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thetavolution · 2 months

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Tav Party

I want to try something and see how it pans out, just for fun!

I'd love to see whose Tavs would be in a party with mine. Just send me an ask with the name or names of my Tavs that you could see your Tav(s) in a party with! And be sure to tell me about your Tav(s) or link me to a profile/info about them.

If you feel up to the task, you can add a little emoji to represent how your Tav might approach them. I'll answer with whatever I think my Tav would do in response.

Your Tav would want to be friends: 💛 Would become family: 💚 Would want to be lovers: ❤️ Would be enemies: 🖤 Would murder them: ☠️

Don't worry about any Origin characters for this thought exercise.

The Tavs:

Tessa

Human Rogue Monk

She's the daughter of a thief and mercenary who is a beloved "member of the family" in Zhentarim circles.

Despite being a professional thief, Tessa is a kind-hearted person. She always overflowing with joyful enthusiasm. Tessa is outgoing and funny. She has a big heart and it’s easy to take advantage of it, especially with a good enough sob story. She has a good-natured sense of humor, but she's not averse to dark humor either. When she’s angry or hurt, or just talking to someone she hates, she can be particularly cold and scathing.

Tessa is far from morally perfect, of course. She’s made peace with stealing, focusing on targets that “deserve” it. That said, she doesn't believe in hoarding wealth. She keeps what she needs (with some left over as a little treat) and spreads the rest of it around to those who might need it.

Bex

Tiefling Bard

Bex is intelligent, but flippant. Not very many things upset her, but when they do anger her, she goes from 0 to 60 in the blink of an eye. She can typically diffuse tense situations simply by a lack of reaction or by telling a joke. She generally keeps a cool head, so much so it seems like she doesn’t care. In reality, she’s tired. She’s seen some shit and she is over it. She is in a constant state of existential dread and it's led to her having a very "is that all there is to a fire?" attitude about life.

Her philosophy is life is hard, why make it harder? She’s way too tired for that shit. She's friendly yet apathetic to most people when she meets them at first. She doesn't hate a lot of people either. Someone would really have to press her buttons or give her a reason to hate them. (I.E. I'm talking like Cazador vile.) She’s the type of person who prefers to stick up for the underdog.

She struggles to trust people on a deeper level, yet she continues to seek out connection with others. Under all her bluster, she has a good heart. She's just used to taking care of herself with little to no help from anybody else. Some people see her as trashy and she'd tell them they're correct.

She’s blunt, but she’s never intentionally hurtful. Sometimes she just sucks at wording herself. She’s never been one to brush off someone else’s hurt feelings with “I’m just being honest” either.

Minty

Shield Dwarf Selûne Cleric

Minty is excitable and bubbly. She’s kind-hearted, friendly, and cheerful. She can be one-track minded, especially whenever she has a new obsession. This can make Minty seem rude when she’s just bulldozing right past someone’s point.

She’s a little too confident in her knowledge as a cleric, believing she can handle whatever is thrown at her. She's not "stupid" after all. But going out on this adventure teaches her a bit of humility.

Sometimes she can get so single-minded that she doesn’t think twice about her actions. She’ll accidentally hurt people when she becomes obsessed with getting her way. When called out on it, she'll try to make amends as best she can.

She’s a family oriented person. While her father has passed away, she’s very close to her mother and older sister. She’ll do anything to help or take care of them.

She’s quick to adopt friends into her family. So when she puts her family above all, that includes her friends. Even if she doesn’t always see eye to eye with her loved ones, she draws her strength from her family.

Laura

High Elf Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer

Laura is sarcastic, but not cynical. She has a deadpan sense of humor without being unnecessarily mean. (She's only mean to people she believes deserve it.) Laura is blunt about her opinions, but she has some sense of tact. She can be a total dork when she gets excited, especially when it comes to magic. She's as giddy as a school girl whenever she finds a new spell or magical item.

Laura is a natural born leader. She’s talented and brilliant, but she doesn’t trust people easily. She struggles with her self-worth and PTSD, preferring to fight her inner demons in private. Laura doesn’t reach out for help nearly as often as she should. She keeps trying to set aside her trauma and hope it'll sort itself out. She’s a humanitarian at heart and she’s not a judgmental person. At least, not unless what you’re doing is hurting someone else.

She does show signs of someone who has been traumatized. She can be irritable, even when she doesn’t understand why something is upsetting her so much. She’s easily startled and she can have a full on panic attack if something reminds her of her past. When not adventuring, she has to work to keep her mind busy to avoid thinking too much. It's near impossible to get her to talk about what happened to her before she left home. Whatever it is that haunts her, she's trying to keep it firmly in the past.

Paloma

Seldarine Drow Monk

Paloma is the quintessential older sister. She’s protective, responsible, determined, and bossy. She’s also short-tempered, high-strung, and sarcastic.

She grew up in an orphanage as one of the older kids. She stepped up to take care of the younger children and she took responsibility for them at a young age. Even after they reached adulthood, she continued to clean up after them and care for them like she always did. She has a habit of stepping in and doing things for other people.

Paloma believes she has to "earn" the right to be in people's lives, which means taking care of them. She has a very dry sense of humor that can sometimes go over people's heads.

She avoids getting help from others, and she reassures everyone she can take care of everything herself. It's a lot easier for her to ignore her own problems if she spends all of her time solving everyone else's. She actually gains a lot of pride and satisfaction from taking care of other people. She just needs to learn to take care of herself... and let other people take care of her every once in a while.

Lamia

Rogue Bard Changeling

I have to use a half-drow to make her in BG3 due to the lack of Changeling options.

I don't have her profile up yet, but soon! Lamia is Paloma's adopted younger sister. They grew up in the same orphanage together and neither were adopted due to the prejudice against their species. They aged out of the system instead. She typically hangs out with her Dragonborn Barbarian buddy, Allie.

Lamia's a con artist and thief. She considers herself as more intelligent than most people. She’s smug and her ego is often her downfall. She likes to be perceived as tough as nails and cocky, but she’s a lot more sensitive than she lets on. It doesn’t take much to hurt her feelings, especially if you imply she's stupid. She can be callous toward strangers and acquaintances. She assumes people are cruel until proven otherwise, so why go out of your way to help anyone?

Due to her ability to shape shift into any humanoid, Lamia is able to blend into any crowd. She has the skills and brains to take care of herself. It’s just that her bloated sense of self-importance always lands her in hot water. She's actually a pretty smart cookie though. It's what makes her attitude so frustrating sometimes.

All of her bravado hides a lack of self-confidence and a fear of being abandoned. The only people she trusts with her whole heart are Paloma and Allie. She's so afraid of everyone leaving her that she pushes others away before they can hurt her first. She never had a safety net in life and now it's everyone else's problem.

Ingrid

Deep Gnome Circle of Spores Druid

Ingrid is soft-spoken and timid. She can be shy, but once she feels comfortable, she loves to talk! People are surprised at how at ease she feels with the dead and the spores, but it makes perfect sense when you get to know her. She respects all aspects of nature, including death and decay. Oddly, it’s become a way for her to confront her own fear of death.

She’s a pushover and she lacks assertiveness. Or, at least, that’s who she was before she started traveling with a ragtag team of certified weirdos. She had to get it together and get over her bullshit. Her bravery comes from how terrified she is. If other people weren't counting on her, she’d probably curl up in a corner and cry. When other people are relying on her, she quickly musters up every ounce of courage she has and powers through her terror.

She always comes through in a clutch. Even when scared out her mind, she’ll never abandon anyone. She’ll just go have a panic attack after it’s safe. She has an incredibly kind heart and strong sense of empathy.

#bg3 oc #bg3 tav #my tav #my tavs #tavs #tav oc #baldurs gate 3 tav #send asks #ask game

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tblsomedoodles · 1 year

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I know that Angie's mystic powers only activated a few times in the verse, under very distressing situations, but I can't help but wonder what those situations were and how everyone reacted to them.

I can see Splinter and Leo trying to help Angie get a better grasp on his powers, through training and meditation, even if it doesn't pan out, at least while Angie's with them.

Don would definitely be interested in trying to recreate what happened, but this is his little nephew, he could never cause him undue emotional stress, just for his own curiosity...nevermind that Raphie would kick his ass if he tried.

Yeah, i imagine it only happened about 3 times overall while he was in 03, and each of those were when either he and/or a family member was in trouble.

I think one time (maybe the first? Don't quote me on that lol) was when it was just Angie and Raphie out topside alone. Maybe painting over some PD tags b/c Angie likes making the alleyways pretty and Raphie didn't want him to sneak out alone to do it. (he had been, and almost got caught by the PDs doing so.) But that particular night, the Dragons had a trap waiting for them.

So an 8-9 year old Angie and his Pops are now surrounded by a LOT of purple dragons. Raphie might have been able to fight them all off on his own, but not while protecting Angie. And while he's fighting these thugs and trying to keep them away from his kid (and trying to keep said kid from joining the fight) Hun's able to sneak up on him.

All Angie sees is his pops picked up by this HUGE guy, crushed in a painful looking bear hug, and then thrown into a nearby wall. and then not get back up.

cue the "Yeeting hun" comic i drew some time ago.

Raphie is able to get up just in time to see Hun go flying over the nearby alleyway by a glowing chain being held by his kid.

Luckily the rest of the gang does not want to fight after their boss just got yeeting 4 stories into the air by a small child. B/c Angie damn near passes out and Raphie is in no condition to continue fighting. So Raphie just scoops up his kid and books it back home where before the rest of the family can even ask what the hell happened, Raphie's just like

Raphie: Angie's magic.

Leo: ...what?

Raphie *holds up exhausted child who may or may not still be slightly glowing* Angie's magic.

But yeah, i could see Leo and Splinter trying to help him get a handle on it like that. But maybe the connection to his mystics is a little odd in '03 verse so it doesn't quite work. But once he's back to Rise (and he actively knows what he's supposed to be looking for) those techniques they taught him actually do help. (and maybe it's some of those techniques that help him get a hold of the portals so he can see them again : ) )

Don would definitely be curious as to what was going on with his nephew and probably want to see it happen first hand, for science reasons. But i agree, he definitely wouldn't want to make it happen.

Mikey probably thinks his nephew being magic is cool and would definitely make sure Angelo knew it.

Raphie i think would be pretty scared of it. Not b/c he's scared of what Angie could do with that power, but b/c of how much it seems to take out of the kid. He's probably afraid it would hurt him in some way. So he wouldn't like seeing Angelo in that state, though he is quite thankful his father and brother are helping him try to control it.

Thank you! This was a neat thing to think through! : )

#asks #tmnt #rottmnt #adopted au

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maybeonedayillfindout · 2 years

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Concerning *that* car scene in st4

I have watched quite a few queer movies and tv shows, and am an avid fan of queer books, but nothing- no other scene or quote or romance- has hit anywhere near as hard as the car scene with Will and Mike in ST4.2

I felt so many conflicting, violent, raw emotions while watching this three-minute-long scene play out that I had to keep on stopping to process and cool down before i could continue. The second the camera panned to Jonathan's expression the first time, I felt this deep, overpowering sense of dread about what was coming that I couldn't explain. This is basically a horror show, it is designed to make you feel fear, and that scene is the most fear I have felt in four fucking seasons.

It means so much to me and I only just watched it because of how it completely, perfectly encapsulates the queer experience. You see Will so obviously confessing his adoration for his best friend, he's so clearly spilling out his darkest secret and everything he's ever wanted to say, but under the ruse of Eleven, a girl, someone who should be feeling this, someone for whom these feelings would make sense. He is describing what it's like to be different, and he is telling Mike that Mike helped Eleven, and by extension, him, through it. It is a love confession to rival all others, but he cannot say it from his own face because you can't, its forbidden, it'll ruin everything you have.

We have no idea how Mike will react. Will he see through it? Will he be able to tell that these feeling Will is describing are so obviously his, not Eleven's? Will he be shocked or disgusted? Will he be understanding or happy?

And then Will finishes talking, tears are streaming down his face and Jonathan looks miserable because he knows and he can't say anything, and Mike glances at Will's lips and you think, wait, could this be it? Could he reciprocate? Could he love him back? And then Mike smiles, a wide smile that reaches his eyes that are gazing into Will's own and he says "you think?" in the most hopeful, grateful voice you've ever heard and your heart breaks. It breaks but it really hurts this time because it has broken exactly like this before.

We have been in the position of Will. We know what it's like to be scared and to try your hardest to be known through it all, to be obsessed with someone who you know you have no chance with but still hope for god knows what reason. We have all known a Mike, who doesn't mean to be rude but just does not understand, we have all known a Jonathan, who is pitying and who does understand but he can't do anything about it.

We knew what to expect from the beginning because we are Will, and we have been in this situation before, and there are only ever two outcomes. Either Mike realises and is disgusted, just like that relative at a family gathering and that jock in high school you adored, or he smiles and thanks Will and moves on, not suspecting a thing. Isn't it better that its the latter? Isn't disgust worse than ignorance? It should be, but after hiding your whole life sometimes all you want is for someone to know, to stop having to run and tread carefully, no matter the outcome. We want Mike to realise because thats all that we wanted for ourselves, to be seen, to be known, to be loved. But most of the time, if you're lucky enough to get any, you can only pick one.

At the end of the day, we don't particularly want Mike to change his ways and for them to be happy together. Will deserves better than that, he deserves to move on and to be happy with someone else, but why should he? Why, for him to be happy, does he have to be the one to change? Why can't Mike do it, for once, why can't we be happy the way that we are? Isn't that all we're ever doing? Changing and moving on and looking for someone who won't turn away?

We don't hate Eleven, because she did nothing wrong and nothing here is her fault, but we feel a sense of resentment none the less that stems from the well known feeling of jealousy, of seeing that Heather. We don't hate Mike, because we know he means well, but that doesn't mean we don't want to shake him and scream, that doesn't mean we're not so frustrated and angry because he doesn't fucking understand.

We don't really care how good Mike would be for Will in the end, we just want to be loved as we are, for once. Mike smiles and turns away and moves on; Will smiles and turns away and sobs into his palm.

#stranger things #st4 #st4 vol2 #byler #will byers #mike wheeler #mike x will #st4 vol2 spoilers

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dballzposting · 6 months

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DBALLZPOSTING RAMBLE

Amount of evidence: LOW!!!!

Word count: Not the longest.

Eloquency: I haven't been sleeping very well lately ....

Subject: Trunks & Goten's different views of authority and power balances; Trunks is a follower while Goten is exempt.

Befote I say anything let me preface this post with: Goten and Trunks are, everything considered, very free spirits. They're not afraid of feelings and they love adventuring. When they're kids they love to have fun, and when they're older you can see in the both of them a sort of contentedness/satisfaction. They're living life well.

OK now I want to point out that despite what you'd assume when you first see them, Trunks is very much a follower, while Goten is exempt from any idea of a hierarchy.

You would assume that Trunks would be a leader given who his parents are and what his status is. He just HAS to be a natural-borne leader, right? It's in his blood? But he's just not.

When he's a kid he's very good at bossing Goten around. He's good at being player 1. But this isn't his "true" nature. He acts all arrogant when he's a kid becasue he's doing what kids do: emulating hardcore. What he is is a follower emulating the leadership behaviors of his parents.

We know this isn't his true self becasue he tangibly grows out of it. Even by EOZ, he's no longer a bitch - he's respectful, he's self-assured, he's relaxed in that confidence, he emotes freely. I think he still cares what people think about him, judging by his epic swag outfit and the way that he couldn't just live-and-let-live when it came to that flamboyant gay dude, but he's getting there.

By GT he is just a completely different man. He just wants to chill and hang out. He wants to make wisecracks. He doesnt care about work and he doesnt care enough to let himself be stressed by it. He just dips. He continues to emote freely, even coming apart at the beginning of the series when he was realizing how stressful this space journey was shaping out to be, but he pulled himself together and didn't need to freak out like that again. he adapted to the situation fine.

I don't have solid evidence I just need you to watch GT and see what I've seen and understand that he's literally just some guy ... he's some dude .... Scary shit is happening and he still has time to chill and hang out when the battle is over. I've seen it. Please believe me

In the outro there's a moment where they're showing different epic images throughout the history of dragon ball. And there's a picture from DBZ times, where Trunks is sitting on the handlebars of a motorcycle while Gohan is trying to drive it and Trunks has his arms crossed and he just looks like such a bitch. He's somebody arrogant bastard whelp

VERY NEXT IMAGE: A GT image of Trunks & Pan & Goku & Giru on the hunt for dragon balls out on an alien planet. And UGH. The CONTRAST is so much. Like maybe I should just get the images. I probably won't. But I should

The image changes to GT and you realize that THIS is who Trunks is. Not the kid. Poeple change so much from childhood. On one hand your true nature is available to you as a child but on the other hand you're emulating hardcore and changing rapidly. Trunks's truest nature was probably when he was a baby and he'd cry becasue Vegeta was so ugly

Trunks grows up and circles back and finds his true nature again. And that true nature is in those FUCKING HUGE SHORTS. That JACKET. Those DUMB GLOVES. Those THICK SOCKS and BARE KNEES. Like HWAT was he THINKING !?!??!

His TRUE NATURE is being LAME. That's who he is. He had phases where he wanted to be Cool but he's grown out of it. He's come to accept what style he really feels like himself in. He has changed a lot since childhood: He Doesnt care what people think about him, and he is Not concerned with status anymore.

He's President of Capsule Corp becasue he's gotta be. He doesnt give a shit. You'd think he'd give a shit and you'd assume that he'd give a shit but if you watch GT there is something so calm and cool about him. He's so authentic that he can even be shallow and lack self-awareness in little ways (like he doesnt think he's lame for instance). This is really as deep as he goes fellas. And he's not trying to deny that. He's not trying to look Cool or Smart or Strong. He just wears his huge shorts and reads his Cosmo magazine and readily displays when he's feeling tired or bored, but not in an immature way that demands amelioration. He's a fine adult and he keeps himself together, especially when he has to be babysitter.

He does what he must and he rests when he can.

So. All of that put together: you would think that that makes him not necessarily a leader but definitely not a follower, right? A follower WOULD care what people think about them, right?

NOT what I'm getting at though. He's not insecure, but he's still a follower. And he's not a leader, becasue he doesnt care enough to be, but mostly, becasue it's not in his nature.

Vegeta is a leader by nature. He's not interested in controlling others' freedom, but he is interested in setting them straight. Bulma is a leader by nature. She'll let weirdos be weirdos but as long as there is something she cares about, she NEEDS things to go the way she wants them to. She needs you to do what she tells you to do.

Both ultimately have good judgement in the end.

And then there's Trunks...

WAYS THAT TRUNKS IS A FOLLOWER:

I don't think it's all nurture, but I'll still point out that: being raised by leaders could have very well trained him to be a follower. As a kid, he emulated the leadership role with Goten, but still snaps to such sudden attention when his parents tell him what to do (seen in Z and Super). A truly arrogant kid would blow his parents off.

HIS RESPECT FOR RULES. So many times as a kid we see him say something about The Rules. One example is when in the second Broly movie (English sub), he was terrifically put off by how Broly wasn't "following the rules" and was fighting to kill. For another example, he TOLD OFF Majin Buu when he came at him with that sucker punch. Those are NOT the rules of the battlefield!!!!! There were more times but I can't remember. Another thing I'll put here is how self-aware he was as a kid about being a kid: i swear it came up like three different times when he was chasticing someone for saying/doing something to him because he was "just a kid" and it was pathetic or rude of them to be behaving that way in front of him. It's like, it's hard to teach a kid about Honor, so Vegeta just taught him about Rules instead and hoped that one day it would turn into honor. But in the meantime and arguably the long term, it became the backdrop of his understanding of the world: the world is made out of rules. Rules of the battlefield. Rules of social interactions. Rules of computers and engineering. In this way, he's a follower: if it's against the rules, don't do it! (Some rules he does not respect, however. Like beating up that one tournament contestant and stealing his clothes. It's becasue Trunks was overall emulating the irreverency of his father. This, in a way, is still following what's proper.)

Okay, kids lack nuance and they follow rules like law. That doesn't mean he's a follower. BUT CONSIDER: His reverence for AUTHORITY and HIERARCHY. This was an essential element of his childhood, his parents being who they were, and he learned to DEFER TO AUTHORITY. In Super he seems much nicer than in Z, and the way he listens to adults seems more overt (honestly he's coming more into himself with that lame yellow sweatshirt but we haven't the time to discuss that). My best exmaples are THE WAY HE THINKS OF SHENRON: In one of the Z movies that i dont fucking rmeebr which one, there was a scene where Goten calls Shenron a CHEAPSKATE. Trunks FLIPS and COVERS Goten's mouth. Actuially I think I can find the gif

^ see.

He's like YOU DONT FUCKING TALK TO HIM THAT WAY...!

AND THEN IN GT, when they try to summon Shenron with the busted ass dragon balls, Bulma says of the new Shenron: He's much more crass, isn't he? AND TRUNKS TURNS TO HIS MOTHER and is like, "MOM!!!" I watched the english sub but literally what happened was that she said some barely-rude comment about this new Shenron's lack of manners, and Trunks actually said really dramatically "MOM-!!!" and then basically that She Can't Talk about Shenron That Way...!!!!!

We all know that Bulma has no respect for authority over herself, specifically when she feels that they haven't earned it. And This Evil-Looking Blue Draghon Shows Up an Literally Lights a Stoagie in front of them and Bulma says soemthing so TAME for what her lexicon is capable of, and Trunks was like MOM! ! !!!!!!!

In that moment, his respect for the concept of an in-borne hierarchy or authority surpassed any obligation he may feel to defer to his mother. As is the case with some real-life men, he may even has grown up to believe that actually, his mother is a little batshit cuckoo and maybe needs to be corralled some. (This is an unfortunate perspective).

Anyway. Another way that Trunks is a follower is the way that he never tries that hard to counter anyone. He doesn't fall back into line either but he just ... GHoes to work ...... Does what his parents want him to do .... He's not authoritative enough to be able to keep Pan wrangled in.

I want to make clear that I am NOT saying that Trunks is a follower by nature of a crushed will. I'm not saying that he's all small and pusillanimous. He's absolutely not. The first paragraph in this post holds up. I don't think he feels all small inside

I just think that his lifestyle has fostered an avenue for authenticity, because self-awareness is essential for his warrior craft, and the authentic person that we are seeing is someone who wears those Huge Shorts and does what his parents want him to do. And if he REALLY hated it then he would argue back. But he doesnt care enough too. He's cool. He's a chill dude. He's a follower. Just hanging out

Forgot to say that also: He has manners. We see that at every age past 8. He's not trying to disrespect his elders. He's respectful to Gohan and his wife. He follows the rules of respect and hierarchies.

The reason that we see Trunks a lot of the time as this chill dude is because he himself is at the top of some hierarchy. He's rich and president. He's the son of a prince. Were he on a shittier tier then I think that we'd see him be much quicker to obsequiousness.

It's interesting becasue I think that in theory, a totally healthy and authentic human would want to do away with hierarchies altogether. But Trunks is still of a culture. This is his most authentic self - within his culture. Sure, there are no hierarchies when he's hanging out with friends and doing what he wants, but the rest of the time there is. At work. At home. In space it was a bit complicated - he was the captain, and he was technically the oldest, but he would never try to tell Goku-San what to do, and Trunks just lacked the innate leadership abilities to keep Pan under control! Partly becasue Pan comes with a lot of fire for freedom because of the way that she is being treated at home.

Trunks has totally come into himself and he wears .............. "interesting" outfits. And I think that his parents have had to come to accept that he's lame. Bulma makes him be president but it's becasue he can't be head engineer so she makes him be the head bureaucrat. Vegeta hasnt given up on him becasue it's just not his nature too, but he has accepted that Trunks is lame. Every now and then he'll throw out "I'll be in the gravity chamber if you want to shake the rust off" but Trunks never takes the bait. He's always busy with something else. He's slacking. He's a slacker. Vegeta knows this. Trunks doesnt think he's lame but he is. This is just a fact.

Though he was able to shake off Baby's initial attempt at control. He was able to expel him from his body whereas the sloppy-messy Goten just had all of his memories wide-open for Baby to read. Trunks does have a due CONFIDENCE, and you CAN find his father's influence in him. He's also lame. Just a fact

ANYWAY: FOR COMPARISON:

Son Goten is much more like Goku in that: there are no hierarchies. We're all equal. The difference is that Goten does respect authority. The reason that Goku doesn't is partly his pure-hearted nature and partly because the first person who demanded respect out of him was Bulma and her insistence for honorifics. Of course Goku would say no to that. But Goten was encouraged (or beaten) by his loving mother to be respectful, and he's a sweet kid, so he took to it naturally. Everybody gets an honorifc. Everybody gets a bow. Be kind to everyone and everything. All is right in the world

He did very much tell Shenron that he was a cheapskate in that one movie. He YELLED it. This is Son Goten: authentic and fully expressive of himself. There are no leaders and followers, just people with opinions that need expressing.

In GT he was so rude to Mr Satan. Mr Satan needed some fucking help and Goten was like, "Um, I am NOT your student, and I am ON a date. >:( -.-" That was honestly so fucking rude of him. It's becasue, despite being the youngest in his house, he doesnt have the perpetual reflex to defer built in. He was raised in a way that must've been more free and forgiving. He knows in his head that Mr Satan is old and in need and that's why it was so fucking rude of him to not drop everything and play along. But Goten wasn't being a dick on purpose for the sole express purpose of being a dick, he was just prioritizing his own life over Mr Satan's right now; he was honoring himself. Can't beat someone down for looking out for number 1. He was rude to Mr Satan AND good for himself and Palace-chan. Two things can be true

I know I don't have any hard proof and this post has been very much a "remember this? no? I don't either. Take my word for it" type of a ramble, but I would postulate that when Goten is respectful, it's because he wants to be nice and proper, as a kid or as an adult, but he understands naturally that leaders are not gods; and when Trunks is respectful, it's as if the world is dependent on this order, and he feels real fear when authority is disrespected, and he probably doesnt even know why, but it's probably becasue as a kid he learned fear from his dad, and as an adult he can use reason to surmise who's deserving of respect, but on some level he is always anticipating that pattern of authority to exist as a ubiquitous order.

I think the biggest place where you can find their different responses to authority is how they interact with Gohan. I have very little canon evidence I just want to tell a story. Trunks is obviously very polite. He's known Gohan since he was little and Gohan has always been good to him. He's always been patient, helpful, and informative. This fosters safety and spontaneity, but at home Trunks gets yelled at for talking out of turn so ultimately that's what perseveres. He walks into Gohan's house and he's sooo civil. And I know that if he has questions to ask he chooses his words very carefully. He would never say anything uncouth to Son Gohan. He minds his manners so much. Honestly he behaves as if he believes that he should be shot

and then there's GOTEN and even if he didnt have the privilege of kin status with Gohan he would STILL act the way he does. He #RESPECTS Gohan, so much, and at the end of the day, Gohan does have authority in the sense that if Goten was pissing him off he could tell him firmly to Leave His House. And Goten would listen. He woudlnt defy him. He'd be mad but staying is more than asking for a fight, it's breaking a heart. He'll leave if he's told to . But other than that he can say whatever he wants to Gohan always and for forever EVEN IF IT'S SHIT THAT GOHAN DOESNT WANT TO HEAR Goten lacks the finesse to read through Gohan's composed exterior and see that he doesnt want to hear agbout it. And he'll ask him the worst questions too. Just absolutely ruin his week with it. "Gohan-Niichan is it true that men have g-spots up their BUTTS?" just the worst shit . There are no stupid questions but there are indeed bad ones

And Gohan takes it upon himself to deal with this. He wants to be a trustworthy source of information and comfort in Goten's life. So he deals wioth this

And Trunks is so courteous and careful and kind and he keeps a respectful distance meanwhile if Goten were really excited to see Gohan then he would chew through the wall and rocket toward him and lick him on the cheek like a dog . And Gohan would just very politely pull out a handkerchief and wipe his cheek off and then put the handkerchief back and not say antyhing about it. Very professional guy

#dballz posting

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frightnightindustries · 5 months

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@indigo-flightly-falls

Real look inside the clubhouse

Fragment, slamming pots and pans together to the rhythm of "Give it to me, I'm worth it": I didn't get no sleep cause a' y'all! Y'all never gonna sleep cause a' me!

Absence, spraying a melted cutting board with a tiny water gun: We gotta cool this bitch down. Cool it down. Fragment: I actually just put the cutting board in the oven... Phantasm, visibly confused: Okay, so they decided to put the cutting board in the oven? Absence, spraying Fragment: You FUCKING DUMBASS! Fragment: Dude, I forgot- Absence: OH MY FUCKING GOD! We're trying to make Chicken Alfredo right now, and you fucking MELT the cutting board in the oven at 400 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT!? Epitome: *Watching in complete confusion while trying to process this whole situation.*

Absence: I’ve organized your messages into three categories. Absence: “From Parody” Absence: “Death Threats” Absence: and “Death Threats From Parody”

Epitome: A person can really hear themselves think out here. Epitome’s mind: Did you leave the stove on? The front door unlocked!? WILL YOU DIE ALONE!? Epitome: Well, that was a mistake.

Phase: Advice of the day kids, if you ever meet someone who calls Gatorade flavors the actual name of the flavor instead of just the color then they are a certified nerd. Freak: Yeah but you have to specify, frost glacier or cool blue? You can’t just say blue because there’s more than one blue. Phase: Blue and light blue, nice try nerd.

Phase: I once tried to play a pirated copy of Garfield Kart, when Garfield jumped out of my PC! We are currently married with three beautiful children and a summer house in Lisbon.

Parody: Sometimes I like to call people by the wrong name to show them I don’t care about them. Absence: That’s brilliant. Parody: Thank you, Neurosis.

Epitome: I am going to cry. I’m going to cry until I can no longer physically cry anymore because all the water in my body is gone and I die from dehydration. Mastermind: Are you okay? Fragment: Did you actually just ask them that? Like, you need that to be answered otherwise you won’t know?

Phase: As someone who has a long history of not understanding anything, I feel confident in my ability to continue not knowing what is going on.

Mastermind: Can I offer you a nice stick in this trying time?

Fragment, talking about Phantasm: Y’know, you never mentioned an intern. Neurosis: That’s because they’re not officially an employee, they’re unpaid. Fragment: You don’t pay them?! Neurosis: They get college credit. Fragment: Are you sure your not evil?

Epitome: Even Phantasm and I have been getting closer. The other day, they gave me half of their sandwich. Phantasm: I mistook them for a garbage can.

Neurosis: Phase and I are so close we even share a toothbrush. Phase: We what?

Neurosis: Any tips on how to make someone like me? Phantasm: Try to make them laugh all the time. Neurosis: Oh, wow! You actually help me for once, and it's even good advice! Phantasm: Yeah, the more they laugh, the more time they spend with their eyes closed, so it'd be easier.

Absence, planning a group disguise: You cannot be Blake Bortles. Mastermind: Fine! Then I’ll be Jake- Epitome, under their breath: Don’t say Jortles. Mastermind: Jortles! And I work at the molotov cocktail department.

Mastermind: My mom is calling… hi mom. Freak: Come on guys, stop. They’re trying to talk to their mom. Phantasm: *loud fake sexual noises* Parody: EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP! Absence: *is asleep* Epitome: *gets really close to the phone* Tell her I said hi.

Absence: Imagine if someone handed you a box full of all the things you lost throughout your life. Neurosis: It would be nice to have my sense of purpose back... Freak: Oh wow, my childhood innocence! Thank you for finding this. Mastermind: My will to live! I haven't seen this in years. Phantasm: I knew I lost that potential somewhere. Parody: Mental stability, my old friend! Absence: Jesus, could you guys lighten up a little?

Neurosis: Hey, let’s mess with Mastermind, guys! Absence: Hey, Mastermind, your momma so fat- Mastermind: My mom committed multiple war crimes and is now locked in solitary confinement in a Bolivian prison. Phase: Well, uh- your dad- Mastermind: My father left when I was two to be captured and consequentially sacrificed by a group of feral ferrets. Absence: The fuck- Fragment: Well then... Neurosis: Stop, Fragment! Fragment: Your grandparents so- Mastermind: My grandmother floated into the sky like a balloon with too much helium when my grandfather spontaneously combusted. Mastermind: You cannot best me, mortals.

Neurosis, singing: I don’t want a lot for Christmas, there is just one thing I need— Parody: A family. Phantasm: A better love life. Epitome: Mental stability. Absence: *clueless* Bagels?

Freak: How do I ask someone out? Mastermind: Roses are red, violets are blue, guess what, my bed has room for two. Freak: No! Phase: Twinkle twinkle little star, we can do it in a car. Freak: Stop! Neurosis: Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream, merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily I can make you scream. Freak: I feel like the last one is verging dangerously into serial killer territory.

#ocs #P4R4D0X's Clubhouse

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fluffycalamari · 2 years

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Title: Obey Me Drabble (1/?)

CW: Suggestive, not finished, will never finish, no pronouns mentioned, gender neutral, not proof read.

Characters: The seven demon brothers and MC

------

Inspired by the song "FU In My Head" by Cloudy June

Its been a few months since you came back to devildom, you didn't know why but suddenly you were so....clumsy. One of the brothers would ask for your help and you always managed to mess up with your jittery actions. Constantly struggling to find the right words to say to this particular demon. The constant zoning out only to be brought back to reality when the demon brother would tap you, causing your body to flare up with unimaginable heat, especially down there. "S-sorry! I think I zoned out can you say that again?" You'd squeak embarrassed.

When alone in your room you'd catch yourself rubbing your legs together as your mind wandered off into dirty vivid fantasies. Your hands would wander all over your body and eventually in-between your thighs, making sure to muffle you voice in one of your plush pillows.. It would continue like this for weeks until the demon got fed up with your new clumsy behavior. They would corner you in a private area and confront you. "Mc, why are you acting so nervous around me and just me? Did I do something to scare you, if I did then I'm sorry!" But the situation only made your body hot to the touch only to shake your head at the demon.

"To be honest.." You would avoid eye contact with the demon, too embarrassed of everything happening right now. "It's the kind of thing that I would rather leave unsaid.." This wasn't the answer the demon was looking for, "You can tell me mc, there's nothing to be embarrassed about." You'd refuse, and they'd get closer, throwing your senses into a frenzy. You couldn't focus on anything but their hard body pressing up against yours, how your heart was pumping in your throat and theirs was beating a smooth pace. Their cool breath panning over your increasingly hot one. Have they always been this gorgeous looking? Skin so smooth, not a single blemish on them? This perfect looking?

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machinerismsx · 1 year

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I hope I’m not misremembering this, my memory is a sieve😅 — but I think I followed you for Bosoka? If so, could I suggest 23 or 30 or 41 or anything really (those are all 🤩 prompts) for them? No pressure or anything.

I would go ahead and say you probably followed me for Bosoka :) thank you for the prompt! Going with 30 (under the cut)

Send me a prompt and a ship

30. In a dark, dark wood there was a dark, dark house and in that dark, dark house I think we should get drunk and fool around. (I want dirt under my fingernails.)

Rating: T (Language, alcohol consumption)

“Where are we?” Ahsoka looked up at the trees, towering far over them, and blotting out any hope of light from the stars in the sky or the moons orbiting in the planet.

Bo-Katan stood with her back to her, reaching out towards the grimy handle of the door. She stopped and looked over her shoulder, expression unreadable behind the helmet. “We’re waiting.” The door slid open with a pained creak and they both stepped inside the dark cabin.

They were waiting for a call from one of their contacts, telling them where to go next, and in the mean time had been ordered to the nearest safe house. She followed Bo-Katan in and watched her kneel in front of the cold and empty fireplace, stack a few pieces of wood, and produced a small matchbox, lighting a small fire in the hearth.

Ahsoka sank to the ground in front of it, crossing her legs as she sat beside Bo-Katan, and rubbing her hands together, hungrily absorbing the warmth from the flames. They didn’t say anything for a moment, but their knees brushed together as they both spent a few minutes warming up. After another moment passed, Bo-Katan began stripping off her armor piece-by-piece and setting it aside until she was just left in her black flight suit.

“I’m sorry things didn’t pan out like you expected.” Ahsoka frowned at her. “I know you were hoping for a lead on Gideon.”

She sighed, shook her head wearily. “I should just expect disappoint.” Her smile was slim, sarcastic.

“That’s not true.” Ahsoka shuffled closer so their shoulders were touching. “We’ll get a lift out of here.”

Bo-Katan nodded, wordlessly, and sighed. “Do you want a drink?” She asked after a long moment.

“A drink? Where would we even—“ she stopped, watched her pull a flask out of one of the pockets on her belt.

She gestured with the flask, unscrewed the lid with flair, tossed it aside, and took a long drink before passing it to Ahsoka. She took the cool metal container from her without complaint and took a sip, the liquid burning its way down her throat and through her chest. She passed the flask back to Bo-Katan and continued to lean against her and they passed the small container back and forth for a few minutes silently until it was empty.

“It was a long fucking day.” Bo-Katan said after a moment. She seemed to hesitate for a beat before leaning her head on her shoulder. Ahsoka tipped her head to the side and rested it on top of Bo-Katan’s.

“Yeah. It was.” Ahsoka agreed quietly. She could feel the malcontent with the situation rolling off of Bo-Katan. “You’ll find him.”

“Will I?”

“I’m sure of it.”

They sat next to each other quietly watching the fire, slowly absorbing its warmth for a couple more minutes. It wasn’t often that the two of them got time alone, away from everything, even if they were only waiting for further instructions. It wasn’t often that they were able to take such a reprieve. It seemed that Bo-Katan’s thoughts headed in the same direction as she pulled her head away from her shoulder and they turned to look at each other.

“Glad to have the time with you, though.” Bo-Katan traced the underside of her jaw lightly.

“Yeah,” Ahsoka breathed. She caught Bo-Katan’s other hand with her own, laced their fingers together. “Me too.”

They couldn’t seem to catch a lead. Or a break. No matter what they did, it always seemed to come to a dead end when looking for ex-ISB whether it be Gideon or Thrawn. At least I have some time with you in the middle of it all.

“Ahsoka,” Bo-Katan tugged her closer, pressed their foreheads together. “I am glad to have you here, though.”

“Yeah. Me too.” Her heart thudded unsteadily in her chest.

They stared at each other in the flickering light for a moment more before Ahsoka angled her head to the side and finally pressed a kiss to her lips, hungrily returned. They had some time, after all, tucked away in the woods where no one would find them.

#sw #star wars #bo katan kryze #ahsoka tano #bosoka #machi speaks #machi writes #stars-brownies-n-metaphors

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mylittlesubtleties · 6 months

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tag game: "9 people you would like to get to know better"

I was tagged by @izaoli and I'm super honored! I'm such a lurker and reblogger that I didn't think anyone was paying attention to what I do... (/≧▽≦)/

(ㆆ_ㆆ) wait...

oh god people are paying attention to what I'm doing

Thanks for tagging! Anyway, here we go.

1. 3 ships:

my love for Tsukushi/Tsukasa has seen a revival recently

KaiHil is an always. Even when I want to step away from shipping them in everything, they always find a way.

Literati from Gilmore Girls continues to sail after all these years.

I can usually find a ship in anything I watch or read, and I can never seem to abandon them.

2. first ever ship:

Probably me with some cartoon I watched as a kid. But the first one I can remember and name is KaiHil or Kai/Hiromi (probably why it doesn't sink. it's like my black pearl)

3. last song;

I was scanning through songs on my way to work but the last song I picked was by Paramore I do believe. They work for any situation.

4. last movie;

Ohh movies are tough. I don't watch a lot of them, but I watch a lot of movie reactors on youtube, does that count? ... the last movie I went to see in theaters was Barbie. I gave it a 6/10. the ending was nice but there were other points I wish had been better.

5. currently reading;

It feels like a lot but nothing at the same time. I'm very slowly re-reading Sempre (Forever) by J.M Darhower (side blog for that here: @carmineshummingbird), and I'm trying to get into Peter Pan for the 3rd time

6. currently watching;

Fruits Basket, when I have the chance (I guess a lot of my old interest are having a revival?); And Masterchef season 13 with my mom.

7. currently consuming;

Iced coffee all day, every day (and sometimes a ginger ale). And water.

8. currently craving;

Sweets are my weakness. I like pastries, cakes, breads, gummies, chocolate. I do attempt moderation because I know I'm better without it, but yesterday someone gave me a loaf of homemade pumpkin and chocolate chip bread. So I'm currently feeling very satisfied.

9 I also only have two people I could tag (because I'm such a lurker)...

Recently I've followed @lillylintonsdickydumdums and @sojirosteacup .I think you're both really cool and would love to know more. No pressure if you're not interested!

Thank you so much @izaoli for including me. This was a lot of fun.

#personal #tag game

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snowbellewells · 2 years

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Fic Update: “The Lawman, the Thief, and the Outlaw” {Chapter Five}

Wow, I can really only apologize for taking so long between updates. It certainly isn’t intentional, and I hope to do better in the future, but all the same I appreciate the enthusiasm and continued loyalty from those reading this. If it’s any consolation, I already have the next chapter started as well, so hopefully it will be on its way to you in much shorter order. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy chapter five!

**Many thanks once again to @searchingwardrobes for the wonderful cover art she gifted me for this story!

Summary: Sheriff Killian Jones has done his best to leave behind a troubled past and bring law and order to the town of Blanchard Ridge. However, when he upholds his duty in the face of the most feared and dangerous outlaw gang in the area, allies are few and he dreads trapping them in the same situation he finds himself. The small Western town is about to become a powder keg, and one lawman, his deputies, and a resourceful woman too stubborn for her own good are all that stand in the way of bloodshed and lawlessness... {A Rio Bravo movie AU}

Previous Chapters: Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four

And this chapter also available on AO3

Chapter Five

After Pan Malcolm’s visit to the jail, what little ease and certainty in his actions which Killian had managed to gather was more or less shattered. He could gamble with his own life in pursuit of upholding the law; he’d known that was part of the job signing on, and a part of him had felt he had little to lose in those early days when he washed up in Blanchard Ridge, alone, disillusioned, self-loathing and lost. But now? A town full of people looked to him for safety and guidance, and he had deputies under him who merely wanted honest work and fair wages, not working to right past wrongs or atone for mistakes with their own lives and limbs. Truth be told, he wasn’t at all sure that Smee didn’t largely stay out of some misplaced sense of loyalty and an old outcast’s need for companionship. If Malcolm and his gang attacked before the Marshalls arrived, if they already had emissaries stationed secretly in town biding their time - and Killian would bet money that Pan had done just that; the outlaw was crafty and it was only smart strategizing, it’s what he would do himself were their roles reversed - when the onslaught came, innocent people would be hurt, or even killed. He wasn’t sure how he’d settle with others paying for his determination to see through the letter of the law. Stubbornness, more like, he could practically hear an echo of Liam’s voice chiding ruefully in his ear. ‘You let him goad you with my name, little brother,’ the inner voice seemed to chide. Shaking his head as if to rid it of the beloved timbre reminding him of truth he would rather not admit, Killian hissed a curse and began to pace agitatedly in the narrow alley running behind the jail, out of sight. He had let the villain’s mention of his sibling, and how he had been lost, get to him. He’d shown his opponent just how tender that wound still was, even after all the time gone by.

Blowing out a long breath and redetermining to maintain a cool head, Killian squared his shoulders and strode purposefully back into the jail. Taking stock of things, all seemed quiet on the surface, but he shot a rapid, quelling glance toward Nightshade’s cell, just in case the deviant decided to comment or mock with the bravado his boss had no doubt aimed to instill. He’d have no more of it, and the two-bit hood might as well know that right off. Nightshade, however, seemed - at present anyway - to know what was good for him. He was already slouched in the back corner of his bunk, looking up to meet the Sheriff’s eyes only briefly before he dropped his own gaze once more in seeming disinterest. The prisoner spoke not a word, and Jones counted himself lucky. Will was still out on morning sentry duty, and Smee had finished clearing up from breakfast and was seated at the somewhat rickety table in the center of the room, perusing the latest copy of the Ridge’s weekly gazette.

“Keep an eye on things for a bit, aye?” Killian murmured to his compatriot lowly as he headed to the door. “Probably about time I made a bit of a lap around the square. Make certain our visitor didn’t leave anyone behind to cause trouble.”

“Yep,” Smee agreed simply, knowing his boss didn’t want to say too much in front of their jailed guest, who was almost certainly listening and taking in every word no matter how unconcerned he might appear. “You got it, Boss.”

Once out on the wooden porch at the jail’s entrance, Killian felt a crest of morning breeze on his face. The day was shaping up to be a hot one, but the humidity wasn’t in full force yet, and the air moving over his skin was a refreshing change after the tense air and volatile emotions in the enclosed space he’d just vacated. It was hard to believe it was still mid-morning after all that had already occurred. Proceeding down the steps, Killian turned right and proceeded at the edge of the dirt street in the direction of the blacksmith at the far end of the main thoroughfare; then, he’d work his way back along the other side of the street all the way up to where Will stood guard at the town’s main gate, then back to the boardinghouse across from his starting point. Once he’d made a circuit of the shops, businesses and bars to see that nothing was amiss or that no one suspicious was lingering around. He’d stop in for some of Margaret Nolan’s exemplary vittles for lunch, before taking some to Will and trading places with his deputy for the afternoon.

That decided, Killian moved forward with a bit more ease and assurance, keeping his attention sharp and eyes peeled all the while. Other than the scare when Robin’s cattle drive had rolled into town and the rancher had taken the bullet to his shoulder, the town had been quiet. More quiet than usual even, and it had never been a social hub by any stretch. Now though, the stillness in Blanchard Ridge’s deserted streets was unsettling; as if everyone around were holding their breath, looking over their shoulders so trouble couldn’t get a jump on them.

Killian hated to see such trepidation upsetting the daily life of good, hard-working people who’d given a purpose to his aimless, drifting life once more. As the law in the area, he couldn’t help but feel he had failed them with the threat hanging so low over their heads. He’d upheld the law, stuck to his guns, and refused to let Malcolm bully him - but were his citizenry paying the price if they were afraid to come into town to trade their wares, buy supplies, and gab with their neighbors for a spell on the boardwalk?

These heavy thoughts weighing on his mind, Killian had passed the livery and blacksmith, with only a small startle to rattle his nerves from a loose shutter swinging wide in the breeze and a donkey braying loudly in alarm. He peeked into the mercantile and the dry good store to see those few who were about quietly browsing and selecting their purchases. He was nearly at the head of the street, tipping his hat by way of acknowledgement to Scarlet; a gesture the younger man returned with ease - signaling all was well for the moment. Then, Killian swung wide to head back in the direction he’d come on the other side of the street.

Passing by the swinging door of the saloon, Jones frowned to notice that even the revelry from that sordid establishment was much muted, though he could hear the tinkling of the old piano from inside, occasionally joined by the jovial bellow of some inebriated warbler who thought he could carry a tune. He heard a strident voice calling out drinks from the bar and the rise and fall of a few voices in raucous laughter, but it was nothing like the hullabaloo that generally resounded from the place night and day, and even spilled out onto the street quite frequently.

Still, despite the easy view and general peace that would have made troublemakers stand out plainly, Killian could find nothing amiss - only felt it in his bones. By the time he had passed Dr. Hopper’s small clinic and Miss French’s tiny lending library within the entry of the schoolhouse during the summer months, he was nearing Nolan’s boardinghouse once again with little to show for his diligent patrolling efforts. Not that he wanted a shootout or any such violence to erupt in the middle of town where far too many innocents could be hurt - but at the same time, this stalemate had to break. The tension was crawling under his skin, and waiting for the strike he knew must be coming was slowing driving him crazy.

In an attempt to put from his mind what couldn’t be changed, Killian entered the boardinghouse doors and made his way to Margaret’s bustling restaurant. Her noon meal was a well-known treat, and the place was still well filled, even at well past noon. Thankfully, Jones found his preferred table in the back corner, where he had a good view of the entire dining area and clear into the parlor as well. Even if it meant he rarely found himself able to fully relax, he dreaded letting his guard down - needing to be ready for any eventuality.

A bit of the weight on his shoulders lightened when he saw Margaret Nolan herself, deep black hair piled high on her head as she worked right alongside her cooks and waitresses. A few strands escaped to lay in dark ringlets against her pale alabaster skin, and she moved with a cultured grace which made her appear to fairly float from one table to another as she checked on each of her guests. Busy as she was however, a fresh baked pie balanced in each hand, she beamed when she caught sight of him with a bright smile and warm friendliness he was not sure what he had done to deserve. Before he even seemed to blink, she was bustling over with a piece of fresh strawberry pie on a plate for him. Placing it in front of him, she fussed. “Afternoon, Killian. We’re hopping in here as always, but someone will take your order shortly. You look famished though, and I know strawberry is your favorite, so you go ahead and enjoy this while you wait.”

Nodding in pleased satisfaction when he dutifully picked up his fork, took a bite, and closed his eyes to savor the tart-sweet flavor on his tongue, she looked pleased as punch with his reaction before patting him on the shoulder at his “much obliged” and then hurrying on to her next customer.

He waited a few minutes, taking in the clientele and nodding to those he knew scattered about the large, bustling room. He had a bit of sweet tooth that he tried not to overindulge, so he was quite enjoyed his homemade dessert first until he could be served his lunch. And then he received a gift in gilded lighting, for who but Emma Swan should come to take his order?

“Well,” she drawled, her look rather sardonic as she angled her chin toward his pie, already half-devoured before him, “it would seem you hardly need me to take your order, Sheriff.” Despite her playfully scolding tone, Killian noticed that she held a small pad of paper and pencil in her hand, ready to take down what he needed.

“Mrs. Nolan takes good care of me, I’ll admit to that, Lass,” he dipped his head in agreement, “but I was hoping to have more than pie for my noon meal. It’ll be late before I’m off guard duty at the gates this evening.”

Miss Swan seemed unable to remain completely unmoved, her eyelashes fluttered slightly as she smiled at him with genuine encouragement. “It sounds like you have some long, boring hours before you. You had better get yourself something with substance.”

Killian hummed a mild sort of agreement in his throat before ordering his favorite - fried chicken with green beans and some of Mrs. Nolan’s fragrantly warm and fresh baked bread on the side. It was a good thing he rode, patrolled, and generally got as much exercise as he did in his job - the juicy, tender, fried poultry that Margaret Nolan could make to practically meet in a man’s mouth, would have been showing on him by now in most unflattering ways otherwise.

“Wise choice,” Emma nodded, giving him a wink as if it were some understanding between them rather than the most popular dish in the place - and the day’s posted special.

He couldn’t fight the lopsided grin he returned at her sass, before thanking her and watching her begin to move off toward the kitchens. Happily, he was just pondering how she seemed to be warming to him a bit, at least enough to show a more playful side, when he saw movement off to the edge of his vision. Instantly on alert, his eyes narrowed at the rather large and unfamiliar looking man seated at a table right in Emma’s path back to the kitchen. The stranger clearly had his eye on Miss Swan, and though it was a free country and Swan was a grown woman at liberty to interact with whomsoever she chose, Killian didn’t like the hungry attention being leveled at her just then as the ruffian leaned back in his chair, effectively blocking Emma’s walkway with a sly grin. That look spoke less of choice and more of a predator sizing up his prey.

Killian found himself already rising to his feet, even as the man reached out a hand to catch Emma’s elbow when she attempted to squeeze by him. His jaw clenched at the sound of the obviously inebriated and lecherous taunt which met his ears as the cowboy spoke laconically. “Hey, hey, there, Missy, what’s your hurry? I don’t believe I’ve seen you before, and I sure wouldn’t mind a second look.”

His buddies around the table guffawed and hooted loudly at his sorry excuse for humor, egging him on in his ribald introduction.

Hesitating only a moment to see what Emma’s response might be, making sure not to step in where he wasn’t needed, Killian clenched his jaw tightly to hold back from calling out a warning across the crowded cafe. His hand hovered warily over the gun holstered at his hip, despite knowing that Margaret Nolan would have his head if he was the catalyst for shots flying in her establishment. He was also the sheriff and in charge of protecting the citizenry, particularly innocent young women from the unwanted attentions of troublesome rogues.

For a second, he wanted to laugh aloud at the huff of indignation Emma Swan released at the man’s brash forwardness. He should have known she would be more than capable of making her mind clear on matters without his assistance. A wiser suitor would have seen from the way she looked down her nose at him, clearly annoyed at his halting her progress while working, and more than a bit repulsed by his belittling address and unwanted grasp on her arm, that she was uninterested in his attentions and let the matter drop. Killian could have laughed aloud, when she replied tartly. “My name isn’t Missy. And while you are correct, we haven’t met, I’m working right now, you’re in my way, and I think I’ll survive remaining unacquainted to one so free with his hands.” She shrugged him off firmly with a push to get free, and in doing so, unbalanced the cad’s chair, which clattered over, depositing him on the floor in an undignified heap.

His companions laughed good naturedly, echoing that she’d sure told him and wishing better luck next time, while Emma turned and started back on her way with a deep cleansing breath and squared shoulders. Killian was beginning to relax and gladly thinking that she hadn’t needed his intervention at all - that she’d saved herself quite handily - when the ruffian righted himself and leapt to his feet with an angered roar, knife in his hand pulled from somewhere, and starting after Emma with a shout.

Killian was on his feet in an instant, long-dormant but still present reflexes of a less savory life, where one lived or died by swift reactions and skill with a gun. Before most others in the room registered that the drama was still ongoing, or could have made a move to aid the young woman being threatened, he was across the crowded dining room and wrenching the other man’s arm back as he came up on his unguarded flank. Further uproar rose all around them, as the stranger’s table companions called out in affront, several locals at nearby tables called out in alarm or stood to move closer in trying to help or see what was happening. Miss Swan meanwhile, having heard the first shout, then a scuffle and uproar, had turned to see what was happening, only to glimpse her unwanted admirer whirling to slash at Sheriff Jones, who had hold of him by one arm, with the knife he held in the other.

Adeptly dodging the strike, which came at him wild in the heat of anger rather than any sort of skilled precision, Killian met her wide eyes briefly and gave a curt shake of his head to warn her back, almost as if he could sense without a word passing between them that her fiery temper was returning to her and she was considering diving into the fray herself. While by some miracle those around them seemed to have gathered their best move was to stay back and allow the lawman and his challenger to fight things out, it was still a fraught situation with far too many changing variables for Killian’s liking. Gritting his teeth, he struggled to bring the other man under control - to secure the arm he gripped behind the man’s back and knock the blade from the offender’s grasp. However, though slighter than Jones, his opponent was tall and wiry and flailing wildly - seeming almost frenzied with both anger and now wounded pride as well. When, one of his fellows at the table called out, “Hey Vic, you need a hand?” Killian wanted to dismiss it as a buddy giving a hard time, maybe even an attempt at defusing the situation, but he couldn’t bank on it.

A hurried glance over his shoulder revealed the other members of the unfamiliar group still seated rigidly, tense, and apparently unsure how to proceed, he could only feel a momentary relief that he was not in immediate danger of being swarmed by the whole gang. Unfortunately, even that second’s shift in focus allowed his slippery opponent to get a clear shot and dive in for brutal attack. Swift as a breath, the knife slipped between Killian’s arms, grappling to regain firmer hold, and sliced through shirt and skin both on his left side, under his ribs.

It was enough to steal his breath, the slash and ensuing fiery pain knocking him back on his heels, a frightening pounding agony seeming to radiate in his gut. He’d been hurt, both on the job and in his checkered past, multiples times - and bore the scars to prove it, but that didn’t make the vicious and sudden cut any less staggering. He could tell without looking that the man, through sheer luck or more skill than he’d reckoned, had made a long and deep enough gash to prove serious if he had to keep fighting much longer. He could already feel blood beginning to leak down his side, wetting his shirt with a sticky, unmistakable warmth.

“Jones!” he heard Emma Swan cry out in distress, as he stumbled, but managed to keep his feet. He’d be suffering much worse if his attacker struck again. Chaos seemed to ensue from all sides - people screaming, yelling, shouting out orders, some running away and others pressing forward. His senses nearly reeled, leaving him vaguely dizzy, but Killian managed with some last herculean and desperate burst of strength, to swing a punch that struck his assailant square on the chin and stunned the other man in return. Shoulders fairly slumping in relief, Killian managed to at last pry the knife from loosened fingers and kick it away once it hit the floor. The stranger was still struggling against him, but they both were moving with less force and grace than they had been. He was finally able to wrangle both the man’s hands behind his back and reach for his handcuffs when he heard a frightened shout ring on the air. “Sheriff Jones! Behind you!”

He ducked and veered to the side on instinct, taking his prisoner to the floor with him, and therefore feeling only a glancing blow to his shoulder as he fell. More shifting and shuffling, murmurs and exclamations, and a gruff, “Enough! We’d better clear out of here. Get him, he’s already made too much of a fuss for the boss!”

Though he could feel his prisoner being pried from his grip, Killian was struggling at the moment to keep his eyes open, not quite able to get his feet under himself and rise from the floor, with the way the room seemed to be careening around him. The frighteningly moist press of his own blood through his shirt felt as though it were drenching much of his side, a frightening amount in so short a time if he were blatantly honest.

His hand fumbled weakly to the site of his injury as if trying to hold the blood in and press the two ragged edges of his wound together. When his clumsy fingers met others there, gently reaching out to hold a compress of some sort to his side, his gaze fluttered up in bleary surprise to meet that of Miss Emma Swan’s. Concerned green orbs peered down at him anxiously, and he would swear she brushed his hair up off his clammy brow with her fingertips in anxious concern. He tried to stay with her as she called out for help, then turned back to him, her lips moving as she spoke, but sounds unintelligible and fading away. He had no further reserves to fight with. Letting out an exhale of frustration and pain, Killian surrendered and closed his eyes.

Tagging: @captainswanmoviemarathon @teamhook @revanmeetra87 @jennjenn615 @spartanguard @therooksshiningknight @tiganasummertree @optomisticgirl @searchingwardrobes @kmomof4 @whimsicallyenchantedrose @laschatzi @jrob64 @stahlop @xhookswenchx @elizabeethan @donteattheappleshook @let-it-raines @drowned-dreamer @wefoundloveunderthelight @cosette141 @sotangledupinit @justanother-unluckysoul @jonesfandomfanatic @xsajx @gingerchangeling @kday426 @winterbaby89 @darkcolinodonorgasm @thislassishooked @ilovemesomekillianjones @lfh1226-linda @hollyethecurious @artistic-writer @killian-whump @cocohook38 @the-darkdragonfly

#csmm #cs rio bravo au #cs au mc ff #cs western #the lawman the thief and the outlaw #chapter update #chapter five

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where-theres-smoak-2 · 2 years

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HOTD Episode 1 Review/Analysis (Spoilers)

After the disappointment of the GOT finale I was somewhat hesitant about watching HOTD but the allure of seeing more dragons on screen finally won out and I bit the bullet and just binge watched all three episodes. And I am so glad I did because this show is far from a disappointment, I have enjoyed the plot, the characters are interesting and complex and I love the dragons, in particular I love that each of the dragons we have seen so far all look different and you can clearly tell them apart, one of the critiques I had of the og show was that I found it hard to tell Daenerys’ dragons apart from each other because they all just look similar. But there is no way you could mistake Syrax for Caraxes and all of the dragons so far have looked so beautiful I have squealed in delight during pretty much every one of their scenes. Originally I was just going to talk about all three of the episodes in this one post seeing as I just watched them all together, but it was clear it was going to be too long, apparently I have alot of thoughts, but I will be posting reviews for the other two episodes soon, I’ll come back and edit this post with links to those other two reviews once I’ve written them for anyone who wants to read those too. As a bit of context I have only watched the show and have not read the book Fire and Blood that the show is based on, I own the book I just haven’t gotten around to reading it yet and I’ve decided I am going to at least wait until the end of the season before I do. Obviously there are spoilers so the rest is under the cut.

Opening Scene

I think they did a really good job with the opening scene for this episode. It set up the foundation for the show and explained well what the situation was and where we were in the timeline. The King is getting old and he has no clear heir so to avoid a dispute after his death he holds a vote. Despite being a more direct descendant the council decides the King’s granddaughter, Rhaenys can’t be heir purely because she is a woman, it did not matter whether she would have been a better ruler or not. We are shown, not just here but as the episode continues, that this world really is a patriarchy where many consider a woman’s worth to lie in strategic marriages and in providing heirs and not much else. One thing that I did notice that I thought was a clever touch was during the great council, as the camera pans over the crowd gathered, the focus is primarily on the women that are present showing that whilst this is a patriarchy the show is going to be focusing on and exploring the women in this world, such as our lead Rhaenyra.

I also think Harrenhal looked amazing, I don’t remember if we saw Harrenhal’s great hall in the og series but I can’t deny that I did pause the video so I could take a good look at it, it just looked so grand but eerie, seeing where the dragons had melted parts of the stone and where parts were being held up by scaffolding is that subtle reminder of just how powerful the dragons are, and how dangerous, I also really like the symbolism of the great council happening at Harrenhal which, much like the Targaryens once were, was believed to be undefeatable, until Aegon and his dragon literally melted it leaving it in ruin. I think it plays nicely into that foreshadowing of the only thing that could tear down the house of the dragon was itself. Like Harrenhal, come the end of the Dance, house Targaryen is left in ruins, a shadow of its former power.

I also really loved that transition into the viewer being up in the clouds and then you see Syrax and Rhaenyra soaring in and over King’s Landing. They knew we were all here for the dragons and they didn’t make us wait for it, which I am real happy with. I also think the Dragon Pit looked really cool sitting over King’s Landing, the interesting thing about seeing the dragon pit is that it is a landmark we have seen before in GOT but it was in ruins then. Now we are seeing it in all its glory, which again really highlights that we are at a moment in time when the Targaryens were at the height of their power.

The Childbed is Our Battlefield

A large part of this episode was all about the King’s new heir and his desire for a boy but also on the role woman play in bringing the next generation into the world. Queen Aemma’s story is a tragic one. She has tried over the last ten years to provide the King with an heir and it is clear that she has felt a lot of pressure to give him a healthy son, my heart broke for her when she apologised for failing to give him a son. We also learnt that she had lost five children by this point, one in the cradle, two stillborns and two miscarriages. In the scene where she is talking with Viserys about how this is the last time you could see how tired she was, there was also a sense of foreboding when she said it was the last time and for me that’s when I knew she wasn’t going to make it out of this episode alive.

The scene between Aemma and Rhaenyra was interesting. It was clear that there was alot of love between mother and daughter but that they have very different views on the role a woman can play. Rhaenyra doesn’t see why she can’t go to battle in glory and ride her dragon and explore the world whereas Aemma seems to have accepted that her role is to carry children and that is how she can best serve the realm. I liked how she described the childbed as a woman’s battlefield as it shows just what woman went through during childbirth, in those times childbirth was as dangerous as a battlefield.

One of the most shocking and graphic scenes of this episode was the childbirth scene, I think it was kind of genius of them to intercut the scene of Aemma’s labour with the tourney to really highlight this imagery of the childbed being like a battle. There was also a lot of symbolism in one particular sequence which is where Prince Daemon jousts against Ser Criston Cole. There is alot of ups and downs in this sequence which I think parallel not just Daemon’s journey in this episode but Viserys’, Aemma’s, Rhaenyra’s and the house of Targaryen as a whole. In this scene we see Daemon get hit by Criston’s lance and then grind against the rail, this moment is an uncertain one as we are left wondering what will happen? Will he fall or will he recover? This can be paralleled with Daemon’s uncertainty about whether he will remain heir or whether the Queen will give birth to a son that will replace him. The same can be said for Rhaenyra and her uncertainty about whether her mother will deliver a son that will overshadow her in her father’s affection but also her concern over her mother’s safety during the childbirth. It represents the uncertainty for the Queen as well, will she finally give the King a son and the realm a clear heir? Will she safely make it through her battle in the childbed? It can also represent Viserys uncertainty on whether he will finally have a son, something he has longed for.

The scene right before showed Viserys faced with a decision, whether to put his wife through a horrific death in the hope of saving the child. I think the moment we see Daemon fall from his horse symbolises Viserys making that decision and the moment when Aemma’s fate was sealed. We now know that she will not be able to recover and she will die. But we also see Daemon continue his battle when he calls for a contest of arms and I think this not only shows that even though her fate is sealed Aemma’s battle isn’t over yet but also the fighting chance the child still has. It represents that little glimmer of hope Viserys still has that although he will lose his wife he may still have a son and heir. At the start of the contest of arms it looks like Daemon is struggling and losing the battle, these moments are intercut with Aemma and we see her struggle and how she is losing her life in a violent, painful and bloody way.

Then comes the moment when Daemon overpowers Criston and raises his arms in celebration as the crowd cheers which is intercut with the moment that Baelon is pulled from his mother and begins to cry. Obviously I think this represents Viserys triumph at finally having a son, for a moment it seems as if Aemma’s sacrifce is worthwhile and that the realm will know stability under a clear heir. But the moment is short lived. Daemon has let his guard down and is then blindsided when Criston attacks and knocks him down while Daemon’s back is turned leaving him no choice but to yield. I can see this representing a few things. The obvious being how Viserys risks everything for a son and in the end he loses his wife and his son who only lives a few hours. It could also represent how Daemon thought after the death of his nephew he would be heir again only to be replaced by Rhaenyra. In regards to Rhaenyra (and there is a spoiler for episode three here so beware if you are reading this after only watching ep 1) I think this could also foreshadow her journey over the three episodes in that she loses her mother and brother but is finally seen by her father and is named heir. But then she is blindsided when her father decides to marry her closest friend Alicent and they have a son together which leaves Rhaenyra feeling like her position is threatened.

I think the most disturbing thing about the birthing scene though is the lack of autonomy Queen Aemma has. The decision to do the c-section is made by the men in the room who want to save the son. You could maybe understand why the decision was made as they were both going to die anyway and at least a c-section would give the child a chance but I can’t forgive the fact that Aemma, the woman, wasn’t included in the discussion or given a choice at all. They didn’t even explain to her what was going to happen, they took control over her body and she was held down against her will despite her expressing her fear. It was a truly disturbing and horrific scene and you could feel how much pain she was in. It was truly heartbreaking.

Rhaenyra My Queen!

I am trying my best not to compare characters from this show to characters from GOT but I can’t deny that I was getting some Arya Stark vibes from Rhaenyra in that she just wants to explore the world and wants to be a warrior who will ride into battle, also the way she keeps showing up late. The scene where she comes in late to the tourney while her father is announcing the Queen’s labour has began reminded me alot of when Arya shows up late when the King is arriving in the pilot of GOT. But even though I do see those similarities I think Rhaenyra is an amazing character in her own right and I have instantly fallen in love with her.

She goes through quite the journey in this episode. It is quickly established that she has alot of love for her mother but that she also has concern for her about her pregnancy. As mentioned above her mother has lost 5 children and its likely Rhaenyra witnessed these losses and knows how it has effected her mother and father. Yet she seems hopeful as well and we hear how she went to choose a dragon’s egg for her new sibling’s cradle and that she specifically chose one that reminded her of Vhagar, the oldest and biggest dragon living at that time. I think she feels overlooked by her father and like she is not enough for him because she is not a son, yet despite this it seems like she genuinely hopes for a brother for her father’s and mother’s sake. A brother would make her father happy but also would mean that there would be less pressure on her mother to go through another pregnancy.

I also very much get the impression that Rhaenyra feels somewhat trapped in King’s Landing. She finds an outlet by going dragon riding despite protests from her parents and her guard, who do not seem keen on her riding but I don’t think that is enough. In the scene with Alicent under the Weirwood tree she talks about how she wants to explore the world and I think this is what creates the close bond she appears to have with her uncle. I think she feels very out of place in her world, everyone expects her to be the typical lady and get married and have children and leave the fighting and politics to the men, but she doesn’t conform to the ideals of her society and neither does her uncle. I think they are very similar, they both feel overlooked by Viserys and want to prove their worth. Neither of them really follow the rules and roles expected of them by the court. The first scene we see of them together in the throne room on the surface it could seem like they are being unpleasant with each other but it is clear that they have this banter between them and it actually comes across as very playful. He also brings her a gift, one that has meaning as it is a part of her ancestry but it is also something that links her to him, as he says now they both have a piece of their ancestry. I won’t lie I did sense, umm lets call it vibes, from these two. Any other show I’d have gone that’s crazy he’s her uncle, but this is a GOT spin off so I wouldn’t be that surprised if their relationship were to turn romantic at some point, the Targaryens are known for marrying each other to keep bloodlines pure and all that.

One scene that really did make me feel for Rhaenyra was the funeral for her mother where she is talking with her uncle and wondering whether her father knew happiness whilst her brother had lived and how she will never be enough for her father because she will never be a son. You could also see how much grief and pain she felt when she had to give the command to Syrax to burn the pyres of her mother and brother. That must have been a heavy burden for her to carry but it was clear that Viserys couldn’t do it.

Rhaenyra does get some recognition from her father come the end of the episode when he decides to name her heir and tells her the prophecy about the long night. He recognises that he wasted the years wanting a son and that he overlooked her. I think this might have been the first time Rhaenyra felt seen by her father. I did enjoy that scene at the end where we see Rhaenyra all decked out in her finest like the Queen she is as all the lords knelt and swore fealty to her as the heir. This was likely the first time a woman was ever named heir and the first time the lords of the realm had knelt and sworn fealty to a woman. I am very excited to see where Rhaenyra’s character goes from here.

The Heir For A Day.

Ok next I want to talk about Daemon. Not gonna lie I think Daemon’s character is deliciously complex. He might even be tied with Rhaenyra as my favourite character. He’s very messy and I don’t think he’s bad or good he’s kind of both which is what makes his character so interesting to me. He is clearly a very bold person, the first time we see him he is sitting on the Iron Throne which could be seen as treasonous. I also feel like he enjoys shocking people. Like alot of the things he does this episode seem to be just to get a reaction out of someone, mostly Otto. For example him choosing Otto’s son as his opponent was clearly just to wind up Otto, as was him asking Alicent for her favour after. I mean the guy is a dick but at the same time I can’t help but like him and those scenes where he is just being a petty drama queen are highly entertaining to me.

He definitely has some dark moments in the episode like with the city watch. That scene is very ambiguous to me because on one hand if the people he rounded up were criminals that you could make the argument that Daemon was just in his actions against them, as brutal as they were. I can also understand the reasoning behind this being a one off show of force to let the criminals of King’s Landing know that lawlessness would no longer be tolerated in the city. From what was said at the council meetings it does seem like Viserys was kind of turning a blind eye to the rising crime in the city and it had gone unchecked for a while. It is possible that Daemon was being sincere when he said he was trying to make the city safe for everyone. However it was very brutal and it did seem like Daemon enjoyed the chaos of it all and it isn’t made clear that they were definitely criminals, it could just be that Daemon wanted to make that show of force and so just rounded up some random people and falsely charged them with crimes. One thing I will say about Daemon is that he does seem to be a get sh*t done no matter the cost kind of guy. Like he might cross some lines but he will get the job done. Also I did find it kind of funny, and again bold, that he showed up to the small council meeting still in his armour and with blood and a smirk on his face.

There was another ambiguous moment in this episode and it was a big one as it is what lead to Viserys replacing Daemon with Rhaenyra as heir. The whole ‘Heir for a day’ debacle. We don’t know whether Daemon did say this or not as it cuts away from the scene and instead we see Otto telling Viserys that’s what Daemon said. I could see three different scenarios here. It could be that it’s exactly as Otto said, that Daemon really did call Baelon the ‘heir for a day’ and that he was glad that his nephew had died and that he got to remain as heir and that he rented out the pleasure house so that he could celebrate his own rise. However I personally don’t think this is very likely. During the funeral scene you could see that Daemon was genuinely grieving the loss of his sister in law and nephew. He felt bad for his family and he felt their pain along with them. He might be a dick who likes to wind people up but he does love his family so I think it would be highly unlikely that he would be so disrespectful by throwing a party to celebrate his nephew’s demise. Also during the scene at the pleasure house we see Daemon looking very melancholy and withdrawn from those around him. It is also worth noting that I do think those around him were celebrating the fact that Daemon was still heir as it is in their best interests that he remain Heir. The gold cloaks owe their station and reputation to Daemon and they are fiercely loyal to him, the more powerful he is the better it is for them. It’s the same with Mysaria, it is more of an advantage for her and her position is more secure if Daemon remains Heir. However Daemon himself did not seem to be celebrating, he wasn’t partaking in the activities, he was sitting quietly by himself. So another scenario could be that he said it but not in the context that Otto is saying he did. Not in celebration but in sorrow, when he says ‘to the king’s son’ he does sound sincere and there is a look of sadness on his face, its possible that he said it in recognition that for one day Baelon had brought joy to the king and the realm and to recognise how painful it is that his life was so short. The third scenario could be that Daemon never said it at all and Otto made the whole thing up. The question to ask here is why would Otto make it up and if he did then why didn’t Daemon deny having said it when Viserys asked? Well as far as Otto goes I do think he has been manipulating the King for some time. It does seem like Otto speaks for the King, an example being when he tells Corlys that his concern has been heard and will be taken under advisement. It very much seems that Otto is the one in control during the small council meetings. This gives Otto alot of power, power which he does not want to lose. Whilst it seems he can manipulate and control the King it is obvious that he cannot do the same with Daemon. I think he feels threatened by Daemon and wants to get rid of him. Replacing him as an heir would be to Otto’s advantage. I think the reason why Otto wants Rhaenyra to be the heir is because he mistakenly believes that because she is young and female she will be easy to manipulate. He is able to manipulate his daughter into visiting the King’s chambers and it seems like he has been manipulating her a long time. It’s possible he believed that as Alicent and Rhaenyra are friends he could use that friendship to manipulate Rhaenyra and keep her under his control too. However Daemon would be a problem here too due to the strong bond between him and Rhaenyra. I think Otto wanted to separate Daemon from both the King and Rhaenyra. During the scene when Otto tells the small council that Daemon called Baelon the heir for a day we can see how much this hurts Rhaenyra. So I do think Otto had a motive to lie about it and he chose something that he knew would turn both of them against Daemon.

So the next question is if he didn’t say it why didn’t Daemon deny it? Well I think the answer to this is because he was angry that the King would even think he would say it. I think he can see what Otto is doing and is angry that his brother is so easily manipulated by Otto, in his opinion it just reinforces to him that Viserys is weak. I also think some of that anger comes from jealousy, he is upset that his brother seems to favour Otto over him. He clearly feels overlooked by his brother and like his brother is always trying to send him away when all Daemon wants is to be at his brother’s side and for his brother to see his worth. In my opinion Daemon seems to be a ‘cut off his nose to spite his own face’ kind of guy. Even though denying it might make things better Daemon doesn’t because he doesn’t want to have to deny it, he wants his brother to know he’s not capable of saying such a thing in the first place. Daemon is petty and spiteful so I think he has that attitude of well if you are going to think I am capable of saying it then I’m not going to correct you. Another thing that I think is worth noting that might be a clue as to whether he did say it or not is that whilst he doesn’t verbally deny it right before he says ‘we all have to mourn in our own way’ he slightly shakes his head. I personally saw this as an instinctive non verbal denial, I mean Viserys says ‘did you say it’ and Daemon’s immediate, and what seemed to be involuntary, reaction was to shake his head no. I could be looking too deeply into this but to me that makes me think that he never said it at all.

I do think Daemon was surprised when Viserys told him he was naming a new heir. Up until this point Viserys, like with alot of things, seemed to just look the other way whenever Daemon did anything wrong, he always defended him to the others at court and so Daemon got used to this and just assumed that Viserys would look the other way this time too, this could also have played into why he doesn’t deny saying it, maybe if he knew how severe the consequences would be he would have tried explaining himself but he just didn’t think he would face any consequences. But I also think Daemon was really hurt by Viserys replacing him and ordering him back to the Vale. Honestly I did feel kind of bad for Daemon in this moment as he had just expressed to his brother how he felt like he was always sending him away and then in response Viserys replaces him and then sends him away again. I do think it was interesting foreshadowing that right when Viserys sends Daemon away we see him cut his hand on the throne, that definitely doesn’t seem like a good omen.

Little Nods and Foreshadowings

I did notice some little nods and some foreshadowing to the og series which I thought was entertaining so here are some of the things I noticed.

1) When Rhaenyra and Alicent were under the Weirwood tree they are talking about Nymeria, this was who Arya named her direwolf after and it could also be a nod to how Arya herself travels to explore new lands like Nymeria did. Also as I mentioned above I got a lot of Arya vibes from Rhaenyra so it was fun to hear her talking about the person Arya’s wolf was named for.

2) The Baratheon knight asks Rhaenys for the favour of the Queen that never was and Otto tells the King he could have his tongue for that. Viserys replies that tongues would not change the succession. I found this very ironic considering it is a baratheon that eventually replaces a targaryen and changes the succession. What is even more ironic is that we then see the Baratheon defeated in the joust which could be a nod to how they too are dethrone.

3) When Viserys is talking to Rhaenyra about the prophecy of the song of ice and fire, he mentions the terrible winter gusting out of the distant north and then we cut to Rickon Stark swearing fealty to Rhaenyra. It reminded me of how Arya Stark was the one to kill the Night King but also of how Starks and Targaryens stood together to face the long night.

Overall Thoughts

Overall I think this was a strong pilot. It set everything up well and left me wanting to watch more. I think all the characters are well fleshed out, complex and interesting. The dragons look amazing and I’m excited to see what will happen next. I will be posting my review for eps 2 and 3 soon and then from here on out I’ll post a review after each episode.

#hotd #house of the dragon #rhaenyra targaryen #daemon targaryen

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