I'm good at pretending I'm not crazy

[typebeanie]

[that-androgynous-lightweaver]

wordle spoilers for july 15 on the nonexistent chance anyone sees this before midnight

dear tumblers: let me take you on a journey. so for context, this is the first thing i did after bingeing the entirety of the vampire lestat thus far. so i open tumblr, fully intending to scream over the rollercoaster of the last six hours of my life, and the first thing i see? this.

this was at 11:30 pm my time. so, recognizing duty, i set my rage and quite frankly utter bamboozlement aside. i haven't done the wordle in a month or so (life has been strange) and i have completely forgotten my newest starter word (loved had been betraying me for far too long). so i decide to take a shot in the dark.

yeah so... was not expecting that. anyways so yes halfway through i gave up and started slinging shit at the wall, as they say. 'bring' gave me nothing, which i was pretty sure of before, but i was mad and tired so i gave it a shot anyway. 'aloha' was a desperate attempt to figure out where the hell the h and a were, which did help. from there i knew 'psha_', and was STILL baffled, so i just started going through the keyboard and pressing enter. suprisingly, i didn't even make it halfway through 'qwerty'.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN.

dearest New York Times (derogatory) THAT IS NOT A MOTHERFUCKING WORD. PSHAW????? EXCUSE YOU????? IS THAT SPITTLE I JUST SAW COME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH???????? HHTHTTJRHRJRKKTJTR WHAT I'm just going to stop here. I have too much respect for humanity to continue. Apologies, people at NYT Games

Closing thoughts: This is why I don't do wordle anymore. I dedicate ten minutes of my life to this shit and I get thrown out of a window ragdoll style. Anyways, thank you @sankta-wraith 🥹 This sufficiently distracted me from IWTV for enough time for me to calm down a bit. I honestly really needed that. Still might go scream into a pillow probably but less insanely than previously planned

[tophatisaperson]

Gamer Lace

[iochris]

On Cabo Verde and their magnificent run this World Cup (Long)

Ok, I need to talk about the Argentina v. Cabo Verde game because it's all I've been thinking about. Ts was so intense I only managed to sleep for like 4 hours that night. I'm still chasing that high two days later

Ever since their match with Spain, I was wholeheartedly supporting them, talking about how they'd tie their way to victory. And these guys pulled it off!! I won a bunch of bets on that. UNDEFEATED IN REGULAR TIME IN WORLD CUP HISTORY, HEAR HEAR! How many other debutants could boast that?

Really, before the Argentina match, I was wondering whether this might be where their luck ran out. Sure, they did it with Spain, but who says they could pull it off again? And after that first goal by Messi, I really thought it was probably over. Nothing in the world could have prepared me. Sorry Vozinha, king, I shouldn't have doubted you. This guy let Messi have it once, then swore never again. I'm honestly not completely sure Argentina could have won this had it gone to penalties.

In the end, every champion needs large amounts of skill, but even more amounts of luck. Seriously, the only reason this didn't go to penalties was a goddamn own goal that would have been out otherwise. Pure bad luck there for Cabo, they did nothing wrong in their play, they didn't screw up anything, just plain old misfortune from a single moment of unfortunate positioning. And I'm 100% sure if the match had lasted another 5-10 minutes, they'd have equalised again, based on how they were doing until the final whistle. Again, pure bad luck with those shots at the end just not working out for them.

The big thing I was thinking is, how many other teams in this World Cup, how many that did pass to R16, could go up against ARGENTINA, world champions, ranked #1, with Lionel Messi, and bring them to their limit? How many could force them to extra time and have them sweating like that? France could, they did it last world cup, but even that was with 2 penalties from mfing Mbappe, not an open play goal by Sidny Cabral from some Turkish team. Maybe also a couple other teams could do it, but mostly teams already acknowledged for their skill. Not Cabo Verde, African archipelago with half a million people.

Btw, everyone has said it, but goal of the tournament there that second equalizer by Cabral, undeniably. I don't think the final will be able to offer something better than this whole match tbh.

I can only wonder how much further they'd have gotten had they not faced the final boss in their first knockout match. Against teams like Australia, Bosnia, etc I'm sure they'd advance.

Another thing, case Vozinha made me wonder: If he plays like that when he's 40, how was he playing at 30? At 25? How could he have played, had he been discovered and developed? This goes for many others, talents that weren't lucky enough to be witnessed. I remember, before the start of the WC, I was talking with someone who said that we don't get to see talented players that we don't already know at the Cup anymore, because we've already seen everyone good enough already during regular season. Well, there goes that, I guess.

Also "The World Cup is ruined by adding more teams, they'll just get destroyed and we'll just get more mediocre football" is another take proven wrong by teams like Cabo Verde, and even Curaçao who finished last in their Group, but got to show us this incredible and record-breaking goalkeeper percormance by Eloy Room, even if only for one match. (What is it with islander goalies playing like their life depends on it this WC). We wouldn't have seen any of that otherwise.

Plus, now the World Cup represents much more of the world, rather than just the same old countries, and gives them a chance to show the world what they're made of. Yes, "stars" can make a difference, but there's nothing like the dedicated play from a team with nothing to lose and everything to play for, where teamwork can really shine. Greece won a Euro like that, it's awesome to see.

Overall, Cabo Verde will be missed. Already is, in fact, watching that Paraguay match showed as much. These guys made their county proud and fell as heroes, fighting bravely 'till the end. I wish to see them on other tournaments from now on. Idk how much one can expect, considering how big of a role Vozinha played and the fact he's retiring, but I'm a lifelong fan now, so it's too late to think about that.

I'd love to visit this beautiful country some time too, all I've heard about it sounds amazing, even if it wasn't on my radar before. I'm kind of a geography nerd, so it was funny being the only one in my circle to know about them and pointing them out in a map to everyone else lol

[beetleandfox]

enjoying your reread of a brandon sanderson novel and then getting to a bad joke or cringey “intense” moment is like when your eggs start to taste like eggs

[iochris]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

The little vessel, after an age spent being dead, finally manages to return to the world above. Maybe things could be different this time.

Greenpath vessel & Lost Kin since I care about them

[star-crossed-landlubber]

now that mistborn and stormlight archive are getting film and tv adaptations respectively

i really hope misborn gets the lotr treatment and stormlight archive gets the rings of power treatment

rather than the atla live action treatment

[that-androgynous-lightweaver]

[that-androgynous-lightweaver]

OP THIS IS HORRIFYING. THE PHRASES "ATLA LIVE ACTION" AND "MISTBORN MOVIE" DO NOT BELONG IN THE SAME ATMOSPHERE. SILENCE, TORMENTOR.....

[shreekofjoy]

I'll do you one better, Mistborn gets the Percy Jackson treatment

[iochris]

GENUINELY my worst fear. This travesty ruined my trust in any live-action adaptation.

[iochris]

My problem in this site is that I keep not properly utilising reblogs. I'm over here with thousands of likes that I use to save posts, then I end up scrolling for ages to find that one thing I liked 4 months ago, grumbling about not being able to organize my likes tab instead of just... reblogging stuff. And tagging them. And finding posts that much easier.

I should stop using Tumblr like it's Youtube or whatever, I say, knowing I'll do nothing about it

[jar-of-beetles]

Aroace lace who doesn't realize that not feeling romantic/sexual attraction is a normal thing and instead thinks of it as yet another reason that she isn't alive because she doesn't know it's a thing that happens and is normal. Does anyone hear me.

[ph-cutie]

I love you forgotten and neglected first draft siblings of the final bosses

[ibearfish]

Hating p5 rn

[iochris]

You guys are reaching Radiance?

[iochris]

It's June 3rd you know what this means

20 year anniversary of the first AvA!! Wow, the fact that this series has been going on for so long is astonishing, nevertheless the fact that it's been steadily getting better throughout the years

And happy birthday to Vic too, I guess

[abscshshhd]

a comparison. for reasons (pain and suffering)

[disasteriod]

ava 13 spoilers

I need to talk about why the dark lord isnt a one-dimensional villain, and how Alan and his team managed to pull off a character who's deal is 'i was made for violence so I will do violence' while managing to pull it off well.

To preface this, i think it's important to note that the writing that alan does for his series isn't godly. It's not something that deserves 50 million awards. What it is though, is really solid. The story he's telling is generally quite simple, with familiar topics. But its the fact that he can tell a good story that makes this so good. The story is compelling. The characters are lovable and hateable. The visuals are wonderful. The themes are consistent. Ava/AvM can't really be seems as some revolutionary film series, (the fight scenes will go down in history as absolutely legendary though istg), but it will always have a reputation for solid and decent writing.

Dark's character is very interesting to me. From what I can see, they are definitely a complicated character with specific interests and views on morality and ideas, that go beyond their name being The Dark Lord.

I could describe dark's general character in a few words. Bloodthirsty. Cruel. Detached. Opportunistic. This combination is what makes dark such an interesting character to talk about.

They're definitely bloodthirsty. I think that much is obvious. The first thing they decide to do while out of Alan's hands is to wreak havoc on other beings. The various attacks on different websites (especially newgrounds), their nether rampage in Animation vs Minecraft 0, their murderous rampage in rocket co; you get the idea. They like commiting acts of violence. Most of this probably comes from their name being literally the dark lord. But dark definitely had the opportunity to learn other behaviors outside of violence- chosen offered to build things with them in the avm 0 episode, the entire time period where tdl and tco were laying low- tco was able to gain some degree of awareness that what they were doing with tdl was evil (but was probably too codependent to confront tdl or leave them). So I feel like that tdl is definitely making a choice to continue being as bloodthirsty as they are.

On top of that, the dark lord is incredibly cruel. You can be bloodthirsty without being cruel, but this bastard likes to make sure what theyre doing is extra violent and painful. They doesn't immediately take out the color gang when they try to fight them- they just engange in hand to hand combat, then, deciding they've had enough, slaughter the color gang. When fighting the chosen one, they are also extremely brutal about it- skewering them, stabbing them, slicing them- although tco didn't die from that, there could've been other equally as effective ways to subdue both tco and Alan without this degree of brutality (virabots). Then, after being obliterated by a child, they go onto not learn their lesson or even feel some sort of hesitancy towards violence. Instead, they jump right back to it. And the first plot we see them hatch? Leveraging victim's trauma to get victim to do the dirty work of building the revive-o-matic for them. And they were not remorseful or even neutral about emotionally manipulating victim. Victim, in that moment, probably felt like they finally succeed their only goal for past decade and was fully prepared to jump back into their idealized life. And then we just see dark chortling in the background while victim get more and more confused on why Misti is not responsive. They took enjoyment from inflicting that pain. Being a bloodthirsty harbinger of evil is one thing, but that wasn't in the job requirements.

Dark is also incredibly detached. Their reaction to defeating an anguished and livid victim, who, might I add, was trying to wreak revenge on them for the manipulation and the murder of their close one; was to offer their their hand in a 'well, back to it!' fashion. And when the enthusiasm wasn't reciprocated and victim decided to finally turn away from their blinding desire for revenge, dark basically shrugs this off and then cuts them in half. After that, they immediately recruit the revived victim as a champion of death- they just move on from 'victim goes against him' to 'they murder victim for their "betrayal"' to 'getting back on the murder train' in mere minutes. Dark isn't unaware about victims feelings- to be able to manipulate someone to that degree, one needs innate knowledge on how feelings work. They just dont care about others. This level of casual murder and manipulation comes from being so unhinged.

I think a lot of the stuff I talked about up there can properly demonstrate how tdl is opportunistic and self serving. They immediately team up with tco, knowing that the can't break free from Alan alone. They immediately weaponise their knowledge on mitsi's death to play victim like a fiddle. They see tsc's powers and their first idea is to find a way to make those powers serve them. Heck, their entire gimmick about viruses is also about that. Computer viruses work because they prey on naivety and the trust of others for their own self gain. People who use viruses maliciously are seeing opportunity for self gain by using others. The dark lord is the same.

What makes all of this even more interesting, is that they didn't kill the chosen one. Not when tco's "usefullness" to them ended, not when tco tried to stop them from taking over the outernet, not when tco became no one, and especially not when they had access to the revive-o-matic that could render them back under their control. With their current set of personality traits, why didn't they? Could it be argued that they have some sort of attachment or sentiment to tco and just likes to keep them around for their own benefit? Or is it a silent rebellion against Alan's orders? Could it be that tdl decided that keeping tco alive is more cruel than killing them? All can be possible explanations, which is why tdl is such an interesting character to think about.

[arrowchristian]

I finished the episode bro I’m losing it

That genuinely did not go the way I thought AT ALL

Spoiler warning and extremely disorganized rant ahead:

FIRST OF ALL I actually choked up and started crying when Vic restored Mitsi. I had to pause it for a second and collect myself because wdym the roles reversed??!?!?!? What do you MEEAN THEY WATCHED EACH OTHER DIE I AM NOT OKAY

And the massacre after, oh my lord. The Newgrounds massacres were one thing, but the sight of so many sticks just trapped and panicking, getting picked off one by one... Absolutely visceral.

Also, the FSF TREMBLING with fear as Dark hovers past them?? And then being basically forced to walk Second up to the pod, liKE HELLO???? Why is the main character's posse getting angst in an AvA episode???? (I'm joking, but still--)

The H4ck3r Vs Dark fight???? SO COOLL!!!! As soon he turned on Dark, I was just screaming, "GET HIS BUTT, VIC!!" I had been anticipating this reveal for a YEAR, so it was very very cathartic for me, lol. I did kind of think Vic was gonna lose himself for a second and just start tearing up parts of the building where everyone was. Dark's goop powers were awesome to finally see in action, and the brief moment he got to show emotion with his eyes???? GGRRRrrrrgrgGhHH I LOVE THEM WITH EYES

Dark's just childish glee the entire time was both entertaining and sickening to watch. I made a theory after the last episode that Dark might get a redemption arc, but after this... It's really just reinforced how utterly irredeemable he is; how much he revels in chaos and destruction and watching others suffer. Which I actually kind of love more than if he was redeemable, I think? Mostly because I find it very refreshing to have an unrepentant villain in a time when I feel like creators seem really attached to creating sympathetic antagonists; not that I'm against sympathetic antagonists. I'm always down for a good redemption arc and/or complicated, 3D antagonist. But sometimes it is nice to have a villain that really is just evil for the sake of being evil. King and Vic have been great antagonists, but Dark feels so much more threatening and dangerous simply for that fact that he doesn't care. He doesn't have a traumatic backstory the audience can relate to, he has no positive connections anyone in the cast; he lived with Chosen for seven years, had what would be considered a MASSIVE falling out, and then didn't show anything for it except punching him in the gut once and ignoring him for the entire rest of the episode. Chosen never meant anything to him; he was just a tool to be used, just like Vic (or H4ck3r; sorry, I just do not bother following these name changes lol). I love writing and reading Chosen & Dark fics, Dark redemptions, good Dark fics, etc. just as much as the next person. But I can also look at canon and honestly say, "Yeah, that'll never happen." Canon Dark is an undeniable, unrepentant psychopath, and I think that makes him a much more enjoyable and interesting character than if he was redeemable.

And then Chosen. I know he didn't get much screentime this episode, but I can't talk about a new AvA episode without at least addressing my lovely son.

Him reaching out to Dark? Yeah, okay, that hurt my soul. Because as I've already established, Dark very clearly does not care, but Chosen? Chosen can't help but care. That was his close companion, the only person he could consider a friend, for years. After he lost Dark, he had no one (pardon the pun). Even if Dark didn't care, even if Dark only hung around Chosen for so long because he thought of him as a useful ally; he's the only semi-positive relationship Chosen has ever had. And Chosen lost him, and it's probably Chosen's biggest regret, but now he's back, and surely he's missed Chosen as much as Chosen's missed him, right..? but he doesn't. He never cared. Not like Chosen did. And if Dark never cared, that means nobody ever cared. And yes, I KNOW they're faceless and voiceless stick figures, I KNOW the AB team is probably not gonna go that deep, but my GOSH, if it doesn't cut that deep. Chosen is so good and so messed-up and so hopeful and so broken and so confused and he tries so hard and he never wins and I love him so much I'm going to explode...

I also like how for most of the episode, he's just... there. Just standing in the background looking like a droopy, miserable wet cat. Which is funny, and I was giggling about it the whole time, but when I think about it, it's actually a really cool detail. The difference in his entire stance and attitude between "The Chosen One" and "No One" really shows a lot about his character. Chosen's powers have been such a key part of him since day one. He's a beast, a force of nature, but he's also a victim. His abilities helped him get free once, and they've kept him free since then. They're the way he shields himself, hiding his fears and fragility behind fire and storms and lasers. But now they're gone, and he has nothing protecting him anymore. He's vulnerable, both physically and emotionally. And oh boy does it show.

At this point, I think my biggest hope and prayer for Chosen's character arc is that he somehow gets his powers back and gets to duke it out with Dark one last time. I want HIM to defeat Dark, not Second or Vic. They've been so intricately linked throughout the entire show that they're practically inseparable both in canon and in the fanbase, but we've also gotten some pretty heavy hints by now that their relationship was majorly toxic. I'd love to see them fight and Chosen win for once, maybe as a visual representation of him letting go of Dark finally and getting to move on with his life. Maybe he and Vic make up and start forging a tentative friendship. Just something that could be considered real character development for Chosen. He has been one of the most beaten down characters in the entire series, and I just want to see him get an actual happy ending for once.

Thanks so much for giving me the chance to yap! I probably wouldn't have posted this long of a rant unprovoked, lol. And now you've gotten a taste of my obsession with The Chosen One. >:3

[arrowchristian]

Throwing this down here after seeing someone else's post talking about Chosen & Second:

I've noticed all the Hollowheads have gotten some kind of "upgrade" this season (Second's powers getting reawakened, Dark Lord becomes Goop Lord, Victim becomes H4ck3r). I'm calling it now that they're gonna reutilize Second's connection to Chosen by having him awaken some kind of "next level" powers in Chosen, and then he finally gets to beat The Dark Lord himself. That is the only satisfying way I see Chosen's character arc playing out, and I am going to bite someone if it doesn't happen.

Also the parallel of Second, "The Chosen One's Return," beating Dark in the Showdown vs Chosen fulfilling his nature as the original "Chosen One" and beating Dark this time would not only be satisfying, but also really funny. Most narrative "Dark Lords" just have one protagonist, SIKE, you have to deal with two of 'em, idiot. :)

[iochris]

Ohhhh my god (AvA 13 spoilers + my thoughts)

Ok starting off simply

Did anyone immediately think of "They're sticks, probably" on this scene where they disguised as workers? No? Just me? Okay..

Something about Chosen reaching for Dark to undo his bonds. As if pleading to some long gone friendship, begging for his freedom from the man he once shared it with. Only to get punched immediately, because of course he can never catch a break.

And then nothing happened between them for the entire episode... Well, we work with what we can get.

Ohhh nnooo, the machine. They're squeezing him dry aren't they? Poor Sec. I was so surprised they seemed to be bringing back Mitsi so early (What ever would happen in the next episodes?) but I was quick to be proven wrong.

Nothing much, I just like this shot. Mitsi, locked inside her own mind, unaware of her husband reaching for her. Poor girl, you deserve none of what you're getting.

One word:

VINDICATION

FREE MY BOY CHOSEN, HE DID NOTHING WRONG*

*well, not really, he still watched, but you get the spirit.

Though yeah, it's super interesting to think "what if he did it, what if he wasn't just a passive witness" (I've even got my own fic about that), but it never seemed like what the series was going for.

OOH THIS SHOT. OOOH THIS ENTIRE SCENE

Ookay, the animation is top notch. I can see why it takes as long as it does and, wow, is it worth it. The 3d is immaculate, as if from an actual movie, while the characters are simple stickmen. And this fight was perfection. I like how this series goes about it in general, where you're not sure who has the upper hand until the end.

That scene with the hand-to-hand and the "blood" on the floor damn, Alan, I did not expect that.

This is obviously pointing to the AvA 11 shot, of victim dragging himself away in desperation as a last attempt, even if in vain, to survive, to escape Alan. Now, though, it's not for himself. Now it's for Mitsi, to bring her back, not out of his own desire for his love (he knows he's as good as dead) but for her. To give her one more chance, because she didn't deserve this. I'm not crying, you are

Dark you absolute psychopath, I hope you get punched. Harder. Not commenting on anything in particular, just generally.

But the zombie army, jesus christ. Not even my excessive amounts of copium can make this man redeemable. Folks, we're never seeing the hollow brothers united.

Agent, the man that you are. Best friend they could have asked for, friend to the groom, to the bride, loyal to both and, damn him, he will protect them, even when it kills him. He cares about them so much, he's awesome. Can't believe how wrong I had been about him after Wanted.

Speaking of Wanted, CHOSEEEN! Alan please for god's sake, let him do something. The entire season he's being humiliated, powers or not, the man's capable, let him show it. Please, don't let my goat be washed 😔

Honestly, I'm still holding on to the hope that Alan has something BIG saved for him in the finale. All the talk about how he wants Chosen to get more character development and that he has plans to have that covered, and how his relationship with Orange will supposedly get explained this season. This man will get his moment to shine, mark my words.

Dark's getting flashbacks.

So much flash, and it led to nothing :( For now at least, but I was hoping for more of Orange, not just him getting squeezed up (I should be more patient honestly). Dark really took care not to get Deus-ex-machina'd by Second again huh. It's interesting how Vic could just. shut it off. apparently. It sure is getting my hopes up for later though. Get 'em Sec I wanna see that crash out.

Especially if it has a bit of angst on the side. They can't just have him erase Dark again, nor can they have the latter die (again), so I'm intrigued as to how they'll handle these powers in the finale. The Gang also didn't really react much after learning that about Orange (admittedly, they did have bigger issues) so I want to see something being done with this.

I do like that they clearly reacted to seeing Dark and their deaths playing out. These kids are clearly traumatized, even if they don't show it. Did you see them touching where they got stabbed? Oh the children...

HAZARD NO-

More like "Hazard yes" but eh. Single funniest moment in the episode ngl. Ballista grabbing Yellow's tools to make a box (I love that they're all allies now, need to see more of that), Mitsi and the sheep, Chosen lmao-

Immaculate reaction speed, everyone.

Alan, you know what to do. Get that Corn Dog guy short ready, the people demand it

THE WAY I SCREAMED

Mitsi, stepping on to the role her husband once held. She was never really the artist, the creator, that has always been Vic. He made all of Rocket's products, he was the designer. Now, it's her. Her time to shine, her time to create.

I love how her revival is handled. No, she's not just the object for Vic's motivation. No, she's not just brought back to the story for him. She's her own character now, she is not Gold nor Orchid, and she is going to make a difference. Plus, we can't forget she was the CEO of Rocket. She's a leader, not some random helpless girl. Oh, I'm so looking forward to that

Hey, at least Alan kinda fixed his track record when it come to female characters, look at that.

Overall, all I can say is, wow. Episode 12 wasn't my favorite, a few things in it felt like they were too fan-servicey for my liking and I didn't know where they could go with the story that would be satisfying. Mitsi coming back did not fit in that "satisfying" box, it also felt wrong. But hoo boy, am I glad it got proven otherwise, this is awesome.

I'm looking forward to the gang + Chosen to actually do something next episodes, they've pretty much only been looking for now lol

[octdl-lee]

AVA13 SPOILERS UNDER CUT‼️‼️‼️

THIS SCENE…. Theres gonna be so much fanart I can feel it