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fantasies-fairytales-n-fics · 9 months

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Thranduil and Josie Pt. 154- Rise From The Ashes

Summary: Garrett is alive, befuddled, angry and impaired. Josie senses the truth and acts. The Elvenking is evolving. Legolas is leery of daddy dearest more than ever. The Prince and his company are delayed. Raven pleads and warns. Tauriel is forced into submission. A strange pair arrives. An unpleasant throne gathering takes place. From the ashes, the evil dead rise.

*Warnings* DARK!!!! language, angst, alcohol use, suicidal thoughts, child death/loss

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Garrett stood dumbfounded and yet relieved as the blazing flames vanquished within seconds of covering his body. Gasping, he held his shaking hands out to see not one ounce of burned or boiled skin, nor had his clothing even been the least bit singed. He then, in panic, began patting his face and hair, finding it all in tact.

"What in the jinky... ass....fuck!!!" he shouted and kicked the gas can like a football with his vampire force, hurling it far into the woods.

"AMARA!!" Garrett howled into the broad open countryside to the Seelie Queen. "Get your short faerie ass out here! That's right. I called you short! What are you going to do about it, because you certainly cannot KILL ME! You know how I know, besides the obvious fact that I'm not a burnt gooey marshmallow right now? because last night I had my usual evil man tv dinner for my last meal and then I drank his blood after he died...and guess fucking what?? Ding ding ding! Heeeeere's GARRETT! I'm still a dead man walking! I know you can hear me Annabelle wannabe because your stupid little birds, bugs and the trees will nark on me!" he continued on his mocking rant with his arms stretched out wide, furrowed brows, fire engine red eyes and a grimace as he turned in circles.

There was nothing but silence for miles that his keen vampire ears could pick up.

"What are you waiting for huh??? I know what you did last summer! ok..well, this winter! with your little protection mark you put on me!"

Still, the silence was deafening and it enraged him even more.

"Fuck me...I've watched too many horror flicks." he snarled and stomped back into the cabin, damn near breaking the wooden steps with his angered strength.

Garrett stormed about the cabin, the old floor creaking beneath him as he guzzled one of the two bottles of whiskey he took from the dead man. He wasn't sure why because he certainly could not drink himself to death....but he could get shit faced and that was now his new plan.

After a night of drinking and plotting other ways to off himself, Garrett gave up as the twilight hours were leaving and breaking dawn was slowly on the rise. He plopped down on the antique couch, feeling depressed as he held an almost empty bottle in his hand. A vast cloud of dust puffed into the air upon his powerful impact which snapped one of the hand crafted legs off and it went spinning across the floor.

"Ruh Roh Raggy." he jested in his best Scooby voice and laughed so hard that he tipped over on his side in his inebriated state due to the now slanted couch.

Garrett was now face to face with his faithful guitar resting against the coffee table. He clumsily swiped it up and sat in silence to think of what he was going to play...or attempt to play, for he knew it was going to make the wolves howl in agony and also break his heart. It would be about you. It was always about you.

And of course, he chose a Bon Jovi song as he began to play, changing up a few words here and there in his poetic maudlin.

"This Romeo is bleeding but you can't see his blood. It's nothing but some feelings that this old vampire kicked up. It's been raining since I left you, now I'm drowning in your blood. You see, I've always been a fighter but without you, I give up. I can't sing a love song like the way it's meant to be. Well, I guess I'm not that good anymore but baby, that's just me. And I will love you, baby, always. And I'll be there forever and a day, always. I'll be there 'til the stars don't shine, 'til the heavens burst and the words don't rhyme and I know when I die, you'll be on my mind and I'll love you, always. Now your haunting face that you left behind are just memories of a different life. Some that made us laugh, some that made us cry, one that made me have to say goodbye. What I'd give to run my fingers through your hair, to touch your lips, to hold you near. When you say your prayers, try to understand, I've made mistakes, I'm just a man. When Narcisse holds you close, when he pulls you near, when he says the words you've been needing to hear, I wish I was him with these words of mine to say to you 'til the end of time that I will love you baby, always and I'll be there forever and a day, always. If you told me to cry for you, I could. If you told me to die for you, I would. Take a look at my face, there's no price I won't pay to say these words to you. Well, there ain't no luck in these loaded dice, but baby if you give me just one more try, we can pack up our old dreams and our old lives. We'll find a place where the sun still shines. And I will love you, baby, always........"

"Just say the word baby." he muttered and he closed his eyes, tears streaming down his cheeks as he set the guitar down, remembering your secret code to take you away.

How he had hoped you and him really could go away together someday and just be happy, Leean too. But he knew you wouldn't want her in a vampire world and he couldn't blame you, for he didn't even like it or himself even. He just couldn't get over you seeing him like you did that night, his true form, although your sexy spitfire self would argue and tell him his true form was the man sitting there right on that broken couch, just as he was broken.

Garrett smiled and pictured your face as he laid his head back on the lopsided couch and spoke to you in a fading voice before drifting off into much needed sleep and sobering up.

"I'm your Tommy and you're my Gina, but all I am doing now is living on a prayer.

Garrett's singing traveled through your dream again and then you heard him speak, startling you awake.

"Garrett???" you gasped as you swiftly sat up to see Lola feeding Leean the magical Mirkwood water and the sun shining in the windows.

"Josie? Another dream?"

"I...I...how did...I don't remember falling asleep and..."

Your hands went to cover your face as you began crying, remembering what happened.

"It's not true...it can't be true.." you sobbed. Once again you were mourning someone you loved and you didn't know if you could live through it again, for you were still in mourning over Thranduil and it was all just too much.

Lola brought Leean to you as she sat beside you. "Maybe your visions are just like your dreams sometimes? Maybe they aren't what they appear to be?"

You took Leean and cuddled her so tight. Her little heart shaped lips curled into a smile at the vision of your face and her father's moonstone eyes danced in yours as she squealed in delight.

"Oh my little one, momma loves you so much." you told her and kissed her tiny perfect nose, trying to hold back any more tears after you realized what you had just called her.

You began to breast feed her and tried to focus on her face and not the haunting flashbacks of Garrett burning to death. You called to him over and over in your mind, but as usual, there was silence. How did you just hear him singing again? Was it solely just a dream and not him coming through? Something didn't feel right.

Your eyes caught sight of the Bon Jovi album on the desk that had felt like fire last night when you picked it up. You carried Leean with you and went back to it, hesitantly reaching out to touch it again. As you did, it was now cool to the touch and it surprisingly had not been damaged, just like when you had thrown it.

You placed your palm over it and closed your eyes, hoping to see another vision, hoping to see him alive....but again...there was nothing....although you faintly could hear the song again...you knew it too, but it wasn't on this album.

"Lola...can you change her and lay her down please?"

Lola did as you asked and you went to your cloak, pulling out the letter Garrett had given Selene to give to you. God, if you could only find Selene and talk to her. Surely she would know something by now.

Your eyes stung as you read it again, hoping you could find some clue in it that you missed before. A clue...it made you think of Daphne from Scooby Doo and you lightly giggled, thinking of how he always told you that she reminded him of you and always had to add that you were much hotter though.

"This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I am leaving Devil's Island. You will not see me again. You know you and I could never be and I cannot bear to look you in the eyes again after you saw the real me. I would rather be truly dead than to feel this kind of pain. Hopefully I can make that happen. The dumbest thing I ever did was fall in love with you but it's the happiest I have ever felt. I will carry the memories of you with me until my last breath. I am so sorry I have ever hurt you. I love you. Forever. Goodbye my little one....- Roman"

Jesus, how did you not see it before? Well, you did, but...you didn't really believe he would try to end his life. Then there was the fact that he signed his real name, for it was not Garrett writing those words.

You began to feel hot and nauseated. Were you feeling what he felt by touching his letter?? It couldn't be...it just couldn't be true! But then again, you had thought the same about Thranduil too...and it was. It was very true.

You sat down, feeling as if you were going to pass out.

"Josie?? Do you want me to get Haldir?" Lola asked in quick concern.

You remembered Haldir's words last night. That he was truly sorry. Like hell he was. He was probably down in the cellar, indulging in the wicked ale in celebration. Narcisse was probably with him too, sharing a toast and then they would head out to the archery and shoot arrows at a bullseye of Garrett's face. The thought made you roll your eyes.

"No...he does not care that Garrett is.....no damn it. I won't say it. I am going to go find out for myself...somehow."

"What? Go where Josie?? You mustn't leave or even go outside with Harker bei...."

"Fuck Harker. Something is wrong and Garrett needs me. I should have known it before." you proclaimed and began quickly dressing.

"At least tell me where you are going so..."

"So you can tell Narcisse and Haldir? They don't give a shit about him Lola."

"But they give s shit about you! and so do I! and so does Leean!" she snapped, shocking you.

You quickly hugged her. "I...I'm sorry. I know you do and I love you Lola. I just need to try and somehow find Selene, or Amara even. I feel that Garrett is why I saw the Seelie here yesterday. You know, my intuition and all."

"But...the Seelie Queen...her portal is in the dark forest...Josie, you cannot do this!"

"Lola...have you no faith in my powers? Did you forget I took Harker on all by myself yesterday?"

"And you only got away because you had help, which had scared him off."

"I could have taken him. The big bad wolf is no match for the rage that lives inside of little red riding hood."

"Josie...if you go...I will have no choice but to inform the others, even if it makes you angry with me."

"Then so be it...tell them. Garrett has saved my life more times than I can count...and your Legolas too!! I have to help him. He has no one but me."

"But... what if he really is dead?"

"No, no no..." you huffed and walked away, continuing on as you sat to tug your boots on. "But he will try again. I think Amara's mark protected him. I will not sit by and let the people I love be hurt. I was given my gifts for a reason Lola and it's damn time I use them and be who I'm meant to be, just like Sarah said. I will fight just as my King would fight for what he loves."

You then stopped to look in the mirror on your way out, speaking to yourself.

"To the gypsy that remains, she faces freedom with a little fear. Well, I have no fear. Thranduil my love...you see your gypsy...I still see your bright eyes...give me your strength."

Thranduil mumbled strange words in his sleep before opening his eyes to find himself in his bed with a splitting headache and no memory of how he got there or what happened.

"She is dancing away from you now. She was just a wish. Her memory is all that is left for you now. I see my gypsy."

The wicked wine made a sensible answer to him as he glanced at the three empty carafes.

He arose for the new day, not realizing the words he just spoke, and took his morning swim, accompanied by a tall glass of wine from a reserved carafe to ease his throbbing mind.

"Legolas. Are you there my son?"

The Prince was just packing up the boats after the night's rest when his father's voice rang through his mind loud and clear.

"I am here Adar. Is all well?"

"All will be well when you have fulfilled my request of returning my wife and child to their rightful places. Where are you now?"

"We are preparing to depart on the River Running. I estimate our arrival in Dorwinion by the next day's end."

"Very well. Do not fail the task my son. I expect what belongs to me to be in my sight and reach by the next week's end."

"Task? Is that what your wife and child are to you? You speak as if they are material belongings."

"Is that not what they are? Just as you are."

"They are not property, nor am I."

"I do not time for this Legolas or your weak sentimental heart. Do as you have been commanded. Insubordination will not be tolerated."

"You may be my father and my King, but you do not control my heart." Legolas fumed and shut Thranduil off.

"Legolas. Is everything alright?" Aragorn asked, noticing the elf's turmoil.

The prince was lost in thought for a moment to answer, for his father's behavior was still not sitting right with him, even after Thranduil had claimed he was healed.

"I am uncertain, for I am uncertain if I am doing what is right."

"You speak of King Thranduil's orders to bring the Queen and child back to Mirkwood?"

"Yes. Also, I am wary to even inform her of his survival. Something is amiss. I can feel it. I do not want to cause her more harm, for if my father is still under Jareth's mind conditioning, it will do just that."

Aragorn placed his hand on Legolas's shoulder and spoke to him with all sincerity.

"You must make a choice my friend and trust your heart, for as you just told your father, he does not control that part of you."

Legolas looked upon the kingly ranger with great trust of his wise words.

Their bonding moment was interrupted by Boromir appearing from the forest in a fraught.

"Orcs...orcs are upon us!"

"Well in that case, let us go hunt some orcs." Aragorn grinned, as did Gimli and Legolas, then all ran off to eliminate the tracking threat.

As Thranduil exited his pool, exasperated over his son cutting him off, he quickly selected his garments and groomed himself to go verify that all was being attended to by Tauriel regarding Raven.

His attention was caught by the gems laying upon the desk, yours and Jareth's, which suddenly sparked his memory of seeing you kissing Narcisse. There was no anger and jealousy this time, only a stronger desire to see you suffer as he locked your gem in a box and stuffed it away... out of sight, out of mind. The citrine, he then slipped upon his finger for it to get used to it's new owner.

The King made his way through his halls feeling quite unstoppable today, he heard Raven's squabbles with Tauriel as he neared the she elf's chamber. Upon entry, the vision of the dhampir tethered to the bed by all fours in iron shackles was quite the pleasureful image. Tauriel had chained her up after Raven had passed out the night prior, for she knew there was no other way to rid of the foul fetus when Raven had power.

"Well done Tauriel. Putrid as a dhampir is, powerless as she should be. Tell me, how did you come about the citrine and why were you concealing it from me?"

Raven saw the ring sparkle on his finger and the difference in his eyes, that being of Jareth's evil.

"Take it off!! You must take it off!! It will make you crazy like Jareth because your heart has been blackened by him!" Raven pleaded with eyes of fright as she hopelessly struggled, weakening by the minute from the iron.

Even Tauriel's eyes were of concern as she noticed the ring and changed demeanor of the Elvenking, which was not for the better. It was even in the way he held himself and moved about...like a slithering snake.

"It is futile to squirm and squawk. The deed will soon be done and then I will reclaim you at my side. Tauriel...finish it. I will then expect your presence at my throne for the meeting, for many changes are in need of addressing."

"Y..yes my lord..." she replied with a shaky tone, which Thranduil instantly noticed as he snapped his head towards her.

"Your resistance is one of them! Do you take me for a fool? My orders stand and they will be fulfilled, or I will fulfill your new destiny of eternity in my dungeons to rot."

Tauriel lightly gasped and gulped as tears stung her eyes, for she now knew the King had been fully taken over by Jareth's evil.

She stood firm and swallowed her tears. "Yes my lord Thranduil. Thy will be done."

"Nooo!! Are you both insane?? Do you not see what has happened?? Jareth has complete control of you now with that ring on your finger! It is his plan!! You destroyed his kingdom, now he will destroy yours! He has you trapped!"

"The only one that is trapped my dear dhampir, is...you." Thranduil smirked with a snicker as he confidently left the room.

"Tauriel, you can't do this! Please!! It is a child! If it were yours, would you let this happen???" Raven begged after Thranduil was out of sight.

"I...I am sorry...you know as well as any other the price I will pay at the King's wrath, especially now."

"But it will be far worse if you do it because Jareth wants his child! He told me so!"

"Then why would Jareth do this?? Besides, you and I both know the life this child will have if raised by that monster. This is for the best. I am sorry. I truly am. I do not want to do this, but I must."

"You selfish bitch!! You're doing this for yourself. Karma will find you. Jareth will find you. I will find you!!! No iron bars will keep him or his army of the dead out of this realm. You are no better than the goblin king!"

"Since when do you care for a child??? After what you have done to the dozens in Lake Town??"

"Since it is MY child! I am done explaining myself for what happened. I was a child myself!"

"Your child will be a threat to all of middle earth. Jareth will claim it and it will become a monster just like him. Keep wasting your breath and strength all you like. I am going to prepare now."

"No...Nooo NOOO! Somebody help me!!!!" Raven screamed and cried until she unwillingly became faint from exhaustion.

Tauriel mixed up an array of poisonous herbs in a bowl consisting of Belladonna, Silverbane, Wolfsbane and Oleander, in which it became a crimson paste. With tears in her eyes, she spread it about Raven's stomach and began the black magic recital of ominous words. When she was finished, she sat in the chair and cried, knowing it would only be a matter of minutes before it was all over.

And then it was. Tauriel fell out of the chair to her knees, shaking with both fear and rage as she watched a pool of blood seep out of Raven's pants. Before she cold collect herself and clean up the mess, the horns of border breach sounded.

Tauriel ran to the windowless window to see hundreds of elven guard scouring the perimeters of the halls and some heading into the forest. Gasping, she ran off to assist in her duties as captain of the guard, leaving the sleeping dhampir unattended.

Raven awoke to the blurry vision of two figures and muffled male voices, feeling as if she were either drunk or dying. Someone was vigorously rubbing and wiping her stomach with a cloth while she heard the snap of her iron shackles, one by one.

The scents, she recognized. One in particular as that of an unfamiliar vampire smelling of lavender and vanilla, and the other of a warlock she knew very well.

"Raven, can you hear me?" one voice said near her face, his breath smelling of...clover... and then her vision slightly cleared enough to see the eyes of the voice. One was brown, one was blue.

Instantly, she panicked and tried to scream, believing it was Jareth, but a large hand quickly covered her mouth.

"Raven! Shhh, it's me! it's me....Jace."

Her eyes then began to focus and widened in sheer joy. He had came back for her just like he promised.

Raven's attention then drifted to the other figure, the vampire she did not know.

"Who...who is that?" she asked of the tall, dark and handsome vamp with eyes of the ocean and a very distracting stone around his neck of a blushing rose color.

"Shhhh." the one like her whispered as he stared her down, then looked at Jace. "Jace...we must go...now."

"Raven...hold onto me." Jace commanded as he slid his arm under her legs and the other under her back.

She gazed up at him with smitten and stoned eyes. "Are... you going to take me away from this awful place...my..king?"

Jace sweetly grinned. "I am no king, but I will do just that."

Raven's arms gripped the warlock's neck tight as she burrowed her face into his intoxicating neck and he then shot out of the window as the mysterious vampire followed in a flash.

A vast majority of the Mirkwood elves surrounded Thranduil's throne, Tauriel and Feren before him as he paced about it in his scarlet robe with a look of darkness and disappointment upon his face. His voice was flat and sinister as he halted before them, leering down at the two speechless elves.

"How is it that with my two greatest captains and a regiment of highly skilled elven guard allowed two simple enemies to invade my lands and enter my halls, thus taking that of which does not belong to them??"

Thranduil's eyes narrowed at their silence and lowered eyes.

"If the cat does not release one of your tongues, my twin swords will."

"M..my lord...please...the horns sounded. I had to withhold my duties and aid in..." Tauriel swiftly answered, finally finding the courage to speak.

"Your duties were to guard the dhampir! As for the rest of you, there is no way to palliate the incompetence of your simple task in guarding my kingdom!" he snapped and slowly turned to pace about once more as he gathered his temper.

"I am reminded of the orc invasion on my docks many years ago and how thirteen diminutive dwarves escaped my dungeons under the nose of my guards. How convenient that one of those putrid greedy beings was that of your lover...Kili was it? Yes, I do believe that was it. That greed of desiring a lowly elf such as yourself caught up to him in the end, much like it did my son. Your soft spot for others, including the dhampir, is not compatible to the protection of this realm. The question now is, what do I do with you? For I feel there are no persuasive words for you to tell me."

Thranduil placed his arrogant nose in the air and walked off, gracefully wielding his sword and sheathed it, waiting on her reply.

Tauriel's eyes glistened of exasperated tears with the hurtful and intentional mention of Kili. How dare he, after all the hypocritical king had done himself. A king who believed his crown made him errorless, for all he had made was mistakes in his reborn state and then placed the fault on others.

Thranduil slowly turned and crept back to her with eyes of a lion targeting it's prey, serving intimidation as he leaned down, inches from her trembling lips and softly whispered.

"Your audacious tongue is fearless in your mind, but you have seemed to have forgotten that I can hear your thoughts at will, any day, any hour. Even when you sleep. Even the impure ones you have of myself. Maybe we can come to an arrangement to make them a reality this coming night."

Tauriel closed her eyes, letting the tears escape them as she searched for the right words to save her.

"M...mm..my lord...I..I have completed the task you asked of me. Surely that must count for something?"

"Is that so? Well then...you have nothing to fear."

His tone and eyes told her that she did...that she very much indeed had everything to fear.

"Now...Feren. You have been loyal beyond measure in all of your centuries here and are proficient in the responsibilities of supervising and maintaining this kingdom at my absence, as well as my son's, all which you have done commendably, with the exception of the care of my elk. The spider infestation, although not to my standards, has been kept to a manageable minimum. You have fought faithfully at my side in many of battles and destroyed the enemies. Your discernment is why you have remained here and yet, this day, a simple warlock and vampire eludes my people, including you."

"My lord...they...fly. We...cannot."

"We cannot fly? Hmm. It must be because we are ELVES. Tell me Feren, has all of your bows with arrows tainted with dead man's blood malfunctioned?"

"Well, no? my lord. They flew...too high for our reach."

"Oh...so what you are, in layman's terms per se, explaining to me is that it is actually the highly skilled archers that have malfunctioned? If you and my vast army cannot terminate TWO filthy fiends, do tell me how Jareth and his army of the dead can be defeated when they come...and they will come!!"

"Army..of the...dead..my lord? What does that mean?"

Thranduil's eyes fell shut as he heavily sighed and gritted his teeth.

"Not only did you go blind upon my arrival here and upon this day, but now you have gone deaf as well. What good are you to me?? It means that Jareth plans to unleash a weapon so great, it will destroy all before it." Thranduil explained with an ominous tone as he descended his platform.

"I want the watch doubled at our borders, all roads and all rivers, including the top of these halls and trees for air view. Since you are aware elves cannot fly, then be aware that they can climb and jump. If anything moves...kill it. That includes Jace Wayland and Matthew De Clermont. Find the dhampir and return her to me unharmed. No one enters this kingdom...and no one leaves it."

Jareth sat in the ruins of his kingdom that Thranduil had destroyed by dragon fire, knowing what the Elvenking had done to his child. His eyes, full of vengeance, were lost in the view of the dead forest as he twirled his three crystals round and round and round in his hand, for something inside of him had snapped far beyond the evil that he already was.

A part of him knew that Thranduil's revenge was justified, taking all that he loved as he had done to the elf lord, but that did not matter. Thranduil would pay a most dear price, this he vowed, as the wheels in his brain turned like the spheres in his hand. An eye for an eye for a final eye was where it all was at now by Jareth ending the vicious cycle once and for all and destroy all of middle earth, and he would have a child to replace the one taken from him as well.

"I will have the babe." he muttered through his teeth and then headed out to the special place where all had been prepared for the ritual to raise the evil dead by none other than his mind warped brother, Julian.

A pentagram had been displayed on the dusty floor of an old church not far from his labyrinth and the three pages from the book of the dead laid upon the altar, glowing in the candlelight.

"Time is short and it has come dear brother Julian. All will rue the day for those whom have ever crossed me. Like a thief in the night, the worst nightmares of every soul in middle earth will come true and I will take my rightful reign with my brothers and the demons of hell at my side and command. BEGIN!" Jareth howled.

"Yes bother."

Julian gathered the pages and took a seat. Flames formed over his hand as he smiled, swirling it about and then began to translate and read aloud the words of black magic, the blackest of them all.

The names of the dead were spoken and the list was quite long, but it was only a fraction of what would be released upon the world that night.

The sky darkened into a frenzy of Jareth's fellbeasts as wind, thunder and lightning consumed the dark realm in response to Julian's conjuring.

The names Julian vocalized were ones the woodland realm and beyond would personally know, for the Elvenking and all that he held dear, were the goblin king's main targets.

Those that were once evil before death, just as Jareth, would be far more diabolical than the devil himself and those that were of light would faithfully join the army of darkness in the destruction of all before them.

"Caroline, Carrie, Peter, Asher, Alfrid, Darken Rahl, Morwen, Malsha, Malsin, Maldyr, Kili, Viktor, Craven, Sally, Joliel, Kate, Orodreth, Olivia, Oropher, Carandolel, Smaug....."

A beam of fire spawned from the pentagram as a now cloaked Julian prepared to open the gates of hell.

The list from Julian's lips continued even further as he spoke into the blaze, including his four dead brothers and father Jasper, then carried on with Caroline's dead sisters and father as well.

And then....the portal to the world was opened and all of the dead were set free to wreak havoc and hell at their own will.

No dead were spared as hell on middle earth was unleashed, including Jareth's fiery wendigos, his sinister spies and killing machines.

"Go...assist in my take over. Eat drink and be merry! Kill them all! On Dasher, on Donner, on Prancer and Vixen, on Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen! Rise from the ashes!!!" Jareth commanded as he bellowed in malevolent laughter.

"There will be only one king. One king to rule them all!!!"

@redeemer46

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evermorehqs · 2 months

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CATCHING MY BREATH, STARING OUT AN OPEN WINDOW

Marceline Abadeer is based on Marceline from Adventure Time. She is a 33 year old/immortal half-vampire/half-demon, aspiring musician, and uses she/they pronouns. She has the power of transformation, flight, and color consumption. Marceline is portrayed by Lex Scott Davis and she is taken.

CATCHING MY DEATH, AND I COULDN’T BE SURE

Marceline hadn’t had the easiest of lives. Abandoned by her father when she was seven and being sent away by her mother after being overcome with a horrible illness, the young vampire spent most of her life fending for herself. But they found ways to survive and grow into their own without anyone to help them. They kept themself fed by drinking the color red from any objects they could find, they kept themself entertained by swiping a bass guitar during one of their perusals through the kingdom and beginning to write music about their life. Soon, they came across who would soon become her best friend, Bonnibel, and for a while… life was finally good until havoc began to run rampant in the Candy Kingdom, and with the arrival of Finn and Jake, everything seemed to just get complicated once more. Marcline didn't understand why you'd want to be around that; why focus on all the boring stuff when you could step back and have fun with your totally wicked awesome girlfriend? Bonnibel, invested in her work as always, blew her off… and it eventually formed a rift between the two that sent Marceline off in a fit of fury. Frustrated, hurt, and heartbroken, Marceline hid away from the chaos and the disappointment and tried to focus on theirself. Despite their frustration with the way things had ended, Marceline couldn’t help themselves when Bonnibel reached out for their help when her uncle returned to the Candy Kingdom. The two were able to work out their differences, realizing that their friendship was worth working out their disagreements while figuring out how to defeat the Glorb. Finn and Jake lead the charge but in a flash, a literal flash, everything changed. The boys, and many others, vanished from the land of Ooo. Marceline was left to help Bonnie, zapping themselves off to wherever it was their friends were. It was a whole fiasco finding them in Evermore, only to discover that they didn’t remember a thing about them or their land. To make matters worse, when they tried to return to Ooo and the Candy Kingdom… they ended up right back in town. So Marceline was forced to settle, something the vampire queen was not happy about. Bonnibel assured Marceline they would figure it out, restore everyone’s memories and get back home… but the vampire was reluctant to believe so, opting to focus on her music career while she let Bonnie handle all the smart stuff.

I HAD A FEELING SO PECULIAR

❀ Zarina Zarate: Zarina’s got a bite to them, that’s undeniable, and she is always down for a little bit of harmless mischief. Thank god someone around here wants to keep Marceline from dying of boredom! ❀ James 'Slightly' Zhao: A musician, like herself, but the kid is an amateur and lacks confidence. They don’t mind, though, because Marceline will always help out a fellow wannabe-rockstar. ❀ Rapunzel Gothel: Raps owns an art and paint studio in town and is always willing to hand over some extra red paints for Marceline to drink. The blonde reminds Marceline of Bonnie in a lot of ways, if the princess had gone into art instead of science.

THAT THIS PAIN WOULD BE FOR EVERMORE

#adventure time #marceline abadeer #lex scott davis fc #has powers #nb bio #taken nb #taken bio

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lucius-the-sinful · 4 months

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Tell me about... (Gale)

original post [ty for tagging me! @omgkalyppso ]

1- your oc's strongest platonic bond?

Gale's best friend, (and my best friend, Devi's oc!), Gavin. In our current D&D campaign, Gavin is a warlock to Gale's demon father. They really hated each other at first. Gavin thought Gale was a spoiled brat and overbearing, whereas Gale kinda feared Gavin? But they have gotten to know each other in recent sessions and are now best friends for life. (Devi and I also have this running roommates AU with Gale and Gavin where they moved in with each other and it has been a great source of joy for both of us, because Gale is a complete mess whereas Gavin is very neat and organized)

3- your oc's romantic interests?

There is Mitch, a tiefling himbo mechanic/racer:

And Sylvanna, vampire dark elf goth dancer:

(her father is the owner of a magical repository, and turned Galethor)

4- your oc's siblings/found family.

Gale has one younger half brother, an elf named Nenn. He is 10 (i think) and Gale very much teaches this child how to be very annoying. Nenn is also a wannabe detective, funny considering their father is in the illegal trade business. As far as found family, there is his drag mom, a dragonborn named Ophos (drag name, Ruth Lezz). He helped Gale realize his talent as a model and drag queen, and Gale always goes to Ophos for advice.

5- two different nightmares your oc's could have had or two different fears they could have fostered?

Gale's fears are a little specific to in-campaign events, but if I had to put broader ideas to them: he fears complete loss of the little autonomy he has, and dying. These two do kind of tie together, he fears dying because his father may force a contract for his soul, and if he loses his soul he feels he would have lost everything to that vile man.

6- two different dreams your oc's could have had or two different hopes they could have held?

Gale wants to be free, mainly in the sense to live his life as he chooses and not how his father has determined, and he wants a bit of power.

7- your oc's first pet?

Gale has never really had a pet in the traditional sense, but he managed to befriend a crow when he was 16. This one crow turned into a whole murder that would follow Gale around and swarm at his apartment complex, to the point where Gale decided to lead them to a druid's grove in the Undercity. This druid looked after and awakened them. Sometimes Gale will visit the grove just to hang out with his crow friends (where they give him "treasures" and sing him poorly composed songs). Not his pet, but Sylvanna has a familiar that is a wild cat named Sir Cheddar III, who ignores Gale until he gives it a treat. Then they are inseparable.

8- how your oc comes into possession of most of their clothing?

Theft. He is stealing the MCR shirts from Hot Topic. He is banned from half the department stores in the city.

9- how your oc comes into possession of most of their meals?

Before he was a vampire, Gale was pretty accommodated for. He'd have a pretty strict diet delivered to him everyday (the actual inside of his fridge is a different story entirely, like only way i can think of describing it is a boy fridge. there's something wicked in there). After becoming a vampire he almost forgets real food exists, and Sylvanna will provide him with blood bags.

10- how your oc learned to write or gets around writing?

Okay so this is where his intelligence score says he knows like five or six languages but he only has an eighth grade education and I think its hilarious. I like to think after learning the two he grew up around (common and abyssal), and was pulled out of school, he started just learning shit for the fun of it in his own time? Like he'd head down to the local library, check out a book on infernal, and learn it within weeks.

11- what physical affection means or looks like for your oc?

After all the physical and sexual trauma he has been through, he doesn't like to be touched almost at all. He does, however, love a good hug from the people he's close to. He is also the little spoon, even to Sylvanna who is 4'10" and he is 6'5". Gale loves physical affection from animals though, which is why he tried to make friends with Syl's familiar so fast.

12- your oc being responsible for a child / toddler / baby for 6 hours.

Disaster. Last time he took his little brother out for lunch, he decided it would be a good idea to have an open beer in the cupholder. Nenn is a bit of a narc so he called the cops on Gale, resulting in Gale receiving a DUI and DWI charge, plus he got fined for having expired registration on his truck. So no I don't think Gale should ever be responsible for anything. He'd kill a succulent.

13- your oc being asked by a stranger to watch their bag for 10 minutes.

That person is going to be bagless.

14- your oc being asked to try a new flavour of something they are fond of.

He's actually a pretty big fan of BBQ and likes different types of sauces. He likes to see how much spice he can handle, so I imagine he'd get into those hot wing contests at a bar not just for the potential prize but also because he just likes trying new sauces.

15- how your oc would handle tipping a waitress / waiter.

I don't think he would think too much about it. He'd likely do whatever is socially acceptable, but no more.

16- your oc. Anything you like or dislike about them and their journey.

I know I refrain from sharing his story too much, and that is because a lot of it is very dark and I'm not exactly comfortable sharing too much of that. I've spoke on his backstory containing a lot of child and sexual abuse, and I just want to put it out there that sometimes writing these very dark stories can come from a need to heal. He has been a very cathartic character to me, he is a representation of how messy and messed up people can be. Galethor is almost more than just a guy I made up, but maybe a larger part of me than I'd like to admit.

#oc: galethor #oc ask meme #long post

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justlittleguysims · 3 months

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Potential Sims to Refresh for a Future Sim Dump

Keep in mind, these are from a long time ago, back before I started downloading a ton of cc, and I wasn't using any presets at this point. These characters do have some fun backstories that might make for some fun game play though. Let me know if you want any of them as they are to use a base for your own makeovers, I guess.

From Left to Right

Maggie Oswald- Wannabe Yoga Instructor (Requires Spa Day)

Ryan McCarroll- Trans man and Body Builder

Malachi Dowdy- Goth, Astronaut Alien (Requires Get to Work)

Ms. Angel Cakes- Comedian/Trans Drag Queen

Danté Lima- Wannabe Master Maker, wants to marry Knox Greenburg (Requires Eco Lifestyle)

Vera Knight- New Vampire with Albinism (Requires Vampires)

#now time for some makeovers #sim dump soonish???#old sims #justlittleguy posting

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juneymoonybunny · 5 months

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Character Tag Guide

Twisted Wonderland

Note: All Events are tagged as the event itself (Glorious Masquerade, Stage in Playland, etc.). All art of the first two Halloween events is tagged under "endless halloween night" for the sake of convenience.

Yuu/All Protagonist Characters: #yuu protagonist Grim: #tuna cans

Riddle: #riddle in roseland Cater: #diamond camera filter Trey: #dad friend supreme Ace: #overconfident dumb heart man Deuce: #underconfident dumb spade man

Leona: #the lion sleeps 24/7 Ruggie: #laugh like a hyena Jack: #lone wolf wannabe

Azul: #octopus man Floyd: #chaotic eel twin Jade: #suave eel twin

Jamil: #snake charmer Kalim: #river in the desert

Vil: #killer queen Rook: #monsieur bizarre Epel: #honeycrisp

Idia: #gloomurai Ortho: #pithos

Malleus: #horned boy Lilia: #vampire dad Silver: #sleeping silver Sebek: #screaming sebek

Che’nya: #you know like nya Neige: #whistle while you work Najma: #najma’s revenge for the ps1 Rollo: #what the hellfire Gidel: #by the silence of your tongues Fellow: #something fellow this way comes

Crowley: #oh so gracious Crewel: #if he doesn’t scare you Vargas: #nrc’s musclehead Trein: #nrc’s only sane teacher Sam: #little parlor trick BG Characters: #nrc’s backgrounders

Heartslabyl Collective Tag: #unbirthday party gang Octavinelle Collective Tag: #the mobtopus and his mafeels Diasommnia Collective/Family Fluff Tag: #fairytale found family Protag Friend Collective Tag: #yuu’s idiot friends <3 Dorm Leaders/Overblotters Collective Tag: #meanwhile in the mirror chamber First Years: #the first years Second Years: #the second years Third Years: #the third years Entire Cast: #twst full cast

Twisted Wonderland OCs: #twst ocs

Madoka Magica

Madoka: #frilly pink bows Homura: #not so stoic Sayaka: #musical knight Kyoko: #fang girl Mami: #tea with bullets Hitomi: #hitomi lives by doing nothing

#tag guide

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honestlytastygayasstrash · 10 months

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Movies to watch if you're a wannabe film nerd

-Raging Bull

-Joker

-Taxi Driver

-Before Sunrise

-Her

-500 Days Of Summer

-After Hours

-Zodiac

-The Perks Of Being A Wallflower

-Trainspotting

-Boogie Nights

-The Breakfast Club

-Stand By Me

-The Hateful Eight

-Goodfellas

-Reservoir Dogs

-Pulp Fiction

-Inglorious Basterds

-City Of God

-The King Of Comedy

-Psycho

-2001 A Space Oddysey

-The Deer Hunter

-The Revenant

-The Master

-The Grand Budapest Hotel

-Submarine

-Persona

-Punch Drunk Love

-Birdman

-Scream

-Come And See

-Apocalypse Now

-Mulholland Drive

-Memories Of Murder

-Broker

-La Haine

-Harakiri

-Oldboy

-The 400 Blows

-Blade Runner 2049

-Sunset Boulevard

-Do The Right Thing

-Tenet

-Dunkirk

-The House

-Interstellar

-The Prestige

-Inception

-Memento

-The Isle Of Dogs

-Fantastic Mister Fox

-There Will Be Blood

-The Godfather

-Spirited Away

-My Neighbour Totoro

-Howls Moving Castle

-Princess Mononoke

-Kikis Delivery Service

-Castle In The Sky

-Ponyo

-Nausicaa

-Atonement

-The Pianist

-The Green Mile

-Good Will Hunting

-What's Eating Gilbert Grape

-Forrest Gump

-Dead Poets Society

-The Notebook

-Prisoners

-The Shawshank Redemption

-The Lovely Bones

-Fight Club

-Se7en

-Shutter Island

-Saving Private Ryan

-Requiem For A Dream

-Mr Nobody

-1917

-All Quiet On The Western Front

-Into The Wild

-About Time

-Queen & Slim

-Nope

-Get Out

-Metal Lords

-Sound Of Metal

-Whiplash

-At Eternity's Gate

-Big Eyes

-The Electrical Life Of Louis Waine

-Spiderman Into The Spiderverse

-Spiderman Across The Spiderverse

-Never Look Away

-The French Dispatch

-Secret Window

-My Life As A Zucchini

-Moonrise Kingdom

-Ran

-Alien

-Aliens

-Megamind

-The Dark Knight

-Dazed And Confused

-American Graffiti

-The Life Aquatic

-Stalker

-Citizen Kane

-Casablanca

-The Night Of The Hunter

-The Seven Samurai

-Who Framed Roger Rabbit

-Opal

-Grave Of The Fireflies

-The Shining

-Chinatown

-The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

-Repo Man

-Die Hard

-12 Angry Men

-The Outsiders

-Back To The Future

-Heathers

-Withnail and I

-Blue Velvet

-Beverley Hills Cop

-The Blues Brothers

-Akira

-Coraline

-Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

-The Silence Of The Lambs

-The One Who Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

-Girl, Interrupted

-The Craft

-The Truman Show

-Edward Scissorhands

-It

-The Iron Giant

-Jurassic Park

-The Crow

-All The Presidents Men

-Gremlins

-Buffy The Vampire Slayer

-Smiling Friends

-No Country For Old Men

-Oceans 11

-Oceans 13

-Back To The Future 2

-Back To The Future 3

-Titanic

-The Social Network

-Muhammad Ali, When We Were Kings

-Lincoln

-Team America

-Cry Baby

-Mrs. Doubtfire

-12 Years Of Slaves

-Pretty In Pink

-Of Mice And Men

-Donnie Darko

-Sunshine

-The Endless

-Arrival

-The Blair Witch Project

-A Hard Days Night

-Help!

-Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai Du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles

-Everything Everywhere All At Once

-West Is West

-Bicycle Thieves

-Jaws

-Lawrence Of Arabia

-The Seventh Seal

-Lost In Translation

-Blade Runner

-Nosferatu

-Airplane!

-This Is Spinal Tap

-It Happened One Night

-The Thing

-Texas Chainsaw Massacre

-Child's Play

-Halloween

-Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown

-Bonnie And Clyde

#movies #horror movie #1960s films #classic films #short films #ghibli films #filmisnotdead #film #film nerd

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sharksandsquirrelsandsnakes-ohmy · 2 years

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So Vampire Academy premiered today on Peacock and, as someone who loves the books and recently reread them for this day, I'm pissed.

Spoiler warning here: books and tv series

They really threw the books out the window and it was a very bad decision.

1st, what is with the wannabe classic vampire style? Why do the royals dress like 19th century vampires when the girls literally talk about their clothes being for Target, Forever 21, and GAP. I think the movie did better with balancing the gothic building and modern clothes.

Saint Vladimir's is a damn castle. Full send, castle

Lissa and Rose start the series as seniors! As in, Lissa is a senior when her family dies.

Who TF is the 1st queen? Well, actually I know. The series starts with the queen before Tatiana.

On the topic of Tatiana, she is is her 20s and has ssx with Andre the night he dies!

Oh, and Andre is openly dating and planning to marry Mia...

Lissa has a coronation as head of the Dragomir family too

Before which, she has to learn to recite something in "old moroi" which is when she meets and starts getting along with Christian

Victor Dashkov doesn't look sick at all. He's literally supposed to be dying, which is why he kidnaps Lissa in the 1st book

Natalie, Victor Dashkov's daughter, doesn't exist!

But don't worry, Victor has 2 daughters now: Sonya Karp and Mia Ranaldi who is apparently a Karp now but still non-royal as the daughter of a royal moroi????

Lissa apparently doesn't know about her and Rose's psychic bond?

Lissa burns in sunlight (don't even get me started on this) instead of cutting

Lissa and Rose NEVER RUN AWAY

Meaning Lissa never feeds off Rose

Meaning the Psy Hounds don't attack them

Meaning Lissa still doesn't use her compulsion to live life

Meaning Dimitri never hunted them down! He just randomly appeared after Lissa's family died

Rose has an accent meaning she can't make fun of Dimitri by calling him "cheap foriegn labor" like she does in the book

Also, Demitri is Irish? So wtf is gonna happen when he gets turned strigoi and runs off? Will he not be a Russian Strigoi mob boss? What about his family is the dhampir village?

And Dimitri isn't even that attractive. Or tall. Or have a ponytail. Or wear his signature cowboy duster, which is the worst of it.

AND THEIR FUCKING DORMS Lissa and Rose live together in the Moroi dorms????

Then, Rose gets moved to the dhampir dorms that look like the barracks from Divergent. No walls. No dividers between beds. Nothing!

And the moroi dorms are huge and the windows aren't tinted which is ridiculous considering they decided the moroi can't be in the sunlight.

Mia and Lissa share a room, which sets it up for Mia to be planting the dead animals even though Sonya will definitely be the one turning strigoi to help Victor.

If they're roommate and Mia's dad ks Victor, there's no way they get the severe rivalry of the books.

And wtf is with the Dhampir rankings thing? Is Meridith going to be important now? She was mentioned, like, once in the books.

Holy fuck! I almost forgot the weird feeder thing! The feeders aren't in private cubicles by the dining hall, they're in the basement in one big room with red velvet couches and, once again, no dividers between people. And the feeding scenes are fucking weird.

Y'all, I haven't even finished the pilot. It's so much different from the books that it could almost be it's own thing.

#vampire Academy #rose hathaway #Vasalisa Dragomir #christian ozera #victor dashkov #natalie dashkov #mia rinaldi #sonya karp #dimitri belikov #the vampire Academy spoilers

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lorddeathofmurdermountain · 1 year

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Had some genius try to explain to me how the Executioners were the bad guys and how the Vilebloods were victims. Oh, cry me a river. Why yes, those poor, murderous vampire wannabes, how sad that they won't be able to continue their mindless slaughter of innocent people due to the horrid purge committed by the thoroughly fucking brainwashed Executioners. How tragic that their butchery of hunters and common people alike, fueled only by their sick, demented pleasure, only "excused" by needing to give Blood Dregs to their Queen, has been cut short.

Go home and acquire some Insight, dumbass.

#bloodborne #forsaken castle cainhurst #queen annalise #okay now that the general tags have been taken care of #who in their right mind sides with the vilebloods #mf saw Twilight and decided they were now exclusively pro-vampire #aka anti-life but whatever #why yes #let's all go and judge morally complex characters and narratives often seen in souls games by simply labeling a side as good and bad #meanwhile let's also side eith the guys anyone normal would consider the worse of the two #like don't get me wrong I fuckin VIBE with Cainhurst #but I don't go pretending like they're the good guys and that they fell victim to the mea #moustache twirling #(tag on its own for emphasis)#Executioners of the Church

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oasis-nadrama · 2 years

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Umah’s End and Authoritarian/Gender Politics

Oasis Nadrama, 17/05/2022 [Content warning: Blood Omen 2 spoilers, authoritarian violence, gendered violence, romanticized feminicide]

Blood Omen 2 is a strange game. It was not conceived by the main writer of the Legacy of Kain series, Amy Hennig, and it shows. Its story is deeply flawed, but also considerably enriched the overall mythology of the series (the Hylden, for example, were originally invented for this episode, and then integrated in the Soul Reaver 2 plot).

Either or not someone appreciates the story of Blood Omen 2 is up to them, but there is one specific part of the story which always disgusted me: Umah's death.

Umah is a pretty interesting character. Despite her hypersexualized character design (her bat-shaped thong is an accessory of legend), she manages to leave a lasting impression as the only significant female character in the entire series, as well as arguably the only truly rebellious, anti-authoritarian (even if not anarchist by any stretch of the mind) figure in Nosgoth as we know it.

Umah first acts as Kain's mentor when he wakes up with amnesia, she guides him into a changed world, and progressively discovers his bottomless arrogance, his monstrous ambition. She allies with him following Vorador's order but also according to her own goals, including her freedom and survival. She finally betrays Kain at a crucial moment, taking from him the Nexus Stone, a precious artifact. She claims she doesn't trust Kain and don't see the difference between his projects for Nosgoth and the current tyrant's, and then runs away to defeat by herself said current tyrant, the Sarafan Lord.

She is mortally wounded when Kain finally manages to catch up. He could save her by giving her some blood, but he refuses to do so, and ends up finishing her. The final exchange unfolds as follows: [video version]

------------------

UMAH Kain... I'm dying...

KAIN Yes. You are.

UMAH I need your blood... Please... You can save me...

KAIN I know. (He reaches down and takes back the Nexus Stone, kneeling down beside her.) Tell me, child. Do you see me ruling Nosgoth?

UMAH Yes... Yes, I see it now...

KAIN And do you believe that Nosgoth rightly belongs to me?

UMAH ... I do. I do believe it, Kain. Please...

KAIN Then you may die, knowing the truth.

Kain rears his claws back, and plunges them into her chest.

UMAH No!

KAIN You should never have betrayed me. You could have been my queen.

UMAH Kain...

Umah falls back, dead.

KAIN Now you have left me alone.

------------------

This is not an "illogical" scene by any reasonable measure. In fact, it may be the one scene of Blood Omen 2 which represents an entirely spot-on moment of character development and deliberate darkness.

Kain's and Umah's entire arcs and personalities lead to this scene. The tyrant coming back, thirsty for power, and the rebel dreaming of freedom. The cold, uncompromising, twisted and sadistic killer, and the relatively lawful and down-to-earth free mind. It is hard to imagine their relationship ending a different way. Their last scene is, surprisingly enough, pretty well-written, and the high note of the game. (Compare with the involuntary comedy that is Janos' last moments facing the Sarafan Lord for example.) There is also an interesting facet of Kain which is developed in the last dialogues of the game, where he develops denial about Umah's motives, reframing it as the execution of a "spy". Despite knowing well enough the brave vampire was not a traitor to the cause of the Cabal, the wannabe emperor declares to the Sarafan Lord "even Umah, your latest spy, is dead". And when the enemy expresses understandable confusion and truthfully answers "I have no spy called Umah", Kain calls him a liar. This is an important moment because it shows us Kain (at least in his Blood Omen 2 interpretation) is not a courageous individual. He cannot face his own actions and their implications. He cannot face the truth of Umah fighting for freedom and himself being yet another despot eliminating every individual and faction who would dare to oppose him. Kain is, in fact, a coward.

It is also well-understood that Kain is NOT a nice character. In fact, way before this episode came out, he was already well-known for killing his subordinates on a whim, going as far as ordering the execution of his beloved and lawful right hand man, Raziel (even if we discover later in the series he had no real choice in this one death penalty). During the course of Blood Omen 2, his murderous and lackey-killing aspects are highlighted, as well as his terrible ambition.

Kain is not a hero. He's an anti-hero. He is not meant to incarnate particularly ethical values.

Yet, there is something different at work here this time. Different from all the usual mindless massacres and violent revenges the game is so generous with. Let's talk about politics.

This tragedy plays right into the central themes of the game - Kain's ambition, arrogance and endless violence. Even the main antagonist mocks Kain for such traits. The story is ABOUT these things. And the murder of Umah is the pinnacle of said thematics: a demon's hubris, bringing death to his loved ones. The FOCUS is on Kain's actions here.

It is a very authoritarian scenario. The dictator eliminating the political opponent, inflicting the ultimate penalty to silence and stop any attempt at liberation.

It is also a very gendered/feminicide scenario. The brutal, unsubtle oaf kills the subtle woman because she dares to defy his will.

What's more, Kain kills Umah after making her beg for forgiveness, after extracting from her betrayal of her ideals, touting the perspective of a salvation he never intended to deliver. Visually, the camera obligingly focuses on Umah’s battered and cut body. While this is not the only time in the game where a character is visibly wounded, the depiction of Umah’s last moments is especially bloody, providing a kind of sadistic spectacle. (In early versions of the screenplay, Umah’s final moments are dealt with in an even more barbaric manner, further exploiting the cruelty potential of this sequence.)

Furthermore, Kain kills Umah while establishing "You could have been my queen", "You have left me alone", and closing his eyes painfully, which is more than disturbing! First because there's never been an established romance between them, not even some lines of flirting, so Kain is projecting his feelings onto Umah here, saying she could have been his queen but seemingly not even considering she could be... not interested. Then because it re-centers the scene not on Umah's ideals and tragic death, but rather on the male anti-hero's feelings. In the end, her own death is narratively not even about her. Her death is about Kain's ambitions and feelings, and unforgiveness towards betrayal. Her death is used to deepen Kain as a character, to fuel his development. (For more detailed texts about such narrative processes, see S.R. Holliwell's long analyses Kojima Women.) And finally because it romanticizes man-on-woman violence in a "sentimental” context, giving it "reasons", making it "logical" and even deserved.

This murder may be well-written, and it may make sense in the universe of the game, but it is a patriarchal scene in its codes and delivery. This moment turns Umah into an object (literally, a corpse) to reinforce Kain's character while denying her agency and dignity.

It is a moment of extreme authoritarian repression, toxic masculinity and misogynistic violence.

#legacy of kain #blood omen 2 #kain #umah #feminism #gender politics #politics #narrative analysis #various articles

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harmcityherald · 3 months

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Don't spaz now but I'm watching twilight for the first time ever. Its not that bad lol

Also these two, Robert and Kristen. They are not bad actors whatsoever. Even in this I remember people saying back then her face has one expression blah blah. that's just is not true. Sure, maybe that's the man in me talking. She's pretty, you know, if you hadn't noticed.

Now maybe I can critique it on vampire lore. Sparkling vampires are the reason I'm watching it for the first time in the year 2024 lol. Goth cred would've suffered if the gother than thou princesses at the club found out you like this so best to avoid it. My cred suffered because I liked Queen of the damned which still pisses me off actually. Wish I could go back and trip those gother then thou spinsters into a mud puddle. Never should have worried about what those bene Jesuit wannabes thought. The pedestal I had them on was sorely undeserved. I bet they became karens. haircut and everything. Burning pictures of herself so her kids never see mommy with the powdered white face.

Queen of the damned had good music. That's what's missing from this. A bitchin goth soundtrack. So vampire\werewolf lore and soundtrack getsa 4 outa 10. acting comes in at 7 of 10. Not the worst vampire movie I've watched.

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jonathanvik · 4 months

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Starlight Dream - Chapter 59

“What is this place?” While frightened, Botan seemed uncharacteristically intrigued. They’d entered a bright light, their footsteps floating on nothingness. Its whiteness filled their very existence. The cave on a dead world vanished like a distant memory.

“How do you describe something whole, yet greater?” Kiyojiro replied.

“Stop speaking in riddles,” the fairy snapped. “Just give me a damn straight answer.”

“I don’t know myself,” Kiyojiro admitted. “But it invited us here for a reason.”

“Well, then show yourself already!” But no reply came to Botan’s challenge. Her voice didn’t even echo. Trapped by nothingness, nothing was available for the sound to bounce off of. The light really seemed to continue forever. Was this it? Had he trapped them in the void for nothing? No, he refused to give up. Too much was at stake!

“Please, help us! My ward, my charge, my daughter is in danger, and we need your help!” Kiyojiro shook with emotion, speaking with feeling. “Whatever the cost, please, I’ll do anything!”

“Me too!” The fairy said, blurting out the words. “That monster killed my brother, destroyed my world, and I’m aching for some payback!”

Kiyojiro gave the irate fairy a strange look. “What? I’m speaking from the heart, too! So what if my motives aren’t pure? What do you expect from a fairy, the terrors of the cosmos?” Botan snapped.

Perfect! Did his companion’s selfishness ruin their chances of helping Seina? But despite that, warmth greeted him, inviting and kind. Despite the rough nature of its guests, it welcomed them warmly.

“I…” Botan paused, lost for words. She had sensed it, too.

Words didn’t come to him, exactly, but he got impressions. The Heart of Starlight had long lost its ability to speak, more a distant echo than a person. But the ancient fairy queen’s kindness continued to live on. Hate and malice weren’t the only emotions that could linger.

“Is it that simple?” Kiyojiro said, tilting his head in puzzlement.

“Yeah! He’s a guy! This won’t work!” Botan said. She paused, considering. “Right?”

“I don’t see why not. No one ever said a man couldn’t bond with a fairy.”

“No, it’s a profanation of the highest order!” Botan said in protest, outraged.

“Your brother, Colten, didn’t care about traditional fairy values either. He bonded with a helpless, desperate girl only to save a single life.”

“It’s the principle of the thing!”

Kiyojiro closed his eyes, understanding what gift the Heart had given them. “We’re being offered more than magical power, Botan. But it’ll cost us.” Of everyone who’d come to Starlight Dream, the Heart had only offered it to them. Hope, not power, had opened the choice to them.

When Botan hesitated, Kiyojiro smiled. “Your resistance gives you credit. This kind of power shouldn’t be taken lightly.” He paused, considering. Had Charity led them through her future visions to get this odd pair to this very moment? Remarkable.

“I suppose we must,” Botan finally said. “I’ll let you be my partner, even if you’re nothing but a dumb gorilla.”

Kiyojiro only smirked, taking the fairy’s tiny paw. “I’m ready. Don’t worry, Seina. We’re coming.” The words barely left his mouth before the light consumed them both.

---

“You again,” Seina said, growling. Vampires were such a plague. The life-draining aura returned with a vengeance, stealing the breath from her lungs. But its grip had tightened, making even beating her heart difficult.

“Death can’t touch me. I am a survivor. I kill the weak and drink their substance, like I did to a certain wannabe galactic conqueror. And I plan to survive even the oblivion of the cosmos,” Kaguya replied. “Can you feel it? The death keel of the multiverse?”

She could, a strange grinding behind her senses. Bathiko had pushed the cosmos’ integrity past its breaking point. Soon, only oblivion would await them. Even with her powers, she’d never survive it. The horror of that realization buckled her knees. She’d failed to stop anything.

“Strong heart, Seina,” Takako said with her usual bluster. Despite her body wilting right before their eyes, her stubborn friend refused to show any weakness. “We aren’t dead yet.”

“Are you happy with this result?” Himari said, her tone chiding. Much to Seina’s surprise, only she seemed unbothered by the shadow of Kaguya’s life-draining aura. Was this because she didn’t exactly exist in their dimension? Even the vampire queen seemed surprised by this development, her stance becoming warier. “You’ve returned to your original body, but at the cost of everything. Have you no shame or pity?”

Much to Seina’s surprise, Kaguya sucked in a deep breath, despite the unnecessary action. She trained her strange eyes on them, her expression unreadable. “It should, shouldn’t it? That I’d go to such lengths for such a petty goal. But I feel nothing, nothing at all.”

“Huh?” This response surprised Seina.

“That’s the problem. When I stole my first life, it horrified me. But to my surprise, it didn’t bother me as it should. That’s the curse that the long-dead monster gave me. My only goal has ever been survival,” Kaguya replied.

“How sad,” Seina said, having some pity for this cursed vampire. Her other kin seemed equally cursed, doomed to a life of unending slaughter to sate something insatiable.

“But it’s too late for regret,” Kaguya said, her tone flippant. “With Arisu gone, there’s nothing left for me here. I want to grow again, become something grander, explore the outer cosmos.”

And likely doom countless more worlds. “Whatever happens, I’m ready.”

Again, Kaguya’s strange eldritch eyes bore into Seina, like she was being judged by a thousand different onlookers. “Perfect to hear! Shall we begin?”

“Seina!” Takako said, horrified.

“What?” Seina’s eyes widened, gasping in horror at what remained of her arms. Only two bloody stumps greeted her, ripped to shreds by an invisible blade.

“Your power is strength, right? It wasn’t so hard to take away,” Kaguya said casually, still unmoving from her spot. “Unlike that twisted fairy, I know what I’m doing. One flick, and you’ll be nothing too, Seina.”

“No!” Bubbles appeared to intercept the vampire, but they vanished into nothing. Seina cursed, realizing they’d reentered somewhere where time tentatively existed again, leaving them vulnerable to Kaguya’s timeline manipulation power.

But Seina refused to be deterred, summoning bubbles in random places, hoping one might stick. While Kaguya’s power had changed, her nature hadn’t. The vampire still had weaknesses. Another burst of sunlight might give them a chance.

Choosing to avoid another prolonged confrontation, Kaguya sent invisible death in Seina’s direction. But an invisible barrier protected her, Himari standing as a resolute guardian.

“Your powers are quite formidable,” Kaguya said, studying the interloper. “How bothersome.”

“And she isn’t alone!” Takako said, her ribbon spinning around her in an elaborate dance. Chō nodded, moving her mech and her forces into the fray.

“Um, do you have a plan?” Takako whispered, her tone fretful. They each knew the forces they’d thrown themselves against.

“I can see the current of her attack,” Himari said simply. “Back me up.”

“Okay, I’ll do my best to help.” While she’d lost her arms, Seina wasn’t ready to surrender. She’d use her skull as a battering ram if need be.

Kaguya leaned against nothing, a smirk on her face. “Come then, throw yourselves into your own deaths.”

It was Himari’s turn to take the initiative, her body flickering as she took the offensive. Kaguya’s eyes widened, her expression turning confused before wincing. “What are you? Stop that!”

Huh? What was Himari doing to cause this effect on the vampire queen? Was it because her friend existed outside of time, and didn’t have a coherent timeline? It gave Seina an idea.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got your back, Himari!” After summoning hundreds of bubbles, Seina leaped into the nearest one. They floated around the battlefield inert as Himari engaged their foe.

“Not more sunlight again.” Seina’s bubbles burst to nothing as Kaguya lashed out with invisible strands of death. The blows from Himari’s punches hurt her, but the vampire seemed more keen on stopping whatever Seina had planned. Despite being drained from her previous fight and armless, the vampire perceived her as the greater threat.

“No, you don’t!” Takako summoned a whirlwind to whip Seina’s bubbles around in a chaotic maelstrom, smirking as Kaguya glared at her.

Inside her bubble, Seina removed time from each one, making each a void in the timestream. This confounded Kaguya, taking a stray laser blast from Chō’s mecha as she got distracted.

“I thought so,” Seina teleported from bubble to bubble, searching for the perfect ambush point. Like the once-great vampire lord Lothaire, Seina would use her timeline-controlling powers against her. With time already fragile in the collapsing multiverse, Seina’s anti-time must be playing havoc with the future.

“Show yourself!” Kaguya said, getting more frustrated. Part of her shoulder evaporated as Himari landed a clean blow against it. Chō continued to take potshots when she could, each leaving painful-looking welts on the vampire’s flesh. Still, Kaguya remained motionless, too fretful of what Seina might do.

“We got her running scared,” Paliah said. They stood in a bubble right above the Vampire Queen’s head, nicely put there by Takako.

“We have been a thorn in the Devil Princesses’ side,” Seina replied, considering. But she seemed a laughable threat without any arms.

“You’ve been a terror to every enemy we’ve come across. It gives a reputation. Should we call you the Terror Lotus?” Paliah said, amused.

“Don’t start with that,” Seina continued to watch the vampire, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. She allowed her friends to whittle away at Kaguya’s reserves while she planned. Each wound healed before the injury even finished, but each blow still ate away at her considerable power.

“Just use your bubbles to grow back new arms,” her partner said.

“No, it’s too complicated. Let Takako work that out instead. She’s smart.”

“Get out here!” Kaguya screamed, creating a shockwave that jolted all of creation. It’d taken some effort to maintain the bubble she was hiding in. “Come out and face me!”

“That’s your cue. You might tick her off too far,” Colten said, amused, before vanishing.

“Fine. I’m coming then. See if you’re ready, vampire!” With a flying leap, Seina flew like an arrow at her terrible foe.

But Kaguya wasn’t so easily beaten. Her predator instincts were sharper than a knife. Blood coughed from Seina’s mouth, howling in pain as an arm pierced through her chest. Darkness purer than the starless void seeped into her veins, her soul decaying into a dead husk. Seina, however, wasn’t concerned, perceiving this as a possibility.

“No!” Kaguya jerked back her arm, eyes widening in fright. Her skin sizzled, blackening from the holy energy radiating from her supposed helpless victim. She grabbed at her arm and hissed. “You still have this much energy?” Unlike her previous injuries, this one refused to heal.

“I am a magical girl, anathema to your very existence,” Seina replied simply. She grunted as a swipe of Kaguya’s arm cleaved her in half. Little remained of the once unstoppable magical girl but half a bloody mess, part of her skull missing.

“Not so smug when you’re nothing but a husk,” Kaguya smirked, an invisible whip striking through the air and vaporizing several bubbles Seina had prepped to emit sunlight. The vampire queen ducked as Himari tried slashing her from behind.

“Darn it,” Seina said, spirit failing as her body succumbed to its wounds. She had pushed herself too far, the constant battles taking too serious a toll. Her friends tried their best, but Kaguya continued to play with them, no longer fearing anything they might do.

Was this it? Had they finally reached their limit? “I’m sorry, everyone.” Seina closed her eyes, pained.

“Then surpass even that. You have the power.”

“Huh?” Seina blinked, her head jerking from side to side. Who’d said that? Had that been her imagination?

“Seina, what now?” Takako said, interrupting her reverie, panic creeping into her voice.

“I don’t know,” Seina said, glum. “Can you heal me at least?”

“I…” Before Takako could respond, Kaguya stood right in front of them, eyes alight with mischief. “As if I’d give you the chance.”

“No!” Himari rushed forward, but she was too late. Seina gasped as Takako’s chest exploded. The girl’s dying, pained gasp barely rose above a whisper before she went limp.

“No!” Tears flooded Seina’s vision, angry at herself for her uselessness. For all her ability, she was powerless to protect her friends.

“Another pest gone. Time to put the multiverse out of its misery. It’s lingered in its death throes long enough,” Kaguya said.

“It’s not dead,” a voice said. “As long as a single breath remains.”

“Yeah!” Seina said with surprising determination. “Not yet!”

But Kaguya only tilted her head in confusion, brow furrowing. “What’s with you? Where’d this sudden defiance come from?”

“Huh?” She couldn’t hear this voice? From Himari’s apartment confusion, she didn’t either. Was she imagining things? Dreven had told her she was insane. Yet, Seina sensed she could trust this voice.

“Expand, grow past this single point.” The voice continued.

“What? How? What do you mean?” Seina said, frustrated. Could a magical girl become something beyond herself? “What do you think, Colten?

“Talking to people who aren’t there again?” Kaguya said, somewhat peevishly.

“You can do it,” Takako said, her voice a rasp. “Just believe. Use our faith to get stronger.”

“I think she’s right,” Paliah said, stroking his chin. “If our body can’t help us, just discard it like so much trash.”

“You realize how impossible that sounds, right?” Seina replied. “What would we even become?”

“Beats me, but I’m with you to the end,” Colten said, extending a hand. “With you, I’d brave any sea, any danger.”

“What are you doing?” Kaguya said, shaking her head in confusion. “What’s with this timeline? I can’t stop it. It’s moving without my say-so. That shouldn’t be possible!”

“Okay.” Seina extended a hand, grabbing her partners. It wasn’t a physical one, more born of thought and hope.

“More bubbles? What are you? Wait? What?” Kaguya stared, baffled, as fire reflected from the bubble’s surface, trillions times hotter than any sun. “But, what?”

“Uh, Seina? What are you doing?” Himari said, concerned as the bubble floated in Seina’s direction. Takako gasped a strangled breath, her eyes frightened. Chō only shook her head, confused.

“Taking a leap of faith,” Seina said, a slight smile on her mangled face before the flames consumed her.

---

“Took you long enough. I was worried you’d ignored me, as usual.”

Seina blinked, unsure where she was. Gone was the confused, collapsing cosmos with its impossible dimensions and colors. Instead, she found herself in a landscape of pure white. But instead of fear or cold, Seina only felt pure warmth and happiness, like she’d bathed in pure contented love. There, standing in the white void, was the Wicked Queen.

“Hello, Arisu. Is this death?” Was she wrong about destroying herself? Strangely, it mattered little to her anymore, like her past troubles were a distant, forgotten dream.

“Dead? Me?” Arisu only smirked. “Never. It’ll take more than being reduced to my component parts to kill the Wicked Queen. I’m just resting to regain my strength.

“Yep, that’s us. Stubborn to the end.” Charity said, amused.

“Huh.” Was this why the Devil Princesses sealed her away?

“But you are,” Arisu continued. “But, oh well. Why should that stop you? Some friends of yours pulled some real strings to help you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hello, Seina.” A rough voice said. Much to Seina’s astonishment, Kiyojiro stood behind her.

“Mr. Kiyojiro? Are you dead, too? And you as well, Botan?” The pair floated in the void with her, but something was odd about them. Something radiant, holy? Her bodyguard wore a suit of pure light, making him hard to look at.

“No, death has no meaning for both of us anymore,” Kiyojiro replied. His words were like pure love, filling her with warmth.

“Yeah, thank the old queen, the real one,” Botan said, her tone somber. Her words, too, were like a flower blooming in spring. “She made us her heirs. Imagine that.”

“Really?” Seina said, startled. “What does that mean?”

“We can finally put things right,” Kiyojiro said, his expression hard. “The Devil Princesses have caused too much damage. Hurt too many people. It can’t stand.”

“But what can I do about it? Aren’t I dead?” Seina asked.

“It’s your lucky day,” a new voice said. Seina started at the newcomer, certain she’d met this person before, but couldn’t place where. The woman wore a professional business suit, dark like her features. Her hair was raven, blacker than night. It was a painfully sharp contrast from their surroundings and her bodyguard’s brilliance, like an ink blob on a paper page. And crowning her terrible yet stunningly beautiful face was a pair of thick black spectacles. “I’ve decided to make an exception.”

“Um, who are you?” Seina asked, giving a polite bow. Something about his person demanded respect.

“Call me, Yami, or Death if you prefer. And I’m not happy! Don’t worry,” the woman said when she caught Seina’s expression. “Not at you, young one, the Devil Princesses. Can you grasp the workload they’ve forced upon me over these last centuries? How much paperwork? It’s a living nightmare!”

“I’ve been waiting to pay them their just dues for this.” Yami’s expression hardened, her too-beautiful features becoming frightful. It made Seina decidedly nervous. “And you’re my ticket to do it.”

“How? I’m dead,” Seina said, tilting her head.

“True, but I haven’t claimed your soul yet.” The Lady of Death replied. “If I were to mislay it, who knows what might happen?”

“Then!”

“That’s the part we’ll play,” Mr. Kiyojiro said.

“We’ll fuse your soul with the essence of the multiverse, and you’ll be reborn,” Botan added. “But something greater, more divine. You’ll be more fairy-like than human.”

“Uh, huh.” Seina wasn’t sure how to accept that bit of news.

“It won’t be anything scary. We fairies are the divine protectors of the cosmos. It’s our purpose.” Botan let out a breath. “Somehow, the Devil Princesses made us forget that role.”

“Okay, I understand.” If that meant she had greater responsibilities, then she’d accept that.

“Good luck.” Arisu gave her a thumbs up. “I’ll be following along soon!”

“One question. Charity, did you expect this to happen? Is this some future you divined?” Seina asked.

But the fairy only smiled enigmatically. “Get going. Your friends need you, Seina.”

Figures. “Thank you, Yami, for this second chance,” Seina gave the Lady of Death a deep, respectful bow.

“You’re welcome. Besides, I owe you one for killing the other Devil Princesses.” A nasty smile appeared on Yami’s coldly beautiful face. “Mei Inouye and Yuuka Tsujikawa thought they might escape me by having their souls destroyed; I’m afraid they aren’t so lucky.”

Those words sent a chill down Seina’s spine, not wishing to know what that meant. “Okay, I’m ready.”

“Goodbye, Seina.” Mr. Kiyojiro said, his smile sad. What did that mean? Would he never see her again? “I’ll be watching over you, always. I love you, Seina.”

“Wait!” But Seina never got to finish her protest, her vision blurring as light brighter than even the void tore away her vision. The pain was unimaginable, a heat scorching her very soul. She was like a piece of metal, hammered and reforged into the shape of the smithy’s liking. But the agony was too much, pushing her past her breaking point.

But a cold hand grabbed hers and squeezed. It wasn’t hard to guess who, and Seina took comfort from his friendship, love, and strength. Together, they could brave anything. Together, they were unstoppable.

“Huh? What is this?” A familiar voice said, baffled. Kaguya stared at her, mouth agape.

“Huh?” Seina blinked, unsure where she was. She glanced around, finding herself right where she’d been when she died. Her bubble of fire passed behind her, floating away.

“I’m back where I was?” But hadn’t she been talking to Mr. Kiyojiro for several minutes? Had she imagined the entire thing?

“Seina, you’ve changed.” Takako croaked, eyes alight with utter astonishment. Chō clapped, delighted.

“Impossible. You burned yourself to a crisp!” Kaguya said in protest. “And now you’re reborn somehow?!”

“Huh?” Seina glanced at her restored hands and gasped. Not only had they returned, but they seemed whiter somehow, more ethereal. With a wave, she summoned a reflective bubble to look at herself.

“Amazing.” What reflected back at the reborn Seina was beautiful. Snow-white hair flowed down her shoulders with strands of pink highlights. Her face hadn’t changed, but it seemed more mature, wiser. Her armor had become a dress of white and pink with the flowing petals of a lotus, its design simple but elegant. Behind her head floated a radiant halo that glowed like a dazzling sun. Kaguya flinched away, repelled by Seina’s mere presence.

“And don’t forget about me, too.” A smug voice said.

“C-Colten.” Tears threatened to burst as Paliah stood beside her, his armor glistening with radiance and hope. His beaming, handsome features seemed little different from before, but it didn’t matter. Seina threw herself into him, accepting his hug with everything she had. “How?”

“We’re one, right?” Paliah replied. “Thanks to your new power, it wasn’t hard to separate myself from you. I’m kinda still a ghost, but with a physical body, if that makes sense.”

“Colten.” Seina didn’t fight back her tears, happy beyond words.

“No! You’re supposed to be dead!” Kaguya said. “You can’t just give yourself another chance! I never allowed this to happen! What have you done? Why can’t I control my timeline power anymore?”

“Don’t worry, Takako. It’s my time to heal you.” Her body floating on invisible wings, Seina floated to the dying friend. With a gentle hand, she placed it on the gaping hole in her friend’s chest. It vanished like it’d never existed. Takako blinked, flexing her body, and laughed at its lightness.

“This is over, Kaguya,” Seina said, her words hard. Even her words made the Vampire Queen flinch. “I’m putting an end to you forever. You have a date with Death.”

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allnightlongzine · 8 months

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My Chemical Romance Dissolves Its Bond

ANDY GREENWALD | March 25, 2013 | grantland.com

The first time I met Gerard Way was February 2003 in Chicago. I was fleeing a blizzard on the East Coast and profiling the Used, an up-and-coming screamo band from Utah whose singer, the maniacally disheveled Bert McCracken, was in the news for dating, then dumping, Kelly Osbourne. Gerard’s band, My Chemical Romance, was opening for the Used at the time and he and McCracken were well on their way to forming a chemical-based bromance of their own. One night the two kept me in the room with them until dawn as they drained the minibar, sent the concierge out for smokes, and made increasingly frequent trips to the bathroom. (Gerard later told me that bender was the inspiration for a song called “You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison,” which featured the lyric “do you have the keys to the hotel? / ’cause I’m gonna string this motherfucker on fire.”) Onstage, assuming they were able to stumble up to it, the pair were complementary as well: two stringy suburban weirdos peddling punk uplift bruised and blackened with mascara and talk of murder.

There were differences, though, too, and these were key to everything that followed. Flicking boogers and cackling like a banshee, Bert wore fame like a leather jacket. He flashed and strutted, naturally assuming the role of dangerous front man whether he had a mic in his hand or not. Gerard — a scared and sensitive wannabe comic-book artist who formed a band out of either depression or desperation in the wake of 9/11 — wore a leather jacket like a suit of armor. When I interviewed him in Brooklyn, a year later, for the release of what would turn out to be My Chem’s breakthrough album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, he refused to remove the stinking, sweat-stained garment despite the rising temperatures and the concerned looks of the yuppie clientele surrounding us at the coffee shop. It was what he needed to become a rock star, he said, or at least to not feel like a fraud.

It was his costume, the first of many to follow, and it instantly set him apart from the schlocky flock of adenoidal whiners that flooded the charts — and kept me eating! — during the emo boomlet of the last decade. Where other bands bleated about their breakups, My Chemical Romance snarled. Gerard, his kid brother Mikey, along with guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, refused to wallow in self-serving grief. How could they when they so clearly weren’t “o-fucking-kay”? They were misfits and dungeon masters, drama nerds and otakus. Most of all, they were performers, using light humor and heavy makeup to celebrate the majesty and ridiculousness of first feelings: love, death, the pain of piercings both literal and otherwise. They ganked attitude and artifice from Bowie and Queen, stole moves from the ’70s campfest Phantom of the Paradise, and dueted with Liza Minnelli. In the video for “Helena,” a Catholic funeral explodes into a goth Busby Berkeley review. It wasn’t a sing-along, it was a rallying cry. Plenty of bands had angst. My Chemical Romance had style.

Rock critics have long fallen back on superhero mythology to describe musicians; it’s a handy way to add grandeur to what tend to be fairly rote backstories, bending boring arcs of rehab and redemption into the Hero’s Journey, all in a quest to avoid quoting the drummer. But My Chemical Romance was the first group I covered that actually used that mythology for themselves. Gerard called his band “an idea,” labeled his fans an army. From album to album and show to show, MCR reinvented themselves across a multiverse of possibilities: They were soul-reaving vampires exacting revenge, the ghosts of a marching band returned to serenade you home, a gang of outlaw futurists using lasers and jazz hands to free the world from monochrome mediocrity. They had artistic ambition in a rock era that actively discouraged it, and they pursued it passionately without even a dash of irony. In that, they were just part of a great tradition of hardworking, self-made dreamers to emerge from the swamps of New Jersey, a wallet chain that stretches from Springsteen to Snooki. “We’re all about being the escape artists, throwing the fuckin’ straitjackets on, covering ourselves with chains and having somebody push us in the river. And then trying to get out of that,” a bleached-blond, clean-and-sober Gerard told me in 2006. We were sitting on a balcony overlooking Milan at the time, because the music industry was absurd back then and would fly you to places like that to interview people like him. “I think the world is ready for spectacle, for something big,” he said excitedly. “They’re ready for heroes, for something to believe in.”

Parts of the world were, anyway. The ravenous MCRmy spanned the globe, from Mexico City to Manila, a polyglot, multilingual militia that took solace in the band’s underdog triumphalism — and sometimes even took to the streets. I’ve never witnessed such intense fandom, before or since. Still, the resolutely black-clad supporters seemed skeptical of their beloved band’s slow progression into the light. 2010’s Danger Days was, to my ears, a glorious glitter-bomb of panic and disco, effortlessly mixing Detroit boogie with Weimar cabaret, summertime pop radio with Euroclub stomp. Gerard’s hair was a vibrant red — more Kool-Aid Man than arterial blood — and his new stage style was loose and breezy. The album eked out a platinum plaque, but its reception felt culturally inert, as if My Chemical Romance’s creative maturation had somehow skipped the groove of fight-or-flight survivalism that once grounded their fantastic excess. Gerard truly believed he was saving rock and roll by running around in the desert with a ray gun, but it was doubtful he could save his band from suffocation at the hands of a dying industry or the smothering embrace of fan expectation. He still believed in rock stars, but he also very much believed in Batman.

The last time I saw Gerard Way was in October at a comic-book convention in Las Vegas. His hair was its natural black but his mood was bright. He was in his element, there to celebrate his idol turned pal Scottish surrealist Grant Morrison. The event felt like a coming-out party for everything My Chemical Romance had screamed and bled about; it was a peaceful gathering of light-sensitive weirdos held in the shadows of the most garish place on earth. He and Mikey both talked animatedly about the sessions for their upcoming fifth album, which were well under way. But it did strike me that the larger battle had already finished. Gerard has a successful second career writing comics and movies and a pleasant life in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter. He’s free to doodle and daydream without worrying about the vagaries of record-label drama, the vast machinery required for global touring, or the fragile egos of increasingly far-flung co-conspirators. It turns out Gerard Way was the hero in his own story after all, and, unlike the “Patient” he played in the Black Parade, he wrote himself a happy ending.

He couldn’t quite manage the same for his band. My Chemical Romance announced their breakup on Friday night. They didn’t die in a gunfight or explode with the intensity of a million suns. Instead they just posted a note on their blog and called it a day. There’s talk of intramural squabbling and adultery scandals — feel free to Google; I’ve no interest in spreading the muck — but to me it feels more natural than reactive. What villains were left to face? What demons left to conquer? My Chemical Romance always aimed for the top, but the top no longer exists; all that remains is a vast, niche-y middle. Rock bands don’t want to be big anymore. Hell, if they’re smart they don’t want to be rock bands at all. In that, My Chemical Romance really were “The Kids From Yesterday,” the more or less last song on their more or less best record. “We’ll find you when the sun goes black,” Gerard sang, but I hope it doesn’t take that long for him to reboot. The thing is, I think the music industry needs a skyscraping fabulist like Gerard Way a lot more than he needs the music industry. For now, all I can do is take comfort in the fact that even Batman died once.

#break up #grantland #outside

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