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prince-kallisto · 7 months

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Crowley: A False Prophet and the Unholy Trinity

HEAR ME OUT, HEAR ME OUT. @overly-niche-twst makes amazing and funny memes, but as you all should know, even the memes aren’t immune from my theories. But the connection of Crowley and the “false prophet” hit me like a train. A false prophet? In a game where the religious symbolism runs rampant? And when digging into research, I was SHOOK at what I learned. I swear this is the worst rabbit hole I’ve ever gone through because of a MEME 😭

In Biblical lore, a prophet is someone who receives a divine message from a supernatural source and must share the message with the rest of humanity. This message is often referred to as a “prophecy.”

I’ve talked about Levan potentially having prophetic powers on here several times, but as a little recap, Lilia seems to hint at Levan’s uncanny foresight. Either he’s just an incredible master strategist, or Levan has powerful magic (perhaps Unique Magic, or just really good at astrology) related to seeing the future. For example, he SOMEHOW knew that Lilia and Malleus would attend NRC 500 years in the future, and taught Lilia and the other Fae a common language with humans in hopes of reuniting the Fae and humans in the future, like at NRC.

What makes me feel certain about this theory is that ravens in Greek mythology were related to Prophecy, because they were believed to be the bird of Apollo, the Greek god of prophecy. And Levan seems to be twisted from Diavolo, Maleficent’s Raven (unconfirmed but seems likely with info so far)

Technically, if the gift of prophecy was Levan’s UNIQUE Magic, it could count as a “supernatural” source, right? And if he taught and guiding the Fae with the information he saw from the future, Levan could technically be considered a prophet.

But what is a false prophet, and why do I believe Crowley is one?

(Disclaimer, I am not religious myself and am using Biblical texts from a purely analytical perspective. If you know better on this topic, want to add something/correct me, please let me know! Sorry for putting so many links here too haha, there’s just too much to talk about in one post!)

A false prophet is someone who falsely claims the gift of prophecy, or is speaking from the supernatural source of evil, typically the Devil. According to Biblical lore, the false prophet will present themselves as benevolent (Crowley “I am so kind” is that you) and weak, but have great power and evil. What I found very interesting was this line from the Bible:

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”

I’ve made theories regarding Crowley’s true nature many, many times before. My moots tease me for using this Rook screenshot so many times, but I genuinely believe Rook understands Crowley’s character.

Anyway, the TRUE enemy is one who watches from the periphery with a smile…something that Crowley always does. Always watching, but never seemingly acting. He lets everyone’s guard down by being useless, unreliable, and ridiculous, but he definitely has something up his sleeve. In Biblical lore, the wolf is considered a malevolent predator who feeds on the innocent. Like young and impressionable students, perhaps? I think it’s very interesting that Crowley refers to students as his eggs or chicks, like children that he’s “raising.” But a baby bird is one of the many symbols of innocence, and Yana Toboso herself has cryptically said how the repeated egg theme in TWST is a representation of how “Eggs are a good symbol of things that can never go back to how they were, once they have been broken.”

But what about the False Prophet? Well, I’ve recently made an analysis on how Crowley encourages the Overblots in every single book. As a little recap, he’s the one who suggests the magic duel against Riddle in Book 1, the Hall of Fame to Leona in Book 2, signs a contract with Azul in Book 3, abandons Yuu and also stirs Jamil’s hatred by making Kalim housewarden in Book 4, etc etc. He’s constantly leading these students astray in a very subtle manner. But I think he needs the Overblots to happen so Yuu can save them, so he can get the Overblot Crystals.

Additionally, Lilia mentions how historical narrative have been “twisted” to suit someone’s agenda. And judging from how everyone thinks the Disney Villains were sources of good to look up to, the manipulation from Crowley may be more literal than we think.

And if Crowley is leading these people astray for a greater purpose/higher power, this technically makes him a False Prophet. It goes even deeper when you consider his cryptic words throughout the books, as if he is seeing the future. He knows where the students are when they’re talking about important things, he knows when STYX will break in…and as I mentioned, ravens are connected to the gift of prophecy.

And guess what? The False Prophet, according to Christian lore, is part of the Unholy Trinity. TWST has a slyly repeats the theme of three, and which can noticed in NRC’s logo that may represent the past, present, and future. BUT THATS NOT WHY I WAS FREAKING OUT-

Because what does the Unholy Trinity consist of?

The DRAGON

The ANTICHRIST

And the FALSE PROPHET

In a previous theory examining religious symbolism with Meleanor and the Virgin Mary, I also concluded that Malleus Draconia is a representation of the Antichrist, especially because of the star imagery in TWST. Meleanor even refers to him as an “evil star” that would curse humanity.

But now I’m doubting this- I think I had it all wrong. Not about Meleanor being the Virgin Mary, but about who represents the Antichrist. But let me go over what the implications of the Unholy Trinity means first.

Edit: actually I never claimed Malleus was the antichrist at all in that post LMAO, I confused myself with the different names for Lucifer/Devil/Satan 😭😭😭 so technically I was right all along with claiming that Malleus is Lucifer in that post🤪🤪🤪🤪 I won’t edit out this mistake to avoid confusion in the reblogs

The Antichrist and the False Prophet are referred to as the “first and second beast,” who obey the DRAGON. But the Antichrist, aka the First Beast/Beast of the Sea, is described as “emerging from the abyss”

MALLEUS’ TITLE IS LITERALLY THE RULER OF THE ABYSS. IM GONNA- BABXBSB

Edit: I’d like to add that the Bible describes this Abyss as an unfathomably deep, dark, and boundless place, often compared to the ocean and chaos. And recently in Book 7, Silver almost succumbed to the darkness…where there was no light, no people, nothing except darkness and blot. That is TWST’s version of the Abyss, and Malleus is the ruler of it! This religious symbolism has to be intentional

I think the Antichrist actually GRIM. A supreme representation of evil thats said that appear at the END OF THE WORLD/APOCALYPSE. And if we recall the prologue, we see Grim in a horrible monster form in a shattered Mirror Chamber. An amalgamation from the Overblot Crystals, which is literally the condensed version of the Overblot, a representation of purely negative emotions.

And based on what text describes the First Beast as, he has “seven heads, appearance of a leopard, feet of a bear, and a mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.”

What’s even more interesting is that there’s an “Angel of the Abyss” known as Abaddon. His description intrigued me, as “king of a plague of locusts resembling horses with crowned human faces, women's hair, lions' teeth, wings, iron breast-plates, and a tail with a scorpion's stinger” Since this character is up to interpretation, some religious scholars say this character is the Antichrist. Again, it’s a wild amalgamation of features that sound like Grim.

The Second Beast/Beast of the Earth, aka the False Prophet, is said to rise from the earth (a metaphor for Hell perhaps) and force the world to worship the antichrist. That’s one of the definitions of the false prophet, as one who seeks to lure humanity astray alongside the Devil. Is this some crazy foreshadowing for what Crowley will do in the future?!

And once again using Biblical texts, this second beast “spoke like a dragon,” referring to his arrogance and connection to the Devil. It reminds me of Levan’s title as Ryūgan Duke Levan,” or 竜眼公レヴァーン , aka “Dragon-Eyed”

Anyway. Back to the Dragon, it’s also referred to as the Serpent. Serpents in biblical lore are incredibly important- but are also very symbolic in TWST. I’ve made an post analyzing the serpents in NRC’s logo before, but as a recap, they’re also one of the symbols of rebirth in TWST. I’d like to add that snakes also considered symbols of Wisdom, which is fitting for “Sages Island.” Some religious scholars also consider the lying serpent in the Garden of Eden to be the “first false prophet.”

But the Ancient Serpent specifically represents the “Devil/Satan/the Dragon.”

The reason why I’m doubting Meleanor being the “Dragon” in this Unholy Trinity is because the Dragon attacks the WOMAN OF THE APOCALYPSE, AKA THE VIRGIN MARY 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️ IS MY MELEANOR THEORY COMING TRUE?!? ( I’m just being delulu but please humor me)

But what’s even more interesting is that again in Revelations, it’s said an Angel with a “key to the Abyss and a chain” locks up the Ancient Serpent for 1000 years. Hm?? Malleus literally said that everyone would sleep for 1000 years in his Overblot. What’s interesting about the Angel is that he has the key to the ABYSS…is this Angel meant to be Silver?!? Silver, who has a glowing ring protecting him from the darkness, and heavily connected to a magical sword??? So he the Angel with the “key” to the Abyss, aka Malleus?

So if Crowley is the false prophet…there’s a high chance he’s behind the Overblots. And remember: the False Prophet will force the world to worship the Antichrist. Is this to foreshadow how Crowley will make the Twisted Wonderland world fall because of Grim?

So let me recap what I think this means:

The Dragon- Malleus

The Antichrist- Grim

The False Prophet- Crowley

The Angel- Silver

The Virgin Mary- Meleanor

And you know what, let’s just throwing in the idea that Yuu is the Lamb that opens the Seven Seals, which marks the beginning of the apocalypse, and the Seven Angels/Trumpets are the Overblotters, WHY NOT. A theory to elaborate on for another day…perhaps it will be a series connecting the biblical apocalypse to TWST?

🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️ANYWAY IF THE UNHOLY TRINITY THING IS INTENTIONAL IM GONNA SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUST

To Joy, I got really carried away with this theory, apologies if it sounds confusing, I did NOT mean it to go this far 😭😭😭 but I swear, that was a muse moment, your meme made ALL my brain cells connect for once and I feel like I’ve unearthed something important 🫡

Of course, let me just say that these parallels are not perfect (e.g Malleus being the Dragon despite Meleanor being the Virgin Mary) and some of these characters may better fit other Biblical figures better 🫡 But since I’m focusing on the Apocalypse part, I think that is idea is working, and I’d really like to delve deeper into research!

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larluce · 2 months

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Have you ever thought of the episode A Servant of Two Masters with a scene like Ella Enchanted when she breaks her curse? If you don't know the scene or the movie, that's okay because I have ✨a vision✨

Like that:

Merlin inside is dying because he's trying to kill Arthur and that's his worst nightmare, but Arthur decided that needs to be open and honest to Merlin and just tries to confess. I don't know how they got there, but just imagine that Arthur is talking sweetly to Merlin, holding his face with love and going to kiss him, but Merlin is crying because he's with a knife in his hand and trying to stab Arthur in the back. He breaks the curse, but Arthur saw the knife and assumes the worst.

I did watch that film! "A Servant of Two Masters" had the pontential to be very angsty indeed. But of course they decided to make it comedy. Not that I didn't like it anyways, but a more serious take like the one you are proposing would have been GOLD.

I recently saw a post similar to this, not quite, but kind of captures the same idea: LINK

But you inspired me. So I'll add this to your vision:

Just as the movie, Agravaine orders for Merlin to be arrested before he can explain anything, proclaiming he's in alliance with Morgana. However, Arthur, though still very hurt and confused, starts to analyse the situation. Why would Merlin try to kill him now? Is not like he didn't have better chances before. Has he done something to make Merlin change his mind about him? What did Morgana offer him? And why a knife? Merlin literally serves him his food, he could have poisoned him, find a more discret way to do it, he's a physician apprentice for gods sake! Was his servant this dumb? Then he remembers, Merlin was crying through all of it, and he seemed like he was trying to tell him something but couldn't. He thought it was due his emotional confession that his servant had tears in his eyes, but now... could it be that Merlin was forced to do it? Maybe Morgana threatened someone dear to him? Like his mother or Gaius. Or maybe he just can't bare the thought of yet other person betraying him, specially if is Merlin, that now he's making excuses for him? Doesn't matter, he can't execute Merlin, even when his uncle keeps insisting on it. So he just keeps him in the dungeons ad pospones his death sentence as much as he can.

Just as Arthur gathers the caurage to go visit Merlin to ask for answers, against his uncle's wishes of course, Gaius aproaches Arthur and tells him Merlin was under the fomorroh's control giving him the burned cut head of the snake as a prove. He explains he went to visit Merlin and Merlin gave him that and told him Morgana put it in his neck to control him when he was captured, but somehow he managed to break the spell. His uncle intervenes, telling him is all lies, that Gaius just wants to save the boy because he's dear to him and accuses him right then and there of being the traitor they were looking for. For Arthur, however, there was never a doubt, his Merlin is innocent, he never wanted to betray him. He almost cries of relief and, ignoring his uncle and his physician's dicussion, he runs to see Merlin.

His smile fades once he gets there though, cause Merlin, his Merlin, is hanging from a rope. Horrified and in full panic mode, he puts him down as quickly and as carefully as he can. He yells desperately for the guards to fetch Gaius and starts making CPR, but even when Gaius later appears to help it's too late. Merlin's dead and Arthur's whole world is put upside down.

There's a note Gaius finds hidden in Merlin's clothes, it says: "I'm sorry, Gaius. I couldn't fight it much longer, I could feel it, growing back again, trying to control me and I couldn't let it, not again. I would rather cut my own arms and legs and being burn in the pyre a thousen times than hurt Arthur, much less kill him. I won't go through that nightmare again. Please tell him I love him too, that i never mean to do it. I love him more than I love myself. But if he doesn't believe you, if he hates me forever, it's alright. I don't blame him, so don't blame him either. Keep protecting him, please. Specially from Agravaine. Loves you, Merlin".

Gaius shares this letter with Arthur and of course he breaks all over again, but then he asks, "Why did Merlin told you to protect me from my uncle, Gaius?". Gaius doesn't want to answer at first, but Arthur commands him and Gaius answers carefully "he believed he was the traitor, sire". Arthur responds after a pause "And you believe that too?". There's a silence before the physician says "I gave him the pergamine and the ink, he said he wanted to write a message for you that later I would deliver. I was a fool, I should have known..." he sighs. "But I wonder... where did he get the rope?". And that's when when all clicks to Arthur. Agravaine was the one insisting on killing Merlin inmediatly amd Merlin didn't have access to any rope. He confirms it when the guards tell him Agravaine visited Merlin once, they couldn't hear what the man was telling to the boy, but it sounded like he was threatening him.

Agravaine was the traitor, Agravaine gave Merlin the rope. Agravaine is the reason his Merlin now is gone.

Arthur goes to his uncle a sword in hand and demands answer with the blade on his throat. First he dinies it, but then he laughs. "You killed my sister. You and your father" he admits. Arthur's expression remains as a stone "What did you tell him?" Arthur demands. "I just offer him a less painful way to die". Arthur kills him, but finds no satisfaction. He's dead inside. His Merlin died thinking he hated him and he let him believe that. He didn't visit him for days after all, he didn't confront him inmediatly for answers, he let his uncle cloud his mind. This was his fault.

Arthur looks at his sword and puts the point of the blade on his heart. He's about to push the blade when suddenly the doors open and the sword flies from his hand. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" a familiar panic voice shouts at him and Arthur turns. A Merlin with golden eyes is running to him and then hugs him tightly. "Are you mad?!" Merlin's still scolding him, but Arthur's just watches him in shock. "Merlin" he's only capable to mumble.

It turn's out Merlin's magic saved him somehow. It just put his body on the verge of death enough to make the fomorroh believe that the body was uninhabitable so it left his body completely. His mortal body was now too weak though, so his only vital energy left is his magic. That's why his eyes are constanly gold now. It takes a while for Arthur to understand it. Specially the magic part, but honestly, he's far too happy and relief to have Merlin back that he can't be mad about Merlin lying about his magic. In fact, if anything, he's thankful for it, since it saved Merlin's life.

"But you didn't plan that, did you? You did actually try to kill yourself" he accusses however, still heartbroken at the fact.

"It was the only way I could think of-"

"Never, Merlin" he commands him very serious. "Never do that again"

"I can't promise you that"

"Then any harm you do to yourself, I'll do it to me"

"You can't do that!" the warlock shouts horrified. "You are the king! You have a kingdom-"

"Our kingdom, Merlin! We built it together and it's nothing without you either"

"I'm just a servant, an illegal warlock now. My life doesn't matter."

"Don't ever say that again!" Arthur holds Merlin fiercely. "Didn't I tell you're the most valuable person to me? The only person I could trust with my life" tears run down his eyes.

"But.. I lied to you. I even tried to kill you"

"Lie to me then, kill me. You have my permission"

"Arthur-"

"No, I just got I glimse of what a life without you would be and I won't live it again. Not for a second. I can't lose you again".

"I can't lose you either". Merlin cries too. "My magic, everything I am, is yours. It has always been yours". Arthur caresses his cheek.

"Then let me take care of what it's mine"

Between tears, they kiss. Is not really tender or passionate, but pure necessity for the other.

"I'm sorry" Merlin snifs separating the kiss "Gods! My eyes won't stop shining" he says embarrasssed and tries to cover them.

"Don't" Arthur says while he uncovers his eyes gently. "They're beautiful" Merlin smiles but then sighs, sadly.

"The rest won't think the same"

"You don't have to worry about that"

Arthur gives Merlin a royal pardon so he's the 'only legal sorcerer' unless until he can make magic legal again completely. Gwen and the knights accept him inmediatly. The rest are wary at first but eventually they accept him too, when they realise he's the same clumsy servant they always knew. As Merlin recovers from his near death experience, his eyes glow less, but Arthur loves to see Merlin's eyes turn gold everytime.

Aaaand that's all I got. My imagination can't do much.

#merlin bbc #bbc merlin #merlin #merthur #merlin fanfic #merlin prompt #merlin fic #merthur fic #arthur and merlin #merlin and arthur #ask me anything #ask #i got carried away

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bloodlust-1 · 3 months

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The Consort ₊⁺જ⁀➴

Ascended Astarion x fem Tav

Chapter: 4 | Revengeful Eyes

Summary: In a tumultuous tale of love, power, and betrayal, Tav finds herself entangled in a complex relationship with Astarion, a heartless vampire lord who will stop at nothing to maintain control over his newfound spawn. As Tav witnesses Astarion’s transformation and descent into darkness, their love is put to the ultimate test amidst love triangles, drama, and the pursuit of world domination. Redemption seems like an elusive goal while Tav grapples with the realization of who her lover has truly become.

UPDATED EVERY MONDAY

Notes: Why even listen to myself when the post button exists? Did a poll and here we are now yaay.

AO3 LINK | MASTER LIST

Lovely photo by @aristenfromwarsaw

Astarion and Tav arrived at the grand ball, turning heads as they entered the room. Astarion was dressed in a finely red and black tailored jacket and trousers.

Everything about him was perfect, including his partner.

His eyes scanned the crowd with a confident air. Tav was wearing the red dress that Astarion had made for her, the fitted silk red dress with a slit up one leg and draped sleeves that accentuated her figure.

Tav excitedly clutched Astarion’s arm as they made their way through the crowd of guests. Many of them were nobles or rich families with influence. Some even recognized Tav and gave their respects.

It feels weird to be somewhat of a town celebrity.

Tav wore her hair down and adorned with beads and jewelry. She noticed she didn't look like anyone really. From her wide-set pale eyes to Tav's rounded features, she not only looked different but acted like it too. Of course, the ballroom scene was completely foreign to a girl who grew up in the woods.

Astarion twirled Tav around, eyeing every curve the dress hung off of. He was proud of his work. Both dress and spawn, are crafted so beautifully.

“Over there, see the couple in the corner?” Astarion chimed, nodding towards a noble couple near the throne. “That’s a noble couple from Waterdeep, super rich and political. Word has it they’re quite the swingers, if you catch my drift.”

The gossip was hot, steamy even. Astarion knew so much about people who knew so little about him. It was great.

Tav’s eyes widened in shock, practically breaking her neck to get a glimpse of them. “Really? I had no idea,” she whispered with a gasp.

Astarion chuckled. “There’s a lot you don’t know about these nobles, my dear. But don’t worry, social climbing could get you worthy blackmail information on dirty royalty names.”

"I bet." Tav scrunched her lips to the side, "Have you been making any moves? I know you wanted to grow influence, but I'm not sure if world domination is really worth it...Look what happened to the Netherbrain."

"Tch, it'll be all worth it when we can control everything. Think about it, to live freely with anything at your fingertips. Just say the words and it'll be yours." He then glared down at Tav and halted, "You think people will treat you fairly when they know what we are? Blood-sucking monsters."

A monster. Is this what he thinks I am?

Tav shook her head, "That's not true - we're heroes! They'll accept us."

His voice dripped with sarcasm, "Love, please. You act like you've been a vampire for 200 years. Not everyone is like you, so stop being delusional."

Astarion's arms crossed over his chest, his fingers tapping impatiently against his biceps. He let out a loud, exasperated sigh, "I'm doing this for us. This conversation is now over." He pitied and hated her delusional optimism.

Just then, a woman in a black gown caught Astarion’s eye. She was tall and slender, with brown hair that cascaded down her back in waves. She walked between the couple before presenting herself to Astarion, her eyes filled with intrigue.

The woman faced him with a sly smile, not even acknowledging Tav. “Well, well, well,” she teased. “If it isn’t Astarion himself. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Astarion raised an eyebrow. “Oh really? And what have you heard?”

The woman leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “I know who you are, Astarion. And I know what you’re capable of. I have a proposition for you, if you’re interested.”

Astarion’s eyes narrowed. “Go on,” he tilted his head, intrigued.

"Not here." The woman's blue eyes fell on Tav with a dismissive look, "And not in front of her."

Astarion eyes met with Tav's and he nodded, "Amuse yourself, I'll be right back."

Tav furrowed her brows. Why couldn't she be there? What did this woman want and what did she know? "But -"

"I said make yourself amused." Astarion cut her words before excusing himself, walking to the furthest corner they could find.

Tav felt a tinge of jealousy as she watched Astarion walk away with this random attractive woman. She couldn’t help but feel left out, but she knew better than to interfere with Astarion’s propositions.

Tav was standing alone near the spiked punch bowl and it was crowded with fancy-looking people all trying to impress each other. She held her cup out in front of her with uncertainty.

Why would he not allow me to stay? She's really pretty too. What the fuck.

Tav was completely zoned out, frozen, and barely blinking between her rapid thoughts.

Suddenly, she felt a gentle hand on her arm and a warm, confident voice, “Let me help you with that.”

It was a man, tall, fair, with sharp features, and long brown hair. He poured the punch into her cup, his movements steady and confident. Tav listened to the sound of the liquid filling her cup, and then his eyes locked onto hers with a wry look, “Are you here alone tonight?”

Before Tav could answer he had already continued, "If so then what a damn shame. To leave a lady like you alone to fend for herself." He rolled his eyes.

huh?

"To fend for myself...? What the hell are you talking about?"

A questionable look crossed his face, "Aren't you blind?"

Tav’s eyes widened as her lips parted with a shocked scuff. “I’m not blind,” she said with extra emphasis on the 'not'.

Clearly embarrassed, his started stumbling over his words in desperation. “I-I’m soo sorry,”

“I didn’t mean to offend you. It’s just that your eyes… they’re so pale, and I couldn’t help but notice you were spaced out.” Again, his eyes seemed to lock onto Tav's as he brought his face closer, inspecting her white irises. This time, it made her heart race from his prying eyes, this random stranger.

Tav lifted an eyebrow in surprise, feeling her cheeks flush at his sudden attentiveness. “Oh,” she said softly. “Well, thank you.” She took a step back.

Should I even be saying thank you right now?

The man smiled and shook his head, still looking sheepish. “No, I’m the one who should be thanking you. I’m Ross, by the way.” He reached out and took her hand in his, shaking it gently with a warm smile.

Tav glared at him with uncertainty, but she tried to relax a little. “Nice to meet you, Ross,” She could feel the warmth of his hand in hers, and she couldn’t help but notice how handsome he was.

She snapped out of it and pulled away her hand with a tug. Tav stared at Ross one last time before turning a heel and walking away.

"Wait - !" Ross followed Tav and waved his hand, "You never answered my question."

Tav stopped mid-stride and turned her head. He huffed out a breath and smiled at her, again. "Are you here alone tonight?"

Plainly, "I'm not."

"Ah - same. I came here with my sister. She seemly disappeared somewhere in the crowd though." Ross looked in the crowd and then, he saw her.

His face faded from concentration into a smile, "There she is. Over there in the black dress." Ross pointed to a woman.

It was the same woman who had walked away with Astarion.

Okay. Now I'm interested.

"Is that so...Is there a reason why you guys are attending tonight's party?" Tav looked back at the woman and then back to Ross. They resembled each other’s sharp features.

Ross shifted uncomfortably under Tav’s gaze, his cheeks flushing slightly. “No specific reason, like everyone else of course. Just a guy looking for a good time.”

Tav stared at him questionably.

Ross gasped at the realization, "In good company and conversation I mean! N-Nothing else, I promise."

He mumbled under his breath, "Shit, I know that didn't sound right."

Tav chuckled to herself as he crumbled in front of her. Ross seemed like one of those gentle giants, very friendly with a heart on his sleeve.

“I - uh, never got your name?” Ross finally managed to ask.

Casually Tav spoke, "Natavia. But everyone calls me Tav."

“Tav?” Ross’s eyes widened in recognition. “Like the hero of Baldur’s Gate Tav?”

Tav chuckled softly at the comparison. “More or less…”

"Wow - It's a pleasure! I knew something was different about you. I could tell you hold weapons. A bow is it..?"

"How'd you know?" Tav tilted her head, her eyes narrowing in comparison.

"I could feel the calluses on your fingertips, especially your middle finger."

"What! Really?" Tav quickly shot up her hands and stared hard at her fingertips with a flustered face.

Ross was right, there were many little indents between her skin and she looked up at him with a shocked expression. Why have I never noticed this?

"It's not a bad thing. I'm sure you're very skilled at it, killing the netherbrain and all, little hero."

"Little?" Tav scoffed, feeling a little defensive but entertained.

Ross playfully waved his hand from side to side with a chuckle. "Just in height." He joked with Tav as if she were a long-time friend. It was weird but also felt nice. It wasn't often Tav really got to make new friends under Astarion's watch.

Finally, from across the room, Astarion's eyes landed on Tav, who was chuckling with Ross. Astarion’s gaze immediately turned cold and devilish, and Tav noticed the change in his expression. She turned her head to look at him, and their eyes met.

Shit.

Tav’s laughter came to an abrupt halt as she met Astarion’s gaze. She felt a shiver run down her spine as she saw the look on his face. It was as if he was sizing her up, analyzing every inch of her. Tav crossed her arms and huffed in annoyance.

This is so stupid. He couldn't be mad at me when he was the one who left to talk to some random girl.

Ross watched Tav with confusion. He matched Tav's stares with Astarion and he spoke up, “Is everything alright Tav?” he said with a forced chuckle.

Tav rolled her eyes, “It's just my boyfriend, he's being moody.”

Ross’s face fell at Tav’s words. He looked genuinely shocked with wide eyes. He scratched his head nervously and tried to laugh it off. “Oh, I see,” he said weakly, forcing a smile onto his face. “Well, I had no idea..."

Ross began to nervously swallow and wet his lips between exchanged words. Almost as if what Tav said really uneased him.

Strange.

"I take it you're not a local From Waterdeep." Ross's words snapped Tav out of her head and she shook her head 'no.'

"I'm from a remote village way South of here, but I live in Baldur's Gate if that's what you meant...What about you?"

Ross nodded, listening to her smooth voice, "I'm from a tribe, but I've moved on from sheltered woods, my home is in Baldur's Gate too. Me and my sister, Rosaline, been moving around lately."

"Oh, why?"

Ross chuckled, the look in his eyes seemed panicked, but his body language remained relaxed and loose, "Just looking for what sticks…So! If you’re ever looking for someone to talk to back home, I’m always at the Blushing Mermaid. It’s lika second home.”

Astarion’s frown deepened as he watched the exchange between Tav and Ross. But he kept his emotions in check, hiding them behind a cold, impassive mask. He knew that he couldn’t let his feelings get the best of him in public.

He completely left the woman, Rosaline, to herself as he made his way over to Tav.

Astarion pulled Tav close to him, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist. “Tav,” he teased, his voice low and husky, “Let us dance.”

Tav looked up at him, surprised but pleased. “Of course, Astarion,” her eyes crinkled with a wry smile.

Astarion glared coldly at Ross as he led Tav onto the dance floor. Ross returned the glare with a dirty look of his own. But Astarion had no time to worry about Ross now, as he pulled Tav close and rested his hand on her waist.

As they began to waltz around the room, Astarion couldn’t take his eyes off of Tav. He admired her beauty, her grace, and the way she moved with him, apart from Tav's occasional missteps. But even as they danced, Astarion couldn’t shake the feeling that Ross was watching them. And every time he caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of his eye, he felt a twinge of anger and resentment.

Who the fuck is this guy.

I'll give him something to see.

Determined to claim Tav’s attention for himself, Astarion stopped dancing and pulled her into a deep kiss. He bit down on her lower lip, causing it to bleed. When he pulled away, Tav winced as she touched her bottom lip and stared at her bloody fingertips.

Her eyes glossed over from the sharp pain, and she stared at Astarion in disbelief. Why would he do something like this now?

“I’m sorry,” Astarion clicked his tongue, though he didn’t sound sorry at all. “I couldn’t help myself.”

Tav looked at him for a moment, her expression unreadable. She didn't know how to feel - embarrassed, upset, special, or seduced? She wasn't sure...maybe a mix of it all.

Before Tav could reply, he had already sucked the blood off her bottom lip shamelessly to whoever watched.

From the corner of Astarion's eye, he could see Ross in the near distance behind Tav, shaking his head with a disapproving face. He reveled in this moment of dominance, and mentally laughed at this random stranger who seemingly stared at Tav a little too much.

That serves him right.

The night continued and Tav could only smile and wave every time she crossed paths with Ross that night. Though it always felt a bit strange considering his sister, Rosaline was always attached to his hip, arms crossed and eyes that were like she was trying to cipher out a code with each movement they took. It was uncomfortable.

ROSS'S POV

Rosaline nudged Ross’s side with her elbow, “Why do you keep looking at them.” She shot him a questioning glance, her eyes searching for answers.

Ross pulled away from Rosaline, his brows clearly in an annoyed furrow, “Stop it.” He shifted his gaze away, avoiding her stares.

“You’re so annoying.” Rosaline brushed him off with a cold shoulder. “Did you at least get any good information out of her?” She then crossed her arms.

“Does it really matter?” Ross avoided making eye contact with Rosaline.

Tav, this new hero stuck with someone like him. Poor girl.

“Yes. it does fucking matter.” Rosaline’s voice rose slightly. She was just above a whisper with anger seething out her lips.

But Ross stood firm and calm, “Listen, Rosaline…We should really just move on from this.”

He didn't want to cause a scene so publicly or have anyone overhear them arguing.

Rosaline shook her head in disbelief and her eyes glossed over with disappointment, “I can’t even believe you right now.”

She scuffed, “Are you fucking serious - Tell me you’re fucking with me right now...”

Ross's voice went soft slightly as he sighed, “No. There’s innocent people involved in this and they don’t deserve to be.”

“What - the girl? Who cares, some innocents were taken from us!” She continued to lash out at him in an angered whisper. “He stole our brother - He was just a child, we all were! If you feel so damn heartfelt for them then maybe it should’ve been you!” The air hung heavy and her pain was palpable.

“It just feels wrong.” Ross’s voice wavered slightly, uncertainty creeping into his head.

“You have no loyalty, you’re despicable.”

“I do have loyalty.” Ross’s voice hardened, and he finally stared back at his sister with anger in his eyes.

Rosaline had a face of nothing but disgust for her brother, “Then act like it.”

Next part here

Any thoughts? Comment 👇🏼 I love to engage!

CHARACTER SPREAD-SHEET

TAV, ROSS, ROSALINE

I made this with Artbreeder to try and visualize these new characters as I write and wanted to share. These siblings are so gorgeous AHH.

LOOK AT TAV. breathtaking. But I imagine her with locs, which are kinda visible? AI is not perfect but it's a pretty good generalization of her :') Ross reminds me of Flint Rider.

But a little cliffhanger. I wonder what they're talking about? Hmm. See ya next week

#the consort #bg3 fanfiction #bg3 fic #bg3 tav #bg3 #baldurs gate 3 #astarion bg3 #astarion acunin #astarion x tav #astarion angst #astarion fanfic #astarion smut #astarion x reader #bg3 astarion #astarion #ascended astarion #spawn tav #astarion series #Spotify

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toushindai · 3 months

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totk spoilers but are we ACTUALLY meant to think it’s poetic or flattering or triumphant that Rauru was like “oh YEAH? Well in thousands of years this guy called Link is gonna kick your ass”

How much has he even heard about Link? He must have had at least one more conversation about him with Zelda because the Master Sword doesn’t come up in the Zelda and Sonia tear, and by the King’s Duty tear Rauru’s just like oh don’t worry, if we don’t finish Ganondorf off I’m sure your bf can handle him. As I’ve said before, his “We rely on your knight” line rubbed me the wrong way starting with its appearance in the trailer, and it really does not feel less entitled after watching said knight (and that legendary sword he carries) very very VERY nearly get one-shotted by Ganondorf at the beginning of the game. And Zelda knows this! What does she feel watching her Better Dad Substitute sacrifice himself and simultaneously sic the evil bad guy on Link—a siccing which explicitly shapes Ganondorf’s attitude towards Link at the beginning of the game? At what point did she have the emotion of “welp. I know why Ganondorf knew Link’s name now.” The musical blending of the LOZ theme/hero’s theme with Rauru’s theme seems to suggest that it’s not an emotion meant to be had at exactly that moment, but I cannot watch Rauru sneer “remember that name” without yelling HE DOESN’T NEED THAT INFORMATION at the screen.

I played through the GSI in Japanese recently and Rauru did seem a touch less entitled to Link than I’ve been reading him—mostly because of the formal, polite, outgroup-equal language he used with him—but I still can’t get over the extent to which Rauru heard about Link a few times and decided, sight unseen, that he was going to clean up Rauru’s mess. My man what made you think that. What gave you the right to decide that. And how frightening to be Zelda and watch Rauru pin all the world’s hope on her beloved knight who Ganondorf absolutely fucking wiped the floor with. We see this worry in her in the Master Sword in Time cutscene! To what extent can Zelda’s transformation and before that her petition to the other tribes of Hyrule for Link’s sake be understood as a forced action due to Rauru’s conviction that Link could do this no sweat? Almost entirely, I feel—but does the game know that?

I just. Isn't it intentional? Doesn't it have to be? The fact that Rauru already needs the correction, once, that he cannot and should not face the Demon King alone. Then his melodramatic claim that Link has got this on lock. Then Zelda being like 😬 not sure about this actually and going through the whole process of talking to the ancient sages + draconifying for the sake of the Master Sword. Because Rauru absolutely set Link up to fail and Zelda is the one making sure Link has the resources, including the support of others, he needs to succeed. And the game is so much about community, about not doing things on your own.

And yet the way the scene is scored and animated and the way all the other characters talk about Rauru's sacrifice seems to treat this as a a moment of culmination, of triumph. I am getting such mixed messages here.

Understand, I’m saying all of this with an aching fondness for this poor self-deluded hypocrite. And also teeth-grinding frustration. I think he deserves to feel suffocatingly humiliated when Link almost didn’t survive Ganondorf’s attack and I also have tremendous sympathy for the shame and terror that it might be far too late to correct his mistake that he must have felt as he waited for Link to wake up. Both of those things. Hopelessly lonely man who found people to love him and built himself into a role he was never adequate for. I wish the game looked at this a little more. I wish I could tell if the game intended this at all.

(This is not the most intelligently written post but I assure you I mean every word of it.)

#totk spoilers #tears of the kingdom #totk rauru #rauru (lozbotwtotk)#tou and the tearful kingdom #bad and imperialist zonai get put in the goat wiggler #nintendo look at me. look at me. do you KNOW how interesting your character is. did you do it on PURPOSE. or am I making this UP.#I love him I hate him I am shaking his terrarium SO SO SO SO HARD every day

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writingquestionsanswered · 22 days

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Anonymous asked: I find myself in a terrible rut where I want to read things from my favorite writers, but I compare myself too them and get discouraged feeling like my work will never be that good. I know comparison is a thief of joy, and people say they enjoy my writing, but I can't seem to get out of my own way. My other question is how to take a step back and remember we're doing this because we enjoy writing?

[Ask edited for length]

It can help to bear in mind that all writers--even your favorite ones--felt the same way at some point, and some of them still do. There are successful, famous, best-selling, award-winning authors who still get imposter syndrome. So, on some level, that's just brains doing brain things.

Also, though, it can help to know it's actually a good sign when you feel like your writing isn't quite where you want it to be. It means your taste... to quote Ira Glass (see video below), "the thing that got you into the game, your taste is still killer. And your taste is good enough that you can tell that what you're making is kind of a disappointment to you..." And that matters, because it means your brain knows what's good, even if you haven't quite gotten your writing skill there yet. But knowing... to quote something else... "is half the battle." If you know your writing could be better, you have the ability to get it there and you will.

So, read the post linked below and watch the video:

Comparing Self to Others, Insecure About Writing

And here's another post that might help:

Guide: Dealing with Self-Doubt & Impostor Syndrome

Ultimately, you get back to the joy of writing (and reading) by remembering that writing isn't something you instantly do well. Good writing takes time and practice, and you get better with every book you read and every story you write. So, keep loving what you're doing, because it's getting better and better with time, and there will come a time where you feel more confident in your writing and struggle less with comparing your writing to others. ♥

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

♦ Questions that violate my ask policies will be deleted! ♦ Please see my master list of top posts before asking ♦ Learn more about WQA here

#wqaadvice

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talkingparrotkee · 1 year

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Re: Namor x Shuri working from a storytelling standpoint

I stumbled on a post trying to give an analysis of how Namor and Shuri "don't work" from a storytelling standpoint. After reading several of the objectionable points made and realizing I've seen them all before, I felt like trying my own hand to exemplify why these kinds of criticisms against "Nashuri" don't actually work. I didn't directly reblog to avoid being convoluted or dogpiling, but I'll be responding to specific points throughout.

Direct quotes are in orange

Linked sources and further information are in green

Warning: This article has many layers, musings, and points. After all, it's essentially a master collection of material. If you just want to jump to a certain point, you can. There are subtitles for every point.

The Oxymoron of Improbable and "Non-Sensical" Story Writing

In the context of specifically Wakanda Forever's story and nothing else, yes: as of now, Namor and Shuri being a romantic couple does not make "sense."

However, there is no such thing as a ship that doesn't make sense from a story-writing perspective.

With your pen, reality can be shaped according to your whim, or elements can be bent to fit the mold of a given reality. Story-writing-wise, anything can happen, and anything can work with the proper execution. A good writer knows how to suspend the reader's disbelief and make the seemingly improbable, seem probable.

Namor and Shuri already have the ingredients for chemistry and compatibility as characters, which are the two essential requirements in relationships. The media they're in gives you the room to potentially address their circumstance, like reviving Ramonda (coming back to life is no foreign concept to Marvel) or building off of the concepts already there (e.g., the Ancestral Plane or "dead not meaning gone"). There are also AUs.

Saying otherwise is simply putting a cap on your creativity and demonstrates a sheer lack of imagination.

Why Do People Ship Namor And Shuri?

To answer this question, Namor and Shuri:

Have undeniably strong chemistry. That was the first thing that had people question what their relationship would be. You don't have to register this as inherently romantic, but they have chemistry nevertheless.

Deeply connected with and paralleled-equaled one another. Shuri opened up to only Namor about her true grief. With Ramonda, Shuri closed herself off. When her mask cracked, she lamented that if she sat and merely thought of T'Challa, she'd burn the world and everyone in it. The ancestral plane, tethered to her subconscious and emotional state, lit up on fire the moment N'Jadaka mentioned T'Challa. Yet... Shuri felt that she could be emotionally vulnerable to Namor, seeking solace and answers within him. She could not only think of but also talk about T'Challa with Namor. This is after Namor was, in exchange, completely vulnerable and honest to her, showing her his scars and his cherished nation. Both characters did things they wouldn't do with anyone else. They felt seen and heard by the other. That is a beautiful testament to the bond they were forging before uh, yeah.

Shuri was healing in Talokan. It is directly said in the script Shuri was better than she was before she left, but the movie let it be a "show, don't tell." We already established she was finally unveiling her grief to Namor, but Talokan was also an escape for her. Her behavior and attitude were a sheer contrast to how she was earlier in the movie. Shuri was shown beaming, marveling at, and practically glowing as Namor showed her his world. Approximately, she genuinely smiled 11 times in under 3 minutes. She forgot her worries. The tension rolled off of her and let herself go "with the breeze". Her admiration and sense of wonder made him smile too. She was taken care of, a shame that her reason of stay wasn't preferable.

Shared several purposefully intimate moments.

Look hot and are hot together. Argue with a wall.

Can be the strongest, most unstoppable MCU power couple to date.

Create a rich, ethnic, and main poc ship and representation between a black African woman and a brown-skinned indigenous man. That's not common at all, and the thought of their cultures being connected, becoming one through their union is hair-twirling inducing. The idea of them creating a new era filled to the brim with their respective cultures and identities together, with them learning from one another, is very interesting.

They have many, many classic romantic-fantastical tropes poured into the batter that is their dynamic. You may have heard the comparisons to Beauty and The Beast (say thank you, Riri!), Aladdin ("I Can Show You The World"), Peter Pan and Wendy (Namor is deemed of a "Peter Pan" archetype. "Peter Pan" lost his Wendy, who is Shuri in this case. See Inframundo.) and Hades-Persephone.

The only reason why they're on opposite ends is due to outer forces and unfavorable circumstances at work. There's something interesting about their nuanced tragedy. There's a fun intrigue to find a way to "fix" what seems broken beyond repair, through understanding, love, character development, and healing.

Have a romantic anthem: Con La Brisa is a tender love song specifically created based on the underwater scene between Namor and Shuri. Foudequesh revealed that the meaning of the song was showing someone the sun for the first time.

Additionally, Namor and Shuri having romantic chemistry is not baseless. It was initially toyed with. Though they decided to characterize their relationship a bit differently and focus on grief-shared trauma, elements were still left in to give their relationship complexity. The way they relate and the things they did gave romantic undertones you can't just pluck out. Micheal P. Shawver, a colleague of Ryan Coogler and an editor of Wakanda Forever, said this much when asked about the possibility of Namor and Shuri having romance in their cards.

Note how Ryan Coogler, a writer and director of both Black Panther, even apparently thinks that Namor and Shuri are not unsuited for one another even then.

You can also view the original script where Namor is described as "charmed" and "smitten" with Shuri. It's only natural people pick up the pieces purposefully left behind.

Clarification Notes

Before we jump into this, there are things you need to know.

Note 1: None of this is bashing or permission to bash Ramonda, Riri, Shuri, or Nakia. They were justified and operating under grief and dramatic irony if you look at it from every perspective. Currently, this is just clearing up Namor and Talokan's perspectives because that is what's being targetted and unceremoniously characterized, but everyone has a case for them.

Note 2: This doesn't mean you need to ship Shuri and Namor. It's explaining why some do and clearing up misconceptions about their dynamic as well as individual characters. Your takeaway should be this and valueable information on Black Panther, not a decree of what you should or shouldn't ship.

Positive and Negative Chemistry

"Positive" and "negative" chemistry is confusing terminology at best and doesn't exist at worse. It's either you have or lack chemistry. There are also two different kinds of chemistry: platonic and romantic.

When describing how characters wouldn't be compatible in a given relationship, you may be looking for the term, "compatibility".

Chemistry: magnetism, attraction, and natural connection. Compatibility: a more "logical" component: your degree of harmony and cohesiveness.

You can have chemistry without compatibility, and compatibility without chemistry. Healthy and long-lasting relationships have both.

Namor's view of Shuri

Namor does not view Shuri as an equal, despite their similarities.

Pause. Namor does view Shuri as an equal. Shuri is arguably the person he respects the most.

The idea That Namor-Talokan does not relate, respect, connect with, or even view Shuri-Wakanda as human directly goes against the meta-pillar theme of Wakanda Forever.

You said it yourself:

"these are fictional characters (who represent real-world dynamics)"

“We talked to so many experts and really made relationships with them, because there was a lot to go through,” says Beachler. “There are a lot of parallels between Africans and Latin Americans as far as the colonization of their communities and cities, the enslavement of their people, the lies that were told about their culture, the misinterpretation of their words, and the ways they were made out to look demonized in order to elevate a European country.”

Besides honoring Chadwick Boseman, motherhood, and the dead not being gone, grief, trauma, the effects of colonialism, and the connectivity between African-Mesoamerican indigenous culture are central points of the film. Namor and Shuri and by extension Talokan and Wakanda are explicitly supposed to relate and be equal to one another for this reason. You are supposed to struggle with choosing a side, and Namor is a complex antagonist or even anti-hero rather than an actual villain (An antagonist just opposes or challenges the protagonist in the context of the story, they're not inherently good or evil. Villians are inherently evil and with malice.) Their fight is supposed to feel wrong, intimate, and emotionally charged, unlike most generic action hero fights. They are natural allies, and therefore unnatural enemies.

Namor bent in ways he wouldn't have with anyone else.

This is why it's an in-fandom joke that he was whipped or smitten. What he says on his throne when waging "war", was "Máansa'ab u nej miis tin wich." Josué Maychi confirms that this means, "They passed the cat's tail in front of my face with the hope of an alliance."

"If you see cats, jaguars or panthers when they go hunting they wag their tails because it is a way of hypnotizing the prey, then that image is what happened to Namor, that someone did like that with the tail."

Namor virtually said he was hypnotized, but the Spanish and English translations didn't quite convey that cat-involved metaphor (although keeping the crux of his lament.).

Namor could have killed Riri the moment she touched Talokan grounds, but he showed temporary "mercy" because of Shuri and Shuri alone. He didn't need Shuri's permission nor did he have to communicate with Shuri. Riri was in his domain, Shuri did not really have much power there, yet he treated her as if she did.

"It goes back to the point of him never seeing Shuri as human or recognizing her feelings as valid."

Two of Namor's quotes in the movie alone prove this wrong:

"I know you wanted me to spare the life of the scientist (recognizing and acknowledging what she wants), but now you see what I have to protect."

"So you can understand why I need to kill the scientist."

He didn't need to seek her approval or give her the ability to negotiate with him, yet he did and on top of that dressed her in the finest silks fit for royalty, consistently trying to convince Shuri like her opinion mattered, and that he wanted her on his side. It wasn't that he didn't "recognize her feelings as valid," he just felt that, based on how many of their lives are at stake, he couldn't risk it (Movie quote: "I cannot risk that, princess...").

He was absolutely gobsmacked when she said, "Take me instead." He wouldn't speak then, uncharacteristically breaking eye contact. When he could finally speak, he couldn't answer her directly, his voice awkwardly raised an interval and suddenly, unnecessarily, speaking with his hands.

Shuri wanted to see Talokan, and Namor, the pessimistic isolationist who never let a surfacer step foot in Talokan, immediately caved into her desire. There was no reason for him to do that and it demonstrates an immense level of trust. He also, quite literally, showed her the keys to his kingdom. He waited until she was beside him, looked to see if she was watching him, and then did his hand sign in the rock to open the "doors" to Talokan.

As writer Joe Cole said in The Movie Report panel interview, Shuri demands him to make the right choice that was yielding, and he does yield to her, which wasn't something he'd ever consider in his hundreds of years of being alive.

Namor gives his beloved mother's bracelet to Shuri

Fen was Namor's beloved mother. Her memory is something he held dear to him. The bracelet he gave not only was the last piece of her left with him, but it directly signified his birthright as king, was a priceless national object, and was made with their sacred plant's fibers.

He gives it to Shuri twice. One immediately to hold when he sees she's attracted to it, two he ties on her (after receiving her non-verbal permission, another sign of respect) for her keeping as a "gift of gratitude."

Namor saw his mother in Shuri

Namor saw his mother in her highest state, induced by Shuri. She was unchanged, young, and in their homes, outstretching a hand to him as Shuri metaphorically did.

Namor paints the mural of their fight

in his personal hut no less, where he preserves their history and culture. He paints them entangled in a battle with neither side besting the other. She is the Jaguar-Black Panther, a revered, highly respected animal in Maya culture with connections to godhood, and he is a mere human, humbling himself in a sense. That speaks volumes, and it's furthered when he tells Namora that Shuri had every single reason to kill him. He also speaks very highly of her, stating she's the strongest person on the surface, of the strongest nation.

None of this makes sense AT ALL if he supposedly did not view Shuri as a respected equal, let alone "human." If he somehow doesn't see her as a "human", then he sees her as higher than.

Talokan's "Violence" to Wakanda's "Pacifism"

"Namor and the Talokanil, immediately resort to violence and war when they feel a threat from the surface world. But since no one knows they exist, this threat is hypothetical for now."

This is not true. Talokan has constantly been evasive with relocating being their immediate resort. In the film, Namor says, "Talokan will not move, again" for a reason. They didn't "feel" a threat, there was a threat. People found the Vibranium within their domain and were drilling to seize it. War was a later development after Shuri took killing Riri off the table, which is what Namor initially wanted to do (in the script, this is furthered, with him saying he'd prefer picking off one person to outright war.).

"A direct contrast to Ramonda and Shuri, who in the face of real eminent threats, resorted to peace and showed their aggressors mercy."

Ignoring the insinuation that Namor was not faced with real eminent threats when he was, there is a reason for that contrast. Remember that while Wakanda was being threatened, they have never been conquered or forced to move. They're confirmed less vulnerable than Talokan, who does not have shields and lives in the ocean. They can afford to reveal themselves. Talokan cannot, and they're collateral damage to Wakanda's choice of revealing themselves and the power of Vibranium to the world.

The beginning village of Talokan has been conquered and mass murdered before the rebirth into the blue people we see now, with their ancestral lands plundered and made into slave houses. Namor almost died and was sick in the womb because the conquistadors brought smallpox. His father who he never met died due to their disease. He witnessed countless treacheries, betrayals, and wars from the surface lands. Namor spent his entire childhood watching his mother grieve due to them. As a result, Talokan has a more pessimistic perspective compared to Wakanda's privileged optimistic one.

So yeah, Talokan isn't going to play patty cake with their active aggressors who are trying to plunder them. Nor should they, because Namor is proven right with America actively seeking to destabilize Wakanda under the guise of retrieving Riri (see the meeting Ross has with government officials), and the ending with Val.

Wakanda wants to delay inevitable war and minimize the loss across the board but will go to war if pushed, which is fair. Talokan is tired and ready to give the smoke, striking fast and hard to merely end what threatens them once and for all after centuries of patience and displacement. That is also fair.

"Namor, despite wanting Wakanda’s help with his mission, ultimately doesn’t view Wakanda with anymore sympathy than he does the rest of the world. He has made it clear that he hates the surface world and everyone in it, which includes the Wakandans."

You're right, he doesn't sympathize with Wakanda. There's nothing to sympathize with. He empathizes with them, a stronger feeling and sense of connection than sympathy. He admires Wakanda and feels a sense of kinship, maybe a bit of jealousy (Joe Cole). To him, Wakanda was a threat if they weren't on his side. Why?

A) Wakanda (unintentionally) compromised them by revealing themselves to the world and the power of Vibranium. Now everyone else, armed with that dangerous knowledge, is looking for it to wield it. Wakanda can more or less protect their Vibranium, claiming ownership of it when it's on their lands, they have the power to, and they're the ones who revealed it. But what can Talokan do? They'd be forcefully revealed in some way and be subjected to attacks just because they dared to also have Vibranium.

B) Wakanda is compromising them again by harboring Riri, who is the one source capable of the machine the FBI is currently chasing down. There is no guarantee Riri would stay with them (Riri is not their citizen, and America can easily use her as a means to undercut Wakanda and force them to either give vibranium or fork Riri over, so she can build the machine, and they'll get vibranium anyway through Talokan) or wouldn't rebuild her machine. The solutions Namor could fathom were either taking Riri out of the equation for sure (a case of killing one person and saving everyone else) or taking out the threat of those who seek to exploit her.

C) Wakanda was already shaking hands with nations that wanted to destabilize and plunder them, and will want to do the same with Talokan.

D) Wakanda is the only nation that can rival them that now also knows of their existence. If they're not allies with that information, that's dangerous and makes Talokan vulnerable.

With all things considered and understandably from Namor's perspective, there's no "in-between" here. You can't be "neutral." You either are with them or facilitate your own and their destruction.

This doesn't mean he hates Wakanda or Shuri. It is nothing he wants, but something he perceives he has to do for his people, as their protector, father, god, and king. In the script, this is only further exemplified, by his, "I don’t want it to come to this. But I will not hesitate."

Namor Killing Ramonda

His line of "You are queen now" showed that he was never willing to conduct business with Ramonda likely because she was the only person on the surface world who bested him when she lured him out of Talokan(...). He was simply looking for an excuse to get her out of the picture."

At that point, Ramonda threatened to reveal Talokan. Ramonda purposefully played decoy with him and sent in a war dog to infiltrate their nation and retrieve not only their national threat but the princess who has all of their secrets without a sense of closure. The result of this act was the death of two of his "children". Did you just gloss over that fact, because Ramonda didn't just "lure" him away? He wasn't throwing a fit because he was bested. People literally died? He was cradling a dying child in his arms?

Namor was "willing" to conduct business with Ramonda, proven by the simple fact that he approached Ramonda and gave her the shell to contact him. Namor went out to answer Ramonda's call in the first place when he could've just ignored it when he had what he wanted and more in Talokan.

Namor saying "You're queen now" doesn't at all connect to him not seeing Shuri as an equal. That doesn't make any sense. If anything that undermines your point, because before Shuri is officially crowned, he immediately sees her as the sovereign leader, much like himself.

He says "you're queen now" because Shuri is likely the queen now. It's simple math: Shuri is the heir apparent. There's no royal before her now that is leading.

"It's also another reason why he killed Ramonda with no hesitation despite knowing what he knew about Shuri"

Again, Namor did what he did with no hesitation or care if Ramonda is collateral damage because in his eyes, Ramonda betrayed him, he was acting as a vehicle of vengeance for two souls, and he was defending Talokan. When she stepped in front of Riri glaring him down, that was his final nail in the coffin (no pun intended, please, no pun intended.). It was never personal to him nor did he look at it as him killing Shuri's mom. He was playing the role of a protector and king in conflict with another royal, but of course, it's inherently personal to Shuri because that royal happens to be her mother.

Ryan Coogler confirmed it was not personal for him in the Disney+ movie commentary, Tenoch Huerta says killing the queen was never in his initial plans, and Namor says this himself in the script, explaining he did what he did because the queen "betrayed" him with not only a guard, but a child dying as a result when Shuri was never in danger ("you were safe in my care").

Recklessness With Grief

No, Shuri did not have a better handle on how she externalizes her grief until the final of the movie.

"She recognizes that even though she is angry at T’Challa’s death, the rest of the world doesn’t deserve to feel the extent of her wrath."

That's not at all what she recognized at any point. "It will not be these clothes, I'll burn. It will be the world. And everyone in it."

"Even when Namor does kill her mother, she rightfully directs her anger at him."

At the expense of her people's safety and risk of eternal war. She tells M'Baku straight up that nothing else matters except what she wants, and she wants Namor dead. She threateningly pointed a finger, giving M'Baku no choice and leaving him with the command to help her in her endeavors, even if it meant sending them all to their watery graves.

Nakia: "If you go to war for vengeance, it will not fill the hole left from your loss. It will only grow larger, and it will consume you!"

Shuri: "It already has."

With every blow she landed and exchanged with Namor, we cut back to Wakanda receiving blows and being backed up into a corner.

Namor and Shuri were on collision courses where they were destroying themselves, each other, and their people by not handling their grief properly, being consumed by their vengeance, and committing destructive actions ignited by their pain.

Shuri just later had the strength to break that cycle by recognizing what he said to her back in Talokan ("broken leaders"), their connectivity, and shared traumas. She saved them both and quietened Namor's own flames in the process.

"Sure, she has some outbursts at Nakia and M’baku, but she never really alienates them."

Do not downplay the fact that Shuri is dangerous and was not healthily dealing with her grief, but instead was on a path of destruction. Ryan explicitly states that Namor shares this with Shuri: they're both trying to process and similarly struggle grappling with their grief.

Why else do you think Ramonda took Shuri outside to touch grass and do a ritual? Shuri was not ok. From the moment her beloved brother died, she was not ok. She was not magnanimous to the world. She was angry at it. She thought that there was no point in the Black Panther mantle or herb when T'Challa isn't there. As M'Baku even pointed out, she buried herself in her technology as a coping mechanism, which she ought to stop.

Shuri does alienate Nakia. Not only does she snap several times and harshly shove Nakia off of her after she took the herb, but it's also shown at the beginning of the movie she's ignoring all of her calls. In the script, she explicitly considers Nakia dead, immensely angry she missed T'Challa's funeral.

She doesn't listen to M'baku, but consistently tries to push him and his wisdom away during Ramonda's funeral. She even pushed away and tried closing herself off with Ramonda in the lab and river scene.

Namor's Desire

"All he wanted to do was push her to the extremes of grief so she would become reckless as she was."

Namor's true desire was safety for his people. He didn't want to move again or have to change who they are to survive. Namor later had a genuine desire for an alliance with Wakanda, a nation he canonically admires. Namor didn't want to "push her to the extremes of grief to become like him" because she already was like him. He just wanted to channel their shared feelings of reaping "destruction" to the common enemy.

“I think that a lot of the emotion that I was trying to put into it [Talokan] was this idea that Namor is not wanting to move his people again,” says Beachler. “So there is also, this sense of grieving, even there, of this idea of being encroached upon by humans, who are somewhat inconsiderate of them.”

"Instead you see a mutant emerging not out of genetics, but out of the crucible of oppression. Whereas mutants in the comics are born, in Wakanda Forever, they are made. And that history isn't the side story, it's the entire story. It explains Namor's rage, his desperation, and the path he takes which eventually leads to a collision with Wakanda."

It was never a case of Namor only loving and can love his people while hating everyone else, seeing them as inhuman. Namor was prioritizing what he loved the most above what he may also like, admire, or empathize with. He was fulfilling the role given to him he was forced to take from the moment he was born.

"I mean, “no love” is literally his name."

Let's slow down a bit and mayhaps rethink a little on using the meaning of his alias "Namor" as a point about him being loveless, no? That was a "name" given to him by a racist, slave-owning Conquistador priest who also called him, "son of satan" all the while he was burying his mother, the only and last immediate family he had. Namor took that alias to empower himself and take away the sting. He clearly does have love when all of his life he has been a selfless agent for his people. He thought a single or two lives were worth war over. Yes, he explicitly said it was to convey he had "no love" for the surface, but there is context to that.

"Wanting to destroy the whole world, funny enough, including other Mayan descendants who were enslaved or colonized"

When Namor burned down the Hacienda, slaves ran free. Only the Consquisdators were killed. The village elder relayed that they know of Namor's existence and were able to live with that knowledge. The only ones who died were the ones who sought him out with ill intent. The script also featured the factoid of Namor saving the elder and her husband from drowning on their wedding night, if that's worth anything. In the movie, he doesn't want to include Wakanda in the mix of the nations they're at war with either.

Clearly, he is discriminatory with who he'd kill. Who said he'd include Mayan descendants that were enslaved and colonized? The last time I checked, the only person who said anything about burning everyone was Shuri.

Namor: "It is no longer about the scientist. For centuries, the surface nations have conquered and enslaved people like us. Over resources. Since the day I buried my mother, I have prepared my people for the time they would come for us. And that machine? Is the sign that the time is now. I need to know if Wakanda is an ally, or an enemy. There is no in-between."

Shuri: "So you plan to wage war on the entire world, and want Wakanda to help you?"

Namor: [leans in and nods slightly]

Shuri: "That's madness!"

Namor: "There isn't a nation that wouldn't plunder Wakanda if given a chance. If we make an alliance, we can protect each other by striking them first. Then, when the threat of these nations have been eliminated, the scientist will be returned to Wakanda."

Namor wanting to remove the teeth from the lion's mouth and hitting first isn't the same thing as destroying everything and anything. Mind you, he is being chaotic, but he clearly has a concentrated target. Don't get it twisted.

Namor's Regret

It is suggested that Namor in particular felt regret and dislike for the situation in interviews, script, and in-film.

A) Namor is seen pensively on his throne, touching and cradling the shell phone as he awaits contact.

B) Namor's, "It could've been different."

C) Interestingly, Ryan and Joe Cole corroborated in The Movie Report panel interview, more regret was in every blow exchanged. Namor in particular did not want to exchange a fatal blow until he was pushed to impale Shuri on the rock in a desperate attempt to his life.

Equaling and Relating

Relating to someone is different from equalling someone. Out of all who were listed, whether it was Peter Parker, Riri Williams, or Namor, Namor is the only one out of those that is explicitly and purposefully depicted as equalling and relating to Shuri.

Namor And Shuri

The reasoning given for how Shuri works paired with Peter Parker or Riri Williams strongly applies to Shuri with Namor, so operating under the same logic, they largely work too.

"What makes both of these pairings work to a degree is the idea of them being equal in some regard(...) They clearly see each other as equal. They more or less agree on a common enemy and how to deal with said enemy, with morals and values that more or less align."

They do agree on a common enemy. That's literally half of the premise for Namor proposing an alliance where they protect one another. The problem just was how they go about handling things. Tragedy, trauma, and dramatic irony unfavorably played factors.

Otherwise, they're practically the same, and are now on the "same page". Their morals and values aren't far off either. Wakanda and Talokan are eerily similar, whether it be in having spying channels, an isolationistic approach, finding jurisdiction wherever they feel it (aka, if it regards and threatens them), only wanting to protect what they love, embracing-involving their culture-traditions, being environmentalists, and using defensive-offensive means if provoked by a perceived threat.

In visuals alone, they took great care to portray Shuri and Namor as Parallel Characters.

The "boy without love" and the "child who scoffs at tradition." They do have a few healthy differences (I'll save that for another article), but they are equal and deeply relate.

As said on The Movie Report panel interview, Shuri became the Panther god (the Black Panther is canonically Bast's avatar), while he is the god of his civilization. They're both royals and leaders of their own nations. Said nations are sister nations, both having the power of vibranium and the highest levels of advancement. They are both broken and with a shared trauma etched deep in their hearts. They both have a righteous, divine fire and an acute sense of avenging. They both were haunted by similar grief and pain that pushed them to seek solace in one another.

Namor is described as lonely and with loneliness by Ryan Coogler, and that's exactly how Shuri felt in the beginning as well (see her Interlude), and unfortunately, later in the movie after Ramonda "dies" (but in the end, it's revealed that Ramonda, like T'Challa, is not gone.). They brought innovative technology and a new era of living to their people. They share the same love languages: acts of service and gifts.

There was an entire montage near the end of the film showcasing this.

Riri Williams

Riri Williams relates to Shuri in a sense of being young black women whose intelligence and talents aren't always respected by their elders. They can also relate to their fathers being murdered (if they take a page out of comics for Riri, see Ironheart #9) or the loved ones that taught them what they know being ripped away from them. Maybe they also know about diffusion too as geeks, but it stops there.

Riri, like Peter, is a teenager (19 years old) new to college (the same college Okoye states is the equivalent of a Wakandan elementary school), trying to grapple with her emerging life and school. Shuri is a princess of the most powerful nation and head of Wakandan Technology. She completed the journey of school and became a college assistant at the age of 13. Wakanda Forever was Riri's debut and entry into the game. Wakanda Forever was Shuri, who is already a non-teenaged adult at this point, journeying through her womanhood and immense grief. Shuri is not new to the game, having been in countless wars and accumulated countless experiences Riri has yet to touch.

Throughout the film, Shuri acted as the voice Riri didn't have that Namor would hear, largely due to T'Challa's influence. At the end of the film, Riri invites Shuri to a basketball game. Shuri says no, prioritizing her duties and having a full plate compared to Riri's less uncomplicated, lighthearted one. This alone highlights their differences in placement and mental space.

Big sisters do not "equal" their younger siblings. They guide and protect, having some level of authority and experience over them.

And That's Perfectly By Design

Riri and Shuri are not equals and have noticeable divergences where one cannot ever relate to or feel what the other does. Shuri won't know how Riri feels the need to prove herself as a black woman in a society where black people, black women, are given the shorter end of the stick. Shuri doesn't know anything about how it is for African Americans and law enforcement. Riri won't know the privileges or how it feels like to carry the burdens Shuri does to the extent she does. Riri does not entirely relate to Shuri's grief either. Riri was a fish out of water who constantly wanted to go home despite the beauty and safety in Wakanda. They belong to two different worlds.

It is great that they have these differences because, in the words of Dominque Thorne, they can learn from each other. Their relationship in the film is contextualized as Shuri perceiving Riri as her reflection and then taking on a mentor role. Riri is, in Letitia's words, a reflection of T'Challa's choice. There are several parallels between Riri-Shuri and T'Challa-Shuri. It gives Shuri more of a personal incentive and investment in the outreach program her brother enacted. T'Challa had the connection, learning experience, and realization of the Lost Tribe and their struggles through N'Jadaka. Shuri now has that with Riri, but positively! Riri also can offer a breath of fresh air every now and again, fulfilling the chemistry she had (bubbly, plucky younger one) with T'Challa (the more composed, older, responsible one).

Whether you want to mold and configure this into a romantic dynamic, is up to you. The point is that yes they relate, yes they do have chemistry, but no, Riri and Shuri aren't equals.

Peter Parker

Hypothetically, Peter relates to Shuri in their intelligence (although I'd argue Shuri is smarter, Shuri's probably smarter than everyone), but that doesn't at all suggest they'd have the same interests. It doesn't work like that.

Peter (2001 baby) is younger than Shuri (1997-1998). He is just starting college. Shuri is around 22, 23 years old due to the snap. She was 19, 20 in Infinity War. Peter was 16. It's not a big age gap, but I wouldn't say they're peers. Age proximity doesn't indicate relatability either, especially if the maturity levels and experiences differ.

However, I will say, I think Peter and Shuri can relate to being orphans that do feel lonely (although Shuri lost and later gained family, Peter is left off completely alone), going through personal dark arcs, and suffering immense pain that changes the trajectory of their lives. They used to be more lighthearted, but now were forced to grow up and their perspectives darkened.

That's about it though. They aren't on the same wavelength or of the same caliber when it comes to their types of threats, challenges, and predicaments. Namor could entirely relate with her being another nation of vibranium of a culture the other nations seek to destabilize, destroy, or conquer, as well as someone with a similar depth and sense of grief. Riri could relate as a black woman living in America (lost tribe) who'd know a thing or two about persecution and was thrown into the mix between the Talokan-Wakanda conflict. Peter?

This isn't factoring in their standings either, with Shuri being an heir apparent and leader of the strongest nation on the surface with Peter being "your friendly (and now depressed) neighborhood Spiderman" that occasionally gets thrown outside his payroll.

Peter and Shuri can probably relate and it's easy to assume they'd have chemistry and may do a little chemistry together. But they do not equal either.

In Conclusion

Yes, ship and let ship. These are all great fictional characters with compelling dynamics. Shipping is largely for fun and often depends on the person's taste.

Looking at this from a perspective of a writer and storyteller, there's no such thing as it "not" working or "making sense" unless you have, excuse my language, shit and uninspiring writing.

#Parotkee's Musings #wakanda forever #princess shuri #shuri black panther #mcu namor #nashuri #namor shuri #shuri riri #shuri peter #seaprincess #black panther #Update tag: this isn't “fighting” or if Nashuri “should” be shipped #read properly next time before subtumblring lol #bpwf #namuri

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twisted-in-underland · 5 months

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“You’ve never had a friend like me? Hehehe, I seem to get that a lot!”

Unique Magic:

Friend Like Me: By entrusting their lamp to another person - or “master” - Maram is able to access near cosmic powers. The spells must be made in the style of a wish by the “master” that Maram then fulfills. Due to the strength of the magic, Maram can only fulfil three “wishes” before to much blot is accumulated.

Info template belongs to @unfinished-projects-galore!

Side note: Maram is not a student at NRC or RSA, I’m just using the Scarabia template because it fits the aesthetic of the character in general 👍🏻

Other info: Concept sketch & information

[image updated due to unnoticed spelling errors]

(More info under the cut)

I know I said I was going to work on Yuri and Roma’s sprites…but Maram has been on my mind and I needed to get them in colour 🫣

For those who are new, Maram Grant is twisted from Genie from Aladdin and takes inspo from both animated and live action versions! I mention someone named “Ali” later on (like once lol), that’s my TWST!Aladdin; his full name is Amir Ali but he often goes by just “Ali” or “Al”.

Much of Maram’s basic info is available in the concept sketch post linked above, so I’m going to try to just clear up a few other things I’ve thought of.

~~~

Maram doesn’t attend traditional mage schools like NRC or RSA. I’m really leaning towards the idea that genies have their own schooling system. This is primarily because they use their lamps in place of mage stones. I imagine young genies start learning to control their magic early on through their parents (so they can attend elementary/middle school with other kids) and go through more structured learning in high school.

Genies primarily live in small communities like towns or villages similar to humans. Some communities are more nomadic than others and enjoy traveling around the Scalding Sands. The bulk of genie communities are located in the Scalding Sands, but there are some scattered communities in other areas of Twisted Wonderland. Maram claims her uncle lives somewhere in the Sunset Savannah, and that they have a friend who goes back to the Shaftlands when school is closed for breaks.

The big thing I wanted to touch on is that “Friend Like Me” isn’t technically a unique magic like what we’ve seen in game. This particular power is something all genies have access too, but because Maram is friends with a number of mages (i.e. Kalim, Jamil, and Ali) they decided to give the ability its own name. It’s just a little bit of Maram’s fun loving nature poking through.

Aside from the obvious risk of overblot when casting such powerful spells, there’s a lot of trust that goes into casting these spells. I mentioned in the concept post that to genies their lamps are everything to them; it’s how they monitor and recover from blot and they can act like little homes for the genies if they want. The big thing is that each genie revives a lamp and pair of bracelets when they’re young and is special to the individual. Genies can’t enter the lamps of another genie unless they’re given permission which is rare. The bracelets can be replaced if necessary as they’re closer to the concept of magical pens. The lamps, however, are nearly impossible to replace if lost or broken. Given the fact that the lamp has to be given to another person, there has to be a lot of trust between both parties.

Likewise, the genie has to be sure that the person they are entrusting their lamp too isn’t going to make any stupid “wishes”. This includes things that the genie could conjure up easily, without the need to access such powerful magic. The risk of overblot is not worth conjuring up money, food, clothes, etc. which they could normally do with ease

Ngl between Kalim and Jamil, Maram trusts Jamil with their lamp much more than Kalim. As much as they love Kalim’s friendship, Maram feels like Kalim would make an impulsive request out of excitement 😅

And just a silly little fact about Maram, they really like the colour blue and enjoy big Ol’ pants like jupe-culotte/harem pants.

And that’s all I wanted to clarify! Like always feel free to ask any questions, I’ll try to answer as best I can with what I have already figured out!

#twisted wonderland #twst oc #twst #twisted wonderland oc #scolding sands #twst genie #twst genie oc #twst genie concept #genie oc #genie aladdin #Maram Grant #my art #artist on tumblr #digital art #disney twst #disney twisted wonderland

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fourseasonsfigs · 6 months

Text

Word of Honor Poster Figs

The poster ad for the show is too iconic to not have a set of figs celebrating it!

The fig maker spent a lot of care and time on this set. These are not easy figs to make - there's a ton of detail on the costumes, and the pose is incredibly dynamic. The fans in China seemed really happy with how these turned out, and once these arrived on my doorstep, I could see why!

I'm really happy these figs arrived unscathed - there's so much going on with these I was worried something might get snapped off.

The only two assembly pieces were Baiyi and Lao Wen's fan, which were fairly easy to tuck into their respective hands.

Alright, time to get into the fig pictures! Here's the full poster again for reference purposes:

Dynamic indeed - just their hair alone!

These figs are a bit larger than the usual - a typical fig is about 8 cm. To the top of Lao Wen's hair bun is 12 cm, and then add on even more for Baiyi.

These figs actually stand up great. I was really worried about having them standing by themselves, just given the delicacy of the flowing hair, but the wide stance helps support them. The flowing robes do too, so even if they toppled back a bit the robe edges would catch them.

This is not my favorite hairstyle of Lao Wen's - I like his wispies around his face! But I will say I did appreciate he had a few different hairstyles throughout the show.

This is my favorite costume of Lao Wen's though!

Look at those robes and hair flying. Amazing.

I really appreciate how much detail the fig maker put into Lao Wen's red robe, with all the golden embroidery work even on the back. So nice.

The red and blue contrast is just gorgeous. The costumes for this show were just brilliant all the way around.

The detailing work on A-Xu's blue costume is rendered very well here too.

The fig maker did a beautiful job on A-Xu's hair and face here. Really nice.

Here's a pic of how they interlock a bit. I could have pushed them a little bit closer together, there's still a little bit of room in there before the flow of their costumes stop them. It actually helps make them more stable when they're interlocked together.

Here's all the details on the underside. They're all completely modeled out, with their black pants tucked into their black boots. I like the extra effort of the white underlayer for Lao Wen's robes, especially given that you can't really see it when the fig is standing.

The top front view of our two fighters. You can see A-Xu's sword mudra really well from this angle, and Lao Wen's blade hand as well.

And the same view, from the back. I really like A-Xu's married bun with hairpin style!

We also have a nice box card with the art here. I have the figs displayed just like this on my shelf, with the poster art behind them. They look wonderful!

Material: Resin

Fig Count: 492

Scene Count: 31

Rating: A dashing (and deadly) duo

[link back to Master Fig Index for more posts]

#wenzhou #word of honor #shan he ling #zhou zishu #wen kexing #figthusiast

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imabeautifulbutterfly · 9 months

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l need Luke Skywalker x Jedi!reader x Din djarin imagine Please

Hello dear love,

I'm so sorry it took so long to have this written for you. But I hope I did it justice.

______________________________________

CHOICE

SUMMARY: Your past and your future collide, what decision will you make?

A/N: Hello lovelies,

It's been a while since I have posted. Life has been one blow after another. Good news is that my mother is doing very well. I had COVID for two weeks almost, thankfully it wasn't too bad, but it did drain me quite a bit.

I don't write poly-ships, but I hope I did this request justice; also it's not necessarily a Jedi reader, but a reader who is force sensitive.

Thank you to the lovely @firstofficerwiggles for beta reading.

This will be a 7-parter. Updated weekly.

Love oo

Italics - flashback

WARNINGS: Angst, anger, sacrifice, force use

AO3 Link | OS & MS Master List | Main Master List

Words: 1601 | Next

Luke wiped the sweat from his face as he ran through his drills, he couldn’t help but think back to his time on Dagobah, running through that humid and dense forest with Yoda on his back. The jokes his old master would share with him, the conversations they would have, and the wisdom he could impart.

Now, he was alone.

Sure he had his twin sister, Han, Chewie, and R2 but it wasn’t the same. They didn’t understand the responsibility of becoming a Jedi, and Leia all but decided she didn’t want this life. She wanted to raise a family with Han.

A family.

His eyes focused on the stars overhead as he lay down on the grassy field, the breeze cooling his body, as he wondered what would happen if he did have a family.

Someone to love.

Who was he kidding, it would be a pipe dream. Who would he even have a family with?

It’s not like he couldn’t find some random person to start a family with, but he didn’t want just someone he could pick up at a bar. He wanted to have a deeper connection. Someone who would understand the responsibility of being with a Jedi, and the issues a long distance relationship could have.

Family.

That one word kept him up unsettled. Not because of the responsibility but because of you.

He tried to push you out of his mind, clearing his thoughts so he could focus on his meditation, however now whenever he mediated and that word kept popping up, there was one face he saw. It was yours, and all the firsts you two had shared.

His heart began to ache when he thought of the last time he saw you.

The music from the Ewok’s impromptu party still filled the night air, he looked around to find you, he hadn’t seen you since he told Leia he was turning himself in to the Empire, only to walk right into you waiting on the next catwalk.

You tried to stop him, told him you’d overheard his conversation with Leia, that he was crazy and out of his mind for going to face Vader. He did his best to reassure you, but you weren’t hearing it. He did the only thing he could think of, he leaned in and gently kissed your cheek lingering for a few seconds longer than necessary. It was the sure fire way of making sure you stopped talking, he’d used once or twice to win an argument between the two of you. As you stood there, tears in your eyes, he wished you the best and left you standing as tears streamed down your face.

He spent a good portion of the night trying to find you, and now that he had found you standing away from the party, looking out into the forest of Endor, all the words in that moment flew out of his mind as he remember the first time you two kissed.

Turned out it was both your first kiss, you were both clumsy and awkward, however, it was special. A special moment that started the both of you through a journey of friendship and love that neither of you had expected.

You looked beautiful, standing there with a drink in your hand, your eyes shined even though they seemed lost and sad. He was glad he made it back. He didn’t want to have any regrets about leaving things the way they had before he went to meet Vader, but he also knew things might never be the same between the two of you.

He took a deep breath, calming down his racing heart, taking one step towards you, “I’m surprised you’re here” Luke’s voice called over, he could see how you flinched at hearing his voice, “I thought you would’ve been having a drinking contest with Chewie by now.”

You simply hummed an acknowledgement not bothering to turn to look at him.

He ran his hand through his hair, letting out a sigh, he could sense your annoyance at having him stand beside you. He leaned on the balcony doing his best to keep his distance without looking like he was keeping his distance, he just needed to appear casual “Still mad at me?”

Your hand clenched around the mug that contained some obscure liquor the Ewok’s made, it wasn’t the tastiest thing but it certainly had a kick, you took a sip trying to calm the annoyance in your heart. Taking in a deep breath, you closed your eyes and exhaled doing your best to let your frustration go. “Let me ask you, what would you do if it had been me?”

“But it wasn’t you”

You squeezed the mug, “So because it wasn’t me, I have no right to feel anything?”

“That’s not what I said”

“Then what did you mean? I’m asking you to put yourself in my shoes, my friend … my partner or someone I thought loved me, goes to sacrifice himself, and the last thing you said to me was ‘I’m glad you’re my friend.’ Then you walked away. You didn’t turn back, you didn’t falter, you just left. If it had been me, wouldn’t you still be mad at me?”

Luke rubbed the back of his neck, “Yeah, I probably would be” he felt bad for leaving you standing there, “If there had been another way to save Vader, if it was possible for me to do it any other way, don’t you think I would’ve tried?” He looked over to you, hoping you’d understand his predicament.

A defeated sigh left you, you knew how much saving Vader meant to Luke. It was his father after all, what would you do for your family?

“I’m sorry. I know, I shouldn’t hold it against you. I know what you went through with Vader, and how much it meant for you to save him, it’s just …” You ran your hand down your face, “It just … you scared me. I thought I’d never see you again.” Tears began to well-up, “Do you know how much I love you?”

Luke stepped closer to you, resting his hand on your elbow, turning you to face him, “I know how much you care for me; it’s because I had your support I was able to do what I needed” his hand cupped your cheek, “I appreciate you more than you can possibly imagine.”

“Appreciate?” You clarified, as you stepped away from him, “You appreciate me?” You felt a nervousness rising, as your stomach fluttered, you could feel your heart breaking, “You don’t love me, do you?”

Maker how he wished he didn’t have to have this conversation, how he wished thing didn’t have to be this way.

“I … I'm the last Jedi, and with that comes a responsibility. If things were different, if I wasn’t my father’s child, if …” Luke took in a shaky breath, as he stepped closer to you again, “If I had the freedom to say what is pressing on my heart to say, what you are wanting to hear …” his hand caressed your cheek, “However, I can’t tell you what you want to hear. It’d be unfair and cruel, especially since I’m not able to give you the life you want. It’s my responsibility to train the future generations, to pass on the knowledge I have gained.”

You couldn’t believe what you were hearing, “What are you trying to say?”

His hand dropped to his side, as he took a minute to steady his nerves, he closed his eyes using the force to give him the strength of what he needed to do. He took in a deep breath before looking into your eyes, as resolve settled within his heart.

“We need to be honest about our future”

“Our future?”

“We’re heading in different directions, love. I can’t …” he cleared his throat, forcing the words to come out, “I'm not able to dedicate myself you. I am a Jedi Knight, like my father before me, my will is the will of the force, and you deserve someone who will focus on you completely”

“I don’t care what you think I deserve, I want you.” He could see how your mind was racing a million miles a minute to keep this from happening, “I can … I can help with training. I can provide support. I … I can’t …” your bottom lip started to tremble, as your eyes welled up, “I can’t walk away from you. I can’t …”

Luke wiped the tears that had slipped down your cheek, “I’m sorry. I wished things were different, but I can’t turn my back on the legacy that has been placed before me.”

You took another step back, you closed your eyes steading your nerves as much as possible, “I understand.” You did your best to fight back the tears, you were sure he could hear your heart breaking, “I know you’ll do an amazing job. I wish you all the best.”

His eyes opened as the rocks floating around him plummeted to the floor, maker how he regretted walking away from you. The next day you had left without so much as a goodbye, he didn’t blame you, after all it was his fault for making you leave.

Now, however, all he really wanted, was to see you again, to tell you he did love you. He never stopped loving you. Walking away, was the hardest and most painful thing he had to do.

He realized his mistake, especially after Grogu decided to go back to his Mandalorian, to have his family.

AO3 Link | OS & MS Master List | Main Master List

Tag List:

@liadamerondjarin @badbatch-simp24 @spicymcnuggies @lady-ren @firstofficerwiggles @darkangel4121 @discofern @kavecika @monako-jinn-stories @ladykatakuri @avathebestx @theroguesully @furyhellfire66 @carodealmeida @ciramaris @sprout-fics @twinkofthedink @dindjarin-mandalorian

#luke skywalker #din x reader #luke skywalker x reader #star wars #luke skywalker x you #din dijarin x reader #din djarin fanfic #din djarin fanfiction #luke skywalker fanfiction #Luke skywalker fanfic #the mandalorian x reader #the mandalorian #anon request #grogu #mando x you #mando x reader #mando fanfiction #darth vader

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drgngutz · 21 days

Text

Coast - Luffy x f!soulmate!reader

Prologue

I've decided to cross post this from wattpad, since the teaser I posted seemed to be received so well. If you like this, and would rather get updates right away, I'll post the link to wattpad on my master list :)

I'll be starting a tag list for people who want to be notified for updates and don't use wattpad.

Hope u enjoy, <33

The bustling city created noise all around me. Over the years it's become the background for my rambling thoughts. The rapid and angry beeping of cars, which were always dodging the just-as-angry pedestrians, was as common of an occurrence as the construction going on across from the orphanage's scrawny apartment building. There was rarely ever a time of silence in the big city. The endless annoyance tended to grate on my nerves, and the days were passing slower and slower. A constantly parentless child in her last weeks of high school, there was barely enough money to make ends meet, much less move somewhere quieter. The side job at the convenience store wasn't working out, and having to care for the other kids in the orphanage with such a small amount was getting me nowhere.

Sighing, I stopped my trudging footsteps and turned my head towards the underside of my arm.

'Hey, I caught you! -M.D.L'

It made me feel worse every time I saw it; the fancy script that tattooed my forearm, close to my wrist and scribed in black ink. The perfectly unmarred scrawls used to make my stomach flip in excitement when I looked at it, but now it was just a constant reminder of what I was lacking. My own soulmate; just another person that didn't seem to want me.

Most people find their soulmates early in life, since we're gifted the markings of a soulmate at birth. The marks are hereditary depending on what kind you have, ranging from first words spoken (like my own), to seeing a glowing red string attached to their fingers; it all depends on what kind you inherited from your family. People can discover their soulmates as early as ten, though it's globally averaged they meet each other around sixteen to seventeen years old.

I was seventeen now, and in my final year of high school, so everyday that passed without hearing those words, the more nervous I got. It was possible that I would never meet them with a soulmate mark that didn't give me any information. I couldn't track them, find a picture of them, or communicate with them. Some people on this overpopulated earth are unlucky enough to never meet their soulmate; even unluckier people are born without a mark to match with someone else's. I was more scared of the first option.

No matter how many times I posted online, searched the match websites, or attended special 'soulmate conventions' where thousands gathered in order to meet new people, I still hadn't found mine. Most of the students in my classes had found theirs, and more than ever I felt the peer pressure of needing to find mine. The few friends I had whispered behind my back, some were pitiful, some just flat-out criticizing me for not finding them yet; not that they really counted as friends anymore. To make matters worse, the women who ran the orphanage often reminded me that it was only a matter of time before I would have to leave and make a home of my own. There were years wasted with foster families who I hoped would give me a way out spilled down the drain, only to never stay for too long. Then, I was back at square one.

The soonest way I could leave this place would be with the support from my soulmate.

Leaning against the railing of a bridge that I crossed to-and-from school, I stared up at the gloomy sky, feeling the beginnings of rain build up into a thin layer of moisture on my skin. The cars sped by, whirring with life as they switched between lanes or sped past others who were going too slow for their liking.

If I could speed past this point of my life like those cars, past the dullness of each passing day, past the hopelessness of my future; I would take that chance in a heartbeat. I could open a new chapter of my life, try to find some sense of self, maybe get the chance to find my passions. I loved the kids at the orphanage, them being my only 'family' left in this world, but it wasn't the same when compared to the idea of finding the one person you belong with. Someone who wants you for all that you are. I've been looking for that my whole life.

A low creak sounded, then a snap! Soon, I didn't have the support of the railing behind me.

Blinded by my brief desperation, I didn't readily take notice that I was starting to fall backwards; Stunned silent as I watched the metal rail of the bridge swing in disconnection above me. Small pieces of the metal followed my tracks as I began the plummet towards the rushing waters of the river below.

Stomach in my throat, I couldn't scream even if I wanted to. Falling silently to my death, heart racing, the delayed fear kicking in when I heard less of the rumbling cars and more of the rushing water beneath me. I finally started to understand that I was going to die.

My hair whipped around, a gust of wind blowing it into my eyes. I closed them instinctively, gritting my teeth with all of my muscles tensed so tight that they began to cramp.

I couldn't breath, couldn't see, couldn't feel.

The river below me flew and clashed with a ferocity; like the gnashing teeth of a beast.

It all went numb.

And then, I couldn't hear anything.

...

Slowly, I could register a difference. The soft sound of rushing wind around me. It was a lot warmer, coupled with the lack of the river noise from before. It was almost... gentle.

"Am I... dead?" I hadn't realized the words were said out loud until I felt my lips move, barely hearing my whispers over the wind, which was billowing harshly and picking up speed.

Opening my eyes I was met with a bright blue sky, the sun shining through the fluffy white clouds that were splattered across the scene. A small bird crossed the sky in front of me, blocking the rays of the sun for just a moment before it was out of sight again.

I blinked, wondering if I really was dead, before gazing at the (h/c) hairs that were flowing around my view.

Dazed, I took a glance below me.

It looked like a very large body of water; an ocean, to be exact.

What the hell was an ocean doing in the city?

Speaking of the city, there was none. It was vast, open space. Not a single landmass in sight. So, I was falling towards the ocean. An ocean that just sort of appeared, and not the river that I was previously about to drown in.

It took another moment before realizing the repeating danger; I was falling. Falling towards my death a second time. And at this height, a height much higher than when I had fallen off of the bridge, all of my bones would break and be pushed into my body. If the current didn't kill me, then the internal bleeding definitely would.

Tears bubbled up in my eyes. When my brain and body caught up to each other, I realized how close I had gotten to the water, and I was screaming shrilly before I could stop myself.

Terror ripped through me. After just having to accept the idea of dying in my fall off of the bridge, I was now flung into another gruesome death; but this time my brain had enough time to understand what was going on. There was no surviving this. I was either in hell, or stuck in my last moments; experiencing the fear of my own death on repeat. My vision was blurry as I choked on a sob.

The water was getting close... close, closer still.

Did I really have to go through this again? Was there no way I could survive this?

The instinctual, fearful process started again when I got within two-hundred feet of the water. I could hear the gentle lapping of the waves, now.

My teeth and eyes clenched shut, muscles tensing again to brace for the pain, heart racing for the incoming impact.

This was it. I was going to die. Again.

When the waves became the only thing that I could hear anymore, I felt a sudden pressure around my abdomen.

I was yanked to the side with a whiplash that was near breakneck speed. Grabbing at the squishy material around my waist for some sort of support, I opened my eyes right before I whacked into something solid. With a cry, we were both sent sprawling to the ground.

A low groan vibrated the object that I was now laying on, warm and firm, before I repeated the same sound; body aching from the fearful tension and then the rough collision. The surface beneath us rocked side to side, and I had to place a hand on the wooden boards beneath us to steady my trembling body before I fell over. Now on my knees between his thighs, I heard a shuffling in front of me.

Shaking my head, I opened my teary eyes to find the face of a boy right in front of mine. When our gazes met, he broke out into an enormous, adorable smile.

"Hey, I caught you!"

Chapter One

#luffy #luffy x reader #monkey d. luffy #one piece #monkey d luffy #one piece luffy

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jeonghaniehaee · 1 month

Text

txt reblogs

master post

consists of txt fics i have personally enjoyed

order will go: name/link + author, synopsis, and my notes

you can probably tell my bias from all of my reblog lists…

read at ur own risk, some fics may be 18+ and not meant for minors

likes + reblogs for the original writer are appreciated from everyone 🤍

soobin:

all for a bet @/jjunieworld

choi soobin has always been the popular kid surrounded by his popular friends. y/n... not so much. one night, soobin and his friends make bet that soobin can't get y/n to date him in a month. unfortunately for y/n, they're a hopeless romantic.

notes: THE ANGST? THE FIGHTING? BEOMGYU LOWK BEING A BITCH? AAHHH THIS SMAU IS SO 💕💞💓💗💝💘💖

yeonjun:

📂 working on it..

beomgyu:

e-daters! @/suwbuns

moving back to korea from america, y/n is excited to reunite with her old friends and make new ones. what she doesnt expect is to find herself reuniting with her “ex-boyfriend” from 10 years ago who she dated over minecraft. what makes things worse? he happens to be her favorite streamer who she has been pinning after for years.

notes: it’s says to be announced so i’m going to assume it’s not finished but so far these are super funny and cute too 🤞(i might be a lil obsessed)

taehyun:

killshot @/wave2tyun

your life seemed to have taken a turn for the worse the minute kang taehyun stepped foot into the spy agency you worked at. wanting to take on a challenge to prove yourself worthy of the top position, your plans were turned upside down with his addition to the mission. you didn’t think things could get any worse, until they stated one clear, mandatory condition: the two of you had to pretend you were a couple.

THE ENDING IS SO CUTE OMG AND THE PLOT AND THE sSTORY OVERALL IS JUST 😭😭😭🥹🥹

february 14th @/jjunieworld

this has to be the worst day of your life. and just your luck, the day keeps repeating. over and over again. and you don’t know why. you get to relive the same day where you finally garner the courage to ask your crush, kang taehyun, out and get to relive the part where he rejects you each time.

notes: omg this story is so cute and even the parts of angsts are just *chefs kiss* istg all these taehyun writers are messing up my already taehyun messed up heart!!!

6:41 a.m. @/jjunieworld

you’re awoken early in the morning from taehyun’s alarm to go to the gym and decide to go with him. you end up distracting him from his routine with your staring and decide to encourage him with kisses to help him.

notes: super cute read and something to read after angst (read this after feb 14th from the same writer 🙏)

cherry wine @/wave2tyun

there were many things that you were good that. cooking, however, was not one of them. the minute your uni opened up a cooking course held by the culinary arts students, your friend made sure that your name would be the first one to appear on that list- without telling you about it, of course. but, what happens when the instructor is cute?

notes: this one is pretty sweet and such a attack to ur heart with how fluffy it is 🥹 a must read frfr

huening kai:

summer’s over @/hueningsloverr

many generations ago - like, many - your family purchased a beach house in a small coastal town a few hours away from where you were living growing up. and so, every summer right after school got out, you stayed at that beach house for a month and a half, until school started again. and it had been that way your entire life.

notes: omggg 😭😭 the emotions? the angst? it broke my heart but genuinely everything is oh sosososososo perfect 🥹

any recommendations to add? send in an ask and i’ll add it in🗞️

want me to make a different groups recommendation list? add in an request too 📃

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oraclekleo · 1 month

Text

33rd Birthday!

Hello my dear followers and random visitors of my blog.

I have already made a sorry announcement due to my hiatus but that’s not all I wanted to tell you.

This Monday, April 15th 2024 to be precise, is my Birthday. I’m already 33 years old! Would you believe that? I certainly wouldn’t. I feel like 16. 😂

And how pretty the number is, right? Two threes… My life path number is also 3. How neat is that, huh?

When it comes to angel number 33, this source says the following:

“The 33 angel number means anything is possible. This powerful angel number is also known as a master number because of its double digits mirroring each other and its powerful vibrations. The number 33 is linked to themes around creative thinking, deep compassion, spiritual-level connections, discipline, and bravery. When you see this number show up it could be because it's an opportune time for a change or because patience is paramount right now in your daily life because a spiritual meaning that will have major significance is soon to be revealed.”

Nothing can be more true for me as major change is about to happen for me. I don’t want to reveal what it is just now but I will keep you informed in time. 😜

And no, I’m not dating anyone 🤣 Still happily Sexy, free and single.

I did want to celebrate my birthday with you with some sort of event but as you know I was really busy so… I guess we will celebrate my 44th Birthday properly? LOL!

Honestly, I have a lot to be grateful for in my life, you guys in my little community included. I hope we can stay together for many years that come and have some more fun with both serious and kinky tarot readings.

And those might soon become even better articulate and with much more expressive vocabulary as your girl Kleo is currently fully immersed in listening to audio erotica, which is really good! I mean… not all of it but I have already found several favourite voice actors, their voice and style really suiting me and apart from having a good time listening to it while working (yes, I do listen to audio porn while at work, sue me if you want), I also learn a lot from it. You know I can just soak information like a sponge from anything I do and well… This is a really good source. Also, I’m considering holding a voice chat once in a while with my friends now as I really want to learn to use my voice as well as I use my fingers for typing. And yes, I tested with my bestie and I nearly choked when I had to pronounce word ‘f*ck’ out loud. You wouldn’t guess it by reading my posts but I’m really talking like a lady out loud. I rarely curse or say rude words. 🤭

I also learned about very surprising preferences through this audio erotica experience. I swear I didn’t expect to love what I love so much. It came as a shock and I truly thought my preferences to be completely different from what I actually enjoy the most. I guess there’s still a lot to learn about myself. Another great thing about my new hobby. You know how much I love to learn anything.

Anyway! That’s about my new hobby and about my approaching birthday.

Feel free to contact me through inbox or through DM or join my Discord. I don’t bite… unless you ask me to 😏 I’m also learning how to flirt better. You can be my test subject anytime. 😀 And no, it’s not to go hunt men, I’m way too old to change my ways and routines to fit another person’s lifestyle. My goal is actually much purer. I really like to make people happy and… well, I noticed people will feel happy, flattered and their self-esteem boosted when I flirt with them a little bit. Just another skill I’m learning in order to spread happiness and joy in the world. Might seem frivolous to you but… Well… I enjoy it. And that’s what counts for me.

So yeah! Happy Birthday to me! I’m not growing old, I’m only one year closer to death as my sister tells me every year since I was like 17. 😂 We are a weird family. Try not to think about it too much.

Thank you everyone who’s sticking around here. I promise I will post something soon. Maybe nothing super big but I will post. 🙂

Your forever joyful Oracle Kleo 🦄

#oracle kleo #happy bithday to me

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maddiviner · 1 year

Note

I saw you had posted about angels. Do you know anything about Angel Numbers? I see 888 and 555 a lot recently. I never saw them before moving to the east coast for school. Now they’re everywhere.

I’m not trying to upset or offend, but I’m very critical of the whole “angel numbers” concept.

Don’t get me wrong. Synchronicities can hold great meaning for a magical practitioner, and these synchronicities can involve a series of numbers that repeats in your life. I’ll even tacitly admit that these synchronicities could sometimes be a spirit’s handiwork, trying to get your attention.

The angel numbers thing oversimplifies this to an extreme. I’ve looked into it, mostly because everyone was pushing it so hard back in 2017-ish. It all just… seemed like platitudes. These folks would see the numbers, rush to the internet and google the “meaning” which was usually something like “Good things are coming,” or “you’re raising your vibration,” etc. It rarely provides actionable information.

This image was circulating on Facebook awhile back, to give you an idea of how angel numbering works in practice. The majority of these angel numbers apparently mean that your life is awesome, good things are coming, angels are all around you, and you’re very special. There’s a few that waffle around about how the person needs to “finish something” or “reconnect with spirituality.” Very broad statements, none too bad, and even the vaguely negative ones end with something upbeat like “things are getting exciting!”

I prefer systems of spirit communication (or divination) that account for the full spectrum of human experience. Imagine trying to do a Tarot reading with all the possibly-negative cards removed. You would receive an incomplete, sugarcoated picture of the situation, likely to do more harm than good.

A few sites out there do give negative (or at least less-than-positive) meanings for these numbers. The few negative “angel number” definitions I’ve seen are equal to the positive ones in their vagueness, and, again, usually give no real actionable information. All in all, the “angel number” concept often amounts to toxic positivity and spiritual bypassing. Ignoring the negative aspects won’t make them go away, you’ll miss a lot.

In my earlier Enochian reading list, I linked to a magician’s memoir of magic in the late 1980s. There’s a particularly disturbing moment described therein where repeating numbers (particularly 333) appear.

Rather than being a sign that “the ascend masters are nearby, you’re in great hands,” it was the prelude to absolute chaos. In the Enochian system of angelic magic (which the magicians in the memoir work within), the number 333 has a more sinister meaning. In fact, it’s associated with the demon Choronzon! I screenshotted part of that book - pretty ominous, eh? It’s a far cry from being in great hands! (Pardon the Wikipedia link. It may be a Wiki but it does give a good overview.)

(Sorry for the weird highlighting all over the book. I started doing it in college and never kicked the habit. It’s the best way (for me) to absorb what I read. Typically I use OpenDyslexic, too, which helps, but I changed the font so that it would be more legible for y’all.)

Goes to show you that the “meanings” of these repeating numbers are going to vary depending on what system you’re working in and what symbolism rattles around in your head. The lists and websites about “angel numbers” won’t acknowledge that, though. In fact, very few give any references as to where these meanings are coming from at all. With that in mind, why trust “angel numbers” as a concept?

I can see on Google that a could of sites are claiming that “angel numbers” is an ancient concept dating back to Pythagoras. Yeah, no. Pythagoras had nothing to do with “angel numbers.” Rather, Pythagoras is the founder of a school of numerology. While I’d consider the “angel numbers” concept to be a a (warped) form of numerology, it’s utterly unlike what Pythagoras actually taught.

In reality, of course, Pythagoras was a philosopher, mathematician, and a legit mystic. He conjured a complex system of numerology, and it endures today in some circles. It’s way different than those angel numbers, though! Have a look! This particular page, by the unbeatable Benebell Wen, focuses on using numerology to find your “life path” number, which can then be analyzed alongside other numerological values,

Notice that the meanings are compartmental, meant to be understood within a wider context. They also have both positive and negative aspects of each number listed. The negative aspects are actually negative. Life path numbers are described in terms like arrogant, bossy, argumentative, codependent, egocentric.. and yet, also with positive qualities, such as leadership skills, a nurturing mindset, a strong work ethic, a propensity to help the less fortunate, etc. Other life paths get described as artists, fighters, leaders

Pythagorus’s numerology proper gives the spirits a lot of vocabulary for communicating with you. A spirit trying to warn you of something, for example, might do it more easily with this traditional Pythagorean numerology than through angel numbers.

Above is a clip from the article on Pythagorean numerology, discussing various “life paths.” You’ve got the good, the bad and the ugly traits listed for life paths one and two. The rest of the nine paths are treated with an equal degree of balance. While this particular numerology page doesn’t provide as much info on Pythagoras himself, it’s obviously a far cry from “the microwave said 3:33, it means the ascend masters are around me,” or the usual “good things coming soon” vibe of most angel numbers.

In other words, Pythagorean numerology has little to do with angel numbers and the New Agers should probably stop saying he “discovered angel numbers” or trying to link him to them in any way. He was a mathematician in addition to his philosophical work, and he did teach that the universe could be reduced to numbers ultimately, but that’s a far cry from the angel number mythos.That site I just linked has a lot of other good information, too. I really like Benebell’s work.

Ironically, as I’m writing this, I see that the clock says 3:33 am, but I doubt I’ll post it until later today. I recognize synchronicities are real and may even be messages from specific spirits, but I don’t believe this angel number concept is the best paradigm for approaching them. There’s nothing challenging about it, nothing to get your blood flowing, no liminal push, no impetus to grow. Just “expect the highest good,” and “your vibration is rising,” etc.

Again, I hope this doesn’t offend too many people.

I’m not trying to be mean or insult people who actually do like the angel numbers concept. I just really dislike it, for the reasons I’ve given. If you’re fond of it, it’s just something we’ll have to agree to disagree about. I gotta admit, I question the discernment involved. I don’t think indulging in the concept makes you a bad person or anything like that.

After all, you’re not exactly harming another person by fiddling with these angel numbers. I’m just saying that from my perspective (which was requested), angel numbers can sometimes promote toxic positivity and spiritual bypassing. And I do think there’s better paradigms for learning numerology out there. I’m sure there’s books on numerology in various cultures that give actual details unlike angel number memes.

Most of my numerology studies (smallish, my main interests are elsewhere) came form books that weren’t about numerology, but had a section or two about it.

If anyone else has any thoughts, feel free to reblog with them…

Anyways, my personal favorite angel number is 420 I guess. 🤣

#witchcraft #witchblr #angel #angel numbers #angels #witch #enochian #spiritual bypassing #toxic positivity #synchronicity #eliza.txt #magic

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snowmist-hashira · 1 year

Text

[Chapter title: Serenity]

Muichiro Tokitou x Reader

Wattpad: [KNY Fanfiction] (One shots) Tokito Muichiro x Reader

Archive: Kimetsu No Yaiba: Tokitou Muichiro x Reader

Master list: ♠ Information ♠

Artist links;

Pixiv: https://www.pixiv.net/en/users/49800985

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rainyforesty

I am open to requests for Muichiro x Reader content, and I also enjoy engaging in roleplays. If you're interested in either, please feel free to check out my pinned post for more information. ~ ♠

The room was filled with boisterous chatter, with each student tending to their own affairs, creating a cacophony of mixed voices and sounds. The sun had already climbed high in the sky, casting a warm orange glow over the tempered windows, signaling that it was now mid-day.

Despite the school bell ringing to signify the end of lunch break and the resumption of classes, the deafening noise persisted. The students seemed to be ignoring the bell, and their conversations continued as if they hadn't heard it at all.

Muichiro let out a soft exhale and leaned his chin onto his palm, staring blankly outside. His eyes, a dull shade of mint, fixed on the scenery beyond. The chaotic blend of sounds around him was grating and unpleasant, making him uncomfortable in such settings.

If he had skipped his classes, he wouldn't be stuck in this annoying situation. He cursed himself inwardly for not doing so, and his frown deepened as the clamor of voices grew louder. He generally disliked hearing people's voices and being approached, but there was one exception: you.

It was surprising to discover that your voice was like a balm to him. Your voice was soft and soothing, not too loud or harsh, but just enough to bring him comfort and relaxation. He found it just as comforting as your actions.

Immersed in his own realm of thoughts, he found himself entranced by the mesmerizing gaze of your sparkling eyes. He gazes into them as if he had caught a glimpse of the future he yearned for. He typically responds dismissively to people who attempt physical contact by either pushing their hand away, giving them a fierce look that could leave a lasting impact, or simply disregarding them. However, you are an exception, as he treats you differently.

Despite his usual aversion to physical touch, he finds himself yearning for your touch whenever you run your hand through his black-mint ombre hair. Each time your hand brushes against his hair or untangles the strands, he feels a shiver of excitement run through him, causing him to turn away from you with a smile on his face.

Everything about you just screams heart-warming, comfort and home.

He sulked alone, feeling frustrated by the fact that you were in a different class. He longed to have you by his side and wished for time to pass quickly until you could be together again.

Despite his class starting, he found himself unable to focus on the lesson at hand. With you absent, he instead turned his attention to the scenery outside.

He observed the leaves swaying in tune with the wind, their delicate dance culminating in a graceful descent to the ground. As he looked up, the clouds floated by at a leisurely pace, some taking on shapes that invited imaginative interpretation.

As time passed by, he gradually succumbed to boredom and dozed off. His arms were folded, serving as a cushion for his head which was nestled within. His shoulders rose and fell in unison with each breath, while his eyes remained tightly shut, his lashes grazing his cheeks.

Startled by a sudden touch on his hair, he quickly turned around to glare at the person who dared to invade his personal space. However, as soon as he saw that it was you, his expression softened, and he relaxed as you continued to gently caress his hair.

"I'm sorry. Did I wake you up?" you asked with a meek tone, your eyebrow slightly arched as you tilted your head in guilt for disturbing the sleeping teen.

As you continued to stroke his hair, he let out a content sigh and leaned into your touch, enjoying the sensation. The tension in his body seemed to dissipate as he relaxed, savoring the feeling of your fingers running through his hair. He closed his eyes, reveling in the moment of peace and comfort that you brought him.

The tranquility in the air was palpable, almost like a lullaby luring him back to sleep. The room was deserted, with the sun bidding farewell to the sky and handing over its reign to the moon. He had been dozing off for quite some time now, but he didn't mind it, especially not with you close by.

As he gazed out the window, the wind suddenly picked up and tousled his hair along with yours. He figured you must have opened the window for some fresh air, and he couldn't help but appreciate the playful nature of the wind as it danced around them.

“How was your day?” You asked him with a bright tone, curious about how his day has been so far. He didn't look at you directly, and appeared lost in thought, as if he was considering whether anything noteworthy had occurred.

You waited patiently for his response, noticing the slight furrow in his brow. After a few moments, he finally replied in a monotone voice, "It's been okay, nothing exciting really happened."

You could sense his lack of enthusiasm and decided to change the subject. "Well, do you have any plans for the day?"

He lifted his gaze to you, taken aback by the unexpected inquiry. After a moment of surprise, he composed himself and his expression returned to its usual state. He then shook his head and replied, "Nothing really. Why?”

You leaned your head, continuing to play with his hair and responded with a nonchalant shrug. "Just wondering, I suppose. I enjoy hearing about what you’re up to," you explained, offering a gentle smile. As you gazed at him, he caught sight of your warm expression, causing a slight flush to rise in his cheeks. You looked so captivating, your attention solely focused on his hair and your touch making him feel special.

You softly hummed a soothing melody, matching the sincerity of the moment, before proudly smiling in accomplishment as you finished braiding a section of his hair. "All done~" You pulled out a pocket mirror from your pocket to show him your handiwork.

You giggled and covered your mouth, admiring your work. "You look adorable with it, Mui," you said. He turned towards you with an innocent expression and looked at the braid, blinking several times in confusion.

You let out a small laugh as you watch Mui's innocent expression. "It's a compliment, silly. It looks good on you," you explained with a grin, still amused by his reaction. He looked at himself again in the mirror and blushed, feeling a little embarrassed but pleased at the same time.

Damn, he looked really adorable.

He longed for the moment to linger, your presence, your voice, your touch, all of it evoked memories of home for him. The way you demonstrated your concern through your gestures, he cherished every instance.

The teenager was experiencing unfamiliar emotions towards you, and he couldn't quite understand them. Whenever you were around, he felt his heart beat uncontrollably, and his face flush with every move you made. Despite not knowing what these emotions meant, he hoped to keep you by his side until he could figure it out.

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