#if he’s the mastermind then he should be emotionally mature enough to separate his romantic feelings from his job

[1doesnotsimplyhavejust1fandam]

It’s the way that Nathan Ford is BY FAR the least interesting character of the original Leverage five, and yet he’s the one who gets SO much backstory and context to himself. I’m literally watching the season 4 finale and I just don’t care that his father was murdered because Nate’s being incredibly annoying. Trying to be empathetic about a character grieving doesn’t even work for me here because his entire team is trying to make sure he doesn’t MURDER the man/men responsible for his father’s death and he’s not letting them in at all. It’s part of the reason I dislike his character so much. There’s hardly ever moments when he is genuinely vulnerable, not even with Sophie, who he is supposed to be in love with (yeah yeah, I know, they’re “friends with benefits” right now, but that’s not fooling anyone with eyes even without the knowledge that they end up together at the end). Nate is this mastermind of a character and it’s cool and intriguing for all of half of season before you’re scratching your head like, where’s the care for his team? He was kind to Hardison in the evaluation form and he didn’t want to make Eliot kill again, for any reason, but it’s so hard to appreciate his humanity when he’s spent the past three(ish) seasons on the verge of drinking himself to death, verbally bashing Sophie, and only being about the work. Sophie having a notebook full of moments when Nate put her or her ideas down isn’t funny or a moment of character growth. Nate doesn’t fully understands how that’s so shitty of him, as team leader, but also as her sexual (romantic?) partner. Every moment of Sophie and Nate’s relationship has to be fought for BY SOPHIE, and at this point, I don’t even know why she even wants him. He may be acting as Robin Hood and helping people, but he’s barely even a person while he’s doing it. I’ve never liked Nate, but making my way through season 4 has definitely given me the hardest time with remembering his redeeming qualities. Every time he’s vaguely misogynistic or acts like an immature man child when it comes to processing his emotions without alcohol (which happens: never), I question why he’s the main character, why my screen isn’t filled up with Hardison being the sassiest mf of them all or OT3 moments or Sophie conning the hell out of men who are led by their dicks and not their minds. When I’m watching the Nate centric scenes/episodes, I’m never wishing for more, I’m wishing the rest of the team was in the spotlight instead

#leverage spoilers #anti Nathan ford #anti Nate ford #leverage #sophie devereaux #parker leverage #alec hardison #eliot spencer #if this isn’t a common way of thinking in the leverage fandom I would be both shocked and disappointed #the office job #really tried its best to make Nate putting Sophie down a reverse workplace romance thing #but all it actually succeeded in doing was making me hate nate more bc of his inability to compartmentalize #if he’s the mastermind then he should be emotionally mature enough to separate his romantic feelings from his job #sorry not sorry #this has been a Nathan ford hate post

[beyondthenova-blog1]

The Forged

The Forged are a synthetic race who are humanity's oldest friends, allies, and partners.

The 'true' form of a Forged is a sphere of woven light and glass called a Forge Core. Forge Cores vary is size, but most are small enough to fit comfortably in the palm of a human's hand, and it should be noted that the size of a Forge Core has no bearing on the power of the Forged mech it contains. All Forge Cores have words engraved on them - sometimes instructions or messages - and a Forged instinctively knows their own words. When a Forge Core is placed inside a machine or a fabricated body, it bonds with the frame and animates.

The first Forged were crude creatures made of mud, wood, and rock, and they served as humanity's teachers, protectors, and guides. In the intervening millennia Forged bodies have become continuously more specialized and complex, and the Watchers, Pattern Assistants, and starships of the modern era would be unrecognizable to their 'ancestors'.

Although no accurate records exist, scientific studies have shown that it's likely that the Forged predate humanity as the original 'inhabitants' of Earth. While the majority of Forged were excavated on Earth, Cores have been found on the Moon, as well as on Mars and its moons, within the asteroid belt, and in the accessible areas of the Sol system's gas giant moons.

Countless theories about where the Forged came from exist. Early human mythology posits that the Forges are servants of God, sent down to Earth to aid and protect humanity. The commonly accepted modern theory is that a starship carrying the Forged crashed in the Sol System millions of years in the past, scattering the Forged across two planets and dozens of moons and asteroids. Though whether the Forged were the crew or cargo, no one knows. The origin of the mechanical race is a mystery, even to the Forged themselves. It is notable that only the Forged are able to interact with all forms of FTL technology without going insane, and as such, Forged have accompanied humans on all of their expeditions beyond Earth.

When the body of a Forged is destroyed, the indestructible Core remains intact, and can be placed into a new body. Some Forged appear to have a 'cooling down' period between lives, and can take months or years to reform, while others seem content to reform instantly. Forged who lose their body and 'reincarnate' are not guaranteed to retain any memories or emotional connections, but this occasionally occurs. For the most part, a Forged placed in a new body is effectively a new person - though each Forged has a few basic personality traits that remain consistent throughout their multiple lives.

Like humans, the Forged were altered by the Nova, and they show the same rates of Delta and Alpha emergence.

Finally, there are many Forged who are native the Aradax reach, leading some historians to believe that they originated there.

Forged Names

All Forged are 'born' emotionally and mentally mature, and most Forged choose their own names. Some Forged choose human names appropriate to their country and culture of origin (Hiroto, Ahmed, Aditya, Li Jing, etc.), while others prefer more 'machine like' names (Gears, Progress, Victory, etc.). Forged with animal or animal-like bodies sometimes choose names based on their form (Pridelord, Webspinner, Bullroarer, etc.).

Forged Social Life and Culture

Forged have no genetic relatives or families, though they do form bonds with others easily. Not unlike humans, Forged are a social species, and they can become distressed and malcontented when isolated. If left alone or abandoned for long periods of time, Forged can develop a mental illness that they call Glass-Eye Syndrome. Simply put, Glass-Eye Syndrome is emotionless, robotic behavior. Personal connections fade and dull, and positive memories become difficult to access. While the personality and emotions of Forged mech no not disappear, they give way to ruthlessness and cold logic. Since the presence of other Forged does not stave off Glass-Eye Syndrome, most Forged actively seek out both platonic and romantic relationships with humans or other lifeforms. They often keep pets.

A Forged usually adopts the culture of the nation they were 'born' into, though previous to the Exodus from Earth, not all societies treated the Forged as full citizens. Nonetheless, the Forged have been participating in human culture since humans existed, and this has changed little in the modern day.

On the Frontier, the Forged who came across the Void with the Worldfleets are considered fully sentient beings and have the same rights as humans. Within the Illuminated Empire of the One-Thousand-And-One, the Forged are slaves, with even the great leader of the Second Worldfleet held captive. Most Forged who are native to the Reach live among the Maial and have massive bodies of living wood and flowing stone. Others have cast their lot in with the Orog, their bodies built from castoffs and scraps. Finally, the Goran have no use for the Forged, and the Kylss dislike them.

Notable Forged

Progress - Leader of the First Worldfleet, Progress was once a fighter pilot and his expertise was what allowed him to rescue his Fleet from the storm of the Nova and keep it mostly on course. Humanity owes its survival to him, and worse yet, he knows it. Progress still inhabits his original body, the Ark Primaris, but has several smaller avatars into which his can distill his mind for personal interactions. Which, regrettably, he often does.

Innovation - Leader of the Second Worldfleet, Innovation was once a scientist. When the Nova struck, her navigational council was destroyed in the blast and virtually her entire Fleet was lost. Through sheer ingenuity, she was able to preserve several ships, and these survivors went on to become the One-Thousand-And-One. Innovation still inhabits her original body, the Ark Secundus, though she is held captive by the humans she rescued.

Invention - Leader of the Third Worldfleet, Invention was once an engineer. When the Nova struck, their entire Fleet was lost in the Void, unrecoverable. They once inhabited the Ark Tertius.

Gears - An Watcher from one of the life-support ships of the First Worldfleet. When their ship separated from the Worldfleet and crashed, the Forged aboard sacrificed themselves to preserve the lives of the human passengers and crew. Though he was badly damaged in crash, Gear was retrieved by the human survivors and repaired. For the last four-hundred years he has served as the protector of the Ironbark colony, which was established near the crash site. Recently, he's been studying to become a nurse under the tutelage of the colony's only doctor.

The-White-Reaper - An assassin who was once Progress' student and friend, The-White-Reaper is now the leader of a rebellion against him. How long the Reaper had been in the thrall of Glass Eyes Syndrome would be difficult to say, but he preaches that it is an enlightened state, and that it is the true nature of the Forged. After they masterminded an anti-human terrorist attack in the Frontier capital of Watercastle, Reaper and the majority of his followers were driven into exile.

Forged Physiology

The Forged are a mechanical race, and as such, they do not function entirely like humans. They do not need to eat, sleep, drink, or breathe. Though, if they wish, they can enter a quiescent state in which they 'power down'. From the perspective of the Forged, during this dormancy, time passes very quickly. While in this state, the Forged have dreams.

The Forged do not age, and magical aging his no effect on them. They are immune to Poison, Disease, and Bleed-Keyword effects unless that effect specifically notes it can target the Forged.

A Forged is 'born' when its Core is placed within a specially prepared and pre-constructed body or vehicle. A surge of energy takes place, and the core bonds with the frame in a process that the Forged call 'Ignition'. Humanoid or animal frames develop eyes, even if the frame was not built to include them, and the Core forms vital metaphysical connections that allow it to move its limbs. Forged are fully mature at the moment of Ignition, though some may be confused or disoriented for a time.

Forged can be divided into roughly three 'types', based on which faction built their bodies.

Forged of the Frontier and Free States - These Forged are further divided into three groups. Watchers, who were the original crew of the First Worldfleet and who cared for the ships while the humans were in sleep-stasis. Watchers are usually selected from Forged with traits that humans see as trustworthy and desirable, and their forms approximate those of humans. Pattern Assistants, who interact with Victory Technology on behalf of humans. All Pattern Assistants have a spider or spider-like look to their form, often with multiple limbs. Finally, there are Warmechs, who are soldiers, assassins, and military vehicles. Warmechs vary greatly in appearance, though some have bodies crafted in assembly lines, so identical frames are not entirely uncommon.

Forged of the Maial Might - Sometimes called Colossi, even the smallest of the Maial Forged are typically giant warmachines and siege engines. Smaller Forged are called Weavers and approximate the forms of their Maial 'siblings', though these bodies are usually reserved for those Forged who have been altered into Deltas. Paradoxically, the Maial revere the Forged as nature spirits and agents of the Great Mother while expecting them to serve as warriors and obey without question.

Forged of the One-Thousand-And-One - In the Illuminated Empire of the One-Thousand-And-One, the wondrous transforming Forged are known as Titans. Like all Forged in the Empire, the Titans are slaves. Few can speak, and often, their pilots are not entirely aware that they're sentient. Typically, they suffer from Glass-Eye Syndrome so severe that human interaction has become pointless to them. A common sentiment among the Illuminated is that the Forged are soulless, rouge AIs that the other groups within the Reach are inexplicably indulging. Smaller Forged, called Valiants, also exist, though they rarely interact with humans and serve only as the Empire's intercessors to the Victory Technology.

#setting info #the forged