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raayllum · 10 days

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I’m sorry how is arc 2 not about aaravos? Everything about the show leads back to aaravos. The whole lore of the show is centered around aaravos. And it is absolutely titled the mystery of aaravos because it does plan on dealing with the mystery of aaravos in every possible way, and that has infact been confirmed by the showrunners on multiple instances. Aaravos is just as, if not more of a main character than rayllum in the ways that count because everything going on revolves around him.

And since he’s an EXTREMELY important character, how is it not justified for fans of him to want more screen time of him?

I’m sorry but not everything about the show revolves around rayllum and you shouldn’t call people out just for wanting to see more of their favorite character.

God forbid something about aaravos is actually about aaravos and not rayllum for once 💀💀

Actually I can and do call people out for wanting to see more of their favourite character when it causes them to be entitled / unfair to the broader story they want to tell. If you haven't been doing those things, then that post wasn't about you, but given the way you put your best foot forward here, I might go out on a limb and guess this might be behaviour you display sometimes, and it may be worth reconsidering.

As a bit of background:

My favourite character in a TV show was once a side character who was in 1/4 seasons, and one episode in the final season, and then he never showed up again. which was Okay, because he was a Side Character and it would've been pretty silly for the show to bend over backwards to include him more. Granted, there were opportunities (him and another character were travelling together, then she showed up at a Plot Relevant location without him and it was never addressed) but the show wasn't bad or wrong for not including more. I wasn't owed more screen time just because he was my favourite character, and while any character can Technically be Levelled Up for more screen time and plot relevance, sometimes characters are just there to serve more minor specific purposes, and that's Okay. It's all about adjusting your own expectations and not being an asshole.

Furthermore, given that I posted my personal opinion on my personal blog and only used my personal tags for it, you had two options for finding this post:

It got sent to you, presumably meaning you had someone else to be salty with in a private manner that would've been far more appropriate

You follow(ed) me, in which case you are more than encouraged to unfollow or block me if I have a post/opinion you find annoying or uncouth. Please do so rather than doing whatever This Is in my inbox in the future, it'll likely save you not only time but also embarrassment

The fact you thought going into the inbox of a Virtual Stranger and getting upset about me not thinking your favourite character is the Most Important Character in TDP Ever — because he isn't — in one (1) post is truly baffling to me in terms of 1) curating your internet experience and 2) interacting appropriately with strangers directly online. I've seen a lot of shit opinions in my day, and I vent in private to my fandom friends about it 99.9% of the time, thank you very much, or post about it in my personal tags on my own blog rather than making it someone else's problem.

In the nature of analysis / debate, though, let me clear what I meant considering 4+ people got their trousers in a twist about the idea that Aaravos isn't a main character.

That said, a few quick disclaimers: Aaravos is a very interesting character to me, and I like him a lot. I've written a fair bit about him in regards to how he's a thematic opposite to Harrow, his view of children, what I think happened to his chest piece, speculation on his banishment, his parallels to Finnegrin, his mythic connections to aspects of the Fae + Egyptian and Greek mythology, his foil relationship to Rayla, his characterization and motifs/symbols. So it's not as though I don't enjoy him or don't think he's important to the story. He is, he's just not a main character nor the most important. Moving on:

Secondly: it seems maybe my meaning of macguffin is getting misconstrued. A story Macguffin is a plot device that drives the story forward. Sometimes it's a character (R2D2 in star wars has to be transported from one dangerous location to safety because he has blue print plans), sometimes it's an object (the one ring, fetch quests, etc). Either way, the story is centralized around 1) characters competing for ownership or safe guarding of said person/thing and 2) through that competition or competing needs, the characterization of the main cast is revealed.

In Arc 1, Zym is the plot Macguffin. He overall has very little personality even once hatched beyond being sweet, occasionally helpful, and scared. He is the titular character, and his existence matters, but mostly because he serves as a motivational point for the characters. Claudia, Soren, and Viren want to stop Zym from getting back to Xadia; Rayla, Callum, and Ezran, want to help him get back.

Zym himself does not drive episodes forward. He rarely makes decisions that impact the main group. His existence or fears cause them to make decisions (they go looking for help because they dropped his egg; Rayla and Callum have to go after Nyx because she stole him) but he is not likewise making decisions for the group. S4 definitely levelled Zym up into him making 1) more independent decisions and 2) having more of his own interior feelings, particularly about his father, but Callum is the one who decides to send him up into the trees; Ezran is the one calling the meeting for Zym to come to Katolis. A couple of exceptions (he has a mini arc about his mom for 2 eps, he has an arc in s2 with Ezran) do not suddenly make Zym a "I'm making decisions that heavily push the plot forward every episode" kind of character.

You'll also note, if you actually read said post you're referencing, that I specified "'the mystery of aaravos' (esp these past two seasons)" and that I never mentioned lore, either, even if I have likewise written about lore extensively (one of my more recent metas on it was about 4.8k words on lore alone, for example).

Aaravos' plot impact was a lot heavier in S2 and particularly S3 than it is in S4 or S5, as he influenced Viren's decisions more heavily and eventually came into more direct conflict with the core protagonists. This is likewise reflected in Aaravos in S2 and S3 being in multiple episodes (half the season in s2, and almost every episode at least a little in s3).

Meanwhile in Arc 2, Aaravos could effectively, unknown to his pawns drop dead after giving Claudia her final instructions pre-S4, and nothing would be affected plot wise, because Arc 2 thus far has mostly been characters fearing his impending release (the main cast) or dealing with the fallout of his actions from S3 (the Sunfire elf plot line). The only thing we'd lose on that level from a "Claudia believes Aaravos is alive and is trying to free him, but he's not actually" is Callum and Rayla's possession plot line, ironically enough given your apparent dislike of them, until the very very end of 5x09 in which he tries to goad Viren into killing SS.

I'm excited for and expecting that to change in S6 and S7, but that doesn't change what S4 and S5 currently are, either. Same thing for Amaya and Janai more so being main characters, Janai in particular, in S4 and S5, but they were not main characters in the first three seasons. That doesn't mean they're not good, meaningful, and important characters for the story, but I'd be a very poor meta writer / have very poor media literacy if I tried to claim that Janai is a main character in arc 1 over say, Callum.

For another example: everything in Avatar: The Last Airbender revolves around Team Avatar wanting to stop Ozai, but Ozai is not a main character in the show. He's there to be a minor character, an endgame big bad, and to affect his children / embody the conflict the characters are up against. The fact that TDP has so many antagonists that are also Main Characters throughout the whole show (Viren, Claudia) is actually pretty rare in media, particularly for children.

The Legend of Zelda games usually revolve around Link wanting to save or free Zelda, and while certain games flesh her out and make her more developed into a main character, the central character of the narrative is Link, because he's the character we follow the most.

Additionally, the Importance of a character in a narrative has no bearing on whether they're your favourite, or even necessarily whether they're a 'good' / 'well written' character. Rayla, for example, is my personal #1 favourite character in TDP. She is a main character; she is not The main character. That's not an insult to Rayla; she's there to be a foil, one hell of a narrative lancer, and our main elven character. But I can't (nor do I want to) magically change her role in the story to claim that it's something it isn't.

The central main character of TDP is Callum. It always has been, it always will be.

He is the character who shows up in every single episode, he's our central mage character in a show all about magic, he has the most developed relationships out of everyone, he is the POV character we follow the most. That doesn't mean he's your favourite, that doesn't mean he has to be your preference, you don't even have to like him. But he is The Main Character. The majority of the story revolves around him and the people in his life. No amount of liking another character more is going to change that, whether you're clamouring for Rayla, Aaravos, Sol Regem or anyone else.

While there are shows where I think the side lining of characters feels off (Gus and Willow in The Owl House come to mind) that's mostly because 1) that sort of side lining usually happens to characters of colour, as it did there and 2) there's no real reason for the story to sideline them considering everyone lives in close proximity and there's a s1 emphasis that the main character has never had friends before and that she desperately wants some. Therefore, she should be thrilled to have best friends for the first time, but we barely see them. See the disconnect?

Aaravos is a minor character and big bad who is well utilized in the overall minimal screentime he has, especially thus far in S4 and S5. That doesn't mean he's not important to the story, and that doesn't mean he can't or shouldn't be your favourite, but your assertion doesn't miraculously make him our main core protagonist of the entire show, because 1) he's not our central pov character and 2) that's about the only requirement a main protagonist has to have, and 3) that's just not how stories work.

I also have no clue why you brought up Rayllum as a ship, given that I didn't mention them in my OG post at all, but given that you seem to think "this character isn't a main character" is a moral or value statement, I'll assume you said it to ruffle my feathers — that doesn't really work, given that I agree with you that not everything in the show is about Callum or Rayla individually or as a relationship, because it Isn't. Even if I hated them as characters or as a dynamic, however, that wouldn't change the fact that they're two of the core 3 characters (alongside Ezran) and that their relationship has the most screentime out of anyone in the show.

And if the show decided to tone down their screen time to give other characters more time, I'd be okay with that — because I don't need my Personal Favourite to be the most important character in the source material / screen time ever in order to feel secure in liking them, thanks.

#fandom nonsense #aaravos-brainrot #thanks for asking #or not

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boundinparchment · 5 months

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Dream a Little Dream of Me - LIV

Celestia had a cruel sense of humor. He knew this, even before his days as a student. But to be given a soulmate? Now, when he openly blasphemed against the cursed island in the sky? He would outlive you and the dreadful fated bond that haunted your shared dreams. There was little point in this. He could at least put a Vision to good use. People were nothing but disappointments. He had no use for you. Until you pulled the bow across your instrument and awoke a part of him long buried by self-hatred and arrogance. Soulmate AU; Il Dottore/Female reader w/ established personality and backstory. Slow burn. Lore and world speculation and interpretation within; follows canon story where possible. Fic is rated explicit; MDNI. Mind the tags. Chapter on AO3 here.

A blast of heat greeted you as you stepped into the House of the Hearth. Early twilight cast shades of pink and orange against warm wooden paneling, echoes of laughter dancing down the halls. You could already smell dinner wafting from the far reaches of the large house. If you closed your eyes, you could just make out the out-of-tune violin being practiced upstairs.

Arlecchino’s passing comment at the bank was followed up with a proper invitation. One you knew better than to avoid or turn down. Zandik didn’t entirely seem pleased but even he knew you were more bound by social conventions. If you were to stay, you might as well attempt to make other bonds.

You knew little about this particular division of the Fatui other than Zandik’s remark about espionage and that loyalty was an interesting facet of cognitive development for children.

A housekeeper took your cloak and lead you to Arlecchino’s office at the back of the house. Wide windows dressed in heavy drapes provided a view to gardens long-since buried in snow and trampled through by both wildlife and children. The furniture looked only slightly out of place and bore the uniquely detailed style typical of Fontainian woodworkers and upholsterers. The table between the couches held a tea set that was, although plain, clearly made from one of the best guild-families; it was accompanied by a large stand of desserts, colorful, fresh, and familiar.

Around you, floor to ceiling bookshelves held various tomes, the age of some betraying the woman standing behind her desk. Another oddity you were beginning to recognize among the top-ranked Fatui leaders.

“Perfect timing, maestra, although I’d expect as such from someone of your skill,” Arlecchino said, her smile softly carving her face. “Make yourself at home.”

You settled into the sofa nearest you, the fire in the hearth on your left spilling its warmth onto your feet. The Harbinger handed off a letter to the housekeeper before she took a seat across from you, legs crossed as her hands reached for the teapot and poured.

“Before I recount the important details of Fontaine’s changes, there is one that I feel you, and many others, were owed a long time ago.”

She picked up a cup and saucer and held it out to you, black fingers curling so her nails wouldn’t scratch you. You took it, the smell of lavender teasing your senses, and watched as Arlecchino pulled something from inside her jacket and placed it on the table.

Metal glinted in the firelight and your blood iced over. You turned your head to look the Harbinger square in the face, eyes narrowed.

“I thought your compositions sounded familiar but your piano playing made it difficult to place. Once my children confirmed you had taken to another instrument, it didn't take much more than an ad placed for a cellist in the national orchestra. The Steambird does love its gossip and a renowned cellist leaving the tour in Sumeru after a devastating scene of destruction is quite...attention-grabbing."

Arlecchino took a sip of her tea before she spoke again.

“Not that it truly matters, although the Doctor was always a bit touched with paranoia. You are owed accolades in your own right and if the Doctor is keen on keeping your visage to himself, then so be it.”

“Then why is that signet ring on the table?” you asked, your tea untouched in your lap.

The last you saw of that accursed thing, he was playing with it as you signed your non-disclosure forms and waivers. How many bruises had that thing wrought? How many scars?

A trembling ache sat in your rib cage. Deep down, a part of you hoped you get to slice your claymore through him, bit by bit. Make him regret hurting you, hurting everyone. It was never a conscious thought but when you practiced, sometimes the training mech wore his face in your mind, and you worked yourself to exhaustion.

Zandik never asked. With many things, he didn’t need to. Spite recognized spite and of all people, he knew how to use it to fuel one’s goals.

“When I arrived, I caught wind that he had a new contract with a violinist. Talented young man. Your patron recently took to darker circles, was far more open about his…activities to others. When one gets away with something for too long, they get careless. I'll spare you the rest but the poor boy did not die a dignified death. Even at the end of a spear, your patron whined and blamed others, thinking it would save him.”

Between your fingers, the handle of the porcelain cup snapped and hot liquid spilled across the fabric you wore. Unsteadily, you placed the cup and saucer on the table and reached for a cloth napkin, dabbing your outfit.

You’d wanted to kill him.

Ever since you finally developed the proper strength and had the means, you’d silently hoped that one day, you’d take up the chance. Hurt him for all that he robbed you and others of, for all the pain and lasting marks, for taking your own passion and throttling you with it…

Gone, just like that.

The flood of rage, hot and boiling, faded as relief washed over you, certainty taking hold. He would never harm a single person again. No one would die again.

But maybe if you hadn’t left, that violinist would be alive. Others after you would have been spared. You could have endured it. Wouldn’t that have been better? At least no one else would have...

Vision blurry and shoulders shaking, you were unaware that Arlecchino had moved to sit beside you, her steady hands taking the napkin from you and dabbing the fabric in your place.

“What good is justice when the guilty all walk free?” she whispered soothingly.

You couldn’t cry, not here, not properly. Even if Arlecchino knew who you were, where you came from, you liked the privacy and anonymity your mask gave you. That something kept you from the rest of the world while Zandik got all of you.

You managed a shuddering breath as you focused on the warmth of the fire, Arlecchino’s voice, and the way your boots moved when you flexed your ankles. The Harbinger, satisfied you at least weren’t melting, rose and folded the fabric in her hands gently.

“He was not the first of his kind, nor the last. Many of the children I’ve come across suffered similar or worse. At the very least, he will no longer hurt another.”

Which was all you could have asked for, in the end.

Arlecchino whisked away the broken cup and wet saucer back to the tray, used the napkin to wipe up the remnants on the polished wood, and placed a new one in front of you without hesitation. Practiced motions that only came with experience.

“I—"

“I hated this set anyway,” the Harbinger said as smoothed her pants and sat down. “One cup won’t be missed.”

You nodded but didn’t bring yourself to take the cup just yet. Hands still shaking slightly, you didn’t quite trust yourself not to break this one, too.

“Fontaine loves to pretend they have everything in order and Monsieur Neuvillette tries, certainly. Lady Furina tried but lacked the confidence in her skills and abilities. Plenty of people, including the perpetrator behind the serial disappearances, got away with the harm they caused due to those blindspots. Systems fail, maestra. No one intends for them to, but they do.”

“They failed those victims for a decade,” you said. “They failed every single person who trusted the ones who put a roof over their head.”

The venom in your words was intentional but it was burning you from the inside out; you couldn’t keep it in forever.

You recalled a case where a boy killed his parents when he discovered they were selling the children they took in when they got too old. More and more young women went missing, never to be seen again. Performers, the best of the best, suddenly without the partner they rose to fame with; shared looks across a crowded room said everything one needed to know about what transpired.

“It is why people like us must step in,” Arlecchino sat back and took a sip of her tea. “Play the roles no one else can or wants to.”

“Because Celestia won’t?”

You recalled the long trip from Sumeru, during which Zandik recounted the structure of the world, the true nature of the Heavenly Principles, and the Descenders who tried to dismantle them. Celestia and the Principles were meant to be guides and when those guides failed, when people were desperate and shaken with a fear of something greater than the divine…

That, too, was a system that failed every single time. A usurper who thought they understood the culture of the people they ruled over, out of touch.

The Knave gave an enigmatic smile over the rim of her cup before she took another long sip.

“It brings me great joy to see Columbina find another who shares her passion for creation. I am not sure how you convinced that madman to allow you to accompany him, but I’m glad for it.”

Although you could not bring yourself to remove your mask, the warmth of being seen kept you cozy until you arrived back at the Palace and in the sanctuary of your rooms.

“Where are you taking me?”

All you received in response was a chuckle of amusement as the forearm beneath your hand tensed for a brief second.

From the moment you’d awoken, Zandik had a lightness to his step that only came with a major breakthrough in his research. In the privacy of your rooms, he had been liberal with his affection that morning, flashing a wolfish grin when he pulled you back under the covers. He had a surprise, he said, but it had to wait until after dinner.

You still bore the reminder at the base of your neck, hidden beneath a high collared blouse.

His excitement took the edge off the knowledge that the ball was tomorrow night. Only that afternoon’s rehearsal stood between you and the moment of truth.

As soon as you’d cleared your plate, Zandik tugged at his cravat and covered your eyes with it, careful not to tie it too tight. He slid your veil back on, muttering something about ensuring no one else saw the color in your cheeks, and guided your hand into the crook of his elbow.

You’d lost track after the first few turns and a stairwell down which Zandik carried you himself. Judging by the muted sounds from his boots, you had to be in one of the wings of the Palace, but only on the first floor, same as the throne room and your music room. Most of those corridors had soft runners and there had only been a single flight of stairs. But with the continued turns, you had no idea where, precisely, you could be on the main floor.

The air grew a little humid when Zandik’s steps slowed and the carpet gave way to hard stone again. He said something you recognized as an order just from his tone and receding footsteps. Carefully, you were lead down three steps before a set of doors (mostly glass, you guessed, from the way the material clattered slightly) closed behind you.

You turned your head as you were guided further into the space, footsteps echoing. Around you, the air was heavy but crisp, filled with scents both familiar and exotic. The freshness of a Rainbow Rose lingered amongst an airiness you only smelled once in Mondstadt.

“You can look now; we shouldn’t be disturbed. Now where did…”

Zandik gently touched your hand and pulled away, leaving you standing by yourself for a moment as he walked elsewhere. You lifted your veil and pulled it back before you slid your fingers into the knotted cravat. The fabric slipped down your neck. Tugging your cowl back to free your hair, you looked around the room illuminated only by the moon and the distant aurorae.

A greenhouse.

All glass, you could see the freshly fallen snow and the ice crystals that bloomed over the windows. Beds of flowers you recognized from home were intermixed with Glaze Lilies, their flowers yet to open for the evening, and Cecilias moving to a breeze of their own.

Perhaps a solarium was a better word for the space than a greenhouse, you realized. It was clearly well-manicured and maintained, meant to be seen.

From behind, you heard the telltale whisper of a spin-crystal gramophone and the click of the needle sliding into place. A crackle, and then familiar notes trickled through the air as Zandik returned to you. Your response to the music was almost instant, your ears conditioned over the last few weeks to know the initial note by heart, and you looked at him, confused.

“Columbina helped with the recording device. You’ll be too busy conducting tomorrow night. I thought you should enjoy your hard work properly,” he said.

He removed his mask and gloves before he held his hand out, palm up; your skin met his with the ease at which the sun rose every morning. His touch was warm, his fingers calloused from experiences both chemical and physical, as he led you in the steady one-two-three rhythm of the waltz.

It felt like you were there, in the concert hall, except instead of waving a baton you were observing. Artists often stepped back from their canvases to make sure everything was within perspective and scale. Without the additional depth to the sound only found in person, you could focus the larger parts and the flow of the music.

“The passion of the musicians is palpable, even in a recording,” you said. “Waltzes aren’t complicated; it’s only six basic steps, but having such dedicated colleagues certainly helped…when they were focused.”

Zandik chuckled softly as you flowed through the room. Your other hand, the one not clasped in his, rested on his shoulder blade and you felt his muscles move and flex. The touch at your waist sent a jolt through you when he pulled you closer.

“Are you aware of the litmus test, such as it is, for a perfect waltz?” he asked, blue eyebrow arching inquisitively.

“If there is one, I certainly never learned it. They trained us on the practical knowledge of playing the music, not dancing to it.”

“A shame. It used to be said that a couple dancing a waltz should be so delicate, smooth, and most importantly, swift that the flame of a candle in the lead dancer’s hand should retain its flame the entire time.”

“That’s only as good as the dance partner, though,” you shot back. “Seems more of a party trick.”

Zandik murmured.

You were uniquely aware of your torso pressed against his, the way his fingers wrapped around your hand, how hard and warm he was beneath your other hand. He followed your lead with an exact precision you only ever experienced with a fellow musician.

The time signature was not up for debate and he did not seek to fight it, fight you.

As the solarium spun around you, all you could think of was Zandik’s lips, red eyes beneath blue lashes watching from between your legs, bodies united in a way that, once upon a time, you would have considered shameful. But who was there to judge you now, save the full moon and the man before you?

Your hand left his shoulder long enough to find the expose strap of his harness across his chest and tug him to you as you angled your head to capture his lips. Cautious once, twice, before you became searing hunger and your tongue met his with a fervor that bordered on starved. You interlaced your fingers with Zandik’s, still firmly gripping his harness with your other hand; you were no longer dancing, and instead swayed to the music as it swelled, Columbina’s vocals overtaken by woodwinds.

Zandik’s hand on your waist dipped lower, grabbing your behind and pressing you firmly against him. He loosened his grip on your hand to cradle the back of your head, seemingly determined to coax your very soul from your lips. That creeping ache took root again as Zandik met your desire at every turn, a pit of fire growing in your chest and working down to curl in your lower belly.

Terrifying and freeing all at once.

You broke the kiss, parting only far enough for Zandik to press his cheek against yours. The last of the notes faded out and you could only hear your breathing over the low static of the gramophone. You swallowed audibly as the hand in your hair trailed down to your cheek, Zandik’s bare thumb brushing your swollen lips.

A match, lit after so many failed strikes, burned within you when you met his gaze again; its flame licked at unwavering patience and dedicated curiosity, determined to retain its light.

“I believe there is merit in understanding the movements of the body just as much as the structure of the music itself,” he whispered. “When you’re ready, we can put that hypothesis to the test.”

#dottore #il dottore #il dottore x reader #dottore x reader #dottore/female reader #il dottore/female reader #dottore x female reader #il dottore x female reader #genshin impact reader insert #soulmate au #merry christmas here's my last update of the year

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tokiro07 · 6 months

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Undead Unluck ch.188 thoughts

[That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Fencing Prodigy]

(Contents: Apocalypse speculation, lore, thematic analysis - nature vs. nurture)

Huh, so Master Rule VIIII really was Language. Looks like I owe Nico an apology, I wasn't really familiar with your game. This just goes to show how much of a beast Nico was in the last loop, I guess, if he was able to take down a Master Rule 1v1!

Also, evidently, there's been a little update to the terminology - the ten Rules of the Master Room are being referred to here as Superior Rules, which I think is meant to differentiate them from the more generic "Master Rules" term that encompasses all 100 on the tablet. Might send a tweet to David Evelyn for clarification later, hopefully he can help

The big thing for this chapter, aside from the confirmation that Juiz and Victor really did get trans'd at some point down the line, is that we got some insight into Apocalypse of all characters! The first time we met him, he bit off Andy's hands for grabbing him, and yet he just kind of grumbles when Juiz flips through his pages. He even lets her cuddle him! How cute!

Could he have been rougher with Andy because he knew he was Undead and could take it? Is he sweeter on Juiz specifically? Or was he mad at Victor for forgetting Juiz and finding someone else? Or all of the above?

Either way, it definitely seems likely that Fuuko's assessment of him is right and that he doesn't want to see Juiz getting hurt anymore. Perhaps it was the mere exposure effect, and he got attached after seeing so much of her, or perhaps she said something that touched him in an earlier loop. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I hope we get to learn more about Apocalypse through Juiz's arc!

Of course, the thing that's the most interesting about this chapter to me personally is the lore drop! Any new info we can get on the mechanics of the loops is greatly appreciated!

I've always wondered about what happened to Juiz and Victor's families since they've been looping and therefore wouldn't need to be born again, but I never considered the possibility that parenthood was a rule that didn't exist at some point. Were there even people other than Juiz and Victor in the initial world? Were Juiz and Victor Adam and Eve?

It makes sense, then, that if Juiz didn't have parents originally that her soul would need to reincarnate somewhere, so going to a couple that never had children seems like a very elegant solution. On the reverse, this also suggests that Fuuko's parents are still a couple in this world, but never had her at all. That's kind of sad to think about, isn't it? That even with her parents alive again, it's not like they can become a family like before. Maybe she can use Remember, but the ethical implications of going up to a couple and forcing them to realize that they lost an entire lifetime with their daugther AND to remember their horrible explosive death? I'm sure it'd be handwaved away for the sake of narrative catharsis, but putting it in real terms like that is pretty upsetting

Then there's the implications of reincarnation as a concept, but fortunately they're a lot more hopeful than they appear. As Apocalypse says, Julia's name and appearance are dictated by her parents, so for all intents and purposes, Julia is a distinct person from Juiz. However, Julia was never technically supposed to exist at all, this is effectively just a new body for Juiz's soul to inhabit, so as evidenced by her retaining the same non-verbal tics and a talent for fencing, this is most likely the same Juiz in terms of personality!

While her nature is undoubtedly the same, we can't rule out the effects of her new nurturing. What kind of parents did she have? What sort of environment was she raised in? What friends did she make? UU has always taken a pretty hard stance that people are defined by their relationships, so there's almost no way that Julia will behave 1:1 with Juiz, even if the most important aspects of her are retained. How different Juiz and Julia are will likely be an extremely important detail to consider when weighing the options of whether or not to use Remember once all of the Union has been assembled, but we'll likely have to wait a while on that one

Finally, I'm very interested in what Juiz meant when she said there was a way for someone to understand her relationship with Victor without him cheating on her. Obviously I get that Fuuko is the person who understands her, and I know it happened because Juiz used Remember to reset Victor's memories, but is the implication that Juiz was always planning to do that? Or did she have something else in mind that we'll understand better later?

This conversation does paint Juiz and Fuuko's discussion about the Rio mission a lot differently, though. Juiz told Fuuko to fall in love with Andy so she could draw out as much of Unluck's power as possible, but now it seems like her motive was to raise Fuuko to be her successor from the beginning, knowing that Fuuko would be the one who would help the new her reenter the fight without letting Victor keep her out. I really do wonder how many steps ahead Juiz was looking or how many contingencies she was accounting for, again I really hope we get some exposition on that

Tangentially, I'd also like to point to the panel of Fuuko saying she fell in love with the same man as Juiz: look at Gina's smile! She knows she fell in love with him in the previous loop, and now she's absolutely in love with Fuuko too! She knows exactly what it's like to be on one side of a love triangle, and she is sympathizing hard. UU's gonna end up having the best polycule since 100 Girlfriends, just you watch!!!

Until next time, let's enjoy life

#undead unluck #fouryearsandananime #4y1a reviews

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liberifatalis · 8 months

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i understand all the older og fans who are annoyed that a lot has been revealed about sephiroth's past. i really do. a mysterious villain, if done well, is super effective, and in the og the hints at a somewhat normal but slightly traumatic past is what made sephiroth very compelling.

and yes, ever crisis may very well be fanservice. but who fucking cares.

but a lot of the claims from angry fans that sephiroth's backstory is unrealistic or it ruins his character is so unfounded imo :/

a traumatic past does not take away from a compelling, mysterious villain. a backstory that lays out the situations that influenced a villain to become 'the bad guy' does not make him less of a villain, nor does it ruin his character. many mainline final fantasy games have shown the backstory of their villains — kuja got one, kefka got one, so why not sephiroth? why not expand on things that we already technically know from existing canon lore?

i don't think this is an attempt to make sephiroth a stereotypical, trope-y 'tragic villain'. i don't think it's an attempt to distract us from the atrocities he's committed. i think it's more to see the human in the monster, and to symbolise just how pervasive and destructive shinra is.

if you've watched the boys, you will see many similarities (and of course differences) between sephiroth and homelander, and shinra and vaught. both sephiroth and homelander were pawns of shinra/vaught from the beginning, literally created to be weapons and objects for their organisations. both are manufactured, sort of humans. both were lied to about their origins, both were 'lab rat kids', both had childhoods devoid of what all childhoods should be. manufactured monsters. they are both results of their environment.

and yet, they both are irredeemable in the end, regardless of the fact they were forced on a path they had no say in. AND fans of the boys weren't fucking foaming at the mouth because homelander got a backstory. none of us thought it ruined his character. we all still see him as a man too far gone. why are ff7 fans like this.

i'm not too sure if square will change things up in rebirth and the final game, maybeeee they'll give sephiroth a redemption arc, i'm not sure, but fans are speculating. i don't think they will. but either way, based on the current canon timeline, he isn't redeemable. he's turned into a monster, and he now has the complete opposite of a normal life which is what he wanted as a child.

i also feel like he encapsulates the sort of madness and entitled viewpoint that only a human being, and male villain could possess. and this isn't to take away from his character and it isn't a diss. it isn't a diss at men either. but i think it's extremely realistic. if we think of current society, how men are socialised, they are socialised to believe they have an inherent uniqueness, something special — an inflated ego. and tbh, i think if we look deeper, i think in a lot of western, individualistic societies, this also transfers to everyone, not just men. sephiroth admitted he always thought he was special ("i knew, ever since i was a child, i was not like the others. i knew mine was a special existence. but this… this was not what i meant") and different from the rest. i think this dialogue, while heartbreaking, really does show an insight into his inflated ego. and i personally believe that his ego, his entitlement, was borne of utter loneliness and isolation. what else could give him comfort, other than believing in this idea that he was of a special existence?

while sephiroth turned into a monster, i feel like he is so incredibly reflective of the human condition (or, at least, a facet of the human condition), which to me, is what makes him such a compelling yet tragic character/villain.

who and what else, but a human being, a man, to think the world owes them something, to think they are entitled to justice in the form of suffering and destruction? to think that everyone is deserving of pain all because he was objected to it? to think they can take and take and take some more? to act in a rage so strong that it is no longer blind, but calculating, intentional, thoughtful and nearly prophetic?

who and what else on this earth could be so utterly consumed by emotion to the point of complete destruction? THAT is a facet of humanity, or maybe it's a facet of a lack of it; of the human condition. sephiroth, the monster, the manufactured monster, the one who was of a special existence, the one who is not like the rest...ends up acting in a way that only a human being would be able to. the irony. he doesn't even see it!

#sephiroth #don't mind me #i'm going on a tangent #sephiroth is so pathetically (and i do not mean this in a pitiful or negative way) human he doesn't even see it #ever crisis #rambles #also i don't think this is entirely reflective of the human condition #i actually have quite a positive view of it lol #but this is a facet of it #and this is more so philosophical #character study #kinda

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pink-strawberry-kissess · 5 months

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So I know we will probably never get the real answer on how she survived the fall but I was reading a forum that in UC, Ada mentions that Wesker revived her. I believe that she was infused with one of the two main viruses and became like Wesker without the godlike powers. And that's kind of why she works for him despite her outward dislike for him because she is indebted to him. What do you think of that?

i don't hate this theory but yeah it seems like we won't ever get a real answer on how she survived re2, (since we still never got an explanation in re4r) which i guess is kinda whatever

i will want a reason why or at least some sort of explanation but i guess the entire point of it being shrouded in mystery is so we can speculate but i just feel like that's how we get a bunch of mischaracterization and weird lore that gets spread cause someone said it happened because they saw a thing one time

there's theories about wesker giving her the hook shot which i think is a fairly common theory, but i kinda hate it because it gets rid of ada's perseverance to survive

the idea of ada (in re2r) surviving because she had a way out the entire time makes her fall seem less traumatic (not to say she needs it) but it just feels like a weird out that doesn't give her any growth. the idea of her falling (maybe into water) or possibly drowning a bit and then coming back and escaping later on - is just more narratively interesting than just SHE HAD A GRAPPLE GUN THE WHOLE TIME

further more, she's never seen with it (in re2r prior to the bridge scene) so it makes even less sense that she has it while wearing that tiny dress lol

she does seem to work with wesker for a mutually beneficial reason- something along the vein of her owing him something or some sort of obligation but it's never explained. re4r shows a bit more of a history between her and wesker which i found extremely interesting.

he knows her and that's FASCINATING. it also adds the whole idea of her being this spy/mercenary that seems to be this elusive thing- but at the same time, you see how DISAPPOINTED he is with her and her (potential) continual disobedience.

i think about wesker and simmons a lot and

im tired

yah

YEAH

#ada wong #ask heart #heart answers #anon #albert wesker #wesker #re4r #re2r

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sovpologist · 2 years

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Sjur Eido Masterpost

Sjur Eido is a fan-favorite character on Tumblr, but if you’ve only just joined the Destiny fandom you may still be confused about who she is. While she has enough lore on Ishtar Collective to have her own dedicated category, she doesn’t have any kind of written bio or timeline, so I thought I would do what I did for Jolyon and write her a little bio and timeline. The timeline and circumstances of her death are pretty confusing and vague, so if anyone has any corrections or suggestions I would gladly take them!

**I recommend reading the sources in full, Seth Dickinson is a great writer and he characterizes Mara, Sjur, and Uldren very well. Also, if you like his writing (and morally gray mean lesbians) I highly recommend picking up his fantasy novel, The Traitor Baru Cormorant (The book deals very heavily with the horrors of colonialism so check out the list of trigger warnings before reading). And if you like his scifi read his new novel Exordia. Okay, shameless plug out of the way, let’s get to Sjur Eido.

Who is Sjur Eido?

Sjur Eido was a powerful Awoken warrior. While at first she opposed Mara Sov, Sjur became Mara’s bodyguard, close friend, and lover. Sjur followed Mara from the Distributary to the Reef and fought on behalf of the Awoken for many years. She was interested in Eliksni and their culture and eventually became close to Mithrax. When the Awoken made contact with Guardians, she befriended Shaxx as well, being an equal to him in terms of strength. Sjur was described as being “plain and fierce,” and was a strong, dedicated, and funny individual. At some point after the Reef Wars, Sjur was mysteriously killed. Before her death, Sjur had a prophetic dream of her own death and resurrection, which she dreamt would occur after Mara destroyed a pyramid ship.

Timeline:

Nothing is known about pre-Awoken Sjur, although some speculate that the “big, brutal” woman Uldwyn fights in a wrestling match on the Yang Liwei might have been Sjur (Brephos II).

In the Distributary, Sjur was originally one of Queen Alis Li’s Paladins (Imponent III) before becoming an Eccaleist, a member of a group that believed the Awoken owed a cosmic debt to the universe and would one day be called to pay their debt. Sjur began following the Diasrym, a prominent Eccaleist leader who claimed Alis Li committed deicide by not creating the Awoken to be gods, instead making them mortals who could suffer and die. This claim led to conflict among the Awoken and their first war, called the Theodicy War. One theory is that Sjur was the Paladin of the Queen who defected and caused the first death in the Distributary with a matter laser (Credit to @siyurikspakvariisis for this theory) (Fideicide II). Eventually, the Theodicy War ended and Queen Alis Li abdicated. The Diasrym went to speak with Mara, and disappeared shortly afterward (Fideicide III). Sjur went to the Gensym Scribes, a powerful group of scholars, to accuse Mara of murdering the Diasyrm. The Scribes, hoping this would prevent another war, gave Sjur information to hunt Mara (Imponent I).

Sjur went to Queen Nguya Pin’s court, searching for Mara. She figured out which member of the court was Mara in disguise, following her to her laboratory and watching her work. Sjur found herself unable to kill Mara but unable to let her perceived crimes go unanswered. She challenged Sjur to a “duel to the agony,” demanding to fight a beloved champion to the death. Mara chose Uldren as her champion, who set the rules of their duel. He decided they would fight three rounds: blade, rifle, and fifth-generation air superiority fighters. Sjur accepted the terms (Imponent II).

Side note: Imponent II further adds to the “Sjur was the Distributary’s first murderer” theory, as Sjur is described as having a “matter laser” as a weapon when she goes to kill Mara; a weapon that only the Queen’s paladins are supposed to have, that Alis Li feared someone stole when they defected and used in the Theodicy War to commit the first murder.

Here is where it also becomes important to note that the Marasenna is written by Mara. It very much reads in places like a juicy tell-all autobiography and it is entirely possible Mara is hiding the truth/twisting events/outright lying, either for her own ends or because Sjur asked her to. The Witch Queen Collector’s Edition lorebook suggests that Sjur’s backstory in particular may be a lie. Shaxx talks to Mara about how he, as a close friend of Sjur’s, finds it unbelievable that she served the Diasrym since to his knowledge, Sjur never cared about gods or “lost divinity.” He also finds it unbelievable that Sjur would fail to kill Mara simply because she was struck by her beauty. Mara is “delighted” by his disbelief. This doesn’t confirm anything definitively, but my personal interpretation is that Mara changed details of her and Sjur’s first meeting either to protect Sjur’s reputation or her privacy, and was happy that someone else knew Sjur well enough to catch that it was a lie. Again thanks to @siyurikspakvariisis for pointing this out! (WQ CE Book Transcript by @meatjester, pg 21)

Sjur and Uldren met for their first duel, and Sjur was surprised at how calm Mara seems. She asked Mara if she was afraid at all, and Mara put Sjur’s hand on her chest so Sjur could feel how slowly her heart was beating. Sjur asked if Mara doesn’t care about Uldren and if it would mean nothing to her if Uldren died, and Mara said that Sjur asks the “right questions of the wrong sibling.” Uldren and Sjur fought with blades, and the duel ended in a draw when Sjur tackled Uldren out of the combat zone (Imponent III).

Next, Sjur and Uldren entered the jungle to fight with rifles and stalked each other for six weeks. Uldren was the better hunter, but Sjur was the better soldier, and she caught Uldren and shot him. The wound wasn't lethal, but Sjur won the second duel. The final duel saw them fighting with fighter ships, rigged to explode if either of them left the combat area. Sjur chose a nimble fighter with heat seeking missiles and Uldren chose a Dart, an ancient model with terrible weapons. During the fight, Uldren exploited his ship’s loadout, which was equipped seventy years ago with a nuclear engagement program, which simulation-kills Sjur and everyone in the vicinity. Uldren won the last duel, which leaves them in a tie overall. Since they tied, Sjur put her fate into Mara’s hands. Mara chose to have Sjur serve her; not as a prisoner, but as an equal (Imponent IV).

Sjur became Mara’s “smiling public face” and helped her overtly ascend to power, with the help of Uldren as Mara’s physical enforcement and spymaster. Mara used her influence to expand the Awoken’s scientific knowledge and launch satellites. Sjur accompanied Mara on her trip back from a satellite launch, “indulgently” pretending to let Mara help her up the ship’s ramp. She originally tried to sit across from Mara, but Mara asked her to sit next to her instead, seeking her companionship and comfort (Imponent V).

The satellites helped Mara “discover” what she secretly already knew; that the Distributary is a pocket dimension in a much larger universe. Mara shared this knowledge with the other Awoken and urged them to join her in leaving the Distributary to join the fight between the Light and Darkness (Katabasis). Sjur joined her, and Mara and her followers left the Distributary, settling in the Reef. Sjur was excited to explore and rebuild, which gave Mara hope. Sjur and Mara also discovered that Sjur can telepathically hear what Mara is thinking, which Mara used very responsibly to send her nudes (?) (Palingenesis III). The discovery of Earth, the Eliksni, and the Traveler led to a schism among Mara’s people; a small group wanted to leave the Reef immediately to travel to Earth, despite the danger that the Eliksni posed. Sjur prophesied that some of the Awoken would leave and that she would die in the ensuing battle with the Eliksni (Revanche III).

The Awoken who wanted to leave started a riot, stealing a ship to fly to Earth. Mara decided to cut her losses and used her new telepathic abilities to tell the rest of the Awoken that want to leave that now is their only chance to go (Revanche IV). Mara was saddened and frustrated at the departure of some of her people, and Sjur comforted her by pointing out how many lives they’ll save on Earth. Mara was crowned Queen, and later that very day the Awoken were attacked by the Eliksni. Sjur, Mara, and Uldren fought together on the front lines, rallying the other Awoken to combat. Sjur detonated a charge on a spider tank, knowing she would die in the process. Mara was able to use her powers to save Sjur. Sjur said that was where she was supposed to die, and marveled at seeing Mara’s smiling face in her mind (Revanche V).

Mara questioned how to keep the rest of her people together after the schism between the Reefborn and Earthborn Awoken. She decided they need a city and culture to unite them, but Uldren warned her that they will make themselves a target by gathering in one location. Mara sent him on a mission to find a way to gather undiscovered in one place, leading to Uldren’s discovery of the Ahamkara. Mara used the Ahamkara to build a hidden city for the Awoken. Her force of will was so strong that to her, there is no difference between what she desires and what is, which helped her more easily control the Ahamkara. Sjur observed this and asked Mara if she should worship her as a god. Mara fell to her knees, saying, “Sjur, on the day you worship me, you cannot love me anymore, for to worship is to yield all power, and I cannot love what has no power over me.” Sjur noticed that the Ahamkara on Mara’s neck reacted to her desire for Sjur, which led her to believe that Mara still has human desires and fears. Sjur told Mara that she is not a god to her yet, and the two continued their relationship (Telic II).

Mara started to have prophetic dreams about a coming danger, and began planning. She used the Oracle Engine, which first showed her Sjur, “who would recede and later return,” along with Uldren, Mara’s own face, and Mara’s mother. Mara decided that in order to defeat the coming danger, she needed to completely understand herself and her family. Mara went to Sjur, who was “making a list of incredibly stupid and fatal tasks to post on a Guardian bounty board.” Mara told Sjur she wanted to tell her the truth, and to ask her a question. At first Sjur asked silly questions until she realized Mara was being serious, and the two went on a spacewalk for privacy (Tyrannocide II).

Sjur asked Mara what was going on, noting that Mara has been more mysterious and reclusive lately. Mara talked in circles about cellular automata games until Sjur called her out for deflecting. Mara admitted to Sjur that she has a big secret she wants to tell Sjur, but is afraid that Sjur will hate her for it. Sjur reminded her that she also did an awful thing in her past (this thing isn’t named, but again I point to the theory that Sjur was the first murderer in the Distributary). Mara says that was nothing compared to what she did, and Sjur assured her that she could never go back to hating her. Mara then confessed to Sjur that Mara was actually the first Awoken, and that she tricked Alis Li into thinking she was first. Sjur said, “You're the lone power who made death. You allowed the possibility of evil. You might be responsible for more preventable suffering than anything that has ever existed.” Mara was frozen with fear until Sjur said that there was nothing else Mara could have done if she eventually wanted to go back to help Earth. Sjur and Mara shared a telepathic kiss through their helmets. Sjur asked Mara what’s really going on, since she knew Mara wouldn’t share a secret unless it was a way of keeping a deeper secret. Mara deflected again and they started talking about more mundane topics (Tyrannocide III).

At some point after this discussion, Sjur recounted a prophetic dream to Mara in which Sjur saw Mara standing on a great black triangle, tearing it apart with her bare hands. Sjur knew that in this dream, she was dead or “trapped, like in a maze” but that she was “close to figuring her way out.” She also saw another woman with Mara on the triangle, along with Uldren, who said “tropaea,” which is Latin for trophy/victory. The woman she saw is theorized to be Eris Morn, who is extremely close with Mara and studied the Darkness with her during the Red War (Sleepless).

During the Reef Wars, Sjur observed the Eliksni until she understood some of their customs and language. She captured Mithrax, who was hostile at first, but became interested in her when she performed a gesture of peace and spoke some of their language. The two became friends, and later when Mithrax adopts a baby he names it Eido, after Sjur’s surname (Misraaks, Truth). Sjur also met Shaxx during this time when he trespassed on Awoken territory and she killed him with her bow. Shaxx called her a “tempest” and said that this was the “start of a beautiful friendship” (The Recluse).

During the Great Ahamkara Hunt, where the Awoken assisted the Guardians in wiping out the Ahamkara, Sjur killed her two "pet" Ahamkara Huginn and Muginn (Lethophobia). Their skulls can be interacted with underneath in the Dreaming City in Rheasilvia.

At some point during the Reef Wars, Sjur was mysteriously killed, a strange coin left on her body and her bow stolen. Mara was unable to properly grieve since the situation in the Reef was so dire (Oathkeeper). Instead of investigating herself, Mara asked Orin to look into Sjur’s death, giving her the strange coin she found on Sjur’s body. Mara told Orin that she’s “not sure it was a murder.” Orin’s search for Sjur’s killers led her to the Nine, and she disappeared and later returned as the Emissary (Debt).

On the day of Sjur’s funeral, a grieving Mara used the Wish Wall to summon Shaxx to the Dreaming City to recite The Tempest to her, a nod to Shaxx’s nickname for Sjur (Mark of the Great Hunt).

Later, after Mara created the Confluence in the Dreaming City with Riven, she carved a statue in memory of Sjur, as is Awoken custom for deceased loved ones (Throne, Pilgrimage). This statue is where the Guardian receives the Wish-Ender bow after completing the associated Exotic quest. After the Guardian takes the bow, there is an optional line that can play where Sjur says, “Respite, at last. I will seek a way home,” further foreshadowing her return (Wish-Ender Transcript). The most widely accepted theory is that Sjur was somehow accidentally killed or imprisoned by the Nine, and that by taking the bow, the Guardian set her free to search for her freedom. Most theorize that she will return when Mara destroys a pyramid ship as she described in her vision.

During Lightfall, Mara and Mithrax discussed his choice to name his daughter after Sjur Eido. Mithrax said that Sjur gave him dignity, and Eido has given him purpose. Mara thought of Sjur and smiled (Tech Witch Shell).

During Season of the Wish, Mara walked atop the City walls for the Awoken holiday the Night of Ascents, "a journey through the dark on the anniversary of the Awoken exodus from the Distributary." She thought back to the first Night of Ascent and how happy she was with Sjur beside her and how alone she is now (Hiera Hodos).

(Updated 1/30/24).

#sjur eido #mara sov #marasjur #destiny 2 #long post #masterpost #finally decided to update this bc it was driving me crazy that i spelled seth's name wrong and also switched between past and present tense #crazy that in the 2 years since i last updated this post sjur has only had TWO new pieces of lore despite multiple 'mara focused' seasons #(they werent really mara focused but shhh we don't talk abt that)#unless ishtar collective just sucks and wasn't displaying all the lore related to her in which case i retract my complaints

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atlasisreal · 1 year

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utterly fascinated by the Tumblr Tokyo mew mew fandom. I've been here for years and pre-New, we had hikayagami, a handful of nostalgic magical girl diehards, and that one artist whose specialty was Deep Blue and the aliens (shout-out to that artist sorry I never really engaged with your content but I would see it in the tag and it made me happy). Thanks to TMMN we're swimming in content again and I'm getting to see who all is in the fandom these days. Here's a brief field guide to everyone I seem to have seen.

TMM Groupies- Have followed every TMM change for the past 21 years. Have read A La Mode and Au Lait, and probably followed the release of New very closely. A beacon of light and updates to all. These are the diehards and we owe them all a big Thank You for being so active. Probably half the reason New even exists.

2002 Truthers- This is a large subgroup, but it encompasses a variety of subtypes. Kishigos and Paitatsus are the largest of these groups. 2002 Truthers pull from the 2002 series for much of their lore and characterization, hybridizing the two series. I love this stuff. The original TMM was very near and dear to me, and I'm glad we haven't forgotten it.

Here for the Girls- Some of y'all are very gay. That's okay, me too, I'm also a big fruit. But wow. The ZakuMint thirst. The IchiMint hunger. The bisexuality of it all.

New Truther- Fans that see New as an append and update to the old series. With the characterization a little more solid, the pacing much more fluid, and the updated animation style, many view New as the FMA: Brotherhood of the TMM franchise. I fit into this camp just a bit. New Truthers are more likely to enjoy Masaya/Ichigo, since he's a little better written in the new series.

New Recruits- I haven't seen many but I know you're out there. Fresh eyes on the series coming straight out of HiDive. These fans offer the freshest and (IMHO) most interesting takes on the show, as they haven't had "My Sweet Heart" stuck in their head since age 11 which has allowed them to retain nearly twice the brain cells of the average TMM fan. (Source: me. I have the brainrot.)

HikaYagami- HikaYagami

The Keymasters- These are the fans that get it. The ones keeping us alive. These are the fans that draw crossovers. The ones that write long speculative fic. The OC creators. The lifeblood. Few remain in the TMM fandom but the ones that do are like ancient sentinels.

Tag yourself, I'm a New Truther and Here for the Girls.

#Tokyo mew mew new

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mappingthesky · 1 month

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pls don’t stop yapping, i am fully living for the lesbian discourse 🥲 🚩 on the topic of 🍌 being asked about them though, while i totally agree that people should not make her uncomfortable and keep probing, i just wanted to share this video if folks haven’t seen it. It’s making the rounds on tt and the bird app now, but i was there when this happened - one of the local drag queens hosting 🍌 kept bringing up 🍌 ✈️ being on her algorithm suspiciously frequently and then asked her at the end of the night if she and ✈️ were scissoring. 🍌 completely froze for a couple minutes almost dissociating, to the point the other queen had to joke about it to clear the air. Then 🍌 said something along the lines of you may know the truth in a couple episodes, you may know in a month (this happened early April) or you may know in a couple of years. On that note, I do hope people keep it lighthearted and don’t make her uncomfortable about it going forward. Needless to say I nearly passed out witnessing this and *her* live, but wanted to add to the lore! 🍌 ✈️ (https://x.com/citrusgoode/status/1782014209380716908?s=46&t=-Wap27QJ2E0PQo9cRGlkag)

i have seen this and its exactly the type of thing i think jane could be referencing w her tweet. the way she actually like. freezes up for a second…. :/ ouch it hurts to see. nymph is silly goofy funny girl but she’s also a real person, and a pretty private one at that!!! words are hard, and having words on something so personal and to such a large audience is surely very overwhelming for her. it’s obvious that she doesn’t want to go into detail for one reason or another. although we love to speculate & show our support, everyone needs to remember that she/ pj don’t owe us any sort of explanation on whatever is going on in their personal lives, even if they do tease us w cute content. what they share is what they feel comfortable showing to us, period. no need to press them for anything more (especially because the content we get is so. so. special.) <3

#thank you for this!!!#ask #pn rambling

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redlyriumidol · 3 months

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"my people had a saying long ago. the healer has the bloodiest hands."

I'm SURE someone has talked about this solas quote in connection with sylaise, who is associated with healing in dalish lore. what was girlypop up to?? what did she do?? I need to know. This codex entry found in the temple of mythal:

Sylaise, whose heat rivals Elgar'nan's light. Sylaise, whose temples rival Mythal's cities. Sylaise, whose breath rivals Andruil's spear. Sylaise, whose skill rivals June's craft. Sylaise, whose fire cannot be quenched.

It's interesting because this suggests a rivalry between sylaise and the other gods. she's arguably portrayed as the softest or most benevolent in dalish lore. perhaps she felt inadequate compared to the rest of the evanuris and sought to distinguish herself among them.

My somewhat out there theory here is that "breath" being compared to a weapon and the references to "heat and fire", combined with the idea of healing perhaps suggest a plague or a disease (heat being a fever.) perhaps she created some sort of "bioweapon" and withheld healing until people payed attention to her and showed her the devotion she felt she was owed. "the song of sylaise" reads as very egotistical and insecure if we take it to be a reflection of sylaise's personality/objectives as a ruler. Her path, the Vir Atish'an, means "the way of peace". a bioweapon would be a form of warfare perhaps seen as "peaceful" compared to outright violence favoured by the other gods.

Through the lens of the sphere can be seen a world of indigo waterfalls and rust-red jungles

this is part of the description of the sonallium (gifted to june by sylaise) in a codex entry found in the vir dirthara. perhaps a massive reach but this place doesn't sound like anywhere we know yet in thedas (perhaps seheron) and so maaaaybe it was an illness found somewhere exotic that the elves had no native defences against?? This is pure baseless speculation, the quote might not have anything to do with her lol. I just desperately need to know more about Sylaise.

#dragon age theories #dragon age lore #sylaise #the evanuris #evanuris #i need evanuris info now!!!!#dragon age #da meta #dragon age talks

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nitewrighter · 11 months

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Thoughts on the first episode of the new OW cinematics? I personally felt like it did a good job worldbuilding with the "interview" format, and wasn't afraid to only have minimal combat, and more Liao is always great. Of course, the short length is still a shame...

Oh man sorry I got this RIGHT after I posted my initial thoughts--to be honest this is the only ask I've gotten about it, which surprises me! Like obviously people don't blow up my inbox with every lore drop like they used to, but people seemed pretty hyped about Genesis, and I've seen more stuff for Yeehan Week on twitter than the animation drop.

But anyway, to expand more, yes, I really do love the sort of 'documentary format' that also takes this semi-omniscient angle where you actually do see both the narrative, but you also see people's traumas and experiences both during the omnic crisis and with the initial creation of Aurora. And honestly it weirdly warms you to Echo's character more and more seeing just how much of an impact Liao had and just how big a deal she was. Also seeing Aurora before everything went to shit. And like I mentioned previously, it is fascinating how omnics really significantly improved general quality of life prior to the omnic crisis. I think it's also just an "It's too early to really say anything" situation--I mean, it isn't, I think it's cool to see how much Omnics figured into the infrastructure of Overwatch's world, but that's because I've written entirely too much fic speculating on it--but I guess people are waiting to see more recognizable characters like Jack, Gabe, and Ana, and maybe a better look at Reinhardt.

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squadrah · 1 year

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Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you! I love your interpretation of Melone 😩👌 when I first read your stuff I was all 'sickly/lots of problems Mel? Sounds a little out there since he comes off as a health-conscious person to me....' But like. At the same time it just makes so much sense somehow??? Him unable to have gluten is so cute and when you mentioned him being weak + bullied as a kid I could totally see it. He may come off as strong enough and capable in canon, but he just doesn't seem as aggressive as the others. I suppose the lack of lots of aggression makes him seem a bit weaker to some? I don't know, sorry for rambling haha

P.S. I also love this lots of problems Mel cause I got some health issues too + Mel my fav squad man

Aww gosh, I'm so glad you enjoyed my Melone interpretations! My start with him was rocky, and I owe a lot to Melone fans (in particular the friends I made on Twitter) for helping me broaden my horizons, so I want to thank them again for everything! The Baby Face Laptop lore on this blog is as fun and rich as it is because of them.

You have actually made me very curious now, because the headcanon that Melone has a lot of issues seemed pretty popular on Twitter, and I never really saw anyone who portrayed him as health-conscious or fairly healthy and strong, so it would be cool to see what that looks like! <3 I personally put my interpretation down to things like his Stand's design removing him from the need to fight, the way one eye is covered by his eye-band, etc. You raise a valid point about aggression being seen as a sign of weakness sometimes, especially when Ghiaccio and Prosciutto are both aggressive AND objectively the two strongest Stands on Vento Aureo (I did the meta math), but hopefully I was not guided by it for Melone because I definitely don't agree with this idea on principle. I guess there's just something about his general vibe that is rife for health speculation, especially if fans relate to him and have health issues themselves, because among the JoJo fans I knew on Twitter, it was common to see these headcanons for Melone while the other La Squadra members had little to nothing thrown their way. Maybe I just didn't get to talk to enough people, but I seemed alone with say, Pesci and Turner Syndrome, or the conditions I portray Prosciutto with on account of The Grateful Dead. Addiction headcanons are way more common for Prosciutto than health-related ones for sure.

I'm rambling too now, haha, but yeah, it's an interesting subject! :D

#melone #squadrah headcanons #i'm just so happy to see people enjoying my stuff #and knowing how far i've come in my headcanons too #melone deserves the same love and complexity as any other squadra member

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solihira · 2 years

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Pause and think about for awhile now will ya?

One thing that has always stuck to me while in this fandom is that you can never please anyone.

It never fails to baffle me just how can a person put this so much investment in a mere form of entertainment.

How? How can you make paragraphs upon paragraphs of saying how much you hate the ending as if the CCs owe you a good ending- no, an ending that you prefer. How can you ramble so much that the ending is bad as if they personally consulted you on what they should and should not write for their stories?

I realized, after reading statements speaking of dissappointment and statements of 'they shouldve done this and not that', is that these content creators ended their narrative in their terms. Im glad they have done so.

Dream never predicted that he'd end up playing the big bad villain; sure Tommy joined to make it more entertaining, and Wilbur went in and added a little bit of writing to put direction to it... but did you think that all of them predicted how much this direction would change and escalate?

First and foremost, that server has been created for fun, a mere place to hang out with friends, and it succeeded in being one for the longest of time.

Then the lore, the script, the motivation to make a somewhat coherent narrative began. Then the character analyses, the theories, the speculation came through.

That was a good thing at first, it was fun reading the notes, the headcanons, and other creative interpretations that everyone had written, but at some point it stopped being a fun thing and started being a frustrating and confusing jumble of just plain demand and too high expectations.

The server was made for the CCs to try to have fun with their work, to maybe venture new things for their future ideas may it be related to the Dream SMP or not. Not some elaborate story line like high grade movie script for oscars.

You lot wouldn't have anything to have complain about if Dream and his friends didn't make the decision to make an SMP in the first place. The only reason we got to enjoy what they have done so far, is because they decided to share it to all of us.

#mcyt #dsmp dream #tommyinnit #dsmp lore #dsmp ending #dreamwastaken

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boundinparchment · 1 year

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Dream a Little Dream of Me - XXII

Celestia has a cruel sense of humor. He’s always known this, ever since his days as a student. But a soulmate? Really? Dottore/Female Reader Soulmate AU. Lore speculation, interpretations, etc. AO3 Chapter is Here.

Or at least, you thought nothing was out of place. After all, you told yourself, what would a little radish know of distorted memories and what it meant to have and to know a fated bond? The connection between you was intangible, woven by more than just pure coincidence and experimentation. A child wouldn’t know anything about that.

The rationalization worked well enough at first.

This room used to look different, that much you remembered. Where your instruments were now, in the middle of the room, used to be home to the chairs and table beneath the window. It used to function as a sitting room. But even then, the space was…not quite right. You just couldn’t put your finger on it.

Until you went to grab a bound copy of a previous composition from one of the bookshelves and your eyes caught a little figurine, tucked away. It looked…wrong. You didn’t remember it being so worn, its paint so faded that it looked as if it spent too much time in the sun.

One inconsistency was like a single player out of tune in an entire orchestra; once you heard it, you couldn’t help but notice it even more.

Whenever you caught sight of the icy landscape outside, you could only marvel at how still it seemed. Usually, there would have been a storm stirring up the powdery snow, blurring everything in its path in a haze of white. But instead, you had a clear view of the mountains and trees and the wildlife that dared to live so close to the Palace, no howling wind tearing through the landscape.

Too peaceful. A word that you never once associated with Snezhnaya.

Certain pieces began to shift to the forefront of your mind as you continued about your routines.

Forgetting your name over the course of your meetings, looking back, was forgivable enough; you’d met when you were children, after all. But the years between your patron introducing you two in Fontaine and then meeting again in the garden in Snezhnaya weren’t that far apart.

As busy as Dottore, as Zandik, was, his memory was infallible.

So infallible that he constructed whole dreams off of it.

Dreams…

When was the last time you’d dreamed?

You couldn’t remember.

The next time you rehearsed, you had an audience of one with rapt attention. You’d never played for Zandik in your dreams , you distinctly remembered. It was a part of you that you wanted to keep private and save for the potential moment you met. Even after he’d guessed your instrument and profession, your music was always something that belonged to the waking world, you felt.

If you took out the exceptions where you’d played in a more professional capacity, where he was one member of an audience, of course. That you played for him at all must have surely meant that this was real, that he was nothing except your Zandik.

Not to mention that he was always so gentle with your hands, despite never knowing your instrument back then. The analogies between humans and machines always felt apt and even in the waking world, you made a conscious effort to take care of yourself when you could.

Here, too, the analogy stuck; that was something uniquely him and only solidified that perhaps Nahida, whoever she truly was, didn’t understand the entire situation.

And yet every time you finally sat down to work on something, be it finishing up the draft you owed or getting caught up in a flow of inspiration, it was ripped from you. You would finally be close to finishing a page, finalizing the notes in ink, and then you found yourself being pulled away to see what kinds of parts an expedition brought back to the Palace. Other times, you would be lost in a melody, images in your head as you wove a story from pure song, and then fingers danced along your arms, beckoning you elsewhere.

Your deadlines were imperative, Harbinger’s soulmate or not; if anyone could understand that, it would be Zandik.

But the more it continued on, the more frustrated you felt. It was as if he didn’t want you to finish the piece. As though your attention could not, should not , be anywhere else but on him.

What was it about your craft that kept people from respecting your boundaries?

If you were to do the same, you knew he wouldn’t appreciate it. You knew the consequences and had paid them more than once until you realized it was better to simply not . So why did he do it to you?

One particular evening, you held your tongue as he interrupted you, warm lips to your neck as his hands took yours and gently pulled your pen from your fingers. You hadn’t slept well the night before and the entire day had been spent playing catch up in vain hope that perhaps today would be the day you could submit the copy to the printer. Needless to say, it still hadn’t happened.

“Zandik…” you whispered, exacerbated. “This isn’t going to finish itself.”

“You’re not beholden to anyone , you know. They wait on you, not the other way around.”

His tone was sharp in its arrogance. You sighed as he pulled you away from your desk, arms lifting you with ease. He smelt of mint, cedar wood undercut with the distinct tang of hot metal. It wasn’t unpleasant but it did nothing for your mood, constantly reminded of your place in the work-life-imbalance.

“I can walk, Zandik” you protested.

“Is it wrong to want to hold you close when I so rarely get to see you during the day as of late?”

You see me every day…in fact, you can’t seem to not see me…like you won’t let me out of your sight…

If you fought back, it would only result in additional ego-soothing after guilt knotted your stomach for hours afterward. Both of you worked professions that demanded passion as well as skill. It wasn’t fair to him when he was clearly trying to make the most of what little time you had together.

You conceded, as you did every time, melting into his arms

What was it Nahida had said? You were two sides of the same coin.

And both sides needed one another, didn’t they?

#dottore #il dottore #il dottore x reader #dottore x reader #dottore x female reader #il dottore x female reader #genshin impact reader insert #soulmate au #female reader #fem!reader

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