On watching the scenes again, I realise that Nehal has always been the voice of conscience that Basim has tried to silence. It's clear that Nehal only speaks to highlight Basim's interests, sparking his curiosity and critical thinking.
Setting aside the fact that Basim’s friends and family never noticed his habit of talking to himself, I am most intrigued by Nehal’s appearance. Where does this face come from? Although she represents the imprisoned part of Loki, she doesn’t actually look like him. Who or what was this face modelled on? I want to believe it comes from somewhere. More than that, I hope its origin plays a significant role in the lore. Not just a meaningless face, but the echo of a real past existence. Aletheia maybe? That seems unlikely, given that she doesn't look like Nehal. Or is it a dormant past trauma in Basim/Loki’s unconscious, relegated to the role of a puppet at the moment Loki needed a voice to whisper his influences?
As for Basim’s emotions, I’m referring to the moments when he appears worried about Nehal. When Basim argues with Nehal, it’s easy to imagine him fighting against his impulses. On the other hand, when he tells her that he doesn’t want to put her in danger, this is more difficult to reconcile. One could always interpret this as a need to protect that part of himself from danger. Or that he doesn’t want to admit he doesn’t really want to go to Alamut for fear of what he might find there. However, it’s paradoxical to think that it’s his commitment as an assassin that ultimately gives him the final push to undertake the journey.
« I will go, Nehal. I alone. I need you safe. I may find nothing there but danger and death. This is my fate. I wil not turn back from it but neither will I have you face it. »
He speaks to the part of himself that set him on this path. Yet when he tries to justify why he’s embarking on this journey, he cites his "fate" as an assassin—even though the creed has done everything in its power to steer him away from that path from the very beginning. Strange. Again, I’m inclined to believe that this isn’t insignificant.
I love them so much that I don't want to let them go 🙈
(original text under the cut)
En re-regardant les scènes, je peux concevoir que Nehal a toujours été une partie de conscience que Basim a cherché à éteindre. C'est très facile de réaliser que Nehal parle seulement pour mettre en valeurs les intérêts de Basim. Pour éveiller sa curiosité et son sens critique.
En dehors du fait que l'entourage de Basim ne se soit jamais rendu compte de sa manie à parler "tout seul", ce qui m'intrigue le plus concernant Nehal, c'est son apparence. D'où vient ce visage ? Elle représente la part de Loki emprisonné, mais elle ne ressemble pas à Loki à proprement parlé. A partir de quoi, ou de qui, a été modeler ce visage ? J'ai envie de croire qu'il vient de quelque part. Plus que ça, j'espère que sa provenance ait son importance dans le lore. Pas uniquement un visage anodin, mais l'écho d'une véritable existence passé. Aletheia ? Ça paraît peut probable compte tenu qu'elle ne ressemble pas à Nehal. Ou un traumatisme passé, dormant dans l'inconscient de Basim/Loki et reléguer au rôle de marionnette au moment ou Loki avait besoin d'une voix pour chuchoter ses influences ?
Concernant les émotions de Basim, je parle des moments ou il paraît éprouver de l'inquiétude pour Nehal. Quand Basim se dispute avec Nehal, il est facile de s'imaginer qu'il se bat contre ses impulsions. Par contre, quand il lui dit qu'il ne veut pas la mettre en danger, c'est plus compliqué à concilier. On pourrait toujours le traduire comme un besoin de protéger cet part de lui-même du danger. Ou qu'il ne veut pas admettre qu'il n'a pas vraiment envie d'aller à Alamut par crainte de ce qu'il pourrait y trouver. Cependant, c'est paradoxal de se dire que c'est son engagement d'assassin qui finit par lui donner le dernier coup de pouce pour entreprendre le voyage.
"I will go, Nehal. I alone. I need you safe. I may find nothing there but danger and death. This is my fate. I wil not turn back from it but neither will I have you face it."
Il parle à la part de lui-même qui l'a mis sur la voie. Pourtant lorsqu'il doit se justifier d'une raison pour entreprendre son voyage, il mentionne son destin d'assassin alors que le credo a tout fait pour l'éloigner de cette trajectoire depuis le début. Bizarre. Là encore, j'ai envie de croire que ce n'est pas anodin.
Je les adore tellement que je n'ai pas envie de les lâcher.
Why does that place Dervish and Basim are about to enter look so much like the one Basim sees after defeating Roshan, when he enters Loki’s cell? 👀
I realized something else too. I used to doubt it before but now I’m even more suspicious. Why does the djinn look so much like Nehal? Look closely at the outfit. Maybe I’m wrong but still…
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 6/?
Fandom: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Hytham & Basim Ibn Ishaq, Basim ibn Ishaq & Eivor, Aletheia/Loki (Assassin's Creed), Aletheia/Basim Ibn Ishaq, Basim Ibn Ishaq & Nehal (Assassin's Creed), Basim Ibn Ishaq & Roshan (Assassin's Creed), Basim Ibn Ishaq & Ammon (Assassin's Creed)
Characters: Eivor (Assassin's Creed), Basim Ibn Ishaq, Hytham (Assassin's Creed), Loki (Assassin's Creed), Havi | Odin (Assassin's Creed), Fenrir (Assassin's Creed) (Mentioned), Nehal (Assassin's Creed), Roshan (Assassin's Creed), Ammon (Assassin's Creed), Azar (Assassin's Creed), Shaun Hastings, Rebecca Crane (Assassin's Creed)
Additional Tags: Basim and Eivor are NOT Enemies to Lovers, Adoptive Parent Basim Ibn Ishaq (Assassin's Creed), not a "Basim Stays in Ravensthorpe" fic, Fensage Theory AU, Adoptive Parent Roshan bint-La'Ahad, Isu Bullshit (Assassin's Creed), now officially a "Nehal Never Leaves" AU, Assassin's Creed Mirage Spoilers, Genderqueer Basim Ibn Ishaq
Series: Part 1 of FIREBRINGERS
Summary:
"Dream a dream three billions dreams
Blow out the flame and close your eyes
Every night wе're side by side
Four and onе half billions years of radiant light
And the radiant child with eyes burning with desire
Moving in a ring of fire
But how much more can I sing
Until the smoke has cleared
Wipe the ash from your brow
And give it one more year"
The Trilogy - SUUNS
Hytham, Basim, and learning how to deal with grief.
Chapters 5 and 6 are now up!
woe, vaguely genderqueer basim be upon ye
