A Tales of Blog that thinks way too much about Villains

If you found this you're in for seriously cursed and bad ideas from the Tales Fandom. Spoilers and stupid murmurs abound, so watch your step. I suffer from Grade A (Awful) Shit Taste in characters, mostly of the camp variety so you can say I'm a real duded up fuck. grandcardinal @ fandom.ink

[fivegrandcardinals]

Oh no, not this.

Hey, this is basically my blog that has been secretly here forever but since I have a ton of people following me from multiple fandoms at my main blog, I decided to use this as my general Tales of Blog for whatever over here!

I am unable to follow back as this is a side blog, but I generally only follow friends or people I regularly reblog from my main blog, so don't take it personally.

Who are you?

You may know me as Toady, Tardy, Bird, or Vird. I am a fool from the middle of the map who keeps skipping words cause my mind moves too fast. Call me whatever you see me as. It’s cool. I am currently coping in Covid-19 hell despite getting both doses of the vaccine already while listening to music from the 1930s to 1940s.

Why did you make this blog?

It’s mostly for my general musings and a place to put my artwork and my general thoughts.

I have a very (unfortunately) unique taste in characters, the characters so my favorites are unpopular characters (Grand Cardinals, Remiel, Botta, the entire cast of Tales of Legendia, Natalia, Grand Maestro Mohs, Barbos, to name a few.) for some odd reason or another. I have shit taste in characters, what can I say?

My reads are 100% questionable, I don’t want to start any arguments or fights of my strange perspective. Psychic Damage from my garbage is the last thing I want so I try to stay out of the tag.

Things to Expect

Viewer discretion is advised as I don’t cater any of my ideas to anyone but myself.

Spoilers. I will often post spoilers for games here and not hide them if they're like at least a decade old or more. If you are sensitive to that, it's probably best to avoid me.

Me talking about my favorite characters trying to figure out how they work psychologically. This could go in deep or I could go be completely flippant. Do not take this as me excusing the characters when I am talking outloud to figure out how to write them.

Tiny details about trying to figure out what happened when in what timeline (I’m looking at you ToS, which lovingly contradicts itself.)

Headcanons that contradict each other on how I’m feeling. I have multiple scenarios in my head and I’m not afraid to use them.

Weird ass alternate universes, that I end up developing to make serious because I can’t do anything as a joke ever and gotta make it a commitment.

Uncomfortable scenarios and ideas. I will talk about abuse and toxicity in many shape and forms, if you are triggered by it? Please do not follow me.

Me shipping morally questionable older men together who might have an age gap but not always. (Magnius/Forcystus, Dist/Mohs, Nachtigal/Gilland and many other wild crossover ships.) I understand it’s weird and so is my taste. This is your warning. You don’t like it, get it out here while you can.

Weird ass meta. Like. Really weird meta that is galaxy brain ideas.

If you disagree with anything of the above, I recommend you don’t follow this blog or block me for your own mental health. 

Things Not to Expect

You won't find this here.

Me focusing on kids in a sexualized manner. (ex. Karol, Presea, Genis, Elize, Anise, etc --) I might discuss some topics like their psychological dispositions, their feelings for others, romantic or otherwise within the context of the game but I will stay away from this if only for a lack of interest.

Everything I say to be positive. Don't expect it, I am a critical person and will talk about things that annoy me but I will try to find things to like about a character if I don't like them or speak of how a choice in the plot would have went over better with me personally. Please do not take this as a personal attack.

I Prefer If You Did This

If you are under 21, please do not message or ask for my discord to talk to me about fandom related things. I will not make exceptions about this. By this extension, if you are easily triggered, please do not interact with me for your own emotional well being. 

Everything here is free to reblog or even comment on. I can’t stop you anyway if you are going to do that. 

Tags to Watch Out For or Look At

If you are still around here? Go ahead and look at all of this.

#Tardy Hush ||| This is my general tag with all my musings and more. It’s literally the most chaotic tag and has the least quality control. Watch out, it gets genuinely stupid here. It ranges from actual whimsical meta to actual deep thoughts.

#TardySketches ||| What it says on the tin. This is all my artwork here. 

#TardyWrites ||| This is obvious too, because I write a lot and occasionally I show it.

#Tardy thinks too many silly things about half elves ||| I talk way too much about half elves. End of story. 

#Pointless Observations and Cursed Reads ||| Legitimately the only things I’m kind of sort of proud of noticing but also incredibly cursed.

#Tardy plays Justice and Enviromentalism ||| I replayed Tales of Vesperia, it was fun. I have a lot of thoughts on completing it. It’s in chronological order, with all my struggles and my reactions throughout.

#Tardy plays Revolutionary Iron Mask |||  I played Tales of Arise blind and it was an adventure. These opinions are my own when I play it, with reactions and might change in time. Do not look here if you don't want to be spoiled but it's my Arise Quarantine Blog.

#Tardy plays Eternal Bonds |||  I am doing a Tales of Eternia replay, first time of playing since 2009! This is my first Tales game technically I ever played, and I want to play it more now in a retrospect with my goofy thoughts added into it. It's in chronological order and it should be fun to read if you're into it! (HIATUS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE)

#Tardy plays With Talking Swords |||  A Tales of Destiny (PSX and eventually a Director's Cut) Playthrough I'm doing! I'm pretty much blind save for a few choice spoilers due to being a long time Tales fan... But if you're interested in this, go check it out!

I used to own a Desian & Renegade Discord Server but it is in good hands even if I'm no longer in it, so do check that out!

[fivegrandcardinals]

When someone likes one of your old posts out of nowhere.

( To be fair, that post was good analysis so I understand. I apologize for the rambling I did during covid-19 isolation though. A ton of those topics and posts were plain "eugh". )

[fivegrandcardinals]

It's crazy people were agreeing with me with these posts from 2020 to 2025 or so when it was a result of Covid-19 isolation.

[lobo-mhr12]

[fivegrandcardinals]

[In response to this post]

My favorite part of the dream is I literally kill my enjoyment of it that "Wait am minute, they would NOT put these characters in it? Why would they give them skit faces when they never had them at all with entirely new outfits...?"

A lot of the skit faces (think like in Tales of the Rays) and while only battles were voiced, it was a really crazy ride. They had different outfits and everything but it was "Yeah they wouldn't spend this much money and not for Maurits..."

( I think I saw Leon, Rutee, and Baruk in it, but as I said it was a whole lot of disjointed happenings going on ... )

[fivegrandcardinals]

Had the most wild dream two nights ago and I gotta write this down because it was the weirdest shit ever.

It was like this massive Tales of AU game that happened, using all the legacy characters for an original story aka Tales of Crestoria and Tales of Asteria, but there were noted differences. It was run on a full blown LMBs battle system but it was the wildest AU ever.

There were multiple races in it, but it went like:

Humans

Beast people

Water/Mermaids (They worked like Selkies? it was a weird subplot...)

Androids

Winged people

Insect people

Demons (but they could look like beasts, insects, winged humans with vibrant colors, and humans which caused drama...)

Angels (This didn't make sense, but they had muted colors vs. the vibrant but could use magic.)

Dragons

Anyway, like it was these random aesthetics and unique designs to fit the world in question so it all was cohesive.

The dividing alliances were Humans, Beasts, Insects, Androids, and Winged people who COULD not use magic, were the ones who were a dominant force in their own regard?

Angels were considered Holy Beings.

While Demons, Dragons, and Mermaids were not to be trusted due to their ability to use shapeshifting to some degree and magic.

Anyway there was some funny stuff like:

Tear, Van, were hanging with the Ferines characters as a type of merpeople, where they were able to shape shift between swimming mode, walk on land, and monster mode. Shirley was the holy figure of this group, even if she didn't want to be ...

Guy was in the story too, but he got forced into walking on land for members of this kingdom which he was hella mad about. Alisha and Natalia were related (????) as a royal line, and Eleanor worked for them.

Mohs was still a religious leader of one of the countries, he looked like a normie but in a preview he grew these faded glowing wings and was using magic when people were in fear of an angel???

The country of the cast of Abyss actually didn't discriminate against the people who used magic so much, because Fon Master Ion (he had cheagle ears to his design) was able to use it and he was TECHNICALLY considered a demon by other countries? The only beef they had were the Merpeople which Ion was trying to change.

There was a with Colette being worshipped at first (she was a Beastman, with little Shiba Inu dog ears and a tail) that she had to use her magic abilities to protect this city-state she was in charge of then EVERYONE turned against her realizing she wasn't actually a Beastman but a demon? But Lloyd (who was perfectly human) jumped in to defend her away to call everyone out? (Even if she got driven away and had to find her?)

Zelos had Red Winged-Parrot Wings and his hair's tips were a similar design as his wings? He was still considered a high influential member of his nation he was in charge of but careful not use his magic. (As for why he did not get labeled as angel, it all had to do with insanely vibrant colors vs. the soft/gentle ones???) Anyway, there was an out of context scene he was with Lloyd and trying to find Colette???

Sophie, Emeraude, Tabatha, Incarose were Androids.

Estelle was a demon but it was kept deeply under wraps by one of the countries to keep control and Shionne was her older sister? Yuri was a Beastman with ears like Repede and a tail too. This country in question, was unfair to demons and beastman, putting humans, angels, and winged beings at the very type.

All Malakim and Seraphim (from Zesteria & Berseria) -- also Melchior, Oscar, Teresa, Artorius, Magilou -- were dragons. It was implied that the Four Seraphim (except for Kratos) were dragons too. So was Rodyle, but I only figured that out when I saw him in a scene and we saw a dragon fly away which wasn't there before.

I think Almedrea was a dragon or a demon, I'm not sure but I think she was a demon because she was enslaving dragons and shit????

Vholran was a dragon for sure, but a feathery one. So was Alphen.

Velvet, Rokurou, Shigure, Dhaos, and Vicious were obviously demons and were FEARED by everyone. Jade was too but he was human looking.

Judith was an insect person, which I could only tell by her antenna she had? So was Dist (who had cockroach antenna), Yuna, and Pronyma.

Magnius was thought to be a beast person (he had rappig ears lol) but I'm pretty sure he was able to use magic so actually a demon? Forcystus had one wing which was useless.

Kvar was obviously a demon, but specifically a Fox Demon. So were Byrce and Lunarre. They had degrees of control of their forms.

Alexei was a Beastman on the surface who worked his way up (but could use magic so he was actually a demon) but he had like... cat ears and a tail. And so was Raven (he had two wings, one white and one black, he pretended to have only one the black one and when he revealed as Schwann he had two) and they kidnapped Ion causing a whole international crisis. Flynn was working for them and was also a beastman that could use magic, but I didn't know what kind cause ... I woke up after realizing nobody would put these characters together like this because who would toss in the Cardinals, all the Ferines, Bryce and Lunarre nor would they put this much effort into something that would likely fail.

I kind of want to draw the designs or whatever I had because they had their own unique shit going on.

[fivegrandcardinals]

@crush3dmary

To be fair, I did start it on Tuesday, I think. I just forgot about it because I was having issues on my end for almost a month or so.

The hardest thing for me was actually asking me the authors, because I tend to be someone who doesn't read specific people consistently at all, even my closest friends. (Emily and Elivan can attest this.) If it was "give me stories that are your favorites" that would be easier for me. It's just Elivan aligns similarly to my sad brained freak tastes so they're the fan fiction author I read the most.

When I get my Neocities page up and running, I'm going to probably get my own personal list of stories I like.

Glad you get a kick out of my commentary though.

[artificialajin]

Tried of saying "this character has autism this character has anxiety" let's step it up a bit. I'm gunna start saying megatron has erectile dysfunction

[fivegrandcardinals]

I'm feels 2s today for tues-day...12, 22, 32, 42, and there's no 52 so I'll send you 51 instead. That should keep you occupied for a while haha

[ Fanfiction Questions Meme ]

This took forever, I apologize for the difficulties but it took a long time to think over.

-------------------

12.) Who is your current OT3? I'll be honest? I don't have many OT3s in truth. Most of the time it comes off as a "this person has two hands" to stop the arguments or ship wars. HOWEVER, there are a very few I am actually okay with, and in this case? Asbel, Richard, and Sophie. While I have my complaints for Lineages and Legacies, I'm glad they just doubled down on this idea with their dynamic and friendship. 22.) Is there anything you regret writing? Not really? Once it's released into the wild, I can't do much. I do have some I can reread and go "Hm, I think I peeled a bit too far back." because I don't like telling people how to feel or pull on their heart strings. (Even if that was not my intention.) I basically scrunch my nose in disgust at certain pieces I've uploaded but don't pull them down. 32.) Do you listen to music when you write or does music inspire you? If so, which band or genre of music does it for you? Honestly, it depends on what I'm writing? Like for some reason I'll be listening to either my favorite video game or anime soundtracks or Jazz, Funk, Swing, Classical, Alternative, or Experimental Rock Opera music. I don't really get held down by particularly artists, so I can't tell you. I get lost in a maze, occasionally might loop a few songs that are sentimental to me then bounce on or internet radio. 42.) List and link to 5 fanfiction authors who are amazing: This is tough because I don't read from a specific writer, I do skip over a lot! But I'll try with this! Keep in mind: I'm a type of person who will NOT always like everything you put out there. But I always felt the most boring thing you could say about the work is if you liked it or not when there are other factors you can analyze about it.

Jonphaedrus is one of those writers to me that gets me to THINK with the prose. Their main fandom is mostly Pokémon XY at the moment, which is something I admittedly do not follow for fanfiction (I'm more of a nuzlocke player & love to write/draw comics of my adventures via the play style, even creating randomizer settings to make it more exciting.) However, jon has SO many other fandoms, like Tales, Final Fantasy XV, Genshin Impact, Fire Emblem, etc that it's going to be ride no matter what! If I was to Pick A Favorite, it would be "but wide arms of mercy are spread to enfold thee" (Tales of Legendia). (Full of MANY spoilers.) But it's one of those stories that touched my heart in a real way written with a careful hand with the themes of the story itself. Vandesdelca is an INCREDIBLY close friend of mine, where we might not always agree but we can with various conclusions in a real way without judgment. (And also not be afraid to slap each other if we're being out of line or a dick.) But they write SO many good things too, their main fandom is Tales of the Abyss. While the main stay thing they write is Largo/Van, I legitimately have to say they do SO many other writings involving other characters capturing the spirit of the game and throwing out creative stories. Their words are blunt and punch. Plus they're really good at writing horror. Myself, if I was to choose a favorite piece of their writing, is the "The Circumference of Hod" (Tales of the Abyss) which walks a lot of the feelings of Van Grants has but a lot of their works are bangers. Darkhymns is one of the most prolific writers in the Tales of Symphonia Fandom, who while known for their definitive works on Colloyd (Which are also very good, I have not read them all but I have read some that interested me and they are great.) also do a lot of other character pieces in the same fandom and even series. (particularly Tales of Crestoria, Undertale, and Hazbin Hotel) But my favorite one is their most recent work for Tales of Symphonia Remastered Countdown, which was "To Sow the Seeds of Love and Adoration" (Tales of Symphonia) which was a Tabatha centric piece and shows the love of the game with it's themes in it. I have been deliberately avoiding Fowl68's Kharlan Hero stories mostly because I do not want to accidentally pick up any ideas by mistake before I send my own personal piece with various headcanons out. But the stories I have seen written by them are marvelous, one that specifically stuck with me was (one that is locked likely because of AI scraping) called "Legacy" (Tales of Symphonia) which is a focus on Sheena and her complicated feelings about the future. It's long, but it is good which I have to recommend! Enmity's work because it doesn't moralize towards you or look directly at the camera to tell you how to exactly feel. I won't lie when I say that a lot of their writing from Tales of Legendia sincerely touched me with how honest it was to respect the character's thought processes without judgment. I am not familiar with the Trails series (I do have the games for Sky, just haven't played it.) if I was to choose "To Our Final Spring" (Tales of Legendia) -- a Walter/Fenimore fanfiction which … is one I keep naturally coming back to trying to comprehend every word that was thoughtfully placed. But all their stories are great.

This was tough for me to choose, but I think I narrowed it down.

51.) Rant or Gush about one thing you love or hate in the world of fanfiction! Go! I like seeing something interesting or unique. Reading fan fiction for me, hits harder in a way that artwork does not because it's your imagination going wild with something you find touching, funny, or entertaining. The ability to find meaning in that, even if you dislike it - is someone I would never take away from anyone.

[babylon5-deletingsoon]

maybe i like it when a female character is deeply flawed and responsible for countless deaths and so on and so forth. more female characters should be deeply flawed and responsible for countless deaths

[fontasticcrablettes]

If instead of Repede, Yuri's trusty companion was some other mascot, which option would be the most entertaining?

Quickie

Noishe

Mieu

Coda

Teepo

Rollo

Bienfu

Hootle

Voting ended onFeb 26, 2025

[vorchagirl]

Fanfiction Questions

Fandom Questions

1. What was the first fandom you got involved in?

2. What is your latest fandom?

3. What is the best fandom you’ve ever been involved in?

4. Do you regret getting involved in any fandoms?

5. Which fandoms have your written fanfiction for?

6. List your OTP from each fandom you’ve been involved in.

7. List your NoTPs from each fandom you’ve been in.

8. How did you get involved in your latest fandom?

9. What are the best things about your current fandom?

10.  Is there a fandom you read fic from but don’t write in?

Ship Questions for your Current Fandom

11. Who is your current OTP?

12. Who is your current OT3?

13. Any NoTPs?

14. Go on, who are your BroTPs?

15. Is there an obscure ship which you love?

16. Are their any popular ships in your fandom which you dislike?

17. Who was your first OTP and are they still your favourite?

18. What ship have you written the most about?

19. Is there a ship which you wished you could get behind, but you just don’t feel them?

20. Any ships which you surprised yourself by liking?

Author Questions

21. What was the first fanfic you ever wrote?

22. Is there anything you regret writing?

23. Name a fic you’ve written that you’re especially fond of & explain why you like it.

24. What fic do you desperately need to rewrite or edit?

25. What’s your most popular fanfic?

26. How do you come up with your fanfic titles?

27. What do you hate more: Coming up with titles or writing summaries?

28. If someone were to draw a piece of fanart for your story, which story would it be and what would the picture be of?

29. Do you have a beta reader? Why/Why not?

30. What inspires you to write?

31. What’s the nicest thing someone has ever said about your writing?

32. Do you listen to music when you write or does music inspire you? If so, which band or genre of music does it for you?

33. Do you write oneshots, multi-chapter fics or huuuuuge epics?

34. What’s the word count on your longest fic?

35. Do you write drabbles? If so, what do you normally write them about?

36. What’s your favourite genre to write?

37. First person or third person - what do you write in and why?

38. Do you use established canon characters or do you create OCs?

39. What is you greatest strength as a writer?

40. What do you struggle the most with in your writing?

Fanfiction Questions

41. List and link to 5 fanfics you are currently reading:

42. List and link to 5 fanfiction authors who are amazing:

43. Is there anyone in your fandom who really inspires you?

44. What ship do you feel needs more attention?

45. What is your all time favourite fanfic?

46. If someone was to read one of your fanfics, which fic would you recommend to them and why?

47. Archive Of Our Own, Fanfiction.net or Tumblr - where do you prefer to post and why?

48. Do you leave reviews when you read fanfiction? Why/Why not?

49. Do you care if people comment/reblog your writing? Why/why not?

50. How did you get into reading and/or writing fanfiction?

51. Rant or Gush about one thing you love or hate in the world of fanfiction! Go!

[baggnshield]

as i grow older and age in fandom especially, i have waning patience for 2012 style fandom wars. i don't have time for the type of person who goes "why is this the 2nd top ship on ao3 when it bugs me", i don't have the energy to be friends with people who go "i specifically expressed dislike for this ship and people still write it?" and i have absolutely no time for someone who goes "this very personal trauma i have projected onto this random character and ship should be recognized and agreed by everyone else, otherwise they're bad people"

[fivegrandcardinals]

Another spicy take is I believe Tales of Zestiria in tems of world building, challenges they face, and narrative does the heavy lifting for Tales of Berseria's entire story and plot.

I am 100% sincere when I think Tales of Berseria would have not been as loved in the Tales Fandom if it was not connected to Tales of Zestiria. They both play into each other.

[fivegrandcardinals]

I would go as far to say that Tales of Zestiria is better constructed game and more challenging one too with more exploration of the world itself. Even if I didn't care for the anime, there was a deliberate choice to animate Zestiria while Berseria was merely a story within it.

Because a lot of Berseria is impactful because it rides on the knowledge you played Tales of Zestiria first, know the rules of the world, and know the burden the Shepherd must carry. Many characters exist as deliberate contrasts to each other, and in that they both play into each other.

[fivegrandcardinals]

Another spicy take is I believe Tales of Zestiria in tems of world building, challenges they face, and narrative does the heavy lifting for Tales of Berseria's entire story and plot.

I am 100% sincere when I think Tales of Berseria would have not been as loved in the Tales Fandom if it was not connected to Tales of Zestiria. They both play into each other.

[fivegrandcardinals]

The more I sit on Lineage and Legacies, the biggest reason I struggle with it is because of the main two antagonists. Spoilers for the whole game.

Lambda was for all intents and purposes, physically a monstrosity. There is a beauty and a kindness within the build up to look at the horrors and realize they were suffering, needed a hand reached out to, and kindness. We might see Lambda in cute boy form in flashbacks, but he loses that as he is increasingly dehumanized, and we even fight against the doll form who blows themselves up. The world and creatures he creates, make you almost go "ewww" in the appearance.

The choice to not destroy Lambda, which in almost any other story would slay the sympathetic monster -- but instead, let him live side by side, coexist with Asbel is a wonderful ending.

This is why admittedly the Little Queen falls flat to me. She just looks like Sophie. She's a pretty design and cute. She becomes a gorgeous woman when she combines. The aesthetics are easy to reach out to someone so beautiful and who makes such a wonderful world. There is no real struggle there for me, because I knew what the character was coded to be.

It's easy to reach out something beautiful. It's hard to remove your own biases and reach out to something many think is dangerous/twisted/deformed and inherently evil.

It's kind of funny, the reason Little Queen is more marketable than Lambda is the reason she doesn't hit as hard for me.

[fivegrandcardinals]

Almost done with Tales of Graces f, I'm at the Eleth Research Laboratory. Semi-Negative towards Lineage and Legacies. There is Legendia spoilers here too, but vague.

I forgot how aggressively heterosexual and almost forced found family Tales of Graces f: Lineage and Legacies compared to Main Game.

Like I don't dislike it completely, but every other scene is: DON'T YOU WANT TO HAVE A BABY, GIRLS? MAKE SURE TO REPRODUCE. MARRY. WE GOTTA PUSH MARRIAGE ASAP. ALSO LET'S REMEMBER WE ARE ALL HETEROSEXUAL HERE.

It's kinda wild because even Sophie gets kind of shoved squarely into a child peg, wanting to be a child of Asbel and Cheria (when to me, she came off a romantic prospect in the main game, like Richard and Cheria with the symbolism and coding.) which is funny considering what happens at the end of the game.

There is a lot of good things here though, some skits are funny as hell, many of the quests are thought provoking, Sophie's existential crisis is interesting, more Richard in the party is wonderful bringing something incredibly fun but compared to the main game? It doesn't hold a candle.

Even the Little Queen, I don't find her nearly as compelling as the other antagonist of the main game, aka Lambda. I know what happens, but it kind of makes me sad because I think Lambda is brilliantly constructed while I feel the Little Queen feels like a cliche or phoned in comparatively.

Anyway, I am still having a fun time though and that's what matters. It's just my weird Tales of Legendia problem of the issues of the Ferines vs. the main antagonist of the Character Quests.

[fivegrandcardinals]

@nelfes

Note: Tales of Graces f (Main Game) & Lineage and Legacies spoilers. I just finished the game with 80 hours packed. This also includes Tales of Legendia (Main Game) and CQ spoilers too dropped here too.

The Lineage and Legacies portion is critical.

Yeah, I unironically believe that Sophie is not minor coded. She's one of the most mature characters in the game (despite her situation) and it feels like a transparent way to make Asbel/Cheria happen which is a traditional childhood friendship to Romance. I actually saw more subtext with Asbel/Sophie (as well as Asbel/Richard, of course. It's wild how there is more chemistry there for both of those two ships.) than Asbel/Cheria. (Also adding the brother complex from Hubert's side.)

Like, how am I supposed to take the Blossomgale scenes? The quiet ones where they speak alone, tenderly in the main game? Asbel and Cheria do kiss mind you, during the play... But I feel whatever Sophie and Asbel had going on was a lot more romantic in an agape sense than the young love between Asbel and Cheria.

Also I don't buy that Malik was in love with Lorelia. I think his feelings were tragically for Kurt, who tragically was in love with Lorelia, and Lorelia was in love with Malik. Everything about Malik is so gay to me that I cannot help see it otherwise, he shows no interest in women (other than Lorelia) and she longed to be looked at in a certain way as she died. That to me is tragedy.

Also dude.

Malik is gay as fuck.

I think he has had the worst treatment in the Lineage and Legacies portion. (Aka, by making him just a shipper on board for Hubert/Pascal and Asbel/Cheria.) Because unlike Sophie where I can tilt my head and go "At least they did an existential crisis with her and the horrors of that." I can't really say the same with Malik.

Also, Pascal is a lesbian -- holy shit. I can accept that Hubert crushes on her but I can't see her returning it ever.

The things I liked Lineage and Legacies: - The backstory of Aston and Kerri, with Frederic years ago. - Richard as a whole, he was a treat to see him in having fun, silly, and relaxing, but being somber with having guilt over his actions. His connection with Sophie was sincere too, which I really loved. - How time has passed and things have changed in general. - Sophie's understandable existential crisis of dealing with her functional immortality. - Lambda is a treat with how he interacts with the party and Asbel, as he softens up. I can't help but notice the fondness he has in a way for Malik, which I wonder if he has memories of Cornell when he sees him. - Accel Mode is FUN as hell. - The skits were for the most part fun when they weren't pushing pairings or ships. - Pascal makes me laugh and every scene involving her is funny. - Also the scenes where Asbel grabs Richard's hand as they fall together at Gustworks Ruins, but then in the Eleth Research Laboratory, Richard grabs Asbel's hand and successfully pulls him up at long last successfully -- returning the favor from all those years ago in a solidified way. Absolute cinema.

The strange thing is, the shippy things I'm not necessarily even against ( I found myself going "Awww" at the scene where Cheria is sick in bed, and Asbel is staying with her holding her hand. It was soft, understated, and tender to me.)

But there is so much "HEY GIRLIES, DON'T YOU WANT TO GO HOME, BAKE FOR PEOPLE, GIVE BIRTH, AND BE A MOTHER? DON'T YOU WANT TO STOP ADVENTURING AND LET ALL THE MEN THE WORK?" in random side quests that I found myself taken out of it. It actually stopped me from shipping Asbel/Cheria when I was digging it in the main game. It's that bad.

I think the Little Queen could have worked for me but she didn't have enough time to bake in a 10 hour extra to me, and I think Lambda's hurt and the concept of entitlement (Whether it be for a throne, for someone's love, for greed, for fame, the abstract ideas of glory, pride, or more -- in the case of the conflicts with Bryce, Cedric, Garrett Oswald, Eigin, Kurt, Fourier, and Emeraude ) being the overarching antagonist of the main game but still being open to forgiveness and grace if they truly work for it was well done for me. The Little Queen needed more time for me to get actually attached for a giant role, and it didn't work compared to the theming of the Main Story.

I am not saying I am not sympathetic to an inhuman creature or God of the planet, but we already had that in Tales of Legendia with Grune and Schwartz where as bothered I am with Legendia of darkness vs. light binary, I do think it was far better done than whatever was in Graces f with a lot more time to bake. Heck, even Raging Nerifes and Quiet Nerifes serve this very well in Legendia in general.

I do think I liked where it ultimately ended up on Richard, Sophie, and Asbel before the final cutscene. Which were predictably, the three I shipped the most together.

Anyway, the game was fun but I do remember now why I disliked Lineage and Legacies so much. There are some good things that were added, but I think at the end of the day it feels like they were trying to emphasize these characters were all heterosexual and Sophie is a little girl who wants Cheria as her mom and Asbel as her dad... which I still don't buy, even more so now that I played it with the Japanese audio.

But I'm going to end on a high note, with another scene that made me laugh hysterically. It was all good fun.