#maybe it was an adventure

[alasse-earfalas]

"Why does this fandom have to create so much angst all the time? The games were fun, right? Let the boys be happy!"

While I generally, wholeheartedly agree with and love the, "maybe it was an adventure" viewpoint, I've been thinking recently about why, for example, so much of what I write is angst. The short answer is projection, but I wanted to dive deeper. Why these boys, specifically? Why not some other characters from some other fandom? Why would I take such happy bois from such happy games and angst them into oblivion?

It's fun to push buttons. To swing an imaginary sword. Play fighting against invisible foes is fun, because there's no real mortal danger involved. At the end of the day, The Legend of Zelda is a video game series. A video game series that wants to be fun, that wants to sell the joy of adventure, the accomplishment of saving the day and being the hero. And those are valid! I definitely think those are key aspects of their journeys and should be included in fanworks, featured even!

But... That's not the whole story. Pushing buttons from the comfort of your sofa is one thing. Actually, physically being there, experiencing the exertion and adrenaline and injuries of combat, the pressure of actual time relentlessly ticking by (no pausing, no saving and quitting the game, no infinite tries against difficult enemies) as the world slowly inches towards its doom... Those would be very real for the boys, who, in a sense, live in those worlds.

Remember Dead Hand? Redeads? Guardians? Some other boss or monster that gives you all the nightmares? Think about how terrifying they are when your life isn't on the line. When you can pause the game, turn off the console, get up and go do something else. Simulated fear and actual, life-threatening terror are very different. Your body and brain make darned sure to remember when your life is on the line and make very very sure that you don't ever want to try that again.

But the Links do.

They try, they fight, they soldier on. They don't give up and they don't give in. How many of us would do the same, were our lives actually on the line like theirs would be? How exhausted would we be? How many of us would end up breaking down, literally unable to continue the journey ahead of us? How much worse, more vivid and debilitating, would those nightmares be?

And yet, there is joy.

They smile, they laugh, they wonder at their surroundings. They offer a helping hand to those around them, kick back and relax with mini-games, and take time to explore their beautiful world. Their trials, though horrific, do not break them. Because that is what it means to have a Hero's Spirit in this world of LoZ: no matter what happens, no matter what or how much they suffer, they will. Not. Ever. Break.

They won't become jaded. They'll still see the joy in life. They won't ever give up, won't ever have to. They will always defeat evil in the end because they will always overcome whatever is thrown at them. Up to and including death itself.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could say the same?

I can't speak for everyone, but I angst these fine young men primarily because I want to explore how an unbreakable soul would handle my horrors, my problems, my struggles and inner turmoil, and still come out okay on the other end. How do they manage it? If an "unbreakable spirit" is the rule, how does that look? How does that work?

What can I learn about myself by putting these guys through hell?

The light is made brighter to our eyes after suffering in darkness. Anguish and pain carve out the depths of the soul required to feel exquisite joy. These young men, these little boys, these heroes aren't happy in spite of the horrors they've suffered.

They're able to experience that joy precisely because they've suffered.

So yes, let the boys be happy. Let them laugh. Let them have fun. But always remember: There is no true joy without the experience of pain.

#linkeduniverse #linked universe #lu #loz #legend of zelda #gee it would probably help if I actually tagged my post before sharing it #maybe it was an adventure

[floof-writes]

When I was tagging @sky-squido's 'maybe it was an adventure' post I actually hit the tag limit and had to cut a few at the end, but one that kept coming back to me was "[there once was a boy] who made a game out of the slippery ice in Zora's Domain ". I was playing a lot of OoT at the time and there's this cavern just off the domain where the physics make you slide around. Just the idea of little Link slipping and sliding in there, and finding the room to laugh after one of the most chilling and horrific moments of the game wouldn't leave me alone. So here we are!

#maybe it was an adventure #linked universe #ao3 fic #loz fic #ocarina of time #lu time #link legend of zelda

[sky-squido]

#maybe it was an adventure is getting SCIENCE’D now, baybe!!!

no i am not putting this below the cut. this stuff is REALLY FREAKING COOL YOU GUYS! let characters grow from their hardships! spread hope that we are more than the difficulties we encounter in life!

This isn’t even just about the characters!! Studies (quoted below) show that viewing your own life as an adventure, that accepting that challenge is a part of growth, that assigning meaning to your hardships helps you to overcome them better and emerge stronger!

We cannot control what happens to us, but we can decide what stories we are going to use our beaten, bloodied lives to tell the world.

Don’t let this break you.

(all bolding is mine)

“consequently, it is not the environment per se but the meaning that people attach to their experiences in that environment that is the determining factor […] Positive effects have been noted in exceptional, extreme and tortuous environments including submarines, polar research stations, space missions, and even amongst survivors of genocide and persecution including the Holocaust” (Leach 2016, 12).

“when the moment of turning finally came, it was attended by a strong sensation of choice. That sensation of choice indicates a reversal of mental defeat and the reimposition of some personal control over the situation which is a key factor in recovery” (Leach 2016, 20).

“With their new awareness that the impossible might now be possible, [patients] harness their energy and allies for a final showdown with their dragon. [Patients] have gained a psychological “second wind” and almost come full circle with their cognitions concerning the problem, from “this is not a problem” to “this is my problem to resolve.” This awareness, coupled with their new sense of self-efficacy (“I can’t” to “I might just do this!”) makes for a more determined and motivated [patient]. The Road Back signals the [patient’s] final resolution to address the significant life problem. The fearful and avoidant person present at the beginning of their Hero’s Journey is no longer” (Williams 2019, 534).

“Taken together, these studies support the idea that missions in space and space-like environments on Earth can provide mental health benefits, even though the experiences may be fraught with danger, hard work, and isolation from family and friends” (Ritsher 2007, 339).

“Although recent research has taken greater notice of such variables as hardiness, resilience, and optimism, the majority of studies on stress still focus on sequelae such as PTSD, anti-social behaviour, low self-esteem, learned helplessness, and the feeling of permanent victimization” (Suedfeld 1998, 100).

“Even amidst the acknowledged dangers and deprivations of the early polar explorations, expeditioners frequently referred to the beauty and grandeur of the land, ice, and sea, the camaraderie and mutual support of the team, the admirable qualities of their leader, and the thrill of facing and overcoming the challenges of the environment. Those who study present-day polar sojourners report very similar positive reactions. Many studies have reported high emotional adjustment and positive feelings in expedition members in both summer and winter. […] An Australian survey of 104 Antarctic residents reported that although a greater range of negative reactions was listed, most of them were infrequent; positive events were much more frequent […] One important piece of evidence of the overall benefit of the polar experience is that so many people volunteer for repeated assignments and are perturbed when asked to consider never going back; as one researcher noted, “Almost every member of the winter party considered his Antarctic stay as one of the best experiences of his life.” (Palinkas & Suedfeld 2007, 158).

“Salutogenesis means not only the ability to cope with stress, but also the ability to come out of a stressful experience with increased psychological and perhaps physiological strength with which to face future stressors… well-known study of naval veterans of Antarctic service, whose subsequent lives demonstrated better health and greater career success” (Suedfeld 2005, B63).

“There may be a hint in a recent finding that, with increasing experience in polar regions, station crew members and scientists prefer to work in small field camps, which pose more difficulties and discomforts than do larger stations” (Suedfeld 1998, 100).

“The emphasis on positive psychology, and the benefits that may result from meeting [extreme] challenges, should be lauded. It reminds us that human beings are, in general, a remarkably tough and adaptable lot” (Steel 2005, B72).

#maybe it was an adventure #squido's op #squido rambles #linkeduniverse #linked universe #making this post really fandom neutral so i can blaze it #because everyone needs to know this #but i will be making an LU-specific version for the vibes #AND YES I KNOW I USED CHICAGO FORMATTING FOR SCIENTIFIC PAPERS INSTEAD OF APA I LIKE IT BETTER OKAY #i really like adding page numbers and the formatting for page numbers in apa in text citations is gross and me no likey #okay that's all byeee

[roninkairi]

You can only reblog this today.*

*PLEASE READ THE TAGS

#adventure time #finn the human #if you are reading this #please be aware this is a joke #this was a random thing tound on Facebook #and no finn really didn't say that #so go ahead and reblog it #just don't take it seriously #some of the people who reblogged this overreacted #so I feel compelled to add these tags to call them out on it #like seriously #chill out dudes #maybe eat a taco or two #tacos are life #so are burritos #ok this is running its course #david zaslav can suck it #i just felt like adding that because he is a douche

[trisarahtops-sketches]

Somewhere in an alternate alternate universe...

#fionna and cake #adventure time #princess bubblegum #marceline the vampire queen #bubbline #fionna and cake was GOOD. my fav new character was Scarab hes such a lil dweeb. maybe I'll draw him if I have time #but for now I only have energy for this #arts #fan arts

[gudgurkan]

House on a hill

#ink #house #drawing #art #psst maybe this is for the items adventure journal book 👀

[rizsnt]

guy of all time

#adventure time #fionna and cake #marshall lee #gumlee #maybe i make a gumball version.. hmm #the guy ever. making me crazy forever #happy with the colors on this one :) #rizsart

[sameboot]

Simon petrikov coping FAIL compilation

#HNNNGGGNNN!! SO MANY THOUGHTS ABOUT EPISODE 2…… #my art #adventure time #fionna and cake #simon petrikov #Fionna and cake spoilers #<- kind of??? maybe not really #I’m so glad ep 2 gave us some insight to that scene in obsidian #it’s such a shift from Simon saying he’d literally rather DIE than be the ice king again #BUT IT MAKES SENSE! #nostalgia can twist your perception of the past #and then mix that in with a metric ton of trauma ! #‘things were simpler back then’ #SIMON 99.5% OF YOUR LIFE AS ICE KING WAS AWFUL…. #I mean in the later seasons he does gradually gain acceptance and fit in with the others #but that just makes the CURRENT simons situation so much sadder it’s like he’s back at square 1 in some ways #WILL THE ISOLATION EVER END? #OK IM DONE RANTING IN THE TAGS

[plumuto]

so uhhhh i really like fern lol

#adventure time #fern the human #fionna and cake #flora the human #? #idk what girl ferns name is maybe just fern #my art

[stoopidstapler]

SO IVE BEEN GOIN INSANE SINCE THIS TRAILER DROPPED. JUST. SIMON. SIMON. SIMON.

#simon petrikov #fionna and cake #adventure time #goin insane over him #thers no words to describe how im feelin #i wish i could draw somehtin better but i am goin INSANE #FINALLY. AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. we are being FED. #ALSO?? HOW THEY SHOWED HIM EXACTLY WHEN THE LYRICS GO ''WHATS WRONG WITH ME'. LIKE HELLO??????? #ive seen so many good theories PLEASE GOD WRITE FICS I AM BEGGIN I LL DRAW U FANART BLS HEL P #IDK WOT IM GONNA DO FOR A WHOLE MONTH #SOMEONE KNOCK ME OUT TIL THE 31ST. HIBERNATE ME. HELP. #also i need to put it out there the first thing i thought when i saw this trailer was simon is tryina rewrite fionna and cake #which is why their world keeps changin so much? idk idk #ive seen so many different ideas and they are all so good please help #ALSO GOD. THIS MAN IS JUST GOIN THRU IT. AND ITS ONLY BEEN A QUICK TRAILER. #im sorry for so many tags idk where to put these help #maybe i should make an actual blog for like. whatever. n reblogs. help.

[astearisms]

but it ain’t called love without a little tragedy 🍁

#my art #a love letter to betty and simon #getting to explore simon’s journey post AT finale and the nuances of his relationship with Betty has been an experience #I don’t know what’s next but we can only hope closure for them #that betty maybe learns to put herself first after putting every ounce of herself in simon #or that simon learns to let go? or both of them do #assuming we do see Betty again #i am preparing to say farewell to the series once again after the finale #thank you adventure time crew #fionna and cake #fionna and cake spoilers #simon petrikov #betty grof #petrigrof #adventure time #I forgot to mention #this animation was inspired by ‘autumn leaves’ by yves montand #but a cover of it #I was listening to the song because I wanted to learn it on an instrument #it’s a melancholy song about autumn and lost love #and as I heard the lyrics of course I instantly thought of these guys #and then I started drawing #inspiration had a strong grip on me #thank you for reading #and your support #I hope you guys have had as much fun with this show as I have #I’m grateful for it

[pherredraws]

i think its so funny that no one knows that fionna and cake are real except simon. imagine if he forgets to tell marcy and just gives her a heart attack one day

#adventure time #fionna and cake #simon petrikov #marceline #i dont remember her last name :( #obviously i imagine he tells everyone right away but maybe she was busy #marceline and fionna should meet tbh #just him talking about his fanfic characters like theyre real people one day. marceline is concerned

[bookshelfdreams]

yk when you see someone share a finished handmade item that they clearly spent a lot of time and money on and it's just. The absolute tackiest thing you have seen in your life. And then you ask yourself why someone would waste all those resources on such an eyesore.

(no, of course you can't relate to that because you're a much nicer person than me)

In any case.

BEHOLD!

A wool coat!

The top fabric is handwoven and handspun, the whole thing is sewn by hand, too.

Leftovers. Barely anything, all things considered, which is very satisfying.

This thing took me well over 3 years to make, on and off. And now I'm done.

Thank you for your attention.

#carry on XD #i hope y'all realize that when I say tacky it's with nothing but love in my heart #yes it's ugly. that's the whole point. #everyone should have an item in their wardrobe that will get Looks and raised eyebrows #it's good for you #anyway can't believe I'm done! this is a huge boost to my crafting hubris I CAN DO ANYTHING #wizard bathrobe adventures #handweaving #handspinning #hand sewing #look what i made #crafts #overall I'm happy with it even though there's. things that aren't ideal #the pockets are set a bit too low #and i should have made it a tiny bit longer not much but maybe like 5cm #anyway #overall it's a nice coat i think #Now That's What I Call Slow Fashion

[lupiclaws]

Trying to beat art block

#at #at fanart #hora de aventura #adventure time #atimers #finn the human #finn mertens #fern the human #fern mertens #brazilian artists #my art #i don't like these but maybe you will i dunno

[r0semultiverse]

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ORIGINAL MARCELINE OF THE WINTER KING'S UNIVERSE!? 😨

Is the implication that Ice King took her out with all of the other oozers or did the oozers end up killing her?? Either way, it seems that this Simon was not coping well with any of what was going on in his life. Living a life of hypocrisy & ruling a false kingdom.

#is the implication that Ice King took her out with all of the other mutated people? #or did the mutated people end up taking her out? #right as he was talking about making an ice Betty as being 'unethical;' but he had ice Marceline hidden away in his castle #there was nothing ethical about the Winter King's methods; though I'm curious about how he learned to cast a spell to project the madness #of the crown specifically onto this universe's PB?? I wanna know more about that & I wonder if a similar method will be how Fionna & Cake's #reality gets saved? Maybe! 👀 #mine #op #marceline abadeer #winter king #marceline the vampire queen #adventure time fionna & cake #adventure time #adventure time fionna and cake #adventure time spoilers #atimers #ice king #ice simon #simon petrikov #fionna and cake

[egophiliac]

this is basically what happened, right?

(these guys are very lucky that everyone at NRC 1) has the combined intelligence of a sack of bricks, and 2) is easily distracted by shiny things.)

#art #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland spoilers #stage in playful land #stage in playfulland #these two are SO sleazy and i am utterly delighted by them #can't wait to find out their tragic backstory in approximately 3-4 weeks! #fortunately i have like a month to figure out how the heck to draw their hair (spoiler: i will never figure it out) #also. god. i love it whenever leona accidentally reveals his Mom Side. #he doesn't care about any of this but he WILL be tagging along to make sure no one else gets into trouble #once again he has to be the Responsible Adult and he hates it. the whimsical hat weighs heavy upon his head. #anyway this is me so excuse me while i now talk about diasomnia for three hours #but lilia being all 'kids gotta have some adventure in their lives!' is hilarious #specifically because you know silver would NEVER. #100% silver not only never snuck out but he always went to bed on time AND brushed his teeth AND flossed even when nobody made him. #lilia: aww but you should be enjoying your youth! >:c #silver: i am. i enjoy being respectful and disciplined and honoring you as my father. #lilia: #lilia: maybe i'm TOO good at raising kids #you know i was going to say none of his kids would be involved in this but i actually think malleus definitely would #he would not see it as a moral quandry though. he would just be excited to be invited along. #(the only reason he isn't there is because he was busy admiring a termite-infested beam somewhere and yuu didn't get a chance to ask him) #i mean MAYBE if lilia as his single authority figure told him no then he would have some reservations #but lilia's the one who's screaming HELL YEAH LET'S SNEAK OUT AND DEFY AUTHORITY while dabbing so moot point there #sebek would never and he would rat on everyone else. unless malleus is going in which case he's already there. #and i guess if everyone else is going silver probably would too #but he'd. y'know. feel conflicted about it.