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themattress · 8 months

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FE3H: 1, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25

1 - Not "everyone" gets them wrong, but both Edelgard and Claude frequently suffer from truly terrible takes. Edelgard gets treated as a clear-cut, evil and/or stupid villain rather than the morally gray character with admirable qualities that she truly is, while Claude gets treated as a 100% reliable good guy when in fact he's far more complicated and has just as much potential to swing toward the dark side as Edelgard and Dimitri (though he's admittedly still more reasonable on the dark side than either of them). Tellingly, many fans got angry at Three Hopes for clarifying the truth about them rather than admit they pegged them wrong.

3 - Concerning takes on Edelgard:

7 - "Hate" is a strong word; I don't hate him at all and think he's a good character....buuuut I'll freely admit that I have less fondness for Dimitri than I might otherwise have had due to the fandom's treatment of him. So many fans who accuse other fans and even the games' writers of "uwu woobifying" Edelgard in order to distract from her flaws and crimes do exactly that for Dimitri without a hint of irony. This is a guy who, prior to his redemption in Azure Moon and prior to his death in Silver Snow and Verdant Wind, committed the most personally vile, cruel acts out of all the Lords, with little to no remorse. That's really not something that should be minimized or brushed under the rug as if it didn't happen, nor is it something that any amount of trauma can excuse. Hell, Dimitri at the end of Azure Moon would agree with me here!

8 - The common opinion of Edelgard haters is that the Church of Seiros did little to nothing wrong and Edelgard is stupid or evil for wanting to destroy it, while the common opinion of Edelgard fans is that the Church of Seiros is rotten to the core and the best future for Fodlan is it being destroyed. I disagree with both takes. The problem isn't the Church, the problem is Rhea. And not in a bashing way, in an objective way that Rhea herself concedes to by the end of Silver Snow and Verdant Wind: she let her fear, grief and desire consume her and cause her to run the Church in a (though she of course didn't see it this way) self-serving manner that exacerbated the divides in Foldan. The bottom line is that a lot of Fodlan's problems could have been resolved if only poor Rhea had gotten some serious therapy.

9 - The Battle of Gronder Field's aftermath in Azure Moon. On paper, I like Dimitri's redemption arc, but I feel that the execution behind his big turning point was handled horrendously. Rodrigue, who is Felix's father and not Dimitri's, dying gets Dimitri to turn around while Felix himself barely reacts. Fleche, who had potential surviving and helping in Dimitri's arc while also being helped herself, is just casually killed off while only Dimitri finds healing and redemption. And Byleth just forgets that they have the power to turn back time, therefore allowing Rodrigue and Fleche's deaths to happen. Worst writing in the game, easily.

10 - All of the blatant mischaracterizations.

12 - Now, I totally get why many find him off-putting, but Lorenz deserves more love. He is among the biggest cases in the game of someone who struggles to unlearn what he's been taught for his entire life, but that's what makes him so interesting. And whenever he's actually successful at it, he's quite likable with his more humbled personality and bonds with others.

16 - The Holy Kingdom of Faerghus and the Blue Lions. For the most part, it's a bog-standard medieval kingdom and character archetypes that have been done better elsewhere.

17 - More Edelgard vs. Hilda casual rivalry fics/art please; it's hilarious.

18 - Edelgard/Claude as a ship. So much potential there!

19 - Silver Snow. Yes, it's the most unpopular route in Three Houses. Yes, its execution is ass. Yes, its character dynamics are wasted. Yes the final boss is an absolute nightmare. But I like what it was trying to do, damn it! With enough tweaking, it coulda been a masterpiece!

20 - The Heroes' Relics. I get why they're a big deal, but I can't bring myself to actually care about them beyond a gameplay level. And yes, that includes the Sword of the Creator.

21 - Dimitri, Faerghus, the Blue Lions and Azure Moon! Haven't you been paying attention?

24 - Edelgard, of course!

25 - I have sometimes heard complaints that the Golden Deer get the short end of the stick because their backstories, families and home regions tend to get less focus compared to the Black Eagles and Blue Lions. This is missing the entire point. The Golden Deer don't represent a single, powerful entity, but a diverse alliance of city-states, one that has been particularly shaky as a of late. The individuals are not as important as the unity - the alliance - between them is. The focus isn't meant to be on the Golden Deers' backstories, families and home regions, the focus is meant to be on how they gel with one another despite their differences and what they achieve together. In any case, Three Hopes granted more spotlight on half of their homes and families, so it's not like they're totally deprived of that either.

#Fire Emblem #Three Houses #Three Hopes #Opinion #Meme

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septembersghost · 2 years

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sorry I'm new and need to spew my Kim feelings. That she was meant to be a "moral influence" on Jimmy but Rhea realised she was more than that! "And then, once she participates, she doesn’t just participate — she excels at it.” SHE'S GOOD AT IT! The ponytail being loser when she's losing it! the flashier colors in her shirt when she's giving the Kettlemans what they deserve! "She chooses who deserves good in the world and who deserves bad, and that is a very dangerous thing.” god I love her so much

don't be sorry, i love new people and i love kim feelings, and both are always welcome!!! it's such a compelling and well-written character arc, and i'm so glad and admiring that the writers decided to take her in that direction and make her not only complicit, but willing, even an instigator, and ALWAYS in charge of her own agency. rhea said back in S2, "You see that she wants him as much as he wants her. This is not a one-sided chase thing…She did not acquiesce," and i think "she did not acquiesce" becomes a massive part of her journey. she is never "giving in" to him, she is joining him. she's often more cunning and potentially dangerous than he is. jimmy has this line at the beginning of S5, "this is why this works, i go too far, and you pull me back," and it's deliciously ironic because IT'S NOT TRUE. he has backed off multiple times when she's decided to go all-in! when she says, "let's do it again," when he says it's reckless to pursue the mesa verde issue any further and she says, "or?," when she decides they should get married, when he tries to leave in 5x10 and she holds tighter, when he's joking about going after howard and then it turns serious and he says, "you would not be okay with it." "wouldn't i?" EVERYTHING that transpired in S6, jimmy tries to call it off and she makes that fateful u-turn. she is making those choices herself, with both eyes open, and they are equal influences on one another, for better and for worse. jimmy knows his actions are underhanded and shady, but a really fascinating thing in kim is how she's tried very hard to self-justify those deeds. she wants to be right, she wants to think she's playing this for the greater good, and being confronted with terror and violence immediately makes that fall apart. we have no idea how she'll handle that from here, it's the big question mark over everything. it's not even so much, "what happens TO kim?" because that suggests a lack of control on her part, and i feel like she always tries to make those decisions, so maybe the more pertinent question is, "what does kim DO?"and same, rhea is amazing and always insightful about her and i love both of them so much!!!

#cauldronofmorning #kim wexler #better call saul #kim is literally i save me or i ruin me. it's in her hands!#letterbox #bcs spoilers

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seirosu · 1 year

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25, 26, 27, 28, 42

100 Random Character Development Questions || late meme

025. What do they consider beautiful in others personality-wise?

rhea values devotion above all else: to a goal, to an ideal, to a dream. the ability to devote oneself to something, not necessarily in exemplifying loyalty to her or the church (although loyalty is a very close second), is a beautiful thing. in seteth's support with cyril, he expresses certainty that rhea would love and support the boy should he find another, more substantial reason for living beyond herself -- and seteth, after so many years, knows rhea most intimately. she loved wilhelm for his devotion to their common cause. she loved hearing of manuela's passions for the arts, of hanneman's love for his research. she loved watching the students of the academy grow and discover themselves from afar. she loved watching byleth fall gracefully into the role of professor and live up to her potential as the leader rhea believed her to be. she loves the hard work that comes with ambition; passion is the most beautiful thing a person may possess in life.

026. What do they consider ugly in others personality-wise?

rhea has low tolerance for disloyalty. flippancy towards behaviors that exhibit a lack of concern for others really rubs her wrong. she's quick to punish others who stir waves in the general peace of her "people". however, rhea is known to let her own perspective override objectivity of said disloyal or disobediant behavior as a whole , and rhea can even support individuals who have made waves within their families or communities to the extent that it doesn't jeopardize her or her larger community. but it's very unattractive to find pride in hurting her or those she cares for .

027. What is their idea of perfect happiness?

you know , it’d be easy to say that having sothis return would be rhea’s ideal happiness , and maybe she’s in a state where she banks on that to relieve her of the pressure of viewing her own failings as a leader . . . but thinking on a broader scope what rhea really dreams of is being relieved of duty with confidence that not everything she’s done has been in vain — whether or not sothis returns . in general rhea is someone who desires to be taken care of , to have community . but its really hard for CF!rhea to imagine happiness , though . she is so thoroughly unhappy , and set on a path to tear up a mess in her wake that even the idea of something idealistic feels . . . numbing ?? rhea’s on a death march so . . .

028. What makes them laugh out loud?

rhea's own sense of humor and comedic delivery is woefully underdeveloped and not very sophisticated , but she is quite fond of physical humor . she fancies herself exaggerated , slapstick comedies with big expressions of gestures over any clever wordplay . its rare that she'll let herself relax enough to laugh around another , but she'd have a hard time holding back when someone starts rolling around on stage or surprises her a funny look .

042. What is their greatest achievement?

rhea is a perfectionist who sees the world as black and white ; however , she may speak down to sitri’s failures as a vessel for sothis . . . but she was also her life was rhea’s greatest accomplishment . here was rhea , disposed to her ancient grief and intended to create a life for the sake of resurrecting one that was lost — she might struggle to admit it , but she’s not proud of what she’s done . BUT rhea , in trying to resurrect a past created a future she hadn’t ever been able to see before . . . here was this life — new and unknowing . rhea fostered that fragile life and in turn that life , although short , touched the lives of many others and even would go on to create life itself !! sitri blessed her with the joys and woes of motherhood . . . sitri’s existence was rhea’s biggest , personal accomplishment .

#˖ ✧ hc » ( no matter how much love approached you got farther away )#late meme is late ; ;

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randomnameless · 2 years

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Re Billy’n’Barney, and what they bring to lizards

this is just a nabatean post

Comparing the scenes where Billy comes to Garreg Mach and is introduced to Rhea and Barney’s is like night and day.

Rhea is much more talkative when it’s Billy (because Billy is family, something Seteth doesn’t know yet) but with Barney, bar giving the usual “thanks for saving the students I am Rhea” it’s mainly Seteth who does all the conversation.

And I had the feeling they were on the same wavelength - Seteth often uses the “we” pronoun, they have something to offer to Barney (a place in GM!), etc etc.

But when it comes to Billy, Seteth is quite prompt to say those commands or orders comes from Rhea, while also not hiding his dislike of Billy - while i dgaf about it, Seteth also breaks, in front of a random and someone he doesn’t know, the facade of unity he and Rhea share.

So unlike what I’ve, sadly, often seen in several portrayals, Seteth’n’Rhea aren’t always in opposition, or Seteth doesn’t always bow down to Rhea’s judgment, because, usually, they share the same stance and thoughts on many things.

This is what Seteth lampshades to Cyril in their support.

Billy’s just THAT special, partly because he’s part of the Sothis rez project Rhea kept hidden from her big bro (since it’s forbidden apparently) and also, let’s not kid ourselves, partly because ALONE B4 U needs Billy to be ultra super special to Rhea, and to have an even deeper bond with her than the one she shares with her older brother.

However, Rhea never takes Seteth’s presence for granted. Best exemple is shown in Tru Piss where she doesn’t think bad of him for running away, saying she kind of expected it.

And here, even if TreeHouses really tries to put 4Kids’s legacy to shame, when Seteth suggest they leave the Monastery and escape, it is Flayn who objects to him.

4Kids Rhea asks for her help, but jp!Rhea, true!Rhea does not.

She makes her badass boast about wishing to terminate the Imperial Army in Garreg Mach here by herself.

Of course we all know how it ends, Seteth sets out to buy time/get rid of the imperial army - and Rhea ends up running away to Faerghus.

Nonetheless, see what a character and not a UI that also serves as the player’s medium to be pandered leads to*?

ALONE B4 U and “I had no one with whom I could just be Rhea” disappears because there’s no player’s ego sucking here, so Rhea can, and does, demonstrate a deep bond with someone who is supposed to be close to her, if not the closest person to her.

*i know, billy’s special because they’re from her rez sothis plan, her last hope for a better world, Citrus’n’Jerry’s kid + maybe her mom / and FE16 uses her as a red herring during the first part of the game to build a potential choice to pick Tru Piss based on something more than “I want to S Support Supreme Leader/Hubert” -> but while we see Seteth being always defiant, it is supposed to be an exceptionnal case, the two really get along and think similarly, something, sadly, all works centered on Billy tend to forget since Seteth must also play in the red herring about Rhea being sus AND pretend they have no bond else her ALONE B4 U won’t work.

Tl; Dr : I can’t wait to see more of the nabatean family in 3 nopes - and I hate it, because, in general, when you have expectations, you can be disappointed. When you have none, it’s a salt free world.

#3 nopes #3 nopes spoilers #FE16 #nabatean stuff #rhea stuff #poor seteth #we need Barney to show him getting along with his sister #i felt real bad when I first played TS and saw Roland'n'Cordelia hug each other #playing FE16 you'd think Seteth'n'Rhea are just acquaintances #lolcalisation woes #always #why lolcalised!rhea asks for seteth'n'flayn's help when the jp one doesn't do it?

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elliepassmore · 1 year

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In an Orchard Grown from Ash review

5/5 stars

Recommended if you like: morally gray characters, magic, epic fantasy, Greek culture, political intrigue, multiple POVs Big thanks to Netgalley, the author, and Del Rey for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

In a Garden Burning Gold review here Note: This review will have mild spoilers for In a Garden Burning Gold. The Stratagiozi-Saint situation from the first book carries over into this one big time. We get to see a lot more of people who understand the fine difference between Saint magic and Stratagiozi magic. We also get to see some of the differences between the two and the impact of using magic (and not using it). There are still some unanswered questions at the end of this book regarding exactly how the magic works, but I think I'm okay with the loose threads. Unlike the first book, we get POV chapters from all four of the Argyrosi siblings. Chrysanthi is definitely the MC and she gets the most page time, followed by Rhea, then Lexos, and Nitsos with the fewest chapters, which I'm honestly thankful for. All of the major side characters who were living at the end of the last book also show up here (except for Evanthia), along with a couple of new ones. Chrysanthi is a good MC to have. She manages to get a good balance of playfulness and seriousness going so that she understands the gravity of the situations she finds herself in but never seems to dwell on it too much. I liked the lightness she had about her as well as her grit and determination. It takes a lot to get Chrysanthi down, and when she is down, she often tries to find a way to understand or channel it. She's also very forgiving, loyal, and loving at her core, and even though I don't always understand how she can be that way toward her siblings (coughNitsoscough), I also like that about her. Honestly, she's remarkably stable for an Argyros. It was also interesting to come into this second book with a character who was both new and not new to the world. Chrystanthi is a 100+ years old and understands in a vague sense how things work and the political/cultural climate, but at the same time she's spent most of that 100+ years secluded in Stratathoma, meaning we get new eyes exploring this world in a way we don't get with Lexos and Rhea. It's an interesting position to be in for a sequel and I think it actually works out quite well since Chrysanthi is perhaps more equipped than her siblings to figure stuff out since she doesn't have past experiences and expectations clouding her view. Rhea is, as before, my favorite character. Unfortunately for her, things have taken first a somewhat poor turn, then a decidedly bad one. As much potential and power as she had gathered around her by the end of Garden, lack of action and honesty by the Sxoriza has stunted her ability to be a moving force in their world. She's still very determined, and quite angry with Nitsos, and so though her power with the Sxoriza is limited, and things are on...uneven ground with Michali, Rhea still manages to find a way to make things happen. On top of that, she's struggling with the power she was granted at the end of the last book and struggles under the weight of being different than her father. Ultimately, Rhea is both a fighter and someone who is deeply tired of having to fight the world. Lexos actually surprised me as a character. If you read my review for Garden, you know I liked him at first and then came to dislike him quite a bit. In that book he felt like a major hypocrite, particularly toward Rhea, and had a 'woe is me' kind of attitude at times. However, while he still slips and has moments where he clearly deeply resents the role he's been thrust into, Lexos also seems to develop a better understanding of himself and his place in the world. That doesn't mean he isn't chasing power (the only Argyrosi sibling who isn't is Chrysanthi), but it does mean that he comes to behave better and I liked him again by the end of this book. Nitsos is...interesting. He gets the fewest chapters and so I still don't really have a good understanding of who he is as a person. I know what he did in Garden and definitely don't like him for that. He also doesn't really seem to have any regret for the things he did and is doing in this book, so that makes redemption out of the question. That being said, he's also ironically also seeking the same thing the other siblings are seeking, though likely for different reasons. It's definitely hard to figure out what Nitsos wants exactly, but it doesn't seem to be the peace Chrysanthi is seeking nor the reunion and rest Rhea and Lexos are (and, okay, fine, the twins want power too, but seemingly not to the same degree as Nitsos). Falka, the same Falka from the last book, ended up being a surprisingly helpful and beneficent character. I won't necessarily say she's doing it purely out of the goodness of her heart...but she does seem to be a good person and when she and Rhea crossed paths, Falka seemed genuinely interested in, and concerned for, Rhea. She may or may not be in over her head, and her end goals may not be quite as benevolent, but I definitely liked her as a character. The story did take the turn I began to suspect it was going to (and hoped it wouldn't) after I read the first few chapters. While it fits, I'm also somewhat disappointed by the way things turned out. Obviously it couldn't be a total happily ever after, all the characters are too complicated and too much in the gray for that to happen, but I did want something a twinge sweeter. Ah well. The important thing is that it fits the story and characters and that there is some sweetness and hope at the ending. I will say, while the Argyrosi family story did come to a close in this book, I definitely see potential for more stories in this world. Stavra and her mother, for one, have the potential for an interesting story to be told. The Dominas also have good potential for another story, as always. It might even be interesting to see a book set a century or more down the line since so much change is happening all over the continent in this book and I'm almost curious to see how it turns out. Of course, it might stay a duology too and I'd be fine with that as well. As much potential as there is in this world, the Argyros family story is over and it did wrap things up nicely.

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astaroth1357 · 3 years

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Demigod MC Series: Hestia

This is another eternally virgin goddess, so we're doing another pseudo-demigod by adoption (like we did with Athena).

Demigod MC: Intro, Aphrodite, Hermes, Hades, Dionysus, Demeter, Athena, Hades Pt. 2, Poseidon, Ares, Hestia

Hestia is the goddess of the Hearth, Home, Architecture, Domesticity, Family, and the State. She's high up there (firstborn of Rhea and Cronus), but several factors have led to her falling into the background when compared to the other (flashier) Olympians. She swore to never marry, rejecting proposals from both Poseidon and Apollo, and is something of an antithesis to Aphrodite.

Lucifer

Honestly? He thought they were exactly what they were after. A weak human with no experience in the magical world what-so-ever.

Well… He was half-right.

On the surface, this is a pretty weak human. They don't have super flashy powers or a divine birth from the gods… but they do have a very protective adoptive mother.

The brothers had just settled in for their first dinner with the new human when the goddess herself strolled into their dining room, asked who was in charge, then dragged Lucifer away by the ear!

She's not even his mother, yet he felt the intense urge to apologize and put himself in his own room… Oh, the humiliation… at least she did the same to Diavolo…

The Prince was only able to calm her down by promising absolutely NO harm would come to her child… on their heads...

By the time the goddess finally let him go, Lucifer was about ready to shackle the MC to his wrist so nothing could touch them but he settled on keeping them with him like an assistant of sorts. They were in charge of helping him with the paperwork so he could keep an eye on them.

What he didn’t expect was for them to be so… good at it? They could keep his offices clean, they managed his daily schedule, fixed up the House, and still have time to bring him tea and sweets every night!

They could even reign in his brothers somehow… They weren't strong or intimidating, but one or two mildly unhappy words out of them and everybody would be on their best behavior.

Was everyone positive they're only human...?

As much as he hated to admit, he may have a slight deep case of falling for the housekeeper… He would make a move, but well…

He has Beel to contend with first.

Mammon

Okay so, watching Lucifer get dragged out by the ear just like Raphael used to do to him was hilarious!!! The whole room got a good laugh! 🤣

Until Hestia glared at them and suddenly they all felt like they'd disappointed someone important….

And all that fuss over some dumb human??

So what if they made amazing food?

So what if they could clean the entire mansion in a day?

So what if they were the walking equivalent to a warm cup of cocoa on a winter's day??

So what if they were just the kindest, sweetest thing in this godforsaken hellscape and he would throw himself in front of a bus to keep them safe-

-Wait, when did that happen?!?

Seriously, Mammon's attachment to the MC came out of NOWHERE to him. One day, he was threatening to eat their soul and the next he's freaking out when they stub their toe!

He swears they have to have some kind of magic about them! A charm, or a spell, or… their lovable smile and warm, loving hugs...! 😊

Damnit!! They're too cute!! He needs them to go away but also never leave, thanks. 😒

In all seriousness, though their kind nature puts Mammon's tsundere self at a bit of a disadvantage, his protective instincts shoot through the roof whenever they're involved.

Naturally, that means his day is spent running them away from hungry lesser demons or shielding them from Beel and Lucifer's tug-of-war matches… He's a busy guy these days. 😖

Leviathan

They're so… so… MOE!!!

That was his immediate thought when Mammon brought them home. He was expecting a defenseless human, but not one that could have stepped out of one of his slice-of-life manga!

To be honest, his instant thought was try and find a place to sit them on his shelves with the rest of the adorable characters he loves… 😅

And that was before they even opened their mouth! Five words into their introduction and he was ready to get their face on a t-shirt!!

Honestly, combine their natural cuteness with their household skills and they made for perfect waifu/husbando material…

Not helped by the fact they found one of his maid/butler outfits while doing the laundry one day. Not only did they ask if they could wear it, they actually non-ironically liked it and started wearing it around the House!!

Oh he got cornered by Beel, Lucifer, and Mammon separately that day because they thought he was using them for fetish fuel… But it was their idea, he swears!!

I mean… He didn't discourage them or anything either but still…

If Beel hadn't claimed them on Day One, Levi might have eventually thrown his hat in the ring too... Oh well… he can pine from a distance… What else is new? 😔

Satan

He has a video of Hestia dragging Lucifer out of the dining room on his phone and it's one of his most treasured possessions now. 😌

He is perhaps the only person in the House who was not at all impressed with their little human.

So they could cook? So could he. So they can clean? That's not impressive. They could manage a household? Big deal, he's more or less been in charge of the same thing for centuries!

As far as he saw it, there was nothing the MC could do that he couldn't do as proficiently or even better. There was nothing remarkable about this human at all!

… except for one thing.

That maid/butler outfit of Levi's? The one they like to wear around?

It has cat accessories…

Either they don't notice or they don't mind it but they essentially walk around the House cleaning things with little kitty ears attached to their head and a bell on their collar…

Dammit… Why did Levi even buy that?!?

Satan ended up getting in trouble for enchanting their outfit to give them REAL ears and a tail "accidentally..." Lucifer strung him up by his toes, Beel gave him a black-eye, and Mammon still calls him a "perverted cat freak" but it was worth it, he says, worth it!!

Asmodeus

Oh Beel…

Asmo saw Beel's feelings for the MC coming from a mile away. He didn't even need to confirm it with a sniff check, he had them scented by the end of their first night!

Lucifer, on the other hand, now that was a surprise... 😏

Ask him a century ago if Lucifer would ever consider a human lover, godly mother or no, and he'd have laughed! Yet here he is, giving gifts and sneaking whiffs of their adorable new housemate!

Of course, that's causing some commotion because they're pitted against each other, but Asmo finds it kind of cute honestly.

Beel and Lucifer aren't fighting, not for real. The whole house knows Lucifer would win in a real brawl, but neither of them actually want to hurt the other… They're far too close for that.

So Beel tosses Lucifer around with kid gloves and Lucifer holds back considerably against Beel. It's pretty much just two brothers who love each other squabbling over the same toy… 🤭

Honestly, Lucifer might have bowed out by now and just let Beel have them but now his pride's on the line… thus an endless tussle between family and the sweet MC is in the middle, clueless to it all!

Tragic, is it not? But it certainly makes things more entertaining around here! (Good thing too since Beel beat him to the punch… If it's a fight against those two, he'll have to keep any of his own affairs with the MC under the radar... 😏)

Beelzebub

He has claimed this one. Full stop.

For a bit of perspective: when Barbatos needs cooking tips, he calls Hestia. Hestia, the Divine Master of All Things Cooking. Hestia, the goddess who raised this MC…

Needless to say if they have any magic at all, it's in the kitchen.

If food is the way to Beel's heart, this MC has claimed his heart, soul, and probably all of his vital organs. Their food is astounding!! Always perfect every time and so good it brings him to tears!

It started the night of that first dinner, prepared by MC. He was too busy scarfing down the table to even notice a goddess showed up and then he proposed to the MC with their own pig roast by meal's end!

They said no to marriage, but an instant pact agreement suited him just fine.

Beel didn't waste a single moment before he started treating them like a potential mate, territorial aggression and all, but there was a bit of a catch… He kept the MC totally oblivious to it.

Surprisingly, Beel's can turn the "They're MINE" part of his brain on and off pretty well. He's nothing but sweet and cuddly to the MC when they're around and even with his brothers!... as long as they don't try anything.

The moment he caught whiff that Lucifer might be pursuing them too, it was on. Suddenly the two brothers who almost never fight were in competition against each other! But of course, both have an unspoken rule to never do so in front of MC.

And now poor MC believes it's common for demons to "play wrestle" like puppies and hugs are traditionally supposed to be so hard they could snap spines…

And it doesn’t look like they'll be backing down any time soon… Oh dear...

Belphegor

You know what? For once, everything goes exactly to plan for Belphie!

No really, this MC has no hidden powers, no magic horses, not even Demon Nip. They are a helpless, trusting little human who just wants to help their big teddy bear get his twin back!

So, you know how it goes. The charm, the lies, the treachery and all of that. He even gets to kill them!! Oh, happy days!! 😁

Come to think of it, they did smell an awful lot like Beel… But who cares, as long as Lucifer suffers right?? And this whole "living together in harmony" crap fails, right?!

Wrong.

Beel went ballistic. Lucifer did too, but Beel was what really hurt…

Belphie can safely say that in all of his life, Beel has never physically attacked him. Not once, or at least, not with intent to kill…

But when the sixthborn's fist went crashing through the wall right by his ear that day, he knew his brother's first instinct was to aim for his head… and his second was to miss, as he still loved him, but only by just a little.

What the hell did he just do??

Thank their father for Barbatos and all the funky time stuff he can do because bringing the MC "back" snapped his angry brothers right out of it.

Things should have been smoothed over at that point but as everyone was finally settling down for tea, Hestia made another appearance in the House… this time carrying a butcher's knife!

Time fix or no, Diavolo had promised her no harm would come to MC and at least one continuity of them DIED… so punishment was now on Lucifer and the Demon Prince himself!

Belphie, in a rare case of guilt and an expression of brotherly love, offered to take their place since it WAS kind of all his fault. His gesture softened the Goddess of Family juuust enough to lighten his sentence from execution to hard labor.

And thus, the MC had their own housekeeping assistant for a whole year, complete with bitter reluctance and a matching maid outfit! Cat-theme and all!!

He's sending nightmares to anybody who laughs… guaranteed. 😒

#obey me #obey me shall we date #shall-we-date-obey-me #obey me lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me leviathan #obey me satan #obey me asmodeus #obey me beelzebub #obey me belphegor #obey me headcanons #obey me demigods

2K notes · View notes

greensaplinggrace · 3 years

Note

do you have any darklina fic recs?

I certainly have a few! But first I want to clarify that I don’t really read fic when I’m writing it, and since I have so many fics in the works right now, I haven’t really been reading a lot of fanfiction. So this list probably won’t be as extensive as it could be.

Here are some other great fic recommendation posts, however:

DARKLINA FIC RECS by @vicioux

DARKLINA FIC RECS // part ii by @vicioux

Darklina Ruling the World Together Fic Recs by @clubofthestarlesssaint

Tumblr Ficlets

Aleksander’s First Memory by @kestrafagnor

Fivan Talk About Darklina by @jomiddlemarch

a little light in the great, big dark by @valkyrhys

Alina tells Mal she’s with Aleksander by @lorsanbitch

Darklina week day 5: intimacy & touch by @starlesscne

AO3 Fanfiction

if it ain’t me by larry_hystereks (Incomplete - 10/13 Chapters)

alina’s in her second year at Yale when she meets aleksander at one of his frat parties.

a hookup with the potential for more, only if alina wasn’t still struggling to piece herself together from last year’s breakup.

or: alina, zoya, their trust issues, and the men that fall for them

---

I’m only at about chapter 6 of this fic currently, but so far it’s one of my all time favorite Modern AUs. The characterization for Alina and Aleksander is incredibly well done, and the entire fic itself is so feminist and queer in such a refreshing way. Aleksander and Alina are bisexual as fuck, both with their own separate complex lives, and much of Alina’s own traumas and relationships are explored outside of Aleksander.

There’s some Zoyalina, with Nikolina friendship and endgame Zoyalai. There’s some mystery and some tension, but nothing too extreme, and a lot of the fic is merely an exploration in growth and overcoming one’s history and learning how to move on in healthy ways. I love it.

She Wears a Collar (With My Name) by Ceris_Malfoy (Complete)

She is immortal, and whatever lingering hints of humanity she may have once had have long been bleached from her heart.

I will grant you one wish, boy, if it is in my power to do so. What does a Shadow Smith most want?

"You," he answers.

Written for Darklina Week 2021 - Day 2: Role Reversal

---

This piece is just exquisite. This author’s writing style is one that I particularly enjoy. Their stuff is always so uniquely composed and crafted, and this one especially is a work of art. The way Darklina as a relationship is portrayed in particular is fascinating to me because it’s a role reversal but it’s still so complex. Aleksander’s character is nailed.

the bright sun was extinguish’d by athousandwinds (Complete)

Somewhere, deep in the dark forests of Ravka, a boy grows up on stories of Sankta Alina of the Wastes, the Sun-Scorched Saint.

---

This fic is just straight up magnificent. It’s so engaging and I love love love the way a role reversed Aleksander who joins the army is portrayed. He reminds me so much of Demon in the Woods Aleksander, as if he’s exactly what a grown version of that young boy would be. When I say I adore his characterization in this I’m not lying.

If I wanted any completed fic I’ve read to have a second chapter, it would be this one.

Winter in the Little Palace by redisxwing (Complete)

Written for Yuletide 2020.

Baghra and Alina's wildly different perspectives on the Darkling, and how things could have gone if nobody listened to Baghra.

Warning: Baghra is written as a harsh and arguably abusive parent, and this is darkfic about that relationship, with a side of shipping. Everything is terrible (except the parts that are pretty much okay).

Canon divergence pretty much as soon as Alina gets lessons in summoning.

This fic is likely not compatible with King of Scars (or any subsequent work).

---

As is said in the summary, this one makes Baghra a bit more extreme. If you’re a fan of Baghra, this fic probably isn’t for you. But since I’m not a fan of Baghra, I had no problems with it.

My biggest praise for this fic is in regards to the character interactions and the POVs. There’s a brilliant grasp of unique perspective and how to convey it, and that talent is carried over into the way character interactions are brought to life in the text. Also, there’s a scene where Alina gets kind of protective of the Darkling, which is one of my biggest weaknesses when it comes to Darklina.

Good Ideas by FelixRivers (Complete)

Alina Starkov had a very good idea. Aleksander Morozova would definitely agree. (or: Alina wants to go camping and Aleksander won't complain)

---

This fic is just straight up adorable and hilarious. They’re such a cute couple and Alina’s POV is great. It’s just pure fluff and humor 💕

I’m not a bad girl, but I do bad things with you by SanktaJenya - @sankta-arya (Complete)

Winter had been hard on Old Baghra and Ana Kuya was worried about her, so she decided that Alina should make the trip to her cottage on the other side of the woods to bring her some food and kvas. On her way there, Alina meets a stranger...

Darklina Red Riding Hood/Company of Wolves AU

Darklina Week, Day 4, Fairytales

---

This fic has a splendid grasp of tension and atmosphere. It’s very enchanting and dark and intriguing, and it nails those aspects with absolute precision. I love the style and the way the fairytale is incorporated into the narrative. It’s truly a masterpiece.

The Wretched by @aceofnowhere (Complete)

“We are strangers, but I want to help.” He growls at her, mocking and mistrustful. “I understand,” she said. “You think I am one of them. I certainly look like one of them. But I want to help you. Will you let me?” Prompt: fairytale. Alina saves a dragon.

---

Okay so I’ve mentioned this one before as one of my Top 5 fics of all time and I still stand by that. I can’t even describe why I love this fic so much except that the pacing is amazing and the prose is stunning and the story is beautiful. Aleksander is a dragon and Alina is a witch, and their relationship is just so...interesting and fascinating and lovely. I would literally kill for this fic. There’s such a softness to it as well. Such a tenderness. Idk, I just really love it.

Show Me Who You Are (I Want To Know) by Ceris_Malfoy (Incomplete - 12/?)

Alina takes her future in her own hands and makes her own decisions.

---

This is a great “what if Alina had stuck around after the reveal” rewrite. It doesn’t have Mal bashing and in fact still writes them as close friends, which is something I’m fond of in Darklina fics. Aleksander is allowed to be soft and Alina is allowed to be powerful, and I really enjoyed the take on their dynamics as a power couple wherein Alina is given a lot of control.

There’s something to be said for the way Aleksander is written in the scenes where he must be honest and earnest with Alina. I really enjoy the way they both come to equal ground, and I’m even more fond of the way Alina is allowed to grow darker without losing her light. She also engages a lot with quite a few other characters, developing tons of friendships and alliances on her own that help strengthen her as an individual character.

on this bridge between starshine and clay by @rhea-imagined (Complete)

"His breath narrows for a moment, his fist clenched tight before he forces himself to loosen it. She is his only opportunity for salvation, but vulnerability is not a cape he wears easily. “In those days, there was less prejudice against Shadow Summoners. But everyone fears the dark, in one way or another.” He does not look at her as he waits for the penny to drop, half-hoping it stays suspended in the air."

In which Alexander comes clean to Alina and tells her about his true identity in hopes that this will help convince her to take down the Fold.

A rewrite of the fountain scene in episode four, with a good!Darkling that is trying to make amends.

---

This is my all-time favorite good!Aleksander AU. He’s kept in character despite the major changes made to his motivations, and Alina is given a lot more agency in her own story. It’s the first fic in what might become a series, but it can stand alone beautifully.

I love how Aleksander and Alina’s relationship is allowed to grow tense without breaking, and how it’s a clear sign of change but not abandonment. I love how both characters are able to think for themselves and become self-aware and are given the chance to think critically. I love the character interaction so much because it’s honest and fresh and engaging. Everything from the smallest action to the most off-hand thought is in character and meaningful and incorporated with an amazing style of writing. It’s a very refreshing piece, and the writing only makes it that much better.

Bunnies of a Feather Stitch Together by Ill_Ratte (Complete)

"Just as Alina called to the light, gathering and twisting it into a ball in her hands, the door swung open.

Kirigan blacked out the door frame. His appearance enough would have surprised Alina, but there was something clutched in his arm, something dark and floppy. It almost looked like the stuffed toys that had been passed around to the younger Orphans." - Alina and The Darkling bond over a love of soft things

---

Soft stuffed animal shenanigans. Bits of trans!Aleksander, which I’m very fond of, as well as just a lot of fluff with a bit of something bittersweet and sad in a good way.

Half Lie by Ill_Ratte (Complete)

"Baghra always talked of the demon that had stolen her daughter." Or, Alina learns the hard way that the Darkling isn't the only one who deals in half-truths

---

This one is trans!Aleksander, and it handles it in a very interesting way. It’s quite sad, and deals a lot with Baghra & Aleksander’s relationship through Alina’s POV. I want to give a warning for transphobia, because it does center around that a lot as the premise, but it really is worth the read if that isn’t a trigger for you. This is one of my favorite trans!Aleksander fics, and the way it handles emotion and grief and pain is quite extraordinary.

The CEO and Helioseismologist by mrthology (Complete)

Aleksander Morozova doesn't get sick. He's the CEO of one of the most successful companies in the world, one that he had built from the ground up with blood, sweat, and tears. He exercised daily (usually), maintained a healthy diet, and kept himself fit.

He wasn’t sick.

Too bad no one believed him. And too bad Genya decided to call Ivan to take him home before also calling Alina to take care of him.

Maybe, just maybe, being sick wasn't so bad. Especially not when he has such a wonderful girlfriend.

---

Both of the fics in this series are great, but I love this one in particular because I’m an absolute sucker for hurt/comfort. Anyone who’s been on my blog for a while knows that it’s my all time favorite trope to read, and this fic fits the hurt/comfort trope to a T in the best of ways. It’s very tender and in character, and Aleksander and Alina are so soft with each other. It’s adorable and really makes you feel for Aleksander, and the caretaking is done perfectly.

All the different layers of dark (thousand little suns) by Anuna (Complete)

One month after the Winter Fete, Aleksander returns to the Little Palace, and Alina has been missing him.

Episode five canon divergence in which Alina had never left Os Alta.

---

This one is soft emotional hurt/comfort smut. They’re both so open and vulnerable with each other, and it’s so beautiful to read. I love the writing style and the emotion in this one. It makes my heart ache in the best way.

An Honourable Man by liviy695 (Complete)

A reimagining of the scene after the winter fete. Alina catches a glimpse of a caring Darkling after he returns from integrating the Conductor. Plus, no Baghra interference.

---

This one is what it says on the tin, in that Baghra doesn’t interfere and they’re allowed to talk after the Darkling interrogates the Conductor. But more than that, it’s a great imagining of how a scene where Aleksander reveals Marie’s death would have gone. There’s a sort of quiet to it that I appreciate, with grief and solemnity weighed against care and vulnerability.

I see the real you (even if you don’t, I do) by Anonymous (Incomplete - 8/?)

A series of questionable decisions lead Alina to meet the Black General a bit earlier. Butterfly effect ensues.

---

I’ve only read half so far (I hadn’t realized it had updated!! 👀👀) but I’m already in love with this fic. Alina’s dialogue and perspective is perfect, her relationship with Mal and the other cartographers is great, and I really enjoy how much personality she has. Aleksander is so smitten, but more than that, his characterization is soft but not weak. It feels almost as if he’s swept up by Alina, instead of the other way around, and I quite like that.

Of parenting by Anuna (Complete)

Alina finds out how her husband handled yet another parenting situation.

---

This is pure adorable Darklina parenting fluff and I live for it. Yet it doesn’t lack depth and in fact explored Alina and Aleksander’s relationship with parenting quite well.

i have a longing by LRCee - @ladylyannastark (Complete)

“So, Alina Starkov, risk-taker, how did you end up being editing’s newest wunderkind?”

Alina Starkov is rising in the publishing world. Singlehandedly responsible for editing (see: rewriting) the hottest book of the year, she lands a coveted spot at Morovoz Publishers. It's the position she's always wanted, at the biggest publishing house in the country. Life is perfect. That crush on her boss though, that's gotta go.

---

OKAY! I LOVE THIS ONE SO MUCH!! Let me tell you, as someone who is not too fond of Boss/Employee dynamics, I was very wary going into this fic. But boy did it deliver in a way that was perfect for me.

The relationship that develops between Aleksander and Alina is complex but healthy, and it never feels as if there’s too much of a power imbalance or anything that would make Alina feel forced or unhappy. The tension lies purely in how she fears others will perceive her, and not in how unhealthy her relationship with Aleksander is. For somebody who’s often attracted to unhealthy ships, I have to say that my favorite fics are usually ones that don’t have that type of dynamic between the characters. This fic delivers on that.

Also, Aleksander’s POV surrounding his struggle with his Russian heritage and his feelings for Alina is amazing, and has some of the best writing and characterization I’ve seen.

You receive: an evil demon; I receive: human souls by @aceofnowhere (Complete)

The next morning while she tried to tell herself it was a dream, that of course there wasn’t a fucking demon in her house, she found a note taped to her fridge.

“You might eat this shit,” it had written, “but I would like some fucking souls please.”

Darkling Week Prompt 7: free choice. Alina has a demon in her house.

This is absolute crack, and I have no idea what the fuck is wrong with me.

---

May I just say that this is the most fun I’ve ever had when reading a fic. It’s interesting with a bit of mystery, and Aleksander as a little shit of a demon is hilarious. Alina in this fic is great too. It’s such a unique take on her POV, especially when you reread it after knowing the ending. 10000/10, this fic is brilliant in every way and I love it.

I had been lost to you, Sunlight by BrytteMystere (Complete)

A Girl became a Woman, became a Sankta, became a Goddess.

Or: An Immortal Alina calls upon merzost to reunite with the Prince of Shadows she lost long ago. She may have lost herself in the process.

But then again, maybe time and endless wars did that instead.

---

You really just have to read this one to get it. It is utterly haunting and fascinating in the best of ways. The writing style is strange and novel and fits so well with the story being told. The composition of the fic as a whole is genius.

I Look Inside Myself (And See My Heart Is Black) by Ceris_Malfoy (Complete)

"When is a monster not a monster? Why, when you love it, of course."

Written for Darklina Week 2021 - Day 6: Favorite Quote • King & Queen • Monster

---

Once more, this author comes through with an absolutely breathtaking writing style and story. The imagery is elegant yet brutal, simultaneously horrifying and glorious. There’s a certain way these stories are written, like fairytales, where the beautiful becomes the macabre and becomes ever more stunning because of it. It’s very dark but in a good way - an almost bewitching way.

Afterlife by @aceofnowhere (Complete)

“You are asking me to leave?”

“Not asking, shadow,” she said. “Telling. Time to get unlost, loser.”

Day 3 Darklina Week prompt: Modern AU (I mean, barely)

Alina expels ghosts from purgatory.

---

@aceofnowhere once again bringing the best of the paranormal to the Grishaverse. Literally everything you write is amazing idk why I’m even pointing out individual fics when I could just rec your whole page. But anyways!! This is fun and interesting and Alina is a badass. Aleksander is, of course, compelling and dark and kind of a little shit, and it’s all incorporated seamlessly into an existential paranormal narrative.

Once Upon a Shooting Star by Ceris_Malfoy (Complete)

"But most of all, she was drawn to a vast darkness that reached out above all of them, a void so hungry for companionship that she knew she could fulfill."

---

Let. Alina. Be. Feral!! Anyways, I clearly have a type when it comes to storytelling, and it’s whatever the fuck this person has got going on. Feral!Star!Alina is literally the light of my life. Her interactions with not only other people but the world in general are so well done, but my favorite parts about this fic are the numerous ways her relationship with Aleksander is described and depicted.

I love the dark and light imagery, especially with how it’s portrayed as them filling in the gaps of each other’s lives and supporting each other instead of trying to block each other out. There’s such clear passion and joy and love and devotion between them. The central focus of this fic is on her and Aleksander’s relationship, the interplay between them and their powers and the way her light fills his loneliness, the passing of adoration and trust and reliance between them. It’s very beautiful and I love it.

A Blaze of Light by Keira_63 (Complete)

They discover the Sun Summoner in the burnt-out remains of the Shu laboratory in which she has spent the last seven years of her life.

Or, the Darkling finds himself with a Sun Summoner whose greatest wish is to burn Shu Han to the ground. He is happy to oblige her.

---

👀👀 Badass Alina and Badass Aleksander. The ultimate power couple, and Alina burning a path through Shu Han before they both burn a path through the world together. The darkness and rage in this one are handled very well, and the way that rage turns to coldness and then resolve is done so well. This fic is very cathartic and also very furious, and reading it is certainly a trip down emotion lane.

One more for the Road by Rist (Complete)

He returns to the war room shaken, and finds an Alina that cannot leave without at least having tried.

---

This one hurts so much but its soooo gooood!!! Very smutty but also very tender and very bittersweet. Sad and soft all at once. I just... love the way Alina and Aleksander are written so much, and Alina’s complicated feelings for him are explored in such detail and depth. This one is truly worth the read.

434 notes · View notes

goodqueenaly · 2 years

Text

@frootnarcissist replied to your post “Hi, big fan of the blog and seen a lot of your...”

Thank you so much for your detailed response! My bet would be on the Hightowers; the appearance of Alerie and Lynesse, the name Baelor, and perhaps some hint with Lord Leyton’s wife’s name being an anagram of Rhae.

Although I do wonder what, if anything, may be implied by Robert having a “stronger claim” than Jon and Ned, who don’t seem to have any claim whatsoever. The Stark family tree would seem to preclude any descent from Rhae (unless she married a Locke), and it would seem odd not to mention Jon having a Targaryen mother. I suppose Jasper Arryn would be my second guess though.

It’s possible that the current Hightowers are descendants of Rhae, although I don’t personally find any of those points particularly compelling. For one, it’s unclear whether Alerie’s silver hair is due to birth or age: after all, GRRM describes her as “handsome”, a term he often uses to denote women who are older rather than younger (compare Catelyn’s first view of Sybell Spicer as “a handsome older lady”, or the “still handsome though grown somewhat stout” Lady Hewett, or Mariya Darry, who “was still a handsome woman” though “[her] hair was streaked with grey”). Likewise, putting aside Jorah’s insistence that Lynesse looked like Daenerys - which may be less a straightforward truth and more evidence of Jorah’s utterly creepy and possessive sexual obsession with Daenerys herself - his niece Dacey only notes that Lynesse had “hair like spun gold”, which is a specific description GRRM never uses for the Targaryens but several times for the Lannisters (Joffrey, Cersei, and Jaime’s dream of Joanna are all described this way, and Lancel is noted as specifically lacking this color hair compared to Jaime). Nor are Targaryen namesakes exclusive to Targaryen descendants: Daeron Vaith, Aemon Estermont, and the five current Freys with Targaryen names all exist without any specific, known bloodline connection to the Targaryens (and personally, I would much rather have more Targaryen namesakes without specific familial connections). As for Rhea Florent, she is not the only holder of her name; Rhea Royce was the Lady of Runestone in the reign of Viserys I. (Whether you think it coincidental or significant that she was married to a Targaryen is I suppose up to you; I think the former.) But again, with really nothing to go on, there is no way to rule out any family conclusively, any more than there is to suggest one.

As for this quote ...

Robert sat down again. “Damn you, Ned Stark. You and Jon Arryn, I loved you both. What have you done to me? You were the one should have been king, you or Jon.”

“You had the better claim, Your Grace.”

... I take that less as a sign that all three - Jon, Ned, and Robert - had bloodline claims and more a sign that Robert, uniquely among them, had an extra dynastic boost from his blood connection to the Targaryens. Robert’s Rebellion did not start as a war to replace the Targaryens with the Baratheons (even if I tend to think the aim of the southron ambitions bloc was to use such a threat to compel the Targaryen dynasty to honor its wishes); it was only shortly before the Trident that Robert declared his intent to take the throne and the rebel faction’s leaders acclaimed Robert king. I imagine that once the rebel faction realized that it was impossible to work with the Targaryen dynasty any longer - Rhaegar explicitly demonstrating that he condoned his father’s actions - the faction’s leaders had long talks among themselves about who should be acclaimed the new king - but since there had never been a change in dynasty in the history of unified Westeros, the very radicalness of this move potentially opened the door to a completely unrelated individual to take the crown. Ned Stark, of the major commanders of the rebel faction, had been arguably the most personally wronged by the Targaryens - his sister apparently abducted by the crown prince, his father and brother cruelly murdered by the king in a gross mockery of justice, his own head called for by that same monarch - and that emotional background might have lent sympathy to a claim by Ned to take the crown instead. Jon Arryn had been the early leader of the rebel faction, indeed the true instigator of the rebellion - it had been he who had defied the king’s demand for his wards’ heads and called his banners instead - and as the elder statesman of the rebel faction he might have been seen as the most senior and seasoned candidate to take the throne.

However, as Ned pointed out in that quote, he and Jon surely both realized that the best chance the rebel faction had to replace the Targaryens was to go with the individual who represented the nearest relation to the Targaryens, suggesting a continuity of power even as the Targaryen dynasty was overthrown. Robert was not simply the handsome, victorious young battlefield commander who had consistently demonstrated his personal bravery and leadership during the course of the war, but the most senior female-line Targarye relative (excluding, obviously, the lines of Rhaella and Shaera, who had of course married back into the main Targaryen male line). Aerys II’s tyranny and Rhaegar’s support of that tyranny may have made it impossible to tolerate the continued presence of the Targaryens on the Iron Throne, but it had still been the Targaryens who had established the united Westerosi state and had ruled over that state uninterrupted for the better part of 300 years. Robert represented a much more palatable choice for greater Westerosi acceptance in this respect; here was not a dictator with an army claiming the crown by killing everyone else (as the unrelated Ned or Jon might have been seen) but the nearest relation to the Targaryens themselves, claiming a familial right with the Targaryens having lost the throne through their tyranny.

#tumblr replies #rhae targaryen #house hightower #robert's rebellion #robert baratheon

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pynkhues · 3 years

Note

Prompt ask! 1-60?? Lolll fiiine 7 or 43+44 🥺

Hahahaha, I mean! There are a lot of good prompts there! Thank you for sending some through!

Have 43+44: falling asleep with their head in your lap + head scratches

Set vaguely down the track in s4. I wrote this in my half hour lunch break today at work, so I hope it reads okay! :-)

It’s the motion of the habit that gives her away.

All feather-light fingertips down and then the drag of the back of her nails up, catching the bristle of his short hair, not so much treading his scalp as breezin’ across it. Makes him think first of the cut of wind at the top of the Thunderhawk at Michigan Adventure, and second of a ducked bullet somewhere he don’t wanna be, and damn, if that ain’t her all over.

Because shit, he knows Dylan wraps herself around him when he falls asleep with her, and Gretch don’t ever stay beneath him long. Knows Olivia’s prone to slow caresses until she’s massaging the tightest knots between his shoulder blades and he’s awake enough to nose at her thigh, and Chloe - - shit, he don’t fall asleep with Chloe.

Didn’t think he fell asleep with Elizabeth neither. Not after - -

Huh.

Shit.

Not after any of it.

His lashes flutter open, and she’s still dressed which means - - somethin’. Can see it in the faded blue of her mama jeans, can feel it now too, in the button at her waist digging into the top of his head, and it’s the ache at his jaw and then the purr of Mick’s Chrysler underneath him that has the night coming back to him.

A deal gone south.

Yeah, that’s what it’d been.

Nothin’ big really – some new potential distributor who’d gotten it in his head that Rio’s business was somethin’ he could take, and Rio would’ve been first to fix the fuck of that opinion, only Elizabeth had been there too, defenseless with her mouth shut because she still refused to carry a damn gun (like relyin’ on his kept her hands a little softer, but then he feels the gentle path of her fingers stroke down to his neck, and thinks maybe it does.)

Not that Elizabeth bein’ there stopped him from putting a bullet in the guy’s head, but it had delayed the process, what with how quickly the guy grabbed her, left those cartoon princess eyes of hers too wide and blinking too hard and her jaw set while she played at tough, and Rio was levellin’ his gun when Elizabeth stomped on the fucker’s foot, and it was white noise in Rio’s head when the guy gripped her hair and pulled and - -

“I think he’s waking up.”

Her fingers ain’t stopped their trekking, but it’s her voice he hears (knows it anywhere, despite himself), and it’s Mick who grunts from the front, says: I bet and it’s only then that Rio realizes what this looks like – Mick in the front, driving ‘em to one of the safehouses, Rio in the back, head foggy, the taste of blood in his mouth, lying on his side on the backseat, his head in Elizabeth’s lap.

With a grunt, he tries to sit up, but Elizabeth’s hand finds his shoulder, pushing him back down, and her grip ain’t tight, but he knows she means it. Knows the only other time she’s gripped him like that was in her bedroom that one time, and shit, that ain’t where his head needs to be.

Ain’t where it should be.

He peels an eye open only to see the shadowed interior of the car and the streetlights outside flash white across Elizabeth’s pale skin, lighting her up like a ghost, and there’s a bruise at her forehead and a graze at her cheek and the memory of her being shoved down finds him, and then it’s the memory of a bone cracking under his fist, and he wets his lips, tastes blood again, and Elizabeth just - -

Fuck, she smiles, something small and a little wry, and she holds out her other hand, the one that hadn’t been at his head, hadn’t been at his shoulder, shows him her knuckles too.

“We match,” she offers, voice low, so Mick won’t hear (he does, she hears him snort), and Rio stares at the bruises on hers and then looks at the one on his, and fuck, he thinks, wetting his lips, grin tugging despite himself.

“Yeah? How that happen?”

Elizabeth just hums, and she tugs him down a little harder this time, and he lets her, heavy head falling back into her lap, her thighs soft, even beneath the denim, and he leans his head back until he can feel the warmth of her belly, her chest behind his aching head, and from the front seat, Mick says somethin’ about needing to lie low. Something about texting Rhea, tellin’ her he won’t be pickin’ up Marcus tomorrow, and Elizabeth’s breath hitches and she asks somethin’ about her kids too, but Rio can’t hear her anymore, because her fingers are at his head again, that soft tread down and slow drag up, and she smells like blood and sweat and lavender and he tells himself they ain’t there, that this ain’t them.

Tries to think of the other women, tries to think of anyone but her, but the memories won’t stick, no fantasy will hold, because there’s somethin’ about Elizabeth that blinds him to everythin’ else, and he closes his eyes and he feels her fingers and he sees her knuckles and he hears her voice sayin’ we match and it ain’t what she meant or maybe it was, but he feels her pulse flutter when he presses in a little closer and he thinks yeah.

They do.

Send me intimacy prompts!

#beth x rio #fic asks #my fic #intimacy prompts #beth boland #rio #welcome to my ama #xenalovesoq

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frozenartscapes · 3 years

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I think Verdant Wind being added as Silver Snow copy paste dragged down the development. If VW wasn't added, then SS, CF, and AM could have all been more fleshed out (so Edelgard could have been shown killing Thales personally and Dimitri's arc would be gradual instead of him going from batshit crazy to "good boy" instantly). So I think either VW should have not been made or SS was scrapped and Claude could actually get a story about him.

So here's what I'm thinking for Verdant Wind, because honestly if it were up to me it would be a total overhaul, and if put into the context of the game's development might have had to be a DLC or something if they were as pressed for time as it seems.

You pick Claude and the Golden Deer and the first half of the game follows many of the same story beats. (Though one thing I would like to see in White Clouds is more opportunities to interact with the other Houses outside of free time, like maybe a couple missions where two houses are sent to the same place to back each other up. This would then allow for supports to form between characters who might not necessarily be in the same house).

Shit goes down, Edelgard is revealed to be the Flame Emperor, war is declared, Byleth falls into a ravine for 5 years.

You come back and things are in a similar place as they start off in VW. You meet Claude at the monastery, he fills you in on what's been going on, and you decide that action needs to taken. However, that action is not "let's go to war too" but instead more of a diplomatic move. You decide to meet with Edelgard in a parlay at Grondor and she initially accepts, but when you both arrive you discover Dimitri has come with an army of his own. Not believing this isn't some sort of ambush on Claude's part, Edelgard calls the parlay off and initiates the battle of Grondor. However, this time you and Claude decide to stop Dimitri and successfully manage to intervene in the Kingdom's attack. Edelgard and her forces still retreat back to Enbarr but Dimitri is able to be captured and (eventually) reasoned with. (In this version Dimitri hasn't fully lost it like he does in AM. He still has some old friends and supports so he doesn't end up completely feral. He's still deeply distrusting of Edelgard but he at least agrees to help Claude find out a motive before killing her).

The attack on Fort Merceus is basically the same. You succeed in seizing it only for the whole thing to be blown up by the Javelins. Everyone manages to escape, though, including notable people from Edelgard's army. They are just as confused and horrified about the strike as you and your team.

Edelgard isn't up for talking this time around so you are forced to lay siege to Enbarr. This also plays out very similarly to VW, but the end cutscene is different. First, Claude is there. Then, rather than killing Edelgard, you extend a hand out to her, instead. She's hesitant, but Claude manages to convince her that there are no schemes this time. They just want to talk. He mentions the Javelins and how even her own army didn't seem to know what they were. When she blanches at the mention, he realizes that these "allies" of hers aren't exactly the most trustworthy of people.

Edelgard then reluctantly tells you, Claude, and Dimitri about Thales and TWSITD. She's hesitant because this is all sensitive information but she doesn't have much to lose at this point, what with Claude's army basically occupying Enbarr. She reveals what happened to her and her family, why she has two Crests, and why she's been forced to work with Thales. It's Dimitri who approaches first once she's finished, moving quickly and reaching out a hand before anyone can react. Edelgard flinches but instead of going for her neck, his hand comes to rest gently on her shoulder. "Where is that monster?" Dimitri hisses, "So I can tear his head from his body."

Once the three leaders form a tentative alliance, Edelgard reveals where Rhea has been hidden. She tells them all that she tried to keep her from too much harm, but she didn't have much control over the situation. Rhea is released and initially weak from imprisonment. She is also briefed on what happened to Edelgard, and why she started the war in the first place.

With a new target in mind, the alliance of nations storm Shambhala. Rhea has been healed up enough to aid in this battle. You defeat Thales, and he responds by launching all the Javelins he can. Rhea goes on to intercept them as she does in the game, but this time things go differently. Hubert points out that as long as Thales has a hand on the rune activating the Javelins, they'll keep coming. So Edelgard charges him along with Dimitri. The two cut through any mage who tries to stop them, and ultimately Edelgard sees vengeance for herself and her family by killing Thales herself. This halts the Javelins before they become too overwhelming for Rhea, and she returns, a little hurt but ok.

Everyone returns to Garreg Mach for celebrations, and also political discussions because there are a lot of things that now need to be covered. Rhea reveals everything about the Nabateans, Crests, and the Relics. Once she learns the true history of Fodlan, Edelgard makes her case for her own goals. She still believes that society should move away from putting so much importance on Crests, especially now that she knows where they truly came from. But she admits that uniting the land under one banner and disbanding the Church entirely would be taking things too far. Dimitri agrees with Edelgard, despite some protests from Faerghus officials. But he decides that the Hero's Relics have served their purpose and it is time they let the souls of the dead rest. Claude is insistent on Fodlan opening up to other nations, to which the other leaders agree, too. Rhea also decides that it is time she steps away from being Archbishop, but she does not appoint Byleth to the role.

A messenger then interrupts with news that a strange and powerful army is currently sweeping across Fodlan. They connect the dots and realize that it is Nemesis. They all decide to confront him as a group, showing off the might of a Fodlan united under peace. Rhea, fearful of mass casualties, tells Byleth what she did when they were a baby, explaining why they have the Crest of Flames and can wield the Sword of the Creator. There isn't a lot of time to unpack all of that because Nemesis is basically at their door, but Byleth still thanks Rhea for telling them.

They confront Nemesis all as one united front and defeat him. There are many parallels in cutscenes that call back the first cutscene of the game. The difference this time is that Rhea isn't facing Nemesis alone. In the last cutscene after defeating him in gameplay, Claude's arrow fake-out kicks things off, but it also includes Edelgard, Dimitri, and Rhea charging him alongside Byleth. In the end, Nemesis is run-through by the Sword of the Creator, the Sword of Seiros, Aymr, Areadbhar, and a bolt from Failnaught. He goes down, his army dissolves into dust, and victory is finally secured.

After that it's revealed what happens in Fodlan: each nation stays as their own land. Dimitri takes his place as the King of Faerghus and works on moving the kingdom away from knighthood and militaristic practices. He devotes more time and money to revitalizing the land and towns, building better roads between cities, and expanding education and other important services. Edelgard also works on fixing and providing social services like education and healthcare to the Adrestian people. She forms a strong alliance with the other nations, utilizing the fact that Adrestia has so much viable farmland to ensure no one goes hungry. She also grants Brigid its freedom, and works closely with Seteth and Rhea in Church reformations. Claude leaves Fodlan to take his place as King of Almyra, though he promises to visit often. Lorenz takes over the Alliance, and like the other two leaders works diligently to provide a better life for his people. Rhea eventually steps away from her role as Archbishop. She does offer it to Byleth, but you get a choice as to whether or not you want to take it. If you don't Rhea says she understands and that Seteth will take on a temporary position until a human can be found to carry on the legacy. She agrees that an immortal being shouldn't hold that kind of power forever.

There's one final cinematic cutscene in which every character with a Hero's Relic solemnly returns it to the Holy Tomb, with Byleth laying the Sword of the Creator last. They glance up at the Throne with all the characters visible behind them, and they smile.

Now Sothis can finally rest.

---

A couple other fun things that could be included in this route:

Because of the mentioned supports between houses, it is possible to s-support any of the House Leaders, not just Claude in this route

To make things extra fun, every unit could potentially be playable in the final battle

Edelgard and Thales can have special dialogue where she basically tells him to go fuck himself before killing him with the axe he gave her

None of the Black Eagles who stay with Edelgard would actually die in the siege on Enbarr, but would have unique "oh no I've been captured" quotes

The cutscene with Edelgard's surrender could start exactly like it does in SS/VW so if people saw that first, they would at first think she was going to die. This would then make Byleth extending a hand out in peace that much more impactful

Every now and then Dimitri and Edelgard could make a comment about how odd it is to be working with each other, and how they are still surprised neither one of them died after all those years of war, a BIG wink to the camera regarding the other routes where one or both of them don't make it

Claude can bring in Nader and other Almyran reinforcements for the final battle, and as a result could result in unique battle quotes from Rhea and Nader with the two of them commending each other and realizing that tensions need not be so high between their nations

Because different supports can happen between houses, there isn't as much pressure to recruit everyone by the end of White Clouds

There could be different paralogues for characters, along with ones already in the game that might be route specific. Dimitri's paralogue where he takes on Cornelia can be a side event that helps strengthen the Kingdom's army in future battles. Bernadetta/Petra's paralogue would allow for allies from Brigid to join in future battles. Edelgard could get a new paralogue where they have to sweep out the last remnants of various TWS labs and lairs, and it's made clear just how bad it had been for her.

Like, I know this is a lot, and executing it as a playable section of the game would be a lot of work. This is all just hypothetical, of course. This would be what I would recommend for the game, but as I say this just know that I don't expect any of this to actually be made. These are just some ideas for how VW could theoretically be changed.

The game would still need a route for Claude, as he is one of the three main choices at the very start of the game. I don't necessarily think SS should be removed, either, because that choice of "kill or don't kill edelgard" is still an incredibly poignant moment that would be lost if SS was gone. But I do wish VW or SS played out differently or at the very least used different cutscenes. The fact that Edelgard dies the same way twice kind of sucks. (This, on top of Dimitri dying off-screen multiple times and Rhea basically being kneecapped and not useful in 3/4 routes)

But I like Claude's route being a Golden Route. It is the Golden Deer after all.

#look i might have an edelgard bias #but i honestly think there should be a route where none of them have to die #it would be super cathartic especially after playing the other routes #verdant wind fix #fe three houses #headcanons #au ideas #claude #dimitri #rhea #byleth #edelgard #long post

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butwhatifidothis · 3 years

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I also think that part of the reason why the church gets so much hate is because of how much general distrust there is in organized religion in real life. Like I went into Three Houses trying to keep an open mind and during White Clouds I really couldn't see what was so heinously wrong with the church even during the Lonato thing that made the institution so much worse than what Edelgard was inciting. I could be totally wrong but I was under the impression that Rhea didn't squash the insurrection because they were a part of the Western Church but because they were actively rebelling and, on top of that, Lonato was bringing civilians into the conflict. That, along with the fact that Rhea knows for an absolute fact that the goddess existed and that she herself is old as dirt (trauma included) makes her decisions make a lot of sense.

I'm playing through AM with my friend who's never played before and they IMMEDIATELY said they distrusted the church because Jeralt doesn't like Rhea (for understandable reasons but my friend also ignored his very sus behavior of not explaining literally anything to Byleth) and because organized religions must be inherently bad.

It’s something that’s heavily related to a player’s inability to separate the reality of their specific circumstances with those of the fiction they’re consuming. They implant their experiences onto things that are only somewhat related and then extrapolate “facts” about the fiction that are, many times, actively shut down and/or disproven by that fictions lore or story or plot.

And, like, it’s normal to relate fictional things to your personal stories if you see connections to them. I’d wager a good amount of people find some aspect of a character they like/love that sticks out to them specifically because of a similarity they share of some kind, whether big or small. I know of people who’s fave superhero is The Flash because The Flash is fast and they ran track and hey, that’s cool, a superhero who’s ability is running really fuckin’ fast and I wanna be really fuckin’ fast. To use myself as an example, I can relate to the struggles Claude specifically has with race because many of the things he says correlate very well to my personal experiences with race. So, going by that line of logic, the opposite is clearly going to happen as well; there are many villains, or characters of either or neither allegiance towards good and evil, who have traits that personally affect someone in a negative way.

But here’s the thing about that... Claude and I have similar experiences with race. He’s still a prince, and I’m still someone who’s never seen above the poverty line in terms of income. He’s never had to live off a box of Whoppers he happened to find under his bed for three days to hold off until the food stamps come in because there’s just no food and no money to get any food. And on the flip side, I’ve never had people try to kill me just cuz I’m mixed. I’ve never felt the pressure of having to lead thousands of people to safety or have them die, directly due to my inability to lead them well enough. We still have extremely different lives and I can acknowledge those differences when looking into his character, regardless of whatever connection I may have with him otherwise, and that’s where these people fail in terms of critically consuming 3H as a piece of media.

These people - understandably, to an extent - look at Rhea, this devout religious woman who heads a major religious institution, and they automatically connect the language she uses as a devout religious person to the negative experiences they personally had with religion... without acknowledging the differences between the two. They see Rhea and they don’t see a bisexual who surrounds herself with and gives shelter to former criminals, foreigners, and people in need of a home while asking for little in return - they see their local pastor, or some other religious leader/person, who’ve done them wrong, and thus Rhea hates gay people, she hates POC, she’s a zealot and unreasonable and she’s this terrible person with no redeeming qualities. And this isn’t me arm-chair psychology-ing these people - they poke fun at themselves about how much they let their personal experiences cloud their judgement of the game and its characters with bingo cards for liking Edelgard having “raised with religion” be one of the slots and things like that.

And really, why else would “religious institution led by white-presenting race of people” be automatically turned into “racist, homophobic, misogynistic, and violent to any who aren’t their religion” when 1) one of the main characters - the one calling Rhea racist - himself eventually says that racial diversity fits well and snug in the Seiros faith, 2) not only is the leader and founder of the religion a bisexual woman, but no one says anything about having their love be confined to one specific gender anywhere, with heavily coded LGBT relationships like Shamir+Catherine and Dorothea+Petra being just as LGBT coded in SS - where Rhea can potentially come back as archbishop - as anywhere else - hell, when one of the most devout followers of Rhea clearly is romantically interested in her and faces no repercussions or consequences for openly being so despite being female herself, and 3) the Church only ever uses violence when either called from the outside for help or forced to when outside forces try to attack them? Why are we hearing all of these awful things about the Church when it sometimes is never even implied?

It’s in large part due to religion being such a sensitive part of people’s lives that they are unable to disconnect their personal experiences with religion with the fictional religion the media they’re interacting with provides them. Rhea, as a devout religious leader, especially with how genuinely morally gray she is, was never going to land well over here in the west, double especially to an audience of people that very clearly are already inclined to ignore pieces of the game’s story, lore, plot, and character interactions to fit their own preferred version of what’s happening. Triple fuckin’ wombo-combo especially since the game itself fails to do Rhea any favors until the literal last second of two out of four routes and only shove in her directly admitting she was wrong in her actions in the hardest support chain to build up in the entire game, and even then only at the last part of it. Poor girly didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell

#ask #anon #like are there people who are overall unaffected by religion and still dislike Rhea? more than likely #but it's hard to argue that people shoving Rhea in a box of their own personal making regardless of whether she fits or not #has NOTHING to do with how much she is disliked #hope I'm makin' sense lmao

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ac-liveblogs · 3 years

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I stopped playing Genshin Impact months ago but it's interesting to read about Ei and how the game doesn't want to hold her accountable. Now I'm wondering if she also has fans defending her like Edelgard has

I've also been thinking about those two, the game's presentation of them and fandom's reception to both of them and their associates, and I do think both the similarities and differences between them are rather interesting.

Basically, there isn't much of a fandom push that I've seen to absolve Raiden of all guilt. Mostly because the game does a fantastic job of doing it for her. If anything, the fandom is split into "ok sure whatever I guess that happened" and "???? wait are we seriously brushing all of that under the rug?"

No-one actually feels very pressured into defending her either because they don't really like her chapter, or because she was inarguably in the wrong, or because she somewhat agreeably stopped what she was doing once that was proven to her plus no-one's even mad, so what's the big deal anyway.

If anything, I've seen people say "actually, Venti deserved having his Gnosis stolen by Signora bc of something that happened centuries ago!" and allegedly there's been some "Childe is worse than Ei, actually" or "well, the Resistance shouldn't have fought back if they didn't want to get killed!" wank, but that's definitely not the norm from what I've seen. Why speculate about Ei's (lack of) morality when you can draw her with her girlfriends?

It also helps that Ei's ideals are rather abstract (she wants an Eternal Inazuma) as compared to Edelgard's, so her goals are a lot harder to project on/defend. It's also a lot harder to measure the harm done by Ei as she primarily took Visions, which were returned, rather than doing an Imperialism, so she does come across as having done much less harm in the long-run.

However, I fully anticipate the wank to get turned up to 11 once we meet the Tsaritsa and she turns out to be a cute white-haired girl who was only destabilising other countries so she could take over, enabling human experimentation of their citizens and depowering their gods to fight the Real Bad Guys Up In Celestia, so it's all fine Actually. That... that has the potential to be bad.

(To compare Ei's in-game treatment to Edelgard, imagine if after Edelgard invaded Garregg Mach because of those damn evil lizards, Rhea shrugged and said "well, she has her own perspective. I'm a little disappointed in what she chose to do because of it, but everyone has their own perspective."

Or if Dedue said, "I don't blame Edelgard for Dimitri's death. Dimitri stood against Edelgard of his own free will and died an honourable death. Rather, I'm disappointed that she aligned herself with the people that caused the Tragedy of Duscar in the first place."

Or if Dimitri or Claude had prevented Edelgard's conquests, said "do better next time!" and then turned around and left, leaving her in charge, and saying they hoped she could do better in the future. Maybe Byleth even hangs out with her to help her find better, less harmful ways to depower the Church and Make Adrestia Great Again.

And then if, after that, Edelgard walked around blaming Those Who Slither for the war while we stand next to her yelling "YEAH, SHAME ON YOU!"

Because that's roughly what happened with Ei. Also "Edelgard was tricked/manipulated into doing everything by the Agarthans!!!" except it's actually somewhat true for Ei and the Fatui. egh ei sucks)

#replies #ac plays genshin impact

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kendrixtermina · 4 years

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I’ve found the interview! Or parts of it

Other fun points beyond Claude’s real name.

A lot of my headcanons have been confirmed!

Silver Snow was the first route written (maybe that’s why it’s the weakest? It took them a while to find their Mojo)

El wasn’t just a driving figure in the plot but also in the writing process, ie, the other lords were then developed as contrasts.

Dimitri’s eyepatch was also improv apparently one person just randomly suggested it halfway through, the original model was then used for CF. It was intended to show that he had a hard life in the last 5 years

They say they took some influence from “Romance of the Three Kingdoms”

CF was indeed intended as a “secret” hidden route holding a distinct place - it was originally supposed to be harder to unlock - they also underestimated how many players would always go explore on the first day (apparently the option is only open in the first day - which makes sense, later she’s already departed)

Edelgard is indeed Byleth’s foil/ counterpart / rival / contrast as someone with roughly equal power

So developement wise you might draw some parallels to Elsa (the developers gradually realized this character had more potential as a hero than a villain/ was actually pretty sympathetic - part of why they made joining her easier) and also Rika from Digimon Tamers (they realized the figurines of the girl characters didn’t sell, so they made the primary girl the ‘rival character’ which always sells. Rika was indeed hugely popular, probably because your average anime ‘rival character’ tends to be complex, cool, and one of the most powerful chars in the setting)

Lysithea was indeed just a prototype, Edelgard had a much more advanced procedure done on her (hence why she generally seems a lot more “super”)

They originally planned for her to be able to stop/interfere with divine pulse but that didn’t end up making it into the final game

You have to consider that a game is not a book or a movie - something might be a cool concept on its own but if its implementation is annoying to the player it’s worthless

However I will take this as confirmation to my headcanon that she has some mild timewarping going on, and that this is what happens when she can attack multiple times (as per ‘raging storm’ or in her Hegemon form)

That really IS Sothis on the mural

An aspect that I didn’t personally consider but adds to my observations of how Rhea is a really interesting take on the concept of a demigod: They stress that to her Sothis doesn’t just represent her mother but also the creator/ her god. She very much does worship her and has goals beyong just wanting back a family member

(Indeed she does tell Byleth that she can’t wait until “Our creator rules this wayward land once more”)

And here’s yet another account of the war of heroes. In this i must admit defeat because others called this and I didn’t:

The Nabateans were in fact ruling over humans, and people were in fact resisting/standing up to that

The Agarthans having their own sinister motives, invented the methods to make crests/ relics

At this point you DO get greed and powerlust involved - people like Nemesis started trying to kill dragons to gain their power left and right and the balance of power shifted

Rhea didn’t so much “make” the Elites into heroes - The (human) people really did see them as liberators and that was too big to change, so Seiros kept the broad strokes manipulating the details so that all tied back to the goddess.

So they replaced an aristocracy of Nabateans by an aristocracy of people with Nabatean-like powers. There’s an interesting dynamic here

So Edelgard was almost completely right.

I’m sorry I doubted you El!

That said I still get the impression that Nemesis was definitely in it for the power and still massacred civilians. He’s like the Ten Elites’ secretly evil teammate.

So on the one hand, Rhea didn’t do this unscrupulous act of making people she hates into heroes just for control, on the other hand the war of Heroes was alot more muddy

On the other hand this makes Silver Snow a bad end in my book. “Happiness in Slavery”.

I did talk about how SS didn’t have Byleth growing out of their character flaws the ways the other routes, but now... wow they were a tool until the end

I still can’t believe that Sothis, Seteth or Flayn are evil though, Sothis seems compassionate and disliked Rhea’s methods - but was she even around then, actually? Because she was asleep for a long time after the war with the Agarthans. So the Nabateans, perhaps already under Rhea’s leadership, were already semi-corrupt.

(That obviously doesn’t justify slaughtering them all down to the last child - Zanado was the civilian population)

Seteth might have been as much of a tool now as then. Though I still hold to my opinion that he’s the last one to hold to Sothis’ “real” mission - which was guard not rule

Of course Rhea believed almost to the last that guarding was precisely what she was doing

Heavens this has so many layers and complexities I love it I want to make a full drawn out novel based on a similar premise

That said they specify very clearly that Seiros and co really did just want to keep the peace. They are benevolent/ paternalistic overlords basically

Almyra seems to have an “Ottoman Harem” situation going on where the King has multiple wives and the heir is whoever is worthiest/strongest rather than the eldest. So from the beginning Claude had many rivals as if the bullying he experienced wasn’t bad enough

So Claude/Khalid is different from Dimitri who was always the rightful crown prince, and Edelgard who never expected to inherit and suddenly found herself catapulted up the line of succession. For him it was always a “maybe”.

This is an interesting contrast to Edelgard. Her father also had many concubines but it seems she had a good relationship with her siblings regardless.

“He won’t hesitate to plea for his life and considers survival as the ultimate victory. That’s also why Claude is the character who survives in every route. “

The original plan was to slip up and have Nader call him the wrong name. i see why they cut it, it would make everyone involved look like they don’t take the situation seriously

The moment in non-GD routes where he couldn’t predict that Hilda and Judith would sacrifice themselves is ascribed to him “having different values than the people in fodlan”. Ouch. So good at reading people but the cultural difference still bit him in the ass at the worst possible moment.

If you see the Church as Seiros as an analogue to a corrupt medieval church, this certainly fits with the common observation by ppl of different backgrounds that christian countries tend to have an undercurrent of glorifying suffering and self-sacrifice in ways that seem masochistic to ppl from other backgrounds or even local non-believers

The beard was supposed to make him look “adventurous”

“He’s a very good guy” - I mean, yeah.

The timeskip designs were supposed to “radiate their life style over the last five years” - I certainly see that with, say, Dimitri or Bernadetta

#fe3h #three houses #fire emblem: three houses #fire emblem three houses #Khalid #claude von riegan #edelgard von hresvelg #edelgard

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gascon-en-exil · 4 years

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Your view on fandom is fair enough. I'd like to add that while Edelgard would make a good villain (and does on two routes), Dimitri, in his madman phase, makes an even better villain. I didn't enjoy his redemption arc because it was clumsily done and an absolute drag to actually play through, so instead I enjoy the idea of a formerly kindhearted man losing himself to the point of becoming an irredeemable beast.

This doesn’t work very well however, in large part because, like Claude, Dimitri just isn’t important enough to the plot outside his own route.

In VW it’s treated as a major reveal that he’s still alive at Gronder, but after you defeat him he’s killed offscreen by Edelgard’s forces and that’s that. He’s an almost random obstacle and not even the focal point of that chapter, and his motivation is then posthumously validated by Dedue taking it up and reappearing in Enbarr to help Byleth’s army and take his revenge. In SS Dimitri’s only Part 2 appearance is Byleth (probably) dreaming/hallucinating him being remorseful for his behavior after the offscreen Gronder battle, which is even less villainous and more tragic because he never opposes the player. It is considerably more random however, and as such Dedue carrying out the same role that he does in VW feels less natural although one could infer the same events happened to trigger it.

CF has Dimitri fully sane, with the easy visual symbolism of him still having both eyes, as he was never separated from Dedue and forced to go on the run by Cornelia. It would be overly generous to call him a hero antagonist however, as - again like Claude - he’s only relevant to the one chapter and gets no development outside it. There’s a symmetry to Edelgard getting to finish the hit she ordered in the Prologue by killing both of the other leaders, and Dimitri gets to shine in the tragic role of a leader defending his homeland from conquest via his reactions to the deaths of the other Lions and especially his secret death scene with Dedue, but he’s still not important or developed enough to be an antagonist much less evil enough to be a villain. One of CF’s structural problems is that its conflict lacks focus, with only Rhea even somewhat established as an overarching threat outside of the chapters where you fight her. That’s exacerbated by the route’s short length and breathless pacing, not to mention the hype for the postgame war against the Agarthans which is narratively unsatisfying to say the least. It really is just Edelgard and her precious teacher vs. the world, with Hubert having the supervillainous time of his life in the background.

With all that in mind I don’t see where Dimitri works as a villain. The opposition between Byleth and Edelgard is always front and center because the concept of an Avatar and lord fighting was the basic concept the game was built around. Even in AM where Byleth matters least and the protagonist/antagonist relationship works much better because Dimitri and Edelgard are both actual characters, the self-insert still plays a disproportionately large role in shaping events. This is a much bigger issue with AM than its pacing, which is easily the best of the routes and ends on a much stronger note of finality compared to VW and SS which have to keep going after Edelgard dies even though her war drives the plot of every route. That’s why she’s the antagonist for 3/4ths of the game, and why her being the source of the main conflict makes her villainous through her methods and the methods of her allies.

Dimitri and Claude are bit players outside their respective routes, but one of the big reasons that people praise AM’s writing is that Dimitri’s character arc directly ties into the opposition between him and Edelgard through their history and her alliance with the people who perpetrated the Tragedy of Duscur. (This stands in contrast to Claude whose arc and motivations have nothing whatsoever to do with Edelgard, leaving her as only an obstacle to his ambitions with awkward implementation on account of VW being mostly a copy and paste of SS.) Parts of Dimitri’s development are rushed, but there’s an appreciable back-and-forth between him and his advisors as well as his established support network of full characters (read: not Byleth) who can criticize his actions and facilitate his growth. There’s also his framing, which is that of a traditional FE lord from start to finish with the subversive detour in the middle through his mental deterioration and eventual recovery. In their ending tapestries Edelgard is the red-draped conqueror with the smirking sorcerer in black behind her throne, Claude the yellow (in FE terms, neutral) statesman, and Byleth literally deified as the full realization of the self-insert fantasy - but for Dimitri the blue lord his ending involves playing with orphans in an image as benevolent as it is mildly saccharine.

And at least Dimitri has an arc; Claude has the aforementioned problem with his goals not aligning with the main conflict of his route, whereas if Byleth or Edelgard ever change at all they’re done by the end of Part 1 and after that they’re just seeing their stories through to the end. Another common critique of CF is that no one ever seriously questions Edelgard’s actions or challenges her in a meaningful way: Randolph and Ladislava’s death are almost comically unimportant, her response to the nuking of Arianrhod pivots not on the people who died or the betrayal from within but on her immediately lying about it to the Strike Force to further scapegoat Rhea*, and while before the final battle she raises the potential for conflict with Byleth being connected to the goddess and her children nothing comes of it other than Sothis’s Crest stone disappearing at the end for no apparent reason and Edelgard still getting her happy ending with Byleth anyway. While all that may be preferable for a power fantasy compared to AM repeatedly beating Dimitri over the head with his failings until he grows as a person, it’s not great for characterization. I also maintain that Hubert is a better center for CF as a power fantasy anyway, as he’s much more straightforward about his morally bankrupt actions and lacks the tonally dissonant scenes Edelgard has that are intended to play up her romance with Byleth. (He has comparable scenes of course, but they’re all confined to the support system where that sort of thing normally occurs and aren’t part of the main story.)

So to sum up, everything in FE16 outside of CF frames Edelgard as its main antagonist, and even in CF despite some commitment issues the signs of her villainy are still present. Dimitri by contrast is too secondary a character outside AM to ever be a proper antagonist, and too morally undeveloped and tragically framed in them to ever be a villain either.

*While CF Chapter 16′s title, “Lady of Deceit,” superficially refers to Cornelia, there’s some heavy irony in that it could just as easily apply to Edelgard herself considering it contains the most blatant instance of her lying to her supporters. Even before that, the chapter only happens because she feints toward Fhirdiad but secretly plans to besiege Arianrhod instead, to the confusion of several in the playable cast.

#Fire Emblem #FE16 #Fire Emblem Three Houses #Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd

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nowis-scales · 3 years

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Pre-Verdant Wind Endgame Update

An Update on the ol’ Three Houses Verdant Wind playthrough, since I’ve been neglecting documenting my journey properly for a bit:

• My current placement is Ch.20, so I’m only a few chapters away from the last one. It’s kind of a weird thought because I feel like I just hit the timeskip, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this will feel well-paced out. In terms of writing, I’m known for being a bit of a stickler for good flow. It’s why all of my fanfics take so long to update! I have to make sure my flow is perfect.

• The fact that they have been giving background information on characters has been so amazing. Learning that Raphael’s sister’s name was Maya and getting to hear about her has made me irrationally happy.

• Also, just generally, holy shit people sleep on Raphael and Leonie. Raphael often gets shoved to the side, and Leonie is treated like her only trait is liking Jeralt, and for me it all just culminates in the question of “so did you like... not do their support conversations, or...?” Seriously. I think Leonie might be one of my favourites in the game so far, and I adore Raph. He’s so sweet!

• The Flame Emperor reveal for some reason gave me “and I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren’t for you meddling kids” vibes. I liked the venom Cherami Leigh had there as Rhea, too. I think I read from someone that in Japanese, Rhea’s actually super calm in that scene. I don’t think I have a preference towards the anger or the calmness, honestly. I think I just liked how smoothly the emotion came across. Plus, I’m a little biased, I’m fond of Cherami as an actress. I haven’t found a performance from her I haven’t enjoyed yet.

• I was really confused as to why Seteth showed up in my house after Chapter 12ish I think? I wasn’t expecting him to just be there after the paralogue, but I definitely wasn’t unhappy. I do like him! I just never use him, because I recruited Bernadetta and Sylvain, so I kinda have a full roster going...

• I was also confused in the Gronder Field fight because I couldn’t see what people meant about Bernie getting set on fire. Then I remembered Bernie wasn’t on the hill because she was with me. I recruited her. Whatever this proves about me, I don’t know.

• I did end up beating Marianne’s paralogue! It actually wasn’t as hard once I levelled her up a bit and classed her to a Holy Knight. The big thing with her in that paralogue seems to be that she needs a decent amount of power and movement to really get by, so that’s what I’d recommend for anyone else playing it. Using rescue will also probably help you out, but I tried to avoid using Flayn there because it’s kinda easy to kill her.

• Admittedly, I’m not 100% sure how I feel about the support system. In some ways, I think it’s better that not everybody has that forced S-Support. Oftentimes we were either squeezing a love confession out of two characters who were unlikely to have one, or characters with decent potential might get snubbed because their connection was less apparent to the writers (and unfortunately that still does happen in the case of same sex S-supports in 3H). Having the conversations only go to a certain point is helpful, but at the same time, the inherent romantic undertones of several of the A-supports do make things feel strange. If it weren’t for the fact that I know characters can have only one partner as their paired ending, I would think lots of them were in a polycule. Nothing wrong with that as long as everyone’s comfortable, but because I know they can only have one person in their ending, I find it pretty jarring.

• I think it was interesting that they went to do the fights for breaking into Enbarr and then taking down Edelgard back-to-back. I’m glad they did, honestly, because while I don’t usually like to do two fights next to each other unless I’m grinding, it doesn’t mess with the suspension of disbelief. It would be stupid to break into Enbarr and then just run right back to the Monastery.

• I have still not completed the randomized quest from just after the timeskip. You know, the one I was yelling about with the weeds? Still haven’t gotten any weeds. I think I might just have to give up on it. It’s hilarious that my luck is so good that it’s actually bad.

• The fact that Byleth is praised for having more of a personality than Corrin is the biggest slice of bullshit I have heard from this fanbase in a long time. Byleth is literally designed to be a silent protagonist with nothing going on with them – they even came up with a story reason for why Byleth is such a blank sack of meat! In the kindest way possible, I don’t think most people realize that they are implementing whatever personality they want onto Byleth. Personally, I don’t find anything relatable about being stoic, calm, and not inclined to anyone (until plot happens, of course). I’ve always been the overly enthusiastic and caring type, with a tendency towards nervousness. Trying to relate to Byleth was like trying to relate to the experiences of a cactus. While I definitely don’t think Corrin is the strongest of the modern FE avatars – that award goes to Robin – they still had some things I could understand and relate to. If you’re not the type of person who loves the cool, “I fight for my friends” types like Ike, though, you’re likely to have a hard time relating to Byleth. If you can manage that type of character, then you’re more likely to have present them with a personality of their own.

• Actually, while we’re on the topic of Byleth getting praised for things Corrin got dragged for, the fact that Corrin is still cited as the character who receives the most “player pandering” is ridiculous too. Do a lot of characters like Corrin? Yeah! But most of them who do are deeply traumatized in a way that inclines them specifically towards Corrin. The Nohr siblings cling to each other due to their abusive childhood, the Hoshido siblings all in some capacity seem to suffer from abandonment issues (oldest) and/or attachment issues (youngest), and the official foursome of retainers have also had some sort of abandonment struggle in their past (forced separation from parents, murdered loved ones). While the cast of Three Houses needs therapy and is traumatized too, there is no reason why the inclination moves towards Byleth. Bernadetta feels safe around them just because. Edelgard is obsessed with them just because. Marianne learns to feel better about herself just because. Why are there so many exceptions for Byleth, and so many just without explanation? I don’t hate Byleth by any means, but these two things make my opinion of them lower than it would be otherwise. It kinda sucks that my image of Byleth is tainted by the fanbase’s hypocrisy, but I know I can’t have everything.

• The gameplay overall for 3H has been pretty fun! I love the addition of the Demonic Beasts, as annoying as they are to fight. There’s a charm to having some of your stronger units working to take on the soldiers blocking the path, meanwhile your army’s more intermediate strikeforce works to keep them safe by bringing down the beast. Once you get the hang of it, gameplay with the new additions is fun. The only thing I don’t use is Divine Pulse, but that’s because I’m on Casual and usually when I want to rewind, I want to just plain start over. So I use the old “turn off and start again” trick.

• Edelgard’s death scene was actually pretty good. I must confess that I went out of my way to avoid Edelgard in the academy phase, as I knew how hard the game was going to hit me with the “she’s obessed with you” thing and I wanted to see how wonky it would feel if I didn’t speak to her much. I was right that it’s incredibly awkward in terms of writing when you haven’t spent the time with her, but surprisingly, her death scene still holds up. Good voice acting, animation, and music. My only beef with it is something they have done in FE before, and it’s something I wish they’d stop. If a character is dying, you either let them have a few last breaths after their last lines or you kill them mid-sentence. It’s probably just a personal nitpick, but hearing them get their last word out without struggle and then immediately die just makes me aware of how badly the directors wanted the whole line to be in there. I can totally understand it but I find it so troublesome in the grand scheme of things that I just can’t.

• I also like that in the fight against Edelgard, they tried to make it ambiguous who had the key. Immediately as it told me that, I decided it was Petra and ended up being right. I was kind of sad to kill her though, to be honest. I don’t know her well, but she’s probably one of the Eagles I like more.

• The fight against the Death Knight at Fort Merceus ended up being surprisingly pretty easy. In fact, while I paved the way for most of my army, Nader ended up making it to the Death Knight just as Claude did. He did most of the damage – I’m not kidding, the Death Knight was down to 1 HP – and then Claude took care of the rest. It was a weird fight. They said impregnable a lot leading up to it.

• I understand why they kill Dimitri off-screen at the Gronder Field fight, but I was admittedly a bit disappointed. Again, Salli Saffoti does a good job doing Hilda’s voice for it, but I would have liked to see it animated. It was also nice to have that little rapport with Dedue! If only we could have allied with the Lions a bit more. Everyone always says Claude and Edelgard have similar goals; however, it’s their methods that differ. Claude seems to align himself a bit closer to Dimitri, so I’m usually a bit confused by the idea that Edelgard and Claude would work together. I was spoiled on enough to know her background and story, and even so, I think that her methodology is just a bit too violent for his tastes. But that’s just my two cents.

Alright. I think that’s about all I can drain out of my brain from the top of my head. With that, I am off to kill the slithers! We’ll see how this goes. Wish me luck!

#koto plays 3h #spoilers fire emblem three houses #spoilers FE3H

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