#the Klaww Friends

[inspector-montoya-fox]

this post was initially gonna be like a lazy rant about how the Klaww Gang's team dynamics suck ass but the more i wrote the more i realised there's so much to discuss. so today let's discuss how the Klaww Gang's team dynamics suck ass but not on like surface-level y'know?

i'm not even sure if the Klaww Gang qualifies as an actual gang because they barely even acknowledge each other? their interactions are very scarce. off the top of my head we get Rajan's party which they all attend apart from Dimitri (Dimitri attending Rajan's party would be so bizarre btw) and Jean Bison's phone call with Arpeggio. these are things friends do so maybe they should be the Klaww Friends ? i mean they have the sinister-looking conference room but we never see them hold a meeting there. moreover, they all act out of pure self-interest. they each got a Clockwerk part and just went on to do their own thing like counterfeit, drug production, etc. i mean what's even the point of forming a gang if their goal was to just split Clockwerk parts and then disband? did they have any other operations in the works? Arpeggio was planning on double-crossing the rest of the members anyway and he needed them to actually have the parts for his plan to come to fruition but still seems a bit pointless.

interesting question: how exactly did the Cairo Museum heist go down? was it like a group activity or pulled off by a single member? or did Arpeggio have Neyla break in and take them? because i can't imagine the Klaww Gang members coming together like an Ocean's movie to steal a bunch of robot owl parts? in fact, i can't imagine any of them stealing in the traditional like robber kinda way. with the exception of Bison and maybe Arpeggio, they're all shown to have some sort of prestige in their own part of the world: Dimitri was an established artist and nightclub owner and as shown in the comics hanged out with elitist socialites; the Contessa was a high-ranking Interpol officer; Rajan threw a lavish ball with hundreds of guests. like i wouldn't be surprised if the Klaww Gang members had institutional power. maybe they just bribed the museum to give them the parts?

and then there's the fact that they were a complete failure. i can't help but compare them to the Fiendish Five, who, let's admit it, won. they "won" in the sense that they achieved their goal. it's not like anyone stopped them. sure, Sly whooped their ass years later but they still killed ConnEr and split the Thievius Raccoonus. they went on with their lives until Sly grew up. like the first game is very much a revenge story. the Klaww Gang? not so much. the game takes place right after the Cairo Museum heist so all their scheming and plans could only take place for like maybe a couple of months max. and let's not forget they were also tricked by Neyla. flops.

i'm not sure why but i also think the Fiendish Five can evade the criticisms highlighted above even though they were also a bunch of strangers? Clockwerk was a much more menacing boss than Arpeggio (if Arpeggio can even be considered a boss. more like a final member), like i don't think anyone from the Fiendish Five would dare question his plan or motivations. but also, i think there was an underlining sense of camaraderie when each of them warned us about the next one post-bossfight, like at least some respect. i can't say the same for the Klaww Gang, like i can't even imagine the Contessa, Jean Bison and Dimitri interacting with each other (and now i suddenly can't think of anything i need more in my life). Clockwerk feels like the Fiendish Five's employer and he brought them together to pull off something kinda sacred like continuing the cycle of raccoon murders. basically they got together and did a thing and that was it like they just casually went on with their lives after that. Clockwerk was immortal, for all we know and as i have previously theorised there could have been previous iterations of the Fiendish Five throughout history. just baddies recruited by Clockwerk to help him take down the Coopers.

so yea. the Klaww Gang very much sucked ass but !!! i think it was for the better. even if i compared them to the Fiendish Five, i feel like SP wanted to set the expectations by making it seem like we were going to receive something similar just to then have things go down very differently. the Klaww Gang is different because its members (were under the illusion that they) were autonomous. they weren't let in on the big picture (What is this with clocks, bro? Have you no vision?) and they all thought they were the gang's top dog. this made for something very different, especially when you throw Neyla and outlawed Carmelita into the mix. but their team dynamics still sucked ass.

#how have you guys been? #my mom asked me what ace attorney is while we were away on family vacation and i was like... sis are you serious #your offspring has been obsessed with this intellectual property for more than half a decade and just now you ASK ? #gagged me a bit for sure #she was like “is the main character that guy that wears an old burgundy suit?” i almost choked on the shrimp risotto istg #she wants to play it but she kinda like... made a yucky face when i told her it has supernatural elements too #sly cooper #the Klaww Friends

[totally-correct-shenanigans]

okay so a whole of 5 people (and then myself so i could see the results) have answered yes to the poll SO. we'll start with the strange ones and work our way backward

(p.s. it feels important to preface this by saying first of all it's 3 in the morning and i've been working on this post for the better part of an hour and have gotten sidetracked several times during it so i'm not sure this is at all sensical to anyone but me lol . i MIGHT try and clean it up a little and make it a little more comprehensible at some point, but i make no promises.

second of all this very much so blurs the lines of just straight factual canon BUT i think most of it is reasonable to assume in turn with real canon. but also please keep in mind im working on a reboot of the trilogy and may have gotten some of THAT canon mixed up in there so please take this with a grain of salt lol.)

my little reason why ; lisa hannigan (steven universe)

dimitri about the cooper gang i think. admittedly this one is mostly just about vibes and the last lines* but it makes me Emotion so you get it anyway. i can also see this as the panda king just less so

*"My little reason why / You make me want to try / Loving you"

rambling in-depth breakdown/analysis below the cut ! for being a spur of the moment association bc i thought about dimitri with this stuck in my head, it works surprisingly well <3

er. to me anyway.

so im gonna talk about this like it was written for this intended purpose and like it's all just a big metaphor even though it most certainly was not lol

"Cold palace walls / And endless empty halls / Haunted by echoes of laughter"

metaphorically about the klaww gang. like they were a TEAM sure but i doubt they really liked each other, y'know? i cant imagine bison and the contessa putting up w dimitri any more than they have to.

i take the "haunted by echoes of laughter" in part as dimitri being like the outcast of the Klaww Gang so the others are laughing but dimitri himself is not, hence the haunting and the echoes. but that's not CANON canon so like who's to say. but i think it's not a far fetch all things considered. but the halls could very well be haunted by echoes of laughter post-klaww bust where they've been disbanded if that's more your jive!

"You gave the pull / And suddenly they're full / You've thrown the gates open after you"

continuing with the Palace is a Metaphor For Teams thing im doing presumably the "you" is sly & the rest of the cg! the halls are full and the gates are open because they actually like care about each other and don't view each other as means to an end. i point out sly specifically bc he's. well. the leader of the team (or at least who you would assume as the leader at a first glance but that's a ramble for another day) and also bc he's the one who talks to dimitri first.

and probably the first one to like befriend him but that's blurring out of factual canon. but if you want to continue blurring those lines then "throwing the gates open" could be read as like. if sly's the first one to get comfortable with him presumably that's going to encourage the others to as well so it goes from work acquaintances -> work acquaintances and sly -> friends/found family

"And swept in with the throng / Comes this wonderful song"

okay this part i dont have much for i was honestly just gonna put it with the last part or the next part lol BUT it could be framed as dimitri's redemption* arc of sorts . like i said i have the least abot this and is there a mouse above me hold on

(it was not. leaving that though 'cause it's funny.)

anyway. like i said i have not a lot about this part and less that's actually fit into just straight canon but like consider it as dimitri swept into the throng and the wonderful song being. well in a literal sense the next few lines. but also in a less concrete way metaphorical heart singing about finally fitting in in a team that doesn't suck ass you know. like i said not very solid. but it makes me Feel Things so.

"My little reason why / I'll never make you cry / Oh, I have got the sweetest things to tell you every day"

again more about his redemption* arc. something about not making them cry anymore bc he's not a sucky dude anymore. my gay found family heart says it's about the found familyness .

also the "sweetest things to tell" is just him getting comfortable enough with the crew to infodump about boats /j

in a more serious sense (though not by much) i cannot imagine a world in which he does not talk a very much. so i am sure he does certainly say a lot of sweet things every day . and again i can't imagine the klaww gang putting up with him beyond the necessities so i imagine he says a lot more sweet things to the cg than he did to them but as is to be expected with me that is Blurring the Lines still so .

"My little reason why / You make me want to try / Loving you"

again with the redemption* arc . still blurring my lines here but i'm sure if the klaww gang weren't fond of each other than dimitri is definitely not going into the cg with high hopes . but as he bonds with them he learns that they don't suck actually. so he's coming out of his metaphorical shell (sorry bentley) as he learns that the cooper gang is not just a team or "cold palace walls and endless empty halls" but they're like actually friends/family. so he can try to (platonically, in case you couldn't tell)** love them.

*redemption played fast and loose here bc he is still definitely part of a team of master thieves and therefore still on the unredeemed side of the law but redeemed as in working with sly/the protagonists, ya dig? of course ya dig.

**no offense to everybody who ships him with people in the cg thi just personally reads found family to me and i just want to make that clear lol .

#i've got no idea if this makes any sense at all but i really like the idea so. <3 #you get to deal w it smiley face #also OUR dimitri helped with this so it's basically canon /j (system shenanigans) #our sly ALSO says it's canon so it is like. double canon. that's how that works no? - dimitri #[soliloqueue] #[toe tappin'] #<- that will be our tag for all further ramblings of the musical variety ! filter accordingly #or don't ! maybe you're like me and u enjoy it lol #sly cooper #dimitri lousteau #does this count as a long post ? #apologies if it does i suppose #sly 3 honor among thieves #Spotify

[extraneousdominomask]

Putting all of my Sly fics into one semi-unified timeline because I got bored

1868-1899

William "Tennessee Kid" Cooper is active as an outlaw across various states and territories within the continental United States

197x

"Cunning" Conner Cooper first meets Beatrice "Trixie" Fletcher, during a(n attempted) heist in Milan

1981

Carmelita Montoya Fox born to Zoe Fox Hayek and Antonio Montoya Vulpín

1984

Slytunkhamen "Sly" Cooper born to Conner Cooper and Trixie Cooper, née Fletcher. Murray the hippo born to unknown parents. Bentley the turtle born in a swamp.

1992

Cooper family home/farm/safehouse attacked by Fiendish Five, resulting in two deaths and an orphaning. Sly, Bentley and Murray first meet

2002

Sly and his friends defeat the Fiendish Five. Subsequently, he visits his parents' graves Intertwined Tails: Carmelita confronts a grey-furred, ringtailed security guard

2002 (Omega Timeline)

Sly perishes while fighting Clockwerk.

September 23rd, 2003

Carmelita successfully apprehends Sly, albeit briefly, and learns a surprising personal fact for the first time

2003 (Gamma Timeline)

Inspector S. Cooper unsuccessfully attempts to apprehend Carmelita, and learns nothing

2004

Sly and his friends defeat the Klaww Gang, but temporarily disband in the aftermath Unbeknownst to her 'colleagues', Neyla obtains a sample of Sly's fur from the Contessa's prison, and sets an unusual contingency plan into motion IT: Sly helps Carmelita escape from Prague. Later, they discuss things during a post-adventure helicopter ride

2005

Sly and his friends defeat Doctor M (and a smorgasbord of other dirtbags), and once again disband, this time more permanently. Sly moves in with Carmelita, while Bentley settles down with his new girlfriend, Penelope. All is well IT: Carmelita learns about Sly's unhealthy sleep patterns

2006

Penelope, for reasons which will never become fully clear, betrays the Gang, threatening the Cooper lineage under the guise of a new 'Black Knight' persona. Sly, who had been having trouble adjusting to his new domestic life, decides to deal with this problem without telling Carmelita. She (inevitably) discovers his duplicity and kicks him out, forcibly reverting the Gang to its globetrotting ways

2007

In the heretofore-unmentioned metropolis of Zootopia, rookie cop Judy Hopps and conmammal/ice-cream salesman/tax evader Nick Wilde uncover and foil a political conspiracy, getting two consecutive mayors arrested. Nick begins the process of becoming Judy's partner on the force

May 2008

During the mayoral election season, the world's new largest diamond is uncovered and brought to Zootopia. It becomes the target of both the Cooper Gang (echoing an achievement of Conner Cooper's) and another, hastily-assembled criminal gang. Nick and Judy aid Carmelita in protecting the diamond, while learning more about the Cooper Gang and resolving their own friction

Summer 2008-Autumn 2009

Having forged a strong bond in their week working together, Nick and Carmelita maintain a long-distance friendship

October 2009

Sly and the Gang attempt to finally apprehend Penelope, but the attempt fails badly and they, in desperation, take three separate "vacations". Sly travels to Zootopia, where Judy is happy to see him and Nick is not. However, mere hours after Sly's arrival, a non-living entity targets Nick and implicates him in a gruesome murder

December 3rd, 2009

To the shock of the world, particularly the Cooper Gang and Carmelita, Clockwerk attacks Zootopia in broad daylight. They, Nick and Judy, and young pilot James "Fox" McCloud Jnr. race to resolve the situation before more blood is spilled

2011 (Alpha Timeline)/2018 (Mu Timeline)/2017 (Rho Timeline)/201x (??? Timeline)

Sly, Carmelita, Nick and Judy share an enjoyable evening

2011

Beatrice Zoe "B" Fox-Cooper is born to Sly Cooper and Carmelita Montoya Fox IT: Sly and Carmelita, assisted by Bentley and Murray, handle a job in Madagascar

2012

IT: Sly and Carmelita have their first out-of-the-house date as new parents

20xx (Delta timeline)

Sly journeys into the mythical Kingdom of Monsters and steals the crown of its ruler. He and Carmelita, who naturally followed him, are beset by the Royal Guard

2017 (Mu timeline)

During an undercover operation, Nick and Judy run into Sly, also in disguise. Judy handles the objective while Nick and Sly distract their host, and each other

2022

Sly and Carmelita, raising their daughter in a quiet North American town, are attacked by Elyna, a half-clone of Neyla using Sly's DNA as the 'father'. IT: Sly and Carmelita discuss vacationing to Paris with their two daughters The last point on the main timeline, and the perfect place to conclude this post

2022 (Dreamworks timeline)

Carmelita investigates a recent major crime in Los Angeles, taking her concerns directly to Governor Diane Foxington. The little details, they bother her

#long post #my writing

[galactic-dragoness]

sorry about the crab rave one how about call me by your name by lil nas x + sly cooper?

Synopsis: Before joining the Klaww Gang, Dimitri Lousteau is a struggling artist in Paris. He befriends another artist named Claude, a chameleon whose art far surpasses Dimitri's. When Claude is given the opportunity to have his art placed in a museum, Dimitri becomes ripe with envy and plans to sabotage his friend. But will his developing feelings for Claude get in the way?

#sly cooper #fanfiction ask game #ask game #fake fanfic

[vulpixsinistre]

Why have I always felt that Contessa and Arpeggio were really good friends… he kind of complements her in his evil monologue, right? So it seems like he respects her at least. And out of the whole Klaww Gang, they are the most dastardly. Evil BFFs..

#sly cooper

[alfafilly]

Full (Real) Name: Arpeggio Byrdwell Alias: Arthur Manderburd Age: 54 (year 2020) Born 9/14/1966 Gender: Male Height: 4 feet 11 inches

Additional text-wall info below!

Bio: Former drug lord and mechanical engineer and inventor for the now defunct Klaww Gang, Arpeggio once lived the life of luxury, power, and prestige. His greed got the better of him when an outrageous plan to manipulate the city of Paris for his own gain failed and his beloved protégé, Neyla, left him for dead. Barely managing to survive, he and his remaining loyal assistant (Jeremy) hid away in the outskirts of various European cities until he made yet another selfish (and idiotic) mistake in attempting to clone the deceased protégé who betrayed him. The experiment went wrong, leaving him with an infant he could not bear to dispose of. The three obtained new identities and travelled to Yellow Pass, Texas in the United States where they have lived for the last near-decade.

  Personality: • While he used to be boastful and confident in his prior life, he is now reserved and self-conscious. He still thinks he’s better than everyone else and definitely thinks himself more intelligent, but he forces himself to keep it quiet to avoid making enemies. Some occasional quips aside, that is (he can’t help himself!). • No-nonsense and not one to joke or find much humor in anything anymore. If he does find anything funny, it’s usually dark or dry. As a result, he does not come off very friendly or approachable. He’s fine with this, as it means fewer friends to try to get into his business. • He thinks poorly of people of lower status, even if he himself is no longer as privileged or able to keep up his luxurious lifestyle, and he judges others extremely harshly. The old “Ugh! Peasants!!” type. • Extremely paranoid. He trusts few people and is always looking over his shoulder, fearful he may be caught for who he truly is.

  Likes: • Artwork and literature of all kinds (but he still has a sweet spot for the Renaissance Period) • Organization and cleanliness (if you touch his stuff or mess up his space he will get pissed) • Luxury watches and time pieces (he has a rather large collection now)

Dislikes: • Physical Pain (he’s in a lot of it. All the time. Every day. He’s exceptionally good at hiding it) • People • Cooking

Other: • He has no eye under his eyepatch, just an empty socket. He keeps it covered cause it’s disturbing to look at. • His bionic arm is detachable, and he takes it off every night when he sleeps and might go completely without it if he’s at home having a lazy day or to give his arm a break. It is lightweight but it still can cause his arm to be worn if he doesn’t give it a breather. He has no interest in permanently affixing any sort of appendage to himself because he’s constantly adjusting the arm or making new versions. • The bionic arm is NOT super strong. At all. It is, in fact, weaker than his organic arm and can only pick up roughly 20lbs max. • He can feel with the arm at about 70% of normal sensation. His goal is to get it up to 100%. • The arm is extremely fluid in movement to the point it almost looks natural, but there is a very slight 1-2 second delay that only Arpeggio really knows is there. If you were to, say, throw a ball at him and expect him to catch it with that arm, he probably would miss though. • His prosthetic foot is basic as he cares more about perfecting the arm instead (he uses his arms/hands way more in his craft, so he prioritizes). • He has become popular in his town as the go-to to fix problems with machinery of any kind. Tools and vehicles especially. He’s become the town’s unofficial mechanic because the actual mechanic sucks (we don’t talk about Car Mechanic Joe). Arpeggio hates doing all this petty work, but money is nice. He likes him some money! • Speaking of money, he primarily earns his income by selling off inventions or repurposing/refurbishing items online or at conventions/trade shows that he sends Jeremy off to. Often, he uses an anonymous alter identity for the quirkier things, as he still fears he will be discovered as his style of work is fairly unique to him. May or may not have one of those YouTube workshop channels that instructs you how to make random things out of resin or things you find around the house. • He no longer has a strong British accent due to being in Texas so long and has (to his disdain) transitioned to a more Americanized voice. It’s not gone, it’s just more subdued. He still uses British slang, but for the most part has dropped it due to people not understanding him/wanting to blend in more. • The switchblade he keeps hidden in his arm was the same knife he almost used to dispose of Neyla as an infant. He keeps it there to serve as a memory of what he has done. • He is demisexual and panromantic.

  Relationships:

Neyla: She is Arpeggio’s daughter whether he likes it or not, but usually he likes it even if he won’t admit it. Despite having zero interest in being a parent, he has tried extremely hard to be a good one as his own upbringing was not-so-great and he hopes he can do better, if only out of spite. While loving Neyla is a concept he struggles to wrap his head around, the two do share a bond and he will protect her at all cost. He is relatively kind to her, and never cruel; some say almost a different person with her. Neyla is the only one he genuinely jokes around with and although he can be stern and plays the tough fatherly figure, he’s all bark and no bite. (This relationship is not entirely new. Original!Neyla was also like a daughter to him, albeit handled much differently.) He also thinks Neyla is a little shit, because she is.

  Jeremy: Arpeggio has always been able to rely on Jeremy to do his bidding and follow his every command, and he never really saw him as anything other than someone to boss around (at least, he won’t admit to any other instances). This all changed after the accident and assuming their new roles. The loyalty evolved into something more. While he still bosses Jeremy around out of habit, he no longer sees him as just a disposable lacky but rather as a dear companion. He would not have survived, let alone be able to function now without his support and this is not something he ignores. He would rather die than verbally call him a partner, though. One day, mister. One day.

  Linda: On one hand, Arpeggio finds the eccentric woman a beacon of light and hope in his otherwise shamble of a life. On the other hand, he absolutely despises her with every fiber of his being. She is the polar-opposite of him personality and behavior-wise and often drives him to his limits. At the same time, this acts in his favor in unexpected ways: she refuses to be bossed around by him or allow herself to be manipulated, and she does not accept any of his bullshit. Often, this allows Arpeggio to introspectively consider his actions. She’s like the therapist he doesn’t want and who lives in his house and eats all of his food. But she does double as a bodyguard and adds a layer of protection that calms him, so that’s something.

  Hogarty “Hodge”: The local sheriff of the town, only Arpeggio and Jeremy know that he is the one official who is keeping their true identities a secret and allowing them a second chance. Despite the power this seems to have over them, Hodge is too kind-hearted of a person (and a bit ignorant) to really make them feel threatened over it. Although Arpeggio would rather avoid law enforcement of any kind, Hodge has grown fond of him and considers him his good friend. While not necessarily reciprocating that, Arpeggio rolls with it and just lets him believe that. It has proven beneficial to him a handful of times.

#Survived!Dad!AU #sly cooper #arpeggio #ref sheet booooys #survived!au #Filly's Art

[cooperific-aus]

Sly2 AU where the Klaww gang know 100% what the Clockwerk parts derived from and therefore don't squabble their part LIKE PUTTING THEM ON A GIANT GOLDEN STATUE TO SHOW OFF TO YOUR RICH FRIENDS

RAJAN-

#Sly Cooper #Sly2 #AU #Rajan

[moonstone-writes]

Prompt “What’s the matter, sweetie?” that involves Neyla visiting Carmelita in prison.

Carmelita’s tail thrashed back and forth as she paced, it had been weeks since she’d been dumped in this tiny, solitary cell for her ‘protection’ and days since the Countessa had been back to check on her.

The damned chain on her ankle clanked loudly and maddeningly as she moved. 

Carmelita paused in the middle of the cell to let out a frustrated scream.

“What’s the matter sweetie? You sound so upset.”

Carmelita lunged for the glass front of her cell, she knew that voice. “Neyla.” She hissed.

“Hello Carmelita.” A smirking Neyla slunk into view. “I’d ask how you are but if you’re screeching at nothing I suppose that answers that question.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I can’t come to visit a friend who’s down on her luck?” Neyla cocked a hip, her tail swishing idly behind her. She reached out her claws, tick, tick, ticking against the glass. “I like this look on you, very Hannibal Lector.”

“We are not friends.” Carmelita growled pulling so hard against her chain that the shackle was cutting into her ankle.

Neyla sighed withdrawing her hand, “no I suppose we aren’t.” 

“So why are you here?”

Neyla pulled out a folder from under her arm and delicately removed a sheet of paper. “You know there was a jail break recently?”

Carmelita scowled.

“I’m surprised that you’re still here you know, considering who the target of the jail break was. Going through a rough patch with your boyfriend? Is that why he left you here to rot?” Neyla raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Carmelita snapped. Sly was out, Neyla had been foolish not to look for Bentley in India. Carmelita had seen the lengths the Cooper Gang would go to for each other, really it could only have been a matter of time before the three of them would reunite.

“Mmhm.” Neyla hummed. “Anyway when Sly and his gang member broke out a number of other prisoners escaped. Some locals got to those before the Countessa’s guards managed to round them up and well there was some very frightening implications of mistreatment there. So I was sent with this lovely, shiny warrant to look around and make sure that Interpol isn’t handing prisoners over to a sociopath.” She held the paper up to the glass.

It was indeed a warrant.

It made Carmelita’s blood boil to think anyone at Interpol had let someone who was clearly crooked and dishonest lead an investigation.

“Are you going to frame the Countessa too?”

“Oh I hardly think I need to. She’s done for when I get back to Paris to present my evidence. And I found a great deal of it, I also found this.” She tucked the paper away and held up the whole folder. “It’s a psychiatric evaluation of you. I mean it’s not going to be worth much but it should at least be good for a laugh when I pass it around the office.”

Carmelita snarled, still pulling against the chain.

Ignoring her Neyla flipped open the folder. “Subject is believed to be paranoid delusional, claims innocence in the face of evidence and believes a wider conspiracy had framed her.” Neyla’s gaze flicked up to leer at Carmelita. “Subject most definitely possesses a psycho-sexual obssession with the individual known as Sly Cooper.” Neyla laughed, “and in other news water is wet hmm Carmelita?”

Carmelita was going to kill them both, she wished vainly that she had a chair or something in her cell that wasn’t bolted down to smash against the glass.

“Ooh ooh, here’s a good one. Subject is prone to intense aggression and anger even without administration of spice.”

Spice? The spice that Rajan produced? The spice that Dimitri dealt in his club? The Klaww Gang’s spice?

The Countessa was part of the Klaww Gang.

Her surprise must have shown on her face because Neyla gave a sickly, sympathetic smile, “oh? Did you not know?” And the smile turned predatory. “I did.” She tucked the file back under her arm. “Oh you know what the other thing I saw in the Countessa’s files was?” Her head cocked, still smiling. “It lists you as an escapee in the that jail break... no one knows you’re here.”

Carmelita went cold.

“Well I’m sure visiting hours are well and truly up so I’d better hop along. Goodbye Carmelita, I do hope you get the help you need.” She started to turn away.

“You won’t get away with this Neyla, I won’t be in here for forever. I’ll get you for this.” Carmelita yelled, she could feel blood trickling down her ankle.

Her only response was the echoing sound of Neyla’s laughter as the tigress retreated down the stairs.

And Carmelita was alone again.

#sly cooper #carmelita fox #neyla #history's greatest monster #my writing #ficlet #sly raccoon #thanks for the ask dude #prowl-mun

[autistic-darkner-goat]

Full Character Bio - Tobias Fenix

Name: Tobias Fenix

Nicknames: Tobes or Tobi (both given to him by Valerie)

Age: 18

Species: Fennec Fox

Relationships: Valerie Cooper (surrogate sister), many orphaned children (close friends for the most part)

Residence: The Sewers of Paris

Occupation: Troublemaker & pickpocket extraordinaire 

Born to an average middle class family who had immigrated over from America, Tobias had spent the first nine years of his life in the city of Paris. It was a relatively mundane life, yet it was also a peaceful one...until one fateful day. It was his tenth birthday, and his parents wanted to do something special for their child. An entire day of going around and doing whatever caught their son’s eye had been planned out, with it all ending at one of the city’s finest restaurants.

But unfortunately for them, the Klaww Gang had other plans.

The band of criminals struck without mercy, attacking people left and right and stripping away any and all of their valuable possessions. And Tobias’ father knew that as an officer of the law, both he and his wife would not survive the encounter. So they told their son to run...and never look back. 

The young child, now distraught over what had happened, had taken shelter in the basement of a nearby abandoned building, crying over his loss and the fear of being yet another victim. But thankfully some deity had taken pity on him, as he was suddenly found and taken down into the sewers of Paris, where he met the members of a resistance group that had been fighting the Klaww Gang. They would explain that other children that had also lost family to the gang lived here, and assured him that he was safe.

Life from then on was okay for the most. The adults provided what they could when they could, but as most of their efforts were focused on combating the more powerful criminal organization, there were many times when those supplies were simply not there. It was during these lulls that Tobias would venture to the outside, usually with a friend or two, and steal whatever food or money they could get their hands on. He eventually learned how to evade those who were chasing them with ease, and found that climbing up pipes and running along rooftops was becoming as easy as walking down a street.

The next big change in his life would come a few years later. By that a point a raccoon by the name of Valerie Cooper had become a part of their lives, and in particular became something of a celebrity to the children. She would often bring them what the adults couldn’t, and even Tobias was impressed. Impressed enough that one night he decided to follow her to see just what it was she did for a living. He kept up with her as best as he could, and would’ve succeeded in not being seen had he not misjudged a particularly tricky jump and tumble down in front of her. 

...to say that she wasn’t happy about being followed was an understatement. 

She would bring him back to the headquarters of the resistance, and was then promptly informed by the leader, a man named Leon, that she was now responsible for watching over him (Since Valerie was just as reckless as the fox, and thus in no position to really say anything). The raccoon wasn’t exactly thrilled about this, but she eventually took it in stride and even began to teach Tobias a thing or two. And from that a genuine friendship between the two slowly formed.

Nowadays Tobias is Valerie’s partner in crime, vowing to stand by her side no matter what.

#oc info #long post #FINALLY DONE WITH THIS WALKERS ABOVE #TWO HOURS LATER

[nebulaleaf]

who are your top five favourite friends >;3c

In no particular order1. Haru2. Klaww3. Sloth4. Moth5. Allen

#These are like the only people I talk to akfkakfkks #SLOTH MOTH RHYME WAHEEE

[extraneousdominomask]

Okay! Once again my Tumblr followers benefit from my love of repetitive library work. I have the whole instructional manual scanned and will upload it shortly, but first, a few thoughts from flicking through it:

The manual is mostly written in the voices of Sly, Bentley, and Murray, which is cute. But being an officially licensed product, they were apparently obligated to use full, proper product names. There’s a bit near the start where Bentley recommends the USB Headset (for Playstation(r)2) to Sly, who is intrigued by the many features of the USB Headset (for Playstation(r)2), but every time they mention the USB Headset (for Playstation(r)2) the need to refer to it as “the USB Headset (for Playstation(r)2)” and I’m losing my mind hearing my favourite childhood characters repeatedly pronounce “brackets for playstation registered trademark 2 close brackets” in my head

Bentley claims to have invented the Binocucoms, which is plausible, and the process of autosaving, which is not

Discussion of the Binocucom immediately prompts Sly to plan slash threaten to “take an improper photo of that fox, Carmelita” and I reach reflexively for the nearest source of water to spray at his face

Murray excitedly asks what special power his Binocucom has, if Sly has photos and Bentley has darts, and Bentley is forced to admit all he did was change the colour... to “purple”. That’s... not even correct. it’s lightish red

Murray refers to himself multiple times as “the Murray-nator” and when advising Sly on how to attach accessories such as the USB Headset (for Playstation(r)2) drops the phrase “as appropriate”, which are both terrible in polar opposite directions

Bentley casually confirms that running out of health means death. He’s just talking about the fucking gadget power system and begins his sentence with “If we fail, die, abandon or go back to the safe house...” like jesus christ didn’t feel like sugarcoating that huh

Sly says Carmelita is “never far from my cunning thoughts!” and seriously try to tone it down a little you cunning thot

Dimitri’s official title within the Klaww Gang is Head of Operations whereas Rajan is simply “the Self-Made Man” and that, my friend, sounds backwards

Arpeggio likes opera. that’s nice.

And finally, at one point (in the context of quitting the game, naturally) Sly boasts “The Coopers aren’t known for abandoning anything”, which instantly crystalised an incredibly vivid image in my head of young Doctor M waiting outside an empty sportsfield, the cold rain soaking him to the bone, as he quietly wonders when Conner is going to pick him up from soccer practice 

#sly cooper #sly 2 band of thieves #coloured text #long post

[galactic-dragoness]

“I used to do a lot of things.” (Jean Bison finds out he has still living descendants)

“Uncle Jean?”

The gargantuan bison looks up from his morning newspaper to the small crimson-furred calf.

“What’s up kid?”

“Is it true that you were in a gang of thieves?”

“Dean!” A female bison shouts from across the kitchen. “How could you ask that?!”

The young calf winces at his mother’s scolding, but Jean waves a hand in dismissal.

“It’s alright Jessica. You know he was gonna learn about it one day.”

Jessica sighs. “It’s just...it’s not appropriate for a ten-year-old.”

“I can handle it!” Dean argues. “Arthur is thirteen and he knows all about it!”

“Because your cousin comes from a family that doesn’t know a shred of privacy.”

Jean Bison bursts out in tumultuous laughter at his descendant’s quip.

“Alright, alright. No need to drag your sister’s family in the mud.”

She huffs. “I will have a word with her. We don’t need any more secrets flying around.”

The elder bison gets up from his chair.

“Come on Dean, let’s go talk in the living room while your mother makes breakfast.”

Dean Bison smiles in delight and rushes to the adjacent room, plopping himself on the carpet, while his ancestor humbles over to the recliner.

“So kiddo,” he grumbles as he sits down on the cushion chair, “what do you wanna know?”

The calf thinks for a moment.

“Ummm, who were the Klaww Gang?”

As much as Jean Bison is a tough old bison, hearing the name of his former affiliation makes him slightly wince.

“Well…let’s just say we weren’t friends. They were a group of people who...well...stole some things and wanted to...basically rule the world. Or at least a good chunk of it.”

Dean cocks his head in confusion. “Rule the world?”

“I guess. Their goals were never clear to me. Dimitri and the Contessa wanted more money. Rajan wanted power. And Arpeggio wanted...well...a new body.”

The calf looks at him even more perplexed. “What did you steal?”

“We...stole something called the Clockwerk parts.”

His eyes widen. “You mean...the Clockwerk?”

“Yeah. I guess Arthur told you about him too.”

Dean nods. “He was like...this evil robot right? Who built a death ray? Until...some Cooper guy stopped him?”

As soon as Dean says the word ‘Cooper’, Jean tightly grips the arms of the recliner. The wound may be old, but it’s still fresh in the back of his mind.

“Yeah...”

“So, if some of your….old gang wanted money and power...and a body...what did you want?”

He blinks in surprise.

“I….I’m not sure.”

“Arpeggio was the one who found you right? In Canada?”

“Yeah, he was the first man I met when I thawed. He took me in and nursed me back to health. I felt like I owed him….so I joined his gang and basically did whatever he told me.”

“So, you didn’t want money?”

“Not really no.”

“But...why? Why do all of those things and not get rich?”

Jean Bison looks away from the boy, lost in thought.

“Because it was all I had.”

He turns back to Dean.

“Back in the day, I used to do a lot of things. Good and bad. But my main job was cutting down trees and damming rivers and...hunting wildlife. It was all I knew. So when Arpeggio told me I could continue to do what I loved without any problems, I was overjoyed.”

“Until...you learned about deforestation and global warming?”

“...yeah. Had I known that doing too much of that would cause the whole world to melt, I would’ve stopped.”

“Is that why you’re vegan now?”

“Yep.”

“But...what about the Klaww gang?”

“What about them?”

Dean Bison shifts his weight. “What...what happened to them?”

“They...went to jail.”

“But not you?”

There was a pause.

“After I learned about Arpeggio’s death and the Klaww Gang breaking up, I was approached by the Canadian police and the American FBI. They told me that if I joined their side, and stopped doing what I was doing, then all the charges would be dropped.”

“So that’s why you’re in the EPA?”

“That’s right.”

“Boys! Breakfast is ready!” Jessica Bison calls to them from the kitchen.

Jean Bison gets up from his recliner. “Great! I’m starving!”

“Uncle Jean?”

“Yeah, what now?”

“Did the government also tell you about...us? How you had descendants?”

“...they did.”

“And are you happy with us?”

The bison thinks. He thinks about his parents, Jack, Arpeggio, and about his newly-found family.

He smiles and pats Dean’s head.

“Yes. Yes I am very happy now.”

#sly cooper #sly cooper jean bison #writing prompt

[inspector-montoya-fox]

#11 - A Tangled Web

Setting: oh, boy...... where do i even start with this one? welcome to your worst nightmare, or as Sly puts it a well-fortified gothic nightmare. if you thought Jailbreak was the embodiment of fear, A Tangled Web is ten times that. i mean, it doesn’t really develop any of the previous Prague characteristics because they’re the same, but the towering buildings really hone the spookiness. developments in the story also add to the fear factor. the Contessa has been ousted from Interpol and is now facing newly-promoted Neyla’s wrath. i’m thinking about what Hitchcock said on suspense and how having a bomb go off is scary, but having the people anticipate the blast is even scarier. that’s the case here. war is about to erupt and the gang is caught right in the middle of it all. although the fighter planes are casually attacking the castle and tanks are roaming the area throughout the episode, the operation establishes that full-out war is the climax for this episode. despite all this, the gang is united again and is ready to take down the Contessa. i absolutely love how there are two areas in this hub: Neyla’s side and Contessa’s side. Neyla’s side is a charming European town, reminiscent of Jailbreak’s hub. Contessa’s side is an intricate maze, full of arches, bridges, stained glass windows, crypts, dungeons and a cottdamn cemetery. similar to The Predator Awakes, i often get lost when playing this episode. the hub’s two areas also highlight the war aspect because it shows how there’s two indefinite sides to the subject, even though both characters (Neyla and the Contessa) are villains. essentially, the gang is a tiny league of their own swept up between a boiling feud. the safehouse is placed upon stairs to show how the gang doesn’t belong on Neyla’s side. as soon as you walk down those stairs, you face the danger of ruthless tanks (one of the game’s most annoying “guards”). the gang is definitely not welcome here. the hub’s architecture comes into play a lot throughout the episode: you have to climb the highest high to get to the Re-Education Tower and crawl under sewer tunnels to get to some of the crypts. some crypts are water-based, some are medieval trap-based, some are full-on coffin-based. and the missions really emphasise this as most of them have the gang traverse through a variety of rooms. fab.

Characters: before i touch upon the Contessa, i just wanna say, Carmelita’s back, after an episode of being completely MIA. yeap, right off the bat we find out she’s being held captive by the Contessa, who wants to turn her brain into mush. things are looking dire. for Sly, this brings back memories of Clockwerk’s lair. we haven’t seen Carmelita this defeated since she was Clockwerk’s hostage. this just further proves what a force the Contessa is. i love Carmelita’s lines in this episode (e.g. Let me out of here and I'll readjust your face!). Sly calls her his violent little princess and honestly that encapsulates everything. A Tangled Web overturns everything we thought we knew about Carmelita. after missing out on an entire episode, she’s being held captive for the majority of this one, and when she’s finally freed, she’s out of control. so we see two new sides of Carmelita: first restraint and then extra-powerful. the latter is due to her taking control of the tank at the end of the episode. she blasts the Contessa’s blimp down and even gets her hands on one of the Clockwerk eyes for a bit. Carmelita’s frenzy eventually winds down when (we’re informed via cutscene) that the gang helps her make a quick escape. so, basically, she’s back. let’s talk about the Contessa. as i’ve said above, the Contessa is an absolute force. i’m so happy to see a female villain surpass the other villains and their brute force. mind over matter, baby. absolute savage Jean Bison can’t follow up the Contessa’s act because he’s just plain muscle. in A Tangled Web, the Contessa is in her prime. i don’t know if she thrives under pressure or something, but she’s reached a divine level, elevating her persona and delivering PRICELESS dialogue such as I'm above all that, above good and evil. this episode is what makes her my favorite villain. SP gave her the “psychology trait” and took that to its full extent by having her psychoanalyze every character, almost drive Carmelita mad, and then try to hypnotise Sly. similarly to Rajan, the hub’s architecture resembles its baddie by having all those arches and tunnels resemble the Contessa’s spider legs. in the end, we get to fight her, head-to-head. it’s a great bossfight, albeit simple. but i want to focus on the dialogue during the bossfight. we have a character that knows Sly. again, only Clockwerk was that familiar with the Coopers. the rest of the villains up until this point (up until Dr M, that is) have been goons and crooks. but the Contessa, having researched Sly and his psychological profile, actually knows him. i know i speak for all of y’all when i say that You're an ignorant child playing dress-up in his father's legacy is A Tangled Web’s absolute climax. because it hits so hard. oof. it all just culminates and gives this marvel of a character an awesome conclusion. so now, we naturally have to talk about Sly. it’s been a hot minute since the raccoon’s had some character development. after being double-crossed, trapped and then had some reconnecting with his friends, he’s back. and he feels kinda different. i mean, he’s still the fun-loving, sarcastic Cooper we all love, but i think he’s started considering the gravity of the situation. Sly 1 saw Sly gradually realize what he was going up against, level after level. in Sly 2, he had to be cocky enough to get betrayed and thrown into jail before coming to the realization that the stakes are high. the episode starts with Sly saying Time for a little payback in full seriousness, and ends with him saying I tried to put it all out of my mind. This Klaww business was spiraling out of control and I knew that my gang was at the center of it. yeap. this set of episodes has definitely changed Sly. and i think having the Contessa mention his dad really pushes him even further. when he says sHE’s GOT THE EYE!?!!!? you really feel it (?). and finally, Neyla. ah, we finally get to see her true colors (at least that’s what we think). the cutscenes’ animation really does a great job in outlining what a war mongrel she really is. stomping around with her Timberland boots and barking out orders, having a hoard of tanks and fighter planes follow her. she’s absent for the majority of the episode but finally makes a grand entrance at the end. and the deception is brilliant. SP presented her as an angry war leader, had her hide in her HQ for most of the episode and only showed her making offensive moves towards the Contessa. so we were all shocked when she sneaked into the Re-Education Tower at the end. it was so un-war-mongrel-like, further proving that Neyla can easily shed her skins and how versatile she is. she’s like the yin to Sly’s yang..... until she gets stuck in a web.... *sigh*

Themes: when i say war, you say theme: war theme ! hear me out, this episode is very character-driven, but the themes are heavy too. having the episode take place right in the middle of a war is a new direction for the series. in the past, every episode had a different location and different aesthetic, but it was usually the gang stealing stuff in the night. here, we’re in an active warzone. the fighting heightens tensions and adds pressure to an already tough situation. the theme also embodies the characters and the hub. if Neyla is the embodiment of war (tanks, planes, etc.) and the Contessa is personified by her gothic estate, it further highlights how the former has the latter quite literally surrounded. tanks have driven the Contessa into her estate, surrounded by water, and the planes keep attacking the buildings inside. all this might and fury places the two villains onto pedestals. the theme is present everywhere: the Prague sky is especially red in order to exhibit the wrath of war, some of the missions take on a destructive nature (Mojo Trap Action, Tank Showdown). we all know war never ends well, and that’s exactly what happens: the gang is forced to flee at the end, barely managing to obtain both Clockwerk eyes. lastly, the fear theme is still present from last episode, but ties in with the war theme. the architecture, the guards and the missions still emit fear, but fear of war overshadows everything else. so, essentially, the war preserves the fear aspect and even sharpens it. and then, there’s the theme of defiance which fits in perfectly with the war theme. we’ve reached the end of this set of great episodes and the characters are fed up. as i’ve mentioned above, after Carmelita breaks free, she wreaks havoc. she’s been warning the Contessa about breaking free and there was doubt, but she succeeds and that shows defiance against her captor. Sly defies Neyla, after she double-crossed him. this is the first encounter between the two after what went down in India and the chase is great. both are defiant in their own way and that’s why their remarks bounce back. and finally, Sly’s defiance towards the Contessa. i mean, she’s been pulling the strings and been suppressing the gang for two episodes straight so it’s only natural for Sly to beat the shit out of her. and again, the dialogue here is absolute gold. there’s even defiance towards Bentley, when Sly doesn’t stick to the plan and goes rogue (lmao). i guess the last theme, or rather motif, here ties into the theme of defiance, because it’s mischief and tricks. i mean, it’s a form of defiance, so there you have it. even though the situation is extreme and the stakes are high, the gang seems to be having as much fun as ever. in Stealing Voices, there’s that great gag with Bentley imitating Neyla. Tank Showdown sees Murray try to fit into that tiny-ass tank in a cartoony manner and then squash all the guards in his way. Ghost Capture has Sly break a coffin in order to unleash pesky ghosts and then try to capture them by taking pictures of them. and i’m sorry, but every time General Clawfoot blurts out gibberish i crack up. there’s contrast between the war’s grimness and the way the gang handles the missions, and it’s great. i guess it’s comedic relief during harsh times.

What I Like: the character development, the themes and the quotes! i mean, analyzing this episode is my favorite thing about it. it’s a reminder that Sly 2 has the best and most well-constructed narrative in the series. favorite detail would have to be the guillotine. it’s so fun cutting the rope and watching it drop. so yea.

What I Don’t Like: i’ll be honest with you - this episode’s missions weren’t the best. they felt like small tasks to build up an excellent, narrative-driven operation. i mean, abducting General Clawfoot was a brief one and Stealing Voices felt too similar to Ghost Capture and Mojo Trap Action. and, sorry SP, but having me drive the tank as Murray twice felt like punishment...

Quote: deciding what gets included here is literally the most difficult thing i’ve ever had to do. how can i pick between utterly ICONIC lines such as Weren't you listening? She was an Evil Wolf Priestess and You're an ignorant child playing dress-up in his father's legacy. the latter never fails to send shivers down my spine. i honestly can’t do it. the whole damn episode is a fucking quote.

#back to regular programming #this took FOREVER to write #this is the most theme-heavy and analysis-thirsty episode in Sly 2 #BUT #this essay is made even more powerful because my last essay was on why Thieves in Time sucks #so my timing is excellent as always #he he he #sly cooper #episode project #let's all collectively bask in this episode's absolute greatness

[inspector-montoya-fox]

#10 - Jailbreak

Setting: let’s enter the SpOOkY!!! girl, i’m sorry i have to take a moment to appreciate the KI that this episode is. from the statues that come to life to the purple water, the red sky, the bat props that Sly can ninja-spire onto, the music. it’s like a Scooby-Doo episode. Contessa’s house looks like a freakin insane asylum hahahahaha this is all fantastic. i’ve been to Prague and the towers are literally the same. i know i should be analyzing this in the Themes section but in terms of environment, Prague (both levels) are the crux of Sly 2, if not narrative-wise, then definitely emotionally-wise. @designraccoon made this amazing post a while back which went into detail about how the Prague levels represent the darkest nights in the entire series and then in Canada it’s day. i mean, the whole game is great but these central four episodes (from A Starry Eyed Encounter until A Tangled Web) are, in my opinion, what make it so amazing. there’s definitely climax because the stakes are so high. 2/3 of the gang and Carmelita have been captured, Neyla has double-crossed us, Bentley (who was up until this point the weakest link physically) is all alone, and as we find out by the very beginning of the episode, the Contessa is a secret Klaww Gang member. well, this is all dandy. having Bentley alone further establishes how haunting this episode is because we first witness the hub as him, which has never happened before. he’s an itty-bitty-witty turtle roaming around the ultimate spooky level. and the Contessa, she didn’t come to play hunty. i’ll go into more detail about her character below, but she feels more of a threat than Rajan or Dimitri. not because she herself is scary, but because she’s built an empire. Dimitri had bouncers and Rajan had his staff, but Contessa has an entire army and (at this point) Interpol backing her up. in terms of environment, the hub feels huge because of the giant prison in the centre. it truly is a pain in the ass to enter the prison, but that just highlights the fact that, well, it’s a prison. in general, SP really captured the essence of a European town: the stone pavement, the bridges and the sections under them, some historical arcs blocked by cage bars, etc. all this being said however, if we factor in the narrative, Jailbreak’s Prague feels very dead. maybe it’s done on purpose, but due to the gang’s absence and the prison’s overbearing presence, this (similarly to A Starry Eyed Encounter) feels like a prelude. we’re defo onto something big, but we first have to break out Sly and Murray. and lord knows what comes next is big...

Characters: i want to expand the Setting section here but also leave the big gang moments for the Theme section, so this is really about the Contessa. this episode is soaked in melodrama. the themes are heavy, the morale is low, the narrative is complex to say the least. The Predator Awake’s ending was such a shock that we genuinely forget about Carmelita’s whereabouts, as she’s not even mentioned here. we meet the Contessa and, even though she’s already been introduced, this is the first time we really get to know her. the hub really encapsulates her character: a total psychiatrist witch whose gothic surroundings reflect her malicious intentions. a true villain, the definition of the word. she’s a member of the Klaww Gang but also has an ulterior motive and even gives the gang a run for their money with her hypnosis. the bitch also has a blimp she uses for swift getaways, i mean what more can you want. and this is not even her ultimate form as A Tangled Web will see her deliver some very important lines of dialogue and truly show off how evil she is. but for now, she lurks in the shadows. similar to Rajan in the previous level, she spends most of the episode absent (you’ll notice there’s no Clockwerk part in this episode too). this is probably done to give the player some breathing space after the Neyla twist and allow the gang to gather their strength. but her presence is felt, due to how she embodies her hub, the personification of the obscure and the SPOOKY ! for me, the Contessa is as big a villain as Clockwerk, Neyla and Dr M. she’s just selfish and that’s her downfall, as we’ll see in the next episode where she’s presented in a very Nietzschian fashion. it’s like they merged Miz Ruby and Clockwerk: they honed the spooky aspect by added intelligence. Miz Ruby was too short sighted and lacked ambition. the Contessa created herself after she murdered her husband, made herself rich through her psychiatry scam, earned a strong rep via Interpol, and touched the divine by getting her hands on the Clockwerk eyes. the self-confidence is unreal.

Themes: uh, fear theme !!!!!!!!! (like the full shebang, not the half-baked version from The Predator Awakes) our characters are put to the test, forced to face their fears. Bentley had to learn how to drive the van, drive all the way from India to Prague, and explore this nightmare of a level all on his own. Sly was captured by the police and Murray was rendered weak, his will and control taken from him with the use of spice. the theme fits the level like a glove and everyone gets to confront their fear. Bentley succeeds in saving his friends, Sly (although not shown directly but instead mentioned via the Contessa) breaks free from the “hole” under which he’d go mad, and Murray goes head to head with the Contessa at the end of the level. as i analysed in the Setting section, the fear theme is further established by the spooky environment and missions (werewolf statues and evil robots that come to life), as well as the prison’s interior. i mean, consider the gang’s biggest fear is getting arrested but enhance it by a hundred by making the prison seem as hellish as possible. its sombre green and blue tones are reminiscent of Arkham. it truly feels like an insane asylum, with its towering cells, booby traps and devices used for hypnosis. the fear theme is dominant here, but there’s also the theme of separation. up to this point in the game, the gang’s unity has been taken for granted. soon after Bentley and Murray learn the basics, the gang is split. this not only increases the difficulty of the challenges they have to face on their own, but also puts things into perspective. mainly, things only work out when they’re together. you’ll notice that after Jailbreak (and by extent A Tangled Web), there’s an increase in group missions. He Who Tames the Iron Horse, is full of them. their time apart has all three of them realise that teamwork is essential, and that their friendship is the basis for their success. and lastly, a mind theme. i feel like there’s a connection between the hub and the Contessa’s character: her trained mind is so hard to breach, similar to the prison with its high walls. she’s a brittle spider but shouldn’t be underestimated. mind over matter, basically. her head’s interior is full of high security and intricate designs, spotlights and guards. everything feels so claustrophobic in there. both her expertise in psychology and the prison are devices used to break through with her prisoners. and once Sly and Bentley manage to penetrate the walls and get through to Murray, she’s caught off guard because of her seemingly flawless fortress.

What I Like: lots of stuff here. i was always a fun of the spooky-ooky so this is perfect. Bentley is my least favorite gang member but i really enjoyed his narration and how he came through even though the odds were stacked against him. the Contessa is my fav villain from the game, maybe even the series, so there’s that too. in terms of details, i really like Sly disguising himself as a werewolf statue on the bridge, even going so far as to imitate their open mouths. and the prison’s interior is great too. OH! AND that little bell you can hit to distract guards in the hub. i love that little bell.

What I Don’t Like: i’d have to say, the missions are kind of a drag, especially after The Predator Awakes which had some pretty good ones. apart from following the Contessa around and playing as Murray in the prison, the rest are tiring in my opinion (i’m not referring to the operation). specifically, Code Capture and Lightning Action feel like filler, maybe because they’re all made available at the same time, when Sly breaks out. i was never fond of the hacking and this is the episode it’s introduced in so... yea...

Quote: Inconceivable! She's no health care professional!

#inCONCEIVABLE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #SHE'S NOT HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL !!!!!!!!!! #Bentley sweetie... she's not. #sly cooper #episode project #this essay embodies chaotic energy #and i love that for her

[extraneousdominomask]

The Klaww Gang are the only ones who get post-jail epilogues, right?

Sly 1 doesn’t do epilogues at all, and Sly 3′s are about the Gang, not their adversaries. It can safely be assumed that the antagonists from both - especially those who were incarcerated for breaching the World Peace Accords, like Ruby and Tsao - are still in prison.

...................asking for a friend

#the reason I've stopped posting about my idea of #revenger's club #is because I have begun to cling to a lofty ambition

[alfafilly]

Bird Boy Birb Fun

Stealin’ this questionnaire from @designraccoon and @extraneousdominomask​ but only to write it for Arpeggio because he’s the only one that matters TRUE FACT. Also @arpeggio-the-parrot is doing it too go look!!

Why I like them: I honestly am not sure. I currently adore him because I adored him as a kid and the nostalgia hit me hard. That sorta thing where you had a crush and you can’t deny the crush and the crush returns full force. But what I THINK I’m into about him, is the fact that he has potential as a villain. He’s physically non-threatening, but yet he is threatening. He caused all of the headache and horrible things in Sly 2. He turned his back on his entire gang because he was selfish. He probably had that plan for like... at least 2 years since Clockwerk originally died. He thought on that plan, dudes. He was a genius and he had SOME GAD-DAYUM BIRD BALLS to manipulate everyone and was so confident in himself that it was all gonna work. But he was also “human” in that he had flaws. He trusted Neyla and it backfired. And he was SHOCKED when it backfired. He was an overly confident ass up until he died, even if the last moment you could hear him realize he fukked up. All of this is evident in such a TINY ITTY BIT that we saw of him. That’s just. Kinda awesome. And it makes me love him as a character.

Also he’s got a nice suit and I have a suit kink STFU.

Why I don’t: Um. He’s an asshole. Like, his assholery is a great character point for him conceptually but if you wanted to be his friend uhhh you wouldn’t because he’s a pretentious prick.

Favorite episode: Jean Bison’s first level where we get to hear him on the phone in the cabin! That part is honestly the best scene to show his personality, and he’s not even physically present!

Favorite line: “Bison, you covetous troglodyte!”

Favorite outfit: The one I made for him which is just his outfit but it makes sense. Sorry not sorry.

OTP: Arpeggio x da Vinci. Ok, but for real I think Arpeggio is demi or ace so probably no one. But I did draw Arpeggio x Carmelita last week so that’s cool and completely backed up by absolutely nothing.

Brotp: Arpeggio and Jean Bison for realz. Except I know in my heart Arpeggio hates him. And. Well, Bison hates him too, we know this from one of his audio clips in the safehouse where he straight up says he would burn his lil bird body alive if he wasn’t so smart. Just. Imagine this fake friendship where they pretend to be bros but the entire time they go “oh god I hate you so much”. It’s great and relatable cause we all have one of those and if you don’t you’re lying.

Head Canon: Penelope was Arpeggio’s first apprentice but he dumped her in place of Neyla when he found her more “useful”. Penelope is honestly a perfect protege for him: they both love aviation, they both love inventing, they both love machines. They just have their own unique flairs to their crafts. But I think Arpeggio ran into Neyla and while she is not as good with machines or... anything, really, that would make her worthy of being his apprentice, Neyla probably put on an act and buttered him up and Arpeggio believed he could control her and make her do his every bidding. Penelope probably wouldn’t be able to do what Arpeggio wanted, not physically (running around on rooftops and being a snakey cop n all), she’s not intimidating (Neyla got a whip that’s scary and hot), and just generally Penelope was probably not as experienced with lying and manipulating as Neyla was at the time.

Second headcanon: Penelope helped Arpeggio design his blimp maybe really early on concept-wise and she stole his designs and sold them to Le Paradox because that skunky boy can’t be original and that blimp is totally an Arpeggio thing (she probably assumed he dead so whatever no backlash) am I wrong?!

Unpopular opinion: Arpeggio is actually ugly as shit in the game. Like. They did not know how to draw birds well. He’s got high AF red eyes. Why. The monocle is. WTF is that monocle that is a foggy piece of glass glued on his face, that’s stupid. He is not a bird he is an ugly as shit potato. Sorry bird boy I love you but you’re not gonna win the Neopets beauty pageant.

A wish: That we had gotten to battle him. I think his level/the last level was structurally pretty weak and could have been improved. Maybe quarter of the arc is just the gang trying to figure out where they had Clockwerk, maybe they can gradually find out/discover the BIG EBIL SCHEME on their own without a 10 minute dialogue dump, and then they try to stop the plan for a few missions, and THEN we can run into Arpeggio (maybe Neyla too idk) but you have to fight him in some sorta big machine. The bird boy can make a giant ass airship with hypno powers n shit, he probably was the one who fitted all the Klaww Gang’s Clockwerk parts, the man can easily build a freakin robot or something you can fight. Maybe he used Clockwerk’s design as inspiration in some of them idk. And only after you defeat him does NEYLA reveal herself to be a lil shit and go “lol I could help you bird boy but I’m not” so then Arpeggio dies not only beaten and weak by Cooper n Co but also his apprentice pulled the rug out from under him at his lowest point. Double heartbreak double dead birdboy. BAM hire me Sanzaru.

If Bowser Jr. can do it, Arpeggio can do it. Fight me, bro.

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: I have SUCH FEAR he will reappear in the TV show and somehow be uglier than in the game. How is that possible I don’t know. If they make him look like a Rio bird I would be happy. If they just take a parrot and give it disturbing human eyes I would... Maybe be okay with it. If they made him a manbird I would be turned on I mean happiest! If they make him a Little Person then I’ll be super worried because I talked about my feels on that before and why I think that is an offensive and not-a-good choice for his motives. But if they can write it non-offensively then I would totally be into it!

TBH I would love a Neyla/Arpeggio wacky Team Rocket-style duo in the show. Reoccurring lil shits being shits. But that’s me being stupid.

5 words to best describe them: Suave lil bird; but dumb.

My nickname for them: Pedgy or Bird Boy. Even though Bird Boy has horrible second connotations I’ll explain one day.

#ok bye #sly cooper #Arpeggio #Sly 2: Band Of Thieves #I'm so dumb guys