#ripple-rapple

[raayllum]

Whenever you talk about Callum and Claudia and moral ambiguity, I always think of this quote

"A hero would sacrifice you to save the world, but a villain would sacrifice the world to save you."

I love your metas, and I thought you might find this interesting (unless you already had this one in the back of your head lol)

Now, part of this may be because I grew up with PJO - a series with a very heroic, brave, and loving main character whose in-universe fatal flaw is "To save a friend you would sacrifice the world" - but I tend to err away from this dichotomy of villain-hero and subsequent selfish-selfishness in general.

The hero "saving a loved one vs the the world" is an age old conflict and also an inherently fantastical scenario, as it's a literal trolley problem on a level no real life person will ever experience (there can certainly be similar things in IRL war when a lot of hard, otherwise unfathomable choices have to be made). And, traditionally, most villains cover up their schemes with notions of doing things for the Greater Good (hi Viren!) even if their actions are also things that are conveniently benefitting themselves. And typically, the hero is the Hero precisely because they understand that recognizing the personhood of the individual and that it's important to always value the individual (of which the many are made of) is a crucial cornerstone of well, valuing life at all.

This sort of trolley problem is something that TDP comes back to over and over again and most of the time, the 'right' choice is defending the life of the (innocent) individual under attack no matter the otherwise personal consequence.

Runaan: You let him live, but you killed us all!

Sol Regem: No, you have two choices. You all die, or just the wretched evil human dies.

To do otherwise leads to Sarai's death as a narrative punishment. (ATLA explores this too, with Aang being literally Killed the second he successfully, albeit reluctantly, gives up his attachment to Katara. Which is harsh but very indicative, I think, as far as narrative punishments go, and reaffirmed in the finale with Aang being given a third path precisely because he refuses to surrender his attachments a second time.)

That's not to say heroes never prioritize the greater good. Rayla is very world focused ("This could end the war and change the world!" / not taking Claudia's deal in 4x09) and Ezran exchanges his freedom/safety for the chance for his soldiers to be able to lay down their arms and it's a primary concern for him in S4 ("But the kingdom needs me" "The world needs you"). Callum smashes the primal stone to hatch Zym. But, most importantly, the Heroic thing to do is to choose to lay down your life, not solely offer up others', for those causes or choices. And Viren's hesitation and later inflated self importance (among other emotions) is his Original Sin, series wise. (Even the fact he refuses to give up the egg and offer it as a possible plea for Harrow's life; he'd rather sacrifice his own because of his own paranoia than risk giving Xadia a 'weapon'.)

In many ways, TDP says "The villain will sacrifice you for their notion of the world (who counts as a person, etc), and the hero will save you even at the potential cost of the their world, re: themselves".

However, because this is TDP, even this dichotomy isn't Simple or clear cut. Runaan and his troupe all willfully give their lives for an ultimately lost cause that will only create more suffering and was, per the words of the story and reaction of the other characters, completely Unnecessary; Claudia is certainly prioritizing the life of the individual, but with a complete lack of regard for any other life forms as a dark mage (and isn't thinking through the long term consequences, but more on that here).

TDP also calls into question the nobility or necessity of self or self imposed sacrifice, particularly in Rayla's character and where and how it can be taken to a dangerous level. For example, her walking away from the drake is a character regression, not a progression, precisely because it throws away the life of the individual (something she largely never did before) while also reaffirming that she's far too prone to throwing her own life away unnecessarily/unfairly.

So. Where does this leave us? And what does this mean for Callum and Claudia?

Well, I think there's a few consistencies:

1) Are you sacrificing yourself because you feel like you have to (obligation and guilt) or are you sacrificing yourself because it is the right thing to do (harm mitigation)?

This is probably where Rayla and Harrow fall the most. That's also not to say this dichotomy is solid, as it can definitely be flexible / bleed into each other (Harrow's surrender of his life in 1x03 is, I believe, both). But it is useful in differentiating when Rayla is being noble (saving Zym, 2x07, 3x09, possibly 4x09) vs when she's being self-punishing (1x02, 3x08, Through the Moon, definitely 4x09).

2) Are you sacrificing others in ways you would not sacrifice yourself? Are you sacrificing yourself in ways you would not sacrifice others?

This is where I think Runaan, Viren, Rayla, and Callum primarily fall into. Viren is the only one who really hardcore engages with the first question (yes, he'll sacrifice himself, but it's almost always with an edge of disregard to others and/or a sense of ego), with Runaan, Rayla, Callum, and Claudia all leaning towards the second one. "You're going to be better now, that's all that matters" "It doesn't matter what happens to me, live or die this dragon goes home" "If me dying is the only way for you and Zym to get across safely, then it's time for me to meet the end" and "I am already dead".

3) Are you actively chasing a self destructive/sacrificial pattern or is it something you are pushed into and then have to react to?

This is the key difference (most of the time) I think between Claudia and Rayla (first option) and Callum (second option). For me, I perpetually come back to the way Callum is willing to risk his life, most often, only when he has hope of survival (i.e. he lays down his life for Ez but also immediately argues that he should get to live; Rayla talks him down in 3x01 with two words and Callum immediately starts looking for another plan; he jumps off the Pinnacle with the hope of wings). This is in direct contrast to Claudia and to Rayla. Where Ezran argues in 3x02 that children shouldn't pay for their parents' mistakes, Rayla argues the exact opposite and that she should die in 3x08. The "pushed into a corner" Callum vs Claudia "seeking it out" seems pretty consistent, but I could see Callum seeking it out a bit more in S5, particularly in relation to the coins (but we'll have to see).

Closing Thoughts

To be clear, I don't think TDP is interested in giving a Definite answer about self sacrifice and selfishness vs selflessness (sacrificing yourself can be selfish; saving yourself can be selfless; selfishness is not always a vice and sacrifice is not always a virtue). I think it's a theme, as a subset of grief and relationships, that the story has chosen to Explore in a variety of different ways.

One of the main reasons I've always leaned towards Callum and Claudia paralleling each other more directly is 1) they always have (Claudia comes up with the switching spell in 1x01 because of Callum, and that's precisely what Callum executes when he says he's Ezran, for ex), 2) Aaravos' pawns ("a song of love and loss" "Aaravos chose as his instruments" "those who fail tests of love," etc.) and 3) Claudia is primed to be the one pushing for Aaravos to be freed.

This is somewhat sympathetic because it's for her dad, but Viren-Claudia have a complicated to unhealthy kind of dynamic, and Viren isn't really a character most of the audience cares about being saved (nor does he himself, and he's already been Saved once), so the sympathy can only go so far. However, it's still pretty clear that they're both set up to get atonement/redemption arcs to a degree. The easiest way to not have Claudia be incredibly demonized is for another, good guy character, to make the same/a similar choice for a similar reason. I've gone on record saying I think Callum will either make a conscious choice where he knows he could be risking Aaravos' freedom if it snowballs, or an active choice directly freeing Aaravos, simply because who else would have the incentive, who else has the foreshadowing, and it ties together the thematic overhaul of S4 pretty well, as well as Callum's associations with Freedom thematically.

Because valuing the individual over the world isn't Wrong, just like valuing the world over the individual isn't necessarily Right. It depends on bond, sympathy, circumstance, the attitude and role of the character you're saving and who's doing the saving and how. I've said it before that every character in TDP typically wants the same thing - to protect their loved ones - and so their methods - what they're willing to do or not do, and how they do it - is what creates the moral and ethical spectrum of the show.

TLDR; sometimes we sacrifice the right things for the wrong reasons, or the wrong things for the right reasons. Claudia still doesn't think/know that Aaravos is evil (because she is a Legend at ignoring red flags and her own prejudice); Callum does. Claudia doing all this to save her father out of her own desperation would offer up a nice parallel of Callum also doing something out of desperation to protect/save the people he loves. I think they both have a great capacity to be Wrong, while (in Callum's case) also somewhat doing the Right Thing. That's why it's Moral Dubiousness, after all.

And also why his Tales of Xadia bio spells it out for us 3 different times:

Liberty: I'm beholden to my inner circle, not some silly kingdom.

Devotion: I value those close to me more than anyone or anything.

Has the lowest Justice (the defined desire to do What's Right) score of any of the main heroic characters in the trio or in the show, other than Lujanne

#tdp #the dragon prince #tdp's perpetual trolley problem #thanks for asking #requests #snake boi callum #ripple-rapple #tdp meta #analysis series #analysis #arc 2 #arc 1 #multi #parallels #theme: sacrifice #like to me it's not a question of If callum is going to do something Fucked but When y'know?

[mandaloriandragontrainer]

Rayllum proposal/engagement headcanons you ask?

Belatedly, I like to think that their eternal bond goes unspoken for awhile. They just always figure they'll be together, and they think nothing of it. All either of them knows is that they don't ever want to be separated again.

Then, someone says something about it (I like to think Opeli, idk maybe Callum needs to marry for political reasons or whatever) and suddenly they're both planning surprise proposals for one another.

Both of them mess up multiple times. Things always go wrong, blah blah blah... And one night they just look at each other and say "hey, why don't we just get married?" like they're best friends (bc they are) that just decided to stick together.

They tell Ez and Soren, and just freaking leave. Eloping, my friend! They drop by in Katolis once in awhile, and Ez gets a letter every other week, and no one knows where these losers went (because I have their lives figured out for them and no one knows about it ;) )

I think they’ll end up having a small wedding in Xadia, probably a traditional Moonshadow ceremony (I get the sense that marriage is very important in their culture), but the idea of them eloping is hilarious especially because of how poor Opeli would react. She’s already having to deal with their Crown Prince and High Mage marrying a commoner elf and now he just… runs off with her.

#the dragon prince #callum #rayla #rayllum #tdp headcanons #answered asks #ripple-rapple

[completeanduttermess]

evil boop

aasrrfgARTGHHGGHGGGGGGHHHH

rrrrrrrrrrrrEVENGE

#boop #evil boop #ripple-rapple

[m4rs-ex3]

calling all fellow tdp brainrotters

gimme ur favorite quotes. i swear im totally not just doing this so i can gather quotes for my tdp wall i sweeeaarrrr anyway it doesn't have to be deep or profound it can be the dumbest utterance you've ever heard in your life i will hear them

me personally "lots of things are hard, like magic. but you figured that out didn't you?" "...yeah. somehow relationships seem harder."

im determined to collect these so tagging @bisexualenbyblueberry @raylasgf @self-spaghettification @tategaminu @mo-nmage @mandaloriandragontrainer @ripple-rapple @winterstorm032802 @ok12857 @per4mancecheck @thatartiststudios999

#tdp quotes #tdp #the dragon prince #rayllum #callum #callum tdp #tdp callum #rayla #rayla tdp #tdp rayla

[nothingmorethanageminiboar]

I feel super-duper-duper mentally drained, so all of these lovely people can have a virtual hug!!

@blutopaz15 @zuppizup @jelzorz @jennazed @no-cinnamon-for-synonym @arnieb95 @ac0531 @shiramoonshadow @sapphofinch @heroesandmasterminds @iwillhaveamoonbase @acronymking4tdp @bleachfreak21 @imminent-danger-came @ripple-rapple

And anyone else who would like a hug, may have one as well~!!

[self-spaghettification]

thanks for the tag @sarasade !!

10!! blorbos, fandoms, tags

1. aaravos from the dragon prince

2. janus sanders from sanders sides

3. michael from the magnus archives

4. thanatos from hades the game

5. winter king/ simon petrikov from adventure time

6. bill cipher from gravity falls

7. zim from invader zim

8. double trouble from she ra

9. taako from the adventure zone

10. raven from teen titans

how much of these are gender envy or clinically insane i mean whatttt

10 tags :3 1. @parroset 2. @yurayuramiharin 3. @redr0sewrites 4. @ok12857 5. @ripple-rapple 6. @detectiphoenix 7. @perlelas 8. @raylasgf 9. @an-actual-attack-helicopter 10. @vestal destroyer

#tag game #mutuals

[bjgaulton]

Unshackled by Blair Gaulton

Unshackled

Unshackled cold maws;

rippling ‘n’ rappling skin.

BJG(Blair Gaulton)Sept 2019

View On WordPress

#2019 #2019 Poetry #Blair Gaulton #Poems #Poetry #Poetry Sept 2019 #Toutons Tubas and Other Tales #Unshackled

[completeanduttermess]

DOOT DOOT

DOOT DOOT

#ask box #ripple-rapple #doot doot

[mandaloriandragontrainer]

Saw that post about Rayla with over 15k notes (for some reason I can't reblog It) and holy moly haven't you said It was about her I wouldn't have known! I'm glad she got support but worried at the same time since this seems to be a very common issue in fandoms.

I saw a similar thing happening in a fandom I was in‚ the female character was judged for literally everything even stuff she did to help loved ones (mostly boyfriend) and it got way worse when they became canon. Her journey was similar to Rayla's since she went from more serious to more softie and ofc people didn't like that.. It got so bad to the point people wanted her to die while pregnant. And while that was happening they would thirst over male characters who commited genocide. Kinda like bashing Rayla but being ok with Aaravos because he gets the hot guy pass.

Also you mentioned something about reddit hating her? What? I don't get fandoms at all.. Sending you this because you are one of the few mentioning this topic and it drives me crazy. I need to vent

The OP of that post deactivated their blog, but you can find them now at @ripple-rapple! But yeah, I’ve seen it in quite a few of my fandoms myself, and it’s honestly pretty disturbing.

I don’t really follow Marvel anymore (aside from Spider-Man), but I still have a soft spot for Tony Stark and Pepper Potts. I remember the fandom absolutely tearing her apart for snapping at Tony (i.e. making a single sarcastic remark) when his suit attacked her in her own bed. How dare she be mean to him when she nearly died? She’s a horrible girlfriend! And wow they were mad when the two reconciled, got married, and had a child—after all, she’s toxic and he could do way better than her. Never mind the fact she was more responsible than anyone else for changing him from a pretty horrible person to a true hero. And the best part? Shipping him instead with people whom he has far more antagonistic relationships with. You don’t have to put down a canon love interest who’s almost always a woman to enjoy a non-canon pairing.

Anyway, tangent over. That’s really disgusting… I hope everything worked out okay in the end for your girl and her child!

But yeah, I don’t go on the TDP subreddit much, because every time I do it’s a cesspool of negativity. I have a hard time believing anyone on there even likes the show. If you hate it that much just… don’t watch it? It’s also kind of the headquarters for dark magic apologists (at least it used to be), which is hilariously ironic. I can excuse a practice that corrupts your very soul, but I draw the line at a traumatized teenaged girl making a questionable decision to protect the boy she loves.

#thanks for the ask! #I’m down to rant on behald of my girls #rayla #tdp fandom #pepperony #mcu #answered asks #tategaminu

[self-spaghettification]

ok as far i know its-leethee, m4rs.exe, ripple-rapple, and virenkinnie are all going to wondercon ahekfjhgwiowjafwha

#mb theres others? idk #mutuals #riley rambles