Submit swordspeople for the upcoming sword gays showdown!
A tournament for all sword gays/queer characters out there! Please remember the character must canonically use a sword or sword-like weapon
To qualify for this poll, your character must canonically fight with a sword or sword-adjacent weapon (sabers, long daggers, rapiers/epees and all that).
"Sword gays showdown" is just a name, please do submit characters who are bi/pan, ace, trans and other LGBT+ identities. This tournament is all about vibes so characters you headcanon as LGBT+ are fine too!
Please include full name of the character and media they're from!
I reserve the right to disqualify a submission if I'm uncomfortable with the source material (for example if the author of [media your characters are from] is racist/transphobic/etc).
Have fun! Submissions will be open at least until October 24th, maybe a few days longer.
Tagging some other polls for reach under the cut, feel free to ignore!
Time to celebrate the best trope ever made. We'll make our best dead, queer, and fictional characters brawl it out!
Submissions are here and are open until Monday, October 16th, 11:59PM EST. Please reference the nomination guidelines on the submission form before voting. Good luck!
We're here to decide who the best book siblings are
We all know the drill by now, but just to be clear, here are the rules:
They can be two or more siblings
Adopted siblings are allowed (of course), but they have to be actual siblings, not childhood best friends who say they're like siblings to each other, or anything like that (eg Kell and Rhy from A Darker Shade of Magic are eligible, but not Kaz and Jesper from Six of Crows, even though Kaz calls Jesper by his brother's name at some point)
You can submit as many siblings as you want, but only once for each!
By "best", I don't mean the ones who work best together or the ones who get along the best, they can be an absolute mess if you want, this is just a popularity contest
I tend to have a pretty good tolerance for rude things in the tags, so I might not realize if people are being actively harmful: if you see anyone being awful in the tags, please send me an ask or a DM and I'll block them
The form is closed until I can sort through the submissions we already have!
If you have any question or if the form doesn't work, please send an ask! (I hope they're still on)
Round 3 and the Redemption Round 2 2ill be postponed a couple days! Life got super busy out of nowhere and I don't have as much time to put together the polls. They should still get posted within a week though!
Is there a character that makes you want to tear your hair out?
Do you want to put them in terrifying situations and study them under a microscope?
If so, this bracket is the one for YOU!
Our mission is to find the absolute most hated character in tumblr history. Will it be someone universally hated? Or someone more niche?
Let’s find out!
Rules
ABSOLUTELY no TERFs, bigots, transphobes, racists, or any sort of shit like that! This is supposed to be a lighthearted tournament, and I will NOT tolerate any fighting.
Your blorbo will be judged mainly upon the propaganda YOU give. I don’t know most media, so please be detailed!
Your blorbo must be hated :)
Characters from controversial media will most likely be accepted. If it’s from something especially controversial, I’ll send out a poll about the media and have the people decide your blorbo’s fate. If anyone is uncomfortable with a certain character after the bracket is revealed, please let me know!
Know that I am running this alone..so expect some silly little things to happen by accident! This is also my first ever bracket :3
Propaganda in asks is always welcome, as well as just silly cat pictures and whatnot.
Aaaand…here is where you can find your submission link!
Round 2: Lan Fan (Fullmetal Alchemist) vs Link (Legend of Zelda)
[Propaganda Under Cut]
Who is the best bodyguard?
Lan Fan (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Link (Legend of Zelda)
[See Results]
Voting ended onSep 11, 2023
Lan Fan: Lan Fan is one of Ling’s bodyguards and is a very skilled combatant. She works with her grandfather to protect the prince, and usually works in the shadows, where no one would ever know she was there. She can tell when people have unique abilities (homunculi, etc.) and is skilled in explosives. But most importantly, she is devoted to Ling. She won’t stand for him being insulted, sometimes leading to her picking unnecessary fights. And in one battle with an insanely strong enemy, she got the Prince away, then cut off her own arm to send the enemy on a wild goose chase so she could still live and maybe protect the prince another day. She gets an automail (prosthetic, with a cool knife) arm and rejoins the fight later on to continue to protect Ling, even though he’s changed and his role in the world has changed significantly, never giving up her role.
Link:
HE FOUGHT THE INCARNATION OF EVIL TWICE FOR HER!! granted he did fail first those two times, and his ward became a light spirit god thing to hold said evil back the first time, and for the second she time-traveled back >10k years and became a dragon, but he did fight ganon!
anyways link was assigned as zelda's personal guard for a While. we dont know how long ago it was, but it's probably a span of 1-2 years pre-ganon. if we include the ganon years and the time travel then it's been +10k years. he does a fantastic job of it, he saves her from yiga (assassins) and the incarnation of evil (ganon, twice). they become friends. they bond. zelda tries to feed him a frog. link actually dies for zelda and then he comes back to save her. he catches zelda as she turns back to human
Round 2: Juliet Butler (Artemis Fowl) vs Yura Goro (Kamen Rider Ryuki)
[Propaganda Under Cut]
Who is the best bodyguard?
Juliet Butler (Artemis Fowl)
Yura Goro (Kamen Rider Ryuki)
[See Results]
Voting ended onSep 11, 2023
Juliet Butler: Had a stint as a famous wrestler, put up with both artemis' and the twins' (miles and Beckett) criminal and fairy shenanigans, could kill you with her pinky
Yura Goro: He cooks... he cleans... he beats up the guys who jump his pathetic string bean of a boss/husband even though his boss/husband probably deserved to get jumped... he escapes from a kidnapping and finds time to pick up groceries on the way home... he's great with kids... he can't whistle for shit... he's unswervingly devoted to his boss/husband despite being way too good for him... he's the perfect bodyguard AND the perfect man
Round 2: Miyamoto Usagi (Usagi Yojimbo) vs Lan Mandragoran (The Wheel of Time)
[Propaganda Under Cut]
Who is the best bodyguard?
Miyamoto Usagi (Usagi Yojimbo)
Lan Mandragoran (The Wheel of Time)
[See Results]
Voting ended onSep 11, 2023
Miyamoto Usagi: Badass, fluffy bunny, cool eyebrow scar, decapitated his just-dead lord on the battlefield to protect his honor by burying his head in a secret location so his enemies couldn't display it as a trophy
Lan Mandragoran:
Lan is a magically-enhanced Warder, psychically bonded to an Aes Sedai (a member of an order of mages); the Warder bond gives him enhanced stamina and healing, as well as allowing both parties to feel each other's emotions and track location. Warders spend their lives guarding their Aes Sedai (who are generally longer-lived for magical reasons).
Lan is a world-class swordsman, experienced in tracking and wilderness survival, and an extremely stubborn person who is determined to carry on his personal hopeless war against evil at any cost to himself. Together Lan and Moiraine spent several decades on a secret quest to save the world.
Round 2: Butler (Artemis Fowl) vs Murderbot (The Murderbot Diaries)
[Propaganda Under Cut]
Who is the best bodyguard?
Butler (Artemis Fowl)
Murderbot (The Murderbot Diaries)
[See Results]
Voting ended onSep 11, 2023
Butler:
He Raised That Boy!
Butler (it's against rules for his employer to know his first name so he only told it to Artemis when he was literally dying (that whole book was about Artemis saving his life)) was first employed by Artemis's father (Artemis senior), as is customary for their families. Artemis Fowl lore includes the tidbit that the Butler family has been helping and guarding the Fowl family for so long (like centuries) that they're the origin of the word. Anyway, Fowl senior disappears when our Artemis is a child, so the child genius decides to continue the family legacy of international crime, which means that Butler has to protect him from everything and everyone. He manages it though. He's a one-man army. He's feared by elite forces. Anyone who tries to get to Artemis has to go through Butler but he's not letting anyone do that. He literally protects this boy with his life, and he cares for him like family, because who cares about employers when said employer is a child trying to find his father and you've been with them for all their life?
Murderbot: It was literally designed for this. Its sole purpose for existence is to be a SecUnit and to protect its clients (and also to data mine them because it lives in a capitalist hellscape but anyway). And it doesn't actually have a choice in that because its controlled by its governor module and isn't actually viewed as a person, except it hacked its system so it DOES have a choice and it still decides that what it wants to do is protect its humans, just while also being treated as a person. And it is so fiercely protective of everyone it feels responsible for, even if it is also very annoyed by its stupid squishy humans who wont stop putting themselves at risk.
Butler has it all: extreme competence, extreme love and care for his charge (I mean, who doesn't love Badass and child duos, even when the child is a terrifyingly intelligent antivillain). I mean, he was basically Artemis' father figure as well as bodyguard, and he does an exceptional job considering the magical shenanigans that he definitely didn't sign up for.
Now, I still love Murderbot and it is definitely an amazing character, and even bodyguard, but I think it is too protagonist-y to really embody the essence of a bodyguard - it's story is about itself, not the people it is guarding - bodyguard is its job more than the entire essence of its character like Butler.
Redemption Round 1: Brienne of Tarth (Game of Thrones) vs Mako (Legend of Korra)
[Propaganda Under Cut]
Who is the best bodyguard?
Brienne of Tarth (Game of Thrones)
Mako (Legend of Korra)
[See Results]
Voting ended onSep 5, 2023
Brienne of Tarth: She fought a bear and is buff and cool
Mako: He is forced into the position and hates it the whole time. Has to keep the prince from flirting with his ex girlfriends, from accidentally killing himself, and be general emotional support.
Oops! Seems like I accidentally set this one to one day instead of one week! I'll probably keep it how it is because it would throw off the rhythm even more if I started a week long poll right now, and since it was a pretty significant margin with already over 100 votes, the overall result wouldn't likely change much.
Round 2: Big Daddies (Bioshock) vs Riza Hawkeye (Fullmetal Alchemist)
[Propaganda Under Cut]
Who is the best bodyguard?
Big Daddies (Bioshock)
Riza Hawkeye (Fullmetal Alchemist)
[See Results]
Voting ended onSep 11, 2023
Big Daddies:
This contain spoilers for bioshock the
Basically they go hand in hand. The little sisters were orphaned girls turned into creatures that collect Adam (a gene changing drug) from dead corpses. The big daddies are their body guard and the alpha series is a type of big daddy that could only pair themselves to one girl. The first example is Subject Delta (who you play as in bioshock 2) and Eleanor Lamb. Wanna know what happens if the pair bond is broken between them
Yeah he will die.
But continuing with the alpha series. They’re the only hostile big daddy in the game. Every other type is neutral. Only attacking if you hurt the little sister or the big daddy himself. Why are they hostile? Because they lost their little sister.
Now the big daddies weren’t turned into big daddies by choice. Usually they were prisoners and they people Ryan suspected to be spies by the governments around the world. There’s only one case where someone turned themselves into a big daddy and that is the case for Mark Meltzer, who’s story is very tragic so I won’t go into full detail okay.
But the little sisters and big daddies are basically a scary and tragic tell him of two groups of people ripped of their identity and experimented to the point of no return (as seen with the big sisters in bioshock 2, who are grown up little sisters). Just to fulfill the research and capitalistic ideas of a few
Riza Hawkeye:
She's technically his lieutenant, not bodyguard. She joined the military at his suggestion after the death of her father, his mentor, and when he saw the reality of military life and the atrocities they were ordered to commit he tasked her with being his judge, jury and executioner as well as his protector, and to pull the trigger on him if he ever strayed from his path of using his power to help people and change the regime. She does this eventually, having spent years protecting him, and aims a gun at him when he is in the brink of giving in to be vengeance. She also frequently protects him from himself by 'intervening' (kicking his legs out from underneath him) when she thinks he is about to do something unwise (such as attempting to use fire as a weapon in the pouring rain).
Also they are a deeply sweet platonic duo who trust each other completely.
She is always content to be his subordinate without it coming across servile or unhealthy, and is absolutely badass in that role.
Propaganda time: in bioshock 2, you play as a big daddy so great you were revived from the dead by your little sister. There’s also a power that makes the big daddy obey you which is just so cute, yes I know he’s 7ft tall and has a drill for an arm but he’s following me around like a dog :D
Riza Hawkeye propaganda: She lives in a world where people command the very fabric of reality using alchemy, and she holds her own and protects her fellow soldiers by being really good at using guns. She also has an emotional support dog and she found a shapeshifter by lying amd saying her superior calls her by her first name when theyre alone. Riza Hawkeye superiority all the way.
Round 2: Big Daddies (Bioshock) vs Riza Hawkeye (Fullmetal Alchemist)
[Propaganda Under Cut]
Who is the best bodyguard?
Big Daddies (Bioshock)
Riza Hawkeye (Fullmetal Alchemist)
[See Results]
Voting ended onSep 11, 2023
Big Daddies:
This contain spoilers for bioshock the
Basically they go hand in hand. The little sisters were orphaned girls turned into creatures that collect Adam (a gene changing drug) from dead corpses. The big daddies are their body guard and the alpha series is a type of big daddy that could only pair themselves to one girl. The first example is Subject Delta (who you play as in bioshock 2) and Eleanor Lamb. Wanna know what happens if the pair bond is broken between them
Yeah he will die.
But continuing with the alpha series. They’re the only hostile big daddy in the game. Every other type is neutral. Only attacking if you hurt the little sister or the big daddy himself. Why are they hostile? Because they lost their little sister.
Now the big daddies weren’t turned into big daddies by choice. Usually they were prisoners and they people Ryan suspected to be spies by the governments around the world. There’s only one case where someone turned themselves into a big daddy and that is the case for Mark Meltzer, who’s story is very tragic so I won’t go into full detail okay.
But the little sisters and big daddies are basically a scary and tragic tell him of two groups of people ripped of their identity and experimented to the point of no return (as seen with the big sisters in bioshock 2, who are grown up little sisters). Just to fulfill the research and capitalistic ideas of a few
Riza Hawkeye:
She's technically his lieutenant, not bodyguard. She joined the military at his suggestion after the death of her father, his mentor, and when he saw the reality of military life and the atrocities they were ordered to commit he tasked her with being his judge, jury and executioner as well as his protector, and to pull the trigger on him if he ever strayed from his path of using his power to help people and change the regime. She does this eventually, having spent years protecting him, and aims a gun at him when he is in the brink of giving in to be vengeance. She also frequently protects him from himself by 'intervening' (kicking his legs out from underneath him) when she thinks he is about to do something unwise (such as attempting to use fire as a weapon in the pouring rain).
Also they are a deeply sweet platonic duo who trust each other completely.
She is always content to be his subordinate without it coming across servile or unhealthy, and is absolutely badass in that role.
Propaganda time: in bioshock 2, you play as a big daddy so great you were revived from the dead by your little sister. There’s also a power that makes the big daddy obey you which is just so cute, yes I know he’s 7ft tall and has a drill for an arm but he’s following me around like a dog :D
Tatum Mendoza: because. he is very cute LMAO. okay no, listen up, he's one of the romance options in this game and he is your character's childhood best friend who has been away for years, and it's the first time you're seeing him in years, and he is employed as your new body guard and he is so adamant in making sure you're okay that he's constantly surveying the surroundings for threats and checking the perimeter to make sure nothing gets past him. the first thing he does when a door slams open is jump in front of you, ready to protect you or possibly even take the brunt of whatever's coming. he's on alert for you and dedicated to keeping you safe whether you romance him or not, although if you do it's a very sweet slowburn, because he's dedicated to keeping you safe and scared that your relationship could be a security risk if he lets his guard down. but he's not a total square, you can tease some banter out of him and get him to loosen up once in a while. the first thing he does after an attack was pulled on another bodyguards shift is run to you and check you're okay, bring you to a safehouse and check you over and then he drives you back on a motorbike and stays by your side the whole night making sure you not only are safe but feel safe, too. he comes running when you need him and he teaches you self defense and he is so sweet and great lol.
Horace Knightley: He’s actually the worst. He killed his coworker on impulse because that guy was way better at his job and he was jealous. Also he’s terrible at not acting suspicious, he carries a revolver and spins it around like Revolver Ocelot and points it at innocent people. He’s the only person more annoying and pretentious about chess than Miles Edgeworth himself. Like come on his tie has a checkerboard pattern and he thinks of every social interaction like chess hes insane. He definitely says “this is just like chess” to everything. Also his clown boyfriend hates and wants to kill him so so bad and he has no idea he thinks theyre best friends. I am so passionate about his ugly ass
Redemption Round 1: Peko Pekoyama (Danganronpa) vs Sandor (Keeper of the Lost Cities)
[Propaganda Under Cut]
Who is the best bodyguard?
Peko Pekoyama (Danganronpa)
Sandor (Keeper of the Lost Cities)
[See Results]
Voting ended onSep 11, 2023
Peko Pekoyama:
Peko, abandoned by her parents, was taken in as a baby by the Kuzuryu family, a yakuza clan. She was raised alongside the heir to the clan, Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, and trained to be his personal hitman and bodyguard. Because of her training she is the ULTIMATE SWORDSWOMAN (that is her title in the game). In the death game when Fuyuhiko wants to avenge his murdered sister, she steps in to do the murdering/avenging for him which costs her her life. This is also an attempt to free Fuyuhiko from the death game (because when the others vote for her, she argues that Fuyuhiko was the actual killer, and she was just his tool. But that doesn't work, because he sees her as a person).
TLDR she protects the person she is guarding until the very end, also he is in love with her, and she is very cool
Sandor: So he's this big barechested burly grey goblin dude with a high squeaky voice, and he's got this girlfriend Grizel who's also a bodyguard and they're just so perfect together!! And Sandor's literally thrown himself off of Mount Everest to protect Sophie *and he lived*.
Redemption Round 1: Sebastian Michaelis (Black Butler) vs Palm (Never Let Me Go)
[Propaganda Under Cut]
Who is the best bodyguard?
Sebastian Michaelis (Black Butler)
Palm (Never Let Me Go)
[See Results]
Voting ended onSep 11, 2023
Sebastian Michaelis: Sometimes being the ultimate bodyguard is just part of being the ultimate butler, and Sebastian is One Hell of a Butler. He’s snarky and charming and able to use anything as a weapon.
Palm: Is ready to fight for Nueng since day 1. Ready to be whatever Nueng needs him to be and it doesn’t take long until he’s ok with dying for Nueng. Does more than protecting him physically, is willing to protect his heart as well and together they make an unstoppable team
janainaart
kaledo-art
stormborns
gummygunk
blakekathryn
snowghoul
ellievsbear
yousharknotpass
