and fandom at large!!!! Not every character needs to be complex, some works are better off without complex characters, and, most importantly: Complexity isn’t the hallmark of a talented writer!!! AHHHH!!!!! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So first, what is a complex character? According to tumblr, it seems to be somebody who is either a) a character with conflicting motivations, b) a character with a very detailed backstory, c) a character that evokes sympathy through their realistic experiencing of certain events/situations, or d) a character they are going to say has all these things but is really just blank enough to be relatable in a way that lets people fill in those details themselves with their own experiences. You’ll notice that these are not the same things, though some can go hand in hand. This is the first issue with the conceptualization of complex characters. Fact of the matter is, nobody really agrees on what a “complex character” is in the same way nobody knows what a “strong female character” is. It’s a bad and annoying descriptor that I hate. Generally, though, most lit people would agree that a complex character is one that doesn’t fit into any particular archetype due to conflicting motivations. With this background, I can get more into why the “THEY ARE A COMPLEX CHARACTER” meta argument is an annoying and often reductive take that hurts literary analysis in fandom. Archetypes exist for a reason. They are a storytelling tool - perfect for introducing motion into a plot or setting up something people will recognize. Complexity is only possible because archetypes exist. Breaking from an archetype is only interesting in that it is differing from a pre-established norm - there is nothing inherently better about characters that don’t fit archetypes, or characters that invert them, lampshade them, etc. There’s also nothing interesting about doing it in a story where every single character is doing the same thing, unless, of course, that is the point and is played on in a tongue-in-cheek kind of way (like Good Omens) or is played straight and used for broad thematic effect. There needs to be intent. Themes exist for a reason. Walking talking propaganda of certain themes and ideas GIVE A STORY A CLEAR ATMOSPHERE. You don’t need to be hackneyed about it and it certainly isn’t bad writing. Clarity is the single most underrated aspect of writing today, imo, and it’s really frustrating that people act like you need to only hint at themes that have a high chance of going over readers heads. There’s nothing particularly fun about inaccessibility or subtext so deep in the “sub” text that there isn’t any strong evidence of it at all, though it has its purposes and places (re: in narratives aimed at small groups of people who WILL understand what the author is hinting at, or in mysteries/horror/thrillers where some level of confusion is the goal, etc). Cartoons use very blatant tropes to make ideas BIG and LOUD and OBVIOUS in ways that are very good at creating humour and yielding reactions with relatively little screentime - it’s not bad writing, it’s knowing your audience. A good example of walking talking propaganda characters is the cast of the Bioshock series. Down to their names, characters represented very clear ideas and were full of in-your-face religious imagery that was well-selected, well-executed, and consistent in a way that wasn’t up its own ass. There’s no doubt about anyone’s place in the story and guess what? It added to the richness of the world and the player’s experience of it in a way that overly detailed characters would not have. It also made the few outliers stand out even more as people for the audience to relate to. Speaking of which... Complex characters are generally more interesting when supported by archetypal characters. It gives them the contrast they need to stand out and situates them as unique in the story’s overall atmosphere. It helps ID them as important to the plot and the ways in which they are. Also, archetypal characters can be rendered more interesting than complex ones by either having them be one of the few archetypal ones, by giving them more depth or making them relatable, or by simply having them embody an archetype people love (like the hero, for instance). And another thing; frankly, in a world where a LOT of fandoms and writers make a big deal of breaking cliches, cliches become interesting again. C’est la vie. Stories aren’t just random and narratives aren’t often populated by real people. We LIKE narratives that we can understand that deliver messaging that can actually be parsed. Complex characters should never evade the messaging of a work entirely. They are meant to uphold it, to act as parallels and foils and in concert with dozens of other literary tools. Complexity doesn’t mean living outside of the atmosphere the work is trying to create. Complexity doesn’t mean intentionally running counter to the moral of the story for the sake of it. Writing has purpose. You are TELLING A STORY. It’s viewed through a lens - through perspective - that colours it AND every character within so they cannot respond like real people. It’s SO FRUSTRATING to see characters that damage the integrity of a story constantly described as “complex” just because they stick out like a sore thumb or as a way to excuse their poor placement. It’s even more annoying to have people constantly reach for ways to explain behaviour that IS NOT EXPLAINED IN TEXT / make it fit the narrative through “complexity” - AKA explanations of how a REAL PERSON could respond to some stimuli in a fictional story. Complexity has to be supported in text to be a good argument (if you are fighting against people complaining a character is simple or that they have a singular motivation so their behaviour is inconsistent - it doesn’t excuse personal quibbles people have with a character being a dick and it’s super annoying to see it brought up in that context) or “good writing”. It can’t just be something you relate to or think could be possible. That’s not what it is. Characters are not real people who respond in completely random ways to input - characters are creations of a person within a story (unless the purpose of the story is to represent the real lives of people, in which case the moral framework is a whole other thing that I cannot get into because this is super long already). All in all, I hate the whole “THEY ARE A COMPLEX CHARACTER” thing because I don’t think complexity is that deep bro, I think people use it to explain away their projection and shut down evidence/analysis based think pieces in an “it’s too deep for you bro” kind of way, it’s a symptom of people thinking that “smart” reading is conflicting and confusing bullshit and “stupid” reading is accessible clear-cut narratives, and I wish people would stop with the REAL PEOPLE DO X thing. Realism isn’t everything, and realism isn’t just you projecting onto a story and making pieces fit.

#reply #writing #long post

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stopraidingmyheart · 4 years

Text

About the character!

Tagged by the oh so lovely @falloutglow

Your muse’s name: Loralei (Daughter of the chieftain)/Lo/Moody

One picture / faceclaim of your muse:

(Had to rush this halfway through because I wanted to finish this before I left for the day! Concept tattoos for everyone with one complete and one unfnished!)

Two headcanons you have for your muse?

She...actually has constant dreams of these strange looking creatures looking down at her and her home. Anytime she tries to leave, she can’t because there seems to be some sort of invisible wall preventing her from doing so. She wakes up in sweat because she’s screaming at everyone about what’s happening but no one believes her!

She gets cold super easily because she was spoiled by the canyons she grew up in that were constantly warm! She’ll usually have a jacket with her unless it’s straight up summer in the Commonwealth and will complain the entire time until the coldness is gone.

Three things your character likes doing in their free time:

Drawing/sculpting/tattooing! Loralei is a creative soul and looks for creative outlets. She has a sketch book filled with things from strangers to crushes and...some inner thoughts she’d rather keep personal. She’s also taken up sculpting small tiny statues from the trash/junk she finds throughout the wastes, it’s usually kept together with gum and is usually a horse. Then there’s tattooing! That’s right, she also tattoos. The intricate tattoos that she has, she didn’t do herself, she knows a guy at Bunker Hill who has a whole ass machine and found out a way to make colored ink. He’s her go to. Loralei doesn’t have a machine...yet, she does poke tattoos! Usually will only do small ones because she doesn’t have time for huge ones.

Listening to music/singing/dancing along with it. Loralei...also likes to sing. It’s a hidden passion that she keeps under wraps in fear of ridicule. Only those close to her will hear her small whispers of a song or if she gets swept up in a feeling. Often she’s singing ‘Begin Again’, the likes the melancholy tune and will often hum it while drawing as well. Dancing is much rarer to come by. This girl has great control of her hips. Dancing is such a popular element back at home, it's how they tell stories.

Fun fact...she likes to climb things. I guess parkouring is the word? Loralei has long legs and she has high ass agility too, maxed out. So often, she’ll want to find a quiet spot in the inner cities of the Commonwealth to just...think to herself. So often, she’s scaling buildings in hopes of a finding a good spot and...has anyone noticed the crows around here? Loralei has...they’re...strange. She doesn’t see life behind the eyes of, not like the other birds...she’s just being paranoid. Been around Tinker Tom for too long is all.

Seven people your muse loves/likes:

Deacon - Yes, believe or not...she loves this fool like her own brother...er...if she were close to her brother. They’ve had heart to hearts and she knows things of him that he hasn’t told anybody...and in turn he knows things about her that she hasn’t told anybody. They’re often partnered together because Loralei is able to reel Deacon back in when things gets a bit out of hand. She’ll be the first to tell him when an idea is garbage and yes...she did rip that dumb fake earring out of his ear. No, we’re not going into a raider base pretending that we’re “piercers giving out free cool piercings!”. That’s dumb! That’s stupid! And these raiders don’t deserve to be pierced by anything but a bullet! Plus Deacon helps her bleach her hair.

Glory - aka, Loralei's ’ huge crush. Loralei does develop crushes on women easily, just...be soft with her and you’ve caught her. Only difference between Loralei getting a crush on you...and Loralei wanting to date you is...well you have to be able to deal with Loralei at her worst. At her worst, she can be a challenge. She can be mean and snappy. She’ll out right refuse any help and would rather mope and suffer then anything. So she needs someone who knows how to give tough love while avoiding to step in a certain territory of abuse. Glory knows exactly what type and how much of tough love to give. When Loralei first started bumming around the railroad, after the second week was up, Glory was the first one to tell Loralei to get off of her ass. Gave Loralei this new motto of "Replace the bad memories, with new good ones.". It's why Loralei has fallen deep for her. Glory also helps Loralei shave the side of her head which is often since Loralei's hair grows so fast.

Old Blue - Loralei's soul, the reason she made it past 12. Old Blue is Loralei's big ass horse, he sadly is still currently back home. He's an old man of 23 and has been with Loralei since she was born. They share the same birthday and everything. He's a giant but an absolute sweetie unless you hurt Loralei then he's gonna try and kick you then stomp on you. He saved Loralei from a yao guai attack when she was younger and decided to hunt for the first time by herself. Plan for Loralei is to get a huge plot of land, build a farm there and live out the rest of her life raising horses and radstags. Loralei has a tattoo of him on her right leg.

Desdemona - Des was the one who even allowed Loralei to stay with the Railroad after her ex left her heartbroken. She felt bad enough for her and didn't even make her join. Was surprised when Loralei asked to be an official member. Figured that having a cruel ex who was a synth would be enough for that hate to start. Most people haven't met a synth and hate them. Then she notices the soft looks Loralei gives Glory and...well, that all makes sense doesn't it. Des will often get on Loralei's ass when she's having a particular bad attitude that day.

Tinker Tom - Tom is like an annoying little brother. His talk of aliens is grating to her sometimes, she just wanted to talk about her weird dreams without the "are you sure you aren't alien made? I mean, the fast healing, the blue blood-" but...she loves him like a little brother. She likes listening about his tinkering and is actually drawing her up something in hopes a making a tattoo machine. Safe to say that she does find him charming and someone she cares dearly about.

Freya (her mom) - most of Loralei's childhood is being ignored. She's always been labeled as someone who'll bring you down with her and for the fact that one of her eyes is blue instead of green...was said to bring bad omens. Was almost killed as a newborn but her father refused to ever let such a thing happen. Freya is the only person in the tribe that has the same mental issues as Loralei...but Freya would get caught up in keeping the tribe together and they just...never really talked. Loralei is like that with all her immediate family.

Lulu (older brother) - Lulu and Loralei get along better then the rest of their family. They're still kind of awkward and aren't sure how to show each other affection but when Lulu comes around for a quick visit then they'll often share a smoke together and just...talk about their lives together. One of them is supposed to take over the chieftain role when their parents no longer can but...neither one of them want to.

A phobia your muse has:

Would it be weird to say meeting the beings in her dreams? She has so many dreams of just beings watching over her tribe. Seeing them as toys...or pawns or...pets. Loralei isn't sure. Just...she doesn't want to meet them. Ever. She feels like she isn't even supposed to know that they're there.

This is a tag free for all! So if you're seeing this, do it! It's a great way to delve into your OCs!

#fo4 #fallout 4 #fallout ocs #fallout oc #fallout 4 oc #ch: Loralei #Finally!#Finished this on the way home #but there she is!

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