When Tristamp was coming out, there were two (2) scenes in particular that people got upset about for mainly shipping reasons, but, honestly? After having seen the whole thing and having thought about it for awhile, I think both are perfect for this iteration of Trigun and the narrative foils that Wolfwood and Meryl play against Vash. In no particular order:
Meryl Awakening Vash
I’ve already gone off about how closely Meryl and Rem are tied together, so I won’t retread old ground, but it’s so, so, so pivotal that Meryl believes in Vash unlike anyone has since Rem. And not in a motherly sort of way, either. (I think Rem would have a heart attack with the trouble these two get into lol.) That was important for Vash in its time, but now? Now Meryl is everything that Vash is fighting for in humanity. She sees the good in him, sees something worth fighting for, sees something worth loving. And the love in Trigun is just so integral to everything and everyone. It defies explanation sometimes, and that’s really beautiful to me.
As absolutely hilarious as it would have been for Wolfwood to have come in gun (singular in this iteration lmao) blazing to help Meryl break Vash out, he’s not at that point yet. It wouldn’t have made narrative sense, it would’ve broken the scene. It’s Meryl who has that hopeless, senseless faith in Vash, in the good that humanity could be. She still believes in justice, even after having gone through hell since meeting Vash. She’s seen ugly, undesirable parts of him that no one’s seen in years and she chooses to stay. She is the faith in humanity and the love for Vash that Rem had. She’s the reminder of what he’s still fighting for.
The Scar Reveal
As you can tell from above, I love Meryl in this story, and I honestly think we’ll probably see hers and Milly’s reaction to Vash’s scars at a later date. But for this first reveal to us, and especially for Tristamp in particular, it makes perfect sense for Wolfwood to see these scars and still, somehow, be horrified. This man has been tortured in ways unimaginable since he was a child. He’s had to turn off his humanity for years. He’s been broken and battered by monstrocities we can’t imagine. And yet he’s still horrified.
He probably wouldn’t have been at the start of the season. (See: Eriks barking like a dog very early in their relationship in the other versions, at VERY different emotional points.) So for Wolfwood to have been changed enough by Vash and for him to care enough about Vash to be horrified for him, to want better out of humanity for him? Despite the fact that he’s about to toss him to his ruthless brother because he can’t afford to care for Vash and the orphanage? It was really critical in setting up his own decision for episode twelve, coming back for Meryl and choosing Vash over Knives in his own way. Wolfwood’s been crumbling for awhile, but this is such a huge crack.
TL;DR: It’s about love and faith in humanity and justice, and so much more. I’m so happy that we got to see these characters shine in different ways, and in significant ways that we haven’t seen before. And don’t get me wrong! There are valid criticisms about many parts of Tristamp, but I ain’t having none for shipping wank lol
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Royally Whipped- Chapter 10
If he wanted to get out unseen, he had to leave right now.
But it was difficult to go, especially when there was still that one spotlight, illuminating the band on stage, Simon’s profile like the paper cutout of a Greek god.
“Your Royal Highness, we ought to go now,” Malin repeated herself for the thousandth time, and this time, Wille complied. He sighed, turned to leave; and the entire concert hall flooded with light.
As the meeting with the court draws closer, Wille finds himself growing more and more nervous, while it becomes increasingly difficult to hide his feelings for Simon from everyone else (not that he ever did a very good job).
Chapter 10 of Royally Whipped is out now! Read it here!
And if you have no idea what this is all about, you can start from the beginning here.
Have fun reading <3333
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I just!! Am Screaming!!!! Sean said they were just going to keep sending him back into the field one more time just one more job you gotta do until he was dead but he never said no! he could have left Candela Obscura at any point, after any job, but he chose to stay there! even after he'd reached the end of his rope! and everyone else continued to stay with him! for him!! Marion told Sean he was only there because of him. Auntie Bee admitted she was only there to stay near him. if he ever said he wanted out they would have not only let him but left with him! and if Sean and Marion were both out, Jean would have been to! Nathaniel would have followed as soon as he paid his debt to Allison! they didn't want him to keep going until he broke! they were trying to be there with him for him by him beside him because that was literally all they could do for him! they all could have been happier outside of Candela Obscura but Sean was there so they weren't going to leave! they loved him!! the love was there!! the love was there the whole time and it mattered of course it mattered but it didn't do anything!!!! it didn't do anything except keep them all together until it was too late! and I! ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
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– WIP DAY.
TAGGED BY: @henbased, @florbelles & @phillipsgraves, thank you so much!!
TAGGING: @reaperkiller, @steelport, @arklay, @aartyom, @faarkas, @swordcoasts, @liurnia, @calenhads, @girlbosselrond, @cultistbase, @morvaris, @druidgroves, @devilbrakers, @shellibisshe, @katsigian, @dickytwister, @unholymilf, @adelaidedrubman, @strafethesesinners and YOU!
with chapter 12 of the broker fic dropping tomorrow, have a little sneak peek for that >:^) you can catch up with the rest of the fic here!
The hallway endlessly stretched out in front of Vitali’s eyes.
He had been standing there for five minutes now. Unmoving, jaw clenched, eyes unfocused as he listened to the noises of life behind him, the Megabuilding still crawling with people even at that hour of the night.
He wore his combat gear- cargo pants, dark henley, chest armor- though he was unsure why he had decided to put that on out of all possibilities. Perhaps he subconsciously expected it to be a trap, or perhaps he wanted to come across as intimidating, and not scared; but he regretted it now, well aware of the way people had looked at him when he had made his way inside.
I’m just here to talk, he had wanted to tell them- I’m just being careful, taking precautions. Justifying himself to complete strangers who had no idea what he was even there for, as if it would clear his conscience, as if it would ease his mind.
A curious reflex. It had been a while since the last time he had felt the need to do such a thing.
Every step closer to the door at the end of the hallway was heavier than the last, every footfall bouncing off the walls and endlessly echoing through his head. Just there to talk- it sounded so simple, so innocent. A son visiting his mother after many years- save for a single encounter not all too long ago- though in that very moment he felt like anything but a son.
And the moment he reached the front door, he froze.
What was he supposed to do- knock? Ring the doorbell? Just walk right in, see what would happen? And what would he even say to her, assuming she would be there?
What could he say?
He tightly balled his fists, brow narrowing when he heard a loud BANG somewhere behind him followed by piercing laughter. His heart skipped a beat and for a brief moment the world seemed to spin around him, and he needed to reach for the wall to regain his balance.
He could walk away, still. He could turn back, leave the past in the past, leave his mother behind and simply assume she had nothing to do with it-
But he had to know. He had to know for sure.
‘What if I’m making a mistake, Vitya?’ Vitali asked, unable to look the other man in the eyes as his grip on the mug in front of him tightened. ‘Perhaps I should just- I should-‘
‘You should do what feels right to you,’ Viktor gently interrupted him, briefly glancing around the diner to see if anyone was listening in. ‘Clearly it’s bothering you- clearly you’re still lookin’ for answers. Would it ease your mind if you let this rest? Would it bring you peace?’
Of course not.
Nadya was far from the final puzzle piece, but Vitali knew she was an important one; the last one that needed to be placed in order for him to make sense out of it all, even if he learned nothing new, even if she was innocent- or, well, as innocent as she could be.
‘I feel like I’m losing it.’ Vitali slowly drank his coffee; it had turned cold by then, but he didn’t mind. ‘I was doing better, and- and then Roksana shows up, and-‘
‘Well, of course.’ Viktor smiled a gentle smile at him, but Vitali could see the barely masked concern dripping from his expression. ‘Forgive me, Vito, but- your family is a damn handful. When’s the last time you saw your sister- a decade ago? Like with your brother- of course it’s not easy to see her again. No surprise to me it’s knocked you right back off your feet.’
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