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kaiowut99 · 4 months

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A Special Announcement~ | Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V Tag Force Special Re-Translation Project!

I've been itching to get around to posting about this for a few months now, but wanted to wait until I'd worked on enough for it, but also had the idea to create an announcement trailer to go with it for added good measure--after recording and editing clips for a couple weeks and leveling the audio last night, heremst we are! (For some clips, I forgot to turn off the PPSSPP emulator's DevMenu option so that shows up in the top-left, buuut I didn't feel like re-recording those, lmao.)

Details worth reading below the cut here, but tl;dr work has been in progress for over a year in between things, work will continue to be in progress for a while, and the release will happen when everything's ready, but stay tuned, fun's getting started etc etc~

So, I'm sure most of us are familiar with the as-yet-unlocalized-by-Konami TFSP, the seventh and last entry in the Tag Force series on the PSP that came out early in ARC-V's run (featuring the first five series which was a cool first), as well as the current translations out there originally worked on by the guys at XenoTranslations (omarrrio and ScrewTheRules/ClickClaxer01 at GBATemp handling the card and story/etc translations, respectively) and how there are... some issues with what's out there. Everything from the DM story mode being loaded with YGOTAS references (no shade to YGOTAS and much respect to LK/Martin for his ongoing work on it still making me laugh sometimes, ofc) to the off-the-cuff edginess of 2014-2015-era internet culture and the problematic (in some cases, derogatory) language that permeated it--though to its credit, some parts do have some level of translation attempted, but taken as a whole, it can definitely turn people off from giving the game a try and seeing what it brings to the table (which is still a good amount despite the corners Konami cut here/there compared to prior TF games).

I actually did attempt a translation of my own back in 2015 (if you've been following me for a long time, you might remember it lol), tackling the GX story text starting with Judai's heart events, but eventually put it on the backburner as I focused more on my GX subbing work and beginning to finalize everything (which I'm still doing). Sometime in 2022, a friend over on NeoArkCradle (the "anonymous YGO fan" in the opening screen) was poring over the story text and patching it up the best he could to remove the references and inaccuracies with more coherent work, and after a while of seeing what he was working with in the Discord, I was a bit blown away by just how inaccurate much of it was--so alongside him, and using the better tools available since then (including some really awesome work from both nzxth2 [who did a proper re-translation of 5D's TF6 not too long ago and was kind enough to release his tools for it] and our coding helper Xan1242 who we eventually reached out to for some help), I decided to *cracks knuckles* get involved and help give everything a more accurate and professional translation, much like I do with my GX subs, working directly off the Japanese text and files. I've been taking cracks at everything in between the GX episodes I've been finalizing going back to at least last January (and I'd used my little hiatus after finalizing GX Season 2's subs to really get at some other stuff throughout the game), starting with re-translating DM's story text but also properly translating other aspects of the game, from the character names (using the original Japanese names, including those of the TF-exclusive characters, partly since Konami made a whole mess of them in English TF1-5), in-duel dialogue, pack descriptions, and more to images with Japanese text (such as localizing the in-duel cut-in onomatopoeia as you see in the video above, or other little images throughout) using some Photoshop skills I've picked up. And it's been a joint effort, as said NAC friend and I have been bouncing off how we'd like to see this go between us to stay on the same page and all, while also checking with other translators there for second/third opinions as needed.

Our plan is to release two versions of a translation--one which uses the OCG [translated] card names in Story Mode, in-duel, and other text but not in the game's card system (mainly to deal with story-relevant notes like Osiris vs Slifer with the Gods or things like not-Utopia Hope being symbolic between Yuma and Astral, akin to how I do my GX subs), and one which uses the TCG card names in everything (like how the official subs go about it). While we're mostly working with the Japanese game files due to how the Xeno team went about decoding everything, we'll be using the card-system-related files from the fixed ISO provided by FLSGaming which fixed some issues that had been present there. And Xan has helped us with a plugin that will be used to apply our translations to the system files that were hard to edit otherwise (things like the character and recipe names, as well as the pack names pulled from for the Card Description screen), but more on how that'll work once this is ready for release, lol. At some point, I'd like to also look at HDifying textures and things, but that's definitely a bonus-level thing for after the main work here is done.

SO.

Currently, Story-Mode-wise, I've gone through everything up to Yusei's events--so Dark Yugi/Kaiba/Jounouchi/Ishizu/Mai in DM, Judai/Manjoume/Asuka/Misawa/Ryou in GX, and Yusei in 5D's have been fully retranslated, though I took initial cracks at Yuma and Yuya's events to get content for this video lol (I've also been intentionally holding off on as much ZEXAL as I can until I've properly watched the whole show so I have context). I haven't tackled overworld text yet, though (like pre-duel or the tournament-related text, which is all in the same file as all the story text). I've also been handling the in-duel dialogue as I go through the character stories, so also just up to Yusei, though I did take initial cracks at Aki's, Yuma and Shark's, and Yuya and Yuzu's for the video.

Other things tackled that were sprinkled into the video, along with some other notes:

Pack names and descriptions have been retranslated, though the descriptions may see minor edits closer to release for a little variety between worlds given the different characters at the shop. Character recipe names were also retranslated, with Yugipedia's translations for them used as an occasional second opinion, though ones based on pack names had to be abbreviated in spots.

Menu text, from the Options to Help screens and stuff in between, has been retranslated, as have in-duel text strings (so, you'll see a full "Activate Effect" instead of "Activate" or "Switch to Attack/Defense Position" instead of "Switch to ATK/DEF Position", etc--also fixed the "BATTELE PHASE" graphic typo, and NAC friend created a new translation for the "Turn Change" graphic for accuracy since ENG TF1-5 made that into "Next Player's Turn").

Database stuff, such as the Sound Test, Tutorials, Duel Missions, etc., have been retranslated closer to the Japanese text; originally I retranslated the Tutorial text via hex editor, with compromises done on quite a bit of it due to the space limits, but as Xan recently updated a text extractor tool of theirs to more cleanly pull out and reinsert that text, I've been going through and fleshing out those translations more (on my commutes to/from work mostly, to be productive lol).

As mentioned, I've been localizing/translating Japanese-text images throughout the game as I come across them, like with the in-duel onomatopoeia that come up during cut-ins or images in the shop/duel/etc screens using Japanese text, to make sure the game is fully translated.

The series logos, used during the title sequence and in the Series Select screens, were updated with translated fan edits shared on Deviantart (which we'll credit in the final release) for DM and GX, while the 5D's-ARC-V logos were edited to enlarge the "Yu-Gi-Oh!" text on them that was pretty hard to see originally.

The game's original opening sequence starts on an anti-piracy message before going into the Konami logo and then a "From Yu-Gi-Oh!..." screen before the opening animation for each series logo--the original team decided to use the first image to vent their frustration at Konami for not localizing this game, and while that's valid (to some extent), we thought we'd use the opportunity to dedicate this project to Kazuki Takahashi for inspiring our love for YGO and the place it's had in our hearts for all these years.

We'll be updating the names of cards that had TCG releases after the original patch was worked on/updated by FLSG to those corresponding names.

Xan has been working on many UI fixes for us to apply with this, among them 3-line dialogue box text as is used in the ENG TF1-5 games--once implemented for TFSP, I'll be going over everything to make full use of that extra space where needed, so things might not look as they do in the video by then.

Character bios will be worked on after I've done the story stuff, though I've taken initial cracks at it for Yuma and Yuya's bios for the video, along with translating the location/affiliation names ("Domino High School," "Satellite," etc).

Currently no release date is planned, as I'm working on this between my GX-finalizing work and actual IRL work, though we'll see how later this year looks as more work gets done--but as noted in the video, all things being equal, it will be released when everything is ready. I'll try to post regular updates or rambles now that this announcement's been made, lol, but do try not to constantly check in on a release date. 🙏🏽

All that said, I think that covers just about everything I wanted to put out there with this, lol. It's been fun to work on this so far and getting to see what I've re-translated in-game is definitely neat; looking forward to us being able to release everything when ready.

Stay tuned for more; the fun's just getting started!

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luke-hughes43 · 9 months

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Just Friends | edwards x Luke!twin | Part 2

Here is part 2 of the Ethan fic, hope you enjoy!

Part 1 | Insta Edit

~You are Luke Hughes’s twin sister and play hockey and softball at the University of Michigan. You’re very close with Luke given that you’re twins. You are best friends with teammate, Ethan Edwards. You and Ethan were always flirty with each other but strictly friends. Since returning to campus for your second year, things between you and Ethan have been a little too flirty. One day, everything changes.~

This is Part 2. Takes place sophomore year.

September, 2022

Morgan’s POV

So today is September 9. It’s mine and Luke’s birthday. I woke up super early and jogged over to his room and knocked on it. He opens it and smiles, “Happy birthday twin!”

“Happy Birthday twin!” He gives me the biggest hug before dragging me inside. Me and him have a thing where we always want to be the first one to say happy birthday to each other on our birthday.

We check our phones and find the happy birthday texts from mom, dad, jack, Quinn, and both teams. There’s 50 texts for both of us to go through. But there’s one in the hockey chat that catches both of our eyes:

j bone🦴🏒: party tonight at the house for the Hughes’s.

grano🏒: party starts at 9, the birthday kiddos don’t have to bring their own booze

keato🏒: so the rest of you idiots make sure you chip in enough booze to get both of them drunk as fuck. coach cancelled morning lift so we can get hammered tonight

moyle🏒: I do need like 3 or 4 volunteers to stay sober and keep an eye on everyone and make sure people get home safe.

chic🐥🏒: and invite all the girls that you know and have them spread the word. I don’t wanna look at you ugly fucks all night long. (except you morg)

Me and Luke both audibly laugh out loud at that text chain. So looks like I know what I’m doing tonight. I text the girls on the team about the party and tell them that they can all come, even if most of them hate me. Luke then hands me a bag and says, “Here. Happy birthday.”

“Thanks. Here’s your present. Open them together. One!”

“Two!”

“Three!”

We open our presents at the same time. I gave Luke a new watch with “born together, die together” engraved on the band and a huge block M in the middle of it. I can tell he loved it because he had a huge smile on his face. I open his gift and it’s a ring. There’s two birds on it and the band has the same thing engraved in it. I slide it on my finger and it fits perfectly. He probably asked mom for my size. I say, “Luke, this is beautiful. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He says and we hug. Dylan finally gets up and says happy birthday giving us both hugs. I say, “I gotta go. I have lift in an hour. I’ll see you tonight.”

*Later on that night*

I’m at the house for the party that J Bone, Keato, Grano, and Moyle are throwing me and Luke. Surprisingly, my teammates came. I made sure to hide any alcohol I drank just in case. I don’t trust them to not tell coach. And I’m good at playing off being drunk if I have to.

I finally see Ethan for the first time today. He hugs me and says, “Happy birthday beautiful.” That’s the first time he’s ever called me beautiful. It was nice. He whispers in my ear, “I got you something. But I left it at the house so I’ll give it to you later.” I giggle and just nod. I whisper back to him, “I’m a little tipsy but trying to hide it from my teammates. Can we dance so I can let loose a little bit?”

“Of course. Anything for the birthday girl.” He smiles and takes my hand leading me to the dance floor. As far as I know, Ethan is also drunk. I mean I smelt the beer on his breath. He’s behind me with his hands on my hips guiding them to the music. I look up at him and he looks so hot.

I started admitting to myself a few months back that I have feelings for him. I refuse to say anything because of the team and he’s my best friend. I don’t wanna ruin that. But there’s a mysterious confidence that takes over and says, “You look hot.”

“Not as hot as you morg.”

“Stop flirting and kiss me Edwards.” He leans in and kisses me. Everybody cheers around us and goes back to doing whatever. Sparks fucking flew when he kissed me. I might be tipsy but when sparks fly, you notice and you remember. I’m glad it was Ethan kissing me and not some random guy. Everything with Ethan felt right though. He’s my best friend, but that’s all he ever will be.

January, 2023

Morgan’s POV

It was currently 7:30 in the morning. I just got out of lift and was heading to my car when I see none other than my best friend, Ethan Edwards, leaning against my door. I smile and just keep walking without saying anything. As I get closer, I see the long look on his face. Something’s up. I ask, “Ethan, what’s going on?”

“We need to talk morg.”

“Ok. Can it wait? I have class at 8 and need coffee.”

“I put a coffee in your car, and a bagel with cream cheese so that you eat. You left it unlocked and no it can’t wait. But I’ll be quick since you have class.”

“Ok, what’s going on then?”

“I can’t keep doing this anymore morg.”

I say very confused, “Doing what?”

“Pretending.” He says looking up at me.

“Ethan, what are you talking about?”

“I can’t keep pretending that what happened the night of your birthday didn’t mean anything.” He says looking kinda sad. Maybe ashamed? I can’t get a read on his emotions. “Ethan, we were drunk. It didn’t mean anything. We’re just friends. Now can you move? I have class in 25 minutes and need to change.”

He says trying to get me to stop, “I’m not done.”

“Well I have class Ethan. Can you move so I can go? We can talk after.”

I push him off my car and out of my way before driving to class. What the hell is his problem? Showing up at the end of my lift trying to tell me something important knowing that I have class directly after. Like who the hell does he think he is? The only reason I’m not upset is because he bought me coffee. That boy truly knows the way to my heart, that’s for sure.

*After class*

I get out of class and see Ethan waiting for me outside. I roll eyes and scoff as I walk by him. I hear him come after me. He says, “Morgs, wait. Please?”

“What Ethan? I’m exhausted and trying to go get my bats from your house because I left them there and I need to get cage work in. What is so fucking important Ethan?” I snap at him as I keeping walking to my car. He grabs my hand to stop me, “I can’t keep pretending that your birthday meant nothing to me morgs.”

“Ethan, let go of me. I’m not doing this with you today. I have to be at the cage with Hutch in 45 minutes and I need my bats from the house. Let go and we can talk later.”

“When is later gonna be?”

“Maybe when I’m not so overwhelmed that I want to cry all the fucking time from my six classes and two workouts and practices everyday. How’s that?”

“Morgs…”

“Don’t Ethan. I don’t have time for this right now. I’ll see you at practice.” I push by him and get in my car and drive towards the house that I live at with Ethan. I let the music take over my brain as I drive. When I get to the house, I see that Ethan is there. I mean I figured he’d go home since he lives there. He tries talking to me again though, “Morgs, please. Just give me five minutes.”

“Ethan, no. I already told you that I’m not doing this right now.” I say as I go upstairs to grab the bats that I left in my room. Luke, Dylan, Mackie, and Mark are home and watching this whole thing go down like it’s a movie. I come back downstairs and he’s standing there waiting for me.

He says desperately, “I just need five minutes. It takes fifteen minutes to get from here to the cages and you speed so I know that you have time to spare to just listen to me.”

“I can’t do this right now. I’m way too stressed to deal with this. I promise we can talk later.” I say as I grab 3 red bulls and head towards the door brushing by him. He yells after me as I approach the door, “Morgs, I’m trying to tell you that I’m fucking in love with you.”

Everybody in the house stops what they are doing, including me.

“I’ve been trying to tell you for a while. I’ve known since we kissed on your birthday. Actually, I think I knew before that. None of that matters now, morgs I’m in love with you.”

“Ethan, you can’t just drop that bomb on me when I’m walking out the door because you feel like it. That’s not fair.”

Ethan exclaims, “Oh no, don’t throw this on me. You don’t get to do that. I’ve been trying to tell you all fucking day. I’ve been trying to tell you for like a month. You’ve been blowing me off.”

“Ethan there’s a reason for that. I’m a two sport athlete trying to juggle preseason training, mid-season training, practice, games, and a heavy course load so I’m sorry that I’ve been a little flakey lately.” I sigh after I get that out.

“Did you even hear what I said? Do you even care?”

I yell back, “Of course I fucking care Ethan. I’ve been a little stressed lately so excuse me that being in love with my best friend is on the back burner and isn’t my first priority right now.”

“Are you even listening to yourself right now? I don’t care that you have class, and practice, and workouts that take up most of your time. I don’t care about anything of that because I get it. You forget that I’m an athlete too, sorry not all of us are two sport athletes Morgan.” He snaps, like actually snaps.

I hear Luke mutter, “oh fuck.” I look at Ethan with daggers. I take a deep breath so that I don’t actually kill him. “I’m not doing this Ethan, especially not if we’re just gonna scream at each other. I have stuff to do. I’m not talking to you until we’ve both cooled down so that neither of us say something we regret.” I say and walk out not giving him a chance to say anything. I sit in my car and cry for a few minutes before going to my cage session.

*At the Cages*

I’m taking my frustration out at the cages with Hutch. This is the only time of day that I get to hit since we have afternoon hockey practice and I have class in the morning. I confide in this woman like no other. She knows all about hockey and everything with Ethan. She takes notice that I’m hitting everything a lot harder than usual. She asks, “What’s going on kiddo?”

“Nothing. I’m just exhausted. I forgot what preseason is like.”

“Morg, I know something is wrong. We’ve been at this for an hour so let’s take a break ok?”

“I’m fine coach. I don’t need a break. This is the only time of day I have to work on softball so can we please just hit?”

“If you think I’m gonna let you practice like this then your crazy. I know something is wrong. So sit and talk. Now.”

I take a breath and sit down on a bucket with her. I take this time to catch my breath since I was definitely overexerting myself. She asks, “morgs, honey, what’s going on?”

“Me and Ethan kinda blew up at each other today. Badly. We’ve never done that before. And I’ve been flakey with him for like a month too.”

“What’s going on with you and Ethan?”

“He told me that he’s in love with me.”

“Oh. Morg, you’ve been in love that boy for a very long time, why did you get upset at him telling you?”

“How much time you got?” I say and we both laugh. She chuckles saying, “More than you.” That causes us to laugh even more knowing that she’s right. I ask, “Do you really wanna know?”

“I just want you to be ok. Or as ok as a two sport collegiate athlete can be. If that means sitting on a bucket and talking about the boy that you’ve loved for a long time then yea I wanna know.”

“He showed up after lift this morning. Saying how he couldn’t keep pretending that what happened the night of my birthday meant nothing to him.”

“What happened?”

“We kissed. We were drunk, but I didn’t tell you that, and we just kissed. We both had blamed it on the alcohol not wanting to ruin the friendship or anything. And yea I was a little heartbroken but I knew that’s what needed to be done so it was whatever. I brushed him off and told him that we could talk later because I needed to get to campus because I had class.”

“Good. I always tell you girls, never let a boy get in the way of your studies or your softball.”

“Trust me, Ethan won’t, and he knows that. Anyways, when I get done with class he’s waiting for me outside the building. And tries talking to me again. I would’ve been able to avoid talking to him but I left my bats at the house like an idiot.”

“Why were they at his house?”

I explain, “I live there too. None of the girls wanted me at the softball houses so I live with my brother and his friends. I wanted to live with Luke anyways.”

“Fair enough. I take you ran into him at the house?”

“That’s an understatement. Like I knew he would be there because he lives there too but I figured he would drop it because I was very adamant that I didn’t wanna talk to him at the moment. He dropped the bomb as I walking out the door. And I guess I just lost it.”

“What do you mean lost it?”

I smile, “I basically screamed at him. I was so mad, he literally yelled that he was in love with me in front of the whole house as I was walking out the door to come here. He said that he had been trying to tell me for a while or something. So I snapped back at him about how he can’t just drop a bomb on me like that when I’m walking out the door. And how it wasn’t fair.”

“I‘m gonna go out on a limb and say that it didn’t sit well with him?” She said. I chuckles and shake my head no. I say, “God no. That made it worse I think. He yelled back how I don’t get to turn it around on him since he’s been trying to tell me for a month but that I’ve been blowing him off.”

“Well, have you been blowing him off?” She inquires.

I say, “Well yea, but not because of that. I’m two sport athlete and I’m trying to juggle training for two teams, a heavy course load, and hockey games. Plus I’m on track to graduate early from my high school AP credits so there’s just a lot on my mind. It’s not that I want to blow him off and be flakey towards him, I’m just overwhelmed with everything right now. He accused me of not caring Hutch. Like how do I not care? If anything, I care too much.”

“I know. And I’m sure he knows too. It’s Ethan Edwards we’re talking about. He knows you care. He knows you better than Luke does. He knows you better than you know yourself. He probably just said it in the heat of the moment with emotions running high.”

“I mean yea but that doesn’t mean I don’t care. Like, I’m obviously in love with him but with everything else going on in my life, being in love with my best friend is on the back burner. I just haven’t had the time or energy to think about it. Especially because even though I was drafted with Luke, I want my degree before going pro. I want both of them. Because I want a masters in athletic training. So I need to think about grad school now too. There’s just so much on my plate and he’s just not a priority anymore.” I say letting the stress prevail in my tone.

“Maybe that’s why your so stressed.” She says.

“What do you mean?”

Coach explains, “Last season, even with all the drama, you were the happiest I’ve seen you. And I think that it had a direct correlation to Ethan. I had Alex keeping me in the loop last year, and this year McKenna. Anytime you were pissed at Ethan your general mood and attitude were different. Even your game was different. You had some of your best games when you and Ethan were on good terms. You need him Morg. More than you want to admit, and I know that it’s scary, but you need that boy in your life.”

“I know, but it’s so hard. And he called me Morgan coach.”

Her face drops, “Oh.”

“Yea. He’s never, ever called me Morgan. Luke doesn’t even call me Morgan. So now I don’t know what to do.”

“Ok, I’m calling it for the day.” She says standing up.

“What? Why?”

“Because you are in no condition for this and that’s ok. Go home, talk to him, and get your mind right. The only way you’re going to succeed on the ice, on the field, and in the classroom is if you talk to him and get your head on straight. I’m serious go home and talk to him.”

“Ok. I’ll see you tomorrow morning for lift.” She smiles and nods and we just pick up the balls in peace. I grab my stuff and get in my car driving off towards my brothers house. I text Luke:

me: is he home?

moose🫎: yea.

moose🫎: morgy, what the hell happened?

moose🫎: I mean I was there and witnessed it but what the hell happened?

moose🫎: and are you ok?

me: honestly Lukey, I have no clue what happened.

me: is he ok?

moose🫎: no. he hasn’t left his room.

moose🫎: scratch that. he just came down for food. pls fix this

me: I’m on my way to do that. pls stall him.

I drive to their house as fast as I can. I’m definitely driving too fast but that’s fine. It’s not important right now. I take a deep breath before getting out of the car and then take another deep breath before going inside. I see Ethan in the kitchen talking to Luke. I say to Ethan, “Can I talk to you?”

“Are you just gonna yell at me? Because if you are then no. I’m not just gonna be your punching bag because your stressed, that’s not fair to me.”

“I’m not gonna yell at you.”

“Then yea, we can talk.”

Luke excuses himself and goes to the living room where the rest of the house is. They’re probably there to watch this train wreck go down. My hands are definitely shaking right now. Ethan takes my hand to stop the shaking, “hey, what’s going on?”

“Ethan I’m so sorry about earlier.”

“It’s ok, morgs. I said some things that I probably shouldn’t have too.” He squeezes my hand.

“No it’s not Ethan. I shouldn’t have said any of what I did. I shouldn’t have accused you of just dropping it on me like that when I know it’s not true. And I’m sorry that I’ve been flaking out and blowing you off recently.”

He pushes the hair out of my face and says, “Hey, it’s ok. I know that you have a lot on your plate. I’m sorry for saying that you don’t care. I know that you care, it was a heat of the moment thing and I didn’t mean it at all.”

“No, it’s not ok Ethan. Just because I have a lot going doesn’t mean I get to blow my best friend off and take all the stress out on you. I’m sorry for that. I need you, Ethan. I need you and I don’t wanna push you away.” I say crying at this point.

Ethan pulls me in for a hug and lets me cry into his chest. He pulls away and wipes my tears. He looks in my eyes and says, “You could never push me away. I need you too. Ok? And I love you. So much.”

“I love you too Ethan.”

He leans down and kisses me. I feel the same sparks that I did 4 months ago on my birthday. They’re obviously good sparks. We kiss for what feels like forever before we both hear Luke say, “Alright, alright. That’s enough. I get that you guys are in love but that’s still my twin.”

“And you’re afraid of her, I’m not.” Ethan shoots back with a raised eyebrow. I giggle and Ethan pulls me into him. I hug him and he holds me like that. Ethan looks at his phone and then says, “Ok, we’ll be upstairs. See you losers later.”

“Door open Edwards. I’m too young to be an uncle.”

“I’ll be sure to relay the information to McKenna that your too young to be a dad so you don’t wanna have sex with her.”

“At least wear protection.”

“Gross dude.” Ethan says pulling up the stairs. He leads me into his room and closes the door behind him. I giggle at that, knowing Luke is gonna go crazy. Ethan lays on his bed and pulls me with him. Once we both get comfortable he says, “Do you wanna talk about it?”

“About what?”

“Why you are so stressed that you’re pushing me away?”

“Ethan…” I say trailing off.

“Baby, I knew you were getting stressed but I was trying to let you deal with it. The guys noticed too. What’s going inside your pretty little head?”

“Between preseason softball workouts, midseason hockey stuff, school shit, games, having to practice on my own for softball, all that drama within itself. And I’ve been thinking about grad school too. There’s just so much going on.”

“Instead of pushing me away, put some of that on me.”

“I can’t do that Ethan.”

“I’m asking you too morgs. At least the stress from hockey. Let me deal with that to lighten your load a little bit. Please baby, I’m worried about you.” Ethan says with a sigh. He rubs circles on my back too. I have to say, I missed this. I missed him. I missed us. I give into him, “Fine. But only hockey.”

“Good. And I’m sorry for calling you Morgan.”

“It’s ok.”

“Hey morgs?”

“Yea?”

“Does this mean that you’re my girlfriend now?”

“Do you want me to be your girlfriend?”

“Do bears shit in the woods?”

I giggle, “then yes. I’m your girlfriend.” He smiles and kisses me, like million times. It’s cute how excited he is. Like a kid in a candy store. He pulls me on top of him into a bear hug. He rolls us over so that he’s on top and then kisses me passionately. He smiles, “Now I get to show you off to the whole world as my girlfriend.”

“Well, Ethan Edwards my boyfriend, has a much better ring to it than oh we’re just friends.”

“Good. Now about the team?”

“Um, I don’t care. I mean our whole class knows that we’re together now so it really doesn’t matter. And I’m sure coach has had his suspicions for a while so it doesn’t matter.”

“Ok.” He said and kissed me again. We stay cuddling in his bed until practice.

May 2023

Today was the day we were playing UCF in the regional final in Florida for the NCAA tournament. To say that you were nervous was an understatement. Since both the Devils and the Canucks weren't in the playoffs, my whole family was here. Mom, dad, Quinn, Jack, and Luke. I mean, Luke was gonna come regardless, he’s my twin so obviously he’d be here.

Today could be the last game of the season if we lose. I obviously don’t want to lose. The whole team pulled up to Orlando for this, making a headline on ESPN. Straight up. The headline was: “Michigan ice hockey team seen getting rowdy in support of their female teammate who is also a member of Michigan softball at the NCAA Regional Tournament down in Orlando.” Apparently they interviewed like Luke, and Nolan, and Ethan, some of the guys. It was kinda cool. I was glad to have them because they keep me calm, cool, and collected.

Especially Ethan. Ever since we started officially dating in January, everything has been smooth sailing. Which I’m happy about, especially since Luke isn’t going back to AA next fall. He’s signed a rookie contract with the Devils and is moving in with Jack. Good luck to Luke on that.

Anyways, back to the game. Today is do or die. I’m catching and batting third. Like I have done all season as long as I was healthy. I had some back issues and knee issues flare up while I was playing both hockey and softball at the same time. But I’ve been relatively fine since hockey ended. I was probably over working myself.

It’s the like 5th inning or something and I’m up to bat. I hit a hard line drive to the outfield and run to first. I turn to go to second when I feel something click in my knee and it buckles. I instantly fall in pain but crawl back to first. I’m not costing us an out. We call time and the trainer gets me up and off the field.

“What happened?”

“I rounded first and there was a click, it buckled, and then there was a lot of pain.” I say trying not to cry. The trainer says a bunch of things but I’m not listening. I do hear him say, “it could be ACL. Not gonna know the full story until you get back to michigan and get an MRI. For now, here’s a brace and crutches. Ok?”

“Ok.”

“Can I get you anything?”

“Just my phone and maybe some gatorade please?”

“Yea.” He leaves the room and comes back five minutes later with my phone and some gatorade for me. “Unfortunately, since this isn’t our facility, I can’t let anyone down here to be with you right now. I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok. Thank you.” He nods and walks out of the room. I immediately let my tears flow. It hurts a lot. Almost as much as when I blocked my brother’s slap shot with my chest and couldn’t breathe. I open my phone and text Ethan:

me: I need you to walk away from my family, more importantly my brothers, and call me. please Ethan!

eddy❤️: ok.

After about two minutes, I get a FaceTime from Ethan. I answer it and he immediately asks, “Are you ok baby?”

I shake my head no, “No. It’s my knee.”

“I figured. Do you know what’s wrong?”

“No, he said that we aren’t gonna know anything until we get back home. How is everyone?” I ask trying to change the subject.

“Freaking out. That’s not important, how are you?”

“Not good. I’m scared and in pain.”

“I’m sorry beautiful. They can’t let me down there can they?”

“No. Since it’s not Michigan facilities they can’t even let my parents down here. It sucks. Because they are still playing so I’m all alone.”

“I’m here. I know I’m not physically with you but I’m right here. Do you want me to get Luke?”

“God no. I just need you Ethan.” I say and start crying. I can’t be alone right now and I wish he could be here. God I need my boyfriend right now. He says, “Hey, morgs it’s ok. You’re gonna be ok. Baby, look at me.” I look at him through the phone and he says, “I need you to breathe for me. Just take slow, deep breaths. Like the ones I make you do before State games. You’re ok.”

I take the deep breaths like he tells me to and I feel a little better. At this point the trainer came back in with Hutch. I say to Ethan, “I got to go Ethan. The trainer and my coach wanna talk. I’ll see you and don’t tell anyone you talked to me.”

“Ok, I love you and you’re gonna be fine.” He smiles and winks. He hangs up before I get to say that I love him too. Hutch and the trainer smile when they realize I was on the phone with Ethan. Hutch says, “We lost 9-4. I’m sorry kid. The season is over. We’re heading back to school tonight. I know that you’re family is here, so you own’t have to return with us if you don’t want.”

“I’m gonna talk to my mom first.”

“Ok. I understand. And I understand if you want to go home with your family. Hey, it’s gonna be ok kid. We’ll figure it out.”

“Thanks Coach. And thanks for a great season.” She nods and pats my back before heading out. She knows that I don’t want any of the girls in here. I can’t deal with all of that right now. The trainer says, “I talked to the UCF staff. They said I can let 3 people down here. Who do you want me to get?”

“My mom, Luke, and Ethan.” He nods and walks out of the training room. I focusing on breathing and calming myself for when they come in. After like 10 minutes my mom, Luke, and Ethan come walking in. My mom instantly hugs me. And then Luke, and then Ethan. He probably holds me the longest.

My mom asks, “Ok, what did the trainer say?”

“He said that he doesn’t really know what it could be and that I need to get it looked at back home.” I say with a half smile. My mom takes a deep breath and says, “Ok. Our flight back leaves tonight, so I don’t know when the team is leaving but we can get you a ticket and figure something out.”

“The team is also leaving tonight so I’ll just go with them.” She nods and says, “I’ll give you guys a few minutes. Feel better honey and let me know about the flight and stuff.” I nod and then Ethan comes over and really hugs me after. Like a bone crushing hug. But it’s fine because I started crying when he hugged me so this hug is hiding my tears.

He pulls away and wipes my tears. He smiles and says, “We’re gonna figure this out baby. I promise. Together.” I nod and pull him back in to hug him. He lets go and moves so that Luke can hug me again. Luke says, “Hey, it’s ok. I got your back. We got this, together. You’re my twin, and the Hughes Twins are tough as nails. Born together?”

“Die together. Thank you Luke. I love you.”

“I love you too morgy. Let’s get you home yea?” I nod and then we head out. Ethan helps me carry everything to the team bus and stuff. He hugs me and says, “I’ll see you in Michigan, I love you baby.”

“I love you too Ethan.” I kiss him before getting on the bus with the team. I put my headphones in and close my eyes and drift off to my own little world. This is about to be the worst summer ever, possibly longer.

#umich hockey #ethan edwards #new jersey devils #ethan edwards imagine #ethan edwards x reader #ethan edwards x luke!twin #hockey

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bird-inacage · 9 months

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1 YEAR WITH PRAPAISKY / FORTPEAT

My first post about Love in the Air was published on 1 September 2022, where I started speculating on what the Prapaisky storyline may have in store. But it was really when I shared my first meta 'Love in the Air: Sky’s Desire to be Loved' that I realised just how many others were invested in the Sky/Prapai story.

LITA was the first thai BL series that was on my radar before it aired, that I avidly followed during it's weekly release, and then far beyond. In those very early days, there were probably less than a dozen of us posting about Prapaisky here. And once LITA finally did start, it quickly dawned on us that the Prapaisky episodes wouldn't begin until the second half. The sound of crickets and the occasional sighting of tumbleweed would continue before we got some substantial content to feast over. Let me tell you, the wait was trying. Fast forward to just over a year later, and it's absolutely incredible to see how much this show and pairing has blown up since then.

I'm extremely grateful for how much joy both my mutuals and followers have brought me throughout this fandom. Even if this blog does shift to other shows or pairings, this couple will always have a particularly special place in my heart.

How did I come across LITA, was it love at first sight?

I happened upon the trailer, and these two immediately caught my attention. Sky entranced me with his big doe eyes, much like how Prapai was drawn to him that fateful night at the race track. I swiftly fell in the love and the rest is history.

What do I love about Prapaisky?

There's something I find very compelling but also comforting about the Prapaisky relationship. A story is more likely to stick with me when there is really poignant character development - something that can be found in both Sky and Prapai. Their relationship is a healthy union that makes them both better people. Prapai is humbled by Sky's love, and Sky is empowered by Prapai's.

(ABOVE: My full video edit "this is how you fall in love" is on youtube HERE)

Favourite Prapaisky scene?

I think the episodes I have rewatched the most are probably Episode 10 and Episode 13. But just to mention some of the scenes which I find most memorable: Sky holding back tears after his one night stand, Prapai coaxing a feverish Sky during a nightmare, Sky falling asleep in Prapai's arms during Last Cheer, Prapai's imaginary kiss whilst Sky is sleepy, Prapai's utter devastation when Sky breaks up with him over the phone, Sky's affectionate back hug when Prapai comes to him, Prapai begging Sky to cry, Sky wiping away Prapai's tears.

What do I love about Fortpeat?

My favourite aspect of this partnership is Fort being a hugely affectionate and clingy person, whilst Peat is smothered by his love. Peat tends to be the more quiet and measured one within the LITA foursome (probably due to being the oldest) but Fort brings out his inner child. I still can't get over the fact Fort calls him 'baby' because he acts like one when he's with him. You wouldn't have known this in the early days when Peat was considerably more reserved. Fort comes across as an unfiltered, energetic, massive softie. Peat is the grounded, silent assassin of a tease who is unapologetically himself.

The future of Fortpeat?

I desperately hope these two get a new series as a couple. LITA really put them both on the map, and I'd be incredibly shocked if they don't get cast in something new, considering their enormous popularity now. But please, please give them a decent script. We know what they're capable of and I want to see their talent given the material it deserves.

#LITA #love in the air #love in the air series #prapaisky #paisky #fortpeat #peat wasuthorn #fort thitipong #I'll love them forever #how has time gone so quickly??#my sweet precious babies #a prapaisky anniversary #where my chronic insanity started

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awarmcupofmilk · 2 years

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Gojo x reader “Forced Laughs”

afab!reader

series: pt 1 pt 2 pt 3 pt 4 pt 5 pt 6

summary: a drunken conversation ends your five year marriage w/ gojo

content warnings: breakup/sad, angst, fluff (kinda?) in flashbacks, mention of pregnancy, mention of character going missing in flashback, mention of sickness in flashback, divorce, arguing over custody

word count: 1,184

note: thoughts on gojo pov?

please don’t repost, edit, translate, use, or copy my works on any platforms (if you’d really like to please reach out – reblogs are welcome)

Gojo stared at you, exasperated. “Why are you doing this?”

You sighed. “Didn’t I just say if you really don’t know then forget it?”

Gojo was yanking his hair again. Then, sighing, he walked towards you, so forcefully you had to take a step back. “What about Namie? You’re seriously asking for a divorce and won’t even tell me the reason?”

Oh he did not just bring up Namie.

“Don’t talk about her like you suddenly care. You’ll get visiting hours,” if you want them, you thought.

“You want to argue over custody?”

You could only look at him in disgust.

Gojo sighed again. “Okay, stop. If we’re really going to do this I’ll have to get a lawyer.” Your heart dropped. Why was he fighting you so hard on this? “Can we just pause and think about this for two weeks.”

Ah, but you had thought about this for two months already.

As if reading your mind, Gojo sighed. “I know, you’ve definitely thought about this long before you told me,” Why did it sound so insulting coming from him? “But you can’t just spring this on me. Give me two weeks.”

✧

And so, now, you were cooking dinner. Namie sat playing with her beloved stuffed bunny in the living room, smiling to herself.

You heard the door click and open, Gojo was home early.

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Namie get up and run towards him. “Daddy!” She squealed, and Gojo hugged her back with a smile that didn’t seem pained for once.

You scoffed.

Gojo clearly saw you, but didn’t say anything. Namie, holding her bunny’s hand, ran into the kitchen. “Daddy’s home,” she giggled. It broke your heart. Why did he choose now to act like he cared? It made you feel like a villain.

✧

You still remembered when you first saw him. First year of Jujutsu High, you ran into him in the hallway before the official introduction. You could see the crystalline blue of his eyes behind his sunglasses. His pale eyelashes cast shadows on his cheek. His hair effortlessly spiked. You stared at him, probably stupidly, probably for too long. He raised his eyebrows, and you thought he might just walk by you. He seemed like the arrogant type. But then, he grinned, smirked is probably a better word for it, and waved easily. “Gojo Satoru,” he said, putting his hand back in his pocket. “Y/N,” you responded.

✧

You remembered how he asked you out. Out of the group, you and Gojo drew the short straws. Walking back from the convenience store, you were looking over the receipt and double-checking everyone’s orders. At the bottom of the receipt, in Gojo’s handwriting, was “Y/N…” in red. You looked up at him, confused. “…Wanna go out?” He grinned, still with a hint of a smirk. You had to blink five times to process what he said.

“Are you serious?” Was all you could say, your heartbeat clenching your throat.

He frowned slightly, thoughtfully. “Do you want me to be?”

You took that as a no. Scoffing, you turned away, punching him on the arm. You could feel tears welling in your eyes from the disappointment and it was humiliating. “Woah, woah, woah,” Gojo had said, noticing your tears. “Why are you crying?”

He, despite being clearly panicked, teased, “Geez Y/N, if you don’t want to that badly you could just say so.”

You looked back up at him, eyes teary. Humiliating. “What do you mean?”

“I’m being serious.”

“Oh.”

✧

Now that you think about it, you’re not quite sure if you ever said yes. Still, the two of you returned to Geto and Shoko holding hands, much to their disgust. But as dismayed as they were, they sure had a great time gushing over the developments of your relationship. They helped with the proposal, after all.

Gojo really stuck with the receipt gag. That day, they all came at you with things they “needed to return”. He didn’t plan it out too well though. One word per receipt and three receipts meant they only managed to write “Will you marry”. Gojo squeezed in “me” at the bottom of his. You remember teasing him that he could’ve just given you that one, “Marry me” got the message across just fine.

You had silenced his grumblings with a kiss. You could feel him smile (smirk) as you kissed him.

✧

All the old memories were coming up these days. The wedding, then the house, then Namie, oh Namie, it was all a whirlwind of happiness to you.

✧

You remembered Gojo sitting on the edge of the bathtub in front of you as you trembled, waiting for the timer. The first sight of the plus sign made you cry. Gojo had jumped up from where he was sitting. His joy practically palpitated off of him in waves. And as you embraced him, how could you believe anything other than a perfect, loving family for your future?

✧

Everything felt like some sort of incredible dream. The kind that was so wonderful it made you disappointed when you woke up. Even when you had to give up your career, even when Gojo went missing for three months from a mission, even when Namie got sick, you were sure your love would carry you all through. You thought everything would be fine. You almost laughed thinking about it now. If that was a dream, then the alarm had definitely sounded.

It made you want to sob. Asking where it all went wrong was too much.

Gojo came back early consistently for the first week in the past three years. He spent all of his time not working at home. He took Namie to school.

Why was he being like this now? It made you angry.

✧

Today marked two weeks since the conversation. Gojo knew. Standing by the door of the bedroom that you now slept in alone after forcing him into the guest room, he looked hesitant.

You just stared. What were you supposed to say?

“Do you… still want a divorce?”

The question had you laughing. It was a lot more bitter than you would have wanted. “What?”

He just frowned.

“I thought… maybe…”

“Maybe what?” You cut him off, still laughing. “The minimal effort you’ve put in these past two weeks has made me change my mind?”

He didn’t respond. Good.

“And you said you’d call a lawyer? Then I’ll see you in court.”

“I didn’t mean that,” He said, uncomfortably.

“You didn’t mean you’d get a lawyer?” You scoffed.

“Not like that. I know I screwed up.”

You hated how that made you soften. You could only nod. “I gave you two weeks. Please just sign the papers.”

Teetering in the doorway, he seemed to want to say something. You almost wished he would say something. But then, he lowered his head, gave a pathetic nod, and left.

Pathetic.

It made you want to laugh.

So why did you let out a sob when he closed the door?

<- Previous Part ✧⭐︎☆⭐︎✧ Next part ->

✧ Masterlist ✧

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felassan · 2 years

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New BioWare Blog post.

🔊 BIOWARE COMMUNITY UPDATE: WRITING OUR WORLDS

by BioWare on September 29 2022

"Hello, everyone! And welcome back to another BioWare™ Community Update. It’s been a little while since we last spoke, but our work continues—as does the storytelling.

So far, years of effort have gone into our next game, Dragon Age: Dreadwolf™, with hundreds of people working to bring this shared vision to life. We’ve been quietly building it behind the scenes for a while now, so we wanted to give you a look at some stuff we’ve been working on! But let’s start with a little recap for those who might be new around here.

Dragon Age is a series that puts you in the heart of a magical world, but what happens while you’re there—who lives and dies, who rises and falls, who loves and loses—that’s up to you. There are no right choices… only those you make.

At the heart of every one of our games are our stories and characters. Each tale is told by the people who live in them—companions who fight at your side and foes who challenge your every move. This is core to the experiences we craft and is what we believe makes a “BioWare RPG” what it is.

Each character has their own motivations and goals that influence how the story plays out, but so do you. The Hero of Ferelden. The Champion of Kirkwall. The Herald of Andraste. Each of them marked their legacy in the annals of history, but time marches forward and the age of these heroes cannot last forever. As a friend of ours once said, “it’s time for a new hero.”

Making a game that carries forth the stories that came before it while still being a starting point for someone brand-new can be tough—deep lore can seem daunting to new players—but it’s also an exciting challenge! The development process is iterative and dynamic. Ideas get concepted, tested, thrown out, brought back, and changed constantly during early stages, all in the pursuit of getting things just right. And it’s very collaborative, too! Everyone helps each other to build something we hope will excite you.

So, let’s talk about that.

As we said, storytelling is at the core of what we do. Our writers helm the creation of your narrative experiences and work as part of a talented team with editors, producers, and quality verifiers to build out the story, characters, dialogue, and more. And that’s not even getting into the other teams who work so closely with them to bring these tales to life!

But what does working on the writing and editing teams entail? And how are we going about writing for Dreadwolf? It’s not like writing a book where everyone has the same experience on the page. Each player interacts with the team’s work differently based on the choices they make, how much of the game they interact with, and the kind of character they want to play. Here’s how our team is thinking about that, but first…

Please enjoy this sneak peek at writing for Dreadwolf, directly from the game’s codex!

(Codex assets are not representative of in-game format.)

Written by Sylvia Feketekuty; edited by Cameron Harris

Hey! Care to do us the honor of introducing yourselves and telling our community a little bit about what you do?

Ryan Cormier: Hello! I’m one of three narrative editors on Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. Our job is to ensure BioWare’s stories are told with clarity, consistency, and accuracy. That might mean correcting comma splices in a codex entry, deciding if a hero’s dramatic speech carries on one line too long, reviewing plot points, or helping a writer choose which scene to tweak without impacting the overall arc. Somewhere in between, we’re spell-checking some ridiculously long elven word or standardizing a character’s voice.

Sylvia Feketekuty: Hi, I’m a senior writer on Dreadwolf. I wrote of one of the codex entries here, “Misconceptions about the Necropolis” (as well as the character who “penned” the entry). These codices are just a tiny snippet of the game, but we wanted to share them as a springboard for talking about our writing and editing process.

Sometimes, when I tell people I write for games, they politely try to figure out how to ask, "But writing dialogue doesn’t take up your entire day every day, does it?" Truthfully, no. I'm responsible for coming up with plots, characters, and dialogue, but also for designing missions with our level designers. I work with them on pacing, information flow, and addressing many, many revisions as feedback comes in.

We're also responsible for a lot of non-voiced text: codex entries, notes in the world, item descriptions, weapon names, etc. A huge part of my job is just explaining the narrative needs of my characters and missions to other departments and coordinating it all with them.

It sounds like you two do more than the average person might expect an editor or writer to do. How do you two work together, then?

Sylvia: Way early on during the concepting stages, the editing team gives their feedback with the rest of the narrative team on high-level stuff like the new characters, plot, and themes. Once first-draft writing for a character or major mission is complete, we also have editors give us their formal feedback during our big peer reviews.

Ryan: At this stage, as we near preproduction, editors talk with writers about big-picture topics like characters, lore, and themes. These elements need the most time. Editing starts broadly and becomes detailed later in the process because it doesn’t help a writer to hear, “This is a run-on sentence,” when we’re still five drafts away from final. We save line edits for last. Until then, editors try to hold their tongues on grammar and punctuation.

Sylvia: After the peer review, when revisions are done and we’re in a position to start recording voiced dialogue, I work more closely with the editing team. Editors will suggest better ways to make one sentence flow into the next, spot inconsistencies, and point out when I’ve written something nonsensical. Every editor also “owns” certain character voices, just like writers do, and I’ll often go to them to hash out something for a particular character or to get a second opinion.

Ryan: Here, in the final drafts, no edit is too picky. This is where editors tweak the writing with changes to grammar, punctuation, and flow and where the passive voice dies a swift death. We read lines aloud at our desks while examining lore, tone, voice, and other details that change how a line reads in the recording booth or appears in the subtitles. Voice-recording notes and plot summaries are finalized, too. All this fine-tuning involves close work between a writer and editor while we pass edits back and forth, fix this, change that, change it back, debate, agree, and finally send it off for recording and translation.

So from the very beginning to the very end, our editors and writers are in lockstep with each other. What about the rest of the devs and other teams?

Ryan: Editors are the bridge between the writers and out-of-studio partners like actors and localizers. Once final drafts are complete, our game dialogue is sent to our in-house performance team, voice actors, and translators, all working in numerous languages. Editors work with those teams daily and are the troubleshooters when technical or cultural concerns arise. Sometimes, an English joke just doesn’t land in the localized copy, or maybe we learn that a name we chose for an idyllic village in Thedas has an inappropriate meaning in another language.

Sylvia: One of the best Dragon Age: Inquisition™ translator questions I ever saw was from a German translator who wanted to know what one character meant when he talked about “dancers with tassels.”

I mentioned this above, but most of my cross-team work is keeping up communication. Does the audio team have all the context they need? Does Character Art know a plot point requires an alternate character outfit? People often compare narrative games to movies, but a lot of them are nothing like movies, structurally speaking. RPGs the size of ours are more like a full season of a bizarrely nonlinear television series with so many mutable, moving parts.

That definitely paints quite the picture. You mentioned your work on DA:I just then, too. What about on Dreadwolf? What’s it like writing for the next game?

Sylvia: It’s been eight years since our last DA game came out. I’ve seen a lot of adults fondly reminiscing about how they played it as teens! Dragon Age: Dreadwolf has been a balance of providing answers to long-standing questions for veteran fans while making a game that new players, or someone who only played DA:I years ago, can also get into.

Ryan: Unlike the vast galaxies we explore in our other franchises, Dragon Age: Dreadwolf returns us to Thedas, where we can revisit friends and places that are familiar. Some fans haven’t spent time with Dragon Age since the 2014 release of Inquisition, while others have read every comic and story published since. Others never played a Dragon Age game at all and have no idea who the bald guy is (he’s Solas).

It’s a varied audience, and development for Dreadwolf has included conversations about how the team can simultaneously reward our returning fans and welcome new ones.

Sylvia: There are other things, of course, but we can’t really get into that until the game comes out.

Well, we’ll see what the future holds, then. If you were speaking to a fan, new or old, what would you tell them makes a Dragon Age game unique?

Sylvia: To me, BioWare has always carried the old-school D&D legacy in its veins. I try to inject some of what I love about tabletop roleplaying into my work: bizarre encounters, prideful villains, adventurers thrust together, arcs with big stakes that retain a sense of playfulness or adventure. It’s everything I’ve liked in the best fantasy tabletop games I’ve played in.

Ryan: For me, it's the characters. A Dragon Age story is full of heroes you want to visit a Kirkwall tavern with, or at a stylish Antivan party; travelling with friends whose witty banter makes the time fly by. The greatest compliment fans give our characters is the years of art, cosplay, and fan fiction that Dragon Age has inspired. That’s a sincere connection between our audience and our creations. And a villain who makes people want to spit on the ground at the mention of their name? Even better.

Though we can’t yet show our community our characters acting in-game, dialogue isn’t our only option. What about these codex entries? Is that something you could talk about?

Ryan: Yes! Codex entries are valuable because they provide information that might otherwise disrupt the flow of the game. For example, players might want details about the Grand Necropolis in Nevarra, but characters shouldn’t sound like tour guides. Before any writing, the narrative team discusses which entries are required and which aren’t. It’s crucial to properly time codex unlocks with player progression. No one wants a dozen entries only ten minutes into the game, but interested players shouldn’t have to wait long to learn more about the people, places, and concepts introduced. Does a codex unlock when something’s first mentioned? When a related character appears? Is the entry only required if they actually interact with said thing?

Sylvia: Making all our codex entries “in-world” (letters, books, notes, etc.) gives us ways to play with information. I chose the “Misconceptions about the Necropolis” codex to show everyone because it was really fun to write. I wanted the in-game author to be frustrated with Brother Genitivi’s portrayal of the Necropolis while also trying to deny the depth of his irritation with said world-famous scholar. It’s a diary, yet we see the author still feels obligated to exercise a measure of decorum in his private writing. And the micro-revelation at the end is that it’s someone he knows in real life, not far-off Genitivi, who is needling the poor guy about Nevarra’s death rituals.

It’s fun to layer things like this, and players are savvy about those layers. They pick up (and I think appreciate) the character coming through. It’s also a collaborative creative process. My Necropolis codex entry, like many others, was edited by Cameron Harris, another of our editors. In this case, Cameron caught that I had set file information incorrectly and also adjusted the overall stylization for consistency

Here are a couple more codex entries for you. Let us know what you think of them!

Visnomer entry written by Patrick Weekes | Dowager entry written by Lukas Kristjanson Both edited by Ryan Cormier

We hope you enjoyed this first discussion about how our writing and editing teams are thinking about Dreadwolf! Every step of the way, we’re working together as a team, even in ways you might not imagine. From integrating written materials into the engine itself to our devs doing placeholder dialogue for characters, it’s a process that evolves over time.

But your efforts never stop, either! Naturally, when Solas shows up, so do many of you, and with incredible creations, no less. So in honor of the Dread Wolf himself, we wanted to showcase some amazing pieces we’ve seen. [please see source link for these] Oh, and we absolutely could not leave out Handsome Solas.

Every day, the game gets one step closer to our next big development milestone—and one step closer to where it’s going to be when you play it. But these changes don’t just happen. They’re being worked on by the teams of people shaping this next adventure for you—carrying the vision together on our road to launch.

We want to keep showing you what we’re up to, so let us know if you like what you’re seeing! We have some fun stuff planned, so be sure to keep an eye out for our upcoming BCUs, one of which will include a look at what our designers are working on!

Until next then, may the Dread Wolf take you.

—The BioWare Team"

[source and full post, tweet source, tweet source 2]

#dragon age: dreadwolf #dragon age 4 #the dread wolf rises #da4 #video games #long post #longpost #solas

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carlos-in-glasses · 11 months

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Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love❤

Thank you Michelle - and thank you also to @liminalmemories21 @catanisspicy and @reyesstrand for sending it too!

Technically speaking When Soulmates Swim is my favourite for splashy sexy angsty fun reasons, but I'd like to focus on a particular five. I wrote these back-to-back from mid-November 2022 to end of January 2023, and it was such a happy creative period it brings me a lot of joy to think about them:

The Ruins of Wonderland: A canon-divergent breakup era fic in which TK does not fall through ice, and so attends Nancy's 126 hang. You'll never guess who else shows up! I'll give you a clue though! His name rhymes with Shmarlos Schmeyes and they may or may not have sex very dramatically.

Chasers: A 3x13 coda in which TK talks to Cooper about addiction, Alex, and Carlos. Meanwhile, Carlos goes for a swim and reflects on early days of exploring his sexuality and meeting TK. When Carlos gets home, TK has something important to tell him.

Man to Man: In the aftermath of the housefire, when Carlos is worried that Gabriel will be ashamed of him all over again, he recalls coming out to his parents and what it was like to introduce them to TK years later. This fic is also an origin story for Carlos' gold cross necklace, and contains the line "You're a miracle, TK Strand," - so I went a little nutsy when I heard the voice of Carlos Reyes actually speak those words in his vows! Also contains my favourite sex scene that I've written.

Afterglow of a Supernova: Carlos and TK help Carlos' high school crush from the wrestling team, Scott, during a call. As a thank you, Scott and his wife invite them for dinner... but things go a little awry when jealousy strikes in a different kind of way. I had the greatest time writing this one.

Fire Island: I wrote this in January but didn't publish it until April because I was so nervous. TK and Carlos travel to Fire Island so TK can face his past. During their trip, they bond with an older gay couple to who talk to them about life at the height of the AIDS crisis. This one is very close to my heart, and I think it's technically one of my best in general. I cried reading it back during editing and that never happens. I also really like the banner I made for it:

#Fic rec #my fics #self rec

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sweetdreamsjeff · 4 months

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Jeff Buckley: The Lost Interview

In this previously unpublished conversation from 1994, captured just days before the release of ‘Grace,’ the mythic singer-songwriter pushes through self-doubt, professes his undying love for the Smiths and New York City, and interprets a dream wherein he critiqued a serial killer’s photography.

July 21, 2022 by Tony Gervino

In August of 1994, I interviewed the singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley for over an hour at the New York offices of Columbia Records. Other than pulling a few quotes for a regional music newspaper profile I wrote at the time, this conversation went unused. I put the recording in a box in my closet, where it remained for a quarter-century.

I went back over the transcript a couple of years ago and realized that our conversation offered a rare snapshot of the most pivotal moment in Buckley’s too-brief career. He hadn’t yet sat for many interviews and was trying to figure out his own narrative, just before he was to leave on a national tour that would make such quiet, thoughtful introspection a luxury.

The son of folk visionary Tim Buckley, he had made his mark in New York City as a solo artist in 1993, performing a suite of original songs and genre-spanning covers with only his guitar and multi-octave vocal range. The buzz didn’t really build; it seemed as if one day no one in the city’s music scene knew who Jeff Buckley was, and the next, everyone knew.

Prior to entering the studio to record his landmark debut album, Grace, which featured his most successful single, “Last Goodbye,” as well as his transcendent rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” Buckley mothballed his troubadour set. To help bring dimension to the music swimming around in his head, he recruited the collaborative working band of guitarist Michael Tighe, bassist Mick Grondahl and drummer Matt Johnson. He wanted his solo album to sound big, ambitious and genre-slippery as he headed to Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, N.Y.

Even though our meeting was less than two weeks before the album release, Buckley was still tinkering with the mixes on Grace, tormenting producer Andy Wallace with sonic flourishes and rewritten bridges, and hoping to squeeze every bit of inspiration out of himself before the tape stopped rolling. In the pre-streaming world, this was an unheard-of high-wire act for a debut artist. But for a young musician who was signed to Columbia Records after a prolonged bidding war, it indicated a bit of acquiescence on the label’s part. From what they’d seen of him, Buckley was a can’t-miss artist. He just needed time, which, tragically, he was ultimately denied. Jeff Buckley drowned in Memphis in May of 1997, just 30 years old.

I’ve edited this interview for length and clarity and removed some passages where I thought Buckley’s sarcasm could be misinterpreted, or where it spun off into tangents that ended with Buckley impersonating everyone from Paul McCartney to the French poet Baudelaire. He had the nervous energy of someone about to embark on a long journey, uncertain of its destination, and I wanted to ensure his answers would properly reflect not just his wit but his wisdom. ***** How does it feel to have to do interviews?

Well, at the outset I guess I figured why would anybody care? But I’m smart enough to know that people would want to talk about my music. I just didn’t think anyone would for a publication. But at this point the fatigue hasn’t set in, and no question is a stupid one. It’s still early.

[laughs] Mainly it’s helpful because I’m getting some ideas out about exactly what I think about some things. And the important thing in doing interviews is not to have any pat answers. That would make it unenjoyable for me. Like a … a murder suspect or something, in terms of having your story straight. Have you finished mixing the new album? No, I have one last day in the studio — one last gasp of creative breath before I have to go away. I’m totally pissed. Absolutely.

Did you write in the studio, or did you go in with the songs ready?

One of them was completely organized in the studio. But that was still prepared beforehand. A lot of stuff we’d done at the last minute because I was trying to get the right people to play with, and it took a while before I found them.

But that was only three weeks before I’d gone up to Woodstock to record and we hadn’t known each other that long, and the band material hadn’t developed as much. Some things were completely crystallized, and some things needed care, and they got it. I’m still not satisfied.

Let’s see: I get to go into the studio on Wednesday, the day before I leave and the night after I perform at [defunct NYC club] Wetlands. So I have one, two, three, four, five precious days to [work on the music], along with all the other stuff I have to do. I have to shoot some pictures, possibly for the album cover. Then at night I’m free to get these ideas together, and I’ll still have one last shot on two songs in particular. The producer [Andy Wallace] doesn’t even know what I want to do to this one song. [laughs] He’ll be horrified.

Have you played it out?

Uh-huh. There are just things I want to crystallize about it.

Is figuring songs out onstage a conscious effort on your part to fly or fail?

Yeah, because I love flying so much. But, really, it’s still a kind of discipline. I guess it’s an engagement. It’s not like having “song 1 to song 6 and then a talk.” I don’t know anybody who really does that. I know a lot of performers talk about not being so structured. … Sometimes you can see bands that have a set of songs, and that shit is dead. That … shit … is … dead.

When I perform, I’m working off rhythms that are happening all over the place, real or imagined, and it’s interactive. It’s got a lot of detail to it, so I can’t afford to tie it up in a noose, and put it in a costume that doesn’t belong on me. So yeah, it’s free but it has its own logic, and sometimes it completely falls flat on its face. But it’s worth the fall, sometimes. Because that’s life.

To me it makes sense to do things in that manner, because that’s really just the way life is when you step out of it and see that, like, your car has a flat and somebody smashed in your windshield and then, shit, you’re walking home and all of a sudden you run into somebody that turns out to be your favorite person for the rest of your life. It’s always … unfolding. You just have to recognize it, I guess. And that’s my philosophy, that I haven’t really thought about until you asked me.

Have you been a solo performer out of desire or necessity?

Both. I did it to earn money to pay rent in the place I was staying, and bills, and my horrible CD habit, and failing miserably all the time, always playing for tips and always just getting by — by the skin of my teeth.

To get this sound in order, you can have a path laid out in front of you, but if you don’t have the vehicle to go down the road you’ll never get to where you want to go. So I guess I was building the parts piece by piece or going through different forms, reforming them and trying out different ideas and songs.

How long have you been building these parts?

Some of them I wrote when I was 18 or 19, and some of them I wrote weeks ago, and some of them I’m still writing. [laughs] The rest of this album is kind of a purging, because the rest of the albums ain’t gonna happen like this. [points to chest] You’ll never see this person again.

Who and what are you going to become, Jeff?

I don’t know, just something deeper. Nothing alien, just something deeper. I’m just not satisfied. I’m really, horribly unsatisfied. Cause I kind of got an idea of where I want this thing to go. It’s still gonna be songs. I think about deepening the work that I do, and other problems I try to solve, like, “If I go to see this band in a loft, or if I went to see this band in a theater, and I wanted to be very, very, very enchanted and very engaged and maybe even physically engaged to where I’m dancing or where I’m moshing, what would that sound like? If I wanted to be cradled like a baby or smashed around like a fucking Army sergeant, what would that sound like?” I daydream all the time about it. And that’s sort of what I work toward. It’s more of an intimate thing.

In America the rock band is not an intimate thing, but in America soul bands are very intimate and blues bands are very intimate, like way back in the day, when people who invented blues were doing it. It’s all very interdependent and it’s all very … people had to listen to make the music. And it comes around in a lot of different ways. Things I’m doing now are pretty old-fashioned: I’m going on tour to little places to play small cafés. [He lays his itinerary out in front of us.]

What do you expect the reaction to be? You play New York City and, by now, the people here know your deal, but there are some cities where they’re not going to know.

That’s OK.

Will you tailor your performance to different tour stops? Does it change the way you perform?

Every time I perform it’s different.

How long have you been in New York City?

Three years. But I’ll always be here. I’ll always live here.

What is it about New York?

Everything. You know all the clichés: It’s the electricity, it’s the creativity, it’s the motion. It’s the availability of everything at any moment, which creates a complete, innate logic to the place. It’s like, there’s no reason why I shouldn’t have this now. There’s no reason I shouldn’t have the best library in the country, and there’s no reason why the finest Qawwali singer in all of Pakistan shouldn’t come to my neighborhood and I’ll go see him, and there’s no reason that Bob Dylan shouldn’t show up at the Supper Club.

There’s no reason that I can’t do this fucking amazing shit. And if you have a certain amount of self-esteem, it’s the perfect place because there’s so much. It’s majestic and it’s the cesspool of America. And there’s amazing poetry in everything. There are amazing poets everywhere, and some real horrible mediocrity, and an equal amount of pageantry. There’s also a community of people that have been left with nothing but their ability to put on a show, no matter what it is — whether it’s a novel or a performance reading on Monday night at St. Mark’s Church for 20 minutes. Where do you do the bulk of your writing?

Everywhere. You know what? Mostly it’s in 24-hour diners, on too much coffee. That’s an old Los Angeles thing.

How much does the location affect the writing?

To me music is about time and place and the way that it affects you. There’s just something about it. There’s just some spirit that somebody conjures up and then it floats out at you and helps you or hinders you throughout your life. It’s either Handel’s Messiah or it’s “All Out of Love” by Air Supply.

Music is just fucking insane. It’s everything. Music is like this: It’s always seemed to me to be one of the direct descendants of the thing in the universe that’s making everything work. It’s like the direct child of … life, [of] what being “people” is all about. It’s incredibly human but it touches things that are around us anyway. [pauses, then quietly] It’s hard to explain.

Give it a shot.

It gets into your blood. It could be [the Ohio Express’] “Yummy Yummy Yummy” or whatever. It gets in. It’s not like paintings and it’s not like sculptures, although those are really amazing and powerful. But I identify with music most.

And is live music the next degree of intensity?

Oh yeah, if they’re singing to me. You never hear it again, but you never forget it. I mean, you never forget it. It’s like the first time your mother cries in front of you. But I like making [music] and … I want the music to live live, even be written live, so it’s always forming, it’s ever unfolding.

The king of improvisation is [the late Qawwali singer] Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan — the most I’ve ever been filled with any performer’s energy. I have over $500 of his stuff. And I never got to see Keith Jarrett, but there was a time when he was my big hero for the same reason. Big, huge improvisation. Improvisation is something that I identify with.

Which of your new songs is your favorite? Is there one that you can’t wait to get to in your live set?

Not yet. I give each song pretty much the same attention, and I have the same reservations and the same carefulness about making sure I bring out its best. No favorites.

What’s a song by another artist that you wish you’d written, that completely devastates you?

Most of Nina Simone’s songs completely devastate me, although she didn’t write [most of] them. A lot of things that Dylan did are so impressionistic, even though his originals are supposed to be folky. Like “Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands”: If I was a woman and he sang that to me, I’d be like, “Whatever you want, Bob. You want casual sex whenever you want it and still be with your wife? I don’t care.”

I’d like to write something like “Moanin’ for My Baby” by Howlin’ Wolf, and I’d also like to write something like [Gerry and the Pacemakers’] “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” I have schoolgirl crushes on a lot of songs that never seem to go away. Lots of Cocteau Twins. That’s somebody I got to tell exactly what I thought of them.

Where were they playing?

In Los Angeles, a long time ago on the Heaven or Las Vegas tour. I’m immensely in love with their originality, their shyness. … But … um … the Smiths! [stands up abruptly, then sits back down] I wish I’d written half the fucking Smiths catalog. There are so many: “I Know It’s Over”; I wish I’d written “How Soon Is Now?” I wish I’d written “Holidays in the Sun” by the Sex Pistols. I could go on forever, and I know you don’t have forever.

Maybe sleep on it. I’m curious, do you sleep a lot? No, I don’t.

Is your mind constantly racing? Are you always just … fast forward?

Have you ever seen those film montages when a guy’s going crazy, and it just gets faster and faster and…

Yeah, sure, that’s exactly what I mean. It’s exactly like that. It’s like, I don’t want to miss a thing, and [I get the] feeling that I will miss something. But usually I’m wrong. [laughs] But when I do sleep, I sleep hard and have the best dreams.

Do you remember your dreams?

Sometimes, and they become the basis for a lot of my learning. That comes along with my development as a human being. Lately I’ve been having a lot of killer dreams — like a killer is coming after me or I have to confront a killer. And when a killer is coming after me, what am I going to have to do? To kill him.

Interesting. What do you think that means? That something in me is going to be murdered. That a psychic killer is coming. Actually, I met him. Sometimes I meet people inside of me that don’t like me; sometimes I meet people inside of me that want to make love with me more than anything; sometimes I meet the most bizarre animals and am in the most bizarre situations.

One dream, I met a serial killer who lived out in a small town in, like, Virginia. A small suburban town, very nice, white picket fence. And he lived in the town in a church with the pews taken out. And he was an artist.

You remember this much detail? Just wait. He was a very short young man, probably about 28 years old with thinning black hair that I think he was ashamed of. He also had all of these photos of these people mangled beyond belief, carved up, dissected alive. They were still alive in these photos, and there was a wall of all of these seductively beautiful, textured, processed black-and-white photos. One man had been made into a basket. One man had been totally deboned but still kept alive, and his skin had been made into a basket upon which his head stood, looking straight into the camera. And right before he died, this snapshot was taken. And this is what this guy’s job was. And my task in the dream, I was the person that saw this amazing horror and this amazing pain. The photographs were screaming, and all of this madness, all of this waste at the hands of this person with a warped soul.

The irony of the dream was that his self-esteem was nothing, and he was saying, “This sucks. This is horrible. I don’t even want to show you.” I was so afraid of him and wanted to keep him in the same place long enough for the police to get him and take him away — while not being killed myself. Obviously. [laughs] So in order to be cool I had to ultimately be compassionate and point out the details in the picture where I felt there was brilliance and really good workmanship — all the while feeling that I would vomit any second, all the while so scared I thought I would cry. And that was the dream.

Sometimes I have really rhapsodic dreams, and sometimes I have little bits of memory … but lately it’s been killer dreams, and the police almost don’t come in time, although they do come in time. And then I met a woman inside me that hates me. I met the girl, I met the person that doesn’t like me, and then I met this person who was so lascivious sexually that she masturbates publicly all of the time, like she’s fixing her hair. And she looks beautiful doing it and really great, but everyone’s around her and she’s practically naked. I’m pretty transfixed by [dreams]. I link them to the way I perform. I don’t see any separation, because when you sing there’s a psychic journey that happens.

Do you write a lot of poetry?

I garner my songs from my poetry. If anything looks like it’s vibrating, yeah. But it’s a raw thing.

Was the Live at Sin-é EP, released in November of ’93, supposed to hold people over until the album comes out?

No, it served that purpose, but no, it’s just because I love that place.

How often have you played there?

I’ve played there a lot. I played there for over a year. At first I couldn’t get a slot. Shane [Doyle], the owner, had too many demos to listen to. I gave him a demo and a review, which is something I never ever, ever fucking do: pay credence to any one journalist’s opinion. But this was a good review. [laughs] Some positive, some negative. Mainly the negative stuff was my fault. So I thought that maybe I could get a gig at this little place because I wanted to play in little places to establish my sound and do the work and learn how to sing the way I wanted to sing. Because I didn’t have any teachers. There were teachers around Sin-é to teach what I needed to learn, but Shane couldn’t be bothered.

Then somebody crapped out on a bunch of Monday nights and my friend Daniel Harnett got me in. He said, “I’m doing one, and so you can do one too.” I was like, “Wow, thank you.” As it turned out, that was it. Bang! I really worked my ass off to get that gig and get others and to make money. How did you hook up with Columbia Records? They came to me. I didn’t intend for them to. I was just making music. Were they the only label that came to you? Nope. I met Clive Davis. Shook his hand. I met Seymour Stein. Seymour’s at Sire; Clive is at Arista. A lot of people were interested. I met somebody from RCA. Peter Koepke at London. Were they in the audience at your shows? Then they’d come up to you afterward? Yeah, and I didn’t really like it. I didn’t like Clive showing up in a limousine on the Lower East Side, in a fine suit. Poor guy — it was so hot in that fucking room. This was Sin-é, right? Yep, you were there — like a fucking furnace. In the middle of the fucking summer. I had my shirt off; the guy’s still in his work clothes ’cause his life is fully air-conditioned.

Did you have any misgivings about signing? Of course I did. Being brought up around the music business in Los Angeles, you see the turnover of people being signed and dropped day after day after day, and it’s all written off as a tax loss. To the company, it’s no sweat off their nose.

But here in New York it’s more about the work, and you don’t get anywhere without the work and that’s what I was doing. But I had misgivings about the size of the places. I had misgivings about my deservedness, about how good I was. I had misgivings about who they thought I was and what they thought I was. And how I wasn’t what they thought. At all.

Which is? Don’t record companies think that every male solo performer with a guitar is the New Dylan?

No, they thought I was the second coming of Tim Buckley. [quietly] That’s what I thought they thought.

Is that a recurring worry of yours?

It was that as a child. But now I’m totally immersed in what I do. If someone asks a question about it, I just tell them as much truth about things as I know. I had no misgivings once I saw my first and only liaison to Columbia Records, [former head of A&R] Steve Berkowitz. He was there from a pretty early stage, just listening. Which is what he does. Because he loves music. And he’s smart. And he’s smart enough to work this fucking gig at Columbia and to do a good job. The personnel here [at Columbia] are what really changed my worries, but I’m really worried up until, like, now. How would you describe your sound? I can’t explain it because I’m actually confused. It’s not really a tremendous literary feat to describe it. It’s just an amalgam of everything I’ve ever loved and everything that’s ever inspired me. I’m using that now. How do the Columbia folks describe you? They don’t know. At a recent convention I played in Boca Raton for A&R folks at like 11 in the morning, the guy that introduced me said, “We really don’t know what this is. We don’t know what kind of record he’s gonna make. We just know he has to make it.” … a.k.a. “Introducing the boy genius…” I’m not a boy genius. I’m neither one, actually. But I’m aware that these people have to move units. I’m aware that this company, by inertia alone, has an agenda. That it can function without me, and I can function without it. But there’s a certain thing that I can’t have without it, and that’s making little plastic discs and traveling the world and being a musician, and they seem to want me. A lot. And I feel that where I’m going is worthwhile, that maybe when I get there this all will have been … whatever crappy shit I’ve ever done will be redeemed. Do you think you’ll ever get there? Sure. Or you’ll find me swinging from somebody’s dressing room [laughs] with a big blue arm holding a Jam tape.

#jeff buckley #jeffbuckley #Tony Gervino #The Lost Interview #TIDAL

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little-miss-moonstone · 5 months

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The Red Thread (Carmy x OC)

Chapter Three | The Phone Call

Next | Previous | Series Master List

Summary: Carmy comes over for dinner.

WARNING: bad language, anxiety, flashbacks?, little editing. idk what else.. you know the drill, let me know if i missed anything :)

2019

Rori danced around her new apartment putting away items from the few moving boxes she had left. It had always been a dream of hers to live in New York City, and now that was her reality. To her, life seemed like it couldn’t get any better, she had her new apartment, she was halfway through writing a book she knew was a masterpiece, and she and Carmy were now living in the same city, again. And the most exciting part of all of that, to her, was that Carmy had no clue she had even moved to the city, only a few blocks from him. She almost wanted to run over to his apartment and surprise him, but she knew he would be calling her in only a few minutes, and thought of how nice it would be to hear the happiness in his voice. As if he knew she was thinking of him, her phone began to ring. She killed the music and dashed over to her phone.

“Hey,” she smiled, pressing the phone to her ear as she made her way to sit by the window that looked out at the city.

“Hey, what are you up to?” He asked, sitting on his fire escape and smoking a cigarette.

“Nothing really, just waiting for your call. How was work, or do you not wanna talk about it?” She replied, waiting for the right moment to share her good news.

“No, it was the same. I, uh, was thinking about fishmas this morning,” He shared before taking a drag.

“Bear, that was, uh, an interesting night for everyone. I’m okay and you’re okay, we made it out. That’s all we can focus on. Donna is, well, Donna, and I don’t know what got into Mikey, but from what Richie tells me he’s okay,” She tried to comfort him and it did help, but that wasn’t what he was referring to.

“Yeah, I know. I was thinking about our talk, outside. You never finished what you had to tell me,” He reminded. It had been driving him crazy for the last 7 months, but he hadn’t dared to bring it up. Rori froze on the other end of the phone. Her mind went back to that night, a night she had tried so hard to forget, especially what he was now asking about. She could lie, say she forgot, or she could take a chance and tell the truth. Her mind combed through all the moments from their teens and early 20s, the brushing of fingers, the glances across rooms, the tension, and flirtatious undertones.

“Uh, yeah, umm. I don’t know if it’s really all that important anymore,” She spoke in a shy demeanor, this was something Carmy easily picked up on.

“Come on, Rori. It’s you and me, you can tell me anything,” He promised, just as he always had. The caring nature of his voice made her fold like a piece of paper.

“Carmy, I-I want to tell you, and I’ve wanted to for a while I just don’t know how. You and I, we’re solid, and this might change that,” She explained.

He knew what she had to say. It was what he had wanted to say for years, but the thought of it all going wrong had silenced him. He couldn’t stand the thought of her leaving him and he knew it would happen. He couldn’t give her the love she deserved. The words “You are nothing” began to ring through his mind.

“Tell me,” were the only words he could get out.

“I’m in love with you. I have been since we were kids,” She confirmed. They were both quiet, neither of them wanting to speak, but as the seconds passed by her anxiety began to take over. “I knew I shouldn’t have said anything. It was stupid, God, just- we can forget about it, right? Pretend I didn’t say anything.”

“It’s o-okay, uh, we- we can just- uh, we can talk tomorrow,” He replied. This was his way out.

“Okay, uh, I’ll talk to you then,” She replied before she hung up the phone. She stared out at the city as tears slipped down her face, she knew deep down they would never be the same.

Present Day (2022)

Rori was preparing dinner, she didn’t know if Carmen would even be hungry but she couldn’t help to think how nice it would be to cook for him. She was making a classic carbonara, something they both grew up eating. She was stirring the egg yolks rapidly when she heard the knock on her door.

“Just come in, Carmy!” She yelled from the kitchen, while she continued to stir.

He was shocked her front door was unlocked, this was Chicago after all. What if it hadn’t been him at the door and some maniac had just barged in? He locked the door behind him, finding his way to her kitchen easily, as he followed the delicious smell. He found her in front of the stove, her back to him as he took his surroundings in.

“Y’know, it’s really unsafe for you to leave your front door unlocked,” He got her attention, as she turned the heat off and began plating.

“I know, but I knew you would be here soon, and had I come to the door we would’ve had noodles and scrambled eggs,” She informed while she plated the food. “I didn’t know if you had eaten yet or at all today, but don’t feel like you have to.”

“No, no. I haven’t,” He assured, “This looks great. Is this your mom’s recipe or my mom’s?” He asked, bringing his plate closer to inspect.

“Your mom’s. I prefer her sauce,” She gave a soft smile, “Uhh, let me get you something to drink, I have water, wine, or whiskey.” She turned to the cabinet where she kept the glasses.

He chuckled at the options, “Water is fine.”

She quickly got him and herself a glass of water, while directing him where to get forks, and then they switched out items. It was for a brief second they both felt a moment of domestication like he had come home from work to her cooking dinner. They both shrugged the thought from their minds, taking a bite, and letting the dish take over.

“Wow. Don’t tell her, but this might be better than mom’s,” He smiled. He was being genuine and she knew that, returning the smile.

“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of telling her that. She would kill me, then you,” She chuckled. There was a brief moment of silence before she spoke, again, “I haven’t talked to her since Mikey, I, uh, figured I would just give her some space. I actually haven’t even told my parents I moved back, either. I- well, that situation hasn’t changed in the last 3 years. I, uh, well, my mom’s like your mom, and my dad is…”

“M.I.A.,” He finished her sentence. His mouth continued before his mind could catch up. “Have you spoken to him since that night?”

“No, I don’t think I can. He just left so easily, like I was nothing to him. I’m worth more than that. I miss him, though, the old him. I think about that version of him a lot. How he used to take us for ice cream, or how he and your dad would joke abo-“ she stopped herself, “while we played in the yard, or whatever.”

They continued eating through casual conversation and when they were done she rinsed their plates and left them in the sink to wash later. He moved into her living room looking around at the pictures on the mantle. One of Rori and Mikey from what had to be only a couple of years ago, one of her and Sugar from her first book signing, one of her holding Eva the day she was born, and lastly, one of the two of them from Fishmas, it was different from the one he had of them. In this one they were both smiling, only she was looking at the camera and he was looking at her. He remembered that moment, it was just after the picture he had was taken.

“We won’t have another Christmas like that, I fear,” She joked while taking a seat on her couch. He let out a soft chuckle before taking the seat opposite of her.

“I guess, we should talk about the elephant in the room,” She suggested and the atmosphere changed back to between comfortable and awkward, and Carmy couldn’t stand it.

“Honestly, this is all my fault. I-I, well you know how I am, I push people away. You gave me an opportunity to push you away that night and I took it. I know it was a dickhead move and I’m really sorry. I completely understand if you can’t forgive me, we can just carry on and I won’t bother you at al-“ He was cut off.

“I forgive you.”

He sat there for a moment trying to process the words that had come out of her mouth. How could she forgive him that easily, after he had completely cut her out of his life? She couldn’t even forgive her father for basically doing the same thing.

“You forgive me?” He repeated, not quite believing it only took an apology and his idiotic rambling.

“I forgive you. Carmy, all I ever wanted was an apology and a fucking explanation. You just gave me both. I want us to start fresh, well, like from before that night. I know it’ll probably take some time for us to get back to that, but I’m willing to give it a shot. If you are,” She replied and he smiled at her forgiving nature. He was about to agree, but she continued, “On one condition.” He nodded, almost begging her to speak, he would do anything to ensure she was back in his life like she was before.

“If you ever think you can pull some bullshit like that on me, again. I swear to God, Carmy, I will beat your ass. You don’t get to push me, of all people, away,” She was firm and yet, gentle and he couldn’t help to admire that.

He nodded, “I wouldn’t expect anything less from you.”

From there the two fell into a comfortable conversation catching up on the last few years and then reminiscing on their youth. She was in the middle of telling him a story about a night out she had in London last year and he couldn’t help to think of how lucky he was to be sitting in her home with her, while she seemed to be enjoying his presence. He felt almost whole for the first time in years, and he knew it was her that had been missing.

It was late when Carmy left, both of them so caught up in conversation that it would be a rough day running on little sleep. Sugar beating on Rori’s front door didn’t help as she jolted awake to see it was 6:45 in the morning. Rori opened the door in her sweatshirt and shorts she had slept in, along with bedhead, and an unamused look on her face.

“Good morning, Sunshine. How was your dinner date with Carmy?” Sugar smiled pushing past Rori into the house.

“Oh, fuck off. You woke me up to be nosy? You couldn’t just call me at lunchtime?” Rori huffed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

“Did he sleep here? Oh my god, is he in your room?” She asked, quieting her voice and throwing Rori for a loop. The girl felt like her brain had short-circuited at the thought of Carmen staying over, much less in her bed.

“What? No, he did not sleep here,” Rori got defensive.

“Oh, I drove by at 10:30 last night and I saw his car was still here, s-“

“You did what!? Sugar, I cannot believe you were stalking us,” Rori sighed, rubbing her hands over her face in frustration. “Okay, I’m going to give you a summary of the night and then you're going to get the hell out of my house, and then I’ll give you a call when I’m not as angry as I am right now, okay?” When Sugar nodded, she continued, “He came over, we had dinner, he apologized, and I forgave him. Goodbye,” Rori finished guiding her friend outside. She shut the door, and locked it, leaving Sugar on her front porch while she returned to bed.

Only now that she was lying in bed, she was wide awake. Fucking Berzatto’s, she thought to herself as she leaned over grabbing her laptop from her nightstand. She sat up to work on the squeal she promised her publisher would be done by the end of the year. In her defense, she had half of the year left, but she also had only written a few chapters. She opened her notes and began mapping out the rest of the story.

Carmy had already been at the restaurant for a couple of hours, his mind not allowing him much sleep. When Sydney arrived at the restaurant she noticed that he was in the best mood she had ever seen him in, her first thought was he got laid, but she couldn’t imagine he was into hookups and she knew he wasn’t in a relationship. She began her prep while trying to figure out if she should ask, or just enjoy a happy Carmy for once. She let it go knowing Richie would ask, but when he arrived he didn’t. He did notice, and he wanted to ask, but the fact that it could have something to do with Rori made him bite his tongue, that was until she stopped by the restaurant just in time for family. While she was formally introducing herself to Sydney and signing her copy of “The Red Thread”, Richie decided to take this opportunity to question Carmy.

“Yo, Cousin,” He said, getting the younger man’s attention, “This whole “Mr. Nice guy” thing doesn’t have anything to do with Rori Bear, does it?”

Carmy almost smiled at the nickname he hadn’t heard in year, but he caught himself. “Uh, I don’t know. I went to her house last night, we, uh,” Richie seemed extremely hopeful in that moment, “talked about- I apologized. Um, we’re just kind of starting over from where we left off.” He explained, and while that was still great news, Richie was hoping there was more.

“You just apologized?” He asked, “You guys just talked like that’s all?” Carmy could tell what he was implying and it reminded him of the talks he used to get from him and Mikey.

“Cousin, stop. We’re not doing this. Rori and I are back at a place where we actually talk to each other and she doesn’t seem to be freaking out about being in the same room as me. So we’re going to leave it right there, okay? I don’t need you putting all that bullshit in my head like you and Mikey used to.” He assured.

“Bullshit? Cousin, are you fucking stupid?” Richie questioned.

“Yo. I just said we're not fucking doing this. Go take your seat for family,” Carmen ordered.

Rori sat in between Carmy and Richie at the table, Tina was quick to start up a conversation with the girl having not seen her in a few years. Rori could feel Carmy briefly tense up when her time working at The Beef came up, and it didn’t help when Richie joined in. She tried steering the conversation to a new topic knowing Carmy would ask about her time at the restaurant. She thought he might forget if the topic changed a few times. Sydney started gushing over her book and trying to get any information about the sequel.

“I mean Rose and Cameron have to end up together, right? Like they can’t be that oblivious, especially when everyone around them is constantly telling them,” Sydney explained. Carmy turned to listen, wanting more details of the book he hadn’t read yet.

“You would be surprised. I know some real stubborn motherfuckers, who make Rose and Cam look normal,” Richie entered the conversation.

“Cousin, quit acting like you read it,” Carmy let out a small laugh.

“I did fucking read it, all 319 pages! And let me tell you Cameron’s a real jagoff. How can he be so in love with Rose and then do fuck all about it, and then be miserable? Stupid rat does it to himself,” Richie remarked, jolting up from his chair.

“Okay, Richie. It’s fictional, let's not lose our heads,” Rori guided him back down to his chair. “Guys, I’m going to be honest. I’ve only written a few chapters of the next book, and I have no clue yet whether they are going to end up together or not in the end, but even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you. You’ll just have to find out when I send your copies,” She smiled, returning to her food.

When family wrapped up, Carmy was quick to step out back for a smoke break, learning that Rori worked at the restaurant, and all the talk about a book he felt guilty for not reading, was taking up his mind. He wasn’t expecting her to come join him, she had never cared for the smell of cigarette smoke, so when she asked for a drag, he was completely caught off guard. He studied her face trying to pick up on any subtle hints as to if she was joking and when she furrowed her brows in confusion, he knew she was serious. He cautiously handed it over watching to see if she inhaled when she took a drag.

“When did you start smoking? You hated it when we were kids,” He asked, leaning back on the brick wall. He could tell she was reading him like a book with his cigarette between her lips, and he hated how much he adored it and how jealous he was of a fucking cigarette.

“Like 3 years ago. I thought it would help with the stress and anxiety. News flash, it fucking doesn’t. I don’t allow myself to smoke all the time, but with this next book, I might become a chain smoker,” She gave a small giggle and handed him back the nicotine stick.

“When did you work here?” He asked before he could stop himself.

“Pandemic. I moved back temporarily and Mikey needed help, and I had writer's block so I figured “What the hell”. It wasn’t long, maybe a few months. I, uh, do you know who Nico is?” She wondered, not wanting to snitch on Mikey. When Carmy nodded she continued, “I caught them, Mikey and Richie, they were back here in the alley dealing. I was pissed, Mikey and I got into this huge fight, mostly over the coke. He told me I couldn’t work here anymore, he didn’t want me around his “bullshit” because I had made something of myself,” She paused again, “He felt the same way about you.”

It was silent, both of them just looking at each other as he passed the cigarette back to her. It was comfortable, but only for a second. Carmy couldn’t figure out if they were the same people they were three years ago, there was still so much he didn’t know about her. He was relatively the same, but it was as if she had lived a thousand different lives.

“Where were you living before the pandemic, and before now?” He didn’t want her to feel like it was an interrogation, but he was just so curious. He noticed her slightly tense up and for a moment he regretted even asking, but that was only until he heard her mutter the words, “New York City.”

“You were in New York?” There was a mix of emotions behind his words, he wasn’t even sure what he felt in that moment. Was he upset, confused, or was he angry?

“Yeah, I moved there the day of the phone call. I was going to tell you, but I didn’t really get the chance. I’ve been there for the last three years. A few blocks from Madison Park,” She confirmed.

Carmen felt like an even bigger dickhead at that moment. All he could think about was the fact that he threw away what could’ve been the best years of their lives. What if, instead of pushing her away that night, he pulled her closer? He thought of all they could’ve done together in the city away from this breeding ground of family trauma and anxiety, they could’ve been so happy… together.

A/N: I’m so sorry for the delay. I got caught up with my birthday this past weekend, work, and registering for classes because i decided to go back to school.. not to mention the fucking Calvin Klein ad and the golden globes. Ugh, anyways, I hope you’re enjoying so far and hopefully another chapter will be out soon!!

#the bear #carmy berzatto #camry x oc #carmen berzatto #carmy angst #carmy the bear #jeremy allen white

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sociopath-analysis · 1 year

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Female Sociopaths in Popular Media (Part 55)

Go here for Part 1. It provides an explanation for this list. Also, check out the master list which includes analyses of all the included characters. (Some analyses still may not be completed as of yet.) If this is the first part you’ve seen, reblog one of those two posts. Otherwise, feel free to reblog this one.

Sorry for being away for so long, but I'm back with my usual contribution to International Women's Day. Like always, I'm bringing in more sociopathic characters for your perusal. I'll be posting a bunch of female sociopath profiles this month (at least one a day from now until the end of the month). After that, I'll be ready to explain my absence and where this blog will be going after this month.

Pictured above:

Yuri[1] (played by Chanya McClory) from Girl from Nowhere (2018-present[2])

Catherine "Cathy" Ward (voiced by Mariya Tse (JP) and Jamie Marchi (EN)) from Angels of Death (2015) and its manga (2015-2020) and 2018 anime adaptations

the Doll Woman from Chainsaw Man Part 1 (2018-2020)

Manaka Sajyou (voiced by Aki Toyosaki) from Fate/Prototype (2011) and Fate/Prototype: Fragments of Sky Silver (2014-2017)

Khan Maykr (voiced by Nika Futterman) from DOOM Eternal (2020)

Lord Tokaguwa Harusada in Ōoku: The Inner Chambers (2004-2020)

Dee aka "Alpha" (played by Samantha Morton) from The Walking Dead TV series (2010-2022)

Captain Vadic[3] (played by Amanda Plummer) from Star Trek: Picard (2020-present[2])

Ren Pingsheng[4] from I'm More Dangerous Than You (2021-2022)

Emma Coleman[5] (played by Savisara Leela Yett) from The Woman in the House across the Street from the Girl in the Window (2022)

[1] Thanks to @nannoselliot for recommending this one. [2] Valid as of early March 2023. [3] Thanks to @donovaneagle2098 for recommending this one. [4] Thanks to @rickyriddle for recommending this one. [5] Major spoilers associated with this one.

If you wanna help me with this list, you can fact-check my profiles on the master list. I haven’t seen a lot of the things that these characters come from, so I don’t have a lot of firsthand knowledge. If you have seen/played/read any of the works that I have included, look through the profiles and see if there are any inaccuracies I need to edit.

Once I get a better flow of releasing new profiles, you suggest some characters for me to include on the list by leaving a comment on any of the posts, sending an ask, or messaging me. You’ll be credited for helping me when I include them in the gallery post. If you don’t want to be credited, just ask and I’ll leave your name off the post.

#International Women's Day #Yuri Girl from Nowhere #Chanya McClory #Khan Maykr #Santa Claus CSM #Vadic #Alpha TWD #Manaka Sajyou #Cathy Ward #Emma Coleman #Ren Pingsheng #Tokaguwa Harusada #Amanda Plummer #Savisara Leela Yett #Samantha Morton #sociopath

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nightwing60thanniversary · 2 years

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Dick Grayson’s Nightwing Suits (1/2) - Comics Canon Edition

Over the years Dick has had many Nightwing suits. Some of them look quite different - especially in his first decade as Nightwing - while others have gotten slight variations over the years. Dick’s most recognizable Nightwing suites can be seen above.

70s-80s suit: DISCOWING Created by: George Perez First Appearance: Tales of the Teen Titans #44 (1983)

Dick’s first Nightwing suit is the most colorful of the bunch. It owes its name to the popular disco fashion of its time. Even though the darker fabric of Dick’s first costume is often colored in a darker blue, it’s actually intended to be black. The variations of the suit mostly differentiate themselves by the height of Dick’s collar and the deepness of his neckline. On some occasions, the golden feathers already get replaced by the golden squares more prevalent to Dick’s second outfit.

The origin of Dick’s suit depends on his Nightwing origin. In some cases, it was his father's old aerial suit that later got repurposed by Alfred to make Dick a suit, while in other cases Starfire made him the suit. In Nightwing Year One, we see that Deadman also had a suit inspired by John Grayson’s aerial suit.

90s suit: MULLETWING Created by: Tom Grummett First Appearance: The New Titans #88 (1992)

Dick’s second distinct Nightwing suit owes its name to his hairstyle - though on some occasions Dick had his mullet in a ponytail. While it retains the same blue-black-gold color scheme, the blue isn’t as prevalent as before. In some cases, Dick can use his golden wings as a parachute. Ironically, the golden feathers had by then been replaced by golden squares. The outfit mostly stayed the same over the years. Only his belt comes in slight variations. Though the most recent modern versions of it that appeared during the New 52 and in Future State: Teen Titans are quite different from the original suit.

90s-2000s suit: FINGERSTRIPES Created by: Brian Stelfreeze First Appearance: Nightwing (1994) #1

Dick’s most famous and beloved suit was created for his first solo-comic. It rarely changed visuals in an obvious way. Mostly, the arm and shin guards were drawn differently depending on the artist - Rick Leonardi made them much more obvious and bulky, reflecting street fashion in the early 2000s, while Jim Lee slimmed them down, making them almost invisible. While on Titans, Phil Jimenez decided to color Dick’s shin guards blue. It’s one of the more obvious design deviations from the initial suit. Though this design started with Dick having a long ponytail, early in Nightwing (1996) his hair was cut, which became the most iconic version of this design.

2011-2014:The New52 Red Suit Created by: Jim Lee & Cully Hammer First Appearance: Nightwing (2011) #1 (2011)

This is an awkward one. The suit is mostly known for doing away with the blue color scheme and the fingerstripes and is therefore not liked by many fans. That only changed a little when Brett Booth did not only bring back the fingerstripes but also gave Dick some nice stripes to accent his hips. Interestingly the concept art put Dick in black and blue instead of black and red. In an interview with Polygon in 2021, DC co-publisher Dan Didio said that he had several arguments with artists who wanted to make the suit blue.

2016 - 2021: Rebirth Suit Created by: Javier Fernandez First Appearance: Nightwing: Rebirth #1 (2016)

When Rebirth was announced, one of the first things Dan Didio proclaimed was that Blue Nightwing would be back. While the fingerstripes remained sorely missing, the Rebirth suit grew on people. The suit remained largely consistent. The quite thin chevron-bird became thicker as time went by. Brett Booth brought the hip stripes back for this costume while he drew Dick on Titans. He also gave the costume a more distinct collar.

2022 - Now: Redondo Suit Created by : Bruno Redondo First Appearance: Nightwing (2016) #88 (2022)

Redondo’s suit saw the return of the fingerstripes after about a decade without them. His first concept art introduced some other changes that sadly didn’t make it into the comics. Redondo’s primary design innovations have been in the gadgets hidden in Nightwing’s escrima.

Nightwing’s Shoes Some artists like to give Dick’s Nightwing shoes some extra flourish.

Nightwing’s Jackets Some artists occasionally give Nightwing a jacket, either plain or emblazoned with his crest. There are also two Elseworlds Nightwing designs that include jackets.

#dick grayson #nightwing #discowing #mulletwing #batfamily #titans #nightwing60thanniversary #spotlights #dick grayson spotlight #dc comics #mod post

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twopoppies · 2 years

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Holivia was really going to be fucking ramped up at Venice wasn’t it? Like, all these clues and interviews and planted quotes, they really were leading to big love fest with the gf for promo. Which leads me to think it was definitely going to last him thru MP promo as a cover for all that stuff. They weren’t going thru this trouble to end it right after. I wonder if they’re just letting it ride on this groundwork until things cool off and then if they’ll end it or low key bring it back to finish what they wanted it for? But man, holivia love would’ve been a bad move by Harry’s team. Even before Shia. They lucked out I guess but this is all making the plan abundantly clear.

The thing I find most interesting is how they pivoted on the album promo back at the beginning of the year. We had some pretty reliable info that his interview with Zane Lowe was being edited in January. But the interview we saw was clearly done after he performed at Coachella. Why? What changed that they seemingly had to reshoot it? Given her presence and the obvious love/relationship songs on the album, why was he so intent on making sure everyone knew most of it was written before they met? Why was he so ready to tell us that LOML was about England instead of allowing people to spin it as they might?

I just find it super interesting that even that early in 2022 he/his team didn’t want this album forever linked to her.

Thank fucking god.

#harry’s house promo #holivia #stunts #venice film festival

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fyrets · 8 months

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Valentine Gene Development E-Mails LEAKED {NOT CLICKBAIT!!!}

So last night on discord I was able to share the Valentine gene WIPs I've been receiving through e-mail over the past months and I think it's worth sharing on here too! Be warned this is gonna be image heavy and long so under the cut it goes.

(note: the title is a joke 🥺everyone be niceys to me)

To start, I've already posted some of my very early design concepts on here, and it includes some stuff I sent to the team after the Kickstarter ended (November 2022). However, it looks like I never posted this little "ref sheet" that I also sent to the team! Of course it becomes something vastly different by the end, especially since in the next year the gene style was going to be revamped so I was operating under very different rules, but some certain details I wanted managed to be preserved regardless!

Fast forward to July 2023, I receive the first round of rough mockups! Because of the revamped art style, the artists did some experimentation and exploration of how they could interpret the concept and let me pick a direction to go in. I went with #3 because I thought it nailed down the idea of what I wanted while adding the detail of the new style really well. The only change I requested was to port the tail of #2 onto #3 because I really liked it! I am a tail tip enjoyer.

Time passes, and I get more emails in September 2023. The artists wanted to give the head area of the 3 design another shot because the original was a bit wonky. I received four examples (that for the purpose of this post I have cropped and compiled into a single image since the head area was all that was altered so its easier to compare them all this way.)

Being completely honest none of these were really speaking to me, at least not completely as they were being presented. Not being able to find the right words to say what I wanted exactly, I decided to make an edit of one of the D variants! The main changes I made were removing the contouring of the face, changing the scalp design to invoke a sort of spade (which is something I've wanted since day one!) and bringing back the freckles.

Finally, on October 8th 2023, I received the final render of Valentine! We unfortunately lost the freckles because they felt noisy (and this has caused issues with other gene concepts behind the scenes as well, so this wasn't just a me problem 😔 RIP freckle enjoyers), but other than that, WOW!!! Valentine came out like a dream. They really kicked it out of the water and I'm so happy to know other people think so too!

#meow.txt #paw borough #sorry for so much valentine posting i just keep thinking about it #kicking my feet giggling and twirling my hair #its what the gene would've wanted

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echinocereus · 1 year

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Andor: An Analysis (aka AAA)

Andor (2022-), a Star Wars show based around Cassian Andor, a rebel who appeared in the movie Rogue One (2016), has taken my mind by storm, leaving me with too many thoughts to keep without documenting. This will be my best attempt at a comprehensive analysis of Andor (7450 words), there will be spoilers, and likely some edits. And a quick disclaimer, no, these are not all original ideas, I am writing this as a combination of both my own brain and the brains of tumblr.

To begin, Andor, in my opinion, is not just a good Star Wars show, but a good show in general. The characters are well written, the pacing is well-executed, and it makes a clear argument. What truly satisfied me about Andor was the fact that it brought politics back to Star Wars. After the sequels (which didn’t happen, okay, they’re not canon, they didn’t happen, I think we as a society should just erase it from our memories), the shows Disney was putting out were decent, but despite the lore being entrenched in politics and political allegories, somehow managed to not really be political. Kenobi follows what happened to Obi-Wan, but doesn’t explore the early growth of the Empire. Boba Fett gave us what could’ve been a cool story of a power vacuum in a criminal underworld, if it was executed properly. It mostly fell flat and was all seemingly surface level thoughts. The Mandalorian was a compelling story about the importance of family, but something of a missed opportunity in The Mandalorian is the exploration of the consequences of a rebellion. Andor says “screw all that, Star Wars is political” and brings in everything the Star Wars canon gives us. According to the creator of Andor, Tony Gilroy, it’s allegedly “not supposed to be political.” Now whether this means that Andor was a fluke or if he said that simply to avoid being under fire from unhappy fans is a mystery (I personally think it’s the latter since… well you’ll see).

Cassian Andor:

To begin, Cassian Andor. The focus of the show and the central character. Even though he is the main character and the show’s namesake, he never makes an attempt to make himself the center of attention. Time after time we see Andor hand off the spotlight of rallying people together (Kino in the prison, Maarva’s speech, Brasso leading the charge against the Empire). His main purpose is being a spy: this is how he is introduced in Rogue One and we see that that aspect of his character is true and constant (@kanansdume on tumblr).

Cassian’s character arc has been of some discourse among some Star Wars fans. Some say that him starting off dismissive of the rebellion like Jyn is in Rogue One undermines his line in which he says he has been fighting for the rebellion since he was 6 years old. However, I disagree. I think Cassian’s character development makes his statement in the movie all the more meaningful. I will come back to this at the end of this section, but first I need to explain what this character journey was.

“I think it’s all useless…It’s better to live. Better to eat, sleep, do what you want. You don’t know me. I fought in Mimban when I was 16.” - Episode 4, Cassian to Luthen. This quote shows Cassian in the beginning of the series, jaded by the Empire that he sees no purpose in fighting. He is self-centered and for good reason: all he’s ever known is struggle, all he is ever trying to do is survive. He is disillusioned by the fact that he feels as though he does not have any effect on the Empire at all. Even when he eventually does agree to work for the Rebel Alliance, he is working as Luthen’s mercenary.

However during that heist, he witnesses the deaths of more than half the team. He still takes the money and leaves with his cut, but he kills Skeen. Skeen who seemingly has a very similar ideology to Cass. Skeen says that his rebellion is himself against the world, that he’s not one who has taste for the actual Rebel Alliance. From what we see in Episode 6, Cassian is the same way, so why does he kill Skeen? I think Cassian got spooked from how much he saw himself in Skeen. He saw the danger that Skeen proposed, realized this and ran from it because he didn’t quite know how to deal with it. But these little moments are so important to his overall development because they help explain the switch and changes in his character.

So he goes back home and meets back up with his family to check back in. To his disappointment, Maarva says that she is not going with Cassian (something that will be further discussed in the Maarva section down below). He doesn’t understand this and voices his concerns but still he walks away without Maarva; he should not be judged for doing so, Maarva certainly doesn’t. He tells Maarva that he’ll be back, which becomes somewhat of a catchphrase. Cassian starts to establish that if there is someone his family and friends can rely on, it is himself. Cassian has been looking for a vacation, a break from a war he never chose to enlist in since he was a child. He finally gets this opportunity and he seizes it, but the tragedy of his story is that the Rebellion is not something he could choose to escape, the reality of his situation of experiences is that he does not have the privilege to step away. He gets caught in a charge that has nothing to do with him, is imprisoned with a ridiculously long sentence, and he is not allowed to protest.

Cassian gets shipped off to Narkina 5, a planet where the Empire has decided to keep some of its prisons. The prison he is sent to is a manufacturing one, later revealed to be building the Death Star (significance of this is discussed below). There the prisoners are forced to be barefoot, for the prison exerts control on its inmates with electrocution through the floor. The guards all have boots on to protect them from this, but they force all inmates to give up all of their shoes. I mention this because it adds to the futility of Cassian’s predicament. The significance to Narkina 5 and the prison arc as a whole will be discussed in greater depth later since there is a lot more to these three episodes (Episodes 7-9). The most important thing for now is that it is in this prison where we see the distinct turnaround of his mentality when it comes to fighting the empire. “I’d rather die trying to take them down, than die giving them what they want.” - Cassian to Kino, Episode 10. Here Cassian finally understands what Maarva was getting at when she refused to leave with him, what Luthen was trying to explain to him, what Nemik died for. This sentence is the thesis of Cassian Andor’s story, something we see even through Rogue One. Ultimately, Cassian dies for something he will never see come into fruition, and we see here how he gets to that point of faith.

At the very end of the series, Cassian once again sets up everyone for success, leaving to deal with his own loose ends. As he is leaving, Bix reminds everyone that Cassian will come back and he reaffirms this. At this point of the story, Cassian is no longer a nuisance, but someone that the people of Ferrix can safely rely on to protect them. That, ultimately, no matter what happens to them, Cassian will find a way. This is Cassian’s M.O. He works in the shadows, he is there for Bix when she needs him, he makes sure everyone is set up to do what they need to do, and he makes sure everyone has enough information and resources to reach their destinations and goals. Cassian is a representation of the truest friend.

Now to connect back to earlier about how this works for his story in Rogue One. Cassian has been fighting against the Empire since he was 6 years old, he just hadn’t realized it yet. That was what this show was for, we see him go through the process of realizing that the rebellion was something he was born into. In Rogue One, Cassian is a zealot, willing to do anything for the rebellion. We now know why. He’s lost so much to this cause, he’s lost so much because of the Empire. Jyn, on the other hand, is nearly apathetic. She doesn’t understand his passion. Just like Cassian didn’t understand the passion of Nemik or Maarva. I think in order for Cassian to understand and connect to Jyn he had to go through the same process of finding his belief as before. His radicalization is so important because politically, he was already radicalized, it was his faith in himself and humanity that he needed to learn.

Brasso:

Brasso is the man in the background, a constant, a pillar of the community and a man the characters can consistently rely on. Brasso is the role-model for Cassian. From the beginning he is to his people what Cassian becomes: a man of reliability. Cassian comes to him in the first episode to use him as a cover story, an alibi. We never see Brasso need to do it, but we know that he would cover for Cassian in an instant. When Cassian is away, it is Brasso (and Bix) we see taking care of Maarva. When the Imperial officers zero-in on Bix, even then Brasso risks himself to urge Bix into action, to run. When Maarva dies, we see Brasso handling her funeral, making sure everything is running smoothly. When all the others don’t know how to comfort Bee, it is Brasso who’s there for the droid, being patient with Maarva’s grieving friend. Brasso is the one to lead the fight against the Imperial soldiers in Episode 12.

There are dynamic characters and static characters, and I would argue that Brasso is a static character. However, that is not necessarily a bad thing—if done right, there is a place for static characters like Brasso. In Brasso we see the good of the world, we see that not everyone is bad, not everyone is corrupt. In Brasso we see strength in the devotion and loyalty towards family and friends, the power that small acts of rebellion can have.

Brasso never does something completely outright aggressive until the time is exactly right, he waits for Maarva’s go to attack, but it’s his small actions that no one really sees that I think have the most meaning. He is the one to tamper with the ship in the first arc, that small bit of tampering sent home the message to the Corporate soldiers— never underestimate the power of community.

Luthen:

A man living two lives, one as a rebel and another as an eccentric shop-keep, Luthen is forced to make the difficult decisions. He is the one forced to call a hit on Cassian (at this point of the story, for all Luthen knew, Cassian could very easily take the vital Rebel information he had to the Empire, jeopardizing the movement). Luthen makes the decision to allow a group of rebels to die in order to protect the insider that he had within the ISB ( basically the Star Wars version of the CIA, further discussion of this provided below in the U.S. Government section). Luthen is such a vital character for the Rebel Alliance, while I just discussed how Cassian plays puppet master and makes things happen, Luthen does just that on a much larger scale.

Luthen doesn’t try to be palatable for the more moderate. When Mothma comes to him upset about Aldhani, he doesn’t flinch. When Lonni comes to Luthen, one of the first things he does is mention his daughter to him. The thing about Luthen is that if we didn’t know for a fact that he was on the good side or see any of his intentions, he could be an antagonist. His ways are not the cleanest, but he knows this. This is what he talks about for his sacrifice: in probably one of the best monologues of the show, Luthen explains how he has sacrificed everything from his potential happiness to his morals for the rebellion. He knows how far he’s gone and what that means for him, but we also know that if it’s not Luthen, then it’ll be someone else making those difficult decisions and living with the guilt. Andor doesn’t have morally gray villains, but it does have morally gray protagonists. Luthen and his operation is a prime example of that. Andor shows that, as aptly put by @captjynandor on tumblr, “when you live in a world where existing incorrectly can get you killed, sometimes you have to make the bad choice to survive.” We see this with Cassian, some of his first scenes showing him killing two Pre-Mor employees in order to survive. We see this most strongly with Luthen’s plan at Aldhani, his motivation to kill Cassian, and how he treats Lonni - objectively seen as immoral, but with a glimpse of the bigger picture, we see that it’s necessary.

For all that makes Luthen great, some argue that one of his greatest flaws is thinking similar to the Empire. Meaning, he tends to look over the smaller people. He only looks for people that have larger personalities, like Mothma or Cassian. The realization of his flaw hit him during Episode 12 when he saw that simply the speech of an old woman brought down the strength of an entire town. He saw that the little people can make so much of the difference and saw the power of community. However, there is a different viewpoint on this scene provided by @kanansdume on tumblr. Luthen knows what he’s doing, he knows that what he does on Aldhani will anger the Empire, he knows that the Empire will cause more people to suffer, and he knows that means more people will be angry. He says this explicitly. What he saw in Maarva and the townspeople was not that she was able to accomplish what he didn’t, but rather showing him that his work and sacrifice had paid off. What truly shook him was that he never expected to be able to see the effects of his actions on people. He doesn’t know that Maarva was directly inspired by the heist on Aldhani, but here he sees that impact. It’s not that he never expected the common people to fight back or that he underestimated them, but rather the opposite. He was fully banking on it. He knew what the common people could accomplish, and for him to be able to see that first hand was likely unexpected. I personally like this interpretation better because it makes more sense for his character and story and the ideas that Andor is trying to present.

Maarva:

Maarva, the best mother Cassian could’ve had, is arguably the strongest woman portrayed in the show. She decides to stay and fight, she is the one that makes the decision that Ferrix needs to fight back, and she decides it when she knows she will not have the strength to see it through. Maarva is old, she says this herself, she can no longer afford the time to run, she’s too tired. At the very end, she’s had enough, and she is the one that rallies the town to fight the Empire. The last thing Maarva told Cassian (through Brasso) was “Tell him none of this was his fault. It was already burning. He’s just the first spark of the fire. Tell him he knows everything he needs to know and feels everything he needs to feel. And when the day comes and those two pull together, he will be an unstoppable force for good.” Maarva knows Cassian on such a deep level, she knows what he’s gone through and what he’s capable of. Maarva knew deep down that Cassian would be important to the rebels, and here we see a reference to what he is in Rogue One. Andor is before he realizes his full potential and before he “wakes up”, as Maarva says. In Rogue One, we see him take advantage of both his knowledge and emotions and is shown to be the zealot we know him to be.

“Tell him I love him more than anything he could ever do wrong.” She gives Cassian unconditional love, showing him what love and safety feel like. Maarva took Cassian from Kenari to save him, then proceeded to show him what a home was.

While similar to Brasso in passion and reliability, Maarva’s characterization happens most through her words whilst Brasso’s was through his actions. Maarva’s speech and her words to Cassian tell us so much about her and her relationships, as well as her importance to the story. She speaks out to the crowd, telling them it’s time to wake up. It’s a metaphor she uses often, she says “The Empire is a disease that thrives in darkness, it is never more alive than we sleep.” Her point is that for the oppressed, they cannot afford the time to relax. In order to win their freedom they need to use every chance they get, because the Empire will never stop. They are the oppressors and as Nemik says, it is unnatural and it requires constant upkeep (more on this later in the Nemik and Skeen section). There will never be a time where the Empire takes a rest because it knows it can’t afford it, so the only way to counteract that is by making them sweat, by stretching the Empire thin.

Bee:

Bee, the lovable droid who means so much to those around him. He has been with Maarva as a companion since the beginning, and his physical deterioration reflects Maarva’s as well. Maarva tells Cassian that she’s gotten tired and she can’t move around much anymore. We see that in Bee as well, he has aged and now constantly needs to recharge. I really like this aspect they show about the droids, because in the world of Star Wars, droids are basically another race. It ties into how they respect and acknowledge the emotions of the droids and treat them with dignity. It is clearly shown that the Empire only really respects humans. Any other species, including droids, are neglected and disrespected. Not even all humans are treated properly; we see the way the Empire treats the indigenous people of Aldhani, commenting on their smell and talking about controlling them. What Andor shows with Bee and how he is treated by those around him is that discrimination is something of the Empire. This is really important to show in Andor because in Rogue One, K-2SO was one of the main side characters who was pushing for the rights of droids. Here, with Bee, we see that Cassian and the Rebellion are always ones to respect other people. (Bee is not the only example of this, Commander Gorn’s treatment of the same Aldhani natives that the Empire disregarded is another good example.)

Bee is the one Cassian relies on, when everyone else relies on Cassian. When he tells Bee, “I’m counting on you,” Bee responds, “You always say that.” What does Cassian say? “And you always come through.” Cassian knows how important having someone who holds the heart of the group is. He saw how quickly Skeen fell awry when Nemik got gravely injured, and for Cassian, Bee is that heart. He is the one that keeps everyone going, the one that grounds everyone. When everyone is looking to Cassian for solutions and for help, Bee is the one he goes to to make sure that everybody he cares about is safe. Bee is the one he trusts.

Nemik and Skeen:

Nemik’s one of the truest believers in the cause. When he said “Tyranny requires constant effort. Authority is brittle. It breaks, it leaks. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that.'' (Nemik’s manifesto, Episode 12), he was calling ordinary people to arms. Not ordinary people the way Cassian or of the others in the official Rebel Alliance are ordinary, but ordinary people who are not affiliated with any sort of organization. One of the beautifully shown parts of Andor was the way the small people did their own little things to fight back. From the sign language on Narkina 5, to Brasso tampering with the Pre-Mor ship, to the people of Ferrix making noise to psych out the Pre-Mor authorities, to Wilmon Paak building a pipe bomb to use against the Empire, none of these connected with each other besides fighting the fascism of the Empire. Nemik understands this, because he, like all of these people, have been radicalized from their experiences of just simply trying to survive the oppression (@spicysucculentz on tumblr).

One of my favorite lines from Nemik is one of his last lines where he says in his manifesto, “Remember this. Try.” It juxtaposes one of the more famous lines from the franchise, from when Yoda scolds Luke, “Do or do not. There is no try.” Likely, the reason for this difference is in the supernatural. Yoda and Luke are connected to an external, supernatural entity— the Force. But for people like Nemik, normal people who don’t have access to the Force, they can’t afford the binary, the finality of “Do or do not.” They are simply trying to survive, to get through (@killsandthrills on tumblr). In fact, it is because of the average people that the Rebel Alliance was able to become what it was by the time of the original trilogy. The reason why Luke had the cushion of support was because of the efforts of people like Nemik. Luke needed to be able to succeed, fully, but the only way he was able to have that opportunity to finally win is because the Rebel Alliance was already built up by the people who were just trying to do whatever they could to survive.

Skeen was fascinating to me. I originally wrote him off as a kind of bully: the man who would butt heads with Cassian, the guy who wasn’t fully bought into the Rebellion quite yet. Part of that ended up being true, he wasn’t bought in. But we only truly see this part of him that places himself against the world after Nemik is shown to be near death (with slim chances of surviving). We see a sibling-type dynamic between Nemik and Skeen where they’re friendly and playful. And maybe Nemik was helping Skeen start to believe in the cause near the end, but the thing that ripped it away for him was Nemik’s fatal injury. We see their banter, but when Nemik gets hurt, Skeen starts to panic. He is the one cradling Nemik’s head and the one to convince Cassian to go for the doctor. “This kid— he is the reason why we are here” (Episode 6); Skeen knows that Nemik’s passion and ideas are important for progress, he knows that Nemik is the heart and soul of the group. When he started to believe in the cause, Skeen started to feel hope again after a long period of time. But Nemik’s death brought him back to his childhood of pain and fighting. This happens so clearly in front of us, where he went from panicking to cynical when Nemik’s at the doctor’s. Skeen says, “Yeah, luck. It’s what drives the whole damn galaxy.” He references how he doesn’t choose his life, the life of struggling when others were born into wealth and privilege. This is the moment where he goes back to what I imagine would be a younger, angrier Skeen. Convinced that he can’t do anything to change the world he becomes selfish, saying that the only rebellion he cares about is his against the world. Even as he tries to convince Cassian to take the money for themselves, it sounds like he’s also trying to convince himself of what he’s doing.

Mon Mothma:

Mon Mothma is a perfect example of someone who chose the rebellion. She was not born into it, she was raised privileged in a system that married her off young. Mon Mothma used the tools of the Empire against them, using her power to advocate for those being hurt by the Empire’s laws. She used her family wealth to donate to the rebellion, and she faked evidence of her husband’s gambling problem because she knows they’re listening to her. On top of this, as @kanansdume on tumblr pointed out, neither Perrin (her husband) nor Blevin realize that Mothma could be lying. She has put up this front of being just a general nuisance, of being very worrisome and concerned about her image. “She showed the stone in her hand, but everyone missed the knife at their throat, just as she said they would.”

Aside: The Empire is listening to Mothma but none of the smaller people because they make the mistake of forgetting that the small people can make a community and fight back. They don’t listen in to the conversations of the prisoners because, as Cassian says, they don’t need to. They have such a strong grip on the prisoners that they believed that they didn’t need to worry about them or listen to them. But that’s not the case with Mothma. She is a Senator, to their eyes, she poses the most danger. She has money and influence, and to the Empire that’s all that matters. However, in reality, the smaller people ended up being more dangerous to the Empire’s rule than Mothma did. Yes, she was funding the rebellion for some time, but when that fell through, Luthen made a way to get the money anyway.

Mon Mothma is shown to reject some of the traditional values of her culture. Originally following these values, she married young to a man that she is now constantly butting heads with, stuck in a unsupportive, unhappy marriage Because of this, she has tried to encourage her daughter away from those values, but because she’s a Senator and almost always busy she ends up being a distant mother, and her daughter rebels against her. Instead, she is actively moving towards those same values Mothma tried to pull herself away from (@rebelsofshield on tumblr). It clearly hurts Mothma to see her daughter doing this but she knows trying to further control her would also not work. And while she tries not to encourage it, her financial position and the rebellion have all but forced her hand into making a decision that she was not prepared to make.

Kino and Melshi:

We see Kino’s radicalization happen in the span of a single episode. Kino tries so hard to be an ideal prisoner, he follows the rules, keeps his men in line, and is banking on getting out of there alive. He has built his mind completely around the fact of obeying the Empire. He is so concerned about even talking about breaking out or musing about it because he’s worried that someone is listening in. The use of the line, “How many guards on each floor?” is used to show the process of radicalization. In the beginning of Episode 9, he refuses to respond or even humor Cass. The last lines of the episode are exchanged between Cassian and Kino - “How many guards on each floor?” “Never more than twelve”. Here we see a man angry and broken. He tried so hard to be a good prisoner but with the knowledge that they were never getting out, that when a man’s sentence is up they just send him to the other side of the prison, that is the thing that crushes Kino and makes him turn. He realizes even when playing with the rules of the Empire, there is no winning. When in a game where the other side is an empire, an organization so big as a government, playing by their rules means nothing to them. They will continue to hurt and commit atrocities and do injustice, and it’s only the act of disobedience that brings change. Going on peacefully changes nothing, it just makes you all the more easier for them to ignore. But if you cause a problem? If you are even a bit of nuisance, the slightest bit of a thorn? That is when change will come.

Kino in the end never made it out of the prison, when all was done and everyone was running out, we find out that Kino can’t swim (we know that the prison itself is in the middle of a lake). He goes through everything, he rallies the entire prison, but in the end he can’t swim, he doesn’t make it out of there. It’s the theme of the show, sacrifice for a sunrise they’ll never get to see. This is Kino’s.

Melshi, a man we see from the beginning who is already radicalized. He tries to give Cassian a reality check, which was so jarring especially after the introduction to the system, the game that was the prison. That the floors and tables that did the best would get flavor with their food instead of bland food. It’s portrayed as an upside to the prison, to make us think, “Oh this isn’t so bad, it could be worse,” until Melshi comes in and grounds Cassian. He tells him to never look at the numbers, because that is the way they control their prisoners, by giving them hope of freedom, by showing them the days passing and the number going down. Kino pushes Melshi back and tells him to shut up, because Kino is afraid of what those ideas will bring. As far as we see, Melshi is the only one besides Cassian to make it out alive, and we never know if Melshi was able to tell more people about the injustices of the prison.

Syril and His Mother:

Syril grew up in a system where he’s been so blind-sided, so steeped in propaganda, he genuinely thinks he is the good guy. Syril and his mother are examples of people who have bought into the lies of the Empire. He is one that believes that the Empire has genuinely brought peace, and that he is protecting that peace. He hasn’t known difficulty the way Cassian and any of the other rebels have, because his entire world was entrenched in the Empire and he’s known nothing else. Even when he gets screwed over by the system he is working so hard to protect, he still doesn’t try to think critically about this system.

The way he latches on to Dedra in his mind as the one person who has saved him is telling. He is craving for someone to lead him and becomes near obsessed with her. He starts basically stalking her, and there’s some weird tension between the two of them in several scenes. (I have no idea why or what to say about this, it was an observation and an uncomfortable one. I have an idea for nearly everything else, except for this.)

Something that @captjynandor on tumblr points out is that those of the Empire aren’t morally gray. Typically, villains in these types of stories are morally gray, shown to have some other motive or intention that is better, but we don’t see that in Star Wars with the villains. Syril grew up in an emotionally manipulative household but that isn’t portrayed as an excuse for his actions. He is very clearly shown to be an awful person because he wants that power and control over others and because he enjoys it.

As Ben Lindbergh on The Ringer mentioned, Syril is a zealot who wants to stand out in a uniform for an Empire that stresses conformity. For most of the season, Syril doesn’t seem to be going in any direction--all we know about him is that he’s incredibly passionate about what he does. It makes us wonder: if Syril happened to be born to a different family, maybe one outside the Empire, how likely is it that he would’ve become a rebellion? If he hadn’t been born into a family and indoctrinated into the Empire, would he have been against the Empire? There was a period of a few episodes in the middle of Syril’s arc in which it seemed as though it was possible that he may become radicalized. We see him fall due to corruption (he knows it’s corruption), and we see him relatively unhappy in a job that is the definition of a corporate nightmare. But because he has a one-track mind (like Cassian sometimes tends to have), he doesn’t try to question the system but rather throws himself right back into it and begins to climb once again. Syril is a symbol of blind faith, the product of indoctrination and manipulation of the Empire.

The Significance of Narkina 5:

The purpose of the prison was to bring down the prisoners to be only focused on fighting each other instead of the system, but it doesn’t work. Narkina 5 was built to control its inmates. They had several modes of this, the most obvious one being that prisoners were forced to walk barefoot on a floor that could be triggered to electrocute them at any point in time. However the other ways they tried to control were more subtle and nefarious. First, they made a reward system to benefit the most efficient inmate, in order to pit them against each other. The reward system? The winning table would get flavor. Flavor. Not something necessary, not something they cared about. All it was, was psychological manipulation. Not only this, but they would display each inmate's running total of how many days left in the prison they had. As they later learned, this number was arbitrary, once your number went to zero they would just put you on another side of the building. Seeing this number go down by one each day would give them a false sense of hope, some motivation to keep moving forward.

However, this all failed. It didn’t work. The inmates figured out the prison system, then worked together as a cohesive unit to break out. No one turned on each other, they all knew one vital thing and that was that they were all either going to live together or die together. I think the fact that Andor did this, undermining all the prison tropes where the prisoners have to prove themselves, is wonderful (@horatio-fig on tumblr). There are no gangs, just a sense of brotherhood. And this is where the show disproves Skeen’s assertion. Skeen claimed that the way someone survives in an unwelcoming environment is by “climbing over the other guy to get out.” But with Narkina 5 we see that, no, in times of difficulty, the way to survive is by climbing out with the other guy, so that you both get out (@tiarnanabhfainni on tumblr). The prisoners all support one another, and that is human nature. It is not natural for humanity to fight one another, however it is natural for humans to bond with any group they can.

Quick aside about Narkina 5, the planet itself. When Melshi and Cassian are escaping, they catch sight of an alien aircraft and they make a run for it to steal it. They get caught very easily by said aliens, but instead of them being hostile, they help the pair escape. This is such a good detail because it shows that Narkina 5 wasn’t always a place fit for prisons, it was once someone’s home. We don’t see a lot of aliens in Andor but this is such a beautiful representation of the fact that anyone who is not part of the Empire is against it (because the Empire has screwed over so many people) (@kanansdume on tumblr).

The Significance of the Construction of the Death Star:

As @captainofthetidesbreath on tumblr explains, “Yes, Cassian was forced to make parts for the weapon that would ultimately kill him,” but he also had a direct hand in subsequently destroying the very thing that would’ve wrought destruction, the thing he was forced to build against his will, and the event that turns the tides in favor of the Rebel Alliance. The time that he managed to stall the construction was crucial. In Rogue One, the margin of error they had was like threading a needle. The time that Cassian was able to stall the production of the Death Star, even unknowingly, was likely crucial in providing the time for the Rebellion to get the Death Star plans off of the planet.

The Portrayal of Capitalism:

We see the importance of money from the beginning; in this system, no one can do anything or go anywhere without it. We see people in jobs, having schedules working around those jobs and still making time to fight a rebellion in between the times where they have to make a living. One of the first major objectives for Cassian is to get money. Yes, in previous star wars movies they did mention money, but it never seemed to be much of an issue for the characters. It was never a legitimate barrier they had to cross.

Not only do we see the effect of capitalism, but we also see the institutions. The place that Syril ends up going to for work has all the tell tale signs of a corporation. Hell, even before that, Syril worked for Pre-Mor whom everyone called the “Corpos”. He then goes on to work for the Empire in an environment that is so stereotypically corporate: “Everyone matters”, the cubicles, the monotony of the design, everyone wearing the same outfit, they’re all being constantly supervised, using previous familial connections to gain an upper hand, etc. Even the apartments that Syril and his mother live in have the signs of a capitalistic environment. The whole show is a testament to the consequences of oppression and this is one of the best ways they show that. The oppression of capitalism is about benefiting the big man on top by using the time and labor of the little people below. It is a system built on keeping those born without privilege disadvantaged. And so how do we see them fighting back? Brasso using his job in the shipyard to tamper with the Pre-Mor ship, Salman Paak using his storefront as a cover for Bix to signal Luthen, Bix using her business as a cover for the fact that she’s buying and selling stolen Imperial parts - to name a few. They use the system that screws them over to fight back against the same people stepping on them.

Similarity to the U.S. Government:

Here is the illusion of choice, being told that you are in a democracy while there is a facet of the government that is essentially left unchecked. The Senate in the Star Wars government is really interesting, because it is revealed that the people vote for those in the Senate, and while the Senators are allowed to make noise and advocate for change, we don’t see how they truly have any effect. Who has the most power? The ISB. And is the ISB regulated in any sort of way? Not at all. So what would the ISB equivalent be? The CIA. The CIA, something the people cannot control, known to have actively traffic drugs into black communities in order to control them (similar to the ISB leading along cultures in order to control them) and have recruited Nazis (similar to ISB and the Empire in general in how they treat other cultures and races that they see as “other”, and the genocide of several societies). When all’s said and done, if the government wants something done they go to the CIA (ISB) to do it, since they are technically not controlled by the people.

If you do not let your prisoners vote, those in power now have strong motivation to imprison their enemies. This is a very basic rule in civics, something we see in both the United States as well as The Empire. The Empire is actively sending out people to capture Rebels and anyone who is remotely against the Empire, since they don’t let any news of what happens inside the prisons reach the outside and because they don’t allow their prisoners to vote. The reason why the levels of incarceration is so high in the United States is because slavery is legal in prison— this loophole in the 13th Amendment provided ample motive for the US government to imprison people of color or those who would stand against them. In a similar line of thought, the portrayal of the prison-industrial complex in Andor is brilliant. The prison-industrial complex is the idea of the relationship between a government and the various businesses that benefit from the institute of incarceration. We see that the government directly benefits from having people incarcerated, and not just because they are keeping supposed criminals, but because they are attempting to build something they will profit off of. They have incentive to imprison people for more petty crimes for longer sentences because they need to generate a self-replenishing workforce to build the Death Star. This sounds somewhat familiar because that is similar to what the CIA did with black communities.

As mentioned previously, the 13th Amendment provided the loophole that slavery was legal in prison. Because they still wanted to use slavery, they needed to get people into jail. So they trafficked drugs into black communities, which destroyed them and stunted their ability to grow and heal. But the CIA didn’t stop there because they needed a workforce, so then they went on to criminalize drugs, and imprison anyone who was involved with anything drug related. But even if people make it out of prison, getting a job is near impossible at that point, and so they fall back onto crime in order to survive. And then they go back to prison where slavery is legal. It is a vicious circle meant to cripple a population and profit the government.

Not meant to be political, eh Gilroy?

The Tragedy of Rogue One

Cassian Andor goes through hell and back, orphaned at a young age and taken from his sister and home planet while the rest of his people are killed. His life is nowhere near easy, and time after time he is roped into rebel activity. Eventually working for the rebellion on his own motivation, he goes through a whole character arc; again and again, he watches people die for a cause that they will never see come to fruition. He makes bonds with these people and gets close to them, only to see them die. Despite this, he learns that it’s worth it, is prepared to do the same (“Kill me or take me in”), and he realizes that everyone makes a difference, all of the small and big acts. And in the end, he does die for it. At the end of Rogue One, he dies. All of his friends die.

But the tragedy? He had finally, finally, reached happiness. After years of running and fighting in a war that he had no choice but to participate in, he finally finds love: Jyn Erso. And something we’re shown in the show is that he goes through trial after trial, just barely surviving. He survives the attack on his planet, then the attack on his home, then the prison break, then the manhunt- no matter what, he always survives. He always finds a way to keep going, even when things seem dire. Every single time. Except for one. Except for that last time on the beach, when they knew they were about to be killed by the Death Star, what did he do? He sat on that beach with Jyn Erso, and they held each other, knowing that this is the only time that they would be able to spend with each other as a couple. They sat there on that beach and faced death, together, peacefully, after succeeding. They won and they knew it and they knew they would never get to see it and they knew that they would never truly get to be together and that was okay.

#holy hell #thank you so much for reading #counter arguments welcomed #if i told you i was going to credit you and i accidentally didn't lmk #this show has a choke hold on me #sorry for the long post #andor #cassian andor #star wars #show analysis #aaaaaaa

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