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#she's genuinely like............the most wonderfully written character of all time
ferndaphnia · 8 months
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A collection of some of my favourite fics from the first week post-release under the cut. All ineffable husbands/spouses but a mix of post season 2 fix-its, ending re-writes and stories inspired by various points throughout the season! All are complete and most in this list are one-shots with a few exceptions.
Please remember to leave comments and kudos on AO3! I've tried to include tumblr handles where they were mentioned.
Our Homeward Steps | lindsey_grissom
A series set after series 2 of the show, telling the story of how an angel and a demon find their way back to each other.
A three part series spanning the end of series 2, the likely plot of series 3 and the two working out their issues at the end of it all. It's so well written and paced without being melodramatic or wallowing, and part three just gives all the feels.
gently play on your heartstrings | dollsome
Crowley and Aziraphale, after “Every Day.” (Spoilers for season two.)
A believeable reunion, a brief break for another apocalypse, then the quiet aftermath. The dialogue's perfectly in character and wonderfully written.
break you right back | omnishambles (@the-omnishambles)
For a whole forty-three minutes and fifteen seconds, Aziraphale does not think about Crowley. Post-s2 finale. Maybe this new job isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Love the way Heaven is written here, that there is the genuine threat of what could happen if Aziraphale doesn't go along with their plans. Equally love the speed at which things are resolved as it feels very true to the show (and I'd expect something relatively succint if and when we do get s3).
Something is Wrong in the Universe | luciferfemme
Something is wrong, Nina can sense it, but she's not quite sure what to do about it. Luckily Maggie is there to help figure out where the angel and demon have gone.
While this is very much an Aziraphale/Crowley story the framing with Nina and Maggie really made it stand out and they are SO well written.
to the bed of spices | solsides (@girlbloggercrowley)
So, when it mattered most: Aziraphale turned back, an Orpheus. A lamb to the slaughter, who was not yet clear: which way lay the knife? This Eurydice wanted no second life. Eurydice would love from Hell. Like the myths, Crowley was gone. A bookshop owner should have seen the story in the stars. - or: post season two, an acceptance of sorts
Listen, I'm a sucker for any fic inspired by the Eurydice and Orpheus myth. This fic has it all: the Metatron is genuinely menacing; Muriel's characterisation is perfect, it was such a joy anytime they appeared; Aziraphale and Beezlebub have the most perfectly bitchy conversation and the end just ties it all together brilliantly.
come raise your flag upon me | trinityofone
“Would you care to do the honors?” the Metatron asks. Aziraphale persuades Crowley to accompany him to Heaven, to be Forgiven. Things get...weirder before they get better.
While I'm loving all the fix-it fic this one really stood out for taking a different route and taking it so well. Crowley goes to Heaven, is forgiven, and has his memory wiped back to the creation of the universe.
5 Times Crowley Did the Apology Dance, and 1 Time Aziraphale Did It Instead | ineffableidiocy
As the title says, 5 times Crowley was wrong and had to do the season 2 apology dance, and 1 time Aziraphale did it instead. Self-indulgent fix-it fic, Neil Gaiman you will be single-handedly funding my therapy from now on. SEASON 2 REFERENCES - potential spoilers!
Love fics like this with glimpses into their shared history. The author does a great job at keeping something that could easily devolve into crack (the dance) believeable and true to the characters.
shinin' down like water | contritecactite (@contritecactite)
He's always been late, himself, so perhaps it's not surprising that he finds himself in this situation: politely avoiding eye contact with the Voice of the Almighty on an interminable ride in a flawless white lift. Well, not so flawless after all; there's a scuff mark in one corner that looks just a bit like a snake, if he squints. Yes, in fact—just like the kind Crowley used to leave behind in casual acts of vandalism in the places they visited. Stone walls, sidewalks, picnic tables, bar tops—there must be thousands around the world by now, little breadcrumbs, proof of Crowley's existence.
Such a wonderfully unique take on the 'Aziraphale has second thoughts on the lift to heaven' trope.
streets paved with stars (magic abroad in the air) | Path_Finder (@path-finder)
“Do you think this’ll all, ever, be over?” Crowley asks. “This meaning...” Aziraphale nearly shudders under the weight of the conversation. He twists his ring around in a quick circle, trying to dissipate some of his nervousness. “Us?” Crowley swallows. Taps a finger against the table. “Yeah. This meaning, ngk, this meaning us.” -/- Aziraphale and Crowley talk over wine after the West End Magic Show.
A lovely missing scene fic from 2x04. The come so close to actually communicating and you can feel the longing.
And the comet that led you home | Elysya (@elisyanbox)
Aziraphale insisted, “is there any place where I can sit down and figure out my job?” He cast his eyes around the large corridor, where his colleagues were still arguing against each other. It was like he was not even needed for them to keep chatting. Oh, well. “Somewhere… like what?” “An office,” he tried, desperate. “Or even just a desk, I’m not particularly picky on the subject.” “The Supreme Archangel never had a desk,” Michael interfered somewhere to his left. “We would want that to be made quite clear, in case there are any further doubts about it.” A story about them, finding their own way and being irrimediably drawn to each other. Don't ask why, it's ineffable.
Focuses on their time apart. Despite his best efforts, Crowley accidentally befriends the mother of the second coming.
when two lovers meet in Proxima Centauri | heydoeydoey
The Archangel Gabriel and Beelzebub, Duke of Hell request the honour of your presence at their wedding 4:00 pm on Tuesday, 9th of January Proxima Centauri
Such a fun and unique premise. Everyone's perfectly in character and I just love the supporting cast in this.
well-versed in etiquette, extraordinarily nice | laiqualaurelote (@laiqualaurelote)
Once she had said to him, hoping to probe: “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” To which Mr Crowley had only responded: “What do you know of the universe, Miss Austen?” In which Jane Austen, criminal mastermind and aspiring novelist, pulls off the 1810 Clerkenwell Diamond Robbery, with the help of a certain demon.
Jane's double lives with Crowley and Aziraphale respectively converge in this brilliant fic. The author has definitely done their research!
The Courage of Stars | irishavalon
"And he feels this ache in the base of his rib cage that he hasn’t felt in a long time. Not since before the Earth was created, not since before Eden, before the temptation of Eve, when he finally saw that angel–now with blackened wings and snake-like eyes– again. This pain at the base of his rib cage that he hasn’t felt since… angels Fell from Heaven. Fell from God. Something he would not have believed possible if he had not witnessed the Fall himself and watched that streak of gorgeous red hair Fall from his grasp into Nothingness." Aziraphale goes to Heaven, and regrets it almost immediately.
There's a scene in this where Aziraphale talks to Gabriel (who is very much post-Jim) that is such a joy due to how Gabriel immediatly dismantles all of Aziraphale's notions of Heaven being genuine. Also a big fan of stories with Aziraphale using his time in heaven to look at certain records.
Not for All My Little Words | mia_ugly (@mia-ugly), soft_october (@soft-october-night)
Aziraphale has read every book in his shop at least once. He has reread some of his favored volumes dozens of times, has memorized whole great swaths of them. If his own words are insufficient to convince Crowley of his sincerity, then perhaps the words of others can! (He might have the decency to ask the books what they thought of this plan. The books had been watching the two of them for over a hundred years, and certainly had a great deal to say on the matter. But Aziraphale neglects to consult them, and thus will be very unprepared for what happens next.) Back on earth, Aziraphale tries to apologize.
A delightful fic where Aziraphale draws inspiration from books and movies to try to apologise to Crowley.
Breakup (With A Capital B) | Jennistar
Mr Six Shots of Espresso is going through a Breakup (with a capital B). Nina, Maggie and Muriel help as best they can.
One of my new favourite genres of fic is 'Whickber Street rallies around Crowley' and this is a perfect example of why. This is also a great character study of Nina as she begins spending more time with Maggie.
The Nature of Sorry | Verayne
"Oh, Crowley." The angel takes a step further into the bookshop, words tumbling out in an unpractised rush. "I didn't even make it halfway up the lift before I realised what a terrible mistake I was making." Crowley can feel Aziraphale's eyes on him. If he looks they'll be big and shiny and pleading, exquisitely beseeching in his regret. So he doesn't look. He's heard the words before, near enough. Seen the expression before, too. Fool him once, and all that.
Such a lovely, understated fix-it for the last episode that feels really true to the way the show would handle this.
everywhere | vivahate (@gothicwoes)
Something in Crowley snaps. He’s hearing what his heart needs, what it’s wanted to hear for ages, yet instead of long-sought relief all he feels is anger so bright and hot, he feels like he might catch on fire. A growl rips from his throat, unbidden and he stalks out of the room, out of the house, out into the raging storm. It is no match to the storm brewing inside. He doesn’t bother counting. It will do nothing. Lightning passes through him and he roars along. It hits a tree nearby and the emotional release only leaves him all the more empty. Even now he can feel Aziraphale’s presence, watchful, careful. His angel in despair. But still looking out for him. - (or; Aziraphale uncovers what Heaven was actually trying to accomplish by appointing him as a leader, grovels and gets his priorities straight. And the world does not end this time around either.)
Crowley is forced to go into hiding when Heaven decides to finally deal with him. This seamlessly brings together characters from seasons 1 and 2 and the tension throughout is deliciously paced.
i slithered here from eden (just to sit outside your door) | WithRecklessAbandon
“Shall I dance?” (A million sunsets back, their hands laced, circling each other, hair lit by chandeliers and candles. Close, but not close enough. Spinning and shuffling, cards in a tarot deck. The lovers right side up.) “Crowley?” Aziraphale hedges after a while. The demon’s mouth only makes a vague, noncommittal mumble. Caught in a dream. When Aziraphale steps back, presumably to give himself space to curtsy, Crowley’s hand clutches Aziraphale’s arm of its own volition. “Don’t go far,” Crowley says. It comes out a humiliating, honest beg. “Just… just stand next to me. For a moment. If you can.” Aziraphale nods. “I can. I will.” “Will you?” ... Alternatively, Crowley breaks. Aziraphale won't let him. Breakfast at the Ritz, anyone?
The imagery in this is beautiful and both Crowley and Aziraphale do some soul searching which makes this feel like such a nice balanced story.
On With The Show | Owenjones
An alternate take on the season 2 ending. You know what they say about kissing. It can stop time.
A fantastic twist on what happened in the final moments of season 2. I love when people are able to completely rewrites the context of scenes without actually undoing anything we saw on screen.
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sugaredrhubarb · 6 months
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Reading with Ru: Aug/Sept Fic Recs
I know I'm certainly in need of some positivity and escapism lately, so I'm gonna try to do semi-regular fic and book recs! Starting with a retroactive what I've been reading from the past couple of months with this account! (I might go back in time and make an all-time rec list later)
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COD
starting with cod because i know most of you go here
Sergeant Squeaks by @charliemwrites - (series of one-shots ghost x reader and price x reader separately) both one of my favourite reader characters and my favourite canon setting depictions of Ghost and Price. their own weird brands of showing love are wonderful; the tension leading to getting together is fantastic, and the sex is super enjoyable.
Ghost Stories by @kneelingshadowsalome - (ghost x medic!reader) I'm repeating myself, but I love Salome's writing. This is where I was first introduced to it, and I think it's really special. Ghost POV as he struggles with developing and then accepting love. felt so real and grounded. angsty and then fluffy, and you can't help but adore the reader as well.
saltwater by @ceilidho - (ghost x reader) It's pretty unlikely any of you don't know Ceil, but on the off chance you haven't given this one a read yet, it really is a must. I lump praise on her pretty regularly, but I don't know anyone who is able to portray their character's emotions as intimately as Ceil. her ghost feels really grounded in all his complexity. there is a common theme in these recs of really enjoyable reader characters, and this is not an exception; the reader feels like a full but still ambiguous character who is vulnerable and strong and really great.
don't leave me locked in your heart by @ohbo-ohno - (ghoap x reader dark!) we all know bo, we all love bo. I always love the way she depicts ghost and soap's dynamic changing and evolving to include the reader. the descent into dark territory in this is really really fun. It's also just hot and well-written! if you haven't read it before, go read it, and then go read all of bo's drabbles and asks on here. genuinely one of my favourite dark but still fun writers. I think she balances it really well.
body electric by @yeyinde and Afterburn by @sprout-fics - (141 + Los Vaqueros x reader) a classic. I've returned to these so many times. sometimes you just want to read dirty, filthy, well done, smut and then warm cozy aftercare. not to wax poetic about pure sex (except that's exactly what one should do), but I think it can be really hard to write group sex like this and still have such insightful and individual glimpses into each character and dynamic, and Lev does it wonderfully. and then it's also hard to find good aftercare fic, and Sprout's feels like literal aftercare for both the reader character and the reader.
other fandoms
tried to curate to themes i think overlap in some of the cod works! and I think most of these can be read fandom blind.
i revisited @winterrose527's fic in August, and even though she already knows how much I love her work, I won't skip a chance to repeat it. Anna writes for asoiaf and is pretty much the queen of Robb Stark/Myrcella Baratheon, but I would say the modern AUs (my favs) can be read almost completely fandom blind. Any contemporary romance enjoyer would love her work. I'm really partial to her kid/single-parent fics. I think it's so hard to get right, and I always adore reading her kid characters and how she approaches love stories when kids are involved. anna's works are always brimming with love and incredible platonic, familiar, parent-child, and romantic relationships (if kid fic isn't your thing she also has a ton of other great fics). personal favs: We Could Be a Little Something, And There They Are, All the Same
Lawless by @goldcranes - (arthur morgan x ofc) age difference, cowboy love story, essentially a romance novel. if goldcranes has no fans, I'm dead. I encourage you to explore her work; very few people write as strongly across multiple fandoms as she does, and each of her works feels like a really strong love story with special characters.
The Odyssey by @sunlightmurdock - (bradley bradshaw x reader) 1980's roman literature prof x virgin student - no need to know top gun. katie's work is another entry in the 'feels like it stands really strongly separately from the source material' category. she has multiple ongoing AU's that I really love, but this one is a favourite. i think she does complex characters really well - their actions always feel intentional, and as flawed as they are, I always love them.
Wouldn't it be Nice by allyoops - (m/f captive A/B/O) if you aren't reading original works smut on ao3 you are missing out and allyoops is a great place to start for noncon, dubcon, age gap, taboo etc. enjoyers. they have a ton of works; usually one shots with lots of really delicious dynamics and different settings and tropes.
An Intoxicating Presence by FormerlyIR - (mob a/b/o haladriel) MOB. A/B/O. HALADRIEL. picks up with Halbrand in prison thanks to undercover FBI agent (and his mate!) Galadriel. does that sound crazy and awesome? well it is. mix it with Gal's internal struggle, the added complication of omegaverse, and overall great writing. really fun and really damn good.
civitas terrena by banalityofweevil - (darklina) angel Alina on an exploration of love in immortality with fallen angel Aleks. honestly, it's just a must-read for enjoyers of writing. incredibly creative with divine (literally and figuratively) imagery. i think one of my comments was on the precision of lulu's diction and I really stand by that.
tinsel into gold by ribbonedhare - (darklina) ddlg and cnc friends, this changed me. it is so warm and soft and my god, is it good. just scrumptious.
Be My Babydoll by KittyDruthers - (darklina) ddlg dollification need I say more
check the reading with ru tag for more!
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Worm Fanfic Recs
No rankings at play here, just my favorite fics that I think other are really good. There are fics I like that aren't listed because I have a bad memory, but everything here is something I really really enjoyed. I have biases obviously, this isn't objective.
The Fics
Our Private Crises - A nailbiting murder mystery with unique and well done POVs from a different character each chapter. The mystery and reveal at the end were stellar, and it got me attached to characters I never thought I'd care for. 29k words. Complete.
It's Cold Out There Every Day - Missy is trapped in a time loop on her birthday. Genuinely stellar characterization, it has the best Missy and Aisha I've ever read and its such a creative and well executed premise. 41k words. Complete.
Tilt - Unpowered homeless girl Taylor fakes a thinker power to get in the Wards and secure housing. She's even more self destructive and self deprecating than in canon. 10/10 characterization for a slew of POV characters including Taylor, every ward but especially Sophia, Rachel, Lisa, and a ton of other characters. Despite not going through all of what canon Taylor went through, this fic nails her character better than pretty much any others. 220k words at time of posting. Updating consistently.
Tear Apart, Stitch Together - Taylor triggers with Shatterbird's power and kills thousands. Short and sweet, everything that's there is great and it wraps up well I think. 13k words. Complete
Memories of a Simurgh Victim - The Simurgh attacks Brockton Bay. Has two storylines, one following Taylor and one following Amy and Vicky. Among the most fucked up things this fandom has to offer, a terrifying showcase of the Simurgh and her power. 62k words. Taylor's story is incomplete but the Amy and Victoria story is done.
Desperate Times Call For Desperate Pleasures - Cherish altpower Taylor tries to consensually fix Amy's incest fetish. A trainwreck I can't look away from, the worlds first psychological horror romcom. It's so fucked up and so amazingly funny, and has good well written characters. I don't like Pillbug and I'm not a big fan of altpowers, but this fic is still one of my favorites because it's so damn compelling so definitely check it out if you actually like either of those things. 211k words at time of posting. Updating consistently.
Roots - The Slaughterhouse Nine attack a small town with a roster of OC capes, but something is very off about the place. POV shifts every chapter, and the OCs are interesting and unique. The S9 are also wonderfully characterized here, I've never had a fic make me sad for Crawler of all people. 67k words at time of posting. Ongoing. Criminally underrated.
Roma Fade - Ciara and Fortuna both try to grow past who they were as capes and find themselves as people in a small town post Gold Morning, having found common ground posing as moms to a recovering Taylor. I'm sure fake dating would never end in real attraction, that would be absurd. Incredibly gay, incredible characterization for everyone, the best post-GM fic around in my opinion. 87k words at time of posting. Ongoing but currently on hiatus.
Case - Lisa and the Simurgh start a detective agency. It's just great humor and a lovely story and wonderful despite being short and deceased. 14k words. Dead.
Silence is not Consent - Taylor intervenes and saves Victoria from Amy and gives her a place to stay, Victoria massively struggles dealing with what happened. Amazing characterization, Victoria's POV is unique and incredibly well done, and her seeing Taylor from an outside perspective is interesting. Be warned that this is a very heavy fic emotionally, but it's really fucking good. 212k words at time of posting. Updating consistently.
A Word - Altpower Taylor is obsessed with writing a story. I don''t know how to describe this fic honestly it's hard to do justice, but it has perhaps the best conclusion to Gold Morning I've seen in a fanfic. 11k words. Complete.
Scarab - A fantasy AU where powers are thought to be magic, and the Faerie Queen takes an interest in Taylor. Filled to the brim with creativity and passion, this fic is teeming with fresh ideas and interesting depictions of canon characters. The worldbuilding is great as well, no other fic on this list has a map, so this is clearly a cut above the rest. 139k words at time of posting. Updating consistently.
Swallowtail - Ok I lied this one has a map too. Taylor with an incredibly interesting stranger power joins Faultline's crew. There is a truly astounding amount of AU elements and alternate powers for canon characters, it feels like a new world while still being recognizable and distinctly Worm. Has a large amount of alternate POVs and the first arc can be rough, but it's creative and amazing. 360k words. Ongoing but currently on haitus.
Soliloquy - Ex-Slaughterhouse 9 Taylor is in prison, bitter at the world and herself and especially her clone who saved the multiverse. A heavy fic about someone slowly recovering and becoming a better person when they're convinced it can't be done. Made me cry. 71k words. Complete.
TWNY - Post-GM Taylor finds herself in the world of RWBY with a pair of moth antennae. Multiple POVs, all very interesting despite me knowing nothing of RWBY. Probably the best characterization of Taylor in any post-GM crossover fic, she's heartbreaking in the recent arc, and it feels like the fic has barely scratched the surface of what it'll eventually cover. Also it's very gay. 136k words. Ongoing.
The Great Escape - Eidolon is struggling after his reputation is destroyed and Cauldron is revealed, and then the Birdcage opens. Amazing use of seldom seen characters, great POV with Eidolon, well done and interesting fights, has String Theory. 107k words. Ongoing but currently on haitus.
Happiness Is Inevitable - NSFW. The only damn erotic mind control Simurgh smut in the fandom somehow. Besides the porn (which is a lot of the fic, who woulda thunk it) the story itself is actually pretty interesting and has a lot of creative parts, and it has better characterization than most fics. 29k words. Ongoing?
Oneshots
Break me so that I can be whole - This accursed fandom is tragically bereft of QA / Taylor fics, but this one shot is great, love an eldritch take on shards. Probably fucked up but I'm not actually a good judge of that so be warned. 1.8k words.
Book Worm - Dragon helps teach Taylor how to read and speak and understand language post-GM. Bittersweet and lovely. 2.5k words.
Defiant Didn't Dox Saint For Nothing! - Taylor goes back in time and the first thing she does is kill Saint because he sucks. Cracky but I like it, fun little oneshot. 1.6k words.
Ruling Ash - Glory Girl flees Brockton Bay during the Slaughterhouse Nine and ends up living with Damsel of Distress. Cute, and Starsong before Ward is very interesting. 2.8k words.
My Sunshine - Leviathan goes worse and Brockton Bay is destroyed. Taylor and Victoria survive. Very somber, but well executed. 3.4k words.
Cherry on Top - A character study of Cherie Vasil, showing how she went from running away from Heartbreaker to joining the Nine. Extremely well written, absolutely incredible depiction of her character. It depicts abuse and actions typical of Heartbreaker and Cherie, so be careful reading. It's a lot emotionally. 12.7k words.
Devil in a New Dress - NSFW. Shatterbird / Reader, I'm not explaining myself on this one. Neat Shatterbird characterization, hot, pretty fucked up so be warned. 1.7k words.
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ashintheairlikesnow · 22 days
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I am LIVING for the Chris reblogs. He truly is one of my favorite whumpees of all time. You have mastered the art of a subtle “perfect victim” with him. I may be dead wrong but realistically, what has he done that was even controversial through his whole storyline, you know what I mean? Like just as a few examples of your wonderfully written Not Perfect victims and (this isn’t to victim blame or shame at all,) Jameson did sign up for WRU, his and Kauri’s recoveries were FAR from smooth or perfect, and don’t even get me started on Antoni, yikes! Even Nat, who is doing the lords work now, has a shady past! But Chris genuinely perfect. Even the things he thought were his fault weren’t. And like I said it’s not his main character trait is being THE perfect victim, it’s one of those things that was nicely left not outright said, and for the readers to use critically thinking and I LOVE IT. I think that’s a really difficult feat to pull off and you did a fantastic job.
Also like I said I may be dead wrong but I genuinely can’t think of one true misdemeanor committed by Chris.
Having said all of that I also love all of the character flaws you bestow upon the rest of the gang! Either them being fucked up before, or the aftermath of all of the traumatic experiences leaving them fucked up and with significantly poorer judgements that lead to them getting in situations they maybe would not have if it wasn’t for having a new and definitely not improved way of thinking! Okay, yap over. Keep up the great work!!
So this is kind of an interesting thing for me, because I really do try as much as I can to steer away from that "perfect victim" archetype, but Chris kind of fell into it despite how hard I tried not to have him do that.
His basic disposition was always going to be a sweet kid who had been absolutely tortured and who had nonetheless come out of it with a resilience that would allow him to start rebuilding from that shattered foundation.
Unfortunately, it does mean that he didn't end up with a lot of the more kind of exciting to write and interesting faults and imperfections and occasionally outright malevolence that I have in other characters who are not bad guys, they're just people who had to do bad things to survive horrifying situations.
But of course, the biggest impact there as far as Chris's story is that he never saved himself. He didn't do anything against his own moral code to escape. He was saved by a woman who realized what she was looking at, driven several hours in the middle of the night by a man he'd never met before, and dropped on the doorstep of a whole new group of strangers he had no idea whether or not he could trust.
So Chris does hit that damsel in distress archetype in a way that I don't normally like to go for in main characters. But he really insisted on it, and I think there's this thing about archetypes where we see them so often that we get kind of tired of them, but one of the reasons we do see them so often is because they resonate. And there really are people like that in the world, not everybody of course.. probably not even most people put in the same situation would react the way that he reacted to things. But people do.
And what Chris did to survive was pull back inside of himself so thoroughly that when he started to come out of his shell, all the basic goodness in him was more or less intact and untouched. They could destroy so much of him, but they could never make him anything less than inherently a good kid in a bad situation.
If you were to ask chris, he would probably tell you that the biggest character flaw in him is cowardice, because even as an adult he doesn't really fully understand why he has the freeze and fawn, and hates himself a little for never having been able to fight in any real way. He would call himself a coward, not just for not fighting back but also for the times he's been too afraid, like when he walked away from Rafael the first time they met. That he was able to screw up the courage in the museum to talk to him then was an enormous feat of bravery for Chris. He was absolutely wrecked for days afterward. It took everything he had in him to do it.
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room-surprise · 14 days
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Dungeon Meshi Anime Review, Season 1, Episode 11 review
Red dragon part 1!!!!!!
Absolutely fantastic episode. No real complaints. Spoilers below! NO REALLY THERE ARE SPOILERS.
Sometimes the camera is too close to the characters and I really don't like it, examples are when Marcille and Laios are talking before Laios goes to try his final attack against the dragon, and when Senshi is helping Chilchuck pick up the sword and throw it to Laios.
The camera is zoomed in so close to Senshi that it's genuinely hard to understand what's happening, especially with all the sakuga speedlines. I'm sure that bit of animation was gorgeous but I couldn't see enough of it to understand what movement Senshi was making!
Didn't like how multiple times they zoomed in on character's eyes while they were talking so you couldn't see their mouths for the entire shot - normally you'd start with a shot that shows the mouth moving and then cut to the closeup without the mouth to save budget, but just going straight to the eyes closeup... Made it hard to tell if they were speaking out loud or thinking. This is just sloppy storyboarding IMO and not the end of the world, but it was noticeable and bugged me. Maybe it was like that in the manga? But then there are dialog bubbles vs thought bubbles so it's clear if it's a thought or spoken out loud. Anime doesn't have that.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the way the magic words written on surfaces are being animated like they're a gunpowder trail/wick for a traditional explosive. WONDERFUL detail, so inventive and fun! I don't think that was in the manga but it fits in SO WELL with the vibes of dungeon meshi. Fantastic addition.
Loved Marcille's little bouncing spell.
The jokes in this episode all landed so fucking well. Just incredibly funny and good, pacing was immaculate.
Marcille healing Chilchuck and Senshi rofl.
Funny that they put Marcille on TOP of the building she exploded, I think it was more ambiguous in the manga or she was off to the side. Putting her on top of it was certainly a choice, and funny lmao.
The pathos and the drama... god. Laios' final attack on the dragon. Losing his leg. It was all incredibly well done. The way the sound and color cut out, Laios hyping himself up to do something he knows will be excruciatingly painful.... top ten Laios moments for sure. This episode captures his character so wonderfully. That's my boy!!!!
(thinks about if they're going to handle Kabru's moment of falling into the dungeon with this amount of intensity..... ohgodplease.)
I love how gory they get with the dragon, the butchering sequence so far is fantastic, I hope anime onlies are like "haha... ha..... what the fuck this is kind of intense? and gross?" because they do not know what they're in for lmao.
While I DO LOVE the way they revealed Falin's skull (what an incredible pov shot!!!!!!!) I kind of miss the panel that was in the original manga... Where Laios pulls the skull out of the clump of hair in a way that looks like a baby's head coming out of the vagina during childbirth. That panel was REALLY intense in a quiet horror sort of way in the original, and I miss it.... BUT they replaced it with something equally cool so I can forgive it.
They had new dub actors for the Touden father in this episode, and some random villagers. Since those characters have VERY few lines, I'm wondering if these actors have been double-cast and if we'll see them again playing other roles later, since this has been the case for most of the other minor characters so far.
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In a better written show, I'd honestly be down for a villain song that sounds totally heroic. It could work really well for a fallen hero or a villain who thinks they're a hero, and the noble lyrics being ultimately at odds with the character and their actions could be well done irony. But... RWBY is not well written. In fact, it's so badly written, that I genuinely can't tell if Hero was meant to be a villain song or not. Are the lyrics about saving people meant to be ironic, considering his later actions like trying to bomb Mantel? Or is it meant to be genuinely heroic since, like you said, Ironwood hadn't actually gone through his fallen hero "arc" yet (And some of James's more over-the-top villainy in V8 very well might not have even been planned at that point)?
So, like so much of RWBY, it's a potentially neat idea that either it wasn't well done or was just wasted, and it mostly just makes me think of ideas for a more interesting story.
In certain circumstances I could really see an ironic hero song really working either via misdirect with the lyrics or outright lying in the lyrics. But I need to emphasize under certain circumstances as even if R/WBY was a better written show…I don’t see something like that working.
For R/WBY this kind of song with double meaning lyrics or misdirect or even lying wouldn’t work because the nature of the songs in R/WBY is…complicated. Take for example bmblb. This song was released for the volume 4 soundtrack and fans got really excited thinking it meant the bees romance was canon. The writers came out and threw Jeff under the bus saying he was just trying out a different style of song and that it wasn’t based on anything or canon. Then volume 9 came out and then bmblb part 2 came out implying that bmblb was in fact canon all along. 
Not only that but what the songs well are is also constantly shifting like The Truth from volume 8 is more generally describing Cinders life while other songs are said to be what characters are thinking internally. Regardless even if the R/WBY songs were consistent in what they are narratively I still don’t think this kind of song trying to trick the audience would work since the characters aren’t even singing the songs. At least not in something like R/WBY. 
A character not singing a song meant to manipulate the audience doesn’t work in most things because it’s just the authors messing with the audience which is frustrating and pulls you out of the story and leaves a sense that the writers just are not competent writers since they have to resort to lying to the audience directly to make their story work and leave the audience unsure what even is canon or not. That’s not fun I most stories. However in stories where the audience is known by the characters to exist is when this type of manipulation works wonderfully. 
Take Doki Doki Literature Club, Monika not only knows about the players existence, but she is actively trying to earn their affection and make them fall in love with her. Her either singing a song or playing a song like this to manipulate the player themselves makes sense because she the character knows she’s in a game and knows there is a player watching her. Her being the one to manipulate the player is different because rather than it being the writers taking a lazy approach to trick the audience, there is a valid story reason for it to happen.
But using a heroic song to trick other characters in a musical I’d argue is also a valid approach. Having characters use double meaning to trick the character (and yes for a time the audience if we’re exclusively following the journey of the main character) into thinking they are good and when the truth is revealed the double meanings and the lies in the early song come to light is also a good way to do it. 
Frozen almost pulls this off with Love is an Open Door wherein it’s later revealed Hans was using Anna to steal the throne. I say almost because the writers use cheap tricks to lie only to the audience to sell it rather than just not showing us his POV and us trusting him like Anna. The scene I’m talking about is this scene in particular. 
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There is no one here to see him besides the audience. The only people this smile is for us for the audience to trick the audience and make them think he is genuinely a good guy. If the scene had just cut away the second he fell in the water it wouldn’t be lying to the audience but because this moment exists the writers have gone from characters manipulating another character to the writers lying to the audience to make the betrayal more shocking later, when him just being awkward and nervous around Anna would have been fine because again it’s a character manipulating a character. Cut out this one little shot and “Love is an Open Door” works as a hidden villain song disguised as a love song. 
Sorry that was a long tangent about another almost works scenario so let’s play around with an example that could work hypothetically. Let’s pretend that Wreck it Ralph is a musical. And say King Candy sang to his subjects about how he “built the perfect kingdom” or something like that. We think initially it’s just him being over the top theatrical but then when the twist is revealed we know he really did rebuild Sugar Rush to be his perfect kingdom so he could always be the favorite racer.
Okay it’s not a perfect example I’m just mostly trying to get the point across as I am not aware of a movie that pulls this kind of trick off well so there isn’t a good example to show. Regardless Hero just doesn’t work.
To your question about what Hero is supposed to be. From my understanding of the writing it was supposed to always be a heroic song. The writers said initially that the ending of volume 7 was supposed to be vague with no real right or wrong side and that it was supposed to be unclear. They also said that James’s writing in volume 8 was changed and made more intense mid 2020. This is notable because volume 7 finished airing early 2020 so they would realistically know what fans were thinking and whose side they were leaning towards. Hero would have long since been written at this point which is why it makes sense it started off genuinely as a heroic song and once the writers didn’t like how many people where siding with James so they changed his arc in volume 8, the fans scrambled to try and somehow justify this radical shift in characterization. 
Maybe it would be less frustrating and I could roll with the double meaning theory about Hero if James’s arc in volume 8 was actually a well done fallen hero arc but it wasn’t. It was a rush job to try and make the mains look better that turned into an extremely ableist and harmful arc that butchered a well written character to prop up their poorly written mains.
But really even in a better written show their just isn’t any lines with actual double meanings that work for a fallen hero arc. Some people argue:
There’s no sacrifice that I won’t make
Is supposed to be about James’s willingness to sacrifice Mantle to stop Salem but….at the end of the gravity fight we see James willingly sacrifice his other arm to stop Watts. We see the payoff from that line immediately after the song ends with James literally searing the flesh off of his own arm.
Another section I see used sometimes is
I will fight
For you no matter how I am despised
Portrayed as cruel and heartless, I am might
I am power, I'm due process, I will smite
Our enemies destroy
Mettle I'll deploy
But generally it’s parts taking out of context to the narrative these lines are painting. I’ve seen people argue the part:
I am might
I am power, I'm due process, I will smite
Our enemies destroy
Mettle I'll deploy
Is James talking about enjoying destroying people ignoring again the context and the logical reading of some of the lines. The lines start off by talking about how he’ll fight for you, no matter how much people hate him and think he’s a monster. The line “I am power, I’m Due Process, I will smite” is likely a. Playing off of the name of James’s weapon (due process” and B. Trying to find a rhyme for “might”. But playing devil's advocate for a second here, even with the reading of James is ready to smite his enemies….saying he is ready to smite the seemingly endless army of soulless man eating monsters…well I struggle to see it as pure evil given said soulless nature of man eating monsters driven to destroy humanity. 
I also see people argue that “Our enemies destroy” is James thinking he would destroy his enemies which doesn’t make sense with how that line is, to me it reads as “our enemies destroy everything important to us” and the next line “Mettle I’ll deploy” is in response to their enemies destroying. 
Sorry this ask got insanely long I just had a lot to say hehe.
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dilfdoctordoom · 8 months
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Tell me everything u know about Bette kane
With pleasure!
Bette's the cousin of Bruce & Kate Kane & her origin is, at best, a little messy.
She was originally introduced as Bat-Girl alongside Kathy Kane Batwoman (who is a DIFFERENT CHARACTER TO KATE KANE) to dispell rumors that Batman & Robin were gay.
She's very smart from the get-go & figures out Batwoman's identity all on her own. As is typical for the Silver Age, she gets into a lot of zany antics. Her favorite hobby is weaponizing misojyny.
She gets to join the Teen Titans towards the end of Volume 1 by creating a fun spin off team in Titans West! This is my most beloved Titans team, just a bunch of my blorbos in one place. Really and truly made for me personally.
Then the universe explodes, so naturally, Bette's back with a new backstory.
I'm really not a fan of it. Bette's origin didn't have much to do with Dick Grayson; now, it's all focused on him.
Plus side, she's going by Flamebird and she has a kick ass costume.
She gets reintroduced in a redux of the Titans West story and does get some fun moments, I won't lie. She pops up in The New Titans and is so <3.
Her next big appearance is in Hawk & Dove Annual and it's spectacular. This is the peak of all comic characterization ever. Issue of all time. I'm obsessed it genuinely makes me insane.
She gets some cameo stuff to do, until Titans/JLA: The Technis Imperative. She isn't up to much here, but! It sets up her story in Titans Secret Files & Origins #1 which leads wonderfully into Beast Boy.
Beast Boy is so good to her it's unreal I love her new costume. Nothing beats the original, but I like the update.
She gets more fun appearances with Titans LA (Titans West 2.0). Fun fact! Titans LA was originally gonna get its own book written by Geoff Johns.
Urm. Universe blows up again. New 52 happens. I die inside.
I hate Bette in this era so much it's unreal. Her Batwoman arc is a rehash of her Beast Boy arc with added fridging. She gets Batman to imply she'll become a villain. It's just really gross, IMO, and utterly unneeded... it's done to get her to a place she's already at. Like if we had Dick Grayson get skewered by a pedophile while Batman gets fucked so that he could move on from Robin... like we've done that. Why are we doing it again but gross.
She's had some appearances in Rebirth. I hate all her 'Tec ones-- Bette Kane would never join the military after what happened to Kate. She'd never join in general, but especially after that.
She did get an appearance in DC's Legion of Bloom that I loved! It's Titans West/LA again unsurprisingly and it's just a fun story about them on a mission. She's returned to her Flamebird glory and not forced into being gross Hawkfire.
She hasn't had anything since that & as the main title she'd realistically show up in is Titans, I'm hoping it stays that way. I do not want Tom Taylor within ten feet of her.
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kyouka-supremacy · 4 months
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What's p/p?
Ah, I meant to say, pp, Psycho-Pass. I usually add slashes to avoid unprompted rambles to show up in main tags, sorry if that resulted confusing.
I love Psycho-Pass. I already made a post about why bsd fans might find it enjoyable, but honestly, there's so much more to it beyond what it has in common with bsd.
The prompts for reflection this series offers are just wonderful: on the relationship between citizens and government, on pervasive systems, on freedom of choice and free will, on safety vs. freedom, on discrimination of minorities and creation of scapegoats, on propaganda and brainwashing, on the increasing and treacherous presence of technology in everyday life, on how government uses technology to control and manipulate people, on fighting the system from the inside vs. fighting the system from the outside. I should watch it again too. It's crazy good.
Akane Tsunemori - the coprotagonist of the first season, the protagonist of the second season and overall the true core and heart of the franchise - is one of the most complex and beautiful characters I ever met. Her growth and character development is truly amazing: the way she starts off as unknowing and naïve, and grows so so much from there; how her writing finds this perfect balance between becoming more mature / hardening and staying true to her beliefs - even when everyone, the system, the people she relies to, the people she looks up to - tell her that there's no other way, that it can't be. It's breathtaking. She is a breathtaking character. The way alone that no matter how conscious and aware she becomes of how cruel the world is, how unredeemable people are, how beyond saving the system is, she still keeps believing in humans… It may sound cliché by itself, but believe me, it's wonderfully executed, and her character is truly amazing. Not to mention, the way she mirrors the coprotagonist Kougami is fabulous, but this is not really about him; she's an amazing character of her own right, and I will die on this hill.
The female cast in general is all amazing honestly. Don't get me wrong, the male characters are just as complex and multilayered (and I LOVE Gino and Kou, how couldn't I), but that's… Something we're more accustomed to, while finding well written female characters is objectively much harder. Female characters in Psycho-Pass aren't written as female characters, they're written as people, just as much as their male counterparts are. They have their fears and hopes and strengths and weaknesses just like any other character. I love Yayoi for being strong and coolheaded. I love (LOVE) Shion for being her fabulous self, kind and flirty and confident and with an heart so big, and for her subverting the trope of guy in the chair by being a glamorous woman who's also incredibly competent at her job of analyst. I love Akane's friends and I don't like season 3 but Mai is genuinely awesome and a joy every time she's on screen. I love Risa so much I could die, I love how strong and independent she is, I love the dilemmas she had to face, I love her choices and how they might have been the wrong ones and how it still haunts her, I love the tragedy of her character in general, I love the doomed friendship that used to be between her Gino and Kou. I love love love Fredrica, I love her being bossy and confident, diligent and determined. There's just a lot of… Strong and independent women in Psycho-Pass, and it's not just a way of saying, they really are.
I LOVE women loving other women, canonly, on screen. The confirmation may be delegated to a small moment in the last episode of the first season, but the fact that it's still there nonetheless, and how it confirms that all the previous moments and exchanges were indeed moments and didn't leave it to ambiguity… It's nice, to say that the first season of Psycho-Pass came out in 2012. And you might have to wait eight years, three seasons, five movies for it, but the phrase “I just want to go outside, dine somewhere nice, and go for walks with someone I love” may make it worth it.
And I LOVE how all the leader positions are filled by women. It's a little funny, honestly, in the best way– despite what I made it look like so far, the Psycho-Pass cast is still men-dominated (or at least a pretty equally split 50/50?); yet all the leader positions are always filled by women: Akane and Mika and Kasei and Frederica and Karina, it's always women.
Also, Mika is a brilliant character. Of course I love her. I'm so so sorry for how much hate and criticism she gets (over being a purposely annoying character! Insane! When Dazai exists!), when she does really and excellent job at conveying “look! A fucked up brainwashed individual in a fucked up brainwashing environment! I wonder how that could have happened!”. Not to mention that her growth, her long and devious way to admitting that the system is flawed, is truly well made, too. Unpopular opinion, characters with big flaws, characters who are unsufferable and make lives impossible to everyone around them, characters who mess up again and again, are actually great to watch.
Again, don't get me wrong, I absolutely adore Gino and Kou too ahah. They're both great!! But that you can probably see by your own. Gino in particular used to be my favourite, how his character does a total 180° turn. I love to see men admit their mistakes and make the choice to be better tomorrow.
About that, the relationships between the characters are AMAZING. Especially the main trio Akane / Kou / Gino, all the combinations within it are beautiful and deep and brilliant, so so enjoyable to explore and with their fair share of canon content, while still never straying to romantic territory (I mean, Akane/Kou may be going in that direction, but if that's true, that's the slowest slow burn I've ever witnessed in my life).
What's more. The world building / general premise - a dystopian world, where your predisposition to do crime can be measured and the government makes use of such technology to monitor and control the population and guarantee everyone's safety - is genuinely interesting and compelling. The aesthetic is genuinely cool (AH, now that I think about it, I've got my unfair bias for people in suits, and pp has a LOT of people in suits… ). The opening and endings feature great artists like Egoist, Ryo, Who-ya Extended and Cö shu Nie, so you're sure to love them!!
(Also, Psycho-Pass is something I used to spend entire nights talking about with a friend, and I'm always thinking about her and hold her tight to my heart in every moment so. That's worth mentioning for me, pfffttt. I love my friend so much.)
Finally, because the other Psycho-Pass post I made here keeps haunting me for the lack of trigger warnings, please be aware: Psycho-Pass DOES have trigger warnings. Pretty much for eveything you can think of. Sexual assault and gore and body horror on the top of my mind, but it's quite dark and gritty at parts in its entirety, so please please keep that in mind if you decide to pick it up.
Well, this is the end of my Psycho-Pass love letter for now. Please give it a chance if you can! I'll go rewatch it now. General watch order, in order of release, is season 1 → season 2 → movie → Sinners of the System movie trilogy → season 3 → First Inspector movie → Providence movie. I don't really like the third season or First Inspector movie (the characters are still great tho, even the newly introduced ones), and I've yet to watch Providence. The first season later came out with an extended edition of added scenes between episodes, and they're quite nice, so if you can't get ahold of it, you might want to look up for a compilation of the missing scenes still.
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#Me: Psycho-Pass is great! I need to explain people why it's great by exposing different and various aspects of it!#My brain: WOMENWOMENWOMENWOMENWOMEN#To be fair that's just what b/sd did to me lol. I didn't use to pay much attention to it before...#Until it (good female characters writing) was taken away from me#people asks me stuff#Following up ask me what klk stands for so I can rant about it lmao#Although K/ill la K/ill is like. Media literacy level: extreme.#You really have to think it through to get why it's so good–#and the apparent unsuspectable fanservice that doesn't have anything to it doesn't help the case.#(Unless you wonder if the constant fanservice ties with the theme of “women will never be free of objectification of their own bodies–#because that's something coming from how other people decide to view them and thus is out of their control.#The only way to truly be free is to stop giving the things you can't control importance and act noncaring and independent from them–#while you keep fighting for your right to make your own choices in society.#All using as a commentary on how clothing is both women's nightmare‚ something they both desperately hate and yet rely on for strength‚#their biggest weapon‚ their greatest confinement‚ their closest friend and worst enemy.#Ultimately‚ true freedom will not be reached when others stop viewing women as an object for their own pleasure‚#but when women accept themselves and their body and their appearance‚ even naked‚ paying no mind to how others see them.”)
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fayesdiary · 2 months
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hmm hmmmmmm.......Rhea, Veyle, and Faye for the character ask game!
Rhea
1) how much I like their personality
WTEGDGFSFDYDGFFG
I adore her. She's my fav 3H character by far. Just this mix of sweet and awkward and kind but with a boatload of trauma and repressed rage... She's the bestest <3
2) how much I like their design/aesthetics
Her archbishop outfit is great (although what is up with those hips. She barely has enough space to fit her organs), and general design is super pretty!
Also her Seiros outfit is 😳
3) how interesting I think they are
GOD. I feel like I could talk about her for hours if you caught me in the right mood. I want to inspect her with a microscope.
4) how well-written I think they are
As a character? Wonderfully, but her treatment in the story leaves a LOT to be desiered, often shoved to the background and generally getting treated like crap by the narrative for an alleged main character.
Also fuck everything about the SS endgame.
5) (if applicable) how much I like their mechanics in-game
her CF fight is pain and her SS one is pure agony
6) if I think they are a Good Person(tm)
For the most part, yes! It's clear all her actions were done with good intent (albeit a bunch of them were questionable but still, never cruel), and I think it's important to note that her vicious side only comes in regards to the man who literally committed genocide towards her kin or when she's being violently having her trauma of said man triggered.
Hell, her burning of Firdhiad is pretty much her lowest point and even then it only comes after she's being violently triggered and blamed for everything over and over. She's pretty much gone insane by that point and for damn good reason. Also you know, it's all your fault.
Veyle
1) how much I like their personality
BABY. She's the cutest but also constantly wracked with guilt and shame about being a Fell Dragon.
2) how much I like their design/aesthetics
I love her Somniel outfit and her evil outfit absolutely slays, but while I really like her main outfit since it's fluffy I hate her collar and ankle chains.
3) how interesting I think they are
A whole lot! Her relationship with Alear is the best, in typical younger FE sister fashion she's a lot stronger than she seems (they literally had to brainwash her into compliancy and even then it didn't work all that well), her guilt over her evil self's action (on top of just being a Fell Dragon period). Also she has a knack for making (magical?) trinkets and she lived on her own wandering around Elyos for quite a while, so :D
4) how well-written I think they are
The brainwashing/evil personality part is a bit iffy as always in FE plots, but other than that? She's great!
Something that keeps suprising me about FE writing is that while they're not... the best at writing female characters somehow they keep hitting the spot with writing younger sisters.
5) (if applicable) how much I like their mechanics in-game
She's a lot of fun! Her personal tome and dagger are great and her personal skills are quite useful :D
6) if I think they are a Good Person(tm)
Definitely! She's an absolute sweetheart, but at the same time I love the hc that her evil self is actually a part of her albeit exaggerated and twisted by Zephia and not just a personality that came out of nowhere. Doesn't help I'm playing Persona 4 right now.
Faye
..fun fact, do you know she actually got on Top 200 of CYL8? I'm genuinely shocked.
1) how much I like their personality
I really like it, mainly in the sense her obsession is portrayed negatively for once. I've seen a bunch of fans trying to "fix" her by toning down and/or removing her obsession with Alm, but I always loved more the angle of keeping it while pointing out how toxic and self-destructive it is and having her slowly grow out of it.
2) how much I like their design/aesthetics
Peak. Perfection. Immaculate. Well except maybe the lack of freckles, but that's why I draw her with them ;)
3) how interesting I think they are
It may be mainly due to projecting and overanalizing, but god. Soo much. Her trauma and horrible coping mechanisms, her huge trouble making friends and socializing with strangers, her fondness for Celica, her clinginess and yearning for both a place to belong and to return to the good old days at Ram...
Also she's a bisaster. It's totally canon trust me
4) how well-written I think they are
Hahaha... oh, terribly.
I'm not gonna pretend the writers ever saw her as anything more "the girl with an unhealthy unrequited obsession towards the protagonist we're apparently contractually obligated to put in almost every game". Like, I'm pretty sure all of her small nuances you can find if you start digging were an accident, and considering how she gets flanderized outside of Echoes, I'm almost certain that's the case.
(speaking of, the sole fact they managed to flanderize her holy shit)
5) (if applicable) how much I like their mechanics in-game
GOD I LOVE THEM. All of the effort they didn't put into writing her they put into her gameplay mechanics because they portray her SO WELL.
The fact she loses avoid when supporting Alm, her higher then average growths hinting at the fact she's trying desperately hard, her unique spells as a Cleric being either a way to ignore distance (Physic to heal from afar, Rescue to get someone literally close to her) and Anew, the only form of a Dancer you get in Echoes, costing so much HP portraying her self-destructive behavior in an attempt to be useful.
Just... screams
6) if I think they are a Good Person(tm)
Yeah... I'd be lying if I said yes.
She's a lot better than people claim she is, but still, between the obsession towards Alm and general (albeit potentially accidental) rudeness towards strangers and... less-than-stable state of mind, she's far from the greatest person to be around.
Still, she can be pretty sweet when she wants to, she apologized to Silque and actually accepted Alm's rejection which oh my god why do people keep claiming she's a yandere when she's actually capable of hearing no as an answer, and also she's unflinchingly loyal to her loved ones!
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txttletale · 11 months
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Read Twig after seeing you mention it was explicitly good about trans people and. Yeah. Jessie is the trans character of all time. Need more Messy But Not Judged rep like that
Also Mary and Lillian as "good lesbian rep" is a fucking hilarious thing to claim but it IS neat that half of the main cast of twig ended up explicitly textually queer in some way. More if you count whatever the fuck Helen has going on.
yeah i mean i do kind of like the dykey shit that mary and lillian going on but trying to put it in your list of 'good gay representation' is like so comically large a lie i still laugh whenever i think about it. but YEAH jessie is genuinely a wonderfully written trans character, she is written with what feels like great care but also is a lot more than just Good Rep she is legitimately the most interesting character in the book who makes most of the plot work and basically the real hero of the entire thing. like i love her and i love sy's love for her and she is one of the best wildbow characters! shame nobody read twig
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cicaklah · 8 months
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my girl @ronniebox tagged me and so here we go!
Rules: List ten books that have stayed with you in some way, don’t  take but a few minutes, and don’t think too hard - they don’t have to  be the “right” or “great” works, just the ones that have touched you.
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman - my mother gave me this book to read when I was maybe 11, it was her copy that she had bought when Pratchett came and gave a reading at our local library in like, 1992. I'd say no book has been more formative to me, but in writing this I don't think thats true.
The City and the City by China Mieville - I got into Mieville through my girl @crimeandcricket, and was horribly traumatised by the body horror in perdido street station, and was way too influenced by his often pretentious writing style, but the city and the city is a masterpiece I'll never recover fully from and changed me for the better.
The Children's Hospital by Chris Adrian - I'm fairly sure no one but me loves this book, but it is also a book that multiple people stopped me when I was reading in public just from the cover image. My favourite kind of book is a book that can only be written by one person, and Adrian is a theologian and paediatrician, and this book uses every single one of his hyperfixations and also made me cry more than anything else.
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster - Actually, this book probably did more to calcify my sense of humour than Pratchett did. The smartest, funniest, coolest children's book ever, and this has reminded me to get the tattoo of Tock on my wrist.
Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfield - I read this every christmas morning as a treat to myself. I also adore White Boots, the ice skating book, but Ballet Shoes is such a perfect gem of a story that is the favourite of my grandmother, my mother and myself.
Shabanu/Daughter of the Wind by Suzanne Fisher Staples - The first book that made me cry, inspired my fondness for camels and was probably my first feminist awakening? I've only read one of the sequels, but it was so brutal I still haven't emotionally recovered entirely.
The Amateur Cracksman by E. W Hornung - my mastermind specialist subject, a book that consumed me across time and space, Raffles my beloved, Bunny my beloved, I remember the moment I read the first story and my life changed literally forever. The Black Mask and A Thief In The Night are also obviously amazing and really all three should be considered one book, but something in my life changed for the better when I read the line 'AJ Raffles would be my friend!' in The Ides of March and I realised oh no, they're mine now.
Exhalation by Ted Chiang - very hard for me to choose a Ted Chiang story so thankfully I will pick his second collection, which has The Life Cycle of Software Objects and also the one about the parrots. It does not have Hell is the Absence of God or stories of your life, but tbh, software objects was the first of his stories I ever read, so it deserves to be here, even if it guts me like a fish every time.
Rivals by Jilly Cooper - if I could have anyone's writing career, it would be Jilly Cooper's. Everytime I read this insane soap opera of a book it holds me hostage until I finish it, and its like 700 pages long. The most wonderfully 80s OTT sex farce about horrible people trying to buy an ITV franchise. I genuinely can't believe that disney plus are making it into a series.
The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson - One of his least famous books and yet I think his best? I had read the Mars books several times before I picked this up, but this alternate history where 90% of Europe are killed by the black death, following how world history changes through the eyes of characters who reincarnate but always find each other, somehow??? it grabbed me by the throat and never let go.
tell me YOUR formative texts pls @crimeandcricket @deputychairman @myth-blossom @skylightpirate @stickthisbig @apricotbones @postalninja @cajunandfire @within-infant-rind
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timothylawrence · 1 year
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finished the Handsome Jackpot, thoughts below!
-by far one of the most lovingly piece of borderlands content i've seen from the devs since tftbl. from the story to the characters to the dialogue, it's all so wonderfully woven together that I couldn't help but hope it never ended! which is saying a lot considering how the main campaign went!!!
-to start, all the characters are so wonderfully written and feel so real. Ember stood out to me as not another femme fatale or Girlboss(TM), but a real woman who's fighting for better things, for her friends, and for freedom. She has a cute quirk with fire and frankly her whole personality is amazing. Freddie, my god, he was so funny and cheeky. I knew he was going to betray us by the pretty boy's one line but i really hoped he wouldn't! he was written with so much personality and quirks, i actually felt for his robots :(. pretty boy is a funny type with sick intentions that only got worse as time went on and the mayor of Trashapolis (???) was SO COOL. i loved his design, just wish we got a name! Getting to FINALLY interact with Moxxi on a more personal level... ugh i love her so much. she's so human and funny and her revenge is justified, you go girl! I missed her proximity to the main campaign so it was nice to get level with her :(( Everyone in this dlc is a victim in one way or another and I think that's what makes everyone's dynamics work so well together.
-onto timothy, since that's one of the main points you guys are probably looking for LOL, his dynamic with all these characters is truly what makes him so... alive? the way he talks about his regret with Ember, his "im not as weird as Freddie" process, and his overall pining crush on Moxxi is just. so good. He feels 3D and isn't just a "sad, pathetic meow meow" as fandom portrays him to be. He's crass and rude and frankly selfish at points, but then he has moments where he is so, so sad and you realize that behind the mask (sorry), there's another victim of Handsome Jack's that you get to help. Just like Moxxi. Seeing him juggle between himself and jack is also so unique to him and frankly, it tugs at the heart :(
-Man. the story. this DLC is exactly what BL3 was missing all along. A sense of fucking connection. This whole story you're jumping from one character to another but they're all connected in such intricate ways. You hear Moxxi talk about her trauma from Jack and you feel sympathy, you find out Timothy thinks about her still and then you meet Ember, who despite being burned (sorry again) by Timothy, comes through to help him. Freddie, albeit a "new" addition, is just as much a victim to everyone else. The scene where they're all standing at the table coming up with a plan felt so, so good. I felt like we actually played a purpose in the story and getting to see everyone together like that? it was a genuine connection between the player and the story. It felt like we were back in Sanctuary standing beside Roland, Lilith, Brick and Mordecai. The characters made the story for sure, but being able to see everyone gathered like that? brought together for a good cause and better loot? that's what borderlands is fucking about. When you spend the entire main campaign forgetting the point of a mission, running from one place to another, never actually being together, it just... feels empty. and this DLC rectifies that so, so well. There's no more "talk to lilith on the bridge".
-the narrated plan scene has got to be one of the best scenes i've ever played. i laughed and it was still action packed and it was just, so, so good. instead of idly sitting back watching a character make a dumb decision, or being mocked, the player is IN on the game, invited to join and actually feel like a part of the plan!
-The UI deserves a praise for the dumb mission names, the silly names of the parts of the map, freaking casa de Timothy made me laugh. It's the silly humor that kinda tied a nice little wrap on a good story and great characters.
-The bosses, oh my god, that was SO FUN!!!! the claptrap revenge/zombie thing literally threw me back to COD zombies days, the JACKBOT was SUCH a cool multi-level boss- even Freddie was great! Just like Krieg's DLC, there was a lot of fun with these levels.
-The design of the Jackpot frankly felt like we were back in BL2 Pandora, which was such a nice refresher sorry! I really enjoyed running through what felt like opportunity again :,). all the jack stuff was CREEPY! I didnt realize the jack tower moved and then it did and i was like OH.
-bugs of course put a tamper on the fun, had to restart twice 'cause the audio bugged and then Timothy just... didn't show up to hack the forcefield LOL . Not exactly the DLCs fault.
-the ending music was the bow on the masterpiece, sorry!
Overall, this DLC nearly makes up for the awfulness that was the main campaign. there was heart to be found in every corner, love crafted in every piece of dialogue, and genuine FUN in each mission. I almost wished i didn't play 'cause now im longing for another GOOD BL thing to play. open to talking about it as always hehe <3
surprising from me, a peak 10/10
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beginnerblueglass · 2 years
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My Favourite Movies To Watch Over And Over Again
1. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
2. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
(Extended Edition Only)
Cinematic perfection distilled into 12 hours of beautiful, heartwarming, action- and emotion-packed, soulful, wonderful-ness! It’s what happens when a filmmaker genuinely cares about the source material and pours his heart (and those of his amazing crew) into the project. It’s a labour of love, is what it is. I watch them at least twice a year and will continue to do so for the rest of my life.
4. The Prince of Egypt (1999)
My all-time favourite animated movie! The music, animation, storytelling, acting, and dialogue, is all phenomenal; and the emotional resonance is off the charts! I could honestly talk about my feelings on this movie for hours (and I have).
5. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005)
The definition of childhood nostalgia for me. It’s such a beautiful, heartfelt movie that is a must-watch every Easter in my family! I definitely watch it more than just once a year though.
6. A Knight’s Tale (2001)
Seriously, such a fun watch! Every time I watch it I’m struck by how awesome it is! It’s funny, with just the right amount of angst and drama; it’s romantic and the costumes are wonderful — especially Joslyn’s, she’s a Middle Ages gal whose outfits look like they belong in Padme Amidala’a wardrobe. It’s brilliant. And the MUSIC!! Such an amazing soundtrack! Oh man, I love this movie.
7. EverAfter: A Cinderella Story (1998)
THE Best Cinderella retelling, full stop. The setting of Renaissance France is lovely, the characters are wonderfully written and acted, and I adore the costumes! When I need a romance fix, this is the movie I watch. The payoff in the ending is so awesome too!
8. Mamma Mia! (2008)
It’s that movie for me that almost makes me embarrassed how much I love it. But then I press play and forget all about it! Mamma Mia is so fun, and don’t worry, the awesome music and gorgeous setting will take your mind off the kind of messed up storyline! It just makes me want to dance! And I don’t dance!
9. Yesterday (2019)
I love weird/fun movies, and this is one of the best I’ve seen. The premise is fresh and original, and is done in a way that really grabs your attention! Also the ending is probably the most happy ending I’ve ever seen in any movie ever.
10. That Thing You Do! (1996)
Again, just a really fun movie that makes me really happy. The ending may seem bittersweet until you think about it, and realize how utterly perfect it is! And I really adore the main character, Guy ❤️
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ad-hawkeye · 2 years
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Hi! I read your blog and you wondered for a Vyn stan's take on his 2nd anniversary card. I am a Vyn stan and I really really love that card. Also, as far as I know most of my fellow Vyn stans love that card too.
His proposal card is an antithesis to his confession card. In his confession, he asked MC to wait as he prepares a perfect time and venue to confess in his personal chapter 4 when MC was about to tell him her feelings. Everything went according to plan, everything was in control. In contrast, his proposal plans were disrupted, he was also going to ask MC to wait as he prepares for their future when MC asked him why he was so busy but then everything went haywire, he panics and he just decided to "fuck plans" and decided to propose on the spot.
His proposal is so endearing and so sincere because he is a perfectionist. For him, everything must be perfect, every situation must be within his control. He has always been calm and rational but when it comes to MC, his emotions tramples rationality. His behavior in this proposal is a culmination of the development Vyn underwent as their relationship became deeper.
During their time together, Vyn has slowly let his guards down. He was afraid at first to show his "imperfect" side but MC assures him that it is fine, that she accepts every side of him; that even if he falls into the abyss, she will be by his side and lift him up. Because honestly, Vyn has issues that stems from childhood. Vyn became more and more comfortable to show his vulnerabilities and to confide his fears.
Their relationship is equal, Vyn supports her as MC supports him. They respect each others thoughts. They always talk about their issues and come up with solutions. They learn and grow from one another.
The bathroom scene is hot but is also symbolic of Vyn's trust on MC.
Even if he thinks that his proposal was not perfect enough, for me, it was perfectly imperfect. It was "Carpe Diem". He was willing to let go of all his plans out of his "desire" to propose not because it is "time" to propose.
An added bonus is we finally meet his mother and see their relationship which adds to his family lore.
Sorry for the long ramble, I just can't help myself 😖 I could go on more and more into detail why his proposal was perfect but I think this is long enough and it'll be incoherent hahaha
I haven't read Artem's proposal card but I'm sad that it was like that. He's my 2nd favorite though I haven't been following his relationship progress. Perhaps they will address this issue in the future?
YES!!!!! THIS IS THE INPUT I WANTED TO HEAR SO BADLY!!! oh my god don't apologize at all, i genuinely think vyn is a fascinating character and this card, like i mentioned a while back, did actually shoot him up on my preferences list. i love it when characters have contrast, so someone like vyn who MUST have control of a situation having his proposal fall to shambles was so SO endearing to me. this type of human error is why artem's older cards appealed to me, so i was so happy to see vyn get similar treatment.
thank you so much for reaching out, anon! i'm genuinely so so happy and thrilled to hear most vyn stans liked it; i was afraid it wouldn't be liked due its departure from the typical "vyn is in control" deal because i really liked how OUT of control he was. for Everything.
even for someone like me who finds it hard to get into fanservice, it did its job character wise, and didn't feel like it betrayed vyn as a character (in fact it matched w the vyn w no control deal), i just wasn't sure if vyn stans felt the same way.
cannot express this enough, i am SO glad vyn got such a funny and endearing card. hoping you get more like it in the future! i'll leave it here since i have nothing more to add, this meta for vyn is so concise and wonderfully written, i adore it.
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apolloamy · 2 years
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🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝
for every 🥝 i get, i’ll recommend a blog i love
OOOOOOO I LOVE!!!!! ten emojis -> ten blogs
everything's under the cut ⤵️
@a-dash-in-the-middle resident holden caulfield (just kidding, dash is todd anderson 🥰) you can't NOT like her blog because it is genuinely the most interesting, fantastical, versatile place on earth. it's like if the maze from the shining was starring in a fantasy or sci-fi film instead of a stephen king adaptation. the award for the most original tag essays goes toooooooo. dash always has something thought-provoking and brilliant to say. (even though she doesn't see it that way, but that's why she's todd) maddeningly creative. book recs are her weapons. if you check out her blog you'll probably encounter a bunch of dragons she adopted. (also her son is logan huntzberger 👀)
@brian-ur-bruh THE LEGEND!!!!! steve the hair harrington has nothing on jules. fiercely unique, KILLER MUSIC TASTE, wonderfully artistic and all in all an exceptional person. i call jules jules because of julian casablancas, need i say more? worships the only band ever aka the clash (here's the famous side blog: @capital-radio-three) fantastic guitar player!!!!! (did this amazing cover of "someday" with his band which he should brag about waaaaay more than he does)
@all-seeing-ifer JO MARCH OF TUMBLR!!!!!! the only person who i would trust with jo and laurie. talking with isabel is like sitting on the porch of your childhood house with your best friend, sharing a drink and feeling content with how everything turned out in the end. poetic watching the orange orange orange sunset kind of thing. just pure comfort and all things theatre. never fails to bring a smile on my face and continues to amaze me with their indescribable kindness and cleverness.
@paradigmx soooo easy to talk to. real cool (XTC FAN!!!!!!) and insightful. crazy smart. understands my detail-oriented craziness. will probably end up enriching your watchlist. you thought fox mulder was a fictional character? no, it's @paradigmx
@nightofthelivingpoet THE ROBERT TO MY ZOË!!!!!!! once accidentally bullied her into making a little women side blog. we are both rory gilmore-coded and will probably be crazy about academics all over your dash. say weird stuff like 🌌i love studying🌌. gracie's blog -> an enchanted forest. 99% sure that my rob pattz here is a time traveller. (it's ok i am too 🤭)
@quaffles-with-syrup MY PARTNER IN FANDOM CRIME!!!!! you might be familiar with stephen king's it, but only the two of us GET it yk? the ben hanscom to my stanley uris. immaculate energy. can change the world just by existing naturally. made out of bookish-ly real magic and correct opinions.
@wilsoncology UNDERSTANDS MY LOVE FOR MEDICINE, I AM SMILING SO BRIGHT RN!!!!! i just think of our likestorm-ing sessions and my day is already made. showers me with pictures of lisa cuddy which is the most you can do for tumblr user jochase really. wonderful artist, wonderful scientist, makes amazing edits, reblogs amazing content. don't think they realise how cool they are, but no worries i'll make the entirety of tumblr write poems about my fellow rsl enthusiast so it's fine <3
@crystalclrs is into everything i'm into, i make a profession out of stalking beth's blog (it's not my fault it's basically an art gallery????) could singlehandedly fly the tardis, i'm sure of it
@jonismitchell just thinking about arden's writing is making me tear up :") (check out her substack) every single word that she's written and i read is a part of this captivating, relatable, heartfelt mosaic of all things exceptional i keep in a special brain pocket of mine.
@freakwiththeknifecollection my daily dose of comfort is completely dependent on emily!!!! brighter than a sunflower, kinder than peeta mellark and as cool as jo harvelle. 🥰
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gemsofgreece · 2 years
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I don't think there is issue in say Circe or LO existing, they're allowed to exist, but I do think the issue is more the fans of these products (and the creators) want to claim authority over the culture and stories over actual greeks. They are allowed to be fans and retell it as they please, but them wanting to be THE voice of greek culture while huffing about how they're both allowed to change whatever they want but also they did so much research you don't you dare critique them is ... yikes.
Key phrase in your ask: the parenthesis (and the creators). The reasons such fans exist are because this is the kind of readers targeted by these creators. I don't know much about any of these works but if we suppose Circe is a retelling to redeem Circe as fighting against the patriarchy of ancient times and being painted as the villain because of that, who do you think is the target group for this?
a) people with genuine interest in Ancient Greek literature, either for educational or entertaining purposes,
b) sjw or radfems who need to find one more way to get across the message that a female character can't possibly be a villain unless she has been critically traumatized by an evil man which justifies her violence and vengeance against all men.
The correct answer is b, this is the target group. These people don't care about the Ancient Civilization itself. The book has nothing to do with the civilization. What these readers care about is to find more fields to demonize and apply their rhetoric to, which they find endlessly entertaining. The creator either enjoys the same things or profits from the raging trends of the times.
A person with genuine interest simply reads Homer, consumes media loyal to Homer's tellings and then maybe reads studies on Homer and the times he was describing. They are not interested in what would Odyssey be like if written by a WASP woman with an agenda in the 21st century because Odyssey simply wasn't written by a WASP woman with an agenda in the 21st century.
That's why I don't like a "retelling". What is a retelling supposed to be? Does it change anything in the ancient society? No. Does it risk being taken as gospel from people with otherwise minimum exposure to how things like ancient cultures are approached? Yes. Is it artistically enrapturing? Almost never, from whatever little excerpts I have seen. These are just rhetorics or half-assed storytellings where the creator was too unimaginative to make their own worldbuilding.
On the contrary, it would be so easy and fascinating to create original stories within the Greek mythological worldbuilding. Something new and fascinating that simply is part of that world without changing established elements, dynamics and figures so much they become unrecognizable. One of my favourite fics is a Sherlock/John Watson Ancient Greece AU (Mind you, I almost never like AUs, maybe unsurprisingly!). It was wonderfully written, very detailed and rich in content without needing to change anything that's been scientifically established as a reality of the Ancient Greek civilization. Now, that is true skill. That's worthy of your time, if you ask me.
A retelling of a cultural monument is problematic most of the time. It has no use and it can confuse when spread by the wrong person. That being said, I dislike a retelling coming both from foreigners and Greeks. I don't think Greeks have more authority to modify. The difference is that Greeks do not modify anywhere near as much as foreign Westerners do, simply because they do respect more, and that’s why they also complain more.
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