#like yeah its more visually interesting and it signifies changes in arcs but also

[businessbois]

between the wilbur coat, the antarctic cape/shawl, and now the friend cardigan, i’m glad we all looked at c!tommy and went “this kid needs a jacket.”

#tommyinnit #mcyt #dream smp #because all his heroes have failed him and his homes turned to dust but all we can do is make sure he isnt cold for whatever happens next #like yeah its more visually interesting and it signifies changes in arcs but also #'i want tommyinnit to have a jacket' the fandom decided 'i want him to be warm' #it almost makes me think of one of those dsmp citizen things #like an ex-lmanburg citizen remembering the early days and how their uniforms had those nice long coats #but now the ex-vice president is shivering in his threadbare red and white t shirt #and its short sleeved and ravines are cold or island breeze is cold or coming back from the dead leaves you cold #and so passing on the prime path they press a jacket into his hand and say 'stay warm' #or they leave knitting needles on his donation box because they remember how much he liked creating things #stay warm tommyinnit #canonizing jackets through the power of sheer willpower

[knightotoc]

"I took care of them:" Lightsaber Color Transformation and Identity

Clickbait Title: Why Ahsoka's S7 Lightsabers are Blue

Very vague spoilers for Jedi Fallen Order (and Rebels and the KotORs) below! The JFO spoilers are marked if you want to skip them.

When Luke changes from a blue to a green lightsaber, it signifies both a break from Anakin (and Obi-Wan) and his own personal transformation. (And also, the necessity for the saber to stand out against a blue sky during the movies' first outdoor fight.)

Ezra's change mirrors Luke's -- he also moves from matching his master's color to carrying his own. His experience at Malachor, while different than Luke's at Bespin, was equally harrowing. Both students' fledgling understanding of themselves as Jedi were shattered -- Luke can no longer want to be like his father; Ezra has seen the power of hatred.

The thing which gives a lightsaber its color is its kyber crystal. The movies wisely avoid this mechanism, but the cartoons, videogames, and Disney parks can't get enough of it.

If you buy the lightsaber creation experience at Disneyland, they have you meditate to pick your color. (I didn't go for this, though I did buy Maul's which was more expensive and twice as big. Hey, he's magic and I'm not.) I read a Polygon article that described the meditation as a surprisingly sincere spiritual experience -- a real connection to a specific color. And I watched a GameGrumps where they discussed buying extra kyber crystals on Etsy so that they could have all the colors. You can even change the color yourself with some YouTube engineering.

(I should also point out that as I was messing with my Maul sabers the other day, one light randomly turned green for a second. The integrity of these Disneyland saber colors is fragile indeed. Or maybe I am magic.)

But could an in-universe crystal change color? Luke and Ezra just got new ones -- did the new colors just happen to reflect their new identities? Or did the new identities alter the color?

And what if you were taking care of someone else's?

The KotOR games are the richest example of using lightsaber colors for storytelling. Jedi tradition during this ancient time had the colors signify your specialization -- blue for the hardy Gaurdians, green for the wise Consulars, and yellow for the Sentinels with their, uh, miscellaneous talents. You can change your lightsaber color any time you like depending on what crystals you find in caves or boxes (and they've got almost the whole rainbow out there), but the rules of meaning are written for you to follow or break. Still, you couldn't change any crystal itself until ...

Darth Mom Loves You

... KotOR II. You CAN change the crystal you find at the darkest part of the cave back home on Dantooine -- indeed, you must! As your mysterious mentor Kreia explains:

"That crystal is bonded to you. Through you it acquires its character and strength. And through it, your power is enhanced."

This bonded crystal changes in two ways: its color changes to align with your morality (black for a dark side player, white for a light side player, and three -- count 'em -- shades of gray), and its glow changes to align with your level (below level 12, it is opaque; above level 33, it "radiates an immense amount of light, almost blinding anyone who looks at it").

It is a beautiful way to keep track of your progress in the game as your Exile regains their lost powers and redefines themselves in a scary new world. Especially since you can only change your crystal with Kreia's help -- you need to talk to her about it, go to the workbench, remove it, and hand it over to her, trusting in her guidance and wisdom and the eerily powerful bond you share. (I, uh, love this game.)

She takes care of it for you.

The thing is, this crystal does not affect the color of your weapon. KotOR lightsabers actually mash THREE crystals up in there -- one for color, two for power. Changes in your identity affect your weapon in a tangible, yet invisible way.

Of course, a blindingly bright power crystal doesn't sound especially sustainable -- no matter how fascinating your arc or powerful your bond.

An ad from the brilliant Jedi Academy book series.

***🎸🤖Spoilers for JFO🤖🎸***

JFO is a far more aesthetically-driven game than the KotORs -- not just because it's a lot prettier, but because the rewards in chests only affect your appearance, not your stats. You can find new lightsaber hilts in the same places you can find new ponchos. But unlike the KotORs, you can't find new crystals until you've been sufficiently harrowed. And then, suddenly, it's the most thorough rainbow of all.

You begin the game with the ability to switch between blue and green, with no connotations attached except what you bring with you. But after Cal's own breakdown on Dathomir -- a more internal struggle than those of Luke and Ezra -- and its continuation and eventual healing on Ilum, we are finally inside the mind of a Jedi as they build their lightsaber -- and choose their color. Cal holds his battered crystal up to the light, and as he turns it, we see a spectrum of seven colors, all contained within one kyber crystal. You pick your favorite and go.

His rejuvenation in the Force gives Cal the ability to choose the color of his lightsaber. And he found this crystal in the darkest part of a cave from his childhood -- just like Exile and Luke found theirs.

So is that ... how it works? Do you get to pick? Does the color emerge from your broken little wizard soul?

If any Star Wars media was going to argue that, it would be JFO, where visual customization is so dear.

***🎸🤖End Spoilers🤖🎸***

Skip Here for the Ahsoka Theory

Why do Ahsoka's lightsabers change to blue? Certainly, she has had her own harrowing experience -- but it wasn't followed by any caves nor rambling old ladies trying to get her in touch with her spirit. Just a smug young man and a knowing expression between the two of them. It's cute as hell but why did he do that?

She didn't change them blue; he did. Did he switch her crystals? Why? Do they really need to be replaced like batteries? (The ancient lightsaber Ezra found on Malachor still worked.)

He changed them blue to put his own spirit in them. He missed her; he wants her to stay. It's a symbol of a bond, like the orange helmets -- but while the clones changed their armor to match Ahsoka, Anakin changed her sabers to match himself.

Possessive, yeah. Sweet, sure. Pitiful, maybe. Especially considering the sabers' fate. And that almost all the other Jedi who switch their own saber colors move away from their masters, not towards them (except Luke in his battle on Crait in TLJ ... I could gush about that too, but this is already so long! It's certainly a moving parallel to S7 Ahsoka).

What interests me about these silly crystals is the possibility that they change along with their Jedi. "This weapon is your life" -- then what happens if your life changes? Or if this weapon becomes someone else's life?

What if he changed them blue unintentionally? His proximity to the crystals, his hopeless wish for her return, for them to understand each other -- Darth Dad loves her, too. From her, he acquires character and strength. And from him, her power is enhanced.

Of course there are no caves -- these are city Jedi. The cave is the dorm room. Home is a skyscraper.

He took care of them. They were not better -- they were just his. And she was not.

#the clone wars #ahsoka tano #anakin skywalker #lightsabers #jedi fallen order #sw rebels #kotor #lightsaber discourse #this weapon is your life! #disneyland jokes

[sparda3g]

My Hero Academia Chapter 193 Review

It’s time to go back to the past. Back to where everything started. Well, at least the time with All for One and One for All. The timing to execute a flashback is random, but at least we can start a new arc right away. With that said I still don’t know the purpose behind it outside of its past reveal. Whatever it is, in the long run, it could pay off well, as the sign of its aftermath could play a role for what’s to come.

As mentioned before, Deku only has his upper face and right hand to move around, while everything else is clouded. All One for All users are standing, though some have a different display. When they are completely visible, it’s safe to say they are dead. When only the flaming aura exist, which is All Might, it is likely mean alive but “retired.” As for the shadows, it could either mean they are alive but no longer possess the quirk or Deku has to unlock more to see them. That or he simply can’t see them from afar.

The lineup doesn’t seem to indicate the order of the users. Otherwise, All Might shouldn’t be that far down, let alone next to the two shadows. Maybe the two shadows will play an actual role, while the others are shown for display sake; sort of like in Hitman Reborn, where only first and certain other boss position matters. In any case, Deku is the ninth user and he’s there to witness the fallout between the brothers.

The main premise I’m assuming is about how All for One is using his quirk for selfish desires as the younger brother constantly tells him how evil he is. Deku could only watch and not intervene as he’s practically an invisible spectator. He can’t alternate the timeline. As a reminder, All for One has the ability to take quirk away as well as giving it. He pulled a demonstration in front of his brother with the two victims. One who has the quirk that altered his look and the other who has none but desired for one. This is how evil grows.

It’s strange how the one who got his ability taken away seems like it’s nothing wrong. Like why the younger brother would cry about it. The one who gained the quirk is understandable since his expression changed to sinister. The actual catch is the two saw All for One as their master, so they are willing to repay the favor. Well, I don’t see how that is his fault; it’s the people that technically created their own cult in a sense. I guess the fault is taking advantage of the situation. He can restore order to the world because he can bring “happiness” to the people. In short, he’s going to take over the world. Of course.

The younger brother opposed his intention, but a bodyguard pinned him down; indicating All for One has gained many followers already. Despite all of this madness, he still loves his brother, even without a quirk. He saw more people with “problems” and he saw more chances for new followers. It was a sneaky move, I have to say. When there’s people who refused to seek his help, the followers will kill them, even if he didn’t request it. So yeah, it is his fault to create this chaos, but it sort of undermined the thought of being fully responsible. Maybe that’s the point, but we’ll see.

The one part that is odd to me is how the brothers signifying the comic they read in the past is what altered their lifestyle. I get it’s a tie-in to the world and comic, especially since they miraculously obtain the power, but it is odd and maybe alarming how it influenced their mind. The way how the panel with All for One’s eyes open heavily emphasized to be the case. I have Naruto flashback from that.

What’s also strange is the fact All for One only read up to volume 3, which sounds like it ended on a dark note with villains ruling the world. However, the younger brother read the rest of the story and the hero prevailed in the end. This push the thought that villains will always lose, which proceed to enraged All for One. This came off a bit silly if the comic is truly the root of all evils. It’s not like how that character from another series where he felt villains should win for once. After all, this is the main villain we’re talking about.

Clearly, he didn’t like what his little brother’s opinion; determined that despite the world has become like a comic, not everything implies the same, especially the outcome. Funny, because lately, comic book has been going twisty like killing their characters off and world ending, but I digress. It was at this moment when the quirkless brother obtains the power of One for All, thanks to his older brother forcing the power upon him. That’s where the story ends.

It’s basically a deeper look to what All Might explained before, now with more visuals and emotional conflicts. It’s interesting to see how All for One brought chaos with the sneaky use of his ability. The comic reference is iffy to me, seeing how it emphasized to be the beginning of different paths between the two. I don’t think it is setting up for Pain-esque change from Naruto, but that would be a rude awakening. I don’t know the purpose behind it, but it’s likely to set up for the next arc or at least give Deku something to do.

One for All talks to Deku like he’s telling him to purchase the next tape for details. The price is more percentage use of the quirk. I wonder if Deku does unlock more, will we see more of later on or more back to their past when they’re kids. Granted, the childhood portion can still occur during the event like a fight between the two, but we have to wait and see. One for All interacts Deku like they’re friends, so basically, they can communicate like Naruto and Kyuubi, Aang and past Avatars, and so on. He reassures him that he’s not alone.

The ending is interesting. Aoyoma’s senses are tingling and checks Deku to see what’s wrong. It turns out Deku’s room is a mess and it’s because of him with the activation of All for One. I don’t know what that implies exactly. Did he gain a power-up from connecting with the first? Is it activated unconsciously in order to view the past? This left me intrigued to understand why. I do believe Kohei made an error on the arm for it supposed to have scars, unless it addresses to be “cleansed.” For now, I go with the former. It happens.

I thought this was a good chapter. It was neat to see the sinister display of All for One with his tyranny and chaos the followers ensued. The art is pretty good on capturing the terror with the background left “unfinished” intentionally. The comic reference is concerning though; perhaps I am making a big deal out of it, but the way how it addressed seems very significant. Deku waking up with his quirk activated unconsciously got me curious. What also got me curious is what’s next for him. What is he going to do about it? Ask All Might? After the break, we will know.

#my hero academia #boku no hero academia #chapter 193 #review #spoilers

[sparda3g]

Tokyo Ghoul:re Chapter 124 Review

In this series, it's tough to be completely happy with whatever that seems good or a moment that the fans have been waiting for. While the last couple of pages are the main highlight that has everyone talking, the chapter itself has a lot to talk about with its moving words, a sudden development, and an eerie foreshadow.

It does surprise me with its direction that I didn't feel cheated or disappointed. It maintains the characters in their rightful track. It's the matter of timing to execute one narrative or another. It also leads up to a different point that I left wondering on what to expect for the next. It does resume the nature of buildup, but it works well since it is building up into a great deciding factor of Tokyo.

I said many times that there's a good chance that Touka would lash out and beat the crap out of Mutsuki. Instead, her character goes into "fight first, emotion later;" meaning she continues to portray the way she has. It's fitting that despite how rash she can be, she's smart enough to maintain her cool, especially this is her best friend we're talking about. Also, Yoriko is under arrest, which I am still worried about her status. Surprised that Mutsuki does maintain order of CCG. I wonder how Takeomi would react.

Despite that Touka plays it like a stranger to Yoriko, that kick of hers and her expression let you know that deep down, she's freaking pissed. I like how this was handled and Mutsuki still couldn't break Touka as much as she wanted to. To make matter worse, Kaneki reminds some fans, who for whatever reason think he's too weak, that he still got it.

It was pretty sweet that Kaneki was just dodging and wait until he can fight again, timing the drug wearing out. You got to love how he called Aura a greenhorn, obviously reference to rookie. It's as if Kaneki heard the comments and respond back with ease. I know that he wasn't that easy to be dealt with. Like I said before, the real trouble is how long he has to wait until he can help again rather than he will get manhandled easily. The problem does arise with Oggai's arrival.

Ever wonder what would have been like if Mumen Rider was in this series? Look no further than Oggai with a funny exchange with Kaneki. He's like, "Seriously..." in which one kid responds, "Yeah, we are under 18." That sense of humor from Ishida is quite something. Maybe he could do a gag manga next. Anyway, those bikes aren't ordinary as wheels can cause explosion or something. That's always nice; all the more reason for me to not ride one.

After many speculations I gone through, this one decides to call the battle off and run away, leaving :re cafe on fire. At least it won't be another raid on a cafe, but it makes me wonder the prime target area. Mutsuki lost her mind that even Oggai calls her scary. It's the best time to calm her down before the next set of action begins, presuming Urie having a chat with her. Otherwise, her destination is going to end at death.

After the action scene, it mellows down with couple of discussion time with various characters; all of which are moving in their own rights and deliver a meaningful insight of life. Tomoe, the girl that Takizawa forced her to assist him back at Rue Island, reappears here. I would admit, I thought Ishida forgot about her since she just disappeared in the last arc. I have to remember that he remembers his characters dearly.

The discussion centers on the cause of destruction and what leads to it. It's a strong message on how everything has its origin. Tatara taught her that the sense of smell is where it begins and from that point on, it leads to the chain of devastation. While it does interpreted on how much of a leader he was, it does give an eerie feeling that the destruction is upon them. All it takes is one tracked location.

It leaves you feeling frightened with the thought of the worst has yet to come. It is true that one small moment of grasp can start a chain that ultimately leads to one of their downfall. Much like learning about your enemy's location, it allows you to update and perhaps gain a huge advantage. That all said this is a reference to the thought that the ghouls may have nowhere to live if Furuta's reign continues.

The cross reference to that is with Suzuya and Urie's conversation. I love how Urie manages to slip in and calls Furuta a piece of shit; such a great way to use the thoughts. This surprisingly has a deep and heartfelt conversation about war especially that it's coming from Suzuya out of all people. I like how Urie joins in as if he needs that comforting as well.

Suzuya has a speech about his point of view on war. The eerie part is that he reflects this moment similar to Anteiku Raid, and that worries me a lot. Because of it, it leaves him thinking that a lot of people are going to die, and coming from him, he knows that. He truly has developed a lot from that time; if he didn't, he probably be hyped about it. Instead, this makes him think if it's fine to keep living the way it is today; just deal with ghouls and proceed on living. Now it feels like extermination is coming.

This troubles me on how it feels like we must expect the next arc to be a massive game changer. I still find it feeling like it's the last arc before we move to the next chapter of the series. The paper airplane is a haunting parallel to Anteiku Raid Arc, so could this really be the arc to change the direction entirely?

The last discussion piece and the main highlight for many is the Touka and Kaneki’s moment. As I said it before, Touka lets out her discomforting feeling about Yoriko, though perhaps holding back some. It's ironic that she's the one that talked about killing a human friend if they are caught being a Ghoul, yet she has to turn to Kaneki and talk about desiring to help one. You can somewhat call it karma.

It's depressing because not only they share the same problem of wanting to see, but Kaneki, looking torn, couldn't answer in a good manner about the desire to see a friend or in his case, Hide. You can tell that although he doesn't want to meet them because he would recklessly lose his sight, he appears that he is hurt by that thought alone. He would sacrifice his friendship if it would mean to keep him safe, even if it does pains him throughout his life. That's hard to accept.

This chapter leans more towards the showcase of emotions when it comes to visual. As solid it is in the action scene, the emotional expression is what compels me and rightfully so. These characters are going through many hardships that begin to question their state of mind. What's right and what's wrong no longer has an easy path to walk through. There's that paper airplane that leaves a frightening note. Kaneki's expression on desire to see a friend is well spot on with the look of pain.

So, let's get to the real meat of the chapter, no pun intended. The cliffhanger has undoubtedly piqued my interest, pairing fan or not. Touka shoves Kaneki and proceed to approach him really close and it ends there. I don't know if this is Ishida's mind game, but it highly suggest that Touka has kiss him off-panel or more like you don't see the kiss, but the position does suggest it. Now, is it really a kiss?

I would say it does appear to be. It's similar to Akira and Amon's intimate moment. I know that the kiss scene has been done "hidden" but what if Ishida is toying with that approach and makes you think that with Touka and Kaneki? I'm not doubting that it is a kiss scene, I'm all in for it, but it could be a troll move on his end. The next chapter's preview suggests the continuation from this, so expect a concrete answer. 

What made Touka to approach him like that? It has been said that love making can calm the stress. In fact, I have seen this act a couple of time in media, including Code Geass. It's understandable since she lost someone and her cafe no less. That really got to put her at an uneasy position. Not to mention, the way of how Kaneki said about friends could have moved her to approach him quick before something worse will happen to one. So if it's a kiss scene, that's great. Unfortunately, there's a huge flag with a skull next to me waving tremendously and I only feel sick. 

This is a moving chapter that ends a fun action and leads to series of deep conversation. Characters begin to doubt their position, life, and feelings. All of which have signify that the next arc will be the moment of their life will change forever. It's a feeling that it wants you to feel happy about a possible dream come true, but in hindsight, we should prepare for a nightmare.

#tokyo ghoul:re #tokyo ghoul #tokyo ghoul re #chapter 124 #review