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freeza-emperor-of-the-universe · 2 years

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Thoughts on Dragonball Super: Super Hero

Overall 7/10.

The CG animation looked (mostly) better than I thought. However all the material on Beerus’ planet didn’t look good- Goku and Vegeta sparing, some of the models like Beerus and Whis.

I also liked how it focused on Piccolo, Gohan and other characters rather then Goku and Vegeta.

I have a lot of issues with the plot and some character writing.

I’ve never been a fan of the Artificial Human and Cell arcs. We are told in the Saiyan to Freeza arcs that the Freeza army technology is far superior to Earth’s and it just felt really off that a human scientist could make robots, a bioweapon and enhance humans to make them stronger then Freeza and the Super Saiyan.

This is even worse with Gero’s grandson who’s noted to be more of a genius than his grandfather could make robots and a Cell rip-off that are as strong as Goku and Vegeta in their God forms (Piccolo notes this) or even Gohan in his Ultimate state.

Then there’s the whole should Magenta for example exist. At the climax of the Boo arc they wished back everyone killed by Boo back to life except the very evil ones. Magenta wants to take over the world that surely sounds very evil. Hedo I can understand likely was spared by this because I do think he’s on that level.

I also don’t like now that Dende has upgraded Shenlong he can now literally be used to wish to be stronger. What’s the point of training or anything now if they can just collect the Dragonballs to do this.

Then there’s some character issues I have. For what is it? The third time? Gohan is slacking off from his training. Yeah, Gohan doesn’t like fighting, but the Resurrection F arc established after what happened with Freeza, Gohan will train when he can to protect his family. It just feels very repetitive.

Then there’s Piccolo’s attitude to Gohan. I just find this out of character that he doesn’t like that Gohan isn’t training. Remember in the Cell arc, Piccolo was willing to jump into fight Cell because he knew Gohan doesn’t have ‘a warrior’s stomach’ like Goku. Piccolo IMO would respect that Gohan is fulfilling his dream of being a scholar. Chastising him for not picking his daughter from preschool, sure, but for not training I disagree.

Bulma is just used for fan-service here with some fan-service shots of her ass. Yes, Bulma can be vain but c’mon Dragonball never sinks to such depths.

I wasn’t a fan of how Kuririn is treated here. They have him act like he is too scared to help out in the fight with Cell Max, which has NEVER been the case. That’s more Yamcha NOT Kuririn.

The Gammas are entertaining but don’t really have much depth. Cell Max is just a kajiu sized Cell (some of his attacks literally feel ripped from Shin Godzilla) who just screams and fires energy blasts. NO character at all.

I do find it amusing that nobody still knows that Commander Red ultimately wanted the Dragonballs to wish to grow taller NOT world domination.

I didn’t mind the new forms. Orange Piccolo kinda feels like something out of One Piece looks wise. Beast Gohan while cool enough is literally just SSJ2 Kid Gohan all over with the exact same hair style and he even wears the same outfit.

Anyway, those are some thoughts off the top of my head.

#dragonball super super hero #dragon ball super super hero

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birdmenmanga · 10 months

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okay like see. I'm a bit annoyed about the data storm space being some hallucination of the afterlife just because like. narratively it is not fulfilling and it just feels like the show is trying to manipulate us into feeling emotional about our favorite dead characters.

like the kekkaishi finale did something in the same vein, where yoshimori creates a new world from his brain and he fills it up with all the people and experiences he had encountered throughout the series, and when he brings back a friend who died in the first quarter of the series, it HITS precisely because he has been shown to be grieving over his death throughout the series. When he moves onto the next grade, he suddenly thinks about how Gen will never move on. When he meets Sen he's somehow reminded of him. And, critically, his time with Gen ACTIVELY CHANGED his decision-making process. He explicitly TELLS Soji that hey. a while ago I had this friend and I kind of fucked things up. and I don't want that to happen again. So I'm gonna try to have more patience with you.

But like, even though there was a really similar gimmick of bringing Elan-4 back in the finale of The Witch from Mercury, it felt really hollow because... well... because it felt like Suletta didn't actually miss him. it didn't feel like she was changed because of him... which is fine. The story's not about him. But it does make the moment fall flat, when it was clearly meant to be a super emotional one.

When Elan-5 tells her about the enhanced humans Suletta like. sniffles a bit. and then the conversation IMMEDIATELY moves on. even earlier, when Sophie goes "ughhhh Elan's soooo grooosssss" Suletta says "he's not... gross..." and then the defense ends there. Compared to how she defended Elan to Miorine earlier on, when Elan-4 offered to help her with her exam thing, and Miorine rudely goes "this guy's an ENEMY" you can see Suletta mustering up all her power to fight against her social anxiety and tell Miorine how kind Elan's been to her, and so these recent moments with regard to Elan-4 kinda just. sucks.

While it DOES tie up the loose threads of the Elan-4 arc, like not being able to meet up with Suletta, it just felt so poorly timed and executed that even someone like me who loves Elan-4 so so so so so much, was just so immensely disappointed....

On the other hand, I do appreciate what they did with Prospera this episode. I think the fear of losing Eri really put Prospera's priorities in order, and that's why she was able to move forward. Realizing that oh, Eri's not dead, what have I been obsessing over all the time when I just wanted a nice life with her, etc... that's good stuff! While, again, I would have appreciated a bit more hinting at Prospera's grief throughout the series, I can understand this choice when Suletta's rhetoric for being proud of her mom for choosing the future rather than lingering on the past, so I can excuse it.

I dunno. I have a lot of feelings regarding the g-witch finale and it's gonna take a long time to sort them all out...

#just thinking thoughts...#the witch from mercury

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quirkwizard · 2 years

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Heu Wiz how are you doing? I hope you're doing well and having a great end of summer.

If you caught up with spoilers what do you think of Bakugou's new development? Do you think it adds or detracts to his personal story so far. I saw some of the leaks and wanted to hear your thoughts on it. Have a good night!

I'm not sure about which development you are talking about specifically, but I assume you are talking about Bakugou being hole punched.

Oddly enough, I really don't have a lot to say about Bakugou’s death in relation to Bakugou. I have a lot more to say about everything surrounding his death because that’s where most of the stuff is happening. So far, most of Bakugou’s death comes from how other people are reacting to it. Best Jeanist is panicking about losing his student, Mirio is getting trauma flashbacks over the Yakuza Raid, and Tomura is having yet another mental breakdown because of the heroes. And I’m sure when Deku gets into the fight proper, he’s going to have a pretty violent reaction to his death as well. As for what it means for Bakugou, there’s not much to say because he’s still dead and there isn’t much to see how it affects him. I suppose it’s meant to be his final beat in his character arc of trying to readjust his idea of being a hero. It could tie back into the amount of guilt and trauma he has been bearing. Bakugou tends to shoulder a lot of burden when it comes to other people’s choices, most notably when All Might saved him. So have another hero die and literally have to bear that weight on his hear.

As for how this will play out going forward, there are some possibilities for his character. Could this process enhance his body somehow and help mitigate the dangerous usage of his new Quirk? Maybe, but part of me doesn’t want it to. Bakugou is one of the very few characters left whose drawbacks actually mean something, and I wouldn’t want him to lose that status. I also don’t like that other extreme that people are going with and that Bakugou is somehow going to end up in a state where he can’t be a hero anymore. I know there was a lot of nonsensical stuff surrounding his death, but I feel like going with this more realistic take would be a sour note to end his character on, but not in a good way. It would feel really cruel to have all the characters go through this to save Bakugou only for him to end up unable to fulfill his dream of being a hero. It would be an interesting direction if he let’s go of this idea of "winning" and how he relates it to heroism. That a part of heroism is making some sacrifices, and you can’t bear that weight on yourself. Bakugou started this fight by saying that he was going to win this with no causalities. After his death, most, if not all the other heroes are in some critical condition trying to help him. It's going to be interesting to see him deal with the fall out of that.

#My Hero Academia #Not Quirks #Katsuki Bakugou #MHA Meta #MHA Theory

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translationandbetrayals · 1 year

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A review on Hyouka and why it's so great

Hyouka is easily among the best products that the renowned Kyoto Animation anime studio have worked on.

Hyouka is a character driven slice-of-life anime that uses seemingly mundane mysteries as a means to move the plot forward as the characters interact and develop. The anime is an adaptation of the original source novel series, specifically the first 4 volumes of it.

The story follows Houtarou Oreki, a teenager who prefers to be laid back and save his energy, or so he says, and we get to experience his lazy view of things. At the start of the story, he gets a letter from his older sister who wants him to join a certain school club so that it won't be abolished, and once he visits the club he finds out that Eru Chitanda has already joined the club, but despite his obligation to his sister being fulfilled (as the club now has at least 1 member), he finds himself feeling entangled by Chitanda and ends up joining the club anyway.

Throughout the story he is exposed to both good and bad things about having a rose-colored life through the mysteries the main cast interacts with. Seeing his clubmates having fun makes him feel restless, but the negative feelings from having been burned in the past by his desire to have fun and put energy into what he wants to do lead him to hold back, after all it's safer to not get involved too much so he won't hurt. The story arcs bring seemingly mundane mysteries that drive the plot and slowly make him feel like he wants a brighter life.

Among other elements that I think make this anime great, I could list many:

- The rest of the main cast are compelling and interesting. Each of them has a distinctive personality and design, and they also develop as the pronagonist does. The characters are realistic and have a life-like feel to them, as they experience complex feelings like frustration, resignation, envy and longing that fuel their development and improve their depth. The progress in their relationships is gradual but satisfying.

- The art and animation are really well done. I could list many scenes where this stands out, but as an example there's this scene at the start where Oreki is trapped by his clubmate and co-lead Chitanda's hair as if it were vines, to show how he's captivated by her and how he feels that he can't escape or refuse. The use of colors and saturation greatly enhance certain scenes. Visually this anime is satisfying.

- The soundtrack never misses the mark. The soundtrack is always on point, ranging from bright, well known classical music pieces to dark, eerie and intriguing pieces that enhance the sense of suspense.

-The undertones of other genres like psychological or romance are not necessarily too pronounced, but are present to different degrees of subtlety, and they're enjoyable nonetheless.

- The usage of visual cues and symbolism are outstanding. There is a lot of thought put into this adaptation, as there's a clear attention to detail we can see from hints that are shown regarding the mysteries to the body language and demeanor of the characters.

While on the topic of how detailed and well crafted this story is, I'd like to highlight a particular portion of the story, which is the contrast between the first and last episodes of the anime. I find this very telling how much Oreki and Chitanda have grown closer throughout the story.

At the start, Oreki has a monologue about living a dull life, and at this time he sees Chitanda as someone who lives a rose-colored life because she's always bright, energetic and curious. Oreki initially makes little effort to try and help her and doesn't want to do much, but by the end of the story it only takes Chitanda telling him that she needs his help for him to accept her request, even though it goes completely against how we've heard he wants to live life, clear evidence of character development.

Having said this, in the last episode we come to understand it's the other way around than how it was at the start: one could say Oreki has started to want to live a rose-colored life, or has already been living one for a while (thanks to Chitanda in particular), and what's constrasting and polarizing is that we realize (through her own monologue) that Chitanda is the one who's been actually living a dull life, as she is anchored down by her family and its traditions and she feels like her path is set in stone. It's important that we start the story with Oreki's monologue and end with Chitanda's, and we come to realize the development of these characters. This is very well thought-out by the author as it's not only contrasting, but also symmetrical.

Not just that, but in the final scene we see Oreki and Chitanda walking together as Oreki is holding a bycicle, which also contrasts with how in previous episodes it was Chitanda who would be holding a bycicle while Oreki walked beside her. The bicycle is one example of what I previously mentioned: symbolism. It symbolizes freedom and possibilities: at the start it was Oreki who had a grey outlook on life and he saw the bright Chitanda through his own lens, therefore we're shown Chitanda holding the bike, the freedom.

As Chitanda has this monologue (which is already evidence of how close they've become throughout the story), it is her that is tied down while Oreki has the freedom symbolized by the bike he's holding. Moreover, in the scene, Oreki is on the side of the frame that has crops growing while Chitanda is on the side that shows wilted trees and the river. This is a great example of symbolism: the paddy fields represent the possibilities for Oreki's life, the bike is freedom to go places and make choices, while for Chitanda the dead trees represent stillness, boredom and a lack of options, while the river is a metaphor for how her life moves forward in a set direction and only leads to one destination. I find this marvelous, and it's just one example in this series that is handled with passion and care.

Felipe Arenas.

#Anime #essay #submission

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ultrahpfan5blog · 2 years

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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Review - Contains Spoilers

Came out of DS2, and it ended up being quite a trip. Have to say that its a movie that left an impression on me for sure and a good one. I wouldn't call it one of the best MCU movies but its definitely one of the most memorable and unique ones. Definitely a film that felt different in a good way. But its not without its flaws.

The film is one of the few where I feel that watching in 3D really helped enhance the experience. The visuals are definitely really cool and all the action scenes are hugely enjoyable to watch. From a story perspective, this film is a lot like The Terminator. Wanda being The Terminator, America Chavez being Sarah Connor, and Doctor Strange being Kyle Reese. There are some visual cues that are reminiscent of the movie as well. Wanda is a legit terrifying villain in this movie. Probably one of the best villains in any MCU movie. WandaVision definitely does enhance the viewing experience of this film from that perspective. There are lines and musical cues that are directly from WandaVision and her whole plot is related to her trauma. The story isn't all that complicated, and that's a good thing in my opinion. Its just about Strange trying to protect Chavez from getting killed from Wanda and that leads to a trip through the Multiverse. One of my fears was that this film would feel like a Wanda movie and less a Doctor Strange and I'm happy to say that's not the case. Doctor Strange is really the anchor of the film and his character goes through quite a journey and has a fairly fulfilling character arc. I feel this probably the most likable Strange has been in the MCU. This film really humanizes him quite a bit. As I mentioned before, there are some really cool bits in this film. The coolest of which was a musical note based fight with two Doctor Stranges. That was pretty awesome. The finale was also pretty sweet with Zombie Defender Strange. There are some very dark and spooky sequences where Wanda lays waste to everything and everyone that comes in her way. Honestly, the action scenes are exhilarating. One of the things that I was initially disappointed with before watching the film was the runtime. I expected the film to be longer, but having watched the film, it makes a lot of sense. Because the plot is not overly complex and the setup for the villain is already accomplished in WandaVision, it makes sense for the run time to be 2 hours. While I loved the trippiness of the visuals and the action, I think more of it would be too much of a good thing and would have gotten overwhelming and repetitive. I think the film manages to use the time effectively and given some closure to the Strange and Christine relationship and establish a pretty affectionate mentor/mentee relationship between Strange and Chavez.

There are issues with the film, like I mentioned earlier. While Wanda makes for a terrifying villain, the film doesn't quite earn her turn to the complete dark side. While on one hand, there are references to the Darkhold having corrupted her mind, but on the other hand, Wanda seems to be completely aware of the things she's doing. The end of WandaVision didn't really imply that she was this unbalanced. As it stands, I'm not sure where else the MCU can go with her, because she's about as evil as she could have gone, but she also then had a redemptive moment at the end. They can't go back to her being evil because that would make the end of this movie pointless, and I highly doubt she's dead. The Strange and Christine relationship is also a big crux of this film. While I think there is a very affectionate chemistry between Cumberbatch and Adams and the What If episode about them went a long way towards making that relationship stronger, the the film is depending on an emotional investment in that relationship which the MCU has never really earned. Then there is the use of the cameos in the film, which probably represents my biggest disappointment with the film. I was spoiled on the cameos before the film, so I didn't have wild expectations going into this about other unexpected appearances, but what was disappointing is that the film has some high profile appearances of actors playing major characters, all of whom ended up looking really stupid and going out like punks. The whole storyline about Strange being on trial didn't really hold up in the first place. They were basically judging him for another Strange's actions, despite the fact it did seem that, despite his mistakes, Strange was really the key to defeating Thanos even in their universe. The level of distrust and some of the arrogance shown by Captain Carter and Captain Marvel and the stupidity shown by Mr. Fantastic and Black Bolt and the rest just makes their appearances very disappointing. I mean, its really cool to see Patrick Stewart as Xavier and Krasinski as Mr. Fantastic but they really get nerfed. Surely Xavier could have put up more of a fight in Wanda's head or done something and Mr. Fantastic could have done more than just get shredded. Captain Marvel and Captain Carter were oddly unlikable and they went out like punks as well. On top of that, there is a layer of conflict between Mordo and Strange in our universe which we have never seen on screen and apparently happened between movies, which this movies depends on to have tension between our Strange and AU Mordo. Its a weird choice and again seems unearned.

The performances in the movies are all outstanding. Elizabeth Olsen is getting a lot of plaudits for her work and its well deserved. She's superb and pretty scary and yet there is a layer of sympathy that you have with her right at the end. Benedict Wong as Wong is wonderful, with a genuinely substantial role. Rachel McAdams is always lovely to have although she is still not used to her full potential and it doesn't seem like we will see her again. Xochitl Gomez as Chavez is quite likable. Ejiofor as Mordo, Stewart as Xavier, Krasinski as Mr Fantastic, Hayley Atwell as Captain Carter, Lashana Lynch as Captain Marvel, and Anson Mount as Black Bolt are all welcome presences. But the film's real anchor is Benedict Cumberbatch. I think people will underrate his work here because his performance is subdued and understated compared to Olsen's more overt villain character, but he carries so much of the weight of this film. There is a hidden pain in this performance. He has to play it as a man who is keeping it all bottled inside. And despite that you really feel he's going through a journey and he adds quite a bit of humor to the proceedings.

Overall, Sam Raimi definitely bring a distinct horror touch to the movie. I will say that he, along with Taika, Gunn, and Chloe Zhao, are the directors whose distinct touch is very much apparent when watching the movie. I can imagine this film is not for everyone. Someone not caught up on WandaVision or Doctor Strange's journey in the MCU so far, may not connect with this movie much and find it cluttered. For me, I really enjoyed it. I give it an 8/10 on first viewing. I'll probably give it another watch next weekend.

Also, I would say that a non comic follower would have zero idea who Charlize Theron is playing in the mid credit scene. Could have included an "I'm Clea" in the scene. Also, the post credit scene is an epic troll. Got a big laugh out of that. Basically similar to the Captain America one from Homecoming.

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theimnotokayblog · 2 years

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A nice review to The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Picture of Dorian Gray is one of the most well-known classical literatures from the 19th century. Amid a fictional world of gothic history, the story tells the journey of Dorian Gray as he begins to realize that his self-portrait is not what it seems. This realization of his own self drags him to unbelievable situations which will later revolve around the tale. Its ideas of beauty and art became controversial as Oscar Wilde, the author, expresses his upcoming in the preface that realism is something that is not accepted in the 19th century and that ‘all art is quite useless’. He exclaimed that art is something that exudes beauty and enhances the senses, it is anything but a mirror of morality and influence. This narrative is reflected in the story as one of its main themes is the aesthetics of fulfilling one’s enjoyment to the fullest. Wilde claims this as universal truth, that without conforming to society the person peaks pleasure.

With that being said, the story starts with the two characters who are essential to Dorian Gray’s development, namely Basil Hallward and Lord Henry Wotton. Basil Hallward is a dedicated artist who’s dismissive of controversies and mainly focuses on his art. He starts the story with his admiration for Dorian while he converses at a party, exclaiming that Dorian is the most beautiful specimen his eyes have laid upon. His admiration grew more as they became friends, although it was mentioned that some of their interactions are boring and insincere. On the other hand, Basil Hallward’s friend, Lord Henry Wotton is a man of insight. Outspoken, logical, and a brain of epigram, he keeps everyone’s eyes on him through his wit. And through his wit is what drives the plot. At the start of the story, he was introduced to Dorian Gray in Basil’s house since Basil plans on painting Dorian his self portrait. As he is being painted, Dorian cannot help but feel fascinated by Lord Henry’s remarks as he tackles about youth and influence. Lord Henry exclaims that to be influenced by others is what makes someone inauthentic, and that their experiences are merely borrowed. Ironically, this remark about influence by Lord Henry directly influenced Dorian’s thought process. As Lord Henry continues his insight that youth must be celebrated rather than tolerating its trait, Dorian realizes the youth he currently has and begins to acknowledge its presence. This leads to him envying the young look he has on his self portrait, claiming that the painting will remain the same as time passes while his’ withers. He then wishes for it to be the other way around, which signals the internal conflict of the plot. This interaction also indicates one of Wilde’s main messages for the story, enjoying life (youth) to its fullest before it withers.

Furthermore, Wilde is one of those authors who know how to use his characters well. The main protagonist and antagonist, despite the stereotype around these roles, are made differently in this story. The protagonist, Dorian Gray, starts as a naïve and enthusiastic young lad who’s being admired by everyone because of his youthful nature. Only then, his inquisitiveness led to his doom as he became attracted to Lord Henry’s intellect. As the story progresses, he becomes more influenced by this and undergoes a character development, of which makes him the opposite of being likeable. His protagonist arc is shifted as someone who’s likeable into being a “anti-hero”, or someone that contradicts to the main traits of a heroine-this arc is rarely seen in protagonists, by which Wilde executed well. On the other hand, Lord Henry is seen as the main antagonist. The beginning makes his role quite indifferent since the story strongly established him as someone who knows every knowledge there is, aside from the fact that there was a hint in Basil and Lord Henry’s interaction that made it clear that his moral compass is weak and ineffective. Although he is a man of words, some of his remarks are deemed questionable as there are traces of sexism and romanticism to his beliefs. Nonetheless, some of his insights still lures the readers into agreeing with him even if the author does not intend to. While as Basil Hallward remains as a supporting character who starts reserved but further opens himself to Dorian and serves as the protagonist’s guide away from Lord Henry. Both Lord Henry and Basil divides Dorian’s attention as they continue to question Dorian’s morality and character. What makes this character lineup interesting is that they are both his friends but they both contradict each other’s traits. This may signify that one’s friends may either make or break them. This story does the motif well.

Another thing worth mentioning is how the author uses metaphors to enhance the scenarios in the story. An example of this is when Dorian’s ordering his servant to carry his self portrait into his old room. His servant says that the painting is too heavy for him to carry. This may interpret the heaviness of Dorian’s sins through the weight of the painting. Another scenario is when a character exclaims that “a burnt child loves the fire”. Originally, the phrase is “a burnt child dreads the fire”, but the author adjusts it to make it appropriate and poetic for the scene. Even the ending of the book can be interpreted in so many ways. Wilde uses a great deal of metaphors that are sometimes too subtle to notice, but adds depth to each detail.

To quote what Wilde once said, “It is indeed to become a part of people’s life… I mean a man who works with his hands; and not with his hands merely in the consequences of its work but in the fact that it makes men themselves machines also. Whereas, we wish them to be artists, that is to say men.”

Wilde implies that men are built by society to follow societal rules without acknowledging their own freedom. This is then applied to the story which entails the various ways through which one can seek pleasure; this is elaborated by Lord Henry’s views and is then passed to Dorian. Of course, seeking pleasure is a normal feeling for an average human being. Conforming to society’s expectations is not always necessary and it’s even bad sometimes, but the way the main characters execute these ways of pleasure portrays an unhealthy habit-hedonism, as they may call it. Filler chapters were also dedicated to the concept in order to fully elaborate it (which made the middle part of the book boring tbh) but overall, the story was well-paced in terms of the plot and how it conveyed its message.

Art is nothing but a canvas, sheet, and tune not until it’s given meaning. Indeed, art is quite useless, but this book gave meaning to it.

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n1kolaiz · 3 years

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The Six Realms

Okay, so I was pretty close to giving up on writing analyses but I'm back LMFAO plus I see we're close to 100 followers and I just want to thank you guys for being so very supportive <3

Alright, I'm not sure if anyone's ever written about this, but if an analysis like this exists, please do let me know because I'm kind of curious as to what other people think about this, too!

Remember that time Fukuchi spoke about bringing "about the five signs of an angel's death"?

I read a little bit more about it, and as a minor content warning: this analysis will focus on a few religious aspects (Buddhism + Hinduism). So if I get any of the facts wrong, firstly: I do not mean any disrespect to either religion, and secondly: please do correct me if I interpret anything in the wrong way.

Spoilers for BSD chapter 90 onwards + BEAST!AU under the cut!

So I'll start by talking about the Decay of Angels. As we all know, the members include Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Nikolai Gogol, Sigma, and Bram Stoker, and their leader, Fukuchi Ochi. After Fyodor's arrest, the Decay of Angels came into light with Nikolai murdering four government officials in a week. These murders symbolise the Buddhist cycle of existence, or otherwise known as samsara: the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.

"We are the Decay of Angels—hiding here as terrorists, a 'murder association', five people who will announce the demise of the celestial world."

Nikolai Gogol, chapter 57

Samsara is described to be a concept beyond human understanding. According to Hinduism, samsara is the physical world where every being has its soul trapped into a physical vessel. The Hindus believe that everything has a soul, and due to a soul's attachment to desire, it is forced into a deathless cycle of being born, dying, and reincarnating into a different body. In Buddhism, the ultimate way to break free from this cycle is by obtaining nirvana.

Nirvana is a Sanskrit word for the goal of the Buddhist path: enlightenment or awakening. In Pali, the language of some of the earliest Buddhist texts, the word is nibbana; in both languages it means "extinction" (like a lamp or flame) or "cessation." It refers to the extinction of greed, ill will, and delusion in the mind, the three poisons that perpetuate suffering. Nirvana is what the Buddha achieved on the night of his enlightenment: he became completely free from the three poisons. Everything he taught for the rest of his life was aimed at helping others to arrive at that same freedom.

- TRICYCLE'S definition of nirvana

As Fukuchi mentions in the panel above, there are six different realms of existence. These realms represent every possible state of existence, but one cannot live in a specific realm forever. Depending on whether or not one's past actions were morally good or bad, an individual is born into one of these realms. Basically, the controlling factor of which realm a person is born into is dependent on their respective karma. The realms are separated into two categories: the hellish ones and the heavenly ones.

The Deva Realm: where beings are rewarded for the good deeds they have done. This realm is void of anything unpleasant. It is basically paradise— empty of unfulfilled desires, any form of suffering, and fears of every kind. Religious individuals, however, do not seek to be born into this realm since its attitude is more or less carefree.

The Asura Realm: where demigods are admitted. Asuras are driven by greed and envy, and may come in conflict with human beings since they are quite similar. They are powerful beings, but quarrel with each other quite a bit, making this realm quite undesirable to be reborn into.

The Animal Realm: where beings are given the form of an animal (you probably guessed that lol). Individuals here don't actually have good karma to take pride in, but rather, they are born into this realm to work off their bad karma (by being slaughtered, hunted, or forced to work, etc). Being born into this realm forces one to atone for their past sins by living out their life as an animal.

The Hell Realm: where one is punished for their evil actions. The most merciless of realms, where one pays for their transgressions through pure suffering, methods of which include: dismemberment, starvation, and psychological/physical torture. However, once a person's term is fulfilled in this realm, they are presumably promised to be reborn into a higher state.

The Preta Realm: similar to the hell realm, in which beings pay for their past sins (specifically: greed and stinginess) by having to survive through hunger and thirst. This realm is also known as the 'ghost realm,' because some pretas are psychologically tortured by being forced to live in places their past selves have lived in. They are invisible to human beings living at that time, which pushes them to face the depths of despair and loneliness. Your typical horror movie, really.

The Human Realm: the only realm where one's actions determine their future. The status (social ranking, physical wellbeing, and so on) of a human being in this realm is determined by their past actions, but due to the fact that a person has their own conscience to differentiate good morals from bad, the actions they commit in this realm have the power to determine which realm they are sent to next.

Okay, so now that I've got that out of the way, let's shift our focus to the Book. Very little is known about the Book, but the basic fundamentals of how it works is that whatever is written in the book will come into existence only if its contents follow the rules of karma. In addition to that, only a few sentences can be written into a single page of the Book, and it must follow the current narrative of the story.

If I'm not wrong, the first time the Book was mentioned was by Fitzgerald, who wanted it to resurrect his deceased daughter in hopes of restoring his wife's mental health. The next time the Book is brought up is when Fyodor's intentions to possess it are divulged; his goal was to decimate the global population of ability-users. And now, the current arc has the Book as its central focus, with a single page in Fukuchi's possession.

[ BEAST!AU spoilers ]

The Book acts as the central point of multiverses, with each character's lives differing from universe to universe.

Dazai committing suicide in this alternate universe stands in sharp contrast with how he decided to start up a new life in the main universe.

Oda staying alive to act as a mentor to Akutagawa in the ADA differs from how Oda uses his death to prompt Dazai to "be on the side that saves people."

And of course, the way Atsushi and Akutagawa have their positions switched in the two universes depicts how different their lives would be if they were given the chance to be mentored by different people— these are just a few examples of how the Book houses an endless amount of possibilities.

[ end of BEAST!AU spoilers ]

Hypothetically speaking, this kind of reminds me of the differing realms I mentioned before, where suffering is promised in some realms, and better things are granted in the rest, depending on one's karma, or the deeds they've done in their past lives. In this scenario, perhaps one's past life can be understood as one's current life in a different universe. That's just a personal opinion though. Take it as you will.

side note: Keep in mind that the person who is more or less impervious to the Book's effect is Dazai, with his nullification ability. I wouldn't want to propose any theories in this aspect (I don't believe I'm fully fact-checked ;_;), but I could use Dazai as a raw example of how your choices affect your future. If Dazai had decided to stay in the Port Mafia after Oda's death, or if he even decided to go through with his suicidal fixations, life would've been different for him in the root universe (obviously, ryley) I mean, you could basically understand that from how he ended up in the BEAST au, but imagine if he really did slip up in his decision-making in any of the universes.

Many analysts have proposed that he went MIA (early in his life) from the main universe for a while to figure out how the BEAST universe worked, whilst having the Book to his advantage. Perhaps his actions were guided? I'm not saying he's all-knowing, but he's sure as hell smart. I'm not sure if Kafka was trying to highlight the concept of karma when it comes to Dazai, but if he is, then I suppose you could say that Dazai is pretty much unaffected by the rules of karma, existing as the centerpiece of all the multiverses. No Longer Human is the namesake of his ability, but the book talks about disqualification from societal norms and generally, the world. I was talking about it with a friend, and they reminded me that Yozo (the main protagonist) was pretty strong in his views against society. Like he didn't speak out of total defeat, he spoke out of defense. If there was anything Dazai actually lost to, it was his guilt— "Living itself is a source of sin."

Then again, that's my personal interpretation since everyone has their unique perspective of his writings. In terms of the actual adaptation, you could translate the word 'disqualification' to 'insusceptibilty' when if it came to the Book's effects on Dazai? This side note is becoming really long lmao anyways I'll link a few theories which afflicted me with brainrot down below.

Another thing before I wrap up, the name 'Decay of Angels' stemmed from Yukio Mishima's book entitled 'The Decay of An Angel.' This is the final novel to the author's tetralogy: 'The Sea of Fertility.' The main protagonist, Honda, meets a person he believes to be a reincarnation of his friend, Kiyoaki, who takes the form of a young teenage boy named Tōru. The last novel of this series enhances Mishima's dominant themes of the series as a whole:

the decay of courtly tradition in Japan

the essence and value of Buddhist philosophy and aesthetics

Mishima’s apocalyptic vision of the modern era

Again, this could be referred to what Fukuchi goes on to say:

Some people view the concept of samsara optimistically, justifying it by saying that perhaps each individual is given a second (third, fourth, fifth, who knows) chance to refine their actions in order to be birthed into a better realm, with their karma being the independent variable.

On the other hand, other people, specifically the Hindus, view the cycle of existence as some sort of plague. To them, the flow of life and being forced to endure the suffering of mere existence in any form was somewhat frowned down upon. Some Hindus viewed samsara as a trap. Besides, having one's soul being limited to a physical body for the rest of eternity was not very appealing, especially since where they ended up at depended on the karmic value their past actions surmounted.

Even so, particular types of Buddhists don't seek nirvana, but instead, like the Hindus, they make an effort to be good people of society, building up their good deeds to increase the likelihood of being reborn into one of the better realms.

As mentioned before, the Deva Realm was the home of angels, the most carefree, gratified beings to exist. Fukuchi describes these angels as the people who don't get their hands dirty, the people who act as the puppeteers of society: politicians.

In terms of parallels, angels were the most fortunate and powerful, but they didn't have anyone ruling over them. A lack of supervision would lead to the abuse of power, which is what I believe Fukuchi was referring to. Deeming himself the Decay of Angels, he sought to prove himself as the 'sign of death that falls on the nation's greed.'

A few fun facts (okay, not really) about Yukio Mishima: he committed seppuku (ritual suicide by disembowelment) on the day he held a speech to voice out his unpopular political beliefs to the public. Mishima deeply treasured traditions and opposed the modern mindset the nation was advancing forward to adapt eventually. In his last book, The Decay of an Angel, he spoke about the five signs which complete the death of an angel:

Here are the five greater signs: the once-immaculate robes are soiled, the flowers in the flowery crown fade and fall, sweat pours from the armpits, a fetid stench envelops the body, the angel is no longer happy in its proper place.

The Decay of an Angel, p.53

The reviews about this series I've read so far describe Mishima's works to be quite complex; his writings demanded a lot of time to deconstruct and understand. They were highly symbolic, and he was pretty obsessed with death and the 'spiritual barrenness of the modern world.' I think you could attach a few strings from here to the mindsets of the DOA members. Of course, this parallel is completely abstract, but I'll go on rambling anyway:

He should have armed them with the foreknowledge that would keep them from flinging themselves after their destinies, take away their wings, keep them from soaring, make them march in step with the crowd. The world does not approve of flying. Wings are dangerous weapons. They invite self-destruction before they can be used. If he had brought Isao to terms with the fools, then he could have pretended that he knew nothing of wings.

The Decay of an Angel, p.113

I suppose you could resonate Nikolai with that excerpt. As much as Fukuchi takes the lead in this whole murder association, I'd like to believe that each member of the DOA plays an equally interesting part in whatever movement they're trying to execute. Fyodor feels it is his god-sent purpose to cleanse the world of its sins, his motto being, "Let the hand of God guide you." Sigma doesn't know where he belongs, since his origination comes from a page in the Book, and is fueled by the desperation to find a reason to live. Bram holds one of the most powerful abilities which is counted to be one of the "Top Ten Calamities to Destroy the World."

What I mean to say is that the DOA members are incredibly powerful, and they're not your ordinary antagonists (or I'm just biased). It's not just overthrowing authorities, mass genocide, and world domination— you could say that each individual is trying to utilize their purposes to their fullest expenditures, and the way they're trying to assert their plan into action is a little more passive-aggressive (framing the Agency, having a convo with a suicidal dude in jail, etc). They're the gray area between evil and good. As they framed the good guys for their own crimes, they're trying to conquer the bad guys for exploiting the innocent as they please.

This post would definitely age well if all hell breaks loose in the current arc (as if it didn't) and Kafka doesn't give us a happy ending.

That's all I have to say for now I guess! Thank you for reading, and once again, if anyone else something they wanna share, feel free to do so <3

sources (tryna follow Q's example ^_^) :

the six realms

samsara

the decay of angels

beast!au

the book

the sea of fertility

yukio mishima

theory: dazai’s emotional/mental state in beast!au

q’s theory: dazai being the protector of the book

theory: beast!dazai and the book

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botwstoriesandsuch · 2 years

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Actually wait though, cause quick rant as a writing nerd, I think that last ask has finally made my brain click into what I really dislike about the Age of Calamity DLC as a whole. The main problem I had with that flashback scene was that it was not a developed “romantic situation” but rather, it’s just the bare bones of a cliche. In fact, I would argue that there is not a single scene, or “situation” happening in any of the cut-scenes in Age of Calamity: Guardian of Remembrance, rather every “scene” only centers around trope.

See when you say “situation,” what you actual mean is “trope,” and tropes, inherently aren’t bad. A trope, down to its most basic fundamentals, is just a set of circumstances. A chosen one, love at first sight, an impossible riddle--or perhaps if I’m better to cater to the audience, other examples would be rivals to lovers, “there was only one bed,” soulmates and soul marks, and of course, “guy saving the girl from danger and then they fall in love.” Trope is set-up, trope is circumstance, trope is used by every writer, director, and storyteller on the planet and it’s impossible to avoid or ignore it. And the reason why trope isn’t bad, is because trope is the building blocks of a story or scene that is meant to be developed upon.

And that brings me to what a cliche is, which is, essentially, a trope that is never developed upon, never expanded upon. Cliche is when you are given a familiar set of circumstances, and you never do anything with it. Or at the very least, you never do anything unique with it.

So a hero pulling out a sword to become something greater is a trope, something you see across many works of fiction. But Link pulling out the Master Sword is not a cliche, because the bare bones of that trope are built over with interesting and unique lore, story, and character.

So long story short: Trope = pretty good Cliche = bad

Now, can you guess which of these two techniques the Age of Calamity likes to use more?

Cute kid is saved at the last moment by their personal hero Evil cult wants to raise a dark lord and harbor destruction Mysterious traveler from the future warns the protagonist of something

Wow Nintendo! Those are some neat tropes you’ve got there! I am so glad that you uniquely developed every single one them into something interesting and fulfilling--

Oh WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAITTTTT...

And this isn’t to say that none of the plot lines in hwaoc were developed. There IS absolutely some amazing content developed with characters like Zelda and Mipha, or Revali and Sidon, which are achieved through means of both trope set up and subtext. However, I argue that the content that the game is actually providing you is far less than you think. Subtext and “unspoken narratives” certainly are valid literary techniques, but such things can often be mistaken for something else, something that’s just a fabrication of fandom. See, subtext is not fan service.

Fan service is making your fans happy. Sounds innocent on its surface, I mean who wouldn’t want to make their consumers happy? However the majority of the time (at least speaking on the perspective as a someone who studies storytelling) a lot of the time, the existence of fan service comes at the detriment of the fans, because instead of including fan service in a story for fun, fan service often replaces story.

Quick example: Literally any recent 21st century animated TV show that has had ships. Writers plan their thing, fandom is like “actually don’t do that thing, do the thing WE want.” Writers comply. The show’s quality crashes. *cough* Star vs the forces of evil I’m looking at you *cough*

Age of Calamity is guilty of the practice. Baby Sidon, Tulin, Terrako--Cute little shits that exist to distract you from the bad writing. Sooga, Urbosa, Zelda on a motorcycle--badass character moments that distract you from the fact that there are barely any character arcs in this game. You CANNOT argue to me that their cutscenes were included to further enhance the story, because nothing else happened, other than these ideas existing.

Hell, even the fun gameplay technically exists to distract you from it, but I suppose at that point it’s no longer a criticism, but rather an acknowledgement of the development process and the developers’ priorities. Nonetheless, the elements of fanservice in Age of Calamity, especially highlighted in its DLCs, far outweighs its actual substance, and the developers are able to get away with it, because our happiness as fans blind us to its valid faults, our excitement fills in the blanks and holes, and tricks us into thinking there is more than actually is.

“Ohhhh but Kip!! Not every element of a story has to have a specific, thoroughly planned purpose. Sometimes things can just exist for fuuun!” Yes, this is true. But it’s still important to remember that this mindset is a slippery slope, because the more you become compliant in it, the more incentive corporations have to get lazier and lazier with their products. Take all of Marvel Studios for example. So just remember that you can still enjoy and have fun with a game, while still demanding better, and criticizing its faults

So getting back on track, the fact remains that a large, dare I say majority, of the story presented in the Age of Calamity DLC (or arguably the whole game, that’s up to opinion) is made up of an *idea* of development, rather than actual development. AKA underdevloped tropes. AKA cliche.

The *idea* of the main antagonist being part of a mysterious cult is cool. The *idea* of a guardian eggbot time traveling around and altering events is intriguing. The IDEA of a guardsman devoting their life to repaying a debt to the kindness of their master Does Have Potential! It is not inherently bad, it is not inherently homophobic, it is not, inherently, a determent to the story.

But when you leave the trope, the setup, the idea as it is, and do nothing more to expanded upon it, and do nothing more than acknowledge its existence, it leads me to the conclusion that either you are a lazy writer, or you had an ulterior motive, that your goal was not to tell a unique story. Perhaps, it is a combination of both.

And it PHYSICALLY PAINS ME to see shit like this happen, because this is the same company that made one of the most subtext filled, well written,anti-cliche open world RPGs in existence! Shit like this does not happen per a lack of skill. It’s flat out inexcusable.

And this is also a good moment to remind you all to NOT be like me. Do NOT pre-order Triple A games. Let games come out, and assess if the content is quality, or worth your while. You wanna do that because it gives YOU more power. Preordering from large companies simply gives them the power to give whatever shit on a stick they want to you, while hiding behind the veil of brand loyalty.

Anyhow, long story short, the REAL tragedy of the game is still Sooga being white.

#hwaoc #age of calamity #hyrule warriors age of calamity #writing

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paragonrobits · 2 years

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so its tempting to make a joke about in a world of complex and interesting character arcs, there’s Ozai in the background clearly wishing he had a mustache so he could twirl it and go NEHEHEHE as he waits for the train to be invented so he can tie women to it and laugh as the train comes becaiuse NEYEHEHEHEHE HE’S SO EEEEVIL, WICKED NEFARIOUS CAD THAT HE IS

but the thing about it is that, this isn’t meant as criticism. This isn’t a prelude to lamented supposed missed opportunities with Ozai or claiming that ATLA is missing something because he lacks nuance. Ozai works perfectly well as he is, and suggesting that every antagonist needs to have dozens of layers of character to fulfill their narrative purpose is missing the point a little bit, I think.

so firstly, the sad truth of things is that its technically incorrect to suggest Ozai is unrealistic. Because, when you get down to it, a quick look at history or, god forbid, reexamining the last few years of real world history indicates that Ozai is in fact a horribly realistic character. History books, and recent history, are FULL of self-involved bigots who believe their good fortune equates to the world demanding they get everything they want. People who don’t give a damn about anyone but themselves, who would set the world on fire for approximately five minutes of victory time. Even dismissing the possibility of, say, someone who genuinely wants to nuke foriegn countries to feel powerful, just imagine that one bastard boyfriend of your sister’s, for example; someone who beats their loved ones for bringing them presents when THEY hadn’t already bought anything, so he gets pissed that you imply he’s a bad provider and throws an ashtray at your head.

this kind of person would seem to be an almost cartoonishly evil, unrealistic monster. And yet, the world is full of them. Reality is often far worse than what we dream up. Don’t forget that the real Amon Goeth, remembered in Schindler’s List, had to be TONED DOWN in the movie because people couldn’t believe the sheer extent of his crimes as being something actually real; the man was real, he really did unspeakably horrible things, but it was so extreme and outrageous people refused to believe it of a fictional equivalent.

The second point is that Ozai’s simplicity doesn’t hurt his character, or the narrative. It enhances it.

Ozai is a selfish man that only cares about power and the immediate people can offer him. He believes sincerely that the world exists to gratify him, that the Fire Nation deserves conquest and dominance because it has the power to do so. He doesn’t understand anything outside of his own ego, and he doesn’t care to learn. He’s a petty, violent man who embodies the worst excesses of the Fire Nation; battling him is a shorthand for fighting the corrupt ambition of what the Fire Nation itself has become.

So not only is he the complete opposite of our protagonist Aang (sweet and kind, open to the world, living humbly as a monk, striving to live in harmony with the world’s cycles), he’s also a reminder of the worst, perhaps, in humanity itself, and everything Aang is battling. He’s a thoughtless, self-centered bigot and warmonger who thinks nothing of consequences or the greater flow of the world, and thus his entire perspective is a thesis on what the series and its themes oppose.

He doesn’t need to be too complicated a guy. The fact that he IS the way he is, that’s probably part of the point. He doesn’t see beyond himself or his own ambitions, while Aang strives to achieve true harmony. Aang understands that divisions between nations are a false illusion of the world, while Ozai has his whole identity built around the idea that he’s inherently better. The illusion of royal blood finds a head in Ozai.

The world is full of uncomplicated, petty-minded brutes who can’t see further than throwing their weight around, and Ozai is a mix of both that, and being the embodiment of everything that Aang is not, and must strive to defeat. Sometimes that’s the flaws within our own thinking, and sometimes it’s a jerkbag you can smash with a rock.

#ATLA #ozai #analysis #meta

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invisible-pink-toast · 3 years

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Things I would change in TTS Season 3:

(for the record I love the series and do really enjoy season 3, but I think changing some things would help the flow and character arcs, and there’s stuff I wish the show had covered)

- We see more of Cassandra’s time with Zhan Tiri. More of the manipulations, how she subtly will bring up ideas and continue pulling at that thread. Gothel leaving Cass was a catalyst, but there was a lot of issues for Cass before that - with her Dad, with her friendship with Raps, with always being second best and overlooked. Zhan Tiri provokes those feelings of insecurity, jealousy and hurt in Cass, especially focusing on what happened to her hand (and we see Cass struggling with her hand! that’s ongoing)

- In ‘Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf’ we get more Lance! Lance protecting Angry and Catalina, Lance and Rapunzel working together to help the girls, Lance starting to realise how much they mean to him

- ‘No Time Like the Past’ is completely changed up - there are two parallel stories here. One is Eugene and Rapunzel working through their disagreement and their complicated grief over Cass, initially at odds but coming together by the end of the episode. The other is Cass and Zhan Tiri, slowly building up Zhan Tiri as a villian. No timetravel.

- I kind of... hate Fredrick as a character, so I would like in ‘The King and Queen of Hearts’ if his actions in Season 1 had some consequences. Like he doesn’t remember what happened so Rapunzel has to explain it to him and she tells him how hurt she was by how he treated her and he apologises. And Ariana and Rapunzel can talk about Gothel and how it affected both of them (Cass’ revelation bringing up a lot of unresolved feelings)

- ‘Day of the Animals’ is switched to ‘Day of the Brotherhood’ - oh yeah! Keeping Rapunzel, Varian, Angry and Catalina being stuck in the shell and all their amazing interactions. But instead of the animals - it’s Quirin, Edmund, Adira and Hector trying to save them. The Brotherhood has been struggling to come back together and this forces them to work together (the animals can help too, mainly for comedy).

This makes what happens later with the mindtrap more effective because we care more about them and their relationships. And Varian gets to interact with his weird aunt and uncles.

- Changing Eugene’s story in ‘Be Very Afraid’ - instead of just making jokes about how Eugene’s obsessed with his appearance, acknowledge his trauma!! He died!! In a horrifying way! This would affect him! I’ve talked about this before but:

Maybe have him covering up how he feels, not wanting to upset Rapunzel. Lance could see how upset he is and how he is trying to hide it and he could comfort Eugene and say that he thinks he should talk about it with Rapunzel. And then at the end of the episode Eugene can be honest with Rapunzel about his fears and they can TALK about what happened and how it still affects both of them - but how they’re always gonna be there for each other

Or this.

- Seeing more of Varian’s complicated relationship with Cass. He volunteers to research the scrolls and focuses so strongly on them (especially after ‘Be Very Afraid’) because he wants to save Cass, because he can relate to her and understand how her pain and feelings of helplessness has turned to rage. He feels guilty about what happened in ‘Secret of the Sundrop’ and wants to do what he can to help her.

- More moonstone lore. Edmund says the stone can influence people, let him and Eugene talk about the Dark Kingdom and how the stone affected them. We can see how the moonstone is affecting Cass - enhancing her negative emotions of grief and rage. It’s also slowly draining her physically, and when Zhan Tiri realises this she starts to push Cass more forcefully to Corona to fulfil her plan

- Switching Eugene and Rapunzel’s roles in ‘Islands Apart’. This incredible analysis made me realise this would have been so goooooood! We see Eugene’s maturity and how much he cares for Cass, we see his change in the relationship with the Captain, we get to see Eugene’s reflection on his own relationship with his father. And that gives a lot more context to the Captain entrusting his position to Eugene.

- Eugene is trying to work out a plan with Cass, especially after ‘Race to the Spire’. He talks with Varian about a strategy, he doesn’t want to hurt Cass, but if she’s out to hurt other people, he needs to be able to protect them. But how could they possibly match the moonstone’s power?

Varian knows that the amber is the only thing aside from Rapunzel that has had any effect on the rocks - it did encase them. He theorises that the amber could be able to stop Cass if she was attacking. His dad was fine afterwards, it puts those encased in it in stasis, and Rapunzel can get them out. But it’s dangerous, and he feels sick even thinking about it. Eugene realises Varian’s insanely conflicted about the idea, and says they’ll think of something else.

- In ‘A Tale of Two Sister’s’ we’re gonna ditch the sisters angle. I know Disney probably pushed it so it seemed less gay, but these two are not sisters (and definitely not because Cass’ biological mom/abuser and Rapunzel’s kidnapper/abuser are the same person?? what?). These two are best friends, and they are family, but by choice. Maybe the the title could be ‘The Sun and the Moon’

And at the end it always makes me uncomfortable that it seems like Cass really tries to... murder Rapunzel? I’m not sure that was intentional/what she was trying to do. And it doesn’t fit at all with what happens in ‘Once a Handmaiden’ or ‘Plus Est En Vous’. So make it clear that Cass is angry and feels betrayed, and leaves Rapunzel behind - but the toxic gas is an unintended side effect. It could even be that the audience knows that, but Rapunzel doesn’t. Or Rapunzel thinks it was unintentional but the others aren’t so sure.

- A lot of people seem to hate ‘Flynnposter’ but I think it’s kind of funny, although some of it doesn’t really work with the tone. So Eugene becoming Captain still happens, and there’s still the funny stuff with Brock (it’s still a kids show, there needs to be a break before the big finale). BUT:

Rapunzel is still recovering from the end of the last episode

Varian and Eugene are working together to find a solution to fight Cass

There’s more of Lance, Angry and Catalina

We see Cass struggling with her choices and becoming more suspicious of Zhan Tiri

And eventually Varian realises he has no other ways to stop Cass except the amber, and he goes to talk with Eugene. If Cass can’t be reasoned with, if she’d kill her best friend in cold blood (which is what they think happened), they have to do something. Varian explains about the amber, but how it has to be a last solution. Something only used in the darkest moment when there was no other way. Obsidian. Eugene agrees and they get to work.

- In ‘Once a Handmaiden’ I’d like to see a bit more of Cass (as Faith) interacting with other people than just Rapunzel (although Rapunzel’s still the main focus). Some sweet moment with Eugene, or Varian, Lance, Angry and Catalina, Ariana, even Xavier or Monty. Makes the ending even more heartbreaking.

- Cass in ‘Plus Est En Vous’ is more sad and angry than merciless (she even seems sort of sadistic at times, which to me doesn’t fit her character at all). She feels betrayed again - by her friends and by Zhan Tiri, she thinks there’s no way anyone will ever care for her, so she’s going to be the most powerful person so she will never, ever get hurt again.

I also think it would be good to establish that Zhan Tiri is controlling the Brotherhood. The moonstone powers it, but the moonstone isn’t even with Cass while she’s fighting? And Edmund literally tries to kill Eugene, I just don’t think Cass would make Eugene’s father kill him. Once again, doesn’t fit her character or redemption, but I like the scene with Eugene and Edmund and this would make us dislike Zhan Tiri more.

Cassandra going after Rapunzel is more desperate than vindictive, she wants the sundrop and she doesn’t care if she hurts anyone, even Rapunzel, to get it. And we see her starting to crack during the fight, we see that what Rapunzel’s saying is starting to get through to her.

Cass doesn’t take the sundrop. When the eclipse hits, and Rapunzel is vulnerable, Cass hesitates.

And then Zhan Tiri jumps in. And she doesn’t just grab them, she uses magic or something (like something from the Spire she grabbed) so it’s more threatening. She takes the sundrop and the moonstone and transforms.

And the second the moonstone is out of Cass, she becomes so weak she can barely stand. The moonstone has been draining her, but giving her power at the same time. Without that power she is debilitated. And after she and Rapunzel make up, Cass realises she has that piece of the moonstone left. But she’s too weak, and Rapunzel has her hair, so she trusts Rapunzel with it.

Rapunzel goes to fight and Cass is left alone. And she has a moment when she decides to help - sort of a ‘Monster’ from the Frozen musical moment (‘No, I have to stay alive to fix what I’ve done’). When Cass shows up with the frying pan, it’s using all the last of her strength.

And when they force the sundrop and moonstone to touch, it causes the blast that destroys Zhan Tiri. Except Cass is in such a weak state, it’s the force from the blast that kills her. But Rapunzel brings her back! And Eugene pulls her into the hug (which I think might be my favourite moment in the whole show).

All in all that��s a lot of stuff, but I don’t think a lot of it’s huge changes? Just tweaking certain parts of certain stories or adding in a couple of scenes and I feel like it would’ve been more cohesive. The main three things really are just: giving Eugene more deep moments than just using him as comedy, giving attention to characters that aren’t Rapunzel (as much as I love her) and fixing some ooc moments with Cass (who is my favourite, she’s just not sadistic, even as a villain).

And hell, if I am rewriting the season, Cass gets to be a lesbian! Officially!!

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skywalkerthrawn · 2 years

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I think my biggest disappointment with the Mandoverse so far is just how corporate it feels. There are great moments here and there, but Mando S2 and BoBF especially feel like they were written and plotted by committee and designed more to get people watching than to tell a good story. Again, there are things that I love (Din and Grogu’s dynamic, Boba’s new characterization, the prequel elements, the music, etc.), but I just want them to focus less on huge reveals and big connections and more on consistent and fulfilling character arcs that enhance what’s already there. Obi-Wan Kenobi has the potential to be that and I really hope it delivers on that front.

idk what prompted this ask bc i barely post about the mandoverse but yeah that's exactly how i feel. mando s1 was great but then the show was successful and now we've only seen decrease in quality. mando s2 was just cameofest, and the most talked about tbobf episode was the one with cgi luke and transphobe ahsoka. they've learned that cameos sell, so at this point i don't expect it to get better at all. the only live action show i actually expect to be good and consistent story-wise? andor. because we still know jack shit about it and it's probably gonna be the solo of the live action shows (great piece of media overlooked or bashed by half the fandom). plus with the way the economy is tanking rn disney is gonna do everything to squeeze more money out of its viewers which means get ready for even more flashy shock-value reveals in place of a good story.

my only expectation left is for them to make live action thrawn hot and at this rate we might not even get that lmao

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thankskenpenders · 3 years

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With Locke’s characterization being back in the spotlight, I’d like to return once again to his big exposition dump in Knuckles #25 to remind everyone how, exactly, he treated Knuckles in Ken’s stories. On top of all the dangerous genetic experiments that could have killed baby Knuckles, Locke pretending to die, the way he treated Lara-Le, all of that, let’s look at how he talks about Knuckles directly to his son’s face

Locke uses all this dehumanizing (I know they’re not humans, don’t @ me) language like “I’m still fully echidna! You, on the other hand, are every bit the genetically enhanced mutant offspring you were intended to be!” or saying that he “sired a son.” This and the talk about him needing to “create a savior” reinforce this vibe that Locke doesn’t see Knuckles as his own person, but rather a tool to carry out the will of the Brotherhood and fulfill the prophecy. Knuckles is the result of Locke’s science experiments and the “sum total of [his and Lara-Le’s] combined genetic structure” first, his son second. It’s all extremely sinister

Knuckles actually does stand up to Locke here, even if for only a few panels. “Did it ever occur to you I’d be happier just being your son?!” is a great line from him pointing out just how weird Locke is treating him. But Locke shoots him down by saying that all of the previous Guardians had equally shitty childhoods because it’s ~tradition~, and Knuckles is just SO lucky that he has all these extra superpowers. Locke then pulls the typical abusive parent tactic of making everything about HIS feelings. Oh, it was so hard for Locke to choose between sacrificing the world and forcing his son to become its savior! Those were his only options, and the ends justified the means. Knuckles doesn’t have it that bad in comparison!

(This is a Penders issue, so naturally after this Knuckles immediately sees his dad’s side and forgives him and they just drop it.)

Locke has always put his perceived duty to save the world ahead of Knuckles as a person, no matter what he says about his intentions. Knuckles has always been a sacrificial lamb, a lab rat bred to fulfill a prophecy that will never actually come true. It’s all about the mission. So in this scenario where the mission seems to have failed spectacularly, where the Brotherhood is missing, Locke can’t access the Master Emerald, and from Locke’s perspective Knuckles seems to be completely gone, his body now a mere vessel for Enerjak to wreak havoc with… I can very easily draw a line between how Locke has previously been depicted, and this. Locke has always been a person who did horrible things “for the greater good.” This is just an escalation of that

You could argue that Locke should have tried harder to get through to Knuckles and save him if he cared so much about him fulfilling the prophecy, but as a reader, I find it much more interesting to challenge Locke and break down his heroic façade. Is this a departure from how Ken would have written it? Oh, absolutely. (We’ll get into Ken’s response to this arc another day.) But I think it’s a much more interesting direction to take the character in, as opposed to having M25YL Knuckles reminisce about him being such a great dad. I also think that Knuckles and Locke not talking to each other in this arc is a very deliberate choice for the sake of the character drama. We’ll get into said drama, as well as how Locke’s personal arc in this storyline resolves (the guy is DEFINITELY not a static character in this arc), in the next issue

#tkp post #Enerjak Reborn

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rwhague · 3 years

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Using Psychology to Develop Character Personalities (Part 5 of 5)

Neuroticism

If you have been reading my blog for long, then you know that each of the personality traits that I have been describing have good elements as well as bad elements associated with them. Often, the names can be misleading in that way. Today we’re going to talk about neuroticism and what it looks like in a fictional character.

Because of the negative connotations associated with the term ‘neuroticism,’ researches have now started to call it ‘emotional stability’—which sounds just as bad especially if you are low in emotional stability. For the sake of this video, however, we’re going to continue calling it neuroticism.

A person high in neuroticism experiences negative emotions more than others of the population. This often is in terms of fear, but can be associated with anger and sadness as well. A person high in neuroticism is often afraid of things that other members of the population are not, especially as it concerns the future. When presented with a bad situation, a neurotic person will often assume the worst possible outcome. For example, if they show up to a coffee shop to meet a friend and the friend is not there yet, they may assume the friend has died in a car accident or doesn’t like them anymore and forgot all about their appointment. A person who is low in neuroticism will assume their friend is running late, order some coffee, and wait.

Neurotic persons often come across as vulnerable and insecure. Often, they have heightened levels of anxiety—some of which are associated with anxiety related mental illnesses such as agoraphobia—or the fear of leaving home.

Neurotic people also express a lower satisfaction with their lives—which is not surprising. Unfortunately, this is not associated with good outcomes when it comes to jobs or marriages as they tend to be unhappy in these ventures which also leads them to fail. They also have a higher mortality rate and are more likely to get heart disease.

This topic of neuroticism is especially pertinent to my life at the moment. Last year after weaning my son from breast feeding, I started having panic and anxiety attacks due to my changing hormone levels. I am still dealing with this and struggling to come out the other side of this newfound level of neuroticism. I was always a bit neurotic, but this is on a whole other level. Thankfully, a high level of neuroticism does not have to be a constant state for someone. There are ways to change one’s thinking to better cope with negative emotions.

Some of the ways I’m trying to manage my anxiety is by eating a better, more stable diet, taking adequate supplements, and mediation. I am also currently in therapy to better enhance these practices and come up with better ways of managing anxiety.

For people with phobias such as agoraphobia or claustrophobia, there are different methods of facing one’s fears and becoming more able to cope with them. One of these are exposure therapy where, often with the help of a therapist, a person confronts their various fears until they become more comfortable with them. The important thing to consider about exposure therapy, however, is that the confrontation to these fears must be voluntary. If the person is afraid of snakes and are tossed into a snake pit, they will not get over their fear of snakes.

So what all does this have to do with building a character? This is actually a fantastic starting point for a character arc. Having a character high in anxiety face their fears is a classic hero’s story. Think about Batman. The guy’s afraid of bats, so he exposes himself willingly to them and uses them as his whole persona. Of course, this is just the obvious visual of what’s going on underneath the story. Bruce Wayne is traumatized by the criminals who gun down his parents, so as he gets older, he trains and immerses himself in the criminal underworld, overcoming his fears, and fighting the demons who traumatized him to begin with.

You can do this will all sorts of characters! A musician that is too scared to play on their own. A guy terrified of kids who has to learn to be a parent. An adult forced to go back and analyze their traumatic past. All experiencing a neurosis or a high level of negative emotions and learning to overcome them and save the kingdom, win the girl, etc.

The higher the level of neuroticism or fear, the more dramatic the transformation will be. So go wild with it! My character Jared, who I talk so much about, is so terrified his hands shake continuously causing him to be unable to write anymore. So he’s a hard-working, highly intelligent kid who can’t pursue the tasks ahead of him because his hands shake from terror. The more nervous he gets, the more his prophecy of failure become self-fulfilled. Talk about tension!

So what sort of struggles are your characters facing? What are their greatest fears and needs to overcome? Tell me about them in the comments below.

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